--- RICE DISHES ---

RICE...RICE...RICE...RICE...RICE...RICE


MUSALAMANI VEGETABLE BIRIYANI


INTRODUCTION

This Biriyani was taught to me by a Muslim cook after three years
of request. This BIRIYANI is among the best I have ever tasted.
Among the Hyderabadi and Tamilnadu Biriyani, Tamilnadu Biriyani
tastes much superior and has a wonderful taste which lingers
in the mouth for a long time. In Madras, Ahmediya Hotel near
old flower Bazaar and Taj Coronation restaurant in Broadway
were two places where I have had the privilege of tasting the
finest Tamilnadu Musalamani Biriyani.


INGREDIENTS

300 gms. Old Biriyani Rice (1.5 cups)
2 medium Onions sliced in rings
2 Medium onions diced
I cup of Mixed Vegetables diced (Green Peas, Carrots, Beans etc.)
3/4 cup Medium sour fresh curd (200 ml)
3 medium Tomatoes Diced
5 Green Chillies Sliced
2 spoons of Raisins optional
10 Nos. Cashew nuts optional
Ghee and oil for frying and Tempering
Salt to taste
Fresh lemon Juice from 3/4 lime.

WET SPICES

2+2 Spoons of Ginger and Garlic paste
1 Onion made in paste
1/4 cup of coarsely made paste of Mint leaves (make this paste or freshly cut mint leaves five minutes before adding to spice mass)
1 spoon of paste of cinnamon, Cloves, cardamom and a little flakes of Nutmeg.

DRY SPICES

10 Nos. cloves
5 Nos. 2" pieces of cinnamon sticks
15 Nos. Cardamom
2 Bay leaves
Some strands of Saffron
1/2 spoon Turmeric Powder
1.5 spoons chilli powder




METHOD OF PREPARATION

First heat a spoon of Ghee in a kadai and light roast Biriyani Rice
for about six to eight minutes.Keep turning the rice .You must take
care to wash and dry the rice first. Set aside the rice. Semi cook
all the diced vegetables with a little salt and a little sugar.
Now prepare all the wet masalas and Dry masala and keep them in a
plate in different small cups. Take care to cut Mint leaves just
before you are adding the same when needed. First semi cook Rice
with a little of salt and see that it is fully drained of water .
Set it aside. Take two ladles of Oil in a kadai and add rings
of onions, fry on a medium heat. When the rings are Brown, take out
and drain the oil. Set the onions aside. Now add all the dry spices
in the same oil, if oil is less, add a ladle or two. And when the
cloves start popping, add diced onions and fry till the onions
are translucent. Now immediately add Tomatoes and fry for about
a minute. Now add onion paste and Ginger Garlic paste. Turn till
the raw smell of onion, Garlic and Ginger goes off .This should
take no more than two minutes. Now add the cooked vegetables and
stir and mix with the masala. At this stage, add curd and stir
well. Now add salt, Turmeric powder, Chilli powder and paste of
Cinnamon, cloves and cardamom etc. Heat over medium flame for
about three to four minutes Now add mint leaves at this time
Heat the mix for further one minute and remove from flame.

SECOND STAGE:

Mix the spiced mixture with rice by making alternate
layers of rice and masala, Let it stand for about 30 minutes.
Now re-cook the rice-masala mix by giving it a Dum in a Biriyani
Handi by placing coal on top and cook on a low to medium flame.
If you do not have this facility, I would suggest you to cook
both rice and vegetables fully and mix the masala and rice.
You may add fresh lemon Juice at this stage The final cooking
will take about 30 minutes if you are giving it a Dum or else,
reheating the rice and masala can be avoided. Leave the mixed
rice for about one hour. Fry cashewnuts and raisins in a little
ghee and add this to Biriyani. Before serving, steam heat the
Biriyani by placing the vessel in a large aluminum vessel or
reheating in a non stick deep pan. Decorate with onion rings,
sliced chillies and Saffron. Even though the process looks a
bit complicated, in practice, it is not so .The end result is
heavenly tasting Biriyani made in true Musalamani Tamilnadu style.
This Biriyani is to be eaten with onion Raitha , Kurma or as it is.
Let me know how it turned out.

VARIATION

Chicken Biriyani can be made in the same manner except, in place of
Vegetables, please cook chicken breast or chicken legs after
marinating in the wet spices for about one hour and steam cooking
along with either rice or separately. Place the chicken in the rice
before serving.


BISIBELEBHATH

1 Cup Rice (new rice is better)
1/2 cup Thoram parappu( Thoor dhall)
1 Potato diced in medium pieces( medium sized)
1 cup of small sambhar onions or two big onions diced
100 gms of Green peas
50 gms of Beans cut in 1" pieces
1 Ball of Tamarind ( small) extract thick juice
Salt to taste

Masala
3 Spoons of Sambar Masala (as given by me earlier)
8 Nos. 1" Cinnamon sticks
7 Nos. Cloves
25 gms of Maratti Moggu
10 Nos. of Red Chillies of Medium hot variety
1 Spoon of Asafoetida
1/4 Cup of Grated Copra
1/4 cup Ghee (about 100 gms.)

This is cooked in Three stages.

In First stage, Cook the Rice and Dhall separately. If you have old rice, overcook the rice so that rice is not hard after cooking. Dhall should not be over cooked or under cooked. See that it is properly cooked and keep them separately. Take care to add one spoon of salt along with rice before cooking.

In second stage, steam cook the vegetables till they are 3/4 cooked. Take care to add little salt and 1/4 spoon of Sugar to the vegetables before you steam cook. This will enhance the green colour of vegetables. Take some oil/ghee in a Kadai and fry Onions till they are translucent. Add the onions to semi cooked vegetables.

Preparation of spices powder
Take two spoons of ghee in a tempering ladle and put Maratti Moggu and heat on a medium flame. When the Moggu starts bursting, immediately remove the Moggu in a cup. Now take one spoon of ghee and add red chillies and all the other spices as mentioned above. Heat on low flame for exactly one and half minutes. Keep on turning the spices in the meanwhile.
Add one spoon Asafoetida just before you remove the spices from stove . Now add these spices to Maratti Moggu. After the mix of spices cools down, make a powder of the spices.
Take care not to make very fine powder. It should be slightly coarse. Also grate copra and set aside.

Grand final mixing
Take a large vessel and add Rice and Dhall Mix thoroughly. Now add partially cooked vegetables and spices powder and three spoons of Sambahar powder. Add Tamarind extract, salt and grated Copra. Slowly mix the spices thoroughly.
Let this semi prepared Bisibele Bhath stand for about one hour or so.
After one hour, add little water till the consistency of the Bhath reaches thick dosai batter.
Now put the whole thing in a pressure cooker and Cook till one whistle. Remove the cooker from the stove and when the steam subsides, add three spoons of Ghee and copra powder and mix well.
Serve Bisibele Bhath piping hot.
There are a lot of quick fix versions of Bisibele Bhath recipes but this method will give you a taste that you will never forget.!!


CAPSICUM BIRIYANI

I am fascinated by capsicum. It is not hot but has fantastic flavour. It tingles up your taste buds when fried. I wanted to create a Biriyani with absolutely different flavour but same taste that of Conventional Biriyani. This set me working. I had to let go of some spices without losing the taste and appeal of Biriyani. I zeroed in on the following combination and Did it work??? Find out for yourself .

1 Rice 1cup (Basmati/Biriyani)
Sour Curds 1/2 cup
Green Peas 1/2 cup
Beans 1/4 cup
Carrot 1 no. Diced in 1 cm cubes
Onion sliced 2 medium sized
Tomatoes 2 nos. medium sized
Garlic 7 to 8 cloves
Ginger 1.5 " piece
Green chillies 2 nos.
Mint leaves paste 1/2 cup
Cloves 6 to 8 nos.
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Chilli powder 1 spoon
Garam Masala 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Oil 3 to 4 ladles
Salt to taste
Capsicums (podu mozaka) 2 mediums sized cut in 3/4" Pieces

Method of preparation
Make Ginger Garlic paste, slice onions Shell green peas, cut Beans in 1" pieces, Dice Carrots and Capsicums and set aside. Divide capsicum in two lots of equal proportion and set aside.

If you are using Basmati Rice/ Biriyani Rice, ensure that the rice is old otherwise, if the rice is new, toast the rice after soaking in water for ten minutes and draining all the water and toasting in a kadai in two spoons of ghee till the rice is very light creamy or pinkish looking. Toasting for about ten minutes would do. This would ensure your rice grains remains separate when cooking.

Cook Rice such that the grains are properly cooked but not mushy. You must add a little salt before cooking rice. I suggest that you cook rice well in advance because, it will have enough time to separate. Take one portion of Capsicum, Green peas and Carrots in a pressure pan , add quarter spoon of Sugar and little salt. Pressure cook till 3/4 cooked. Immediately remove the vegetables from fire and keep the lid of pan open. set aside. At this juncture make a coarse paste of Chillies and Mint leaves and keep aside. Now take oil in a Kadai and add cloves and Cumin seeds When cloves puff up , add Onions and diced Green Capsicum add little salt also. Light fry till onions become translucent. When fine aroma of Capsicums comes, ensure that you keep on turning the capsicums so as not to let them get over cooked, They must remain whole and yet just soft. Add Ginger Garlic paste, fry just under a minute Add turmeric and chilli powders. Also add Garam Masala powder (pulao masala ) last and briskly mix the whole thing. Add fresh curds and fry for a minute. Add diced tomatoes now and again cook for a couple of minutes. Add mint chilli paste last and required quantity of salt to taste. Remember that there is salt in rice and also a bit in vegetables you pressure cooked.

Now let the whole masala cook for a no more than two to three minutes on low flame.Now take down the cooked masala for mixing. Remove the rice in a broad vessel. Mix first the cooked vegetables and slowly ladle by ladle mix masala and thoroughly mix. Cover the vessel after mixing and let it stand for about half an hour at least. Reheat the Capsicum Biriyani in a Non stick pan or in Micro and serve steaming hot. The flavour of this Capsicum Biriyani and also the taste would surely take your breath away. Believe me ..!!!



CHITRANNA---ELUMICHHA SADHAM-- LEMON RICE (with a difference)

This Rice variety is a favourite of mothers with school going children. Most of us have been having this rice variety since we can remember. But I have tasted this rice in different places with different ingredients and I have imparted my special touch to the recipe which will make you ask for more. Enjoy this rice as it is or with different curries. I assure you that you would come to love this rice once you taste it.

Ponni Rice (old) 1 cup
Shelled Groundnuts 1/4 cup
Onion diced 1 big
Turmeric powder 3/4 to 1 spoon
Mustard seeds 3/4 spoon
Kadalai parappu 2 spoons
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Green chillies sliced fine 3 nos.
Red chillies 2 to 3 nos. (broken)
Gingly seeds 3 to 4 spoons
Lemon Juice from 2 big lemons
Oil for tempering 3 ladles
Salt to taste
Black gram dhall (ulundhu parappu) 1 spoon
Vendhaiyum (fenugreek seeds) 1 spoon (for tampering)

Cook rice in usual southern manner with each grain separate. Let it get s sufficiently cold. Now add salt, Lemon Juice and turmeric powder. Gently mix them thoroughly and set aside. Take oil in a kadai and fry Groundnuts on slow -medium flame. When they are brownish, remove and set aside. Put Gingly seeds in the same oil, and fry for about three to four seconds, when they become light creamy, remove from kadai and keep it with fried groundnuts. Now add both the dhalls (parappus) and fry till the dhalls are slightly brown, remove and set aside. Now put red chillies, mustard seeds in the kadai, when you find that mustard just starts popping, add Fenugreek seeds 1 spoon .Don't let Fenugreek seeds to become dark brown or black. It will take only two seconds or so for Fenugreek to become biscuit brown. Immediately add diced Onions, Sliced Chillies and Curry leaves and fry till onions become translucent. Pour the tampering with onions etc on rice and mix thoroughly. Taste for salt at this stage. Set it aside for 30 minutes. Warm the rice before serving and Add fried Groundnuts, Fried Gingly seeds and mix everything slowly and thoroughly JUST BEFORE SERVING .You can decorate the rice with freshly sliced Green chillies and few Kothumally leaves . The groundnuts and Gingly seeds should be crisp and not soft. You have seen that this rice has no spices or asfoetida and yet this rice is very tasty. Try and taste for yourself.


CHUTNEY CHAWAL

This is a very tasty Rice variety, which has been appreciated by all our guests. Hope that you too would try and come to love it.

1.5 cups of Basmati Rice/common rice (if you don't like basmati)
2 Medium sized Onions made into paste
2" piece of Ginger
10 cloves of Garlic
1 bunch (medium sized) of Mint leaves
1 bunch of Kothumalli same as above
(The chutney of both the above should be at least one cup.)
1/2 cup of Green peas
1/2 cup of Beans (sliced and cut in 1" size)
1 Large potato diced into small 1/2" cubes
1 small lemon (optional)
8 Green Chillies (increase or decrease the chillies as per taste)
Salt to taste
Oil for tempering and frying

Spices
4 2" pieces of cinnamon sticks
6 cloves
8 cardamoms
1 spoon Jeera
1 Bay leaf
1 spoon of Garam Masala Powder

Cook the rice for Biriyani / Pulao fashion so that each grain remains separate. Remember to pre salt the rice while cooking. Fry onion paste in a little oil till oil separates. Remove from flame and set it aside to cool in a cup. Similarly fry Garlic-Ginger paste and set it aside. Make long slices of chillies and fry in a little bit of oil till nice aroma starts coming. Steam cook vegetables till 3/4 cooked. Put quarter spoon of sugar and a bit of salt while cooking green vegetables. The Green colour will stand out beautifully. Set it aside.

Second stage of preparation
Take the fried onion paste in a kadai, add ginger garlic paste . Mix on a low flame. Now add all the 3/4 cooked vegetables to kadai and stir fry for about two minutes. Add Garam masala and cook only for one minute. Now make chutney of Kothumalli and Mint leaves . REMEMBER NOT TO MAKE A PASTE OR ELSE MINT WILL TURN BROWNISH BLACK. to stop this add just a pinch of sugar.

