Stuffed Chili Bajji

Ingredients
Baji Chilis: 10
Gram flour (besan): 1 cup
Rice flour: ¼ cup
Carom seeds (Ajwain): 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: For deep frying

For stuffing
Peanut: 2-3 tsp
Sesame seeds: 2-3 tsp
Dry coconut powder: 2-3 tsp
Tamarind juice: 1 tsp
Coriander seeds: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste

Stuffed Chili Bajji

Method
Dry roast peanut, sesame, coconut, coriander and grind it to smooth powder adding tamarind paste. Do not add any extra water.

Wash and pat dry the chilies. Make a vertical slit with a sharp knife in the middle of the chili. Remove the thick vein with seeds if you do not want bajjis to be too spicy. Stuff the peanut paste in the chilies and keep aside.

Meanwhile, mix gram flour, rice flour, cumin, ajwain and salt and prepare medium thick batter.

Heat oil in a pan on medium high flame. Dip the bajjis in the flour batter and deep fry till golden colour. Serve hot with onion and tomato slices.

Tambittu or Rice Flour Laddu

We prepare Tambittu for Shivaratri and my friend Sridhar’s mom prepares the best Tambittus I have ever tasted. I have tried it umpteen number of times following her steps, but I have never been able to match that taste. Maybe the love with which she prepares is missing in my Tambittu ;)

Tambittu

Ingredients
Rice: 1 cup
Roasted gram dal: 1 cup
Peanut: ½ cup
Poppy seeds: 2-3 tsp
White sesame seeds: 2-3 tsp
Grated dry coconut: 1 cup
Jaggery: 2 cups
Cashew nut: 2-3 tsp
Raisins: 2-3 tsp
Cardamom powder: 1 tsp
Ghee: 2-3 tsp

Jaggery syrup

Grinded mixture

Method  
Dry roast rice till golden colour and allow it to cool. Dry roast peanuts and remove the skin. Dry roast white sesame seeds and poppy seeds separately and keep aside. Grind rice with roasted gram dal to a fine powder and keep aside. Coarsely grind dry coconut powder and add it to the rice powder. Roast cashew nut and raisins in ghee till golden brown and add to the rice powder. Add peanuts, cardamom powder, poppy seeds, white sesame seeds and mix well. Add the jaggery syrup slowly and see if you are able to make balls from the dough. The dough should not be too tight or too loose. Make laddus when the dough is still warm. Laddus taste better when cooled.

Star Fruit or Carambola Rice

Ingredients

Rice: ½ kg
Raw star fruits or Carambola: 4
Grated coconut: 1 cup
Oil: 5-6 tsp
Mustard: 3-4 tsp
Bengal gram: 2 tsp
Urad dal: 2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds: 2 tsp
Ground nut: 5-6 tsp
Red chillies: 10-12
Curry leaves: 4-5 springs
Turmeric: ½ tsp
Coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp
Asafoetida: A pinch

Salt: To taste

Method
Cook the rice and allow it to cool by spreading it out on a plate. Once it has cooled, add salt and two tablespoons of oil to the rice. Finely chop the star fruits and grind it with coconut, two tablespoons of mustard and 10 red chillies and keep the paste aside. Heat the remaining oil and add mustard, urad dal, groundnut, asafoetida, curry leaves and two red chillies. Add turmeric and sauté well. Add the grinded star fruit paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes and add coriander leaves after removing from the flame. Add the mixture on the rice and mix it well. Dry roast fenugreek seeds and crush well before sprinkling it on top of the rice before serving.

Mango Rice

Ingredients
Rice: ½ kg

Raw mangoes: 2
Grated coconut: 1 cup
Oil: 5-6 tsp
Mustard: 3-4 tsp
Bengal gram: 2 tsp
Urad dal: 2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds: 2 tsp
Ground nut: 5-6 tsp
Red chillies: 10-12
Curry leaves: 4-5 springs
Turmeric: ½ tsp
Coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp
Asafoetida: A pinch
Salt: To taste

Method
Cook the rice and allow it to cool by spreading it out on a plate. Once it has cooled, add salt and two tablespoons of oil to the rice. Grate the mango and grind it with coconut, two tablespoons of mustard and 10 red chillies and keep the paste aside. Heat the remaining oil and add mustard, urad dal, groundnut, hing, curry leaves and two red chillies. Add turmeric and sauté well. Add the grinded mango paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes and add coriander leaves after removing from the flame. Add the mixture on the rice and mix it well. Dry roast fenugreek seeds and crush well before sprinkling it on top of the rice before serving.