Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Litti~ Bihari mitti!!




An un-explored food culture~ Bihar!
Like any typical foodie, my exploration of a new region is never complete without getting deep into the food history of that region.  One such opportunity opened doors for me into the food culture of Bihar, one of India’s popular northern states.
Bihar has unquestionably been legendary for Lalooji and Bihari immigrant rickshaw and taxiwalas in Mumbai…but never for its cuisine.  I pondered and wondered why the cuisine of Bihar is not as famous as that of Punjab or even Gujarat??  Over the century, Biharis have spread across many foreign lands during the British rule, as far as Fiji, Mauritius, Trinidad and Tobago and some parts of Northern Africa….but sadly, the conditions in which they had to immigrate to these countries, made them lose traditional cuisines somewhere down the line and adapt to a new-age cross-cultured cuisine.  Probably this is could be a reason why Bihari cuisine has never risen amongst top favorites.  Probably this is also the reason why a Litti Chokha could never become a Chola Batura.
And to my surprise the localities I encountered, weren’t enthusiastic to talk about their cuisine either.  I found this quite astonishing, coz I have grown up around food enthusiasts in Mumbai, our very own gujju-bhais and bens…Punju veers and veernis….Maharashtrian mamas and maushis….who could go on and on…would give me an ingredient-to-ingredient detail description about each and every delicacy.  I never had to try too hard with them, unless it was a “secret” recipe!
But here in Bihar, for starters, speaking to a woman is still a taboo, and not socially welcome.  I had to probe hard and give them some photo opportunities and a promise to showcase them in my article…which is when finally I got them to speak (a little)! The rest of coz was my own research, analysis, RnD, scouting and sniffing around that I had to do, to come up with the following piece.  Nonetheless, my experience with Bihari cuisine is an eye opener to many facts, the most obvious one being, India can be diverse, yet so similar, our food culture as assorted as it may seem, still binds us strong by the ingredients we use and methods of cooking throughout the country.
I say this because, I discovered Litti Chokha in Bihar, much similar to what the Rajasthani’s (from a western state of India) call Daal Baati.  The striking surface resemblance of Litti and Baati is what catches your attention to India’s similarity in diversity.  Obviously when you dig deeper, you realize that Baati is made only with wheat flour and eaten with loads of ghee, whereas Litti is made with a covering of wheat flour and stuffed with gram flour (sattu) mixture, and rarely eaten with ghee.  Baati is served with Daal, made from Tuvar dal, and Litti is served with Chokha, which is made with smoked Brinjal/Potatoes and Tomatoes mashed together into gravy.  Similar to Litti and Baati, the Vidharba region of Maharashtra serves a delicacy called Rodga, roasted wheat flour balls served with Brinjal and Potato rassa (broth).

