COCONUT SEVAI

Ingredients:

 Homemade Plain Sevai – 2 cups

Grated fresh coconut – 1 cup

 Grated ginger ¼ tsp

Seasonings:

Chenna dhal - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Hing – ¼ tsp

 Coconut Oil - 2 tsp

 Whole Red Chillies (Dried) – 2no

Curry Leaves - as required

Salt to taste

Method;

• Heat Oil and add all seasonings, ginger and coconut. Fry well, add to Sevai.
• Add salt to the Sevai and mix well.
• Ready to serve with Vadams, pappad.

Home Made SEVAI

 Sevai is a type of rice noodle. It is very famous in South India, particularly Tamil Nadu.

IDLI

Idli is one of the most popular south Indian recipes all over the country. Idli is an ideal breakfast item. Making Idli is not difficult at all; however its preparation takes a little time as the batter for Idli requires fermentation. As it is a steamed food with minimum oil and no spices, it is an ideal healthy food item for everybody.. Idli’s are usually served in pairs with chutney, sambhar, or other accompaniments.

In my experience, the key to making soft idli is:

•       Using handful of rice/Poha while making the Urdu Daal batter. 
•    Let the dal soak in water overnight inside a fridge.
•    When grinding dhal and rice  use only cold water. 
•    Not running the blender continuously, but in short bursts
•      Making sure that the batter (before fermentation) does not have too much     water.
• When you grind the idly batter, the rice should be ground to a fine sooji rava consistency and not to a fine paste.
• To aid fermentation in cold countries, preheat your oven to 200F and put it off. Place the vessel containing the batter on a plate (to collect the overflown batter in case it pours out) and keep oven closed overnight.
• You can use idli rava instead of grinding rice. Just grind the urad batter and mix with idli rava! However, the idlis will be like the udupi style ones, not like the smooth chettinadu style idlis.

Ingredients

• Idli Rice – 4 cups
• Urdh dhal – 1 cup
• Aval (beaten Rice) - 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil (for greasing the pans)

Method

• Wash and soak  the Daal, Poha and rice overnight or for 8 hours.
•  Wash and drain the rice. Grind it coarsely in a grinder.
• Proceed to grind the Urdh Daal, with poha and required amount of water and make a fine frothy paste.
• Do not add too much water; the water should be sufficient just so that the mixer/grinder motor runs smoothly.
• Now mix the ground rice and Daal together into a batter.
• Mix salt and set aside in a warm place for 8-9 hours or overnight for fermenting. 
• Idli’s are ready to be cooked when the batter is well fermented.
• Grease the idle holder or pan well and fill each of them with 3/4th full of batter.
• Steam cook idlis on medium flame for about 10 minutes or until done.
• Use a butter knife to remove the idlis.
• Serve them with Sambhar, chutney, Milagha podi.      

Rice Uppuma

The rice Uppuma does look like a delicious and quick meal. .... Simple and Elegant. I love to have this hot with Tomato chutney and Green chili pickle.
Ingredients
Long grain rice - 2 cups
Toovar dhal - 1 tsp
Black pepper - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Grated Coconut – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Seasoniings:
Oil/Ghee - 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urdh dhal - 2 tsp
Peanuts - 1 tsp
Chenna dhal - 2 tsp
Whole Red Chilies - 4nos
Curry leaves - 4 - 5 nos
Asafetida – 1/8 tsp
Method:

• Wash Rice & pat dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Let it dry for 5 minutes.
• Grind the rice, Toovar dhal, and black pepper and cumin seeds into a course mixture.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add all seasonings and fry, when they turn golden brown add 3 cups of water.
• When it boils, add the salt, Asafetida and curry leaves.
• Now add the ground mixture of rice, cumin seeds and black pepper. Stir well.
• Now put it in a electric rice cooker and cook. (If  you  are using a pressure cooker, allow the mixture to cook until the first whistle. )
• If you need  more water ,you can add more water to the rice mixture. Stir it continuously until the mixture thickens and the rice is cooked.
• Mix well again & serve with tomato& ginger gravy & sambhar.

Note: This rice Uppuma will take more time to cook than ordinary rava Uppuma.

Rice Uppuma

RAVA UPPUMA

Upma (Tamil: உப்புமா), is a south Indian dish made of rava. It is called as Upma in Malayalam & Tamil, Uppindi in Telugu, Upeet in Marathi and Uppittu or Kharabath in Kannada.. Upma/ is a quick and delicious comfort food that it is prepared in every household at least once a week. Comfort the cook, but not sure about the ones who eat.

