Semi- Sambhar

Semi- Sambhar

Ah! Ah! You might be wondering . What is this name Semi- Sambhar. I was planning to make this dish from a long, long time. I finally gave a try today. It came out well. Very simple. You can make it just like that. Goes well with Idli, Dosas, Upma, Ven Pongal, Phulkas and Plain hot rice. Do try and please post your valuable feedback.

Ingredients

Thickly sliced onions – 2 cups

Finely chopped tomato – 1 ( small)

Grated jaggery – 1 teaspoon

Tamarind paste – 1/4 teaspoon

Sambhar powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – 1 big pinch

Sakthi brand curry masala powder – 1 teaspoon ( heaped )( you can also use Aachi brand curry masala powder )

Salt to taste

Water – 1/4 cup

To Season

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

Chopped curry leaves – little

Method

Heat a pan. Season. First fry the onions on medium flame. Add the turmeric powder. Once the onions turn transparent, add the chopped tomato. Sauté on sim flame for 5 minutes till the  tomato turns mushy.  Add the sambhar powder. Sauté  for 2 minutes. Add in the tamarind paste. Add 1/4 cup of water. Add the jaggery and salt to taste. Cook on medium flame till the mix is thick. Finally add the Sakthi brand Curry Masala Powder. Sauté on sim flame for 3 minutes. Switch off the stove. Serve hot.

Chef’s Tips

1) Do not add any other flavourings to the dish. The taste will change.

 

 

 

The Ultimate Pan Dosai with Semi – Sambhar

The Ultimate Pan Dosai

This Special Dosai has to be prepared in a Deep pan, Vaanali, Ellupachatti or Kadai. We make this recipe often for breakfast. A sure hit. The Dosai will come out like a soft, thick Bun. Simply Delicious. Goes well with any chutney or sambhar. I have specially made  a Semi – Sambhar for this Dosai. Please do try. 

Ingredients ( To make the Dosa Batter )

Idli rice – 3 and 1/2 cups

Raw rice – 1/2 cup

Whole urad dhal – 1 cup and 2 tablespoons

Thick Aval ( poha ) – 1/2 cup

Broken moong dhal ( paasi paruppu ) – 1 tablespoon

Methi seeds – 2 teaspoons

Sago – 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Method

Take a big dish. Put in all the above mentioned ingredients except salt. Wash well. Soak it in enough water for 3 hours. Cover it and keep aside. After 3 hours, drain the water and grind the soaked ingredients in a wet grinder. While grinding, add sufficient water. Grind to a smooth dosa batter consistency. Add salt to taste. Mix well with your hands. Cover  and keep the batter to ferment for 6 to 8 hours.

Mix the fermented batter very well. Take 2 big bowl full of the dosa batter. Season. Then make dosas. 

Ingredients to Season

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

Urad dhal – 1 tablespoon

Channa dhal – 1 tablespoon

Finely chopped onions – 1/2 cup

Finely chopped green chillies – 2

Salt – 1 pinch

Finely chopped green coriander leaves and curry leaves – little

Method

Heat a pan. Add oil. Keep the flame on high. Add the mustard seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add in the Urad dhal and the Channa dhal. Keep the flame on sim. Once the dhals turn golden, add in the chopped onions, green chillies, curry and green coriander leaves. Switch off the stove. Mix. Add 1 pinch of salt. Mix well. Add this seasoning to the dosa batter. Mix well.

To make Dosai

Oil – required amount to make the dosai

Method

Heat a deep, slightly broad pan  preferably a heavy bottomed pan. Grease it with little oil. Once the pan is heated, pour a medium ladle full of the seasoned dosa batter. Keep the flame on medium. Drizzle some oil around the Dosai. Cover with a lid. Keep the flame on sim. After about 4 to 5  minutes, remove the lid. Flip the dosa gently. Drizzle little oil. Cook for 4 minutes on sim flame . Golden coloured , super soft Big Bun Dosai is ready to serve. Serve hot with a Semi- Sambhar. 

Chef’s Tips

1) The pan in which you are planning to make the dosa,  grease it and prepare it nicely ahead ,  so that the dosas will come out well without much trouble.

2) This dosa will take a little longer time to cook.

3) Cook on simflame only.

4) You can also add finely grated vegetables like Cabbage, Carrot, to the seasoned dosa batter.

5) Do not spread the batter in the pan. Once you pour a ladle full of the seasoned dosa batter,  drizzle some oil around and leave it just like that. Only then you will get soft bun dosa.

