Spiced Idly

Oops its been really long! Almost a week and I am already missing my blog. Life has been lately a bit too busy with projects, learning and touring ;) 

Found some good time today and thought of posting an interesting spiced idly variation that can save you for some lunch box packing or a difference in the breakfast menu. I am sure you would love this for the dry ginger and pepper flavor. 

This idly goes well with garlic podi and is so delicious as a pair. Recipe for garlic podi coming soon :)

Ingredients:

Raw rice – 2 cups

Urad dhall – 2 cups

Cumin seeds – 2 tsp

Pepper – 1 tsp

Dry ginger – 1 inch piece

Asafoetida – a pinch

Cashews – 20

Salt – for taste

Oil – 3 tblsp

Curd – 1 cup (aprox)

Cooking soda – ½ tsp

Method:

Soak rice and urad dhall in water for 3-5 hours. Grind into a coarse paste without adding much water.

Add salt to it and mix well. Leave it untouched over night for fermenting.

Take oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, pepper, powdered dry ginger, asafoetida and broken cashews and fry for a two minutes. Add this to the batter and mix well. Finally add cooking soda and curd and mix well. The batter should be of rava idly batter consistency.

Now oil the idly mould and pour the batter in the holes. Steam cook for 30-40 minutes. Yes! This idly takes a little longer than the usual one and would taste great too.

Serve it hot with garlic podi. Recipe coming soon. 

Written by: Nithya
Send in your queries by clicking here. 

Ragi Poori / Finger millet Poori

Kids love Poori... Kids hate Ragi.. These two are real time facts. If both have to be addressed, the best way to do it is to make pooris with Ragi flour :)

Bet on me, it tastes damn delicious and has hardly a feeling of eating something with ragi. Your kids would surely love this version of brown pooris too :)

I had this poori for a the first time a month back when I visited a friend's place at Bangalore. Our buddy's wife Sharmila made this for me and I fell for it immediately. Asked her for the recipe and since then have been waiting for an occasion to make it. Last night we feasted on this healthy poori and couldnt resist posting it for you all :)

Ingredients:

Ragi flour (Finger millet flour) - 1 cup
Wheat flour - 1 cup
All purpose flour (maida) - 1/2 cup
Salt - for taste
Oil - for deep frying

Method:

Take all the three flours and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add water little by little and mix well until it rolls into a firm dough. Set aside for 15 mins.

Now apply oil in your palms and pinch lemon sized balls of dough and roll them into balls. Keep them aside.

Heat oil in a kadai. Press each ball using a poori press or roll them with the stick into a thin circle and transfer it slowly to the kadai and fry on both sides until well puffed and roast on both the sides.

Collect it on a tissue to remove excess oil.

Serve the healthy poori with Bombay Chutney.

Tips:

You can avoid using maida while making the dough. Ragi flour and wheat flour would make the pooris healthier. I tried both the versions and liked them both equally.

If you dont want to deep fry, you can make chapathis with the same dough too. :)

Written by: Nithya
Send in your queries by clicking here.

Home Made Instant Poha Mix - For bachelors & trips

Are you a novice cook?? A bachelor?? or a safe traveler who would love to carry your own food?? Are you going to leave your helpless husband back home??

Then scream in joy.. Here is one best choice for you to make. Yup Eureka!! I tried and found the formula today :P

Its so simple and delicious too. Hardly takes 10 mins to make the mix and 2 mins to cook the poha when you are hungry!!

Its for sure a boon!!! Make and enjoy :)

Ingredients:

Poha (flattened rice) - 1 cup
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt - for taste
Red chillies - 4
Channa dhall - 1 tsp
Urad dhall - 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Take a pan and add 1 tsp of oil, splutter mustard seeds and follow it by urad dhall, channa dhall, red chillies and curry leaves. Once the dhall turns light brown simmer the stove and add the poha and fry for just two mins in low flame.

Remove from flame and allow it to cool down. Store in a air tight box in a cool and dry place.

Instant poha mix is ready.

You can store this in the shelf for 2 weeks. It will keep well until 2 months if you store in refrigerator.

How to make poha with instant mix:


Take the instant mix in a bowl and pour just enough water to cover it. Allow this to get soaked for 15 - 25 mins.

Option 1 - Stove top:

Now take a pan and add 1 tsp of oil and drop in the soaked poha mix and stir for two mins in medium heat.

Serve hot with mango pickle.

