Macaroni Kheer

Yesterday for my daughter I have made this Kheera using macaroni, milk, cheese, sugar and flavoured it with little cinnamon-sugar. Its very simple dish, kid friendly and can be made for a quick and tasty dessert.

I'll be sending to Sunita's World for this months Think Spice - Cinnamon

Recipe:

• 1/2 cup of Macaroni ( cook according to the direction, till soft)


• 1/2 cup of milk


• 2 tbsp of sugar


• 1 slice of chedder cheese ( gives very nice consistancy)


• 2 tsp of Cinnamon sugar.

1. Cook the macaroni in boiling water till soft, remove from water, drain and keep aside.


2. In a thick bottom pan take milk and bring it to boil, add cheese and sugar mix well.


3. Now add macaroni and 1 tsp of ciannamon-sugar. Cook for few minutes untill all the ingerdients come together.


4. Serve warm and sprinkle som cinnamon sugar on top.

Enjoy !

Bread and Bhaji with Toordal

I was really not planning on making this Bhaji at all, last night for dinner I was plannning to make Toordal patties for burger. But added bit more water for dal while cooking and it was mushy so added pav bhaji masala to that and Toordal bhaji was created. For my surprise it was good, adding dals to bhaji doesn't change the taste of it.

I am so happy to know the due date of JFI has been extended and sending this as my entry for Linda's JFI-Toordal.

For Making Bhaji I used

• 2 Potatoes- medium size


• 1 big carrot


• 1/2 cup - toordal

Spice Powderes I used are Pav bhaji masala- 2 tbsp and 1 tbsp of red chilli powder.

For Garnish

• 2 tbsb- corriender leaves


• 2 tbsp- red onions chopped


• 2 slices for lime.

Whole wheat Burger buns are used as pav. 1tbsp of butter for spreadingon buns.

1. Pressure cook toordal, Potaotes and carrot untill soft. I used 2 different pot one for dal and one for veggies.


2. When soft mash to a smooth consisitancy.


3. Heat 1 tbsp of oil, when hot add the mashed veggi and dal. Add spice powders and water to make it to desired consistancy.


4. Add salt and let it cook for 15 mins.


5. Finally garnish with Cilantro/corriender leaves and chopped onions. Squeeze some lime juice and Eat it with buns/bread lightly tosted with little butter on a griddle.

Enjoy !

Brussel Sprouts-Ginger Stir-fry

I use ginger in all my vegetable dishes. Recently I started using Brussel sprouts to make stir fry/palya, and with combination of ginger it tates very good. So for this months Think Spice-Ginger I am sending this as my entry to Sunita's World.



Ingredints

• Brussel sprouts - 10 small(thinly cut)
• Ginger- 2" piece

Tempering :

• Olive oil - 1 tbsp
• Channa dal- urad dal - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds- 1tsp
• Curry leaves- few
• Crushed red pepper- few tsp

Method :

1. Finely slice brussel sprouts and ginger.
2. Heat oil , when hot add mustared seeds, curry leaves, channa- urad dal and ginger.
3. Then add brussel sprouts and 2 tbsp of water cover and cook its soft. Adjust Salt to taste.
4. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

Enjoy with rice and dal. Simple and healthy sidedish.

Aalu Bhunjia - RCI Bihar

For this Month's RCI-Cuisine of Bihar hosted by Sangeeta of Ghar ka Khana,I decided to make simple and authentic Bhirai Bhunjia(Dry crispy curry) using aloo, for which we need a mixture of 5 spice called Panchforan/Panchapurna. This is the first time I used this spice and really liked the crunch of it with aloo. Read about Bhunjia here.

I followed the recipe of Mohita Prasad from Bawarchi.com.



Here is how I made Aalu Bhunjia

3 Potatoes - Thinly sliced and skin removed

Turmeric powder, red chilli powder, corriender- cumin powder 1 tsp of each.

For Panchaforan/5 spice

1. Saunf/Fennel Seeds


2. Sarson/Mustard seeds


3. Methi/Fenugreek seeds


4. Ajwain/Carom seeds


5. Mangraila/Nigella seeds/Onion seeds ( 1tsp of each mixed together)

• Heat oil in a pan add about 2 tsb of panchforan/5 spice mix and add potatoes and fry untill crisp on outside. Takes about 5- 7 minutes on med- high heat.


