Maddur Vada | Maddur Vade ~ Tempting Snack from Karnataka

There are always certain dishes that evoke nostalgic memories that make you feel wonderful. Maddur Vada is one such dish for me. It's been so many years since I tasted this dish. Maddur Vada if you must know the history is sold in a place en route to Mysore from Bangalore. This tempting, delicious snack gets its name from the town Maddur where it got popular.

We used to visit Mysore almost once a year during summer vacation. And during the halt, getting a pack of this Vada was a must. What with Daddy's staff packing a huge parcel of this, we used to enjoy it on the way to Mysore. Those frequent visits were during my high school and Mysore was like a summer house for us. I remember writing about Uncle B and the wonderful memories that he created for us.

When I decided to make the Maddur Vada, I remembered Uncle B and missed him. He was such an awesome human being. I wish I could get in touch with his family but regret loosing contact with them.

As I made these vadas in a hurry, will surely be making them again to enjoy them in leisure. The ingredients are so commonly available, I really wonder at myself at how I missed making it all these years.

I adapted this from Lathamma's recipe and added ingredients roughly. Must be almost half of the quantity she mentioned.

 

Ingredients Needed:

Rice flour – 1/2 cup
Rava / Semolina – 1/2 cup
All purpose flour / Maida – 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Ghee 2 tsps
Hing – 1/4 tsps
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Finely chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves – 2 tablespoons
Finely chopped Onion – 1/2 cup

Oil for frying

How to make Maddur Vada

Take all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix everything together and slowly add water to form a stiff dough

Heat oil in a kadai on a medium flame.

Pinch out equal balls from the dough and flatten them on your palm. The discs should be thin in size so that these turn out crispy.

Check the temperature of oil by dropping a small piece of dough into the oil. If it rises immediately the oil is ready for frying.

Fry the vadas in medium to low fire in batches. Drain them on a kitchen towel.

Notes
You can flatten all the vadas and keep them on a plate before you start frying.
These will make a great snacks to pack for trips as this is supposed to stay good for 3 days.

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Mixed Vegetable Kurma Recipe | How to make Mixed Vegetable Kurma Step By Step Recipe | Navaratri Recipes

It surely feels different to post today after the Navaratri Pooja got over. School started for the boys so it was another form of rush to us this morning. As expected both of them didn't want to wake up at all. Though all these past 10 days, they were waking up early, just this day they felt they ought to sleep in more. When I asked Peddu last night before going to sleep if he will wake up early, he very sweetly said that he will not be able to get up early as he will be very sleepy. Kids can be really so smart.

Today's recipe is adapted from Siri's Mixed Vegetable Kurma that she recently blogged as Navaratri special. I liked her pot so much and as I was planning hard on what to make special for the last day I decided I will mix North Indian and South Indian tradition. So planned for a variety rice and pooris which are typically seem to be the offering during this season.

The dish came out so well, I omitted few ingredients from the original recipe. Siri had added tamarind, since I am not adding tamarind to my cooking these days, I had to omit it and Tomato ketchup gives a sweet taste that hubby dear doesn't like. However with these changes too, the dish ended up being very lip smacking, so much so that Athamma called up to say so and said we will eat it again for dinner.

The measurement given below is what I made, ended up with lot of this dish. So delicious and fit for any party or special occasion.

Step by Step Pictures

Mixed Vegetable Kurma/Korma

Ingredients Needed:

For the masala:

Fresh coconut, cut into small pieces - 1 cup
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/4 tsp
Poppy seeds / Khus Khus - 3 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 2 pinches
Cashew nuts, dry roasted  - 5 whole
Onion, browned - 1 big (half to be used for the ground masala, rest for the gravy)
Water - 2 cups

For the Gravy

Tomatoes, puree - 2 big
Mixed Vegetables - 2 small carrots, 1 big potato, 6 -7 long French beans (you can use any other vegetable you want too)
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Oil - 2 -3 tsp
Salt to taste

How to make Mixed Vegetable Kurma

For the Masala:

In a non stick pan, dry saute poppy seeds along with whole cashew nuts for couple of minutes. Remove and keep it aside.

In the same pan, add 1 tsp oil and saute half of the onion juliennes till brown. Once done, allow it to cool.

Wash and chop the fresh coconut into small bits so that it gets ground well.

Then take the coconut, roasted poppy seeds, cashew nuts, coriander powder, garam masala, ginger garlic paste and sesame seeds in the mixer and grind to a smooth paste using water.

For the vegetables:

Wash and chop the vegetables to almost equal size. Microwave for 10 - 15 mins for the vegetables to be fully cooked.

For the Gravy

In a non stick pan, heat oil, saute the remaining onions till they turn colour.

