Sesame Seed - Peanut Laddu

(This was originally published on 12/25/2012.)

From an Indian perspective, the word 'sweets' stand for all culinary things that are obviously sweet and are from the subcontinent. In a traditional sense, none of the baked goods or the western desserts usually fall under the category and they are never a part of a religious feast. 

Laddus, kheer, halwa and burfis make up a significant portion of the myriad varieties of Indian sweets. They entice me the most and so I thought of posting a nutritious and super quick laddu today. These laddus are made with just four ingredients - peanuts, white sesame seeds, dried coconut and jaggery. This is again a 5 minutes recipe if you have toasted and skinned peanuts handy. One minute to toast sesame seeds, under two minutes to blend the mixture and about two minutes to shape the laddus. These are vegan, gluten-free, no bake and a quick fix treat that satiates the sweet tooth.

Peanuts obviously are a good source of protein while sesame seeds are a source of good fats and have a rich iron content. Jaggery is the sweetener used here which is more nutritious than sugar. Adjust the quantity as needed since the sweetness of jaggery varies each time one buys a batch. There is no need of any binding agent to make these laddus. Toasted peanuts and sesame seeds are used here which when ground release oil which help to bind the laddus. Made with healthy ingredients, these protein rich laddus provide a quick boost of energy besides being yummy and easy ones to prepare.

Ingredients: (Make 10 laddus)
1/2 cup roasted, skinned peanuts
1/4 cup white sesame seeds
1/4 cup grated dried coconut /copra
3/4 to 1 cup jaggery powder (depending upon the sweetness of jaggery)

Method:
* Toast sesame seeds on medium flame, continuously stirring until they start to slightly brown and start to sputter. It takes about a minute to toast them. Turn off the stove and transfer them onto a plate. Let them cool.

* Add all ingredients to a food processor / blender and coarsely grind them.

* Transfer the mixture onto a plate. Fist a portion of the mixture and shape it into a ball. Repeat the step of making balls with the remaining mixture. (It took me about 2 minutes for this quantity.)

* Store the laddus in an airtight container. The container can be left over the counter and needs to be refrigerated only if need to be stored longer. 

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon under the theme 'Protein rich dishes'. Check the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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Tomato - Peanut Chutney

There are several versions of tomato chutney in Indian cuisine that can be served as aside dish to several breakfast dishes / rice or can be used as a spread or dip. The version I am posting today uses peanuts as well that makes the chutney more flavorful. I have added both green and red chilies here but only red chilies can be added for a brighter color, if you prefer. This spicy chutney goes well with idlis or dosas and can stays fresh for 2 or 3 days, refrigerated.

Here are some other tomato based chutneys to go with breakfast dishes. 

Tomato  and cilantro chutney

Kara chutney

Chettinad chutney

Ingredients for chutney:

1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, chopped
4 red chilies + 2 green chilies or to taste
2 tomatoes
1/2 tsp. sized tamarind ball
1/4 cup roasted and skinned peanuts
Salt to taste
Ingredients for tadka:

1 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp each mustard seeds 

1/2 tsp. black gram / urad dal
Few curry leaves

 
Directions:
* Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds start to turn a shade darker, add chilies and saute for about 10 seconds and add onion. 

* Saute until the onion turns translucent. Add tomatoes and tamarind. Continue to cook until tomatoes turn mushy. Turn off the stove.

* Grind the sauteed tomato mixture, peanuts and salt, adding hot water if needed. (The hot water increases the shelf life of the chutney.) Transfer the ground chutney to a bowl.
* Heat a tsp. oil and add mustard seeds and black gram. When the black gram starts to turn  reddish, add curry leaves and turn off the stove. Pour this tadka over the chutney and stir once to combine.
* Serve this with any south Indian breakfast dishes as a side dsih. Refrigerate any left overs and use within a couple of days. 

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Peanut - Onion Chutney

Peanut based chutney is one of the common chutneys prepared in south Indian homes besides the coconut chutney and roasted gram chutney. The thick, creamy and richly flavorful chutney goes well with breakfast dishes like idlis, dosa, upma, pongal and such. 

Peanuts that are roasted on low heat until the rawness is gone is used in this chutney. The low heat is the key here. If peanuts are roasted on high flame then only the skins get blackened faster but the peanuts still would taste raw. The chutney doesn't taste good when the peanuts are not roasted well. The roasted peanuts are cooled and then usually skinned by rubbing between the palms, before getting used in the chutney. It is absolutely fine if one wishes to skip this step and use them with the skin intact. Peanuts can be roasted ahead and stored to use later. Or if using store bought skinned peanuts, these steps can be skipped altogether which makes the chutney making a quick and simple task.

