Cabbage, the difficult vegetable, made easy :)
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Green & Red coconut chutneys
I usually make a green chutney and/or a red chutney to go with the dosa.
Green Chutney
Half a coconut grated
Curry leaves
Green chillies
Some ginger
Soaked tamarind
Salt
Red Chutney
Half a coconut grated
Dry red chillies
1 onion (or preferably some sambar onions)
Some garlic cloves
Soaked tamarind
Salt
Grind well and add seasoning with jeera or mustard.
Green Chutney
Half a coconut grated
Curry leaves
Green chillies
Some ginger
Soaked tamarind
Salt
Red Chutney
Half a coconut grated
Dry red chillies
1 onion (or preferably some sambar onions)
Some garlic cloves
Soaked tamarind
Salt
Grind well and add seasoning with jeera or mustard.
My Dosa Recipe
I am told that I make very crispy light dosas, so here is the secret :) Probably this is the only thing I make really well! This is great for diabetics/is more nutritious if you use only one portion of rice, and the other two portions are jowar and ragi or any other millet. You can also add a bit of flaxseeds or soya dal in this, very high sources of protein, among other things.
Ingredients
- Half cup red rice [the one with the husk is great, if not the usual red rice you get in stores]
- Half cup ragi or any other millet
- Half cup jowar, or boiled rice, if you don't have it [MK Ahmed has jowar, in the Millets section]
- Half a cup urad dal
- A big spoon of methi seeds
- Some Paper Avalakki (Poha) or Cooked rice (Poha is to make the dosa crisper, rice makes it softer)
- Soya seeds or Flax seeds (a teaspoonful) - make sure you soak this separately, in a different vessel. Before adding it to the grinder with the rest, wash in fresh water. These are optional, but are highly nutritious, great protein sources. If you add too much, the dosa becomes very heavy.
- Alfalfa seeds, half a teaspoon (optional)- this is high in proteins, calcium, and various vitamins.
Procedure
- Soak rice-millets-jowar and the urad dal, and the methi seeds overnight, in the same vessel.
- If you are using flax seeds or soya, soak separately.
- The next day morning, grind in a good grinder, which makes it real smooth. The 2-kilo tabletop grinder is a great investment. It will keep grinding, you can continue with your other work, just occasionally check if it needs water.
- While grinding, add a few handfuls of poha or cooked rice depending on whether you want it crisp of soft.
- Now keep the dosa batter for fermenting in a wide-mouthed vessel, leaving some space at the top for the batter to rise - this will take a whole day (8 hours) in winter, and half a day in summer.
- Cover this vessel with a thin cloth - not with a lid, it needs to breathe.
- I always keep this batter vessel on top of the fridge stabilizer - so it is at a constant warm temperature and so ferments well :)
- Once the batter has risen, keep in fridge if you are not making dosas immediately.
- When making the dosa, add salt and extra water as required. Spread these real thin and add ghee for better taste. You can also add grated carrot or finely chopped palak or other leaves on the dosa while it is cooking, to add variety and nutrition.
- Serve hot with chutney and/or sambar.
If you still have batter left the next day, you can make crispy soft Paddu with it - it's a hit always!
Green Mango & Carrot Salad
By my friend Venkat!
Ingredients
Carrots
Green Mangoes (preferably Thothapuri, the non-sour one)
Green chillies
Onion
Tomatoes
Salt
Lemon
Procedure
Grate or cut the carrots and mangoes into very fine pieces.
Chop onions, chillies and tomatoes into fine pieces.
Add salt and mix everything together.
Squeeze some lemon juice on to this. It's ready!
He says it's even tastier if you keep it for a few hours.
Ingredients
Carrots
Green Mangoes (preferably Thothapuri, the non-sour one)
Green chillies
Onion
Tomatoes
Salt
Lemon
Procedure
Grate or cut the carrots and mangoes into very fine pieces.
Chop onions, chillies and tomatoes into fine pieces.
Add salt and mix everything together.
Squeeze some lemon juice on to this. It's ready!
He says it's even tastier if you keep it for a few hours.
Aayi's Recipes
Found a lot of good recipes in here - many Konkan ones, but also a lot of experimental easy ones. Some of them very good for summer. She has photos of every step, in many of the recipes.
And she has recipes which have vegetables I didn't know what to do with :)
http://www.aayisrecipes.com
And she has recipes which have vegetables I didn't know what to do with :)
http://www.aayisrecipes.com
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Poha!
