Month: October 2017

Avalakkki/Poha Chiwda:

October 16, 2017

Chiwda or Chivda is an integral part of Diwali festival. It is nothing but savoury rice flakes or Poha. This is not the usual deep fried one. It is a melt in the mouth kind, is very low in calories and is a light snack. My mom used to make this with Nylon Poha or super thin Poha.

Chiwda main

This is how my mom used to make it-

Ingredients:

Nylon Poha /Paper thin poha – 500 Grams

Tamarind powder or Amchur powder – 2 tsp.

Salt – to taste

Sugar powder – to sprinkle.

Seasoning:

Oil – 4 tbl sp

Peanuts – 4 tbl sp

Mustard- 2 tbl sp

Cumin- 1 tbl sp

Hing – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 7 -8 springs

White sesame seeds – 2 tbl sps

Turmeric powder – 2 tsp

Green chillies – 3 -4 Chopped

Dry Coconut bits –  3 tbl sp

Coriander leaves – 3 tbl sp

Method:

-In the morning keep beaten rice /Poha under the sun by spreading on a thin clean cloth.

chiwda 1

-If you want you can cover this Poha by using another thin cloth to avoid dust accumulation while drying.

-Keep this for two to three hours or until it becomes crunchy.

– When it is ready, remove from outside and keeps everything ready for seasoning.

chiwda 2

– Chop green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves.

– Slice coconut and make bite size pieces.

-Make sugar powder and keep aside.

-Now take one big kadai, put oil. When it is hot add peanuts.

chiwda 3

-When it is half done, add mustard. After it splutters go on adding Cumin, hing, curry leaves and green chillies one by one.

-When curry leaves become crisp add coconut bits and fry a little.

-Lastly add chopped coriander leaves and fry nicely until coconut bits becomes brown.

-Now add all the powders- turmeric, salt, tamarind and sugar.

-Switch off the gas, add sun dried Poha and mix thoroughly until it holds all the masalas.

chiwda 4

– Don’t put lot of pressure while mixing, if you do so, crunchy Poha will break and will not hold the shape.

-After mixing, cool and store this in an airtight container. This stays good for one month or more.

Enjoy this with evening tea.

NOTE: If you don’t have access to sunlight, you can roast this in kadai after doing seasoning. Keep it for some time in a low fire and make Poha crispy or use microwave for roasting before seasoning.

Shankarpali/Diamond biscuits:

October 14, 2017

Shankarpali is a traditional Maharashtrian, deep-fried snack. It was introduced to us by our neighbour aunty. It is a very light, flaky, melt-in-the-mouth, a small, irresistible cookie that is deep-fried and not baked. It has a good shelf life, and one can enjoy it even after Diwali.

Traditionally, Shankarpali is made by using All-purpose flour. Here, I have used Whole wheat flour and oat flour and did not feel any change other than the colour of the final product.

If you want to use All-purpose flour, follow this recipe, replace the flour, and proceed.

Ingredients:

Milk – 1 cup

Ghee – ½  cup

Sugar – ¾ cup ( I have used Brown sugar)

Salt – 1 tsp

Cooking Soda – ¼ tsp

Flour – 3 ½ to 4 cups (as required) ( All-purpose flour OR Whole Wheat and Oat Flour)

Oil – to deep fry.

Method:

-Take one bowl or food processor, beat milk, ghee and sugar until frothy.

-In another bowl, take 2 cups of whole wheat flour and ½ cup of oats flour, salt, cooking soda and dry mix everything.

-Add the mixed flour to the liquid ( beaten milk and sugar), add some more whole wheat flour and make a soft, pliable dough by adding whole wheat flour little by little.         

– Cover this bowl and keep it aside for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, Keep the oil on a low flame to deep frying.

-Take a small portion of the dough, roll it into a thick ¼ inch circle, like a Roti. Remove the outer curved portion and make a square. ( it is optional to get only square pieces)

-Take a pizza cutter or any other zigzag cutter and cut this flattened disc. Now deep fry it on a low flame.

-When it becomes light brown, take it out and spread it on a tissue paper laid plate.

-When it is cool, store this in an airtight container.

NOTE: Keep the gas flame to a simmer and maintain the temperature of the oil. If oil is overheated, the shankarpali would turn into deep brown/ half-done and charred.

 

 

7 cup Amrutha phala / Coconut Milk Fudge

October 13, 2017

I want to wish my dear readers a very happy Deepavali and blessed year ahead. Today I want to share a dessert recipe which is close to my heart. This dessert has a special place in my heart as it brings back many fond memories of my childhood. This dessert was our treat during summer vacation time in my maternal grandma’s place. This dessert is known as Amrutha phala in Kannada, our regional language.

