I made these idlies in the microwave cooking for 3 minutes using an egg poacher

Idli Flour Mix for Making Batter

This is premix idli flour that you can make and keep, measure and use to make idlis as needed

3 cup idli rava 

1 cup urad dal flour 

1 cup rice flakes/poha, aval (Thick) 

1 teaspoon salt

Wash the urad dal and spread it on a plate and leave on the kitchen counter to dry completely.  After it is completely dry, roast the urad dal until it gives out a roasted smell, but do not let it turn brown.  Add the poha or aval and roast it also mildly.

Grind the roasted urad dal and poha to a fine powder.

I used store bought idli rava.  I took 3 cups of it and ground up a little.

To make the mix add the ground urad dal, poha and idli rava and throughly mix the ingredients and store in a clean container.  It will stay in the fridge for at least three months.

To make idli measure the quantity you need add water and make a flowing batter.  Keep it in a warm place to ferment for 6 to 8 hours.

If it does not ferment add yeast or eno(fruit salt) and make.

Dosai Flour Mix for Making Dosa Batter

2 cup Rice flour 

1 cup Idli Rava/Rice rava  

1 cup Urad Dal Flour  

1 tsp Methi/fenugreek seeds 

2 tablespoon yogurt or dahi

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Salt to taste

Hot Mix Mixture, quick and easy

Padma  made this cereal mixture.  I am sharing her recipe for quick hot mix.

Take equal quantities of cornflakes, rice crispies , rice Chex and less of Cheerios, mix it. 

Add equal quantities of dry roasted slightly salted peanuts, cashews, slivered almonds.  

Heat oil put a lot of curry leaves fry till crisp , add salt and chilli powder for taste add hing and stir that into the cereal mixture, mix well .

Pakodam

3 cups Rice Powder
1 cup besan (chick-peas powder)
1 stick melted butter ( or use hot oil)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder or to taste
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 1/2 cup water or as needed

Mix rice powder and besan well, remove the lumps add butter (or hot oil as needed carefully), salt, chili powder asafoetida and mix.  Slowly add water to make a pliable dough.  The dough needs to be pressed through a sieve so it should be pliable not watery. 

To a fry pan add enough oil for frying.  Heat it and let it get hot.  Use a dough press with ribbon pakoda disc.  Take some dough and press it into the hot oil spreading it around.  When it turns reddish turn it over and let it cook on the other side.  Cook until it is reddish on both sides.  Remove it and put it on a platter lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.  Let it cool to room temperature and serve.

Peanut Sundal

Ingredients:
2 cups raw peanuts
1/3 cups grated coconut
2 green chilies or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
a few curry leaves
water as needed

Preparation: Place the raw peanuts in a cooking pot and place it in a pressure cooker with enough water on the bottom on medium heat.  Add enough water in to cover the peanuts and cook it in the pressure cooker for 2 to 3 whistles or until the peanuts are cooked.  Drain the excess water in the cooked peanuts and keep it aside.

Prepare seasoning:  To a pan on medium heat add the coconut oil and mustard seeds and wait for the mustard seeds to pop.  When the mustard seeds pop add the green chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida, next add the cooked peanuts and mix.  Add the salt to taste and grated coconut, mix turn the heat off and serve.

Mullu Murukku - Ridged Thengural

Ingredients:
2 cups rice flour
3/4 cup moong dal
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoon channa dal
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder
1 teaspoon salt to taste
5 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups of water approximately adjusted to need
oil for deep frying

Preparation:  Roast the moong dal and channa dal separately until it turns brownish and a roasted aroma is given out.  Keep it aside to cool and powder them separately to a fine powder.

Prepare the dough:  To a bowl with the rice flour add the powdered moong dal and channa dal and mix.
Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and salt and mix.
Next add the butter and mix it well with the dough.
Last of all add the water slowly enough to make a firm dough.  The dough is ready to make murukku.

To make the murukku use a food press with the star disc.
Assemble the press and fill it with some dough.  To a pan on medium with with some oil, press the dough into the hot oil carefully spreading it around.  The oil needs to be on medium heat, if it is too hot the outside will be overcooked and the inside will not be cooked.  Let is cook for some time until the sizzling has come down and it feels firm, then turn it around and let it cook on the other side.  When the sizzling come down some more and the murukku had turned reddish in color take it out of the oil and it is now ready.

