SANNA ~IDLIS | STEAMED RICE CAKE FROM MANGALORE FOR ICC

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

A recipe prepared with yeast always puts me in tension till it is prepared and its served on the table.

This time, when Valli announced this month's  Indian Cooking Challenge and I checked the ingredients, my first response was NO!! This month also I am not going to participate in the event. I removed it from my mind to make it. But last week, when I saw the active yeast packet in a super market, somehow I felt I should try it. Its better to try and fail than never trying and crying afterwards. I brought the packet and boiled rice. Still I took few more days to make up my mind. 

Valli has chosen the recipe from  Shireen Sequeira's Mom. 

Day before yesterday I tried these Sannas. My first batch was a flop. Sannas were hard and tasteless. May be the reason was the batter was not fully fermented.

Please visit Valli 's PAGE  for the ingredients and the method. 

Lets see how I prepared these Sannas.

I did not take the step by step pictures  but will write down the method I followed.

I took the exact measurement of all the ingredients as in the recipe.

I soaked Urad dal(1/4 cup), Boiled rice(1 1/2cup) and raw rice(1/2 cup) separately at 11.45 AM.

At 3.00PM. I prepared the yeast(1 tsp heaped) solution with sugar(1 tsp) in tepid water(3 tbsp). Kept it for 10 minutes.

Till then, I prepared the urad dal paste first and then both the rice. It took time for the rice to get into fine paste.Mixed all the three nicely and added the yeast solution. Mixed it well. Added the salt to taste and 2 tsp more sugar. Mixed well and kept it closed till 5.30 PM.

Checked the batter, it was not fully up but my daughter was hungry. Thinking that given time in the original recipe was 1 1/2 hour, I tried making first batch.

This is what I got: hard and taste less.

                         First time, my elder daughter had it with sauce.

Then I waited till 7 PM and prepared two more batches. I got them nice puffy and tasty :-)

I prepared a simple sambhar and we had it for our dinner. My both the kids enjoyed it. Hey, one sanna I made in a Thatte idly stand, a big round one. My younger one loved it with ghee and sambhar.

I enjoyed my yeastwala sannas :-)

Keep Smiling, 

DAL,BATI, CHURMA for ICC JANUARY

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

HELLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, How are you all? Feeling little embarrassed to come back here after 3 months. I feel guilty for not posting regularly.

First and foremost, I want to say Sorry to Jagruti that I could not finish her event. Really sorry dear, I hope you do understand my problems. Thanks.

Now, today I am here to participate in Indian Cooking Challenge which is hosted by Srivalli. I am sorry Valli, I am not a regular participant for your event, but still wait for your challenge every month and always look forward for other's recipes tried in ICC. 

Food is my weakness. This time the recipe chosen was really not to be missed. Daal Bhati Churma is the delicacy of Rajsthan. I tasted this first time in Chowkidani in Pune and I thoroughly enjoyed each item. But somehow the taste of Dal Bhati Churma took more place in my heart and I always wondered whether I can make it or not. I surfed many blogs and bookmarked few. One was Priya's and the other one is Jagruti's Daal baati churma by Jagruti, But never dared to make it. I thought its difficult to make and so much ghee into it. Being health conscious, I was always hesitated to go ahead. But when I got the challenge, I could not resist. And Yes!!!! it came perfect. Thanks Valli.

She has chosen recipes from three sources. One is from Priya (which even I had bookmarked a year back only). The others are  from Sanjeev Kapoorji and Tarla Dalalji.

I thought of following Priya's recipe as I felt I can connect myself more with her recipe.

Visit her place mharorajasthanrecipes  for detailed recipe.

I really enjoyed this challenge and enjoyed the feast too. I never thought its so easy to make.

Visit Valli's space for today's post :

Dal Bati Churma ~ Rajasthan Special Step by Step | Indian Cooking Challenge - January

Keep Smiling,

Besan Ki Masala Roti for ICC ~August

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

A simple but healthy challenge from   Valli for  Indian Cooking Challenge  for the month of  August. And she gave 2 recipes. As usual I did not get Bajre ka atta which I was really interested to make and taste :-(, So,I had to go only for Besan ke Masala roti. She has chosen the recipe from  from Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

I am posting only the photos here. 

Please do visit Valli's Besan Ki Masala Roti for the recipe.

(Green chilly is missing in the photo)

We all enjoyed it with plain yogurt and pickle with papad.

Keep Smiling, 

CHENNA PODA FOR ICC MARCH

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

 Hi All,

I am really in a hurry to post this one in detail. Sorry. But when there is a deadline one has to finish it on time.

This time  Srivalli has chosen a sweet dish for  Indian Cooking Challenge for the month of March. Chenna Poda  is a special delicacy of  Oriya. And I loved the taste of it. Actually I love anything made of paneer or cheese. And this one is totally different. 