Original Amrutha phala recipe requires continuous stirring of coconut milk and milk concoctions for about two to three hours. To suit today’s busy life my aunt made some changes to the original recipe so that we can prepare this dish easily without compromising on the taste. This is an easy to prepare, melt in your mouth kind of fudge prepared using coconut milk as the main ingredient. Coconut milk gives very mild yet aromatic flavor to this dish. I prepared this seven cup Amrutha Phala on the auspicious occasion of Deepavali. Now let’s see how to prepare this recipe-

Amrutha main

Ingredient:

Coconut milk – 1 cup

Milk-1 cup

Clarified butter/ Ghee-1 cup

Gram flour/besan -1 cup

Sugar – 3 cups

Method:

-Take thick bottomed pan. To this add milk, coconut milk and sugar, keep this for boil.

Ribbet collage 1
-In another vessel, heat clarified butter/ghee. When it is hot, switch off the gas. To this add gram flour and keep aside.

Ribbet collage 2
-When milk mixture reaches “One thread” consistency, add gram flour mixture and mix continuously up until sides of the pan becomes little brownish.

-It takes around 10 to 15 minutes. Mixture will leave the sides, base and sides of the vessel will become light brown (it is the indication to remove)

Ribbet collage 3

-Now pour this mixture to a greased plate, cool it for about 5 min.

Ribbet collage 4

-Using a sharp knife now make mark on the dessert and once it is completely cooled, remove the pieces and store it in an air tight container.

Your amrutha phala is ready to serve!

Gluten free Masala Bread:

October 11, 2017

Wanted to experiment with banana flour which I had made at home, in baking bread. So, I tried my hand at this recipe. In the end, I got soft, dill flavoured bread. Which had nutritionally rich dill leaves, seasoned onion, Amaranth flour, homemade banana flour and fine rawa. People who want to try this, can replace the flour and try. One can use only All-purpose flour or whole wheat flour but handle your dough carefully.

bread main

Now we will see how I proceeded –

Ingredient:

Amaranth / Rajgira flour – 1 cup

Banana flour – 1 cup

Fine rawa / semolina – 1 cup (used millet rawa)

Milk – 1 cup (vegans can use any other form of milk)

Water – ¼ cup

Active dry yeast – 2 tea spoons

Sugar – 2 table spoons

Oil – 2 table spoons

For masala:

Dill leaves – 1 small thin bunch

Curry leaves – 1 table spoon

Onion – 1

Green chillies – 2

Cumin – 1 tea spoon

Oil – 1 table spoon

Salt – 1 tea spoon

Turmeric – ½ tea spoon

For Garnishing and other:

Chia seed – 1 tea spoon

Butter – 1 table spoon

Milk – 1 table spoon

Oil – 2 table spoons

Method:

-First, we will arrange for yeast proofing: take Luke warm milk and water, dissolve sugar and add yeast, mix nicely by using spoon and keep aside by closing a lid for 10 minutes.

Ribbet collage 1

– If this has not shown any bubbles even after 10 minutes, discard the solution and prepare once again with fresh yeast.

-At the meantime, prepare for seasoning:

Ribbet collage 2

-Chop onions, green chillies. Heat oil, put cumin, onion and fry for a while. When onion becomes transparent, add curry leaves, dill, turmeric, salt.

-Switch off the gas, when greens wilts.

-Now put all the dry flours in food processor, dry run and mix thoroughly. Add in seasoning, oil and once more mix everything.

-Now pour yeast mixture and knead with the help of kneader. If it is very sticky, adjust the consistency by sprinkling extra flour.

-Ready dough should be little sticky, but not watery.

-Remove this dough from the processor, apply 2 table spoons of oil on this dough all over from the outside and keep it in a bowl covered with wet towel to rise (First rise)

Ribbet collage 3

-It will take anywhere between 1 ½ to 2 hours. (Dough should be doubled)

-After one and a half hours, remove this raised dough and place it over the work table by sprinkling some dry flour over the counter.

Ribbet collage 4

-Spread this dough into rectangular shape by pulling by hand (width should roughly match the bread baking tin)

-After pulling and spreading like a rectangular mat, fold it thrice or four times, like a real folding of the mat.

-Keep this folded roll in a greased baking tin, apply milk on top of the dough to avoid drying. Sprinkle chia seed and keep it for second proofing (rise) by closing it with a wet cloth or bigger vessel.

Ribbet collage 5

-When it rises after an hour, bake this in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes at 200® C.

-Immediately after taking out from the oven, apply butter all over at the top part and keep it for cooling.

Ribbet collage 6

-After it cools down, de-mould and slice the bread and enjoy with any jam or butter.

Note:

-If you want vegan version, please skip application of milk and butter.

 

 

Breadfruit Peel Chutney:

October 10, 2017

Yes!!! You heard it right. In our household we never throw out nutritionally filled outer peel of the veggie or the seeds. I normally make it a point to use as frequently as possible in one form or the other. Normally vegetable stock is an easy option. If only one variety is available, chutney or relish is an alternative tasty option too.

