Spicy lentil Doughnuts in Seasoned Yogurt

AKA - Dahi Vada(Hindi)/Perugu Garelu(Telugu)/Thair Vadai(Tamil)

With the food blog event 'Frozen Yogurt' going on for this month which is hosted by Siri's Corner and with all the goodness of the Yogurt for us to enjoy, I can't but post this recipe.

This is popular for Breakfast/Tiffin or Snack in Tamil Nadu and Andhra. In my house whenever I'm able to make it, it becomes a meal. My two kiddos enjoy it. It's made in no time too.


You can make the vada from scratch or use the store bought ones. To make vada at home, soak required amount of Urad dhall(White Lentils) in water for about 1 to 2 hours, grind it into a smooth paste adding very less water..the batter should be very thick not loose. Add chopped onions, chillies, finely chopped ginger, a few curry leaves, black pepper balls and salt to taste to the ground lentil paste mix well and deep fry them in doughnut shapes. You can ignore adding all other ingredients except salt if you desire a lighter version. Usually in dahi vada is plain version.

Method for Thair Vadai or Perugu Garelu
This is say for about 6-8 vadas :
Just whip a cup of Yogurt, then add 1 cup water, to make the mixture like thick butter milk.
Add salt to taste.
Microwave vadai for 1 minute to make them soft.
Add to the above Yogurt mixture and soak well. Keep aside.
For seasoning, add a tea spoon of oil, after the oil is hot, add 1/4 spoon of mustard, 1/2 tea spoon urad dhall, 2 red chillies broken into pieces, 6-8 curry leaves, a pinch of Hing,
After browning add to Yogurt & vada mixture.
Garnish with Coriander leaves.
Wow!!!!!!!! It tastes good.

The recipe for Dahi vada has a deviation. As I mentioned the plain version of the vada are soaked in little sweetened Yogurt and the above seasonings are not used.
Instead the sweet tamarind sauce is spread on the Yogurt and Vada mixture and garnished with chat masala, cumin powder and a pinch of red chilly powder and coriander leaves.

I planned to write up on the good qualities of Yogurt but you can find that in this post at Siri's Corner.

Peach Mango Kesar Shake - My Trio

With all these Food blog events on the roll, I'm forced to break my schedule of publishing only one post per week.

Saffron is the Spice of this month for the Think Spice Event created by Sunitha
Though I tasted so many desserts spiced with saffron, I never used it in my cooking even once in my life. With this blog event I got a chance to do that. And boy this spice is so rich in flavour that the sweet fragance of it when used really gives a feel of soothing.

I have a sweet tooth and luv wet sweets in which this spice is always accompanied. So using this spice gave me the feeing of eating my fav sweets, which other wise I eat very rarely because they are filled with sugar and calories.

Also, coming to the Blog event AFAM hosted by Mansi, for which this month fruit is Peach,though I voted for it, I had no clue what delicacy to make with Peaches cause I never adventured with them except eating them as fresh fruits.

So this weekend while I was doing my groceries picked up both fresh and canned peaches. I searched for the small box of Saffron(Kesar) which I had purchased long long time ago. Luckily I was able to locate it. Then I remembered I had this can of Kesar Mango Pulp in my Pantry too. Suddenly this phrase struck my head, "Peach Mango Kesar Shake" . I thought not a bad idea. Lets try. And amazingly it turn out so good. And before I could realize I hit a hatrick, because I could send this drink as an entry for What's Your Favourite(WYF) - diet food created by SnackOrama,
cause this drink can be substituted for a breakfast or a healthy dessert.

Although I did google with the key words of this drink, I ended up with my own recipe. Well, this is the power of Food Blogging - It upgrades us from a Cook to a "Chef ".

Before I could round up this I have to share the tradegy of shooting these pictures. Here I was all happy with my new recipe and clicked a number of clicks before my hubby and kids could finish it up, that with a single button click on my camera I did the mistake of deleting all the pictures. I was so in depair and wouldn't accept any comforting words from my husband. Luckily I saved the last glass of it for a daylight shoot. So I managed to redo it all again.

Here is the detailed round up:

Saffron Spice:
Read what google says about this Spice: Saffron is much more than just a herb for cooking this will explain about saffron and it's natural healing ability.

Saffron originated in Arabia, but the plant was brought to Spain in the eighth century.

Today, Spain in the major exporter of the spice. Saffron is costly, it can be bought for as much as $ 50.00 per ounce.

Saffron is well worth the price, it has been contributed with promoting lower rates of heart disease.

Saffron is used to alleviate fatigue and exhaustion, because it works to strengthen the heart and nervous system.

