Category: Main course

Khara Pongal/ Ven Pongal :

January 9, 2022

Ahh..what to say about humble Pongal? It is one of the comfort food for any South Indian. It is most prevalent in Tamilnadu as a Ven Pongal and a Khara Pongal at Bangalore.

Be it breakfast or as popular Tiffin Item or Lunch or Dinner in a chilly winter season, with added healing properties of ginger, black pepper, hing and loads of ghee to soothe your soul.

It is one of the wholesome, one-pot meals. As the Makarasankranthi festival is around the corner, I would love to share the recipe I follow at home and loved by my family.

Ingredients:

Rice – 1 cup

Moong dal /green gram dal – 1 cup

Ghee – 2 tbl spoons

Cumin – 1 tsp

Hing – ¼ tsp

Green chillies- 2 (slit)

Ginger – 1′ ( julienne)

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Turmeric – 1 tsp

Milk – 1cup

Water – 7 cups

Salt

Fresh coconut gratings – ½ cup

Tempering: Ghee – 1 tbl sp, mustard, cumin- 1 tsp, black pepper – 1 tsp – 2 tsp, curry leaves – 1 spring, chopped cashew nuts – 1 to 2 tbl spoons.

Extra ghee – to serve ( optional)

Method:

-Dry roast yellow moong dal for 2 to 3 minutes. Cool it. Wash rice and dry roasted moong together and soak it for some time, or you can use it directly.

-Take a cooker, add 2 tbl sp ghee, add cumin, hing, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and turmeric and fry for 2 minutes.

-Now drain the rice and moong dal, add-in, mix everything and add water, milk and boil.

-When water starts boiling, add salt, coconut, close the lid, and cook for three whistles.

-Crush black pepper and cumin by putting them together in a mortar and pastel. Keep it ready.

-After opening the lid, make tempering by heating ghee, splutter mustard, add crushed pepper and cumin, curry leaves, cashew bits and fry until the cashew becomes light brown. Pour over the tempering on ready Pongal.

-Mix everything, serve with tamarind gojju, sambar, Raita or chutney.

NOTE: I usually use Broken rice, which is used explicitly for Pogal and available in all the local Rice traders here in Bangalore.

If it is not available, I would prefer to use Jeeraga samba rice/ small grain rice/ sannakki.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

Bassaru Palya :

September 20, 2021

Now, what is bassaru? The literal transition of bassaru is Basida (drained) saru (Curry) in the Kannada language.  Here, we cook the legumes or dals and the choice of greens or veggies in an open vessel with little more water than the required amount to cook. When the cooking process ends, drain the water (stock) and use it for gravy by adding ground masala. Cooked veggies would turn into the dry curry with added seasoning. They are usually served with Ragi Mudde (finger millet balls) or Rice, topped with ghee with chopped onions or papads as an add-on. Bassaru is a staple affair in Bangalore, Mysore, Mandya, Hassan, Kolar, Tumkur region of Karnataka.

Bassaru Can be prepared using either Toor dal, Sprouted green gram, soaked black eye peas (karamani or Alasandekalu) or Sprouted horse gram etc. for protein ( also as a thickening agent to the curry)

If you prefer Greens, you can use the choice of greens except for fenugreek or Methi leaves.

If you don’t prefer greens, you can opt for any veggies such as French Beans, Ridge gourd, Cabbage etc.

Bassaru can be prepared in various ways, and each family has their method. Here, I am sharing how I make it and relish our Mudde Oota.

Ingredients for Saru:

Black eye bean – 1 cup (overnight soaked)

Chopped greens – 1 bowl

Salt

Green chillies – 4 to 5

Onion – ½ (chopped)

Garlic – 5 – 8

Curry leaves – 4 leaves

Coriander – 1 tsp

Cumin – ½ tsp

Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon (chopped)

Coconut – 1 tablespoon

Tamarind – 1 tsp

For seasoning:

Oil – 1 tbl spoon

Mustard – 1tsp

Onion – ½ (chopped)

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

-Take one vessel, cook soaked bean. When it is half done, add chopped greens, salt and a pinch of jaggery (it is purely optional) and cook further.

-When beans and greens are perfectly cooked and done, drain the stock, collect the water and keep it ready. (take out one serving spoon of cooked legume to grind the masala).

-At first, we would prepare the masala.

-First, heat 1 tsp of oil, add coriander, cumin, curry leaves, green chillies, onion, garlic and fry until onion becomes translucent. Switch off the gas. Add in chopped coriander, coconut, tamarind and mix everything.

-When fried content is cooled, grind it into a smooth paste by adding one serving spoon of cooked legume by adding a little water.

