Kandarapam/Chettinad Specials/Guest Post

Hi all This is my 5 th guest post and its for "Menaga  akka" she  is one of my fellow blogger  and a good friend of mine .She has a tamil blog and its been like 5 years now she started blogging .She usually explains her recipes very easy and to the point .You can see many chettinad recipes as well in her blog like "kavuni arisi payasam","nandu masala".Among them i like her quick "Tirunelveli kothumai halwa" very much and waiting to try it because i don't get Whole wheat here .
One fine day i asked menaga akka "can i do a guest post on your blog ?".Immediately she said yes and she said "anything is fine ,but if you give me kadarappam i will be more than happy ".Then i asked my mom about the recipe and did it immediately .But akka was busy  shifting her house.After a month of wait now its time to enjoy the beauties in her space .I guess menaga akka will like it .Do check her space and enjoy her recipes in tamil .
Coming to the recipe .This is another chettinad delicacy and its loved by all ,especially kids because they are sweet .These cuties you can see in festivals or chettinad marriages .When you go to karaikudi for a marriage next time be sure to ask them kandarappam.
There are many different versions of this and this one is my moms recipe .To get a true taste you have to deep fry it with coconut as well.If you are a diet kindof person then you have to stay away from it .But you can make like sweet appam(dosa) and enjoy this.Guess unniappam will  taste like this .This is the first time i am making it so haven't got a proper shape .Check the kandarappam recipe here

Soaked rice and urad dal

After grinding the mixture in wet grinder

 Check whether its in proper texture before adding it to oil

Pour it in oil

 Browned kandarappam

Your sweet snack is ready .Enjoy with your loved ones .

linking this to Gayathri's WTML event and prachis 

2014 Special-Chettinad Karupatti Paniyaram / Palm Jaggery Fritters(கருப்பட்டி பணியாரம் )

Karupatti paniyarams are synonymous with festive occasions like pillaiyar nonbu and special padaippu
(offerings to ancestors) in chettinad. When we make this, festive season will be around the corner. Like some people say cake baking during winter gives the festive feel. Usually my mom or mother-in-law will give me the dough. Last year I made the dough myself and was so happy. This time too I tried it again and it came out super yummy.
I made this paniyaram for pillaiyar nonbu. I made vada, vellai paniyaram, idly  and sambar along with it and offered it to Ganesha. All of them were very good and we enjoyed it.

Preparation time:1 hour(Except keeping them at room temperature for 2 days)
Cooking time :1 hour
Yields:32

Home made rice noodles(இடியாப்பம்) Guest post

         I want to start my post with a few words about Shruti .She is a bubbly and a lovely lady with lots of energy and enthusiasm for cooking and blogging. She has a wonderful blog and her clicks are wonderful too. I first met her through blogging world when I was taking baby steps in blogging. I am amazed by her blogging abilities, she is very quick in posting recipes and I wonder how she is able do it. 

I had requested her about a guest post and she was gracious enough to say yes and also gave me ample time to get a good post. I enjoy her chatting in post and sharing virtual treat for her friends n family birthdays and special occasions.Check her website here and enjoy her recipes like me .

Today I am goign to share with you a unique Idiyappam recipe from Chettinad. Idiyappam is famous in Tamilnadu and Kerala and usually gets served with Kuruma, Stew and some times with Milk. The Chettinad version is tempered and its served with kosumalli.

   

Chettinad Vellai paniyaram / Rice fritters.

Vellai Paniyaram is a signature chettinad dish. Anyone who has been to Nagarathar weddings or functions will be well aware of Vellai paniyaram.Vellai paniyaram literally translates to White paniyaram. No Chettinad feast is complete without vellai paniyaram. This dish is not very easy to make and its quite difficult to get the correct texture on the paniyaram. That said, I have included useful tips which would make life a little easier I guess. Usually Achi's use paniyaram rice to make this dish. But I cannot get that here so I used regular raw rice. The perfect accompaniment for this dish is Varamilagai chutney or Tomato chutney

My husband is very fond of this dish and my Mother-in Law makes it a point to make vellai paniyaram and vada whenever we visit. She also makes them during festivals. I made this and vada for Diwali breakfast to keep our family tradition going. My little one really loved this dish and I was very happy.