Option 2 - Microwave:

Transfer the soaked poha mix to a microwave safe bowl and heat it for two mins stirring once in between.

Serve hot.

Option 3 - Hot water:

Soak the instant mix in hot water instead of soaking in room temperature water for 10 mins and serve immediately.

For extra punch you can chop an onion finely and fry it before you fry the soaked poha mix :)

Written by: Nithya
Send in your queries by clicking here.

Mooli Paratha & Aloo - Bhindi Do Pyaaza

Pretty looking lunch boxes and matching water bottles remind me of my school days. Especially when school reopens, the first day I would be very curious to show off my new belongings and to see what others have got as well :) I can see a lot of your agreeing and recollecting your own memories :)

Colorful rice varieties, roti and side dishes, bread sandwiches, fruit and vegetable salads and the list goes on and on.. Yummyyyyy!! School days were the best foodie days because we got a chance to eat at least from 5 lunch boxes, hence 5 varieties a day. :P

I got a lot of mails asking for lunch box packing recipes that they can make for kids. So came up with a healthy combination of Mooli Paratha & Aloo - Bhindi Do Pyaaza. Lovable combination for sure :)

The addition of white radish to the partha makes it healthy and tasty as well :)

Recipe for Mooli Paratha:

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 2 cups

White radish / Mooli (grated) - 1 cup

Curd - 1/2 cup

Chilly powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Salt - for taste

Water

Method:

Take all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and kneed well by adding just enough water to form a soft dough. The dough should be of chapathi dough consistency.

Pinch medium sized portions of the dough and roll them into balls.

Flour your work surface and roll each ball into thin 5' diameter circles.

Heat a pan and roast the parathas by adding few drops of oil on both the sides.

Serve hot with side dish of your choice :)

Aloo - Bhindi do Pyaaza is a dry curry where there is double the quantity of onion(Do Pyaaza) than bhindi which makes it crunchy and delicious.

The combination of bhindi with aloo is for sure kid friendly and yummy :)

Recipe for Aloo - Bhindi Do Pyaaza:

Ingredients:

Potato (Aloo) - 2

Ladies finger (Bhindi) - 1/2 kg

Onions - 3

Tomato - 1

Cumin - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Chilly powder - 2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Kasoori methi - 1 tsp

Salt - for taste

Method:

Wash and chop ladies finger into 1/4 inch pieces. Take 2 tblsp of oil in a pan and fry the ladies finger until it is cooked.

Peel and dice the potatoes.Cook them and keep it aside.

Chop onions and tomato into small squares and.

Take a pan and add two tsp of oil. Drop in the cumin seeds and once crackled add the chopped onion, tomato and fry until golden brown. Add the cooked potatoes and fried ladies finger to it. Fry for a min and add chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, kasoori methi and salt to it and saute for another five mins.

Turn off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve it hot with mooli paratha and enjoy eating :)

Written by: Nithya
Send in your queries by clicking here.

Siyaali

Idly is a staple food that south Indians prefer and most of them would have idly as their breakfast. And for home chefs like us, its a tough task to make them in right numbers to exhaust it all for breakfast.

We would surely find lots of idlys left over sometime. So when you face such a situation, there is a yummy recipe to convert it into a very sought after tiffen for the evening or for dinner. Thats nothing but Siyaali. :)

Ingredients:

Idly - 10
Onion - 2 big
Bengal gram dhall - 1 tblsp
Urad dhall - 1 tblsp
Red chilly - 3
Coriander seeds - 1 tblsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Tamarind paste -1 tsp
Salt - for taste
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves


Method:

Take a tsp of oil in a pan and fry bengal gram dhall, urad dhall, red chilly, cumin seeds, asafoetida and coriander seeds till they turn golden brown. Now powder the fried ingredients coarsely and keep it aside.

Cut the idlys into square pieces of same size. In a pan take a spoon of oil and crackle mustard and curry leaves. Add finely chopped onions and saute for a while till the onions turn golden brown. Now add tamarind paste, turmeric powder and the above powdered masala and fry just for a min. Add little salt to it.(Do keep in mind that the idlys already have salt in it.) Now add the idlys and saute for few more mins mixing it well. Finally add chopped coriander leaves to it. S

Siyaali is ready to eat :) Happy making :)

Note: Just in case you dont have time to make the masala powder, just add idly molaga podi which would taste good too. :)

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Republic Day Celebration With Tricolor Idlys :)

India is proud to celebrate its 61st Republic day today. :)

61 years back, this was the day when our Constitution was born and India turned into a republic country. :)

To mark the importance of this occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital, New Delhi and its declared as the national holiday.

