Green Chakkuli

Chakkuli/Chakli/Muruku or Rice crispy crunchy fritters are favourite of many. It is nice to have with cup of coffee/tea/fresh juice. It can be munched any time of the day. It can be put it in kids snack box. It is good munch for ladies party, picnics, travelleing etc.

Green Chakkuli is prepared using coriander leaves, roasted urid dal and rice flour with little spices.

Lets see the recipe now:

Things Needed :

Fine Rice flour : 2 Cups

Urid Dal : 1/2 Cup

Butter : 1 Tablespoon

Coriander Leaves : 1 Handful : (1 Small bundle)
Green chilly : 2
Sesame Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Oil : 1 Cup (To Fry)

Method :

1. Clean and wash coriander leaves and green chilly. Let all the water drain from coriander leaves.

2. Keep a pan dry roast urid dal till they turn golden brown. Dry grind when it is cooled.

3. Dry grind green chilly and coriander leaves. Remove from the mixi jar. (Do not add any water while grinding).

4.Now take a big bowl and put rice powder, dry ground urid dal, Mix it well.
5. Add sesame seeds, jeera/cumin seeds, ground coriander and green chilly mixture. Add butter.
6. Add salt and mix all the ingredients well. Add required water and mix it nicely and prepare chukli dough.

7. Divide the dough into smaller portion. Take a chukkli maker and wash it nicely. Place chakkuli plate inside.
8. Keep a pan on the fire and heat the pan. Add oil to fry and let it get hot. (Medium flame)
9. Take a portion of chakkuli dough and put it inside the chakkuli mould.

10. Close the lid of the chakkuli mould and press it straight into the hot oil.
11. Turn the chakkuli other side with the help of frying Spoon.
12. Remove cooked chakkulis and put it on the kitchen tissue. Hot chakkulis are ready to taste.

13. Repeat the same with remaining dough.
14. Serve Hot chakkuli with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

Note :

Adding more chilly is optional. Take care while roasting urid dal. (I have used whole white Urid) Optional. The measurement is like 2 cups of rice flour : 1/2 cup of urid dal. (The same cup which you used for measuring rice.Adding sesame and jeera gives a good aroma. Adding more chilly is optional. You can also add little ing/Asafotida ) while preparing the dough.Do not put lots of water to the flour.
If the dough turns more watery add little  fresh rice flour and mix it well.
You can add any spice that you like. (Optional).
Time : 30 Minutes. 

Deepavali Snacks

Deepavali is one of the National festival. This festival celebrated all over the world now a days. 
Even President Barak Obama also has declared  a holiday for Deepavali in United States of America .
We do celebrate the festivals in traditional way. Each festival has his own history and tradition behind it. It is also called as festival of lights. There are different ways and traditions in different part of India. We do celebrate Deepavali for 4 Days.

