Instant Idli

This is a useful recipe.  Requires no fermentation. And instant. The idlis are soft and fluffy and remain so even when cold. This is a recipe that was posted by Roopa Bhandari.

Ingredients:

Idli Rava - 1 1/2 cup
Poha ( Beaten Rice) Thin variety - 1 cup*
Sour curd/Buttermilk - 1 cup
Baking soda/ Eno salt - a large pinch
Salt to taste

Wash the poha, and add the beaten curd/buttermilk to it.  Keep aside
It will become soft. Mash to a smooth paste.

Wash the idli rava.  Add to the mashed poha mixture
Add salt to taste
Enough water to bring it to a idli batter consistency
And the soda
Mix well.
Keep aside for 5-10 minutes

Meanwhile grease the idli moulds
Spoon the batter into them
Steam for about 7-10 minutes in steamer or a cooker without the weight.

Remove the mould from steamer. Cool a bit and spoon out the steamed idlis.
Have with chutney/sambar/podi


* You can use the thick variety of poha, but you may then need to grind it to a paste. 

Bedmi Puri - With added split black lentils and spices

It is definitely more work than making the usual puri , but absolutely worth it.  It has spices that are freshly ground and that does add a great flavour to the puri.  The recipe has been sourced from Archana's Kitchen. Serve them hot with your favourite aloo curry.

Ingredients:

Split black lentil or urad dal soaked for 5-6 hours - 1 cup
Whole wheat flour - 21/2 cup
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Ginger grated - 1 tsp
Fennel powder - 2 1/2 tsp
Red chilies - 3 nos
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Amchoor powder - 1 tsp
Green chilies - crushed - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp + More for frying
Salt to taste


Dry roast red chilies, coriander and cumin seeds till they give out the lovely aroma. Do not burn.

Cool and grind to coarse powder.  Keep aside.

Drain soaked urad dal, and blend to a coarse paste without using water. Or very little water if absolutely necessary.

Transfer to a bowl
Add the ground powder, amchoor, oil, ginger and salt.

Now gradually add wheat flour and knead the dough, adding water as and when required to make a smooth but firm dough.
Cover and rest for half hour.

Knead once again.  Make small balls.  Roll into puris and fry in hot oil on a medium flame until golden brown.

Serve with aloo curry.

Baked Oatmeal

This is a nice change from the regular oats porridge that you may have for breakfast. However many fruits or nuts you may add, I can assure you the baked version tastes different.  Bake it just till it sets and get a golden crust and you have something that tastes like an apple pie or bread pudding, bake it even longer and it will be like an oaty bar. Use any of the fruits and nuts available to you. The choice is yours.  But do try it.  Does not take too long to make and you can have a good breakfast.  Breaks the monotony of the regular intake of cereal.  Team it with cold coffee or a juice and make it a complete meal.

The recipe is adapted from Once Upon a Chef, who describes it as an Amish-Style Baked Oatmeal with Apples, Walnuts and Raisins.   She even says it can be made ahead of time and just re-heated before consumption.  I made it fresh for breakfast and leftovers were kept in the refrigerator and reheated.  Still tasted good.

Serves 4-5 persons

Ingredients-
Oats - 1 1/2 cups - I used instant oats
Demerara Sugar -  little more than 1/2 cup
Walnuts - 1/4 cup the more the better
Raisins - 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Cinnamon powder -  1 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Eggs - 2
Butter - 4 tbsp + a little more for greasing - I had salted butter, so skipped the salt
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Apples - 1 large / 2 medium


Combine the oats, baking powder, sugar,  and salt if using
And half the quantity of nuts and raisins
Chop the apples
Melt the butter

Preheat the oven to 170C
Grease a 8-9" cake tin

Whisk the eggs add vanilla essence and milk whisk a little more.
Add this to the oatmeal mixture along with melted butter.  Mix well.

