Aval Pidi Kozhukattai

                                                                           Honestly I have not been exposed to this kozhukattai before!!!I just learnt it from other blogs.It seemed very simple and tasty.Yes it is really soft and yummy and really quick!!!!When you have sudden guests or when you need to make something really quick and healthy this is it..You can sure give it a try.......

Medhu Pakoda/Medhu Bonda/Instant Bonda

                                                                 Medhu Bonda or Pakoda can be called Instant Bonda because it can be made instantly without any soaking or grinding.We have not made it often at home but I have always seen it in most of the tea shops and used to drool over it. I found the recipe for that and made it at home.It is really yumm and you should really eat it with a cup of tea!!!

puli pongal

                                                         Puli Pongal is very traditional recipe that my grand mom taught me. when my mom used to make it at home my mother used to make it really spicy and with a lot of gingelly oil to compensate the spice.It has become my favourite and my make it all dinner parrties at home.since it is very rare people generally like it.I like anything tangy so this is one of my favourites. Lot.Lot of my friends used to ask me if it was upma with puli !!!!??
Puli menas 'Tamarind' and Pongal is mashed up rice.So it is made with broken  raw rice.Those days they used to pound the rice at home but now a days you get it readmade at the stores which is quiet good.

Masala Toast/Vegetable Masala Bakery Toast

                                                                    I have heard so much about this toast and finally I got to try it at home today.It is very popular in Karnataka, in the Banglore Iyengar Bakery.I looked for the recipe and it was really my kind of food - simple and yet tasty.It would be a perfect evening snack for the kids.Try it,I am sure you will also love it for its simplicity and taste.

Rawa idli/Rava Idli/Rave Idli

Rawa Idli is a variation of the normal idlis.They are  made with rawa or sooji.It originated from the MTR restaurant in Banglore.It is popular dish in Karnataka and served in all the udipi restaurants.It is served with Potato Sagu and Coriander and coconut chutney.

Even today it is popular in Banglore and rest of Karnataka.I always make a visit to the MTR restaurant whenever i go to Banglore.My kids also love Rawa idli and we have it once in a while for dinner.I sometimes buy the ready made mix from MTR and make rawa idlis.But any day the idlis made at home are very soft and tasty.

Arisi upma(rice upma)

                                                                            Arisi upma or Rice upma is made with raw rice brokens, tur dhal and spices.It is a traditional dish i learnt from my mother.Once in a while we like to have this upma for dinner as chappathis get boring.I have done it in the traditional way but now a days you get these raw rice brokens which also works fine and it is much faster than this procedure.Finally you add a tsp of coconut oil on top which makes it very aromatic.My mother used to add a handfull of peanuts to the upma which makes it tastier.Anyway the upma does not have much proteins so adding a few peanuts is really good and tasty.

Semiya Kichadi/Vegetable Semiya Upma

                                                                    Semiya Kichadi or Vegetable Semiya Upma is a very healthy and easy to prepare South Indian tiffin.You can call it a one pot meal and have it for dinner also.Actually south Indian dishes are easy to prepare and easily digestible and that is what i like about them.Semiya Kichadi is a perfect Lunch box menu too but it is at its best when eaten hot with coconut chutney!!!!

Rawa Dhokla/Gujarathi Snack

                                                                 I never knew we could make dhokla with Rawa.I have only seen the yellow colour dhokla made with gram flour everywhere!!!  when i saw it another blog I tried it out immediately and it came out pretty well.One more variety of snack with rawa!!!.It is simple easy and very tasty.The ingredients and the way of making is very similar to making the normal dhokla.

Khandvi Gujarathi snack Recipe

                                                      Khandvi is a gujarathi snack.The ingredients are similar to Khaman dhokla.I have not eaten as much khandvi as dhokla. Dhokla is a little more healthy and simpler to make.You make khandvi by mixing gram flour with buttermilk,salt and turmeric powder and cooked to a paste and spread on a flat surface and cut into strips and rolled in to pinwheels.It is interesting and tricky to make this one.The paste should be in correct consistency otherwise it will not spread and if it is too watery it will not roll.

Gothumai Adai/Wheat Flour Adai/Sweet Adai

                                                                      I have not heard of this recipe before,until i saw it in chitra's food book.It was really interesting. There are two versions of this adai sweet as well as savoury. The savoury version recipe will follow soon!!!!It requires very few ingredients and quiet  simple and easy to make.It is healthy too!!!It is a treat to people who have a sweet tooth.When i say this i remember that my cousin brother used to have jaggery with curd rice when we were small.I am sure there are lot of people are like that!I too love a little bit of sweetness in food!!!Anyway coming to this sweet adai it is a good variation from the normal chapathis or phulkas we have(one more variety).It is a good after school snack for kids!!!The coconut pieces,cardamom powder and the ghee makes it really yummy!!!!