Ingredients:

Sooji 1 cup

Carrot diced -                  ¼ cup

Potato diced -                   2 no

Green Peas –                    ½ cup

Bell pepper diced               - 1/2no

Ginger chopped                 2 tsp

Green chili (halved)            4 no

Water                            1 ½ cup

For Seasoning:

Curry leaves                    2 stems

Black mustard seeds            1 tsp

Urad dal                          2 tsp
Cashews -                    4 to 5

Oil –                             2tsp

Salt                                to taste

Lime Juice –                   1 tsp

Chopped Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp

Ghee –                            1 tbsp

Method:

•  In a pan heat oil and add all seasonings. Let it splutter and then add ginger and all other vegetables. Sauté well.  Sprinkle a little bit of water on the vegetables. Cover it with a lid and let it cook until the vegetables are half cooked.
• Now add the roasted sooji. Mix well. Add water, salt, and lime juice for taste.
• Bring it to a boil, lower the flame cover it with lid and let it cook for few more minutes.
• Finally add ghee ad mix it well. Serve hot with Chutney, pickle, sambhar,sugar or yogurt.
• 

Aval Uppuma

Aval Also Known as  Poha, Powa, Flattened rice, Pressed rice, Flaked rice. The flakes are able to absorb a large volume of liquid when used in various dishes, so they absorb flavors well. They are very popular in Asian cooking, but in Western countries they are more often used commercially in the production of cereals and rice snacks.

  Health Benefits:

• Lactose free. Fat free. Heart healthy.
• Good source of 11 essential vitamins and minerals including iron.

Aval Uppuma is my comfort food. When Paddy is on travel, I prefer to cook fast. This Uppuma  is my first choice, because I can make this Uppuma with in 6 minutes.

Ingredients:

Aval (poha):                    1 cup

Chopped carrot –             ½ cup

Green Peas –                   ½ cup

 Chopped Ginger –           1/2 tsp

Green chilies (or Red):       2-3 (Chopped)

Cilantro Chopped –           2bsp

Oil –                              2 tsp

Salt:                             to taste

Peanuts (optional):      handful (roasted)

Coconut –                   1 tbsp

For Seasoning:

Mustard seed:                    1/2 tsp

Asafetida (Hing):             1/4 tsp

Urad dal:                         1 tsp

Curry leaves                         : few

Method:

• Soak the Aval (Poha) for about 3 minutes and wash it well and strain it. And let it dry in the strainer for about 2 minutes.
•  In mean time,cook  the carrot and green peas in microwave for 4 minutes.
•  Heat oil and do seasoning with mustard seeds, Urad dal, curry leaves, turmeric powder, green chillies, ginger and Asafetida.
• Add cooked carrot, green peas and  peanuts(optional) and fry for a minute.
• Finally toss poha and mix thoroughly.
• Keep stirring and fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Finally add the shredded coconut and mix well.
• Remove from the stove and garnish with cilantro.
• Serve with yoghurt/pickle.

Poori

There are no surprises here as Poori is usually everybody’s favorite both young and old alike. This along with potato Masala is one of our favorite breakfasts/dinner.

Ingredients

Atta/ wheat Flour:                 1 cup

Semolina/rava:                     2 tsp

Salt:                                    To Taste

Water:                                 fewer ½ cup to make dough

Oil                                        for deep fry

Method:

• Mix the three ingredients in a bowl. Add the water slowly and mix it.
• Once it comes together, knead 10 minutes and keep covered.
• Keep the wok/Kadai ready in stove top with enough oil to deep fry
• Take small balls (small lemon size), roll without using any flour (if stick use little oil). It should not be thin, roll slightly thick
• Drop slowly in oil and with a ladle try to press down the puri in oil. They will start to puff. And try to turn slowly. Both sides should be fried.  Take out and drain in paper towel.
• Serve with potato masala.

 Tips to make Good Puris.

• Do not rest the dough for longer time, result will be oily puris.
• Make the dough little harder not sticky like for roti.
• Don’t use flour when it sticks, use little oil – The flour will spoil the deep-frying oil.
• The oil should be hot, but in medium heat.

Kaima Idli /Idli Tikka Masala

This is very famous in Saravana Bhavan Restaurant. A visit to Chennai means always a visit to SBR at Mylapore. First I ate this kaima idli. Normally I don’t like idli. But this kaima idli is really good taste. So I wanted to give it a try at home.  It came out very well. Even Paddy likes it. (He is a picky guy). Even you call this recipe as “Idli Tikka Masala” Whatever you name it, it’s really good taste.

Ingredients:

Left over idli’s –      4 nos (cut into square shape)

 Small Tomatoes –    1/2 (finely chopped)

Green chilies –        2 (finely chopped)

Sweet peppers -       3 nos (chopped length wise)

Corn flour-                1tbsp

 Kashmiri Chili powder  -1/2tsp

Sombhu powder –      2 pinches

Turmeric powder –      2 pinches

Salt –                          to taste

Lemon juice –                ½

Coriander leaves –        1 tbsp (finely chopped)

Oil                             for deep fry

Seasonings:

Oil –                            1tsp

Curry leaves

Method:

• Cut the Idli's in square shape, add corn flour, little salt, chili powder ¼ tsp on it and mix well.
• Deep Fry Them. (If you have refrigerated the left over idli's, you have to get back those idli's to the room temperature before frying.)
• In a Pan, Heat oil, add curry leaves and let it pop. Now add Finely Chopped chillies, sweet peppers, tomatoes and sauté it well, so that it get mixed together. Add salt, turmeric powder, Sombhu powder, 1/4 tsp Kashmiri chili powder and mix and fry well.
• Add Your Fried Idli's and mix well with the masala's. Add coriander leaves, before switching off the flame.
• Serve by adding lemon juice over the kaima idli's.
• This is a good evening snacks with tea, too.

