Uppu urundai (or) Kara Kozhu Kattai (or) Steamed Spicy Rice Dumplings

(Yay i finally posted my own picture for this post!!!)

This snack is very popular in Madras and one of my recent favourite. Here goes the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup rice rava (broken rice) (or you can break it in the mixer as u like)
2 cups of water
2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2tsp bengalgram dal
1/2 tsp blackgram dal
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
Few curry leaves
2 red chillies cut into small pieces
1/2 cup Grated coconut

Method:
Heat oil, add mustard, bengalgram dal and blackgram dal. When it splutters,add the red chillies, ginger, curry leaves and water. Let it come to a boil. Now add the rice rava to it and cook for 2 mins. Allow it to cool ; Add grated coconut to this and shape them into tubes and steam them for about 6 to 7 minutes.Serve with chutney of your choice, sambar, mor kozhambu, or kathirikai kothsu.

Ven Pongal

Ven Pongal is a special dish made especially on Pongal (Sankranti).This is the south-indian kind of khichdi. It is best when served with sambar , Vadai and coconut chutney . Please check my next post to get the recipe for Vadai ( both urud dal and masala vadai).



Ingredients:

Rice (uncooked): 1 cup

Moong dal: 1cup

Cooking oil: 1 teaspoon

Ghee: 1 teaspoon (optional)

Chopped cashews: 1 teaspoon

Black pepper powder*: ½ teaspoon

Cumin powder*: ½ teaspoon

Asafoetida (hing): a pinch

Curry Leaves: a few


*I use the black pepper and cumin powders as it helps me to control the spice level better and the pongal is evenly spiced. Traditionally, whole black peppers and cumin seeds are used. If you like the bite of whole black pepper, you may use whole spices instead.


Method:

1. Pressure cook rice and dal in a pressure cooker with about 5 cups of water, salt and some turmeric.
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed vessel, heat the oil and ghee. When well heated, add the cashews and fry.
3. When the cashews are slightly browned, add curry leaves.
4. When they are slightly roasted, add asafoetida, black pepper powder, and cumin powder.
5. When the cashews are nicely browned, add the rice and dal mixture.
6. The pongal should be a nice mushy mass. Else you can add some water to it and stir well on a low flame until it becomes a mushy mass.Serve hot with some curry leaves and black peppercorns on top of it.

Fresh start

I think i have shed few kids recipes here which are slightly different with some nutritional value. Im sure many of you would have enjoyed it. I would like to ask u to leave all your comments in the comments form , related to each post, as i have been recieving all the comments to my email id. Thanks for your support once again. Will start again with our regular recipes....