Preparation Time:15min

Cooking Time:30 min

Yields:15-20 

Chettinad Kosumalli-Eggplant Stew-Guest Post Linseys Blog

Today I am sharing a guest post in Linsey Patel's blog. I am really stoked because this is my first guest post ever. When I started the blog, I was looking for some support and asked Linsey for help and she was gracious enough to let me do a guest post. Thanks again Linsey.

Linsy hosts a very popular blog. Her recipes are delicious, I have made and enjoyed a few of her recipes. You guys will too.
 Please check out Linsey's blog and find  my Chettinad Kosumalli (கோசுமல்லி )/ Eggplant Stew recipe

Onion Tomato Gravy | Chettinad Special Vengaya Kosu

      Onion Tomato Gravy/Vengaya Kosu is an authentic Chettinad dish. Its a perfect side dish for Idly and Dosa. This is my husband's favorite side dish. I make it once a week at least. Idly/dosa and Vengaya Kosu is all that he needs.
       It's  a  Kuruma without any vegetables.Basically a thick gravy made with Onions, potatoes,tomatoes and Coconut. There is something unique about the flavor of this dish. When you eat a steaming hot idly with this onion tomato gravy you will never ever forget the taste of it.You will find this curry being served in Chettinad marriages and functions.

Vada and Sambar recipe-Chettinad Style

      Vada is a famous South Indian appetizer. In Chettinad Marriages and festivals Vada is usually served during breakfast and also as an evening snack along with Idly. Idly is steamed and it's usually soft and fluffy, Vada is deep fried and it is crunchy. The crunch of the Vada goes really well with the softness of the Idly.

       This Vada Recipe is an authentic Chettinad recipe. It uses Urad dal and its very nutritious even though its deep fried. It can be served as a snack or as an appetizer.
       The traditional accompaniment for Vada is Sambar. You can find a dish called Sambar Vada in almost all South Indian restaurants. Its Vada soaked in Sambar.
      I have included a traditional breakfast Sambar recipe in this post. It uses green chilis for the spice instead of sambar powder. It tastes quite different from the other styles of Sambar.

 VADA
Preparation time:20 min
Cooking time:20-30 min
Serves:2-3

Vara Milagai Chutney-Thuvayal

Varamilagai Thuvaiyal is a dish unique to chettinad. Every chettinad household has a variant of this chutney. Tomatoes, Onions and Red Chilis get ground up raw which is unique. Usually we would saute the ingredients while making a tomato based chutney. Vara Milagai in tamil means dried red chili. The use of dried red chili's give a unique flavor to this dish.

This chutney goes well with Idly and Dosa. It also goes really well with Wheat dosa. I love wheat dosa with this chutney. I can never get enough of this combination. My Husband's Grandma who is 80 loves this chutney. She does not cook anymore but she still asks my mother in law to make it for her.

Preparation time:2 min

Cooking time:6-7 minutes

serves:2

Idly-Malligai poo(step by step pics)

      Idly is the defacto breakfast in all four south Indian states. The softest and yummiest Idli's I have had have always been from a Chettinad kitchen. Call me biased but it is a fact. My husband who travels quite a bit, always says that Nothing can beat a Chettinad Idly.
     Idly is very nutritious and very easy to digest. When we moved here I tried making Idli's with a Blender. It's doesn't come out  as soft as a Chettinad Idly but its definitely not bad. It sure beats the Idli's that you get at Indian restaurants here in the US.

Check for chutney recipes  that goes with idly:

1. Coconut chutney 
2. Beetroot Chutney
3. VaraMilagai Chutney

Preparation time:5-6 hrs soaking and grinding 40 min

Cooking time:10 min

Serves:10-12

Sambar-Chettinad style

Today morning we had pongal along with sambar an unbeatable combination. After our move to the US we usually have pongal almost every sunday or every other sunday. I have kinda became an expert in pongal sambar.

The best pongal I have had has to be ghee pongal at Saravana Bhavan, I can never forget the taste.
We are fortunate to have a Saravana Bhavan here in the east coast. I like their mini lunch which is combination of bisibelabath, sweet pongal and curd rice.

This sambar is  hybrid between chettinad style and madras style and  you can eat with anything Dosa, Idly, Pongal  and Vada. In chettinad style sambar we use only green chilis for spice and we do not use sambhar powder. There will be another post on Vada  Sambar soon.

Preparation time:5 min

Cooking time:15 min

Serves:2-3