There were many mistakes from me while baking this but still the taste was awesome.

My first mistake was I prepared only 1/4th  quantity from given qty in the recipe.

That did not allow the Chenna poda to raise properly and get the spongy texture. I think Srivalli and my experience were same while preparing this one. 

Valli has taken this recipe from Shibani of Any one can cook and she had given the link of Titilating Tastebuds for the same recipe.

Go through her recipe CHENNA PODA for the details. I am giving only the pictures here. And please do not laugh at my photos as I turned the Chenna poda into laddoos.

Sorry Valli, my challenge did not come out well. Hope for the best in the next challenge. But what ever the shape or size, we all loved the taste.

Keep Smiling,

Sarva Pindi/Ginnappa for ICC FEBRUARY

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I am back in ICC after 5 months. Sorry Valli. No excuses :-(. I am ready for any punishment :-)

Hope I am still in your team. Here is the Indian Cooking Challenge for  February month. Srivalli, this is tastiest food, which I would have never tried without you. She has taken the recipe from Usha.  Ranjani and Lavanya's blogs are also given for the reference.

 

In North Karnataka we also prepare the food similar to this with only difference in using the flour. Here we use Jowar flour as the main ingredient. We call it ThaaliPeeth and the link is here.

 

 

When I was making this one, the aroma filled the whole house and my daughter could not control to have it. She had it directly from the tawa :-)

Enjoy this crunchiest, hottest(???), I added more chilly snack with tea or morning breakfast or for picnic or just like that. Do we need any reason or time to have good food???

Please visit Valli's RECIPE for the detailed post.

Keep Smiling,

Jalebi for ICC August

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Yess!! I am back into ICC after 2 months.  I missed the previous 2 months. I was really stuck with many other things. When I saw this month's Indian Cooking Challenge, I was not much happy thinking that making Jalebi at home is not an easy task.

But again as it is a challenge I have to accept and do it. Again the time was my enemy. But I overcame it and here are clicks of my Jalebi.

And for some percent I was right, I could not get the perfect jalebi shape and my sugar syrup was thick.

Thinking that I will make the syrup again, I started on the second batch. But..... again I had to rush for some important work which took my whole day. When I came back my dough was sour and watery. So I had to throw the whole thing into the dustbin.

Luckily I took the clicks of first batch I prepared.

I used half the quantity from Srivalli's given quantity.

 The ingredients easy to get and the method is super easy. I loved the making of Jalebis but was not happy with myself, as I could not get the proper shape. But the taste was really good. My jalebis remained crispy even the next day :-)

 Ingredients:

To make the batter:

All purpose flour  - 100 gm or 7/8 cup

 Yoghurt - 1 cup Lime juice - 1 tsp Cornstarch - 30 gm or 1/8 cup Hot oil - 1 tbsp a large pinch of saffron color, It was not useful, I thought of adding some food color to it.

To make syrup

Sugar - 1 cup Water - ½ cup

Oil for deep frying

For the batter,

Take all the ingredients under "to make batter". Mix all together to make it thick batter. Keep it to ferment for overnight.

Before making jalebis

take the sugar and water to make the syrup till one boil.

Keep it warm.

Heat oil in a kadai. THE OIL SHOULD BE REAL HOT.

Use the zip bags( I used milk packet). Snip off one corner(very thin hole) Fill it with the batter.

Pipe the batter into hot oil and fry till golden. Drop these into syrup for a minute or two.

Remove and serve hot. 

Keep Smiling,

IYENGAR BAKERY KHARA BISCUITs for ICC May

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Every month,  is getting more interesting, I am enjoying it and wait for the announcement every month. Sometimes, I will finish the challenge soon and its really difficult to wait for 15th of that month.

I prepared these biscuits which Srivalli has choosen from Champa's Savory Shortbread cookies / Iyengar bakery Khara Biscuit for Indian Cooking Challenge.

The very next day I prepared these and was waiting for the 15th. Here I am with my version. 

I remember mom making biscuits like these. But she had that old round, big oven like a round tiffin box. She always tried biscuits, buns, breads and cake in that. I never tried with her :-(, but here I am getting very challenging and fare chances of learning many new foods. When you are in challenge, you will do it.
That holds good with me..


Ingredients :(I used half the qty from the original recipe, it gave me more than 30 biscuits)
All purpose flour - 1 cup
Butter - 1/2 of 1/3 cup(I had fresh home made butter :-))  )
Green chilly - 1
Yogurt or curds - 2 TBSP
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander, Curry leaves and Fresh mint - 1/4 cup, finely chopped

Method:
Line the baking tray with baking sheets.
Preheat the oven at 160C

In a bowl, mix nicely the APF and salt. 