Then add the tomato puree, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Cover with lid to get the cooking done faster.

Once you see the tomato colour changing, add the ground masala. Saute well and mix everything together. Cook for 5 mins, till the masala gets cooked properly and change colour.

Then add enough water to get the consistency you want and bring to boil. Add chopped coriander leaves.

Simmer after it starts boiling for couple of mins.

Serve with Dhal stuffed Poori.

Notes:

I always find that by roasting you can grind the poppy seeds better.
By adding tomato puree, you can reduce the cooking time, and get more volume to your gravy. So I end up adding only puree in almost all my gravies these days.
 

Next to come will the Dhal Stuffed Puri

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Akkaravadisal | How to make Akkaravadesil Step by Step Recipe | Navaratri Recipes

Happy Vijayadasami to all my readers.

Today marks the last day of the Navaratri Pooja. The last 9 days have been such an exciting experience for me, in terms of cooking new neivedyams for Maa Durga. We don't keep the Golu but have been performing special poojas on all 9 days, followed by Vijayadasami.

This year we had two "Thithi" coming on one day, which caused lot of confusion and making it appear like only 8 days of Navaratri. Some families in Tamil Nadu started  Navaratri 2011 started on 28 Sep and ends on 5th Oct, with 6th being the Vijayadasami. We celebrated Ayudha Pooja yesterday and Vijaya Dasami today. Along with this, we also did the 9th day special pooja.

 

Unlike yesterday, I was better planned in what I was going to make for today. Still even after knowing and being prepared I missed out making one dish from the list. Will be making it soon for next neivedyam. Also I thought I must cook from my blogger friends as a way of celebrating Vijayadasami. I had bookmarked Lathamma's Akkaravadisal / Akkaravadesil and Maddur Vada. Though I am not that familiar with Akkravadisil, I heart Maddur Vada.

Akravadisil, a traditional Iyangar Festival food, is mostly cooked during Pongal or special festival day. Reading through the recipe I realised it's very much a ven pongal converted into a rich sweet. The taste is unparalleled though. Lathamma said this is traditionally prepared in a vengalapanai, though as expected I resorted to pressure cooking.  Then though it is supposed to be roasted in ghee, I simply added it directly and pressure cooked it. I must say this itself made it so rich and dense, I am sure roasting the rice and dal must make it even more rich. But I do suggest you must try that when you make it yourself.

Apart from this sweet dish, I prepared Dhal Poori, Mixed Vegetable Korma, Maddur Vada, Lemon Rice. I had eyed some festival cooking by Priyanka, but couldn't find what I was looking for. So settled with this. I had also wanted to make Aparna's Neiappam, which I had plans to make during the T&T, however I find I couldn't make it.

Though I have been posting all the recipes on the same day, I think I need a break with so many new dishes for today. Plus as I know I need to give special attention to each of these delicious dishes. It's like a big examination. Even though I don't normally taste during cooking, when it's not allowed you fear and wonder if the dish has come out well.

I have been so happy knowing that each dish I made for the first time during these celebrations, really turned out so well. I almost rush to office and everybody eats the food either after I leave or for lunch. So I have been very curious and restless until then.

So it delighted me no end to know that all the dishes today passed through the test, each dish got good reviews..:).. I was planning to make Dal Stuffed Poori, so had to make some Kurma. I remember Siri making a vegetable Kurma for the Dussehra celebrations. The recipe sounded so good, I tweaked it for our style. The dish came out so well and delicious. I am so glad we celebrated today virtually by cooking dishes from my blogger

Step by Step picture Recipe for making Akkaravadisal or Akkaravadesil
 

Akkaravadisal or Akkaravadesil

Lathamma says her Iyer friends always insisted that she make this dish for them. I can imagine why they must have asked, after tasting the dish.

Cooking Mode: Pressure Cooker
Time : 30 mins
Makes - 1 & 1/2 litre payasam

Ingredients Needed:

Rice – 1/2 cup (little less)
Moong dal – 1/4 cup
Ghee – 2 - 3 tsp
Milk – 1 litres
Jaggery – 1 cup (powdered)
Cardamom a pinch
Cashewnuts handful
Dry grapes handful

How to make Akkaravadisal | Rice Moong Dal porridge

Wash and soak the rice and dal together.

Take this mixture in a pressure cooker, add 1 cup water and 3 cups boiled milk. Pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Once the pressure falls down, add the remaining milk and cook on low flame, mash the cooked rice and dal.

Melt the jaggary with water and remove impurities if any.

Add 1 cup water and cook the jaggary to a syrup.

Heat another pan with ghee, roast the cashew nuts and raisins. When the raisins baloons up, pour this on the simmering pasayam.

