Evening snack

Capsicum Upma/ Uppittu:

August 10, 2022

Uppittu/ Upma can be prepared in so many ways. Each recipe has its unique flavour and is an excellent option when you want to eat a quick, no-preparation meal. Upma works out well and fits the bill on any meal and time of the day, even as a tiffin box item.

My daughters, who love Upma in any form, have a particular fondness for Capsicum Uppittu, and that was why I want to share this much-loved recipe, under “beginners guide” in my blog.

Ingredients:

Fine rava / Bombay rava / Uppittu rava – 2 cups

Oil – 6 tablespoons

Mustard – 1tsp

Urad dal – ½ tsp

Chana dal – ½ tsp

Cumin – ½ tsp

Cashew nuts – 2 tablespoons

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Onion – 1 big (chopped)

Green chillies – 2 to 3

Small Tomato – 1 ( optional)

Capsicum – 1

Salt

Water – 5 cups

Coriander leaves – as much as needed

Grated Coconut – as much as needed

Method:

-Boil water in one vessel by adding the required amount of salt.

– Take one Kadai, add oil, splutter mustard, cumin, urad, chana dal, cashew nuts, curry leaves, green chillies, onion, and fry.

-If you are adding Tomato, add now and fry for a while.

-Next, add chopped capsicum and fry until it is soft.

-Now add Rava and fry till it is grainy. Add coriander leaves, and fry until it is crisp.

-Add water, and cook on a low flame by closing the lid.

Garnish with grated Coconut, close the lid, and leave it for resting.

-After 5 to 10 min, if you mix it, upma would turn perfect in texture and soft.

-Serve and enjoy.

Taro Root/ Arbi Fry:

November 9, 2021

A perfect side dish to enjoy with humble curd rice or Rasam rice. It is flavourful, healthy, and easy to make a side dish.

Now prepare the Taro root or Arbi; if you are new to the usage of Arbi, please go through my detailed description of handling Arbi, how to cook etc., in “Understanding the roots and tubers.” And go down until Tubers, and you would find the Taro/Arbi under Number 7, and it is HERE.

Now, the procedure for Arbi Fry:

Ingredients:

Arbi root – ¼ kg

Salt – as needed

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – 1tsp

Tamarind powder or paste – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – ½ – 1 tsp

Hing – one pinch

Garam masala powder – ½ – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 – 2 springs

Oil – 2 – 3 tablespoons

Rice flour – 1 to 2 tablespoons

Method:

-Wash the Arbi root, cook for one whistle in a pressure cooker. Peel the skin and slice it ( ½ inch thick pieces).

-Take one bowl, put these slices, all the masalas from salt to garam masala from the ingredient list. Let it sit for half an hour to 1 hour.

-Take one iron skillet, heat oil, put curry leaves, then marinate taro, toss-up and down in a slow flame.

When it is slightly crisp, sprinkle some rice flour and toss further and enjoy with your meal to make it crispier.

Tips: For example, while roasting Arbi, adding little rice flour when 3/4 is done gives it a crisp texture and does not get sticky and mushy. And the necessity to use excess oil also does not arise, thus making it healthier.

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.

Milk Noodles: Instant noodles with coconut milk

September 26, 2021

As I always say, learning is an ongoing process. This particular recipe, which I learnt from my daughter. Yes! You heard it right 😀 Here, she has used coconut milk powder, which is an easy option for a hostller.

Instant noodles can be a super tasty, comforting meal by themselves if we consider replacing it with a little healthier option by opting for millet noodles and some tossed veggies. When I heard milk and the explanation of the recipe, I was a little hesitant. After tasting it, I can tell you; it was creamy and delicious. I felt the addition of curry leaves and coconut milk was a game-changer.

Here, I have used Instant Millet based noodles. One can opt for any preferred noodle and its masala for this recipe.

Ingredients:

A small pack of instant noodles – 1 ( with masala)

Onion – 1 ( slightly bigger pieces)

Garlic – ½ tsp (chopped)

Ginger – ½ tsp (chopped)

Green chilli – 1 (sliced)

Curry leaves – 2 springs

Coconut milk/powder– 1 sachet or as required

Chopped veggies – of your choice ( I used Carrot, green peas)

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – ½ tsp

black pepper powder – if needed ( optional)

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Sugar – to enhance the taste ( to balance)

Method:

-Take one tawa, heat a tbl spoon of oil, when it is hot, season with lots of curry leaves.

-Then, add chopped onion, green chilli, garlic, ginger fry for 2 min.

-Add turmeric, coriander powder, salt and add chopped veggies and green peas.

-Fry all these until veggies wilts. Add 2 cups of water, ready Maggi masala, and adjust the salt.

-Now, drop those noodle blocks, cook. When it is almost done, add coconut milk or coconut milk powder, add water to adjust the consistency.

-if you want some more zing, sprinkle a little pepper powder and serve.

