Thattai /Crispy Rice Snack

Thattai is a crispy rice snack that is made during Janmashtami. Since Krishna Janmashtami is around the corner, I decided to post this recipe. They are perfect for eating as a snack with tea, or just like that when you get bored!! It is very easy and simple to make them. It requires very few ingredients and I am sure it will be readily available in all your pantries.

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 1 Cup
Urad Flour - 3 Tbsp
Sesame seeds - 1 Tbsp
Chana Dal - 2 Tbsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 Tsp
Crisco or Dalda - 1 Tbsp
Ghee - Clarified Butter - 1 Tbsp
Curry leaves - A Few
Salt - According to taste
Water - A few tablespoons
Oil - For Frying

Method:

• Soak the Chana dal in water for about 2 hours and drain the water and keep aside.


• Take a bowl and add the rice flour, urad flour, sesame seeds, soaked chana dal, asafoetida, crisco/dalda, ghee and the curry leaves.

• Mix all the ingredients well without adding water.

• After mixing the ingredients well, we have to be able to hold the dough together between our fingers and our palm.

• Add water slowly using a spoon and make a very stiff dough.

• The dough should be like as shown below.

• Take an aluminum foil or a zip-lock cover for making the Thattai's.


• Take a little bit of ghee for greasing the hands so that flattening the Thattai's will be easy.

• Make small balls out of the dough and place it on the foil and flatten it out.

• Do not make it very thin otherwise they will break while removing.

• Make enough Thattai's and keep so that it gets easier and it saves you a lot of time.

• Prick the Thattai's with a fork so that they don't puff up while frying.

• In a pan heat oil and once the oil is hot enough, drop in a few Thattai's and allow them to fry for some time.

• Once they fry on one side, turn them so that they fry equally on the other side.

• Once they turn golden brown,you can remove them from oil.

• Drain out the excess oil and place them on a paper towel.

• Allow the Thattai's to cool down completely before relishing them.

• Store the Thattai's in a air-tight container and it stays fresh for about a week.

Notes:

• You can dry roast the curry leaves and add them or add dried curry leaves too.


• Crisco or Dalda is added so that the Thattai's get more crispy.

Recall: Martha Stewart Collection Enamel Cast Iron Casseroles

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Communications
Washington, D.C.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2011
Release #11-308


Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 257-5949
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Macy's Recalls Martha Stewart Collection Enamel Cast Iron Casseroles Due to Laceration and Burn Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Martha Stewart Collection(tm) Enamel Cast Iron Casseroles

Units: About 960,000

Importer: Macy's Merchandising Group, New York, N.Y.

Hazard: The enamel coating on the cast iron casseroles can crack or break during use. This can cause the enamel to crack and fly off as a projectile, posing a risk of laceration or burn hazard to the user or bystanders.

Incidents/Injuries: Macy's has received two reports of the enamel cracking and flying off of the casseroles during use. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves Martha Stewart Collection(tm) Enamel Cast Iron Casseroles in 7 quart, 5.5 quart and 2.75 quart sizes, with exterior enamel finishes in red, cobalt blue, sand, green, blue, white, mustard, brown and teal, with cream colored interior finishes. The casseroles are embossed with Martha Stewart Collection(tm) on the bottom and lid handle.

Sold at: Macy's stores and AAFES, MCX and NEX locations nationwide, and on macys.com between June 2007 and June 2011 for between about $25 and $170.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the casseroles and return them to any Macy's store for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Macy's toll-free at (888) 257-5949 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET or visit the Macy's website at www.macys.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11308.html

Karuveppilai Podi / Curry leaves Spice Powder | Side Dish for Idli Dosa

What is more fascinating than using fresh herbs straight from your garden? Well, nothing else in cooking I would say. Pick, wash, use. How easy and intriguing is that. Speaking of fresh herbs, curry leaves always plays a vital part in Indian cooking. 
Curry leaves is well known as Karuveppilai in Tamil and KariBevu in Kannada. Karu - Black/darkened; Veppilai - Neem leaves. Widely used as a