Muringa ila Adai (Drumstick Leaves Adai)

In my home, adai is normally prepared for evening tiffin. Since it cannot be munched easily for breakfast, when we will be rushing to catch the bus to school. Amma prepares 3 types of adai - Uzhundumarisi adai (dals ,rice combo), verum arisi adai(involves only rice) and this muringaila adai. The batter for verum arisi and this adai is the same, except for the addition of drumstick leaves. Grated coconut can be added for both the types for additional flavor.
As I mentioned, Rice is the only major ingredient in this recipe.

Ingredients
Parboiled rice/idly rice - 2 cups

Salt as per taste

Grated coconut - 3 tblspn (optional)

Drumstick leaves - 1 cup

Method

Wash and soak the rice for 4 hrs.

Grind coarsely with salt.Add coconut and drumstick leaves. Mix well.

Batter consistency should be thicker than the dosa batter. This doesn't need any fermentation.

Heat a tawa. (Iron tawas are better). Grease the tawa with gingely oil.

Spread a laddle full and spread like dosa with little thickness. Traditionally, the adai is spread on the tawa using hand. The batter will be thick enough to be taken in the hand.

Make a hole in the centre using the spatula.Add oil around and in the hole and cook on medium heat.

Cook both sides till crisp.
Serve with a blob of butter or pickle.

The other side of the adai -

Bread Besan Toast - An alternative to plain bread toast!

This dish can be made in a jiffy.

Ingredients:
Bread - 4(each cut into 2 pieces)

For the batter:
Besan flour - 1/2 cup
Chopped onions - a handful
Chopped tomatoes - 2 tbsp
Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
Chopped green chillis
Salt
Water

Method:
Mix all ingredients except bread to make a batter(slightly thinner than dosa batter consistency).
Heat the pan. Dip each bread piece in the batter. Toast both sides till golden brown.
Serve with ketchup.

Kathrikai Puli

Till my age of 15, I stayed in joint family with grand parents, uncles, aunts and cousins. It was alsways fun playing with occassional fighting. Our home was always open to guests, who must be visiting their ancestral village and has no relatives around. In those days of powerless cooking, when unexpected guests arrive at the time of dinner, those who eat last will be deprived of the kootan( gravy). So my paati(maternal grandma) used to make this quick gravy. This can be prepared in 10 minutes. I loved watching Paati roasting the brinjals over the coal in the traditional choolah. Paati makes using the small violet variety of brinjal.This gravy needs few ingredients.

Ingredients
small violet brinjals - 3 nos

green chilly - 2 nos
tamarind -lemon size
Method

Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of water.

Roast the brinjals over gas burner. Keep turning the brinjal so it doesn't get charred. It will take 3 minutes to raost one.

Cut the roasted ones to check for worms.

Slit the green chillies.

Add the cut brinjals and green chillies to the soaked tamarind water.Add salt.

Mash the brinjal,tamarind, chilly using hand. Thats the traditional way of doing it. Can use a masher instead.

Finally remove the pulp by squeezing with your hand.

Temper with mustard. Gravy is ready.

Serve with rice and papad.I love this simple meal.

This is off to Pooja for her VOW event, where Brinjal is the veggie of the week.

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