Koot Avalakki

Pic from our Bangalore trip in Mar 2022

Our friends Ashwath Narayan and Parimala had invited us to their home for high tea. I was now officially a NRM ie. Non resident Mumbaikar as my kid bros teased me and was bored of the regular bangalore snacks of idli, dosa etc in the one year in Bangalore. But Koot Avalakki served by Parimala really brought a zing into our conversations that day with the tangy flavors and powdery texture. The excitement of being introduced to new flavors and textures is what all foodies love to experience.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flakes (pohe/ avalakki)
• 1 table spoon peanuts
• 1/2 table spoon roasted chickpeas (phutane)
• 1/4 table spoon grated desicated coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon asoefotida (hing)
• 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 chilli finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Pulp of tamarind ( lemon sized ball)
• 1 inch lump of molasses (jaggery)
• few curry leaves
• One handful chopped coriander leaves
• salt to taste ( 1 teaspoon)
• 1 cup water
• 1 table spoon oil

First grind the pohe to a coarse powder and keep aside. Then in a kadhai heat the oil and splutter mustard seed in it. Then in goes the hing, curry leaves, peanuts, phutane, coconut fry till golden. Now in goes the chilli powder, chopped chillies, salt stir for a min. Add the powdered pohe and mix well. Splash the mix with water and keep mixing. After fininshing the water cover with a lid for 5 mins so that the pohe powder is softened. Then is the final tangy step not to miss. In the tamarind pulp add molasses and dissolve in a bowl. Remove the lid from the kadhai and sprinkle this tangy sweet sauce on the pohe and stir to mix well. Cover with a lid and cook still soft. Remove from stove and serve hot with cilantro garnish.

Bhutte Ka Kees Ya Phir Pees

Hello friends, readers and the world!

Blogging is lagging behind now while I am busy with lots in life. Will tell you about those things as we go further but first I must tell you how this lovely find brought me back to the blog.

Well few days ago we were at the Matunga market and I spotted this corn basket. I was anyways going to buy it since it is end of monsoon and the corn may disappear soon, least expending this pearly white Indian corn!

Like most other things our Indian markets are flush with American yellow corn and its become a rarity to find our indigenous variety, oh the great joy! They aren't that expensive though I bought 4 heads for Rs.50. My husband who has the least interest in ingredients wondered aloud what I would do with so many. Immediately then and there the division of bounty was done. One for him, boiled corn pearls and the rest for me for Kees, pithla and any other new thing I wanted to try. 

On reaching home I discovered that there was only one tender cob, the others had a slight bite. So the tender one was boiled and given to the husband.

Then one I grated and added to a pithla. Another one I chose to make kees but it would become gritty if I grated it I presumed. So instead I did a pees or ground it. Hence the title Bhutte ka kees ya phir pees!

Those who know Bhutte ka kees or grated corn, is a delicacy popular in Indore. This Indian corn works perfectly for this kees as it is not as sweet as the American corn. So my husband was complaining about it being a little less sweet when boiled.

I know you are already drooling at the platter of Bhutte kas kees so here is the recipe. I must thank my friend Soumitra who requested it else this blog would have found me procrastinating.

Ingredients

1 corn, kernels separated
1 big pinch turmeric
1 big pinch red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
a squeeze of lime
1 green chili chopped fine
1 tablespoon oil
a big pinch cumin seeds
a big pinch mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
handful of fresh grated coconut
handful of cilantro chopped fine

Optional
a handful of fine sev

First grind together corn, chili powder, turmeric powder, sugar, salt along with lime juice to a coarse slurry.

Then in a hot pan add oil. Crackle the mustard, cumin and green chili. Add the asafoetida and stir quickly so that it does not form a lump and quickly add the above ground corn slurry. Keep stirring till the slurry starts leaving the sides of the pan. take it off the gas and keep stirring to cook it in the residual heat. This is as tricky as making Parsi Akuri, you have to ensure that its cooked but not to let it clump up. A good kees or as in my case pees is creamy or just about set.

This recipe is for a single person but you can just double or triple it up according to the no. of people you need to serve. One corn is quite satisfying for one person or for a lady, a guy may want more.

Remove the pees oh the kees into a nice bowl and sprinkle fresh grated coconut and chopped cilantro over it. Add the sev if you like some crunch. I added once and ate it without it once. Go dig in while its still warm. Its delicious and you will want to make it soon in quick succession.

This corn platter actually visually depicts the difference in American and Indian corn. At the tip are the pearly white Indian corn kernels placed inside and the yellow American corn is the porcelain platter design.

Corn Jewelled Upma

I bought a lot of corn and froze it just like I do peas. I also had extra curd that needed to be used up. This upma turned out so good I thought you might want to try.