Don’t throw away organically grown or home-grown veggie skins. These are a real treasure of flavour and vitamins. Normally breadfruit is grown without any pesticide. 

This chutney can be relished with hot plain rice with ghee or with any flat breads. 

chutney main

Ingredients: 

Breadfruit peel – From one fruit

Coconut – ½ cup

Urad dal – 1 tea spoon

Cumin – ½ tea spoon

Dried red chilli – 2

Green chilli – 1 or 2

Garlic – 3 to 4 cloves

Tamarind – ½ tea spoon

Coconut oil – 1 table spoon

Salt

Seasoning:

Coconut oil – 1 tea spoon

Mustard – ½ tea spoon

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

-Wash bread fruit peel before peeling. Once again wash and remove white latex, which oozed out while peeling.

-Take one small kadai, pour oil, when it is hot add urad dal fry until it is light brown.

Ribbet collage 1

-Next add cumin, red chilli, and fry until chilli puffs and becomes crisp.

– Now add peels, garlic, green chilli and fry until outer peel changes its colour and wilts a little.

-Next you can add coconut, tamarind and salt, switch off the gas. Toss for one minute and cool this mixture.

-Grind this cooled mixture in a mixer grinder with enough water.

– Do seasoning by heating oil, splutter mustard and add curry leaves and pour it over the chutney.

 

Breadfruit/Deevi halasu sambar:

October 8, 2017

Breadfruit is seasonal much-loved veggie in our coastal region of Karnataka.

It is something we all grew up with – “a comfort food”

It can be consumed when it is mature, but still firm and can be cooked and eaten in so many forms.

This picture is not enough to bring out the glory of this sambar. This veggie is very soft, melt in the mouth type and combined with this sambar, it makes a heavenly gravy.

breadfruit main

Let us see how to prepare it –

Ingredients:

Bread fruit – 1

Salt

Red chilli powder – 1 tea spoon

Jaggery – 1 to 2 tsp

Toor dal – ¼ cup (cooked)

For masala:

Coriander – 1 table spoon

Cumin – ½ table spoon

Urad dal – 1 ½ table spoon

Hing – ¼ tea spoon

Grated fresh Coconut – 1 bowl

Tamarind – 1 tea spoon

Seasoning:

Coconut oil – 1 table spoon

Mustard – 1 tea spoon

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Onion – ½ (chopped)

Method: 

– Apply some oil to your hand. To some extent it will protect your hand from blackening

– Take fresh breadfruit, wash properly. Take one sharp knife and remove outer skin as thin as possible and reserve this to make chutney. Yup!! you heard it right: D

Ribbet collage 1

– Make four longitudinal pieces, remove inner pith (which is slightly harder and rubbery in nature)

-Immerse these pieces in bowl of water for 2 minutes.

– Take out and Make chunk like pieces.

– Cook these pieces with sufficient water, salt, jaggery, red chilli powder.   

Ribbet collage 2                     

–  Now take one kadai, add 1 tsp of coconut oil, put coriander, cumin, urad dal, hing and red chillies – fry in a low flame. When urad dal becomes red, switch off.

-Grind this masala by adding coconut, tamarind and required amount of water to fine paste.                            

-When breadfruit pieces are done, add cooked dal and ground masala. Check for the salt. Keep this on the stove top and boil this mixture.

-After it boils switch off and add seasoning by heating coconut oil, add mustard when it starts spluttering. Add curry leaves and chopped onion. Fry nicely till onion chunks are brown and add this over ready sambar.

-Enjoy this sambar with hot rice.

 

 

 

Dudle huli Uppinakai/ Citrus medica Pickle:

October 6, 2017

Dudle huli is a big lemon and is known as Citrus medica. Citrus medica is much bigger than normal lemon with thick outer rind and less sour and sweeter than normal lemon, excellent for thin Rasam, juice, pickles or Chithranna. Last week I have already posted Chithranna recipe by using this lemon. When I got hold of so many huge lemons, I did try to make this much-loved pickle of Dudle huli. Due to its thick skin, it tastes divine with curd rice and this pickle can be relished within one week after its preparation. I never tried its pickle due to unavailability, hence asked my sister in law who is an expert in preparing this pickle. All thanks to her for this wonderful recipe.

pickle main 1

Ingredients:

Big lemon / Dudle huli – 3 to 4

Salt

Dried red chillies – 100 grams

Black pepper – 1tea spoon

Fenugreek seeds – ½ tea spoon

Cumin – 1 tea spoon

Mustard – 3 tea spoons

White Sesame seeds – 1 tea spoon

Turmeric powder – 1 tea spoon

Seasoning:

Sesame oil – 1 table spoon

Mustard – 1 tea spoon

Hing – ¼ tea spoon

Curry leaves – 2 springs

Method:

-Chop lemon into bite size pieces, after washing and wiping it dry.