Place the chopped apples all along the bottom of the greased cake tin.
Pour the oatmeal mixture evenly over the top of the apples.
Put the remaining nuts and raisins over the top.

Bake in the oven till crust is golden brown and the oatmeal mix is set.  May take about 25-30 minutes.  If you want it more crisp and less pudding like, keep it for a few minutes longer.

Cool.  And slice.  And serve.  Can even be mixed with milk.  Serve with juice or a cup of coffee, hot or cold.  You are set for the rest of the day.

Tomato Dosa/ Thakkali Dosa

I was intrigued by this reddish dosa that I have been seeing online for some time now.  But I didn't want to experiment till someone told me it was a hot favourite at Hotel Sangeetha in Chennai. I wouldn't call it instant, but definitely one that doesn't require too much of planning since there is no need for overnight fermentation. The dosa has a nice tangy taste . I couldn't make it as thin as the regular dosa,  but despite that they can be made crisp.  Thakkali Dosa is definitely going to be a regular item on the menu for sure. Recipe from Subbu's Kitchen.

Ingredients:

Rice (raw) - 1 cup
Tomatoes - ripe - 4 medium
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp - optional
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp  ( I used Kashmiri Mirch, so added a little more since it isn't spicy)
Salt - to taste
Corriander leaves - few - chopped

Oil for the dosa and for tempering.

Tempering -
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Black gram dal ( urad-split) - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Wash and Soak rice for three hours
Drain, and grind with cut tomatoes with a little water to a smooth paste
The batter is not as thick as the regular dosa and not as thin as a rava dosa
Add salt, chili and cumin powder ( I did not add cumin powder )

Take some hot oil, add the mustard, allow it to splutter, add the cumin and then the curry leaves.
This is to be added to the batter.
Add chopped coriander leaves
The batter is now ready

Heat a dosa pan.  Take a ladleful of the batter and spread it over the pan.  Add a little oil.  Wait till it browns and then turn over.

Serve with chutney and pickle. You can even have it plain. 

Surnali

I have not had my fill of Konkani cuisine.  And now that I have renewed contact with aunts and cousins who are wonderful cooks and ever willing to share recipes, I think I can fulfil a few of my cravings :-)

A akka whatsapped the recipe for Surnali.  There are two variations.  One is the god surnali, god in konkani is sweet.  And the other is the Chepi Surnali - Chepi meaning bland.  Only because it is not sweet.  By no means is it tasteless !

Most things in South Kanara will have some bit of coconut in it.  As does Surnali.  This is like an Indian pancake , something like an Uthapam, but with many more holes.  

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 2 cups

Coconut - 1/2 cup

Flattened rice ( Poha) - 1 cup

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Buttermilk ( or milk with the addition of curd)  - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste.

Soak rice and methi seeds for at least 3-4 hours 

Just before grinding, wash the poha

Grind soaked rice and methi along with coconut, poha, salt to a fine paste.

Add the buttermilk to it.  

Mix and keep overnight for about 8 hours to ferment 

(If you are making the sweet variety, omit the salt, just a pinch is sufficient, add sufficient jaggery for the sweetness as per your taste, and grind. Also a pinch of turmeric.  The addition of jaggery may make the batter thinner. So keep that in mind.  The batter should not be thin or too flowy )

The next day heat a tawai.  Smear a little oil on the surface. 

Put a spoon of batter and let it spread on its own 1/2 cm thickness

Cover with a lid and allow the surface to cook . You will see these little holes that will appear on the surface The dosa is genernally not turned over.  

Have the sweet surnali with a blob of butter.  Th.e bland one can be had with chutney

Note - In case, the batter has not fermented enough, add a bit of cooking soda, whisk it well and use. 

