Masala papad

Masala papad

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015 TO ALL!!

As the new year is approaching every one is very excited,busy making preparation for the new year celebrations!!I wish everyone a Happy new year 2015!!

on this occasion I bring a hassle free tea time snack which saves time and very quick one to make .Lets celebrate NEW YEAR 2015 with a tea time snack recipe viz. masala papad!!

Masala papad is very easy to make no fire recipe.This recipe makes a healthy tea time snack.My daughter is always excited to do this.I assist her in microwaving the papads.I chop n grate the vegetables for her.Then she will spice up the papads and serve.

The required ingredients are:

1. lijjat papad 2
2. oil.few drops 
3. chopped onions 1-2 tbsp
4. chopped tomatoes 1-2 tbsp
5. grated carrots 1-2 tbsp
6. chopped green onion leaves 1 tbsp
7. chopped coriander 1 tbsp
8. salt to taste
9. red chili powder to taste
10. chat masala few pinches, to sprinkle
11. nylon sev optional(avoid if u prefer the healthy version)

Method:

• Take the papads of your choice.I have taken pepper flavoured lijjat papads
• lightly smear with cooking oil on one side.
• microwave on high heat for about 40 seconds.
• Take out on a dish
• sprinkle red chili powder,salt
• spread the chopped vegetables.
• Sprinkle chat masala and sev if you like.
• Serve immediately.

Enjoy the masala papad with a cup of tea or coffee!!

sabbsige soppina bassaru

sabbsige soppina bassaru/dil n green moong soup

After coming to Bangalore I have learnt quite a few south karnataka recipes one of which is sabbsige soppina bassaru. I have learnt it hearing from my friends and acquaintances.whenever you are bored of having turdal sambhar,tomato rasam, and do not want to cook a separate dal for rice this recipe is the perfect one!Actually this gives a unique taste along with rice, and also tastes yumm as a soup!perfect for the winters!!
This is a two-in-one recipe.What I mean is you cook the green moong dal and sabbsige soppu with some extra water.Strain the cooked stuff and use the stock for making bassaru and the dal for making pallya(side dish)
Bassaru means basididda saru.. basi in Kannada means 'strain'.

These are the ingredients required for making this recipe:

1. green moong or hesaru kalu 1 cup
2. sabbsige soppu 1 bunch med.size. cleaned and thoroughly washed and chopped.
3. coconut 1/4 cup( I used dry grated as I was not having fresh coconut)
4. onion 1 small size
5. 1 tomato small size
6. cumin/jeera 1 tsp
7. sambhar powder/rasam powder
8. oil 1 tsp + 1 tsp
9. mustard seeds 1 tsp
10. jaggery just about 1-2 tsp
11. salt to taste

Method to prepare bassaru:

clean the chopped  sabbsige soppu and hesaru kalu

put them in a cooker and add 3- 3 1/2 cups of water

cook for 3-4 whistles.

let the pressure go down.
Mean while 

heat a small pan add oil.
then add jeera,chopped onion,garlic,tomatoes and fry till soft.

Let this cool.

once the tomato onion is cool put this in a mixer jar.

To this add2-4 tbsp spoons of cooked moong dal and sabbsige soppu.(Be careful while opening the cooker)salt and sambhar powder,coconut.

Grind well.

In another vessel.

Strain out the excess water/stock from the cooked dal .

To this stock add the ground mixture.

cook this adding required amount of water.U can add a bit of jaggery if u like at this stage
temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
super tasty sabbasige bassaru is ready!!
Enjoy with hot rice or ragi mudde.
Note:do not discard the dal and green cooked.The same is used to make pallya.AS such it is a two in one recipe.

SET DOSA/AVALAKKI DOSE

set dosa/avalakki dosa

Set dosa is also called avalakki dose.The story of how I got this set dosa recipe is very funny indeed!

One day I was cleaning the rice and udad dal to soak.I was planning to prepare plain dosa for the breakfast next day.Suddenly I remembered my colony friends Radhika and Pavitra discussing about the dosa recipe previous evening.Usually in the evenings all my friends and their kids gather around the community hall of our colony.We have a nice group.Lot of exchange of thoughts goes on amongst us while the kids are busy playing around.

