Low Calorie Sambar Vada | Medu Vada in Sambar | Indian Vegan Recipes

On Friday I finally made the Khichidi again. That was after many weeks absence and thought it was agreed it was going to be part of a regular Saturday menu. I am a person who never bored with routine. But looks like even I have skipped my Menu Planners.

This results in dire situations when I am frustrated not to know what to cook. Then I had to resort to the life saver the Khichidi. Yes I am yet to blog on that. Will get around doing it someday. Having done this on Friday, I realized I had nothing for Saturday. So it was Sambar Vada. Remembering that I am planning to take up my diet regime again seriously, wanted it to be a low calorie one.

Sunday was wonderful. The breakfast was the usual Channa Masala with Poori. Then seeing Konda not being best of her health, hubby dear said he will take us for the beach. The rounds of applause and the roaring sounds that followed would lead anyone believe that we don't take the kids anywhere, which is not the case. Still with a outing in  question they were so excited.

The day promised to be very cool. So we set out for an outing to the beach. Kids took their footballs to play on the beach. Seeing the horse flying by, they were eager for a ride. But after their return, Konda and Chinnu declared they don't like the horse ride, as the ride was very fast and they were jostled so much that their back ached. Soon it turned to be very windy, we decided to leave after spending couple of hours.

Rest of the day just passed in a blur, I went to help Amma cook for our relatives who came for dinner.

Back to the Sambar Vada that I made on Saturday, I wanted to try making it low cal as it was anyways going to be dunk in Sambar.

I ground the batter for Medu Vadas same as always in the mixer. But anytime grinding it in the grinder gives you a Medu Vada that is soft and fluffy inside and crisp on the outer. I confirmed this when I ground the batter on Sunday for our guests. 

If you are using the Mixer to grind and want to use the Appey Pan for these Low calorie Vadas, I suggest you add a pinch of cooking soda or allow it to get more water once you add the onions.

I knew the difference as I made the vadas first time without any of those Onions for the kids. They were a bit hard. But since you soak these in hot sambar for a while, they become soft and taste the same, well almost!

I can vouch that the taste was the same, except you won't get to feel that crispy outer skin that you normally associate with deep fried vadas.

I will have to get around the sambar somebody other day!

Once the vadas are fried, soak them in hot Sambar for making them get all soft.

Have a great week ahead!

Anapakaya Vankaya Masala Kura Recipe ~ Hyacinth Bean, Brinjal in a spicy gravy Recipe

After a day at home with kids you would think we have energy enough to start the day all bright? I know it's the same old story but well we decided we just ignore that and anyway start with brightness. Sunday breakfast was Appam with Tomato Kurma and Coconut Milk. I know how boring that might sound week after week. But what else to do, Poori or Appam is what the kids ever want on a Sunday. Best part of this breakfast is, I can make the same for their dinner and nobody complains!

We were also expecting guests. S who was our family friends daughter. I have known her from when were kids. She recently moved to our city to do her masters. She was visiting us with her friend N, who was really so sweet and gentle and was a doctor. I couldn't believe that in the first instance. Kids were so excited. I guess with us getting hardly any guests they were super duper excited in showing off with new people. Konda was asking me since morning about when S Akka will come home etc. What was more funny was that the boys were saying different names each time they asked.

Amma was entertaining them and prepared lunch. I was supposed to make the evening snacks. But Amma again said she had the batter for Meddu Vada ready. I planned to make Cauliflower pakoda, sad that I didn't get a chance! Dad had arranged for S and her friend a trip to Marina Beach and she was insisting that I go with them with the boys too. She had met them yet as they were napping. I said it wouldn't be possible for me to manage them all. I think I will skip her reaction after meeting my kids along with my niece!

Getting to the recipe on hand, with the winter giving us abandance of Val / Hyacinth bean / Mochai / Anumulu Anapakaya in Telugu. There is a confusion on the name Anapakaya where few areas of Andhra call Sorakaya/ Bottle gourd as Anapakaya. I am not sure what they call Anumulu as! But in the parts of Rayalaseema, Andhra the dried beans are as Anumulu, and the fresh beans.are called as Anapakaya

Translation
Vanakaya - > Brinjal in English

These fresh beans are also skinned or peeled to make the famous pithikina pappu kura. This winter when I paired the whole beans with Brinjal in a masala base, it was one most enjoyable treat. and makes a great side dish for Chapatis.

Between, I made a simple Vermicelli Upma for Konda, do check out!


Preparation Time : 10 mins
Pressure Cooking Time for Val : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins
Cuisine : Andhra Cuisine

Anapakaya Vankaya Masala Kura Recipe ~ Hyacinth Bean, Brinjal in a spicy gravy Recipe


Ingredients Needed:

Hyacinth bean / Mochai / Anumulu - 1 cup
Brinjal / Vankaya - 2 medium
Onions - 2 medium
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves for garnish

For Tempering

Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few

For the ground Masala:

Fresh Coconut - 2 -3 tbsp
Green Chili - 1 - 2 (as per taste)
Fresh Coriander leaves - 2 -3 tbsp
Cloves - 2 -3
Cinnamon - 2"
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp


Method to prepare:

Pressure cook the fresh beans for 1 or 2 whistle depending on how soft you want the beans to be. I normally do it for 1 whistle and remove before it comes to the second one.

