Author: sarapaka

7 CUPS BARFI

| sarapaka
A dessert that tempts you to devour, yet sweet signals sent from its bits simply say “Taste me… just a bite and I shall see you savour me bits by bit by wee bit”. 7 ingredients coming together to submerge in a syrup prepared “with no strings (consistencies) attached” and lo! watch those diamonds emerge flat on a plate, glittering. Oh my….I see you scaling up to seventh heaven already!

 Dish Type:  South Indian Dessert 7 cups barfi 2 copy

Preparation Time:  10 min

Cooking time:  30  min

Cooling time: 60 min

Yield:  16 pcs (approx.)

Ingredients

Besan / Gram flour          1 cup

Chiroti Rava                    1 cup (Semolina fine quality)

Sugar                              2 cups

Ghee                               1 cup

Milk                                  1 cup

Raw Coconut                   1 cup (grated)

Cardamom                       2 pcs.

Directions

Keep all the ingredients ready in cups, all of same size.

Start by preparing sugar syrup. For this add sugar to milk and boil till sugar melts. Keep stirring frequently. Else milk will “break”.

While this is boiling….

Dry fry chiroti rava in a kadai. Keep it aside. Fry besan along with ½ cup ghee. Make sure besan does not turn brown. When you smell the scent of the fried flour, add raw, fresh grated coconut, dry fried rava and continue frying for about 5 min. Add rest of the ghee left in the cup. Keep stirring for 5 more min. By now sugar syrup will be ready. Add this to the kadai and mix the contents well. Ensure no lumps are formed at any point of time. Continue stirring till ghee oozes out and starts flowing on the sides of the kadai. Keep mixing….oh can’t mix any more? Well, that’s a good sign to transfer contents from pan to plate! Before you do it, keep a clean, flat plate or tray ready. Grease it by smearing ghee uniformly all over including the sides.

Pour the contents in the kadai on to the greased plate. Spread the mixture evenly on the plate. Slowly and gently flatten and smoothen the top surface with a spatula. After a minute or two, using a sharp knife, mark lines to divide them. Mark either diagonally into diamonds or straight to from squares or rectangles. When it is warm, run the knife deep over the marked lines to slit them to pieces. Let it stand uncovered till it reaches room temperature (takes about an hour). Remove the pieces carefully and stack them on a plate. 7 cups barfi is now ready. Serve them rightaway.

Store them in an air tight container. Store in fridge if it is used next day or later.

Chefs’Chat

Wheat flour and/ or refined flour may also be used in addition to besan which is a must.

While stirring, every time make sure spatula reaches right down to the bottom of the kadai and all round the sides for uniform frying.

Texture of the mixture is perfect when it appears smooth and shiny sans any bubbles.

For added flavour, cashewnuts can be powdered and added towards the end while frying.

We used cup size that holds 100 gms and treated ourselves to atleast 16 diamonds!

Shelf life if stored in fridge is around 5 days.

CORIANDER RICE

| sarapaka
One of the most common culinary plants of India, its seeds roasted and crushed or just left raw to use as spice, its leaves chopped and used to dress salads and soups, curries and cuisines of many kinds, its medicinal uses are many…be it a thrush of the mouth when we rush to mix it with warm water and use as gargle or take the case of conjunctivitis when it is mixed with cold water and used as eye lotion. Called by the name of Coriander or Cilantro, its seeds and leaves are both indispensable to spice and dress our cooking or to cure the ones who are ailing.

Extract from The Herbarius Litnus:  “Mark that the juice of coriander blown up the nostrils restrains nosebleeds. . . And coriander is effective in tremors of the heart when its powder is given with borage water.”

 Dish Type:  South Indian Rice Variety Coriander Rice 1 copy

Preparation Time:  10 min

Serves:  4 persons

Ingredients

Basmati Rice       1 cup (250 gms)

For grinding:

Raw coconut grated        2 tbsp

Green chilli                      3 nos. chopped

Ginger                             1/2” pc

Cumin seeds                     ½ tsp

Saunf (Fennel seeds)     ½ tsp

Fresh coriander leaves  ½ cup packed

For seasoning:

Oil                           2 tbsp

Bay leaf                   1 (break it to slightly smaller size)

Cinnamon               ½” pc

Clove                     2 nos.