Pavitra had tried set dosa reipe given by Radhika.She was asking Radhika about the set dosa recipe she had spoiled that day.Radhika gave the recipe for set Dosa again and were talking about what mistake Pavitra had done!She will now remember this recipe for the rest of life!

I just kept Radhika's recipe in mind.I have been trying various set dosa recipes but not to the satisfaction.I thought I should give this one also a try.That's how suddenly I remembered of this set dosa recipe and immediately wanted to try!I changed the plan of making plain dosas and prepared set dosa with sagu next day.

Little did I know that my search for a very good set dosa recipe is going to end here!Thank you Radhika for sharing a perfect set dosa recipe!!And thanks to Pavitra for spoiling the recipe at the first try..had she not spoilt it and had she not discussed about it that day,I just would not have bumped onto this perfect recipe!!

ingredients for set dosa or avalakki dose:

1. rice 3 cups
2. thick poha or beaten rice 1 cup
3. black gram or udad dal 1/2 cup
4. methi seeds/fenugreek seeds 1 tsp
5. cumin 1/2 tsp
6. peppercorn 1/2 tsp
7. salt to taste
8. oil/ghee as required to prepare dosa
9. 1 -2 tsp powdered sugar to be added to the fermented batter just at the time of preparing dosas

Method to prepare batter:

• thoroughly wash the rice and dal separately
• Soak the rice and add the washed thick poha to it for soaking
• soak the udad dal.To this add pepper corns and cumin 
• Let it soak well for about 6 hours.
• Grind well to form a thick batter.Do not make the batter too watery.
• take out the ground batter to a container to ferment add salt,stir well and let it ferment overnight.

Method to prepare Dosa:

• Take required amount of batter.Adjust the consistency adding water.
• Now add powdered sugar to this.It gives a nice colour to the dosas as sugar caramelises.(salt is already added.)
• heat the dosa tava.
• smear with some oil.
• take a ladle full of batter.pour on the heated tava.Do not spread.just give a quick,light spread to keep it thick.
• cover and let it cook.
• flip and cook on the other side.
• Repeat the procedure

Serve the hot set dosas with sagu and coconut chatni.
These set dosas are spongy,get perfect colour as there is a little bit of sugar used.That way you need not roast the dosas longer to get proper golden colour.
The hint of cumin,peppercorn,and fenugreek seeds enhances the taste.(optional.You can always skip these three ingredients if you want to)

Notes:

you can skip adding cumin and pepper corn to this recipe.But adding it will enhance the taste.

This tastes good eaten hot from the tava.Once cooled the dosas turn rubbery due to avalakki in it.

Thank you Radhika for sharing such a perfect set dosa recipe!!

green moong sprout chat

green moong sprout chat/ಮೊಳಕೆ ತರಿಸಿದ ಹೆಸರು ಕಾಳಿನ ಚಾಟ್ 

Today I made this healthy and tasty sprouted moong chat for evening snacks.This is very simple to make.Requires few ingredients and quick one to do if the sprouts are on hand.I usually make the sprouts at home once a week or sometimes once in a fortnight.Use the sprouts in various recipes like salads, side dish, for making misal,sprouted rice etc.

This particular chat can be prepared with raw sprouts or with partially cooked sprouts.

 This particular recipe is  kids' friendly and a no fire recipe.Just putting together the required ingredients to our tase is all.The kids can do this with least help from their parents or elders.

The Ingredients are:

1. Sprouted moog beans 1/2 cup
2. pomegranate seeds 1 tbsp / to our taste
3. chopped onion 1 tbsp/ to our taste
4. chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp/ to our taste
5. chopped coriander a few/ to our taste
6. chat masala 1/4 tsp
7. sugar 1/4 tsp
8. salt to taste
9. lime juice 1 tsp

 Method:

1. wash the sprouts thoroughly.put in a microwave safe bowl.cook covered on 80% power. for 1.30 mins or just to remove the rawness
2. let the sprouts cool.
3. Add all other ingredients.Give a good stir.Serve garnished with some coriander and tomatoes.

A perfect evening snack the kids can prepare themselves and enjoy! very healthy indeed!!