Sweet Pidi Kozhukattai/Vella Pidi Kozhukattai

                                                                          I already posted the salt version of the pidi kozhukattai. There are not many recipes on the web or books for the sweet pidi kozhukattai or vella pidi kozhukattai but my mother used to make both varieties whenever she makes this kozhukattai.
.Though my mother used to make both sweet and salt kozhukattais I am more fond of the salty version.Salt kozhukattais goes well with some tomato chutney or any other chutneys.The sweet version does not even need an accompaniment.It is real treat to people who like jaggery taste

Idli Upma

                                                             Left over Idlis can disappear in a few seconds when made in to this Idli Upma!!Lot of people prefer Idli Upma to normal Idlis. It does not require any chutney or accompaniment to go with.The crunchy Dal and the spicy chilli in the Upma make it really tasty.
When I have leftover idlis from breakfast I refrigerate it until next morning.It really becomes hard and easy to crumble in the mixer.If you are making Upma in the evening, with the morning idlis crumble it with your hands.
It becomes really soft when sauteed with the spices and onions.You can even sprinkle some idli chilli powder as an option.

Rawa Tomato Bath

                                                             Rawa Tomato Bath is nothing but upma with a lot of tomatoes or rawa cooked in tomato puree.I remember my mother making this upma for my grandmother in the evenings whenever she used to fast or just eat once a day.She was a no onion and no garlic person so this was her main dish on her 'fasting' days.It is so tasty that when my grand mom starts to eat i would wait for her to offer me a bite and she would definitely give me one.
It is very easy and simple to make with very simple ingredients and it gets done in no time.My mother used to drizzle a tsp of ghee on top and it tastes heavenly with just a tsp sugar as an accompaniment.
Lot of Children are fussy about tomato pieces so my aunt used to cook it in tomato puree to avoid the mushy tomato pieces.You can try that too!

Kudalai Idli/Kancheepuram Idli

                                                               Kudalai Idli/Kanchipuram Idli is a variation to the normal idli.It is slightly spiced and steamed.They are the same idlis called Kudalai Idli when steamed in cups made out of dried leaves(in Tamil they call it the "dhonnai")and kanchipuram Idli when steamed in idli plates.

Mixed Vegetable Cutlet

                                                                 Cutlets can be called as a snack,starter or an apetizer.It is a combination of vegetables mixed with spices dipped in flour paste and coated with breadcrumbs and then fried in oil or shallow fried in a non stick pan.It can be used as  patti for your Vegetarian Burger.

More kali/More koozh

                                                                    More Kali or More Koozh is a very old traditional recipe I found in Meenakshi Ammal's 'cook and see' book. It is made with rice flour and buttermilk(slightly sour).To enhance the taste and add some spice to it some More milagai(chillies)are added.It is really fast  and easy to make.
    More milagai is nothing but sun-dried Red chillies soaked in sour buttermilk and salt.It is available in all the south Indian supermarkets.When you fry it in oil it becomes crisp and is a great accompaniment for curd rice.

Pidi Kozhukattai

                                                           Pidi Kozhukattai or Upma Kozhukattai is yet another traditional recipe.It is made with broken Raw rice,Spices and Coconut. "Pidi", in Tamil means "Catch".You make these Kozhukattais by shaping them in your palm and hence, the name. The pictures will give you a better understanding.
                     My mother used to soak the raw rice for ten minutes,drain the water and dry it on a white cloth.She then made it into a coarse powder in the mixer and  used it. Nowadays, Super Markets have ready-made broken raw rice which is a convenient option.

Ammini Kozhukattai/Steamed Rice Dumplings

Ammini Kozhukattai's or Mini(mani)Kozhukattai's are usually made of leftover outer dough of the Kozhukattais we make during festivals.This is the  tastiest of the kozhukattais (according to me)so I would be waiting for my grandmom and aunts finish making the other kozhukattais.so if there is any leftover I would get to taste this.

I made this today with rice flour just to snack.There are lots of recipes for this and my version is as follows.

It is a very healthy snack for kids and old people because it is steamed.

Rawa puli upma

                                                                    This is a easy tangy snack, though i make it rarely it is our favourite one.It is similar to upma except that you cook it in Tamarind water.The fact that i pour it on a plate and cut into pieces makes it more interesting for the kids.

Dhokla

                                                                   Few of my friends requested me to post some after school snack recipes for children so i thought let me give it a try and this is the first one.Dhokla is a Gujarati snack somewhat like the south Indian idly.It is quiet simple and healthy because it is steamed.Have a look!!