Rice – Page 6

Neer Dosa:

November 1, 2017

Hi all! Today I’m posting a south Karnataka special- Neer Dosa! Its literal translation to English is watery Dosa and we call this as “Thellavu”. It is soft lace like and many people enjoy this Dosa. Friends always want to have this Dosa when they visit our home and it is a joy to prepare and eat. Everyone keeps asking for the recipe and I thought I would post it. So, here’s how you make this simple, soft and delicious Dosa. This Dosa stays fresh for hours and very good option for tiffin boxes or gatherings. One can prepare in advance and keep it in a hot box.

Ingredients needed:

Dosa rice -2 cups

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 with water (I use soaked water while grinding, it gives nice 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.
When it is ready, apply oil like this.
Pour one serving spoon of batter like how we make Rawa Dosa, you can see it in the picture above.
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(See in 2nd picture “cook in a simmer”)
Now flip this Dosa on the plate, leave for 2 minutes, then fold (upper shiny part will stay upwards)
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.
This type of folding will help to keep Dosa without sticking to one another.

Serve these Dosa with coconut and grated jaggery mixture or coconut chutney. People even enjoy Neer Dosa with Egg curry or Chicken curry as well.

Note:

Use soaked water while grinding.
If you are using any other variety of rice,please add half cup of fresh coconut to give softness to Dosa.

Kumbalakai/Ash gourd Dosa:

October 19, 2017

When I prepared Kashi halwa, so much quantity of the inner fleshy part was left and I was not in the mood to throw it away. I immediately made a couple of breakfast options from the remaining inner fleshy part, which can be made by adding ash gourd pieces as well. I feel that the inner core has more flavour than real ash gourd: D Ash gourd is considered as super food which has many healing properties and it is very good for the human body. It is low in calories hence it is good for weight watchers as well as diabetics.

This Dosa batter is like normal urad dal Dosa and one can prepare paper thin roasted Dosa or thick set Dosa as you wish.

Ingredients:

Dosa rice / White normal rice – 3 cups

Urad dal – ¼ cup

Ash gourd inner soft part – 3 cups (you can use ash gourd pieces as well)

Salt

Method:

-Wash Ash gourd, peel outer skin and remove inner core with seeded part. (Core part can be used to make Dosa batter)

-Remove seeds and take white part and keep it ready.

-Wash rice and dal together. Soak for 2 hours.

-Grind soaked rice and dal with ash gourd core part or pieces by adding sufficient salt.

-Batter should be smooth and consistency is like normal Dosa batter.

-Ferment this ground batter for 8 hours or overnight.

-Next day prepare Dosa as you wish.

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

-If you wish soft, porous kind, spread like a set Dosa and enjoy with coconut chutney.

Ash gourd Sweet Dosa:

October 18, 2017

Ash gourd or winter melon or white pumpkin has so many health benefits and it is literally the most ignored veggie of all. In our native we prepare so many varieties of dishes from this white coloured veggie. This Dosa is prepared by using the inner core of the vegetable by removing its seeds. You can make it sweet or plain, that is your choice. I like the sweeter version. It is very soft and melts in your mouth. Today we will see how it’s made.

ribbet 3_Fotor

Ingredients:

Dosa rice – 3 cups

Poha – 1cup

Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp

Ash gourd inner soft part – 1 cup (you can use white part as well)

Coconut gratings – ½ cup

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Salt and jaggery- to taste

If you want sweeter versions add jaggery or else you can omit.

Eno fruit salt – ½ tsp

Method:

-Wash Ash gourd, peel outer skin and remove inner core with seeded part. (Core part can be used to make Dosa batter)

Ribbet collage 1

-Remove seeds and take white part and keep it ready.

-Wash, soak rice, fenugreek seeds with sufficient water by putting beaten rice as well.

Ribbet collage 2

-After 3 to 4 hours of soaking, grind this by putting Ash gourd, jaggery, salt, turmeric, coconut into smooth batter. Check for sweetness or salt.

