Kodubale is a delicacy from Karnataka. It’s one of the deep-fried snacks from this cuisine.  “Kodu” means Horn like shape (after a lot of debating with my friends I got stuck to this now!) and “Bale” means Bangle! So, a dish made in the shape of Horn but turned it into a bangle to keep them intact! Whatever, this tasty snack is simply delicious you can’t just stop at one it's so very addictive!
This is my Amma’s (Mother) favourite snack. She loves making these often, my mom learned a lot from my periamma (Maternal aunt) and I too learnt a lot from her, she was a real foodie! She used to try new recipes and keep the authentic recipes alive as well.  I have never seen anybody like her in, my whole family.  She is no more and I miss her a lot.  Most of my recipes are what I have learned from these two women in my life.  This post is dedicated to my Mum and her late sister.

I remember very well my childhood days in our rented house it was a tiny kitchen she used to put the oil and little dough to each of us make us sit in front of her and ask us to make them, it was like a thumb rule, they should be perfectly in a bangle shape.
I remember my childhood days very well, it was a tiny kitchen in our rented house.  When she put the oil on heat Mom used to give us all a steel plate and little dough to each of us in a bowl, make us sit right in front of her and ask us to roll them into little bangle shaped rings, it was like a thumb rule, they should be perfectly in a bangle shape. She is still a perfectionist.
After she fried she used put them in little plates next to us and to munch on so we enjoyed our given task!! Sometimes we used to go crazy and we used to make the first alphabet of our name or any other shape we fancied, she wouldn’t mind as long as the job was done.  As she always made in large quantities. (I am sharing the same quantity here as given by her, and even today I make the same quantity).  But, after some time my sisters used to get bored and run away but, I always stuck with mom and completed the task!  Probably, that is one of the reasons I started learning and loving to cook from a very young age.  I was a sous chef to them!

I still remember the only time she would never allow us to make kodubale was during Gokulashtami festival, every item on the list had to made with Madi (Madi is a term used in Brahmin communities wherein men and women in the family after bath wears dried clothes untouched by other persons and cook food without eating anything as they make it for Puja and God!).  That’s the only one time she wouldn’t allow us to touch and mom, dad, and periamma used to make all the savouries and sweets they used to make around 30 dishes!  Those days were fun, all the three of us use to enjoy!! Gokulashtami is a big festival in Tamil families. The Mango leaves, a lot of flowers, different kind of fruits, Rangolis etc.., It was bliss!!

This recipe I promise you, you will keep it forever. Don't forget to check my notes on my tips and follow it to T for a fool proof and perfect recipe.

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Kodubale/Kodbale (Spicy Bangle rings)! Delicacy from Karnataka

Kodubale is a speciality from Karnataka. Delicious, spicy and crispy perfect Bangle shaped snack which is deep fried, quick to make and tasty.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups Rice Flour
• 1 cup Chiroti rava
• 3/4th cup Maida
• 1 tbsp Omam (coarsely powdered)
• 2 to 3 tbsp white Sesame seeds
• 2 tsp salt ( salt as required)
• 1/3 cup oil (Hot Oil)
• 1/4 cup (2 sprigs) chopped curry leaves

Grind to paste

• 1 cup freshly grated coconut ( pressed almost tightly)
• 1 cup Dried copra (precisely 1/2 the dried copra)**
• 20 Byadgi chillies**
• 1/4 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
• 1/4 cup coriander leaves (loosely packed) (optional)

Instructions

• Heat a pan and dry roast maida and chiroti rava till it is warm to touch. Keep aside to cool.
  
• Take all the Ingredients under Grind put it in a mixie jar and grind to a smooth paste of coconut, dry copra, red chillies, Hing and coriander leaves (optional).
  
• Take a bowl put all the dry ingredients together, Maida, Chiroti Rava, Rice flour, coarsely powdered Omam and salt as required mix well and keep aside.
  
• Heat a ladle full of (1/3 cup) of hot oil and pour it on the dry ingredients, mix well and keep aside. Heat oil in a wok keep it on the stove to a medium flame.
  
• Next add the ground smooth paste into the dry ingredient mixture mix well cover and keep aside.
  
• Heat oil in a wok keep it on the stove to a medium flame. Take a little portion of the mixture in a separate bowl sprinkle water and start kneading it to make a dough! Do not add more water, sprinkle or use little water ( 1 to 2 tbsp of water) every time and start bringing it into a dough consistency. (check notes)
  
• Once the dough has come together, knead it once and start making Kodubales! The dough should be rolled like a rope with the thickness of our little finger (about 3/4th of an inch) it should be perfectly in a round shape like a bangle with the end pinched and pressed to seal the edge on to the overlapping dough on which it is turned around so that they don’t get opened when they are fried in oil
  
• once the oil is hot drop around 8 to 10 in one batch, depending upon how much oil and kadai you have used to fry! Keep frying them turning around now and then so they cooked well on both sides and turn crispy, on a medium low flame. They turn golden brown once they are done. Take them on to a kitchen towel so it absorbs oil.
  
