Uthappa (Dosa with Onion Toppings)

Uthappa is a very delicious dosa which has a soft texture along with the crunch of onion. This dosa comes to rescue for the working women who prefer to do a big batch of dosa batter. Instead of making the same plain dosa everyday- the batter can be used to make uthappa or appo. In this way you will not get bored with the same dosa.
I got this recipe from a cook book written by Jaya V Shenoy. I had a little doubt about the taste when she had mentioned to add ginger along with onion. When I made it, trust me it tasted so good. You needn't go to a restaurant to have Uthappam. Equally delicious dosas can be made at home. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

For the Batter:

• Rice- 1 cup
• Split black gram/Urad dal-1/2 cup
• Cooked rice- Fistful (Optional)
• Salt- To taste
• Oil/butter- For Frying (optional)

For Toppings:

• Onion- As required
• Coriander leaves/Cilantro- 7-9 Sprigs
• Ginger- 1/2 inch
• Green chillies- 4-5

For the toppings you can also try adding carrot, cabbage, capsicum (bell pepper), beans etc (All should be chopped as fine as possible)

Procedure:

Soak the rice and urad dal for 2-3 hours. Grind them together along with cooked rice, to a fine consistency. Add water as required. The batter should be medium thick. Keep this batter 8-10 hours, for fermentation. Once it is fermented add salt and mix well. Batter is ready.

For Topping- Finely chop onion, coriander leaves, ginger and green chillies. Mix them together in a bowl.

Now pour a ladel full of batter on the heated pan (You can also add more batter to make it more thick). Spread a little bit. Then spread the chopped onion mixture on the surface of the dosa (I like lot of chopped onions on the surface). Add oil, if preferred. Close it with a lid (flame should be medium).

Let it fry until the base of the dosa turns golden brown and the batter on the surface should look completely cooked (in presence of steam). Then fry the dosa on the other side until it turns light brown. Uthappa is ready!!

Serve it hot with coconut chutney. Above measurement serves 3-4 people.

Read More »

Kultha Chutney (Horse gram Chutney)

Kultha Chutney is a very simple and tasty chutney. Kulithu in konkani means horse gram. I had posted the benefits of horse gram in one my posts- Kultha idli. I got this recipe from a cook book written by Jaya V Shenoy. My amma never made this and it is totally new to me too. This is a old dish and slowly it is getting lost. Hence I thought of trying it so that I can post. The taste was excellent. Try making this healthy chutney and enjoy!!

Ingredients:

• Horse gram- 2 Tbsp
• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen- 2/3 cup
• Roasted red chillies- 3-4
• Tamarind- A small ball (goose berry sized)
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

First roast horse gram until it changes its color slightly and gives out a nice aroma (it might take 3-4 minutes).
Now grind grated coconut along with roasted red chillies, tamarind and salt. Then, to this ground mixture, add the dry roasted horse gram and grind it again adding water as required (don't add too much water . Water is added just to bring all the ingredients together). Transfer the contents to a bowl. Kultha Chutney is ready!!

Serve it with dosa, idli or rotis. Above measurement serves 2-3 people.

Read More »

Vermicelli Pulav

Vermicelli Pulav is a simple and easy breakfast/snack. My amma used to make this regularly. This is little bit different from the usual pulav. So what makes it different? It is because no vegetables are added to this and the flavor of pulav is retained by adding whole garam masala. Hence this can be a quick snack for the surprise guests, as the ingredients required for this is generally present in a kitchen.
My amma also tried adding veggies to this dish but i didn't like it. Try making this quick version of pulav and enjoy!!

Ingredients:

• Vermicelli- 1 cup
• Ghee- 2-3 tsp
• Green Chilli- 1-2
• Whole Cardamom- 1-2
• Cloves- 2-3
• Cinnamon- 1 inch
• Bay leaf- 1
• Garlic pods- 2-3
• Onion, medium sized- 1
• Coriander leaves/Cilantro- 5-6 sprigs
• Water- 2 cups
• Salt- To taste

You can also try adding veggies like carrot, beans, peas etc.

Procedure:

Heat 1 tsp of ghee and start frying vermicelli.

Keep mixing it continuously until it turns golden brown. Turn off the heat and transfer it into a plate.

Now in the same pan add the remaining ghee and start heating it. To this add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf. Fry for few seconds and add chopped onion, garlic and chopped green chilli. Mix well. Add salt to taste. Fry it until onion turns light brown.

Now add water (preferably hot) to the chopped onion. When the water comes to boil, add the roasted vermicelli. Mix well (check for salt).

 Close the lid and let it remain, until all the water evaporates.

Turn off the heat and garnish it with cilantro. Vermicelli Pulav is ready!!

Serve it hot. Above measurement serves 1-2 people.

Read More »

Chane Usli (Seasoned Chickpeas)

Chane Usli is a simple, protein filled breakfast. This is also known as Chane Upkari. If using the canned chickpeas, then this is one of the quickest option for breakfast. This makes a filling breakfast, as chickpeas are rich in protein. Traditionally this dish is served along with Teek phovu (spicy beaten rice), which I will be posting soon.Try making this and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• Cooked Chana/Chickpeas- 1 1/2 cup (or a can of chickpeas)
• Oil- 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal/Split Black gram- 1 tsp
• Green chilli- 2-3
• Curry leaves- Few
• Asafoetida- 1-2 pinches
• Grated Coconut- 2 Tbsp
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

For cooking Chana (Black or white)- Soak it for 8 hours and then cook it in a pressure cooker with required amount of water and salt, for 3-4 whistles. 
If using canned, then rinse it properly using water.

