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.

Okra Pachadi

Ingredients:
8 oz or 227 gm okra
3 tablespoon oil
1 green chili or to taste
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup yogurt

Preparation:  After washing remove and discard the top and bottom of each okra.  Rest of it cut into small round bits.

Place the cut okra in a microwaveable bowl add a tablespoon of oil mix it and microwave it for 5 minutes and keep it aside.

Prepare the seasoning:  Heat a pan with 2 tablespoon of oil to it add the mustard seeds and wait for it to pop.  When the mustard seeds pop add the green chilies saute it and add the microwaved okra, mix and cook for a couple of minutes until the sticky strings disappear.  Turn the heat off and add salt and cilantro leaves mix and transfer it to a serving bowl.  Before serving add the yogurt mix and serve.

Molaga Podi - Chutney Powder

Ingredients:
1 cup urad dal
1 cup channa dal
10 to 15 whole red chilies or according to taste
1 teaspoon of salt or to taste
3 to 4 teaspoons of oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder

Preparation:  To a pan on medium heat roast the urad dal, channa dal and red chilies separately in oil.  After roasting combine them and keep it aside to cool.

Next heat the same pan with one teaspoon of oil add the mustard seeds and wait for it to pop.  When it pops turn the heat off and to the hot pan add asafoetida, let the asafoetida fry for about 10 seconds and add it to the roasted dals.  

When the dals have cooled to room temperature add some salt and grind them to a coarse powder.

This can be stored for sometime.  It lasts for at least 3 months.

Serve with dosa, idli or adai.