Mullu murukku is a crunch and tasty South Indian snack.

Mixed Nuts recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups roasted and unsalted peanuts
1 cup roasted and unsalted cashews
1 cup almonds
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pistachios
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon butter
A few teaspoon thyme leaves
A few mint leaves
A few sage leaves
A few rosemary leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Preparation:  Take a baking tray.  Mix all of the nuts and bake at 375 degrees F or 190.6 C in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.

To a bowl with 1 tablespoon of butter add the herbs, paprika and salt.  After the nuts are baked.  While it is still hot add it to the bowl with the butter and herbs and mix and serve.

Masala Vadai

Ingredients:
1/2 cup tur dal
1/2 cup channa dal
1/2 cup urad dal
2 green chili or to taste
a pinch of asafoetida
a few cilantro leaves (hara dhania)
1 cup finely chopped onions
water as needed
Oil for deep frying

Preparation:  Wash and soak the dals together for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before grinding.
After it has been soaking grind it to a coarse batter with green chillies asafoetida salt and cilantro leaves.  Add water as need the batter needs to be thick and not watery.  To the ground batter add the chopped onions mix.  This is now ready to make vadais

To make the vadai heat a pan on medium heat with about 2 inches of oil for deep frying.  Check to see if the oil is hot by dropping a little bit of batter, if the dropped batter floats up right away it is hot enough to make vadai.
Take some batter to fit your palm, flatten it and slowly and carefully put into the cooking oil.  In the same way make about five of them and put it in the oil for deep frying.  Fry them a few at a time in batches without overcrowding.
While frying turn them around so that they are evenly fried all over.  When the sizzling has come down and they are golden brown they are ready to come out and are ready to serve.

Methi Pakoda

Ingredients:
4 cups methi leaves 

a few chopped cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon ajwain

2 cups of besan or chick peas flour

Preparation: Wash the methi leaves, separate it from the stalk, discard the stalk and use the leaves.  Chop the washed leaves.  To the chopped leaves add chopped onions and salt and mix.  Cover and let it wilt for about half hour for the moisture contained in it to come out.  After it has wilted add cilantro leaves, green chilies, ginger, turmeric, coriander and cumin powder and mix, add ajwain and peanuts and mix.

Add the chick peas flour gradually according to necessity.  If you add too much you can add a little water to make the batter softer.
The batter has to be thick to hold.  Heat some oil  on medium heat for deep frying.  Test the heat by dropping a bit of the batter.    

If it floats up right away the oil is at the right temperature.  Start dropping a little bit of the batter into the oil and fry until it is golden brown all around.  Remove from oil and serve.

Serves 4

This is a wonderful and flavorful tasty snack to serve when you have company.

Quinoa Adai

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 cup split urad dal with skin
2 green chilies or to taste
a bunch of cilantro leaves(dhania leaves) or use curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste
water and oil as needed

Preparation: Wash and soak the quinoa and and urad dal for one hour before grinding.

After it has been soaking for one hour grind it somewhat coarsely with cilantro leaves, green chilies to taste and lemon juice and water.
To the ground batter add salt and asafoetida mix.  The batter is now ready for make adais

Heat a griddle on medium heat, grease the surface and let it get hot.
Once hot pour a few scoops of batter on the surface and spread it around.  Surround the edges with a little oil and let it cook until the edges loosen. When the edges loosen turn it over and let it cook on the other side.  You can make the adai plain or put some topping.  Suitable toppings are shredded carrots, bell pepper, onion, ginger.

When both sides cooked the indication it will turn brown, remove from heat and serve.  Serve with pickles or chutney.
Serves 4.

Adai parboiled rice

Ingredients:
3 cups parboiled rice
1/2 cup split urad dal with skin
1/2 cup toor dal
1/4 cup channa dal
Green chiles to taste
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida powder (also called hing or perungayam)
Water as needed
Sesame oil as needed (also called til ka tel or nalla ennai) you can use any oil or ghee

Preparation:  Soak rice for at least 8 hours or overnight.  Grind with green chillies, curry leaves and water.  Grind to a coarse batter.

Soak the dals together one hour before grinding.  Grind to a coarse batter.

Mix the ground rice and dals together.  Add salt, asafoetida and mix it thoroughly into the batter.  The batter is now ready to make adais.