– Keep this batter for fermentation. In Bangalore weather, I usually grind any batter around afternoon, so that the next morning it will be perfect.

-The next morning add Eno fruit salt, mix nicely and keep aside for 10 minutes.

– Then you can start making Dosa on heated iron griddle. Take one serving spoon of batter and pour, don’t spread. Keep gas flame in simmer, spread little ghee, close the lid and cook. Don’t flip the Dosa. Only one side cooking is needed for this. Here I have used half serving spoon of batter for each small roundel. Personally, I like to serve this as small cute roundels.

-This Dosa tastes good with honey or onion and coconut chutney with red chillies.

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.

Genasale/Steamed rice cake with coconut jaggery filling:

September 30, 2017

Genasale is coconut and jaggery filled steamed kadubu or steamed rice cake, usually folded and steam cooked in banana leaves. Banana leaf gives beautiful aroma and a good taste to this Genasale. Genasale is prepared using few basic ingredients but the end result is mouth watering, everyone’s favourite dish.

In my ancestral home, Navaratri/Dasara is celebrated by worshiping Goddess Durga. This Genasale is the main offering to the Goddess during night puja. I still vividly remember waiting for this Genasale prasadam to be served, while having a scrumptious traditional dinner. Now let us learn how to prepare this Genasale or kayi kadubu (kayi = coconut).

pic main

Ingredients:

Dosa rice /white rice – 2 cups

Grated coconut – 1 cup

Grated Jaggery – ½ cup (to taste).

Ghee/ Clarified butter – 4 tsp.

Salt to taste

Banana leaves

Method:

-Wash Dosa rice and soak it for 2 to 3 hours.

– Grind soaked rice in to a fine paste with minimal water and salt.

–Batter should be a little thick but of spreadable consistency.

– Add 2 tea spoon of ghee and mix nicely, keep aside.

–Now prepare filling by mixing coconut, jaggery, and little ghee and mix everything nicely. keep it aside.

–Now take banana leaf, hold this on a gas flame (for wilting), then clean it with a wet cloth.

-Now take one spoon of rice batter, apply on banana leaf like a thin Dosa.

Ribbet collage 1

– Take one spoon of jaggery mixture and Spread it over the thin Dosa and fold the banana leaf like a pocket.

– Steam cook for 30 min.

Ribbet collage 2

– Serve this Genasale with dollop of Ghee and Enjoy.

Citrus medica / Dudle huli Chithranna:

September 28, 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. This Chithranna is fragrant, rich in vitamin C and very tasty. We normally serve this in any festivals or weddings. It is a no onion no garlic recipe and we use mustard, dry red chilli and coconut for flavour. This is our traditional and much-loved recipe for Chithranna.

chithranna main

Ingredients:

Rice – 3 cups

Citrus medica – 1 (big citrus fruit)

Dried red chillies – 2 to 3

Mustard – 1 tsp

Coconut – ½ cup

Jaggery – 1 to 2 tsp

Salt

Oil – 1 tsp

Seasoning:

Coconut Oil – 3 tbl sp (any refined oil is ok)

Mustard – 1 tsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp

Cumin – 1 tsp

Hing – ¼ tsp

Curry leaves – 2 springs

Ground nuts – ¼ cup

Method:

-For cooking rice:

Boil water in a big vessel by putting 1 tsp of salt and oil. Add washed rice and cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until it is soft and firm and cooks. Drain cooked water and spread this rice in a colander.

– Grind masala by putting coconut, roasted red chillies, mustard, jaggery and dry run without adding any water.

-Seasoning:

-Take one thick bottomed kadai, add oil and heat. When it is hot, add mustard.

collage 1

-When it starts splutter, add urad dal and ground nut and fry until it becomes little dark. Next add cumin, hing and curry leaves.

-Now add ground masala and fry for 2 minutes. Add drained rice, juice of citrus medica and salt.

collage 2

-Mix well and switch off the gas. Check for the seasoning and adjust according to your taste.

– This is very ideal vitamin C rich option for tiffin box as well.