 

 

 

 

Aval ( Flattened rice kheer ) Payasam

Aval Payasam( Poha Kheer )

Use thick variety poha ( Aval ) for best results. Very minimal ingredients, you can prepare this payasam Just Like That. Had plenty of milk at home. I decided to make this Payasam which is my mother – in – law’s signature dish. Thank you Amma for the lovely recipe. 

Ingredients

Thick Aval – 1/4 cup

Fresh full cream milk – 6 cups

Sugar – 1 cup

Saffron – 1 big pinch

Cardamom powder – 2 pinches

Method

First, mix the saffron in little hot water.  Keep it aside till the time of use.

Heat a big , broad, thick bottomed pan. Pour in the 6 cups of milk. Boil on medium flame for 10 minutes. Wash the Aval and add it to the milk. Now cook on medium flame till the Aval is cooked. Add the sugar. Stir gently. Add in the saffron. Boil on high flame for 3 minutes. Add the cardamom powder. Give a gentle stir. Switch off the stove. Serve hot or cold. Super delicious Payasam is ready.

Chef’s Tips

1) As an option you can add little condensed milk. In that case reduce the amount of sugar .

2) You can garnish the Payasam with chopped nuts of your choice.

3) Before the Aval cooks in the milk do not add sugar. The Aval will not get cooked.

 

 

 

Knol Khol ( Kohlrabi ) Chops

Knol Khol Chops

I wanted to post this Special Recipe  of mine from a very long time. I made this chops for lunch today. The taste was something very flavourful. We loved it. Can also make this chops with Brinjal, Potato and Cauliflower. Chop Cauliflower to medium sized florets. Chop Brinjal and Potatoes to thick fingers. ( peeland then chop the  potatoes ) . 

Knol Khol Chops goes well with Sambar rice, Rasam rice,Curd rice, nice to mix and have with Plain Hot Rice and ghee, Crispy Dosas, Upma, Bread Toast and Appam. 

Ingredients

Peeled and chopped knol khol ( cut to thick fingers, chop like the size of French fries ) – 2 big handfuls ( steamed )

Sliced onion – 1

Finely chopped tomato – 1

Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon

Jeera powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Red chilli powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Dry Roast and Grind to a Coarse powder

Grated fresh coconut – 3 tablespoons

Saunf ( aniseed ) – 1/4 teaspoon

Roasted Bengal gram ( Pottu Kadalai ) – 2 teaspoons

Chopped green chillis – 2 to 3

Chopped small onions – 4

Chopped ginger – 1 teaspoon

Chopped garlic – 1 teaspoon

Clove- 1

Curry leaves – 6

Star anise petal – only 1 petal ( just break only one petal from a full star anise )

Heat a pan. Keep on sim flame. Roast all the above mentioned ingredients for 3 minutes. Switch off the stove. Transfer the contents to a plate. Cool well. Add the cooled contents to a blended jer jar. Powder very coarsely. Keep it aside.

To Season

Oil – 3 tablespoons

Saunf – 2 pinches

To Garnish 

Finely chopped green coriander leaves and curry leaves – little

Method

Heat a big broad pan. Season. First fry the sliced onions. Keep the flame on sim. Next, add the chopped tomato. Sauté on sim flame for 3 minutes. Once, the tomatoes turns mushy, add the coriander powder,  jeera powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt to taste and the coarsely ground paste . Mix gently. Sauté till the raw smell goes. Add the steamed knol Khol. Mix gently. Cover the pan. Keep on simflame. After 5 minutes, switch off the stove. Garnish , mix gently. Serve hot.

Chef’s Tips

1) Always choose tender knol khol. It gives a nice feeling while you eat.

2) Dry roasting the indgredients will leave the powder little crumbly.

3) Do not over cook the knol  khol. If it becomes mushy, the taste will change.

4) Do not add more spices. The taste will become pungent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cauliflower Dalma

Cauliflower Dalma

This dish is very popular in our home. Thanks  to my husband’s aunt who has shared this recipe. Goes well with hot phulkas, parathas, puri, jeera rice and pulao. This is the best season to get excellent cauliflower and fresh green peas. Do try and enjoy with your family. I am sure that you will certainly love this dish. The taste is just Awesome. 

Ingredients

Cauliflower chopped to small florets- 2 cups ( steamed )

Fresh green peas ( steamed ) – 1 cup

Kashmiri chilli powder – 2 teaspoons

Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Sugar – 1 teaspoon

Water – 1/4 cup

To Season 

Oil – 3 tablespoons

Jeera ( cumin seeds ) – 1 teaspoon

To grind to a fine paste

Chopped onions – 1

Chopped tomatoes – 3

Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

Ginger ( chopped ) – 1 tablespoon

Garlic ( chopped ) – 1 tablespoon

Chopped green coriander leaves – 2 tablespoons

Take a big blender jar. Add in all the above mentioned ingredients. Blend to a fine paste. 

