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, 

Mangalore cucumber Sambhar

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Do not invite me for food, if you have this sambhar in your menu. I swear you will repent! I am going to finish all the sambhar with hot rice and ghee. I just love it. I love the way, it is prepared by Udupi people. I am not giving you the Udupi recipe. It is my version, which I make with home made sambhar pudi or masala.

I use any vegetable which is available at home. But I like it more when I use this Sambhar Kai  or Mangalore cucumber. 

Without much introduction I am coming to the recipe,

Ingredients used 

Mangalore cucumber - 1/2 of one big cucumber, washed and cut into medium sized cubes.

Add little water to cover the cubes and boil for 5 minutes.

Toor dal - 1 cup, cleaned, washed and boiled

To make into fine paste,

Tomato - 1 big, chopped finely

tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Click down for

Sambhar powder - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Jaggery - 2 tbsp

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Transfer everything in a mixi or blender and churn it into a fine paste with little water.

For tempering

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Turmeric powder a pinch

Fresh coriander to garnish

Heat oil in kadai. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add curry leaves and ground paste. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes.Add turmeric powder. Add boiled cubes. Mix it properly. Add boiled dal and two cups water. Cook for few minutes. Adjust the seasoning and add some more water if you feel the dal is thick. Cook for at least 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander. 

Serve with hot rice, pickle and paapad.

Sending it to Priya of Enveetu Kitchen who is hosting the event which is started by Jagruti.

   Announcing Complete My Thali - Daal/Kadhi/Sambar/R...

 

Keep Smiling,

Idly, Sambhar and Chutney

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

When I started my blog, I thought of starting with basic and simple foods. But some how I went on postponing it. 

Thanks to Mahimaa for organizing a event of basic recipes that made me to post idly, sambhar and chutney.

They say that South Indians never leave their home without having at least one idly for breakfast! But, now a days it has reached all over the world. And most of the people all around the world loves this food because of many reasons. Easy to make with readily available atta in the shops and ready to make products and if you have time you can prepare the batter at home easily. Because of its health benefits as it is steamed food, very good for the stomach. Especially when one is on travelling idly is the best food to eat, taking care not to eat the sambhar or chutney! It is Doctor's delight, best diet  food to advise for patients.

These idly s are kid's favorite. You can add vegetables into it to make it healthier. My younger daughter calls it "adalilil"

I think (failed) introduction to the food is sufficient as it is the most popular breakfast.

Here the measurement is to prepare for 3 to 4 people.

First recipe is for Idly,

Normally the Idly s are prepared with Raw rice, Urad dal and Methi seeds or prepared with Urad dal and Idly rawa.

You will get 14 varieties of idly s  in EC's Simple Indian Food- An Easy Cooking Blog.

Here I am giving the recipe for Idly is prepared with Urad dal and Idly rawa. Idly rawa is available in shops. Its easy to make as there is no need to soak the rice and grind it with Urad dal. 

Urad dal - 1 cup

Idly rawa - 2 1/2 cup

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Soak the urad dal and methi seeds in water for 4 to 6 hours. The water should be more than double of dal.

(After some time, urad dal increase in size and the water will be less.)

Wash the idly rawa with good water and put it in a vessel in which you want to keep the batter to ferment. 

Grind it into fine paste. Mix it properly with rawa and salt. Keep it to ferment in a warm place for at least 8 hours. During cold weather, the batter takes more time to ferment. Check the batter after 8 hours. If it is not doubled in size, keep it for some more time. (usually I do not keep it more, as no patience to wait for more time. :-) ) 

Mix it properly and keep it ready. 

  

Keep water till one inch height in a cooker or if you have Idly cooker. Keep it on heat. Till it starts boiling, apply oil and pour the batter in to all the plates. Keep it in the cooker without weight on the top. Steam it for 10 minutes on high flame and 5 minutes of low flame. Allow it to cool. Idly s are ready to serve. 

Coming to the next recipe i.e  chutney,

Easy and fast to prepare if you have Mixer or grinder.

Fresh coconut - 1 cup, grated or cut into pieces

Green chilly - 2

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

or lime juice - 1 tsp

Ginger - very small piece, chopped

Sugar - 1 tsp

Fresh dalia - 2 tbsp(optional)

Salt to taste

Curry Leaves - few

Water to help in grinding in to fine paste.

Add everything in a grinder and make into fine or coarse paste(as you like). My mom likes the coarse chutney as she loves to feel the coconut in the mouth. But for me, I like it fine paste!! 

For tempering,

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Hing - pinch

Heat oil in a small kadai, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Remove it from heat. After a minute add hing. Allow it to cool and add it to the chutney.

The last recipe is  Sambhar,

Preparing sambhar is totally your choice. As there are 1000 ways to cook delicious sambhar. Here I am giving a simple sambhar or you can say instant sambhar! without any vegetables. In future, hope fully I will try to post the veg. sambhar that goes well with Idly.

Toor dal - 1 cup (You can use other dal also, put Toor dal is the best for this type of sambhar)

Hing - pinch

Onion - 1 small, chopped into long slices

Tomato - 2 big, chopped

Curry leaves - few

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera or cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

Ready sambhar masala - 2 tbsp ( I use MTR SAMBHAR POWDER)

(If not available do not worry, I will give the masala recipe)

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp or 1 1/2 as per your taste

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Water to make required consistency

Wash and soak the toor dal for 15 to 30 minutes. Cook it with hing. It should be fully cooked. keep it aside.

