Noodles Ragi Methi Pakoda – Guest Post fom Farin

Its snacks time, Today we have Farin from Farin’s Fun Flavors.  I came to know Farin through FB.  Farin is friendly and she always encourages my recipes with her lovely comments.  After talking to her I came to know that we both are sailing in a same boat, her daughter and my son are almost the same age. I always enjoy the way she gives intro about the food, associating food to a movie. When I approached her for Guest post, without any hesitation she instantly agreed and gave this yummy snack. During my childhood days, I had a great addiction for Maggi and guess Farin read it 🙂  Crispy Pakodas are waiting, over to Farin,

About my sweet Director Vidya:

What can I say about this sweet and silent director behind TMF (Traditionally modern food). She has released so much sooper doper movies(recipes) which are great hit and some are considered for National awards, Oscar awards and many got published in Newspaper too.. Evunga periya aalu makkale. All her movies(recipes) are my favourite and arisi thegai payasam is one the top. She is an active director who release movie(recipe) often and a famous big distributor in FB. Her movies are a great hit in FB groups.

Am so happy to act in her direction and a big Thank you for giving this opportunity dear. May our friendship grow forever.. Wish you all the best for all your future endeavors.

My web id: http://www.farinsfunflavour.com/

Google+ id   ;https://plus.google.com/u/0/+FarinAhmedFFF/posts

Facebook id;https://www.facebook.com/farinsfunflavou

Twitted id :     https://twitter.com/@farinsfunflavou

PinInteret id: https://www.pinterest.com/farinsf/

About today’s Movie Noodles Ragi Methi Pakoda. Even to name my baby I was not that much confused. Since this movie has lots of heroes not sure what appropriate name to select. Finally twisted ma very tiny brain and select this name.. Not sure how many will agree???

Don’t worry about the deep fried version, as it has Ragi Powder and Methi leaves in it Minus * Minus = Plus… Hot hot pakoda’s Movie is awaiting for you.

Main Ingredients

Cooked Noodles- 1 pkt

Onion- 1 big no(sliced thinly)

Green chilly-1

Methi leaves- a handful

Ragi powder- 3 tbsp

Rice flour- 2 tsp

Chilli powder- 1 tsp

Salt- as needed

Oil- frying

Method:

• Cook the noodles as per the packet instructions. Clean and wash the methi leaves. Slice the onions, chop the green chilly and methi leaves and make it ready.

• To the noodles add the sliced onion, green chilly, chopped methi, Ragi powder and mix it well. Now add rice flour and red chilly powder and again  mix it.

• Heat oil in  a pan, Pinch a small ball size from the mixture and drop it in the oil as we fry for pakodas on medium flame. Cook on both the sides by flipping it often.

• Once it turns brown, drain it in a kitchen tissue and serve it hot.

Notes;

Don’t overcook the noodles.

I have used Ragi flour for binding, you can also use besan.Using of Rice flour is optional, it gives a nice crispy texture to the pakodas.

You can also try with different types of greens too

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Baked Masala Vadai

When it comes to Vadai, Masala vadai is my all time favorite. Usually I deep fry them in oil, but my baking addiction these days told me to try a baked version. These days its snowing here and on one such days I was craving for Masala Vadai. Soaked the dal and grinded. Decided to try baked version but was little worried about the texture, so instead of making the full batch took half of the batter and started baking it. Preheated the oven and took baking tray and I realized I was out of parchment paper. I thought is this sign telling me not to bake, but I greased the tray with extra oil (compare to my usual quantity) and baked. Oh man I didn’t believe the taste. My husband didn’t believe that its baked, but after seeing the second batch from the oven he accepted:-)

Its snowing today as well and my mind has started thinking about snacks. I am sure I will end up cooking some snack today but for time being this crispy baked Masala Vadai is for my lovely readers.

Check out my other Indian baked snack

• Baked Bread Tikki
• Gobi 65 Baked
• Baked Rice Cracker
• Baked Healthy Mixture
• Baked Thattai
• Baked Uppu Seedai
• Baked Idli Fry
• Cracked Wheat Savory Cake
• Tofu and Grape Tomato Tikka
• Kaima Idli
• Baked Onion Pakoda
• Baked Besan Bonda
• Baked Plaintain Chips
• Baked Bread Rolls
• Baked Masala Vadai

Ingredients:

Onion –  1, big finely chopped

Coriander Leaves – few, chopped

Curry leaves – few

To grind:

