4 Grams Dosa

I always experiment with different types of dosas, idlis..Since it is a staple food for us (south Indian)

Ingredients:-

• Oats - 1 cup powdered
• Wheat Flour / Atta - 2 cups
• Rice Flour - 1 cup
• Sooji / Semolina / Rawa - 1/3 cup
• Onion - 1 chopped finely
• Green Chilli - 2 chopped finely
• Curry leaves - 10 chopped finely
• Coriander leaves / Cilantro - 3 tblspn chopped finely
• Yogurt / Curd - 1/2 cup
• Cumin Seeds / Jeerakam - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder / Manjal podi - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil for Pan frying
• Water as needed

Method:-

• Take a mixing bowl add all the ingredients except oil and mix well.
• Add enough water to make it into a thin batter. Don't make it too thin..

• Let the batter sit for 15 mins..
• Heat a nonstick tawa on medium high heat.
• Pour a ladleful of batter on the hot tawa and drizzle with oil all around the sides.

• When it starts to brown in the bottom, Flip them over and cook on other side too.
• When it is cooked. Remove them from the tawa and serve with chutney or sambar

Anoher look

Scallion Thoran

Ingredients

• Spring Onion - 1 bundle
• Oil - 3 Tbsp
• Salt - as required

To Grind:-

• Green Chili - 1 no:
• Grated Coconut - 1 cup

To Temper:-

• Curry Leaves - 2-3 stems (finely chopped)
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Preparation Method

1. Remove the base portion of the spring onion, wash and let the water to drain fully.
2. Finely chop spring onion.
3. Grind the items under “ To Grind” items without adding water
4. In a pan, heat the oil and splutter mustard seeds.
5. Add curry leaves, spring onion and saute for 2-3mins: in low flame.
6. Add coconut mix and salt and mix well.
7. Keep the lid closed and cook for 5-6 mins: in low flame stirring in between.
8. The Spring Onion Thoran is ready to be served with rice.

Ladies Finger/Okra/Vendakka Fry

This happens to be my Baby's all time favourite!!

Ingredients:-

• Ladies Finger - 1/2 Kg
• Salt - As Needed
• Oil - 3-4 Tbsp

To Temper:-

• Mustard - 1 Tsp
• Oil - 1 Tbsp

Method:-

• In a Kadai, add the " To Temper" Items.
• Throw in the cut Okra to it.
• Add the remaining Oil into it as and when needed
• Cover it and fry it for 10 Mts along with Salt added.
• Uncover the Lid, fry the whole untill it turns crispy
• Simple but Yummy Vendakka Fry Ready!!

Spicy Tapioca

Ingredients:-

· Tapioca – 1 Kg

·  Shallots – 5-7

·  Garlic – 2-3

·  Turmeric Powder – A Pinch

·  Chili powder – As needed

·  Salt – As needed

To Temper:-

·  Mustard – 1 Tbsp

·  Curry Leaves - 3

Method:-

·  Heat a Kadai and add the “To Temper” items.

·  After that throw in the Chopped Shallots and Crushes Garlic to it.

·  Fry till the raw smell goes off.

·  Add the cooked tapioca to it. (Refer Here on how to cook Tapioca)

·   Add the powders to it and allow it to fry in low flame for 5-7 Mts.

·   At last add the curry leaves to it.

·  Delicious Spicy Kappa Thoran is Ready!!!

Paruppu Urundai Kulambu / Dal Dumplings

My grandma(Dad's Amma) used to make this Kuzhambu and my Dad likes this a lot. I want to mention about the eating style of this kulambu, you have to break up the dumplings and mix it with the rice along with the gravy and enjoy it. This is not those melt in mouth dumplings, dumplings are meant to be little denser, but that is what makes it so delicious. And another important thing you should keep in mind is never add too much water to the dumpling mixture while grinding because if it is too loose and watery they may dissolve in the gravy once you add it. Try this and let me know how it turned out for you.

Ingredients:

• Oil - 1 tsp
•Mustard Seeds / Kaduku - 1 tsp

For Gravy :

• Tamarind Water - 2 Cups
• Salt - As needed.
• Turmeric Powder - A Pinch
• Sambar powder - 2 Tbsp

For the Dal Dumplings:

• Kadala parippu/ Gram Dal - 1 cup
• Coconut - 2 tblspn Grated
• Dry Red Chilli - 1
• Salt to taste

Method:-

•Take Gram Dal and start to roast it on a dry pan for 5 mins till they turn golden. Remove them to a bowl and wash them well.
•Now take them in a blender along with other grinding ingredients for dumplings and make into a smooth paste, it need not be so smooth.
•Don’t add too much of water to this. Now form balls out of this and set aside.
•Heat a kadai. Add a tsp of oil and crackle some mustard seeds.
•Pour the Tamarind Water into this along with Salt, Turmeric Powder
•Cook till it reaches to a boil. Add the sambar powder and allow it to boil.
•Now drop the dumplings on the boiling area one by one.
•Let it cook on high heat for 5 mins. Don’t stir too much.
•After 5 mins simmer the flame and cook for 10 to 15 mins.
•Now switch off the flame and serve it with rice.