Pepper                  6 to 8 corns

Cashewnuts          10 to 12 nos. (optional)

Onion                    1 no. (medium size, thinly sliced)

Turmeric               A pinch

Salt to taste         2 tsps approx.

Ground Masala  (transfer from mixie)

Peas                      50 gms

Soaked Basmati Rice

Water                   2 cups (use same size cup that you used for measuring rice)

Directions:

Wash basmati rice in running cold water. Soak it in water. Let it stand for about half an hour. Also wash coriander leaves (roots removed), green chillies and ginger thoroughly with water. Drain out the water. Meanwhile….

Peel the skin of ginger and onion. Chop ginger and green chillies to smaller bits (for faster grinding). Chop the onions into thin slices. Grate fresh raw coconut and keep aside. If the stalks of coriander leaves are tender, use them too along with the leaves for grinding. You are now ready for grinding.

Grind all the ingredients listed above “For grinding” to make a smooth paste.  Get ready for seasoning….

Heat oil in a pressure pan in low flame.  Add ingredients listed above “For seasoning” in the same order. When cashews turn golden brown add sliced onions immediately followed by salt and turmeric. When onions turn transparent, add the ground masala. Fry for about 5 min. Now drain the water in basmati rice, keep aside this water to use it a while later for cooking. Transfer rice to the pan and continue frying for another 5 min. Now add the drained water, mix them well, cover with a lid and weight on, turn the flame towards high and pressure cook for up to 2 whistles. Switch off the flame. Let it cool completely.  Fluff up the rice slowly and gently using a fork or spatula. Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves if you wish.

Coriander Rice is now ready. Serve it with plain curd, spicy raitha, pickle and/or roasted/fried papad or side it with spicy potato curry or cauliflower curry.

Also view in this website, recipes of other rice varieties “Ellina Chitra Anna” “Greens Pulao” “Vegetable Biryani” “Raw Mango Rice” “Bisi Bele Bhaath” and “Veg Fried Rice”

ChefsChat:

Green beans, Potatoes, Carrots, Cauliflower may also be used.

Onions can be skipped if you wish.

Adjust quantity of green chillies, pepper corns and ginger to suit your choice.

Using Coconut milk (as against just grated coconut) adds to the flavour and taste.

 

MOSARU AVALAKKI (Curd Poha)

| sarapaka
Wanna celebrate “No Rice Day”… think of Lord Krishna’s favourite…homely, humble Avalakki (Poha). Soak it in a bowl of curd. Garnish it, taste it….hmmm…find yourself soaking in bliss. Cool dish this….for there is nothing warm about it. Consumed best in a mildly chilled and slightly sweet state, “Mosaru Avalakki” is a fitting substitute for curd rice. Typically served at the fag end of a meal, it is known to soothe the stomach, acting as a coolant especially after eating hot n spicy stuff or rich fat food.

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetarian Rice VarietyMosaru Avalakki Brass 2 copy

Preparation Time:  10 min

Cooking time:  2 min

Serves:  4 persons

Ingredients

For soaking:

Poha                            1 cup (paper thin variety)

Curd/Yogurt                ½ cup

Salt to taste                 ½ tsp approx.

For seasoning:

Oil                               ½ tsp

Mustard seeds            ½ tsp

Bengal gram dal         ½ tsp

Black gram dal            ½ tsp

Green chilli                 1 no. chopped to circular pieces

Red chilli                     2 nos.

Curry leaves                few

Cashew nuts                2 nos. (broken to smaller pieces)

Asafoetida                   A pinch

Optional Ingredients for garnish, nutrition and taste: (Add all, some or none of these. It’s your choice alone!)

Onion                          1 tbsp. fine chopped

Carrot                          1 tbsp. grated

Cucumber                   1 tbsp. fine chopped

Ginger                         ¼” pc grated

Coriander leaves         1 tbsp fresh and fine chopped

Raisins                         1 tsp

Pomegranate seeds    1 tbsp

Fresh green grapes     1 tbsp (big size grapes can be sliced to half)

Cumin powder              A pinch

Black salt powder         A pinch

Raw grated coconut    2 tbsps (fresh)

Directions:

Wash poha thoroughly in water – preferably twice. Drain out the water. Whisk curd well with salt. Add this to the washed poha. Mix them gently. Keep aside for just 5 min. Get ready to season it….