Wheat Semia / Gova Shevai

My cousin's wife S came home with this huge bag of goodies from the Mangalore Store.  And one of them was a packet of the Wheat Semia or Gova Shevai as they are called in Konkani.   These are sun-dried wheat vermicelli.  Traditionally they were made at home.  It is a long process.  The wheat has to be soaked in water and made to a paste that is strained through a layer of muslin. This is then stirred on heat till it begins to thicken and then the semia is extruded through a semia maker.  Now, it is more a convenience food, someone else does the hard work and one just picks the dehydrated semia from the store.

The dehydrated semia has to be rehydrated by soaking in water for about 20 mins.  The strands are squeezed to remove most of the liquid. It is now ready to be cooked.

Ingredients

Rehydrated Wheat Semia - About 200 gms
Oil for seasoning - 2 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Black gram dal - 1/2 tsp
Green chilies - 2 slit
Curry leaves -f ew
Ginger - chopped 1/8 "
Asafoetida - pinch
Peas - 20 gms - optional
Carrot finely chopped or grated - 1 small - optional
Salt to taste
Fresh coconut - 2 -3 tbsp - the more the better

Take a deep pan
Heat, add the oil.
Put in the mustard, when it splutters add the asafoetida, black gram dal, curry leaves, green chilies and ginger
Add the peas and carrot.  I used frozen peas, otherwise if using fresh peas, cook them till tender beforehand
Add the rehydrated semia
Mix gently
Cover and keep over a low flame for about 5 minutes. Stir gently now and then.
Garnish with grated fresh coconut.

The dish is different from the readymade vermicelli that you get.  It is also very filling since it is with whole wheat.  The carrots and peas are optional.  It will still taste as good without them.  Try adding fried cashew to make it more delicious.

Bellappa Dosa

I saw pictures of the Bellappa dosa online.  It looked spongy and airy. Seemed like a variation of appam - a dosa I have not attempted to make as yet.  I cannot figure out how the dosa got its name. And I suspect addition of toddy would have given the sponginess to the dosa.  However, the recipe that I followed from Nandini Kini's blog uses a little amount of yeast.  Bellappa ideally should be had with something spicy.  But even with any other accompaniment it would taste as good.

Ingredients 
Raw Rice / Dosa Rice -  1 1/2 cups
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Methi (fenugreek ) seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cooked rice - 1 cup
Dry yeast - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste.

Soak rice, dal, methi for about four hours
Drain, transfer the contents to a blender and add the cooked rice
Grind to a fine paste with a little water.  This is a thickish batter.
Do not add the salt.

Now warm a little water and add the yeast.
You will see it begin to froth in a little while.

Add it to the prepared batter.
Ferment overnight.

The next morning, add salt to taste.
Heat a pan  Smear a little oil on the pan
Pour a ladle full of batter on the pan and lightly spread it out - not too thin like the ordinary dosa.

Cover the bellappa as it cooks on a slow fire.
Let the underside brown
The dosa does not need to be turned over.
When the top is cooked and the underside is browned well remove and serve.

Dutch Apple Pancakes

It's nice when you search for a recipe with ingredients at hand and actually come up with a wonderful dish .  S had told me the Pancake Day was coming up, but it went by with none being made.  Today, there were  these lovely apples sitting in the fridge . So I thought why not a pancake with apples if there was one?  A search online and I liked what I saw on the Channel 4 website.  Here it is.  Make it, especially if you are an apple pie fan... it was truly delicious.

Tip - Make sure you do not cook the apples totally, it will result in a mush, keep a little bite on them so that there is a contrast in texture with the soft pancake.

Ingredients:
( Makes two decent sized pancakes - not the small ones )

Unsalted butter - 50 gms
Apple - 1 large - peeled, cored, quartered and each wedge to be cut to 1/2 cm slices
Apple Brandy - 2 tbsp ( I skipped this )
Eggs - 2
Milk - 120 ml
Plain flour - 90 gms ( sifted)
Caster Sugar - 3 tbsp ( I used brown sugar)
Melted butter - 2 tbsp + a little more for the pan
Cream - 2 tbsp

Topping
Caster sugar - 100 gms
Ground cinnamon - 2 tbsp
Ground cloves - 1/2 tsp ( optional - I did not add)

Put butter in a pan and place over a medium heat.
Once the butter has melted, add the apple pieces and cook for 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften. *
and then transfer half the apple mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Prepare the flavoured sugar -  mix the caster sugar, cinnamon and cloves in a small bowl.