Channa Dal – 1 cup

Rice flour  – 1 tbsp

Fennel Seeds(Sombu) – 1 tsp

Red Chillies – 2

Garlic – 3 pods, peeled and choped

Ginger – 1 tsp, peeled and chopped

Baking soda – a pinch

Sugar – a pinch

Salt – as needed

Pam Spray/ Oil – to grease (I used Oil)

Method:

• Wash and soak channa dal for 2 to 3 hrs. Drain the water completely and keep aside. Grind together with other ingredients listed under “To grind” with 1 – 2 tsp of water into a coarse mixture (less water helps in crispy vadai texture. Avoid using too much water)

• Transfer the mixture to the mixing bowl and add onions, curry leaves, coriander leaves and mix well

•  Preheat the oven to 400 degree Fahrenhait. Take the baking tray and brush the oil
• Take small portions of the mixture, and flatten them using your palm (thinner vadai yields crispy vadai)
• Place them in the greased tray and brush  the top portion of each vadai with little oil to avoid drying out and of course for the crispy finish

• Bake the vadai for 11 – 15 min, till they have browned the underside (adjust time according to your oven) . Carefully flip them and bake again for another 11 – 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately. Serve with chutney/ ketchup.  I generally love to finish them without any sides

My Notes:

• The key for the perfect baked vadai is batter with less moisture (water) and greasing generously with oil/ spray
• If the vadai is thick outer portion will cook fast and inner will remain uncooked, and baking for more time may lead to to rubbery vadai
• Just like the fried ones – these are best served the minute they are made. If can’t eat the vadai immediately, switch off the oven and keep the vadai tray back in the over till you eat. Make sure you keep the vadai back in oven after 10 minutes as the oven will still be hot. Though the crispness won’t retain for hours together but for 30 – 45 minutes it works perfect.  After that I haven’t tried
• Instead of rice flour rava can also be used

Baked Bread Tikki

Its raining these days at my place, and a rainy day calls for a quick snack. Had few bread slices, and thought of preparing baked bread rolls. I then rembered the bread vada recipe in I saw in sanjeevkapoor site, and wanted to try that. Since I preferred baking, I consider it as Tikki:-)

Baked Bread Tikki

Prepartion time : 10 mins | Cooking time : 20 – 25 mins | Serves : 4

Recipe category : Appetizer

Ingredients:

Bread slices – 6, crumbled (I used whole wheat bread)

Onion – 1, finely chopped

Green chili – 1, finely chopped

Curry leaves – few

Coriander leaves – few

Salt – as needed

Ginger – 1/8 tsp

Asafoetida – generous pinch

Rice flour – 1/3 cup

Semolina – 1 tbsp.

Baking soda – generous pinch

Yogurt – 1/3 cup

Oil – 2 tbsp

Oil/ Cooking Spray – to grease

Method

• Preheat the oven to 400 degree Farenheit

• Add rice flour, bread crumbs,semolina and salt in a bowl and mix well

• Add onion, ginger, coriander, curry leaves, oil and green chilli to the mixture and combine everything. Add yogurt and make a dough. If required add some more yogurt/water (1 or 2 tsp of yogurt)

• Make small balls and flatten it to a thin tikki. Grease the foil with cooking spray, or brush with oil on both side of tikki

• Bake them for about 20 minutes, turning sides in between or until they are crisp and golden brown. Broil for 2 -3 minutes in low

My Notes:

• Instead of baking, can also deep fry in oil
• Can add any veggies of your choice
• Original recipe called for peanut powder. As I didn’t have peanut that day I used semolina
• They taste best when served immediately. If its kept for a long time they tend to became rubbery

Pattani Sundal (Frozen Green Peas Sundal)

Yesterday evening after returning from work hubby asked what Sundal today. I had planned to prepare Moong Dal Sundal, but then I realized I forgot to soak Dal. Then I remembered I had some frozen peas.  Amma use to prepare Sundal with dry peas by soaking and pressure cooking them, but I thought of trying with frozen peas. Sundal was ready in 5 minutes – quickest Sundal I ever had

Pattani Sundal

Preparation Time : 3 min | Cooking time : 5 mins | Serves : 2

Recipe Category : Appetizer/Snack

Ingredients:

Frozen peas – 1 cup + 1/2 cup

Salt – To taste

Grated coconut – 1/3 cup

Green chillies – 1 (Adjust according to your taste)

Coriander leaves – 4 – 5 sprig

Ginger –  small piece ( approx 1/2 tsp)

To Temper:

Coconut Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Urad Dal – 1 tsp

Channa Dal – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – 1/2 sprig

Red chilli – 1

Hing – a generous pinch

Method:

• Microwave peas for a minute and set aside

• Blend coriander, chilli and coconut without adding water

• Add oil to the pan, when the oil is hot add the items under ‘To Temper’ and let them crackle. Add the green peas and salt, toss them for a minute

