Nombu Adai

There are a number of festivals that we celebrate, which are both annoying and fun at the same time. I find Nombu one such festival.

It is partly irritating that you need to wear that yellow thread to demonstrate your love and hunt out your nine yards sari also. But it is fun because of the nombu adais, consumed with generous generous helpings of butter. Calories did you say?!

Salted Adai

Ingredients
Rice Flour – 1 cup
Water – 2 cups
Green chili – 2
Chopped Ginger – of a small piece
Curry leaves
Hing – to taste
Coriander leaves
Cooked lobia – 1 tbsp
Coconut pieces – 1 tbsp
Channa Dal – 1 tsp
Urad Dal – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method
Heat oil and put channa dal, urad dal and mustard seeds. Then add chopped green chilies, ginger, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Pour two cups of water and add the cooked lobia, coconut pieces, hing and salt. When the water starts boiling mix the roasted rice flour and cook well. Let it cool for a while. Then take a small ball sized portion of the batter and make it into flat and round adais. Then steam it and serve it with butter.

Sweet Adai

Ingredients
Rice Flour – 1 cup
Jaggery – ¾ cup
Lobia (red variety) – 1 tbsp
Elaichi powder – ¼ tsp
Water – 2 cups
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Coconut pieces – 1 tbsp

Method
Roast the rice flour for ten minutes. Cook and keep the lobia separately. Take a kadai and put the jaggery and water and let it boil. Strain the syrup to remove any dirt. Put the strained liquid back on the stove. When it starts boiling add the cooked lobia, coconut pieces and roasted rice flour. Cook till it becomes thick dough. Add the elaichi powder, mix well. Let it cool for a while. Then take small ball sized portions of the batter and make it into flat and round adais. Then steam it and serve it with butter.

Oh well, long live them husbands!

Stuffed Snake Gourd

When I was growing up we lived in colonies where there was a lot of entertaining that we needed to do. And there was a constant need to improvise and dole out new stuff. A must in each menu was some kind of a stuffed vegetable. If there was a vegetable, one tried to see if we can stuff it with potatoes. It could pass off as something reasonably exotic and effort intensive. A favourite in this stuffed family, is the snake gourd one. Yes, it sounds bizarre, but tastes divine. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

Snake Gourd – ½ kg
For the filling
Potatoes – 3 Numbers
Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
Jeera – 1/2/ tsp
Amchur – ½ tsp or juice of half a lemon
Coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Rice flour – 2 tbsp
Oil for shallow frying

Method

Cut the snake gourd into one inch thick rings. Remove the seeds. Boil it in
water with haldi and salt. Let it boil for ten minutes and then drain the water
and keep aside,

For the filling
Boil the potatoes. Peel the skin and
mash well. Add salt, red chilli powder, jeer and amchur and mix it well,

Stuff each ring of snake gourd with the potato mixture. Coat both sides
with rice flour and toast the same in a tawa.

Your stuffed snake gourd is done. Amazingly simple and great to taste. Works well served with rice and dal. Also makes for an interesting starter.

And yes, Happy Holi!