One of the most well known and loved food from South India is the Dosa. I’m  from the city of Bengalooru, that is well known for its software industry and pubs and dosa places. Here is a newspaper article from a popular Bangalore daily, listing several interesting Dosa hotels in Bangalore.

Of the various types of Dosa, the ‘Masala Dosa’ is very popular. Here is my version of this classic-

Ingredients-

1. Rice- 2 cups

2. Urad Dal- 1/2 cup

3. Beaten Rice( Avalakki or Poha)-   A fistful

4. Fenugreek seeds- 1 Tbspn

5. Channa Dal- A fistful

6. Salt- to taste

Method-

Soak all the ingredients separately overnight, or for at least 4 hours. Drain the water and grind using as little water as needed. A small table top wet grinder like Ultra comes in most handy for this purpose. The batter turns out better because there is a control on the amount of water that needs to be added, and the motion of the stones aerates the batter better than a normal grinder, creating a much better final product. Well, for those of us who do not have such luxuries, a normal grinder works just fine…….

Allow the batter to ferment in a warm place for about 8 hours, or till it rises slightly.  I prefer grinding the batter in the morning, as we stay in a really cold place, and the batter needs to go in a 200 Degree preheated oven, which I need to keep checking on periodically. The longer the batter is let to ferment, the sourer it gets. Add the salt to the batter after it has fermented.

For the Stuffing-

Ingredients-

1.  Potatoes- 4 large, Boiled and peeled

2. Onion- 1 Large, chopped

3. Green Chilies- 3 to 4, sliced

4. Curry leaves- 6 to 8

5. Fresh Ginger- 1 inch piece, finely chopped

6. Coriander- 1 Tbspn, finely chopped

7. Mustard seeds- 1/2 Tsp

8. Urad Dal- 1 1/2 Tsp

9. Channa Dal- 1 1/2 Tsp

10. Oil- 2 Tbsp

11. Turmeric powder- 1/2 Tsp

12. Salt to Taste

13. Juice from 1/2  lemon

Method-

Heat the oil in a thick bottom pan. Add the mustard seed, after they splutter, add the urad dal and channa dal and allow to turn slightly brown. Add the green chilies, ginger and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds. Add the onions, and saute till they become transparent. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Mash the potatoes slightly, and mix with the onions. Turn off the heat. Mix the lemon juice and garnish with the fresh coriander.

For a version of this curry without onions. Follow the initial steps as above, and use a pinch of asafetida for the tadka, but skip the onions. Before adding the mashed potatoes, add a tsp of rasam powder and a tsp of sugar to the oil. Mix the lemon juice as before, and garnish with fresh coriander. Boiled Peas make a good addition to this dish.

This curry goes great with Pooris too…..

For the onion chutney-

Onion- 1 medium, chopped

Tamarind paste- 1/4 Tsp

Red chilies- 2

salt to taste

Grind all the above to make a thick chutney to spread on the dosa.

Alternatively, a mixture of ghee and Chutney powder can be used as a spread.

To assemble the Masala Dosa-

Stick half an onion on a fork and use this to clean the tava, each time after making a dosa. Heat the Tava on medium, spread the batter into a thin, round, approximately 8′ diameter, pancake, and turn the heat on high. Add oil( or a mixture of oil and Ghee) all around the sides of the dosa to prevent sticking. After the dosa turns golden, spread some onion chutney, or chutney powder-ghee mixture, over it, put some potato curry in the center, and fold. Top with a blob of butter, and serve with some coconut chutney and Sambhar( Recipes coming up).

Hey, do you have the tradition of throwing away the first dosa????

