How to make Ada for Ada Pradhaman / Paalada | Homemade Ada Recipe

Homemade Ada Recipe

Learn how to make Ada for Ada Pradhaman /palalda Pradhaman /Payasam.
Prep Time: 60 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Makes: 1 to 1.5 cups
Ingredients:

1. Unakkalari /Raw rice - 1/2 cup( see notes)
2. Ghee - 1 tsp
3. Sugar - 1 tsp
4. Water - to prepare batter
5. Banana leaves,cut into rectangles - as required

Instructions:

Wash and soak rice in plenty of water for about 1 hour.

Drain the water completely and spread the rice on a clean kitchen towel and allow it to dry for about 30 to 45 minutes.

 

Transfer it to a blender and grind to form a fine powder.

Sieve it to remove any leftover grains.Next add ghee and sugar to the rice flour.

Add sufficient water and mix well form a smooth batter ( like dosa batter).Meanwhile boil water in a large pot.

Take a piece of banana leaf and drizzle the batter over it.Roll it gently and tie with a string. 

 

Once the water comes to a rolling boil,add the rolled banana leaves and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Now remove the rolls from water .Peel the ada carefully.

Cut it into small squares and wash the ada if it is sticky.Soak ada in hot water until required.

NOTES

• You may  use pachari if unakkalri is not available.
• You can also use unroasted rice flour to prepare ada.In that case just add sugar ,ghee and water to the flour and mix to form the batter.
• For Ada Pradhaman ,cut the ada into slightly larger pieces.
• 

Aloo Paratha| Potato Masala Stuffed Indian Flatbread | Step by Step Recipe

Aloo Paratha

Potato masala stuffed Indian flatbread.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 6 parathas
Ingredients:

1. Whole wheat flour- 1 Cup( extra for dusting)
2. Water - as required
3. Salt - to taste( about 1 cup)
4. Oil / Ghee - as required

For Potato stuffing:

1. Potato,boiled and cubed- 2 medium
2. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Onion,finely chopped - 1/4 cup
4. Green chilies,finely chopped - 1 ( or according to taste)
5. Ginger ,finely chopped - 1/4 tsp
6. Kashmiri chili powder- 1/4  tsp( or to taste)
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
8. Garam masala powder- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
9. Coriander leaves,chopped - 1 tbsp
10. Salt- To taste
11. Oil- as required

Instructions:

In a bowl,combine together whole wheat flour,salt and sufficient quantity of water and mix well.Knead to form a soft dough.Cover and keep aside for atleast 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan,add cumin seeds and saute for few seconds.Add onion,green chilies and ginger.Saute until onion turns golden brown.

Now add kashmiri chili powder,turmeric powder and garam masala powder.Saute for few seconds.Add potato , coriander leaves and salt to taste.

Mix well until it is smooth.Divide the stuffing into 6 equal parts.

Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and roll a portion of the dough into a circle of 4" diameter on a lightly floured surface.Place the filling ball in the center.

Bring all the sides to the center and seal tightly.Pinch off the excess dough,if desired.

Press it lightly using your finger tips to form a circle.

Dust the surface with whole wheat flour ,roll the stuffed dough lightly to form 6 to 7 " circle.(Lightly dust the parathas with flour,if it sticks to the rolling pin or the  working surface.)

Heat a nonstick /iron tawa ,place the paratha and let it cook until the color changes slightly for about 15 seconds over medium high heat.Flip the paratha and cook for few more seconds.

Drizzle 1 tsp oil over the paratha.Flip the paratha again and gently press using a spatula.Cook until golden brown spots appear on both the sides.Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.Serve hot with pickle and yogurt.

NOTES

• For best results, drizzle ghee over the parathas. 

Carrot Halwa | Gajar Halwa | Indian Sweet Recipes

Carrot Halwa

Popular Indian sweet/pudding made using grated carrots and milk.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 5 to 6
Ingredients:

1. Ghee - 3 to 4 tbsp
2. Grated carrots - 4 cups( 4 to 5 large carrots)
3. Milk- 4 cups
4. Sugar - 3/4 cup( or to taste)
5. Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
6. Cashew nuts- 15 to 18
7. Ghee- to fry cashew nuts

Instructions:

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan .

Add grated carrots and saute for 5 to 7 minutes.Next add milk and bring it to a boil.

Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes over low flame ,stirring well in between.Cook until the carrots are soft and the milk is evaporated.

Now add sugar and mix well.Cook until it turns thick for about 3 to 4 minutes,stirring well in between.Fry cashew nuts in ghee until it turns golden brown and add it to the halwa.Mix well and serve warm or chilled. and serve.

NOTES

• Adjust the quantity of sugar according to your taste.
• You can also add one pinch saffron along with the milk for better flavor.
• I actually scaled down the recipe to 1/2,as you can see in the pics.
  

Kerala Bonda | Fried whole wheat and banana cake

Kerala Bonda

Popular Kerala tea time snack made using whole wheat flour , banana and jaggery.(also known as undanpori in North Kerala.)
Prep Time: 10 minutes ( 2 hours for fermentation)
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 20 to 25 bondas
Ingredients:

1. Jaggery,grated-3/4 cup
2. Sliced coconut(cut into small pieces)-1/4 cup
3. Whole wheat flour- 2 cups
4. Baking soda- 1 large pinch
5. Salt-1 pinch
6. Cardamom powder,freshly ground-1/2 tsp
7. Small banana(preferably palayankodan pazham)- 3 nos
8. Water-as required
9. Ghee-1/2 tbsp
10. Coconut oil-for deep frying

Instructions:

In a heavy bottomed pan,melt grated jaggery adding 1/4 cup water.Keep aside.Allow it to cool completely.

Heat ghee in a pan and add the coconut bits.Fry until it turns golden brown.Keep aside.

In another bowl,mash the bananas using a fork.

Add melted jaggery and fried coconut ,mix well until combined.

In a mixing bowl mix together whole wheat flour,baking soda,salt and cardamom powder using a fork.Add the banana -jaggery mixture and 1/4 cup water to the dry ingredients and gently mix until combined.

Add more water if required,and mix gently to form a sticky dough.Do not over mix.Cover and allow it to ferment for about 2 hours.

Heat oil in a pan over medium flame.Dip your hand in water(to avoid sticking) ,take a small portion of the dough and shape it into a lemon sized ball,then carefully slide the dough off your fingers into the hot oil.Repeat with the remaining dough.

Fry until it turns deep golden brown,turning once or twice in between.(Make sure that you cook it over medium flame ,else the bondas will brown too quickly and remain uncooked inside.) Drain onto a kitchen towel.Serve with tea.

Besan Laddu Recipe | Besan Ladoo

Besan Laddu

Recipe adapted from :Tarla Dalal,you can find the original recipe here.
Besan Laddu-Popular Indian Sweet
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 12 to 14 laddus
Ingredients:

1. Besan/chickpea flour- 3/4 cup(100 gms)
2. Powdered sugar-3/4 cup( 100 gms)
3. Ghee- 1/3 cup( 60 gms)
4. Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
5. Cashew nuts,fried in ghee- 1 or 2 tbsp( optional)

Instructions:

Heat ghee in a pan,add chickpea flour and cook over low flame,stirring continuously until it turns golden brown in color.This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.When it is done the mixture will start releasing ghee.(Make sure you cook the mixture well over low flame,or else the laddu will have a raw taste.)

Switch off the stove,allow it cool slightly.

Add powdered sugar and cardamom powder.(Add cashew nuts,if using).Mix well until combined.

Divide this into equal sized balls.(The balls will harden just a little bit,after few hours.)