Peanut chutney is made in many versions. I usually stick to the basic one that needs just roasted peanuts, green chilies and salt. Many add garlic too to this chutney. Coconut, ginger, cilantro, tamarind can go into this chutney as well. Here is a version that one of my sister-in-law prepares using fried onion. She adds sautéed onion at the end while grinding but I add directly to the chutney. An extras step to the basic version but adds flavor to the chutney. I served dosas with peanut chutney and ginger - tamarind chutney. 

Ingredients:

2 - 3 tsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. skinned black gram / urad dal
1 tsp. split chickpeas / chana dal
1 sprig of curry leaves
1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup roasted and skinned peanuts
2 green chilies or to taste
Salt to taste
1 cup water

Directions:

* Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds, black gram and split chick peas. Stir once and when mustard seeds start to splutter and split chickpeas start to turn reddish, add curry leaves and onion. Sauté on low flame until onion turns translucent. (Or the sautéing of onions and tadka can be done separately.)

* Grind peanuts, green chilies and salt together adding water, finely or slightly grainy, depending upon one's preference.

* Transfer the ground peanut chutney to a bowl and add the sautéed onion mixture. Mix well and serve as a side dish to south Indian breakfast dishes like dosa, idli, or upma.

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Peanut Sambhar

This recipe had been on my to do list since I noticed it at Pavani's space and am glad that I decided to try it. It was so good that even my coconut hating husband loved it and my mother who watched it over our video chaat found it very appetizing just by the looks of it.

It is not the kind of sambhar where a handful of peanuts are thrown in but is an interesting variation with a peanut base. This delicious sambhar doesn't use any lentils or any kind of beans and makes a flavorful and spicy side dish. The original recipe had sauteed onion, tomato and garlic which I omitted and added some vegetables. One can choose to go either way or one can add vegetables on hand. I also reduced the cumin seeds' quantity and added a little sweetener. 

Ingredients:

For the paste:
1/4 cup peanuts
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/8 tsp. fenugreek seeds
3 dried red chillies
1/4 cup dry coconut, grated
For tempering:
1 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
A sprig of curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida powder
For sambhar:
1 cup chopped, mixed vegetables *
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. thick tamarind puree or to taste
1/4 tsp. jaggery / sugar (optional)
* I used peeled and diced carrots and chopped beans. The original recipe had sauteed onion and tomato instead.

Directions:
* Cook the vegetables adding enough water in a microwave, pressure cooker or in a pan on stove top. Keep them aside.
* Dry roast peanuts on low flame, continuously stirring for 3 - 4 minutes. Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chillies next and toast until fragrant and the seeds start to change a shade darker. Add coconut and stir once. Turn off the stove and let the ingredients cool. Grind the ingredients to a smooth paste adding enough water.

* Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, and cumin seeds. When mustard seeds start to splutter, add curry leaves, turmeric, asafoetida and stir. Immediately add the cooked vegetables along with water used to cook them, the peanut paste, salt, tamarind and sweetener if using. Add water to reach the desired consistency like a sambhar / stew. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Simmer the sambhar for 7 to 8 minutes and serve hot with rice.

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Shenga Hindi / Uttara Karnataka Kadalebeeja Chutney Pudi

Shenga hindi is one of the classic and signature condiments of the North Karnataka cuisine. The word hindi is not pronounced as the language 'Hindi', the second syllable 'di' is pronounced as the letter 'd'. It is prepared along the similar lines as the Maharashtrian dry peanut chutney with slight variations. No surprises there considering that the two regions are neighbors and recipes commonly spill over borders in India. The same recipe is used to make other versions of pudis from the region replacing peanuts with flax seeds, roasted gram or niger seeds. The spicy and flavorful powder can perk up any Indian meal. Red chillies are not used here as in the case of south Indian condiment podi / pudi which is a norm. Red chili powder is added and the quantity can be adjusted according to one's taste and my version is spicier, as per my husband's liking. I used less garlic but usually more cloves are added. This quantity can be increased to taste as well.