• Add all the spice powders, salt mix well . This is how I made Aalu Bhunjia.

Along with Bhunjia I made channadal curry and mooli methi paratha .

For ChannaDal curry-Cook 1/2 cup of channa dal till soft. Chop onion ,tomatoes and green chilles and do the tempering with oil and mustard seeds. Saute veggies and add to cooked channa dal. Adjust salt to taste.

For Mooli-Methi Paratha- 2 cups of Whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup of grated white raddish/mooli and 2 tbsp of dried fenugreek leaves/ methi leaves. Mix everthing together with little salt and chilli power with enough water to make to stiff dough. Make parathas.

We enjoyed our rustic Bhirai meal.

Noodles For Click

Chinese flavoured noodles is one of my favorite type. Late night for dinner I prepared it and clicked it with my handy Canon Powershot SD 300 for the 'Click' event hosted by Bee of Jugalbandi.

This is how make my noodles

• I use whole wheat noodles.


• Thinly slice onion, carrot and add a handful of peas.


• For sauce 2 tbsp of soy sauce and 2 tbsp of hot-sweet chillisauce and few tbsb of sesame oil.


• Some toasted sesame seeds for garnish.

1. Boil water and cook noodles for 20 min or so.


2. Saute veggies in sesame oil, then add sauces. Add water to thin it a bit.


3. When noodles are cooked add to the sauce and mix well. Adjust salt and spice.


4. Garnish with fresh greens and seasame seeds.

Enjoy!

Chakali and Jamun for Deepavali

Festivals for me is getting together with family and friends, eating good food and having good times. Here I miss family and friends but make some sweets and snacks on special occasions.

Jamun is the one sweet everyone loves in my family so made it with MTR instant mix and for something savoury crunch made chakali with bit differnt recipe then usual. I got the recipe from my cousin, who got it from her friend , this chakali is made with Wheat flour and cooked moongdal with some spices added to it. I liked it very much, its crunchy and buttery to taste, but without the butter.

My entry for Vee's JFI-Festival edition.



Recipe is very simple.

• 1 cup- Moongdal


• 2 cups- wheat flour


• Cumin/jeera- 1tbsp


• Ajwain/carom/ om seeds- 1/2tbsb


• Chilli powder- 1 tbsp or more


• Salt - as per taste


• Peanut/groundnut oil for deep frying.

*Can add some sesame seeds too.

1. Pressure cook moong dal by adding enough water to make it smooth and keep wheat flour in the pressure cooker without adding any water. Just steam it. (I kept it for 2 whistles or 10 mins after putting the weight).


2. Once the pressure is gone allow it to cool for 5 mins or so then mix cooked moongdal, steamed wheat flour, salt, chilli powder, cumin and carom seeds and knead to smooth and soft dough. (If too stiff add little water).


3. Then with help of chakli moulds press to desired shapes, I made few coils by pressing on sheet of wax paper. Or one can directly press into hot oil.(I made few batches of coils and few batches directly pic below ).


4. Keep Vessel on medium heat once hot enough put 2-3 coils at a time and fry for few minutes(less than 2 minuteson medium heat).It doesn't take to long for it to get crisp so watch it.


5. It turns from soft dough to bit hard texture that when you want to take chaklis out and drain on paper.


6. Enjoy it when its warm and when completely cooled, store it in air tight container.

*Since wheat flour is used here, colour changes pretty quickly once it hits the hot oil. And does not absorb much oil.

Thanks Roopa(my cousin) and her friend for this buttery crunchy chakali. This is a keeper.

Have a nice weekend !

Idly and Sambar

Weekends at my kitchen is a typical south indian breakfast or brunch. This weekend it was Idly and red pearl onion/sanna erulli sambar. This is one of my favorite combination to eat with idlies.

Recipe for Sambar

• Pearl onions- 1 cup


• Potatoes- 2 medium


• Toordal- 1/2 cup (cooked till soft)

For grining into paste

• Red onion -1 small


• Tomato - 1 small


• Sambar powder- 2 tbsp( can substitite with curry powder)


• Coconut- 2 tbsp


• Tamarind paste/ water- 2 tbsb


• Cinnamon - cloves- 2 each


• Spice powder- 1 tbsp (optional)

Making Sambar:

1. Pressure cook toordal till soft and mash and keep aside.


2. In mean time peel skin of onion, potato and cook untill soft. 10- 15 mins will be good.


3. Grind the above ingredints.


4. In a vessel add cooked and mashed dal, grind paste enough water to make it thin and cook untill the raw smell is gone. Then add onion and poatotoes. Cook for 5 more mins.