Eggless Chocolate Banana Cake:

August 8, 2021

After trying my hand in Homemade Pure Cocoa powder, I thought of using Cocoa powder in several recipes; I first wanted to include it in my all-time favourite banana cake. It is an ideal recipe to finish off overripe bananas and the perfect tea time snack for anyone, including small kids. The cake, which has whole wheat flour, natural cocoa, natural vanilla as well as milk. If you want to make it vegan, replace it with vegan milk and proceed to bake.

Let us see how I have done it –

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat flour – 1 1/3 cup ( I took 1 cup of whole wheat flour + 1/3 cup of Emmer wheat flour)

Fresh/Desiccated coconut – 2 tbl sp

Baking soda – 1 tsp

Baking powder – 1 tsp

Salt – ¼ tsp

Milk – ¾ cup

Coffee powder – 1 tsp

Pure Cocoa powder – ½ cup (unsweetened cocoa powder)

Brown Sugar – ½ cup

Oil – 1/3 cup

Vanilla – 1 tsp (I have used pure powdered vanilla)

Bananas – 2 ( ½ to ¾ cup of pulp)

Chocolate chip or Cocoa nibs – 3 tbl sp

Method:

-Mix dry ingredients like flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, desiccated coconut in a bowl and keep aside.

-In a saucepan, heat milk, mix in cocoa, coffee powder and make a concoction. Add in vanilla, Sugar and oil one by one. Beat well.

-Next, make a puree of banana and mix in, beat well. Now, the wet ingredient is ready.

-Fold in dry ingredient to wet ingredient. Don’t over mix.

-Pour the mixture into a lined loaf pan, top it with the choco-chip or cocoa nibs and bake at 180°C preheated oven for 40 minutes or until it is done.

-Take out, cool the cake and slice it and enjoy. It stays good for 3 to 4 days under refrigeration.

-Reheat the cake for 30sec in the microwave and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

Savoury muffins:

February 14, 2021

Perfect for small eats, lunch boxes, travels for all age groups and it is so good to grab and have on the go, or have while working or have while study break or have while feeling indulgent.

In my opinion, it is one healthy guiltfree, cheesy and feels good snack. This cheesy flavoured muffin stuffed with my daughter’s favourite veggies, like sweet corn and capsicum, added the goodness of millet and unbleached flour. It is one more recipe from my millet calendar project, published in 2018.

The recipe goes like this –

Ingredients:

Foxtail millet Rava – 1 cup

Whole wheat flour – 1 cup

Cooking soda – 1 tsp

Garlic salt – 2 tsp

Sugar – 2 Tbl sp

Oregano – 1 Tbl sp (pizza seasoning)

Red chilli flakes – 1 Tbl sp

Curd – 1 cup

Water – ¼ cup (to adjust the consistency)

Vegetable oil – ½ cup

Grated cheese – 2 Tbl sp

Chopped veggies – 1 ½ cup (sweet corn, ½ capsicum, ½ onion)

Method:

-Dry roast Rava, cool.

-Mix flour, Rava, chilli flakes and chopped vegetables and cheese.

-In another bowl, beat curd, oil, sugar, salt, oregano, cooking soda and mix until you see bubbles.

-Now pour this liquid over flour and veggie mix. Adjust the consistency by adding water.

-Batter should be little thick but droppable.

-Pour this in a lined cupcake baking tray in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 170°C.

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.

Rice Nippattu:

November 11, 2020

In our Native, Nippattu is nothing but savoury Rice crackers. We normally buy our favourite Rice Nippat from “Popular sweet mart”, from my native town, Putter.

Maybe around 5 -6 years ago, while conversing, my husband asked me to replicate this particular item at home. I was thrilled to hear this and sat down with a couple of Nippattu, pen and paper. I noted down the ingredients one by one after tasting it bit by bit.

Then comes the trial session. At first, I used roasted urad dal powder and rice flour and used a roti presser for pressing. It turned out a little thick and hard.

After a couple of trials with different proportions, addition, and deletion of a couple of ingredients. I succeeded in replicating our favourite snack and it was published long ago in Readoo at that time. Finally, during this Deepavali, I did manage to publish in my own space 😀

Now we will see how it is made –

Ingredients:

Rice flour – 2 cups

Urad dal – ¼ cup

Chana dal – 2 tbl sp

Butter – 1tbl sp.

Green chillies – 4

Red chillies – 2

Cumin – 1 ½ tbl sp

Black sesame seed – 1 tbl sp.

Curry leaves – 6 strings

Asafoetida /hing – ½ tsp

Salt

Oil- for frying

Method:

-Soak chana dal in water for 2 hours.

-Cook urad dal with one cup of water for two to three whistles in cooker. Mash it by hand or whisker.

-Now add butter, soaked-drained chana dal, jeera, sesame seeds, hing, salt, chopped green chillies, red chillies, and curry leaves.

-Mix nicely and add rice flour. If needed, sprinkle some water while mixing.

-Make firm dough and keep aside for 5 minutes.

-Take small amount of dough and make roundels.

-Pat these into flat thin discs on greased wax paper or butter paper or any thick plastic sheet.

