Ethakka Puzhukku

Ethakka Puzhukku is a traditional dish of Kerala, which is eaten along with broken brown rice porridge. It is usually served when one is unwell. This fibre rich stew has resistant starch that gives a sense of fullness. Hence, it is recommended for weight loss too.

      

                                                Ethakka
Ingredients:
Ethakka (Raw Kerala banana) -1
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Pepper powder -1/2tsp
Husked green gram -1/2 cup
Brown sugar -1tsp
Red chilly - 1
Grated coconut -1/2 cup
Cumin seeds -1tsp
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Curry leaves -few
Salt and oil -as required

Method:
Grind the grated coconut, red chilly and cumin seeds to a coarse paste. Keep it aside.
Peel the skin of the banana carefully using the fingers. Cut the peeled banana into cubes and place it in water.

                                             Peeled banana
Soak the husked green gram in water for half an hour. Cook it along with the water. When it is half done, add the banana pieces, turmeric powder and pepper powder.  Continue cooking for another few minutes or till the vegetable is cooked well. Then, add the ground paste, brown sugar, salt and curry leaves. Simmer for few minutes. Garnish with mustard seeds tempered in oil.

Note:
The peel of the banana is edible and tastes great when made into thoran (stir fried vegetable). In fact, it is rich in fibre and has many nutrients. Don't know how to make thoran, Refer vazhakkai thoran in this blog.
Using coconut oil enhances the flavour of this stew.

Dahi vada

This is another avatar of vadai where vadai is immersed in sweetened curd. This round shaped fried dumpling is famous in the northern states of India.
 
Ingredients:
Medu vadai dough -2 cups
Curd - 2 cup
Sugar - 4tsps
Oil for frying

For garnishing:
Chilli powder -1/2tsp
Green Chutney -1/2tsp
Dates chutney -1/2tsp

Recipe for green chutney:
Grind together half cup of chopped coriander leaves, 1 tsp of lemon juice and a pinch of sugar to a smooth paste.
 
Method:
Beat the curd and sugar in a blender. Keep it aside.
Prepare medu vadai dough as given in my blog – Vadai and its many avatars.
Make round shaped vadai with the medu vadai dough. Deep fry them in hot oil till it turns brown. After removing the vadai from hot oil, immerse them in lukewarm water for few seconds. Remove and arrange them in a serving bowl. (Do not squeeze them as they may lose its shape). Pour the beaten curd over it. Garnish with the chutneys and chilli powder before serving. 
 

                                              Mysore bonda 
                          
Note: The round shaped vadai before soaking in curd is called Mysore bonda. It is served with coconut chutney and sambhar.

Thayir vadai

This is another avatar of vadai where vadai is immersed in spiced up curd. It is served on all occasions.

Ingredients:

Medu vadai -2
Beaten curd -1cup
Ginger paste -1/2tsp
Salt -one pinch
Chopped coriander leaves and red chilli powder for garnishing
 
Method:
Combine the beaten curd, ginger paste and salt. Set it aside.
Prepare medu vadai as given in my blog – Vadai and its many avatars.
After removing the vadai from hot oil, immerse it in cold water for few seconds. Remove and squeeze out the excess water. Then, soak it in the prepared curd for few minutes. Serve garnished with coriander leaves and chilli powder.

Note: Green chilli paste and curry leaves can also be added to the beaten curd to make it extra spicy.

Vadai and its many avatars

                                  Medu vadai

Vadai is a fried dumpling famous in the Southern states of  India. It takes many avatars depending upon the way it is served.

Medu vadai , which is prepared with husked black gram is doughnut shaped with a hole in the middle. It is usually served for breakfast along with Idli or pongal in most restaurants.  It is also prepared at home on festival days, weddings and other auspicious occasions.   

On festival days medu vadai is prepared in the morning for breakfast or lunch. The left over ones are soaked in rasam to make rasa vadai. When they are soaked in Sambhar, it becomes Sambhar vadai.  When it is soaked in spicy curd it becomes Thayir vadai. In northern India, this fried dumpling is soaked in sweetened curd and it becomes Dahi vada.

Interestingly, when medu vadai is given a round shape it is called Mysore bonda.

Paruppu vadai is another type of fried dumpling, which uses split chick pea besides husked black gram.  This is also served in restaurants and eateries as snack during evenings. When paruppu vadai is spiced with onion and mint it is called masala vadai. When leftover masala vadai is mixed with a spicy gravy it becomes vadai curry.

Rasa Vadai

                                        Rasa vadai

Rasa vadai is not present in the menu card of many restaurants. It is prepared at home when there is left over medu vadai or when rasam is prepared.

Ingredients for medu vadai: 

Husked black gram – 2cups

Chopped Green chillies – 2tsps

Chopped ginger – 1tsp

Chopped curry leaves – 1 tsp

Eating soda -1pinch (optional)

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method:

Soak the husked black gram in water for two hours. Drain the water and grind it to a smooth paste. Mix the chopped items, salt and eating soda. Rest it for few minutes. Then, dip the fingers in water and take small quantities of the dough. Flatten and shape it like doughnut. Place a hole in the centre. Slide it in hot oil. Cook on both sides till it is crispy. Drain on to a paper towel. Soak it in immediately in rasam.

Ingredients for rasam:

                                          Rasam
Tomato - 1(cut into four pieces)
Tamarind pulp - 1/2 cup
Cooked split pigeon pea -1/4 cup
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Rasam powder- 4tsps
Asafoetida -1/4tsp
Sugar - 2tsps
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Chopped Coriander leaves -1tsp
Salt and oil -as required

Method:
Mash and mix the split pigeon pea in one cup of water. Keep it aside. Dilute the tamarind pulp with two cups of water. Cook the tomatoes in it along with asafoetida powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. When the tomatoes become mushy add the split pigeon pea liquid, rasam powder and more water. Check the consistency. Simmer for few seconds. Season it with mustard seeds fried in little oil. Garnish with coriander leaves.


 

Palak parota

Palak parota is mildly spiced flat bread made with whole wheat flour and spinach. Spinach or palak as it is called in Hindi is rich in fibre, iron, besides vitamin A and C. Diabetics can have this flat bread for breakfast or dinner.

Ingredients:

Chopped spinach leaves -1cup

Whole wheat flour - 3cups

Chopped green chillies -2tsps

Garam masala -1tsp (optional)

Salt and oil -As required

                                           Spinach leaf

Method:

Add little salt to spinach and stir fry till it changes colour. Add the chopped green chillies and garam masala. Set it aside to cool. Then mix the wheat flour and prepare soft dough out of it.  Rest it for few minutes not more. Divide the dough into equal balls. Roll out the balls into round flat breads. Heat a griddle and cook the flat bread on both sides using little oil. Serve hot with tomato sauce or curd. 

Note: Use only spinach leaves and not the stem.

Onion uttappa

 

Onion uttappa is a soft pancake topped with finely chopped shallots, green chillies and coriander leaves and toasted on both sides with a dash of clarified butter. Kids would love it for its aroma and soft texture.  This pancake can be made with dosa or idli batter. However, using idli batter gives a softer texture. 

Ingredients:

Idli batter -2cups
Chopped shallots -1/2cup
Chopped green chillies -2tsps
Chopped coriander leaves -1tsp
Clarified butter - 4tsps

Method:
Heat a griddle moderately. Grease it and pour one ladleful of batter over it. Place the chopped items in the centre. Press lightly with the ladle so that it spreads out to form a round shape. Drizzle little clarified butter and cook on both sides. It tastes well with red chutney or dosa podi.