Heat oil in a small skillet. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add bengal gram dal and black gram dal. When they turn golden brown, add chopped green chillies, red chillies, curry leaves and cashew nuts. Switch off and add asafoetida. Let it cool.

Now add any or all of the ingredients listed above for garnish, to suit your taste and convenience. Finally add the seasoning that you just prepared. Mix them well and yes, gently.

Mosaru Avalakki is now ready. Serve it straight (with / without accompaniment) or chill n serve.

Chefs’Chat:

Thick variety of poha may also be used. It needs more soaking time and comparatively greater quantity of water. When kept soaked for a longer time, poha mix thickens. You may have to add more curd and also water if required. Also remember to check the taste for this revised quantity. A bit more of salt….sure you can add.

Adding veggies and fruits like onion, cucumber, grapes, pomegranate not only enhances nutrition n taste, but also prevents the mixture from becoming thick.

Store it in refrigerator if needed for later use. Add milk if curd turns sour.

If you wish to pack it for travel, mix all ingredients except curd. Store boiled and cooled milk separately with just a spoon of curd added to it. Mix it well with rest of the ingredients just before serving.

Same recipe holds good for Curd Rice too. Here, in place of poha, use cooked rice. Cook rice with rice: water ratio of 1:3. Let rice cool completely before adding curd, salt, seasoning and garnish.

 

AKKI THARI UPMA (Broken Rice Upma)

| sarapaka
Kannada cuisine cannot be complete without using Avarekaayi.  Known by many names like flat beans, field beans, hyacinth beans, Surti Papdi, Val etc. it is used for making endless varieties of dishes like Saaru, Sambar, Saagu, Usli, Upma, Curry, Kurma, Gojju, Rotti, Pongal, Pancake, Pulao to name a few. Heavenly to our tongue and healthy to our tummy is Avarekayi Uppittu a typical winter breakfast, prepared chiefly using broken rice and avarekaayi that add value and variety for nutrition and taste.

 Dish Type:  South Indian Rice Variety Akki Thari Uppittu copy

Preparation Time:  10 min

Cooking time:  20  min

Serves:  6 persons

Ingredients

For cooking:

Avarekaalu         500 gms (pressed ones i.e., deseeded from the pod)

Water                   750 ml

Salt                         1 tsp

For seasoning:

Oil                                     50 ml

Mustard seeds                  ½ tsp

Cumin seeds                      ½ tsp

Pepper corns                     ½ tsp (coarsely crushed)

Green chilli                         4 nos. (slit)

Curry leaves                       1 sprig

Ginger                                 ½” pc (grated)

Turmeric pwd                      A pinch

Broken Rice                        500 gms

Salt to taste                        1 tsp approx.

Cooked avarekaalu

For garnishing:

Raw coconut                      ½ coconut (grated)

Coriander leaves              1 cup (fresh and fine chopped)

Directions:

Wash pressed avarekaalu , green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves and ginger. Drain out the water. Chop, grate or split them as mentioned above (under “Ingredients”). Keep them aside.

Cook avarekaalu with water and salt in a pressure cooker upto 2 whistles.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds. When it crackles, add cumin seeds and pepper corns. When they splutter, add slit green chillies, grated ginger and coarsely chopped curry leaves, salt  and turmeric powder. Now add broken rice and fry them together for 6 to 8 min. Add grated coconut. Add the cooked avarekaalu along with the water used for cooking. Mix well. Adjust the quantity of water and salt at this stage. If more water is required, then add boiling water. Add fine chopped fresh coriander leaves. Mix well. Switch off the flame.

Shape them into balls with your hands made damp for making each ball. Arrange them on a greased plate and steam them in pressure cooker like idlis for about 10 min.

Switch off the flame. Let it cool a bit.

Akki Thari Kadabus are now ready. Serve them with a dash of ghee.

Choice of side dish: Coconut chutney, gojju, majjige huli.

Preferred side dish: Urad Dal Chutney

Chefs’Chat:

To make broken rice, wash rice thoroughly with water.Drain out the water completely. Dry the washed rice in shade by spreading it on a thin clean cloth. It takes 4 to 6 hours or more depending on the weather. Grind the dried rice coarsely to rava consistency.

