MOM'S SOMASI, how to make South Indian style Vegetable stuffed Somasis

Why have I named this Mom's Somasi???

This is a south indian style vegetable filled Somasi, a signature recipe of my Mother and Sister!!!

This Somasis don't have garlic...but always  I wonder, from where they get the amazing flavor!!!!

I thought of documenting this recipe  too, while these days the store bought samosas have just potatoes and at times dry peas, these Somasis are filled with lot of vegetables.

Unlike the North Indian Samosas, these go very well with a meal too!

They are crunchy, tasty, and even if they aren't hot, they are  truly amazingly tasty!

Actually I love to eat these with curd rice or Rasam saadham! My mind goes back...several years before, while during my school and college days...I just had to tell my mom and sister "I want these"...when I am back in the evening, they will be waiting!!!

Ingredients

For grinding

Green chillies - 2-3

Ginger - a small piece

For the dough

Maida/All purpose flour  - 1 cup

Sooji/semolina - 1 tbsp

Ajwain - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Ghee - 1 tsp

A pinch of Baking powder

For the filling

Onion - 1, chopped fine

Green bell pepper - 1, small, chopped

Potatoes - 2, chopped

Carrot - 1, chopped

Handful of green beans, chopped

Peas - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves- handful, washed and chopped

For seasoning

Cooking oil - 2-3 tsps

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Hing powder - 1/4 tsp

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Starter/snack

Prep time: 30 mts; Cooking time: 30 mts; 

Yields 14 Somasis

All vegetables, except onion and bell pepper, pressure cooked

Then mashed slightly

Ginger and green chillies ground

Pan heated with oil, turmeric and hing seasoned

Now go in  mustard seeds and jeera

Now Onions added along with the ground paste and sauteed till translucent

Chopped bell peppers added now

Now the mashed veggies and salt to taste added

Now Cilantro/coriander leaves

All purpose flour, Sooji, ghee, ajwain,  salt and baking powder taken in a bowl

And kneaded to a stiff dough, allow it to rest for 30 minutes, covered

This is the cute and simple Somasi mould

small and uniform  balls pinched from the dough

Roll into thin poori, dust the inside of the mould with some maida, and keep a poori on top of the mould like this

Generous filling kept on one side of the mould

Close the mould tightly

Tear off the dough/poori  jutting outside

Tadaa!!!! Look how fat and fluffy it looks!!!

All Somasis made, cover with a cling wrap and refrigerate for minimum one hour

Fry in the hot oil, on medium flames to golden color

Getting fried

Keep in a colander...don't they look absolutely without any oil???

Lo!!! Here are my MOM'S SOMASIS!!!!! Can be served with Tomato ketchup or Green chutney

Notes

*Various kinds of fillings can be used.

*Just aloo and peas can be used.

*Paneer-methi-bell peppers can be used

*Corn-paneer-spinach can be used

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

NACHUKOTTAI KEERAI ROLLS, how to make Lettuce Tree leaves rolls

 NACHU KOTTAI KEERAI  also known as Lettuce tree leaves  have innumerable health benefits.
Also known as நச்சு கெட்ட கீரை, which means, it can nullify the effects of poison too!
These bright beautiful leaves
*Can get rid of all toxins in our body.
*Very good for eyes.
* Reduces anemia.
*Increases masculinity, strengthens kidney, liver, heart and intestines.
 * It helps us in getting rid of any kind of body ache!lot of minerals and vitamins.
So, we all must realise, it is not only an Ornamental shrub, which we see in many houses, but a treasure box of nutritions and health. We don't get to buy these from any shop.
I fondly remember my Chithi/aunty/Mausi  who was an expert in making these, and suddenly I remembered this recipe, immensely happy to share with you all!!!

This will not only go with lunch or dinner, can be used as a healthy starter too

Ingredients

Keerai leaves - 6

Tur dhal - 1 cup, soaked in warm water for 1 -2 hours, then drained

Red chillies - 4

Green chilly - 1-2

Hing powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

To season

Gingely/cooking oil - 3 tbsps

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves a few

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Lunch/Dinner/Starter

Prep time: 20 mts; Steaming time: 15 mts; Cooking time: 15 mts

Serves 2-3

These are the beautiful health loaded leaves. Wash, gently wipe and keep them ready

First take red and green chillies, salt, hing and coarsely pulse them

like this

Then add the soaked and drained tur dhal

Grind everything to a coarse mixture, and add turmeric powder(you can add this in the beginning too...I forgot!!!)

Mix everything well, add some chopped cilantro too, mix well

Spread gently on the leaves, and starting from the thinner edge, start rolling them. Please refer to the video in the beginning.

Start keeping on a greased steamer plate

and steam for 15 minutes

After steaming

Let them cool down well, you can even refrigerate them for half an hour. That's what I did

Then cut them into roundels

Heat oil in a pan, season mustard seeds

Add the roundels, and slow fire, roast them well, tossing them now and then!

Roasted well now

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

HEALTHY IDLI CHAAT, how to make a healthy Idli chaat with Ragi-red rice idlis

My so far posted chaat items
I saw these Idli chaat on Tarla dalal's website. But I have made them healthier...she has deep fried them, I have just toasted them...She has made  idlis with our regular batter, , and I have made it even more healthier with
Ragi-red rice idlis
And for this summer, they were most welcome! So good, and with whatever is at home, we can easily make this

Please check my curd idlis

Ingredients

Idlis - 30-40, made and refrigerated over night.

Curds - 4 cups, to which sugar and salt to taste have been added

Chilli , Jeera and Chaat masala powders - 1 tsp each, all mixed together

Green chutney - as needed

Sweet chutney - as needed

Coriander leaves - chopped

Pomegranate arils

Sev for final garnishing

Recipe cuisine: Indian; Category: Chaat /snacks/starters

Prep time: 15-20 mts; Assembling time: 5-7 mts per plate

Yields 4 plates

Curds, fresh, whisked well with salt and sugar

The idlis taken out from the fridge

2 tsps ghee brushed on a non stick tava, which is kept in low flames

Idlis placed one by one

Roasted on both sides to light golden color

Taken in a bowl

Few idlis placed in a plate, and the chilli-jeera-chat mixed powder strewn on top of each idli

Curds poured liberally

Green and sweet chutneys drizzled

Then the chaat-jeera-chilli powders......then,  coriander leaves, pomegranate and finally sev. Serve this wonderful chaat and make others happy

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

* mini idlis can be made with regular  idli batter too