Method

Heat a pan. Season.  First fry the ground masala paste. Keep the flame on sim. Fry the paste nicely till the raw smell goes. Add the turmeric powder. Sauté for 3 minutes. Next, add the chopped cauliflower florets. Add the chilli powder. Sauté on sim flame for 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water. Add the salt to taste and the sugar. Add the steamed green peas. Mix gently. Simmer. Once the gravy thickens, switch off the stove. Serve hot.

Chef’s Tips

1) Do not over  cook the cauliflower. It will become mushy.

2) Adding the steamed fresh green peas in the end, the whole dish looks bright and nice.

3) Do not make the gravy runny. Tastes good if it a little thick.

 

Methi Roti with Cauliflower Dalma

Methi Roti

This recipe is very simple. In one of my trips to Mumbai, I had an opportunity to taste this roti. I came home and tried this preparation. I have added some white til, ajwain and pounded garlic .

Goes well with any simple gravy, plain curds and a pickle. Today,  I have  served  Cauliflower Dalma with this roti. Do try this recipe and please post your valuable feedback. 

Ingredients

Wheat flour – 2 cups

Cleaned, washed and finely chopped methi leaves – 1 cup

White sesame seeds ( til ) – 1 and 1/2 tablespoons

Ajwain ( omum ) – 1 tablespoon

Pounded garlic flakes – 4 flakes

Fresh curds – 3 tablespoons

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Finely chopped green chillies – 2

Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Kashmiri chilli powder – 1  and 1/4 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Water – required amount to make a soft dough

Oil – required amount to drizzle around the roties

Method

Take a big , broad plate ( a parat plate is the best to mix the roti dough ).

Put in the wheat flour, chopped methi leaves, pounded garlic, chopped green chillies, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt to taste , oil, white sesame seeds, ajwain and mix well with your hands. Make a well in the centre. Add in the curds. Mix. Now sprinkle water little by little and make a soft dough. Cover and rest the dough for 30 minutes. Make medium sized roties.

Heat a tava. Cook the roti on simflame till golden. Drizzle oil all around the roti. Remove the cooked roti from the tava and transfer the roti to a dish. Cover the roti. Make all the roties in the similar manner. Serve hot with Cauliflower Dalma. 

Chef’s Tips

1) Heat the tava well. Then cook the roti on sim flame.

2) Adding curds gives the roti a soft texture.

 

 

 

 

Buttermilk Upma

Buttermilk Upma

Buttermilk Upma served with Brinjal and White Karamani Pitlai

Our family favourite recipe. One of the best breakfast dishes, digests easily because buttermilk is added. I served this Upma with Brinjal and Chawli ( Lobia, White Karamani ) Pitlai. Goes well with any chutney of your choice.  Best served with a crispy, hot Vadai and a cup of piping hot Coffee. The recipe for Brinjal and White Karamani Pitlai will be posted shortly. 

Ingredients

White upma rava ( sooji ) – 1 cup

Buttermilk ( do not use very sour buttermilk, the colour will not remain white. It will turn creamy ) – 3 cups

Finely chopped green chillies – 2

Salt to taste

Asafoetida powder – 1/2 teaspoon

To Season

Oil – 3 tablespoons

Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

Broken urad dhal – 1 teaspoon

Channa dhal ( Bengal gram ) – 2 teaspoons

Dry red chilli – 1 ( torn to 2 pieces, do not use Kashmiri red chill, the colour of the Upma will change )

To Garnish

Finely chopped curry leaves – little

Bhenda ( Ladies Finger ) Sagle

Bhenda Sagle or Bhindi Sagle

 

A Mangalore Speciality. A Konkani famous Gowda Saraswat favourite. Goes well with Puli Koddel, Rasam, Hot rice, Fried pappad, Curd Pachadi  and Ghee.  Bhenda Sagle also goes well roti and puri. A dry curry which is very flavourful.

Ingredients

Bhindi ( ladies finger )  ends cut and chopped to slightly big pieces – 3 big cups

Thinly sliced onions – 1 cup

Grated jaggery – 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

To grind to a little coarse paste

Grated coconut – 3/4 cup

Dry red chillies ( I have used Kashmiri red chillies ) – 6 ( lightly roast the red chillies )

Coriander seeds – 1 tablespoon

Tamarind paste – 1/2 teaspoon

Grind all the above mentioned ingredients in a mixie to a  little coarse paste with little water.

