Category: organic

Buckwheat Dosa:

September 13, 2020

For some people, eating gluten -free is a necessity due to their sensitive gut or any other medical conditions. They normally prefer whole food without gluten , which is highly nutritious with many health benefits. As a good source of fibre, buck wheat is known for its low Glycemic index, hence it is safe to eat people with diabetic condition as well.

Buckwheat Is one such Super food and earlier I have posted Buck wheat honey Noodle recipe and now it is my experiment with the whole seed, which my sister has carried and got it for me. You must be wondering, why I have written Buckwheat as a seed? Yes! The name buckwheat causes confusion and usually people think that, it is some other form of grain and related to wheat. It is  seed of the flower from the plant, which belong to the same family as Sorrel and Rhubarb. The seeds are in triangular shape. These categories of seeds, which we normally consume as a grain is known as “pseudo cereals” and Amaranth and Quinoa are commonly used other pseudo cereals.

After seeing the seed/grain, I wanted to try our traditional Whole wheat dosa recipe by replacing whole wheat to Buckwheat. It tasted really good and loved the earthy taste and grainy texture, just like whole wheat. It is quick, no fermentation and instant recipe with all the goodness.

How I made:

Ingredients:

Whole Buckwheat – 3 cups

Green chillies – 2

Ginger – ½ inch

Coconut – 1 cup (freshly grated)

Salt

Method:

-Soak Buckwheat after washing for a couple of hours.

-In a mixer grinder, put soaked buckwheat, little water, salt, chilli, ginger , coconut and make a batter.

-Batter should not be very thin and watery. It should be like idli batter consistency.

-Heat iron griddle. When it is hot, spread thin dosas, cook both the sides by pouring little ghee or oil.

-Serve with chutney or sambar.

 

 

 

Coconut Flour and Buck wheat Chocolate chip cookies:

May 17, 2020

In my earlier posts I have discussed regarding homemade coconut flour as well as  eggless coconut flour cookie with chocolate chip.

One thing we must keep in our minds while using coconut flour is, do not underestimate its absorption power by seeing its light and airy texture. It absorbs moisture like a sponge. What I learnt from my previous experience is, it needs almost equal amount of moisture content as flour volume.

Here I have tried with egg as well as without egg by adding  flax gel as an egg replacer, mainly because of its gel like texture. Coconut flour does not have any holding capacity, so thought of using flax gel.

In this experiment I have taken equal amount of coconut flour and buck wheat flour ( I did try with millet flour as well)  it did absorb the liquid, swell and gave me Eleven  cookies 😊 More than everything, this was interesting!! Baking Coconut Flour by adding millet/ buck wheat flour . This was a little experiment, and the results were not bad at all! I got the big thumbs up from my twins.

Let us see the procedure for With Egg Version –

Ingredients:

Coconut flour – ½ cup

Millet/ Buck wheat flour – ½ cup

Choco chip – ¼ to ½ cup

Pink salt – ¼ teaspoon ( you can use normal salt as well)

Cinnamon powder – ½ tsp

Cooking soda  + baking powder – ¼ tsp ( 1/8th  tsp  each)

Eggs – 2

Ghee – 2 tablespoons

Vanilla – ½  teaspoon

Organic Natural brown sugar – ½ cup (you can use normal sugar or jaggery as well)

Method:

-take one bowl, add all the dry ingredients: Both the flours, salt, cinnamon powder, cooking soda, baking powder and Choco chip. Mix everything and keep it aside.

-Beat the egg , add vanilla, sugar, and ghee. Beat everything until you see a bubbly texture.

– Pour wet mix into dry ingredient and fold everything and prepare a dough. It would be sticky and wet.

-Keep this in a refrigerator at least for a half an hour. By this time, coconut flour would absorb the moisture and batter would be perfect to scoop out.

-Pre heat oven at 170 °C. Line the baking tray with the butter paper.

-Scoop out the mix by using ice cream scooper and arrange in a lined baking tray.

-Bake this in a pre-heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

-Do not touch while removing, it will be incredibly soft. Remove the tray and cool as it is.

-After cooling, it will harden a bit. After it cools down completely, store it in an airtight container.

– These cookies are slightly crunchier at outer circle, soft and chewy at the centre.

– It becomes a little harder and firmer the next day .

For Without Egg Version:

For Egg less version, please use any egg replacer or 

Flax gel: The basic ratio is 2 ½ tsp of flax seed powder and three tablespoons of  hot water  and then you simply whisk in the mixture until it becomes gelatinous  to replace one egg.