To make the adais.  Heat a griddle on medium heat and wait for it to warm up.  Grease the surface of the griddle with some oil.  For best results use the Indian variety sesame oil.

When the griddle is hot, take a few scoops of batter and with a spoon spread it evenly around the surface of the griddle making a round shape.  Spread a few drops of oil around the edge and a few in the middle.  Wait for the adai to cook.  When the edges start to loosen turn it over and let it cook on the other side.  Apply a few drops of oil to the other side.  When you see it turning brown on both sides the adai it ready to come out and to be served.

The batter will last for 4 to 5 days if kept in the refrigerator.  As the batter gets older it becomes more sour, making it more tasty.

Serves 6.

You can serve adais for snack, breakfast or appetiser.  This is a very filling dish.  If you are serving it for appetiser make the adais smaller.  Serve adais with chutney, pachadi or avial.  Sweet chutneys go really well.

Black Eyed peas Sundal

Ingredients:
1 cup Black eyed peas (also called lobia or karamani)
2 1/2 cup water or as required
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal
a pinch of asafoetida
2 chopped green chilies or to taste
 chopped cilantro leaves or curry leaves
1/4 cup grated coconut
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation:
Wash the black eyed peas in water rinse and cook it on medium heat.  It takes about 20 minutes to cook.  When cooked the black eyed peas should be soft yet retain its shape.  After it is cooked add salt to taste cook for a minute and keep it aside.

Seasoning:  To a pan on medium heat add 1 tablespoon of oil, to it add the mustard seeds and urad dal and wait for the mustard seeds to pop.  When the mustard seed pop add a pinch of asafoetida, chopped green chilies, cilantro leaves, grated coconut and saute it for 30 seconds, add the cooked black eyed peas mix and cook until all of the water has evaporated.  Turn the heat off add a tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice and serve.

Serves 4.

Buckwheat Flour Vada

Ingredients:
1 cup buckwheat flour also called kuttu ki atta (135gm)
1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds (also called carom seed)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 chopped green chili or to taste
A few chopped cilantro leaves (hara dhania or use curry leaves)
2 tablespoon shredded carrot

Preparation:
To the buckwheat flour add ajwain seeds, cumin seeds and salt, mix and slowly add milk at room temperature and mix thoroughly remove the lumps.  After the lumps have been removed add the green chili, cilantro leaves and shredded carrots and mix.  Set aside for five minutes.

Heat a pan with oil on medium heat.  Test to see if the oil is hot enough by dropping a little bit of batter into the oil, if the batter floats up right away it is hot enough, you can start making the vadas.

To make to vadas drop a scoop of batter gently into the hot oil and let it cook for a few minutes after which turn it and let it cook on the other side.  The oil should be at medium heat, if it is too hot the outside of the vadas will be overcooked and the inside will be raw.  Cook on medium heat until the sizzling has come down at which point it can be removed from the oil.

Serve warm with yogurt or chutney.  Serves 4.

Stuffed Mushroom

Ingredients:
2 portabella mushroom
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup small chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon Italian spice
6 tablespoon bottled pizza sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped olives
Mozzarella cheese as per preference

Prepare the mushroom:  Turn the mushrooms over, remove and discard the gills with a teaspoon.  Remove the stalk, chop it into small bits.  The stalk will be used as topping.  Rinse and pat dry the mushroom.  

Prepare the sauce:  Heat a pan with 2 tablespoon of oil.  Add the chopped bell pepper and the chopped stalk, saute for a few seconds, add the Italian spice cover and cook for five minutes.  After 5 minutes while the pan is still hot add the minced garlic, mix cover and let it cool.  When cool add the pizza sauce and mix

In the cavity of the mushroom spread the sauce mixture that was prepared above.  Next spread some mozzarella cheese over the sauce as per preference.  Spread some olives over the mozzarella cheese

This was baked at 375 degrees fahrenheit or 190 celsius for 15 minutes.  Adjust the baking time to your own oven. 