The secret to making the softest, low calorie, nutritious chapathis or phulkas at home, lies in the quality of the wheat flour used in making them. Even phulkas which do not need a drizzle of oil to keep them soft, remain soft even if stored for a day if they are made with good quality wheat flour. Wheat flour is best if it stone ground(Ground in a ‘Chakki’) from complete wheat, and contains bran too. There should be no loss of any nutrients in the processing of the flour. The color of the dough can be a simple indicator of this. If the dough is slightly brown, it indicates the presence of bran. If the dough is white, it indicates that the flour has been refined, and contains more maida, which also means it has lost most of its nutrients.

Not all wheat flour available in the market are the same. Some brands can make the Chapathi’s or Rotis very rubbery. The best brands I have used are ‘Annapurna’ and ‘Nature’s fresh’, both of which are imported from India, which grows some of the best wheat in the World.

So for all those who think they can never make soft roti’s, here is my method, hope it works for you too……….

Ingredients-

1. Whole wheat flour- 1 1/2 Cups( makes 10 to 12 Phulkas)

2. Canola oil( or any cooking oil)- 4 Tsp

3. Very Warm water- 2 Cups Approximately( use more or less as required)

4. Salt- 1 Tsp

To make the dough-

Mix together the wheat flour, salt and oil well with your hands, so that the oil and salt are well integrated in the flour. Add 3/4 cup of the water and mix well to start making the dough. Keep adding water in small amounts and kneading the dough, till it all comes together as a single, smooth ball. Adding water in small amounts prevents the dough from becoming too watery, which can be a nightmare to roll out. This dough can be used to make most types of unleavened breads like chapathi, Poori, Phulka, Roti and also as the covering for different types of parathas.

Keep the dough covered, or sealed with saran wrap in the mixing bowl for about an hour. This allows for the gluten to form. The development of gluten affects the elasticity and softness of the the final product. Dough that is left in the fridge for a day, makes the best phulkas. Kneading the dough well also promotes the formation of gluten, yielding a soft product.

Method-

Divide the dough into approximately 10 equal parts. Take one part of the dough and roll it into a small ball with your palms, and squish it into a platelet. Dip it on both sides in some whole wheat flour, and roll it out into an 8 inch diameter circle, and put it on a hot tava, and turn till it gets brown spots on both sides.

Remove from the tava with a good pair of tongs and put it directly on the gas flame and increase the intensity of the flame to the highest.

The phulka starts poofing up immediately, due to moisture getting trapped between the 2 layers.

Remove from the heat, and serve. If storing for later use, stack the phulkas and keep them covered at all times with a cloth or tight lid to keep them soft. Heat in the microwave for about 10 seconds before serving.

To make Chapathis( rotis with more layers)-

Divide the Dough into approximately 8 portions. As before, roll out the dough into a 4 inch circle. Brush the surface with a few drops of oil and fold into half. Again brush the surface with a few drops of oil, and fold into a quarter. Roll out the chapathi into an approximate equilateral triangle, with 8 inch sides, and cook both sides on a hot Tava, till it seperates into layers.

Posted in Main course ]]> http://suruchi.wordpress.com/2008/11/06/phulka/feed/ 0 RH 2994918181_e9620da485_b 2995758878_8748b3d993_b 2995758970_af7b136fd9_b 2994918181_e9620da485_b http://suruchi.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/green-beans-curry-with-yogurt-and-poppy-seeds/ http://suruchi.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/green-beans-curry-with-yogurt-and-poppy-seeds/#comments Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:11:06 +0000 RH http://suruchi.wordpress.com/?p=204 ]]>

I found this great cookbook on vegetarian recipes in the library. Its called ‘The Art of Vegetarian cooking‘ by Yamuna Devi. I find most of the recipes very interesting and delicious and very different from normal, everyday, mundane stuff. None of the recipes contain onions, garlic or eggs plus are not smothered in heavy cream.  Written by a person who was not born in India, but spent a considerable amount of time there learning the intricacies of the Indian cusine and mastering it. Hats off to her!!

One of the first recipes I tries form the book was a green beans curry, cooked in a poppy- yogurt sauce. It was so good, that it got me hooked to the book. The recipe calls for some nutmeg powder, which I the ultra conservative would never have dreamed of adding to anything that was not sweet. Boy! How wrong I was…..

