Month: April 2015

CURD DOSA BATTER

| sarapaka
Freezing collection! Cups of milk curdling, each of them crying “please use me” “find friends for me”….are you going frenzy? Don’t be crazy! Just chill…..all they need is a bit of cuddling and cajoling. Call for rice, methi, poha, black gram etc. etc. Give these crying curds their company. Soak, blend, grind, do all you can and see to it that they gel well. Let these pals enjoy a “sleepover” soaking in your kitchen. Bear with them for just one night. Better no battering for this budding batter! Next morning, they arise, up and ready. Just pour one ladleful on a hot tava and see the sumptuous surprise! Crispiest Crepe bubbling only for you…just go gobble!!

Batter type: Curd DosaCurd Dosa

Preparation time: 5 min

Soaking time:  5 hrs

Fermenting time: 12 hrs

Grinding time: 45 min

Yield: 2.5  litres (approx.)

Ingredients

Rice                             750 gmsCurd Dosa Batter

Black gram dhal          200 gms

Methi seeds                20 gms

Poha (Avalakki)           250 gms (thick variety)

Curds                           1 litre

Salt to taste                 50 gms approx.

Directions

Soak all ingredients except salt, in water for 2 hours. Drain out the water and then soak in curds for 3 hours.

Now the grinding…

Pour about ½ litre water into the wet grinder and switch on the grinder.

Now pour the soaked ingredients into the grinder.

Keep adding very little quantities of water, stirring the batter at intervals.

The batter keeps sticking to the sides of the grinder. Keep clearing the sides off the batter by pushing it towards the centre.

Continue grinding till the texture of batter becomes smooth.

Now transfer it to a vessel big enough to hold all the batter in less than half its height. This is to prevent the batter that rises up on fermenting from spilling out of the vessel. As an extra precaution, keep a basin (bigger than the size of the vessel which contains the batter) underneath the vessel so that any batter that spills out of the vessel collects in the basin. This batter can be transferred back to the vessel.

The above step is especially important for “Curd Dosa Batter” preparation.

Now mix the batter thoroughly. Close the vessel with a lid and let it stand for about 12 hours. Add salt just before you are ready to use the batter. Mix the batter well and let it stand till the salt dissolves.

Curd Dosa Batter is now ready.

Also view in this blog “Plain Dosa Batter” and “Neeru Dosa” recipes

Note:

This batter can be used to prepare dosas that are either thick or thin. For making thicker version of dosa, batter once poured on to the hot tava need not be spread all over, whereas for making thinner variety, on pouring the batter on the hot tava, it has to be spread all around in circular motion. By doing so, paper thin dosas can be made.

RAVA PONGAL

| sarapaka
You will fall in love with its goldielooks. Gorgeously simple to look n cook and easy to digest. Rava Pongal is a traditional South Indian breakfast dish prepared especially during harvest season. Popular as prasadam in temples and a favourite during festive occasions. Green gram dhal is a ‘must use’ ingredient for any pongal. While it is normally cooked with rice, here is its cousin Rava that takes its place to regale you with a relishing recipe.

 

Dish Type: South Indian Breakfast Recipe Rava Pongal with Tamarind Gojju Rava Pongal

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking time: 30 min

Serves: 5 persons

Ingredients

Semolina                     250 gms (medium variety rava)

For cooking in pressure cooker

Moong Dhal                50 gms

Water                          ¼ litre

Turmeric                     A pinch

Ginger                         1” piece grated or finely chopped

Jeera or cumin seeds  2 tsps

Pepper corns crushed 2 tsps

Green chilly (slit)        1 no.

Curry leaves                2 sprigs

Ghee                            1 tbsp

Salt to taste                 1/2 tsp

For seasoning

Ghee                                        50 gms (1 cup)

Jeera or cumin seeds              1 tsp

Pepper corns                           1 tsp

Cashew nuts                            12 nos.

Green Chillies                         8 nos.

Curry leaves                            1 sprig

Ginger grated                         1 tsp

For garnishing

Dry coconut grated                 100 gms

Fresh coriander leaves           1 tbsp

Directions

Wash ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Drain the water. Grate or fine chop ginger. Crush pepper corns.