To Season 

Oil – 3 tablespoons

Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

To Garnish

Finely chopped curry leaves – little

Grated fresh coconut – a little sprinkle

 

Method 

Heat a non stick pan. Season. First fry the sliced onions. Once the onions turns transparent, add in the chopped bhindi. Fry on sim flame. Once the bhindi is 3/4 cooked add in the coarsely ground paste, salt to taste and the grated jaggery. Sauté on sim flame till the bhindi is fully cooked. Switch off the stove. Garnish. Mix gently. Serve hot.

Chef’s Tips

1) The bhindi tastes nice if it is cooked well.

2) Can also add little finely chopped green coriander leaves in the end as a garnish.

3) As an option cut the ends of the bhindi and chop it into 2 pieces.

 

 

 

 

Puli Koddel ( Sweet and Sour Ashgourd Curry ) with Bhenda Sagle

Puli Koddel 

A sheer Udupi Special. If you chance to go to Udupi to have darshan of Lord Shri Krishna , just go around the temple streets. You will spot a lot of vegetarian eateries. During lunch time all these eateries serve Puli Koddel . Puli Koddel is a very unique tasting sambar a  True Speciality of the Udupi region. Ashgourd is used in this dish. You can also use Veggies like Yellow Pumpkin, Ladies Finger, Green Capsicum. Best served with steaming hot rice, ghee and a Sagle. Sagle is a Konkani Special dry curry. A fried pappad  and a curd pachadi  ( Raitha ) will further enhance the taste of this dish. Goes well with crisp hot, hot dosas and upma. 

Ingredients

Peeled and chopped to big chunks – Ashgourd ( white pumpkin ) – 2 big cups

Salt to taste

Grated jaggery – 2 tablespoons

Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Tamarind paste – 1 heaped teaspoon

Water – 2 cups

Roast in oil and grind o a fine paste with little water

Grated coconut – 3/4 cup

Coriander seeds – 1 and 1/2 tablespoons to 2 tablespoons

Methi ( fenugreek ) seeds – 1/4 teaspoon

Urad dhal – 1 tablespoon

Raw rice – 1 and 1/2 tablespoons

Dry red chillies ( I have used Kashmiri red chillies ) – 6 to 7

White til ( white sesame seeds ) – 1 tablespoon

Oil – 1 teaspoon

Heat a pan. Add the oil. Keep on sim flame. Roast the coriander seeds, raw rice, urad dhal, methi seeds, til, red chillies to a light golden colour. Add in the grated coconut. Fry on sim flame till the coconut turns golden. Switch off the stove. Transfer the contents to a plate. Cool. Transfer the roasted contents to a big blender jar. Add in the turmeric powder and the tamarind paste. Blend to a fine paste with little water. 

To Season

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Ghee – 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida powder – 1 /2 teaspoon

To Garnish

Finely chopped curry leaves – little

Method

Take a heavy bottomed pan. Keep it on the stove. Add in 2 cups of water. When the water boils, add in the cubed ashgourd pieces. Keep the flame on medium. Once the vegetable is cooked, add in the ground paste. Keep the flame on sim. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the salt to taste and the grated jaggery. Cook on sim flame for 3 minutes. If the Koddel is very thick, add in little boiling hot water. Mix. Switch off the stove. Season and garnish. Serve hot.

Chef’s Tips

1) Do not make the Koddel vey runny. It tastes great if it is a bit thick.

2) Can add little cooked and peeled whole jack fruit seeds to the Koddel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saffron Biscuit Lassi

Saffron Biscuit Lassi

HAPPY 2018 . Wishing you all the VERY BEST

A sheer Breakfast Delight, soul filling . Keeps you energetic the whole day. I was contemplating about this combi for a long , long time. This Lassi is wholesome. I have used fruits too in this Lassi. 

Walnuts in this Lassi gives a nutty flavour. Saffron gives a mild colour and the taste is so nice, comforting. The biscuits give a little thick consistency. Use nice thick fresh curds for that extra enhanced taste.

Can also add a little crushed ice . Do try and please post your feed back.

Ingredients

Thick fresh curds – 3 cups

Peeled and chopped bananas – 2 cups

Peeled and chopped apples – 2 tablespoons

Crushed glucose biscuits ( I have used Parle G  glucose biscuits ) – 3 heaped tablespoons

Chopped walnuts – 2 tablespoons

Sugar – 1 tablespoon

Saffron- 1 big pinch

Cardamom powder – 1 pinch

Method

Take a big mixie jar. Put in all the above mentioned ingredients. Cover the jar. Blend it till smooth. Serve the Saffron Biscuit Lassi at once.

Chef’s Tips

1) Can add little crushed ice to the Lassi.

2) A very filling  lassi