I ate Daal Makhni in Bihar!  Mind you…it’s not the same Daal Makhani that our Punju brothers make (loaded with ghee and guilt) but Daal with Makhana (Fox Nut, or also called lotus seeds).  Makhana is very commonly and traditionally used in Bihari cuisine, added to daal, vegetables and even used as a stuffing in Parathas or served as a sweet.  I have always watched wedding caterers in Mumbai using Makhana to accentuate their quality of food, as though they have used a rare ingredient, adding Makhana makes their weak dish suddenly very exotic…now I realize how I have been fooled.  Bihar uses Makhana so wildly and freely…and ayurveda lists a whole bunch of positive and healthy properties for this ingredient including its uses in anemia! 
Bihari cuisine like most other regions of India is dependent on seasonal influencers.  Since I visited the region during winter months, Mustard Leaves (Sarson) had taken dominance in their cooking.  Sarson ka Saag was last eaten by me at a local Punjabi Dhaba in Mumbai, laden with butter, absolutely no essence of Mustard leaves.  The moment I broke into a makkai ke aate ki roti (flat bread made with corn meal), dipped into the sarson ka saag preparation at a Bihari roadside inn, I knew I had bit into authenticity.  The light pungent flavors, the tender-sweet bitterness of Sarson, the precision of spices used and lushness of the greens…which also seemed to come from fresh fields nearby, was an indescribable experience, surely to be locked away in memory. 
When I was told I’m being served Chiwra for breakfast, I must admit, I was quite disappointed, given that my last memory of Chiwra was the one I had in Mumbai – made with puffed rice or cornflakes, some peanuts, turmeric and chili powders and tempered with mustard seeds, hing and maybe some dry fruits.  That ain’t breakfast! That’s a tea-time snack, past-time as we Mumbaikars like to call it!   Bihari Chiwra made with beaten rice (poha), served with creamy curd or jaggery, much like porridge, and a warm salted version made with onion and peas especially for cold winter months, turned out to be quite a surprise. 
Like much of other parts of India, Kadhi Kichadi seems to be a regular affair for people in Bihar too.  Especially they love their Kadhi Bari (soft fried dumplings of gram flour, cooked in a spicy yogurt gravy), with steaming hot Kichadi (made with rice and dal and some seasonal vegetables, topped with a dollop of ghee).  Ghugni, a preparation of soaked gram (overnight), then sautéed in mustard oil, Dhuska, a deep fried preparation of powdered rice and ghee and Sattu ka Paratha (parathas made with a filling of baked gram powder) made a very heavy lunch!
I was most certainly a happy explorer in Bihar, given that Bihar is pre-dominantly a vegetarian state.  Hindu and Buddhist cultures have ruled the roost, but Moghul influences did bring about some non-vegetarian delicacies into their cuisine, typically kebabs made from chicken and mutton.  Biharis do enjoy a seafood diet of fish, prawns and crab especially. 
A friend of mine, who travels quite a bit, lived with me for a while during Ganesh Utsav in Mumbai.  She had tried steamed modaks made by me during the festival and enlightened me that once during her travels, she had the opportunity to taste something very similar in Bihar called Pittha.  Pittha is made with rice flour dough as covering, filled with lentil paste, poppy seeds and jaggery, given a semi-circular shape and steamed, very similar to modak, minus the coconut. She obviously compared Pittha to Momos, a closer relative. I searched high and low for this food item during my visit, but couldn’t find it commercially.  I probably needed to visit a local home to have it made to order ;)…that’s for the next time. 
But I did have the opportunity to taste some very unique deserts, one such I bring back with me as a fond memory - Parwal ka Meetha – where pointed gourd, is scrapped to remove the skin, sliced longitudinally, deseeded and boiled to make it tender and then filled with Khoyya (made of condensed milk) and dry fruits. It is then immersed in warm sugar syrup for a glaze. Silver foil may be added after it cools off.  Meetha Khaja or what we commonly call in Mumbai as Khari biscuit, only that this was a sweeter version of the same….Tilkut or what is also known as Chikki in other parts of India had similar taste and preparation technique (crushed sesame seeds, sugar or jaggery used to make a flat hardened candy, sometimes chewy, other times hard).  Kala Jamun that came in size of a tennis ball… was quite entertaining actually!  Kesaria Peda (saffron flavored milk solids), Chena Murkhi (a smoked Rassgolla… quite dry compared to the Bengali version)…warm Malpuas with cold Rabdi, are just what you need when you go soul searching….if I describe it in any other way…I would be encouraging foodporn! 

Mustard oil preparation in Mumbai always gives me a bad stomach, but everything I had in Bihar was made in Mustard oil, and never did me any harm.  Reminds me of an old saying “when in Rome do what the Romans do”….i guess climatic conditions matter a lot and does affect your metabolizing capabilities! 
I’m not done yet….there is still a lot of food to explore in Bihar…many traditional recipes that have been locked and reserved to that region….but I leave that for my subsequent expedition…until then scouting for my next destination!
For some interesting recipes from Bihar, do check out the following website~

Happy cooking J




Tuesday, November 22, 2011

The Pumpkin Post~ Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s that time of the year again where everything goes from green to red to orange to brown…fall is (was) here!  Given the recent weather reports from across the globe, I’d rather rephrase my statement, most parts of the northern hemisphere that see snow during winter are already seeing snowfall in fall (sigh!).  Much to my liking...Fall is synonymous to the color orange not white!  