The first day is called as Neeru tumbuva habba (means filling water to the big vessel with full of water to take bath next morning). In those days, even now we have big Hande in the bathrooms in my doddamma's (my mother's sister) house and father in law's house. That big hande (big vessel to boil water for bath) is washed nicely and decorated with red soil lines (or some simple art work), and pooja is done to the filled Vessel at night and it is called as ganga pooja and the neivedyam (offering some eatables to God) is prepared using coconut, jaggery and rice. This is called yere appa. (a fried dish). After pooja to Ganga Mata will have our dinner. (normal simple food along with yere appa).
The next day is Naraka Chaturdashi. It is believed that Narakasura (one of the powerful demon) used to trouble people on the earth. So God Narayana came to people's rescue and killed Narakasura. God being kind to him, he asked Narakasura to visit the earth on this day. So the people believe that Narakasura comes to earth on that day to visit them. Being a human they too have kind heart and welcome Narakasura. They get up in the early morning and with oil massage for the whole body will have hot water bath.  Oil bath should be taken before the sun rise. (before 6 in the morning). We wear new clothes. Then Dosa and panchakajjaya (Flattened rice with jaggery and coconut) is prepared and offered to God and the whole family will enjoy Eating Hot dosa with chutney and Panchakajjaya and then burst the crackers. (just one or two ).This is the traditional way of starting the festival. The ladies will be busy preparing festival food for the family. The relatives, guest, newly weds in the family all get together to have lunch.
The next day is Amavasya or No moon day. This day Laxmi pooja is done in most of the houses. The following day is called Bali Padyami. There is also a story behind this day. Bali Chakravarthi who is very kind and generous Chakravarthy (King) and ruled his country so well. It is said that on this day he will come to see his prajas. I have seen people of my village sing some songs about this Bali Chakravarthi and in that song, Bali Chakravarthi is welcomed by his people. On that day they gather grass and put fire and lights will be lightened every corner of the house. And Tulisi Pooja starts from that day. It is continued till the day of Tulisi Festival. It is some thing which is very beautiful to watch. I am blessed to see those things in my childhood days.
The next day (fourth day) there will be poojas for cows and it is called govina pooja. They are washed nicely and put kumkum and brought in to the home and fed sweet flattened rice. (Panchakajjaya). They do pooja to the cows and then enjoy loads of home prepared food that day.
Now the time has changed and loads of eatables available every where and each and every one will be busy with their personal things. Visiting relatives has become very rare but still friends and relatives get together at lease for an evening and enjoy the festival.
We used to prepare many snack items and friends used to visit us and we too visit them one of the day in the whole week celebration. Each house will surely prepare some or the other yummy dishes
Lets see some easy dishes and enjoy this Deepavali. I am sure it is not that late to prepare these dishes. These dishes are good to have either for lunch or even it shines on High Tea ( Deepavali Party in the evening ).

The first one is Yere appa which is normally done on the previous day of Naraka Chaturdashi.  You can just try. It is done with raw rice, coconut and jaggery. You can use cashews while grinding. It adds to the taste and Yere Appa turns tasty.
 1. Here is a recipe of Yere Appa ...Prepare this and enjoy
 http://nsomayaji.blogspot.in/2009/10/yereappa.html

 2. Every one likes to have some sweet dish along with the elaborated lunch or High Tea.
 Lets go with Rasmali, which is very easy to prepare and yummy to have. Give it a try. Less work and yummy dish is ready in minutes.
All You need is ready to eat Rasgullas. I have used Mayyas Ready to eat Rasgullas. As they say it is made with love. They are really yummy to have.

   http://nsomayaji.blogspot.in/2015/09/easy-rasmalai.html

3. Deepavali is also called as festival of sweets. There should be some laddus to share with our friends and visitors.
Oats and corn flakes and almond laddu has no sugar and lots of nuts are used and we can say these are healthy laddus. As always it is simple, easy and quick. Give them a try and you will really love them.
Just check the recipe to note what all you need and the steps to prepare. Njoy eating them.

 http://nsomayaji.blogspot.in/2015/10/oats-corn-flakes-almond-laddu-deepavali.html

 4. How about preparing some savoury dishes ...Have a quick look at it and you can prepare them easily. Not that many things are needed here .
Lets check the recipe of Ribbon Pakoda which is every one's favourite. This snack is made of rice flour ( 3 portions) and one portion of chickpea flour. Glance at the recipe :

 http://nsomayaji.blogspot.in/2015/07/ribbon-pakoda.html

5. Now lets see one more savoury recipe, Karam Kuram the kids favourite to munch them most of the time and it can be good snack which goes well with cup of coffee or tea or even fresh fruit juice.
Sev is a perfect snack for Deepavali. It is prepared using chickpea flour and rice flour. It is very easy to prepare these sev. I am sure you
will surely love these sev.

http://nsomayaji.blogspot.in/2015/10/sev-deepavali-special.html

6. This Crispy Cuts (Diamond Cuts or Shankar Poli) are well known and it is one of the favourite eatable for  all age group. It is prepared using Maida (All purpose flour) and I have used millet with maida. It has turned crispy and it just melts in the mouth. You can feel the taste by giving a try.  It does not take much of your time even to fry. But remember to fry them on low and medium flame.