5. Do the seasoning with oil, mustard and hing.


6. Enjoy !

* Can use pressure cooker to cook veggies, have to be careful to not make it mushy.

After many trail and error from last 6 years living in Alsaka, I have figured out the recipe for idly which really works for me, its paraboiled rice(I use uncle ben's brand) wich make idlies soft and gives very nice texture like adding rava. And have changed my blender to indian mixie(Preethi chef-pro), this really worked well for me, gives me the right consistancy.

Here is my recipe for Idly.

• Par boiled rice- 2 cups


• Urad dal- 1 cup


• Poha/ Avalakki- 1/2 cup ( makes idly soft and gives bright colour)


• Fenugreek/ methi/ menthya seeds- 2 tbsp

1. Soak rice, poha and methi seeds in one bowl and urad dal in seperate bowl for atleast 8 hours.


2. First gring urad dal to smooth and fluffy consistancy adding enough water.


3. Then grind rice,poha mixture to meduim consistancy adding enough water. Using parboiled rice gives little texture like rava, so it won't be very smooth.


4. Then mix with urad mixture, add little salt mix well , cover and keep in warm place. ( I keep inside microven,this is the warment place I have for frementing :)).


5. Let it ferment for 8 more hours.


6. Add oil to idly moulds and steam cook for 10- 15 mins. Let it cool a bit and serve with sambar.

Enjoy !

Masala Powder (Palya pudi)

This spicy mixture is my go to powder/pudi as we call in Kannada, I use this every day in my dishes like palya(dry veggi curry), sambar/huli(along with mom made sambar pudi), upma and for some rice dishes like Besibele Bath. Just adding a spoon of this Pudi makes the dish very flavourful.

Ingredients for Spicy Powder

Channa dal//kadalebele - 1 cup

Urad dal/ uddinabele- 1cup

Corriender seeds/ dhania- 2 tbsp

Methiseeds/menthia- 1tbsp

Cumin seeds/ jeerige- 1tbsp

Black pepper seeds/ menasu- 1 tbsp

Cinnamom-cloves/chekke-lavanga-2-3 each

Red chillies- 10 (for medium Spice)

Few curry leaves

Oil - 2tbsp for roasting all the above ingredients.

Roast all the above ingredients with 2 tbsp of oil one by one and when it cool enough, grind it to a fine powder.

*Using Badage chilli , adds more colour(redness) to the powder and dish.

I have used a tbsp of the above powder to make Chayote squash/semebadane kaayi palya/curry.



Recipe for Palya:

1. Heat a table spoon of oil in a vessel, when hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, channdal and urad dal.



2. When dals start to change colour add chopped squash and salt, cover and cook for 10 min on medium heat.



3. Once squash is soft add 1 tbsp of spicy powder and 1 tbsp of grated coconut and squeeze 1 tbsp of lime juice. Add fresh cilantro/correinder leaves for garnish.

Enjoy !

Peach-Strawberry Crumble

I had totally forgotten about this month's AFAM, until Mansi who is hosting this month, reminded me. I have never cooked anything with peaches before but have eaten raw fruit just once :). So looked for recipes online finally liked the recipe from Food Network Website(Robin Miller's Recipe).

Recipe was very simple, with very few ingredients and just 15 mins of baking. So decided to make it and followed the recipe as it is but made few changes with the ingredients.

My entry for this Month's AFAM-Peach hosted by Mansi of Fun & Food. Thanks Mansi for the reminder, or else I wouldn't have made it.

• Peaches (canned in lite syrup) and frozen strawberries.
• All purpose flour -1/2 cup
• Rolled oats- 1/2cup
• Cinnamon- sugar- 1tbsp
• Raw sugar- 3 tbsp
• Olive Oil - 3 tbsp
• Almonds- 2 tbsp chopped
• Butter - just 2 pinches to put on top

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Wash peach and thaw strawberries and cut into bit size pieces.
3. In another bowl mix all the other ingredients (add more oil if required)except butter.
4. I used 2 ramekins to bake,first put the chopped fruits then add the above mixture. Add little butter on top (can skip this part).
5. Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and fruits starts to bubble up.
6. Let it cool a bit, enjoy when its warm straight from the dish.