Well, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and if I were in the US right now, I’d be busy at the farmers market picking pumpkins and other squashes for my favorite soup of the season.  We all know by now that pumpkins are actually types of squash, and are a healthy fall and winter favorite which can also be enjoyed in recipes year round if you freeze or can the flesh after they ripen in the fall, do remember to save the seeds. Here in India we are absolutely lucky to find varieties of squash all through the year.

Though I love a hearty roasted pumpkin soup, I decided to try a new recipe this season (that’s what chef’s do, we never stop at one recipe).  Though this is not my first try at making ravioli from scratch, let me throw in a word of caution that it is so daman easy to make, that it can get addictive ;)

And here is a healthy vegetarian pasta dish which can be used as either a main course or a side dish.  The following recipe is work of another cook, which I originally found on a website called naturalnews.com.  I have included my notes and adaptations~ enjoy the process~

Pumpkin Ravioli~

For the Filling~

1 cup roasted pumpkin (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cumin
dash of white or black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup ground cashews (or nuts of your choice)

For the Pasta~

1 1/2 cups semolina flour (I took normal Rawa, lightly roasted it and ground it to a fine powder)
1/2 cup all purpose non-bleached flour (regular maida is just fine)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup water
1 tsp olive oil (I used EVOO)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Roast the Pumpkin~

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. (approx 200c)
Slice your pumpkin in half horizontally and scrape out all the seeds and surrounding stringiness.

Place both pumpkin halves cut side down on a baking sheet at roast for about an hour or until the skin is very soft and brown in spots and the flesh is soft and easily separates.

Scrape flesh away from skin and let drain in colander.

To make the filling, melt margarine over medium heat in a large saucepan.
Add nutmeg, cinnamon, cumin, pepper, salt and ground cashews.
Stir in pumpkin and cook, stirring and mashing, until your mixture is fragrant and the consistency of stringy, creamy mashed potatoes.
Turn off heat and set aside.

Make the pasta~

Sift together flour, salt and basil. Add oil and water and knead until a stiff dough forms.
If you're going to be cooking your ravioli the same day that you're making them, you'll probably want to prepare a large pot of water at this point so it'll be ready to go when you're done with assembly. Add a dash of salt and a dollop of olive oil to the water.
Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it as thin as you can with a rolling pin (or, if you have a pasta maker, by all means use it). You may want to work with a small portion of the dough at a time.
Cut your dough into roughly matching rounds - about 2.5" works well.
Put approximately 1 tablespoon of your pumpkin filling in the middle of a round, place another round on top, and pinch around the edges to seal. (This is a great step on which to enlist the help of family and friends - it will go much quicker with more hands on the job.)

Place ravioli on parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Gently drop ravioli into a large pot of boiling water.

Cook for 15 minutes and carefully drain.
Serve with sauce (refer to basic
Marinara sauce as an option) of your choice. Or a simple brown butter sage sauce ~
Melt the butter in a pan, cook until lightly browned, fragrant and nutty smelling. Remove from heat, and let it cool off for a minute then add the balsamic and a pinch of salt, pour over the ravioli top with the toasted pine nuts sage and parmesan.


Notes~
One pumpkin will yield way more than the one cup needed for this recipe, so you might want to plan on making a pie, soup, and/or other recipes that call for pumpkin. Or quadruple this recipe; ravioli freezes well. Or just drain, bag and freeze your excess pumpkin.

Save and rinse your pumpkin seeds. They are easy to roast and delicious. Simply toss in oil, spread on a baking sheet and roast at 350 (175c) for about 30 minutes, stirring half way through.

You can make the ravioli ahead of time. It keeps very well on parchment paper in containers in the fridge.