-Here, after mixing the wet and dry mixture, you can directly proceed to baking. No need to keep it in the fridge. Dough is less liquid, compared to the with egg version.

-Cookies turn out much more heavy and crunchier than the with egg version. Does not spread while baking. It holds the shape very nicely.

Peperomia Herb / Neer kaddi Raita :

April 10, 2020

Pepperomia Pellucida also known as Vietnams Crab claw herb. which is known as Neer kaddi/ Neer panthi in our coastal line. Even though it is known for its medicinal as well as culinary use, we never use this in cooking.

Whenever I see a Peperomia herb in my small kitchen garden, feel nostalgic by thinking about my childhood activity. During that time, we used to play with its watery stem and used to wipe our writing slate with it 😀 It is a common weed, which is shallow rooted, water filled stem and light green transparent leaves with a tiny granule kind of flowers.

Which has a peppery taste with a pleasant aroma. Entire plant is an edible and known for its medicinal properties such as anti-arthritic, diuretic as well as analgesic . It is very popular as a salad herb and here I have used it in a curd-based dish.

Ingredients:

Peperomia herb – one small bunch

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard – ½ tsp

Urad dal – ½ tsp

Hing – little

Curry leaves

Green chilli – 1

Salt

Curd

Onion – 1 (small)

Coriander leaves

Method:

-Remove root, wash and drain the herb. Chop herb, green chilli.

-Do seasoning- heat oil, splutter mustard, add urad dal and fry. Add hing, curry leaves, green chilli and fry until green chilli wilts.

-Now add chopped herb and toss until it wilts.

-Cool the mixture, add chopped onion, salt, curd , coriander leaves.

-Tastes good as a side dish with hot rice or whole wheat paratha.

 

 

Mango ginger Thokku:

March 17, 2020

Mango ginger! Yes, it is a rhizome, resembles more of a ginger and tastes like Mango sans tanginess.

It is locally known as Mangannari /mavinakai shunti in Kannada and Aam Haldi in Hindi. Mango ginger is an antioxidant, anti-fungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory.

In our native, it is widely used in our traditional cooking.  We usually make Chutney or Tambli and add lemon to the pickle. I’ve never tried or eaten the Thokku version. My dear friend Smitha sent me her grandmom’s recipe and asked me to prepare and post it on my blog. Heirloom recipes are very dear to my heart, and I am fortunate to get the soul-satisfying, tasty, and flavorful recipe of mango ginger Thokku.

 Ingredients:

Mango ginger – 200 – 250 grams (grated or ground to semi-coarse texture)

Hing/ Asafetida – A generous pinch (1/2 Teaspoon)

 Curry Leaves – A sprig or two

 Byadagi Red Chillies – 4 (broken into pieces)

Tamarind – the size of a big gooseberry (soak in a hot water and extract the pulp)

 Fenugreek/Methi seeds – 2 Teaspoons (Roasted and powdered)

Jaggery Powder – 1 to 2 Teaspoons

Oil – ¼ to ½ cup.

Mustard Seeds – 2 Teaspoons

Red chilli powder – 1 to 2 Tbsps.

 Salt – To taste

Turmeric Powder – 2 Teaspoons (You can use freshly grated turmeric too)

Method:

-After Washing, peel the mango ginger, grind it into a semi-coarse texture or grate it.

-Take one kadai, heat oil, splutter mustard, add hing, red chillies, curry leaves and fry.

-Add mango ginger and sauté it well. At this time, add turmeric, roasted methi powder, and red chilli powder. Mix well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

-Add salt, jaggery and tamarind extract and cook on a low flame.

-When almost done, oil leaves on the sides and the mixture becomes a shiny mass.

 -Switch off the gas, allow it to cool and store it in a clean glass jar.

-Stays well for months. If refrigerated, it stays for a year. Just like any other Thokku. Voila! Enjoy with idli, dosa, Uppittu or steaming hot rice with a dollop of ghee or any preferred oil.

Note: If using fresh turmeric, add it with the mango ginger or halfway through.

Whether grinding or grating, the final texture will be like that of chutney… smooth. So, grind it to a coarse texture, as grating can be tedious. If cooking on low heat, occasional stirring and tossing is enough.

Tip: You can grind two green chillies along with the mango ginger. That enhances the taste. In that case, you can reduce the chilli powder by half a teaspoon and one or two dried red chillies in the tempering. Jaggery balances it and tastes Thokku to the next level.

Plantain stem curd curry/ Bale dindina pachadi :

February 19, 2020

Banana stem or Plantain stem is a rich source of fibre ,potassium and Vitamin B6 which helps to maintain a fluid balance within our body. Banana stem is diuretic which helps to detoxify our body and hence it is used extensively to treat kidney stone naturally.

