Thool Pakoda

Thool Pakoda/Onion pakoda is a very simple and delicious snack and that can be made with less ingredients and sold widely in tea shops and road side in TamilNadu. It is loved by all for its crunchy and tastiness.. It is an ideal tea time snack. 

Ingredients:

Onion – 1, big, chopped lengthwise

Besan Flour –2 cups

Rice Flour – 1/4 cup

Red Chilli Powder – 1/4 tsp

Ginger minced: 1 tablespoon

Grenn chillies chopped: 2

Cashews: 2 tablespoons

Baking soda: 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves: a bunch

Curry leaves

Ghee: 3 tablespoons

Hing-pinch

Oil: to fry

 

Method:

1.Mix together rice flour, gram flour, chilli powder, baking soda ,salt,evenly..

2.Add chopped onions, curry leaves and chopped mint leaves ,chopped ginger & chilli and just a handful of water and mix coarsely..

3.Add besan,riceflour, cashew and ghee and mix gently till all the onions mixture  are coated with the flour and keep aside for about 10 minutes.

4Heat oil in a kadai. and drop of this mixtue randomly.

5.Fry till golden brown and drain onto paper towels.

Serve as a evening tea-time snack.

Dates & Fig Fudge/Burfi

Figs & Dates Burfi is a nutrient packed mouthwatering dessert recipe. figs or Anjeer cooked with dates. It is a very easy to make and delicious desert. The health benefits of figs and dates are too many. Figs are a good source of dietary fiber, potassium and manganese. The date fruit pulp is very sweet something similar to honey or sugar syrup. Dates gives instant energy and revitalizes the body instantly.The adding of almonds, cashew and pistachio makes it more healthy and increases its nutritional value. Best part about this desert is that it has no added sugar and it is made using only natural ingredients. I made this Burfi for Bhogi Festival.

Ingredients:

Chopped Khajoor/Dates-1 ½ cups

Chopped Anjeer/Fig-1 ½ cups

Chopped almonds-1/4 cup

Chopped cashews-1/4 cup

Chopped pistachio-1/4 cup

Ghee / clarified butter-3 tablespoons

Method:

1)      Soak figs in about a cup of hot water for about 5 minutes. Add dates to same bowl and soak for another 2-3 minutes till they are all soft and plump.Grind them into a puree (keep it bit coarse) and keep it aside. If needed add little water. 
2)      Take a small pan and lightly toast the nuts separately for 2-3 minutes each,and allow them to cool. Then coarsely chop all the nuts and set aside. 
3)      Heat a heavy bottomed, wide pan on medium and add ghee. When ghee melts, add the fig & dates puree and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly and making sure not to burn it.
4)      When it seems like there is not more moisture in the mixture, and it starts to leave the sides of the pan, add the chopped nuts and mix well.
5)      Cook another 5-7 minutes and Remove from heat. Grease a plate and transfer the mixture and make sure it spreads evenly.
6)      Cut into square pieces & serve!

Pineapple Raita

Delicious Pineapple Raita in meal provides a very cool and refreshing feeling.  This amazing raita goes well with any spicy meal.  It is a perfect blend of pineapple chunks and creamy yogurt and its sweet and salty - a very distinguishing flavor, is a great twist to the regular raita. Pineapple raita, is my all time favorite and it has been a hit in my family and my friends too.

 

Ingredients:

Chopped fresh pineapple-1 Cup

Sugar-3 tbsp

Yoghurt-2 cup

Chopped coriander leaves-1 tsp

Black pepper powder-1/2 tsp

Roasted cumin powder-1/2 tsp

Salt – Pinch

 

Method:

1.Take the thick yoghurt/ the curd in a bowl. Beat the yogurt till smooth.

2.Take Cumin and black pepper and roast it on a low flame on a griddle, and whisk well till smooth powder.

3.Take fresh pineapple and chop them into small pieces.

4.Heat 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan on medium high flame and Add pineapple and sugar cook it on medium flame for 10 minutes or till it gets slightly soft not too much.

5.Strain it through a strainer.  Let it be cool completely.

6.Add smooth Curd / yogurt in a glass bowl then pineapple ,syrup, add ground cumin powder, red chilli powder, pepper and salt and stir well till it mix properly.

7.Keep it in the refrigerator for an hour before you serve it.

8.Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves and temper with the roasted spices.

Notes: Please make sure that the yoghurt is not sour, else it will spoil the taste of the whole thing.

Don't add fresh pineapple straightway without boiling in syrup, otherwise it will turns bitter in taste.