AkuVada/Keerai Vadai

This is little variation to normal Masala Vada, a healthy version, just by incorporating greens in it. I usually use Thotakura/Amaranath leaves, these leaves make Vadas more crispy and tasty.

Things Needed: 1cup.Channadal/senaga pappu, 1/2''ginger piece, 2bunches greens(roughly chopped) 2bunches coriander leaves(roughly chopped) 2no.cloves 1''Cinnamon 4cloves garlic 1/2tsp.coriander seeds 4no.green chillies 1no.onion(chopped) 2springs curry leaves salt to taste oil for deep frying.

Procedure:

• 
  
  Soak channadal for 2hrs.


• Grind dal, all the ingredients(except chopped Amaranath leaves, coriander leaves and onions) to a coarse paste by adding very little water( 2-3tbsp), if needed.


• Now add the ground paste to chopped greens and onions and mix well.


• Adjust the salt if needed.


• Make lemon sized balls with the above mixture and slightly flatten them with palms to make vadas.


• Meanwhile heat oil in the pan, once it's hot enough make vadas and drop them in the oil, and fry them till crisp/ til you get light golden brown color.

Note:

• Do not fry them on very high flame, the upper layer gets colored quickly and the inside part remains uncooked. Heat oil, once it's hot enough, reduce the flame and fry vadas.

Capsicum Paneer Masala

Channa Masala from South tastes totally different from Chole, Similarly the Capsicum Paneer Masala is totally different from paneer curries those hail from other places. This is a typical paneer dish with loads of southern flavours in it................

Things Required to Make:

1Capsicum/green pepper(cut 2''length pieces), 2cups Paneer(cubed, fried), 1no.Onion(chopped), 1no.Tomato(crushed/grounded), 2tsp.Oil, 1tsp.Cream(optional), 1&1/2tsp.Red chili powder, 1/8tsp.Turmeric powder, Salt to taste.

MASALA:

• 2tps. poppy seeds, 2tsp.fresh coconut, 2no.cloves, 2''piece Cinnamon, 1no.elachi, 1/4onion, 8pods garlic, 1''piece ginger, 1tsp.coriander powder, grind all these things to fine past by adding required water.

Method:

• In a pad heat oil, once it is hot enough add chopped onions, fry till translucent, then add crushed tomato, fry till the raw smell is gone.
• Now add the Masala and fry on medium heat till it turn light brown in color(apx.10min.)
• Then add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, capsicum and 1/4cup of water and cook till the capsicum is 1/2cooked.
• Now adjust the seasoning and add the fried paneer and cook for few seconds. Now add Cream(if desired) switch off the heat.
• Serve it with your choice of bread.

Pecking style BabyCorn&Chicken fried Rice

Pecking??????????????
This particular post was sitting in the doc for a long time, it has slipped my sight with no reason. We were frequent visitors to Pecking(a small restaurant in VA), the only thing we would have there was their Chicken fried rice. Wow...........even while writing this post, me drooling here with tickling taste. I tried to prepare this particular dish for many times, but never got the restaurant taste, after many failures, finally got it!!!!!! Wow............now tough I'm staying in home land I don't miss Pecking:-)

Things Required to Make:

• 2cups long grain rice/Basmathi.
• 1chicken breast.
• 2eggs.
• 1onion(roughly chopped).
• 1Green pepper(roughly chopped).
• 1bunch spring onions(cut them int3''pieces, lol:-) they make difference).
• 1Small tin of baby corn
• 2tsp.dark Soy Sauce.
• 2tsp.Oyster Sauce.
• 1tsp.Pepper Powder.
• 4tsp.Oil.
• Salt to taste.

Preparation:

• *Cook the rice and keep it aside(many cook it 3/4only, but I prefer to cook it little grainy).
• Take the chicken breast, keep it in a zip lock bag, pound this, add little salt, crushed garlic(4-5pods), little pepper powder and marinate for 1/2 an hour, then cut them to thin strips.
• In a pan add 2tsp.oil fry these chicken strips and keep them aside.
• In the same pan, add little more oil if required, then add egg, pepper, mix well and keep stirring to make scrambled egg, and keep it aside.
• In the same pan add remaining oil and keep it on high flame, once it gets to smoking point, add onions, spring onions, green peppers and fry till they are 1/4done.
• Then add soy sauce, salt, pepper powder, fried chicken, scrambled egg and rice, mix well, take care not to break the rice.
• Keep it on high flame, till the rice is hot enough and flavourful.
• Serve it hot with Chili Garlic sauce. I think we need no gravy with this dish because it has all the flavours needed.

*Note:

• After cooking the rice, let it cool, drizzle1tsp. Sesame Oil and refrigerate it for about 1/2 an hour. This helps not to mash the rice and the consistency will be perfect.