Banana stem can be consumed in a raw form like Juice, Dosa ,curd based pachadi as well as plain Salad. We can make  Rasam, palya or sambar by cooking.

If you want to see a detailed pictorial guide for “How to chop Banana stem” you can refer this link .

Ingredients:

Plantain stem – 6 – 8 inch

Hing – a generous pinch

Salt

Curd – 1 cup

Green chillies – 2 to 3 ( we normally use Bird eye chillies)

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:

  • Slice plantain stem into discs, remove thread like fibre while slicing.
  • Chop the roundels into thin slices.

  • After slicing the roundels, stack 5 to 6 roundels one over the other and chop as desired. I usually make square small pieces for this salad.
  • Sprinkle salt, generous amount of hing and mix it thoroughly.
  • If you are using green chillies , chop them. If you are using bird eye chillies, use as it is.

  • Do seasoning, heat oil, splutter mustard, add chillies and curry leaves.
  • Add this seasoning over salad. Crush all the seasoning by using hand. This step would help to release the chilli flavour.
  • Add curd and mix. Serve as a side dish with Rice. It tastes good with Roti’s as well.

 

 

Instant Raw Banana Dosa:

February 4, 2020

Raw banana has been used as a baby food from ages. It contains various essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre as well as small amount of protein. It is very good for digestive health and people with diabetes. In our native, raw banana is an integral part of our cooking. It starts from baby food/ banana flour porridge, side dishes, curry as well as instant dosa like this. You might be wondering, how come? Raw banana usage? Indeed, there is a reason behind extensive usage. Our elders are all from agricultural background. They all were into Areca nut farming. In between Areca nut plants, there will be Banana, pepper, Cocoa and many more side crops.

Usually we use small variety banana for this dosa and not a big banana variety. This recipe which I learnt it from one of my Atthey and trust me, it is very tasty. It is quick, instant, vegan, gluten free and what not?

Let us see, how I make it –

Ingredients:

Raw small variety bananas – 9 – 10

Salt

Soaked rice or rice flour – 1 tablespoon.

Method:

-Wash, peel outer fibre or main skin of the banana and chop into bite size.

-Immerse in water and keep aside.

-If you are using soaked rice, make a paste at first, add drained banana pieces, salt and grind into smooth paste by adding sufficient water.

-Batter should not be very thin and watery. It should be like idli batter consistency.

-heat iron griddle. When it is hot, spread thin dosas, cook both the sides by pouring little ghee or oil.

-Serve with chutney or sambar.

Fresh Turmeric Gojju:

January 16, 2020

Turmeric is a  popular spice of Indian Cuisine and we normally use it in powder form almost in all the recipes. In this time of the year, we do use fresh root in our kitchen. The fragrance of the fresh raw turmeric is very different than the powder. If you haven’t tried fresh turmeric root yet, this recipe is a delicious and refreshing way to get a taste of its earthy, sweet flavour of fresh produce.

Our ancestors had a really nice way to taking care of their health . According to the season, and depending on the local produce, they used to make and consume all the goodness of the nature in a natural way.  This recipe is one of them and it is  one of the age-old recipes which I learnt from my atte .

How it is made-

Ingredients:

Fresh Turmeric rhizome – 2 pieces

Coconut – ½ cup

Coriander – 1 table sp

Urad dal – 1 tsp

White sesame seed – ½ tsp

Red chilli – 3

Tamarind – 1 tsp

Salt

Jaggery – 2 table sp

Coconut oil – 2 tablespoons

Method:

-Clean the turmeric rhizome, grate and keep it ready.

-To prepare masala: Fry coriander, urad dal, red chilli and sesame seed in little oil. Grind this with coconut, into smooth paste.

-Now take one tawa, pour oil, fry grated turmeric, add tamarind water, salt, jaggery and cook .

-When turmeric changes its colour, add ground masala. Check for the salt and jaggery.

-Boil this nicely, serve with Hot rice and ghee. It is indeed  pure bliss and oodles of goodness for your body.

 

 

Nugge soppina Khara dosey/Moringa leaves mini dosa :

November 6, 2019

Mini dosas are traditionally known as “Sanna Polo” which is the tastiest side dish of Konkani community of our region. Basically, it is a red chilli and hing flavoured rice batter, with added goodness of any greens or chopped cabbage and chopped onion.

Here I have used chopped Moringa/ nugge soppu/ drumstick leaves which is a powerhouse of nutrients. Back in 2016  I had tried a bunch of moringa recipes to publish in Vijaya next kannada daily. Already I have shared Moringa powder and  Chutney recipe with you all and now we will see how to do a mini dosa.