Ingredients

1 cup semolina/ rava

1/2 cup corn kernels

1/4 cup grated coconut

1 green chillies chopped fine

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon mustard

2-3 sandgi mirchi / sundried curd chillies

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon ghee

3-4 curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

2 cup hot water

1/2 cup curd

salt and sugar to taste

Heat oil in a kadhai and splutter mustard and cumin seeds. Add asafoetida, follow in with curry leaves, sandgi mirchi crushed, chopped green chili and finally cilantro. Now add the rava and roast till fragrant. Add the hot water and drop the corn into the rava, fluff up by covering with lid. Now tip in the curd. Mix. Follow in with grated coconut. Sprinkle in the salt and sugar. Mix rava well by moving the spatula in folding action. Let it steam up by covering the upma with a lid for another 5 mins. In the end drizzle the ghee and mix well.

Fluff up and then fill a mould and demould into a plate before you hand out to eat. 

PS:

No story to share because I am worried about my cousin ATK, I had got him admission to an expensive course in Global Financial Market. On the condition that the institute will give him a job which will take care of his fees. The institute has failed to provide him a job and he had to drop out of the course even though he loves to attend the classes and enjoys the curriculum too. I want him to get back wondering what to do?

A Protein Rich Golden Toast

When a new student of Hotel Management asks you for an innovative recipe, you just jump at it. So here you go Gautami a step by step recipe just for you.

Ingredients

1 cup soaked and ground chana Dal or moong dal

1 medium onion diced fine.

2-3 green chilies chopped fine

1/4 cup corn kernels

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

salt to taste

4 slices of bread or two brun paos like I used.

1/2 tablespoons oil

First mix in a medium bowl the soaked and ground chana Dal or moong dal with finely diced onions, fine chopped green chilies, chopped cilantro, corn kernels and salt.

Apply it on the slices or cut side of the brun.

Put them on a seasoned non stick pan facedown and shallow fry with little oil till golden.

Turn over and toast up the other side of the bread like this.










Remove on a plate and serve with ketchup.

  Then don't wait, just take a bite into a warm wonderfully savoury  Protein Rich Golden Toast ! 

These are so filling that after 2 each of those we skipped lunch !

Green Moong Dal Dhokla

The green skinned moong dal is something I love unconditionally. I love pesarattu and I love moogache ladoo. At times I make this dhokla. It has a good amount of fibre and is nutritious. It takes a little bit of planning to make it as the dal needs to be soaked, just a few hours.

I think you must have it on your healthy food list. 

Ingredients

1 cup green skinned split moong dal
1 large pinch soda bicarb

salt to taste.

0.5 teaspoon ginger 

0.5 teaspoon green chili paste

For the seasoning

1 tablespoon oil 

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

few curry leaves

2-3 green chilies

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

Preparation

Wash and soak the green skinned split moong dal in water. The water level should be more than the dal. Soak atleast for 3-4 hours.

Once soaked, drain the dal and grind to fine paste using minimum water. The green skins may loosen but that is fine, do not discard. Grind along with the skins.

Next add salt and green chili and ginger paste. Add a large pinch of soda bicarb. Mix well. 

Prepare the steaming plates, grease them with oil. Pour the batter about 1/2 inch thickness in a single plate.

Steam in pressure cooker for 20 mins.

Cool completely. Cut up into diamond shapes. 

Prepare the seasoning. Heat oil in a tempering spoon. Add mustard and splutter it. Follow in with asafoetida and curry leaves. Put off the heat. Sprinkle a table spoon of water on the seasoning. With a spoon sprinkle the seasoning over the steamed dhokla.

Toss the dhokla to give a nice coat of the seasoning.

Serve while still warm with ketchup or dry peanut chutney.

Kancheepuram Idli

Like a reader commented on FB, I am here with another 'divine recipe'.

I have recieved the Kacheepuram idli as prasad on couple of occassion. This variation in idli I have eaten was the Rava idli with a tadka, called as Kancheepuram idli. Only after tasting the real temple prasad did I know the difference. However recieving it as prasad meant I got the idli after 1-2 days in transit so not as a fresh one. I wasn't really impressed but then when you have a whole lot of Tamil friends saying praises of the Lord Varadarajaperumal and the idli offered as prasad then your curiosity peaks. 

The Sitemeter on this blog brings in loads of info and insights. One such was this link to an old article in The Hindu that explored Tamil Nadu and finally attempted to decode the Kancheepuram idli.

Of the recipes on that link I refered to the original temple recipe and since it did not mention the amount of Urad Dal I used my own experience from the memory of the taste to arrive at the quantity. This temple recipe is for a very large quantity in kilos so I have adapted it for cooking at home. I have gone for 2:1 ratio for Rice and Urad dal.

SRI VARADARAJAPERUMAL TEMPLE RECIPE

(To make 10 idlis)

IngredientsRaw rice 2kg, Urad dhal kg, Methi 25gm, Pepper 100gm, Jeera 100gm, Dry ginger 100gm,Asafoetida, Curry leaves, Ghee 800gm, Salt

Method: Soak the rice, urad dhal and methi for an hour. Grind to a rough consistency. Add salt and leave overnight. In the morning, add pepper, jeera, dry ginger, asafoetida (all without tempering), sautéd curry leaves and ghee. Mix well and cook. It takes about an hour to cook.

