Udipi Sāmbhar

Udipi Sambhar

The term Udipi (also Udupi) is also synonymous with delicious vegetarian food now found all over world (see Udipi cuisine). The origin of this cuisine is linked to Krishna Matta (Mutt). This cuisine was developed by Shivalli Madhwa Brahmins, who cooked food for Lord Krishna, and at Krishna Matta in Udipi, the food is provided free. Lord Krishna is offered food of different varieties every day, and there are certain restrictions on ingredients. Udipi cuisine comprises dishes made primarily from grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits. The variety and range of dishes is wide, and a hallmark of the cuisine involves the use of locally available ingredients. It adheres strictly to the Satvik tradition of Indian vegetarian cuisine, using no onions or garlic, as well as no meat, fish, or shellfish.

The basic ingredients used in Udupi-Mangalorean cuisine are simple and easily available. They serve a unique sambar that is an excellent partner to Fluffy Idli. This Sāmbhar is very famous. You don’t need Sāmbhar powder for this Sāmbhar.

Ingredients:

Vegetables:

 Large Brinjals                                       1 no (Cut in Large pieces)

 Medium size Carrot -                             1 no (Cut into long pieces)

Any desired vegetables -                        (cut into long pieces)

Green Chilies -                                      4 no (cut slit)

Tomatoes –                                          1 no (Cubed)

Curry leaves                                          1 stem

Grated ginger                                        1 tsp. 

Dry ingredients For Sāmbhar Powder

Urad Dal/Split Black Gram                        1 tbsp.

Chenna Dal/Spilt Bengal Gram                  ½ tbsp.

Jeera/Cumin Seeds                                 2 tsp.

Coriander Seeds                                     1 1/2 tbsp.

Methi/Fenugreek Seeds                           ½ tsp.

Dry Red Chili (Preferably Byadagi, )          8 no  ( Adjust the spicy level according to the   taste)

Grated fresh/frozen Coconut                   1 cup

For Tempering:

Mustard Seeds                                     1 tsp.

Dry Kundu Red Chili,                             3 – 4 no

Hing/Asafetida                                     ¼ tsp.

Few Curry Leaves

Coconut Oil                                          1 tbsp. 

The other Ingredients:

 Thuvar dhal                                       – ½ cup

Tamarind                                            - small lemon size

Jaggery                                               - 1 tbsp.

Turmeric Powder                                  – ¼ tsp.

 Method: 

• Adding water to the split gram, turmeric powder and pressure cook, mash well and set aside.
• Soak tamarind in water for some time and extract the pulp.
• Heat the pan and dry roast all the ingredients for the Sāmbhar powder, initially only the dry ingredients and later adding the coconut.  Allow them to turn golden brown.
• Cool and grind to a smooth paste by adding very little water at time. Keep aside.
• Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan, add all chopped vegetables, and curry leaves and saute for a minute.
• Pour the tamarind extract and let it boil for a while on a medium heat.
• When vegetables are cooked, add the cooked dal to it. Add salt. Let it boil for a minutes in a slow heat.
• Now add the grounded Sāmbhar paste and jaggery. Simmer on medium heat adding water if required.
• Make sure that the sambhar is not too thick or thin. Simmer and bring the whole sambhar to gentle boil for 5-8 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds first, when they crackle add all tempering ingredients and fry for a minute.
• Pour the tempering into the Sāmbhar and decorate with chopped coriander leaves. Covered the pan , so the flavor is locked in.
• Serve the famous hot Udipi Sāmbhar with idli, rice, dosais.

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a very popular fast food recipe in India, liked by almost everyone.  In Mumbai , you can find ‘Pav Bhaji ki Gaadi’ (Hand cart) anywhere on the streets.This cheap and filling Pav Bhaji can be eaten for Breakfast, lunch dinner- anything.

 Addition of vegetables takes care of the nutrition aspect of this dish. So when you make it at home add vegetables of your choice (mostly the so called ‘English vegetables’ like carrots, cauliflower, peas etc.) to boost its nutritive value.

