Tapioca Fryums

Jawarisi Vathal:

Sago Vatral. Tapioca/Sago Vadiyalu/ Vatral/ Vathal/ Fryums.

My mommy used to make this during summer vacation. She meticulously used to prepare boxes and boxes of Pappads, Milagu Appalm, Seeraga Appalam, Arisi Vathal, Koozh Vathal, Kai-kari Vathals...etc. All her friends and relatives used to bag her preparations after their long summer stay at our home. I used to wonder where Mom gets all this energy to entertain people! And still say 'No' to me if I ask to visit me at the Hostel.

Anyways...mommy is an expert in making 20 different kinds of Appalams! Woo...sadly I never learnt anything from her...maybe staying too far away for studies and stuff also a reason. Very rarely when I visit home...I did/do help her in sun drying them. So never mastered that art. But off lately she ain't that energetic to teach me all about Appalams or Vadams. Wish to ask her secret recipe next time! Till then...yeah this sago vathal is prepared by my mother. This is simple and easy for beginners, I guess. Here is her exact recipe...

Ingredients:

Sago/ Jawarisi 1 cup
Green chilies 3-6
Cumin seeds 2-4 spoons
Salt
Food color (optional)

Method:

Soak Sago for couple of hours.

Then grind the sago along with chilies, salt and cumin till thick.

In a sauce pan, boil water. Add this thick sago to it. Continue cooking over low-medium heat...with constant stirring. You will notice it turning to translucent to glassy appearance, much like a glue! One can add color at this point. Then remove from heat. Bring it to room temperature.

Take a clean sheet(plastic sheet preferably) or one could use cotton cloth also. Place this sheet under direct sun rays (Terrace/ Patio/ Sit-out)...place something hard on the 4 corners. So that the sheet won't fly away during windy days.

Well...now carefully take a spoon full of sago porridge and uniformly place on the sheets. Leave enough gap between each application. As you know...they tend to spread a little. Now sun dry them for couple of days to a week or until they are dry completely without any moisture.Remove these from the sheets and store in an air-tight container.

At the time of serving...heat oil in a pan. When the oil is hot enough...fry few fryums at a time... it takes less than 20 seconds to get fried...so remove immediately using slotted spoon.

Serve to go with your rasam rice and that I call as comfort food!:)

Paapad Ka Subzi

Appala Kootu:

Pappad Ka Subzi. Appalam Kootu Curry. Aalu-Pappad ka Subzi.

This is my Brother's favourite dish. Whenever he goes to India...Mommy will try to fix them! So....when last time I went to home, I made them for him! Guess he liked it!:) We made it to go with our Vatha Kuzhambu...nice variation from Sutta Appalam!

Ingredients:

Potatoes 2 large (boiled, peeled & cubed)
Chana dal 1 cup soaked in water
Pappad/Appalam 7-10 (fried in oil/toasted in microwave)
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Green chilis 4 chopped
Ginger 2" grated
Garlic 6 beads chopped
Onion 1 large finely chopped
Tomato 1 large chopped
Curry leaves few
Cilantro few
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Oil few spoons.

Method:

Cook chana dal in a pan...with little salt. And retain the dal alone. Do not over cook them. Set aside

Mash potatoes gently.....leave them little bit chunky here and there, set aside.

In a wide wok, heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves. Wait till they pop up.

Add chilies, ginger, garlic and onions. Fry real good...till the raw odour leave the pan.

Now add tomatoes...wait till they wilt up.

Add salt, turmeric and chili powder. Now stir-in mashed potatos, cooked dal and cracked pappads. Mix well...cover and cook for few minutes.

Remove from heat and add cilantro leaves.

Enjoy as a side dish with Vatha kuzhambu...nice variation for sutta appalam!