Easy poha (avalakki/beaten rice) recipes from my colleague Vidya!
Simple poha (mildly sweet)
2 cups thin (nylon) poha
½ cup grated coconut (if the coconut is not freshly grated, you will need a few spoons of water to soften it)
Green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
4-6 spoons sugar
Coriander seeds (optional)
Mix the coconut gratings, sugar, and salt well. Add a few spoons of water if the coconut is not freshly grated. This mixture should be soft to mix and touch. The sugar will not dissolve, but will feel well mixed. If you’re adding coriander seeds, pound it in now. Add chopped green chilly and mix it in. Add poha little by little, all the time, mixing it in with your hands. Make sure all the flakes become soft, but not soggy.
Eat as is, or with sev, mixture, or bhujia.
(May serve 2)
Spicy poha (hot and sweet)
2 cups thin (nylon) poha
½ cup grated coconut (if the coconut is not freshly grated, you will need a few spoons of water to soften it)
Salt to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons red chilly power
¼ to ½ cup jaggery, grated
Mustard and cumin for seasoning
Mix the jaggery in with the coconut. Again, if the coconut is not freshly grated, add a few spoons of water. Add the red chilly powder and salt, and mix well. Add the poha as described above, ensuring that each flake is soft. Heat a little oil in a seasoning pan, and add mustard and cumin to it. When it splutters, take it off the flame and season the poha mixture. Mix well.
Eat as is, or with sev, mixture, or bhujia.
(May serve 2)
Kanda poha (you’ll get this recipe on the net I guess. Some people make it with only onion, and some with potato and onion. But it’s quick and easy for a lazy morning when you don’t feel like making anything too complex J )
Poha Usal
2 to 3 cups thick or medium poha
½ cup grated coconut
Salt to taste
2 spoons sugar
1 to 2 green chillies, chopped
Urad dal, mustard, cumin, and curry leaves for seasoning
Coriander leaves, chopped (optional)
Heat a little oil in a kadai, and add urad dal. Before the dal turns golden brown, add mustard. When it starts to splutter, add cumin, chopped chillies, and finally curry leaves. Quickly wash poha and add to the seasoning (Some people soak poha in water: this makes the poha sticky. If you want it flaky, wash poha just before adding to the seasoning. If you wash it and keep it aside, it’s almost the same as keeping it soaked. Not a good idea at all!). Add coconut gratings, a little salt and sugar, and mix it all up. Close with lid and let it cook for a min. Add chopped coriander leaves and again let it cook for 2 mins for medium poha. Leave it for a min or two longer if you are using thick poha.
Serve hot as is, or with sev / mixture / bhujia.
(May serve 2)
Simple poha (mildly sweet)
2 cups thin (nylon) poha
½ cup grated coconut (if the coconut is not freshly grated, you will need a few spoons of water to soften it)
Green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
4-6 spoons sugar
Coriander seeds (optional)
Mix the coconut gratings, sugar, and salt well. Add a few spoons of water if the coconut is not freshly grated. This mixture should be soft to mix and touch. The sugar will not dissolve, but will feel well mixed. If you’re adding coriander seeds, pound it in now. Add chopped green chilly and mix it in. Add poha little by little, all the time, mixing it in with your hands. Make sure all the flakes become soft, but not soggy.
Eat as is, or with sev, mixture, or bhujia.
(May serve 2)
Spicy poha (hot and sweet)
2 cups thin (nylon) poha
½ cup grated coconut (if the coconut is not freshly grated, you will need a few spoons of water to soften it)
Salt to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons red chilly power
¼ to ½ cup jaggery, grated
Mustard and cumin for seasoning
Mix the jaggery in with the coconut. Again, if the coconut is not freshly grated, add a few spoons of water. Add the red chilly powder and salt, and mix well. Add the poha as described above, ensuring that each flake is soft. Heat a little oil in a seasoning pan, and add mustard and cumin to it. When it splutters, take it off the flame and season the poha mixture. Mix well.
Eat as is, or with sev, mixture, or bhujia.