Rice Rawa need not be roasted like Upma Rava. If Idli Rawa is used, upma becomes a bit sticky.

MUNG BEAN (GREEN GRAM) BASSAARU

| sarapaka
Down to earth traditional. Farmer’s favourite. Authentic Karnataka dish handpicked from an endless list of rasam varieties and served on a platter! Prepared by using greens, vegetables, lentils, sprouts stock (i.e., the water strained after cooking greens, grains or vegetables) this delicious Bassaaru derives its name from two Kannada words “Basidu” (which means strained) and “Saaru” (which means Rasam).

Dish Type:  South Indian Vegetarian Stew gg bassaru 2 copy

Preparation Time:  20 min

Cooking time:  30 min

Serves:  5 persons

Ingredients

Green Gram                            250 gms

Curry leaves                            1 sprig

Green chilly                             1 no.

Cumin seeds                            less than ½ tsp

Peppercorns                            4 or 5 nos.

Ginger                                     ¼”

Grated raw or dry coconut     2 tbsps

Jaggery                                    1 tsp

Salt to taste                             1 tbsp approx.

Tomato                                    1 no. fine chopped

Water                                      1000 ml

Dry fry green gram for a minute. Let it cool. Wash it well and drain out the water. Cook in pressure cooker along with water and salt, in low flame upto 2 whistles and then switch off the burner.

Grind cumin seeds, peppercorns, ginger, green chilly, fine chopped tomato and grated coconut to a paste. Add this to the cooked green gram and let it boil.

Green gram Bassaaru is now ready.

Also view in our blog “Mung Bean Rasam”, ‘Toor Dal Rasam” and “Moong Dal Rasam”

Chefs’Chat:

Lime juice may also be used instead of tomatoes. Squeeze the juice from ½ a lime and add to the bassaaru at the end.

A portion of the cooked green gram can be ground along with masala if thicker consistency is required.

In this recipe, excess water is added to green gram while cooking. However, you can use just the required amount of water for cooking green gram and reuse broth i.e., water strained after boiling any dal, grains or vegetables and add to the cooked green gram before boiling.

 

RAW MANGO RICE (Maavinakaayi Chitranna) Type 2

| sarapaka
Go for mango …green in colour, combine it with rice…. white in colour and see it turn… red in colour. Can’t imagine cooking getting more magical!

Raw Mango is tasty. It’s great fun eating raw specially with salt and a sprinkle of chilli powder. Raw mango grows with a bounty of benefits. It prevents excessive loss of water, minerals and much more…like stroke from the sun, sickness more so that of morning, disease like scurvy since it is rich in Vit C highly. It brings to order blood disorders and is friendly to our teeth too.

 Dish Type:  South Indian Rice Variety Mango Rice Type 2 - A copy

Preparation Time:  10 min

Cooking time:  20  min

Serves:  4 persons

Ingredients

For cooking:

Rice                        500 gms

Water                   500 ml

For grinding (to make raw mango chutney):

Raw mango                        1 no. (grated)

Green chilli                         1 no.

Red chilli                              4 nos.

Mustard seeds                  ¼ tsp

Raw coconut                      ½ coconut (grated)

For seasoning:

Oil                                           4 tbsps

Groundnuts                       2 tbsps

Mustard seeds                  ½ tsp

Black gram dal                   ½ tsp

Red chilly                             4 nos.

Curry leaves                       1 sprig

Salt to taste                        1 tsp approx.

Turmeric pwdr                  A pinch

Asafoetida                          A pinch

Raw mango chutney       (mix that you get after grinding)

For garnishing:

Fresh coriander leaves  2 tbsps (fine chopped)

Directions:

Wash rice thoroughly. Cook rice along with water in a pressure cooker. After 2 whistles switch off the burner and let the pressure subside from the cooker.

While rice is getting cooked….

Wash raw mango, green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves in salt water. Drain out the water. Grate raw mango, raw coconut and keep aside. Fine chop fresh coriander leaves and keep aside.

Now prepare raw mango chutney. For this….

Grind raw mustard seeds, raw grated coconut, green chilli, red chillies and grated raw mango to chutney consistency. Transfer the chutney to a bowl.

