Vadaape..

Vadaape.. is some thing like Vada, prepared using rice flour and curd. It is one of the Malenaadu dish  (Shimogga - Karnataka state). When the rainy season starts, the body craves for some thing fried, spicy and stomach filling dish. It is a natural feeling I can say. Malenaadu means Heavy raining area. It is mostly rural area too. So think of the rain pouring outside and the Hot Vadapes are served with coconut chutney with a hot coffee. It is a fantastic feeling one can enjoy.

I have eaten this Vadape at Shobha Somayaji's House. She is the  principal of Hongirana School which is in Amte Koppa. (10 K.M. away from Sagar). She is full of entu and not only takes care of the whole school activity, entertain her guests and cooks herself and feeds them happily.  We keep going there to visit her. We love to see the places around Sagar. So such one of the visit she had prepared this Vadaape. Next time I saw this Vadaape in one T. V. show.  Archana Udupa one of the great Kannada Singer preparing Vadape in that cooking show. This is how I was inspired and prepared Vadape in our home.

As I said earlier Vadape is a fried dish. May be because it looks like vada, it must have got the name Vadaape. We call any special eatable as appa. For example guli appa, banana appa (banana sweet fritters), Halasina hannina appa (jack fruit fritters) etc. Likewise this vada must have called as appa. So Vade + Appa has turned into Vadape.This is how I understood the word Vadaape.
Vadaape is prepared  using rice flour, curd, onion and some spices.
Here is a recipe and Vadape can be eaten for breakfast or as evening snack or any time of the day.

Things Needed : 

Rice flour : 2 Cups
Onion..2 ( Medium)

Ginger an inch

Green chilly : 2

Coconut- 2 to 3 Tablespoons..( Fresh - grated )

Curry Leaves-Handful

Coriander leaves.- 2 to 3 sticks (finely chopped)

Salt: to taste

Oil : to Fry ( One cup )

Curd - 2 Tablespoons

Method : 

1. Wash and cut onions, green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
2. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
3.Wash and remove the outer skin of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
4. Take a big bowl or pan, put cut onions, chilly, curry leaves, coriander leaves, ginger and coconut.

5. Add 2 tablespoons of curd, rice flour and salt.

6. Mix it well and add required water. Prepare soft dough. (Akki rotti consistency ).

7. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and let it heat.
8. Take a small ball size of prepared dough and pat on the palm or on banana or any edible leaf.
9. Make a circle type and make hole in the middle. It gives vada shape.

10. Slowly put this in hot oil and fry on both sides. Remove from the hot oil once it is done and place on kitchen tissue.

11. Repeat the same and prepare the rest of the Vadapes.

 12. Serve Hot Vadaape with coconut or any other chutney you prepared. Coconut chutney goes well with Vadaape.

Note : 

Add water little by little while preparing the dough. If you feel the dough consistency is watery add little more rice flour. You can add a teaspoon of jeera to the dough. (I have not added). Adding coconut is optional. Do not add any oil or ghee while mixing. Fry on medium flame. You can try this using any edible leaves like palak, dil or methi leaves.
Time : 30 to 40 minutes. (Total time)
Serves : 3 to 4 
15 Vadape can be made. (depends on the size you prepare ).

Almond Chikki

Almond Chikki ( Piece ) is tasty its nice to munch any time of the day.

Things needed..

Almonds :!1 cup

Sugar : 1/3 of the cup

Ghee 1 Tea sp

Method :

Dry grind almonds ( As it is.) like rava) and keep it aside. Apply ghee to the plate and keep it aside.

Now take a pan and put sugar..stir until it melts..( No need to add water) when it turns brown add powdered almond and stir. Stir and mix the mixture thoroughly. Add a spoon of ghee and stir and remove it from the pan to the plate ..and flatten the mixture in a roller. Cut it into pieces and leave it for 3 to 4 minutes..Almond Chikkies are ready to serve.

20 pieces can be made. ( small Pieces)

Note : Must do it in a slow fire ..so that it won't be burnt...

BEATEN RICE UPPITTU ( AWALAKKI OR AWAL OR POHA UPPITTU )

Awalakki/Aval/ Poha/ Flattened rice is one of the healthy grain and we can prepare varieties of dishes using Awalakki. This is one of the traditional dish and easy to prepare too.