Make the batter - 
Break the eggs into a large bowl. Add the milk, flour, sugar and melted butter. Whisk to combine.

Ladle half the batter over the apple mixture in the pan and cook until the bottom of the pancake has set. Then flip/turn the pancake over and cook for a further minute on the other side. 

Slide the cooked pancake out on to a plate and keep warm. - repeat with the other portion of the apples and remaining batter

To serve -
Place each pancake on a serving plate, sprinkle with the flavoured sugar and serve with a dollop of cream

* Add the brandy at this stage ( if you are using it ) to the pan and carefully set it alight to flame the apples. Let the flames go out of their own accord 

Steamed Rice Dumpling a.k.a Oondhi/ Undhi

I have been thinking of this for some time. A Konkani dish - Oondhi / Undi/ Undhi - a seasoned steamed rice dumpling.  I went looking for it online and landed at Red Chillies.  It turned out quite well.  A dish that does not require any soaking and fermentation.  And the few leftover dumplings were pan fried for another tasty snack.

Ingredients :

Fine Rice Rava - 1 cup ( I used Idli rava - which worked as well, but I feel fine rice rava would be better)
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Water - 2 1/2 cups
Salt to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Ginger finely chopped - to taste
Green chilies - finely chopped - 2 nos or as per your spice tolerance
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - large pinch

Take a pan
Heat the oil
Add mustard seeds allow to splutter and then the urad dal.  Allow to brown slightly
Followed by methi seeds, ginger, curry leaves torn into pieces, green chilies
Mix
Add the water - bring to boil
Add the rava and salt
Stir till the water is absorbed by the rava and it begins to come together to form a mass/ dough like
Add the coconut

Take off fire.  Allow to cool ( not totally ) but till you are able to handle the dough
Rub your palms with oil or dip them in water - whatever suits you best
Take a piece of dough.  Make into a ball and then a depression in the middle
Place in a greased pan or idli stand
Steam for about 8-10 minutes
Serve hot with chutney, pickle, podi or sambar

Dibba Rotti aka Minappa Rotti

This another good recipe I got from The Chef and Her Kitchen ,  It is made from the idli batter, so I thought  it would taste like a fried idli or perhaps like an Uthapam.  But it was totally different.  Kind of a heavy breakfast.  So you cannot eat them in numbers like you would a dosa.  And it tasted good even when it had cooled down, so would make a good travel food if smeared with a little ghee and chutney powder.  All in all, I guess a breakfast dish once in a while.

Dibba Rotti is not made in the dosa tawa but in a deep pan or wok.  Preferably the heavy iron ones.  This one is not really in one of those but

I have just one picture of the dibba rotti.  Should have cut it to show how it was cooked all the way through.  But breakfast time is not the best time for food photography in my case....

So here goes...
Ingredients:
Idli Rava - 2 1/2 cups ( you can use idli rice too, but I always use rava)
Urad dal - 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds (Methi) - 3/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil as required

Wash and soak separately the idli rava and urad dal with the methi seeds for about 5-6 hours
Grind the urad dal and methi to a smooth batter
Mix the batter with the rava
( I read that you can use it to make the rotti now, but I allowed it to ferment as i would for idli - overnight)

Heat a few tbsp of oil.  Swirl the pan (kadai) so that it coats the sides as well
Pour in 2-3 ladles of batter to a thickness of 1 - 1.5"
Cover with a lid - may take about 5-7 minutes depending on the thickness of the pan
Slowly loosen the sides and flip it over.  Keep awhile.
Ensure that the rotti is cooked through

You can cut into wedges if you wish and serve.
Serve with chutney, chutney podi, pickle

Bansi Rava Upma

The usual rava - semolina - was out of stock at the supermarket, so I picked up the Bansi Rava - that looked slightly coarser - giving the impression of healthier - and I thought , why not give this a try.  Was not too sure of how to cook it, browsed and found the recipe here.   I added a few more ingredients and quite liked the texture of the upma .