Take this chutney and add it to the Kadai now. Stir fry only for three minutes. Add chillies to the veg,mass in Kadai. Add salt to taste. Remember that the Rice is pre salted. At this stage, if you want, you can add juice of Lemon for taste. This is optional.

Stir the pre mix taking care that the vegetables are not mashed. Now taste for any addition of salt or chillies etc.

Take an ounce of cooking oil add the dry spices as mentioned above.Heat on a medium flame. When cloves start puffing , add the temperings to the pre mix of vegetables in the kadai.

Take care to see that the whole thing is semi solid and not watery.

Third stage of preparation
When the spiced mix is sufficiently cool, start mixing with the rice bit by bit. Take care to turn the rice carefully so as not to break the grains.

When the mixing is over, the Chutney Chawal is 3/4 the ready. This is because the spices and Rice have not mixed as yet. After about one hour, put some water in a big vessel, put the CHUTNEY CHAWAL on steam cooker stand in the aluminium container. Cover both Chawal container and the larger container separately.

NOW PUT IT ON A STOVE AND INDIRECTLY STEAM COOK FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO 30 MINUTES.

This is a variation of DUM cooking.

Your CHUTNEY CHAWAL is ready. Serve steaming hot.!!! Wait for appreciation by your guests and loved ones.
You can make Onion Pachadi/ Raita as a side dish. I personally like Onion Pachadi.

PS. Even though the recipe seems a bit complicated, in actual practice it is not so.

COCONUT RICE

Coconut Rice or Tengai Sadham is a permanent fixture in Southern Menu. I have been enjoying this rice for many years, I have tasted this rice in different places with different ingredients. Today I am posting this recipe, which I like most.

Ponni Rice (old) 3/4 cup
Coconut Grating 1 cup
Onion diced /Sambar Onions 3/4 cup
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Green chillies 3 nos.
Black pepper corns 1 spoon Broken
Ghee /oil for tampering 3 to 4 ladles
Mustard seeds a little
Kadalai Parappu 2 spoons
Broken Red Chillies 2 to 3 nos.
Coconut oil for flavour 2 to 3 spoons
Salt to taste

Cook rice in usual southern manner with each grain separate. Let it get sufficiently cold. Now add salt, and coarsely broken Pepper .Mix thoroughly and set aside. Grate coconut and set aside. Take the Ghee/oil in a kadai and add Mustard seeds, Red chillies and Kadalai Parappu. Heat up the Ghee/oil and when you find that mustard just starts popping and Kadalai parappu slightly brown, add Curry leaves and coconut immediately and turn it briskly. The Coconut grating needs to be fried on a low medium flame for about five to six minutes till coconut turns light pinkish and emits fine flavour. Ensure that the Ghee /oil starts leaving . Empty the grating in a katora. Take a little oil in Kadai again and add a pinch of Mustard seeds and heat. When the mustards crackles, add Onions , fry till onions become translucent. Remove from fire. Add coconut grating back to kadai and also add finely cut green chillies and 2 spoons of coconut oil for extra flavour. Now thoroughly mix with Rice .Before that check for salt. Re heat the rice immediately in the same kadai and serve it Hot. I, however I would like you to cook this rice about an hour before dinner or lunch. This will give delicate aroma of Coconut. You can enjoy this rice with Coconut chutney, plain or for that matter with pickles.


CURD RICE

Open the Tiffin box of any student in South India and chances are, it would have been packed with CURD RICE. This simple looking simple tasting rice variety has been worked upon by me and I have tried variations with great success. Curd Rice which I used to pack in my son's lunch box won him ardent followers in his software company. Today I am reproducing one of the variations. You too can try this and win hearts.

Rice (New) 3/4 cup
Fresh Curds 3 cups
Milk 1/2 cup
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Green chillies 2 nos.
Ginger 1.5 " piece
Onion 1 medium sized
Grapes 20 nos.
Pomegranate 2 to 3 spoons
Pineapple 4 spoons
Mustard 1 spoon
Red Chilli 2 Nos.
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Salt to taste
Kothumalli 3 to 4 spoons
Rose petals A few
Oil for Tempering 3 ladles

Cook New rice as usual. If you do not have new rice, use old rice and pressure cook using more water than usual to ensure that the cooked grains are very soft. Hard grains of rice rob the charm of Curd rice. Cut chilli in thread thin slices, grate ginger, cut onion in very small pieces of 1/4 cm size, prepare fruits of choice (don't mix two fruits). Pluck Kothumalli and Rose petals .Set aside all the ingredients. When the rice is sufficiently cold, add fresh curds, and all the ingredients except Mustard, red chillies, Rose petals Curry leaves and Kothumalli. Mix thoroughly. Taste for salt now. Take oil in a tampering Ladle and heat. Add mustard and red chillies. When mustard starts popping out, add curry leaves and immediately pour the temperings on Curd rice. Stir and mix again. If you are going to serve curd rice immediately after tampering, it is not necessary to add milk. But if you are serving it after about an hour or more, add milk about ten minutes before serving. This would avoid souring of curd rice. Decorate the rice with Rose petals and Green Kothumalli . You must have noticed that I have not added asafoetida to tempering. Asafoetida tastes wonderful when added raw in Curd rice. Same is the case about raw onions which you have added in curd rice.
As usual, don't forget to post in your feedback please.


DRY RASAM RICE (My own)

When I want to surprise people, I come up with some of the most basic Ideas with imaginative approach to a dish. DRY RASAM SADHAM is my one such recipe which will give you taste of Rasam Sadham without the watery feeling of the dish but the taste of Rasam in it is tongue tingling. You are sure to make this dish a permanent fixture in your menu for its sheer simplicity and time saving method. So here we go.................

Ponni Rice (old) 3/4 cup
Tamarind Extract 1/2 cup (abt.60 ml)
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Garlic 5 to 6 cloves (if you want to make Garlic rasam)
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon
Black pepper 1 spoon
Coarsely ground
Black pepper powder 1/2 spoon
Jeera 1.5 spoons
Red chilli powder 1/4 to 1/2 spoon
Sugar 1/4 spoon
Ghee for tempering 2 ladles
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Jeera for tempering 1/4 spoon
Red chilli pieces 1 chilli
Kothumalli 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Cook rice in usual southern manner with each grain separate. Let it get sufficiently cold. Set it aside Make Tamarind extract from Tamarind about 1/2 cup. The extract should be thickish and free of stones. Now take Garlic, Curry leaves, Kothumalli leaves, Jeera (coarsely ground), Chilli powder, Black pepper (coarsely pounded) and also Pepper powder and salt. Make in a paste (thick and coarse chutney type). set it aside. Take a kadai and put Ghee/oil add Red chilli ,Mustard and Jeera. When mustard pops out, add Asafoetida ( if you are not making Garlic Rasam sadham). Tamarind extract and fry till raw smell of Tamarind goes of and the extract becomes thickish. This should take about three to four minutes at the most. Immediately add the ground paste and fry along with Tamarind extract for further two to three minutes. You may add salt to taste now. Remember that you are adding salt for rice also, so that it should compensate for salt. Add sugar. If you want you can add diced Tomatoes after removing the Rasam Gojju from stove. Now when the Rasam concentrate is cold, slowly mix it with plain rice. Taste for salt, if needed add sufficient salt. Let it stand for about an hour. Reheat the rice before serving. This rice will give you the same taste of hot PEPPER JEERA RASAM without the watery feeling. !!!!!!!!!!!! Surprised!!!!!!!!!!! Well you are sure to be.

PS. If you want Parappu Rasam Taste, you will have to use Parappu. I can teach you a method of making dry cooked Thoram parappu for quick fix usage.

Method to make cooked dry thorum parappu powder.
Cook a bout 1/4 kg of Thoram parappu thoroughly. Drain the water fully and place the thick parappu on cloth and underneath place old news papers. Place a cloth on top also and further news papers. Press with flat plate and drain all the moisture. You will have a flat mass of Dry cooked Parappu. Dry it further in pre heated oven for a minute or two and when sufficiently dry, store it in a plastic jar and keep it in fridge. This will not spoil for a long time. You can add salt on top to prevent spoilage. This parappu will save a lot of your time when you are in a hurry.


GHEE RICE KARNATAKA SPECIAL

In today's atmosphere, everything is instant and due to work pressure and time restraints, housewives have little time to allot for cooking and yet the family demands good tasty food. There are some time tested recipes from my own kitchen. Try them and win hearts of people who love you.

Rice 1 cup (Basmati/Biriyani)
Garlic10 cloves sliced in thin pieces
Onions 2 Nos. Diced in small pieces
Green chillies 4 to 5 nos. cut in thin slices
Cloves 8 to 10 nos.
Cinnamon sticks 5 nos. ,1 " size
Cardamom 15 Nos.
Bay leaves 2 to 3 nos. cut in half
Raisins 15 nos.
Cashew 15 nos. split
Ghee 100 ml
Salt to taste

Slice garlic, Dice onions and finely cut/ green chillies. Keep aside.
If you are using Basmati Rice/ Biriyani Rice, ensure that the rice is old otherwise, if the rice is new, toast the rice after soaking in water for ten minutes and draining all the water, and toasting in a kadai in two spoons of ghee till the rice is very light creamy or pinkish looking. Toasting for about ten minutes would do. This would ensure your rice grains remains separate when cooking.

Now take rice and put directly in cooker without any separator. Best to use is Hawkins pressure cooker. Add needed salt. Add enough water to cook the rice and the .Please ensure that you add just enough( 500 ML) for the above. But ensure that you use only old rice. Water quantity must be fixed by you as per the quality and quantity off rice you use.

Now take Ghee in a Kadai and add cinnamon, Cardamom, Bay leaves and cloves. When cloves and cardamom puff up, add Sliced Garlic, when Garlic turns very light pink, add Onions and sliced Green chillies. Light fry till onions become translucent , remove from fire and let it cool. Keep aside.

Take little ghee in a separate tampering ladle and fry cashew nuts and reisins till reisins puff up and cashew nuts become light brown. Remove from fire and keep aside.

When the rice is completely cold, add fried onions, garlic & chillies with ghee to rice. Also add fried cashew nuts and reisins and mix well. Take care and ensure that the Ghee rice has good amount of Ghee and the rice is not dry. If needed, add some more ghee. Cover with a lid and set it aside for an hour to let the spices aroma permeate in Rice.

(GHEE RICE IS ALWAYS WHITE)



GUN POWDER RICE

Anyone, who has ever taken Andhra Meals in a Genuine Andhra Restaurant, would be served with Gun Powder with Rice and Ghee. The most beautiful thing about Gun Powder Rice is, the more you have it, the hungrier you become. Keep Gun Powder prepared in your house and I bet you will get addicted to having Gun Powder Rice almost daily. I have seen people just having Gun powder rice and almost nothing else. Go ahead and try out. One of the Most Addicted person is my son who would not refuse it all the 365 days. The condition is, THE RICE MUST BE STEAMING AND THE GHEE SHOULD BE HOT.

Puffed Channa Grams (oduchhu/ pottu kadalai) 350 gms.
Red Chillies 10 to 15 nos.
Garlic 75 to 100 gms.
Ghee 2 to 3 spoons
Salt to taste (2 s p)

Take a kadai and fry red chillies for just 30 seconds lightly. Add Puffed Grams with Chillies and fry/roast for about five minutes in Ghee. The condition is that the grams should leave all the moisture and chillies must be dry. Add peeled Garlic and turn three or four times, add salt , mix properly and set aside to cool. When cold, powder it in a mixi. Sift the Gun powder to remove hard Gram particles. At this stage taste for salt. Powder the hard portion last. The powder should NOT be like maida. Fill it up in a dry glass bottle with wide mouth. Keeps good for months. Prepare rice as usual up to your need. The rice is going to be served steaming so you must cook with minimum needed water. Serve rice which is steaming. Add two spoons of Ghee on top of rice and add required GUN POWDER on top. Mix and enjoy!!! This rice must be eaten while really hot. The rice may feel dry to eat with Gun Powder but surprisingly it will not stick to your chest or throat. The more you eat, the hungrier you will become. So Go and Get Hooked to this Andhra Wonder.!!! After Ghee Rice, I am sure that this will draw maximum response.!! Ps. Fix number of chillies as per your ability to withstand hotness. But I recommend that you must stick to specified quantity.
As usual, don't forget to post in your feedback please.


INSTANT VEGETABLE BIRIYANI

In today's atmosphere, everything is instant and due to work pressure and time restraints, housewives have little time to allot for cooking and yet the family demands good tasty food. There are some time tested recipes from my own kitchen. Try them and win hearts of people who love you.

Biriyani is an all time favourite of South India .I have taken years to perfect this dish .I am thankful to the Musalamaan Khaansama of Rafeeque Ahmed & Co. Madras for teaching the original recipe of Deccan Madras special Biriyani. (Ofcourse I had to beg for more than two years to learn & Know the recipe). I have done my own homework in instant recipe and perfected it. I am sure this recipe would not disappoint you. Please understand one thing that Biriyani grains after cooking should not be very separate. Neither they should be sticky. The grains should be together but not sticky like pongal. Nor separate like puliodhirai.!!

Rice 1cup Sour Curds 3/4 cup (150 gms.)
Green Peas shelled 1/2 cup Tomatoes diced 3 nos.
Carrots diced 2 nos. Garlic 8 cloves finely cut
Onions 2 nos. cut in slices Fresh Mint leaves 1/4 cup
Ginger 2"' piece finely shredded Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Red chilli powder 1.5 spoons Cinnamon and cloves powder 1 spoon
Oil (cooking oil of any brand) 3 ladles. Cloves 6 to 8 nos.
Bay leaves 2 to 3 nos. cut in half Cinnamon sticks 3nos Cardamom 6 to 8 Nos.
Lime juice 1/2 spoon Salt to taste Green chillies (shredded) 3 to 4 nos. (hot variety)

Slice garlic, Slice onions and finely cut/shred green chillies. Keep aside.
Remove leaves of fresh mint and keep aside .I generally make a coarse paste of Mint leaves and add to the spices just before closing the lid of the cooker. Prepare the green vegetables like Carrots, Green peas and keep aside. If you are using Basmati Rice/Biriyani Rice, ensure that the rice is old otherwise, if the rice is new, toast the rice after soaking in water for ten minutes and draining all the water and toasting in a kadai in two spoons of ghee till the rice is very light creamy or pinkish looking. Toasting for about ten minutes would do. This would ensure your rice grains remains separate when cooking.