At home, in a cooker it may take only 15 minutes. Place pieces of mandharai leaves on the idli tray and then pour the batter.

I don't know what are Mandharai leaves. Hope you readers can enlighten me.

My Recipe 

2 cups Raw rice 
1 cup Urad dhal 
1/ 4 teaspoon Methi 
1 tablespoon Peppercorns
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon Dry ginger powder
1/ 2 teaspoon Asafoetida
1/2 cup Curry leaves
1 tablespoon Ghee
Salt to taste

Soak the rice and dal together along with methi for 1 hour. Grind to coarseness with enough water. Add salt and let it frement overnight.

The next morning. Crush the peppercorns and add to fermented batter. Add the raw cumin seeds, dry ginger powder, asafoetida into the batter.  Now temper the curryleaves in ghee and add the batter. Mix well. 

Oil plates and pour the spiced batter into the plates. Steam for 15-20 mins in the cooker. 

Demold. Cut up into quarters and serve with an array of chutneys. I made two, coconut cilantro and a tomato chutney to serve on my plate.

Banana Cashew Bread, Honey Peanut Butter and Pear Sandwich

Ha ha! Such a long name for the sandwich. It does sound like a call out for Emperor Akbar! Jokes apart this is a sandwich we loved and so here to share.

Some time ago I made a Cashew version of my Banana bread, its a large loaf for a family of two. So after enjoying warm slices of a fresh baked banana bread on it's own, I wrapped the loaf and stored it in the fridge for later.

Then after few days on a chill evening we wanted to indulge in a high tea. So I made fresh Honey Peanut butter and sliced some pears to sandwich between the lovely bread. What came together was a gourmet sandwich and thought you guys might like it.

So here is the recipe and a half that it is, yeah its simple assembly but a brilliant combo. 

Method

Slice the banana bread thick. 

Toast it on both sides. 

Spread a generous amount of Honey peanut butter on one slice.

Wash and slice pears. Remove core and stem.

Layer the pear slices on the peanut buttered slice.

Cover with the second toasted slice of banana bread.

Enjoy along with a mug of warm milk or your choice of a steaming hot drink!

This picture was clicked for 365project. 

Yes I jumped onto the wagon. So many things keeping me busy and how I am loving this life! Go check out my project. Do leave comments I'd like to hear what you have to say.

Breaking Dibba Roti with Kiran

Dibba Roti with Gongura Pickle

Kiran and me had been planning an outing together for a long time. Finally we did make it one sunday. I reached her home early morning at 7 am. We were supposed to have breakfast and then proceed to A Fortress & A Temple for a little trek and and lots of fresh air just on the edge of Bangalore city. 

This is what I love about Blr.,1/2 to 1 hrs drive and we are in rural Blr and with nature. This was never possible in Mumbai. We, that's Kiran and me are both Mumbai born and bred and both have started loving the country side more after we left behind Mumbai and our families, she for marriage and me for the job.

But like anyone from South India we love our idli, many know only the flying saucer shaped ones but there are many types with different shapes and subtle flavors. It was a new learning for me to know that in Andhra the fresh first day fermented batter was used for idli, second day for dosa and third day for Dibba roti. Dibba means thick. Almost like the Gujarati Handvo, its cooked in a deep wok or pan on slow fire. She served it with Tomato chutney.

With her permission I am posting the traditional-use up your idli batter trick here. 

To make Dibba roti you need Idli batter. Grease a deep wok or pan generously with ghee/ oil/ butter. Ladle into the pan about 1 inch to 2 inch batter. Cover and slow cook on gas. It may take a total of 20-30 mins depending on the thickness. If you are not confident if the center is cooked insert a knife and check if it comes out clean and dry. Roast on one side till browned or 10 mins flip over and brown on the other side and roast another 10 mins.This cooks the thick roti thru and thru.

Remove and cut up into pieces with a cutting wheel, quarters look neat. I served this with Gongura pickle for the authentic taste of Andhra.

In Andhra she tells me that this is made really thick in her inlaw's home and a single Dibba roti can feed 10 people.

After a leisurely breakfast we went to the fortress temple where R. K Narayan's Swami and Friends from the TV serial Malgudi days was shot. We walked around and spent couple of hour breathing in the fresh morning air. Then returned to IIMB campus to enjoy a piping hot lunch made by Kiran's cook. 

I was supposed to return home for lunch but we were so chilled out that day that I stayed on and post lunch was treated to a walk around the beautiful IIMB campus, along the SPINE and PERGOLAS and insights on the architecture and history of the campus by the architect in Kiran.

Sharing here the only two pics I took of our day together. Kiran is camera shy and I was shy to take pics of the IIMB campus. 

I'll be gone for a week away from the hustle bustle of the city and smelling the salt laden breeze La Côte d'Azur de l'Est. Until then vous voyez!

The Jilebi Experiment

I used this recipe. I wanted to use what ever ingredients I had in the pantry for this experiment. I was not at all confident that Jilebi could be made so easily.