(May serve 2)
Kanda poha (you’ll get this recipe on the net I guess. Some people make it with only onion, and some with potato and onion. But it’s quick and easy for a lazy morning when you don’t feel like making anything too complex J )
Poha Usal
2 to 3 cups thick or medium poha
½ cup grated coconut
Salt to taste
2 spoons sugar
1 to 2 green chillies, chopped
Urad dal, mustard, cumin, and curry leaves for seasoning
Coriander leaves, chopped (optional)
Heat a little oil in a kadai, and add urad dal. Before the dal turns golden brown, add mustard. When it starts to splutter, add cumin, chopped chillies, and finally curry leaves. Quickly wash poha and add to the seasoning (Some people soak poha in water: this makes the poha sticky. If you want it flaky, wash poha just before adding to the seasoning. If you wash it and keep it aside, it’s almost the same as keeping it soaked. Not a good idea at all!). Add coconut gratings, a little salt and sugar, and mix it all up. Close with lid and let it cook for a min. Add chopped coriander leaves and again let it cook for 2 mins for medium poha. Leave it for a min or two longer if you are using thick poha.
Serve hot as is, or with sev / mixture / bhujia.
(May serve 2)
Bhakris!
Recipes from my colleague Vidya! These are very good as breakfast - and takes very little time to prepare!
Rava Bhakri
http://www.aayisrecipes.com/2008/12/22/wheat-sooji-rotti-ganva-rave-bhakri/ (Rohini sent this link - very good site)
Cucumber bhakri
1 cup rava (A: Bombay rava, the white one - I guess we can use Bansi rava too, I've not tried)
1 big grated cucumber (you need not remove the seeds from the pith); don’t throw away the water from the gratings
A fistful of grated coconut (freshly grated is better than frozen or desiccated; fresh gratings make the bhakri soft)
Ginger: small piece, chopped fine
Green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
Mix the ingredients together. Use the cucumber water to mix it. If required, add a little extra water. Make sure the consistency is a little thicker than idli batter. Don’t make it too thick: the bhakri will become stiff.
Keep aside for 5 mins so the rava becomes a little soft. Heat a greased tava. Spread this mixture on it evenly with your fingers. You can use a spoon if you are not used to it, and find the tava hot. Apply a little oil or ghee to the base of the spoon to avoid sticking. Pour a little oil along the bhakri’s circumference so it cooks well. Cover with lid and cook on medium flame for a soft bhakri. If you like it crisp, turn the flame low. When golden brown on the cooked side, turn it over. Apply a little ghee or oil before turning it over though. Don’t close with lid after turning it over if you want it to stay crisp.
Remove from tava and serve hot.
(May serve 2 people)
Snake gourd seed bhakri
1 cup rava
Pulp and seeds from snake gourd centre
A fistful of grated coconut (freshly grated is better than frozen or desiccated; fresh gratings make the bhakri soft)
Green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
(No ginger in this one)
Grind the snake gourd pulp and seeds with the coconut gratings in a blender. Alternatively, pound the pulp and seeds to make sure the seeds are not too hard. Mix all ingredients as described earlier to the same consistency. The rest of the method of preparation is the same as above.
Onion bhakri
½ cup rava
½ cup rice atta
1 onion, chopped fine
A fistful of grated coconut (freshly grated is better than frozen or desiccated; fresh gratings make the bhakri soft)
Green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
(No ginger in this one)
Same method as described earlier.
Bread bhakri/dosa
(If you have half a loaf of bread that’s not fresh enough for a sandwich and yet not stale enough to throw away)
6 slices of bread
1 onion, chopped fine
1 tomato, chopped fine (optional)
Green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
Crush and soak the bread slices in just enough water to make it soft but not too gooey. All the water should be absorbed by the bread in about 5 minutes time. Mix all the other ingredients with the soaked bread. The consistency should be the same as described so far. It may end up becoming a little thinner since bread absorbs a lot of water. You can either drain it out or let it be. If you let it be, it takes a little longer to cook, and is a little difficult to turn over on the tava.
The rest of the method of preparation is the same.
Rava Bhakri
http://www.aayisrecipes.com/2008/12/22/wheat-sooji-rotti-ganva-rave-bhakri/ (Rohini sent this link - very good site)
Cucumber bhakri
1 cup rava (A: Bombay rava, the white one - I guess we can use Bansi rava too, I've not tried)
1 big grated cucumber (you need not remove the seeds from the pith); don’t throw away the water from the gratings
A fistful of grated coconut (freshly grated is better than frozen or desiccated; fresh gratings make the bhakri soft)
Ginger: small piece, chopped fine
Green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
Mix the ingredients together. Use the cucumber water to mix it. If required, add a little extra water. Make sure the consistency is a little thicker than idli batter. Don’t make it too thick: the bhakri will become stiff.