Now take rice and put directly in cooker without any separator. Best to use is Hawkins pressure cooker. Now add all the above cut spices and vegetables in it and add salt. Now add all the dry spices and chilli powder, spices powder and Turmeric powder. Add enough water to cook the rice and the vegetables. Please ensure that you add just enough (500 ML) for the above. But ensure that you use only old rice. Water quantity must be fixed by you as per the quality and quantity off rice you use.

Now take oil in a small Kadai and add cinnamon, Cardamom, Bay leaves and cloves. When cloves and cardamom puff up add sliced onions and green chillies to the oil and let it fry for about a three to four minutes till the onion slices become light pink..Now add sliced garlic and finely cut or coarsely shredded Mint leaves, add along with tempering with onion to the cooker. Stir well. Taste for salt and add if less. Add lime juice and curds now. If the curd that you are using is sour , reduce or avoid lime juice or reduce to quarter spoon. Close the lid and pressure cook for just two whistles.
Let the cooker get cold enough. Keep the cooker open for some 15 minutes This will give time to rice to get properly set.
After the whistles( 45 minutes )open the cooker. Fantastic Aroma of INSTANT VEGETABLE BIRIYANI would tickle your taste buds when you open the cooker.

This Vegetable Biriyani would immediately become your favourite.

INSTANT VEGETABLE PULAO

Rice 1cup
Beans evenly cut 50 gms.
Green Peas shelled 1/2 cup
Tomatoes diced 2 nos.
Garlic 8 cloves finely cut
Onions 2 nos. cut in slices
Fresh Mint leaves 1/4 cup
Green chillies (shredded) 3 to 4 nos. (hot variety)
Turmeric powder (optional)
Garam Masala powder 1.5 spoons
Oil (cooking oil of any brand) or Ghee
Cloves 8 to 10 nos.
Cinnamon sticks 3nos
Cardamom 6 to 8 Nos.
Bay leaves 2 to 3 nos. cut in half
Lime juice 1/2 spoon
Salt to taste

Slice garlic, Slice onions and finely cut/shred green chillies. Keep aside. Remove leaves of fresh mint and keep aside .I generally make a coarse paste of Mint leaves and add to the spices just before closing the lid of the cooker. Prepare the green vegetables like Beans, Green peas and keep aside. If you are using Basmati Rice/Biriyani Rice, ensure that the rice is old otherwise, if the rice is new, toast the rice after soaking in water for ten minutes and draining all the water and toasting in kadai in two spoons of ghee till the rice is very light creamy or pinkish looking. Toasting for about ten minutes would do. This would ensure your rice grains remain separate when cooking.
Now take rice and put directly in cooker without any separator. Best to use is Hawkins pressure cooker. Now add all the above cut spices and vegetables in it and add salt. Now add all the dry spices , and Garam masala powder. Add enough water to cook the rice and the vegetables. Please ensure that you add just enough( 500 ML) for the above. But ensure that you use only old rice. Water quantity must be fixed by you as per the quality and quantity off rice you use.

Now take oil Ghee in a tempering ladle and add cinnamon, Cardamom, Bay leaves and cloves. When cloves and cardamom puff up , add the tempering to the cooker. Stir well and Taste for salt , add if less. Add lime juice now.
Close the lid and pressure cook for just two whistles.
Let the cooker get cold enough. Keep the cooker open for some 15 minutes. This will give time to rice to get properly set.
After the whistles( 45 minutes )open the cooker. Fantastic Aroma of INSTANT VEGETABLE PULAO would tease you when you open the cooker.

This Vegetable Pulao would immediately become your favourite.


KARIVEPILLAI-MILUGU RICE

This Rice variety is" NOT TAUGHT " by the cook who had prepared a similar rice during the wedding I attended last week in Madras. When I asked him, he gave a vague reply to method of preparation. He said "konchum Milagu and Naraiya Kari veppilai. Even though the taste was very Drab, I liked the simplicity of the rice and flavour of Curry leaves. I set working on innovative approach using some flavour and taste enhancing ingredients and came up with surprising three varieties of rice dish which I loved and so did my daughter who is a strict examiner. So here is the first result to make you fall in love with it.

Ponni Rice (old)3/4 cup
Coconut Grating 3/4 cup
Curry leaves 1 Bunch (to make 1/2 cup of paste)
Black pepper 2 to 3 spoons Coarsely ground
Black pepper powder 1/2 spoon
Ghee for tempering 3 to 4 ladles
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Salt to taste
Cook rice in your usual southern manner with each grain separate. Let it get sufficiently cold. Now add salt, now add coarsely ground Pepper and pepper powder. Mix thoroughly and set aside. Grate coconut and with Green curry leaves together re grind in a chutney bowl and make paste. set aside. Take the Ghee in a kadai and add Mustard seeds Heat up the Ghee and when you find that mustard just starts popping, add paste of Curry leaves and coconut immediately and turn it briskly. The paste needs to be fried on a slow medium flame for two minutes. Ensure that the Ghee starts leaving and a fine aroma of curry leaves is coming. Let the fried paste cool sufficiently. Now thoroughly mix the paste with Rice. Before that check for salt. . Reheat the rice immediately in the same kadai and serve it Hot. I, however I would like you to cook this rice about an hour before dinner or lunch. This will give off more delicate aroma of curry leaves. You can enjoy this rice with Coconut chutney, plain curd or for that matter Rasam. You can pack this rice in small Katoris , press tightly and invert it in serving plate when you serve the dinner. Try to serve coconut chutney with this form of Katori serving. This rice will surprise you by its taste and its aroma. Enjoy!!! Ps. Select mature curry leaves only. They have more aromatic oil content then Young leaves.


KASHMIRI ZAAFARANI PULAO

Saffron or Zafraan Pulao of Kashmir is a famed variety. No marriage in Kashmir is complete without the Legendary Wazwan or "The Big Feast" . First to arrive is the huge plate called Trami filled with heaped Zaffran Pulao with succulent pieces of seek kababs along with Rogan Josh and Methi korma and Curry of Lamb meat delicately spiced and cooked with utmost care. In total, a true WAZWAN has to have seven accompaniments with rice. Once you sit-down for wazwan, it is an insult to the host if you get up in between. The 36 course dinner lasts for more than three hours. Just imagine a huge Kashmiri plate full of sweet scented Saffron Pulao steaming and spreading the aroma in the lazy cold night of Kashmir, and the guests sitting around with samovars of Kahava and santoor notes spreading the magic . and casting a spell. . . . . . . . Oh God . . . . . . . It is unbelievable.

(For a family of 4 once serving)
Rice 1. 5 cup (Basmati/Biriyani)
Onions 1 Nos Cut in rings
Green peas/carrots 1/2 cup (optional)
Cloves 6 to 8 nos
Cinnamon sticks 5 nos ,1 " size
Cardamom 10 nos
Bay leaves 2 to 3 nos cut in half
Raisins 2 table spoons
Figs 3 to 4 nos
Alu Bukhara 4 to 5 nos
Cashew 1 5 nos split
Almonds 10 nos
Walnut 2 to 3 nos
Saffron 1/2 spoon (1/4 gm)
Sugar 1 tbsp
Milk 1/4 cup
Ghee 100 ml
Salt to taste Fresh Fruits of choice (grapes, apple pieces etc) 1/2 cup

Tampering
Cloves 6 to 8 nos
Cinnamon sticks 5 nos ,1 " size
Cardamom 10 nos
Bay leaves 2 to 3 nos cut in half
Raisins 2 table spoons
Black Cumin (shahjeera) This is optional 1. 5 spoons

If you are using Basmati Rice/Biriyani Rice, ensure that the rice is old otherwise, if the rice is new, toast the rice after soaking in water for ten minutes and draining all the water, and toasting in a kadai in two spoons of ghee till the rice is very light creamy or pinkish looking. Toasting for about ten miinutes would do. This would ensure your rice grains remains separate when cooking.

Now take rice and put directly in cooker without any separator. Best to use is Hawkins pressure cooker. Add needed salt. . Add enough water to cook the rice and the . Please ensure that you add just enough( 500 ML) for the above. But ensure that you use only old rice. Water quantity must be fixed by you as per the quality and quantity of rice you use. In Kashmiri Pulao, it is better to add salt and sugared milk and Whole almonds (after removing brown skin) when you cook rice itself.

Clean all the dry fruits, crack a walnut and remove the shell, remove brown skin of Almonds by soaking in hot water for ten minutes. Cut figs in eight pieces, Alu Bukhara in four pieces (remove the seed nut). Fry Figs ,Cashewnuts , raisins and Alu Bukhara in ghee a little and set aside.

Pressure cook Steam cook/Boil and cook carrots/Green Peas after adding a little sugar and salt to enhance green colour. Pressure cook only 3/4 and don't fully or over cook. Set aside. Slice one onion in rings and fry the rings till they become dark brown and crisp. Set aside
Take saffron in a katora and soak it in milk or water for 30 minutes and using a spoon, press it with reverse side of spoon and make a paste of saffron or use a pastel and mortar , prepare paste (1 spoon) set aside.

Now take Ghee in a Kadai and add cinnamon, Cardamom ,Bay leaves and cloves. When cloves and cardamom puff up , remove from fire and let it cool. Keep aside. Shah Jeera (black cumin) is used as per the choice of the grand cook. If you want you can use it.
When the rice is completely cold, mix 3/4 cooked Green peas and or Carrots , add fried Cashew nuts and raisins ,. saffron paste with ghee to rice, and mix well. Take care and ensure that the Pulao has good amount of Ghee and the rice is not dry. If needed, add some more ghee. Cover with a lid and set it aside for an hour to let the spices aroma permeate in Rice.

After one hour, heat up the Pulao with either indirect steam heat or in Micro. Ensure that the vegetables are completely cooked . Place it in serving bowl, garnish with brown onion rings on top and serve piping hot with Sweet Raitha of grapes or pineapple
You can serve it with Korma also. Other accompaniment is shallot curd raitha (sambar vengayam pachadi).


MASALA KHICHADI

Masala Khichadi a very nourishing and tasty dish which can be eaten as it is or with Coconut Chutney or Vengaya Pachadi.

3/4 cup Rice
1/2 cup Thoram parappu (Thoor Dhall)
2 Nos. Onions diced
3 Tomatoes diced
3 Spoons of Ginger Garlic paste
2 Cups of diced vegetables like carrots, beans, green peas etc.
1 Potato (large) diced
3 Nos. of Green chillies sliced
2 spoon of Garam Masala
1/2 spoon Turmeric
2.5 spoons of Salt (add to taste)
1 spoon of Chilli powder (add more if you like it hot)
3 Ladles of cooking oil for tempering

Tampering spices
4 Nos. of 2" Cinnamon sticks
8 Nos. of Cloves
1 Spoon of Jeera
1/4 Spoon of Mustard seeds

Take a cooker (Hawkins) and add all the above ingredients directly in the cooker. Now Heat 3 ladles of oil in a tampering Kadai or Karandi. When it is sufficiently hot, add all the tempering spices .When Cloves get puffed up, and mustard starts crackling, Temper the ingredients in the cooker. Add more water than you add for rice cooking. This is to give you a consistency of Bisibele Bhath. If you like pongal consistency, add slightly lesser water. Check for salt at this stage. Add more if less. Cook for three whistles. Your Masala Khichadi is ready in less than 30 minutes. Enjoy it as it is or with Coconut Chutney or Onion Pachadi.


PHUDINA RICE (MINT RICE)

Rice 1cup
Potatoes 2 nos. diced
Beans evenly cut Green Peas shelled 1/2 cup
Ginger 2" piece shredded Garlic 6 cloves finely cut
Onions 2 nos. Diced Fresh Mint leaves I bunch/1cup
Green chillies (shredded) 5 to 6 nos. Garam Masala powder 1.5 spoons
Oil ( cooking oil of any brand) Cloves 6 nos.
Cinnamon sticks 3nos Jeera/Mustard 1/2 spoon
Lime juice 2 spoons Salt to taste

Dice potatoes, shred ginger, slice garlic, dice onions and finely cut/shred green chillies. Keep aside. Remove leaves of a cupful of fresh mint and keep aside. I generally make a coarse paste of Mint leaves and add to the spices just before closing the lid of the cooker. Prepare the green vegetables like Beans, Green peas and potatoes and keep aside. Now take rice and put directly in cooker without any separator. Best to use is Hawkins pressure cooker. Now add all the above cut spices and vegetables in it and add salt. Now add all the dry spices, chilli powder and Garam masala powder. Add enough water to cook the rice and the vegetables. Please ensure that you add just enough( 500 ML) for the above. But ensure that you use only old rice. Water quantity must be fixed by you as per the quality and quantity off rice you use. Now take oil in a tempering ladle and add Jeera , Mustard and cinnamon and cloves. When cloves puff up and mustard starts to clakle, add the tempering to the cooker. Stir well and Taste for salt and add if less. Add lime juice now. Close the lid and pressure cook for just two whistles. Let the cooker get cold enough. Keep the cooker open for some 15 minutes. This will give time to rice to get properly set. After the whistles( 45 minutes )open the cooker. Fantastic Aroma of Mint rice would tease you when you open the cooker. This Mint Rice rice would immediately become your favourite.