Serves 2

Vegan Patties - Swiss chard and black beans

1 bunch swiss chard
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoon oil
2 chopped green chili or to taste
some chopped cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon lemon juice

To cook patties 2 tablespoon oil

Wash and rinse the swiss chard.  Cut the leaves into small bits, discard the stalk.  
To a pan on medium heat with 3 tablespoon of oil add the chopped green chilies and saute it for about 30 seconds.  Add the cumin powder and coriander powder and saute for 10 seconds, add the chopped swiss chard and the chopped cilantro leaves cover and cook.  After it has been cooking for 3 minutes add the onion powder, garlic powder, curry powder and salt to taste, mix it and add the black beans, mix cover and cook.  After it has been cooking for 2 minutes add the panko bread crumbs and mix and with the backside of the spatula crush the black beans so that the swiss chard and black beans form a mass.  Let it cool to touch after which the patties can be shaped.  Before shaping the patties add the lemon juice and mix.

To shape the patties.  Take a handful of the swiss chard and beans mix, and shape them in flat rounds.

To fry:  To a pan on medium heat with 2 tablespoon oil grease the pan and put the patties on it and fry on both sides.
Serve as a side dish or meal with pita bread, chapati or bread. 

makes 5 patties

Pesarat

Ingredients:
2 cups whole moong dal

1/4 cup rice
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
4 green chilies or to taste
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

For Topping: 
Shredded carrots
Sliced onions
chopped cilantro leaves
or your choice of topping

Wash and soak the whole moong dal overnight or for at least for 8 hours before grinding.

After it has been soaked, drain the water out and grind the dal.
Since the amount to grind was large, it was divided and ground in 2 batches.  The first batch was ground with green chili, ginger, cumin seeds to a smooth paste of medium spreadable consistency.  The 2nd batch was ground with just water.  After grinding mix the 2 ground dal batches add salt to taste to the batter mix and the pesarattu is ready to be prepared.

To prepare the pesarattu heat a griddle apply about a teaspoon of oil over it and spread it around.  Take a scoop of batter and spread it over the griddle in a round fashion.  Spread the shredded carrots, sliced onion and chopped cilantro leaves over the spread batter.
Apply a little oil to surround the batter.  Let it cook until the edges start to loosen.  When the edges have loosened turn the pesarattu over and cook on the other side.  When the batter turns reddish brown on both sides it is cooked and can come out to be served.
Serves 4.

I

Lettuce wrap

Prepare potato:
2 cups potato cut int thin long slices
Cook the potatoes in 2 tablespoon of oil add 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste and keep it aside

Prepare Kidney beans (rajma):
1 (15 oz or 425 gms) can of kidney beans (dry weight 10 oz or 284 grams)
2 green chilies or to taste
1 cup chopped tomato
a few cilantro leaves (or dhania patta)
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder or to taste
2 tablespoon of oil

To a pan on medium heat with 2 tablespoon of oil add the green chilies and wait for it to sizzle.  When the green chilies sizzles add the cumin powder and coriander powder saute it for 10 seconds add the chili powder and saute it for 10 seconds, add the chopped tomatoes and cilantro leaves  and cook for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked.  When the tomato is cooked add the rinsed and drained canned kidney beans add a pinch of salt cook for a minute and keep it aside.

Prepare carrots:
2 cups chopped carrots add about a tablespoon of lemon juice and salt to taste

Prepare mango: 2 cups chopped mango

To assemble the wrap, take a lettuce leaf, remove the stem, add the kidney beans, potato, mango and carrot according to choice, fold the leaf over and it is ready to eat.

Serves 4.

Onion Pakoda

2 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
2 green chili or as per taste
some chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup cashew
2 tablespoon of clarified butter
1 teaspoon red chili powder
3 cups chick pea flour (also called besan or kadala mavu)

To the chopped onion add salt and mix, and allow it to stand covered for about 1/2 hour for it to wilt.  

After standing for about half hour add ginger, green chili, cilantro leaves, clarified butter, red chili powder and  mix add the chick peas flour and with a little water form a soft dough.  When the batter is ready start deep frying the pakodas.

To fry the pakodas, heat some oil on medium heat.  Test to see if the oil is hot enough by dropping a little bit of batter, if it comes up right away it is hot enough.  Take a little bit of the batter and drop them into the oil.  The oil should be medium heat.  If it is too hot the outside of the pakoda will burn and the inside will not cook.  While frying turn the pakodas over so that they are evenly fried all over.  When they have become golden brown and the sizzling has come down, remove them and serve.  Serve with cilantro or tamarind chutney.