I have served up-side down for the picture :). It was mildly sweet with little crunch(from oats and almonds) and fruity at the same time.

Vade and Payasa

Over the weekend for Vijayadashami I made Moongdal payasa and Channdal vade . Would like to send this to Viji of Vcuisine for this months RCI-Tamil festivals.

Recipe For Moongdal Payasa

• 1 cup - Moongdal/ hesarubele


• 3/4 cup - Jaggery/bella


• 1Pod- Cardamom/ellachi


• 1/2 cup- Grated coconut


• 1/4 cup-Alamond-cashewnut powder


• 1tbsp- Ghee.

1. Clean and wash moongdal then presssure cook upto one whistel.


2. Then in a heave bottom vessel put ghee, then add coconut, cardamom, nut powder add crushed jaggery and 2 cups of water. Bring it to boil.


3. Then add cooked moongdal and let it simmer for 10 more minutes. Untill you get nice consistnacy.


4. Enjoy it .

*Garnish with some ghee fried nuts. To make it even easier , wash moong dal and add all the above ingredints and pressure cook for 2 whistel of 15 minustes. Enjoy once its cool.

Recipe for Channadal Vade

• 1 cup - Channa dal/ kadalebele


• 1-Red onion


• 2tbsp-Curry leaves


• 2- Green chillies


• 1tbsp -Red chilli powder


• 2tbsp- Rice flour(makes vade crisp)


• Salt to taste


• Peanut Oil for deep frying

*Above proption makes about 15 vades.

1. Wash and soak channadal for 2 hours.


2. Chop onion, chillis, curry leaves.


3. Grind channadal using little water to thick dough.


4. Mix in chilli powder, rice flour and chopped veggies.


5. Mix will and adjust the salt to taste.


6. Mean while, put some oil on medium heat.


7. When oil is hot enough , fry 3-4 at a time till golden brown

Enjoy!

Badam Barfi

When Sunitha announced spice for this month as Saffron, the only thing I had in my mind was Badam barfi. So today I made it and was very delicious with rich flavour of almonds and saffron.

When ever I make sweet dishes I use saffron for garnishing and for its pleasent aroma and light yellow colour it gives to the dish. For this badam dish I have added saffron for coloring(added bit more) and for garnish.



This is my entry for Sunitha's Think Spice-Saffron



Ingredients for Burfi:

• Almonds - 1cup


• Sugar- 1/2 cup(Use more for more sweetness)


• Water- 3/4 cup


• Milk - 2 tbsp (to disslove saffron)


• Ghee - 2tbsp (1tbs for greesing the plate)


• Saffron- 1/4 tsp


• Cardamom- 1 pod (crushed)

This above measurement makes 12 peices of the size of the above picture.

1. Add one cup of whole almonds to boiling water, switch off and cover and let it stand for an hour. Then peel the skin (it slights of easily).


2. Grind the almonds with little water(can use milk)to smooth paste.


3. Take a thick bottomed pan add water and sugar and disslove sugar. Then add almond paste and saffron dissloved in milk.Add 1 tbsp of ghee and cardamom powder. Mix well.


4. Mixture will be very dilute, keep stirring every few minutes on medium-high heat. It takes about 30 -40 minutes untill the mixture gets thick.


5. Once it starts to get thick and starts leaving the edges of the vessel, transfer it to the greased plate(see the above picture).


6. With back of the spoon knead it like dough(to smooth is out and keading give glossy finish) and spread on plate and cut to desired shape.(At this point one can make like balls or pedas). Garnish with some saffron and chopped almonds on top.


7. Let it cool and Enjoy !

*I have added just 1 tbsp of ghee, so mine was bit chewy. Adding more ghee give crumbly texture to the burfi.

Spicy Nuts

Winter is already here for us. Over last few weeks its snowing and very cloudy and windy. Temperatures are around 10 to 15 degrees. So I am making soups and spicy things these days. And one more exciting thing I am doing these days is I have joined aerobic classes and taking online course on Food and Nutrition. Reason? to educate myself and to have a healthy life style.

So here is the recipe for spicy nuts..

