Vada Curry - Old Recipe With New Pictures

This is one of the initial recipes I posted as soon as started my blog. Though the pictures are not so good this remains the most popular recipe of this blog till date. So when I got a new SLR camera this weekend, I got all excited and planned to give the pictures for this recipe a makeover .

Click here to read my old post.

This is one my Mom's classic and she never fails to make this whenever I visit. This recipe is different from the hotel version calorie wise as the vada's are not deep fried instead made by crumbling thick Adai/Dosa, which gives a unique flavor to the dish. It doesnt take muchtime, if we plan a little ahead. My mom alwys soaks the dhal and makes the adai the previous day night, and then crumble them in the morning to make this delicious side dish. I am re-posting the recipe here.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup channa dhal (soaked for two hours)

1/2 cup Thoor dhal
1tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp jeera

1 inch cinnamon strip
3 cloves
1 bay leaf

1 tsp fennel seeds

3 tblsp ginger garlic paste
 2 green chillies , slit

1 medium sized onion chopped finely
2 medium sized tomatoes chopped finely
1 cup chopped coriander leaves
1tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
salt as needed

Method:
For Vada/Adai:


 Soak the channa dhal for two hours and grind it coarsly along with fennel seeds(like we do for masal vadai).Heat a dosa pan and make thick adai's(about 2 inch thickness) by adding little oil on the sides.Keep the heat in medium and allow it to cook well, until browned on both sides(as shown in picture above).Cool it and scramble it into tiny pieces.You can do this the night before, store it in refrigerator and use it the next morning. 

For Curry:
Add 2 tsp of oil in a sauce pan.

Add cinnamon, cloves , fennel, and bay leaf to it.

When the cloves pop add the chopped onions and fry till translucent.

Add the ginger garlic paste.Fry well till the raw smell goes.

Add the chopped tomatoes to it and fry till mashed well and the oil leaves the surface.

Now add all the powders and stir well till the masala mixes well with the tomatoes.

Now add about 4 cups of water.It should be very watery at this stage.

Close with a lid and allow it to boil. After 10 mins, add the scrambled adai/vadai pieces to this liquid and mix well.

Simmer in very low flame for 10 mins.

The chana dhal mixture will soak up all the liquid. Add the chopped coriander leaves and stir well.

Enjoy with hot steaming idlies or spongy dosa's

Mini Heart Shaped Apple Pies

This post was intended to be posted on Feb 14th, got caught up in the usual working day routine so much, that I was not even able to get near the laptop. Hope you all had a great valentines Day.

Coming to the recipe, this is a super simple one which could be made in minutes if you have couple of apples and any type of pastry sheet in hand. I used the Empanada sheets which tasted crisp and just perfect. This dish can be made for any occasion with different shape and also different fillings, strawberry and ricotta cheese is another great combination. 
I am already thinking about many variations for fillings, both sweet and savory.

Ingredients: 

1 Apple , peeled and chopped 

1 tblsp brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp melted butter

1 tsp lemon juice

Any type of pastry sheets. cut into heart shapes.

(I used empanada shells , frozen)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400F

Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, lemon juice and apples, keep aside for 10 mins.

Place about a table spoon of the apple mixture in the centre of the cut out pastry sheet.

Cover with another cut out pastry sheet. press the edges using a fork.

Place them in a parchment lined cookie tray. Prick the top with fork, couple of times.

Beat 1 egg in a small bowl and brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg

Bake for 15-20 mins.

Cool before serving. Enjoy with Chocolate syrup or Ice cream.

Note:

Do not over fill the pastry, else it will ooze out.
 If the apple mixture is watery, filter the water out of it.
Set the oven temperature as per the instructions in the pastry sheet that you are using. Mine said 400F. 

Notes:

Set the oven temperature as per the instructions in the pastry sheet that you are using. Mine said 400F. 


Sending this post out to Priya's "Valentine's Day Contest" 

Baby Boots Cake - Baby shower cake.

Here is a picture of a baby shower cake in the form of baby booties. I made these for a friend of mine who delivered a beautiful baby girl last weekend.
I made this cake from two loaf cakes cut into two halves. Decorate by piping squiggles on the cake imitating the knitting patterns. Let me know what you guys think.