RAVA DOSA

Rava Dosa" is a popular south Indian Dish typically made out of "Bombay Rava”. .

The rava dosa is a quick and easy to cook dish which is made delicious and tastes best with sambha and chutney. Unlike the ordinary dosa, dough does not need to be fermented. For Rava Dosa, the ingredients need to be soaked for just 30 minutes to 1 hour. This is apt for the jiffy tiffin making. My mom makes restaurant type Rava dosa. Paddy loves it.  I tried a lot of times, but failed. He always says that you cannot make like your mom’s dosa. I took the challenge ( a new griddle and after $20) I tried it and I succeed. Here is my Rava dosa recipe: 

Ingredients

 Rava (Shoji, semolina)                  – 1cup

Rice powder                                  – ½ cup

Maida                                           – ¼ cup

Grated ginger                                 – 1tsp

Chopped finely green chillies            – 3no

Chopped finely curry leaves               – 2tbsp

Cumin seed                                     – ¼ tsp

Sour curd                                       - ¼ cup  (buttermilk)

 ghee, butter or oil                          1 tsp

Pepper crushed                                -1/4 tsp

Salt                                              to taste

Method:

• Mix Bombay Rava, Maida, Rice flour, curd and salt together in a bowl.
• Add 3 cups of water to the above mixture. Batter should be very thin. Now keep this mixture aside for 30 minutes.
• Mix the chopped green chilies, cumin seeds and Curry leaves to the flour mixture.
• Take a flat griddle or TAVA and spray oil on it and heat for 1 minute. Sprinkle the batter and apply butter or oil. Leave for it few minutes.
• When dosa turns brown, spray oil on it. Wait until dosa turns crispy. Fold the dosa and serve with Chutney and Sambhar.

Rava Dosa

Adai (Dhal Dosai)

Ingredients:

Boiled rice                     2 cups

Urdh dhal                      ¼ cup

Bengal gram                  ½ cup

Toovar dhal                  ¼ cup

Moong dhal                   ¼ cup

Red chillies                    7 no

Ginger grated                 2 tbsp

Curry leaves                  2 stem

Hing                              ½ tsp

Salt                               as required

Oil

Method:

• Soak rice and dhals together for 5 hours. Soak red chilies separately.
• Drain it and grind it with ginger, red chilies, curry leaves, Hing and salt together.
• Grind it slightly coarsely.
• Heat the griddle and pour 2 ladle of batter and spread in a circular motion.
• Spread 2 tsp of oil around the dosa and cook both sides.
• Serve with sambhar and Chutney

Adai/Dhal Dosai

Paper roast Dosa

Paper Roast dosa is all time favorite in our home.. When I was in Cochin, I tried to make a crispy dosa a lot of times, but failed ... A chef from Dosa Corner visited our ladies club and he showed to make more than 50 types of dosas. He gave me the secret tips to make crispy dosas.

Dosa Tips:

• To make a very good restaurant type dosa, you will need a very good griddle especially nonstick griddles.(12” griddle). Use this only for making dosa.
• Spread out the batter really thin .
• Never use the gingili oil (Nalla ennai). Use Ghee mixed with cooking oil.
• Always clean the griddle with wet cloth before make every dosa.
• You need wide spatula
• In-between sprinkle ghee over the dosa.
• Take out the dosa from the griddle when that turns out crispy.

Plain Paper Roast Dosa:
Ingredients:

Idli Rice (Boiled Rice)                              4 cups

Urud Dal                                               1 cup

Fenugreek seeds                                    3/4 tsp

Tuvar dhal                                             1 tbsp

Salt                                                      to taste

Method to prepare Batter

• Wash and clean the rice and dhal and soak separately for 6 hours.
• Grind the dhals with methi and rice for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Mix the dough with hand only. Do not use Spatulas. This is good for fermentation.
• Leave it for fermentation (In winter, Pre heat the oven 275F and switch off and place the batter and leave it for overnight).
• Next day takeout the dough and add salt and mix it with hand.
• Batter is ready.

Plain Roast:

• Heat the dosa griddle/ tawa. Simmer the stove. Pour  2 ladle of  batter in the middle of the griddle and spread it in circular way(Spread the batter as thin as possible) Consistency is important.
• Spread 1 tsp of  ghee around the dosa. and cook both side.
• Take out the dosa from the griddle when it turns crispy.
• Serve with Chutney, Sāmbhar and Mullagha podi