Meanwhile get the ground masala done and the chopping. Chop Brinjals as square chunks.

Heat a pan with oil, add the seasoning, then onions. Fry till the onions are done and lightly brown.

Then add in the chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric. Once the tomatoes get mush, add the ground masala along with chopped brinjals. Let it get cooked well on covered in low flame.

Stir well and see if oil has started coming out of the sides. At this stage, add the cooked Vals, combine everything well and add 1 cup of water or more depending on how much gravy you need. Bring to boil.

Simmer till you reach the consistency you want. Add the coriander leaves kept for garnish.

Serve with Rice or Roti.

Pachai Milagu Kara Kulambu ~ Green Peppercorns in Tamarind Gravy!

Tamarind based gravies like Puli Kolambu, Vatha Kolambu, Vendakai Kara Kolambu to name some, are so famous in Tamil Nadu. These basically get their tangy taste by adding Tamarind pulp to the the base. Though I don't make this gravy that often, as hubby dear is not so fond of sour dishes, Athamma loves them. So when hubby dear was not in town, I try to make this.

And a new ingredient came to my attention when my help gave me handful of fresh whole peppers. I remember seeing these still on trees during my visit to Kerala and seeing them on my oven, took me back to those days. I have never used fresh peppercorns, so wasn't sure how to go about using them other than drying them up and use.

It was then that I was suggested that I make a Kara Kolambu with this. I was imagining how aromatic and pungent it was going to be. Yet I was not ready the for the final sensation that hit me on tasting this.

During my last vegetable shopping, I was so tempted to buy a lovely cauliflower, which apparently is still lying in the fridge. I searched for quite a few new cauliflower recipes, not wanting to let the season pass away without me trying something new. So hoping I should be trying out some soon!

Meanwhile check out this tangy kolambu fit to arose a dying tongue!

Pachai Milagu Kara Kulambu ~ Green Peppercorns in Tamarind Gravy!

Ingredients Needed:

Fresh Peppers - 3 -4 with the wine
Onions - 2 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
Tamarind pulp - 2 -3 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Garlic - 3 -4 cloves
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder -1 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 -3 tsp

Method to prepare:

Wash the fresh peppers ensuring the corns don't fall off, keep aside.

Heat a pan with oil, pop the mustard, then add curry leaves. add chopped garlic and onions. Fry till the onions are brown. Then add finely chopped tomatoes along with salt and turmeric.

Add the chili powder, coriander powder and sambar powder. Mix everything and allow it to cook for 5 mins in sim.

Then add the tamarind pulp and 1 cup of water. Bring to boil. When the gravy reaches the consistency you want, drop in the fresh peppers and cover with a lid and cook on slow flame for 5 mins.

Serve with steaming rice

Notes

• The fresh pepper needs to be added only in the final stage and it gets very pungent otherwise. Even one peppercorn is very hot and goes to your head.
• This dish can be stored for couple of days in room temperature.

Mattikaya Vankaya Pullagura ~ Cluster Beans, Brinjal gravy Andhra Special!

I know its been a week since my last post. We have been pretty busy coughing and rocking through the week. The cough and cold started with the boys, then Athamma caught it, followed by hubby dear. Though it isn't so cold these days, it always ends up that December brings in cold and cough without fail. So much so that I didn't realize the week passing and we are almost just two days away from the new year!

I know my best of 2009 is still pending, hopefully I should get inspiration for it within next two days. I am hoping you will all send in yours as well including the my legume love affair!

Though with the cold and cough, we did manage to have a great weekend with family and kids enjoyed the weekend. Which is what matters in the end I think.

Anyway today's recipe is almost 100 years old, if you count that my grandmom learnt it from her mom and passed on to my mom. Who, actually was late in sharing this with me. It's a typical rustic Andhra dish, made with basic ingredients available at home but yet tastes great with plain rice! This was reserved for the cookbook but I thought it makes a great recipe for the blog too!

Our Meal ~ Mattikaya Vankaya Pullagura with Rice, Tomato Rasam and Perugu

Do try this and let me know how you like it!

Before I leave, just wanted to mention about Jennifer's awesome job in getting an interfaith calendar together! I got to know Jennifer through Dosa Mela and was amazed at her interest and knowledge in Indian culture and cuisine.

I just had a look at the calendar and must say it is simple too much of a hard work. Imagine about 100 entries or holidays listed, covering holidays of Muslim, Christian, Hindu (pan--Hindu, Kerala, Tamil and few other select regional South Indian holidays), Jewish, and select Jain and Buddhist with government holidays of both India and America and created a PDF calendar.

Please check out her site and get impressed!