1. I just chopped nuts like almonds, cashews, pinenut and added some sumflower and pumkin seeds along with some raisins and dried cranberries(no roasting).


2. Heat 2 tbsp of oilve oil add few crushed curry leaves and 1/2 tsp of garam masala.


3. Add this to nuts, mix well and enjoy.

*I store this in refrigerator so the nuts stays fresh.

Banana-Soji Bath/Balehannu Sajjige

Sajjige is very simple dish made with rave/soji, sugar and water. Today along with those basic ingredients, I  have added Ripe Bananas. Simple, sweet dish to have anytime.



My entry for JFI-Bananas hosted by Mandir of Aahar.

Ingredients:

• Banana - 1(Cut into small peices or mashed gently)
• Rava/sooji- 1/2 cup
• Sugar- 2 tbsp(i used raw sugar)
• Ghee- 2tbsp( 1 tbsp for roasting rava and 1 tbsp to add later)
• Honey-1 tbs (optional)
• Cardamom pods- 1 crushed
• Raisins-2 tbsp
• Water- 2 cups (for bit thin consistancy)

Method:

1. In a thick base vessle, heat 1 tbsp of ghee and lightly fry rava on medium heat untill the raw smell is gone.
2. In another pot bring 2 cups of water to boil.
3. When Rava is well roasted add sugar,bananas, raisins and cardamom powder. Mix well.
4. Now add boiling water to it. Stir well .
5. Keep stiring inbetween to break any lumps cook untill everthing mixes well and swith off.
6. Finally add 1 tbsp of honey and ghee mix well and serve warm.
7. Garnish with few slices of bananas and sprinkle with raw sugar.

*Above recipe is for medium sweetness, since bannans are also sweet I have used just 2 tbsp of sugar.

Enjoy!

Curd-rice with Grapes

Curd rice or mosaranna is my entry for AFAM - Grapes. We eat curd rice at end of our meal. When one -pot rice is made like pulav or bese-bele bath, raitha or curd rice is made. Most often pomogranate is used, I made with red grapes.

For the recipe.

• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 cup of plain curds/yogurt
• 1/2 cup of grapes (red or green grapes and pomogranate is also used)

For Seasoning : Urad dal, channa dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds - 1 tsp each and oil - 1 tbs

Curry leaves - 2 tsp
Grated coconut- 1tbsp (optional)

Method :

1. Cool the rice to room temperature.
2. Do the seasoning, adding the ingredints to hot oil and swith off and add to rice .
3. Add curds,grapes and salt to taste.
4. Mix well and serve.

Enjoy !

Saasivekaayi with Zuchinni

Ingredients:

• Zucchini, tomato and onion- 1 each cut into bite size peices( any kind of squash, okra and pumpink will be good for this recipe).

For Grinding :

• Coconut- 3 tbsp



• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp



• Cumin seeds - 1tsp



• Dried red chillies- 2 for medium heat



• Turmeric- 1 tsp



• Jaggery and tamarind- 1tsp each ( this is optional, I have added a little)

For seasoning:

• Oil- 1tbsp



• Mustard seeds - 1tsp.

1. Keep the pan on medium heat , add oil and mustrad seeds when they begin to crackel add all the veggies saute untill soft.



2. Grind all the ingredints mentioned to smooth paste.



3. Add the ground paste to the soften veggies add enough water, salt to taste and simmer it down for 10- 15 mins.



4. It will be ready by this time.



5. We had it with Akki rotti, followed the recipe from Latha's Yum blog.

Enjoy !

Tomato rasam/ Tomato Thili Saaru

For our everyday lunch, I usually make rice dishes, most of the days it rice and sambar/saaru, with veggies playa. Some day is one-pot rice dishes. But Rice and rasam is our favorite meal all the time. I make this atleast one a week. Would like to send this to Asha's RCI- Kanataka.



In Kannada rasam is also know as Thili saaru. Thili meaning like water. This rasam is made with just tomatos no dal is added and freshly roasted cumin-black pepper powder give nice taste and aroma to it. This is how my mom makes and most home in Mysore region make it the same way just with tomatoes.

Ingredients

• Tomatoes- 2 big ones



• Spices- rasam powder- 1 tbsp, cumin-black pepper powder 2 tsp, turmeric- 1/2 tsp.



