This is the last among this year’s sun dried items. I know summer is over and no one might be interested in making these in this weather, but still, if I don’t post these now, I am sure I will forget all about these by next summer. I definitely don’t want to forget one of my favorite vadis , so for my own reference and also for those who like to read about these, I thought of posting them today. One of my reader had very interesting suggestion for drying these during winter.
These are the tikshe (Konkani) or khara (Kannada) – spicy and salty versions of sweet sabudana vadi that I had posted earlier. I love these as much as the sweet versions. The whole cumin seeds that you can feel in your mouth give a very smoky flavor to these very simple vadis . Adjust chili powder and cumin seeds according to your own taste.
Ingredients: 1 cup sabudana / shabutandul/sabbakki 5 cups water 2 tea spns chili powder 1 tea spn cumin seeds 1/2 tea spn salt
Method: Wash sabudana in water and soak it in 2 cups of water for overnight. Add 3 more cups of water (2 cups used for soaking and 3 more cups at this stage to make a total of 5 cups) and cook this mixture on a low flame mixing continuously. When the sabudana is cooked, it turns transparent. Now add salt and boil for sometime. The consistency should be somewhat like dosa batter. If required add more water (keep in mind, the batter becomes drier and drier as it cools down). Add chili powder, cumin powder and mix well.
Line up a plastic paper under the sun. Spread some water on it (just sprinkle a handful of water and spread it). When the batter is cooled down, spread the vadis .
Dry it till they come out easily off the paper and they have become crispy.
Cool them to room temperature and then store in air tight container.
While using, deep fry them in oil (traditional method) or microwave them for 1 min(or less) till they have puffed up. Enjoy as a snack or sides with rice.
Last few months have been no-chicken days at my home. I got many requests for chicken recipes, but both my husband and I absolutely didn’t want to eat chicken. So these days I cook it only when we invite someone for lunch/dinner. Now the problem with that is, it is very difficult to take pictures when I am cooking some elaborate meal for guests and all that I want to do after cooking is, just sit down and take a deep breath. Taking pictures on these days definitely looks like a big chore to me. But since these are the only times when I cook chicken, I have no choice and most of the time, the pictures come out blur as the above picture.
Anyway, after that rant, let me come to this dish at hand. This is supposed to be Chicken stew from Kerala. I have adapted this recipe from theindian . The main thing that attracted my attention to this dish was the vegetables used in this dish. It has a coconutty taste to it because of the coconut milk used in it. The whole spices give a very good aroma to the dish. Both our guest and we enjoyed it a lot.
Ingredients: 7-8 chicken pieces 1 tea spn fresh ginger-garlic sliced into thin pieces 1 and 1/2 cups coconut milk 1/2 tea spn mustard seeds 6-7 curry leaves 1″ cinnamon 1 cardamom 1 bay leaf 1/2 cup chopped onions 1/4 cup chopped potatoes 1/4 cup chopped carrots 2-3 green chilies 1/2 tea spn garam masala Ghee Salt
Method: Heat ghee , add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add curry leaves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf. Fry for a min and add onions, ginger, garlic. Fry till they turn slightly brownish. Add marinated chicken pieces and fry for 1-2mins. Add potatoes, carrots, coconut milk, green chilies, salt. Cover and cook for about 12-15mins till the chicken and vegetables are tender. Now sprinkle the garam masala and mix well. Serve hot with rice or rotis .
Serves : 3-4 Preparation time : 40mins