Cook moong dhal in a pressure cooker along with ingredients listed above for cooking. Dhal should be well cooked but not mushy.

While dhal is getting cooked:

Dry roast rava in a pan on low flame till you get a nice aroma. Switch off the burner and let rava cool.

While rava is getting cooled:

Finely chop washed and drained fresh coriander leaves and keep aside.

Cut cashew nuts into pieces and keep aside.

Grate dry coconut and keep aside.

Keep water for boiling. Now prepare the seasoning.

Heat ghee in a kadai and prepare seasoning. Put jeera, pepper corns, cashewnut pieces, slit green chillies and curry leaves (in that order at few seconds intervals). Saute them for a few seconds. To this seasoning, add the roasted rava slowly and roast it further along with the seasoning. Add ½ tsp salt and mix thoroughly. Now add cooked moong dhal and then boiled water slowly to prevent rava from forming lumps. Mix them thoroughly, cover with a lid and let it cook for 5 to 10 min. At the end garnish with grated dry coconut, finely chopped coriander leaves and fried cashewnuts.

Rava Pongal is now ready. Serve it hot with gojju or coconut chutney or sambar.

Also view “Tamarind Gojju” in this blog. It makes an ideal side dish for Rava Pongal.

Note:

Rava is a South Indian term for Sooji or Semolina. A variety of savouries and sweets can be prepared using Rava. Rava is low in fat. The carbohydrate content in Rava is a rich source of fuel for our tissues. Protein content in Rava nourishes our muscles and skin. Folate content in Rava supports the production of red blood cells. A serving of Rava contains approximately 5 -5.5 gms of protein and 105 – 110 micrograms of folate.

Based on the texture and type of wheat, varieties of Rava are available including Superfine Rava (also known as Chiroti Rava), Medium Rava, Bansi Rava or Lapsi Rava etc.

Rava that is made from Durum Wheat is yellowish in colour whereas those made from softer type of wheat are off white in colour. Durum is the hardest of all wheat types. Harder the wheat, higher is its protein and gluten content.

TAMARIND GOJJU

| sarapaka
This “Made in Karnataka” speciality is a favourite side dish for pongal, rotis, dosas and hot rice.  Gojju can be of different varieties, variation created either by using different ingredients for making the spice powder itself or by using a host of different vegetables and fruits.  Generally, just a single vegetable or fruit is used. There are a few rare recipes however where gojju has a mix of vegetables too. This recipe however is created without using any vegetable or fruit.

The 3 salient tastes of Gojju are sweet, sour and spicy. In this recipe, they are derived by using jaggery, tamarind and a combination of rasam powder with few other spices respectively. Easy n tasty gojju for you to try n taste!

 

Dish Type: South Indian Side DishTamarind Gojju

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking time: 10 min

Serves: 5 persons

Ingredients

Tamarind                    1 big lime size

Jaggery                        50 gms

Urad dhal                    2 tsps

Methi seeds                1 tsp

Jeera                           2 tsps

Rasam powder            2 tbsps

Procedure for preparation

Soak tamarind in 50 ml water for half an hour

Dry roast urad dhal, methi seeds and jeera. Let it cool and then powder it.

Add little water to this powder, make it to a thin paste and keep aside.

Squeeze soaked tamarind to remove any seeds or fibre to make tamarind juice. (Alternatively, a tbsp. of tamarind paste can be used and diluted with few spoonfuls of water to make tamarind juice.)

 To this juice, add salt, rasam powder and jaggery.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai.

Put asafoetida and mustard seeds for seasoning. To this add tamarind juice mix. Let it boil for a few minutes.

Add urad dhal paste to the boiling tamarind juice. Mix well and continue boiling till you get a uniform slightly thick and even consistency.

Tamraind Gojju is now ready.

Also view other Gojju recipes at Sarapaaka “Lime Juice Gojju” “Onion Tomato Gojju” “Raisins Gojju” “Cucumber Onion Hasi Gojju”.     