Though they turned out very crisp and was flat as the circles sat at the bottom of the frying pan, I still feel confident that I will improve my skills the next time.

DivaLichya Happy Walya Shubhechya !!!

(These lamps are painted by Sujal, my nephew)

Lime-Mint-Pepper Tea

It was a lazy evening. I was feeling fatigued after a hectic week and a busy day even though I was at home. At lunch we had Dry Fruit Kheer which had resulted in a good late afternoon nap.

When I woke up it was dusk and a little chill in the air called for some refreshing tea. I had used up the milk for the kheer leaving us no milk for tea. Though I could just go down and get it I decided instead to make a spiced n flavored black tea.

Ingredients

1.5 glasses of water

1 lime

1 teaspoon dried pudina/ mint

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon tea leaves

sugar to taste

Boil the water and sugar. Add the mint/ pepper/ tea leaves one by one and boil for 5 mins as it turns a pretty gold. Squeeze the lime into tumblers. Strain and fill the tumblers with the tea.

We enjoyed this tea thoroughly. The cheeselings were nice to pop into the mouth between sips of the refreshing drink. The smells of citrus and mint and pungency of the pepper are a sure shot way of relaxing with aroma therapy, the Ayurveda way !

Cheers!

Jumpstart with Ragi Shevige Bhat

Ragi Shevige! I exclaimed as I spotted it on the shelves. These are not common and knowing it is from the Anil brand you are promised of the thinnest possible ones. I picked up the 180 gms packet. It costs only 13 Rs. Ragi is a locally grown millet so you are helping the farmers by buying it besides getting your power packed calcium dose. Though I had been introduced to Ragi or Nachani as it is known in Marathi early in life, it is rarely that we had it as part of our food. Here in Karnataka it is more ubiquitous.

Keep a packet handy and give your day a jumpstart with Ragi Shevige Bhat for breakfast. You will need just your pantry staples.

Ingredients

1 packet of Ragi (180 gms of Anil)

1 big onion, chopped fine

1 green chili chopped fine

few curry leaves

1 tablespoon oil

2 teaspoons urad dal

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

salt to taste

1/2 lime

Boil 3 cups of water. Add the ragi shevige to it. Press it down so the boiled water cooks the shevige evenly. Stir once and keep covered. Till you prepare the seasoning.

Heat oil and fry the urad dal to a golden hue, splutter mustard seeds after that. Add the onions and fry till transluscent. The chopped green chilies go in after this and the curry leaves to add a color contrast besides the fragrance and heat. Now add the shevige and mix with a fork to make them fluffy and distribute the seasoning through out the bhaat. Cover and let it rest for 5 mins before serving.

Mix once and then fill mould with the cooked shevige and unmould onto a plate. You may sprinkle some grated coconut over it. I did not. Yummy and healthy Ragi Shevige gives you a jumstart and keeps you full till lunch time.

Instant Ragi Dosa/ NachaNi Dhirda

For The Surprise Visitors

I read this post about the Sthapana of Shree Brahmachaithanya Maharaj's Paduka at the residence on Mr. Arun Gangal and it reminded me of his recent visit to Blr and our home. He sang beautiful bhajans composed by himself and gave us a complimentary copy of his CD which was recently released. It amazes me to see such devotion in people.

He came at lunch time with Mr. Gurunath Kulkarni. I was unsuccessful in coaxing them to wait for lunch due to his plan of returning to Mumbai immediately.

I had a challenge, what do I serve to 3 surprise visitors? I had a Ragi flour packet lying around waiting to be transferred to a jar. That gave me an idea for making Ragi dosa with curd to give the tang.

They turned out darn good and made me happy that they are actually a lovely low-cal option. Yet Mr. Gangal had been fed to the brim by our doting Gurunath uncle and he hardly could oblige us. I served them with Chutney pudi and ghee as the Madras Cucumber Sambhar you see in the picture was not yet ready.

This is a good one and I recommend it.

Ingredients

1 cup Ragi flour
1/2 cup sour curd
1.5 cups water or more
salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Make it the consistency of regular dosa batter or pourable, spreadable batter.

Heat a non stick pan. Pour a ladleful on the heated pan and spread into a round. Roast till the sides are crisp and separated from the pan. The underside golden brown. Roast it only on one side to keep it crisp. If you turn over it will become soft. In the picture you see the soft ones but my personal favorite are the crispies.

Serve with a chutney you like. A green chutney would taste and look great. I am getting ideas a Thecha would taste better! What say all ya South Indian influenced Maharashtrians? What you eat reflects what you are :D. To be fair you have the option of calling these crepes Nachani Dhirda. OK.

Usal Puri

Usal with a squeeze of lemon OR splash of sweet Tamarind Chutney

When we lived in Fort going to Thal meant either taking the ferry to Revas from Bhaucha dhakka or taking the State Transport Bus from Parel ST Depot. Those days it took 4 hrs to reach to Thal. Either ways we had to change mode of transport or vehicle. At such times waiting at the Revas Bus stand or Alibag Bus depot was not the easiest thing to do, it was completely idlylic. The small little eatery at Revas or the Alibag ST canteen made life interesting.

