Aval Urundai / Aval Laddoo

Shama Nagarajan of Easy 2 cook recipes has suggested Aval and Jaggery for this month Shhh Cooking Secretly Challenge. Here in this challenge, every month paired bloggers share the ingredients secretly that is revealed the next month along with the recipes made out of it.Though I am quite late this month, didn't want to lose the fun. Here is the yummy recipe.. 

Yields: 6 small laddoos

Ingredients:

Aval / White Rice Flakes 1 1/2 cups
Grated Jaggery 1/2 cup
Ghee 4 tsp
Cardamom Powder a pinch
Chopped Cashews 1 tbsp
Water 1/4 cup

Method:

Dry roast the Aval for few seconds until it changes its color slightly. Once cooled, grind it to a fine powder in a mixer and then sieve. Add cardamom powder and keep it aside. 

In a pan, melt ghee and add cashews. Fry for few seconds until it changes slightly brown. Keep it aside.

In an other pan, add water and grated jaggery. Mix until the jaggery dissolves and transforms to a slightly thicker syrup and then filter it.

Now add the powdered aval and jaggery syrup into the pan with melted ghee and cashews. Pinch a ball size of the mixture and roll into laddoos.. Repeat the same for the rest of the mixture.

Egg Omelette

There are few very simple recipes that we prepare often; but do not get time to click. This is one such simple recipe that comes to rescue if I'm lazy to prepare side dish or just as a snack for my son after coming from school. I think the one and only essential thing to prepare egg omelette is to have a good nonstick pan or one would end up with more oily omelette. 

My 4 yr old son used to watch me cooking if he is bored of cartoon. Few days back, when I took egg from fridge, he snatched it from me and cracked it with a spoon nearby within few seconds. But thank god, he poured in a bowl and didn't spill over. From that day he is doing it with fun and I am watching him with my heart beating faster. :) 

Ingredients:

Egg 1

Finely chopped coriander leaves 1 tbsp

Finely chopped chillies 1/2 tsp

Pepper Powder a pinch

Salt

Method:

In a bowl, crack the egg. Add other ingredients. Whisk till smooth and well combined.

Heat little oil in a pan. Add the beaten egg. Gently swirl the pan so that it forms a circle shape. Allow cooking on a low flame. 

When it is done, remove from the pan. If found sticky, add little more oil around the omelette and then try removing.. 

Notes: You can also add a tbsp of milk while beating egg. If serving for toddlers, avoid chopped chillies. 

Oreo Stuffed Red Velvet Crinkles

Shazzy karim of He chops; She cooks has suggested Red Velvet theme for this month HBC Challenge. I'd love to try the Red Velvet Cake but none like sweets here. I am seriously looking for someone near by, so that I can bake and give them. My pantry may go without potatoes but not without Oreos. My son likes it a lot but doesn't like cookies much. Well; I made these crinkles in small quantities and I really liked stuffing , baking and eating the crinkles. 

Yields: 5-6 large cookies

Ingredients:              

Butter 1/4 cup about 50g
Powdered Sugar 1/2 cup                            
Egg 1
Buttermilk 1 tbsp

Vanilla Powder 1/2 tsp
Red food color 1/2 tbsp
Cocoa Powder 2 3/4 tbsp
All Purpose Flour 1 cup - 1 tbsp
Baking Powder 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda a pinch
Salt 1/4 tsp
Powdered Sugar for dusting

Preparation:

In a bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients and keep it aside.

Cream Butter and Sugar until well combined. In a stand mixer or electric mixer, add egg until well beaten and combined. Add butter milk and beat for few more seconds.

Now add in the dry ingredients little by little until it is well combined. If the dough is more sticky, add little more flour and again give it a mix.

Grease your hands well with butter.  Pinch a round tablespoon of dough. Gently flatten and place one oreo upon it. Pinch 1tbsp+1tsp of the dough and place it on the oreo. Take it together and roll it in between your palms like a ball. Now gently flatten it and cover the oreo well together for the holes, if any, with the dough.

Coat it well with the powdered sugar and place it in arranged cookie sheet. Follow the same with the remaining batter.

Preheat the oven at 190 deg C for 10 minutes. Place the sprinkles with enough space in between; these are quite large. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until done.

Baked Chicken Drumsticks ~ Indian Style

Baking Chicken has always remained quite easy for me as I can simultaneously cook other dishes in gas. This recipe is something that I prepare often and my son who is not very fond of chicken eats little of it; so I'm very glad as a mother. 

Ingredients:

Chicken legs / Chicken Drumsticks 6 ~ 450g
Yoghurt 5 tbsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder 2.5 tbsp
Coriander Powder 2 tbsp
Pepper Powder 1 tsp
Cumin Powder 1 tsp
Garam Masala 1 tsp
Finely chopped Garlic and Ginger 1 1/2 tbsp each
Olive Oil or any Oil 3-4 tbsp

For garnishing:

Lemon slices
Onion rings
Chopped Coriander leaves

Method:

Add finely chopped ginger and garlic to the other spice powders and yogurt in a mixer. Grind to a paste. Transfer to a bowl. (If using ginger-garlic paste, add all the other ingredients and ginger garlic paste in a bowl. Mix well. )

Make a small slit in each legs. Apply this paste all over the chicken legs and allow to marinate over night or atleast 5-6 hrs in refrigerator. 