Note:

Tamarind, the most sought after ingredient in Indian households, is most commonly used in rasams, curries, chutneys, gojjus, hot and sour soups, lentil, vegetable and chaat preparations, etc.

Tamarind juice (i.e., the juice extracted from tamarind pulp) combined with jaggery or sugar, honey, dates, cardamom, clove and coriander seeds makes for a healthy and refreshing drink. Or tamarind juice with jaggery or honey, jeera and pepper (in fresh powdered form) and a pinch of salt. This juice is believed to be extremely good for controlling skin itching and irritation and can easily be a part of haircare and skincare regimen.

 

MOONG DAL RASAM (WITH LIME AND TOMATO)

| sarapaka
Feeling hot? Chill yourself with this “Cool Drink”….piping hot Moong Dal Rasam! Ideal Soup for summer. Hailed as the healthiest among dals, these small, split, flat, yellow coloured beans used in the rasam are quick to cook, easy to digest, low in calories, high in fibre, rich in nutrients, packed with protein and helps shed weight. This “Friend for All” cooked moong dal makes a healthy friend with people very young and old, as also the sick and ailing.

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetarian Stew/Soup Moong dal lime rasam

Preparation Time:  5 min

Cooking time:  30 min

Serves:  5 persons

Ingredients

For pressure cooking:

Moong dal                   75 gms

Water                          500 ml

Turmeric powder        A pinch

Ghee                            A drop

Tomato                        1 no.

For grinding:

Cumin seeds                ½ tsp

Ginger (grated)           ½” piece

Green chilly                 1 no. (small size)

Curry leaves                1 sprig

Coriander leaves         1 tsp

Coriander sticks          2 or 3 nos. (if they are tender)

While boiling

Water                          500 ml

Salt to taste                 1 tbsp (approx.)

Ground chutney          (quantity generated while grinding)

For seasoning:

Ghee                            1 tsp

Cumin seeds                ¼  tsp

Pepper corns               ¼  tsp

Green chilly                 1 no. small size and slit

For flavour and garnishing

Lime juice (extracted from 1 lime) and coriander leaves

Directions

Wash moong dal with water, drain and keep aside.

Wash tomato, ginger, curry leaves and coriander leaves in salt water. Drain and keep aside.

Cook dal in a pressure cooker in low flame along with water, turmeric powder and a dash of ghee. When the dal is half cooked, add chopped tomato pieces and continue cooking the dal. Switch off the burner after 2 whistles. Let the pressure in the cooker subside.

While dal is getting cooked….you can do grinding.

For this, chop ginger after peeling its skin. Grind all ingredients listed under “For grinding” using a few spoonfuls of water.

Add this ground chutney, water and salt to the cooked dal and boil it for 5 to 10 min. on low flame. Watch the gentle green coloured rasam glowing while boiling with the jeera-ginger-pepper combine for 5 to 10 min. Towards the end add lime juice and switch off the burner. The awesome aroma from this nutritious rasam rings a bell… it’s time for seasoning.

Heat ghee in a small skillet. Put cumin seeds. When they crackle put pepper corns and slit green chilly. Switch off the flame. Immediately pour it on to the boiling rasam.

Garnish it with thoroughly washed and chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Moong Dal Rasam is now ready.

Serve hot with steamed rice, idli or use it as Bonda Soup, a popular combo of South India.

Also view in our blog “Moong bean rasam”, “Tur dal rasam”

Note:

Quantity of water, salt and spices can be altered to suit the consistency and taste that you desire.

Moong Dal Rasam is also known as Hesaru Bele Saaru or Pesaru Pappu Charu

Moong dal is used for preparing a variety of dishes like rasam, dal, pongal (khichdi), curry, vada, payasam (kheer), besan laadu, halwa, kosambari (salad), soups, spicy parathas and even in many rice preparations.

While purchasing moong dal, make sure it is yellow in colour and free of moisture or insects. This can be known by checking for lumps, if any.

Moong dal can be stored at room temperature in air tight container for a few months.