• Others- Jaggery 2 tbsp and tamarind juice (this is optional)

For seasoning:

• Oil- 1tsp



• Mustard seeds, red chilli ,few curry leaves and hing a small pinch.

Garnish

• Corriender/cilantro leaves



• 1Tbsp of coconut.( I was out of it so havent't added)

Here is the recipe for Rasam

1. Pressure cook the tomatoes, remove the skin,mash and extract the juice of it by squeesing the tomatoes and discard the tough pulp. (Make sure tomatoes are cool enough to handle)



2. Dry roast 1 tsp of each cumin and black pepper for few minutes and crush it. (Freshely made tastes good).



3. Combine all the ingredints and bring it to high boil add jaggery and tamarind extract and salt to taste. Let it all cook together for 10-12 mins.



4. Then switch off and do the seasoning with oil, mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves and one red chilli.



5. Lastely garnish with cilantro leaves.

Enjoy with plain white rice of tastes good with puliyogare and with cumin and black pepper added to the rasam, pour hot rasam to a small steel-coffee cup and just take sip after sip after sip, this is the way I enjoy rasam.

Mysore Masale Dose

I have previously bloged about Mysore Masale dose , which was all dressed-up for the occasion of Independance day parade last year.

For RCI- Karnataka I am doing this again, this is how I usaully make at home. Doses are made at my house atleast once a week, for side I usually make chutney or gojju. For sunday brunch or dinner I make masale doses, learnt from my atte. This is here recipe.

As the name itself for masale dose, masale is the main ingredient. Masale is nothing but red chutney(kempu chutney) also called onion chutney (erulli khara). Along with the masala, dry curry is made with potato/aloo called aloo gadde palya for stuffing, and green/corrinder or coconut chutney is made as side dish.

For Aloo curry/ Aloo gadde palya.

• Red onion - 1 medium choped, Aloo/potato-1 big boiled in hot water, green chillies - 2 chopped.
• For tempering oil- 2 tbsp or more, channa dal- 1 tbsb, curry leaves and pinch or turmeric.

1. Pressure cook or cook potatoes on stove top untill soft not mush.
2. Heat oil in a pan, when hot add channa dal and curry leaves and then add turmeric and chillies, onion fry till the onions are soft.
3. Then add cooked potaotes and crumble them add salt and adjust salt. Palya is ready for the stuffing.

Red chutney/Kempu chutney. This is also called as erulli chutney/ onion chutney.

For making chutney : Red onions 1 small, garlic- 1 pod, tamarind- pea size, red chilli powder- 1 tbsp and salt to taste.

Grind the above mixture to a smooth paste, i haven't used any water,onions will help all the ingredients combine well.

This chutney goes on dosa as a spread this is the masala for dose.

* For those who doean't like garlic, grind everthing except for garlic.

Coconut Chutney

Unfortunetly the only store we have in this town was out of cilantro/corriender leaves for almost a week now, so I haven't used any cilantro leaves but added few curry leaves instead and no luck with the coconut too so used dried coconut. Chutnies are best with fresh coconuts and cilantro leaves so use fresh whenever possible.

For coconut chutney : Coconut- 1/2 cup, roasted dalia dal/hurigadale- 1/2 cup, ginger , green chillies -1, tamarind- lime size(squeeze in water and extract the juice from it).Salt to taste

Grind the above ingredinets to smooth paste using enough water. Chutney is ready as a side for dose.

For dose batter I use

• 3 cups of rice- long grain
• 3/4 cup of- urad dal
• 1/2 cup - channa dal (this makes the dosa crispy)
• 1 tsp- methi seeds
• 2 tbsp - poha/flattened rice/avalakki.

Soak all the above ingredients in water for about 6 hrs and grind to a smooth paste. Let it ferment for 8 hrs or over night.

Next morning add 1 tbsp of salt little water to medium- thick consistancy. Mix well . Now it ready to pour on a hot tava or griddle.

1. Heat the tava/griddle( I use cast-iron) on medium-high heat . While pouring the batter bring back to medium.
2. Put little oil/ghee or butter(for restaurant taste and more crispness) and wipe with paper towel. Pour the a laddle full of dose batter and spread in circualr motion. Let it cook for about min or untill the edges of dose leaves the tava.
3. Then lower the heat and spread red-chutney about a teaspoon is good(too much chutney over powers so use little). Then add about 2 tbsp of aloo palya in the middle.
4. Then fold the edges to the center(this is restaurant style).
5. Now serve hot with coconut chutney and little butter in top if you like.

