Category: Breakfast

Mullu Sauthe Guliyappa / Cucumber Appe:

November 1, 2021

Like Kendathadya, this is one more recipe, which I love and cherish the fond memories of my childhood. This recipe is usually made with heirloom cucumber of our region, which is flavorful and watery compared to commercially available salad cucumber.

Ajji, my maternal grandma or my aunt used to prepare this dish for the evening snack. It used to be real fun, sitting in front of the wood fire, chatting with ajji, holding the plate full of two types of Guliyappa. One is the sweeter version with added jaggery, and the other is savoury, with added onion, chilli, and curry leaves. It is pure bliss, and we never recreate the moment of such a warm, comfortable atmosphere in today’s world.

Now, we would see the procedure of making Sweet and Savory version –

Ingredients:

Dosa rice – 1 + 1 cup

Cucumber – 1 Big

Fresh grated Coconut – ½ + ½ cup

Salt

Jaggery – ½ cup (grated)

Onion – 1 medium

Curry leaves

Green chilli

Method:

-Wash, Soak rice in two bowls separately for 3 to 4 hours. Drain soaked water before grinding. (We are using an oozed water out of cucumber for grinding rice)

-Make jaggery syrup by boiling grated jaggery with very little water, sieve the liquid to remove all the impurities.

-Take one big cucumber, peel the skin, make halves, remove the inner core and seeds and grate it. Mix salt to the gratings, leave aside for 5 minutes.

When cucumber oozes its water, strain it through a sieve by extracting all oozed water and collecting it for grinding rice.

-Now, grind the batter for a sweeter version, take one set of drained rice, add ½ cup of Coconut, jaggery syrup, required amount of cucumber water and grind into not so smooth batter.

-To this batter, add tightly packed one cup of cucumber gratings and whip the mixer grinder to mix it thoroughly with the batter.

-Remove this batter to one vessel and allow to rest for 2 to 3 hours. (Resting the batter would help to make Guliyappa softer and flavorful)

-Now, it is time to make batter for the Savory version. Grind the same as the sweet version without adding jaggery. After adding and mixing the cucumber gratings, add chopped onion, green chilli and curry leaves.

-Remove this batter to one vessel and allow to rest for 2 to 3 hours. (Resting the batter would help to make Guliyappa softer and flavorful)

-After the resting period, heat the Appe/ Paddu pan, pour little ghee into each mould. When the paddu pan is hot, pour the batter, cook in a low flame, turn around, cook both sides properly, and enjoy the flavourful and delicious Sweet and Savoury Cucumber Guliyappa.

 

Jowar/Sorghum Dosa:

March 31, 2021

My experiment turned out to a super hit, crispy dosa. As usual, I followed my regular dosa batter recipe by replacing dosa rice with Jowar grains.

Jowar or Sorghum is a gluten-free grain loaded with nutrients and fibre, great in taste. When it is high fibre, it becomes useful for anyone who follows a healthy diet. Being a complex carbohydrate, Jowar gets digested slowly, reduces appetite making it an ideal whole grain option for weight management.

If you are looking for ways to reduce the rice intake, this recipe for you – Enjoy in any form of dosa, like crisp or fluffy. Cone or masala filled, with chutney or sambar.

Ingredient:

Jowar grains -1 cup

Idly rice -1 cup

Urad dal – ½ cup

Bengal gram/Chana dal – 1 TBL sp

Fenugreek /methi seeds – 1 tsp.

Beaten rice – ¼ cup

  Method:

-Wash all these ingredients a couple of times. Soak this insufficient water for 3 to 4 hours.

-Drain water from the rice and keep it aside. This water should be used while grinding according to the requirement.

-Grind soaked rice –dal mixture by adding salt into a very fine /smooth batter using a wet grinder or mixer grinder.

-Now, Mix the batter, adjust the consistency, keep this ground batter for fermentation in a big vessel to allow room for puffed/fermented batter.

– It will take anywhere between 8 to 16 hours (according to the outside weather)

-Next morning, mix the batter, check the consistency, adjust and prepare dosas and enjoy.

Note: In Bangalore, I usually soak my lentils around morning, grinding happens around afternoon 2 to 3 pm, and until the following day, I keep the batter for fermentation.