Ingredients:  For 2 with a healthy appetite !

Bansi Rava - 1 cup

Use any vegetable you fancy - I used peas, onions, potatoes, tomatoes... dice into neat small cubes

Green chilies - 2-3

Curry leaves - few

Garam masala - whole - 2 cloves, 1/2" cinnamon

Asafoetida - big pinch

Ginger - 1/4" finely chopped

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard, Bengal gram dhal, Black gram dhal - for seasoning

Turmeric - pinch ( optional)

Optional - lime juice, coriander leaves for garnish

Heat oil in a pan

Add mustard, and the dhals

Allow the mustard to splutter.  Add the asaofoetida.  Saute a while

Followed by the curry leaves, slit green chilies, ginger, garam masala 

Then the onions - do not brown and the veggies

When the vegetables get a little tender add the rava and toss it till it gets coated with the oil and other ingredients for a few minutes

Meanwhile heat the water - for 1 cup rava - 2 cups of water

Add the water slowly to the rava

Keep stirring gradually

The rava will absorb the water and cook

Keep covered over a low flame.

Remove

You can add a squeeze of lime if you like it tangy

Add some chopped coriander for garnish

Serve with pickle

Whole Moong Adai

In the state of Tamil Nadu, you can have a good hearty breakfast of Adai.  And in the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh, you can one that is as filling in a Pesarattu - the whole moong or green gram dosa.  If you combine the two as in the recipe that follows, you still get a good hearty meal, which to me felt easy on the tummy as compared to both.  I have christened it the Pesaru-adai.   I found this recipe when I was browsing old posts in The Chef and her Kitchen.   It has been slightly modified.

Raw Rice - 1 measure
Whole moong ( Green gram) - 1/2 measure
Black gram dal (Urad dal) - 1/2 measure
Red chilies - few - to taste
Asafoetida - large pinch
Salt to taste
Onions - finely chopped (optional)
Oil - for making the dosa

Soak rice, moong, urad dal for a few hours
Grind to a fine paste with chilies, salt and hing ( Adai is generally ground to a coarse paste, but we like it this way)
Add onions to the batter.
Heat a pan.
Smear with oil
Spread the dosa batter to make a thin round dosa/crepe
Preferably cover the dosa so that the upper side also gets partially cooked.
Allow the underside to brown.
Flip and keep for a minute or two.
Remove from pan.

Serve hot with chutney, powdered jaggery and ginger pickle

I had some batter left and I put that into the kuzhiappam pan and had that as a snack.

Masala Oats ....aka Oats Upma

Never thought I would try this !  As a child, porridge and oats were synonymous.  No fancy quick cooking oats either.  It was a process.  Unappetizing. Filling. And we were told it was healthy for us. The only thing I liked about this sort of breakfast were the special porridge plates that we had with a deep spoon.

I thought I would attempt using Oats after the younger one told me she had made it.  That it tasted good.  Of course, she made it with an Italian touch - she put in oregano and mixed herbs.  She would add those ingredients in everything if she could!  Then my bro wanted some packs of masala oats from India (  it has always been the other way around - anyone coming back from a stay abroad would come back with sachets of various flavoured oats ).  And coincidentally as I was toying with the idea of making the Indianised oats recipe, Jeyashri posted Oats Upma on her site.

So here it is.. .if you are not averse to Oats, and want the Indian touch try this.

