How to make vathal kulambhu with instant podi.

Those who follow Jeyashri's kitchen regularly, know that i have started the Indian kitchen basics , Microwave recipes and Bachelor recipes, few weeks back. Check out this series  HERE .
This week i am posting the instant vathal kulambhu podi. Just add this powder to the tamarind paste and water and bring it to a boil, yummy vathal kulambhu is ready. It was very flavourful. you can make puliyodarai with this podi too.
Check out my other authentic Vathal kulambhu recipes too.
Arachuvitta Vathal kulambhu
Vengaya Vatha kulambhu

Ingredients

  Preparation Time : 15 mins | Cooking Time : Nil |   Yields 1 cup

   For making podi
     Toor dal   3 tblsp
     Coriander seeds  3 tblsp
     Channa dal    3 tblsp
     Urad dal        1 tblsp
     Red chilli        7-8
     Black pepper   4-5
     Vendayam (methi seeds)   1 tsp   
    For making Vathal kulambhu- Serves 2
  Tamarind paste            1 and 1/2 tbslp
  Water       1 and 1/2 cup
   Instant vathal kulambhu powder   2 tblsp
   Sesame Oil  2 tsp
   Mustard seeds   1/4 Tsp
   Salt     As needed
   Turmeric powder  1/4 tsp
   Asafoetida   a pinch
   Any veggie or vathal of your choice  
  Curry leaves    few  

Method:

•   Dry roast all the ingredients without getting them burnt.

• Allow this to cool and grind it into a fine powder.

Let us see how to make vathal kulambu with this instant vatha kulambhu podi.

• In a pan add sesame oil and throw in the mustard seeds.
• Add the veggie or vathal (i used manathakkali vathal).
• Add tamarind paste and water.

• Add the instant vathal kulambhu podi, salt , turmeric powder, salt and asafoetida.
• Bring it to a nice boil till it reaches the gravy consistency.
• Switch off the flame and add curry leaves. 

• Enjoy with hot rice and a roasted papad.

 Baby corn manchurian is a popular indo chinese dish, which can be made as a dry version and also as a gravy too. I have tried Vegetable manchurian , but never tried manchurian gravy with baby corn. Last week, i called my friend's daughter to join for dinner with my kids. I asked her anything she likes so much so that i can make for her. She instantly said fried rice and baby corn manchurian. I tried and it came out pretty well and all the kids enjoyed and we too loved it.
   After gaining more confidence in making the indo Chinese gravy, i made this baby corn manchurian again few days back. It goes very well with Schezwan fried rice , Sprouts fried rice and Vegetable fried rice.
Check out my dry Chilli paneer and Cauliflower Manchurian.

Ingredients

  Preparation Time :15 mins | Cooking Time : 30 |   Serves: 2-3


  FOR BATTER
   All purpose flour (Maida)  3 tblsp
   Corn flour       2 tblsp
   Red chilli powder    1/4 tsp
   Salt       To taste
   Water     to make batter 
 OTHER INGREDIENTS
   Baby Corn   15
   Garlic   5-6 pods
   Ginger   A small piece
   Green chilly    1
   Spring onion whites   2-3 tblsp
   Oil         for deep frying + 1 tblsp
   Soya Sauce  2 tsp
   Corn flour  1 tbsp
   Water 1 and 1/4 cup
    Bell pepper | Capsicum(cubed)  - 6-7 cubes ( i used red and green)
    Salt   to taste
    Spring onion greens   1 - 2 tblsp(chopped)
    Pepper Powder    1/2 tsp
         

Method:

• Wash the baby corn and cut them into medium size pieces.
• In a pan add water and add little salt. Put the baby corn into this and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, till the become little tender.
• This process makes the baby corn to absorb the manchurian gravy and makes the dish juicy.
• Take this out from water and drain the water. Pat dry this.

• Make the batter with the ingredients given under the heading"for the batter".
• I made a batter which is bit thin.  As i like  it in that way , i made it. If you want a bit thicker one and want the nice coating of batter on the baby corn, adjust the water accordingly.
• Dip the baby corns in the batter.

• Heat oil for deep frying. Put the dipped baby corn in oil one by one. Do not put too much at a time.
• Deep fry them till golden brown. Drain the excess water in a kitchen tissue.

• Now let's move on to make the gravy. finely chop the ginger, garlic and slit the green chilly.
• In a pan add oil and add the chopped ginger, garlic,spring onion whites and green chilly.
• saute for few minutes.
• Once done, add in the water and soya sauce.

• Mix the cornflour in little water to a thin paste(without any lumps) and add to the water.
• the gravy will start thickening. Keep the flame low.
• Add the black pepper powder.

• Add in the deep fried baby corn and mix well. Add the cubed bell pepper too and cook for 2 minutes.
• Garnish with spring onion greens before serving.

• Serve hot with fried rice or hakka noodles.

1. You can add 1 tsp of tomato sauce to the gravy , if you want. Add at the time of adding soyasauce.
2. I used dark soya sauce and so i got this colour. I never realised that dark soya sauce will give nice colour to the manchurian.
3. If serving later , make the gravy and fry the baby corns and keep separately. Add it to the gravy half an hour before serving. Even the capsicums too.
4. If you don't like the bell pepper raw, you can separately saute this for few minutes in little oil and add to the gravy.

 Tea, so many of us make tea as a  routine basis everyday. In our home me and Suresh take plain tea every morning. I always love this ginger-cardamom tea, especially after a heavy breakfast or an deep fried tea time snack. I never keep any proper measurements for making tea on daily basis. I hope it is with the case of every one of us. When we do on a daily basis it will easily come for us. For my tea generally i add milk more and water will be less. If you prefer the tea to be bit light, that is more of water and less of milk, adjust the ratio of milk and water accordingly. Rest of the procedure is same.
   Last week when i was teaching my helper , how to make tea, i thought i will post this here, so that it will be useful for many bachelors and first timers who make tea.  Always use good quality of tea leaves. My preferred tea brand are Tata gold, Wag bakri, Society Tea. While i was in chennai i use 3 roses,red label  or Taj mahal tea.
Check out my Filter Coffee.
Looking for Tea time snacks ? Check out this Snacks recipes

Ingredients

  Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 10 minutes|   Yields : 1 cup

 
    Milk   3/4 Cup
    Water  1/2 Cup 
     Tea or tea leaves  1 and 1/4 tsp     
    Ginger   A small piece
    Cardamom  1
    Sugar   As needed
    

Method:

• Crush the ginger and cardamom using a mortar and pestle. Crush the cardamom seeds nicely so that it will give a nice flavour to the tea.

• Boil the water in a sauce pan and add the crushed ginger ,cardamom and tea leaves|powder. Let this boil for 2- 3 minutes in a very low flame. The flavor of the tea, ginger and cardamom will now get infused into the water.  Add the milk now.

• Keep the flame little high and when it comes to boil, lower the flame. Keep it in sim for 5 seconds.
• Cover it for 3 seconds. Switch off the flame. Filter this now.

• Add sugar as desired . Mix well and serve hot.

1. Always use fresh milk for making tea. 
2. Select good quality of tea powder.
3. If you want the tea to be more dominantly ginger then add some more crushed ginger at the end , before putting off the flame and cover for 5 seconds.
4. Never reheat the tea after it is made. Either reheat in the microwave oven or use double boiler method.(heat water in a pan and keep the tea on this in a tumbler). Do not  reheat directly on the flame.
5. Always add sugar after the tea is done. Never add sugar when the tea is boiling. It will not taste good.
6. The ratio of milk and water depends upon your preference.
7. The amount of tea powder depends on the brand and how strong you need it.