Note: 

Traditionally, after soaking the drained rice and dal is sauteed in ghee
Cooking this in pressure cooker, made this an easy task. I don't think I compromised on taste much, though cooking directly always makes a difference

Will be updating the other recipes in the following posts.

Have a great day.

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Arisi Paruppu Sadam | How to make Dhal Rice Tamil Style, Kesari Bath, Konda Kadali Sundal, Masala Vadai | Navaratri Recipes | Step By Step Recipes

Today was Ayudha Pooja and we went to the market place only this morning to get all the things needed for the Pooja. The vehicles were washed and decked up with flowers, and the fruits, puffed rice were offered as part of the pooja.

Mostly importantly, the boys were told that today was the day the lemons were kept under car tires and ran over. Both of them woke up very early and as if they discussed together without me knowing, they were all smiles and asked if even more getting up from bed, if we were going to put the lemons under the tyres. We managed to go to the Market without them, even though they were crying. Obviously couldn't take them along. 

Once back, they were settled down and were calm. Even until this morning I was very confused as to what should be offered for neivedyam. Chickpea Sundal or Konda Kadali Sundal is a must for today. So that was made, then Amma suggested I make Kesari bath and maybe lemon rice. I started preparing the neivedyams and half way through realized that time was not enough and postponed the lemon rice for tomorrow.

I wanted to make Beetroot Masala vada, thinking I have beets with me, I was disappointed that it wasn't there. Then I thought I must make Carrot Masala Vada, finally I settled with just the regular Masala Vada. I guess it was too much of a confusion, though I am happy I ended up making something new.

Arisi Paruppu Sadam was something I always wanted to make. My colleague had got it yesterday and I was thinking I must make it soon though I never realized I would make it this soon. It is such a simple, yet delicious combination of flovours. You would be deceived to think that this might be the regular Sambar Sadam or Bisi Bela Bath. It's neither, yet so much same in the ingredients you have to use.

Arisi Paruppu Sadam is the simplest you can get to make. One can add Onions, Tomatoes and whole lot of vegetables if you want. But it is mostly made when one is short of vegetables or when in want of comfort food in the quickest time possible. Even without any of these other ingredients, the simple Tadka /  Salichal / Tamilpu / Popu made all the difference. The Arisi Paruppu that my colleague had got, I was able to find the rice as grains very distinctly, while mine was little over cooked. Maybe because I ended up adding more water than the usual.
 

For the Navaratri Pooja Day 8, the neivedyam were Kesari Bath, Masala Vada, Chickpea Sundal.

Some pictures from the Market:

When we went shopping this morning, I managed to click some pictures of the things sold specially for today.

Some pictures from the pooja at home:

Once the pooja at home was over, we did the Ayudha pooja. Boys were so excited to do their share of work in placing a lime under each tyre. Then they eagerly waited for us to run over it once the pooja was over.
 

Arisi Paruppu Sadam | Dhal Rice

Step by Step pictures for making Dhal Rice:

The ratio of dal with rice can be varying. You can add 1: 1/2 or 1/2 : 1/2. either ways it turns out great.

Preparation Time : 10 mins in pressure cooker
Soaking Time - 15 mins
Cuisine : Tamil Nadu

Ingredients Needed:

Raw Rice - 1/2 cup
Toor Dal - 1/2 cup

For the Seasoning

Oil - 1 - 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
Dried Red Chilies - 3 -4 , broken into half.
Curry leaves few
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste

How to make Arisi Paruppu Sadam | Arisim Paruppu Sadam

Was and soak the rice and dal together for 15 - 20 mins.

In a pressure cooker, heat oil, add the mustard, urad dal, curry leaves and dry red chilies. Saute well.

When the mustard pops, add the drain rice, dal mix and saute in oil for couple of minutes. Then measure 2 cups of water and add to the pan along with turmeric powder and salt. Mix everything well and cover with lid.

Pressure cook for 3 whistles and allow the pressure to fall down.

Serve with appalam and pickle.
 

Notes:
You can add ghee if you prefer after it is cooked while it is still hot.
Can add onions, tomatoes and other vegetables that are normally added in Sambars. Though I must say this simple mix of dal and rice was heavenly by itself.
Some add sambar powder or other spice powders, but then the basic taste might change very much on this.

 

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Paruppu Podi Sadam, Thengai Sadam, Khus Khus Kheer | Navaratri Recipes | Step By Step Recipes

For the Navaratri Pooja Day 7, the neivedyam was a mix of white (Thenga Sadam), spicy mixed rice (Parruppu Podi Sadam) paired with a intoxicating payasam made with Gasagasa.

