Friday, January 15, 2010

Kona vadai -Gobi Patti's special recipe


When Chegodis were to be made for last month's Indian Cooking Challenge, I looked for pictures that would help me make them. I landed in Sailu's blogpost. They looked familiar and I thought they were kodubale, the famous Karnataka snack. The recipe was quite different. Pondering on kodubale, I wanted to post my maternal grand mother's version. I think she just mixed up the name a bit....coining the kona vadai. The recipe is certainly unique though. My mother claims it was between Gobi Patti and the lady who comes over to help while big time cooking needs to be done, that this snack evolved. I simply love these and am sure all of you might enjoy this variation.
A very fond memory related to this snack goes thus. My cousin in Chennai desired me to make this for her when she was near term pregnant. We had just celebrated her Valaikappu and Seemantham. So there was enough time, I thought. On a weekend with Niki rolling them out with me, I made and packed a box for her. I took them to my aunt and we virtually put her on the transport to go and deliver this. My cousin was delivered of her son that very night two weeks before term :) Ten years on, I still recall fondly this whenever I roll the rings out.
As children growing up in India in the 70s, we went to our grandparents every holiday. The Gobichettipalayam house will be bustling with activity during vacations. If vengaya sambhar was to be cooked all children were bade to peel shallots. If konavadai or uppu cheedais were made we were to roll them. We have been given a small quantity of murukku maavu and a patch on the white dhothi to try making kai murukkus...though they never got to be fried.
Now to the recipe;
Ingredients:
2 cups rice flour ( though freshly pounded will be optimum, store bought works fine too)
1 cup semolina
1 cup all purpose flour (maida)
1/2 of a big coconut (scrape, or use dessicated coconut)
2" piece of ginger
6 pieces green chillis (adjust according to spice requirement)
Salt
2 table spoons hot oil/ 2 level tablespoons butter
Oil for deep frying
Method of preparation:
Seive the flours and semolina together.
Grind to a fine paste the chillis, ginger, coconut and salt.
Add the paste, fat (oil or butter) to the flour mix. Mix well to make pliable dough adding very little water only if required.
The semolina and the all purpose flour will give the dough elasticity. Pinch small balls and roll in thin ropes. Bring together the ends of the ropes and seal.



Take a small portion of the dough at a time. Keep the rest covered. Exposure to air will dry the dough and the rings may crack.
Heat oil and when oil has reached optimum heat, drop the prepared rings in and deep fry them until crisp and brown.

Roll out the entire dough and deep fry in small batches.
Enjoy the crisp kona vadais. They will make an excellent evening snack or during travel.






27 comments:

  1. It is so crispy . And I have heard it as Kola vadai.

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  2. Thank you Shanthi, Tina and '?'.
    @Shanthi, I am not sure if they are the same.

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  3. lovely kona vadais look so crispy can be had with tea or coffee.

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  4. In looks, it is quite similar to kodubale. I enjoy reading the little memories that you write about in each post. Thank you for stopping by my blog.

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  5. Am ready to munch them anytime..looks crispy and love the name kona vadai..

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  6. Lata - looks wonderful - I was wondering what your Paati's name would be if you are calling her Gobi Patti - and they I saw that they were in Gobichettipalayam - got it! LOL!

    You story is very good - reminds me of our times when we were kids and all summer vacations, all cousins would be in our house - my mom would buy the big tin of bourbon biscuits - and that would be in out kitchen floor - as we walk around - we would put out hands in and eat them all! Wonderful times!

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  7. enjoyed your anecdote , very nostalgic :-)this would be a perfect tea time snack :-)

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  8. Actually I made the one u did last month (1 recipe)- found a bit oily even though i kept in medium heat and high! I should try this one which is totally different recipe! Funny name : kona vada :)

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  9. mmm. looks so wonderfully delicious :)

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  10. i love them..they look perfect..

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  11. Wow lataji, kina vadai looks delicious and tasty!
    Deep fried and crispy :-)

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  12. The dish looks super delicious. What sweet memories, love to go to that kind of days, if only i have some kind of time machine in my hand.

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  13. My initial thought was Kodubale too, but as you said it is way different. Looks good.

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  14. When I saw the title Gobi paati, I knew it was Gobichettipalayam :):) I loved the Kona vadai more so bcos it is ur paatis recipe. Enjoyed the write up too. It was as if I was reliving my childhood days.

    Chitchat
    http://chitchatcrossroads.blogspot.com/

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  15. this is so much like kodbale from karnataka .. looks yumm

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  16. Looks delicious lathaji. I am doing the kriya regularly. In this centre they are doing it everyday 6 to 7 am. I mangae to get up early and cook and go tere and come, it is really realasing and i am gaining lots of energy.

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  17. This looks delicious, very crispy and yum!

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  18. that's a great tea time snack , i will give this a try

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  19. Love the name :) Thanks for sharing your beautiful memories!!

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  20. Loved reading your memories. They are so nostalgic. I liked this recipe. Looks like it doesn't suck much oil. Bookmarked.

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  21. Thanks for the recipe. I made this snack when I was a kid ,I think may be 8 or 9 yrs. I got the recipe from my moms collection. Every body loved and appreciated the dish. Later I lost the recipe. Last week my mom asked me how to make this kona vadai. I never thought I ll find it anywhere... But .. Really ... I m very happy n thank u
    chef Raiju
    Kitchen caravan -Meals on wheels
    Kerala

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Hello,
Welcome and thank you for taking time to drop by.
I appreciate your valuable comments and tips.
I sincerely hope to improve with them.
Hope we shall interact often.
Thanks once again,
Lata Raja.