Muruku

This is my first time trying muruku at home and it was a great hit. My hubby tasted it and says it's so crispy and equal to his mom's muruku and i was so happy to hear that. Good reward for the hardwork :) My muruku looks dark bcz of the bad light and also my chili powder is really hot and red.

Ingredients:

• Rice flour - 2 cups
• Roasted chana dhal powder/Pottukadalai podi - 1 cup
• Butter - 1 tbsp or oil - 2 tbsp
• Ajwain - tsp
• Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - for deep frying

Method:

1. Seive rice flour and roasted chana dhal powder.
2. Combine the flour, roasted chana dhal powder, salt, butter, chili powder, ajwain and sesame seeds.
3. Slowly add water little by little to make a soft dough, just soft enough that it is pressed through easily with the muruku press. Test the dough for salt and chilli pwd before deep-frying.
4. Heat a wide heavy bottomed vessel with enough oil for deep frying.
5. Take the muruku press with 3 holes and fill half of the press with the dough.
6. Press the muruku press to make concentric layers of the dough.
7. Remember the frying has to be done on medium flame to achieve that golden color and crispness.
8. When the muruku turn a golden color, turn over to the other side and let it also cook to a golden brown.
9. Use a laddle with the holes to remove the muruku from the oil and transfer it to the paper towel to remove excess oil.
10. Repeat the same process till the rest of the dough is done. Cool completely before storing in an air tight metallic container.

Note:

You can also replace roasted chana dhal powder with the urad dhal powder for variations.

Samosa

Cook time - 1 hr

Serves - 3 to 4(Makes 8 samosas)

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• All purpose flour - 1 cup
• Water - 1/4 cup or as needed
• Ajwain - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

For the filling:

• Potato - 2 medium (boiled, peeled and cubed into small pieces)
• Frozen peas - 1/2 cup
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Green chilies - 2 (finely chopped)
• Ginger - 1 tsp (finely chopped)
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Mango powder(Amchur) - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves - 4 to 5 sprigs
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Mix the flour, salt, ajwain, oil and water to make a soft dough.
2. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes and set aside and cover it with the damp cloth for minimum 15 to 20 mins.
3. Heat the oil in the frying pan. Splutter cumin seeds.
4. Add green chilies, ginger and asafoetida and fry for 30 secs.
5. Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, amchur powder, chili powder and fry for a minute or two.
6. Add the frozen peas, salt and cook till the peas becomes soft.
7. Add the cubed potatoes, coriander leaves and mix everything well.
8. Cool the fillings to room temperature.
9. Knead the dough again for a minute and divide into 8 equal parts.
10. Roll each ball into 6-inch diameter circles and cut each circle in half.
11. Lift one side of the flat edge and brush plain water on it. Lift the opposite side and overlap the two edges to form a cone shape. Press the seams gently to seal.
12. Stuff the Potato mixture into the cone. Press this filling down with your fingers. Now close the top of this cone into a triangle shape, pinching the top edge so that it is completely sealed.
13. Heat about 1-1/2 inch of the oil in a frying pan on medium heat and deep fry until golden brown.
14. Serve hot with the ketchup, mint chutney or tamarind chutney.

Moong dhal Pakoda

Prep time and cook time - 1 1/2hrs

Serves - 2

Ingredients:

• Split moong dhal with skin - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 cup (chopped)
• Green chilies - 4 (chopped)
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (chopped)
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Ginger - 2 tsp (chopped)
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - for deep frying

Method:

1. Soak moong dhal for 1 hr and drain the water completely.
2. Grind the dhal to a coarse batter without adding water.
3. Add chopped onions, green chilies, cumin seeds, ginger, coriander leaves, curry leaves, salt and mix everything well.
4. Heat the kadai. Add oil. Once the oil is hot, take a small ball out of the batter flatten it little and deep fry it.
5. Serve as an evening snack.

Gobi 65

Prep Time - 20 mins

Cook Time - 15 mins

Serves - 3 to 4

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower - 1 medium
• Oil - for deep frying.

To make a paste:

• Maida - 5 tbsp
• Corn flower - 3 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Soya sauce - 1/2 tsp
• Green chili sauce - 1/2 tsp
• Vinegar - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Clean the cauliflower and cut into small florets. Soak it in hot water for 5 minutes.
2. Drain the cauliflower.
3. Make a thick paste with the items given under "To make a paste".
4. The paste shouldn't be too thick nor too thin.
5. Add the cauliflower florets to the paste and fold gently until everything mix well.
6. Keep aside for 10 mins.
7. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the florets till golden brown.

Note:

To make this as a gobi manchurian, you need to add capsicum, tomato sauce etc after deep frying.

You can find the recipe for it on my site.

Easy Besan Bonda

Ingredients:

For the batter:

Besan flour - 1 cup

Rice flour - 3 tsps

Baking soda - 1/8 tsp

Chili powder - 1 tsp

Water - required to make a thick paste.

