Ammini Kozhukattai/ Mini Steamed Rice Balls

Ammini Kozhukattais - These Kozhukattais are generally made with the leftover dough after making Poornam Kozhukattai and Uppu Kozhukattai. Poornam Kozhukattai and Uppu Kozhukattai are generally made on the occasion of Ganesh Chathurthi. My MIL makes it more frequently; I should say almost monthly, i.e on every Sankatahara Chathurthi. And everytime, she purposely makes a little extra of the outer dough so that these lovely Ammini Kozhukattais can be made.
Ammini Kozhukattais are savory mini rice balls, steamed and tempered with mild spices. This is an excellent snack for children. My daughter loves making and eating these mini savory balls. Here is the recipe for Ammini Kozhukattai:

What you’ll need

1. Rice Flour – 1 cup
2. Water – 2 cups
3. Salt – a pinch
4. Sesame Oil – 1 tsp

For the tempering

1. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
2. Urad Dal – ½ tsp
3. Dry Red chillies – 1 or 2
4. Asfoetida/Hing – a pinch
5. Curry Leaves a few
6. Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Method

Heat a non stick Kadai, add the 2 cups of water and bring it to boil. Add a pinch of salt and about 1 tsp of sesame oil to this water. Once the water starts boiling add the flour little by little and mix well without forming lumps until it comes together as a mass. Cover and rest it for about 5 to 10 mins. Then, apply some oil to your hands and knead into smooth dough.
Pinch out a small amount of dough and shape it into a small ball. Repeat procedure with the entire dough.
Now place these in a steamer and steam cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. The balls will be shiny when done.
For the tempering, Heat a Kadai with a tsp of oil. Temper with mustard, urad dal and red chillies. Finally add a pinch of asfoetida and curry leaves. Then add the steamed rice balls and mix well. Remove it on to a serving plate. Yummy ammini kozhukattais are ready.

Linking this to Kid's Delight Event - Mini Bites being hosted by Champa originally started by Srivalli

Also linking this to Anyone can Cook Series 23 being hosted at Taste of Pearl City.

Bread Upma

Bread Upma is one of the first dishes which I learnt to prepare because of my love for it. It is really simple and gets ready in about 10minutes time. You can have it at any time of the day. I usually have it either for breakfast or when I am too bored to prepare an elaborate dinner. It is really a quick fix dish. Needs very few basic ingredients and bread of course!

This dish brings back some very sweet childhood memories. A hot favorite with me and my brother. Whenever my mom prepared this and shared it between me and my brother, both of us would check if we really have got equal halves or by any chance if the other has got a few pieces more...It was one of my favorites for the school snack box too. Now it has become my children’s favorite as well.

So here’s how my mom used to prepare bread upma and I continue to make it the same way…

Ingredients Serves 2

1. Bread – 8 slices
2. Onion – 1 Medium size
3. Tomatoes – 1 big
4. Green chillies –4
5. Turmeric Powder – a pinch
6. Rasam Powder – 1 tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Coriander leaves – a few

For Seasoning

1. Oil – 2 tsps
2. Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
3. Jeera – 1 tsp
4. Urad Dal – ½ tsp
5. Channa dal – ½ tsp
6. Curry leaves a few

Method

Chop the onions and chillies into small pieces. Cut tomatoes into cubes of medium size. Cut the bread sliced into medium sized pieces.

Heat a Kadai with oil, add mustard seeds once they splutter add jeera, urad dal and channa dal. Once the dals change color add the curry leaves. Then add green chillies and chopped onions. Fry till onions turn translucent. Then add tomatoes and cook on high heat. Don’t the tomatoes get too mushy. Now add turmeric powder, salt and rasam powder. Fry for a minute. Then add the bread pieces and fry on high heat till the bread absorbs the flavors of the tomatoes and onions. Turn off heat. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Delicious bread upma is ready.

Sending this treasured recipe to Gayathri's Event Walking Through the Memory Lane and to Srivalli's Kids Delight Guest hosted by Priya.

Note:

1. Add salt only for the tomatoes and onions as bread will have enough salt.
2. Take care while sautéing tomatoes, if they become too softy and mushy then the Upma will become very soggy.

Verum Arisi Adai

The name “verum arisi adai” literally means only rice adai.  This is the lesser known cousin of the Adai family.  It was my father’s favorite tiffin. Whenever my mother used to grind for idly/dosa, there would be surely some verum arisi maavu too. But many people really don’t know about this adai. Yet another palakkad speciality.

I remember eating this adai for breakfast for more than a month, everyday, post both my deliveries. After childbirth, I had to be on a strict diet better known as pathiyam. I thank my stars that Verum Arisi adai was on my pathiya menu!

Traditionally this dish is prepared by taking a big lemon sized ball of dough and patting it into a round on the tava with some water. Some holes are made on it and oil is poured in and around the adai. It is to be cooked on slow flame on both sides till the adai is nice golden and crisp. This is how my pati makes. My mother adapted it in her own style and here is her recipe:

Ingredients

1.       Par boiled rice – 2 cups

2.       Fenugreek /methi seeds – 2 tsps

3.       Salt to taste

Method

Soak the rice and methi seeds for 3 – 4 hours and grind into a thick paste. Add the required amount of salt and allow it ferment for about 8 – 12 hrs. When you want to make the adai, take the required amount of rice paste and dilute it with little water. The batter should not be very watery.  Heat a tava and pour a ladleful of batter on to it. Spread it into a thick dosa. You’ll find small holes forming on the adai by itself. Also make a small hole in the middle of the adai. Pour a teaspoon of oil around the adai and in the holes too. Cook on medium heat till both sides turn golden brown.

Serve immediately with gunpowder (molaga podi), or any pickle.

Note: You can add grated coconut or drumstick leaves for extra taste.