Ingredients-

1. Green beans- about 1 lb, washed and broken into 2 inch pieces

2. Poppy seeds( khus khus)- 3 TBsp, powdered

3. Green chilies- 4 to 5

4. Ginger- 1/2 inch

5. Cumin seeds- 1/2 Tsp

6. Coriander leaves- 4 sprigs

5. Yogurt- 3/4 cup

6. Cooking oil- 3 Tbsp

7. Curry leaves- a sprig

8. Nutmeg powder- 1/4 Tsp( preferably fresh)

9. Salt to taste

Method-

Steam the cut beans till they are just done. Grind together the yogurt, poppy seeds powder, green chilies, cumin, ginger and coriander leaves. Mix the paste well with the cooked green beans.

In a kadhai, heat the oil and add the curry leaves. After a few seconds, add the green beans, salt and nutmeg powder. Stir well, and cook without covering till the liquid almost dries up. Serve with hot phulkas or any kind of roti.

Posted in Side Dishes ]]> http://suruchi.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/green-beans-curry-with-yogurt-and-poppy-seeds/feed/ 1 RH 2976939718_cb89e00d8f_o1 http://suruchi.wordpress.com/2008/10/13/simple-but-great-guacamole-dip/ http://suruchi.wordpress.com/2008/10/13/simple-but-great-guacamole-dip/#comments Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:37:16 +0000 RH http://suruchi.wordpress.com/?p=197 ]]>

Ingredients-

1. 1 ripe Avocado

2. Cilantro-1 Tbsp, chopped

3. 1/2 ripe Tomato- chopped

4. Onion- 1 Tbsp, chopped fine

5. Green chilli- 1 chopped( remove the seeds and pith, depending on the amount of spiciness needed)

6. Lemon juice- from 1/4 lemon

7. Cucumber( Optional)- a 2 inch piece, finely chopped

8. Salt- To taste

How to check if an Avocado is perfectly ripe- When the stem of the avocado is removed, the flesh should be dark green( Source- Food network) + the Avocado should not be squishy on slightly pressing.

Method-

Mash up the avocado with a fork. Mix in the other ingredients. Add the lemon juice. The Lemon juice prevents discoloration of the avocado by oxidation, in addition to giving a great taste. Tastes great with Tortilla chips or regular potato chips. I think it also makes great sandwiches.

I have done a post on the versatile ‘Quinoa’ before. So continuing with the experimentation, I found that this otherwise bland tasting seed, could be used to make, rather conventional kharabhath( the type made with regular rava or semolina). The quinoa has a slight crunch, which gives a new dimension to this recipe.

Ingredients-

1. Quinoa- 1 Cup, slightly roasted, for a few minutes
2. Mixed Vegetables- 1 cup, diced( carrots, peas, potatoes, green beans, etc)
3. Kasoori methi( optional)- 1 Tbsp
4. Vangibhath powder/Palyada pudi- 2 Tsp
5. Tamarind paste- 1/2 Tsp
6. Sugar/jaggery powder- 1 Tsp
7. Turmeric powder- 1/4 Tsp
8. Fresh grated Coconut( Optional)- 1 Tbsp
9. Curry leaves- 1 Sprig
10. Mustard seeds- 1/2 Tsp
11. Channa daal- 1 Tsp
12. Urad Daal- 1 Tsp
14. Asafetida- A pinch
15. Salt to taste
16. Oil- 2 Tbsp
16. Fresh Coriander- Chopped

Method-

Cook the roasted quinoa with 1 1/2 cups of water, till the tiny white coils pop out. Take the oil in the kadhai and make a tempering of mustard seeds, Channa daal, urad daal, asafetida and curry leaves. Add the diced vegetables, stir well. Add the turmeric powder, salt and Kasoori methi. Close the kadai with a lid and lower the flame. Cook the vegetables till they are tender and just done. To the cooked veggies, add the Vanghibhath powder, tamarind paste and the sugar, and mix well. Mix in the cooked quinoa. Check the seasoning. Garnish with grated coconut and chopped coriander. Serve hot, with some yogurt.