 http://nsomayaji.blogspot.in/2015/11/crispy-cuts-diamond-cuts-shankar-pole.html

Crispy Cuts (Diamond Cuts - Shankar Pole)

Crispy cuts are made with maida (bread flour or all purpose flour). It is called as diamond cuts, because of the cuts or the shapes while it got cut. We also call it as shankar pole I have no idea why this dish is called Shankara Pole. May be these cuts are used to be prepared with sugar - Shakkar , and it might have got the name shakkar pole and later turned as Shankar pole. Pole must any fried dish. This is simply my thought. Anyways there is a change and different place has different name for the same dish.

This Shankar Pole is a namkeen (salty dish), It can be your one the preparation for Deepavali. It is easy to prepare, does not take much of your time, like other fried dish. It stays crunchy and crispy for a long time, at least for two weeks if it is not get over. (very tempting I can say). Perfect for kids party and kitty party, tea party and traveling. You can also pack it for kids snack box.
Once in while or festival mood or in a party mood you can enjoy this Diamond cuts.
I have used maida, millet flour (jolada hittu), little hot oil and some spices. Just tried adding millet flour to maida and tried it. It turned it very crispy and yummy. So the recipe is here. You can try this and enjoy Shankar Pole.

Things Needed :

Maida (All Purpose flour) 1 Cup
Millet flour (Jolada hittu): 1 /2 Cup
Hot oil :(to add) : 2 Tablespoon
Red chilly powder : 2 Teaspoons
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Ingh : a pinch
Salt : As required
Oil (Any brand) ; 1 Cup

Method :

1. Take a big bowl and add maida, millet flour, chilly powder, salt, and jeera. Mix it nicely.

2. Keep a pan and heat 2 tablespoons of oil (piping hot). Add this hot oil to the flour and leave it for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Now mix it nicely and add required water (little by little) and prepare the dough.

4. Divide the dough in to small portion.
5. Just turn the small portion of the dough as ball shape, and roll as chapati. (You can use flour or oil to roll, a drop of oil will do).

6,\Prick it on the rolled chapati with a knife edge or spoon edge. (It helps the cuts not to fluff up).
7. Cut them in to small bits giving a diamond shape. \
9. Keep a pan and put oil and heat. When the oil turns hot, leave the cut pieces of chapati slowly in to hot oil.
10. Fry them on both side.(Let the flame be low and medium).

11.When they turn golden brown remove from the pan and put them on a kitchen tissue. It helps to absorb extra oil.

12. Repeat the same and prepare remaining dough.
13. Let it cool Put them in a airtight box or bottle.

14. Serve it with cup of coffee or tea or any time you wish.

Note : 

Always Try with the small quantity. Adding hot oil helps to get the diamond cuts crispy. Do not add water immediately after pouring hot oil. Shankar pole may turn soft and it might take more oil. Adding more spice is optional. Do not put more energy while rolling as chapti. It may tare. Roll it softly and slowly. Adding more oil to fry is also optional. You may fry them fast. (more quantity). No Need to rest the dough or adding any cooking soda. (I have not added).
Time : 30 minutes. (Total)
Serves : As required . You can get a bowl full of Diamond cuts as shown in the pic.

Sev (Deepavali special )

 Deepavali is nearing and the preparation of sweets and savoury starts. So I thought of preparing Sev and here is a recipe for you. Believe me it is easy, quick and yummy. This sev can be prepared and served with the sweet dish of your choice. Here is a recipe of medium thick variety of sev recipe.

Sev/Om pudi (as we call in Kannada ) is a savoury dish and we can munch them any time of the day. (People like me who are fond of fried  items ). It can be prepared using different flours. For example we can use chickpea/gram flour or rice flour and chick pea flour or only roasted channa (hurikadale) and rice flour or even maida flour or even boiled potatoes are also used for preparing sev.
Here I have used 3 portions of chikpea/channa/gram flour/besan and one portion of rice flour. Some spices like chilly powder, jeera are used. I have used butter and no cooking soda added to the flour .
Lets us see the recipe now.

