Perfect Plain vada / Urad dal vada

Plain Vada (Urad Dal Vada)

Set 1: Batter

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole urad dal
• A few tablespoons of water (for grinding)

Set 2: Seasoning

Ingredients

• 2 green chilies, very finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp curry leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger, very finely chopped
• 2 pinches baking soda
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tbsp rice flour (optional)

Additional

• Oil, for deep frying

Method

1. Wash and soak the urad dal in water for 4 hours.
2. Drain the soaked dal completely and transfer it to a grinder. Grind into a smooth, thick batter using only a few tablespoons of water as needed.
3. Transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl.
4. Beat the batter vigorously with a spoon or your hands for 5–10 minutes. This helps incorporate air, resulting in soft and fluffy vadas.
5. Add all the ingredients listed under Set 2 and mix thoroughly until well combined.
6. Heat oil in a deep, wide pan over medium-low heat.
7. Lightly wet your hands with water. Take a small portion of batter, shape it into a ball, flatten it slightly, and make a hole in the center to form a traditional vada (donut shape).
8. Carefully slide the shaped vada into the hot oil and deep-fry until light golden brown and crisp on both sides.
9. Remove the vadas using a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
10. Serve hot with peanut chutney, coconut chutney, or sambar.

Note

For another variation, add 2 cups of finely chopped spinach to the prepared batter and mix well before frying. This makes delicious and flavorful Spinach Vadas.

Palak and spring onion pakodi

 Palak and spring onion pakodi

Spring onions or garlic chives  -  1 cup

Palak or methi - 1.5 cups

Coriander leaves - 1 cups ( optional)

Ginger ( 2 inches) and Green chili (4) - Grind to paste 

Coriander powder  - 3/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp or to taste

Carom seeds - 1/2 tsp crushed

Hing - 1/4 tsp

lemon juice - 1 tbsp ( optional)

Besan - 1.5 cups

Water - 2 tbsp

Oil for frying - 1 cup

Method:

1. In a big bowl add Spring onion, Palak, Coriander leaves, ginger-green chili paste, coriander powder, cumin poser, salt, carom seeds, hing, lemon juice, and mix well for 2 mins.

2. Now add besan little by little and mix well like a  thick batter. 

3. If needed add 2 tbsp of water and mix well 

4. heat oil in the pan, now keep the heat in medium and drop pakaodi batter with a small spoon and fry in medium heat.

5. Once they turn light brown, take them out and serve with your favorite chutney

Sreshta Lunch Box Series - 8 - Chole rice / chana rice

 Sreshta Lunch Box Series - 8 - Chole rice / chana rice

Choley - 1/2 cup boiled
Rice - 1/2 cup cooked

Onion  - 1/4 chopped
Green chili - 1 deseeded and chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as needed ( 1/2 tsp)
Choley masala - 1/4 tsp

Lemon - 1 tbsp

Seasoning :
chana dal - 1/4 tsp
urad dal - 1/4 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp


method :

1. Heat oil in a pan
2. Add seasoning items, let them fry till golden brown

3. Now add onion, green chili and fry nicely
4. Now add turmeric, red chili powder, salt n mix well
5. Now add cooked chole, chole masala, and fry for 1 min
6. Add Rice, lemon juice and mix well and pack in lunch box.

Bottle guard curry / Soraya curry

 Bottle guard curry / Soraya curry 

Set 1:

Oil - 2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Onion 1 small chopped

Curry leaves - 10

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Ginger garlic - 1 tsp

Bottle guard - 1.5 cups chopped

Salt - 3/4 tsp or little more

Milk - 1/2 cup

Set 2:

Grind below ingredients roughly

Green chilies - 3 or 4

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Garlic - 4

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan, add cinnamon, cumin seeds, onion, and fry till light brown
   