It is a day that demands celebration at each Indian's home. So here is my celebration. :)

Tricolor Idly

Making tricolor idly was in my list for a long time and thought today was the right day to make it. :)

This dish is an inspiration from Madhuram's eggless cooking and Latha aunty too. :)

Tomato idly(Red Idly)

Ingredients:

Tomato chutney
Idly batter

Method:

Mix the chutney with idly batter and make idlys. :)

Mint Idly(Green idly )

Ingredients:

Mint leaves(pudina) - 1 bunch
Green chilly - 2
Idly batter

Method:

Grind mint leaves and green chilly together by just adding very little water and mix it with idly batter and make idlys. :)

Happy Republic Day!!!!

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Steamed Rice Dumplings

Decoration: Placed the paper lilies that I made recently :)

Steamed Rice dumpling, as a name might sound new and complicated.. But its our very own traditional dish called mudha kudumulu(In Telugu) or Pidi Kolukattai(In Tamil).

Its a super tasty and harmless food that you can consume without any restrictions. :)

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup
Bengal gram dhall - 1 tbl sp
Green gram dhall - 1 tbl sp
Coconut - 1 tblsp
Water - 2 1/2 cup
Salt - for taste

Method:

Soak the rice in water for 10 min, drain it and dry the rice on a clean cloth. Now powder it coarsely(Like rava).

Soak bengal gram dhall and green gram dhall in water for min 1 hour.

Dilute the powdered rice in a cup of water and keep it aside. Boil the remaining 1 1/2 cups of water and add the soaked dhalls, salt and the diluted rice mixture and blend well. Cook for ten min, till it becomes thick. Once done allow it to cool down for a while.

Now greese your hands with oil, and make lemon sized balls of the cooked mixutre and press them with your hand to flatten them slightly. Then place them on a well greased plate(you can use idly plate) and steam cook the balls for 20 min.

Steamed rice cakes are ready to eat. :)

It goes best with Urad dhall chutney or sugar.

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Tomato Dosa

Is red your favorite color??? Its my favorite. I just love dishes that are in red. So here is a red colored gorgeous tomato dosa for your eyes and tongue to enjoy :)


Ingredients:

Par-boiled rice - 1 cup
Tomato - 4
Red chillies - 6 nos
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - for taste


Method:

Soak the rice in water for two hours. Grind it along with the other ingredients and make a watery batter.

Now heat the skillet and pour a ladle full of batter starting from the edges in a circular way. Since the batter is loose it will automatically fill the middle portion. Add a spoon of oil to roast it. Turn the dosa and roast it on the other side too.

Yummy tomato dosa is ready to eat. :) Serve it hot with pickle or chutney.

Happy making. :)




Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Diet Biriyani (Wheat Rava/ Cracked wheat)

Everybody dreams to maintain their shape and to be healthy too. Health and beauty are not two seperate entities at all. They go hand in hand. Being healthy is being beautiful.

I present to you a lovely diet that keeps you healthy and also tickles your tongue. :)

Wheat contains fiber and proteins that can keep you fit always. And now adding vegetables to it!!! Do I have to justify more.. :) :)


Ingredients:

Wheat rava - 1 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 3
Mixed vegetables (carrot, beetroot, beans, potato, peas etc) - 1 cup
Water - 3 cups
Bay leaf - small piece
Biriyani masala - 1 tbsp (I used Everest masala)
Cinnamon (pattai) - small piece
Aniseed (sombu) - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste




Method:

Take a pan and add few spoons of oil and crackle aniseeds, cinnamon and ginger garlic paste. Now add the diced vegetables, chilly, bay leaf and a little salt. sprinkle some water and let the vegetables get cooked. Once done add 3 cups of water to the pan.Now add the briyani masala with adequate salt into the water. When it starts boiling pour in the wheat rava and keep stirring to avoid lumps. Once it gets cooked and becomes thick, simmer the stove and allow it to cook for 5 min. Wheat rava biriyani is done. :)

Serve it hot with raitha of your choice. :) Happy dieting :)



And now its time to thank my blogger friend Jennifer Kumar for featuring my blog in her website Alaivani.com and in her blog shakahaari. Thanks a lot for your interest in my dishes. It makes me feel really honored and happy. :)


Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Andhra Pesarattu

Andhra food is know for its spicy flavors and for the very different combination. This one is a special dish made locally in Andhra.

