POTATO-SAGO-CRISPIES !

Summer is here and we would, definitely, like to make the most of that 'boon' (!)

Let me talk about Potato-sago crispies,which is very tasty and easy to prepare !

The first requirement to do this is a square or rectangular piece of plastic sheet to dry the crispies in the sun.Next, if you have a deck,well and good.A terrace or a space open to sky is also perfect.Be careful , I am not to be blamed if you have rabbits/deers at your backyard!

INGREDIENTS:

Potatoes 1 kg

Sago (Sabudana) 1 kg

Green chillies 100 gms(25-30 nos)

Asafoetida powder 2 tsps

Sea salt 2-1/2 Tblsps

Lemon juice 4-5 Tblsps

Thenguzhal Naazhi (Maruti or Anjali kitchen Press)

METHOD:

Rinse the dry sabudana once gently .Leave only 2 cups of water (approximately), at the bottom of the vessel in which you are going to soak the sabudana.(This is to be done on the previous night) Remember, the vessel needs to be really big to accommodate the 'puffed' sabudana,which would rise in volume two to three times the original level.The next morning,clean and pressure-cook the potatoes .Peel and grate them.Grind green chillies,asafoetida and salt in a mixie and add this to the mashed potato.

Now, take a colander and put the sabudana in it.Heat a gallon of water and when it reaches the boiling point,boil for two more minutes and pour it instantly over the sabudana.Let it drain.

When most of the water has drained out,mix it with the mashed potatoes and mix,mix and mix

thoroughly from top to bottom.

Spread a sheet and see to it that the four corners are put under some weights(like paper wrapped stones or some heavy objects, so that the wind does not topple the sheet).Take a

vatral/vadam making PRESS (Mullu-thenguzhal achchu) and in turn,pour out all the potato-sago mix onto the sheet . No specific design is necessary.Go on pressing it from the hand press in straight lines or in any direction or in any design Once dry, we are going to crumble them , anyway ! Let dry for the whole day.The next day,remove the semi-crispies from the sheet and put them all together to dry on the same sheet.To be on the safer side,dry the crispies for the third time also and then,store them in containers to keep for a whole year!

N.B. The crispies can be put in the micro-wave, if you want them to be oil-free !

Easy spring-roll sevai !

Think about sevai ! Aah ! Doesn't your mouth water? Well, I have come up with a very easy dosai- sevai,which is very convenient and easy to prepare ! This was introduced to me by my friend, Raji, who hails from a renowned family of 'Komutti' chettiar community.All my children and relatives enjoyed eating this at my home whenever I made this .

INGREDIENTS :

Good quality boiled rice 2 cups

Salt 2 tsps

For coconut sevai:-

1. Grated coconut 1 cup
2. Green chillies 4 nos
3. Asafoetida powder 1/4 tsp
4. Mustard 1/2 tsp
5. Urad(Black gram) dal 2 tsps
6. Red chilli (dry) 1
7. Coconut oil 1 tsp
8. sesame oil/ghee 2 tsps
9. Curry leaves 2 sprigs

For lemon sevai:

1. Lemon juice 4 tsps
2. Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
3. Sesame oil 3 tsps
4. Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
5. Chana dal (kadalai paruppu) 2 tsps
6. Asafoetida powder 1/4 tsp
7. Red chillies 3 nos
8. Green chilli 1
9. Curry leaves 2 sprigs
10. Salt ( if required ) 1/2 tsp

METHOD:

Soak the boiled rice for 4 hours.Clean it thoroughly and grind it nicely.From the point of grinding,three cups of water can be added to the rice, so that, the batter is to a pouring consistency. Later on, at any time this can be diluted,adding more water if needed.

Add salt.

Now, on a heated wide non-stick pan , smear a little oil and wipe the excess .Take a ladleful of the batter and make a thin dosai and cover it with a lid.After a minute,open the lid and put the dosai on a wide plate and sprinkle a little water over it.Repeat with the rest of the batter, everytime sprinkling water over each dosai and stacking them.(This can also be stacked like a set of four or five dosais at a time,when making in large numbers).This process is to prevent dosais sticking to one another.

