Baked Veg Balls

It was school closing at my daughter's play school. Each parent had to send some "healthy" snack with their child so that they learn to share :)
My plan was to make "Oven Baked Potato Cheese Breaded Bites" , adapted from Deeba's blog . Needless to say the plan remained a plan, because I realized that there was no cheese in the house only in the morning :D Smart, ain't I ???
So, I adapted the entire recipe. What remained of her original (and superbly tasty) recipe was just the mashed potatoes, green chilly and the baking part :D, the rest I improvised :D

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 3 medium, pressure cooked and mashed
2. Carrot - 1 small, grated
3. Corn - 1/2 cup, boiled
4. Onion - 1 small, finely chopped
5. Green chilly - 1, de-seeded and chopped fine.
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Garam masala - 3/4 tsp
9. Salt - To taste
10. Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup

Method:

1. In a pan, heat a little oil and saute the onions until translucent. Throw in the chopped green chilly and grated carrot, saute for a minute.
2. To this add the mashed potato and cooked corn. Mix well.
3. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, garam masala and salt to taste. Add a tea-spoon of water so that all the powders mix well with the vegetables.
4. Saute for a couple of minutes until all the powders and vegetables have blended well together.
5. Take off the stove and cool for a while.
6. Make tiny bite sized balls using the mixture. Drizzle some oil on each ball and ensure that they are evenly coated with oil.
7. Roll the balls in bread crumbs
8. To bake, grease a baking tray with oil and place the veg balls in it.
9. Bake at 180 degrees for about 40 mins until the balls turn a nice golden color.
10. Use your imagination to decorate before serving. This can either be served with ketchup or dip.

Vellarikka (English Cucumber) Kalan

The mister carries lunch to office and it's quite a challenge to dish up something new every day (Ok, this never happens...but I try ;)) It helps that he isnt as food savvy as I am. So, any simple gravy and a dry side dish would make him immensely happy :)
Today it was this simple vellarikka kalan :)

Ingredients:

Vellarikka  -- 1 small, cut into cubes
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - To taste
Curd - 250 ml

To Grind:

Grated Coconut -- 3 tbsps
Cumin seeds - a pinch
Green chilly - 2-3

Grind the above into a fine paste.

Seasoning:
1. Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
2. Dry red chilly - 2-3
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
4. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:
1. In a vessel, cook the cucumber in about 1/4 cup of water. Add salt, turmeric and chilly powder as well. Cook covered on low flame until the cucumber is well cooked.
2. Add the ground mixture to the cooked cucumber, increase flame and cook until all the water has evaporated.
3. While the cucumber gets cooked, whip up the curd nicely.
4. Reduce the flame, add the curd, stir continuously and bring it close to a boil. You have to take the curry off the stove just before it boils.
5. To garnish, take a pan & splutter a few mustard seeds. Throw in the dry red chilly, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds and add to the curry.

This is a simple no-frill dish, and can be prepared rather easily.

Beetroot Thoran...

Ok, I've discovered in the last one month that "thorans" are by far the easiest dishes to make, esp if someone else is doing the chopping for you ;)
The beetroot is another of the daughter's favourite, so inevitably it ends being on our table atleast once in a week...and today was yet another beetroot day.

Ingredients:
Beetroot - 3 medium sized
Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste

To Grind:

Sambar onion -- 2-3
Jeera seeds -- a pinch
Green chilly -- 2-3 (would vary depending on your spice level) 
Grated coconut - 4 tbsps

Coarsely grind the above.

Method:
1. Beetroot can be either be grated or finely chopped. When I have a lot of time, I prefer to finely chop them.

2. In a frying pan, splutter a few mustard seeds, dry red chilly and curry leaves.
3. Add the beetroot into the frying pan, along the chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt.
4. Add a little water (abt 3-4 tbsps), reduce the flame and cook until the beetroot is well cooked and until there is no more water in the pan.
5. Increase the flame and add the ground mixture into the pan.
6. Mix well, and saute on high flame for a couple of minutes more.
7. Turn off the stove.