Medhu Vada - South Indian Dishes

Ingredients

1. 4 cups urad dal
2. 1 cup ordinary rice
3. 1 tsp. ginger grated
4. 1 tbsp. coconut grated coarsely
5. 8-10 whole pepper corns
6. 1 tsp. cumin seeds
7. salt to taste
8. oil to deep fry

Method

1. Wash and soak dal and rice together in plenty of water overnight.

2. Drain, grind to a soft batter, a fine grain should be felt in it.

3. Do not make the batter thin. It should be thick enough to shape vadas.

4. Add all ingredients and beat well with hand to incorporate air.

5. Heat oil, wet palm and take an idli sized lump on fingers palm side up.

6. Make a hole in the middle with thumb.

7. Slip gently into hot oil, repeat for more.

8. Or use a medhu vada press.

9. Fry 5-6 at a time on medium flame.

10. Drain, serve hot with chutney and sambar, or accompany with idli.

Making time: 1 hour (excluding soaking & grinding time)
Makes: 35-40 vadas.
Shelflife: To store batter for 2 days, refrigerate without adding any other ingredients. Add just before making, and continue as above.

Kashmiri Pulao

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups long grain rice (basmati)
2. 2 cups milk
3. 1/2 cup cream beaten smooth
4. 1 tsp. sugar
5. salt to taste
6. 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
7. 3 cloves
8. 1" cinnamon
9. 3 cardamoms
10. 1 bay leaf
11. 2 tbsp. ghee
12. 1 cup canned chopped mixed fruit (drained)
13. 2-3 edible rose petals

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for 15-20 minutes.

2. Mix milk, cream, sugar, salt. Drain rice, keep aside.

3. Heat ghee in a heavy pan.

4. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, bayleaf, cardamoms, cloves.

5. Allow to splutter. Add rice and fry in ghee for 2 minutes.

6. Add milk, cream, mixture.

7. Add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil.

8. When boil is reached, cover and simmer till cooked.

9. Each grain should be cooked, but separate.

10. Mix in drained fruit very gently.

11. Garnish by sprinkling finely broken rosepetals.

12. Serve hot with a curry or tadka dal.

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Shelf life: Fresh and piping hot

Kesari Kulfi - Indian Sweets

Ingredients

750 ml milk-full cream

1 tsp cornflour

1 tsp gelatine

1 tin condensed milk

125 gm khoya

10 pieces almonds

10 pistachios

10 cashewnuts

1 pinch of saffron

1tsp cardamom powder

5 drops of saffron essence

Method: -

Mix cornflour and gelatine separately in 2cups with a little cold milk

Boil milk. Add the cornflour. Add gelatine. Remove from fire and stir till gelatine dissolves. Let cool.

When the milk cools, add condensed milk and grated khoya. Powder the nuts and add that as well

Put in a blender and churn along with the saffron and the essence Mix Well

Set on the freeze in kulfi moulds or in an aluminum container

Kesari Kulfi ready!!.

Rice Roti - South Indian Dishes

Ingredients

1. 2 cups rice flour
2. 1 cup overcooked soft rice
3. salt to taste
4. water
   

Method

1. Blend the cooked rice to a smooth paste in a blender.

2. Use water as required.

3. Add salt to the flour.

4. Add blended rice paste, knead into a soft dough.

5. Take a ping pong ball sized dough.

6. Roll in some dry flour, pat into a thin chappati.

7. Do the above with your palm or with a rolling pin.

8. Place on a warmed griddle, apply water with hand on upper side.

9. Invert and roast on wetted side till cooked.

10. Invert again and puff up like chappati or on direct flame.

11. Serve hot with saagu, or other gravy vegetable.

Making time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4-5 rotis
Shelf life:Best fresh