Onion Pakoda

                                        Onion Pakoda

Again a weekend treat.Its been snowing since morning ,we wanted to indulge in some hot and crunchy snack.Contemplating between Bajji and Pakoda we voted for Onion Pakodas.Onion Pakodas are one of my dad's favorite.He is no fussy or picky eater,generally he is open to all veggies and legumes.He has selective favorites which he would never compromise on the taste or quality.He likes Onion Pakodas crispy.I have tried all variations.Everytime it would turn just average.This time I remember reading somewhere when you increase the quantity of rice flour ,the more crunchier it is.It really turned out Crispy ,Crunchy just before the last batch was finished I managed to take a picture.

Still Snowing

Onion Pakoda

Ingredients

Onion  2 Medium Sized

Besan  1/4 Cup

Rice Flour Little less than 1/4 cup

Green Chilies   4 Chooped

Garlic  1 Minced

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

Saunf/Sombu  1/2 Tsp

Salt To Taste

Cilantro 2 Tsp Chopped

Oil to Fry

Water 3-4 Tsp

Method

1.Slice the onion to 1/2 inch strips.

2.In a mixing bowl add the sliced onions,salt,turmeric,chopped green chilies,minced garlic,saunf,cilantro and mix well.

3.Now add the besan , rice flour and sprinkle water little by little .The dough is ready now.Water is added just to hold the ingredients together.If too much water is added it will form as one big  lump and the Pakodas will turn out like  vadas.

4.Heat the oil to an optimum temperature and  take a smallportion of the dough and drop in to the oil little by little in a showering motion.The Pakodas should not stick to each other.Deep fry until brown and enjoy it with your Tea/Coffee.

I am sending this to WYF:Tea Time Snack event hosted by EC Cooking Blog

http://simpleindianfood.blogspot.com/2009/11/wyftea-time-snack.html

 

Warm Ginger Lemonade for a Snowy Weekend.

                                        Warm Ginger Lemonade

Its Margazhi month ,people claim  very cold and dewy month in India.My mom used to wear a monkey cap and put rangoli outside the house.We girls would go around claiming each of our mom's kolam looked pretty.After I came to the US and witnessed the snow myself I thought it was an exaggeration wearing a monkey cap in India.Literally my fingers would freeze If I do not wear a pair of gloves This is the month we would be indulged in Hot Pongal,Kothsu and Chutney every day for break fast.But for me preparing pongal on a hectic weekday morning is difficult.This weekend I decided to Make Pongal and Kothsu and Offered it to Andal.We had it for BF and felt it little heavy.I decided to make a warm ginger lemonade  to make digestion easier.This drink is a regular in our house during winter season.Its sweet and sour very comforting for cold and sore throat.In my next or following posts I would go in detail about the Margazhi  Month and Thirupavai.Try this lemonade its a keeper .
This is how my part of the world looks for the weekend.Its snowing and feels like 14 degree Fahrenheit.

Warm Ginger Lemonade

Ingredients

Ginger:1 Inch Piece (Smashed)

Lemon:1/2 Lemon juice squeezed

Cane Sugar:1 Tsp (Can Substitute Honey with 1 Tsp)

Water 1 Cup

Salt A Pinch

Method

1.Bring along the smashed ginger and water to a rolling boil and switch off the stove

2.Add the juice of Lemon,Sugar/Honey ,Salt and stir nicely.

3.Enjoy the Warm Ginger Lemonade.We  eat the ginger , we like the tangy taste incorporated in it.

String Beans sans Coconut

                                      String Beans sans Coconut

One of our favorite veggie is String Beans. We can eat any form of this vegetable  and love to add this in almost everything boiled beans in our salad,  mixed vegetable curry, Paruppu Usili, Beans sauteed with the flavor of coconut added at the end, beans kootu.Usually in any south Indian kitchen it would accompany as a side dish for sambar or rasam.My mom mostly makes beans Saute with coconut added at the end. The day I decided to make beans, I did not have coconut in stock. I decided to add a handful of moong dal during the boiling process, the curry turned out excellent without missing the taste of coconut. The moong dal added crunchiness and color. We enjoyed it with rRce and Sambar.

Ingredients

String Beans 1Lb

Moong Dal about a Handful

Salt to taste

Oil 1Tsp

Seasoning

Mustard Seeds 1 Tsp

Red Chilies 3

Channa Dal 1 Tsp

Moond Dal 1 Tsp

Asafetida/Hing a Dash

Cumin Seeds 1 Tsp (Optional)

Curry Leaves to Garnish


Method:

1. Cut the string beans in to small cube sized pieces

2. In a kadai heat the oil and when ready, add the seasonings mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal, redchilies, cumin seeds, hing.

3. Add the cut string beans and moong dal.Add 2 cups of water, salt and close it with a lid. Check once in a while, so that water level is maintained and the vegetable is not burnt.

4. The cooked string beans will be soft and all the water would have evaporated during the boiling process . You can also check for readiness by smashing a tiny piece in between your fingers and you will be able to feel the softness. The moong dal will take same time as the beans to boil.