MUSALAMANI VEGETABLE BIRIYANI

This Biriyani was taught to me by a Muslim cook after three years of request. This BIRIYANI is among the best I have ever tasted. Among the Hyderabadi and Tamilnadu Biriyani, Tamilnadu Biriyani tastes much superior and has a wonderful taste which lingers in the mouth for a long time. In Madras, Ahmediya Hotel near old flower Bazaar and Taj Coronation restaurant in Broadway were two places where I have had the privilege of tasting the finest Tamilnadu Musalamani Biriyani.

300 gms. Old Biriyani Rice (1.5 cups)
2 medium Onions sliced in rings
2 Medium onions diced
I cup of Mixed Vegetables diced (Green Peas, Carrots, Beans etc.)
3/4 cup Medium sour fresh curd (200 ml)
3 medium Tomatoes Diced
5 Green Chillies Sliced
2 spoons of Raisins optional
10 Nos. Cashew nuts optional
Ghee and oil for frying and Tempering
Salt to taste
Fresh lemon Juice from 3/4 lime.

Wet spices
2+2 Spoons of Ginger and Garlic paste
1 Onion made in paste
1/4 cup of coarsely made paste of Mint leaves (make this paste or freshly cut mint leaves five minutes before adding to spice mass)
1 spoon of paste of cinnamon, Cloves, cardamom and a little flakes of Nutmeg.

Dry spices
10 Nos. cloves
5 Nos. 2" pieces of cinnamon sticks
15 Nos. Cardamom
2 Bay leaves
Some strands of Saffron
1/2 spoon Turmeric Powder
1.5 spoons chilli powder

First heat a spoon of Ghee in a kadai and light roast Biriyani Rice for about six to eight minutes .Keep turning the rice. You must take care to wash and dry the rice first. Set aside the rice. Semi cook all the diced vegetables with a little salt and a little sugar. Now prepare all the wet masalas and Dry masala and keep them in a plate in different small cups. Take care to cut Mint leaves just before you are adding the same when needed. First semi cook Rice with a little of salt and see that it is fully drained of water .Set it aside. Take two ladles of Oil in a kadai and add rings of onions, fry on a medium heat. When the rings are Brown, take out and drain the oil. Set the onions aside. Now add all the dry spices in the same oil, if oil is less, add a ladle or two. And when the cloves start popping, add diced onions and fry till the onions are translucent. Now immediately add Tomatoes and fry for about a minute. Now add onion paste and Ginger Garlic paste. Turn till the raw smell of onion, Garlic and Ginger goes off .This should take no more than two minutes. Now add the cooked vegetables and stir and mix with the masala. At this stage, add curd and stir well. Now add salt, Turmeric powder, Chilli powder and paste of Cinnamon, cloves and cardamom etc. Heat over medium flame for about three to four minutes Now add mint leaves at this time Heat the mix for further one minute and remove from flame.


Second stage
Mix the spiced mixture with rice by making alternate layers of rice and masala, Let it stand for about 30 minutes. Now re-cook the rice-masala mix by giving it a Dum in a Biriyani Handi by placing coal on top and cook on a low to medium flame. If you do not have this facility, I would suggest you to cook both rice and vegetables fully and mix the masala and rice. You may add fresh lemon Juice at this stage The final cooking will take about 30 minutes if you are giving it a Dum or else, reheating the rice and masala can be avoided. Leave the mixed rice for about one hour. Fry cashewnuts and raisins in a little ghee and add this to Biriyani. Before serving, steam heat the Biriyani by placing the vessel in a large aluminum vessel or reheating in a non stick deep pan. Decorate with onion rings, sliced chillies and Saffron. Even though the process looks a bit complicated, in practice, it is not so .The end result is heavenly tasting Biriyani made in true Musalamani Tamilnadu style. This Biriyani is to be eaten with onion Raitha , Kurma or as it is.

Variation
Chicken Biriyani can be made in the same manner except, in place of Vegetables, please cook chicken breast or chicken legs after marinating in the wet spices for about one hour and steam cooking along with either rice or separately. Place the chicken in the rice before serving.



PULIYODHARAI RICE PODI

Puliyodharai podi is really a very sensitive podi. A small mistake and the rice taste goes off. After trying out many a versions of making Puliyodharai using podi, I made my own additions and some changes in preparation to come out with a very beautiful tasting version. I am happy to share the PODI recipe and method to use it as under. Please send me your feedback after you try it out.

Puli (tamarind) for the rice
1 cup of Red chillies (medium hot variety)
1/4 Cup of Coriander seeds (Dania)
1 Spoon Bengal Gram Dhall
1 Spoon Ulandhu (Dehusked)
5 Moru Mozuka (fried in oil)
1/4 Spoon Black pepper
1/2 Spoon Perangayam powder
1/4 Spoon Fenugreek (vendhayam)

Puli and spices mix
8 Red Chillies Pieces of 1" size
5 Green Chillies sliced in two
2 Table spoons of Channa Dhall
3 Table spoons of Groundnuts
1 Spoon of Turmeric powder
2" Ginger shredded
1/2 Spoon of Perangayam (asafoetida)
1 Medium cup of Tamarind extract
1 spoon of Mustard seeds
2 Spoons of Jaggery
120 ml of Gingly oil
Salt to taste

Method of making podi
First Dry roast Chillies and Dhaniya for two to three minutes to drive out moisture.T hen add a little oil and roast it vigorously turning it constantly. This is to prevent burning smell of Dhania and chillies . Just before removing from stove, add 1/2 spoon of Asfoetida (Perangayam) .Keep aside. Now roast each ingredient separately with just a little oil. Dhalls should be roasted to light pink. Hanna Dhall must not be brown. Black pepper also is to be roasted till it starts popping. Vendhayam roasts very fast. Take care not to over roast it. Now roast Mor mozaka and add them to all the other ingredients to powder. Powder the spices well. Please dont make a very fine powder. It should be of sambar powder consistency. Your podi is ready. Cook rice with little less water and some salt. And when ready, cool it and spread on a big plate so that each grain remains separate. Now prepare the wet Masala and other ingredients as shown.

Method of making puli and spices mix
First Dry roast Chillies and Dhania for two to three minutes to drive out moisture. Then add a little oil and roast it vigorously turning it constantly. This is to prevent burning smell of Dhania and chillies .
Just before removing from stove, add 1/2 spoon of Asfoetida (Perangayam). Keep aside. Now roast each ingredient separately with just a little oil. Dhalls should be roasted to light pink. Channa Dhall must not be brown. Black pepper also is to be roasted till it starts popping. Vendhayam roasts very fast. Take care not to over roast it. Now roast Mor mozaka and add them to all the other ingredients to powder. Powder the spices well. Please don't make a very fine powder. It should be of sambar powder consistency. Your podi is ready.

Cook rice with little less water and some salt. And when ready, cool it and spread on a big plate so that each grain remains separate. Now prepare the wet Masala and other ingredients as follows.

Method of preparation
Take oil in a kadai and add Mustard seeds and Red Chillies. Just when they are about to crackle, add Ground nuts and Channa Dhall. Turn vigorously so that the dhall and Groundnuts are fried evenly and also the mustard seeds do not burn. Once the dhall turns golden brown, add the green chillies, Asfoetida and Tamarind extract. Turn for about five minutes till Tamarind loses its raw flavour and then add shredded Ginger and a spoon of Turmeric powder and salt to taste. Turn for about two to three minutes. Add jaggary and mix well.
Remove from fire. Now add half of the Dry Podi in the wet mixture and mix it thoroughly .
Leave it till it becomes cold.

Grand finale of mixing and powdering
Mix wet Puli masala mix and rice, in a large vessel by adding little by little masala and rice.When complete Tamarind mix is mixed with rice, let it stand for about half an hour.
After half an hour to 45 minutes, you will find that each rice grain is separate and hard. Now with great care anoint and cover the remaining PODI POWDER on the rice. Decorate with Green Chillies on top and serve at room temperature.


SPICY SALSA-BEATEN RICE

INDO-MEXICAN VENTURE # 1

After coming over to USA, my first venture was to adopt local ingredients and blend them with Indian Spices and create New Dishes.
The first recipe is as under.
I promise you that you would just fall head over heels in love with this simple but magically tasty dish.

Aval (Beaten Rice) 150 gms.
Boiled Potatoes 2 (medium) nos.
Salsa Hot/Medium 5 to 6 Table spoons
Onion cut in small pieces 4 to 5 Tsps.
Green Chilli 1 nos (hot)
Curry Leaves 1 sprig
Sambar Masala 1 spoon.
Cumin powder 1/2 spoon
Chilli powder 1/2 to 3/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon
Salt to taste
Sugar 1 spoon
Lime Juice 2 spoons
Cilantro/Kothumalli 3 to 4 spoons

Tempering
Cooking oil 3 ladles
Mustard 3/4 spoon
Cloves 5 to 6 nos
Cinnamon sticks 4 to 5 nos of 1" size

Boil potatoes and when done, remove the skin and prepare 1/2 to 3/4 inches big cubes. Set aside.
Pluck cilantro and cut chillies finely. Set aside.
Soak Aval in water for ten to 12 minutes till they are soft. Using a strainer or filter, drain off excess water by slightly pressing the beaten rice. Spread on a cloth or paper to dry off excess water.
Take a kadai and add oil. Heat on a medium flame . Add mustard first. When it just starts to crackle, add other temperings. When cloves puff up,first add green chillies and Curry leaves and after 5 seconds add onions . When Onions become translucent, add Salsa. Just stir for 10 seconds and immediately add the Aval (beaten rice ). Mix both salsa and Aval a little. Now add diced potato pieces . Add all the dry spice powders like Chilli,Turmeric, Jeera , Sambar powder etc. Add salt, sugar and Asafoetida (raw powder). Mix thoroughly but very lightly. Let it stand for about fifteen to twenty minutes if you have time.
Or else, just put it in Micro for exactly one and half minutes.
Serve piping hot. The taste will steal the hearts of your family.
Eventhough I am againt the usage of Micro , if you are in a hurry and have no alternative, this is the form of cooking you may use.
Otherwise, please heat everything in a pan and serve piping hot.


SWEET RICE CHILDREN'S SPECIAL

We have so far talked of the grown up's tastes and have neglected children. I remember looking forward to Sweet rice cooking done by my aunt on special occassions.She would dust off the SPICE DIBBA which housed all spices which were used rarely and then set about cooking the ORANGE SWEET RICE. I never liked the orange colour but the rice in its heavenly sweetness was more than welcome may it be of any colour.I am bringing back the magic of SWEET RICE of course minus its artificial orange colour. I have made some changes in the recipe I hope the departed soul of my aunt would pardon me for that. (needless to say that she was a great cook)

Rice 1cup (Basmati/ Biriyani)
Powdered sugar (with cloves 5 nos, cardamom 5nos) 1/4 cup
Powdered sugar 1cup
Cinnamon sticks 5 to 6 nos.
Cloves 8 to 10 nos.
Cardamom 10 nos.
Saffron strands 1/4 spoon (wetted)
Bay leaves 2 to 3 nos. cut in half
Raisins 3 to 4 spoons
Cashew 10 nos. split
Ghee 75 ml.
Warm water 15 ml to 20 ml.

If you are using Basmati Rice/ Biriyani Rice, ensure that the rice is old otherwise, if the rice is new, toast the rice after soaking in water for ten minutes and draining all the water, and toasting in a kadai in two spoons of ghee till the rice is very light creamy or pinkish looking. Toasting for about ten miinutes would do. This would ensure your rice grains remain separate when cooking. Cook this rice such that all the grains remain seperate. Cool the rice by spreading and keep aside. Now take Ghee in a Kadai and add cinnamon, Cardamom, Bay leaves and cloves. When cloves and cardamom puff up, remove from fire and let it cool. Ensure that you remove the tempering in a separate cup or else it will burn the spices if left to cool in a kadai. Take little ghee in Kadai and fry cashewnuts and raisins till raisins puff up and cashew nuts become light brown. Remove from fire and keep aside. When the rice is completely cold, add Powdered sugar to rice. Make powder of sugar along with cardamom, Cloves and add that to rice. Also add now Saffron which is wetted and crushed with a mortar. Gently mix the sugar and rice. We add a little sprinkling of water here because sugar when added to rice, hardens the grains. Ensure thorough dissolution of sugar by sprinkling warm water along with sugar powder. You must ensure that the rice is absolutely dry before adding sugar and water or else the sugar adding with water would make it mushy. Add the tampering and fried cashew nuts and raisins and mix well. Take care and ensure that the rice is not dry (meaning with less Ghee) .If needed, add some more ghee. Cover with a lid and set it aside for an hour to let the spices aroma permeate in Rice and let sugar to dissolve and mix. Now place this rice in a milk Boiler .This is to heat up the rice by indirect heat and totally assimilate sugar .If you don't have a milk boiler, heat it up in a non stick pan or in a micro oven for a little while so that the cold rice becomes warm. Serve just moderately hot to warm ..Never serve sweet rice steaming hot. The Aroma and taste of Sweet rice would be just great. The success of this effort on your part can be measured by the length of the smile your children and guest's faces . This is a great rice dish for children's birthday party. Enjoy!!!!! And ask your children to give the feedback please. even Grown up members are considered as children when BHOJYESHU MATA is feeding them.

TOMATO RICE

Rice 1 cup
Tomatoes 300 gms.
Onions 3 nos.
Ginger 1.5"Piece
Garlic 8 to 10 cloves
Shelled Peas 1/4 cup
Carrots 1 no.
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Green chillies sliced 4 to 5 nos.
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Jeera 1/2 spoon
Cloves 6 to 8 nos.
Cinnamon stick 1" 4 pieces
Chilli powder 2 spoons
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Oil 3 ladlefuls
Salt to taste
Black Pepper powder 1/4 spoon
Garam Masala Powder 1 spoon

Cook rice in a manner where all the grains are separate. Take care to add a spoon of salt when you are cooking rice. Set aside the cooked rice. Dice Tomatoes in small 1/4 " pieces, shred Ginger, cut Garlic in very small pieces, shell the peas and dice the Carrots in small pieces. Also cut Onions in small pieces.