Notes:-

The "For Gravy" part can be substituted with the below also:-

•Coconut - 1 cup grated
•Dry red chilli - 3
•Cumin Seeds / Jeerakam - 1 tsp
•Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi - 1 tsp
•Salt to taste

Take the above ingredients in a blender and make into a smooth paste by adding some water.

Rava Idli

Ingredients:-

• Rava/Sooji - 1 Cup
• Sour Curd - 1/2 Cup
• Baking Soda - 1/2 Tbsp
• Green Chilly (Chopped or grind into fine paste) - 4
• Curry/Corriander Leaves - 1 Tbsp
• Water,Salt - As Needed

To Temper:-

• Mustard - 1 Tbsp
• Urad Dal - 1 Tbsp
• Chanan Dal - 1 Tbsp
• Cashews - as Needed
• Oil and Ghee - 1 Tbsp

Method:-

• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a non-stick pan. Add semolina and sauté, stirring, on low heat till it turns a light brown. 
• Transfer it into a bowl and allow to cool. Add yogurt and mix well. 
• Chop coriander leaves and green chillies and add. 
• Heat 2 tbsps ghee in a small pan and add mustard seeds and add broken cashewnuts. Put the pan back on heat and sauté till the cashewnuts are golden. 
• Switch off the heat and add curry leaves. 
• Stir and add this tempering to the idli mixture and mix. 
• Add salt and water, little by little, to make an idli batter of dropping consistency. 
• Add Baking Soda to the batter and mix well. 
• Keep aside the whole for half an hour, so that the batter raises well..

• Grease the idli moulds with Oil and keep a cashew upside down in the center. 

 

• Heat water in a steamer.
• Pour the batter into the idli moulds and steam for 10 minutes. 

• Unmould and serve hot with any chutney.

I served it with Coconut chutney.

Kadala Curry

Ingredients:-

Kadala (Whiten Channa) – 1 cup(soaked in water overnight atleast for 8 hours)
Shallots(Chinna Vengayam) – a handful
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

To roast and grind:

Grated Coconut – 2 Tbsp
Shallots(Chinna Vengayam) – 6 cut into half
Coriander Seeds – 1 tbsp
Dried Red Chilies – 2
Cinnamon – a small piece
Cloves - 2
Bay Leaf - half a Leaf
Tomato - 1
Porikadala - 1/2 a cup

To temper:

Coconut Oil – 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves –few
Thinly Sliced Onion - 1

Method:-

• Pressure cook channa with water(till immersing level) until soft,don't drain water... keep aside

• Heat a pan , dry roast all the ingredients listed under 'to roast and grind' till slightly golden brown.

                          

• Transfer to a mixer and grind it to a fine paste, Set aside. 

                                     

• Heat oil in a kadai - add the items listed under 'to temper'.  
• Add shallots and fry till golden brown then add tomato and saute till mushy and raw smell leaves. 
• Add the coconut paste along with red chilli powder and coriander powder.Add required salt.  
• Mix well , saute for 3mins then add cooked Channa along with water.Allow it to boil.  
• Once the curry is thick and oil starts separating and required curry stage is reached, switch off.   

Notes:-

• Make sure you dry roast the ingredients listed to nice dark brown.
• You can even skip small onion while tempering.
• Pressure cooking chana along with the masala gives a great blend and flavour too.But if you dont prefer pressure cooking then allow it  to boil for 5mins then go to the next step

 

Veg Kurma

Kurma is a medley of vegetables, flavored with spices and simmered in rich gravy of coconut and cashews. It is an excellent side dish for Chapathis, Puris, Parotas, Vellai Appam and Idiyappams. So here is the recipe for Kurma, my way:

Ingredients:-

1. Mixed Vegetables – 2 Cups (Potato, Carrot, Beans, Chow Chow)
2. Onion – 3 Medium Sized
3. Tomatoes – 4 Medium Sized
4. Ginger – a small piece
5. Garlic – 1 or 2 cloves
6. Turmeric Powder – 1 pinch
7. Red Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
8. Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
9. Coriander Leaves – a few sprigs

To Grind
1. Cashew nuts – 6 to 7
2. Fennel Seeds – ¾ tsp
3. Scraped Fresh Coconut – 2 tblsp

For Tempering

1. Clove – 1
2. Elaichi – 1
3. Cinnamon – a small piece
4. Fennel Seeds – ½ tsp
5. Oil – 2 tblsp

Method

• Chop the vegetables into small cubes. 
• Also, finely chop the onions, garlic and tomatoes. Grate Ginger.