Credits~
Recipe from naturalway.com and pictures from wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com, behance.net, elanaspantry.com

Happy Thanksgiving and happiness in cooking all the way! J
 

Friday, October 14, 2011

Back to Basics~ Fat Free Marinara Sauce!

A fat free pasta sauce to indulge guilt free with your favorite whole grain pasta!  Nothing beats the classic Marinara (red pasta sauce for those gastronomically challenged!)


Ingredients

1/2 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth (i prefer to make a broth at home, to control salt levels)1 cup finely chopped white onion
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, bring broth to a simmer.
  2. Add onion, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  4. Reduce heat to medium, stir in tomatoes and cook about 15 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally to make sure mixture doesn't stick to the pan.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Serve warm or chill until ready to serve.
This recipe makes about 3 cups and I bet you'd want to make a double batch and store it up, its that yummm and fat-free for sure!  

Happy Cooking :)

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Nine Nites~ the Navratri festival!

Navaratri or Nava Ratri…is literally translated as Nine Nights! Different parts of India celebrate Navratri according to their own age-old practices and rituals, Garba and Dandiya in Gujarat, Durga Pooja in Kolkata and other neighboring parts, Mata ki Chowki and Jagraatas in the north. 

Memories dodge me to a time when preparations for Navratri in my home began almost a month before the actual festivities.  Meticulous cleaning (literally turning the house upside down) was the order of the day for good one week prior to the nine day festival.  I remember the cleaning would be done by our maid, her 3 children and a 2 other helpers, while mom would oversee their work, it was my job to get completely drenched and entertain everyone around, of course I wasn’t spared from cleaning either (usually the internal windows and my study table)!

The nine day festival is followed by Dassera and then Diwali, so this was a yearly cleaning of the house to welcome all gods and goddesses to come bless us and make place in our homes (especially Lakshmiji…the goddess of wealth …LOL)!! 

As a south Indian Tamilian tradition we would display the “Golu-padi” (Doll Steps, if you really want it to be translated and “Golu” for short).  These steps are custom built and usually in an odd number, either 3, 5 ,7, 9, 11 etc.  I realized later in life, after I got inducted into other religious practices that decorating and displaying the Golu was much like putting up a Christmas tree.  The family comes together in all the activities, the men folk erect these steps, women and children decorate it and place various idols and dolls on display.  The interesting part about these dolls is that, it is usually a heirloom, passed down from generations.  My mom had one such collection of over 250 or more dolls of various sizes and shapes.  Depictions of various mythological stories like Dashatavtaar (Vishnu’s avtaars), Seeta Kalyanam (Seeta’s wedding as part of Ramamyan),  Geetouppadesh (Krishna’s discourse to Arjuna on the battle field) and other mythological characters like Ganesh, Hanuman, Shiva, and a variety of Hindu gods and goddesses were all part of this assortment. 
One of the steps also had idols of Mr. Chettiar and his wife (businessmen community of the south) with a whole array of products that they pretended to be selling (just like in a supermarket).  As if 250 or more dolls were not enough, it was also tradition to buy one new doll each year and keep adding on to the collection! The “golu” display at my place eventually stopped after I left for further studies and the dolls were distributed among friends and family.

It doesn’t just end with the “golu” display!  The actual Navratri fun begins with inviting women and children to come home for a haldi-kumkum (turmeric and vermilion) ritual.   A light dab of Attar (perfume) or chandan (sandalwood paste) would be first applied to their wrist, they were given flowers to adorn, a dot of haldi and kumkum powders were applied on their foreheads and finally they were given a return gift!  The return gift usually comprised of 2 pan leaves (beetlenut leaves), a packet of supari (flavored Beetle nut), dried turmeric and a bag full of goodies like a plastic comb, mirror, a small stainless steel bowl or box, some bindi, maybe bangles, etc.  As time passed on, these return gifts were replaced with clothes like saree blouse piece or even a saree or salwar suit piece (for very close friends and relatives).  These purchases were made by mom almost 3 weeks in advance and carefully gift wrapped.  For each of these nine days, every day one Sumangali (married woman) and one Kanya (young girl) would be called for an elaborate lunch at home!  And of course the best part was reciprocation!  As a kid I got to go as a Kanya to many such lunches and came back home delighted with bag full of goodies!!  In the evening again visiting other “golus” and being a part of “haldi-kumkum” ceremonies in the neighborhood was part and parcel of these nine days!