Things Needed :

Besam/Gram/Besan flour : 3 Cups
Rice flour : 1 Cup
Jeera powder : 1 Teaspoon
Red chilly powder : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : as required
Butter : 2 Tablespoons
Oil : 2 Cups (Any brand )
Sev Mould.

Method :

1. Put Chick Pea flour, Rice flour, butter, salt, jeera and red chilly powder in a big bowl.
2. Mix it nicely so that butter and other ingredients mixes well with flour.

3. Add required water slowly (little by little ) and form a dough. (thicker than chapati dough).
4. Kneed the dough well. and divide them in to small portion. (not very small).

5. Now just apply little oil around the inner layer of the mould and put prepared sev dough inside.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil. Heat it.
7. Now close the lid of the mould and press straight to the hot oil.  Let it turn slightly golden brown.

8. Turn the other side and cook for a minute and remove from the pan. Put it on a kitchen tissue. Let the extra oil absorb by the towel.
9. Repeat the same with remaining dough and prepare sev.

10 Sev is ready to serve.

Note :

The dough should not be watery or too thick. Watery dough may absorb more oil and the thick (hard) dough can not be squeezed out easily. Adding more butter may soften the dough and it might take more oil.  For the above said measurement only 2 tablespoons of butter will be perfect. You can also try using hot oil instead of butter. Adding more/less chilly powder is optional. Adding whole jeera might block the holes of the mould. So roast and powder jeera and then use it. ( I just crushed it a little and added ).
Time : 30 to 40 minutes
Servings : according to your requirement.

Onion Bonda ( Onion Fritters)

Onion Bonda is a fried dish. A cup of hot coffee or tea and a plate of these onion bondas are perfect snack in the evening. It makes us munch more and more and no doubt onion bonda is a good combination for lunch or dinner too.
Onion Bonda is prepared using besan,rice flour and some spices. Though eating fried dish is not good for health but once in a way it is ok to have them. It is simple, easy and quick to prepare. Most of the ingredients will be always at home and when ever you feel like having some pakodas you can prepare it quickly. It is always better to have home made dishes.

Lets see the recipe now.

Ingredients:

Besan/Channa flour/ Kadale hittu/Kadale Maavu : 1 Cup
Rice flour : 1 Cup
Onions : 2 to 3 (Medium sized)
Green chilly : 2
Red chlli Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 
Ginger : a small piece
Oil : 1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons
Sodium bicarbonate/ Cooking Soda :  a pinch

Method : 

1. Remove the outer skin of onions and wash it. Wash coriander leaves, curry leaves and green chilly.
2. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and remove the outer skin and wash it again. Grate it.
3. Cut onions, green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves into thin pieces.
4. Put rice flour, besan/channa flour, salt and a pinch of sodium bicarbonate in a big bowl.

5. Add cut chilly, red chilly powder, grated ginger and jeera to the rice flour mixture. Add hot oil to the mixture.
6. Mix all the ingredients nicely and then add required water and mix it nicely and prepare the dough.

7. Keep a frying pan on the fire. Put oil and heat.
8. Take little dough and just roll it a little (giving a round shape) and leave in hot oil.
9.Fry them nicely on both sides, remove from the oil and put it on the kitchen tissue.

10. At time you can prepare 4 to 6 bonda at time.

,

11. Repeat the same with remaining dough and prepare onion bondas.
12. Serve with ketch up or coconut chutney.

Note :

Mix all the ingredients nicely and then add water little by little. The dough should be thick. Thick dough helps to give a a ball shape while dropping the dough to the frying pan. These onion bondas are soft in side and crispy outside. Adding more or less chilly is optional. Adding 2 Tablespoons of hot oil helps the bonda to get crispy. The size of the bonda according to your wish. (small/big). You can also add little raw coriander seeds. Crush the coriander seeds and then add it to the dough while preparing. Adding little water helps the bonda to be soft. Do not make it more liquid. Then you can not make it as round and it absorb more oil while frying.
Preparation time : 5 Minutes
Cooking Time : 15 minutes
Total Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.