• Follow the same procedure with the rest of the dough ingredients deep fry all the them. Once done, store them in a air tight container it will stay up to 20-25 days! (unless you don't finish them before that)
  
• Hope you try it out make and enjoy!!

Notes

 

 

Notes and Tips:

1. I have given quite a large quantity so, please do remember do not add water completely to the mix. Divide the mix in parts, take one portion at a time and mix water little by little knead well and make the dough.  According to my mom If you make dough out of the whole mix and then use it, when you fry the rings they will absorb more oil, also they change the colour of the end product and they won’t have a long shelf life.
2. Don't forget to add hot oil to the mixture and mix well, this is the trick for the crispiest kodbales!
3. Keep the temperature of the oil constant for perfectly made crispy kodbales. Once when done and after you remove the kodbales bring the flame to low when you drop the rings then go back to the medium flame and fry them until done.
4. When you roll out them into ropes sometimes you might find that they break or become hollow don’t worry it is natural. Again, knead them into the dough, and roll them they will be fine.  Do not extra Maida or anything else to make it stiffer.  Just knead well and use it.
5. Seal the edge after you overlap it onto the main ring, so it won’t open up.
6. Before frying check, the oil is sizzling hot! To find out hold your hand 3 to 4 inches above the oil you can feel the heat! Otherwise, check by adding a pinch of the dough into the oil, it should come up within seconds and float to the top that means your oil is at the right temperature. Now you can slide the kodbales carefully from the side of the wok don’t drop it from a height, this will splash the oil everywhere, so just slide them into the oil.
7. Don’t leave the rings to dry out cover them with a cloth and the dough mixture too!
8. I have mentioned you can make around 60, it depends on the size you make. It also depends the thickness of the dough rolled don’t make them too thick, it may be not crunchy, don’t make it very thin as well it will be very crunchy but loses its taste.
9. I have used only Byadgi chillies, you can use a combo of Guntur and Byadgi chillies.
10. You can use Roasted Gram (chutney dal) instead of sooji as some kannada people make it.
11. My Mom sometimes uses 1 whole coconut it gives real taste.

The post Kodubale/Kodbale - A Delicacy from Karnataka appeared first on My Veg Fare.

FRIED TOFU WITH  SESAME SEED TOPPING AND KAESHI SAUCE

INGREDIENTS FOR TOASTED TOFU
250gms Tofu Block
3 to 4 tbsp of white Sesame seeds
oil as required*
Bread Crumbs*
corn flour*
water*

METHOD:
Remove the Tofu from the wrap press and remove the water from it, cut them into rectangles.
In a bowl mix both bread crumbs and sesame seeds in small portions, so you won't be wasting both of them, use them as needed.
In an other bowl mix corn flour with water and make it into a pancake consistency and keep it ready.
Dip these rectangles in the corn  flour batter first then into the bread crumb mixture.
Heat a small pan and toast these Tofu pieces on both the sides carefully until golden brown in colour.
* I have indicated this star to tell you that I have not mentioned the exact measurements and these things are totally used approximately. A small tip I could give you is when making the corn flour batter do not add too much water start with little water and when mixing water you will start to know how it reacts and how corn starch gets settled down in the bottom.., If you are new to this concept, it is better that you add around 1 or 2 tsp of plain flour which helps in making the consistency of the batter.

KAESHI SAUCE
adapted from here
INGREDIENTS:
170 ml dark soy sauce
30 ml Mirin
25 gms sugar

METHOD:
About this recipe and if you are too keen on learning Japanese dishes and love it.., it is better to go the website, as she discusses about the use of different kind of Mirin., The one I have used is an alcohol free.
Put the Mirin in a pan bring to boil, lower heat and simmer a bit
Add sugar and still till everything is melted
Now add soy sauce let it warm up slowly, do not allow it to boil, when it starts bubbling switch of the stove and keep it aside.
If any scum has formed on top of it, skim off carefully.
She says Kaeshi can used straight away but tastes best when left for about a day,
This can kept for several month under refrigeration in an air tight container.
You can even add more sugar to taste if you like it sweet...
I think my daughter added more sugar as to her liking...
So you can increase decrease the contents as you like it.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#14

The post Sesame fried Tofu - Aishu's Recipe with Kaeshi Sauce appeared first on My Veg Fare.

