Proso Idly(Kanchipuram style)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

South Indian's most favorite and most regular food! And the most healthiest breakfast anyone can have. Even while travelling, it is considered as the safest food as it is steamed. And here there is one more healthy addition to this traditional recipe. I have prepared these idlys using millet. Yes! I always use millet in one or the other way in my food. We call these millet as 'Siri Dhanya' also. Already everyone is talking or already written a lot about these millet and the benefits. So I am directly jumping to the recipe. 

Here I have used Baragu or Proso  with rice. Actually we can use any millet and the taste and texture comes out the same though the health benefit is different for each millet. But please keep in mind not to use millet daily or regularly as we all know too much is too bad, let it be any thing, right?

And what is this Kachipuram style?

I got the recipe from a TV show where Chef Rakesh Shethi was showing. I was surprised to see that curds goes into this idly. So thought of trying it. 

Ingredients :

Raw rice or idly rice - 1 cup

Porso - 1 cup

Urad dal - 3/4 cup

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

thick or medium poha - 1/4 cup

Fresh curd - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder  - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 2 tbsp, washed and chopped finely

Green chilly - 2, washed and chopped finely

Dash of hing

Ginger - 1 tbsp, cleaned and finely chopped

Fresh coriander - handful, cleaned and finely chopped

Salt to taste

Oil to apply to the idly mould.

Method :

• Take the rice, methi seeds and urad dal  in a bowl and wash it twice. 
• Take Porso in another bowl and wash it twice. 
• Soak both in a separate bowls for 4-6 hours.
• Half an hour before grinding, add poha to the rice bowl and keep it ready.
• Grind both separately. 
• Add very less water to porso before grinding as more water will not allow the millet to turn into paste. 
• Mix both the batter properly  in one steel or glass vessel. 
• Allow it to ferment either over night or till it becomes double. It always depends on the weather also. If the batter doesn't come up or doubles, then the idlys will not be soft. 
• In the morning, or when you are ready to use the batter, 
• Add the curd, green chilli, ginger, curry leaves and fresh coriander.
• Add the salt and mix well. 
• Keep the cooker or idly steamer on a gas stove with one cup of water. 
• while the water becomes hot, grease the mould with oil and pour the batter in the mould. 
• Take the idly stand and keep in a steamer or cooker, close it and steam it without the whistle(if using cooker) on high flame for 5 minutes and 2-3 minutes on low flame. Switch off the gas stove. Allow it to cool. 
• Serve these softest idlys with your favorite chutney and sambhar or just like that with ghee. 
• You can get some more idly, sambhar and chutney recipes Idly,Sambhar and Chutney, Mangalore cucumber sambhar

Please let me know if you try this recipe.

Keep Smiling, 

MY DAD AND HIS FAVOURITE MASALA UPMA.

Tried and tasted by Nivedita,

Hi All,
 

I would like to start the post with BIG THANKS to everyone.

And a very heartfelt thanks to Jagruti of  http://www.jcookingodyssey.com/, who is more than a friend, a sister and a great human being. She has a great blog with lot of vegetarian dishes. This post is because of her invitation to me to participate in her event. Thank you dear for inspiring me to start writing again. Even last year it was her event which made me to post a recipe. I know I should write and post regularly but somehow I am not getting time to do the same.

Who is that one person who is not alive but you miss him/her  so much that you would love to talk with if you get a chance? Have I gone crazy to ask this silly question? YES and NO. I am sure all of us have this feeling. There are many people in our life who depart from us for forever. My post is dedicated to that one person whom I always miss so much.  'Appaji' my father, who left us 15 years back and whom I could not talk, see or meet during his last days. I was 8 months pregnant with my first daughter and was living in UAE. Though I knew about his illness, but never imagined that his condition is bad. But when I came to know about it, doctor did not allow me to fly as government won't allow to fly at this stage. Then, he passed away. Those days still mobile phones were very new and not all could afford to buy. He was in coma before he left us. But for me he is not dead. He is in my words. He lives in my words. My only wish was to meet him once and to listen what he wanted to say me before he went. Everyone told me that  till the last minute before he stopped talking he was taking my name. And even after for many years he came into my dream either serving me food or having food with me.  My father and I shared this bond. He was a great cook. He enjoyed cooking. And his food tasted heaven. Family friends and relatives waited for a chance to taste the food prepared by him. He used to prepare  rice, sambhar, any vegetables, dosa, idly, chapati, Mirchi, girmit. You name it and he will make it for you. He always stayed away from us as his government job did not allow him to be with us. My mother, being a working woman, stayed back with us in for her job and studies. We always loved to go to his place during our summer holidays.