-Now keep Coconut or any preferred oil for deep frying. When oil is hot, add patted flat discs and deep fry until it is golden brown.

-Enjoy with evening tea!

Knol khol leaves and sweetcorn Steamed dumpling/patties:

October 9, 2020

Desi sweet corn is in season now and we get plenty from local vendors. Indian maize corn isn’t sweet, but when it is cooked and mashed or ground into paste it has the binding ability due to its starchy texture.

We all enjoy our seasonal roadside bhutta treat, which is nothing but charcoal roasted corn on the cob, makki Ki atta to make roti or as a popcorn. This cereal is healthy, nutritious and can be utilised in a day to day diet, at least in winter months, when it is in the season. Corn kernels have less fat as well as low in calories.

Here, I have used ground corn on knol khol leaves and steam cooked until done. Basic method of making/steaming is like Pathrode or pathra, but ingredients are different. After steaming those folded parcels, it can be devoured as it is like a pathra or steamed dumpling, drizzled with coconut oil or it can be rolled in dry rava mixture and pan fried and served with ketchup.

So, when corn is mixed with Knol khol leaves not only does its nutrition increase but also, we get added benefit of all the goodness of knol khol leaves as well. It is rich in fibre and leaves are big enough to play around and fold however we want.

Recipe goes like this –

Ingredients:

Fresh Sweet corn – 2 cups

Onion – 2 (medium) chopped

Green chillies – 2 to 4

Fresh coriander – 1 fist full (chopped)

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp (dry roasted)

Salt – as needed

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Fresh coconut – 1 cup ( grated)

Fresh Knol khol leaves – as needed (even cabbage leaves would do)

For Tawa roast:

Small size rava – ½ cup ( chiroti rava)

Hing – ¼ tsp

Red chilli – 1 tsp

Coconut Oil – for frying

Method:

-Wash knol khol greens or cabbage greens, drain and keep it ready.

-Make a fine paste of Sweet corn, onion, green chillies, coriander greens, dry roasted cumin, salt, chilli powder, turmeric with coconut.

-Spread the batter evenly on knol khol leaves, fold the leaves at the two sides, then roll like a mat.

-Finish all the batter, by following this same method, place all those rolls in an idli steamer, cook for 20 minutes.

-After steaming if you want to enjoy hot steamed rolls, smear some coconut oil, and enjoy.

-make a tawa roast by rolling in a rava mix. ( dry mix rava, hing, salt, red chilli powder) :

-Heat iron tawa, place all those steamed dumplings by rolling in rava and pour coconut oil and roast both the sides and serve with tomato ketchup.

Avalakki – Genasina upkari/ Seasoned Poha with Sweet potato and chana curry:

September 5, 2020

Bajil/ Avalakki is a default name for seasoned paper thin poha either with added chopped onion or plain. It is a speciality of our native, Mangalore .

When it is combined with Chana curry, which is known as Kadle- Bajil. It is very nutritious ,protein rich combo breakfast option and truly filling to our tummy as well. Here I have used my home-grown Sweet potato with soaked black chana or Bengal gram. It is two very easy dishes combined together to make a pair. It is a no onion dish and appropriate breakfast option for any day either feast / Vrat .

Even though many people would have tasted Avalakki oggarane in any of our temples. This particular dish is almost extinct in today’s world. Hence wanted to share it with you all.

At first, we would see, how to prepare Kadle/Chana curry: Addition of Sweet potato is an optional.

It is a semi solid ,simple, little sweet as well as spicy seasoned dish.

Ingredients:

Black Chana – ½ cup

Sweet potato – 1 or 2 (optional)

Salt

Jaggery (optional)

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp

Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon

Mustard – 1 tsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp

Hing – ¼ tsp

Red chilli – 1 or 2

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Coconut – (grated)

Method:

-Soak Chana , on previous night.

-Cook chana with little water and salt in a cooker. Dice Sweet potato with outer skin intact.

-When Chana is done, add sweet potato pieces and cook that as well.

-Prepare seasoning, heat oil, splutter mustard, add urad dal, red chilli, when dal becomes red, add curry leaves.

-Now add cooked chana and sweet potato and mash a little, to give a texture.

-Add jaggery, red chilli powder, adjust salt and Boil. when it becomes little thick, add grated fresh coconut, and switch off the gas. Serve with Seasoned Poha/ Avalakki Oggarane.

Now We would how to prepare Seasoned Poha/ Avalakki Oggarane:

Ingredients:

Fresh grated coconut – 1 cup

Salt

Rasam powder OR Roasted coriander, cumin, red chilli, little hing.

Little tamarind

Jaggery – ½ tsp

Paper thin poha – as needed

For seasoning:

Mustard – 1 tsp

Urad dal – ½ tsp

Red chilli -1

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

-At first, dry grind coconut, Rasam powder or roasted masala , jaggery, tamarind ,salt.

-To this mixture, add seasoning mix nicely by hand.

-Add required amount of poha and mix nicely by using your hand and serve with Chana and Sweet potato curry.

-Relish the Age-old filling breakfast with your near and dear ones.