Keep aside for 5 mins so the rava becomes a little soft. Heat a greased tava. Spread this mixture on it evenly with your fingers. You can use a spoon if you are not used to it, and find the tava hot. Apply a little oil or ghee to the base of the spoon to avoid sticking. Pour a little oil along the bhakri’s circumference so it cooks well. Cover with lid and cook on medium flame for a soft bhakri. If you like it crisp, turn the flame low. When golden brown on the cooked side, turn it over. Apply a little ghee or oil before turning it over though. Don’t close with lid after turning it over if you want it to stay crisp.
Remove from tava and serve hot.
(May serve 2 people)
Snake gourd seed bhakri
1 cup rava
Pulp and seeds from snake gourd centre
A fistful of grated coconut (freshly grated is better than frozen or desiccated; fresh gratings make the bhakri soft)
Green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
(No ginger in this one)
Grind the snake gourd pulp and seeds with the coconut gratings in a blender. Alternatively, pound the pulp and seeds to make sure the seeds are not too hard. Mix all ingredients as described earlier to the same consistency. The rest of the method of preparation is the same as above.
Onion bhakri
½ cup rava
½ cup rice atta
1 onion, chopped fine
A fistful of grated coconut (freshly grated is better than frozen or desiccated; fresh gratings make the bhakri soft)
Green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
(No ginger in this one)
Same method as described earlier.
Bread bhakri/dosa
(If you have half a loaf of bread that’s not fresh enough for a sandwich and yet not stale enough to throw away)
6 slices of bread
1 onion, chopped fine
1 tomato, chopped fine (optional)
Green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
Crush and soak the bread slices in just enough water to make it soft but not too gooey. All the water should be absorbed by the bread in about 5 minutes time. Mix all the other ingredients with the soaked bread. The consistency should be the same as described so far. It may end up becoming a little thinner since bread absorbs a lot of water. You can either drain it out or let it be. If you let it be, it takes a little longer to cook, and is a little difficult to turn over on the tava.
The rest of the method of preparation is the same.
Tomato Chutney with Coriander
Ingredients:
- Onion – 3
- Tomato – 2
- Red chilies – 3
- Garlic – 3 pieces
- Coriander leaves – two strings
- Hing (Perungayam) – a pinch
- Mustard and urad dhal – 1 tspn
- Curry leaves – a string
- Oil and Salt – As required
Recipe:
- Heat Oil in a pan. Add Red chilies, Onion and Garlic, fry till it turns into golden brown.
- Then add Tomatoes and fry till it becomes soft.
- Once it cools off, grind all the fried items with Coriander leaves, Hing, Salt in blender.
- Heat 2 or 3 tspns of Oil. Add Mustard and Urad dhal. Once it splutters add Curry leaves and the ground mix, fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Healthy Atta Burfi
Recipe by my colleague Vidya -
Here’s the recipe for that quick burfi we discussed over lunch. It’s called Sukhdi. It’s popular in Gujarat and some parts of Maharashtra. I found the recipe in a Konkani recipe book, although it was the first time I was tasting it myself! It’s also called Golpapdi. Apparently, it is also given to babies when they are teething!!
Preparation time: 10 mins
Makes about 25-30 burfis
Atta – 1 cup
Jaggery (grated or sliced thin and really fine) – ¾ to 1 cup
Ghee – ½ to ¾ cup
Cardamom – a few pods, powdered
Pista, Cashew nuts – optional
Keep a greased thali (tray) and spoon ready before you begin.
Roast the atta in ghee until it turns slightly golden. The aroma is the best way to know it’s roasted well. Take it off the flame. Add the grated jaggery immediately and mix briskly. The jaggery melts and should blend well into the atta-ghee mix. Add the powdered cardamom and mix well. If you are adding nuts, now is the time. Immediately transfer this to the thali, spreading it evenly using a greased spoon. When it is still warm, cut into squares/diamonds.
Remove the pieces from the thali when it cools.
Some people add milk and more ghee to the mix when it is still being roasted. Not sure how that is done. This is ‘supposed’ to be the original and most basic recipe. This is usually made in winter, because atta generates heat in the body, so it helps keep warm. A healthy dessert, better than eating high-fat, high-sugar sweets.
Here’s the recipe for that quick burfi we discussed over lunch. It’s called Sukhdi. It’s popular in Gujarat and some parts of Maharashtra. I found the recipe in a Konkani recipe book, although it was the first time I was tasting it myself! It’s also called Golpapdi. Apparently, it is also given to babies when they are teething!!