Serves 4 

Upma Kozhukattai or Pidi Kozhukattai

Ingredients:
1 cup idli rava or cream of rice lightly roasted
1/4 cup toor dal
1 tablespoon channa dal
1 tablespoon urad dal
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal
a pinch of asafoetida
2 small chopped green chilis or to taste
a few curry leaves
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 cups water

Preparation:  Rinse and soak toor dal, channa dal and urad dal for 1 to 1 1/2 hours before grinding.  After 1 hour grind the dals with very little water to a coarse paste.

Heat 2 tablespoon of oil.  To it add mustard seeds and urad dal.  When the mustard seeds pop add the chopped green chili, curry leaves, asafoetida and saute for few seconds add water cover and let the water come to a boil.  When the water has come to a boil add the grated coconut and the ground dal and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes after which add the lightly roasted idli rava or cream of rice.  Stir and cook until the mixture pulls away from the side of the pan and forms a mass in the center.  Cover and allow the mass to cool.  After it is cool make small oval shaped dumplings as shown in the video (if needed lightly grease your palms with a little oil)  and steam the kozukattai for a total of 4 minutes in a microwaveable steamer, in between the cooking turn the kozukattai over once to cook on the other side.  Do not over cook or it will become hard.

If you like you can cook it in a regular steamer.

Serve with sambar or chutney.  Makes 12 to 16 kozukattai.  Serves 4.  Serve as a snack or for breakfast. 

Nachos with Kidney beans

1 (15 oz) can of kidney beans
2 tablespoon oil
2 green chilies or to taste
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
3/4 cup chopped tomato
 A few chopped cilantro leaves
2 teaspoon lemon juice
Cheddar cheese (vegetarian)
Salsa
Corn chips

To a pan on medium heat add 2 tablespoons of oil and chopped green chilies.
When the green chili starts to sizzles add the cumin powder, chopped tomatoes, saute it for about 2 minutes, add onion powder, garlic powder, paprika saute if for a few seconds, then add the drained kidney beans, cook for about a minute, add cilantro leaves, salt to taste and the fresh squeezed lemon juice, mix turn the heat off.

To assemble the nachos.  Spread some corn chips on a microwave-able plate.  Distribute the kidney beans topping on top of the corn chips.  Next distribute some salsa over the kidney beans.  Finally, distribute some cheddar cheese over the salsa and microwave until the cheese has melted.  It takes about 1 minute and 30 second.  Serves 1.

Karadaiyan Nombu Adai

1/4 cup of black eyed peas lightly roasted, cooked and divided into two.
2 cups rice powder lightly roasted and divided into two

To make Jaggery Adai:
1 cup jaggery (also called vellum or gud)
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup coconut bits
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Boil water add jaggery and cook until the jaggery has melted.  Add the coconut bits, and half of the cooked black eyed peas, and let the water come to a rolling boil.  Add the cardamom powder and half of the rice powder(or 1 cup) mix thoroughly, remove the rice powder lumps, cover and let it cool.
Depending on the size makes 10 to 12 adais.


To make Salt adai:
2 cups water
3 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoon urad dal
a pinch of asafoetida
2 green chili or to taste
A few curry leaves
1/4 cup coconut bits
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

To a pan on medium heat.  Add 3 tablespoon of oil, mustard seeds and urad dal.  When the mustard seeds pop add a pinch of asafoetida, saute, add the green chili and curry leaves.  Saute for a few seconds add water and coconut bits and let it come to a boil.  When the water comes to a rolling boil add salt, and the other half of the rice powder(or 1 cup).  Mix thoroughly, remove the rice powder lumps.  Cover and let it cool.  Depending on the size makes 10 to 12 adais.


To assemble the adai's:
When the dough is cool, take some dough roll them into a ball, then flatten them into a disc the size of your palm and make a hole in the center.  Arrange them in a microwave steamer and microwave for a total 6 minutes.  After first three minutes of microwaving turn them around and microwave for rest of the 3 minutes.  When a knife inserted comes out clean it is done.  The time it take to microwave depends on the power of your own microwave.  These adais can also be cooked in a pressure cooker without the weight on top, or in a steamer.


Karadaiyan Nombu is a religious occasion observed by Tamilians.  It occurs when the month of Massi before it ends, and before the beginning of the month of Pnaguni.  This occasion happen roughly at around the middle of March of the international calender.  It is observed by married women and young girls.  They pray to Goddess Gowri to give a long life to their husband's, young girls pray for a good husband.