• Add the blended mixture and sautè for 2-3 minutes till raw smell goes off. Switch off the stove

My Notes:

• Coconut oil gives nice aroma for sundal, so it is preferred
• If you are using Dry Peas, then soak them overnight, or at least for 4 hrs in warm water.  Pour enough water and pressure cook for 3 whistles
• Instead of adding coconut mixture at the end, you can also add after tempering

Gobi 65 – Baked

Ever since I had this dish for the first time, I have been having a big question in my mind – why is it named 65?. As I mentioned in Cauliflower Peas Masala, cauliflower is my sister’s favorite veggie, and this is her default order in most restaurants.  First time when I tried baking cauliflower, it was total flopshow. Invited Hubby’s friends for dinner and  thought of baking this. That day I added yellow corn meal. I marinated cauliflower for 2 hours, it was soggy and I didn’t get proper fries, then I did some gimmick and managed. Again I wanted to try this with white corn flour, and reduce my marination time, and finally succeeded!

Gobi 65 – Baked

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Standing time – 15 minutes | Cooking Time : 20 – 25 mins

Recipe Category: Snack

Ingredients:

Cauliflower -1 medium sized flower

Cornflour – 1/4 cup

Rice flour/ All purpose flour – 2 tbsp (I used rice flour)

Ginger Garlic paste – 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp (Adjust according to your taste)

Garam Masala – 1/8 tsp

Oil – 1 tbsp + 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Salt – to taste

Oil/Cooking spray – to grease (I used Pam olive oil spray)

Method:

• Parboil cauliflower and strain them

• Preheat the oven to 400 degree Fahrenhait and place the baking paper (I used Aluminum foil) on baking tray and grease

• Combine all spice powder and mix well. Add cornflour and rice flour and mix well, and if required sprinkle some water (I used around 1 tsp) and let it marinate for 15 minutes

•  Place the marinated cauliflower and bake them for 10 – 15 minutes and broil for 13 -18 minutes, turning in between

My Notes :

• Broil helps to get the fry texture so don’t skip it. Can broil for some more minutes if you need it crispier
• After turning the oven to broil, keep monitoring frequently to avoid burnt texture
• Avoid overlapping for even cooking
• If there is excess moisture, they turn out to be sticky. So avoid adding much water, also grease the foil throughout to avoid sticking
• Alternatively, you can also deep fry them in oil
• Ajwain can be added while marinating cauliflower
• Chat Masala or any spice powder can be added for taste

Baked Rice Cracker

Yesterday being a weekend evening, felt like having some quick snack. I fist thought of doing Baked Besan Bonda/ Baked Onion Pakoda, but I didn’t have enough Besan flour. I also didn’t have enough patience to soak and do anything. Suddenly I noticed I had some leftover rice.  One of my friends had once told me that her mom makes Vathal (Fryums) with leftover rice. My mom prepares Vadam with rice flour and tapioca sago, dries them in sun for 2 days and it is deep fried in oil. OMG, I love it.  I wanted to try something similar to my friend’s mom version.  I won’t say it was as crispy as fried version, but soft and a bit chewy snack.

Baked Rice Cracker

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 20 – 25 mins

Recipe Category: Snack

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice – 1 cup (I used Brown rice, any rice can be used)

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

Coriander powder – 1/4 tsp

Garlic Powder – 1/8 esp

Salt – as needed

Oil/ Cooking spray – to grease (I used cooking spray )

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Place baking paper on baking tray and grease it
• Add cooked rice, lemon juice, garlic powder, coriander powder and salt, and Combine well

• Add water if required and make a dough. Make some balls (Marble size). Gently press them to flat thin circles ( around1/8 inch approximately)
• Bake them for 20 – 25 minutes, turning sides

My Notes:

• Try to make small flat crackers, else the edges will dry out while the centers remain too moist
• Instead of garlic powder, you can add chilli powder, onion powder, cumin powder etc.
• Can make the dough flat and cut with cookie cutter
• Over cooking may tend to dry out the rice completely

Baked Healthy Mixture

Mixture is my sister’s favorite snack. My sis had a peculiar habit of eating mixture when she was young, She would soak the mixture in water and eat it. Till today I couldn’t figure out the reason;-) As a teatime snack or a side for rice, Mixture is a winner. I couldn’t get the Indian Mixture here, so I started to eat Hunter mix and loved it. I tell myself its kettle roasted, so guilt free snack;-) wanted to avoid eating that and make a healthy homemade alternative. Traditional mixture recipe is bit lengthy, though it tastes yummy. A lazy cook like me wanted to make it quick and simple. I frequently do Puffed Rice Mixtute for teatime snack. Baking fever (that’s how hubby calls my addiction to baking) told me to try mixture with puffed and flattened rice, and with nuts. I have baked Honey Glazed Almonds, but had second thoughts to bake flattened rice. I saw my friend Chitra’s oats poha granola post and confidently tried mixture, and it was a big hit at home. This is a simple and easy mixture. Need to try my luck with some more ingredients next time.

