Kamarkattu
These are Tamil Nadu’s beloved bite-sized wonders, a chewy and sticky affair that awakens the child in you.
Ingredients
1 cup coconut (grated)
1 cup jaggery
2 tbsp rice flour (for coating)
Method
Dry-roast the coconut.
Heat pan, melt jaggery with 1 table spoon of water.
Stir well continuously till ‘one-string’ consistency is reached.
Then add the roasted coconut and mix well. Stir for 2 minutes.
Turn off heat.
Pour one table spoon of mixture on rice-flour-coated plate and let it cool.
Once it has set hard enough, roll them into small balls.
Vada Curry
Vada curry is the perfect partner to idlis, dosas and parotas – a comforting dip to ease those exhausted nerves!
Ingredients
For the Vada
1/2 cup Bengal gram /kadalai paruppu /channa dal
1/2 tsp chilli powder
A pinch of turmeric powder
2 tbsp onion, finely chopped
Salt according to preference
Oil for frying the vadas
For the Curry/ Gravy
3/4 cup onion (thinly sliced)
1 cup tomato (finely chopped)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
3/4 cup thin coconut milk
1/4 cup thick coconut milk (not very thick)
For the Masala
1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1-2 green chilli
1/2 tsp fennel seeds/sombu
1 inch piece cinnamon
2 cloves
1 cardamom
For the seasoning
2 tbsp oil
1 bay leaf
For garnishing
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
2-3 leaves mint leaves
Method for the Vada
Grind all the ingredients for the masala to a fine paste. Keep aside.
Soak channa dal for 2 hours.
Drain the water; add salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder, and 1/2 tsp of the masala paste (this is just to give more flavor to the vada).
Grind coarsely without adding water.
Then mix finely chopped onions with it.
Heat oil in a kadai, make uneven balls from the mixture and drop it into the oil.
Fry till golden brown, remove it and place it on a paper towel to absorb excess oil if any.
The vada need not be crisp as it will be added to the gravy.
Alternatively, you can make small balls and steam the vadas as it is done for paruppu usili .
Method for the Gravy
Heat oil in a kadai or pan, add bay leaf, saute for second, then add thinly sliced onions and saute until golden brown.
Then add the ground masala paste and saute for a few more minutes.
Now add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder and chilli powder.
Cook till tomatoes turn mushy and oil oozes out. Do all this on medium flame.
Then add thin coconut milk, salt according to taste, and bring it to boil.
Once it starts boiling, add the vadas by breaking it into small pieces.
Cook on low heat for a few minutes.
Allow the vada to absorb the gravy.
Then add the thick coconut milk, boil and switch it off.
Garnish with mint and coriander leaves.
Serve with steaming idlis or dosas .
Filter Coffee
Filter coffee is the pride of the state, known also by its name variations like filter, kaapi, or degree coffee. Perfecting this beverage is an art that comes with extensive practice. Begin yours today!
For the Decoction
3 heaped tsp – coffee powder
1 cup – water
For Coffee
¼ cup decoction
1 cup – milk
1 tsp sugar
Method
Allow water to boil.
Add 3 tsps of filter coffee powder to the filter container.
Add the boiled water.
Fit the top chamber of the filter.
The decoction drops and gets collected in the lower part of the filter.
After adding water, close and keep it undisturbed for 10 minutes until all the decoction drops down.
Add sugar to the serving tumbler. Then add decoction, maybe 2- 3 teaspoons (depends on how strong you like your coffee).
Boil milk.
Then strain milk in the same tumbler.
Pour from the tawara to the tumbler once or twice until frothy. Serve hot.