No meal is complete without eating at least a little Yogurt or Yogurt rice in many parts of south India. It is great tradition. Our ancestors probably did not know of the bacteria that made yogurt, but they knew of the several health benefits it had. Nowadays, there are so many advertisements on the TV, talking about how these bacteria present in yogurt help with digestion, and regularization of the daily bathroom activities( Of which I’ll spare you the details).

All these are things our ancestors knew hundreds of years ago. To think of it makes me really proud of our rich culture.

Coming back to the topic, yogurt is considered to be a cooling agent. It counters the effects of spicy, oily food, and aids digestion. It can also be used alone or with other ingredients as a face pack, since it has astringent properties. It is also used in hair packs with mehendi as a hair conditioner. The many benefits of yogurt can be found here-

http://whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=124

Plain, mundane yogurt rice can be pepped up and made more fancy by adding other ingredients. It can be made low fat by adding low fat yogurt. For those special occassions, when you don’t really mind, it can be made creamy and rich by adding a bit of sour cream. The ginger added to this dish not only gives taste, but also aids digestion.

Helpful tip- If making yogurt rice for a picnic or journey, mix all the ingredients before packing. Keep seperately about 1/2 a gallon of milk. Add the milk, just before serving. This helps to prevent the yogurt turning too sour in the heat, and also gives the thickened mixture an edible consistancy.

Ingredients-

1.Cooked Rice- 3 Cups
2. Yogurt( I use low fat Desi or homemade, Dannon plain, low fat works really fine)- 2 cups
3. Sour cream- 4 Tbsp
4. Grapes(halved), or pomegranate arils or finely chopped cucumber- 1/2 cup
5. Fried cashewnuts- 10 to 15
6. Chopped coriander- 1 Tbsp
7. Curry leaves- 1 sprig
8. Cumin seeds( Jeera)- 1 Tsp
9. Stuffed chilies( Uppu hacchida menasinakaayi)- 4 to 5, fried and crushed
10. Finely chopped fresh ginger- 1/2 Tsp
11. Asafetida- a pinch
12. Oil- 2 Tsp
13. Salt- to taste
14. Fresh grated coconut- 1 Tbsp(Optional)

Alternate Ingredients-

1.Cooked Rice- 2 Cups
2. Yogurt- 2 cups
3. Sour cream- 4 Tbsp
4. Grapes(halved), or pomegranate arils or finely chopped cucumber- 1/2 cup
5. Fried cashewnuts- 10 to 15
6. Chopped coriander- 1 Tbsp
7. Curry leaves- 1 sprig
8. Finely chopped fresh ginger- 1/2 Tsp
9. Green chilies, chopped- 3
10. Channa Dal- 1 Tsp
11. Urad Dal- 1Tsp
12. Asafetida- a pinch
13. Oil- 2 Tsp
14. Salt- to taste
15. Fresh grated coconut- 1 Tbsp(Optional)

Method-

Mix together the rice, yogurt, sour cream and add salt. Make a tempering of either jeera, asafetida, curry leaves and ginger Or Channa dal, urad dal, chilies, curry leaves and asafetida. Add to the rice mixture. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix the salt and check for seasoning. Add the fruit or chopped cucumber with the coriander, and mix well. A little water can be added if the mixture seems too thick. Serve with any hot pickle.

One dish that needs absolutely no introduction is the much popular Bisi- Bele Bhath. A literal translation of which would mean “Hot-Lentil- mixture”. The lentil here could be Toor Dal if making BBB( short for Bisibele bhath) with rice, or Moong daal if making it with Avalakki( beaten rice/Poha). Though ‘Hot’ BBB tastes the best, we would wait to eat it cold in the evening, when all the spices would have sunk in.