The real highlight for me though was the “Prasad” (offering to god) made during these nine days (had to be food for me, c’mon!!!). Tamilians make a special offering from legumes and lentils called “Sundal”.  Nine different types of legumes and lentils, one for each day!  They usually are Green Moong beans, Brown Moong beans, Chickpeas, Dried Peas, Peanuts, Chana dal, Butter beans and Kidney beans! Sundal is made by pressure cooking these legumes / lentils and later tempering them with oil, mustard seeds, whole red chilies, curry leaves, hing (asafetida), grated fresh coconut and my dearest chopped Cilantro with a dash of lime!  In the south of India, these Sundals during Navratri are so popular that everyone knows who makes the best type of Sundal in town / village.  My dad tells me tales of his childhood days where it was common for him as a young boy, along with his friends to visit houses of various Mamis (common name for Tamilian ladies) only on those days when that Mami was making a particular Sundal. So if Mami X was famous for her Pattani Sundal (dried peas), they would go to her place only on the day she made Pattani Sundal and likewise for all the other Mamis in town!!  He still laughs about it while I roll my eyes ~ genetics never go wrong, I’M GENETICALLY A FOODIE!! :D

As years have passed by, these events just remain a distant but very plesant memory!  On the occasion of Navratri, here is my favorite Kadalai Sundal (Chickpeas) recipe for all of you to try, just like how mom used to make it and she was surely famous for her Kadalai Sundal ;)


Ingredients:

1 cup white chickpeas, soaked overnight
¼ tsp oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal (split black gram dal)
1-2 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp of coarsely ground coriander seeds (this is unique to mom’s recipe)
½ tsp hing (asafetida)
 A few curry leaves
2-3 tbsp freshly grated coconut
salt to taste
A dash of lime
A handful of cilantro leaves finely chopped

Method:

Pressure cook legumes for about 2 whistles (about 10 minutes).  Legumes need to have a soft texture, but retain their shape.
Alternatively, cook it on a stove top for about 15 - 20 mins. Drain the cooking water.
In a pan, add oil, when hot add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Add hing, urad dal, curry leaves and red chili flakes and corriander powder. Wait until lentils turn reddish brown in color.
Add cooked chickpeas. Add salt and mix it well.
Take it off the heat, add coconut, lime juice and chopped cilantro.  This Sundal is usually served warm.

Happy Navratri and a very Happy cooking J
  

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Vangi Bhat ~ a treat from Bengaluru!

Just back from a trip to Bengaluru and chanced upon the delicious Vangi Bhat (a rice preperation with aubergines, raw peanuts and some spices).  I came back home and twisted it to my likes (read conveniece) without really sacrificing any taste from the originial.  I did not make any special podi (spice powder) for the Vangi Bhat, instead used my recently ground Molagapodi as a subsitute.  Check out the recipe and do post your feedback!

Ingredients:
3 long green brinjal (also known as Aubergines, you can also use the purple ones but longer variety preferred)
1 cup rice (long grain)
1 Tbsp Tamarind pulp
handful of raw peanuts
1 star anise
2 cloves
1 inch piece of cinnamon stick
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp hing powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp chili powder (adjust to taste, I prefer milder taste)
3 Tbsp Molagapodi (see recipe)
3 tsp coriander powder
3 Tbsp sesame oil
Fresh Cilantro and grated coconut to garnish

Method:
1)  Wash, drain and steam rice and let it cool (you can use left over rice too).
2)  Cut Brinjal into cubes and let it soak in salt water.
3)  Heat a large, heavy bottom pan, add oil.
4)  When oil is hot add, mustard seeds and let them splutter,  add cumin, star anise, cinnamon and cloves.  Add hing and raw peanuts.
5)  When peanuts are lightly roasted, add brinjal, turmeric powder, chili powder and coriander powder.  Add salt at this stage and tamarind pulp.  Let this mixture cook for 3 – 4 minutes until brinjal has softened.
6)  Add steamed rice and molagapodi powder.  Adjust seasoning.  Gently toss the rice with brinjal mixture until well mixed.  Make sure you do this lightly, so that the rice does not break and turn mushy.
7)  Take it off heat, into a serving bowl, garnish with fresh coconut and cilantro. Serve with a side of Papadoms and raita.

