MInt - Coriander Spicy Poori

Pudina/Mint and Coriander leaves Poori is a spicy fried dish. You can have them for breakfast, or as snack or even for dinner. I have added some moong dal (soaked) to the dough and it taste, crispy in between the bites.

Just thought of using pudina which was there in the fridge, brought it for making green chutney but was lazy to do it. I just thought of using it for pooris and the poori came out very tasty though it was not fluffy since moong dal was added. Tasted very nice with the aroma of pudina. So the recipe is here for you to try it out.
Let us see some benefits of having Pudina/Mint leaves in our diet.
Fresh herbs are essential for a healthy diet and they provide wide range of health benefits. Mint has the highest antioxidant capacities. They are good for allergies since they contain anti-oxidant and anti -inflammatory properties. They are good for common cold and sore throat. It is also good for indigestion and helps to ease the digestion. Mint contain a small amount of potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin C and Vitamin A 3. Mint also contain a little amount of fiber.
Do remember that one must take care with mint product if you have or had gallstones.

Things Needed :

To Mix : 
Moong Dal : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Wheat Flour : 2 to 3 cups.
Salt : as required
Pudina coriander mixture 
1 Tablespoon of oil

To Grind :
Mint/Pudina : 1 bundle (small bundle)
Coriander : 1 Small bundle
Green chilly : 2
Garam Masla : 1 Teaspoon
Ginger : an inch
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asfoetida : a pinch
Turmeric powder : a pinch

To Fry :
Oil :  1 1/2 to 2 cups.

Method :

1. Wash and soak moong dal for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Wash and remove only the leaves of mint/pudina, wash coriander leaves and green chilly.
3. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Cut it into small pieces.
4. Now grind pudina leaves. coriander leaves. ginger pieces. green chilly and garam masla powder together.

5. You can add little water to grind it. Remove it from the mixi jar.
6. Now Take a big pan and add wheat flour, salt and a tablespoon of oil. Mix the flour nicely.
7. Remove the water from the soaked moong dal and add moong dal to wheat flour. Mix it thoroughly. Add ground leaves paste. Mix it well.

8. Now add water (if required) and prepare the dough. (thicker than chapati dough).
9. Divide the dough into small portion and roll them as a small ball.

10. Use little oil and roll them as pooris. Arrange them in a plate.
11. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and let it be hot.

12. Fry poori one by one and remove and put it on a kitchen tissue.

13. Serve hot pooris with a side dish you have prepared.
14. Serve with a cup of curd and curry and some onion or cucumber slices.

15. We had Mint -Coriander Spicy Poori with Brinjal Curry.

 Note :

Do not use more water since dough may turn soft and absorb more oil. Do not add more water while grinding the leaves. Adding moong dal is optional. You can add more chilly. (optional). You can also add red chilly instead of green chilly. Taste differ. The pooris may not turn that fluffy.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.

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