Ingredients:

Dosa rice – 1 ½ cup

Byadagi chilli – 6 to 8 ( roasted)

Tamarind – 1 tbsp

Coconut – 1 cup

Jaggery – 1tsp

Salt – to taste

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Hing – peanut size

Moringa leaves – 1 bowl

Onion – 1 (big)

Method:

-Soak dosa rice for 2 to 3 hours after washing.

-Make a paste of chilli ,coconut, tamarind, salt, jaggery, turmeric, hing. Now add soaked rice and grind into small rava consistency.

-Add chopped onion and moringa leaves. Adjust the consistency by adding extra water.

-Batter consistency should be like idli batter. Start making dosas by heating iron dosa griddle.

-Pour little batter, don’t spread. Keep gas flame in simmer, spread coconut oil ,close the lid and cook.

-When one side is cooked, flip and roast another side. Serve as a side dish with Rasam rice, dhal rice.

Note:

-To get an authentic taste, use a coconut oil.

Baked Cracker by using Ghee Residue:

September 16, 2019

By now, you would know about my love towards brown sediment which is known as ghee residue. Ghee residue is a moist, brown coloured by-product formed after preparing ghee from white butter.

Ghee residue is a rich source of essential fatty acids, natural antioxidants and proteins.

I have shared my experiments with ghee residue earlier. It all started by trying simple tea cake ,then chocolate cake  then apple -cinnamon cake and by trying chocolate chip cookies.

This time I did try some savoury version, and everyone liked it and it turned out pretty well.

You can use whole wheat flour and oats or a mixture of any flour of your choice.

Ingredients:

Ghee residue – 2 -3  tablespoons

Curd -2 tbl spoons

Water – 4 tbl spoons

Jaggery or sugar – Acc to the taste

Mixed spice powder – 1 tbl spoon (pepper-cinnamon-ginger)

Salt

Whole wheat flour – 1 cup

Powdered Oats – 2 tbl spoons

Rice flour – 2 tbl spoons

Kasuri methi – 1 tbl spoon

Turmeric – 1/2 tsp

White sesame seed – 1 tsp

Method:

 -Take the ghee -residue and all the dry ingredients and mix everything properly. Add curd and sufficient water to make a pliable dough. 

-keep the dough covered, and rest for 30 minutes.

-After 30 minutes, take a small portion, make a ball and roll like thin roti /chapati, cut this by using a cookie cutter or pizza cutter.

-Bake in a pre-heated oven at 170 -180 °C for 20 – 30 minutes.

-After cooling for some time, take out it would turn crispy and enjoy it with a cup of coffee or tea.

-Store it in an airtight container. It stays good for many days, and it is an excellent snack for growing up kids as well.

 

 

 

Pepper flavoured Banana Chips:

September 6, 2019

Pepper flavoured banana chips can be prepared by using any local varieties of Raw banana or Semi ripe but firm Kerala plantain. Banana I have used is home grown, small variety which we call as Gali bale. One can use Yelakki or any other variety of banana which is Non-ripe, green one.

Colour of the chips is not bright unlike Kerala plantain chips. It is earthy and peppery in flavour.

Now we will proceed towards the recipe-

Ingredients:

Green Banana – 10

Salt – 1 tbl sp

Water – 1 small cup

Coconut oil – To deep fry.

Chips slicer – to slice

Pepper powder – as needed

Method:

  • Apply some oil to your hand. To some extent it will protect your hand from blackening.
  • Take fresh, green plantain, wash properly. Peel the outer skin by using knife at the upper tip, use hand and proceed to peel till the bottom.
  • Immerse these peeled bananas in a bowl of water.
  • Take one small bowl of water and mix salt and keep aside.it is your salted water, which is used while frying chips.
  • Now you can keep coconut oil for heating. When it is very hot, start making chips. To test the hotness of oil, drop one small piece of plantain, if it pops up immediately, it is ready.
  • Take out plantain from water, pat dry and start slicing directly to the hot oil by using slicer.
  • Use one or two plantains at a time.
  • Keep flame at medium. When the slices of plantain cook, the bubbling sound of the oil becomes faint. Now you can add 1 tbl spoon of salted water, and you will hear lot of bubbles and bubbling sound. When the sound reduces, the chips are ready to be removed from the oil.
  • Remove the chips from the oil and keep them on a tissue-laid bowl and sprinkle some black pepper powder and mix by shaking the bowl up and down.
  • After cooling store, it in an airtight container and proceed with the remaining plantain.