BTW do watch this space for a lot more from Bengaluru! Happy Cooking :)

Thursday, August 4, 2011

The famous gunpowder~ Molagapodi!


Molagapodi (Chutney Powder, Gunpowder)

A great accompanyment with Idli and Dosa, this podi (coarse powder) is quite a regular affair at every South Indian household.  Can be stored for a few months.

Ingredients:
1 cup - urad daal
1 cup - channa daal
8 to 10 - red chillies
1 tbsp - white sesame seeds, dry roasted
1tsp - hing powder
1inch piece of tamarind
a small piece - jaggery (optional)
salt to taste
1 tsp - oil

Method:
Roast the daals together in a teaspoon of oil, till golden brown.
Add red chillies and roast for two minutes.
Add the tamarind, hing powder, sesame seeds, jaggery and salt. Let it cool completely.
Grind the mixture coarsely.
Store in an airtight container.
While serving mix 1 tbsp powder with ½ tsp sesame oil and serve as an accompaniment for idlis and dosas. Note: Can be stored for two to three months.

The Rava Idli Combo

Some folks consider Plain idli (though as healthy as it can possibly be) as rightfully boring!! Combine it with an array of chutneys and powders (podis) and sambhars, then you can possibly consume it happily (read - still with somewhat of a frown).  Well, this is true only for most South Indian homes... moreso bcause Idli is a staple breakfast almost 6 days a week.  My north Indian friends would surely disagree as Idli Chutney/Sambhar is like a boon to them!  I'm sure my South Indian reader friends would love Parotas (eeks to the pronunciation that we south Indians give to the lovely delectable Paranthas) as a substitue for breakfast some days of the week.  Anyway bidding goodbye to the battle of divides... let me be honest and confess that I'm a south Indian who loves my soft fluffy idli any time of the day or night!! I remember as a kid, i did not need no chutney or sambhar or podis... it would just be as comforting with a bowl of curd with some sugar sprinkled for good luck!

I never really grew up on Idlis... thanks to a very enterprising cook in my mom, I thoroughly enjoyed Pongals, Upmas, Adais, Puri Bhajis, variety of Dosas (she invented the spring dosa way before it hit the markets...now thanks to Dosa Plaza) and not to forget the Mumbaikar favorites of Poha, Misal Pav and the likes! She made Idlis possibly once a month, quite an odd equation for a south Indian home, given that its an unsaid rule at most south Indian homes, the idli batter MUST be in your refrigerator at all times! and probably that's the reason I never grew out of love for Idlis!  It's not like we did not have idlis often... we had a variety of Idlis, I remember the colorful Kanjeepuram Idlis, the coarse Rava Idlis, the spicy Guntur Idlis, the noodle-like Semiya Idli and ofcourse, her own inventions of Idli gadbad, Idli Sandwich, tri-color Idli,  Idli masala Fry and Colorful mini idlis (just coz i loved them)! I can't really pick a favorite, but I did make Rava Idli for breakfast today and freshly ground Molagapodi (gunpowder or chutney podi as some people may know it), along with a side of Mendhiyakeerai Sambhar (Sambhar with Fenugreek leaves).  A tasty combination indeed... and here's how I made them~


Rava Idli

Ingredients:
2 cups Rava
1 Carrot (finely chopped or grated)
1 tsp Ginger(finely minced)
1/2 cup Curd
2 tbsp Oil
For Tempering:
2 tsp Mustard seeds
2 tsp Split Black gram (urad dal)
2 tsp Channa dal
1 tbsp chopped cashew pieces
1 Green chili (finely chopped)
1 tbsp Oil

fresh Cilantro finely chopped
salt to taste


Method:Add 2 tbsp of oil to the rava and mix well. This oil and rava mixture should hold shape when you take a handful of the mixture in your hand and squeeze it, if not, add a little bit more oil. This makes the idli soft. Keep this aside for 10 -15 minutes.

