Beetroot Vadai

"Beetroot Vadai is a famous starter from the Chettinad kitchen.

Most of the kids don't eat this vegetable, if it is in the form of any dry curries. So as cute vadais, it is one of the interesting ways to make the kids to eat this sweet veggie.

Ingredients
Grated Beetroot - 200 gms
Finely Chopped Garlic - 2 or 3
Bengal Gram - 150 gms
Toor Dhal - 100 gms
Bengal Gram Flour - 3 tsp
Chopped Onions - 1
Chopped Curry Leaves - few
Oil - to fry

To Grind
Soaked Dhals - 250 gms
Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Dry Red Chillies - 6
Salt - to taste

Method

Soak Bengal Gram and Toor Dhal in water for one hour.

In a Mixer along with the soaked dhals, add the items given in "To Grind" and grind it to a very coarse paste.

To the coarsely grinded paste, add the grated beetroot, chopped onions, curry leaves, finely chopped garlic and Bengal gram flour.

Heat Oil in a kadai and wait till it gets hot.

Reduce the flame to medium and fry the vadais in batches.

Bhindi fry or Okra Fry

"Bhindi Fry" is a North-Indian dish with all those flavors of Indian spices.

The highlight of the dish is its stuffing, especially the amchoor powder (dry mango powder) which gives a tangy flavor.

Try this out and leave your valuable suggestions.

Ingredients
Bhindi - 15
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Food Color - a pinch
Grated Coconut - 1 1/2 tbsp

For Stuffing
Turmeric Powder - less than 1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chat Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
Amchoor Powder or Dried Mango Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp

Method

In a bowl, mix all the items given in "For Stuffing" and keep it aside.

Slit the Okras lengthwise (but not into two halves) and fill it with the mixed masala stuffing using a teaspoon.

To the remaining stuffing, add coconut and food color.

Heat Oil in a wide non-stick pan. Add cumin seeds to the hot oil and allow it to splutter. Now add the stuffed Bhindis and fry for 15 minutes in low flame. Add little oil if its too dry.

Add the coconut stuffings to the fried Okras and saute for 2 minutes in a low flame.

Transfer the fried okras to a serving dish and serve it hot.

Vazhaipoo Vadai

"Vazhaipoo Vadai" is a perfect authentic, traditional vegeterian starter.

Flower growth is started from the stem, 9-12 months after implanting the Banana plant. The inflorescences (flower stalks) grow through the center of the pseudo stem and then flowers develop in clusters and coil around the main axis.

Separating the stamen out of each floret is a time consuming process. But at the end you would have such a wonderful, crunchy Vadai's and its worth all your time.

Ingredients
Banana Flower - 1 (small)
Thoor Dhal - 100 gms
Channa Dhal - 200 gms
Dry Red Chillies - 4
Fennel Seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - to deep fry

Method

Soak both of the Dhals for one hour.

In a mixie grinder, add the soaked dhal, dry red chillies, fennel seeds, salt and grind it very coarsely.

De-vein the black part of the Banana flower (remove the stamen) and chop it finely.

Add the chopped banana flower to the coarsely grinded paste and mix it well.

Heat Oil in a Kadai and fry it in batches till it turns little dark brown.

Transfer the deep-fried vadai's and use tissue papers to suck out the excess oil.

Serve the hot delicious Vazhaipoo Vadai's..

Chilli Gobi

"Chilli Gobi" is a Indo-Chinese recipe similar to Gobi Manchurian except for extreme spicy, more Indianized. Unlike manchurian this is not chunky or wet, its very dry with less saucy stuff.

Chilli Gobi is a very good Appetizer or Vegeterian Starter commonly found in Restaurant menus. It can be even served as a side dish (though dry one) for Veg. Fried Rice, Veg. Noodles, Butter Naans, Butter Rotis and Phulkas.

Ingredients
Cauliflower florets - 25 to 30
Oil - to Deep Fry
Garlic - 10 (very finely chopped)
Onion cubes - 10 to 15
Capsicum cubes - 10
Green Chillies - 1 (very finely chopped)
White Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Sauce - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Sauce - 1/2 tsp
Dark Soya Sauce - 1/2 tsp
Light Soya Sauce - 1 tsp
Tomato Ketchup - 2 tbsp
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Ajinomotto - a pinch
Salt - little
Corn Flour Paste - 1 tbsp(Corn flour with water as a thin paste)

For the Batter
Corn Flour - 4 tbsp
Maida - 1 tbsp
Rice Flour - 1 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Ajinomoto - a pinch
Salt - for frying alone
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Corriander Powder - 1/4 tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Red Food Color - a pinch
Water - for the batter

To Garnish
Onion - few diced cubes
Capsicum - few diced cubes
Split Green Chillies - 2
Green Chillies - 1 (finely chopped)
Spring Onions - few green leaves (chopped)

Preparation
(1) Prepare a batter with the ingredients given in "For the Batter"
(2) Heat Oil in a Non-stick kadai
(3) Dip the Cauliflower florets in the batter
(4) Deep fry the dipped florets in batches and keep it aside
(5) Heat 2 tablespoon of Oil in a pan
(6) To the hot Oil, add the finely chopped Garlic
(7) Saute it for a min and then add diced onions & capsicum pieces
(8) Saute it for 2 min and then add White Pepper Powder
(9) Start adding all the sauces one by one other than Tomato Ketchup
(10) Saute it for a while, and then add ajinomotto, little salt
(11) Finally add Vinegar and Corn Flour paste to it
(12) Saute this for a min and then add the fried florets
(13) Now add the Tomato Ketchup
(14) Transfer the Chilli Gobi to a serving dish
(15) Garnish with the ingredients given in "To Garnish"

(16) Our hot Veg. Starter is now ready to be served