Baked Healthy Mixture:

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 15 – 20 mins

Recipe Category: Snack

Ingredients:

Puffed Rice / Pori – 1 cup

Thin Flattened Rice/  Poha (White/ Red) – 1 cup (I used white)

Walnuts – 3 tbsp ( cut into big pieces)

Peanuts – 4 tbsp

Almonds – 3 tbsp

Sunflower seeds – 4 tbsp

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder – 1/4 tsp

Chilli Powder – 1/4 tsp (Adjust according to your spice level)

Asafoetida/Hing – a generous pinch

Oil – 1/2 tsp

Salt – as needed

Cooking Spray/ Oil – to grease (I used cooking spray)

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 150 degree Fahrenhait. Line the baking tray with aliminium foil (or any Baking paper) and grease with cooking spray
• Combine puffed and flattened rice along with nuts and mix well

• Add the spice powder (Turmeric, Chilli etc.) and oil to the mixture. Combine everything well

• Spread the mixture on a foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 – 20 mins

• Check for the seasoning and add if required. Store in a Airtight container to maintain the freshness

My Notes:

• Can add Fried gram, cashew nut, curry leaves, raisin or any other Nuts of your choice
• Instead of baking, you can also deep fry flattened rice, and shallow fry puffed rice and nuts. Combine everything together
• My oven took around 17 minutes but watch out after 15 minutes
• Can also use thick poha but it takes extra cooking time
• Can also microwave poha for 2 minutes instead deep frying

Ammini (Mani) Kozhukattai

Almost every year, Ammini Kozhukattai will be prepared on Vinayaka Chaturthi as an evening snack. Amma generally prepares some for prasadam, and some for us to eat. In the evening, she prepares a fresh batch with the leftover dough, pooranam, and vada batter. Having a sweet tooth I usually make frequent visits to kitchen and attack the sweet puranum. There will be less Sweet Kozhukkatai left, so she prepares this easy snack for the evening.

Ammini Kozhukattai

Preparation Time : 5 mins |  Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2

Recipe Category : Snack

Ingredients

Rice flour – 1 cup, sieved

Water – 1 cup + 1/4 cups

Coconut – 1/4 cup

Salt – as needed

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

To Temper:

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Urad Dal – 1 tsp

Red Chilli – 3 ( Adjust according to your taste)

Hing – generous pinch

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

• In a sauce pan, add coconut oil and 1 cup of water and bring to boil. When it is boiling and you see bubbles, add the sieved flour (Have 1/4 cup of water boiled in separate pan/kettle)
• For the flour that I used, the extra 1/4 cup water was not needed. If you feel dough is dry, add 1 tbsp of water, else no need to add. Water added should be boiling hot water, so its better to keep 1/4 cup hot water separately

• Cook till it comes to non sticky dough consistency. Cover the dough with a damp cloth, as it tends to dry soon

• When the dough is cool enough to handle, make small spheres (Marble Size). Since rice flour is gluten free they tend to be sticky, so greasing hand with coconut oil helps
• Grease the idli plate and place the kozhukattai and steam them for about 8- 12 minutes. Remove from the plate when it comes to room temperature

• Add coconut oil to the pan, when oil is hot add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add hing, red chilli, urad dal and curry leaves. After the dal is golden brown, add the steamed balls, grated coconut, salt and mix well. It tastes yum without any side dish

My Notes:

• Traditionally, raw rice is washed well and drained, spread in a towel till the moisture drains completely, and ground into a fine powder. Since it will take time, I have used store-bought Rice Flour
• Idiyappam flour can also be used to prepare Kozhukattai
• Can combine Rice flour and water to dosa batter consistency and add coconut oil and cook till you get a dough to the consistency similar to the one shown in above picture
• To get the outer layer soft, boil the water well for making the dough. Dough should be almost cooked with the hot water so that you get non sticky pliable dough
• When the kozhukattais are done, they will be shiny. Do not over cook, it may give you rubbery and broken Kozhukattai

Baked Thattai

Thattai is one of my favorite snacks. When my mother in law came to visit us, she used to prepare thattai and put them in big box. We snack them all day. On krishna jayanthi, i wanted to do some thattai. Generally they are deep fried in oil.  After seeing Baked Seedai result, I was confident enough to try my luck with baked healthy thattai. Thattai and seedai are almost similar – for thattai, chilli powder is the additional ingredient. Crispy and yummy thattai without much oil was ready. After Krishna jayanthi, I posted this pic in my FB page. Somehow it took me so such time to draft this post. Thanks to everyone who messaged me in FB for thattai recipe, and sorry for the delay in posting it.