The greenish dosa attracts our eyes and the crispy onion filling make it more interesting. This could be a highly nutritious breakfast for all. :)


Ingredients:

Whole green gram with skin - 1 cup
Onion - 1 medium sized
Ginger - 1/4 inch piece
Green chillies - 5
Raw rice - 2 tbl sp
Salt - for taste



For Filling:

Finely cut onions - 3/4 cup
Finely cut green chillies - 1 tbl sp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbl sp




Method:

Soak green gram and rice together for atleast 8 to 10 hours in enough water. Grind with onion, ginger and green chillies. Add salt at the end of grinding.

For filling: Heat oil in a pan and fry cumin seeds, green chillies with diced onions for 2 to 3 min and keep it aside.

Heat a heavy dosa pan and make dosa by spreading from center. Add a tsp of oil around and roast. Sprinkle the onion mixture on top and press with a flat laddle. Roast in midium flame till the dosa becomes crisp. Fold and serve hot with ginger chutney or onion chutney.

Note: Do not turn over the dosa after adding the filling.

Variation:

You can also make pesarattu uppuma. Just replace the onion filling by 2 to 3 tsp of uppuma and fold the dosa. Serve this with onion chutney or coconut chutney.
In Andhra they fondly call it as MLA Pesarattu. :)




I am sending this Andhra special dish to Shanthi Krishnakumar's lovely 'State special' event.



Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

My Interview and Khaman Dhokla :)

First and formost, I am a really excited little cook today. Guess why?????? I have been featured as the Diamond Chef in www.solkadi.com. Do take a look at my interview there :):):)

Dhokla Dhokla every where, all are yummy to see!!!!! This is the rhyme that runs in my mind after seeing the updates from others. ;) I am really happy to be part of a super cool event called Indian Cooking Challenge (ICC) that Srivalli started. If not for this event, I am sure I would have never tried Dhokla. :)

I am happyyyyyyy!!!!! It came out so well and all at home enjoyed relishing it. So here is my Khaman Dhokla. :)




Ingredients:

For Batter:

Bengal Gram flour / Besan - 1 & 1/2 cup

Curd - 1/2 cup (not very sour)

Water - 1/2 cup

(I used 1 cup of buttermilk + 2 tblspns of water)
Cooking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

For seasoning to be mixed to the batter (to be added just before cooking):

Oil - 1 tbsp

Turmeric a pinch

G. Chili paste - 3 nos

Sugar - 1 tsp

Citric acid - quarter tsp ( A big pinch)
Eno - 1 packet (green colour fruit lime) + sprinkle or dust few bits on the plate

For tempering:

Sesame seeds Mustard Seeds Curry leaves Grated coconut Coriander leaves

Little water ( 2 tblspn) + Oil to be topped on dhoklas

Method:

Mix first 1/2 cup curds with 1/2 water. To this add the besan and mix well to get a lump less batter, the consistency should be of idli batter, more of dropping not pouring consistency. Slowly add more water if needed else, add the soda. Keep it aside to rise for 1 hour.

If you are using a pressure cooker, fill the pan with water, place a plate over which you will have use a plate for steaming the dhoklas. Thali plate can be used for steaming.

To the batter mix in the citric acid, oil, salt, sugar, green chili paste and turmeric powder. Mix well. This has to be done just before pouring to the plate.

Meanwhile have the pan on stove, and let the water start boiling. When the water reaches the rolling stage, you can mix the eno to the batter (Save little of eno for dusting on the plate), mix gently, you will see bubbles coming out.

Dust or sprinkle the plate with eno. Then immediately pour the batter to the plate. Place the plate carefully inside the pressure pan and cover with lid. You need not use the whistle. After covering you will find steam coming out of the outlet, simmer and don't disturb for almost 5 -7 minutes.

After 5 -7 minutes, remove the lid and proof it using toothpick or knife. If the knife comes out clean and does not have any batter sticking, then its done. Cover back and let it remain on flame for 1 min and switch off the gas and allow it for 5 minutes.

In a bowl, mix 2 tblspn of water along with a tsp of oilRemove the plate from the pan, pour the water and oil mix over the top.

For seasoning, heat a pan with oil, add curry leaves, sesame seeds, mustard seeds and finely chopped green chilies. When mustard starts popping, remove and pour over the dhokla.

Now cut them neatly into desired shape and sizes.

Serve it with green chutney. :) Happy making and enjoy eating :)

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com