My father  was 6 feet tall, dark and lean man. He was a man of his words. Always polite, hardworking, caring and dedicated. Not even a single bad habit.  He was a great singer too. He was passionate about photography. He loved reading and was 100% Kannadiga. His handwriting was just like printed one.

His only weakness was he was  not very courageous person. He used to get scared of even a simple cough. May be this was the reason he did not fight his last breath.  What I did not like about him was he was not a decision maker. I wish he could have been a stronger person.  But I pity him for not enjoying his life fully. I wanted him to be there with us now to see our success and settled life. He was always worried about my brother and his future. Now how I wish I could see him enjoying  with  his grand children. He was fond of kids. He always clicked the photos of my friend's children. 

My memory with him starts from his coming home on weekends after traveling for many hours. My brother and I used to sleep off after  waiting  for him till late night. And in the morning he used to wake us up with Amara Chitra Katha story books in his hands. As I grew and started cooking on my own, I followed my father always. Whenever Dosa was prepared at home, it was me who used to make for everyone but at the end he always made me sit and make dosas for me and give. Round dosa, crispy dosa, triangle dosa, cap dosa... Ahh! I still have that taste in my mouth. This is the most closest memory about my dad and me. He always ironed my uniform and kept ready. Whenever he came early from the office, he used to prepare some or the other snacks and wait for us.

And one more what I always will remember is he introduced us to the music. From devotional songs to Gazals, all Kannada folk songs  till the current movie hits. He had huge collection of tapes. Being an officer in Information and Publicity department, he was always on tour. Most of the media people, journalists, radio artists always visited our house. His control over Kannada and English language was very good. Even I wanted to do journalism but don't know why he did not allow me to do.  
Most of my recipes in my blog are his favorite foods. As he loved our North Karnataka food very much. 
He happily ate Jowar roti everyday.  Jowar roti upma, Thaali peeth, If nothing with roti, he loved having dal roti and his the most favorite evening snack girmitt or this  churmari with bhaji,  jowar-vada. How can I forget this magic vegetable which was his favorite and he taught me to love this one Kaarchi-kaimini-bitter-gourd-sabji. 
And the list goes on. Please go through my North Karnataka recipe collection to know more about. 

 I will force myself to stop to write about him as the post may go lengthy. Coming to his favorite foods, he always loved any vegetarian food. Only once in a while he had eggs. He always loved upma. whenever he had to go early mornings for meetings or tour, he used to keep everything ready previous night itself. He will roast Semolina, keep all the required vegetables on a cutting board. Never disturbed my mom or me to wake up early and prepare it. But I always got up as early as 5 O'clock whenever he made upma. I loved his upma. I used to get up eat and again go to sleep after he left the house. 

He loved this masala upma very much. So here is the recipe of masala upma. I know it's very common and regular food but it was my dad's favorite so it is special for me. 

Ingredients:

Semolina or Suji or Bansi rawa - 1 cup(240ml)
(It serves 3 persons)
1.Oil - 1/4 cup
2.Mustard seeds - 1tsp
3.Jeera or Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
4.Urad dal - 2 tsp
5.Chana dal - 2 tsp
6.Curry leaves - 10-15, washed and chopped
7.Onion - 1 big, chopped finely
8.Green chilly - 2, chopped finely
9.Ginger - small piece, cleaned and chopped
10.Dry red chilly - 3 to 4 
11.Tomato - 1 big, De seeded and finely chopped
12.Tamarind juice - 1 tsp
13.Sugar - 1 tsp
14.Salt to taste
15.Pav Bhaji masala or Sambhar masala - 2 tsp ( The taste differs with each powder)
16.Red chilly powder - 1 tsp(skip if you don't like  the spicy taste)
17.Haldi or turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
18.Water - 3 cups or depends on the rawa.
19.Fresh Coriander  - handful and little for the garnishing
grated fresh coconut - 1 tbsp(optional) 
20.Ghee - 1 tsp for each serve.