Mattikaya Vankaya Pullagura ~ Cluster Beans, Brinjal gravy

Ingredients Needed:

Cluster Beans/ Mattikaya/ Gawar Beans - 150 gms
Brinjal- 150 gms
Green Chili - 2 chil
Shallot / Small onions - 50 gms
Garlic pods - 3 -4
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Turmeric a pinch
Salt to taste
Tamarind - marble size
Oil - 2 tsp
Fenugreek / Methi
Cumin Seeds
Curry leaves few

Method to prepare:

Trim cluster beans and chop into 1" pieces, brinjals into squares.

Pan cook cluster beans with little water till done, drain the beans from water and keep aside.

Heat a pan with oil, add mustard, fenugreek, cumin, curry leaves and fry for a min.

Then add green chilies, shallot onions, garlic and fry again till onions turn brown.

Once the onions are done, add in the cooked cluster beans and fry for a min. Then add in the brinjal pieces.

Fry for 5 mins, till the brinjal turn colour. Then add chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric and continue frying till tomatoes are little soft and cooked. Add 1 cup of water, simmer for 5 mins, then add tamarind.

Cook for another 5 mins, remove from stove, mash well using a lentil masher.

Serve with steamed rice.

Notes: After mashing you won't be able to see the cluster beans or the brinjals as whole, but only partial should be visible. This should not be mashed using a food processor, but only with a masher. You can also use the back of a thick ladle if you don't have a lentil masher.

Soya Beans Kurma!

Soya Beans were always something I avoided! Not that I don't like it actually, its more to do with health reasons. I remember eating this when I was about 13 - 14 years, Amma made some dish with it for the first time. Shortly after eating it, I noticed my eyes were red. Dad said maybe these didn't suit me. Well I really don't know if it was these or something else. Those days I had some allergy to certain foods, which to my bliss, never got discovered. And I happily ate everything on earth, except these!

Infact few years back, the soya meat as its called the meal maker, was so popular that it was added to all vegetarian dishes. After turning a pure vegetarian, I somehow could never palate anything in resemble. The rule for me was quite simple, when you decided not to eat something, why even eat something in imitation? I don't like imitations, be it anything for that matter!

So almost many years passed without me trying to try these beans again. Infact it was for a blog event that I ended up trying tofu, of course in my mind, I couldn't replace Paneer with it. That's a different story. But these beans I always kept a safe distance. Finally I had to succumb to the peer pressure! The peer here being my Athamma as she shares the kitchen sometimes. With her finger still recovering, she isn't entering the kitchen. So I have been the reigning king, queen of the kitchen.

But when she was cooking, one fine day she decided she wanted to prepare a dish with the Soya beans. Infact went ahead bought it. Well I couldn't say no right, so just mentioning my rashes, I tasted it quite reluctantly and was happy nothing happened. Seeing that nothing happened proved quite a teaser for her. In the end, this has become a permanent addition to our list.

This rich creamy Soya Bean Kurma we had last week. This isn't exactly the way kurmas are made, but then I am never known to stick on to any particular instructions. I strongly believe recipes are emerged most times, very rarely created! I will surely make a special note of those created ones pa moi!

Before I get on with the recipe, just wanted to bring attention to this noble cause taken up by a fellow blogger, Shoba. She is a volunteers at Cancer Institute Foundation, and they have come up with a Cooking Competition event called "Kitchen Khiladi". I got to know about this through Shoba. So if you live in Bay Area, CA, then you must check this out and participate. For information about CIF, please visit http://www.cifwia.org

Soya Beans Kurma

Ingredients Needed

Dried Soya Beans - 1 cup
Onions - 2 medium
Tomatoes - 3 medium
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Coconut Milk - 1 cup thick
Cashew Almond powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

Method to prepare:

Wash and soak soya beans overnight. Wash and pressure cook till soft. Depending on the brand, it might take about 3-4 whistles.

Heat a pan with oil, saute chopped onions till brown. Then add ginger garlic paste. Fry till it gets browned.

Add the chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric. Simmer and cover for 5 mins. Remove lid and stir again. Cook till the tomatoes are soft and well cooked.

Add in the chili powder, coriander powder and simmer for 10 mins till the oil comes out of the sides.

Pour in the cooked soya beans and combine everything well. Cook in high flame for couple of mins, till the beans are well coated.

Next goes the cashew nuts, almond powder, mix well. Then add in the coconut milk.

Bring it to boil. Then add required water and simmer for 10 mins. When you find that the gravy is thick enough, you can sprinkle the garam masala, garnish with coriander leaves and remove.

The thickness of the gravy depends on what you serve it with. It can be little thin when served with Rice, else thick creamy gravy goes well with Rotis!

Note: Cashewnuts and almond powder can be easily prepared and stored. We get coconut milk from the coconut gratings that we again store. So this dish is pretty quick and gets done fast.


Sending this to my dear friend Harini who is guest hosting the famous MLLA 13th edition! The event "My legume Love Affair" is the brain child of Susan, The Well Seasoned Cook!