Both the places served tasty Usal Puri or Alibag's Poori Bhaaji. Like in the North India Chole Puri is a rustic breakfast, it takes the avatar of Poori Saagu in the South. In Maharashtra it is the Vatana Usal. Soemtimes served with Poori or Pao. In and around Alibag I have seen it is served as in my platter. The Usal in a bowl with potato bhaji scoop in the middle with a simple salad of onions, cilantro and green chilies and a quarter of a lemon. At my home Dad loves to give this dish his touch with a splash of sweet tamarind chutney, an influence from his Bhaiya (UPites) neighbors in our Colaba home.

For a long time I have been be contemplating about making this Combo meal for breakfast. It is a meal associated with my Dad's childhood and youngster days. It was to them what Pizza and Chinese is to my generation. They rarely had the pocket money to eat at the only eatery in the village. Yet when he started going to junior college in Alibag, he saved money to eat Poori bhaji or Usal Pao. This later was replaced by Rumble Tumble on Toast and Caramel custard at the Irani hotels in Colaba when he started working in Mumbai.

Now making this for breakfast meant full preparation to be made the day before. Potatoes were bolied along with Dal and rice in the pressure cooker and frozen for use the next morning. The dried green peas were soaked in water in the afternoon and over the night to make it easy for cooking and we would require a mushy Usal. Also while making the last nights chapatis made some extra tight dough for the Puris. Even with this kind of preparation I would still need an hour to put together the breakfast at the final stage.

So today the day began with pressure cooking the green vatana, making the yellow potato bhaaji. Then cleaned the home had bath and then went back to cutting the vegetables to give the final touches. While I was gone for bath. Dad got excited with the smells and went to check out in the kitchen what I was making for breakfast. Seeing the preps he did some thing and I did not have a clue.

I came back and got everything ready, took pictures and finally was settling down to eat with Dad. He sprung a surprise! He had made his favorite sweet tamarind chutney. Between mouthfuls he was saying, "You have made this the first time after we came to Bangalore." Gosh yes we were having this breakfast after almost 5 years. I was teasing Dad that he seemed to be excited about breakfast of Usal Puri today, he actually preferred Usal Pao he said, "I love to soak up the Pao in it, every morsel." But Baba you have to have our Mumbai Pao for it not these buns we get in Blr. We both agreed and enjoyed heartily the Usal Puri.

If it interests you try it out, you will not regret the sweating required for it.

Ingredients

For the Vatana usal

1/2 cup dried green peas/ Hirve Vatane

Wash and soak in lot of water. Start in the afternoon of the day before of this breakfast.

Next morning

2 onions chopped fine
1 green chili chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
2 teaspoons sambhar powder/ Goda masala
8- 10 curry leaves
handful chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

Pressure cook the soaked Vatane to mushiness. I covered the Vatane with enough water and allowed 6-8 whistles.

Heat the oil. Fry onions till pink. Add the tomatoes. Add the green chili and sambhar powder. Cook down to a paste. Pour the cooked Vatane into it. The consistency of this curry is pourable to watery depending on how you like it. Today the Usal was planned to be served with Puri so I made it such as to be slurped with the Puri not to watery. However with Pao watery one is prefered. The salt needs to go in to make the effort enjoyable, do it your style. Let it boil.

The Potato Bhaaji is so common that I feel it does not need a recipe but without it this post cannot be complete.

For the Potato Bhaaji

1 tablespoon of oil
4 potatoes diced
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
salt to taste

Heat the oil. Splutter the mustard seeds, sprinkle the asafoetida and the turmeric. Mix in the diced potatoes. Cover and cook for 5 mins.

For Sweet Tamarind Chutney

1 lemon sized ball of tamarind
2 lemon sized balls of jaggery
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a bowl heat water. Add to it the tamarind, jaggery and salt and bring to a boil. Put off the heat and after cooling, squeeze out the extract. Strain to remove fibers and shell of tamarind.

Onion cilantro salad

Chop onions fine. Do the same with fresh cilantro. Fine chop a green chili. Mix all this together with a little salt. This has to served on the side.

Serving Directions

In a plate place a shallow bowl ladle out the Usal. Scoop up some potato bhaaji and drop it in the center of the bowl. Now serve on left handside hot ballooned Puris. On the right handside serve the onion salad and a wedge of fresh lemon. Place the tamarind chutney in a bowl on the side. Those who like it might want to splash it on the Usal.

Eating directions

With your fingers top the Usal and Potato bowl with the onion salad. Squeeze the lemon over it. Mix with your fingers mashing the potatoes into the usal. The blending of the sour and starchy goodness makes it so yum and therapeutic, you stop to experience it just for a while. If adding sweet chutney do it after this mixing to enjoy the different taste between morsels. Now tear a small piece of the Puri and scoop up the Usal and put it straight into the salivating mouth. I cannot imagine not using my fingers for this. I might switch to a spoon only after the mixing. Some food are such the tactile indulgence is a must.