Now heat oil. Add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add chopped green chillies and curry leaves. Fry for few seconds. Now add urad dal and asafoetida. Fry until urad dal turns light brown.

Then add cooked chickpeas (drain all the water) and grated coconut. Add salt, if required. Mix well.

Continue heating for 3-4 minutes and turn off the heat. Chane Usli is ready!!

Serve it hot. Above measurement serves 1-2 people.

Read More »

Sabutandla Godshe (Tapioca Pudding)

Sabutandla Godshe is a very simple dessert. Sabutandulu in konkani means sabudana/tapioca. This dessert is very easy to make and doesn't require special ingredients. My amma used to prepare this dessert when she was fasting. A perfect recipe for a beginner. In this dessert, milk and sugar can be replaced by coconut milk and jaggery. Try both the versions. I had also posted one more dessert- Madgane which had tapioca.

Ingredients:

• Tapioca/Sabudana- 1/3 cup
• Milk- 1/2 cup (adjust accordingly)
• Saffron- Few strands
• Sugar- 1/4 cup (adjust)
• Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp
• Roasted cashew nuts and raisins- 1 Tbsp each

Procedure:

Wash tapioca and soak it in water for one hour. Discard the water and then start heating it on medium flame with 1- 1 1/2 cups of water.

Cook it, until it turns translucent. When it is cooking, add the saffron strands (or food color).

Once it gets cooked, add milk.

Mix it well and then add sugar (adjust the consistency. Add more water or milk as desired). Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Garnish it with cashews and raisins roasted in ghee. Sabutandla Godshe is ready!!

Serve it hot or cold. Above measurement serves two people.

Read More »

Sanna Polo (Spicy Dosa)

Sanna Polo is a spicy dosa which is served as a side dish to rice. I love this dosa. I learnt this dish from my amma. Some people also add toordal while grinding. In this recipe I have included cabbage and onion. You can always skip cabbage or onion. Some people also add malabar spinach or drum stick leaves, instead of cabbage. Try this version and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Rice- 1/2 cup
• Cabbage- 1/4th of a small one
• Onion, medium sized- 1
• Roasted dry red chillies - 4-5
• Tamarind- A small ball (goose berry sized)
• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen- 1/4 cup
• Salt- To taste
• Oil - As required (for shallow frying)

Procedure:

Soak rice for two hours. Now make a smooth paste of grated coconut, red chillies and tamarind (add water as required). Now to this paste, add the soaked rice and grind it. Make a smooth paste. Transfer this into a bowl. To this paste, add finely chopped cabbage and onion, salt. Mix well. Add water if required (Consistency should be medium thick).

Now add a ladel full of mixture on a hot pan and start spreading it as thin as possible.

Add little oil over the dosa and close the lid for a minute (let the heat be on medium). When the base of the dosa turns brown, flip it to brown the other side of the dosa.

Once it turns brown on the other side, remove it from the pan. Sanna Polo is ready!!

Serve it hot as a side dish to rice and dalitoy. Above measurement serves 2-3 people.

Note: If you don't like cabbage, then you can skip it and increase the amount of onion. Even this dosa tastes equally good.

Read More »

Rava Idli (Seasoned Semolina Dumplings)

Rava Idli is a very popular breakfast. It is very easy to make and doesn't require any fermenting. Hence can be made within an hour and half. Its a healthy breakfast. I got this recipe from my amma. Rava idlis comes out very good. You needn't go to a restaurant to have good rava idlis. Try making this at home and enjoy!! 

Ingredients:

• Semolina/Rava, fine- 1 1/4 cup
• Yogurt/curd, thick- 3/4 cup
• Baking Soda- 1/4 tsp
• Grated Carrot- 5-6 tsp (Optional)
• Water- 1 cup (adjust)
• Coriander leaves- 6-7 Sprigs
• Oil- 3-4 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves- Few
• Green Chillies- 3-4
• Urad dal/Split black gram- 1 tsp
• Chana dal/ Bengal gram- 1 tsp
• Salt- To taste
• Roasted Cashew nuts- As required

Procedure:

Heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add chana dal, urad dal, chopped green chillies and curry leaves. Fry until chana dal and urad dal turns slight brown.

Once it turns light brown, add semolina and fry it until a nice aroma is got. This step might take 4-5 minutes. Semolina has to be constantly stirred and heat should be medium.

Once a nice aroma is got, turn off the heat and add chopped coriander leaves. Allow it to cool. Once it cools, add yogurt, water, salt and baking soda. 

Mix well. Let this mixture sit for half an hour.

Mean while grate half of a carrot (for decoration). Skip this step, if you don't like carrot.

Now grease the idli moulds with oil and keep the roasted cashew in each small mould.

If you are adding grated carrot, then put a tea spoon of it in each (I just added it to 6 idlis and rest were plain).

Now start putting the batter in each mould (fill upto 3/4 th of it).

Stack them up and steam it for 15 minutes.

Rava Idlis are ready!!

Serve it hot with Coconut chutney or mint chutney. Above measurement make 16 Rava idlis.

Read More »