I love cooking with Khus Khus as it renders a nutty taste when you bite on it. However much you try to grind this, you will still have some left as whole. A decade ago, we had those traditional stones for making masalas, chutneys. Every home had those stone grinders, which gave the masala an unquie taste. However we try with modern blenders, mixers, the masala never tastes as how it used to taste. Anyway for folks who never tasted food made with those grinders will never know the magic it created.

One example of how different an ingredient can lend will be Poppy seeds. These days we roast in bulk and refrigerate in powder form. It's so much better than struggling to grind 1 or 2 tsp of this nutty spice. We make it either on it's own or blend with coconut for using in non veg gravies or veg kurmas.

The other new dish that was prepared today was the Paruppu Podi Sadam. I was told to make Paruppu Sadam. Well I wasn't sure what exactly was referred when this rice was quoted. But the essence being that the rice ought to be shades of white, I decided to go ahead with Paruppu Podi Sadam. Let me just say I am floored with this dish. Though it might very well resemble the Podi Rice that I make with Amma's Podi, it very much differed in taste and texture.

The third dish was the traditional Thengai Sadam. I love Thengai Sadam and have been missing it as I hardly make it these days. Hubby dear doesn't like it and well naturally if 1 out of 2 doesn't prefer a dish, makes no sense in bothering to make it. But today it is different, as it's to be offered as neivedyam, one can't say no for it.

Since both rice requires for cooked rice, I cooked rice separately and used 1 & 1/2 cups for each rice.

Parrupu Podi Sadam | Rice with Lentils

For the Rice

Rice, cooked - 1 & 1/2 cups

Curry leaves few

Dry Red Chilies - 3 - 4 long

Bengal Gram / Channa dal - 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds, Urad dal - 1 / 4 tsp

Cashew nuts few

For the Paruppu Podi:

Toor Dal - 2 tsp

Urad Dal - 2 tsp

Bengal Gram - 1 tsp

Grated Coconut - 3 tsp

Salt to taste

Dry Red chilies - 3 -4 long.

How to make Paruppu Podi Sadam:

Wash and soak rice for 15 - 20 mins. Pressure cook and once done, let the pressure fall down. Take 1 & 1/2 cup cooked rice, allow it to cool.

For the Spice Powder:

Dry roast all the ingredients till the lentils start smelling good. Remove and allow it to cool. We mostly roast these ingredients separately but when pressed for time, roast them together, making sure none get burnt or over roasted.

Once it's cooled, add salt and grind to an almost fine powder. Keep it aside.

For seasoning the rice:

Heat a non stick pan with oil. Once hot add the mustard, urad dal, cashew, red chilies, curry leaves. Saute well. When they are sauteed for couple of mins, add the cooked rice and mix well. Simmer for 2 mins and remove to a bowl.

Now add 3 - 4 tsp of the spice powder and mix the rice. Add more if required.

Since this is offered to God, I didn't taste it. There was a time when I was of the opinion that there is no wrong in tasting the food offered to God, just to make sure that it's fine. Well with time and age, I have come to believe that one need not taste, for one, the dish turns out perfectly delicious as it's food for God. Second with experience one gets to knows how much to add what.

Thengai Sadam was prepared the same way I normally make.

 

Khus Khus Kheer | Gasagasal Payasam

 

While there are many ways this Gasagasal Payasam is made at home, this version is entirely new as it's more like a Phirni, where Raw rice is added to give body. Adding rice makes it thicker much faster than you can notice, so one fact to remember, is to add little of rice and more of milk, if you want it thin.

Ingredients Needed:

Poppy Seeds - 3 -4 tsp

Raw Rice - 2 tsp

Coconut, grated - 1/2 cup

Jaggary - 1 cup

Milk - 2 cups

Cardamon a pinch

How to make the Khus Khus Kheer

Heat a pan and dry roast the poppy seeds. This takes about 3 -4 mins. Transfer to a plate and allow it to cool.

Soak rice in water for a while. 10 - 15 mins is more than enough. Take the poppy seeds, drained rice, grated coconut and blend to a smooth paste using water. Once you get a smooth consistency, remove and keep it aside.

Melt the jaggary and remove impurities if any, then add 1 cup water and bring to boil. Add the poppy seed paste and simmer for 5 mins. By this time the content would've got really thick.

Add boiled milk and slowly bring to boil. If you feel the payasam will be less in sweet, add 2 tsp of sugar. Else it's fine.

Let it boil, by looking at the texture you can say if the payasam will thicken to a porridge or not. So if needed add more milk or water depending on your preference.

Finally garnish with chopped nuts.

There is really no need to add ghee to this, as the poppy seed will have it's unique taste and it will be really heavy.

We are looking forward to tomorrow for the Ayudha Pooja

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