Pepper Tukdi

"Tukdi" is the konkani word for diamond-shaped savoury. It is prepared in different varieties; such as sweet- tukdi, biscuit-tukdi (shankarpali) and each one is equally tasty. My daughter and my husband prefer "Pepper Tukdi" to other varities and hence I always end up preparing this during Diwali.

It is also prepared with wheat flour and semollina (fine sooji) thereby omitting Maida (all purpose flour) all together. The variety is endless.

Pepper-Tukdi

Tukdi-Cuter

Ingredients:

Maida (all purpose flour)	11/2 cup
Wheat flour	11/2 cup
Freshly ground pepper	2 tbsps
Salt	1 tsp
Oil	1 tbsp
Water	About 1 cup
Oil for deep frying

Preparation time : 30 mins
Frying time         : 1 hour



Method:

1. Mix the maida, wheat flour, pepper, salt and oil (1tbsp) in a bowl.
2. Add water to it, a little at a time to form a soft dough.
3. Divide this dough into 20 balls.
4. In the meantime, heat a kadai/wok with oil on a moderate flame.
5. Roll out one ball at a time into chapati of 1/8 inch thickness.
6. Cut each chappati  with the "Tukdi cutter" diagonally so as to get the shape of a diamond.
7. Separate the pieces and deep fry in oil till crisp and golden brown.
8. Continue in this manner for all the 20 balls.
9. Store in an air-tight container.

Note:

• The quantity of pepper can be increased if you need it more spicy.
• If you do not have a "Tukdi-cutter" you can cut it with a knife.
• Keeps for a month when stored in an air-tight container.
• Do not roll out all the dough at one time as the tukdi will not puff-up while frying.

Daangar (Drumstick leaves Balls)

“Daangar” is traditionally made with “Taikillo” (in konkani language) which is a wild leafy vegetable and grows only during the monsoons.

I have substituted drumstick leaves for “Taikillo” as these are available throughout the year and also have medicinal/nutritional benefits. Drumstick leaves are slightly bitter in taste but the snack as such is very tasty especially so when it rains!!

This snack or side dish tastes good with or without chutney.

Ingredients:

Leaves of drumstick	3 cups
Toor Dal or Channa Dal	¼ cup
Rice	¼ cup
Tamarind	A small lump (a big rajma size)
Coconut gratings	1- 2 tbsp
Dry Red chillies	5-6
Salt	As per taste
Oil	For frying

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice and toor dal together in water for about an hour. Then drain the water.
2. Wash only the drumstick leaves (stems to be discarded) and roughly chop them. OR if you have a food processor, put the leaves in it and run it in for a few seconds.
3. Grind the washed and soaked toor dal & rice mixture without adding water along with red chillies, coconut scrapings and tamarind to a coarse paste.
4. In a bowl, add the ground mixture, chopped leaves and salt. Mix it well with your hands. Shape small balls of this mixture and slightly flatten them.
5. Deep fry these flattened balls in oil.
6. Serve hot.

Makes about 18 (Daangars) balls

Note:

• For weight watchers - instead of deep frying it, you can fry it in a tawa or frying pan like a dosa /pancake. Smear a little oil on the pan Take a little mixture and place it on the frying pan and flatten it with your hands. Wet your hands first with water and then flatten to the desired shape. Add a few drops of oil on the sides of the pancake and fry it on both sides.
• Adding chopped raw onions to the mixture also enhances the taste of Daangar as well as Pancake

See here for picture of drumstick leaves :

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/8007/drumstickleaveskn2.jpg

See here for nutritional benefits of drumstick leaves:

http://www.brighthub.com/health/diet-nutrition/articles/52344.aspx

Stuffed & Fried Snake Gourd Rings

In my last post I had promised you all another snake gourd recipe. Well, here I am with two variations in the recipes for the price of one!!

The first (potato) one is the typical Konkani type but the other one (gram flour) is the Maharashtrian version. Yet another filling variation is to substitute sweet potato for the regular potato stuffing. All the versions are equally tasty.