Preheat the oven at 200 deg c for 10 mins.

Remove the marinated chicken pieces. Add oil and give it a gentle mix.

Arrange the pieces in a cookie sheet and place it in the middle rack of the oven.

Bake at 200 deg c for 20-25 mins. Now turn the other side and allow baking for another 20-25 minutes. Mine got done at 25 minutes each side.

Notes:  I use an electric oven. Each oven varies and cooking time differs; so adjust time accordingly. This is medium hot; increase or decrease spice powders according to your taste preference.

There may be excess of marination; say 1-2 tsp; I just leave it. Need not push all marination in; just a generous coating is enough. 

Vadai thatti potta Mor Kuzhambu / Vada in South Indian Kadhi / Channa Dhal fritters in Buttermilk curry

South Vs North Challenge or simply called as SNC, brainchild of Divya Pramil of You too can cook, is an event and challenge where we fellow bloggers participate and learn regional recipes all over India. 

I am the host for this month and I suggest this recipe to the north indian members. The same way, Prachi Agarwal (Prachi's Veg Kitchen) of northern team is the host for this month and has suggested Pani Puri recipe to the south indian members. To know more about SNC or to join, click here. 

Vadai / Vada is a kind of Indian Fritters. Mor Kuzhambu refers to spiced Buttermilk Curry. Thatti potta just refers to the making of vadais and its addition in the curry.

Mor Kuzhambu is one of the authentic curry recipes of Tamilnadu. Though there are slight variations in the ingredients from one region to another, the main ingredients are mostly the same, simple and can be prepared faster.

Mor kuzhambu with vegetables is made very rare at home as we like it mostly with vadais. I think it is a trick made by our great great grandmas to include vadais in the curry so that none will say no to the curry. ;-) 

Ingredients for Mor Kuzhambu:

Sour yogurt or curd 1 cup + Water 1/2 cup 

Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida  a generous pinch

Salt

To grind:

Coconut 1/4 cup 

Green chillies 2

Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

To grind:

Toor Dhal 1 tsp 

Raw Rice 1 tsp 

To temper:

Mustard Seeds 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves few

Finely chopped Ginger 1 tsp

Red Chillies 1-2

Coconut oil/ or any oil

For Vadais:

Channa Dhal / Kadalai Paruppu 3/4 cup

Finely chopped Garlic 1 tsp

Dried Red Chillies 3-4

Finely chopped Curry Leaves 2 tbsp

Finely chopped Pearl Onions 2 tbsp

Method for Vadais: (For 6-7 medium vadais)

Soak Channa Dhal for 2 hrs and then strain. Chop Garlic, Onions and Curry Leaves.

In a mixer, grind Channa Dhal and Dried Red Chillies to a coarse paste. Make sure dhal is not completely ground; let few dhals remain whole without ground. 

Now add chopped Garlic, Onions, Curry Leaves and Salt to the mixture.  Pinch a small ball size and press it to form vadais. 

Heat Oil in a Pan. When hot, add the vadais. Fry till brown and done. Transfer to a paper towel.

Method for Mor Kuzhambu: 

Soak Toor Dhal and Raw Rice for one hour and strain. Chop Ginger and grate coconut. Grind Toor Dhal and Raw Rice to a coarse powder.

Grind grated coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies to a coarse powder. Keep it aside. 

Whip/Beat curd along with 1/2 cup of water atleast for few minutes until smooth. You can use a mixer or a hand blender. 

Heat a Pan. When hot add the Toor Dhal+Raw Rice ground mixture. Fry for a few seconds. Now add the coconut ground mixture along with turmeric powder and Asafoetida. Fry for few more seconds. Add little water and allow boiling until its raw smell goes off..

Now add the whipped curd and salt. Give it a mix. Decrease the flame to low and allow cooking until it starts to leave out bubbles on its edges. Stop the flame when it is about to boil and raise.

In a pan, add oil, when hot, add mustard seeds. When it starts popping up, add curry leaves, dried red chillies and chopped ginger. Pour this seasoning into the curry.

Add the vadais just before serving. Serve with any hot and spicy stir fry. I served with Potato Fry. 

Serves: 2

Notes:

I used low fat plain yogurt. To make it sour, just keep the curd/yogurt out without refrigerating for few hours. In winter, it may take few more hours. (This is for beginners!!! )

Do not boil the curry for a long time which would result in curdling.

Linking this also to South Indian Cooking at The Big Sweet Tooth.

Feel free to clarify your doubts. 

Link your valuable entries below. As all of you are going to prepare the same recipe, just leave in your blog name instead of the recipe's name.