A closing note...

When one is happy then one feels like making lengthy meals. Once in a while, we all need assurance that people in our life value us. Communication is so important. It has made me so calm and gives more strength to face life. All of a sudden all the problems seem to have vanished. Those of you who find it difficult to communicate please reassure your feelings to your loved ones. Don't imagine that people understand what's on your mind. Speak it out, that is why we have a language, say it in words.

As for me I am awaiting some special time... "a different platform" ;) !

Nutritious Vegetable Idli

Everyone knows how to make idlis. If you are one of those that does not then here is the recipe for a simple idli just don't add the black pepper else you will get Pepper Idli.

Humm once you have the batter ready. Keep the veggies you want at hand. I used grated carrots and fine chopped french beans.

It not only adds more fiber too your favorite starchy snack but also makes it nutritious. I made this variation for my recuperating Dad. He needed non spicy yet colorful looking food.

The chutney too was made with ginger for heat and gave the green chili a kho this time.

Kakdi Dhirda

It is exciting times for me both on the work as well as personal front. I have been working hard and coming back to my waggy tail in the evening. It has such a calming effect. Plus I am going to have great memories of last Monday. He took a break from his busy schedule to be with me. How could I be unaffected. A new set of wheels and a handsome man at the control is every woman's fantasy, isn't it? It was my happy day, it was real!!!

I've become lazy with all the attention coming my way. Just want to chill out and take life at an easy pace. I cook if I feel like, eat what I want. Most times I've been making quick meals. My thoughts are elsewhere. There is action replay happening in my mind. Just soaking in.

I woke up today and felt like having something healthy. Kakdi Dhirda is quick, fragrant and emmencely satisfying. It is ready in a blink, oh not actually but I felt like that as I mixed together the batter. Planning other moves while doing it.

Do as I did if you care for this Dhirda. This is Kakdi Dhirda or Cucumber dosa marathi style.

In Maharashtrian homes Dhirda is made mostly for a quick snack with whatever is available in the pantry. You can say these are instant dosas or uttappams. What makes Dhirda a Marathi recipe unlike the dosa is the sweet tinge to it.

Ingredients

1 cucumber grated
1 cup fine semolina
2 green chilies chopped fine
2 tablespoons of crushed jaggery
salt to taste
ghee to roast

I used green skinned cucumber to get the really green look for my Kakdi Dhirda. Grated it in a big bowl and kept the skin on.

Chopped chilies went into the bowl. Then the jaggery and salt. I mixed the batter pensively using enough water to make it like dosa batter.

Heated the girdle on medium, spread the batter in circles. I like my Dhirda to be a bit thick. Like a uttappam. Leave a little bit of ghee from the sides. The ghee makes the Dhirda extra fragrant. Roast it on both sides.

Remove onto a plate and serve with Metkut but then I am in the south so no Bedekar's Metkut for me. I make do with Chutney pudi. Dhirda actually does not need any accopaniment it can be enjoyed on its own with a masala chai, it works wonders.

Veg Sandwich From The Streets of Mumbai

Some places conjure the images of gastronomical experiences, others of healthy food and some others of the aroma of ghee.

Mumbai street food in definitely gastronomical but rarely will it stand for healthy food. Though everyone loves the vegetable sandwich this side of the country, people never list it as their first favorite.

When we were in college on returning home if we refused food we would be taunted "Must have hogged Vada pao." Mom and Aunts felt relieved if we said we had veg sandwich for a filler.

You will say what is so great about Veg Sandwich? Yeah this I realized when I heard some young boys from Mumbai comment in the cafeteria at work on the sandwich they were served. In typical Mumbai lingo, "Salon ko sandwich bhi banana nahi aata." Good here in Bangalore people don't grasp Mumbaiya Hindi. However I do understand their frustration and sympathize with my Mumbaikars outside Mumbai.

You will understand why when you try out this recipe. The Veg sandwich made on the streets of Mumbai bursts with flavors and veggies. It is not just a treat for the taste buds but is as colorful as a rainbow.

Every college has a cafeteria yet you will always find a sandwichwala outside the college gate. Kids build relationships with the Bhaiya (Sandwich vendors are mostly from Uttar Pradesh) and they know the regulars preferences. One does not have to specify the order. He would know who likes the sandwich with onions and who does not also who prefers to skip the beetroot.

We would love to watch him butter the slices, apply the chutney (wondering if the chutney was made in hygienic conditions) and then he would skillfully slice the vegetables thin, holding it in hand. We always feared he might slit his hand but his acumen was worth an applaud. Then he would pull out his tin of chat masala tap it on the portable counter and as if in a practiced dance movement sprinkle it over the fresh slices of veggies. This sandwich is always a club sandwich ie. of 3 bread slices. The final slice would cover the riot of colors. He would then apply a little pressure with his palm to hold all the stuff together and run his long bread knife along the edges to trim them and to cut the pieces, always 6 rectangle ones. The sliced bread used is generally Britannia or Modern. They use the large sized slices as the edges are trimmed. Many kids while they watch the Bhaiya prepare their sandwich like to grab the trimmings and eat it with a little ketchup. Most Bhaiyas don't mind this behaviour of the kids. Then depending whether you wanted to eat it at the stall or pack away, he would slide the sandwich off the board onto a plate layered with butter paper or a piece of the bread wrapper sheet. Finally handing out the serving to you. If you were eating in front of him he would hand over the ketchup squeezee to you else pack the ketchup in a small Ziploc pouch.