Salt - as needed

For the bonda mixture:

Onions - 1/2 medium (finely chopped)

Green chilies - 3 (finely chopped)

Curry leaves - few (chopped)

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

Oil - for frying

Method:

Prepare the batter by mixing the ingredients given under "For the batter".

Once the batter is ready, add all the ingredients under "For the bonda mixture" and mix everything well.

Heat the pan on medium heat. Add oil. Once the oil is hot, take a spoonful of the mixture and pour it on the hot oil. You can also use your hand.

Pour as many as you can and make sure not to over crowd the pan.

Once it turns golden brown on both the sides, remove from the pan and serve hot.

It would take 8 to 10 mins for one batch.

Note:

The batter shouldn't be too thick or too thin.

If the batter is too thick, the bonda will be hard and if it's too thin, it will absorb more oil.

Potato Bonda

Ingredients:

• Potato - 2 medium (boiled, peeled and mashed)
• Onion - 1 medium (finely chopped)
• Green chilies - 4 (finely chopped)
• Ginger - 1 inch (finely chopped)
• Curry leaves - 1 strand
• Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsps
• Salt - to taste

For the batter:

• Besan flour - 1 cup
• Rice flour - 3 tsp
• Baking soda - a pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Oil - for deep frying
• Water - 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Heat the pan. Add oil. Once the oil is hot, splutter mustard seeds and add cumin seeds. Fry for 30 secs.
2. Add the curry leaves, ginger, green chilies, turmeric powder and onions. Cook till the onions turn light brown.
3. Add the mashed potatoes, garam masala, salt and mix everything well.
4. Finally add the coriander leaves and set aside the mixture to cool down.
5. Once the mixture is cool down, form small balls and keep aside.
6. Mix all the ingredients given under "For the batter" until smooth and lump free.
7. Heat oil in a pan on a medium heat to fry the bonda.
8. When the oil is hot, dip the potato balls in the batter, completely coat them and place them in the oil one by one.
9. Fry on all the sides until light brown.
10. Serve hot with any chutneys.

Mirchi Bajji/Milagaai Bajji

Ingredients:

• Bajji Milagaai/Mirchi - 3 medium size
• Gram flour - 1/2 cup
• Rice flour - 2 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/8 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Water - to make the batter
• Oil - for frying.

Method:

1. Cut the mirchi into 4 pieces and microwave it for 2 mins.
2. Mix gram flour, rice flour, red chili powder, baking soda and salt without any lumps.
3. Now add water little by little and make a thick paste.
4. Dip the mirchi into this batter and fry it in oil.
5. The oil should be in medium heat.
6. Mirchi is done once it turns golden brown on both the sides.
7. Serve hot with any chutneys of your choice.

Vegetable Cutlet

Ingredients:

• Potato - 4 (cooked and mashed)
• Peas - 1/2 cup(frozen)
• Onion - 1 medium
• Ginger and Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
• Maida - 5tsp
• Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup
• Oil for frying.

Method:

1. In a pan heat oil. Add in the onions and cook till translucent.
2. Add ginger and garlic paste, garam masala powder, turmeric powder and salt.
3. Add in the cooked and mashed potatoes and peas.
4. Allow it to cool and make a desired shape.
5. Mix maida with little water and make a paste.
6. Dip the cutlet with the maida paste and coat it with bread crumbs and shallow fry it.
7. Tasty cutlet is ready to be served with tomato ketchup.

Gobi Manchurian (Dry)

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower – ½ medium cut into bite-size florets
• Onion – ½ medium (cubed)
• Green bell pepper(capsicum) – ½ medium (cubed)
• Ginger and Garlic – 1 tsp each (finely chopped)
• Green chilies – 3 (cut diagonally)
• Tomato sauce – 2tbsp
• Soya sauce – 3 tsp
• Red chili paste – 2 tsp
• Spring onions for garnishing
• Oil – for deep frying

To marinate:

• Maida – 5 tbsp
• Corn flour – 3 tbsp
• Soya sauce – 1 tsp
• Pepper powder – ½ tsp
• Chilli powder – ½ tsp
• Vinegar – ½ tsp
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Marinate the cauliflower with “to marinate” for 15 mins and deep fry till cauliflower turns dark brown color.
2. Heat oil in the non stick pan.
3. Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chilies. Fry for a minute.
4. Add cubed onions and bell pepper and cook till translucent.
5. Add tomato sauce, chili sauce and soya sauce. Cook until oil starts to separate from the mixture.
6. Now add in the fried cauliflower and toss well to coat cauliflower with the mixture.
7. Finally garnish it with the spring onions.
8. Note:
9. This is the dry version. If u want it to be gravy, mix 2tsp of corn starch with water and add to the above mixture.