Ingredients: (serves 2 )
Rolled Oats - the quick cooking variety - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup approximately
Veggies - carrots, capsicum - finely chopped , peas
Onion - 1 medium - chopped
Green chilie -1 ( slit)
Curry leaves - few
Ginger - 1/2 " piece - finely chopped
Black gram (Urad) dal - 1/2 tsp
Hing (asafoetida) - a pinch
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder (dhania) - 1/2 tsp  (optional )
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Lime juice - A good squeeze - optional
Garam masala powder - pinch - optional

Roast the oats for a few minutes.  Ensure that it does not brown or burn
Take a pan - place on heat - add the oil
The urad dal, mustard.   Allow the mustard to crackle.
Put in the curry leaves, asafoetida, green chilie, ginger
Sauté 
Add onion sauté till transparent.  Then the chopped vegetables.
If needed add a little water and allow to cook
Add the salt.
Put in the turmeric powder, dhania and garam masala powder - the last two are optional
When the veggies are tender add the roasted oats
And then add water cautiously.

Cover for a couple of minutes.  Lift lid and check
If need be, sprinkle a little more water till you get the required consistency.
Squeeze lime if required

Oats upma should be served hot.

Note :Chopped tomatoes may be added too

Banana Pancakes

Bananas are not my favourite fruit, but they were sitting in the fruit bowl for some time.  These are plain  pancakes with some bananas sautéed in a butter-sugar caramelised mixture and topped with golden syrup.  I guess it could be any fruit of your choice.  But these here are with bananas.

The pancakes here contain egg.  But I have made those without egg, so it can be done away with for an eggless variety.

Ingredients: (for about 4 medium pancakes)
(for the pancake)
Egg - 1
Plain Flour (Maida)- 45 gms
Baking powder - 1/4 tsp
Milk - 40 ml ( use to get the required consistency)
Salt - a pinch

(for the caramalised bananas)
Banana - 1
Butter - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1 tbsp

(topping)
Golden syrup - generous drizzle
Cream - desirable - but not used here - generous dollop

Separate the egg
In a bowl, combine the flour, egg yolk, milk and baking powder to get a thick batter

Beat the egg white well to a frothy mixture with the pinch of salt.
Add it to the flour mixture.

Heat a pan (non stick preferably) on medium heat
Pour the batter to slightly thick pancakes.
Keep till golden brown and flip over to get the same browning on the other side too.

Melt butter in another pan, add sugar on a low flame till a caramalised mixture is formed
Cut banana lengthwise and add to the pan and cook gently till it gets browned

To serve
Place 2-3-or even 4 pancakes
Put the caramalised bananas over them
Drizzle ( pour is more appropriate and tastier! ) golden syrup
Serve with a dollop of cream

(Recipe source - Jamie Oliver )

Khara Baath

Tried this recipe from Shanthi Krisnakumar's cook book. I am not a great upma fan.  But this is a useful recipe when you are not in a mood to cook which happens (to me) quite often.  So you find what is called 'celebrating upma week' at home ever so often.  Such times it is handy to be able to bring this dish to the table in different avatars.  So this one was just right. I did not even mind making the fresh spice powder that was needed for the recipe - the small coffee bean grinder gifted by a friend - does not make this seem a difficult chore anymore.

As in any upma if you are generous with the use of the oil/ghee - it would only enhance the taste.  Also Khara Bhaath is best eaten hot.  Verdict - End Result - very good.

Ingredients:
It seems a long list - but the process is simple

Upma Rava ( Semolina) - 1 cup
Veggies of choice - I only used 1 small carrot (diced) and a 1/4 cup peas
Tomato - 1 - chop
Onion - 1 slice
Ginger - finely chopped - 1/2"
Green chillie - 2 nos - slit them
Cashew - few
Khara Baath powder - 2 tsp ( preparation given below)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 2 tsp ( I did not use)
Salt to taste
Lime - optional

Water required - 2 1/4 cup approximately.