-Take one tawa, do seasoning part, by heating sesame or any vegetable oil, splutter mustard seeds, add hing and curry leaves, fry until curry leaves wilts.

Ribbet collage 1

-Next add chopped lemon and toss for a while and add 1 cup of salt and mix until water oozes out.

– Switch off the gas and leave this mixture to cool down to room temperature.

– In the meantime, prepare pickle masala.

-Take one thick bottomed kadai, dry roast fenugreek until it reaches dark, not burnt.

-Next proceed with sesame, mustard, cumin, black pepper one by one separately.

-Now take 1 teaspoon of oil and fry red chillies until crisp. Lastly add turmeric and fry after switching off the gas.

Ribbet collage 2

-Cool this fried and roasted items and make powder by using dry mixer jar.

– Spread this powder on a plain paper, cool and mix with seasoned and cooled lemon mixture.

Ribbet collage 3

-Mix everything nicely, check for a salt, if needed add more. store it in a dry glass jar.

-Once in two days, mix this pickle by using dry spoon until it sets.

pickle main

-After one week, you can start enjoying this fresh pickle and store this in a fridge for longer shelf life.

 

 

Peanut chutney:

October 4, 2017

Peanut or Ground nut is considered as a power house of nutrients and known as the poor man’s cashew. In our family everyone loves peanuts as a munching snack and not in a curry. As a Mangalorean, our taste buds were accustomed to coconut based curries from childhood days and we never prepared peanut based curries until my hubby introduced me to this super delicious recipe of his friend’s family. Thanks to our friend Seetha who obliged to pass on this recipe of her mother in law. This is an Andhra household’s day to day chutney recipe. We love this Spicy, tangy and creamy chutney or dip with anything and everything. It is a deadly combination with Sago and Rice Rotti too.

pic main

Ingredients:

Peanuts – ¾ cup (roasted)

Oil – 1 tea spoon

Onion – 1 (chopped)

Green chillies – 3 to4 (chopped)

Coriander leaves – 4 strings (chopped)

Garlic – 1 whole bulb

Salt

Tamarind – peanut size.

Method:

–I take roasted peanuts with skin intact. If you want to remove the skin, you can do that and use.

Ribbet collage

– Now take one tawa, put oil. When it is hot, add chopped onion, garlic, green chillies and fry till it becomes translucent. (Onion Should be transparent and glossy)

– Switch off the gas and mix in chopped coriander leaves, roasted peanuts and tamarind.

– Cool this mixture and grind this mixture by adding salt and required amount of water.

– I normally don’t add any seasoning to this chutney. If you want you can add or serve as it is.

–  It goes very well with any south Indian Breakfast dishes.

Sabudana Rice Rotti:

October 2, 2017

Akki rotti is an integral part of Karnataka cuisine. When we mix Soaked Sago/ Sabudana/ topiaco pearls in this dough, we get super soft mouthwatering fragrant flat bread. It is regular in our house hold and it usually stays fresh and soft for long hours and fulfills the need as a tiffin box option as well. I usually serve this sago rotti with peanut chutney and it is the most liked combination in our household.

pic main

Ingredients:

Sabudana – 1 cup

Curd or buttermilk – 1 cup

Rice flour – 1 to 1 ½ cups

Green chilli -1 (chopped)

Coriander leaves – 2 table spoons (chopped)

Cumin – 1 tea spoon

Salt

Method:

–Wash Sabudana with water, drain and soak with curd.

–Keep it overnight or for 5 to 6 hours.

–The next morning, add required amount of rice flour, chopped chilli, coriander, salt, cumin and mix nicely to make pliable dough.

–If dough is very stiff, add little water and adjust the consistency.

Ribbet collage 1

–Keep it aside for 5 to 10 minutes to absorb all the seasoning as well as to soak.

–When you want to make rotti, take one piece of banana leaf or butter paper.

–Take a little rotti dough in your moist hand, and start patting in a circular motion by dipping your hand in water in-between.

–Sprinkle one teaspoon of oil over this patted rotti and keep it ready.

Ribbet collage 2

–Heat iron griddle and cook oil sprinkled rotti by putting upside down on it.

–After 2 to 3 minutes, peel off banana leaf or butter paper.

–Sprinkle little oil over it and flip.

–Cook and serve hot with chutney.

Note:

– I usually prepare the dough, the previous night and keep the dough under refrigeration.

-In that case, I soak sago in the morning and prepare dough in the evening.

-Keep one bowl of water in a reachable distance to dip your hand in-between.

-While patting the rotti, dip your hand in a bowl of water which you have kept aside.

– wetting your hand will help to avoid the dough sticking to your fingers while patting.