MOR KUZHAMBU WITH OATS VADA

I learnt this method from my MIL.My mom’s method is completely different from this.Soon I'll post that too..Most of us add veggies like okra, pumpkin, cucumber etc in mor kuzhambu.But we always make masal vada and dump into it.Kuzhambu gets absorbed into vada and it tastes excellent..My husband likes this combination very much.Once , I added oats and made the vada..There was no difference in taste, flavor , crispness etc.It was equally good to the usual masal vada & at  the same time healthy too:)Then i started making oats vada every time i prepare mor kuzhambu.U can enjoy this vada as a snack too ..

So here is the recipe for mor kuzhambu and vada,

• Sour curd – 1 cup
• Salt & water – as needed.

TO grind:

• Grated Coconut – 1- 2 tsp
• Green chilly –2 nos(increase based on the sourness of curd)
• Coriander seeds – 2 tsp
• Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
• Ginger – 1 inch size
• Small onion  / Sambhar onion– 2 nos
• Cumin seeds / Jeera – 1/2 tsp

To season:

• Oil – 1tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Methi seeds – a few
• Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Red chilly –1 no

For Vada :

• White Oats – 1 handful ( i used Quaker brand )
• Channa dal – 3/4 hand
• toor dal – 1/2  - 3/4 hand
• Red chilly – 4-5 nos (adjust as per ur taste)
• Asafetida/Hing – 1/4 tsp
• Salt & water – as needed
• Oil – to deep fry
  

How to prepare mor kuzhambu:

• Beat the sour curd with little water and add salt to it(Don’t worry even if it becomes watery, vada will absorb everything).Set aside.
• Grind the first four items given under “to grind” with water.
• Then add the last three ingredients and run once or twice.Make it a paste.
• Now add the ground mixture to the beaten curd and check for salt.
• Now keep the bowl on the stove and simmer it.Let it boil for 3-4 mins.By this time, the mor kuzhambu becomes frothy .
• Remove from the flame and don’t close it with the lid.Let it be open for sometime (otherwise it’ll become watery)
• Now heat a kadai with oil and do the seasoning part.Add it to the mor kuzhambu.

How to make vada:

• Soak the dals together for 2 hrs and grind it with redchillies, hing , oats and salt.
• Add less water to grind.Batter should be thick and coarse.
• Now heat oil in a kadai and make vada of ur desired shape.
• Deep Fry on both sides.

Now dump these vadas into mor kuzhambu and keep it immersed for 10-15 mins.

Then take the vadas out and keep it in a separate plate because it will absorb the kuzhambu/gravy.

Yummy mor kuzhambu with oats vada is ready to serve with plain rice :)

KITCHEN CLINIC:

Buttermilk: Buttermilk is lower in fat than regular milk, because the fat has been removed to make butter. It is also high in potassium, vitamin B12, calcium, and riboflavin as well as a good source of phosphorus. Those with digestive problems are often advised to drink buttermilk rather than milk, as it is more quickly digested. Buttermilk has more lactic acid than skim milk. One cup of buttermilk has 99 calories and 2.2 grams of fat, whereas whole milk has 157 calories and 8.9 grams of fat. Do check the labels as some brands of buttermilk are higher in fat than others. For those watching their caloric and/or fat intake, try putting a couple of tablespoons of buttermilk on your baked potato or in mashed potatoes as a substitution for sour cream or butter. You will get both the buttery flavor and the slight tang of sour cream with a fraction of the calories. You can also make mock sour cream using buttermilk powder. Buttermilk is a Probiotic food. These contain living microorganisms, that can survive the passage through the stomach and become active in the intestines. Healthy bacteria reside in everybody's colon, and in return for food and a warm place to live these resident bacteria contribute to your health. One of the most intestinal-friendly resident bacteria is the family of lacto bacteria, so-called because they thrive on lactose sugars. The commonest form is L.acidophilus. Here are some healthy things these bacteria do to your body: > Manufacture vitamins > Improve digestion > Boost Immunity > Manufacture nutrients > Protect against cardiovascular diseases > Protect against carcinogens The most of the buttermilk is produced by culture. The milk is turned to curd and is churned to produce the cream and buttermilk. Buttermilk is low fat skimmed milk almost 2% of the fat content. This almost same like milk in appearance. The most buttermilk produced is produced by the bacterial reaction of the lactobacillus. It is responsible for the formation of the curd from milk. The cultured buttermilk is somewhat thicker than traditional buttermilk but is similar to it in all other respects. The butter supposed to be containing the 90% water , 5% milk sugar and 3% milk protein and 2% fat . The buttermilk is somewhat salty and sour in taste that is due to the is lactic acid produced because the action of the bacteria. The protein of buttermilk is more easily digestible as compared with milk.  The buttermilk is imparting more benefits to . Now days the pasturi digestive health milk is used to produce the buttermilk. Following bacteria’s are used for the culture purpose-Streptococcus lactis, S. cremoris, Leuconostoc citrovorum , and L. dextranicum.  The buttermilk is used for various purposes. Ayurveda has described it as good digestive and carminative drink , appetizer and used for treating obesity normally .