Desi Fiesta

Tired N Tasted

Ragi Spinach Pakoda

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Today am going to share a very healthy and delicious variety of pakoda . This pakoda was shared by my buddy +Divya Prakash  of “Divya’s culinary journey” 🙂 . She is a lovely blogger and very kind hearted person . Her blog is filled with so many yummy and delicious recipes and her clicks are just amazing. She had shared these pakodas long back which tempted me a lot and i tired them on the same day i saw these. Adding some own touches to the original recipes , these pakodas where great hit and my h loved them a lot . Thanks to +Divya Prakash  for this delicious recipe and am glad that i tried it :).. These are perfect tea time snack and a very gud variation in pakoda’s. Lets quickly move on to today’s special snack from divya’s space.

Recipe Source : Divya’s culinary journey

Ingredients

Ragi flour- 1 1/2 cups
Spinach (chopped) – 1/2 cup
Onion (chopped)- 3/4 cup
Green chilli – 1 no (Finely chopped)
Ginger- 1inch (finely chopped)
Red Chilli pd- 1/2 tsp
Cumin Pd- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric pd- 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves (chopped)- 1 sprigs
Cilantro(chopped)- 2 Tbsp
Sounf/Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp (optional)

Salt to taste
Oil – 1 tbsp (for pakoda batter)
Oil to deep fry

Method

  • In a bowl combine flour, Red chilli powder, turmeric powder,Cumin pd salt and to this mix onions,spinach, chopped ginger, curry leaves, fennel seeds and chopped cilantro. 
  • Add water little by little and keep kneading till they are well combined . Then add 1 tbsp of  hot oil to this and mix well.
  • In a kadai/ skillet, heat enough oil to deep fry.Cluster the pakoda batter is hot oil and deep fry the pakodas in batches. Fry them till the pakodas turn crispy and the bubble in the oil settles down. 
  • Remove them from oil, drain them in paper towel and serve them  hot with any chutney or sauce .

Tips

  • The batter of these pakoda should not be too thick and nor too thin.  They have to be clustered in the oil . So adjust the water accordingly. This depends the flour type you are using .
  • Deep fry these pakodas in batches and don’t over crowd them will frying . This helps in making these pakodas more crispier .
  • You can even add little amount of pottukadalai /Roasted channa dal/ even peanuts to this pakodas to get the crunchy bites in these pakodas. 🙂 

Thank you for these delicious snack divya 🙂 we loved this a lot n i’ll be making them again 🙂 This one is for you my dear friend !!

Small potato birayani (T&T)

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I tried this recipe from Raks kitchen as i am a big spicy food lover and carve for spicy recipes., This was new to me and looked so tempting the way raji made 🙂 my hubby loved it 🙂 I mixed both version and made this yummy Small potato birayani…

 

Recipe source : Raks kitchen

Ingredients
Basmati rice 1 cup
Small potato 10 – 15
Tomato 1 big
Water 1 cup
Curd(Not sour) 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves 1/2 cup tightly packed
Garam masala powder 1/4 tsp
Salt As needed
Oil As needed
Onions 2 (cut lengthwise)

TO ROAST & GRIND
Coriander seeds 1 tsp
Red chilli 3 – 4
Coconut scrapping (optional roast) 2 tblsp
Ginger(Do not roast) 1 small piece
Garlic – 2-3 clove (optional)
Green chilli (Optional roast) 3 – 4
Optional:
Whole garam masala  to season.

UPDATED METHOD (FOR EASIER COOKING)

METHOD

  • Wash and soak rice for minimum 10 minutes. You can soak it for longer time. In a pressure cooker cook the small potato for 2 whistles. Peel the skin after they cool down. Chop and wash the coriander leaves.
  • Fry coriander seeds and red  chilli until golden brown. Grind it along with washed coriander leaves, coconut, green chilli and ginger. Use the curd for grinding.
  • Grind smoothly. Heat kadai with 2 tblsp of oil and add the boiled,peeled small potatoes. You can prick the potatoes with fork(only once) for masalas getting inside it easily.
  • Roast in medium flame until golden brown. Turn over carefully then and there. Heat a small pressure cooker with oil / ghee and season with a elachi,a clove and a small piece of cinnamon. Add sliced onion and fry for a minute.
  • Add finely chopped tomatoes and fry till soft. Add the ground paste and give it a stir. Add the roasted potatoes and required salt. Add oil if needed while frying.
  • Cook in medium flame for 4-5 minutes until oil separates from the masala and the raw smell goes off. Add the soaked rice drained from water. Add 1 cup of water and mix well. Check for salt and pressure cook for 2 whistles or 14 minutes in lowest flame. My stove can be kept in a really low low flame, so mine does not get burnt at the bottom. So take care to stir in between if you are not sure. At the same time, dont break the rice while mixing.
  • Top with ghee and enjoy with onion raita!

ORIGINAL (OLD) VERSION :

Method

  • Wash and soak rice for 10 minutes.
  • Grind the coriander leaves and mix it with curds and keep a side.
  • Cook rice with tomato juice,salt and 1 cup water. (Season with whole garam masala if desired)
  • After done,add a tsp of ghee and cool down the rice to make it separate separate grains.
  • Cook the small potatoes in a pressure cooker,peel the skin and deep fry it in a really hot oil till golden brown(Pierce the potatoes carefully with fork in 2,3 places,b4 frying)
  • Heat a kadai with oil,add the onion and fry till brown.
  • Add the ground masala (Under the “To roast & Grind Table)and sprinkle little water and fry for 3 minutes till a nice aroma rises.
  • Then add the fried potates and coriander mixed in curd,Mix gently.
  • Add this in a heavy bottomed vessel(cooker),add the cooked rice sprinkle 2 tblsp of water,mix well and simmer the stove and cook for 7-10 minutes.
  • Serve hot with raitha!!

Notes

 

  •  Potatoes can also be shallow fried but I deep fried the potatoes.
  • For many of you it will be spicy so for 1 cup rice, 2-3 red chillies and 2-3 green chillies will be enough.
  • Since we add curd, try adding less water, otherwise, the rice will become mushy.
  • Add oil or ghee as needed as this rice will be very dry if there is no oil/ghee.
  • While pricking potato, be gentle and take care not to break the potatoes. Also pricking more than needed will break the potatoes while cooking.

Sending to Nivedhanam and kitchen chronicles

 

Dal palak ( T&T)

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This was the first recipe I tried from Rak’s kitchen and it was a great hit !!! Loved the way she has explained each and every dish   !!!I liked the way the pureed  palak used in this dal and Really a GRT grand style dal palak yummy..

Recipe source : Raks kitchen

Ingredients(serves 2)
Moon dal/ paasi paruppu (or u can even use masoor dal) 1/4 cup
Palak leaves 1 cup tightly packed
Onion 1
Tomato 1 large
Ginger garlic paste 3/4 tsp
Garam masala powder 3/4 tsp
Green chilli 5-6
Sugar 1/4 tsp
Salt 1 & 1/4 tsp
Ghee 1 tsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Method

  • Wash the palak and remove the stem. Tear the leaf and take out the thick stem in the middle too if possible to make sure it gets cooked easily. Fry in 1/2 tsp oil along with green chillies. Pressure cook moong dal upto 3 whisltes.
  • Fry the palak until it gets reduced in volume. Cool down and grind with little water.
  • Heat kadai and temper with ghee and jeera. Add the chopped onions and saute them till transparent. Next add ginger garlic paste and saute . Add chopped tomatoes, salt and fry until tomatoes turn mushy.
  • Add the ground palak, sugar and garam masala. Fry for 2 minutes in medium flame. Add cooked, mashed dal.
  • Mix well, add 1 cup water and let it boil for 4-5 minutes or until you get thick consistency.
  • Top with ghee if desired and serve hot with steamed basmati rice and your choice of subzi. You can have it with roti as well.

Tips

 

  • You can also squeeze lemon before you serve the dal. In that case, be sure to add more spiciness (green chilli) to balance the
  • You can replace ginger garlic paste in this recipe with either finely chopped ginger or garlic. In that case, add it immediately after jeera crackles.
  • You can also add red chilli powder instead of green chillies. But the colour will be differing.

Sending to Nivedhanam and Tired and tasted (Kitchen chronicles)