Now,roll a set of four dosais and cut them with kitchen shears as thinly as possible.Repeat with the rest of the dosais and split the rolls into two parts,one for the coconut and the other for the lemon sevai.(If you have a sweet-tooth, you can also make a sweet sevai out of it,by just adding coconut,sugar,elaichi and ghee !)

For the lemon sevai, heat oil in a kadaai and season the listed ingredients except the lemon juice,which should be added finally.Likewise,season all the listed ingredients except grated coconut and curry leaves which should be added finally.For the coconut sevai, a tablespoon of curd added,will enhance the colour and taste of it .

That's all, folks! Enjoy the yum-yum sevai !

Aavakkai pickle

As you all know,this is the season for raw matured mangoes.These are available in plenty these days and in the US,these are available in Asian vegetable markets.

One has to choose medium sized fresh and matured ones for Aavakkai.Once cut,the inside should be semi-white in colour and not yellow or saffron.Proceed with the fresh ones.If otherwise,use them for making jam or mango pachchadi !

Well, let me proceed with the preparation,now.

Ingredients:

Cut raw mangoes: 8 cups

Spicy red chilli powder 1-1/4 cups

Sea salt 1-1/4 cups

Fenugreek seeds 2 Tblsps

Mustard powder 1-1/4 cups

Good quality Sesame oil 600 ml

Turmeric powder 1 Tblsp

Big pods of garlic 2 (optional)

Method:

Clean and cut the mangoesThe cutting should be in such a way that each piece of mango should have, along with it, a portion of the mango shell (covering the seed).Discard the seeds.Clean the mango pieces with water once again and let them dry in the sun for 2 - 4 hours.

Dry roast fenugreek seeds to a golden brown. Now, the job is almost done !

Mix together sesame oil,red chilli powder,salt,mustard powder,turmeric powder,peeled garlic pods,kabuli chana,roasted fenugreek seeds and mango pieces in a large bowl and keep mixing them until all the ingredients have blended thoroughly.Keep aside.The next day, you'll find the soaked mango pieces emitting a pleasant aroma and a nice oily film coating the entire surface.

For the first 10 days,you need to keep mixing the aavakkai at least once daily to ensure that the pickle is marinated evenly from top to bottom.Store this in glass containers or 'JAADIS'.Take a little at a time for use.

As I have always said,keep all pickles away from moist resources. Always use a dry spoon .

OATS CABBAGE ONION ADAI

Well , folks,

After a considerable gap,I am back again to share one interesting recipe,which is very easy to prepare and yummy, too!

As you all know, there seems to be a special liking for 'ADAI' for everyone of us. Yes, it definitely has a magic spell!But thinking of the laborious preparation that prefixes it, we hesitate to go through the decision we'd already made and there we stop! But this one I suggest here is so easy that it can be done even after the guests arrive and you can keep talking to them at the same time preparing the preliminary work in a jiffy!

Just look at the fun!

OATS CABBAGE ONION ADAI

Ingredients:- (Yield- 8 Adais)
1. Plain oats 2 cups

2.Gram flour(besan) 1 cup

3.Salt 1-1/4 tsp

4.Red chilli powder 1-1/4 tsp

5.Curry leaves 1 or 2 sprigs

6.Cabbage (shredded) 2 cups

7.Onion(chopped) 2 cups

8.Oil (veg or sesame or Coconut) as required

9.Butter(optional) 50 gms(1/2 stick)

Method:

Mix oats, besan, salt, chilli powder, curry leaves, cabbage and onion pieces in 3 to 4 cups of water. Let the consistency be thick (If you take a ladleful of the mix in your hand it should hold). Now, pour out a spoonful of oil into the tawa or non-stick pan and put a ladleful of the prepared mix and spread it to form a small circle of 6" diameter. Pour 2 teaspoonfuls of oil to surround it. Let it get cooked for 2 or 3 minutes.By this time the lower portion would have been browned and will fill the kitchen with a nice aroma. Next, flip to the other side of the adai and pour 1 tsp of oil and a dollop of butter and let it remain for another 2 or 3 minutes. When this part also gets cooked and is beautifully browned, remove from the tawa. Repeat with the rest of the mix.

Enjoy with Vengaaya Sambar, Idli milagai-podi ,avial or just jaggery and ghee!