This is a very easy recipe that needs only toasting peanuts. Toasting peanuts at home on stove top is very easy. One needs to toast them on slow flame, constantly stirring without burning them. The skins on some peanuts may look like charred but it is fine as long as they are not burnt. They can be toasted in an oven too. One can use store bought peanuts as well to use in this recipe instead which makes the job easier and quicker.

I usually keep at least a cup of toasted peanuts handy. I add peanuts to a glass pie pan and microwave them in short intervals until they turn crispy. This way, I don't need to babysit them as we do when toasting in a pan on stove-top. Each time, I turn on the microwave for only 2 minutes so that they don't burn and I don't need to stir in between. If using low wattage microwaves, one can increase the toasting times to 3 minute intervals. I let them cool down, stir them once and again turn on for a couple of minutes whenever I remember them or happen to pass near the microwave. If one is in a hurry, give a short break and then toast, stirring every minute or so. The goal is to turn the peanuts crisp and crunchy not burn them.  

Ingredients:
1 cup peanuts
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
Red chili powder to taste (I used about 1.5 tsp. very spicy powder)
Salt to taste
1 small sprig of curry leaves
4 garlic cloves 
1/4 tsp. sugar (I don't use any.)

Directions:
* Toast peanuts on slow flame in a thick bottomed pan, stirring frequently. Toast until they turn crunchy. Pop a toasted peanut into your mouth and see if any rawness is still present, If so, continue to toast until the peanuts are crispy. Don't be in a hurry and toast the peanuts on high flame. They will not be toasted properly and the peanuts may burn. Transfer them onto a plate and let them come to room temperature.
* Add cumin seeds to the pan and toast them for few seconds and turn off the stove. Or once the stove is turned off, just add the cumin to the hot pan. The heat would be enough to toast them.
* Peeling the skins of peanut is completely optional in this recipe. If you prefer to do so, rub the peanuts between your palms and the skins will easily come off.  
* Add all the ingredients to a dry mixie / blender jar and grind them as fine as you can. One may need to stir the contents with a spoon in between grinding since the ground peanuts may stick to the bottom of the jar. (Mine is not as grainy as it looks in the pictures.)
* Transfer the contents to a dry and airtight jar. If the powder appears warm to touch because if the blender heat, let it come to room temperature before storing. 

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A - Z Karnataka Vegetarian Recipes ~ C for Congress Kadalekaayi / Congress Kadlekai

So far in the series,
A - Akki Halbai
B - Biscuit Rotti

I have been planning to do this A- Z Karnataka vegetarian recipe series for quite a while now and had somehow fixated on 'chow chow bhath' for my 'C' recipe. Believe it or not, I haven't posted khara bhath or kesari bhath recipes so far on my blog for that reason. However when I started to make a list for this series, somehow I thought of including recipes unique to the region as far as possible and chose this congress kadale kayi instead.

Congress kadale kaayi or kadle kai is the quintessential Bangalore snack, prepared by toasting peanuts and seasoning with spices. Kadale kayi or colloquially kadlekai (cud-lay-ka-e) means peanuts in Kannada. It is a quick and easy recipe and one can fix up this snack in less than five minutes if one already have toasted peanuts handy. It is commonly sold in Iyengar bakeries, small condiment stores and even in those push carts that appear in the evenings. One might even notice the chaatwaalas / street food vendors carry them to top the regional street treats like girmit, tomato slice chaat, nippattu masala chaat and others.

The Srinivasa Brahmin's bakery located in Gandhi bazaar, Bangalore is credited to have created this spicy snack in 1956. (BTW, that's the location where I used to got to college. I couldn't stop myself from mentioning it. Love the area. 👍) It was to boost their sales when there was a ration on all purpose flour / maida which they needed for their regular fare of bread, buns and rusk. 

The Indian National congress party is the grand old political party of India. One may ask why the name of an Indian political party associated with this snack. One of the common stories points to the Congress party split in 1969. In a parody, these kadlekai meaning peanuts came to be called Congress kadlekai since they are always split before seasoning. 

Peanuts in this case need no deep frying as in the case of chickpea flour / besan coated masala peanuts and so can be called a guilt free snack compared to other deep fried snacks. Care should be taken to toast the peanuts well until crisp and do not burn them. One can always adjust the seasonings to their preference. Even 1/4 tsp. of ground sugar can be added as well to the peanuts at the end if preferred but I didn't add. They can be enjoyed as a snack or can be used in chaat items.