Now prepare the seasoning. Heat oil in a large kadai. Add mustard seeds, groundnuts, red chillies, curry leaves, ground raw mango chutney, salt, turmeric and asafoetida in that order. Put each of the above ingredients at few seconds interval between them. Sauté for about 5 min. and switch off the burner.

When the cooker is cool, remove the lid. Spread the cooked rice on to a big plate. Let it cool a bit (not too much). Sprinkle a tsp of salt on this. Transfer the seasoned raw mango chutney from the kadai on to the rice. Mix well. Garnish with fine chopped coriander leaves.

Maavinakayi Chitranna (Raw Mango Rice) is ready.

Also view in this blog “Ellina Chitra Anna” and “Raw Mango Rice – Type 1”

Chefs’Chat:

While mixing the seasoned raw mango chutney with rice, keep a portion of the chutney aside. After mixing with rice, check the taste. If required add more of the chutney. This chutney can also be stored in an air tight container and kept in the fridge for later use.

Every grain of the cooked rice must be soft, fluffy and should stand out independently of the other grains. At the same time, rice should neither be half boiled nor too mushy. This can be checked by pressing a few grains between your fingers.

Green raw mango can also be used to make gojju, chutney, pickles or used in place of tamarind while making rasam or sambar.

MUNG BEAN (GREEN GRAM) DOSA

| sarapaka
Those grams of green…want to eat them raw or cooked, sprouted or unsprouted, dash them on desserts or sip on soup? Take your pick. While there are endless choices, we at Sarapaaka, offer you a recipe where Green Gram or Mung Bean is used raw but soaked (wanna sprout…go ahead) and then ground to a batter with other ingredients listed right below in the recipe to make a delicious dish called Dosa!. A super healthy wholesome recipe without pinching your purse. Ask for more…did you?

Dish type: South Indian Breakfast Variety Hesarukaalu Dose 1 copy

Preparation time: 5 min

Soaking time:  5 hours

Grinding time: 10 min

Fermenting time: not required

Yield: 1 litre (approx.)

Ingredients

Mung bean                  250 gms (sprouted mung beans are also fine)

Rice                             1 fistful

Coriander seeds          1 tsp

Cumin seeds                ½ tsp

Green chilly                 1 or 2 nos.

White chilly                 4 nos. (grown in North Karnataka)

Ginger                         1” piece

Salt                              1 tsp approx.

Coriander leaves         1 cup

Directions

Soak rice and green gram in water together for 5 hours.

Grind both along with all other ingredients (except salt and coriander leaves) in grinder or mixie.

Keep adding little quantities of water and stir the batter at intervals. Lesser water is better to get smoother batter.

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

Let the grinding continue till the texture of batter becomes smooth.

Transfer it to a vessel. This batter will be quite thick since only small quantities of water will be used for grinding. Add required quantity of water to get the correct consistency of batter.

Now add salt and thoroughly washed and chopped fresh coriander leaves. Mix well.

Mung Bean Dosa Batter is now ready.

To prepare dosa, heat a non stick pan/tava. Sprinkle little water on the tava and let it evaporate. Now pour a ladleful of batter on the tava in a circular pattern starting outwards and filling it towards inside of the circle. Pour ½ a tsp of oil or ghee all around the batter and on top. Cover with a lid for a minute or so. Remove the lid. When the batter looks cooked and the edges are turning crisp and brown, flip upside down to cook the other side. Let it cook for a few seconds. Now transfer it to a plate.

Mung Bean Dosa is ready. Preferred side dish: Coconut chutney

Also view in this website Recipe for “Plain Dosa” “Curd Dosa” and “Neeru Dosa”

Chefs’Chat

Fine chopped onions, dil, grated carrot may also be added to the batter for added nutrition and taste.

Health Tip: Follow this simple remedy for high blood pressure.

Boil water in a bowl first thing in the morning. Put 2 to 3 tbsps of mung bean in it. Switch off the flame. Let it stand till it is cool enough to drink. Drain the water and drink it. Repeat this 2 or 3 times a day by adding boiling water to the same mung beans. In the evening, consume the broth and the beans.