I would love to eat my sandwich fresh before it gets soft as this is not a toasted one. Going on to dot it with ketchup. It was always impossible to talk while eating as even the single piece loaded with all those veggies would stuff your mouth. After this came the best part when the entire gang of friends would pretend to act as if they were set on fire by the chutney and demand, "Bhaiya sukha dena" sniffing hard to drive the point. But Bhaiya knew us too well and he would keep a little triangle of buttered slice ready for each of us!

All this for just 5-7 Rs. Now I don't even know how much the Veg sandwich costs. I have not had one in years on the streets of Mumbai.

Would you like to try it out?

Make two.

Ingredients

For Green chutney

1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 green chilies

Grind together to get an aromatic paste.

For the Sandwich

8 slices of bread
butter
1 beetroot, boiled
2 small potatoes, boiled
1 onion
1/2 cucumber
1 big tomato
Chat Masala

First butter all the slices. Keep aside 2 buttered slices for the sukha.

Apply green chutney on the remaining 6 slices. One by one slice the vegetable on bread slices like shown here. Sprinkle a large pinch of chat masala over each layer. Do you see the specs in the picture? They are slightly visible on the beets.

Assemble all the slices veggie side up obviously. Cover with a buttered and chutneyed slice with the plain side up. Press gently with your palm while cupping the sandwich with your fingers. Run the bread knife to trim the edges.

Then cut up into small 6 rectangular pieces like here.

Dot with ketchup and enjoy! I ate straight from the cutting board but if you are serving this to someone slide it off onto a nice plate and handout a tissue, putting a piece of this sandwich in your mouth without messing is a practiced art.


Don't forget the sukha buttered slices. Put together the buttered slices and trim the edges and cut up into four triangles. Tradition says only one small triangle of sukha after one full Veg sandwich. It helps cool off the heat of the green chutney yet lets your Jivha soak up in the wonderful flavors of a true Mumbai Veg sandwich from around the corner on the street.

Lasagna With An Indian Twist

I was a kid in the time of black and white TV when on one sunday afternoon I saw this punjabi lady make this dish on TV. After that many a times it used to be an after school snack for us kids. Most evenings I would make small treats for my sisters and brothers, grilled sandwiches, soupy snacks etc. but I would get taunted from my Aunts, "Chapati khayla nako". As is in all homes, who likes to eat chapati at that age. So when I started using up chapatis for the evening snack my Aunts were happy. Then they started complaining about me using too much cheese.

In those days we never bought cheese locally, either it was too expensive or not as good as Kraft. So the supplies of cheese were provided by Uncle M and it always was in my custody. Most of the elders still had not acquired a palate for it. They would say, "God knows what these kids love about cheese. It has just a salty taste." Well not that we could decode the hidden flavors in the cheese at the age but I guess we loved it because it was something exotic for us in those days plus above all Uncle M got it from all his travels.

Those days the only cheese I knew was processed cheese and cheddar cheese. Uncle had once bought a red wax coated cheese that looked like an apple. I still don't know what type it was. Though now I have learnt to appreciate cheese a little more.

So what can be better than a truely cheese loving dish than a Lasagna. It was through that cookery show that I learnt early that Lasagna is a Italian layered pasta dish. This twist too is really an original creative one by that lady on TV. I don't recollect whether it was Neeta Mehta or someone else. Well what matters is I still remember it and I have been making it ever since. That is brilliance.

I know you can't wait to try out. Well then get noting.

Ingredients

3 chapatis
1 cup cooked vegetables/ left over bhaaji
4 tablespoons sauce of choice
and
any soft cheese of choice (cheddar+mozarella) or crumbled paneer

This dish is extremely versatile. You can have endless variations without having to repeat a creation. I love it that way instead of creating the same taste.

It can be baked in a tin in the oven or made on stove top in a deep dish frying pan. I love both versions and there is a difference in taste too.

To layer begin with the first chapati then the bhaaji, spread evenly. Then cover with second chapati. Now spread the sauce with a spatula. Then the third chapati takes its place. Grate the cheese over it. I don't give any proportion for cheese as it depends on how much you like. I am quite generous and don't want my readers eyes popping out while reading, so you do your own thing.

This is the basic layering. You can repeat this pattern for another 3 layers on the top. Always ending with a nice cheese layer. Bake it for 15 mins in a preheated oven @ 190 deg celsius. This baked lasagna is soft.

If done on stove top, the bottom layer gets crisp and that is how I enjoy most.