 

Plantain flower Proso millet dosa :

February 27, 2021

I have discussed plantain flower, traditionally, how to chop, how to use etc., in my earlier blog post, which included my mom’s best chutney recipe. We all know the banana flower is rich in fibre, antioxidants, iron, potassium, calcium, vitamins, and other minerals. It is used mainly to treat constipation and anaemia in villages of our native in and around Mangalore and is part of our day to day cooking.

 I Tried the recipe long ago, liked and finalised it with the recipe for my millet calendar project, which was published in 2019 and filing the recipe under Diabetic friendly recipe in my blog.

Ingredients:

Proso millet – 1 cup

Dosa Rice – 1 cup

Urad dal -1/4 cup

Chana dal – ¼ cup

Methi – 1 tsp

Poha – ½ cup

Jaggery – 1 tsp

Salt

Tamarind – 1tsp

Red chillies – 4

Coconut – ½ cup

Plantain flower – 1

Method:

-Wash, soak millet, rice, chana and urad dal, methi and poha for 3 hrs.

-Take one bowl of water with added one serving spoon of buttermilk.

-Chop whole plantain flower, soak in buttermilk water, drain. You can check the process here as well.

– cook the drained banana flower by adding tamarind water, salt, red chillies, jaggery.

-Cool the cooked mixture, grind with soaked items by adding coconut into a smooth paste.

-Ferment and make dosas like any regular dosas and serve with chutney.

NOTE: It can be made as a vegan, instead of buttermilk, use tamarind water and instead of ghee, you can use any vegetable oil. 

 

Bottle gourd Thepla:

February 21, 2021

Bottle gourd Thepla is inspired by Dhapate (Thalipeet): Maharashtra #marathwada region special breakfast. Bottle gourd has numerous health benefits. In our native, bottle gourd is used in treating stomach illness or jaundice, which has the power (anti-inflammatory properties) to heal our Liver and intestine during the disease. Bottle gourd has close to 90% water content and is excellent on the stomach and light on digestion. Apart from this, bottle gourd juice is very good for weight watchers, diabetics, and a healthy heart.

Here, I have taken Jowar flour, considered as a high fibre, protein-rich and complex carbohydrate. Hence, the nutrition quotient increases and becomes a wholesome food for anyone, including low cal diet or diabetics.

Ingredients:

2 cups – Whole wheat flour

½ cup – Besan

1 cup – White Jowar flour

You can increase any of the flour or decrease acc to your wish.

Grated bottle gourd –  almost 200 to 250grams

Chopped onion – 1

Salt, turmeric powder,  cumin powder – 1tsp, garlic paste – 1 tsp, Sesame seeds – 2 tsp

method:

-Add all these, mix thoroughly, by adding sufficient water and make a dough.

-Keep it aside for half an hour, to rest by closing it.

Now take lemon sized chapati dough in hand and roll this ball using a roller, like regular chapati.

-Cook both sides by using either oil, ghee, or butter, of course as minimal as possible.

Serve with sweetish bottle gourd raita, groundnut chutney powder.

-OR-

If you want to make glutenfree Roti, please omit whole wheat flour, add any preferred flour of your choice. Make a roti dough by using little hot water.

-Pat the dough on a banana leaf or parchment paper and proceed to cook both sides. If you want to see the rotti patting and cooking procedure, please refer to this post.

NOTE: if Bottle gourd is tender, don’t remove the peel. Grate and use it.

Millet –banana stem dosa:

February 18, 2021

Every part of the banana plant has its benefits to our health. Banana stem is one such thing, which is high in fibre and filled with nutritious water. It is perfect for Human gut as well as the kidney.

The juice of the banana stem helps in flushing out toxins as well as to prevent kidney stone formation as well. Overall it acts as a healing food for the human body. In coastal Karnataka, we do use plantain stem or flower in various recipes. I have already shared our traditional Dosa recipe, and it is here, and previously I have shared Raw salad, curd salad and Rasam recipe.

When Plantain stem and millet combine, it is a perfect balance and can be a diet food or whoever is cutting down their rice intake due to their health issues. This dosa turns crispy and goes very well with any side dish of your choice. Tried and did this for my millet calendar project, published in 2017 and filing the recipe under Diabetic friendly recipe in my blog.

Ingredients:

Foxtail Millet – 2 cups

Rice – ¾ cup

Urad dal – ¼ cup

Banana stem – from 6” piece

Methi – ¼ tsp

Poha – ½ cup

Buttermilk – 1 cup

Method:

-Wash millet, rice and urad dal together. Add poha.

