Medium Gobi/Cauliflower-cut into floretsFor the batter,½ cup Cornflour(the surprise ing :))½ cup Maida/All purpose flour2 tsps of Ginger + Garlic-crushed3 small onions/shallots-crushedA tsp Red chilly powderSalt-to tasteOil- to deep fryFinal Mix up;2 tbsp-OilA tbsp of Ginger + Garlic-juliennedA Capsicum(green or red)-cut into ½ inch squaresA Big Onion- cut into ½ inch squares2 tbsp-Soy sauce2 tbsp-Green chilly sauceA tsp red chilly powderSalt-to tasteSpring onions-to garnish
Method:
1. Wash the cauliflower florets and boil them for a couple of minutes in salted water(should be just 1/4th cooked and not over cooked).Drain and keep aside.
2. Mix cornflour, maida, crushed ginger garlic, small onions ,chilly powder and salt with warm water to make a thick batter.
3. Dip Cauliflower florets into this batter and deep fry them until golden brown. Set aside.
4. Now for the mixing up part ; in a broad and wide wok, heat 2tbsp oil and sauté the sliced ginger-garlic, onion and capsicum in that order and saute for a couple of minute.The onions and capsicum should retain its crispiness and do not let them turn brown.They need to be just translucent.
5. Now add the red chilly powder, soy and chilly sauces in high flame and mix continuously for a few seconds.
6. Add ½ cup of water to this and fried and cooled gobi chunks.
7. Sauté again for 3-4 minutes to absorb excess water of any and switch off fire when it is semi

dry/ saucy consistency has reached. Let the pieces be 'a li'l crisp' and not soggy at this stage.

Idly Milagai Podi

Idly Milagai Podi

No tamil homes,I would say,without this red spicy aromatic powder,preserved in small or big jars,glass bottles or plastic containers.A 'must' served item of any Tamil home for the 'tiffin'.Of course every home has its own version of making the same...less spicy...more spicy..a bit more of asafoetida/hing added to it...a bit more garlicky or less and so on...

Idly Milagai Podi, served with generous amounts of gingelly oil or ghee serves just right for Idly or Dosa .This recipe is specially posted for the portal, Tamil Recipes.


Here's the recipe I mastered from my husband's granny,who is very specific in measuring the ingredients in Tamil Nadu's traditional containers called padi.Well,I too take the measurements in the padi as she does...the oru padi,ara padi or araikkal padi as it suggests for 1,1/2 and 1/4 respectively.I have put the same into tea cup measurements for the sake of my fellow bloggers:).


The asafoetida piece in the centre,rock salt,bengal gram dal,
urad dal and the red chillies(after roasting).

Thevai: yeilds 1 1/2 cups of powder.

2 cups of well dried destalked Red chillies/Kayntha milagai(30 gms).
1/2 cup Bengal gram dal/kadalai paruppu.
1/2 cup Broken urad dal/udaitha uzhutham paruppu.
A small piece of rock asafoetida/Katti perungayam.Using the hard perungayam gives more aroma to the powder..can be replaced by the powdered one as well.
A tsp of Rock salt or as you need.
A tsp of Oil.

Roast the ingredients one by one till deep brown.


Seymurai:

1.Heat a wok(iron wok preffered) and DRY roast the bangal gram dal and the Urad dal SEPARATELY until deep brown.Keep the flame'medium',taking care not to over or under fry.The frying part is the most important slot as this decides the quality of the powder.See picture carefully.

2.Now add oil in the same wok and roast the piece of asafoetida.Remove soon and keep aside.

3.Using the same oil fry the red chillies,taking care not to burn them,in a low flame till the colour changes and its aroma comes out..(you tend to cough:) at this stage).Add salt and mix.Remove the chillies from the wok.

4.Cool the roasted ingredients and powder altogether in a mixie.Some prefer it a little coarse and some like it too powdery.Do it as you like..

Podi smeared idlies-perfect to pack away.


Variations.

If you like the flavour of gingelly seeds/ellu,fry 4 tsps of them,after frying urad dal,separately and grind together with the other ingredients.
If you go for a garlicky flavour,avoid gingellyseeds and use 4-5 flakes of garlic/poondu and dry roast it separately till brown,grind with the other ingredients.

See also the related , Kerala version,"Chammanthipodi" by R.P.