Seasoning:
Oil / Ghee / or a mixture of both - about 3 tbsp
Black gram dal (Urad) - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida powder (Hing) - a large pinch
Curry leaves - few

The Powder (this will yield more than required, which can be stored in airtight container)
Roast the ingredients listed till you get a lovely aroma, cool and powder

Coriander seeds (Dhania) - 2 tbsp
Split chick pea (Channa dal) - 1 tsp
Split black gram (Urad dal) - 1 tsp
Dried Red Chilies - 3-4 nos
Cinnamon - 1"
Cloves - 2 nos
Coconut - 2 tsp

Roast the semolina ( do not let it brown)

In a wok, take the oil/ghee and first roast the cashew to a golden brown. Remove and keep aside.
In the same wok put in the mustard, black gram dal, allow mustard to splutter
Add the asafoetida and curry leaves.

Put in the onions. Sauté
And then the ginger, green chilies, sauté
Put in the veggies and allow to cook till just tender.
Add the tomatoes till they turn mushy
And the turmeric powder, bhaat powder
Pour in the water.  Add salt and bring to boil.

Simmer.  And add the roasted semolina gradually stirring all the time to see that lumps are not formed. Once mixed add the grated coconut at this stage and fold in. 

Serve. If you wish pack the khara bhaath into a container and then un-mould onto a plate and garnish with the roasted cashew. Serve with pickle, chutney or sauce.

Soft Idli à la Murugan Idli

Murugan Idli is a popular shop in Chennai.  It is one of those small eateries.  Neat and clean.  That serves the most delicious food.  Idlis are soft and fluffy, their sweet pongal is out of the world, the adai is made with shallots!!  And so when I chanced upon the Murugan Idli kadai recipe at Edible Garden, I was ready to to experiment.  And the results were good!  The proportion of rice to dal was not different from the recipe I follow, but I have never added cooked rice or methi.  

Ingredients:

Idli rice / Idli rava - 2 measure

Urad dal - 1 measure

Methi/Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cooked rice - a handful

Salt to taste

Soak the rice for about 4-6 hours and similarly soak the dal and methi seeds in a separate vessel

Grind the dal and methi seeds to a smooth paste.

Grind the rice.  When half way through add the cooked rice and salt.

Make this a smooth paste too.

Mix the dal and rice batter together - the batter should be thicker than a dosa batter

Keep in a warm place and allow to ferment overnight.

You will find a bubble filled batter the next day

Gently mix.  

And fill in idli containers and steam for about 7-8 minutes

Un-mould and enjoy soft home-made Murugan Idli 

Have the usual accompaniments of chutney, sambar and podi. 

Thank you Nags. 

Set Dosa

For years it has been dosa for breakfast on Sunday morning.  And I have been noticing fellow bloggers posting different kinds of dosas and thought it was time to experiment.  At Aayi's Recipes  I found the recipe for Set Dosa.  The usual 'urad dal' is missing from the ingredients and the dosas are nice soft and spongy.

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup

Fenugreek (Methi) seeds - 1 tsp

Poha - Rice flakes - 3/4 cup

Sour curd - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Soda - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Oil for dosa making

Soak rice and methi seeds for 5 hours or so.

Half hour before grinding the batter - wash the poha, and soak in soghurt

Grind the rice and methi to a smooth batter with salt.

Add the soaked poha and grind again.

Dosa batter should slightly thick

Ferment overnight.  This requires adequate fermentation.  There should be bubbles in the batter.

Add soda and sugar the next day - I think the soda can be avoided if batter is well fermented

Heat a pan. Smear lightly with oil and pour the batter - the batter should not be spread too thin

Cover - the dosa should not be turned over.  

Allow the steam to cook the top side.

Serve with usual accompaniments of chutney, sambar, pickle or podi.

