Onion bhaji | Ulli vada | Onion fritters | Kukskitchen

Onion bhaji | Ulli vada | Onion fritters | Kukskitchen

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Ulli vada has always been a childhood favourite. My earliest memories are eating those ginormous
ulli vadas bought from Mariana bakery in Kowdiar in Trivandrum (Capital city of Kerala) near
St. Santhal school. I did my UKG (reception) there. The ulli vadas they make are simply out of
this world. What makes them special is the crispy out side and the firm tasty inside with out
much flour in them.

Traditionally gram flour is used as the base. Over the years I have used several combinations and
improvised a lot on the proportions and contents to achieve that taste which my palate acquired
at age 4-5.  Adding rice flour was a landmark and it gave the vadas a gorgeous crisp which stayed
longer. Coming to UK introduced me to a gooey mess the supermarkets call onion bhaji. They are
(in my opinion) a shame to the cuisine.

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A few things before we start:

• If you can get curry onions (pink onions) to make these bhajis.
• Use as less flour and water to make the dough.
• It is very important to get the temperature of the oil right. Too hot and they will fry too
• fast and remain raw inside and gooey. Too cold and the results will be oily and soft.

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Onion bhaji

ഉള്ളി വട 

Makes 8-10

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Ingredients:

1- Onions - 2 , thinly sliced

    Ginger - 1 inch piece, thinly sliced

    Garlic - 2 cloves, thinly sliced

    Curry leaves - 5-6

2- Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

    Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

    Gram flour - 6 tbsp

    Rice flour - 3 tbsp

    Fennel seeds -  1/2 tsp

3- Coriander leaves - one handful, chopped fine

    Green chilli - 1, fine chopped

4- Salt to taste

5- Oil to deep fry

Method:

• Heat enough oil in a deep frying pan.
• Mix (1) together and squeeze between fingers to make the onions soft and dry off any excess\water using a kitchen towel.
• Mix in (2) and stir well to combine. Add a few drops of water if you feel the mix is not coming together. 
• Finally mix (3) to the above and stir to coat well.
• When the oil is hot reduce the heat to medium.
• Wet your hands with cold water and shape tablespoon-sized amounts of the mixture into balls.
• Drop into the oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, then stir carefully to stop them sticking together or to the bottom of the pan. Cook for about four minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden, then drain on a paper towel and put in the oven (50 degrees) to keep warm while you cook the next batch.

Spicy Egg biriyani | Mutta biriyani | Malabar style | Kukskitchen

Source: Adapted from 'The Epicure Cookbook' by Ms. Ummi Abdulla Serves: 4 adults

Ingredients:

1- Basmati rice - 2 1/2 cups (500g)

2- 3tbsp ghee

3- Cardamom - 4

Cloves - 4
Cinnamon stick - 4 small pieces

4- Onions - 3

1 big onion, thinly sliced for rice

1 big onion, chopped for egg masala

(and another for the omelette)

5- For rice: 

Green chillies - 4

Garlic cloves, medium sized - 4
Ginger - 1 inch piece

6- Water - 5 cups

7- Eggs - 3

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Onion, chopped - 1

Green chillies, finely chopped - 2
Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Salt to taste

8- For egg masala: 

Green chillies - 4
Garlic cloves - 6 big
Ginger - 3 inch piece

9-Tomatoes, chopped - 1 medium sized

10-  Biriyani Masala - 1 1/4 tsp

11- Freshly squeezed lemon juice - 1 1/2 tbsp
Coriander leaves, chopped - 1/3 cup
Mint leaves, chopped - 1/4 cup

12- Ghee - 2 tbsp

Biriyani masala - 2 pinches

13- Hardboiled eggs, halved - 4
 Biryani Masala - a pinch
 Pepper powder - a pinch
 Salt to taste

14- Oil for making omelettes and frying hard boiled eggs

15-Salt to taste

Method:

- Hard boil 4 eggs

- Make Biryani Masala

- Grind (5) and (8)  into coarse pastes and keep aside.

- Wash and drain the rice on a colander. 

- Heat ghee in a pot and add  (3). 

- Once their aroma hits ur nose add thinly sliced onions and sauté till it is transparent

-  Add the ground (5), stir well till the raw smell disappears. 

- Add rice and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes in low heat. 

- Add this to a microwave safe bowl with 5 cups of water  add salt and  cook at full power for 20 minutes or until rice is done. Using a fork, gently fluff up the rice.

- While rice is cooking, make omelette and egg masala

- Beat the eggs and add all the other ingredients and mix well.

- Heat the oil in a pan and make two omelettes out of this mixture.

- When done, transfer to a chopping board and cut them into small bite sized pieces and keep aside.

- Heat oil in a pan and cook thinly sliced onion, till they turn transparent; now add  ground (8) and sauté till it gives out a roasted smell. 

- Add chopped tomatoes and saute for a few more minutes. 

- Now add the Biryani masala, and combine well especially at the base. 

- Add bite size piece of omelette and blend well, followed by chopped cilantro/coriander and mint leaves. Sprinkle lemon juice, mix well. Do a taste test here and adjust the salt. Turn off the stove and remove from heat.

- Pour 2 tbsp ghee into your cooking vessel (oven –safe dish); spread half of the rice at the bottom, followed by the egg masala and sprinkle two pinches of biryani masala; spread rest of the rice as the top layer and add 2 tbsp ghee. 

- Preheat oven to 350 F. Close the pot with aluminum foil, put the lid back on and cook for 30 minutes.

- While rice is at the final phase of cooking, hard-boil 4 eggs and when done, halve them. Sprinkle biryani masala, pepper powder and salt on halved eggs and shallow fry them in oil for a minute. Remove from the pan.

- Layer rice and egg masala or simply mix the rice and egg masala together and garnish with boiled and fried egg halves.