Now take half the quantity of oil in a kadai and set it on medium heat, add Mustard and Jeera seeds and when the Mustard starts to crackle, add Tomatoes and stir-fry on medium heat till the Tomatoes start leaving oil. Now add Diced Onions and stir-fry till Onions become Translucent and soft, now add cut Garlic and Shredded Ginger and fry in the Gravy for three to four minutes. Finally add 1 spoon of Garam Masala to Tomato mix and set it aside after frying the Garam Masala for fifteen to twenty seconds. Some people prefer to fry Garlic first and later add Tomatoes and Onion, but I am not of that view.

Steam cook Carrots and Peas after adding a bit of salt and sugar to retain the natural colours

At this stage, add salt, Chilli powder, Turmeric powder, Black pepper powder, Green Chillies and curry leaves. Heat the mixture for about two minutes. The consistency of Tomato Gravy should be thick like Puliohara Gojju.

Now when the Tomato Gojju is medium cold, take one ladle of oil in a Tempering ladle and add cinnamon and Cloves and heat. When the cloves start puffing, pour the tempering in Gojju.Mix it well and finally start mixing Vegetables and Tomato Gravy and Rice layer by layer. Finally mix the whole thing thoroughly and reheat in a large mouthed Vessel with steam only. Your Tomato Rice is ready.!!! Serve piping hot.


TOMATO RICE (Quick fix type)

Tomatoes 250 gms.
Rice 1cup
Ginger 2" piece shredded
Garlic 8 cloves finely cut
Onions 3 nos. Diced
Chilli powder 2 spoons
Turmeric powder 1/2-spoon
Garam Masala powder 1.5 spoons
Pepper powder 1/4 spoon
Jeera powder (coarse) 1 spoon
Cloves 6 nos.
Curry leaves 2 sprigs Oil (gingly) 3 ladlefuls
Cinnamon sticks 3 nos.
Jeera/Mustard 1/2 spoon each
Salt to taste

Dice tomatoes, shred ginger, slice garlic, dice onions and if you like it hot, add two or three green chillies sliced. Keep aside. Now take rice and put directly in cooker without any separator. Best to use is Hawkins pressure cooker. Now add all the above cut spices and vegetables in it and add salt. Now add all the dry spices like, turmeric, chilli powder and Garam masala powder. Also add jeera powder which is coarsely powdered along with pepper powder. Add enough water to cook the rice and the vegetables. Please ensure that you add just enough ( 500 ML) for the above. But ensure that you use only old rice. Water quantity must be fixed by you as per the quality and quantity off rice you use. Now take oil in a tempering ladle and add Jeera , Mustard and cinnamon and cloves. When cloves puff up and mustard starts to clakle, add the tampering to the cooker. Stir well and add couple of sprigs of curry leaves. Taste for salt and add if less. Close the lid and pressure cook for just two whistles. Let the cooker get cold enough. Keep the cooker open for some 15 minutes. This will give time to rice to get properly set. After the whistles( 45 minutes )open the cooker. Fantastic Aroma would hit you when you open the cooker. This Tomato rice would steal the hearts of your children and your husband too.


TRI-COLOUR VEGETABLE RICE

In today's atmosphere, everything is instant and due to work pressure and time restraints, housewives have little time to allot for cooking and yet the family demands good tasty food. There are some time-tested recipes from my own kitchen. Try them and win hearts of people who love you.

Rice 1cup (Basmati/ Biriyani)
Carrots 2 nos. Diced in 1 cm. cubes
Onion diced 1 medium size
Capsicums (podu mozaka) 2 medium sized cut in 1 cm. Pieces
Garlic sliced 4 to 5 cloves
Green chillies 4 to 5 nos. cut in thin slices
Cloves 8 to 10 nos.
Cinnamon sticks 5 nos. ,1 " size
Cardamom 6 to 7 Nos.
Oil 3 to 4 ladles
Salt to taste

Slice garlic, Dice onions and finely cut/ green chillies. Keep aside. Dice Carrots and Capsicums and set aside.

If you are using Basmati Rice/ Biriyani Rice, ensure that the rice is old otherwise, if the rice is new, toast the rice after soaking in water for ten minutes and draining all the water, and toasting in a kadai in two spoons of ghee till the rice is very light creamy or pinkish looking. Toasting for about ten minutes would do. This would ensure your rice grains remains separate when cooking.

Now take rice and put directly in cooker without any separator. Best to use is Hawkins pressure cooker. Add needed salt.. Add enough water to cook the rice and the. Please ensure that you add just enough (500 ML) for the above. But
ensure that you use only old rice. Water quantity must be fixed by you as per the quality and quantity off rice you use.

Take a little oil in a kadai and fry carrots till they are properly cooked. You may pressure cook the carrots also after adding a little salt and sugar. Take care not to over cook the carrots.

Now take oil in a Kadai and add cinnamon, Cardamom, and cloves. When cloves and cardamom puff up , add Sliced Garlic, when Garlic turns very light pink, add Onions and sliced Green chillies. Light fry till onions become translucent , remove from fire and let it cool. Keep aside. Put a spoon of oil on a tawa and when its hot, tawa fry the Capsicum pieces briskly for a minute .When fine aroma of Capsicums comes, remove immediately from tawa and keep it spread in a plate and set aside. You must take care never to over fry the Capsicum and ensure that the green colour is not lost.

When the rice is completely cold, add fried onions, garlic & chillies to rice. Also add fried Capsicums and cooked /fried Carrots and salt, and mix well. Take care and ensure that the rice has proper amount of oil and the rice is not dry. .Cover with a lid and set it aside for an hour to let the spices aroma permeate in Rice.

Tri colour vegetable rice looks and tastes very different from the other rice varieties posted so far by me. You may try to prepare this rice with Ghee if you like. When you are serving this rice, reheat by placing in a micro or use indirect steam heating. You may also reheat in a non stick pan. But ensure that the rice is Hot.

The special aroma of Capsicum adds a very different dimension to this rice. This rice can be enjoyed with Raitha made of plain curd with cucumber/boondhi or Plantain. You may also make Kurma of Ghee Rice as an accompaniment


VENDHAIYUM THALACHU RICE

This Rice variety is My wife's favourite. She generally uses a shortcut of using the leftover rice .It is my favourite because I really love the simplicity of spices and Great taste that goes along with it. Enjoy this rice as it is or with Avakkai Uruga or with curd. I assure you that you would come to love this rice once you taste it.

Ponni Rice (old) 1 cup
Chilli powder 1.5 to 2 spoons
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon (optional)
Asfoetida 1 spoon
Vendhaiyum (fenugreek seeds) 1spoons (for tampering)
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Vendhaiyum 1 spoon coarsely powdered after frying in oil.
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Red chillies 2 to 3 nos.
Oil for tempering 3 ladles
Salt to taste

Cook rice in your usual southern manner with each grain separate. Let it get sufficiently cold. Now add salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Add quarter spoon of Raw Asafoetida powder. Gently mix all the ingredients thoroughly and set aside. Now take oil in a kadai and add Red chillies, Mustard seeds .Heat up the oil and when you find that mustard just starts popping, add Fenugreek seeds 1 spoon and Curry leaves .Don't let Fenugreek seeds to become dark brown or black. It will take only two seconds or so for Fenugreek to become biscuit brown. Immediately add rest of the Asafoetida and immediately pour the Tampering oil on rice. Now take just a few drops of oil in still hot kadai and fry 1 spoon of Vedhiyum seeds till light brown. It will hardly take two to 3 seconds. Coarsely powder it and add it to rice. Mix thoroughly .Reheat the rice immediately in the same kadai and serve it Hot. This rice will surprise you by its taste rather than its aroma.


VANGI-BHATH Karnataka (quickfix type) 1st variation

This Rice variety is the favourite of Karnaka and Maharashtrian cusine lovers. Vangi Bhath has many recipes ranging from usage of maximum number of spices to a bare minimum fare. I am posting the recipe which is a shortcut method but equally tasty. You would marvel at the simplicity of preparation and the taste. I would post detailed traditional recipe in coming days.
Enjoy this rice as it is or with Green chillies pickle or with Avakkai Uruga or with curd. I assure you that you would come to love this rice once you taste it.

Ponni Rice (old) 1 cup
Black Brinjals seedless 200 gms
Chilli powder 1 spoon
Sambar Masala Powder (karnataka style) 3 spoons
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Asafetida 1 spoon
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Vendhaiyum (fenugreek seeds) 1/2spoons (for tampering)
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Red chilies 2 to 3 nos.
Ghee/oil for tampering 3 to 4 ladles
Salt to taste
Lemon Juice (1/2 lemon)

Cook rice in usual southern manner with each grain separate. Let it get sufficiently cold. Now add salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Add quarter spoon of Raw Asafetida powder. Gently mix all the ingredients thoroughly and set aside. Here Asafetida is optional.
Use long green Brijals of seedless variety. If you don't have this variety, get any seedless variety subject to it is sweet variety. Dice the brinjals in 1.5" long piecesof middle finget thickness. Immerse in water to prevent blackening of brinjals.
Now take Ghee/oil in a kadai and add Red chilies, Mustard seeds . Heat up the oil and when you find that mustard just starts popping, add Fenugreek seeds 1 spoon and Curry leaves . Don't let Fenugreek seeds to become dark brown or black. It will take only two seconds or so for Fenugreek to become biscuit brown. Immediately add rest of the Asafetida and immediately Add diced brinjals and salt (for brinjals), curry leaves and saute for four to five minutes till brinjals turn soft. Now add Sambar Masala powder (karnataka style. ) and further saute for three minutes at the most. Take care that the masala does not stick at the bottom. Add lemon juice from quarter lemon. This prevents brinjals from getting mushy and adds a tang to taste.

Let rice get sufficiently cold. Take a wide mouth vessel and mix the brinjal masala and rice. Mix thoroughly. Reheat the rice immediately in the same kadai and serve it Hot.

Voila!!!!!!!!!!!! Vangi Bhath is ready. Another variation is use oil fried sambar onions /diced onions (50 gms) along with Brinjals.

PS.
If you do not have Karnataka sambar masala, add two spoons of the powder made from Maratti moggu, cinnamon and two cloves to Madras Masala Powder.

my website recipes

Friends,

I will be transferring my website recipes here on my blog over a period of next week. I have already transferred some recipes now.

Thanks for being patient.

Hemant

TIFFIN .......Breakfast/Light Brunch

--- TIFFIN ---

TIFFIN..TIFFIN...TIFFIN...TIFFIN..TIFFIN

For any person outside of South India, word "Tiffin" means lunch box. But in South India, Tiffin has a different meaning.
If you hear the words "Tiffin Aachha?"
It means "Did you have breakfast or light brunch?"

In Tiffin section, I have provided with all the light and not so light snacks which serve as support at breakfast and early evening times .
So enjoy the TIFFIN.


BATATA WADA

INTRODUCTION
Batata wada is a savory which is extremely popular in Gujarat,
Maharashtra and western India as whole. It is very easy to make
and it tastes fantastic even with very simple spices which are
used Batata Wada is usually eaten with spicy sweet sour
Tamarind / Khajur Chutney or plain Tomato Sauce.


INGREDIENTS

( For five people one helping of about five Wadas each)

FOR THE STUFFING

1 Kg. Potatoes of Thick skin variety
1 Small Bunch of Kothumalli
5 Nos. Green chillies finely chopped
2" Ginger piece finely sliced
1/2 sp. Turmeric powder (optional)
2 Sp. Garam Masala
2 Sp. Lime Juice
3 to 4 Sp. Sugar
1 Sp. Asafoetida (perangayam)
Salt to taste
Other optional stuffings like Raisins, Dates, etc. can also be added

FOR THE BATTER

400 Gms. Besan/ Kadalai maavu
1 Sp. Perangayam/ Hing
2 Sp. Chilli Powder
3/4 Sp. Turmeric Powder
2 spoons Salt
Water to make thick Batter like Dosai.
500 ml of cooking oil for frying

METHOD OF PREPARATION


For the stuffing, first steam cook potatoes in a pressure cooker.
Remove the skin and let it cool. Now add, salt, Kothumalli,
Green chillies and Garam masala, Lime Juice, Sugar and salt,
perangayam and slowly mix the ingredients thoroughly .Don't make a
paste type thing of the whole mass. The stuffing should not be
totally smooth. Let the potatoes be mashed to 1/4th inch size .
Once all the ingredients are mixed , taste for salt and other things.
Add anything you want at this stage. Now take a big plate, smear
some oil on the surface and start making small urundais (Balls) of
the Potato stuffing and place in the plate. Try making all of them
of even size. Rub some oil on your palms to avoid potato sticking
to your palms. Keep aside.


PREPARATION OF THE BATTER
Take Kadalai Maavu (Besan) in a wide mouth vessel , add salt,
Chilli powder, Hing, Turmeric powder and mix very well. Now start
adding water in small quantities and start making the batter.
When you reach Dosai Maavu consistency, stop and taste for salt
and other ingredients.

GRAND FINALE Dip the Potato stuffings in the batter and fry in a
Kadai till golden brown. Please make sure that you do not drip the
potato stuffing in oil much as it will leave a lot of Bundi like
things burning in the oil for frying. Take care not to over fry
on a high flame. All the deep frying should be done only at a
medium flame. The frying of Batata Wada should be done after all
the food is cooked .This is to ensure that the guests get steaming
Batata Wadas. Serve with Tomato sauce to Sweet Sour Chutney.

If you want to serve only hot Wadas, under fry the Wadas about an
hour or two before the lunch or dinner. Re-fry them again on
medium flame or micro it just before you serve the guests.



BHAJJIS (Bhajiya)

Bhajjis are the king of "Tiffin". When the first showers come, the taste buds start tingling with fine aroma of frying Bhajjis in Gujarat and other northern parts of India. I am going to post hitherto never posted recipe of Bhajjis, which would surprise you with its aroma and taste. If you think that this is an over statement, try it out and you would agree with me..