To prepare the sambhar :

Heat oil in kadai, add mustard and cumin seeds. when mustard seeds splutter add onion and curry leaves. Cook for a minute. Then goes tomato and tamarind paste, cook it till tomato starts leaving oil. Now add MTR POWDER, red chilly powder, salt, jaggery and turmeric powder. Mix it and allow it to cook for few seconds. Add cooked dal, mix it with the masala, close the lid and cook for 2 minutes. Open the lid add water. Again boil it for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and cook for some more time. Sambhar is ready.

Now, if you do not have ready sambhar masala, 

This is my mother's way :

Fry 

 few pieces of fresh or dry coconut, 

1 tsp jeera, 

1 tbsp dry coriander seeds

1 Dry red chilly 

!/2 tsp methi seeds. 

grind these ingredients into a fine paste.

And the same procedure follows only to add the homemade powder instead of MTR powder.

(Sorry for not taking the separate photo of sambhar!)

I want to send this to  "Cooking Basics Event" held by Mahimaa of  Indian Vegetarian Kitchen.

But not sure about its getting entrance to the event as there is already a post for Idly and chutney. No worry, if it is not accepted.  I will post something else for the event.

Keep Smiling,

Avare kalu sambhar(Surti papdi sambhar) and Counting game!!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

Every time I feel funny or odd to write that this is my favorite recipe!! Because I just love everything eatable in this world. So one more my favorite food to you all !!! he he he!!! 

I thought of taking the photo after I finish eating but before our lunch was over, Avare kalu sambhar got over. Thats why I could not take separate photo of Avare kalu sambhar.

First comes the game:

"Can you count and tell me how many times I have typed "Avare kalu" in this post!!!! It is just for fun. No prizes! 3 claps to everyone who counts correctly!"

Avare kalu is very common and mostly everyone's favorite because of its unity in diversity!! What is this I have written!! Let me think, why it came from my ink (oops from my key board). May be because of its taste. Avare kalu tastes different with every way it is cooked, and each food has its unique taste. Nothing can compete with avare kalu(As per me!)  So three cheers to Avare kalu!

Have I gone mad to write so funny! But Avare kalu makes me mad. Once I start eating Avare kalu sambhar, some one has to snatch the plate from me!! .

Many of my blogging  friends have posted the recipe for this sambhar and many other preparation with Avarekalu.

Here goes my version, (almost same as other's, can't help it!)

Avare kalu - 1 cup

Boil it with 1/2 tsp of salt till Avare kalu is tender.

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 line

Hing - a pinch

Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Dalia powder - 2 tbsp

(this is must for my version)

To make paste:

Tomato - 1 big

Tamarind - 1 tbsp

Red dry chilly - 2 to 3

Jaggery - 2 tbsp

Sambhar powder - 2 tbsp(any mild brand)

Curry leaves - 1 line

Salt to taste

Mix and make it into a fine taste.

Heat oil in a vessel. Add mustard seeds, jeera and curry leaves. Add ready paste and cook it for few minutes.

Add chilly powder and haldi. Add 1 1/2 cup of water and cook till it starts boiling. Add boiled Avare kalu and dalia powder. Adjust the seasoning. Cook for few more minutes. And check the taste one more time. Add fresh coriander and serve with hot rice.

I am sending this Avare kalu sambhar recipe to Srivalli's event,  Announcing My Legume Love Affair, Eighteenth Helpi...

And here is the link as well as a link to Susan's host line-up, as  per Srivalli's instructions.

Keep smiling,

Many and more Veg. Sambhar

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I Love Vegetables and more vegetables, in any form. But my favorite is Veg. sambhar with hot rice and ghee.

And as I need to give nutritious food to my kids, I prefer to mix more than one food and give them in one time.

I am giving here two recipes for sambhar, only difference in both is the masala. First sambhar is without any masala, and the second one is with Godha masala. You can use any vegetables for both the sambhar.

I always prefer to mix maximum vegetables.

Recipe for  Plain Veg Sambhar

Vegetables : Any vegetables(you can see in the photo) or as per your taste.(wash, clean and cut the vegetables and keep aside)

Toor dal or moong dal -1/2 cup (boiled)

Tomato - 2 big chopped

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp

Chilly powder - 1 to 2 tbsp
Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Dhania (coriander) powder - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Haldi - 1 tsp

Water for sambhar

Veg Sambhar without masala

Heat oil in thick bottomed vessel. Add Methi seeds, when they change the color, add mustard seeds. When splutter, add jeera, curry leaves. Now go on adding, the harder vegetables(which takes more time to cook) and cook for sometime. Then add the softer vegetables. Add chopped tomatoes. After a minute, go on adding all the dry powders, jaggery  and tamarind paste. When vegetables are 3/4th cooked, add boiled dal. Mix properly and add water as per your requirement and taste. Boil it for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.

Veg. Sambhar is ready to serve with hot rice and ghee.

Recipe for Veg Sambhar with Godha masala

You can choose any available vegetables.
The only difference in this recipe is add Godha masala 2 tbsp instead of Coriander powder and reduce the qty of red chilly powder to 1 tbsp.

 

Godha masala is mainly used in Maharashtra. It is having strong smell as more spices are used to make this powder. But when you add in any gravy or sabji or sambhar, the taste is really very tasty and the aroma will attract any one to the kitchen to check what's cooking???

Veg. Sambhar using Godha masala

Keep smiling,