1 cup - 240 ml
Ingredients: 
1 cup peanuts / ground nuts/ kadale kayi beeja
2 tsp. oil
1 small sprig of curry leaves
1/4 tsp. red chili powder (I added a little more. The quantity can be adjusted as needed.)
1/4 tsp. pepper powder
A big pinch of turmeric powder
1 pinch of  asafoetida powder
Salt to taste

Directions:
* In a thick bottomed pan, fry peanuts on low medium flame until light brown, continuously stirring. When done properly, the peanut must be crisp when tasted. I always fry the peanuts in a microwave until they turn crisp when tasted. This is easier and quicker than the pan fry method. I usually give a break every couple of minutes until they are done. 

* Let them cool down. Take a handful of peanuts and rub them between your palms. The skins will slip away. A little bit of skin here and there is fine. Repeat the process with the remaining peanuts until deskinned and halve them.  

* Heat oil in a pan on low flame and add the curry leaves. Fry them until crisp. Next add chili powder, pepper powder, turmeric and asafoetida to the pan and give a quick stir. Be quick since the spice powders may burn. 

* Immediately add the halved peanuts and salt. If preferred, 1/4 tsp. ground sugar can be added too. 

  

* Stir the peanuts until well coated with the spices. Fry for about a minute on low flame and turn off the stove.

* Remove the pan from the stove and let it cool a bit. When it is cool enough to handle, crush the curry leaves well with the hand.

* Let cool and store them in an airtight container. They can be enjoyed as a evening / time pass snack or in chaat items.

 'C' tidbits from a Kannadiga kitchen:

There are not many ingredients that start with the 'C' sound in a Kannadiga kitchen barring a few like the chiroti rave and chamacha (meaning spoon). 'Chiroti rave', pronounced chi (as in chin)-row-tee and ra-way is an indispensable ingredient in the preparation of the famous sweet dish 'chiroti' from the state. Rave means semolina and the variety used in the chiroti preparation is fine semolina and so, the fine semolina goes by the name chiroti rave in the state. How important is chiroti for a Kannadiga, you ask. Important enough to be 'the dessert' of a wedding feast of everyone and anyone, including mine. Chiroti rave is also used in holige / poli preparation unlike other states' versions where all purpose flour or wheat flour is used for the outer covering of the festive sweet flat bread.

Cluster beans are called chowli kayi in some regions while cheenikayi is pumpkin, chepekayi (pronounced chay-pay-kaa-e) is the guava fruit and chakotha is the pomelo fruit. Devanahalli, where Bangalore international airport is located is synonymous with the pomelo fruit.


'C' Dishes:
The variety of delicious and popular 'C' food compensates for the lack of the ingredients, I should say. I have listed below a few I can recall. 

* Chakkuli / Chakli - A deep fried savory snack
* Chattambade -  Masala vada, a spicy fried snack made with Bengal gram called so in some of the coastal areas 
* Chigli unde - Sesame seed laddus (balls)
* Chikkinunnde - Traditional deep fried balls with a sweet stuffing
* Chiroti - A layered and puffy dessert that looks like a poori. Eaten with a genrous serving of sugar and almond milk / milk.
* Chow Chow bhath - A combination of savory and sweet semolina puddings called khara bhath and kesari bhath served together
* Chuda / Chivda - A beaten rice flakes based snack made through out the state, a must in North Karnataka homes with evening cuppa. most of the days
* Chutney pudi - A dry spicy condiment 
* Churumuri - A quick and light snack made with puffed rice
* Churmundo - A Konkani style wheat laddu
* Chane gashi - A  Konkani chickpea based curry 

And a few from Kodava kitchen:
*  Chekke kuru pajji - Jackfruit seed chutney
* Chekke pappada - Jackfruit wafers
* Chikklunde - A unique kind of laddus made with puffed rice 
* Chouthe mor pajji - Cucumber and curd relish
* Chouthe pachadi - Cucumber chutney

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Capsicum Gravy Curry

The final dish of the week under the theme 'easy side dishes' is this yummy curry where capsicum is cooked in a spicy, flavorful gravy made with peanuts and sesame seeds. This gravy happens to be my personal favorite and can be used as a base for other vegetables as well. The base is perfect without being nauseatingly cloying and the powder can be prepared in advance. The peanut and sesame seeds combo add body to the gravy and tastes rich without the addition of any cashews / nuts or cream which happen to be a constant presence in such gravies. 