* Spread red-chutney on half of dosa and aloo-palya on the other half then fold like semi-circle, this is how we regularly do.

Enjoy !

Ragi Rotti and Ennegayi

Rottis are one of the tiffin items commonly made in every household, its either made with rice flour or Ragi flour. In north karnataka region it usually made with jowar flour and which is called jolada Rotti/jowar Rotti.

Ennegayi- enne (oil), kayi/gayi- coconut, made with eggplant/brinjal(badanekayi) goes very well with any kind of rottis. This is my favorite side dish and this is my mother's recipe. My entry for RCI-Karnataka hosted by Asha of Foodie,s hope.

For Ragi Rotti

• Ragi flour- 3cups, boiling water-2 cups or more, cumin seeds-1tsp,red onion chopped- 1 medium size,curry leaves - few.
• Bring water to boil, to the flour mix onion,cumin and curry leaves add salt and boiling water.
• Mix well, cover for 10 mins steam from the hot water soften the flour. Then with little oil mix the dough. It should be soft and not too hard.
• Smear oil on flat griddle or round bottomed wok (bandle), spread in circular motion with the help of some oil or water.
• Cover and cook on medium high heat for 2-3 mins, once the edges start leaving the vessel take out and serve.

Enjoy it when its warm.

* leaving for too long on griddle makes it hard. so cook on med-high heat for few mins. For detail on making rotti check the link here for akki-rotti.

Ennegayi


As the name itself it needs lots of coconut and oil, but I have used just few tbsp of each.

• Veggies I used - eggplant, tomato and onion.
• For grinding into paste: Small piece of onion, coconut-2 tbsp,roasted-channa dal(hurigadale)-2 tbsp,poppy seeds(gasagase)-2 tbsp, ginger- 1inch piece, green chili- 1, cinnamon-clove- 2 each.

1. Heat oil in thick vessel add mustard and cumin seeds then add veggies and fry till onions are soft. In the mean while grind the above ingredients to smooth paste using water.
2. Then add the ground paste to the veggies, add salt and pinch of turmeric mix well , add enough water. Cover and cook for 10 mins.
3. It will be ready by now. Enjoy with rottis.

Rave Idly-Kadalebele Chutney

For RCI-Karnataka hosted by Asha of Foodie's hope, I'll be making some of my favorite breakfast or as we call it morning tiffin. So this week its all tiffin items.


Rave(soji,semolina) idly or mosaru(curd,yogurt) idly its called, is one of my favorite rava dishes. To this day at my mother's house its rava item on Monday mornings, its either upiitu (upma) 80% of the time or rave-mosaru idly. During school day every Monday morning I was hoping it would be rave idly instead of upiitu.

So here is the recipe for very simple and satisfying Rave or mosaru idly.

• Curds - 2 cups (I make at home, with low fat milk)
• Rava(Upma rava) - 2 cups
• Oil- 1tbsp, channa dal-1tsp, curry leaves, cumin-mustard-1tsp, Carrot- 1/2cup Grated. Can also add corriander leaves and green chillies.

* This measurement make about 16 idlies.

Method :

1. Heat oil in a vessel, when hot add mustard, cumin and channadal and curry leaves, then add rava and fry till light brown or untill raw smell of rave is gone(Can make this part night before and in morning just add curds and make idlies).
2. When the rave mixture is cool enough add 1 cup of curd and mix and keep aside for 10 mins or so. Rave will absorb all the moisture from rave and becomes like a thick dough
3. When ready to make idlies add the remaining curds and make like thick batter and pour over greased idly moulds.(If its too thick add little water or more curds)
4. Steam them for about 20 mins.
5. Let it cool for a while before taking from the Idly moulds (allowing it to cool makes eldy come off easily without sticking to the moulds).
6. We had it with kadalebele(channa dal) chutney.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kadalebele chutney.



Channadal 3/4 th cup, red onion- 1 small, garlic-1pod, tamrind water/paste- 2tbsp, red chillies -2 and salt.

1. Fry all the above ingredints one by one with little oil and when cool grind it using tamarind water or plain water.
2. Do the tempering with oil, mustard seeds.

Enjoy with idlies.