In another vessel, beat the butter and sugar till creamy. Add the yogurt and continue the beating.Add the dry ingredients. Keep on mixing without much pressure on your hands.

Add the green chilly, and green leaves chopped. Mix well. the dough will be dry. Don't add more curds or water to make it wet.

THE DOUGH SHOULD BE CRUMBLY.

Take half the portion and make into a ball. Roll into 1/4" thick chapati.

Use the Cookie cutter if you have to give the desired shapes or you can use some steel bowl with sharp edges, or bottle cap or even the normal knife to cut these to give any shape.

Transfer these on baking sheet slowly.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Keep checking of getting burnt. My biscuits took 15 minutes to bake. 

They will be soft when hot. But will turn into crispy once cool.

Store in a air tight jar.

This is the last portion left out after cutting with the cookie cutter ;-)

My daughters enjoyed the biscuits with their friends. Planning to bake it again.

Keep Smiling,

Pudachi Wadi | Coriander Rolls for ICC April

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

This is frustrating........ Yesterday I kept the whole draft saved for ICC. Now its gone. Thanks to Blogger.com

Again I need to write down. I don't mind rewriting,. But time is the main problem. Tomorrow I am going out of station and will be back in the night and no time to write in detail. Even my saved draft did not had detailed recipe.
(hey I got the saved draft back in my blog, but I am posting the new one with few lines taken from the old draft.)

Last month I could not attend the challenge as I was in holiday mood. But this time again I am back for Indian Cooking Challenge for April month and Srivalli has chosen the traditional Maharashtrian dish Pudachi Wadi(Coriander rolls) The recipe is taken from Archana of Tried & Tested Recipes.

I loved these wadi or rolls. I had never tasted these. And, I loved the stuffing as I always feel fresh with its freshness and its aroma. Now, this recipe in my menu for an extra snack for guests. Thanks Valli for choosing this recipe for the challenge.
NOTE FROM MY SIDE : 

• The recipe is simple but the trick or challenge is to roll out THIN phulka or puris AND covering these properly after you stuff the coriander masala in it. 
• And then comes roasting the wadis on tawa, BE CAREFUL to roast on low flame or else your wadis will have black spots.
• I am not going to write down the whole recipe but you can check Valli's  link for the detailed recipe.

My pictorial recipe:

The wheat flour and gramflour atta with hot oil, the onion and fresh coriander masala, Tamarind paste, garam masala and oil paste.

 dough rolled into puri size, tamarind paste spread and coriander masala stuff.

The roasted wadi.

Another shape of wadi(followed Archana )

The triangle shape wadi is getting fried.

Both shape wadis before getting cut.

Wadi's ready to serve with green chutney or sauce. 

I loved the challenge and as usual waiting for the next challenge and I hope to participate also :-)

Keep Smiling,

Suruttai poli for ICC February

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Surprise!! Surprise!!! Valli! Surprise to see my post? All thanks to my mom and her camera. When I saw the Suruttai poli for February Challenge, (This recipe is taken from  Nithya) I thought I will prepare this in advance because, last time it was a last minute preparation and I was not sure whether I will finish or not. This month, I prepared it a week before only and took the snaps and was ready to type the recipe..

But, then, I lost my Camera last week. It was a very bad day! That Camera was my life in blogging. I was upset that night. Then realized, its gone, and I will not get it. Even though its lost in my area(It fell down from my lap,while I was getting down from the car), who is that honest to return it to me?. Who ever has got it, they will come to know, its my camera because it has my daughters photo, everyone knows them, and me, being a teacher, almost the whole area knows me!!

Anyways, gone is gone. I was upset and was thinking what to do? Buying a new camera at this point is not possible. I have to wait for a month or two(its not easy to convince hubby!!!)and that too when the fault is mine :-)

My mother came for my help(as always). Actually I forgot about her camera(which my brother has given her).

I was so happy. Then came the thought. Why not try these poli's again for the challenge. Last night, after the kids slept, I made only few polis. This time, our ajji helped me and she showed our traditional way of making these poli which we call it "Surali Holige" Surali means "rolled" and Holige means "Poli"

(I am still new to my mom's camera, need to learn the settings. Please bear with me)

Now coming to the recipe,

Forgive me for not giving the recipe in my words, This month the time is too short for me, I am not able to cope up with many things. So just giving Valli's link.

Just few things to tell about it, 

I don't know, My poli's(Fried) did not turn out crispy,

but the roasted one turned out crispy. 

If any one can tell me what was the reason, I will be happy and try it the next time.

The photos are two types.

One is what I followed Valli's instructions.

Another one is what we make here in North Karnataka. We roast it dry and roll it immediately. The filling is same.

      



                  

(This is our method. And we make the longest surali holige in Marriages :-)  )

Waiting for the next challenge. 

Keep Smiling,