SEPPENKILANGU FRY / TARO ROOT FRY

taro root fry

Ingredients:

• Taro root - 1.5 lbs (around 9-10 roots)
• Chilli powder - 4tbsp
• Porial podi - 1 tbsp
• rice flour - little
• rava - a pinch for crispiness
• besan flour - little (optional)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind paste - 1 tsp or extract thick juice from a big gooseberry size tamarind
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Oil for shallow fry
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Cook the taro roots with 2 tbsp salt in a pressure cooker for 3 or 4 whistles.
2. When done, peel the skin and cut into 1/4" thick pieces.
3. Mix the chilli powder,porial podi, turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt,all the flours in a wide bowl.
4. coat the taro root pieces with the mixture and set it for 20 minutes..coat like you coat bread crumbs for cutlets.
5. Heat oil in a pan for shallow fry. Coat the pieces in the spice mixture and place the pieces in the pan. Do not crowd the pan. Flip the pieces after around 4 mins or when it is dark and crispy.
6. Add the tamarid juice and let it cook for couple of more minutes and till its roasted and crispy. 
7. Fry until all the pieces are dark brown and crispy. Add more oil if needed for the next batch.
8. Serve as a side with the simple and earthy dhal.

Note :

• This taro root has a tendency to itch the tongue when served alone.. that's the reason we add tamarid juice to avoid the itchiness.
• If you forget or dont like tamarind water.. you can add lime juice towards the end of the preparation and serve.

BRINJAL DRUMSTICK KARA KULAMBHU

Last thursday Shopping to for Veggies was too good that I am still having couple of veggies remaining fresh inside the refridgerator. Among them were this wonderful Brinjis. Since I have done the porial variety more often which goes too good with rasam sadam, I wanted to do try my hands on a kulambhu variety.
I made sambhar couple of days ago with them for idlis and still have some remaining. So tried this KARA KULAMBHU. Smell and taste was A1 that too when served with soota appalam and brown rice! Gals, try out and make your kitchen aromatic with this wonderful kulambhu!

Ingredients :

• Brinjal – Medium size 3
• Sambar Onion – 10
• Big Onion – ½
• Tomato – 1
• Coconut gratings – 1 tablespoon
• Tamarind – small lemon size
• Sambar Powder – 1 heaped tablespoon
• Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
• Gingelly Oil – 2 tablespoon
• Mustard – ½ teaspoon
• Fenugreek – ½ teaspoon
• Red Chillies – 2
• Bengal Gram Dhal – 1 tablespoon
• Curry leaves – few
• Salt – 2 teaspoon or as per taste

Method:

1. Soak tamarind and salt in water. Squeeze out the juice, add water and make 3 cups of tamarind water.
2. Cut the brinjal into medium size pieces. Cut the tomato into four pieces. Cut the big onion lengthwise.
3. Cut the sambar onion into two.
4. In a kadai put one teaspoon oil and add big onion pieces and fry till it turns transparent. Add tomato pieces and fry till the tomatos mashed well. Add coconut gratings and sambar powder and fry for two minutes. Remove and cool it. When it is cooled, grind to a fine paste.
5. Put the remaining oil in the kadai. When it is hot add mustard. When it pops up, add bengal gram dhal, red chillies broken into pieces, curry leaves. Then add fenugreek and fry till it turns light brown. Add cut sambar onions and fry well. Then add brinjal pieces and fry for two to three minutes. Add tamarind water along with turmeric powder.
6. Bring to boil. Reduce the heat and cook till the brinjal is soft. Now add the ground paste along with a cup of water and stir well. Allow to cook in reduced heat for three to five minutes.

Tips: After grinding the coconut and tomato, you can wash the mixie with a cup of water and add that to the paste and make it semi liquid. If you add this liquid, it will blend with the kuzhambu well.

I tried a little different way. I kind of dry roasted the channa dhal, red chillies, and fenugeek and grinded it along with the onion,tomato fry.

Note: You can also prepare this Kuzhambu with drumstick, green banana, or in combination of brinjal, Drumstick, broad beans.