CONGRESS KADLEKAI (Spicy Groundnuts)

It’s party time folks! Join in for a Bahuth Jhor Party at Mangala’s Potluck.. Game for it…Yesss!  Let me MODIfy this party name to a shorter one, say “BJP”. So a BJP sirf AAP ke liye from none other than Congress! A mere cursory reading of the above points one to a clear case of CONG +BJP + AAP alliance !! Impossible right? Making the impossible possible at Mangala’s Potluck is this cheffie couple Smt. Malavika and Sri Nagesh Sidhanti, contributors of a recipe that has made the most mercurial entry into Mangala’s Potluck! Homemade by this duo barely few days ago using a tasty little legume that is skinned by a veined brown shell with buttery, tasty nutties housed within. A healthy rival of fruits and even some veggies as a source of antioxidants (beats even a beet!), primarily rich in a compound called p-coumaric acid, becomes richer when roasted! Roast first. What next? Find out right below

Dish Type: South Indian Snack

Time taken: 30 mts

Yield: 250 gms approx.

Ingredients

PC: Nagesh Sidhanti

For roasting:

Groundnuts                 250 gms

For seasoning (Oggarane):

Oil                               1 tsp (Cold pressed groundnut oil preferred)

Mustard seeds                           1 tsp 

Asafoetida                   A pinch

For sautéing:

Oil                               2 to 3 tbsps (cold pressed groundnut oil preferred)

Red chilli powder        1.5 to 2 tsps

Turmeric powder        ¾ tsp

Salt to taste                 1 tsp approx.

Pepper powder           ¾ tsp. (dry roasted and powdered/crushed using mortar and pestle)

Curry leaves                2 sprigs (say 30 to 40 nos.)

Salt to taste                 (1 tsp approx..)

Directions:

Dry roast groundnuts in a kadai on low flame. While roasting, keep stirring continuously so that they get roasted uniformly all over. Remove the skin by wrapping them in a turkey towel or bag and rubbing them with your palms or just smash the wrapped bag on a hard surface. Once the skin is peeled, break the nuts into two. Keep it aside.

Keep the seasoning ready by heating a tsp of oil in a small kadai. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, switch off the flame. Add asafoetida immediately. Keep it aside.

Now take a bigger kadai. Heat oil on low flame. Now add all ingredients listed above under ‘For sautéing”. Mix thoroughly for about 4 mins. Now add the roasted, peeled and split groundnuts. Mix them well again for say 3 to 4 mins. Did you notice an even colour all over? Yes, switch off the flame. Break curry leaves to smaller pieces and mix them well again. Now, test the taste, If need be, add more salt and chilly powder but only after seasoning them. Let it cool down.

Oh your snack hungry guests…have they driven you nuts? By all means go ahead and readily serve them this Homemade Congress Masala Groundnuts! Don’t miss eyeing that sweet smile dressed on their faces, for, haven’t you redressed their hungrievances! J

Tete - a - Tete

How to check if roasting of groundnut is done: When you get the roasted smell ( say after about 5 to 6 mins. of roasting) pick a nut or two in a spatula and let it cool. Rub the peanut between your thumb and forefinger. If the skin peels out easily, it means roasting is done.

If roasted non salted groundnuts are available, they can be added straightway to the heated powder mix in the kadai.

You may also dry roast curry leaves separately, crush them to smaller bits when completely cooled and add this to the kadai before adding nuts.

Being rich in proteins, vitamins, antioxidants and more, the health benefits of groundnuts are more than skin deep.

Parable of this pet name “Congress” for this recipe goes this way (I remember hearing this from my school friend’s father Late Sri M R Ramakrishna Iyengar who once owned the famous “Basavanagudi Bakery” in Bengaluru): This was a favourite snack of members at the Congress Emergency meets in the late 70s. Also, during this time, Congress party led by Indira Gandhi split into two. One headed by Indira and the other by Kamaraj. Which is why even the 2 split parts of the nut post roasting are comically christened as Kamraj Congress and Indira Congress!

Glad to dedicate this 100^th   post from Mangala’s Potpourri to Sri Nagesh Sidhanti and his wife Smt. Malavika Sidhanti contributors of this recipe.

Few other recipes you may view in this blog:

Gulipaavate
Banana Fritters
Wheat Flour Halwa
Bun Gulkand Sandwich
Mixed Veg Tikki
Hum Paanch Lime Pickle
Red Rice Laddoos
Menthyada Hittu (Spicy Fenugreek Powder)