Sorekayi Kottige / Bottle gourd steam dumpling:

September 22, 2017

Sorekayi is nothing but humble bottle gourd, which we usually neglect to use in our daily diet, which incidentally has numerous health benefits. In our native, bottle gourd is mainly used to treat stomach illness or jaundice. It is believed that, it has the power (anti-inflammatory properties) to heal our Liver and intestine during the illness. Bottle gourd has close to 90% water content and is great on the stomach and light on digestion. Apart from this, bottle gourd juice is very good for weight watchers, diabetics and for a healthy heart too. We have so many traditional preparations of bottle gourd and all are very low in calories and tasty too.

Ingredients:

Dosa rice – 2 cups

Bottle gourd – 1 or 2 (according to size)

Salt

Banana leaves or turmeric leaves – to wrap

Method:

-Wash Dosa rice and soak it for 3 hours.

-Grate bottle gourd by using big hole of a grater or chop it into very small chunks.

-Grind soaked rice into a fine paste with minimal amount of water and salt.

-Mix chopped or grated veggie and rice batter.

-If you are using turmeric leaves, wipe it and use as it is.

-If you are using banana leaves, take banana leaf, hold it over a gas flame (for wilting) then clean it with a wet cloth.

– If you are using turmeric leaves, use 2 leaves, place it in a “Plus” position, now pour one serving spoon of batter and fold the leaves like a packet.

-If you are using banana leaf, pour batter, fold side wise, then close the ends.

-Steam cook these ready packets in a water filled idly steamer for 30 minutes to 40 minutes in a medium heat.

– Serve this kottige with jaggery syrup with ghee / Honey, coconut chutney or sambar.

Thai Clay Pot Rice with Vegetables:

September 15, 2017

This recipe is my entry for BetterButter Contest in collaboration with SPRIG.

SPRIG is a brand that scours the world to get the finest gourmet ingredients into kitchens of people who love to experiment in their kitchen.

It was basically an introduction to SPRIG’s range of unique spice blends, to be used in our dishes covering cuisines from Europe to the Middle east to Asia.

To participate, at first there were four choices of spice blends and they made us select one spice blend from the lot and asked us to create a dish and recipe.

I chose Malacca: Oriental spice Blend.

This spice blend is a symphony of fragrant herbs and spices, inspired by the orient. It captures the rustic richness of South East Asian curries, with a twist. Flavourful chilies make for a delightful fusion, best enjoyed when sprinkled into curries, sauces, salad and stir fries. This versatile ingredient can be used as rub, marinade, glaze, paste, crumb, sprinkle or dressing!

We relish Thai food, lemon grass flavour, one pot meals. Being a Mangalorean, we love our dose of coconut milk too. So, I tried my hand in creating Thai flavoured rice, using clay pot. The dish turned into a super tasty, mildly flavoured one pot meal.

pic main 2

Ingredients:

Rice – 2 cups (small grain rice/ Jeera samba variety)

Vegetables – 1 bowl

Tofu – 100 grams

Onion – 1 medium

Ginger – ½ inch

Thai chillies – 3

Lemon grass – 4 sticks

SPRIG MALACCA spice blend – 2 table spoons

Thick Coconut milk – I tetra pack or 200 ML

Water – 3 ½ cups

Salt – as required

Oil – 2 table spoons (any refined oil)

Sesame oil – 1 table spoon.

Clay pot – for cooking

Method:

– Wash rice and drain the water and keep aside.

– Chop vegetables according to your choice.

– I have used Broccoli, cabbage, three colours of capsicum and baby corn.

– Chop onion, slice chillies, sliver ginger and keep aside.

– Make 3-inch pieces of lemon grass, make a bunch and tie it with a small piece of cord.

-Take a clay pot and smear it with Sesame oil.

– Sesame oil will act as a non-sticky coat for clay utensil while cooking for long.

collage 1

-Now take oil for seasoning. When it is hot, add onion, chillies, ginger, lemon grass and fry until onion is glossy.