For dough
Kadalai Maavu (Besan) 1 cup
Rice Flour 1 spoon
Dhania 1 tbsp
Red Chilli (coarsely broken) 1 nos
Onion Paste 1 tbsp
Green Chilli (paste) 1no.
Garam Masala 1/2 spoon
Dhania Jeera Powders 1/2 spoon+1/4 spoon
Chilli powder 1 spoon
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Curd/Amchur/Tamarind extract 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida powder 1/2 spoon
Salt to taste Oil for frying

For centre filler
Select big Potatoes or Onions or Brinjals. Make round slices in a slicer of about 3 to 4 mm thickness. Put potato and onion slices in salt water for some time, and drain off and wipe dry with cloth or paper. If you are using big chillies, make a long slice on each chilli , remove the seeds and keep them ready for dipping and frying..

Coarsely pound Dhania seeds and red chilli and set aside. Mix both Kadalai maavu (besan) and Rice flour thoroughly, make paste of a small onion and one green chilli and add all the dry spice powders and salt along with onion-chilli paste to the dough. Also add any acidic medium like Mango powder or a bit of tamarind extract or sour curd. Taste for salt and use as per your taste. Make sure that there should be just a hint of sourness. If you don't like it, you can avoid sour agents totally. Add little by little water and make thick dough of Dosai maavu consistency. If you want very crisp Bhajjis, you can mix quarter spoon of cooking soda in half a spoon of oil, mix thoroughly first and then add in dough and stir-mix thoroughly. Take oil in Kadai (200 ml) and heat it on high flame. after some time drop a drop of dough and check if oil is ready for frying. If ready, the drop would immediately come on top fried. Reduce the flame to medium or sim . Now carefully dip each filler like Onion round ring or Potato slice or Green Chilli and coat it properly in dough. Drop very carefully in oil and fry till the outer cover of Bhajji dough becomes golden Brown. Never fry Bhajjis till brown. Using a frying sieve, remove the bhajjis in a vessel where you should keep a paper at the bottom to absorb excess oil. Serve hot hot Bhajjis with Kothumalli Chutney or Tomato sauce. I bet , this recipe would bring loads of applause and appreciation from your loved ones and guests.


MYSORE BONDA

Mysore Bonda is one item in Hotels which is seen lesser and lesser now a days. This simple preparation is a great nourisher and with chutney, tastes fantastic. I prefer Mysore Bonda to Medhu Vadai for its rich creamy inside and a subtle taste.

Ulundhu (dehusked) 150 gms.
Payir parappau/Thoram Parappu 3 spoons
Coconut (2"piece) 1/4 cup
Ginger 1" piece
Green Chillies 4 to 5 nos.
Black pepper 1 spoon
Jeera 1/2 spoon
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Cooking soda two pinches

The Parappus dhalls) are to be soaked in water for at least three hours in winter and 2 hours in summer.

Chop chillies, grate Ginger and cut a 2" piece of coconut flesh in small pieces. Set aside. Make a thick but very fine paste of both Parappus (dhalls) .If you want very fluffy Bondas, you can use the agitator or egg beater and make a frothy dough. But before doing that, add salt to taste. This dough should be of vadai dough consistency. so take care when you make paste. Coarsely grind Jeera and Pepper . Some people add whole peppers and pounded jeera. You can do as you like. Mix cooking soda in a little oil and mix thoroughly till it turns milky. Add this to dough .Now mix all the ingredients with dough and see that they have evenly been mixed. Now Take a Kadai and heat up oil. Check if it is hot enough by putting a drop of dough. When ready, wet your palms and make a small lemon sized bonda by hand and put directly in oil. Take care that you don't drop it from height or else you would burn your hand with hot oil. Fry at medium heat till the bondas are beautiful golden in colour.

The frying should be evenly done or else the center portion would not cook properly. The Bondas would be fine crispy on the outside and soft creamy inside. Prepare coconut chutney also and serve hot bondas with chutney.


--- Chapattis ---

CHAPATTIS

To make nice chappathis / Phulkas which Balloon when Roasted on fire, you need to make the dough in the following manner. Take required amount of (two cups) Whole-wheat flour. Add three tablespoons of cooking oil and half a spoon of salt. Mix the oil, salt and the whole-wheat flour thoroughly. Now take some water and slowly start adding and kneading the dough. When the dough is sufficiently soft, keep it aside for at least one hour after smearing the whole kneaded dough with a spoonful of oil to avoid drying up. Make urndais of only lemon size of dough to roll Chappathis. (sometimes on keeping for an hour, you may have to still soften the dough with a little bit of water as wheat flour sometimes absorbs water more than usual). You must not add too much water or else the chappathis will not balloon and you will not be able to make thin chappathis or Phulkas.

Take a little dry flour and set it aside, with a rolling pin, roll the chappathis on the stone. Once the flattened dough is thin and starts sticking to roller pin, turn the chappathi in dry flour on both the sides and start rolling in round shape. You may have to turn the chappathis in dry flour twice or thrice in order to get very thin (2.5-3mm) thickness without sticking. Now take the rolled flat dough and first place it on Tava. As soon as slight bulges start forming, With a chimta remove the chappathi from Tava and place directly on fire or flame of the stove. You will be amazed to see perfectly round Phulkas. Turn it and cook it on both the sides.

Remove from flame and apply nei (ghee) on the thinner side of the phulka. Serve it hot.


SPONGY DHOKLAS

DHOKLA is a dish, which Gujarat is famous for. There are a number of variations of Dhokla preparation. But I am going to post the most popular Spongy DOUBLE DECKER OR Dunlopillow Dhokala Recipe.

450 gms. Besan (kadalai maavu)
50 gms. of soaked Urad dhall
1 spoon of Turmeric powder
1 spoon of chilli powder
2 spoons of Fruit salt/ENO
2 spoons of Ginger and Chilli paste
1 spoon of salt or to taste
1 spoon of Perangayam (USE MILD PERANGAYAM)
1 pinch of extra citric acid
2 ladles of oil for smearing on plate and Tempering
2 spoons of Mustard seeds
2 spoons of white gingly seeds
2 springs of Curry leaves
1/2 cup of finely cut kothumalli/cilantro
250 ml of Tampering water on top of Dhoklas
2 spoon of sugar (add slightly more if you want typical Gujarati taste)

Make a thickish dough of Besan/kadalai maavu of thick bhajji maavu consistancy, the consistency must be almost like Idly maavu thickness. Make a paste of Soaked urad / ulandu dhall and add it to besan maavu. Now add salt, Turmeric powder, chilli powder, ginger Chilli paste, sugar asafoetida, salt, citric acid into the better and mix thoroughly. Taste the batter for ingredients. If you feel you need to add anything more to your taste, add it now. Prepare a medium sized Thali/Thattu smearing oil on the inside surface thoroughly including the sides. Keep it aside.

Take a large wide mouth vessel or a big kadai .Put a small stand in it this is a metal stand which we use to stand earthen pots) If you don't have it, you may use a wide mouthed Dabbi or a big katora filled with water. Put about 1 liter of water in the kadai. Now add one spoon of ENO /FRUIT SALT to half the batter taken in a separate vessel and mix thoroughly by hand. The bubbles would start forming. Immediately transfer the bubbling batter to the Thali/Thattu previously smeared with oil and put the whole thing in the Kadai on the stand. Cover the kadai and steam cook the batter for about fifteen minutes. Check after ten to fifteen minutes if the Dhoklas are cooked. If your finger does not stick to the surface, the Dhoklas are cooked. Cook the remaining batter in the same way. I have asked to use fruit salt separately from Thali to Thali because it should not lose the gas while the first installment is being cooked otherwise the second installment of Dhoklas would not be as spongy as the first one.

After about ten minutes, Temper 250 ml of water with oil, Mustard seeds, Gingly seeds and Curry leaves and also a pinch of Asafoetida, After the tampered water is ready, take ladlefuls of this water with all the mustard and other seasonings and spread it carefully on the Dhoklas. This water will be absorbed by the Dhoklas in short time. Now Decorate /Garnish the Dhoklas with cut Kothumalli/Cilantro Spongy Dhoklas are ready.!!! Now take a sharp knife and make square cuts of the Dhoklas. Dhoklas are to be eaten with Kothumalli/phudina chutney.You can enjoy the same with your tea or coffee.

Points to remember When you put batter in Thattu/plate, fill only upto 3/4 of the height of the thattu wall. This is because the batter will rise during steaming to almost double the height. When you sprinkle the Tempered water, take care that you don't over flood the Dhoklas or else they will become soggy. Never cover the Dhokla batter thattu,cover the whole Kadai. Serve the Dhoklas only after the sprinkled water has been absorbed. If the water remains on top, spread a tissue paper and absorb extra water.


KADLAI MAVU DOSAI

I am posting a recipe for making kadalai maavu dosais. The preparation time is 10 minutes. You need to have 250 grms of kadalai maavu, a small half spoon of Omam seeds which are crushed, some salt as per ones taste, chilli powder to taste and small half spoon of perangayam. Mix a tumbler of water in the Kadalai maavu, mix thoroughly so that small rounded pallets of maavu do not remain in the dough. Add salt , chilli powder, omam, and asafoetida in the dough which should have dosai maavu consistency. Make dosais just like you make rice dosais on a Tawa. Even the oil is to me applied in the same manner. Turn once on the other side and make the second portion slightly brown. The Kadalai maavu dosai is ready. This can be eaten with aavakkai uruga or any pickle or chutney. This can be eaten with Tea and coffee too!!! Try it out once. This is a dish which takes only ten minutes in preparation

RAVA DOSAI

Rava Dosai is very easy to prepare and is a wholesome and healthy breakfast dish. It is best enjoyed with chutney and Sambar.

250 gms. Rava ( Semolina )Fine Variety
25 gms. Rice Flour
1 cup Buttermilk
2" piece of Ginger finely shredded
5 Nos. Green chillies finely chopped
Oil for seasoning
One spoon of Mustard seeds for seasoning

Mix Rava and Rice flour and pour the butter milk in a medium sized vessel. Add salt, shredded chillies, ginger. Pour a little water and set aside the mixture of the batter for at least four to five hours after tampering with mustard in oil. If you are in a country like India, you need about four hours time for batter to ferment, If you are in USA or Canada, set aside the batter overnight at 28Degree C. Or keep the batter vessel near your room heater during the night. In short, give the batter a time of 8 hours at least. Remember not to use chlorinated or Zero Bacteria water. Water for batter must have some bioactivity. So keep the batter open in Verandah for an hour or so. When the batter rises , prepare the Rava Dosais as you would any other Rice dosais.

Variations One variation is to use finely chopped Onions along with other ingredients. This is a really tasty variation. Second variation is almost instant Rava Dosai. In this variation, you use All Purpose flour or Maida to an extent of 100 gms in the above recipe in place of Rice flour. You can add Onions, crushed Cumin seeds one to two spoons and crushed Pepper one spoon. Garnish the batter with Curry leaves and a little Mustard seeds. Set aside the batter for about two hours. Then prepare the dosais as before. This variation may prove a bit tricky if you are a novice ..But the end result is very good and tasteful.

VENDHIYUM DOSAI (Fenugreek Dosai)

After our cook Kamala Mami died, no body had prepared Vendhiyum Dosai in our house. In fact even myself had almost forgotten this rare dosai variety. Rare because it is rarely mentioned and prepared as per traditional method. (I had to refer my archives to get the recipe) This dosai has its own charm if enjoyed with coconut chutney. I am bringing back the recipe which you would try and enjoy the result.

Rice Flour 2 cups (200 gms)
Fenugreek (vendhiyum) 1.25 tspoons
Aval (Beaten Rice (Poha) 1 tb spoon
Ulundhu (Blackgram) 1 tbsp
Salt 1.5 tsp
Oil for frying needed qty


Prepare rice flour in a Grinder or use readymade Rice flour. Soak De-husked black gram and Aval (Beaten Rice) and Fenugreek seeds (Vendhiyum) for about an hour. Using mixi or food processor, make a fine paste using water just to needed quantity.
Add rice flour now and salt to your taste. Add enough water to bring it to dosai batter consistancy. Cover the vessel and let it ferment for at least eight hours at an ambient temperature of 24 - 26 degree centigrade. If you are living in a cold country, the best thing to do would be to keep the batter for fermentation near your room heater in the bedroom. Or you can use a preheated oven to store the batter overnight.Next morning you would have a very fine "PONGIFICATION".

I would suggest you to add just a pinch (1/8 spoon) of cooking soda in the batter. Prepare dosais as you would any normal dosai. But vendhiyum dosai is fried on both the sides. Enjoy with coconut chutney or sambar.!!!



--- Idlis ---

IDLIS

For every four portions of Para Boiled Rice, Take one portion of Dehusked Whole white urad. If whole white urad is not available, you may use urad dhall. Soak both Rice and Dhall with a quarter spoon of Fenugreek (METHI) seeds for about four hours if you are staying in a medium / warm climate. About six hours if you are in Canada or very cold place. Now wet grind the Rice and Urad dhall+fenugreek separately to a thick consistency.

Don't make a paste. The broken grains must be of thin Rava consistency. If you are staying in a cold place, warm up the batter to about 30 degrees and keep it near the room heater in the night. Don't use chlorinated water which still smells of Chlorine. This will hamper food fermentation.

Next day morning, the dough would have fermented nicely. Take only as much dough as you want, add little salt to taste and pour the dough in Idli patram. Take care to apply oil in Patram or else the Idlies will stick to the Patram. If you want very soft idlies, you may add a pinch of Baking soda in the batter.

After wet grinding the dhall and rice separately, mix both of them and then allow it to ferment. If you have fermentation problem and if you want to make really soft idlies insted of adding some cooked rice, add cooked rice, leftover rice) directly to the batter and mix thoroughly. Take care to beat/ mash the cooked rice very well. The quantity of rice to be used should be 25% of the dough weight







--- Kaanda Poha ---

A visit to Maharashtrian home would invariably result in you being offered famous Kanda-Poha.
My first taste of this wonderfully simple but very tasty dish was at PACHMARHI in Madhya Pradesh
in summer of 1978.
It was at the home of maharashtrian army colonel. I am giving the recipe as follows.

