MULLU MURUKKU , how to make spiky, crispy snacks

Mullu Murukku.....the spiky and flavorful crispy snacks are also called Butter Mixture...since they just melt in your mouth. Your attempts to bite them will fail, I am warning you.....when you pop them into your mouth, before you try to munch them, they will just melt...so soft, crisp and crunchy...
The white sesame seeds impart special aroma and flavor to the murukku.
Please check my Glossary for any unknown terms.

Ingredients

Fine rice flour (home made or store bought..I used the latter) - 2 1/2 cups

Pottukadalai/fried gram  powder - 1/4 cup

Hing powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

White sesame seeds - 2 tbsps

Butter (in room temperature)- 1 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Enough cooking oil to fry the murukkus

Recipe Cuisine: South Indian; Category: Snacks/neivedhyams

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: Roughly 30-45 mts

Yields roughly 1/2 kg of murukkus

Pottukadalai powdered fine in blender jar

Rice flour measured and taken, on top of which pottukadalai powder is sieved and added.

Chilli powder, salt and white sesame seeds added

All mixed well, after adding butter and ghee. All the dry ingredients have to be first mixed with butter and ghee, then only water should be added

Adding water little by little, knead to a smooth dough.

Oil heated, and murukku squeezed into the oil

                                                          Getting fried to golden color.

Almost getting done.

Drained and kept in a colander.

Store in airtight containers, after they cool down.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes

* Jeera/cumin can be added in the place of sesame seeds, but I always feel sesame seeds are  delicate and add  subtle flavor to the murukku, while the flavor of Jeera can be a bit stronger.

*Melted butter can be added too, instead of butter in room temperature

WALNUT RED PEPPER CHUTNEY

WALNUTS........
many of us may not know how good it is to add walnuts in our diet......
They promote heart-health, prevent cancer, help with depression and age related decline in brain function, super plant source of Omega 3, decrease inflammation, help manage Type 2 diabetes and also lower BP.
Red Bell Peppers......loaded with various Vitamins and Minerals, exceptionally rich in Vitamin C, prevent anemia, reduce the risk of cancer and heart ailments, support healthy eyes, help you maintain good mental health and keep your skin glowing and healthy.
So, is there any need to lay stress on how HEALTHY this chutney is????

Ingredients

Walnuts - 1 cup

Red bell peppers - 3-4, chopped

Onion - 1, chopped

Cooking oil - 2 tbsps

Hing powder - 1/2 tsp

Broken urad dhal - 2-3 tsps

Broken red chillies - 3

Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp

Curry leaves - a few

Salt to taste

Recipe cuisine: Indian; Category: Breakfast/lunch/dinner/side

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: 10 mts

Serves 6

Oil heated in a pan, hing powder, urad dhal and red chillies added

After the urad becomes golden, curry leaves and chopped onion added and sauteed

and now, the chopped red bell peppers

Now the walnuts, salt to taste and tamarind paste

all sauteed well

allowed to cool and blended to a fine chutney

Because of walnuts, the chutney has a creamy texture!!!

Serve this delicious chutney with Gobi-spring onion parathas

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

GOBI-SPRING ONION PARATHAS, how to make cauliflower-spring onion stuffed parathas

Please check my Gobi-methi parathas, wherein I have sauteed cauliflower and made.
But herein, I have used everything raw. There is definitely a marked change in the taste between the raw and cooked filling.
This is an exceptionally nutritious paratha.....
Cauliflower is a vegetable, that is naturally high in fiber and B-vitamins.
Since it is high in fiber and water content is high, it prevents constipation.
Lowers the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and hyper tension.
Contains antioxidants that help prevent cancer.
Helps with sound sleep, learning and memory.
Abundant supply of Vitamin K, which is a good blood coagulant.
Supports healthy weight loss.
Keeps hormones in check.
Supports eye health, boosts the immune system,
Such a great vegetable is combined with Spring onions, which are excellent source of Vitamin K.C and A, they also improve bone density, aid in respiratory function, reduce risk of cancer, lower blood sugar levels, prevent stomach complications, and protect against various infections.