-Soak in buttermilk for 2 to 3 hours.

– To chop banana stem, remove the outer cover and make slices of inner pith.

-While slicing, you will find little thread-like fibre, discard that by drawing by hand.

-After slicing into round pieces of dice and use this for grinding.

-Grind soaked items with banana stem and salt.

– Ferment overnight and next day morning you can prepare Dosas.

Note: You can use any millet instead of foxtail. Taste doesn’t change.

Instant Ragi Rava Dosa:

February 5, 2021

Instant preparations are always handy when you are in a hurry or in a “no mood to cook” situation. I usually prefer Ragi Rava dosa to make, because it has the goodness of Ragi/ finger millet and everyone likes it in this form. Dosa turns out very crispy and tasty. One can have it with coconut chutney or any leftover sambar or with pickle or as it is. It has a nice natural flavour as well.

If you plan to make Rava dosa, you can mix the batter and keep it at night itself. Otherwise, no worries, mix and proceed to make dosas. Even some ingredients are optional; if you add coconut, greens, it would surely enhance the taste. 

Ingredients:

Ragi flour – ½ cup

Fine Rava – ½ cup

Rice flour – ¼ cup

Salt

Hing – a pinch

Black pepper – ½ tsp

Cumin – ¼ tsp

Grated coconut – ¼ cup (optional)

Coriander leaves – 2 tablespoons (optional)

Methi leaves – 2 tablespoons (optional)

Method:

-Crush black pepper and cumin in a mortar and pestle.

-For dosa mix: Mix in Rava, rice flour and Ragi flour, salt, hing, crushed cumin -pepper and a little water and keep aside at night (optional) otherwise mix in the morning and proceed.

– If you have mixed and kept it at night, add in grated coconut, chopped coriander leaves or methi leaves in the morning.

-Make batter into pourable consistency like Rava dosa or neer dosa batter and check for the salt.

-Now keep Iron griddle for heat.

-When it is ready, grease with oil, pour one serving spoon of batter-like how we make Rawa Dosa, you can see it in the picture below.

-Now close the lid by keeping the gas on full flame.

-After two minutes, remove the lid and keep the gas in simmer. The edges of the Dosa rise a little.

-Now flip this Dosa on the plate, leave for 2 minutes, then fold like this.

– Now keep repeating this with the remaining batter and stack one over the other or take one big plate and stalk one opposite another alternately.   

-Serve these Dosa with coconut chutney or with any other gravy of your choice or have it as it is.

 

 

 

 

Khara Neer Dosey / Savoury Neer dosa :

January 16, 2021

Neer dosey is an integral part of coastal breakfast. I usually prepare Neer dosey or my own version of Healthy neer dosey. Leftover neer dosey would turn into another dish, with sweet seasoning for an evening with a cup of tea. Khara neer dosey is one more variety of dosa from our region. 

Khara neer dosey is also known as Khara Thellavu /savoury neer dosey which is nothing but a spicy version of normal white neer dosey. It is quick, no fermentation is required. Soak the rice, grind, maintain the right consistency, use a well-seasoned cast-iron tawa to get the super-soft, authentic taste.

Ingredients needed:

Dosa rice -2 cups

Red chillies – 4 to 5

Onion – 1 big  Or Coconut – 1 bowl

Coriander seeds – 1 tablespoon (optional)

Cumin – 1 tsp (optional)

Hing – generous pinch

Salt

Iron griddle /tawa.

Method:

-Wash and soak Dosa rice at night or 2 to 3-hour soaking is needed.

-In the morning grind this soaked rice into fine paste by adding chillies, chopped onion OR Coconut, coriander, cumin, salt with water (I use soaking water while grinding, it gives pleasant aroma for the Dosa) and salt as per requirement.

– Make batter into pourable consistency like this and check for the salt.

-Now keep Iron griddle for heat, smear oil and keep it ready. 

-Pour one serving spoon of batter-like how we make Rawa Dosa, you can see it in the picture below.

-Now close the lid by keeping the gas on full flame.

-After two minutes, remove the lid and keep the gas in simmer, the edges of the Dosa rise a little, like this.

-Now flip this Dosa on the plate, leave for 2 minutes, then fold like this.