Ingredients:
2 to 3 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 big onion, finely chopped / 1/2 cup minced onion
1 big or 2 small tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 inch ginger piece
1 green chili, finely minced
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 big sized capsicum (I had slightly more than 1 cup chopped capsicum.)
Salt to taste
Chili powder to taste
A pinch of sugar //stevia (optional)
3/4 cup water or as needed
Ingredients for the paste:
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. white sesame seeds
1/4 cup toasted and skinned peanuts

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add onions and saute on low heat until they start to brown.
2. Mean while, toast coriander seeds, cumin seeds and sesame seeds together and saute until the coriander seeds start to change a shade of color. Transfer them to a plate and let them cool. If not using pre-toasted peanuts, place them in a microwave safe bowl and toast for 5 to 6 minutes, giving short breaks in between to avoid burning. Or toast on stove-top in a pan on low flame. Let them cool and rub between your palms and remove the skins. Grind all the ingredients together to a fine powder.
3. Grind tomatoes, ginger and green chilli in a blender. If not able to run the blender, use a little quantity of water to grind.
4. Add the above tomato paste and turmeric to the onion pan and cook until it slightly thickens.
5. Next add capsicum pieces and salt. Cook until capsicum is almost done. 
6. Add the peanut mixture powder from step 2, chili powder, sugar if using and water. 
7. Continue to cook on low flame stirring intermittently. Taste and adjust any seasonings if needed. Also adjust the water quantity if needed to form a gravy with consistency on a slightly thicker side. Cook until the gravy thickens, about 6 - 8 minutes.
8. Serve it hot with rotis / phulkas. 

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Bhindi Ka Salan

Salan is a thick gravied, tangy curry from the Hyderabadi cuisine that is slowly cooked in a peanut, sesame and coconut base. Aromatic, flavor loaded salan traditionally was prepared as an accompaniment to rice / rotis though it has become synonymous with biryanis over the time. If you are interested, go through this interesting excerpt on the origins of the mirchi ka salan in the royal kitchens. Today's recipe of course is not the popular mirchi ka salan version which uses the green chillies but an okra / bhindi based one. 

I prepared this bhendi ka khatta salan to go with my 'Hyderabadi Dum Biryani' during the April Mega marathon. This is a dish to have in one's repertoire, if one is an okra fan. Choose small sized, tender okra while preparing this salan. The okra is fried before adding to the gravy so that the final salan doesn't end up being slimy though one can add okra without frying and cook. I used my air fryer instead of deep frying. I used very little oil to cook this dish and so my final salan doesn't look greasy with oil on the top, which seems to be the signature look of a salan. The dish doesn't demand any fancy ingredients though linked to imperial kitchens and even a novice cook can nail it with satisfactory results. It is a simple and easy enough dish and needs little supervision though it is cooked a little extra time than most of the dishes. 

To toast and grind:
2 tbsp. peanuts
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
2 tbsp. coconut
4 byadagi chillies / less spicy variety dried red chillies
1/2 inch piece of ginger
1 or 2 garlic cloves (I didn't use any.)
Other ingredients:
12 okra / bhindi
Oil to fry bhindi (if frying)
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/8 tsp. fenugreek seeds
Few curry leaves
1/2 cup minced onion
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
2 - 3 tbsp. tamarind juice
Salt to taste
Jaggery to taste (I used 2 Stevia packets)
1 tsp chili powder that is not very hot (I used 1.5 tsp )
Water as needed (I used 2 1/2 cups of water in total for grinding the paste and to cook the salan.)

Directions:
* Dry roast peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut and chillies on low flame, until slightly browned. Keep aside and let them cool.
* Grind the toasted ingredients along with ginger and garlic if using, to a smooth paste. Add water as needed to grind. (Ginger - garlic paste can be skipped here and added while sauteing onions instead.)
* Wash the okra, remove the ends and wipe them dry.
* Heat oil if deep frying okra. Fry okra on medium heat until slightly browned. (I used an air-fryer instead.)
* Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds. When mustard starts to sputter, add curry leaves and onion. Saute until golden brown.
* Next add the ground paste, turmeric, chili powder and salt to the pan. Add enough water to make it into a thin consistency mixture (about 1.5 or 2 cups of water). Stir well and cook the mixture covered for about 20 minutes on low flame, stirring intermittently. The mixture would have thickened by the time and the oil would have separated. Add tamarind and sweetener next, taste and adjust the seasonings if needed and cook for about 5 minutes. (I usually add tamarind and sweetener along with the paste at the beginning.) Add the fried okra and cook for a couple of minutes more. Turn off the stove and let it sit for few minutes before serving.
* Garnish with cilantro and serve with biryani / pulao / rice or rotis.