 The Pav is heated on the griddle and buttered generously. This gravy is served hot in a flat dish with a tablespoon of butter on top. 

In restaurants some more varieties are available including;

Cheese Pav Bhaji,  - in which the bhaji had an additional garnishing of cheese

Paneer Pav Bhaji, Paneer as one of the ingredients in the bhaji along with the vegetables.

Mushroom Pav Bhaji,  - mushrooms as one of the ingredients in the bhaji along with the vegetables.

Khada Pav Bhaji, ('खडा'). Vegetables are not mashed, but small pieces cooked with masala gravy.

Jain Pav Bhaji, replacing the potatoes with unripe bananas, Onion and Garlic is not added either.

Kathyawadi Pav Bhaji   - with buttermilk, eaten particularly in the Kathyawadi.

Dry fruit Pav Bhaji   - with added dry fruits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pav_Bhaji

I am sure everyone knows how to make Pav Bhaji. My method is going to be the simplest of all.

 

Ingredients: 

 Vegetables:

 Big Potatoes                                            3 no

Green Peas                                             a handful

Grated carrot                                           1 no

Finely chopped/grated capsicum               1 no

Finely chopped Jalapenos (optional)          2 nos

Other ingredients

 Organic Tomato sauce                             3/4-1 tin

Pav Bhaji Masala powder                          2 tbsp.

Kashmiri red chili powder                         1 tbsp.

Butter                                                       2 tbsp.

Jeera                                                        1 tsp

Salt                                                         to taste

Coriander leaves                                     to garnish

Lemon juice                                            1 tbsp

Pav buns                                                (sweet dinner rolls or Potato buns)

Butter                                                     to toast the buns

Method:

• Peel the potatoes. Pressure cook carrot, peas, cauliflower and potatoes together for 3-4 whistles.   Take out from the cooker and strain the water and mash the vegetables  well. ( Keep the vegetable water for pavbhaji).
• Heat two tablespoons of butter in a tava, temper the jeera, once it starts crackling, add  ginger paste, Jalapenos  and finely chopped capsicums,  and sauté for few more minutes.Add, chili powder and pavbhaji masala Sauté for three minutes.
• Now add tomato puree and little butter, and cook over medium-high heat until the oil begins to separate.
• Now add the mashed vegetables, vegetable water and the salt in it and mix it well. Very carefully, using a potato masher or the back of a ladle, mash the  very well.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer another 20 minutes or until the vegetables are really tender.
• Be aware that the mixture can spurt up as it boils, so keep a lid on it while you are not actively stirring it. Simmer for 15-20 minutes to really get the flavors to meld together.
• Switch off the gas. Garnish with coriander leaves. Squeeze lime and add tiny bits of butter.
• Toast pav buns lightly with some butter and serve with Bhaji.
  
  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

Keerai Adai (Spinach adai)

Have you tried Keerai adai (spinach adai)? Its a crispy thick dosa with a lot of lentils. I love spinach adai , so flavorful, colorful and yummy adai.  The best part is that there is no fermenting required.

My  husband Paddy loved this adai with homemade ghee and jaggery... So yummy. Here I used spinach , but you can use Fenugreek leaves ( Methi leaves) also.

Ingredients:

Boiled rice                            ¾ cup

Raw rice                              3/4 cup

Urdh dhal                             ¼ cup

Bengal gram                         ½ cup

Tovar dhal                            ¼ cup

Moong dhal                           ¼ cup

Cumin seed                           ¼ tsp.

Red chillies                            10 no

Ginger grated                         2 tbsp

Curry leaves                          2 stem

Hing                                    ½ tsp

Salt                                    as required

Finely chopped spinach           1 ½ cup

Finely shredded carrot            3 tbsp  ( Optional)

Finely chopped cilantro          1 tbsp.

Oil                                      as required

Method:

• Soak rice and dals together for 5 hours. Soak red chilies separately.
• Drain it and grind it with ginger, red chilies, curry leaves, Hing, cumin seed and salt together.
• Grind it slightly coarsely. No need to ferment the batter.
•  To the batter, add finely chopped spinach leaves,  and shredded carrots (optional)
• Mix everything well and the batter is ready to use
• 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 , Chutney  and Millaghai podi.