I dedicate this recipe to my friend Dr.Bhavanis daughter Brinda.She is 10 years old and has shown tremendous interest in cooking at a very early age!This is a simple recipe for you Brinda to encourage you through your interests!Give it a try!All the best to kid chef in you!!!

Tulasi tea/ತುಳಸಿ ಚಹಾ

Tulasi tea/ತುಳಸಿ ಚಹಾ 

 I usually consume tea twice a day. Nobody would deny a cup of hot tea in these winters.If it is flavoured with ginger,cinnamon,cardamom or tulsi... nothing like it makes the evening better!

Whenever my family visits temples we get prasada,viz.fruits,flowers and some Tulasi too.I dry the tulasi if it is summer time and use it in my tea.Today I used  the fresh tulasi leaves in my tea.Tulasi not only gives tea a flavour but has many health benefits as well!

enjoy this tulasi flavoured tea during this winter season.

Ingredients:

1. 1/4 cup water
2. 3/4 cup milk
3. 1 tsp sugar
4. 1or 1/2 tsp regular tea powder
5. some fresh tulasi leaves

Method:

• heat the water and milk together in a vessel.
• add sugar to melt
• when this starts to boil,add tea powder and tulasi leaves.boil for a minute.switch off the flame,cover it for a minute.
• Serve with some avalakki chivda!

Shenga undi/peanut laddu/groundnut laddu

Shenga undi/peanut laddu/groundnut laddu

ಶೇಂಗಾ ಉಂಡಿ 

    This shenga undi is usually prepared on every Ekadasi day.Ekadahi is the 11th day of the Hindu calendar and there are two Ekadasis in each month.Usually most of the Brahmins keep a fast on this day.Fast is kept as per their capacity.some only consume teertha or holy water,some only fruits n milk and some a few permitted snacks.My late grand mother(mother's mother) used to do ekadasi vrata and I would be eagerly looking forward to the ekadasis as the vrat food used to be very tasty and a change from regular rice,sabzi, roti,dal was very refreshing.She would make sabudani khichadi,shenga undi and green chatni.

Every time I see or have this vrat ka khana..

    I remember her.So dedicating this shenga undi recipe to my loving grandmohter.

   This is again a very simple recipe requires only two ingredients.

The ingredients:

1. a cup of dry roasted and cleaned peanuts/groundnuts/shenga/kadlekayi
2. less than a cup or 3/4 cup of powdered jaggery

  Method:

1. Dry roast the raw peanuts.Remove on a flat surface and let them cool to handle
2. once cool enough to handle remove the skin of the roasted peanuts and clean them.  
3. once cleaned put the peanuts into a mixer jar run for a few secs. only to make a very coarse powder.
4. 
5. add the powdered jaggery and run the mixer again to form a powder managable to bind into laddus.
6. 

Make laddus of the shape and size you desire.Serve with sabudana khichadi.

Bhindi fry/okra fry

Bhindi fry/ okra fry

This bhindi fry curry is very easy to make. As always I keep my cooking simple and the ingredients are few. Kids will love this.

So here are the ingredients required for making the simple bhindi fry.

1. bhindi/okra/bendekayi 250 gms(thoroughly washed and dried before chopping.discard both the ends. )
2. red chili powder (byadgi variety) 1/2 tsp
3. oil 1 tbsp
4. mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
5. turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
6. hing or asafoetida a pinch
7. sugar 1/2 tsp
8. salt as per taste.

Method:

1.Heat oil in a kadhai.

2.Add mustard seeds to splutter, then add turmeric powder,hing.

3.Add the chopped bhindi/okra/bendekayi

this pic taken after 2 mins

4.saute on a medium flame for about 6 minutes.

5.Add red chili powder,salt,sugar.

this pic taken after 6 mins

6. saute for 2-3 minutes more and remove to a serving bowl.

The simplest bhindi fry in the world is ready!

You can add lime juice to enhance the taste in the step no. 6.If added later the curry becomes gooey.

This side dish goes well with chapati,phulka,jowar roti,curd rice.

Can be rolled in a chapati to make the tastiest bhindi Roll for the lunch box.

Note:This curry has to be prepared uncovered.Or else it becomes gooey.