 

 Thick Awalakki is used to prepare this dish and it is cleaned and soaked in water for some time. With that we add some spices and spices. Then it is seasoned.
Lets see the recipe now.

Things Needed :

Awalakki : 1cup
Salt : to taste
Turmeric Powder : a pinch

Jaggery : 2 table spoons
Water : 1/2 cup

Coconut : 1/2 cup

Red chilly : 3 to 4

Mustard Seeds : 1 spoon

Oil : 2 Table spoon
Urd Daal : 1 Spoon

Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves

Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 sticks

Ghee : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Wash and soak awalakki with 1/2 Cup of water. Add salt, turmeric powder and jaggery. Mix it well and keep it aside.

2. Grate coconut and dry grind. Add 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds and red chilly with coconut to dry grind.

3. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil.
4. Add mustard seeds, urid dal .(each 1/2 spoon).

5. Let it splutter. Add curry leaves and put soaked awalakki to it.

6. Mix it well and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add water if required.
7. Add ground coconut - mustard- red chilly mixture and mix it well. Add a teaspoon of ghee.

8. Let it cook on low flame. Wait till all the moisture disappear and avalakki turns soft and cooked.

9. Add cut coriander leaves and shift awalakki to a serving bowl.
10. Serve with  a cup of curd.

Note : 

Thick awalakki should be used. Use of water according to the quantity. Avalakki should be soft and cooked well to get the good taste. 

Adding chilly is optional. Adding ghee adds to the taste. Adding ground nuts is optional. Fry them in the oil along with mustard seeds.

Time : 30 minutes.

Serves : 4 to 5.

Rava Crispy..

Rava Crispy..is a snack..goes well with Tea..

Things needed :

Rava : ( Medium Samolina) :1 Cup

Wheat Flour : 1/4 cup

Red chilly powder : 2 Tea spoons

Jeera ( Cummin Seeds) : 1/2 Tea spoon.

Salt : To taste

Water ; Required..water..

Oil :To Fry( 1 cup )

Method :

Mix Rava, wheat flour , salt and jeera with I table spoon of hot oil. ( heat a spoon of oil in a pan).

Then add little by little water and make thick dough..Keep it for 10 minutes..

Now keep a pan on the fire..Heat oil ..Divide the dough in to small ball and roll them with roller..in to thin papads. When oil is hot fry them one by one in medium heat until it is slightly brown ..and remove from the oil... Serve them with ketchup.

Note : The dough should be thick..or it absorb lot of oil while frying and papad will not be crispy..

Must fry them in medium heat..

20 small papads can be made.

Crispy Chaat... Cut onions . tomatoes ...coriander leaves and green chillies and coriander leaves in to small pieces..Can add cucumber also..Remove the seed part

Grate 1 carrot..mix together... add salt ...when you are ready to serve..take a small bowl of vegetable mixture...add little lemon if you like and crush 3 crispy poories..mix well. Sprinkle

Chaat masaala on the top and serve ..

Gingly Seeds Chikki... ( slab)

This one is very tasty..you go on munch this..at any time of the day..

Things needed.. :

Gingly ( Til ) seeds : 1 cup

Sugar : 1/2 cuo

Method : Roast Til seeds until brown and dry grind for only 1 or 2 seconds...and keep it aside..

Now keep a pan.. on the gas ..and pour sugar.. it starts melting and turns brown ( caramel ).

Now Add ground gingly seeds.. mix well and remove and pour it on a flat surface and cut according to your wish.. Gingly Chikky is ready to serve..

Note : Do not prepare on high flame.. Do not stir long....Can use a plate ..apply ghee on the surface of the plate..so chikky comes out easily.

10 to 15 pieces can be made.

Gingly/Sesame Seeds Laddus

Gingluy seeds/Thill/Ellu/Sesame seeds laddu/unde is one of the unde normally prepared during Gokulashtami. (Shree Krishna Janmashtami).

Sesame seeds laddus are easy to prepare and it is healthy sweet dish. During winter and rainy season our skin gets dried or brittle because of less moisture. So nature's friendly sesame seeds provide the oil that body needs. People in olden days have practiced healthy food habit that fit according to the nature and ate them according to the seasons, days, months etc.
As I said earlier these Sesame seeds laddu is easy to prepare and it can be eaten at any time of the day. It is also one good food which you can pack it for your kid's snack box. People who travel also can take these laddus to munch on their travel.
Lets see the recipe now.