Spinach Adai

Nei Payasam / Aravana Payasam

This payasam is served as prasadam / Neivedyam in temples of Kerala. Nai payasam has thick consistency than the usual payasam and prepared in lots of ghee(clarified butter), the more ghee you add, the better it tastes. This nei payasam also called as Aravana Payasam, and Kadu Mathura payasam i.e. very sweet payasam.  For health reasons, I reduced ghee and jaggery amount in my recipe. If you want you can add more ghee and jaggery.

Ingredients

Raw rice                                1 cup

Water                                   2 1/2 cup

Powdered Jaggery                   – 2

Ghee/ clarified butter             - 3 tbsp.

Grated coconut                       1/2 cup

Cardamom powder                 1 tsp.

Dry ginger powder                 1/2 tsp.

Method:

•   Soak rice for at least 30 minutes. Drain and roast in a pressure cooker for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add water and pressure cook for up to2 whistles. Cook the rice such that the grains are separate, not over-cooked or sticky.
• In the meanwhile, heat a heavy bottom vessel; add the powdered jaggery and about ¼ cup of water.
• Cover it and cook on medium heat until the jaggery melts.
• When the jaggery dissolves completely, strain for impurities and pour it back into the same vessel.
• Let this jaggery syrup boil for a few minutes till the syrup starts thickening,.
• Mash the cooked rice , add the rice into the jaggery syrup , keep stirring for few minutes.
• Add about 2 tablespoon of ghee. Mix well. Continue cooking on low heat. Keep the mixture lubricated by adding the ghee at frequent intervals. Keep stirring as the water evaporates and the bubbles splatter furiously. Do not cook for very long as this will become very hard once it cools down.
• In a small frying pan, heat 1 tbsp. of ghee, add the grated coconut and fry till golden brown. Add these to the payasam. Also add the cardamom powder and dry ginger powder and mix well. 
• Delicious nei payasam is ready to eat.

Strawberry and Honey Pudding

On a warm summer’s day what could be more refreshing than a luscious fruit dessert making the most of fresh seasonal produce, and yet still remaining deliciously low in fat?.

A quick and easy pudding made from fresh strawberries topped with Greek yogurt, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with almonds.

Ingredients:

 Fresh strawberries                        - 8 no

Low fat Greek yogurt                      - 1- cup

Honey                                              2 tbsp

Agave syrup                                   - 2 tbsp

Chopped, unsalted almonds            – 2 tsp.

 For strawberry cream:
Fat free cream cheese                   - 2 tbsp
Strawberry syrup                          - 2tbsp
Fat free Cream                              - 4 tbsp

Method:

• Wash and chop the strawberries and place in the bottom of glass   mug or individual dessert bowls.
•  For strawberry cream. Beat the cream cheese, cream, strawberry syrup with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.. 
• Stir well the Greek yogurt.
•   Put the chopped strawberries bottom of the glass, then layer the strawberry cream. Put the Greek yogurt in the Top each glass or bowl of strawberries.
• Drizzle the honey and agave syrup over each dessert and sprinkle with the almond nuts.
• Cover the glass with aluminum foil.  Chill until ready to serve.

Khamon Dhoklas

Khaman Dhokla is one of the popular dishes in Gujarati Cuisine. These dhoklas are very soft and spongy.  Adding Eno salt (fruit salt) to the batter is the main factor for the sponginess. These spongy Khaman have been infused with a sugar-lime juice solution to give it that authentic street taste.... Dhoklas can be served as breakfast, evening snack or even as an appetizer. A Dhoklas can be made with different variations. Suji Dhokla is white colored recipe made of semolina. Chawal Dhokla is made of rice powder. The most popular one is the yellow colored Besan Dhoklas made of gram flour or chickpeas.

Ingredients

Besan (Bengal gram flour)         1 cup

Semolina (rava)                       1 1/2 tbsp.