It has all the ingredients that are already processed or cooked so this dish is ready in a jiffy. Once the cheese melts remove from heat. Cut out portions with a pizza wheel cutter and serve warm. It is quite juicy with all the cheese and sauce so does not require any dressing but a glass of juice to go with it or a masala chai is great.

Enjoy recycling your food!

I Swear I Make Better Appams

and I shoot better pictures too.

Appams for dinner with Tomato bhaaji and Coconut Chutney and the invisible Olan

I am supposed to be celebrating Kerala here on my blogs but am so sorry have been knee deep in work so could not post much. I have decided to make up over the long weekend.

Appams to me bring back memories of looking out of our bedroom window in Fort, Mumbai. It opened out to the back sides of other buildings but luckily for us we were saved from getting free shows of bedroom scenes in other people's homes because there was this building which was pulled down by the demolition authority right till the ground floor. The top served like a terrace kitchen for the Keralite eatery it housed. Every morn this burly filthy Malbari would hook up his lungi and sit in front of atleast 10 coal fired sigrees with the most ugly looking appa chattis (woks). He would grease the appa chattis with an onion dipped in oil. Pour a cup of batter into it and swirl the chatti over his head or almost! Put it back on the fire and cover to cook. Serially he would complete this task. Then he would go back to the first one and start removing the cooked appams into a gindi/metal tub. Another guy would pick those appams ready for serving and run down to the eatery to put it on some homesick Keralite's plate. They would enjoy it with may be Kadala curry or Fish curry or Mutton curry oblivious of who made them and where!

I must admit I enjoyed the scenes and the whiffs of fermented batter cooking in the appa chattis but never dared to explore to the back lane to taste it. It was at my school friend Clotilda's ( she was a Mangalorean though) that I tasted Appams for the first time I guess with jaggery sweetened coconut milk.

I know my appams too well. They should be really lacy on the sides and a soft spongy lump in the center. As my eldest Uncle R would say, "Appam is the product of a love marriage between a dosa and a idli." LOL !!

Yesterday I made Appams for dinner with Tomato bhaaji, Coconut Chutney and Olan. They didn't turn out as lacy as they normally do and I hate to take pictures at night using flash and that reflects here. I swear I make better Appams and take better pictures too. You know it don't you? Ok atleast you know the better pictures part! I promise I'll post better picture with the laciest Appams.

Till then here is the recipe I follow.

Ingredients

1 cup raw rice
1 cup bolied rice
1/4 coconut grated
pinch of yeast
salt as per taste


Wash and soak both the types of rice together in water for atleast 4 hrs. Grind to fine paste in a wet grinder along with the grated coconut. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup water and add to the batter. The batter should be pourable consistency. Through out the night let it ferment.

In the morning add the salt into the batter and mix well.

Heat a non stick appam kadhai or wok. Add 1/2 cup of batter in it then with a deft hand swing the wok around to spread the batter along the curves. Keep it back on the heat. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 mins. The center should become shiny only then it is cooked and ready to be removed from the kadhai before you start again with the second appam.

Serve with any coconut milk based curry delicately flavoured or the full bodied Kadala curry depending on what time of the day you are enjoying the Appams.

Vegetable Stew

Yeah we love it. It is the mild taste of vegetable stew that I have now accommodated it in my brunch list. I like mild flavors for breakfast yet it still has not made it to the breakfast options simply because it takes a bit of hard work. I love coconut chutneys and coconut milk based curries but breaking the coconut and extracting the milk has always been Dad's job. As an exception I extracted the milk after he broke the coconut this one day. So as a favor I added some color to the stew by using tomato in it. Dad does not appreciate white curries so.

I remember a friend trying to decode vegetable stew when we were in school. Stew is mixed vegetable and potato cooked in coconut milk with whole spices and the special touch of smoking coconut oil.

Incase you are making stew for breakfast it is a good idea to cut the veggies and extract coconut milk at night itself.

Here is how I made the Ishtew as they call it in Kerala.

Ingredients

2 cups Mixed Vegetable cuts
2 tomatoes (Coz Dad likes it)
2 teaspoon coconut oil
2 cups coconut milk
1 green chili
4 cloves
1 inch piece of cinnamon
3 cardamoms
10 peppercorns
few curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds (accidental)

Heat a saucepan. Add the coconut oil. It should smoke add the whole spices, sliced green chili, curry leaves and immediately add the vegetable cuts. (I accidentally added mustard to the seasonings out of habit, purists please excuse me). Cook till tender or pressure cook. Once this is done. Add the coconut milk and simmer for 7-8 mins. Do not increase the heat as the coconut milk might coagulate especially when tomatoes are included. Put off the heat and serve warm with Idiyappams, Appams etc.

Subash and Ramesh tasted it from my lunch box. When it comes to praises Subash is always liberal. Hee hee with all the noises and action. I went uhh! at him as usual with a wave of the hand.

Stew on other blogs:

Valli's Kerala Vegetable Stew in Microwave!
Jugalbandi's Istu
Pachakam's Spicy Vegetable Stew