Baked Thattai

Preparation time:  5mins  |  Cooking time: 25 – 30 mins

Recipe Category: Snacks

Ingredients:

Rice Flour- 1 cup

Urad Dal – 2 tbsp

Butter – 3tbsp

Red Chilli powder – 1 tsp heaped (Adjust according to your spice level)

Salt – as needed

Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp

Oil – to grease

Method:

For urad dal Flour:

Take 1/4cup of whole urad Dal and dry roast till they are golden brown. When it comes to room temperature, grind them into fine powder

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper with  oil
• Dry roast the rice flour in low flame for 2/3 minutes. Do not overcook till they change color
• In a wide vessel, add the rice flour and 2 tblsp of urad dal flour and salt. Sieve them for even mixing. Add asofetida and chilli powder to sieved flour and mix well

• Add water slowly and knead them into a pliable dough

• Grease your hands with coconut oil and make small balls (approximately 1 tsp dough). Flatten the balls on greased palm (2-3 inch in diameter) and carefully place on baking tray
• Bake in the preheated oven for 12 – 15 minutes. Then flip over very carefully and bake for another 12-15 minutes

My Notes:

• Cumin seeds, sesame seeds, curry leaves and Chana Dal can be added
• If you are frying, the thatti has to be fried in a medium low flame, as it will help for even cooking. Heat oil in a pan, When the oil becomes hot gently put the thattai to the oil. Cook till the hissing sound of oil subsides.
• I used the store-bought rice flour. Alternatively you can wash and soak the raw rice for 1/2 hours and dry them in a cloth till moisture completely dries, and grind them into fine powder

Baked Uppu Seedai

For Gokulashtami, I had prepared this Baked Seedai. I have never made seedai before. Last year I wanted to do, but my mom alarmed me saying Seedai may burst, so I was scared!. This year, I badly wanted to do all the Gokulashtami special items, as this was the first Gokulashtami for my “Kutti Krishna” (My 9 month old son). I called my mom to ask about seedai proportions, and she again said a big no, and this time even stronger! My sis casually asked me why can’t I bake seedai, like baked Pakoda and Bonda, so that mom won’t get scared with me using hot oil for seedai. Why didn’t this strike me!  I wanted to try my luck baking seedai, and was happy with the result. Believe me, if you give baked seedai and deep fried seedai to someone, no one can find the difference in taste (except for the color)

Baked Uppu Seedai

Preparation Time : 10 min |  Cooking Time : 25 – 30 minutes

Recipe Category : Snack

Ingredients:

Rice Flour – 1 cup

Roasted Urad Dal Flour – 2 tbsp

Asafotida/Hing – 1/8 tsp

Coconut – 2 tbsp

Coconut Oil – 1/4 tsp ( to grease hands)

Salt – as needed

Butter/Oil – 3 tbsp + 1 tsp ( I used Butter, use oil for vegan)

Oil – to grease parchment paper

For urad dhal Flour:

Take 1/4cup of whole urad Dal and dry roast till they are golden brown. When it comes to room temperature, grind them into fine powder

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper with  oil
• Dry roast the rice flour in low flame for 2/3 minutes. Do not overcook till they change color.
• In a wide vessel, add the rice flour and 2 tblsp of urad dal flour and salt. Sieve them for even mixing

• Add butter and coconut to the sieved flour and mix well. Add water slowly and knead them into a pliable dough

• Grease your hands with coconut oil and make small balls. Place them on the parchment paper

• Bake them for 20-30 minutes. Check half way through and toss them for even baking

My Notes:

• Cumin seeds, sesame seeds and Chana Dal can be added
• If you are frying, the seedai has to be fried in a medium low flame, as it will help for even cooking. Heat oil in a pan, When the oil becomes hot gently put the seedai balls to the oil. Cook till the oil sound subsides.
• I used the store-bought rice flour. Alternatively you can wash and soak the raw rice for 1/2 hours and dry them in a cloth till mositure completely dries, and grind them into fine powder
• The seedai dough should not be too tight. Otherwise the seedai will get cracked
• Do not roll the seedai too hard