Today, I am up to the Vathal chapter, having finished Sundals (healthy) and Chips (mouthwatering). A whole chapter on Chips!! 😋 All sorts of chips, from banana and plantain through potato and others, to vegetables like types of green beans that can be spiced and deep fried. A calorie-accumulating chapter.
I have played around with vathal before (recipes using them are in the #Vol1 of the same book). There are not many available in Indian groceries here, but the range is increasing. This chapter is about making them yourself.
Vathal are (generally) dried vegetables or fruits that can be used in cooked dishes such as sambar and kuzhambu, or sometimes used as a snack or side dish. They are made from a range of veg eg Turkey Berry (Sundakkai or Pea Eggplant), Cluster bean, Green Mango, Okra, Eggplant, Potato, Pumpkin, Capsicum, Chillies and other vegetables. They are dried after soaking in salt and turmeric, and sometimes coated in yoghurt.
In South India they are dried on roof-tops. The sun is an essential cooking ingredient in India.
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