Velan's Cuisine Extraordinaire

[NOV]

So so so impressive Karthi

[mappi]

Kadhamba Pakora
Thanks NOV.

Excellent, crispy & soft - a sacred mix.
Next time I going to add pepper seeds and see how it is !



Kadhamba Pakora with Lingaa Puttu + Coconut Chutney + Tomato Chutney



Dinner finish !

[NOV]

Excellent, crispy & soft - a sacred mix.
Next time I going to add pepper seeds and see how it is !

you should mix and match and come to a flavour you like.
pepper will work fine, don't worry.

[NOV]

Do you have leftover bananas from prayers or meals?
Especially over-ripe ones? Then, this is the best tea time treat.
Preparation time 20 mins, eating time 5 mins

Use your hands to mash bananas nicely until almost liquid.
Add sugar and mix nicely.
Add white wheat flour and a little rice flour.
Add grated coconut next - just a little.
Finally season with some salt and add a bit of baking powder.
Mix thoroughly.
Using your hands drop small portions in hot oil.
This cooks fast so be mindful of that.

[NOV]

I do not use the traditional method of adding sugee to boiling water, as we cannot control the liquid content. So, here is my brilliant method.

Boil water in a pot separately.

Melt ghee in pan - add kadugu (mustard seeds) and when it pops, add sliced onion and then curry leaves.
Follow with chopped ginger and sliced green chilly.
Once nicely cooked (in small flame) add cashews and fry till golden brown.
Add salt and then add the sugee (you can buy roasted sugee).
Fry for a while and the add boiling water from the pot. Now, the liquid is in your control.

Additions: soak kadalai paruppu dhall in water for an hour. Drain and add together with spices.

Some people use dried chilly too - I am happy with green chilly alone.

Of course you can add carrot strips or any other relevant vegetables you choose. I like mine traditional.

[mappi]

I cook Uppama in a similar manner, and most of the time I use carrots, beans & green peas with Kadalai paruppu/curry leaves/green chilli.
I like to have it with Coconut Chutney but end up having it most of the time with Idli Molakapudi. Just sprinkle it over the Uppama and it immediately becomes more Yummy.

[NOV]

I like it plain.. it's my dinner tonight.

[mappi]

bon appétit

[NOV]

The preparation for this dish will take longer than the cooking time.

Prawn & stock - remove head and shell of prawns and wash. In a pan lightly fry the head/shell in some oil till they turn color. Add 2 cups water and let it simmer till it becomes 3/4 cup. Remove head/shell and add cleaned prawns to cook. season with salt and then keep aside.

Kuih - optional - 2 types - one is bean sprouts (taugeh), sliced onion & chilly mixed with white flour and salt, made into batter and left to rest for around 30 mins. then deep fried and sliced.
another is white flour, coconut shreds (thengaaipoo), chilly powder, salt, made into a stiff dough. Shape it into elongated cylinders and deep fry and slice.

Tauhu (beancurd) - Halved or quartered. deep fried and then sliced.

Potato - cut into bite sizes, season with salt & chilly powder - you can either deep fry this or cook in boiling water.

Onions - sliced and deep fried till dark brown - you can add a little rice flour if you want it to be crispy.

Fresh yellow noodles - rinse in hot water before using to rid of soda taste. Do not cook!

Cooking method:

Fry sliced onions in oil and add smashed garlic.
Push aside and scramble a couple of eggs seasoned with salt.
Add bean sprouts, cut kadugu keerai (sawi), chopped tomatoes. Season with salt.
Once half cooked, add noodles, give a good stir and then add chilly paste, soy sauce, a dash of chilly sauce, a dash of tomato sauce.
Stir nicely and then add all the ingredients prepared above.
Stir now and then and mee goreng is ready when it is no longer soggy.

Serve with sliced salad leaves, and top it with finelycrushed roasted peanut, onion crisps and a slice of lime.

[NOV]

Pastry is normal: white flour, butter/margarine, salt and water. Make a soft dough and let it rest at least 4 hours. After that make puri/chapati sized balls and let them rest.

Filling can be anything you wish. Penang karipap bawang style uses sweet potato and meat masala powder.

For this filling I used my mother's vege murtabak filling.

Boil potato and then cut into small cubes.
Separately dry roast cinnamon, clove and star anise. Then powder them finely. Keep aside.

In pan, put some oil, fry lots of cubed onions, some chopped ginger and sliced chilly. Once cooked add salt and the above spice powder. Stir nicely and then add cooked potato. Let it cool.

Roll out dough like medium sized puri/chapati and put filling in lower half - not too much. Fold over and using a fork press down edges. Deep fry in medium heat.

Serve with pickled onions.