Killu vadam/kanji vathal: skill level-Easy

Time to exploit the hot summer, sun-dried vegetables and vathal are popular in Chettinad, torrid climate of this region helps in a great deal for drying. Seasonal vegetables are processed and dried in the sun light and stored for approximately a year of usage. Vegetables like brinjal, cluster beans, flat beans, mango, even meat (uppukandam), vathal like Kuzhu vathal, Killu vathal, kanji vathal, vengaya vadagam, mithukka vathal, mor milagai etc…is dried according to the perfect procedure without any great loss of its taste. What is the special in sundried vegetables?

1. On drying process under direct sunlight Vitamin ‘D’ is absorbed by the vegetables.
2. Vegetables without any high loss of its nutrients.
3. The natural process of seasonal vegetables to use year long without any demand.
4. Special varieties of recipes can be introduced.

Killu vadam is named so because we make a shape as small pinches from the mixture to get dried. Vathal is the most attracting snack with rice for children and elders too. Any type of the main course will go with the vathal and vadagam.Ingredients:

Cooked rice-2 cups

Salt-1/2 tsp

Sago-1/4 cup

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Green chillies-2 nos

Asafoetida-1/4 tsp

Lemon few drops if you prefer

Method:

Pour water in the cooked rice, the previous night, soak sago for 3 hours.

The first grind soaked sago, green chillies and salt, squeeze out water completely from cooked rice (Kanji) grind along with it.

Add lemon juice if you prefer mix well.

Spread a cloth on sunlight and make small pinches of the mixture, allow it to dry for 3 to 4 days.remove from cloth and allow one more day to dry.

Stored it and use whenever you wish to have.

Note : 

While grinding add curry leaves for green colour.

Add red chilli powder for red colour and fennel seeds for flavour.