ELLU - BELLA / SANKRANTI MIXTURE (A Mixture of Sesame - Jaggery)

INGREDIENTS:
500 gms Jaggery (Acchu Bella)
500 gms Dry Copra/ Dry Coconut
500 gms Peanuts
500 gms Hurigadale/PottuKadalai/
100 gms White Sesame/Til SeedsMETHOD:
To make this Mixture Jaggery (Palm Sugar) must be an Acchu Bella, Just like this

Courtesy: http://www.towness.com/xcart/product.php?productid=40586

First for one day keep the Jaggery in the sun, Then with the help of Nut cracker cut the Jaggery into small cubes. Every day once you need to put it in the sun to dry :). There might be some wastages as every time you will not be able to cut them into equal cubes, this needs a little practice. You don't need to throw the wastages you can always use it for something else.  Drying it in the sun helps the end product to stay fresh for long time.

Then Comes the Dry Coconut /Copra / Kobari

Courtesy: http://www.towness.com/xcart/product.php?productid=40436

You need to scrape the outer covering of this, which you can see from the photo, then cut them again into small cubes with the help of knife on a cutting board same as that of the Jaggery and keep them in the sun for few days this will help the copra keeps good for a long shelf life.

Once these two are sorted out - that is you must dry them well in the sun, this helps them keep them for at least a month.

Next are the Peanuts, Roast fist ful of peanuts in a wok, lightly , don't burn them then once they are a bit cool not completely cool this way we can rub the skin of the peanuts quickly, put them in a cloth and rub between your palms or we have Mora ( a basket like thing made with bamboo) and rub on them. Once the skins are removed then pick up the peanuts and throw away the skin, Pick up lovely nice white ones no discoloured peanuts !!, then break open the peanuts.

Once when you split open the peanuts can you see the little nodes you must remove them, Mum says they give a bitter taste, so carefully with all the good ones picked up remove all the nodes and keep the peanuts separately. So that is one job done 🙂

Next comes the Dharia Dal / Chutney Dal / Pottukadalai

This is not too bad You just have to pick up nice round beautiful ones without any cracks.

Next are the White Sesame or Til seeds

In a low heat roast fistful of White Til seeds very slightly it should not change too much colour.

So Now everything is done, Now we can mix all of them together and Lo! your Sankranti Trail Mixture is ready.
With this, we need to give Karumbu/ Sugarcane stick, Banana, Elchae Hannu (This is fruit which has a sweet and sour taste in it- Jujube fruit (Elchane Hannu also called Indian Jujube / Indian plum / Ilanthi Pazham / Ber fruit).

On this day  In the evening,  we make little children in the house sit and we put the Sankranti Mixture, Elche Hannu and  cut small pieces from the sugarcane and some coins in a Pavoo ( pronounced Paa - voo A kind of measurement used in olden days which is made of Brass or Iron, you get them in steel as well these days).  Woman of the house fill this Pavoo with the pot pouri and pour this on the head of the children and do Arati to them in the evening of Makara Sankranti.  This is a tradition followed in most of the houses this is done to bless the children for longevity, good health and a prosperous life with Aarathi and songs.

In Karnataka People say : Yellu Bella thindu Olle Maathanaadu meaning eat Jaggery and sesame seeds and speak only  good words...

A wonderful festival with Lots to give and welcome the New year with happiness.........

Mum gave me a sari for this festival...

May the God Bless you all with all the prosperity, Wealth, health and Happiness.....

The post Ellu Bella / Ellu Beerodu - Recipe for Makara Sankranthi mixture from Karnataka ( Sesame seeds and Jaggery Mixture) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

KOLLAPURI CHUTNEY/MASALA

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Red Chilli Powder (I used whole chillies 7-7 Badgi and Guntur)
1 Cup Coriander seeds
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1/2 Copra (dry coconut)
1 tbsp Sesame seeds (white til seeds)
1/2 tbsp Black pepper corns
1/2 '' Cinnamon stick
1/2 tbsp Cloves
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1/2 Cup Onion
8 - 10 Garlic
1 Cup Cilantro
2 tbsp Oil

WHAT IT I DO ?
I made half of the recipe, I substituted Red chilli powder with 7-7 whole red chillies (Guntur-Badgi), and halved the recipe where ever possible, I used 6 Cloves, 4 Garlic, so that's it and proceeded as indicated in her blog.

METHOD:
A very simple recipe, Toast all the spices on a dry pan or skillet, except for Red chilli powder if you are using powder, as I used whole red chillies I roasted them as well with oil and keep them aside, when I was frying I used 1/2 tbsp with all the dry spices, and with the other half oil I fried Onions until well browned (do not fry it to dark) and cilantro and few minutes with Garlic.
When all is well done, leave it aside to cool and then grind them into a nice powder and store it in a airtight container for future use.

That's it well done, look for more recipe Ideas with these powders check her blog.
c u soon with an other recipe........

sending this to Flavours of Maharashtra strated by Naina, hosted by PJ

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