This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon #101 under 'Gravy Curries' theme.

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Mtedza ~ Malawi Peanut Cookies

 
African donuts and these peanut cookies were on my shortlisted 'dessert' recipes to try for the third day of this week's marathon. I was reluctant to try these cookies initially since I was fixated on trying the former. However the idea of frying did not appeal when the time came to try them and I decided to go with a small batch of mtedza. A decision I regretted as soon as I got to have a bite of these yummy, buttery rich cookies. These are like those delightful, crumbly wedding cookies or the moon cookies with an additional surprise of peanuts embedded in them. Not little but loads that give a lovely crunch to these super yummy cookies. Give them a try. You would be delighted, I promise. 

These peanut cookies or groundnut cookies seems to come from the African nation of Malawi and are called mtedza. The online recipes circulating over the years for these cookies seem to be one and the same. I am not sure if the cookies are prepared traditionally this way considering that Malawi is a poor nation and the probability of people owning ovens is probably low. However the cookies taste awesome and are are a beginner level of recipe.

Ingredients: (Yield 8 - 10 cookies)
4 - 6 tbsp toasted and skinned peanuts
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tbsp. sugar
A pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour
Powdered sugar for dusting
Directions:
* Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.
* Roughly chop the peanuts into small pieces or pulse in a food processor.
* Cream butter and sugar together. Add the remaining ingredients to form a crumbly dough.
* Make small balls out of the mixture and place the on a cookie sheet. (The cookies don't expand while baking. Shape them as big or small you would prefer.)
* Bake them for 20 minutes or until they turn light brown.
* Once done, roll them immediately in powdered sugar.


This goes to blogging marathon #93 with the theme of recipes from countries that start with the same alphabet, "Pick one alphabet - 3 countries". My choice of alphabet this week is 'M' and today's post is from Malawi. Check out the page here to read what other marathoners are cooking.

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Salted Peanuts (Microwave Version)

It is turn again for another recipe that needs only three ingredients. The ingredients which are commonly found in most of the kitchens. The recipe is for salted peanuts, a common snack sold on many Indian streets / beaches. I toasted them in microwave and they would be ready in about 5 minutes.

Ingredients: (Yield 2 -3 servings)
1.5 cups raw peanuts
Salt to taste (or about 1/4 tsp.)
Water 

Method:
* Rinse the peanuts with water in a colander and drain completely.
* Sprinkle salt over them and mix well to coat the peanuts.
* Spread the peanuts in a single layer on a microwave safe plate. I used a glass pie pan.
* Toast the peanuts until they turn crispy, turning them intermittently. It took me about five minutes to toast them crisp.
 
This post goes to Blogging marathon #85 under the theme "Recipes using three ingredients". Check out the page to read what other marathoners are cooking.
 

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Chocolate Peanut Clusters

Here is one more delectable chocolate based treat, after the one I posted yesterday. This one too is a quick and easy one which lures people of all ages. The amount of chocolate chips can be increased if you prefer more chocolate than nuts and vice versa. I wanted to have more peanuts in my clusters and the ratio of chocolate and peanuts mentioned below would yield that.

Ingredients: (Yields 10 clusters)
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup skinned peanuts (salted or unsalted)
 
Method:
* Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
* Add the chocolate chips to a glass or any microwave safe bowl and melt them in a microwave, stirring at 30 seconds intervals, until smooth. Remove the bowl from the microwave and add the peanuts to the melted chocolate chips. Mix well to coat the peanuts with chocolate uniformly.
* Drop spoonfuls of the mixture on the foil lined baking sheet, spacing them.
* Refrigerate until firm.

This goes to the following events.
1. Blogging marathon #73
2. Srivalli's Kids' Delight event, hosted by Kalyani this month with the theme 'Chocolate'.

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4 Ingredient Recipes ~ Trail Mix

Trail mix, once which was considered to be a food carried during hiking has come a long way to become a popular snack among masses. The ingredients that go into a trail mix can vary depending upon what one have on hand to what one would prefer, if preparing at home. Especially if preparing for kids, it can be easily customized to their preferences using their favorite nuts, dried fruits, seeds and such, like I did today. A trail mix makes a great birthday party snack for kids. A handful portion of trail mix would be a great evening snack even for adults to add a burst of nutrition. Only care need to be taken to not overindulge. The version I am posting today is my daughter's favorite one and sometimes she likes to see chocolate chips also in the mix.

