South Indian Mixture

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Ingredients
Besan : 4 cups
Rice flour: 1/2 cup
Butter: 1 table spoon
Salt: 4 tsp
Chilli powder: 4 tsp
Dry Roasted peanuts: 1/2 cup
Roasted cashews: 1/4 cup
Poha (Aval): 1/2 cup
Fried gram(Odacha kadalai): 1/2 cup
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Oil: to fry


Procedure:
Step 1:
Mix besan, rice flour, 2tsp salt, 2 tsp chilli powder & butter with 2cups of water.

Step 2:
Heat the oil in a pan.Using the Omapodi achu, make the omapodis.Reserve 1/4 of batter to make boondhis

Step3:
This makes around 7-8 omapodis of medium size
Once it is done, add 1 or 2  tablespoon of water to the remaining flour mixture(Reserved 1/4 cup dough) and dilute it .This should look like dosa batter


Step 4:
Using carrot shredder, make boondhis and fry them

Step 5:
Fry the poha and fried gram together

Step 6:
Fry curry leaves with 1 tsp of hing

Step 7:
Mix everything to gether in a large vessel. Add dry roasted peanuts and cashews, remaining chilli powder and salt and mix well
Store in an airtight container or zip lock bag

Notes:
1 tsp of sugar can be added during the final mix
Make sure the oil is heated before frying the omapodi

Poricha Rasam

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I learnt this authentic recipe from my mother in law. This rasam does not require tamarind or cooked dhal.
It is very easy to prepare in a jiffy.It is good to have even as plain soup without rice or just have it with hot rice with little ghee.

Ingredients
Tomato: 2 medium size
Salt: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder:1/4 tsp
Asafoetida (hing): 1/4 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves: 2 tablespoon
Curry leaves: a sprig


To fry and grind
Oil: 1/2 tsp
Toor dhal: 1 tsp
Pepper: 1 tsp (or 1/2 tsp if you want it less spicy)
Red chilli: 1 
Jeera (Cumin seeds): 1/2 tsp


To temper
Oil: 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/ tsp (Optional)


Procedure:
Step 1:
Grind the tomato well in a mixer/blender

Step2:
Add 2 cups of water, tumeric, asafoetida, curry leaves,salt and boil in medium for about 10 minutes

Step3:
Meanwhile heat little oil in a pan and fry the toor dhal, red chilli and pepper.Once it is almost fried add the cumin seeds at the end and fry not than 30 seconds.


Cool this to room temperature and powder it in a mixie

Step4:
Once the tomatoes are well boiled add this powder to the rasam.

Step5:
Add chopped coriander leaves and increase the flame and boil until you see the first bubbles

Step6:
Switch off the flame immediately


Step7:
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering pour this into the rasam


Notes:

• You can also smash the tomatoes well with hand instead of grinding. I find it easy to grind
• Add cumin seeds only at the end when frying. If the cumin seeds are fried for long it will bring up a bitter taste
• Switch off the flame immediately when the rasam starts boiling after adding the spice powder.If it is allowed to boil more than that it will taste like kashayam.This is a basic funda for any rasam recipe

Masal Vadai

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Masala vadai is a very famous snack that can be found in all South Indian tea shops.This is a very easy vadai compared to Ulundhu vadai. Even beginners will be able to make this perfectly.

Ingredients
Bengal gram(Kadala parupu): 1 cup
Salt: 1 tsp
Red chillies: 2 or 3
Ginger finely chopped: 1 tsp
Onions chopped finely:1/4 cup (small onions tastes better)
Curry leaves: a sprig
Coriander leaves: a sprig
Garam masala powder: 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida : a pinch

Procedure:
Step1:
Soak the dhal in enough water for atleast 2 hours

Step2:
Grind it coarsely along with red chillies and asafoetida with very little water.

Step3:
Add salt, garam masala powder and mix well.Add chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves as well. 

Step4:
Heat the oil in a pan.Make a lemon sized ball out of the batter and slightly press it to a round shape.

Step5:
Fry 3 or 4 at a time in oil in medium flame until golden brown

Badam Halwa

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Ingredients
Badam: 1/2 cup
Sugar: 1/2 cup
Ghee: 1/2 cup
Saffron: a pinch
Milk: 1/2 cup

Procedure:
Step1:
Soak the badam for 4 hours or overnight and peel the skin

Step2:
Grind it to a find paste with milk or water

Step3:
Heat 2 tablespoon of ghee in a kadai and add the badam paste

Step4:
Add the sugar as well and keep stirring in medium flame

Step5:
Add saffron and keep stirring.Add the remaining ghee 2 tsp at a time at regular intervals

Step6:
Approximately after 15-20 minutes, the mixture will form a mass and will not stick to the pan.
You can also see tiny white bubbles something like froth. Switch off the flame at this stage

Step7:
Allow it to cool to room temperature and serve

Notes:

• If you don't have time to soak the badam, microwave on high for 2 minutes and then the badam will be easy to peel
• Do not cook the halwa after it reaches the consistency at step 6. Otherwise it will turn to burfi consistency
• The halwa will become thick and non sticky after it comes to room temperature. If the halwa is still sticky, add little more ghee and cook for some more time
• Stir the halwa continously while cooking. Otherwise it will easily get  burnt.