Kaanda Poha is a traditional Maharashtrian snack which sometimes works as
main dish also. There are many variations . I am giving the one I like most.

KAANDA-POHA (Maharashtrian Onion Beaten Rice)

INGREDIENTS

3 cups beaten rice (poha)
1 Medium sized potato,(diced)
1.5 to 2 Ladles cooking oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Urad Dhall (Optional)
1 tbsp of kismis (Raisin)
8 to 10 broken cashewnuts
1/4 to 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2to3 green chillies cut finely
1 medium onion,thinly sliced
salt to taste
Little water to sprinkle
1/2 Tsp lemon, juice
chopped coriander leaves (1/4 cup)
2 sprigs Curry leaves.



METHOD OF PREPARATION:

Select beaten rice(POHA) which are firm and not waferlike. Ask for Jada/Mota poha.
Poha is available in different thicknesses. Hence select firm but not too thick and small poha.

Soak poha in enough water to cover for 5to 7 minutes.
First drain excess water and squeeze out by pressing handfuls of beaten rice.
Don't press too hard or else poha will become broken useless mass.
But don't let much water be left or else the end dish will become soggy.Set aside .
You may use absorbet paper to spread and then use poha.

Dice potatoes in small size of 3 cm cubes and set aside.
Heat oil in a Kadai/skillet , add the mustard seeds, Ulundhu/urad dhall,
add cashew pieces when mustard starts crackling.
When cashew becomes light golden , add curry leaves and finely cut green chillies.
Add Kismis last.
Now first add the onion and then potato and saute for four to five minutes.
Take care to see that potato pieces are not tough.
Add salt and sprinlkle little water, and cover with a plate.
After 5 minutes, uncover, add the poha and saute for another 5 minutes.
Take care not to break poha in irragula mass as it will lose its appeal.
Remove from flame add lime juice, turn it a little to let lime uice mix properly.
Garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve hot.



KHANDAVI OR KHANDVI

When it comes to making savouries from Besan, probably Gujaratis have no equals.
Khandvi is one. Besan Rolls made without much fanfare but very tasty and appetizing.
Method of preparation is also simple. (However, you need a rather strong wrist and powerful and patient hand to make it).


INGREDIENTS

BESAN (Kadalai Maavu) 3 cups (250 gms)
Butter milk about 3/4 liter to 1 liter
Green chillies 2 to 3 nos
Turmeric 3/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon
Salt to taste
Sugar (optional)

GARNISHING
Kothumalli 1/4 cup
Copra 3 spoons


TEMPERING

Mustard 3/4 spoon
Jeera 3/4 spoon
Oil 2 to 3 ladles

METHOD OF PREPARATION

Make a batter of Besan using Butter milk.Add salt, Turmeric powder, and thinly sliced green chillies.Add quarter spoon of Asafoetida also.Take a non stick pan or a thick bottomed kadai and cook on a medium flame .Stir constantly so that the besan does not stick at the bottom.
After some time, the besan batter will become very thick and it would be difficult for you to stir it. But do not stop till the besan is fully cooked and the dough is thick .
Now take a large plate (Thattu).Smear oil on the inner surface of the plate and spread the hot besan dough on the plate evenly..
You may smear oil on your palms and if needed spread pressing with palms gently.
Let it cool fully.
Now using a knife, make one and half inch strips and roll the cooled dough in small rills and stake evenly at a side of the plate.
Take some oil in Tempering kadai.Add mustard, Jeera and part of Hing (asafoetida).
When mustard seeds crackle, spread the tempering on staked Khandavi.
Garnish with Kothumalli and Copra.

This dish can be served hot or cold.
But best to serve slightly warm.


KHATTA DHOKLA

Dhokla is synonymous with Gujaratis and they carry this flag wherever they go in this world. I have seen Englishmen to Americans and also Japanese who have become fans of Dhoklas. Dhoklas are almost like Idli and are prepared in the same manner. But the taste is entirely different. Here goes the recipe.

Raw Rice/Boiled Rice Rava (coarsely powdered) 500 gms.
Bengal Gram Dhall/Urad Dhaal ( coarsely powdered ) 250 gms.
Ginger finely sliced 2" piece
Green Chillies finely cut 4 Nos.
Asafoetida powder 1 spoon
Salt to taste
Soda Bicarbonate 1/4 spoon
Red Chilli powder for sprinkling 2 spoons
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Butter milk (sour) 250 ml.
Oil For smearing

Mix Rice and Dhall powders thoroughly and add salt, Soda bi carb and Turmeric Powder and add a cup of water and make a fine loose dough. Now add Butter milk and leave the dough to ferment overnight. If you want to make the Dhoklas in the evening, prepare the dough at about 9 am and leave it to ferment. By evening, the dough would have fermented just like Idly maavu but not that much fermented.

Now add Green Chilli/Ginger, Asafoetida and if you like, coarsely powdered Black pepper also two spoons) slowly and mix. Spread a little oil on small High sided plates ( something like Thattu Idly plates) and pour Dhokla Batter to 3/4 of its height. Sprinkle Red Chilli Powder on top of the batter evenly. Steam cook the Dhokla Batter just like Idlies. After 15 minutes, the Dhoklas are ready. Remove from steam cooker and cut in square or Diamond shapes. You may garnish with Kothumalli and serve hot with Garlic Chutney.

Try this out and let me know.

PS. Some people add Soda Bicarbonate after the batter has fermented, they add this to slightly give a bounce to Dhoklas and some people avoid Soda Bicarbonate altogether. Some people Temper Dhoklas with Oil and Mustard seeds before cutting in small pieces and some make small pieces of Dhoklas and Temper separately and add generous amount of Sugar and serve piping hot. This also tastes Heavenly.


MASALA DHALL

INTRODUCTION

Among the savories, two items are every one's favorites. They are
Fried Masala Dhall and Om podi.I am posting Masala Dhall which keeps
for a long time. I am sure all of you would try these simple
savouries and be happy enjoying them.


INGREDIENTS

Bengal Gram Dhall (kadalaiparappu) 500 gms.
Chilli Powder 1 spoon
Turmeric powder less than 1/4 spoon
Jeera powder 1/4 spoon
Black Salt (powdered) 1 spoon or to taste
Citric acid crystal powder one or two pinches
Curry leaves 1 sprig (optional)
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon (optional)
Soda Bi-carb 2 pinches
Oil for frying



METHOD OF PREPARATION

Soak Channa dhall over night in water but add two pinches of
Soda Bicarb and quarter spoon of common salt. Drain the water
completely in morning and dry the dhall thoroughly by spreading
it on paper for 1 hour. Now the dhall is ready for frying.
Take about 250 ml of oil (double refined) in a Kadai and fry
the Dhall on medium flame. Fry till bubbles subside and the dhall
becomes slightly creamy biscuit shade. Never make the dhall brownish. You must drain all oil from dhall and place a paper in the vessel at the bottom where you empty the fried dhall. Fry curry leaves last and remove . When the frying is over, add powdered black salt, Chilli powder, Jeera powder, Turmeric powder , curry leaves , Asafoetida powder etc. Mix thoroughly and keep it open for twenty to thirty minutes. The dhall would have become crisp by now. it takes about 20 minutes for the water to get evaporated from fried dhall completely after frying). Taste for salt and chillies now. If you like you can add more. Store in an air tight container.


METHI NA GOTA & DAKORE NA GOTA
( VENDHAIYUM VADAI)


INTRODUCTION

Methi Na Gota are prepared from Fenugreek leaves and Generally
used in winter. Dakore Gota can be made all the year round.

INGREDIENTS

250 Gms. Fenugreek leaves
150 Gms. Of Besan (Kadalai Maavu)
100 Gms. of Coarse wheat flour
three spoons of chiilli and ginger paste
Coarsely powdered Dhania and Black pepper, quarter cup.
This should be coarse.
One spoon of Fruit salt
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste.
One spoon of Asafoetida
Three spoonfuls of Sour curds
Oil for frying





METHOD OF PREPARATION

Mix the flours and all the ingredients in a pan and add three spoons
of oil. Mix the ingredients in flour very well. Taste the mixture
for salt and hotness. If you need to add chillies or salt, add now.
Add small quantity of water and start making the dough go on adding
little quantities of water till you get a soft consistency of
workable dough. Make small round balls of the dough and deep fry
in a kadai on a medium flame. If you like Vendhaiyum, you can add
Fenugreek leaves to the above dough and make vendhaiyum Gota.
These are very delicious. Other variation is using only
kadalai Maavu. You may avoid using wheat flour and use only
Kadalai Maavu.In such a case, use a little more of saapadu soda
along with fruit salt as Kadalai maavu alone tends to harden and
does not give soft Gotas. IN MY OPINION, METHI NA GOTA TASTES EQUALLY GOOD.!!!


MEDHU-PAKODA

My first taste of Medhu Pakoda was in 1962 when I returned to Madras from my village in Gujarat. Just round the corner from my house, fourth building had two hotels.One was Udipi hotel (Now owners own Swagath Hotel Royapettah) and adjucent to it was a non vegetarian hotel.Medhu pakoda was consumed in the evening with Kapee (coffee).A plate of Medhu pakoda (four nos) and a cofee cost 4 annas. I still remember the taste of pakodas and dosais served there. I got this recipe from Agra sweets Bangalore.

INGREDIENTS

Rice flour 100 gms
Kadalai Maavu 150 gms
Chilli powder 1 spoon
Green Chillies 4 to 5 nos.
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Black pepper 1/2 spoon.
Jeera 1/2 spoon
Omam 2 pinches
Cashew nuts 10 nos
Ghee /oil 4 to 5 spoons
Soda Bi-Carb Quarter spoon
Chilli powder 3/4 spoon to 1 spoon
Salt to taste
Oil (groundnut) 250 ml
Water for dough a little


METHOD OF PREPARATION

Mix rice and Bengal Gram flour along with salt, chilli powder, Jeera, Omam and coarsely pounded Black pepper. Add finelly shredded curry leaves and thinly sliced green chillies in round rings. Make a fine mix . Now take a wide mouth cup and make a mixture of Soda Bi Carb and Ghee/oil . agitate with spoon or fingers to make a milky frothy paste . Add this soda and ghee/ oil mix to the just mixed flour and once again mix thoroughly so that soda and ghee are mixed uniformly. Heat oil for frying in a kadai, till the oil gets hot, make five or six portions of dry flour mix and take individual portion and add just a little water so that it will bind the dough and No more.If you add more water, the dough will turn into batter.So be careful when you add water.Make small urundais of a large marble size.Insert small pieces (halves) of Cashew nuts in each pakoda urundai. dough will turn into batter. Fry the pakodas till golden brown to slightly darker brown shade.

Some people add chopped onion to Medhu pakodas also.
If you want , you may add onion too.Regular Medhu pakodas you get in Hotels donot have Omam in it.Instead it has Onion.So if you are using Omam, avoid Onions.

Keep a paper in a vessel and drop the fried Pakodas in it.

Serve HOT.

RAVA UPPUMA IN BUTTERMILK (MOR UPUMA)

Rava Uppumma is very nourishing and tasty Nasta variety which , if prepared properly will win you praise from all those who taste it. I am posting a lesser known but equally tasty variation.

Rava (samolina) 1. 5 cup
Butter Milk 500 ml (150 ml extra if needed)
Onions 2 Nos Cut in small pieces
Green Chillies 4 to 5 finelly chopped
Ginger finelly chopped 1. 5 " piece
Freshly cut coriander leaves 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Lemon Juice (optional) 1/2 to 1 spoon

For tempering
Blackgram dhall 1 spoon
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Red Chillies 2 to 3
Curry leaves 1 to 2 sprigs
Ghee/oil 3 ladlefuls
Cashewnuts 5to 6 nos( Broken )

Dice onions, Cut and chop/Grate Ginger and cut Coriander and Green Chillies and set aside in a cup. Now take oil/Ghee in a kadai and when hot, add Both the Dhalls and Mustard and Red chillies. When Mustard starts crackling, immediately add diced Onions and Sprigs of Curry leaves and sliced green chillies and start turning. When the onion becomes translucent, add Rava in Kadai and fry for about two to 3 minutes on a low to medium flame. Keep on turning the Rava . At this stage, add chopped Ginger and fry for 45 seconds. Now add sour butter milk and desired quantity of salt to the onions in the the Kadai. Take care that the Samolina Lumps are not formed. You must add the Buttermilk very slowly and must keep on stirring the mix. Let the whole mix simmer on a low flame. Keep some more warm buttermilk on hand in case you feel that the it is less and the Upuma becomes thick. When the the buttermilk is completely absorbed and Rava particles are fully cooked, remove from stove and you may decorate the Upuma with chopped Coriander and fried Cashewnuts.

As an accompaniment, you can prepare coconut chutney or serve with Avakkai pickle or Lemon pickle. Adding Lemon Juice is optional. Some people do not like very sour Uppuma. So use your judgement.

This variation of Upuma tastes totally different. Try and you might be surprised.








RAVA KHICHADI (Semolina Hotch-Potch with spices)

First dice all the vegetables except Tomatoes and Onions, steam cook all the vegetables 3/4 in a pressure pan or a steam cooker. As usual, do not forget to add a little salt and a little sugar to vegetables to preserve colour before you steam cook. Cut ginger and green chillies very fine and set aside.

Take Ghee in a kadai and add the tempering items, set on medium heat. When the mustard starts to crackle, immediately lower the flame and add Semolina (rava) and stir briskly and fry on low heat till Rava starts becoming light Pink. Now add about 250 ml of water and immediately add diced tomatoes, Onions, Salt, Turmeric, Ginger and Green chillies. Add enough water so as the whole thing is like Dosa batter. Now set the flame on medium and go on stirring briskly to avoid rava sticking at the bottom.