It also aids in digestion by increasing the appetite. Saffron is also high in thiamin and riboflavin, to minerals that are known to promote a healthy heart.

Saffron can be made into milk, which offers preventive care for people with slight cardiac problems. To prepare take one-cup milk and bring to a boil, add a pinch of saffron.
Reduce heat and simmer the mixture for two minutes. It can be sweeten with honey or sugar. Then drink once per day.

Saffron is also used to improve the mood and clear the brain, where you can think well. This mixture if taking properly will help in clearing your thoughts. You will need

A pinch of saffron threads and 3 ounces 100- proof alcohol. Place both ingredients in a covered jar. Let stand for two weeks.

Then store the jar in a cool, dry place. Drink 1/4 cup to help clear mind or as a mood booster.

When buying saffron chose strands over powder, the strands contain a better flavor. When storing saffron keep in airtight container in a cool dry place.
Check more detials of this Spice Saffron.

Peaches

Peaches - sensual, soft, rich in nutrients and so lush with juice that it runs over our fingers and drips down our chins, cooling us with their sweet.
Native to China, the peach is the fruit of a tree discovered in Persia by Westerners during the conquest of Alexander the Great. Believing it to be native to that region, due to its abundance, they named it ‘perscia.’ The Chinese have cultivated the peach since earliest antiquity. This sensual fruit so fascinated them that it spawned legends…from being the key to immortality to being a powerful aphrodisiac.

A close relative of the plum, apricot, cherry and almond, peaches come from trees that can grow to 16 to 26 feet in height. With deciduous leaves, peach trees blossom with magnificent pink flowers that bloom in the spring even before the leaves mature…just a tease for the yummy fruit the tree will bear when summer warms.


The sensual flesh of the peach can be a light golden, a creamy white or a pale greenish white, the latter being rare in the United States, but having the sweetest flavor. No matter the color, the flesh of the peach is juicy, fragrant, sweet, firm and the most seductive of all fruit.

Not only yummy, peaches are a powerhouse of nutrients much needed during the heat of summer…potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, vitamin C, A and niacin…all nutrients that we lose with perspiration. Peaches contain a compound that is said to be a mild diuretic…so no puffy eyes and swollen fingers during hot, humid days.
Peaches are delicate little gems…so handle them carefully as they will spoil rapidly if bruised. Do not pack them too closely as they’ll cause each other to rot quickly. Unripe peaches are best left at room temperature to ripen, but once ripe, keep them in the refrigerator and use them quickly….they’ll only keep for a couple of days. A tip…let peaches come to room temperature before eating, as the flavor is more intensely sweet than when ice cold.



Eaten out of hand, in fruit salads, cobblers, pies, compotes peaches also lend themselves beautifully to canning, drying and freezing. But my favorite summer recipe combines savory flavors with the sweet sensuality of peaches, intensifying their yumminess.
(Text : Courtesy Christina Cooks)

Click here for Nutritional facts on Peaches

So here is the combo of these two ingredients:



Ingredients:
Peaches fresh or Canned - 3 to 4 (If using canned add the juice also, say 1/2-1 cup)
Mango Pulp - 1- 2 cups ( Increase or Decrease depending upon what flavour you want more, peach or mango)
Saffron or Kesar - 1/2 tsp soaked in 2 Tbsps warm evapourated milk

Yogurt Peach flavour or Natural Plain- 1/2 cup (add more for thick base)
Honey -1 Tbsp
Milk - 1/2 cup (1% for healhty diet)
Sugar - 2 Tbsp (Can be omitted if desired a healthy diet or increased for more sweetness)

To garnish
A Slice and 1 cup cubes of Fresh Peaches.

The above measures make atleast 4 servings.

My Version:
This is too complicated, follow the steps carelfully.
In a blendor add all ingredients and beat them well.

Garnish with fresh fruit.


This really turned out to be a delicious drink. I was extremely happy by the results. My husband was all ready to gulp it before I can click these pictures. I like the fact that this can be used as an breakfast booster drink and also a Healthy Dinner dessert if it made thick or just a snack.


Verdict:
Sugar deleted this is one health drink, with each serving containing
Vitamins and Fibre from 2 servings of Fruits(Add fresh fruit for more benefits)
So this goes to A Fruit A Month - Peaches
Calcuim and Protien from the Yogurt and Milk.

The goodness of Saffron Spice - So this also goes to Think Spice - Saffron,


And this can be my favorite diet drink,desert or snack, with all the benefits mentioned above. Hence it also goes to What's Your Favorite (WYF)- Diet Food.


Click here for the health nutrition chart