Preparation time: 10 mins
Makes about 25-30 burfis
Atta – 1 cup
Jaggery (grated or sliced thin and really fine) – ¾ to 1 cup
Ghee – ½ to ¾ cup
Cardamom – a few pods, powdered
Pista, Cashew nuts – optional
Keep a greased thali (tray) and spoon ready before you begin.
Roast the atta in ghee until it turns slightly golden. The aroma is the best way to know it’s roasted well. Take it off the flame. Add the grated jaggery immediately and mix briskly. The jaggery melts and should blend well into the atta-ghee mix. Add the powdered cardamom and mix well. If you are adding nuts, now is the time. Immediately transfer this to the thali, spreading it evenly using a greased spoon. When it is still warm, cut into squares/diamonds.
Remove the pieces from the thali when it cools.
Some people add milk and more ghee to the mix when it is still being roasted. Not sure how that is done. This is ‘supposed’ to be the original and most basic recipe. This is usually made in winter, because atta generates heat in the body, so it helps keep warm. A healthy dessert, better than eating high-fat, high-sugar sweets.
Sabudana Kichdi
Recipe from my colleague Rohini, comments are mine. This is a very nice breakfast item, but can be had anytime.
Ingredients
Sabudana (sago)- 2 cups (those small white balls, made from tapioca)
Roasted peanut Powder (Danyacha kut) - 1 cup (this is a chutney powder we anyways make and keep, to go with chapathi, rice etc - roasted groundnuts, chilly powder, raw garlic, salt. I also add curry leaves to this.)
Potato - 1 medium
Green Chillies - 4-5
Grated Ginger - 1 tea spoon
Pure ghee - 2 tablespoon
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1 tea spoons
Sugar - 1 tea spoon
Lemon - 1
Salt for taste
Grated coconut & Coriander for Garnishing.
Procedure
Wash Sabudana 2 to 3 times.
Soak the sabudana in water . Water level should be just above the sabudana level. Soak sabudana for 3-4 hours. (I've managed with one hour actually - just make sure all the water has been absorbed)
I generally prefer "Varalakshmi Sabudana" , for this 3-4 hours is sufficient but you can keep for few more hours if the sabudana does not become soft in 4 hours.
Wash peel and cut potato in cubes. Heat ghee in kadai, Put jeera in it. Now add chopped green chillies and potatoes, mix it and cover it with lid till potatoes cooked properly.
Mean while mix sabudana, groundnut powder, sugar and salt in one bowl. Now add this mixture into kadai. Mix it well. Put a lid for steam. Please don't stir it in between, otherwise khichadi will become dry. When sabudana gets soft, add lemon juice and switch off the flame. Serve hot with the garnishing of coconut and coriander.
Serve Khichadi with curd.
www.khaugiri.com
Ingredients
Sabudana (sago)- 2 cups (those small white balls, made from tapioca)
Roasted peanut Powder (Danyacha kut) - 1 cup (this is a chutney powder we anyways make and keep, to go with chapathi, rice etc - roasted groundnuts, chilly powder, raw garlic, salt. I also add curry leaves to this.)
Potato - 1 medium
Green Chillies - 4-5
Grated Ginger - 1 tea spoon
Pure ghee - 2 tablespoon
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1 tea spoons
Sugar - 1 tea spoon
Lemon - 1
Salt for taste
Grated coconut & Coriander for Garnishing.
Procedure
Wash Sabudana 2 to 3 times.
Soak the sabudana in water . Water level should be just above the sabudana level. Soak sabudana for 3-4 hours. (I've managed with one hour actually - just make sure all the water has been absorbed)
I generally prefer "Varalakshmi Sabudana" , for this 3-4 hours is sufficient but you can keep for few more hours if the sabudana does not become soft in 4 hours.
Wash peel and cut potato in cubes. Heat ghee in kadai, Put jeera in it. Now add chopped green chillies and potatoes, mix it and cover it with lid till potatoes cooked properly.
Mean while mix sabudana, groundnut powder, sugar and salt in one bowl. Now add this mixture into kadai. Mix it well. Put a lid for steam. Please don't stir it in between, otherwise khichadi will become dry. When sabudana gets soft, add lemon juice and switch off the flame. Serve hot with the garnishing of coconut and coriander.
Serve Khichadi with curd.
www.khaugiri.com
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