Ingredients

For the dough

Whole wheat flour - 3 cups

Oil - 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

For the filling

Cauliflower - 1, grated

Spring onion - 1 bunch, washed well and finely chopped

Fresh red chilli - 1, finely chopped

Green chilli - 1, finely chopped

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Cumin/jeera powder - 1 tsp

Amchur powder - 1 tsp

Garam masalaa powder - 1 tsp

Kasoori methi, well crushed - 2 tsps

Wheat flour - 2 tbsps

Enough oil and ghee mixed, to make the parathas

Salt added, to taste, while making parathas

Recipe cuisine: North Indian; Category: Breakfast/lunch/dinner

Prep time: 15 mts; Cooking time: 30 mts

Yields 20 parathas

Whole wheat flour measured and taken, salt added and oil added too

Kneaded into a soft dough, allowed to rest for couple of hours

Cauliflower grated

Finely chopped spring onions, red and green chillies, chopped, chilli, coriander, cumin, amchur, kasoori methi, well crushed, turmeric and garam masala powders added

all mixed well

2 tbsps wheat flour added to the filling, to take in the moisture of cauliflower

mixed well

A small amount of filling, enough for 2-3 parathas taken in a small bowl, and salt to taste added. Because, if  we add salt to the whole filling, it will start secreting water

2 small chapathis made

sufficient amount of filling spread on one piece of roti

Covered with another piece, and the corners pressed well, and gently patted

then rolled into a well shaped paratha, edges may be trimmed with a pizza cutter

Dry roasted on both sides on a non stick tava

flipped to the other side

1/2 tsp oil + ghee smeared and roasted to a golden colour.

This is my grand daughter special!!! she wanted some grated cheese to be topped!!!

Serve these extremely flavorful, delicious parathas with Walnut-red pepper chutney (recipe to follow)

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

*Spring onions can be replaced by some sautéed mint leaves too

BONDA MORE KUZHAMBU, how to make urad dhal dumplings soaked in yogurt sauce

This is a very famous kuzhambu in Brahmin households, and sometimes in marriages also, this is being served. The soft bondas, which have drunk the more kuzhambu, turn us into  drunkards. It is a real delicacy.
Please check my other South Indian kuzhambu varieties

Ingredients

Fresh curds/yogurt - 3 cups, well whisked

Hing powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

To soak and grind

Channa dhal - 2 tsps

Tur dhal - 2 tsps

Jeera/cumin seeds - 1 tsp

These 3 items to be soaked in water for 1/2 an hour

Fresh grated coconut - 3 tbsps

Green chillies - 4

To season

Coconut oil - 3 tsps

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Methi/fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Some curry leaves

For the bondas

Whole urad dhal - 1/2 cup, soaked for 1 hour, along with 1 tsp rice

Green chilli - 1

Hing powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Fresh coriander leaves , chopped - 2 tsps

For garnishing

Coriander/cilantro leaves

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Lunch/dinner

Prep time: 10 mts; Soaking time for urad dhal and grinding ingredients - 1 hour; 

Cooking time: 20 mts

Serves 3-4

Ingredients soaked in water, then ground with coconut and green chillies, and added to the whisked curds

Salt added to the buttermilk , hing powder, turmeric powder and some curry leaves put on top of the kuzhambu mixture, and seasonings done with the above mentioned ingredients

Urad dhal and rice soaked for an hour, drained completely, and first ground with green chilli and hing powder, then salt and pepper added and ground, and finally coriander leaves and and going to be mixed well

More kuzhambu, cautiously kept on lowest flames, and heated till it becomes frothy.

Small bondas made and kept aside.

Add the bondas just 1/2 an hour before serving, otherwise, the bondas will drink up all the more kuzhambu, and there will be nothing left for you😀

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com