No marriage in our family would be complete without BBB, as the main course at one lunch/dinner session. BBB still remains one of the popular picnic dishes paired with the equally famous Mosaranna( Curd rice). It was also the most favorite topic of conversation at several work lunch discussions, with me being the only kannadiga, and my collegues from other parts of India:-).

There are several recipes for BBB available over the internet, and I bet each of them tastes great and unique. As I said before, try a different recipe each time, and stick with the one you love. There are also ready made BBB powders and pastes available in Indian stores. I personally feel, nothing can beat the taste of freshly made BBB paste.

Ingredients( makes 4 servings)-

1. Rice( Any rice will do, but Sona mussorie or Basmathi is best)- 1 cup
2.Toovar Dal- 3/4 Cup
3. Diced Vegetables( cut into 1X1 inch pieces)- 2 Cups, can include- French beans, potatoes, carrots, Bell peppers, choyote squash, etc.
4. Peas OR lilva( Avarekaalu) OR Double beans- A fistful
5. Chopped Tomato( optional)- 1
6. Oil or Ghee- 2 TBsp
7. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 Tsp
8. Tamarind paste- 1 Tsp or a water from a lemon sized ball
9. Fresh grated coconut- 2 TBsp
10. Mustard Seeds- 1 Tsp
11. Curry leaves- 1 Sprig
12. Red Chillies- 2 broken for tempering
13. Asafetida- 1/4 Tsp
14. Salt – To taste

15. Fried Cashewnuts- 10 to 15

Roast the following ingredients with a drop or two of oil and powder them with the nutmeg -

1. Channa Dal- 1 TBsp
2. Urad Dal- 1 Tsp
3. Coriander Seeds- 2 Tbsp
4. Star Anise- 1/2 broken( optional)
5. Cinnamon- 2 inch stick
6. Cloves- 2
7. Cardamom- 1 whole
8. Nutmeg powder- 1/4 Tsp
9. Red chillies- 5 to 6 broken

Method-

Wash the Toor daal and cook in a pressure cooker with the turmeric powder and a spoon of ghee/oil, for only one whistle. If cooking without a pressure cooker, use a thick bottom pan, and cook till the dal is almost done. Wash the rice. Add the rice and the vegetables to the cooked dal, add 2 cups of water, and some salt and cook together in the cooker for 2 whistles. If cooking in an open vessel, cook with the dal till the vegetables are just done, but not mushy.

In the meanwhile, grind together the masala powder and the fresh coconut to make a thick paste. Take the dal-rice- vegetable mixture in a thick bottom vessel. Add the masala paste, tamarind paste and salt. Add water if necessary to make the BBB the consistancy you want. It gets thicker when it cools.

Check for seasoning. Make a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chillies and asafetida in ghee/oil. Add to the BBB. Serve hot topped with some ghee, Boondi or potato chips and some raitha and experience the lovely taste of our Sweet Karnataka.

Ingredients-

1. Ash Gourd OR Okra OR Snake Gourd OR chopped spinach OR Cucumber- 2 Cups
2. Channa Dal- 1/4 Cup( soaked in water for an about an hour)
3. Fresh grated coconut- 2 Tbsp
4. Cumin seeds( Jeera)- 1 Tsp
5. Green Chilies- 4, approximately
6. Yogurt( will be good if its a bit sour)- 1 cup
7. Fresh coriander- 2 to 3 sprigs
8. Fresh Ginger- an inch piece, chopped
9. Curry leaves- 1 Sprig
10. Asafetida- a pinch
11. Oil- 3 Tsp, for tempering
12. Mustard seeds- 1 Tsp
13. Salt- To taste
14. Turmeric powder- a pinch

Method-

If using okra, wash well, and dry each with a dry towel before cutting into small pieces. Fry the pieces well in a Tbsp of oil, till all the gummy extracts cease completely. If using spinach, wash well and chop. The other vegetables can be cut into large pieces, because, they tend to dissove while cooking.