Method:

Roast the rawa  till you get nice aroma. Take care not to burn it.
Keep it aside. 
Keep the water to boil.
Keep a thick bottomed pan or vessel on the gas stove. 
Add oil and allow it to be hot.
Add mustard seeds and wait till splutters and add urad and chana dal. Let the dals turn into golden color. 
Now goes the jeera, curry leaves and onion. Fry till onions are transparent.
Keep the flame low. 
Start adding the ingredients from NO.8 till No.17 slowly one by one, sauteing in between. 
Saute for a minute.
Add the hot water and allow it to boil for 30 seconds. Again keeping the flame on low, add the roasted rawa slowly and immediately start mixing it. Or else upma will have lumps which will taste very bad. 
now add the fresh coriander and close the lid and cook it for 3 to five minutes. Off the stove and wait for few minutes. Serve it on a plate with fresh coconut and coriander leaves. 

This simple but the most delicious upma prepared from my father made me wake up at 5 in the morning.
Miss you Appaji, you are always in my words and my talks.

These are some more recipes from other wonderful bloggers for father's day celebrations. Thank you friends. 
Jagruti's recipe who created this wonderful event : sugar free mango basil and cashew 
Sweet vermicelli with jaggery by Mina 
baingan kabartha roasted aubergine  by Nayana Kanabar. 
misti-doi by Sujata
Meat Masala Bharwan Baingan - TheYellowDaal - Mains or Sides
Ghari Rotli-Puran Poli - Mayuri's Jikoni - Mains
List is long. Please visit Jagruti's collection of 50 recipes for fathers's day for all the amazing 50 recipes. 
 
 
 

Keep Smiling,

SWEET N SPICY RED MASALA POHA FOR PPCS

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I have posted my recipes in PPCS  in a particular manner. I started with soup, pickle, chutney, side dish, main dish, rice and dessert. Actually I had planned to post some healthy cookies I made last month. Unfortunately, I lost the photos from my camera. And now I don't have time to bake again and click, I thought of bringing some snack to  Potluck Party, Cyber Style party. Hope you all do not mind and enjoy it.

And even Juice is pending in the menu. I will bring it in coming months.

Poha is very common in breakfast menu in South India and Maharashtra. I am not sure about other parts of India. Poha is prepared in different ways at different places and is enjoyed as an evening snack too. Its a quick snack for unexpected guests. Its filling also.

Here, I am  giving a simple but different recipe which is normally prepared by local Brahmins here in our North Karnataka. They call it as Gojjavalakki. They crush the poha.

Mine is little altered as they do not add onion but I love it in poha. Thats why I can't call it gojjavalakki and hence named it as Masala Poha.

Don't go for the color in my photo as my camera is a very normal one, and sometimes I can not get the proper color. But this poha turns out red as I am using red chilli powder, jaggery and tamarind paste.

You can check my MIX VEG POHA which is very common way of making in our side.

Coming to today's recipe:

It serves 2

Ingredients:

Thick poha(Thick flattened rice) - 1 1/4 cup

Water to soak the poha

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - tsp
Urad dal - 2 tsp

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Onion - 1  big, finely chopped

Green chilli - 1 small finely chopped

Curry leaves - few, finely chopped

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Bisi bele bath powder or Rasam powder - 2 tsp

Jaggery - 2 tbsp

Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp

Fresh coconut - grated (2 tbsp)

Marination:

{to add to Soaked Poha(this gives extra taste to your poha as the poha absorbs salt and sugar taste)}

Salt to taste

Sugar - 1 tsp

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Puthani powdered - 1 tbsp(optional)

Fresh coriander - 2 tbsp finely chopped

to Garnish(optional)

Fresh coriander - 1 tbsp, finely chopped,

Fresh coconut - grated, 1 tbsp

Method:

First soak the poha in little water. I just put it in a colander and sprinkle the water and keep it like that for 5 minutes.