2. Now add curry leaves, turmeric, ginger garlic paste and mix well.
   
3. Now add bottle guard pieces, salt and mix well and cook for 2 mins
   
4. Now add green chili, garlic paste and mix well and cook for 5 mins and bottle guard is cooked perfectly
   
5. Now add milk and mix and cover and cook for 3 mins
   
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve

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Kimchi fried rice

Kimchi fried rice 

Set 1:

Day-old rice - 1 cup ( or hot rice keep aside to cool down)

Set 2: Mix everything in a bowl and keep aside

Kimchi - 1/2 cup chopped (cut it with scissors )

Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Soya sauce - 1/2 tbsp

Oyster sauce - 1/2 tbsp ( optional)

Msg - 1/4 tsp ( optional)

Set 3:

Oil - 2-3 tsp

Spring onion green and white parts - 1/2 cup chopped

Green chili - 1 chopped

Mushroom - 1 cup sliced small

Cabbage - 1/2 cup sliced very thin strips

Spring onion greens - 1/4 cup

Sesame oil - 1/2 tsp (option)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, from set # 3 add spring onions fry for a min, now add green chili, mushrooms, cabbage and fry for 5 mins until mushrooms are cooked.
2. Now add set #2 ingredients and mix well. 
3. If you feel ingredients are getting burnt add 2 tbsp of water and cook for 1-2 mins to avoid burning
4. Now keep it low heat, add set #1 rice, and mix well.
5. Sprinkle sesame oil and mix well.
6. Now serve with a fried egg on top and sprinkle spring onions greens, 

Schezwan egg fried rice

Schezwan egg fried rice 

Set 1 :

Oil - 2 tbsp

Eggs - 4 

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Set 2:

Cooked rice - 1/2 cup

Oil - 2-3 tsp

Onion - 1 small chopped

Green chili - 2 chopped

Mushroom - 1 cup chopped fine

French beans - 1/2 cup chopped fine

Carrot - 1/4 cup chopped fine

Corn - 1/4 cup chopped fine

Cooked basmati rice - 2 cups

Black pepper - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Dark soya sauce - 1 tbsp

Vinegar - 1 tsp

Spring onion greens - 1/4 cup

Chings schezwan fried rice masala - 2 tsp

Sesame oil - 1 tsp (option)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add all ingredients from Set 1, and make scrambled egg and keep the egg in big pieces. Try to cook till it is light golden brown and keep it aside.
2. From Set 2, Heat oil in the same pan and add onion, green chili, and fry nicely.
3. Now add mushroom and cook nicely for 5 mins. Now add green beans, carrot, corn, and fry nicely for 5 mins
4. Now add cooked rice and mix well.
5. Now on low heat, add black pepper, salt, schezwan fried rice masala, and mix well.
6. Now add dark soya sauce, vinegar and mix well.
7. Now add scrambled egg, spring onions greens, sesame oil and mix well, and cook on low heat for 5 mins.
8. it's ready to serve.

Hyderabadi egg aloo curry

Eggs: 7 (hard-boiled)

Potatoes - small ones - 6 - peel the skin and keep aside

Onion - 1 medium chopped fine

Tomatoes - 3 juicy medium chopped fine Ginger garlic paste: 2 tbsp Red chili powder: 1.5 tsp Turmeric powder: ½ tsp Salt: 1 tsp Curry leaves: 10 leaves Green chilies: 3 slit Coriander leaves: 1/2 cup Garam masala powder : 3/4 tsp

Meat masala - 1 tsp ( I used shan) Oil: 1/2 cup

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add onion, red chili powder, turmeric, salt, ginger-garlic paste, and 1 cup water.
2. Now give pressure for 3-4 whistles and switch off until pressure is released.
3. Now open the lid and fry onion masala on a slow flame till oil leaves on the sides. this will take 10 mins.
4. Now add green chili, coriander leaves, and curry leaves, garam masala powder, and mix well for a minute.
5. Now add tomato and mix well and close with a glass lid and let it cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
6. Now add boiled eggs, whole potatoes, and 1 cup water and give pressure for 2 whistles and switch off the flame and leave for 10 mins before serving with coconut rice.