Ingredients :

Til Seeds : 1 cup ( cleaned )

Jaggery : 1/2 cup

Coconut/copra : 1 cup (grated )

Cardamom : 5 to 6 seeds ( Powder it )

Ghee : 1 Tea spoon

Water : 2 Table spoon
Ground nuts : 1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons

Method : 

1. Roast sesame seeds till they pop up. Keep it aside.
2. Dry roast ground nuts and remove the husk and keep it aside.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the pan and add water and jaggery. Let the jaggery melt nicely.
5. Let it boil for a minute. Now remove the jaggery liquid and filter /strain it with tea strainer. Keep the clean jaggery liquid aside.
6. Dry grind a cup of ground nuts, sesame seeds and coconut. Keep them aside.

7. Now keep the clean jaggery liquid on the fire and boil. Let it get a string consistency.

8. Add powdered ground nuts, sesame seeds, coconut and the remained roasted ground nuts as it is.

9. Mix it well and stir for a minute. Remove from the fire and put a tablespoon of ghee.

10 mix it nicely and prepare laddu. Laddus are ready to serve.

Note : 

Do not powder all the ground nuts roasted. Keep 2 to 3 tablespoons ground nuts as they are. (or divide them into two). Jaggery consistency should be proper. (little thicker than one string). Adding more coconut or sesame seeds are optional.You can use dry coconut/copra instead of fresh coconut. If you are using fresh coconut just dry roast them till they turn brown. (Do not burn).

Time : 30 minutes
20 to 25 Laddus can be prepared.(Small size).

Idli (Rice steamed Cake)

Idli  is normally a breakfast dish. It is one of the healthy steamed dish. You can have them as snack or for dinner. It one of the traditional dish of Karnataka people I can say. Idli is very famous in Karnataka . Varieties of idlis you get but remember that eating plain idlis are always healthy.

Idli is prepared using dal and rice. Now a days there are varieties of idli available in the hotels and at the food points.
Lets see the recipe now

Ingredients :

1 Cup Urid dal
2 Cups of Raw rice
3.Salt : Required

Different vessels are used to steam the same idli batter. A big glass, deep bowl type plate, Idli tatte/plate etc.

Method :

1. Wash and soak rice and urid dal separately for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Grind them separately. Grind rice into rava consistency and urid into paste consistency. Add only  required water while grinding the rice.

3. Remove it from the grinder and put it in a big bowl. Add salt and leave it for ferment. (over night or 6 to 7 hours).

4. Morning when you are ready to prepare idli, wash idly plates and apply ghee or oil.
5. Keep the pressure cooker or idly cooker on the fire. Add some water at the bottom and place a plate or bowl.
6. Put a ladle of idli dough to the idly plate and place it in the cooker and cover the lid. Do not put weight if using the pressure cooker.

7. Cook for at least 8 to 10 minutes. Put off the gas and open the lid. You can prepare different shapes of idli. The second one is cooked with t

8. Remove the idli with the help of a spoon or a knife edge.

9. Serve with a spoon of ghee and the side dish you prepared.

10. Idlis are eaten with sambar and chutney normally. You can also eat them with pickle, chutney powder, sugar, jaggery and rasam.

Note :

Grind urid dal first and then grind rice. You can use rice rava instead of grinding rice. Do not use more water while grinding urid or rice.
Dosa rice can be used to get good idly. (any kind of raw rice can be used.
24 Idlies can be prepared.
Time : Soaking time 3 hours + grinding + 30 minute (Grinder) + ferment - 8 hours + Cooking time = 10 minutes. 
Sambar
Cook dal, any vegetables and mix it together. Add a tablespoon of tamarind and salt. Let it boil nicely. Add rasam/sambar powder, turmeric powder and mix it well. Add little jaggery. Mix it nicely and let it boil nicely. Add mustard splutter with curry leaves and ingh. Add washed coriander leaves at the end and serve Ready Sambar with Idli. I have used brinjal for sambar.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5
The same Idli Dough can be poured into these type of cups and steam to get the soft idli

Jack fruit leaf is stitched as glasses and idli dough is poured inside to steam. These are healthy idlis loaded with health benefits.

Potato - Onion Pakoda

Pakoda is one of the yummy snack that most of us like.

I usually do prepare some fried dish because I love munching some fried food. I have prepared potato - onion pakoda.