Add some water to curd and make it a thick buttermilk (1 ½ cups in total).

For the tempering heat 1 tbsp oil and add mustard seed, let it splutter. Then add the urad dal, channa dal, cashew pieces and fry them until they turn golden brown.

Add this tempering to the rava mixture. Add carrots, ginger, chili, chopped cilantro, salt and buttermilk and mix it well to get a little thicker than a pouring consistency. (similar to Idli batter)

Pour into idli plates and steam it for about 15 – 20 minutes until cooked. Serve hot with coconut chutney,
Molagapodi or Sambhar  (Makes 12 idlis)

Enjoy steaming hot. 



Happy Cooking :) and as they say "variety is the spice of life", add variety to your breakfast and see yourself having a cheery day ahead! :)

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Mock time~ No Egg Tomato Omelete

Its a mock Omelete! Visually one can never tell the difference between a real egg omelete and an omelet made from gramflour (besan), but the taste is surely very different.  Though it tastes nothing like an egg omelete, it is a popular breakfast / snack item served in pure Veg restaurants as Tomato Omelete.  Very simple ingredients and makes in a jiffy~ do give it a try!


Ingredients:
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green chili, finely chopped
2 Tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup Besan (gram flour)
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp chili powder (optional)
A pinch of baking soda
Salt to taste
1 ½ cups water
Butter to make omelets (use ghee or oil optionally)
Grated processed cheese to garnish (optional)

Method:
  1. Mix all the above ingredients, except cheese.
  2. Heat a non-stick flat pan (omelet pan) and add ½ tsp butter (ghee or oil).
  3. Pour one ladle of the prepared batter and spread it slightly. Bout ½ inch thick and 5 inches diameter.  Cover with a lid and let it cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.  Flip the omelet and add a little more butter if you wish, let it crisp up for 2 minutes on low flame. 
  4. Fold the omelet in half, garnish with grated cheese and serve with slice bread and ketchup.
  5. Enjoy hot.


Happy Cooking :)

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Kachche Kele ke Kebab~ Raw Banana Cutlets ~(try it to believe it)!

This recipe works even with those who would normally never eat something if they knew what the ingredients were.  I have many such at home!  If I had to tell anyone I’m making a recipe with raw bananas, I’d surely have no takers, but keeping it as a secret ingredient and just letting everyone believe it’s a regular vegetable cutlet, I got people wondering how I got the texture and it surely tasted interestingly different!  And most importantly it turned out to be a hit among fussy eaters too (now I’m often asked to repeat it even though they know the secret, everyone pretends to just keep the excitement on).  I personally love cooking with raw banana and this recipe is really easy to put together.  Do try it and would love to hear your feedback!
Ingredients:

2 raw bananas
2 medium sized potatoes, finely chopped
4 green chilies
1 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)
salt to taste
2 tbsp bread crumbs
1 tbsp oil

Method:

  1. Peel raw bananas and potatoes, steam them in pressure cooker for about 5 minutes on low flame.  Let it cool to room temperature.
  2. When cooled, mash steamed bananas and potatoes and add dry mango powder, salt and green chilies to it. Mix well.  
  3. Divide mixture into equal portions and make small discs or rolls of this mixture.  Note: If mixture sticks to your hands, apply little oil to your hands.  
  4. Roll these discs on bread crumbs and coat it well.  
  5. Heat oil in frying pan and shallow fry these cutlets until they are golden brown on both sides.
  6. Serve with tomato ketchup, yogurt mint or cilantro chutney.


Happy Cooking! J

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