Kovakai (ivy gourd in English, tindora in Hindi) is a 2-3 inch cucumber like vegetable, but sturdier and makes a great stirfry vegetable. Pairs well with any rice dish (rasam/sambar/yogurt or just plain white rice). My kids’ favorite. More ocmmonly available in Indian grocery stores, makes a much-requested appearance in my kitchen whenver kids come home. It can be cut lengthwise or in circles. My kids love it in circles and that’s how I always make it.
Oats are good for you. Let’s just accept that. But one could get tired of eating oats only as a porridgy thing. I needed to find ways to incorporate oats in our meals without getting bored of it. Tried oats dosa – did not like it. Tried it instead of rice with rasam and yogurt. Meh. Rasam was alright, but didn’t care for it with sambar or yogurt. Tried idlis. And…we had a winner! Technically, this is oats rava idli as I add a litlte bit of rava (1 part rava to 3 parts oats so there’s definitely more oats). This is a quick recipe, and with the right chutney/podi, will definitely satisfy your idli craving as well – and there’s no need to soak, grind, ferment, etc. On to the recipe now!
Bonda is a south Indian delicacy where urad dal batter or spiced vegetable mix is coated in a chickpea flour batter and deep fried. It’s ideal for an afternoon tea. There is the plain bonda/mysore bonda which is made with an urad dal batter spiced up with pepper, coconut, and cumin seeds. Then there is the filled bonda which is where today’s recipe comes in – it has an outer covering made of a chickpea flour/rice flour batter, into which boiled and spiced up veggies (primarily potatoes, and optionally mixed vegetables) are dipped in, and then deep fried. They are all deep fried.
It can be served with a chutney such as coconut or peanut chutney. Or just by itself, as it’s spicy enough. Have it with a cup of coffee or tea on a rainy day to perk you up. I made these beauties for game day this weekend for the Jags playoff game. They lost, but the snack was a win!
Eggplant (kathirikai/vangi) gothsu is a tangy spicy side dish that pairs well with bland main dishes like pongal, dosai, idli. The traditional way of making this is to smoke the eggplant and cook it in a tamarind broth spiced with chilies, onions, and sambar powder. And this is the recipe I have made today, to serve with vennpongal.
On to the recipe!
Ven pongal (white pongal) is a simple and soothing comfort food. The main ingredients are white rice and split moong dal, with very few spices/seasonings. It is easy to digest and therefore makes a great comfort when you’re sick and craving something warm. It is made during the month of Margazhi/dhanur (roughly mid December- mid Jan) in the early mornings. My memories of school days during this time is going to the temple early in the morning to get the hot prasadam of pongal (sweet and savory).
A point about pongal: If you don’t have fresh ginger, curry leaves, black pepper, cumin, cashews, and ghee, don’t even attempt it because none of these ingredients are optional for a good pongal.