I have used onions, potato, channa flour/besan and rice flour. I have used green chilly and little jeera/cumin seeds.

You can have this Potato - Onion Pakoda for snack or with lunch as a bite in between.

Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Besan/channa flour : 1 Cup

Onions : Medium size : 2

Potato : 1

Green chilly : 2

Jeera /cumin seeds : 1 Teaspoon

Salt : As required.

Pepper powder : 1/2 Teaspoon

Oil : To Fry : 1 Cup

Method :

1. Put besan/channa flour in a big bowl.

2. Add salt, jeera and little pepper powder.

3. Wash and remove the outer layer of potato and cut into very small pieces.

4. Wash green chilly and cut into small.

5. Remove the outer layer of onions and wash it again.

6. Cut onions into very small.

7. Add cut onions, potato, green chilly to besan. Mix it well.

8. Add required water and prepare the thick batter.

9. Keep a pan on the fire and add oil. Let it get hot.

10. Mix all the ingredients nicely and take a handful of batter and

leave as pakodas, in small portions.

11. Fry on both side on medium flame till they turn on golden brown.

12. Remove the fried pakodas and put it on the kitchen tissue.

13. Repeat the same and prepare remaining pakodas.

14. Serve with ketch up or chutney and a cup of coffee or tea.

Note :

The batter should be thick. Adding little red chilly powder is optional.You can also add coriander leaves and curry leaves to the batter. Do not add any cooking soda to the batter.

Time : 20 Minutes

Serves : 2 to 3 .

NENDRA BAALE GULAAB JAAMOON

Nendra baale jamoon is a sweet dish and I have used honey instead of sugar syrup and it is one of the simple healthy, easy and quick dish, I can assure you. We normally shallow fry nendra banana slices on the dosa tava (pan ) and sprinkle sugar. I have done that in my earlier recipe.
Lets see some benefits of having ghee in our diet. 
Ghee has full of nutritional benefits and medicinal qualities. Ayurveda recognizes ghee is an essential part of a balanced diet and considered it to be the best fat that one can eat. Ghee contain Omega 3 and Omega 9 essential fatty acids along with Vitamins A, D, E and K. and numerous other minerals are present in ghee.
Ghee helps to control eye pressure and is beneficial for who are suffering from glaucoma. Ghee is said to be stimulate the secretion of stomach acids and helps with digestion. Ghee is rich in antioxidants. It also contain anti viral properties. It is good for treatment of burns and helps in learning better and helps in memory retention. Ghee is a premium cooking oil celebrated for its taste, nutritional benefits, and medicinal qualities. Ayurveda, the ancient medical science of India, recognizes ghee as an essential part of a balanced diet, and considers it to be the best fat one can eat.
This Nendra Baale (Nendra Banana Fruit) Gulab Jamoon is purely my style a healthy and yummy sweet dish having a healthy concept and it will be liked by all age group and every one I am sure. 

Lets see the recipe now.

Things Needed:

Nendra Baale fruit : 1

Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Honey :  3 to 4 Tablespoons

Cardamom : 2 to 3 pods
Almonds powder : 2 Tablespoons  ( 8 to 10 Almonds)

Method :

1. Dry roast almonds and remove the outer layer of cardamom and dry grind cardamom seeds and almonds. Keep it aside.
2. Remove the skin of the nendra banana fruit and slice them into circle (very thin slices).

3. Keep a pan on the fire. heat. Sprinkle some ghee on the tava and keep banana slices in a circle shape. (Low flame).

4. Spread little ghee (Half Tablespoon) and let it cook on low flame and turn little golden colour.
5. Now turn the other side and spread another half tablespoon of ghee on top. Let it turn golden brown on the other side.

6. Now remove the banana slices and place on the plate. Pour honey on the top and then turn the other side.
7. Pour honey on the top again (a tablespoon will do on each side).
8. Sprinkle almonds and cardamom powder on the top of honey.

9. Nendra Baale Jamoon is ready to serve.

10. Repeat the same with remaining banana slices.

Note ;

Should be done on the low flame to get the good result. You can add more almonds. You ca also prepare sugar syrup and dip shallow fried bananas in the sugar syrup. I have used Honey instead of sugar syrup. Add honey to nendra baale when it is completely shallow fried and removed from the pan. Honey should not be cooked since it looses its good properties in high temperature.
Time : 15 minutes. (Total time)
Serves : 2 to 3