Ingredients:
1 cup toasted and salted peanuts
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 sweetened, dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins

Method:
* (I used store bought salted peanuts which were already skinned.) If using raw peanuts, toast and skin them.
* Dry toast the almonds until crisp either on stove top or a microwave or in oven.
* Combine all the nuts and dried fruits in a bowl and mix. The mix can be prepared in a large quantity and can be stored in airtight container.
 
Check here to find out what the other marathoners are cooking as part of the Blogging marathon #69.

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Khamang Kakdi / Kakdichi Koshimbir

Khamang kakdi or Kakdichi koshimbir is a flavorful, cucumber based salad from Maharashtra region. It is very easy to put together and can be quickly made. If you are familiar with kosumbari, from the neighboring state of Karnataka then this is a similar one with few interesting add-ons like crushed toasted peanuts and sugar to it. This can be served as a side dish though I prefer to serve this alone to enjoy the flavors more.

Ingredients (yield 2 servings)
1 small cucumber / 1.5 cups finely chopped cucumber
3 to 4 tbsp. toasted peanuts
2 to 3 tbsp. shredded fresh coconut
2 tbsp. minced cilantro
1 finely chopped green chili
1/2 lemon / lime slice
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
For seasoning:
1 tsp. ghee / oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds and/or 1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida powder

Method:
* Trim the edges, peel and chop the cucumber finely. Discard the seeds if mature.
* Coarsely crush the toasted peanuts using mortar and pestle.
* Combine cucumber pieces, crushed peanuts, coconut, cilantro, green chili, salt and sugar if using in a mixing bowl. squeeze the lemon juice to taste and mix.
* Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds start to sizzle and pop, add curry leaves and asafoetida and turn off the stove.
* Add the seasoning to the cucumber mixture, mix well and serve.


This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #62 under the theme 'Light Salads' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Thapala Chekkalu / Sarva Pindi

Andhra's thapala chekklau are equivalent to Karnataka's version rice flour rottis and also go by the name sarva pindi in Telangana region. Thapala refers to 'thappela', the round bottomed vessels, mostly the brass ones once associated to traditional Indian kitchens. A thappela and not a griddle was the original choice to make these rice flour based flat breads and hence the name. We grew up eating rottis for breakfast on a regular basis and so I am quite familiar with the dish but what caught my attention when I saw this recipe on a cook show was the interesting add-ons to the basic version besides adding a healthy dose of chickpea flour. This version did not use onions or coconut but still was very delicious with peanuts adding a nice texture and flavor.

Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup chickpea flour / besan
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp. green chilli paste / 2 chopped green chillies or chili powder as needed
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. finely minced curry leaves
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1/4 cup toasted and skinned peanuts, slightly crushed
1/4 cup soaked chana dal / split chickpeas *
2 tbsp. hot oil
Luke warm water as needed. (I added about 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. water.)
Oil to make thapala chekkalu (I used canola oil.)
* Soak chana dal in enough water for 1 -2 hours or until they soften.

Method:
* Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl except water and the oil mentioned at the end, using your fingers. Add luke warm water as needed to form a firm dough.
* Divide the dough into four portions and roll each one into a ball. Work with one dough portion at a time and keep the rest covered.
* Pour a tsp. of oil in the center of a griddle / skillet and place the dough ball at the center of the griddle. Pat it using fingers till a thin, flat circle is formed. (It doesn't need to be super thin like tortillas.)  Thapala chekkalu can me made as big as the griddle size or smaller ones. Poke some holes randomly using index finger if you wish or just leave it out.
 
* Pour a tsp oil around the edges of the dough circle and over it. Cover with a lid and turn on the stove. Let it cook on a low - medium flame and flip it using a wide spatula when golden brown spots develop on the bottom side and the upper side doesn't look raw. It may take around 5 to 6 minutes. 
* Add half a tsp of oil around the edges again if needed. Cover it again and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the other side turns light brown too. Turn off the stove and remove the cooked chekka
* Repeat the above steps with the remaining dough portions, making sure that the griddle is cool each time before it is used. Wash the griddle with cold water after each use to quicken the cooling process or use 2 griddles to cook simultaneously.

This goes to Blogging marathon #58 under the theme 'Bookmarked Dishes'. Check the link to see what other marathoners are cooking.

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