-Add all the vegetables and fry for a while.

-Now add tofu, Malacca spice, salt and mix everything thoroughly.

collage 2

– Next proceed with addition of drained rice and fry for 2 minutes.

-Add coconut milk, water.

collage 3

-Cook the mixture by closing the lid, in a very low flame for 20 to 30 minutes or until done by mixing twice in between.

-Serve hot by discarding lemon grass sticks. (Used to enhance flavour, since they can’t be swallowed)

pic main 1

NOTE:

If Thai chillies are not available, one can use any variety of chilli.
I have used bird eye chilli.
If sesame oil is not there, one can use refined oil to smear the clay pot.

Spring Onion Akki Rotti:

September 12, 2017

Akki Rotti is a traditional Breakfast item of Karnataka. Usually it is prepared either by adding chopped greens, grated veggies or only onion. Here I have added chopped spring onion greens as well as bulbs, which is mixed with rice flour to form a thick pliable dough to make super tasty gluten free flat bread. I have served it with coconut and onion chutney, which we traditionally prepare in a Mangalore house hold.

pic main

Ingredients:

Rice flour – 3 cups

Spring onion -1 bundle

Green chillies – 2

Salt

Fresh Coconut gratings – 2 table spoons

Water – to bind

Oil – to fry the rotti.

Method:

– Wash and clean the spring onion and green chillies.

– Chop green chillies, spring onion greens and bulbs finely.

– Take one wide steel bowl and mix in rice flour, chopped green chillies, spring onions, coconut gratings, salt.

– Make a pliable dough by adding sufficient water.

–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 a water in-between.

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

– 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 Onion and coconut chutney.

Note:

-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.

Moode/ Kotte kadubu:

August 25, 2017

Moode or kotte kadubu is a local delicacy of Coastal Karnataka. We especially prepare this on the eve of any festivities. Now a day It is an integral part of any weddings in our region.

Moode or kotte is leaf cup which we prepare either by using jack leaves, Kedige flower leaves (Kewda, Fragrant Screw Pine, Umbrella tree, Screw pine) or Plantain leaf. It is based on availability and accessibility to leaf.

It is basically normal idly batter which is poured in these cups, which is made by any one of these leaves and steam cooked in a water bath and served with chutney or any sambar.

I usually prepare this by bringing these leaf cups, from One of the many Mangalore stores, spread across Bangalore, during festival season. Sometimes I do prepare by lining a stainless-steel cup with small pieces of plantain leaves. This also works just fine like any other leaf cup.

Ingredients:

Idly Batter – Fermented

Tall steel glasses

Plantain leaves – as needed

Method:

– Hold plantain leaves on gas flame and wilt a little. It will help while folding or rolling the leaves.

–If you don’t wilt it, it will tear very easily.

–Take one wet cloth and wipe plantain leaves (you should move your hand from centre rib to edge as ridges moves in the leaves) and clean the leaves.

– Remove extra thick centre ribs (fibre) by holding your left palm to support over the leaf and pull the fibre by right hand.

-Cut this into small rectangle pieces.

– It is now ready to roll and place inside the steel glass.

–Keep idly steamer ready, when water starts boiling, pour the batter to the moulds.

–In these cups, usually 2 to 2 ½ serving spoons of batter will hold.

– If batter is more, cooking time should increase according to that.

–Keep it in a steamer, cook in a high fire for 10 minutes and when you feel the steam is uniformly distributed inside the steamer, reduce the flame and cook for 40 to 50 minutes in a very low flame.

–After it is done, switch off the gas, don’t open the lid and keep it for some more time.

–When you want to serve this, open the lid, remove the glass mould and pull the banana leaves out and serve with pouring little ghee and any side dish of your choice.

–Usually on festival days, we make coconut based sambar or chutney and totally avoid garlic and onion on any auspicious day.

–Our traditional side dish is called menthe kodilu and we relish these kadubu’s with menthe kodilu or sweetened cardamom flavoured coconut milk(kayi halu) and coconut chutney .