Vettu Cake / Fried Cake

Fried cake or Vettu cake is a popular snack in Kerala. This is available in most of the tea-shops spotted in every nook and corner. Vettu cake, as it is popularly known is a very filling snack, very appetizing and mild. I had forgotten all about this mouthwatering snack until a classmate uploaded a picture in our Whatsapp group, asking other groupies to guess what it was. The moment one of us identified the the snack, the appetizing memories revived and i couldn't wait any more to bite into that favorite snack of mine.

Usually flour (Maida) is used in the preparation, but here i am using wheat flour, which is, i think, a healthier option.

Method:

• Sift together wheat flour, salt and baking soda. Beat the egg lightly. Powder the sugar and cardamom.
• Transfer the flour into a bowl. Make a well in the center, add the beaten egg, hung curd and powdered sugar. Mix and knead well using your hand into a very stiff dough. 
•  Roll out the dough into a one inch thick piece. Cut into one inch strips. Cut triangular pieces out of the strips. Make a cut at the base of each triangle. I got 12 pieces.
• Heat oil in a deep fry pan. Bring to a boil. Add two or three pieces at a time depending on the size of the pan,as the pieces will swell up. Cook on low flame, flip and cook ,it will take a few minutes,Cooking on low flame allows the cake to cook evenly from inside too. Remove from  oil when it is cooked and evenly browned, transfer into a paper towel. Repeat the same process with the next batch.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour -1 cup
Egg - 1
Castor Sugar - 4 table spoons
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
Baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon
Hung curd - 11/2 tablespoon (optional)*
Cardamom - 1 - 2 nos
Oil - 2 cups for deep frying.

*Note: Instead of hung curd, one more egg can be used. But not the whole egg. Just enough to make a stiff dough. 

Vettu cake becomes tastier with time, like regular cakes. Vettu cake is soft like cake in the center and crispy outside .

Parippu Vada

Parippu vada / Masala vada is an easy to make tea-time snack, made with split chickpeas. A very tasty, savoury snack.

Chickpeas also known as Garbanzo beans or bengal gram must be a part of our daily diet. It is so nutritious that one cannot avoid it. It should be a part of the diet of  diabetics and people with high blood pressure. It contains lots of potassium and many other essential minerals which is good for bone health and the heart. Selenium a mineral present in chickpeas prevent tumor growth.

Preparation: 

1. Soak the split chickpea and tuvar dal in water for half an hour.
2. Slice the shallots and cut green chilly into 4 or 5 pieces.
3. Drain the chickpeas and grind it coarsely. It is nice to see some whole split chickpea here and there. So on the safer side you can keep aside a tablespoon of chickpea, before grinding.

4. Mix the chickpea mix with shallots, green chilly, red chilly powder, whole black pepper, fennel seeds, curry leaves, coriander leaves and salt.
5. Divide the mixture into 6 parts. Roll each into a ball. Flatten each ball in the centre of your palms.

6. Heat oil in a pan. Deep fry the vadas on medium flame. Flip so that both the sides are evenly cooked.

Serve hot with hot tea.

Ingredients:               
                                                                                                        Makes 6
Channa Dal / Split Chickpea - 1/2 cup
Yellow lentil / Tuvar Dal - 1 tablespoon
Green Chilly - 1 - 2 nos.
Shallots - 4 - 5
Whole black pepper - 9 - 10
Fennel - 1/4 teaspoon
Red Chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - a few
Coriander leaves - a handful
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying