Pappadam

Ingredients (Yields 20 - 25 based on size):

       Urad Dal whole        -  1 cup
       Baking soda             -  ½ tsp
       Salt                           -  1½ - 2 tsp    
       Oil                            -   2 - 3 tsp
       Water                        -  ½ cup

       All purpose flour      -  as required, while rolling

Preparation:

       Grind the urad dal into a fine powder. Sieve it using a strainer/sieve with small holes.

       Add the baking soda and salt to the urad flour. Give a quick mix. Add oil and start mixing to just incorporate the oil into the flour.

       Add water and mix well to form a thick rough dough. At this stage add more oil if needed, not more than a teaspoon.

       Transfer the dough onto a clean chopping board / counter top / any clean hard surface. Use a pestle to pound the dough. I actually started with the base of the mortar first and as the dough became softer, used the pestle to pound it better. This step takes approximately 15 - 20 minutes of continuous pounding.(Yes thats a good workout for your arms.) The dough would be now soft to handle.

        Roll the dough into a log, approximately half inch diameter. I divided the dough into two before I rolled. Using a knife cut the log into approximately an inch pieces.

        Roll each portion into small rounds, dusting with all purpose flour. Using a cookie cutter, or any round lid, cut the rolled ones into perfect rounds. I used a small lid and hence my pappadoms were a bit smaller than the regular size ones. However, size doesnt matter.

         Spread the pappadoms on a clean cookie sheet and let it dry under sun for 10 - 15 minutes. Flip them in 10 minutes to have it completely dry. Do not dry it too much as it might get stiff. It should still be pliable.

         Fry the pappadoms in hot oil. We fried all of it right then and hence not sure about the shelf life.

Recipe Courtesy: Ria's Collection / Story telling camera

Vattayappam

Ingredients( 8 inch round):

           Rice Flour - 1 cup
           Yeast         - 3/4 tsp
           Luke warm water - 1/4 cup
           Sugar        -  1 tsp + 1/2 cup
           Grated coconut - 1 cup
           Egg Whites - 1 large
           Ghee - 1 tsp
            Salt - as required

Preparation: 

Add the yeast and 1 tsp sugar to luke warm water and set aside to bloom. Meanwhile, grind the coconut with little water to a smooth paste. Mix this with the rice flour and sugar.

Once the yeast is ready, add that as well to the mixture and set it aside for 3-4 hours. Add more water if needed. The batter consistency should be similar to dosa batter.

Beat the egg whites stiff and fold them into the batter. Add salt.

Grease the pan with ghee and add the batter to it. Steam cook for 25 minutes on medium flame.

Recipe Courtesy: Ria

Idly Bajji

Ingredients:

Idly                                          --    8 - 10 

Besan flour                             --   1 cup

Rice Flour                               --   ½ cup

Red chilly powder                 --   1 ½ tsp

Black Pepper Powder           --   ½ tsp

Asafoetida                              --   ¼ tsp

Oil                                           --    to deep fry

Salt                                          --    to taste

Water                                      --    as required

Preparation of the Bajji:

Mix the besan, rice flour, pepper, chilli powder, baking soda and salt. Add water little by little to form a batter similar to the dosa batter consistency.

Slice the idly into four.

Heat oil in a pan for frying. Dip the idly pieces in the batter; let the pieces be well coated with the batter and deep fry until they turn brown and crispy.

Serve hot with ketchup or any chutney. 

Kalathappam

A post after a long while… I would never complain as lack of time for not being active here as I believe everyone can make their own time for their priorities. The blog just came down in my priority list considering various other factors that popped up.

This recipe is a keeper and I had to save it somewhere. The books and papers are least referred nowadays and I had to have this in my own space. The trigger to prepare this was having this yummy snack from a friends and getting it right to perfection was all from the video blog of Veena.

Ingredients(Serves 8 - 10):

Jeerakashala Rice / Kaima rice  --  1 cup (You can also use ponni raw rice, but kaima is the best)
Cumin Seeds       --  ½ tsp
Cardamom          --  seeds from 2 pods
Cooked Rice       --  2 tbsp
Jaggery                --  250 - 350 gm (based on how sweet you need)
Water                    --  1 ½ cup
Coconut Oil         -- 4 - 5 tbsp
Sliced Coconut  -- 3 tbsp, thinly sliced
Shallots                -- 1, thinly sliced    
Baking Soda       -- ½ tsp
Salt                        -- As required

Preparation:

Soak rice for 4 - 5 hours or overnight.

Wash and drain the soaked rice. Add the cumin seeds, cardamom seeds, cooked rice and ½ cup water to the drained rice and grind it to a very fine mixture. Once it is done add another ½ cup of water to it and mix well.

Meanwhile, melt the jaggery in ½ cup of water. Once completely melted, strain the syrup into the prepared batter.

Add baking soda and salt to the batter and stir well.

In a small pan, add 1 - 2 tbsp of coconut oil and fry the sliced coconut and the shallots until golden brown. Strain and keep aside.

In a sauce pan heat the batter to luke warm temperature. Make sure the flame is medium - low and you keep stirring while heating the mixture. If not there are chances that the mixture gets cooked in the sauce pan. Keep it aside.

While heating the batter(depends on how much you can multi task) or after keeping the batter aside,  heat the pressure cooker on high flame. Once it is really HOT, add the left over coconut oil from frying the shallots and coconut and the remaining 3 tbsp of coconut oil. Swirl it well on the sides of the cooker to grease it well.

Add the batter to the HOT cooker. Top it with the fried coconut pieces and shallots.

Close the lid of the cooker with the washer on and no whistle / weight. Let it cook on high flame for 90 seconds and then quickly switch it to the lowest flame and let it cook for another 15 minutes.

Switch off the flame and move the cooker to a cool place. Let it stand for another 15 - 20 minutes and you can slowly take the appam out of the cooker.

The water to rice ratio is quite important to have the right consistency on the batter. I usually store my jaggery melted and strained. Hence I ground the rice mixture with ½ cup of water and mixed 1 cup of semi-thick(a little lighter than maple syrup consistency) jaggery syrup into it.

The type and size of the pressure cooker also matters. It is preferable to use a short aluminum cooker with a wide mouth, but it will still work on any. I used a 3 liter steel cooker. Using a steel cooker might burn the bottom of the appam slightly (as you can see in mine). I just slit that part off before eating and the remaining was still yummy :)

Recipe Courtesy: Veena's Curry World

Pakistani Egg Curry

Ingredients:

Eggs             - 5
Oil                 - 3 tbsp
Onion          - 2 medium size / 3 cup, chopped
Ginger         - 1 inch, finely chopped
Garlic           - 5 cloves, minced
Turmeric    - ½ tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
Tomatoes   - 5 medium / 4 cups chopped
Tomato Ketchup - 1 tbsp
Salt               - to taste
Coriander leaves - 1 - 2 strands

Preparation:

Boil water in a sauce pan. When the water begins to bubble boil, turn the heat to medium-high.  and carefully, using a slotted spoon, add the eggs into the pot.

Set your timer to 10 minutes. After ten minutes, remove pan from stove and replace the water with cold running water. Set aside until the curry is ready.

Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté till a golden brown. Add ginger, garlic, turmeric and cumin powder and continue to sauté for another minute until fragrant. Add the tomatoes,ketchup, salt and red chilly powder. Saute until the tomatoes are really mushy.

Add 1 cup of water and mix. Let it boil and let the gravy reduce to a thick consistency. Stir in-between to avoid sticking to the bottom / splutter.

Peel the eggs and carefully slice each egg into half and place on top of the warm curry base. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

 

Courtesy: The spice spoon

Paalaada(Rice crepes) with Chettinad Egg Curry

 

Chettinad Egg Curry

Ingredients (Serves 5 - 6):

For Roasting and Grinding:

Cloves -- 7
Cinnamon -- 3 inch piece
Dry red chilli -- 4
Coriander seeds -- 1 tbsp
Black pepper -- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds -- ½ tsp
Fennel seeds -- 1 tsp
Poppy seeds -- 1 tsp, Or 6 - 8 almonds/cashews
Grated coconut -- ½ cup

For Gravy:

Onion -- 2 medium size, around 3 cups, finely chopped
Tomato -- 2 medium size, around 1½ cups, chopped
Garlic -- 3 cloves
Ginger -- 1 inch piece
Green chillies -- 1 - 2
Turmeric powder -- 1/4 tsp
Salt -- to taste
Coriander leaves -- 2 sprig, for garnishing

Eggs -- 6 nos.
Red chilly powder -- ½ tsp

Oil -- 3 tablespoons
Mustard seeds -- ½ tsp
Fennel seeds -- ½ tsp
Bay leaves -- 1
Curry leaves -- 1 spring

Preparation:

Hard boil egg for 10 - 12 minutes. Once done, remove the shell and prick using a fork. Keep aside.

Meanwhile, dry roast all the ingredients given under "For Roasting and Grinding" except poppy seeds/nuts. On a low flame roast until the coconut is brown in colour. Add the poppy seeds/nuts and turn the flame off. Let it cool to room temperature.
Grind to make a smooth paste by adding required water.

Make a paste of ginger, garlic and green chilly. I prefer using a mortar and pestle for this.

Take a pan and heat oil in it. Add the eggs followed by red chilly powder and required salt. Fry it rolling in the pan, so it gets fried with the masala coating. Drain the eggs from the oil and keep aside.

Add mustard seeds, fennel seeds and bay leaves to the oil(Add more oil if required). Let them splutter.

Add chopped onion with curry leaves. Saute it till the onion is translucent. Add the freshly ground ginger garlic green chilly paste and fry for 1 - 2 minutes.

Add the chopped tomato and cook till the tomato is mashed up. Then add the ground masala and turmeric powder. Mix well.

Once the masala gets cooked well, add 1-2 cups of water. Let it boil in medium flame.

When the gravy becomes thick and the oil oozes out from the gravy, add eggs, mix it well and turn off the flame. You can cut the eggs into half if required. I like it that way so that more masala gets into it.

Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Reciepe Courtesy: Umas Kitchen

Paalaada - Rice crepes with Egg & Coconut Milk

Ingredients (Serves 4):

Rice -- 1 cup, I used Sona masoori
Eggs - 1
Coconut Milk -- 1 cup, Regular whole milk works well too
Water -- as required
Salt -- to taste

Preparation:

Wash and soak rice for 4 - 6 hours.

Grind it adding the coconut milk / whole milk. Add more water as required. Grind it until it is really smooth.

Add the eggs and blend it well.

Add salt and give a mix. The batter should be of buttermilk consistency. Add more water if required.

Now heat a nonstick pan. Pour a ladleful of batter in it and swirl the pan so it coats on all side of the pan.

This takes only 10 - 20 seconds to cook. Once it is cooked, fold it into triangles.

Serve hot with any spicy gravy. It made a good combo with the chettinad egg curry.

Reciepe Courtesy: Youtube

Vegetable Kurma

Ingredients:

Potato                          ––   1 cup, cubed
Carrot                          ––   1 cup cubed
Beans                            ––   10 - 15
Cauliflower Florets ––   1 cup, chopped
Fresh Green peas     ––   ½ cup
Onion                            ––   2 cups chopped
Tomato                        ––   3/4 cup chopped
Red chili powder     ––   2 tsp
Mustard seeds          ––   1 tsp
Bay leaf                        ––   1
Curry leaves              ––   1 sprig
Salt                                ––   to taste
Oil                                  ––   1 tbsp

To Grind:
Fresh grated coconut ––   ½ cup
Ginger                               ––   ½ inch piece
Garlic                                ––   4 - 5 cloves
Cashew nuts                   ––   10 - 12
Poppy seeds                   ––   1 tsp
Fennel seeds                  ––   1 tsp
Cumin seeds                   ––   ½ tsp
Cardamom                      ––   2
Cinnamon                        ––   1 inch stick
Cloves                               ––   2

Preparation :

Chop the potato, carrots, beans and the cauliflower florets. Steam cook / Microwave the veggies until they are 75% cooked. Keep aside.

Chop the onions and the tomatoes. Keep aside.

Grind the grated coconut, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, cashew nuts, poppy seeds, ginger, garlic, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves to a fine paste adding just enough water as required. Keep aside.

In a wide pan, heat oil and add the bay leaf. Saute for few seconds. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the curry leaves followed by the chopped onions. Saute until the onions turns translucent. Now add red chilly powder and saute until it is well blended.

Now add the ground paste and 1 cup of water. Mix well and cook over low flame until the water is almost absorbed.

Add the partially cooked vegetables, and chopped tomatoes, mix well, and add more water as required for the gravy. Let it cook with the lid on for 8- 10 mins.

Check  the gravy and add more water if required. If adding more water, let it boil and switch off.

Serve hot with chapathi or any indian bread or basmati rice.

Semiya Upma

Ingredients(Serves 3 - 4):

Vermicelli / Semiya --   1 cup, roasted - I used Bambino brand
Shallots                         --   2
Ginger                            --   1 tbsp, finely chopped
Green chillies              --   1-2
Mixed Vegetables     --   ½ cup (I used frozen carrot,beans, corn & peas)
Mustard Seeds            --   1 tsp
Urad dal                        --   1 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida        --   a pinch
Red Chillies                  --   2
Curry leaves                --   3 - 4 leaves
Oil                                    --   1 - 2 tbsp
Salt                                  --   as required

Preparation:

Thinly slice the shallots, slit the green chillies, chop the ginger and the vegetables.

I used roasted vermicelli, if using the non-roasted vermicelli, then add 1 tbsp of oil or ghee to the pan and roast the vermicelli on medium heat until it turns golden brown in colour.

In the same pan, add oil and once it is hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add hing, urad dal , red chillies and curry leaves and saute until the dal turns light brown.

Now add the shallots, green chillies and ginger and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the chopped vegetables and fry it on a medium flame until half cooked.

Add 2 cups of water (double the amount of vermicelli.Add salt and do a taste check. Let the water come to a bubble boil. Add the roasted semiya and mix well. Close with the lid and let it cook on a medium low flame. Stir occasionally to check the doneness and make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom.

Serve hot.

Cracked Wheat Upma / Gothambu Upma

Ingredients(Serves 3 - 4)

Cracked Wheat    --   1 cup
Water                      --   2 cup
Shallots                  --   2
Green chillies      --   3 or 4
Ginger                    --   1 tsp, finely chopped
Carrot                     --   ¼ cup, chopped, optional
Beans                      --   4 or 5, chopped, optional
Green Peas           --   ¼ cup, optional
Corn                        --   ¼ cup, optional ( I used 1 cup of mixed vegetables)
Curry leaves        --   1 sprig
Mustard seeds    --   ¼ tsp
Red Chillies          --   2
Salt                          --   to taste
Oil                            --   1 tbsp

Preparation:

Wash and drain the cracked wheat and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let i t splutter. Add the red chillies broken into pieces. Add thinly sliced onions, curry leaves, slit green chillies and ginger. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add the vegetables and saute for 2 - 3 minutes. I used the frozen mixed vegetables.

Now add water and enough salt. Mix well and let it boil.

Once it starts boiling add the cracked wheat, mix well, reduce the flame to medium low and close it with a lid. Let it cook.

Stir in-between once or twice, just to make sure that it doesn't stick to the bottom.

Give a good stir once done, to remove big lumps. Serve hot.

Idly with Sambar

Idly:

Ingredients (Makes 20 – 25 idlys):

Parboiled rice / Idly rice   --    3 cup
Cooked rice                              --   ½ cup
Whole Urad dal                      --   1 cup
Fenugreek seeds                   --   1 tbsp
Salt                                              --   to taste

Preparation:

Wash and soak the rice for 6 - 8 hours in a closed container.

In another vessel wash and soak the urad dal and the fenugreek seeds for 6 - 8 hours in a closed container.

Drain the water from the urad dal into another vessel and grind it. Use the soaked water and water little by little to make sure you do not use excess. Grind this into a thick and VERY fine paste. Transfer this to a big container.

If using your mixer, you might have to do this in batches or pause at intervals.

Drain the water from the rice and grind it. Use the remaining water from the urad dal and once that is over, use the water in which the rice was soaked. If more water is required, use some chilled water.

Once the rice is half done, add the cooked rice.Grind this into a fine mixture.

Add the batter to the urad dal batter and mix well. I am not sure how to explain the consistency of the batter. It should be thick for the idly to hold its shape and at the same time thin to freely flow into the idly plates.

Keep it in a warm place for 6 - 8 hours to let it ferment.

Back in India, we just had to keep it at room temperature, and my mom leaves it overnight. The batter would be fermented and ready for next day. But here, especially during winter, its hard to get the batter fermented. I preheat my oven to 200 degree Fahrenheit and switch it off. And after 10 - 15 mins, I keep the batter inside the oven and leave it overnight. This helps in fermentation.

Before it is ready to use, add salt to the batter and mix well.

Boil water in the idly pot and grease the idly plates.

Scoop the idly batter into the moulds and steam cook it for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove the plates from the pot as soon as the idlys are done. You can test it using the back of a spoon or a knife. Let it slightly cool before you unmold. Scoop out the idly using a spoon - Now you have the soft -and light idly ready for breakfast J

Serve with hot sambar / chutney / chutney powder.

Ulli Sambar:

Ingredients (Serves 6 - 8):

Toor dal                    --   ½ cup
Tamarind                 --    a small lime - sized ball / 1 tsp of tamarind paste.
Turmeric powder --   ¼ tsp
Shallots                    --   20 - 25 whole
Green chilies         --   2
Tomato                    --   1 medium sized, well ripen
Coriander leaves --  3 - 4 sprigs, chopped into big pieces
Salt                            --  To taste

To roast and grind:

Sambar Powder  --  1 ½ tbsp, I prefer Brahmins brand. You can also roast and grind from scratch as given here.
Garlic                      --  3 - 4 medium cloves
Curry leaves        --   1 sprig
Grated coconut  --   ½ cup

For seasoning:

Coconut oil          --   1 tbsp
Mustard seeds    --    ½ tsp
Dry red chilies    --   3

Preparation:

In a heavy bottomed pan, fry the coconut, curry leaves and the garlic on a low flame until the coconut becomes dark brown in colour.Switch off the flame and add the sambar powder to it and mix well. Keep aside and let it cool. Grind this into a smooth paste.

You can omit the fried coconut if you don’t want a rich gravy. For this version add more dal for a thicker gravy, if required.
 
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup warm water and extract its juice.

Wash the toor dal in water twice or thrice. Add the dal, peeled shallots, slit green chillies and turmeric powder to the pressure cooker and cook(2 - 3 whistles) adding enough water.

When the pressure is completely released, open the cooker and mix them well. Try not to mash the onions. Add the ground mixture to the tamarind extract and add this to the cooked dal. Add more water if required.Bring it to a boil.

When it starts boiling add the cubed tomatoes.(If the tomatoes are not well ripen, add them during pressure cooking.)

Let it boil for 2 - 3 minutes.Add the chopped coriander leaves.

Heat coconut oil in a small pan.  Splutter mustard seeds and fry dry red chilies. Pour over the prepared sambar.

Serve hot with idly / dosa.

Recipe Courtesy : Amma

Varutharacha Sambar

 

Ingredients (Serves 10 - 12):

Toor dal                    --   1 cup
Hing / asafoetida  --   ¼ tsp / ¼ inch piece

Tamarind                 --    a lime - sized ball.

Turmeric powder --   ¼ tsp
Potato                       --   2 medium sized
Winter melon         --   a small piece,½ cup cubed
Carrot                       --   1 medium sized
Brinjal                       --   1 large
Drumstick               --   1
Lady's finger          --   6
Green chilies         --   2
Tomato                    --   2 medium sized, well ripen

Coriander leaves --  4 - 5 sprigs, chopped into big pieces
Salt                            --  To taste

To roast and grind:

Gingelly oil            --   1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds --   ¼ tsp
Cumin seeds         --    ¼ tsp
Split urad dal        --   1 tsp
Coriander seeds  --   2 tsp
Whole pepper      --   ½ tsp
Dry red chilies     --  7 - 8, medium spice level, adjust the nos according to the spice level
Pearl onions         --   2 , slit
Garlic cloves        --   6 - 8 medium size cloves, with skin
Curry leaves        --   1 sprig

Grated coconut --   ½ cup

For seasoning:

Coconut oil -- 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds --  ½ tsp
Dry red chilies --  3
Curry leaves --  1 sprig

Preparation:

Heat the gingelly oil in a skillet. Reduce the flame to low. Add all the ingredients except the coconut and roast for few minutes until they turn light brown. Make sure they are not burnt. Add the coconut at this stage and fry until the coconut is dark brown in colour. Keep stirring to fry the coconut evenly and make sure the flame is low. Keep aside and let it cool. Grind this into a smooth paste. Try not to add water, but if your mixer takes a long time, add water little by little until the mixture is smooth.
 
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup warm water and extract its juice.

Wash the toor dal in water twice or thrice. Add the dal, turmeric and hing to the pressure cooker and cook(2 - 3 whistles) adding enough water. If using solid hing, fry it in a tsp of oil for couple of minutes before adding it to the cooker.

Meanwhile chop the veggies; Cube the potatoes, carrots, winter melon, brinjal. Cut the drumstick into 2 inch pieces and the lady's finger into 1 inch pieces. Cube the tomatoes. Keep aside the lady's finger and the tomatoes.

When the pressure is completely released, open the cooker and add the cut veggies. First add the potatoes and when they are half cooked add the carrot, brinjal, wintermelon and drumstick. Add water if required and let it cook. This need not be pressure cooked, the veggies might get over cooked.

Meanwhile saute the lady's finger pieces in little oil until they are a bit firm.

Add salt and the fried lady's finger pieces.

Add the ground mixture to the tamarind extract and add to the sambar. Add more water if required.Bring it to a boil. When it starts boiling add the cubed tomatoes.(If the tomatoes are not well ripen, add them along with other veggies.)

Let it boil for 2 - 3 minutes.Add the chopped coriander leaves.

Heat coconut oil in a small pan.  Splutter mustard seeds and fry dry red chilies the curry leaves. Pour over the prepared sambar.

Serve hot with rice / idly / dosa.

Recipe Courtesy: Amma

Chocolate Banana Nut bread

 

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour    --   1 ¾ cup, I have also tried with multigrain aata
Cocoa Powder           --   ¼ cup
Granulated Sugar     --   1 cup
Baking Powder          --   1 tsp
Baking Soda                --   ¼ tsp
Salt                                 --   ¼ tsp
Eggs                               --   2 large
Unsalted Butter        --   ½ cup
Ripe Bananas             --   3 Chiquita / 1 ½ cup mashed
Vanilla Extract         --   1 tsp
Chocolate Chips       --   ½ cup
Pecans                          --   ½ cup, Toasted and chopped

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients -- flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl, combine the mashed bananas, lightly beaten eggs, melted and cooled butter, and vanilla.

Fold in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a spatula until just combines.Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 60 - 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let it cool on a wire rack and then remove the bread from the pan.

Serve warm or a room temperature.

Recipe Courtesy: Joy of baking

Pesarattu with Red pepper chutney

Gone was a wonderful weekend. With loads of people around. Children – crying, shouting, laughing, sleeping, fighting… what not.. I always love it that way. Only thing which I do not like is such days are so short. I always wonder if the clock runs faster – the cheater clock.

Now coming on to the recipe. I had this dosa from my cousins place and always wanted to try this out. But never worked out. And finally when they visited our place, I made her make this for us and learnt too. Here comes the recipe of this yummy and healthy dosa and a wonderful colourful chutney.

Pesarattu - Ingredients:

Moong dal / Green gram --   2 cups
Rice                                          --   2 tbsp (any kind of rice, uncooked)
Fenugreek                             --   1 tsp
Cumin Seeds                         --   1 tsp
Salt                                           --   as required
Onion                                      --   to garnish (optional)
Green Chillies                       --   to garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Soak the moong dal, rice and fenugreek for 5 - 8 hours or overnight. Drain and Grind the soaked items adding cumin seeds, salt and water to a coarse texture. It should NOT be so fine. You do not have to ferment it.

Chop the onions and green chillies into small pieces and keep aside.I did not use green chillies as we did not want that spicy.

Using a ladle pour the mixture onto a hot griddle and spread it in circular motions to prepare the yummy dosa. Garnish with onions and green chillies.Let it cook for a minute or two. Turn it over to cook the other side for a minute. Remove it from the pan.

                   

Repeat this until the mixture is done. In case your dosa sticks to the pan, you can wipe the pan with a little oil in between each dosas.

Chutney - Ingredients:

Red Pepper       --   1
Onions                --   1 medium size
Tomato               --    2 small size
Ginger                 --   1 tbsp, chopped fine
Garlic                  --   2 - 3 cloves, chopped fine
Mustard seeds --   1 tsp
Curry leaves    -- 2 - 3 leaves
Oil                        --   as required
Salt                      --   as required

Preparation:

Clean and chop the onions,red pepper, tomatoes, ginger and garlic.Heat oil in a pan and add the onions. Saute until they are transparent. Add the red pepper, tomato, ginger and garlic and saute until they are slightly mushy.Let it cool. Grind into a fine paste.

           

In the same pan, heat more oil and add curry leaves and the mustards. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Pour this over the chutney.Serve this with hot dosas.

Recipe Courtesy: Minu chechi

Sabudana Kichadi

The first time I had this yummy kichadi was from my friends lunch box. Loved it and I learnt how to prepare it in exchange of teaching him Chicken biriyani, Chicken being his favorite J.  I introduced this dish to AJ and it was a hit. This being really quick and easy to prepare, it is now our regular lunch box item. I don't exactly remember the quantities and ingredients which he taught me, but this is how I prepare it now. I think I did slightly change it according to our tastes. Anyways - this is for you Mr. Brain. Ohh.. Sorry.. Mr. Brian J. It has been a long time since we spoke. But I always remember you every time I prepare this J 

Ingredients:

    Sabudana                  --   1 cup
    Peanuts                     --   2 cups
    Green Chillies         --   4 - 5
    Red Chillies             --   2 - 3
    Mustard Seeds       --   1 tsp
    Cumin Seeds           --   1 tbsp
    Turmeric Powder --   ¼ tsp
    Coriander Leaves --  ¼ cup, chopped
    Lemon Juice           --   1 tsp
    Salt                             --   as required
    Oil                               --   1 tbsp

Preparation:

Soak the sabudana for minimum of 2 hours. You can soak up to 8 hours for a soft texture. But we like it when soaked for 2 - 3 hours, a bit bite texture.

Dry roast the peanuts until they are slightly brown. You can use peanuts with their skin. When cool, grind it into a coarse powder. Keep aside.

Make sure you do not grind too much. Oil comes out of the peanuts and it becomes a paste. Powdered peanuts have a long shelf life and hence I usually prepare a huge batch. This helps to prepare the kichadi quick and easy.

Drain the sabudana and keep aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add the broken red chillies, cumin seeds and the slit green chillies and saute for a minute. Add turmeric powder and give a mix.Now add the drained sabudana and mix well. Saute for a couple of mins or until the sabudana starts to be transparent. If you do not soak it for a long time, not all the balls become transparent. Switch off the flame.

Add the peanut powder and mix well. Add salt and give a mix. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice.

Optionally, you can add potatoes cubed and boiled. Add this before adding the sabudana and fry for a minute. We are not great fans of potato and hence avoid this usually.

I love to have this as such or with chutney or with any thick gravy masalas. I am not sure if this is usually accompanied with anything else, but this is how we love it J

     
Recipe Courtesy: Brian Fernandes / Myself.