After about six to eight minutes, the Rava when it gets fully cooked the Khichadi will become thicker. check for salt and proper cooked rava .If water is less, add a little and stir briskly till you are satisfied that Rava is fully cooked. Now add 3/4 cooked vegetables and mix thoroughly. Your RAVA KHICHADI is ready. You can Garnish with Freshly cut Kothumalli and serve along with Coconut Chutney. Remember that coconut chutney is a must with Rava khichadi.

Semolina (slightly coarse) 150 gms.
Tomato (diced) 1 no.
Onion (diced) 1 no.
Green Peas (shelled) 1/2 cup
Carrot (diced) 1 no.
Ginger 2" piece
Green Chillies 3 to 4 nos.
Turmeric powder 1 spoon
Salt to taste

For tempering
Mustard seeds 1 spoon Red Dry chillies 2 to 3
Urad Dhall 1.5 spoons Pure Ghee 30 ml
Curry Leaves 2 springs


RAVA UPPUMA

Rava Uppumma is very nourishing and tasty Nasta variety which , if prepared properly will win you praise from all those who taste it. It is best enjoyed with Coconut Chutney or Avakkai Mango Pickle or Lime Pickle.

Semolina (slightly coarse) 150 gms.
Tomato (diced) 1 no.
Onion (diced) 1 no.
Green Peas (shelled) 1/2 cup
Carrot (diced) 1 no.
Ginger 2" piece
Green Chillies 3 to 4 nos.
Turmeric powder 1 spoon
Salt to taste

For tempering
Mustard seeds 1 spoon Red Dry chillies 2 to 3
Urad Dhall 1.5 spoons Pure Ghee 30 ml
Curry Leaves 2 springs

Dice onions, Cut and chop Ginger and Coriander and Green Chillies and set aside in a cup. Now take oil/Ghee in a kadai and when hot, add Both the Dhalls and Mustard and Red chillies. When Mustard starts crackling, immediately add diced Onions and Springs of Curry leaves and start turning. When the onion becomes translucent, add Rava in Kadai and fry for about two to 3 minutes on a low to medium flame. Keep on turning the Rava . At this stage, add chopped Ginger and fry for 45 seconds. Now add boiling water and desired quantity of salt to the onions in the the Kadai. Take care that the Semolina Lumps are not formed. You must add the water very slowly and must keep on stirring the mix. Let the whole mix simmer on a low flame. Keep some more boiling water on hand in case you feel that the water is less and the Upuma becomes thick. When the water is completely absorbed and Rava particles are fully cooked, remove from stove and you may decorate the Uppuma with chopped Coriander and fried Cashew nuts. As an accompaniment, you can prepare coconut chutney or serve with Avakkai pickle or Lemon pickle. Adding Lemon Juice is optional. Some people do not like sour Uppuma. So use your judgment. Some people pre-dry roast the Rava and keep it in an air sealed/tight bottle. In this case, you must Temper the Onion in a kadai and then add Chopped Green Chillies , Ginger and salt in kadai and add water and let the water come to a boil. Add pre heated/roasted Rava very slowly and keep on stirring to prevent lumps. Rest of the things are same.


ONION UTHAPPAM

Please soak 200 gms of boiled rice and 75 gms of Black gram dhall for half a day. Wet grind soaked rice coarsly like Idly batter. Make black gram dhall in smooth paste. Add a little salt to taste and let it ferment for about one night (10 hrs atleast).
Next day, make dosais like shape on a tawa but thicker. Sprinkle finely cut onion, green chillies and a little Kothumally on top of the spread batter. Make Uthappam like dosais. by spreading oil on sides and on top of the spread batter. Once one side is properly done, invert and let onion side get fried on the tawa.
Serve with chutney and sambar.


VEN PONGAL (yellow lentil hotch-potch S.Indian style)

Pongal, as Venpongal is known, is very popular breakfast item .It is enjoyed best with coconut chutney.

1 Cup Of Rice (don't use very old rice)
1/2 Cup of Paiyar parappu (Moong Dhall)
1 Tea spoon of Jeera (Pound with mortar )
1/2 spoon of Broken Black Pepper
1/2 Spoon of Whole black pepper
1/2 Cup of Ghee (small cup)
2 Broken Red Chillies (Optional)
8 Cashew nuts broken in half or 1/4th
2 Sprigs of Curry leaves

First roast the Dhall in ghee till it turns light pink in colour. Cook this roasted dhall along with fairly new rice in a pressure cooker. Add along with dhall, whole black pepper 1/2 spoon and also 1/2 spoon of Jeera in the pressure cooker. After four whistles , remove the cooker from stove and let steam subside. Now take some Ghee in the kadai and fry Cashew nuts till they turn pinkish brown. Frying must be done on a low flame. At the end of cashew frying, add Curry leaves and 1/2 spoon of Jeera turn it twice or thrice but no more than 15 seconds.

Immediately add the cashew and the contents of Kadai to Dhall Rice mixture. Now add Salt to taste. Some people prefer to add salt during steam cooking. I prefer to add half during cooking and half after the whole thing is ready. It is safe to follow my method. Now thoroughly turn the Ven Pongal in the vessel so that salt, cashew, broken black pepper and Jeera; mix well. Close the lid of cooker again for fifteen minutes. This will ensure jeera flavour to spread. Jeera should be semi broken. Now prepare Coconut chutney and enjoy .



HANDAVO

In my introduction , I have written about our dog who had his own food preferences.This is the story of 1960s .We had a dog named Tommy,.In those days, almost all male dogs were called Tommy and females were called Jimmy.This mongrel was more than our family member.He had certain rights which we did not have.He always knew that Handvo is being prepared .My mom or kamala mami when they soaked the dhalls in the night, he would know that handvo is being prepared tomorrow.He would refuse to go out anywhere and sit in front of the kitchen like a Sphinx in the same pose.From time to time, he would sniff and try and make out of the progress of baking.Mind you , he would not leave the home to go to his usual rounds of streets where his concubines lived on walltax road, till we served his piece (king size) of Handvo. He had many other preferences but that will come with his other likings or dislikings of certain dishes.
Gujaratis are the only people who prepare Handvo which is a traditional salty-spicy cake.You can call Handvo as cousin of Dhoklas but is baked instead of steam cooked.It has a great taste and is generally a weekend meal (light ) or an evening snack.Many variations are there but I am posting a vegetable rich spicy version.

INGREDIENTS
For a family of four 2 helpings)
Boiled Rice (parboiled) 1 cup
Kadalai Parappu ( Channa Dhall ) 1/4 cup
Ulutham parappu (black gram dhall) 3 tbsp
Thoram parappu (Red Gram Dhall ) 3 tbsp
Paiyar Parappu (Green Gram Dhall ) 3 tbsp
Rava (optional) 2 tbsp
Sour curds 1 cup
Julienned Bottle gourd/Carrots 1/2 cup
Onion (thin long sliced 1 no.
Capsicum 1 small
Green chillies (finely cut) 4 to 5 nos.
Grated Ginger 1.5 "
Chilli powder 1 spoon
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Sugar 1tbsp
Soda Bi carb 1/2 spoon
Salt to taste
INGREDIENTS FOR TAMPERING
Oil 50 to 60 ml
Sesame seeds 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 spoon
Curry leaves (optional) 1 sprig
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon
METHOD OF PREPARATION
Soak all the dhalls and rice for 4 to 5 hours, drain and wet grind to a thick paste (coarse like vadai maavu). Now add sour curds, salt and a little water and allow to ferment overnight.Keep in a warm place to allow proper fermentation.Adding a piece of stale bread would ensure proper fermentation.
Next stage is preparation of julienning of either carrots or bottle gourd (one cup), drain excess water from gourd and set aside.Grate ginger,cut chillies very fine, slice onion and capsicum in thin slices and set aside.
When the fermentation is over, add all the grated, sliced and julienned vegetables and spices like chillies , ginger,capsicum etc to the fermented dough.Also add chilli and turmeric powders and sugar.Mix soda bi carb in a spoon of oil and make milky solution and add it to the dough.Mix thoroughly.If you add a little sour curds again at this stage it will be great..
Now prepare a non stick pan or a big kadai.add oil and all the tampering spices (except sesame seeds).Set the flame on medium.When mustard starts to crackle, immediately add sesame seeds, they will immediately start crackling.Now pour all the Handvo dough in the pan/kadai and set it to a low flame .Cover with a lid.Or if you are using an oven, put it in pre heated oven at about 175 to 200 centigrade .
Late it bake for about 15 to 20 minutes in a non stick pan.Check if the under crust is brown .If brown, turn the Cake and let the other side cook in the non stick pan (inverting and removing the cake without breaking is very essential) .If you are using an oven, when you see the upper crust brown, turn the other side and let the underside brown also.Some people do not let the underside brown if they are using an oven, this leaves inside uncooked.
A fine aroma will prevade when the baking oven or the lid is opened.
The Handvo is ready.Let it cool for about ten minutes.Make cake like and cake sized pieces and serve steaming hot with chutney or sauce or with Garlic chutney.

RASIYA MUTHIYA ( Made from leftover Rice)

SPICED RICE BALLS IN SAUCE:
Rasiya Muthiya is one dish that you would love to have. Generally as a rule, it is made from leftover rice. It is generally cooked in the evenings and eaten as it is and the sauce is enjoyed with Rotis or Chapathis.

Leftover Rice 2 cups
Besan/Kadalai Maavu 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Garlic paste 2 spoons+1 spoon
Turmeric powder 1/2 +1/2 spoons
Chilli Powder 1 +1/2 spoon
Salt to taste


For the sauce:
Buttermilk 500 ml.
Water 250 ml.
Salt to taste
Kothumalli " 1/4 cup
Garlic paste 1 spoon
Green chilli finely cut 3 to 4 nos.
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Tempering oil 2 ladles
Mustard seeds 2 spoons
Red chillies 3 nos.

First of all, prepare the sauce. Take Butter Milk and add water to it. Take some oil in a tampering ladle and add the temperings. When mustard starts to crackle, temper the sauce. Now add little turmeric, chilli powders and add 2 sprigs of curry leaves and a spoon of Garlic paste. Also add salt to taste. Do not put too much of salt as the rice Balls would also have salt. After the boiling is over once, add green chillies and Kothumalli and remove from fire .cover and set it aside.

Preparation of spiced rice balls
Take the leftover rice ,add Besan/Kadalai maavu , salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, Garlic paste and little water. Slowly mix everything thoroughly. See that the rice is properly mashed. Make the mixed dough to a vadai or slightly softer than vadai consistency. Taste for salt and chilli .

Final preparation
Set the sauce to a boil and slowly drop the rice Balls mixed dough with bare hands, as you would make rice vadams. The drops of rice dough should be no more than a glass marble of small size, as they would assume a larger size after getting cooked in sauce. Go on dropping the rice mix dough at regular intervals and complete the process in about five minutes. During this time, assure that the sauce is boiling or almost at boiling temperature.
Take care and ensure that the dough of rice does not separate, if it separates, it means that you need to put in some more kadalai maavu. Also ensure that the sauce is enough, if not, add some more water. After about ten minutes of boiling, the Rasiya Muthiya is ready.
after adding a spoon of Ghee to each plate. You can eat as it is or with chapathi or rice too.

POTATO-VERMICELLI ROLLS

POTATO-VERMICELLI ROLLS is a savory which is very easy to make
and is so tasty that you would like to make it often.
It is crispy and crunchy with soft centre.
It tastes fabulous with very simple spices, which are
used just like in Batata Wada. It is usually eaten with
spicy sweet sour Tamarind / Khajur Chutney or plain Tomato Sauce.

INGREDIENTS
(For five people one helping of about four rolls each)


FOR THE STUFFING

750 gms. Potatoes of Thick skin variety
50 to 75 gms of toast crumbs
1 or 2 onions(Make crunchy rough paste)
1 Small Bunch of Kothumalli
5 Nos. Green chillies finely chopped
1.5" Ginger piece finely sliced
1/2 sp. Turmeric powder (optional)
1 Sp. Garam Masala
1 sp. of Cumin+Dhania powder
1/2 sp of Cinnamon powder
2 Sp. Lime Juice
2 to 3 Sp. Sugar
1 Sp. Asafoetida (OPTIONAL)
Salt to taste

FOR COVERING POTATO ROLLS

150 gms of Vermicelli broken in very small pieces
(use BAMBINO OR GOOD BRANDED SEMIYA ONLY)


METHOD OF PREPARATION

For the stuffing, first steam cook potatoes in a pressure cooker.
Remove the skin and let cool.
Now add, salt, Kothumalli, Green chillies and Garam masala,cinnamon
and Dhania-Jeera powders,Lime Juice, Sugar and salt.
Also make rough crunchy paste(Don't make smooth paste) of Onion.
Remove as much water content as possible by pressing with palm.
Add the crunchy onion paste to filling dough.
finally add toast powder/crumbs and mix thouroughly .
Don't press very hard.
Bread/toast crumbs will bind the potato rolls and also
give it uniform golden brown colour.
perangayam and slowly mix the ingredients thoroughly .

Potatoes must not have lumps.
The stuffing should be totally smooth except for crunchy onions.
Let the potatoes be mashed uniformly.
Once all the ingredients are mixed ,
taste for salt and other things. Add anything you want at
this stage. Now take a big plate, smear some oil on the
surface to avoid rolls sticking to surface.

start making potato rolls of the Potato stuffing and place
in the plate. Try making all of them of even size.
Rub some oil on your palms to avoid potato sticking to your palms. Keep aside.
Take a plate and fill up nicely broken vermicelli/semiya
to 1cm length, spread it and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai . While it is getting heated, take one roll and
roll it lightly in semiya plate evenly spreading semiya sticking
to its surface evenly.Take care to see that semiya is firmly sticking
to potato rolls and will not come loose while frying in oil.
Drop it carefully in oil or place it on a poori frying zari(SpatSpoon) dip the zari (Spat Spoon) in oil if you don't want to get oil burns while droping.and
fry at medium flame. Keep turning to give it a uniform golden colour.

Serve with sweet Tamarind/Khajur chutney or tomato sauce.
Tastes heavenly as it is also.