When done, Add all the ingredients under marination and mix well.

Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a wide thick kadai.

Add mustard seeds and wait them to splutter.
Add the urad dal and wait till changes to golden color

Add the cumin seeds, curry leaves and onion and green chilli

Fry till onion turns pink.

Go on adding all other ingredients one by one, just stirring each time you add one.

Mix well and cook for 3 minutes. Or cover and cook for 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn it.

Add the marinated poha and mix really well.

Adjust the seasoning.

Garnish with fresh coriander and Coconut. Serve hot.

Linking it to 

Potluck party, Cyber style! - Fun and the Challeng... 

Keep Smiling,

SPROUTED MOONG PARATHA for PPCS

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

How are you? Busy month it was, kids had mid term exam, I was down with fever. Still suffering from Sinus attack. 
Though kept few recipes ready to post but could not because of not having much strength to sit in front of the system. 
But as I did not wanted to break my participation here in this event I I thought of bringing Parathas for this party. Easy, healthy and tasty. Goes well with any gravy or just pickle or curds. 

Coming to the recipe,

 

Ingredients:

Green moong, Matki ( Moth) and Black  Masoor dal - 1 cup, soaked for one day and drained and kept either tied in a cloth or in a colander for a dayor till they sprout

Whole black Masoor dal is a must as it gives nice texture to the dish and tastes different.
Whole wheat flour - 1 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - to taste
Green chilly - 1 small, finely chopped

Jeera powder - 1 tsp

Amchur powder - 1 tsp

Haldi -1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 tbsp finely chopped

Garlic - 4 cloves, finely chopped(optional)

Oil - to roast

Ghee 1 tsp for each Paratha

Method:

Boil the sprouted moong in open vessel till soft.

Drain and mash it.

Transfer it to the big plate.

Add all the ingredients except oil and ghee.

Add water little by little to make soft dough.Adjust the seasoning. 

Divide into medium ball sized equal parts.

Roll into thick parathas.

Heat tawa and roast till crisp with little oil on both the sides. Before removing spread  a tsp of ghee on it. 

Serve hot with pickle or curds and paratha. 

My both the kids loved it with sauce.  

Sending it to the event  

Potluck party, Cyber style! - Fun and the Challeng... 

 Keep Smiling,

Eat Breakfast(s) like a King:-) (Remixed and Reposted)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I do strongly believe in "Eat Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Queen and Dinner like a Pauper" I strictly follow it during routine days(School days, office days), except when there is weekend or some special occasions or if someone is giving a treat :-)))))).

I always plan breakfast menu at least 3 days before or some times for a whole week. During school days, our breakfast is Chapati and different types of vegetables on alternative days, and the other days are fixed for typical South Indian breakfast like Idly, Dosa, Paddu.

I am reposting few of my favorite breakfast from my blog. Its not possible to put all the recipes in one post, so selected only few which I really love to eat in the morning.

And I have selected the recipes other than Dosa and Idly :-)

Chapati Poha: one of my favorite breakfast which stops me by wasting the left over chapatis and its healthy too.

Thaali peeth! (Masala Rotti) : again the most favorite one and it saves me from struggling to give vegetable to  my daughter. Its very common in our house with alterations, We keep on changing the vegetable in this. Sometimes we add grated vegetables, sometimes spinach or methi or spring onion.. 

Nutty Egg Omelet :  Do I feel embarrassed to write again its one of my favorite??? NO, I love Eggs and anything made with it, and this Nutty Egg Omelet is the best breakfast for me.

Mix Veg Poha ::The next is my daughter's favorite : Poha :-). most of the times I am saved because of this. When she is really hungry I don't think much but goes for this, but try to add more vegetables to make it healthier :-)

Puri Kurma :- My daughters wait for this one :-)





Last from my selection : Is regular parathas which I I try not to repeat the same stuffing in a month. But many of the parathas are not yet posted in my blog. May be I will do that soon. Just giving two links here :


4 ways to make Methi Paratha (Fenugreek paratha) :- again it saves me :-)

Tri Colored Chapatis and Tomato Chutney! :- This is from my mom, I love to have it any time.