-Now keep repeating this with the remaining batter and stack one over the other or take one big plate and stalk one opposite another alternately.

-Serve this Dosa with Coconut and grated jaggery mixture or coconut chutney or as you wish.

 

Cheenikayi thirulina dosey/ Pumpkin Core dosa:

November 26, 2020

Delicious dosa by using nutritionally rich , pulpy pumpkin cores which we usually tend to throw away. Whenever we use pumpkin in larger quantities such as pumpkin puree  , Sambar , kalasu etc, the inner core would be more in quantity and it is an awesome way to utilise in dosa batter. In this way, it can be utilised and turned into a healthy breakfast option.

Let us see how I make this super soft, porous dosa.

Ingredients:

Dosa rice – 2 cups

Urad dal – ¼ cup

Methi seeds – 1 tablespoon

Inner soft core – ¼ cup to ½ cup ( quantity may vary according to the availability)

Salt

Method:

-Wash , soak dosa rice, urad dal, methi in water for 2 to 3 hours.

-Clean the pumpkin core, remove seeds, and keep it ready.

-Grind soaked rice and pumpkin core by adding sufficient salt into smooth paste.

-Ferment overnight or 8 – 10 hours. Next day prepare soft Dosas .

-If you like crisp roasted one, spread as thin as possible on heated iron griddle.

-Serve with coconut chutney or any other curry.

Instant Masala Rolled Oats in Kettle :

November 22, 2020

If you are living in a hostel, PG or with limited access to the main kitchen, it is an awesome idea to keep some ready mixes with one small kettle, as an alternate choice to mess food.

Here, I have used Rolled oats with south Indian masala to give homely Sambar taste, as well as Rolled oats to give chewy texture, alternate to rice. Rice needs little longer time to cook, when compared to Rolled oats. when you have an instant mix ready, it is really quick, easy, filling, fibre rich and delicious choice of meal. 

Ready mix can be stored at room temperature up to a month.

Cooking time – 5 minutes and standing time :5 minutes.

How I made:

Rolled oats – 1 cup

Ghee/ oil – 1 tablespoon

Mustard – 1tsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp

Chana dal -1 tsp

Cashew pieces – 1 tablespoon

Curry leaves – 1 spring (chopped)

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Sambar powder – 1 tsp (as needed)

Tamarind powder – ½ tsp (as needed)

Salt

Jaggery – 1 tsp (as needed)

Method:

-Take one tawa, heat ghee or oil, splutter mustard, fry urad dal, chana dal, fry until it starts to change colour.

-Add cashew pieces, fry for a while. Next, add chopped curry leaves toss until crispy.

-Now add Rolled oats fry for 2 to 3 minutes in low fire. Add turmeric, sambar powder, tamarind powder, salt, jaggery and mix everything until oats absorbs all the masalas.

-Switch off the gas, cool the mixture and keep it in an airtight container. Stays good for more than one month.

How to Cook:

-Take required amount of oats.

If Masala oats – 1 cup

Water – 1 ¼ cup

Boil water in  a kettle, add oats, cook without the lid, until water absorbs, now close the lid, and leave it for 5 minutes. It is such a simple and delicious choice.

 

Overripe Banana Dosa/ Bale hannina dosey :

November 18, 2020

After the festivals or any poojas, over ripe Bananas are everyone’s headache. When skin of the banana turns black, no one prefers to eat. If you have abundant supply of homegrown bananas, it is a constant headache and we normally make Banana Halwa or Banana preserve if it is in large quantities. If it is very less, I normally prefer Dosas ,Mangalore Buns or plantain upside down cake.

Ingredients:

Dosa rice – 3cups

Methi seeds – 2 tablespoons

Overripe Ripe bananas – 6 – 7

Salt

Eno fruit salt – 1 tsp (optional)

Method:

-Wash Rice along with methi seeds. Soak for 3 to 4 hours and grind into smooth batter by adding chopped banana, salt.

-Keep the consistency as well as ferment like normal dosa batter. It takes anywhere between 8 to 12 hours according to the outside temperature.

-Next day, if you want extra soft dosas, add Eno fruit salt, mix nicely and proceed.

Otherwise, mix the fermented batter and make dosas in hot iron griddle by spreading a tsp of ghee or coconut oil before flipping upside down.

-Serve with your choice of chutney.