• Pressure cook the vegetables for about 2 whistles.
• Grind Cashews, fennel seeds and coconut into a fine paste adding little water.
• Heat a Kadai with oil. Temper with cloves, elaichi, cinnamon, and fennel seeds.
• Now add the chopped onions and sauté for a minute.
• Next add the ginger and garlic and fry till the onions turn brown. 
• Now add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and dhaniya powder and fry for a minute. 
• Next add the chopped tomatoes fry till they turn mushy and oil separates. 
• Now add the cashew and coconut paste and fry for another minute. 
• Now add the cooked vegetables and salt to taste. 
• Stir well and cook covered for about 3 to 4 minutes in low flame till all the flavors get blended.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

          

• Serve hot with Chapati, Parota or Puris.

Oats Kuzhakkattai

Ingredients:

Instant Oats –  500 gms / ½  kg
Beans-1 cup finely chopped
Coconut- ½ cup shredded ( Optional, if cooking for diabetic patients skip this)
Urad dal / Ulundu-1 tsp
Mustard seeds / Kaduku-1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli – 2 cut into small pieces
Curry leaves -1 spring
Water-500 ml / ½ liter
Oil-1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Take oats in a dry pan and roast it for 5 mins till you get nice aroma..Allow this to cool a bit..Take it in a blender and powder it coarsely. Set this aside for a moment.

Now heat oil in a kadai and add mustard and urad dal. Add dry red chilli and curry leaves and mix well.

Add beans and coconut in this and sauté for 3 mins. Pour in 500 ml of water and add salt to this.

Bring this to boil and add in oats slowly while stiring constantly.

When everything is mixed well. Cover it with a lid and let it cook on a very low flame for 5-8 mins.

Now allow this mixture to cool down and form small balls out of it.

Put those dumplings in a oiled steamer basket ( I used my idli stand) and steam it for 10 mins.

Remove and serve it with chutney or as it is..

                        

Oats Pongal

Ingrediants:

Oats – 2 cup

Yellow Moong Dal / Pasi Paruppu – 1 cup

Onion- 1 chopped finely

Green Chilli -1 sliced

Ginger – 1 tblspn minced

Mustard Seeds / kaduku – 1tsp

Urad Dal / Ulundu -1 tsp

Channa Dal / Kadala Paruppu -1 tsp

Whole pepper -1 tsp

Cumin Seeds / Jeerakam -1 tsp

Cashews -1 tblspn

Sultanas / Kishmish -1 tblspn

Salt to taste

Ghee -2 tblspn

Method:

Heat 1 tsp of ghee and roast oats till nice aroma comes..Remove it to a plate..

Heat 1 tsp of ghee and roast moong dal till nice aroma comes..Pour 5  cups of water and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 mins untill the dal is cooked..

Add salt to the dal and slowly add in oats and mix well..Cook on a slow heat covered till the water is completely absorbed.

Remove this to a bowl and make the seasoning.

Heat remaining ghee in the kadai and add mustard, channa dal, urad dal, cashews, raisans, pepper, cumin and mix well.

Now add in ginger, green chilli and onions and sauté this for few minutes.

Now add in the cooked dal and oats and mix well. Let it get heated all the way through.

Serve with any chutney.

Moong Sprouts Uthappam

Ingredients:

For Grinding:

Moong Sprouts - 3 cups

Onion - 3 tblspn chopped

Dry Red Chilli - 3

Other Stuffs:

Cumin Seeds / Jeerkam - 1 tsp

Onion - 3 tblspn finely chopped

Green Chilli - 2 chopped

Turmeric Powder / Manjal podi - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves / Cilantro - 3 tblspn chopped

Salt to taste

Method:

Take moong sprouts, onion, dry red chilli in a blender and make into a smooth paste.

Transfer that to a bowl and make into dosa batter consistency.

Now add in the other stuffs and mix well.

Heat a tawa on medium heat.

Pour a ladleful of batter in the tawa and drizzle some oil.

cook it for a min on one side.

Flip over and cook for another min on other side too.

Now serve with chutney.