-Now, reserve little ground masala in the mixer jar ( to make palya) and proceed to make saru.

-Take one vessel, mix drained water/stock, ground masala, adjust the consistency, check for the salt, boil until it is frothy.

-Do seasoning, heat oil, splutter mustard, add curry leaves, chopped onion and fry until light brown. Add it to boiled bassaru.

Now we would see the procedure of palya:

-Take one tawa, heat oil, splutter mustard, add curry leaves, chunks of onion, fry until it is translucent. -Add reserved ground masala, fry for 2 minutes. Now, add cooked and drained legumes and greens.

-Check for the salt, seasoning, garnish with freshly grated coconut and mix everything and enjoy with ragi mudde or Rice.

Note:

-Please cook legumes or dals in an open cooking method. Don’t use the pressure cooker. It indeed makes it mushier and soggier.

 

Ragi Mudde/ Finger millet balls:

September 15, 2021

Ragi Mudde is a Humble, day to day meal of Hassan, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Tumkur, Kolar region of Karnataka. As a coastal girl, I never used to like Ragi Mudde earlier. As time passed, I learnt to make perfect; please read as “suitable to our palate” mudde and tasty Bassaru palya to go with it. It is one of our family favourites too.

Ragi Mudde is rich in calcium, well balanced, wholesome, healthy food. Perfect meal for elderly, diabetics, weight watchers.

Making of mudde is a real art. It needs little patience and perseverance. Like preparation, eating is also a tactic. Instead of chewing, Ghee laden mudde should be swallowed by dipping it in veg or non-veg curry.

Mudde can be prepared in various ways, and each family has their method. Here, I am sharing how I make it.

Ingredients:

Finger millet / Ragi flour – 1 cup

Water – 2cups

Salt – one pinch( optional)

Cooked rice – 1 or 2 tbl spoons

Ghee – 1 tsp

Method:

-Take one saucepan or thick vessel, heat water by adding salt, ghee, rice.

-When water starts boiling well, keep it in a simmer, add ragi flour and keep one wooden spoon or steel spoon and close the vessel with leaving a gap to allow to escape steam.

-After 5 min, you could smell the cooked ragi. At this juncture, open the lid, start to move the spoon in a circular motion to cook further until you feel the dough doesn’t stick to your finger while checking and the aroma of cooked ragi fills the nostrils. It takes a reasonable amount of time ( from 5 to 10 min)

When ready, transfer the cooked dough to a wooden chopping plank or a wet steel plate. Immerse your hand in a bowl of water, start making the required sized ball by pinching the main dough.

-If you are serving immediately while serving, add ghee and serve. Otherwise, reserve all the balls in a hot box.

Note: -The colour of the Mudde depends on the Ragi flour. 

-For the vegan version, omit ghee and use any vegetable oil.

 

 

 

Bendekai Kayirasa / Ladies finger coconut curry:

August 17, 2021

Kayirasa is one of our almost extinct dishes, which can be seen only in our rural houses and found only in our community / homely recipe. It is coconut-based, slightly sweetish, and pairs well with hot boiled red rice or white rice.

Like Sambar, we always use a light green or purple coloured heirloom variety of Bhindi to make Kayirasa. I have never tried Kayirasa with any other types of Bhindi. It is my childhood favourite, and I used to ask my ajji / Grandmother to prepare whenever I visited her. Her preparation tasted like heaven, and I could never replicate that taste even if I used clay pot like her. Grandmothers are ultimate, and they have a magic wand in their hand to dish out such a delicious meal.  

Ingredient:

Bendekai / Ladies finger – ½ kg

Tamarind – big gooseberry size.

Salt

Jaggery

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Fresh coconut – 1 big bowl

Urad dal – 1 tablespoon

Dried red chillies – 3 to 4

Seasoning:

Coconut oil – 2 tsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Red chilli – 1

Curry leaves – 1 to 2 springs

Method:

–Soak tamarind, boil with little added water, salt, jaggery, red chilli powder.

-When it starts boiling, add chopped Bhindi. Allow cooking on a low flame.

-To avoid sliminess,  don’t close the lid or put a spoon to mix while boiling Bhindi.

-In the meantime, prepare the masala: heat coconut oil, fry urad dal, red chillies. Grind into smooth paste by adding coconut and water.

-Add the ground masala to cooked veggie, boil nicely by adding sufficient water to adjust the consistency.

-Do the seasoning and serve with hot rice.

 

Vegetable/Egg Soba Noodles:

July 4, 2021

Firstly, we will see what soba noodles is? Soba noodles are Japanese noodles made from buckwheat flour. Buckwheat flour is greyish, so the noodles have a dull grey colour, and it is gluten-free. Due to this, noodle is slightly brittle.