Wheat Flour Rava Dosa

Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. When you realise on a weekend that you have no breakfast plans , it can be quite annoying.  At least, today I was a little alert despite being groggy on a lazy Saturday morning to think of a rava dosa variation. I added wheat flour instead of the refined maida, cut down amounts of the semolina and rice flour.  Added a bit of buttermilk and what I got was a nice tasty, a golden brown, healthier version of the original.

Ingredients
Whole wheat flour ( atta) - 1/2 cup
Rice flour - 3/4 cup
Semolina ( Upma Rava) - 1/2 cup
Finely chopped onion - 1 small
Finely chopped green chilie - 1-2 nos
Coriander leaves - few
Buttermilk - 1/2 cup (optional)
Salt to taste

Take the ingredients in a bowl.  Make a thin batter ( like that of pancake) with water and buttermilk or just water.  I did not even keep it for half hour as I normally would and it made no difference

Seasoning -
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Cumin (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Black gram dal (urad) - 1/2 tsp

Heat oil, add the jeera, mustard - allow to splutter and add the urad dal.  Allow it to brown slightly and add to the batter.  Mix well.

Heat a dosa pan.
Smear oil.
When hot - keep on a medium flame - test with water or a drop of batter - it should set immediately
Take a ladle of batter and drop in a circle from a height.  You will get a nice lace pattern as the batter comes in contact with the hot surface
Put some oil along the edges of the dosa.
As it browns it will come off the sides.  Turn over and keep for a short while.
Turn it over the first side till it becomes crisp.  Remove and serve with chutney or pickle.

( The dosa here has been made with as little oil on a non-stick pan)

Only South Indian @Foodelicious 

Cabbage Vada

Saw this at Rak's Kitchen.  It has been a long time since we had vada for breakfast and I thought today was a good day to make it with this variation.  I have made cabbage vada with  tuvar dal but not with urad dal.  And this would be a nice dish to make when you want to make it on an 'onion-less' day.  It tastes as good or even better.

Ingredients:

Black gram dal (Urad) - 3/4 cup

Cabbage finely chopped - 1 cup or even little more- it may seem a lot - but it isn't!!

Green chilies - 2 finely chopped

Ginger - 1/4" finely chopped

Coriander leaves - few - chop

Curry leaves - few - shred coarsely

Asafoetida - large pinch

Salt to taste

Soak the urad dal overnight. (If making for an evening snack, soaking for 4 hours will do)

Grind with very little water to a fine paste with salt

Add the chopped ingredients, coriander and curry leaves, asafoetida 

Blend well.

Take a small ball of batter make a hole in the center ( in other words - the vada)

Slip into medium hot oil and fry to a golden brown that will be crisp to bite in.

Have with chutney, pickle or sambar / or all of them

French Toast

I have done a post earlier on the Bombay Toast aka the French Toast. But I came across this recipe at One Perfect Bite - a lovely blog with pictures that are absolutely drool-worthy.  There is also a nice blend of recipes for all.

This is a version of French Toast that she claimed resulted in a firm and non soggy toast. And I found it true.  It is like dipping bread in pancake batter and toasting it.  And what's more, the leftover batter - there almost always is some - that can be made into a pancake!

Ingredients:
Egg - 1
Unsalted butter - 1 tbsp - melted

Milk - 3/4 cup

Vanilla - 1/4 tsp

Sugar - 2-3 tbsp - according to sweetness desired

Refined Flour - Maida - 1/3 cup

Salt - pinch

Bread - 4 slices

Lightly beat the egg in a shallow plate

Add the melted butter 

And the milk and vanilla. Whisk

And then flour, sugar and salt and whisk again till blended.

Meanwhile heat a pan - on slow-medium heat

Dip a slice of bread into the batter for a few seconds on both sides till coated

Drip off excess batter

And place on medium hot pan 

Add a little butter ( you could also use any good refined oil if you wish)

Allow to brown slowly, the flour also needs to get cooked, and then turn over till both sides are done.

Dust with powdered sugar.

  

Or have it without that if you want to do away with extra sweetness