Generally salt is applied to the cut snake gourd rings and then stuffed. But here, I have steamed the snake gourd rings first before stuffing. This is one of my friend’s suggestions which I have followed and I feel it’s a healthier version. Moreover, it takes less time to cook during frying and with the result less oil is also used.

Steamed snake gourd rings with the stuffings

Stuffed and fried snake gourd rings

Ingredients:

Snakegourd (small)	1
Boiled Potato (large)	1
Onion (chopped)	1
Green Chilly (chopped)	1 or as per taste
Corriander leaves(chopped)	1 tbsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp
Salt	as per taste
Oil	for shallow frying
Fine semolina/ sooji/rawa	2-3 tbsps

Method :

1. Wash and scrape the snake gourd and scoop out the seeds and the pulp.
2. Cut it into 1.5" size rings. Steam these rings for about 15 minutes and keep aside.
3. Mash the boiled potato in a bowl and add to it the chopped onions, chopped green chilies, salt and lime juice. Mix it well.
4. Stuff this mixture into the Snake gourd rings.
5. Heat a frying pan and smear oil on it. Roll each stuffed snake gourd rings into the fine semolina and fry it in the frying pan with the heat lowered. Add oil all around if necessary and do the same on the other side till golden brown.
6. Remove and serve hot.

About 11 rings can be cut from one small snake gourd.

II - Variation

Ingredients : Gram flour, turmeric powder, chilly powder, jeera (cumin) powder, pepper powder, salt, sugar, eno or soda and tamarind water.

Mix all these ingredients to form a thick paste and stuff this into the steamed snake gourd rings. Frying procedure is the same as mentioned above.

Note:

• This can be eaten as a side dish or as an evening snack.
  
• You can substitute boiled sweet potatoes for the regular potato in which case add asafoetida and another chilly to the stuffing mixture as sweet potato is naturally sweet.

Kothmeer Wadi (Coriander Cutlet)

Here’s wishing everybody a very Happy New Year !

I am writing my blog after a long break. Actually, my computer had a break-down ! The hard disc had crashed and due to which I lost a lot of my text documents (including my recipes). I will now have to retype them all over again. Luckily, all the photos were saved. I now have a new hard disc and so here I am !

Kothmeer Wadi - Steamed Roll

Kothmeer Wadi - Lightly fried slices

Kothmeer Wadi as the name suggests, is a typical Maharashtrian dish. This is very tasty dish/snack It is generally prepared when coriander leaves are available in plenty. I prepared this last week and thought I shall share this with you.

Ingredients :

Channa Dal (yellow split gram)	¾ cup
Corriander leaves	1 big bunch
Cummin (jeera) seeds	1 tsp
Green chillies	3- 4
Coconut scrapings (optional)	2 tbsps
Asafoetida	a pinch
Salt	to taste

Method

1. Clean and wash channa dal ( yellow split gram) and soak it in water for two hours. Drain. Then grind it coarsely without adding water.
2. Clean and wash coriander leaves (use the stems too if they are tender) and drain and chop it finely and keep aside.
3. Grind cumin, garlic, green chillies, asafoetida and coconut scrapings (if using) with a little water to a fine paste.
4. Now mix the (1, 2, & 3) ground gram, chopped coriander leaves, and the ground paste. Add salt.
5. Mix well.
6. Take half the quantity of this mixture and roll it with hand to form a thick roll as in the above picture. Alternatively, this mixture can be tightly filled upto the brim in a coffee mug (lined with a little oil) and the mug overturned with a sharpjerk to get a neat roll.

7. Once all the rolls are made (roughly 2-3 rolls) steam them (without the whistle) in a cooker for 15 minutes
   
8. When cooled, cut each roll into ¾” slices.
9. Fry these slices on both sides with a little oil in a frying pan till lightly brown.
10. Serve hot.

Note:

These slices, when cooled can be preserved in the fridge for a few days. The slices need not be fried all at once.

This dish can be served as a side dish or as a snack by itself.