 As 100% buckwheat, gluten-free noodle tends to break, people add some wheat flour when preparing their noodles. Using the noodles as is, with 100% buckwheat, I needed to be extra cautious while boiling and cooling.

Earlier I did try it by adding honey and sesame as well. The advantage of sweetened with honey, it is like a one-pot meal. No need for a side dish 😀

But, if you want to relish with side dishes, you can make a savoury version by adding veggies and opt to add a bit of scrambled egg as well. Soba noodles do not need much seasoning. It has its earthy flavour.

Now we will see how to cook noodles as well as the preparation.

Ingredients:

Soba noodles – 2 bundle

Spring onion bulbs or shallot – 2 tablespoons (chopped)

Veggies – 1 bowl ( beans, carrot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum)

Salt

Pepper – little

Ginger – 1 tablespoon (juveniles) 

Garlic – 1 tablespoon (chopped) 

Soya sauce – 1 spoon

Vinegar – 1 spoon

Spring onion greens – to garnish (optional)

Method:

-Take water in a big vessel, add a little salt and a tsp of oil, boil. when water starts to boil, add noodles, and cook. When it Aldante, strain the water and keep it aside.

-Reserve the strained water to prepare side dish/Chinese curry (it is healthy as well as give an excellent texture to the prepared curry)

-Now cool the noodle and proceed towards seasoning.

-Take a wide wok, heat oil, fry garlic or ginger. You can add both as well. Add white spring onions or shallots and fry a little.

-Next, add chopped veggies, fry nicely. Add salt, soya sauce, vinegar, and fry for 2 minutes.

-Add cooled noodle and toss. Sprinkle salt, pepper and adjust the seasoning.

Suppose you are ok with the addition of egg, nothing like it. Go ahead, scramble a couple of eggs, add to noodle, serve your favourite Chinese side dish, or eat as it is and enjoy the wholesome meal.

Note: you can cook the noodle a little early and keep it under refrigeration. It gives an excellent result as well.

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.

Little millet Salad

February 1, 2021

It is a low-calorie lunch or dinner option for weight reduction or diabetic patients- Very filling and at the same time low in calorie and filled with so many nutrients.

Ingredients:

Samai or little millet – ½ cup

Sweet corn kernels – from one cob (boiled)

Sprouted Green gram – ½ to 1 cup

Grated raw mango – ½ mango

Pomegranate – 1

Fresh Coconut – 1 tablespoon

Salt

Coriander leaves.

Seasoning:

Coconut oil – 1 teaspoon

Mustard- ½ teaspoon

Hing- 1 pinch

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Green chilli -1 (chopped)

Method:

-Dry roast little millet for 2 minutes. Wash and cook this in a cooker (one whistle) by adding ¾ cup of water and pinch of salt.

-After cooking, remove the cooker lid and spread the cooked millet in a wide plate and cool.

– When it cools down, mix in boiled corn, sprouted green gram, grated raw mango, pomegranate, fresh Coconut, salt and chopped coriander leaves.

-Do the seasoning by heating coconut oil. Add mustard. When it splutters, add hing, chopped green chilli and curry leaves.

-Add this to salad and mix lightly and enjoy as a meal.

Fusion Veggie Wraps/Rolls:

July 16, 2020

Why do I call this a Fusion wrap? It has an Indian Roti with Mexican filling. This is a Colourful veggie wrap which can be served hot or cold. These wraps are filling and at the same time very healthy too. 

It’s ideal for kid’s / office lunch boxes.

 -Here I have used

1) Ragi/finger millet, whole wheat roti. ( you can use plain wholewheat roti as well.

2) Avocado dip which is mixed with chopped lettuce and used as a bottom bed.

3) Roasted veggie: here I have taken capsicum. You can use chopped and roasted mushroom or any other veggie as well.

4) Salsa: here I have taken tomato salsa, you can use any salsa like pineapple, mango etc.

First, we will see how to make Roti:

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour-1 cup

Ragi /finger millet flour-½ cup

Water-1 cup

Salt

 Chopped dill leaves-1 cup (optional)

Oil -1 tsp.

Method: Take one cup of water, add oil, salt and boil. Now add Ragi flour and keep this for 2 to 3 minutes or until it cooks. Now remove from the flame and keep aside. When it is a little cool and ready to handle, add whole wheat flour and chopped greens, make a firm ball like Chapati dough. Cover and keep this aside 10 minutes for resting. Then start making little thicker Chapati than the regular Chapati and cook both the sides by applying some ghee or oil and keep it ready.