Make a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafetida in a thick bottom pan. Add the cut vegetables, water, salt and a pinch of turmeric and cook till they are done. It is a good idea to cook the veggies in water just enough to cover them. The water in which the vegetables have cooked contain nutrients, and it will be a waste to have to drain off the excess.

In the meanwhile, grind together the channa dal, jeera, chilies, yogurt, coriander, ginger and the coconut. Add the paste to the cooked vegetables. Channa Dal thickens while it is heated, so add water as needed to prevent the paLadya from getting too thick. Add the salt. Simmer for a minute or two, before serving hot with rice.

Ingredients-

1. Baby potatos- 12
2. Yogurt- 2 Cups, beaten
3. Whole Garam masala consisting of- 2 Bay leaves, 4 cloves, 2 big cardamons, 2 small cardamons, 2 small pieces of Cinnamon
4. Shahi jeera- 1 Tsp
5. Dry Ginger Powder- 1/4 Tsp
6. Fennel( Saunf) Powder- 2 Tsp
7. Red Chili Powder- 1/2 to 1 Tsp( depending on how hot it is)
8. Garam Masala- 1 Tsp
9. Turmeric Powder- 1/4 Tsp
10. Salt- to taste
11. Oil- For deep frying the potatoes

Method-

Boil the potatoes with the skin in salted water( the skin starts butsting off the potatoes when they are done). Peel the skin. Prick each potato well with a toothpick or a small fork. Heat the oil in a kadai and deep fry the potatoes till they are light, and turn golden brown. Take a small cup of water, add the powder ingredients and make a paste. Take a thick bottomed pan. Add 2 to 3 Tbsp of the hot oil from the kadai, and lower the flame. Add the shahi jeera, and the whole garam masala. When it is done, add the masala paste. The masala should not burn. When the oil starts floating on top, add the yogurt and mix well. Add the salt. Add a little water to the gravy, if it gets too thick. Add the potatoes. Cover the pan and simmer for a few minutes. Serve hot with rice or any kind of roti.

Tip- The yogurt sometimes breaks when added to the hot masala. Beat the yogurt to a smooth paste, and lower the heat while adding the yogurt, and stir fast.

HuLi thovve( Actually pronounced as ‘HuLdovve’) is a dish generally prepared with pumpkin, though it can also be made with ridge gourd.

Ingredients-

1. Pumpkin or a medium sized Ridge gourd- Cut into 1 inch X 1 Inch pieces, 2 cups
2. Toor Dal- 1 cup
3. Turmeric Powder- 1/4 Tsp
4. Oil- 1 Tsp( to cook the dal)
5. Tamarind- 1 Tsp paste or water from about a lemon sized ball
6. Ghee/ Oil- 2 Tsp( for tempering)
7. Curry Leaves- a Sprig
8. Mustard seeds- 1/2 Tsp
9. Asafetida- a Pinch
10. Jaggery- 1 Tsp
11. Salt- To taste

Roast the following ingredients, except the bengal gram, with a drop of oil. Cool. Powder everything together-
1. Fried bengal gram( Hurigadale)- 1 Tbsp
2. Red chilies- 5 to 6
3. Cinnamon- 2 inch piece, broken
4. Cloves- 2
5. Coriander seeds- 1 Tbsp
6. Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
7. Grated dry coconut- 2 Tbsp

Method-

Cook the dal with a tsp of oil, and turmeric powder. Cook the vegetables till just done, with some salt. Pumpkin mushes up if cooked too much, so it needs to cook separately. Mix the two together and heat on a low flame. Add the tamarind, salt, jaggery and the masala powder. Stir well. Make a tempering of the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafetida in ghee or oil. Add to the hulithovve. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve hot with rice and ghee.