Sugar                                     4 tsp.

Ginger-green chillis paste        1 tsp.

Lemon juice                              1 tsp.

 Salt to taste

Fruit salt (ENO Salt)                2 tsp.

Oil for greasing and cooking    3 1/2 tsp.

Seasonings

Mustard seeds                        1 tsp.

Sesame seeds (til)                  1 tsp.

Chopped jalapenos                2tbsp

Asafetida (hing)                     a pinch

 curry leaves                         2 to 3

Sugar                                 – 1 tsp

Lemon juice                        – 1 tsp

Water                                -4-5 tbsp

Decoration

Grated fresh Coconut           1 tbsp.

Chopped Coriander leaves    1 tbsp.     

Green chutney                  1 tbsp.

Method

• Combine the besan, semolina, sugar, ginger-green chillis paste, lemon juice and salt along with little water (approximately ¾ cup) in a bowl and mix well with the help of your hand to get a smooth and thick batter.
• Keep the steamer or cooker ready on gas.
• .Add 1 tsp. of fruit salt to a portion of the batter and mix gently.
• Divide the batter into 2 equal portions and keep aside. Pour the batter immediately into a greased dish
• Steam in a steamer for 12 to 15 minutes or till the dhoklas are cooked. Keep aside.
• Repeat the steps  and make one more thali of dhoklas.
• While the Khaman are cooling, prepare the solution and tadka.
• Chop the jalapenos into small pieces.
• Heat 3 tsp. of oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds.
• When the seeds crackle, add the sesame seeds. Green chillis, Jalapenos, Asafetida and curry leaves, mix well and saute on a medium flame for a few seconds.
• Mix the sugar, lime juice in the water and stir, make sure all the sugar dissolves. Mix it into the seasoning.
• Cool slightly and cut into equal sized pieces.
• Pour this tempering over the dhoklas.
• Serve hot  with decorations.

Stuffed Brinjals

Stuffed eggplant or stuffed brinjals is a favorite of many. For this you need small size tender brinjals.

On my usual Thursday vegetable shopping spree, I came across pretty purple tiny eggplants at Indian store.  I made this Karameethu on next day itself.

Ingredients:

 Tender small brinjals -20 no

Salt to taste

Stuffing powder

For stuffing powder 

Coriander seeds                1/4 cup

Bengal gram / Chenna dal – 6tbsp

Urad dal                         – 4 tsp.

Black Pepper                   1 tsps

Cumin Seeds                   1 tsp

Dry Coconut                    1/2 cup

Red Chillies                   - 20 no (according to spice level)

Salt                              to taste

Oil                               1 tbsp

Curry leaves                 a few

Asafetida                    ¼ tsp

Seasonings:       

Oil                            4 tbsp

Curry leaves             1 stem

Mustard seeds           ½ tsp

Preparation:

• Wash and dry the brinjals. Keep aside. Prepare the stuffing first.
• Roast all stuffing ingredients in oil. Grind them coarsely in a mixer. Now stuffing powder is ready.
• Cut the brinjals into 4 pieces (not fully-leave little stem part.)
• Simply stuff the slit brinjals with spice powders.
•  Arrange them in a microwave steamer and steam for about 6 minutes.

• Remove it from microwave and. Keep aside.
• Heat the oil in a cast iron pan, fry all seasonings.
• Place the stuffed eggplants and cover the pan with a tight lid. Sprinkle salt.
• Cover and cook the eggplants in a low flame for about 10 - 15minutes.
•  After 10 minutes, remove the lid . Again cook it for 5 more minutes.
• Throughout the15 mins, turn the eggplants every 3 or 4 minutes so all the sides get evenly cooked.
• Do this carefully without breaking the brinjals.
• When the brinjals are well cooked and soft to touch.  Switch off the stove.
• Garnish with chopped curry leaves.
• Serve hot with rice, Sathuamuthu, Kozhambu.

Tip:  

• Use low to medium heat; not high. High heat spoils the taste.
•  You can store the left over stuffing powder in an air tight container for future use.

stuffed Brinjals