Secondly, we will see how to make Lettuce – Avocado dip:

Ingredients:

Avocado -1 large

Yogurt- ½ cup

Sugar – 1 tsp.

Green chilli -1

Garlic salt – to taste.

Cumin powder – ½ tsp.

Red chilli flakes- ¼ tsp.

2 to 3 table spoons –chopped coriander leaves.

Chopped Lettuce or Napa cabbage – as required 

Method:

-Remove flesh from the avocado and discard its seed.

-Grind green chilli, coriander at first, then add all other ingredients and churn these by putting all of them together and adjust the seasoning.

-you can serve this as a side dish, as a dip or dressing.

-This dip stays good for a week under refrigeration.

-Now Chop lettuce like long strips and mix this avocado dip according to the requirement. Now your second ingredient for the wrap is ready.

Thirdly, the Roasted veggie:

-Here I have taken capsicum. Wash, remove seeds and dice .Now take some olive oil, sauté this and sprinkle some garlic salt. Now your third ingredient for the wrap is ready too.

Fourth and last one is Tomato Salsa:

Ingredients:

 Tomato -1 finely chopped

 Onion- ½ finely chopped 

 Green chilli -1 finely chopped   

 Salt, sugar and lemon juice –according to your taste

 Coriander leaves –chopped

Method: add all these ingredients, mix and adjust the seasoning. Now your fourth and last ingredient for the wrap is ready.                             

Now we will proceed to make Fusion veggie wrap:   

          

-Keep everything ready and Take one roti, spread avocado and lettuce mix, sprinkle roasted veggie, lastly salsa. Now roll it and pack it in a lunch box or serve as a lunch or snack.

 

Oats Rava Vegetable Idli :

June 10, 2020

I normally prefer rava idli by adding oats. As you all are aware, I have 2 types of oats idlies in my blog. One is plain Oats Rava idli and another one is Regular Rava idli style by adding oats to it. I normally prefer Rava idli style and if it is for tiffin box or Brunch adding vegetable is an incredibly good option. It is my dear friend Smitha’s recipe and I want to thank her for sharing such a filling, nutritious and healthy recipe in our Foodie group. 

Addition of vegetables with oats increases the nutritional value of the dish. This recipe doesn’t demand much curd as well. Hence for me,  this is one more recipe to indulge in that too without any grinding and prior planning.

I normally prepare the dry mixture the previous night and keep it ready to cut short my early morning job. It works very well. Dry mix consists of seasoning and roasting part.

How I did:

Ingredients:

 (a) Main Ingredients

Upma Rava – 2 Cups
Quick cooking Oats – 1 Cup

(b) To be ground into a coarse paste

Black Pepper Corns – 10 -12 or, as desired
Cumin Seeds – 1&1/2 Teaspoons
Ginger Root – 1 Inch Piece
Green Chillies – 4 to 6 or, as per your spice levels

(c) Vegetables –

Preferably grated, or very finely chopped

Bottle Gourd – 1/4 Cup (grated)Carrots, medium sized – 2 (grated)
Green Peas, slightly crushed – 1/4 Cup
French Beans, Finely Chopped – About 8 to 10
Fresh Coriander Leaves, finely chopped – 4 Tablespoons

Fresh Curry Leaves, finely chopped – 2 to 3 Sprigs

(d) Other Ingredients

Cashew nuts – A few or, as required (For garnish)
Salt – To taste
Cooking Soda / Baking Soda – ½ Teaspoon
Lemon Juice – 1 Teaspoon
Water – As required
Yogurt – 1/4 to 1/2 Cup + 2 Spoons to mix with soda
Oil – To grease the idli plates/molds

(e) For Tempering

Asafetida – A generous pinch
Black Mustard – 2 Teaspoons
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 Teaspoon
Chana Dal & Urad Dal – 1 Teaspoons each
Oil – 4 Tablespoons

Method:

-Dry roast Rava, halfway through add oats and fry further until it is done. Cool.

-Dry roast pepper, cumin. Dry grind these by adding ginger, green chilli and keep aside.

-For Seasoning part, Take one wok, do the seasoning, heat oil, splutter mustard, fry chana and urad dal, add cumin, hing, ground spice mix, chopped curry leaves , coriander leaves and fry a little.

– Add crushed peas, finely chopped beans, and grated bottle gourd. Add salt and switch off. Cool completely. 

-Now  Mix in roasted Rava and oats with veggie seasoning.

-Add ½ cup yogurt, keep it aside for 15 minutes.

-In another bowl take lemon juice, curd, cooking soda mix nicely and add to batter.

-Then adjust with water, make idlies by keeping cashew at center.

-Serve with Hot and sweet coriander chutney.