Carrot-Cucumber Kosambari

"Carrot-Cucumber Kosambari" is a South-Indian style salad made from cucumber, carrot and seasoned with red chilies, mustard, and asafoetida. 

I have posted recipe for "Kosambari' before. But I did not add seasoning in previous recipe. 

Ingredients

3/4 cup Moong dal, soaked for 3-4 hours

1 Cucumber, finely chopped

2 Carrots, shredded

2 Green Chilies, finely chopped

2 sprig of cilantro

Salt

For seasoning-

2 tsp Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

2 Red Chilies

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

1 sprig of Curry leaves

Method

• Soak moong dal in water for 3-4 hours. Drain excess water and wash it in cold water for 2-3 times 
• In a mixing bowl, mix moong dal, cucumber, carrot, chilies, cilantro and adjust salt as per taste
• In a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, red chilies, asafoetida and curry leaves. When mustard seeds starts to splutter, pour the seasoning to cucumber and carrots
• Mix well and serve it as a salad or side dish

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Kosambari 

Holige | Obbattu | Pooli | Bobbatlu

"Holige" is a traditional sweet made during festivals, specially for Ugadi and Ganesa festivals.   It is a stuffed flat bread.  There are different kinds of holige based on filling - bele holige, sakkare holige or kayi holige. It is a time consuming recipe but worth the effort.

Ingredients

For the dough -

1 cup Maida | flour

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 cup Oil

1/2 cup water

For filling -

2 cups Toor dal

2 cups Jaggery | Gur, grated or shavings

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Method

For the dough - 

• In a mixing bowl, add water, turmeric and salt. Mix well. Now add maida or plain flour and knead the dough well. Add water if required. The dough should be very soft

• Next add oil and knead again. Rest dough for 1 hour

For Filling -

• In a pressure cooker, cook dal with 2 cups water for up to 2 whistles. After cooker has cooled, drain excess water from dal (which you can used it to make rasam | sambhar).  Mash dal until it is smooth (or use a food processor, or a blender). 

• Now melt jaggery  in a separate pan with 2 tsp water. Keep stirring until jaggery completely dissolves 

                                     

• pour melted jaggery on dal and add cardamom powder. Mix well in low heat setting until dal thickens

For Holige -

• Divide dough into equal portions. Each ball about 1 1/2 inch
• Divide fillings into equal portions. Each ball about 2 1/2 inch

• Now dust the dough in plain flour or smear oil on dough for non-stickiness. Roll each ball into small circular shape

• Place a ball of filling on the rolled dough. Cover all the ends. Roll it again thinly. Use oil or flour while rolling to avoid  breakage or damage to the holige

         

• Gently place holige on a preheated pan. Roast evenly on both sides. Use very little oil if needed

• Serve hot with ghee or Milk or payasa

Tip :

• I have used flour, instead of oil while rolling holige to avoid excess grease
• After frying holige, do not stack them. Place them beside each other when it is hot. After it has cooled, you can stack it. This way it avoids sticking to one another.

Medu Vada | Uddina Vada | Thootu Vada

A deep fried South Indian recipe made with Urad dal and combinations of spices. This vada is served with coconut chutney and sambhar. 

Ingredients

1 cup Urad Dal, soaked for at least 3 hours

1/2 tsp Pepper corns

1 small piece of Ginger grated

2 Green chili, finely chopped

Salt

Oil for deep frying

Method

• Wash soaked urad dal 2 to 3 times. Grind urad dal finely without adding much water

                              

   

• Add pepper corns, grated ginger and  finely chopped chilies into the batter. Adjust salt as per taste

• Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottom vessel
• Apply water to your hands. take a small portion of batter. Flatten it and make a hole in the center and gently leave it in the oil

• Fry evenly on both the sides. Drain excess oil using absorbant paper

• Serve with coconut chutney and sambhar

Tip:

• After grinding the batter, do not leave it to ferment otherwise the vada will absorb excess oil
• I have not used water while making batter. And  I prepared better using blender. If you are using grinder, then use very little water
• You can also add 2 tsp of freshly grated coconut and curry leaves to enhance its flavour

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Coconut Chutney  

Kosambari

A traditional South Indian salad made with legumes and fresh vegetables. Apart from being prepared quite often at homes, this recipe is always on the menu during festivals or any auspicious functions. 

Ingredients

1 cup of Moong Dal, soaked for 3 to 4 hours

1 Cucumber, finely chopped

1 Green Chili, minced

1 tsp Lemon Juice

Small bunch of Cilantro, finely chopped

Salt

Method

• Wash  soaked moong dal 2 to 3 times before preparing salad. 

• In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients and adjust salt as per taste
• Serve immediately 

Tip:

• This salad can be seasoned with mustard, red chili and freshly grated coconut
• Do not add salt, if you don't plan to serve immediately. And also, refrigerate so that it keeps them fresh. Because salt with leave excess water from vegetables