 

GARLIC CHUTNEY POWDER

| sarapaka
Beautiful bulb that builds your bones and brightens your health…hidden within are those lovely pearls called cloves. Awed by its aroma? No surprise then…with these garlic cloves, you have fallen in love.

Garlic Chutney Powder is an ubiquitous, signature condiment, that is used pretty commonly in South Indian breakfast and snacks, be it plain roti, Pav Bhaji or Bhakri, Idli or Dosa, mixed with rice or sprinkled on sandwich. Its powerful pungent scent making its strong presence felt when smelt. Well known for its health benefits, brought about chiefly by Allicin, a sulphur compound that is also responsible for lending that distinct aroma, it is most commonly used to combat common cold.

 Dish type: Spice Powder Powder Garlic Cloves copy

Preparation time: 5 min

Roasting time: 10 min

Cooling time: 15 min

Quantity: 100 gms

Ingredients

Garlic                          250 gms

Pepper corns               10 gms

Cumin seeds                10 gms

Methi seeds                10 gms

Coriander seeds          20 gms

Red chillies                  4 nos.

Tamarind                    A small piece (marble size)

Dry coconut grated     200 gms

Salt to taste                 1 tsp approx.

Directions

Roast all the above ingredients separately over low flame in a pan. After each ingredient is roasted keep transferring to a plate. Let them cool thoroughly at room temparature.

A drop of oil can be used for roasting red chilies only.

Dry coconut can be roasted last. When you are done with roasting all other ingredients, turn off the flame. Heat that still remains in the pan after switching off the flame is enough to roast dry coconut.

Powder them coarsely. Store Garlic Chutney Powder in an absolutely dry air tight container.

Chefs’Chat:

While preparing, storing or serving any spice powder, pan used for frying, grinder used for grinding, container used for storing and spoon used for serving, all have to be absolutely dry. Even a drop of water for grinding is a big No-No!

Garlic Chutney Powder is excellent for health during winter season.

While preparing any masala powder, it is always advisable to dry fry ingredients separately due to variance in size, thickness and texture of ingredients.

Healthy Tips:

To get rid of itchy athlete’s foot, soak your feet in a bath of warm water and crushed garlic.

Did you know…you can fix hairline cracks on glass using garlic? Crush some pods and rub the juice on the crack. Wipe away any excess.

Few cloves of garlic squeezed through a garlic press and mixed with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt makes for a healthy dress!

SPINACH STALKS SOUP

| sarapaka
Wanna gatecrash to great health…Stick to this rule: Don’t throw away those sticks…Pal..aka…Spinach! Stay slim with this all season super versatile veggie that is dense in nutrients and low in calories, heals your heart and guards your health.

 Dish Type:  South Indian sss enjoy copy

Preparation Time:  10 min

Cooking time:  20  min

Serves:  4 persons

Ingredients

Spinach sticks                    1 bunch

Water                                   500 ml

Salt to taste                        2 tsps approx.

Cinnamon                           ½” pc

Cardamom                          1 no.

Clove                                     1 no.

Flour                                      1 tbsp (Ragi or Rice or Wheat flour)

Fresh cream                       1 tbsp

Pepper powder                                1 tbsp

Directions:

Separate spinach stalks and leaves. Wash the stalks thoroughly in water. Drain out the water.

Boil the sticks in about 250 ml water. Grind the boiled sticks to a paste. Put the paste back to the boiled water. Add some more water (250 ml approx.) and salt. Continue boiling. Tie cinnamon, cardamom and clove in a cloth and put this into the boiling water. Add flour to a bowl. Make it into a paste using few spoons of water. Add this paste to the boiling water. Continue boiling for 10 to 15 min. When the stock reaches soup consistency, add fresh cream whisked along with few spoons of milk, a pinch of salt and pepper. Add this to the boiling broth and switch off the flame.

Spinach Stalks Soup is now ready.

ChefsChat:

Boiled peas, sweet corn or any other boiled vegetable, boiled noodles, fried bread pieces may also be added to this soup.

Spinach stalks are rich in fibre and easy to digest as compared to those of few other leafy greens.

Since only stalks are used here, the soup is not really green in colour. To get a clear green coloured soup, cook spinach leaves, grind and add the paste to the soup. The more of the paste that you add, the greener shall be the soup in colour!