Murukku

Who does n't love these!  I owe this one to my friend Radhika.
 I was always skeptic about trying it.You should have real strength in your hands. I made this one  for the first time in my life and it was a hit in my family. so simple! Try it !
There is no grinding involved and yet it comes out awesome.The secret is the amount of butter ,if it  becomes more then your murukku turns out soggy.I tried three types with the same batter and it turn out well ,actually the proportions are different.

Ingredients:

Rice flour  - 7 cups
Urad dhal flour- 1 cup
salt - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder- 2-3tbsp(to ur spice level)
butter 1/4 cup (room temp)
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Til- 2tsp(optional)
jeera 1 tbsp
oil- for deep frying

Method:

In a bowl mix rice flour, urad dhal flour, salt, hung, red chili pwd, jeera ,til, butter.Now add water little by little and knead into a soft smooth dough.Heat oil in a heavy bottom vessel.In  a murukku press (string hopper) use the plate of your choice at the bottom and rub it  with  some oil so that it does not stick.
Fill it with the murukku dough. Close it and when the oil is hot press it circular motion.
Make only 3 or 4 in batch  When it turns golden brown,flip it .
When it turns brown Remove and drain them on a paper towel.Repeat  the batches.
When cool store them in a air tight container .It remains  crunchy for atleast 10 days .

Kale and Potato Poriyal

This green takes  along time to cook but worth afterwards. Just to enhance the dish I mixed some potatoes   and toor dhal.You can make this poriyal /thoran  only with kale also.



Ingredients:

Kale Potato Poriyal

Kale- 1 bunch.
onions- 1/2 chopped
garlic- 3 chopped
red chili flakes- 1/2 tsp(optional)
green chilies chopped- 2
mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
jeera - 1/4 tsp
potato- 1 chopped (optional)
toor dhal - 2 tbsp cooked(optional)
salt- to taste
grated coconut- 3tbsp
oil-  1tbsp



Method:

Wash and clean kale.Remove the middle stem. chop it finely.
Chop potato into cubes and boil in water along with salt for 5 minutes.
Just cooked but not mushy. Drain the water off and keep it aside.
Set  aside 2 tbsp of toor dal which you have already cooked for making sambhar or something.
Heat  oil in a pan. When hot add mustard seeds,jeera .When they pop add garlic and green chiliies.
Add onions and saute for 1 minute.Now add kale,salt and cook until the kale is 95 % done.
Now add potato and toor dal and saute it for 1 minute. Throw in coconut and stir fry again.
Remove from fire and serve hot with sambhar or rasam rice

Easy Chicken Quesadillas

I found this recipe on the back side of a cheese bag.I never knew this recipe would be so simple and would cut down one trip to the Mexican Restaurant.I used spicy southwest HEB tortillas.


Ingredients:

store bought tortillas- 3
onion- 1 chopped
red, green or yellow bell peppers- 1/2 cup
chicken breast- 1/2 cup cooked shredded
 cheddar cheese -1 cup
red chili flakes- to taste
salt and pepper - to taste.
Fajita seasoning- 1 tsp
oil- 2tbsp

Method:

Heat oil in a saucepan. add onions, bell peppers ans saute for 1-2 minutes. add chicken and fajita seasoning.cook for about 5 minutes.Heat a nonstick griddle. Sprinkle some oil,toss a tortilla and layer half the tortilla with the chicken mixture and spread some cheese generously.Fold the tortillas in half and flip it.Let it brown on the other side for 1-2 minutes until the cheese has melted. Remove it and cut into triangles. Serve  hot with some salsa.

Chicken Quesadillas