These all are my last minute entries  going to participate in Srivalli's Breakfast Mela :

Celebrating 4th Blog Birthday with Breakfast Mela!...

Keep Smiling,

Brown Rice Paddu(Gundpanglu)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

After the successful making of Brown rice dosa, I thought of giving a sequel to this and thought of making Paddu or Gundpanglu. 

The Paddu has very different name in each language. It is called Unniyappam in Malayalam, Paniyaram in Tamil, Ponganalu in Telugu. I know the name only in these languages.

Its a very common breakfast which is prepared at least once in a week in our house. 

Normally, we prepare it with normal rice, urad dal, chana dal and methi seeds.

But the other day I made it with brown rice. I was scared that I will get burnt ones. But the result was superb. I was very happy to eat soft, spongy, nice golden brown color paddu.

Ingredients:

Brown rice - 11/2 cup

Normal white rice : 1/2 cup

Urad dal - 1 cup

Chana cal - 1/2 cup

(Maintain 2:1:1/2 ratio for rice : urad dal : chana dal)

Methi seeds - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil to roast the paddu.

Method:

• Soak both the  rice and methi seeds in one vessel and Urad dal and chana dal in another vessel in the water for 4 to 6 hours.
• Grind the dals first into smooth paste first. Transfer into a big vessel.
• Next grind the rice into fine paste with little water. Mix it with the dal. Add salt and mix well.
• Keep in warm condition for 8 hours. 
• Make sure to keep the batter in a big vessel. Otherwise it will overflow.
• Heat the Gundpanglu tawa. Spray little oil. Put 1 tbsp or more (depending upon the size of the tawa) batter. Cover and cook on  medium flame. After 10 to 15 Seconds, turn on the other side. Cook for another minute or less.

Remove and serve with Coconut, Tomato or Onion chutney.

We always add either 

finely chopped onion, green chilly and curry leaves OR

dill leaves and green chilly.

Sending this to two events:

Food palette series brown from  Torviewtoronto 

Siri's

WWC - Brown Rice for Dinner: an event announcement... which is the brain child of  Sanjeeta.

Perfect for the quick dinner(if batter is ready and kept in the fridge). Paddu, Idly, dosa are my hubby's favorite which he loves to have during dinner time as he gets time to enjoy each bite with chutney and that too when I serve it hot hot :-)))

No time to try for 3rd sequel :-(

Keep Smiling,

Chapati Poha

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

The chapatis made for dinner always are extra. And I do not like those chapatis.(I can eat  2 days old Jowar rotti but not the chapatis) Its big question with remaining chapatis. But I try to turn these chapatis into something tasty and healthy recipe.  One of those recipes is this Poha. Its very tasty and great breakfast.

Left over chapatis (Indian wheat flat breads) - 8 to 10

(Click Soft Chapatis my way for the recipe to make chapati)

Oil - 1 tbsp

Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped

Green Chilly - 1 finely chopped

Curry leaves - few

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal (Skinned Black  gram) - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - pinch

Sugar - 1 tsp

Tomato - 1 medium (optional)

OR

Lime juice - 1 tbsp(I used this)

Fresh coriander to garnish

Cut the chapatis in to four pieces. Grind into batches to turn those into coarse powder, not powder. We need the chapati like Poha. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan. 

Add mustard seeds. When splutter, add Urad dal

when they start changing the color, add jeera or cumin seeds, curry leaves. Fry till the urad dal changes its color to gold.

Add onion, green chilly. Fry it till the onion becomes almost brown and well cooked. Add the tomato in between (If you are adding it)

Now add salt and  turmeric powder. Add lemon juice. Mix well. 

Put the coarsed chapati. Add sugar and mix well to combine the ingredients together.

Cook for 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Serve hot with a hot cup of tea. 

It tastes good  only with one day old chapatis.

This serves 2 persons (not very hungry :-)  )

Sending this to PJ's very useful event 

• Scrumptious Delights From Leftovers - An Event Announcement
• AND
• Aparana's (Apy Cooking!) 

• Announcing 'My Favorite Recipe' Event

Keep Smiling,