ADAI / MIXED LENTIL CREPES/ MIXED DAL DOSA

This is a recipe with high protein content as it contains four varieties of dals .
It is very wholesome and very filling.
 Adai is served with avial but you can use any chutney of your choice as a dip.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup chana dal / bengalgram dal
1 /4 cup toovar dal / pigeon peas
1/4 cup moong dal / green gram dal
1/4 cup udad dal / blackgram dal 
 1 cup rice
SOAK ALL THE DALS TOGETHER AND THE RICE SEPARATELY FOR ABOUT 4 HRS.

 1/2 tsp jeera/ cumin seeds
1 large onion
2 red chillies
a pinch of hing /asafoetida  
a pinch of turmeric powder
salt to taste
FOR  TEMPERING

2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp chana dal
a few curry leaves
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
a few curry leaves  

METHOD

• Grind the soaked dals  coarsely.
• Grind the rice to a fine paste along with red chillies and hing .
• Add salt, turmeric powder, jeera, finely chopped onions and mix both the pastes.
• Heat about 2tsps oil . Add mustard seeds, chana dal and curry leaves. Finally add chilli powder and mix it with the ground paste.
  
• Add finely chopped onions and mix well.
• Keep aside  for 15-20 mins
• You can also start making the adais immediately, but I find that it tastes better when allowed to stand for some time.
• Heat a girdle/tawa and spread the adai in a  thick circular shape.
  
• Add oil at the sides and and cook on  medium heat till golden in colour.
• Flip on the other side ,add a little oil and cook till done.
  
• Serve hot with AVIAL or chutney.

 

IDLI PODI / CHUTNEY PUDI/ GUN POWDER

A South Indian home is never without this lentil spice mixture.  It can be stored in an air tight container for 2-3 weeks.

I guess it's called "Gun Powder" because of its spicy taste.  :)
The Karnataka variety of Chutney Pudi (as  it is called there) is a bit sweet due to the jaggery added to it. 

It is a quick fix for a hungry stomach. 

It serves as a dip for idli and dosas, when you are not  willing to make the chutneys.
This mixture can be mixed  with any oil of your choice. (Gingelly, ground nut, or coconut.)
It can also be eaten with steamed rice mixed with butter or ghee. 
It can also be used as a spread on bread or toast.

Whatever way you want to have it, it tastes yum.

INGREDIENTS
1/2  cup chana dal/ bengal gram dal
1/2 cup udad dal/ black gram dal
I have used dal with skin,but  without skin can be used.
2 tsp til/sesame seeds
A small piece of tamarind (approx 2" piece)
a pinch of hing/asafoetida
3-4 whole red chilies
salt approx 1/4 tsp or more as per your taste
Curry leaves (optional) 

METHOD

• Roast the chana dal, udad dal and til separately in a thick bottomed pan, on a low flame to a golden brown colour.
  
• Keep the tamarind near the flame ,below the pan while you are roasting the dals.
  
• The tamarind will become crisp and will be easy to grind.
• In a drop of oil roast the hing and red chillies. (and curry leaves if you want to add them.)
• Allow to cool and mix all the ingredients along with salt and grind to a coarse powder.
• During grinding, the mixture/powder becomes a bit warm.
• Store in an air tight container when it reaches room temperature.
• Do not close the lid of the container when the mixture is warm. 
• Let it reach room temperature before storing. This will help it to stay fresh for long.

ENJOY YOUR IDLIS AND DOSAS AND  BREAD AND RICE AND........

Do let me know if you tried it out with something else and enjoyed :)

MENTHYA SOPPINA MATOTI PALLYA / STEAMED METHI BALLS

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch methi leaves/fenugreek leaves
1 Cup  chana dal/Bengal gram dal
2-3 green chillis
1'' piece ginger
1tsp jeera/cummin
1/2 tsp hing/asafoetida
salt to taste

FOR TEMPERING

2-3 Tbsp oil
1tsp mustard
1/2 tsp chana dal
1/2 tsp udad dal(black gram dal)
1/4 tsp hing
2-3 red chilis

FRESH GRATED COCONUT FOR GARNISHING

METHOD

• Soak  the dal for 3-4 hrs
• Drain the water completely.
• Grind to a coarse paste with ginger,green chillis, jeera, hing and salt. Do not add water while grinding.
  
• Chop the methi leaves and mix with the ground dal.
  
• Make small balls and steam for about 8 mins.
  
• Remove from the steamer and allow to cool.
  
  
  
  
• Heat oil in a pan and prepare the tempering.
  
  
  
  
• Add the steamed balls and mix well.
• Garnish with fresh grated coconut.
• Serve along with curd.
  

MASALA PURI

INGREDIENTS

2 cups wheat flour
1 cup besan/bengal gram flour
1/2 tsp jeera/cumminn
1/2 tsp ajwain/carom seeds
1/4 tsp kalonji/onion seeds
2 tbsp kasuri methi/ dried fenugreek leaves
1tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dhania powder/coriander powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
a pinch of hing/asafoetida
a pinch of haldi/turmeric powder
2tsp oil for the dough
Oil for deep frying

PREPARATION

In a mixing bowl, add all the above ingredients and knead into a dough adding water. Keep aside for 15 -20 mins.

Make small balls of the dough and roll into small circles.

Deep fry in  oil.

BESAN LADDU

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 measure besan/bengal gram flour

2tsp fine semolina/sooji/rava

1 measure ghee/clarfied butter

2 measures sugar powder (if you prefer it more sweet you can add  some more sugar powder)

Cardomom powder for aroma

Dry fruits like cashewnuts and raisins. 

PREPARATION METHOD

• In a thick bottomed pan, add ghee, and besan and start roasting on a slow flame.
• In the beginning the flour looks very dry but as you keep roasting ,the mixture turns slightly wet and the ghee starts showing.
• Keep mixing with a spatula till you get a nice aroma and the flour turns golden brown.
• Sprinkle 2tbsp of cold milk and mix well.
• Allow it to cool completely. 
• Add the powdered sugar, cardamom powder and dry fruits.
• Take a small amount of the mixture in hand and form small ball

• DONE!!!                    

ENJOY THE DELICIOUS LADDUS !!

WISH YOU ALL A VERY VERY HAPPY DIWALI !!

KOSAMBRI / SALADS

Kosambri is a part of the menu in a traditional Karnataka meal. These  salads are very nutritious and very easy to make.
ENJOY THESE  VARIOUS TYPES OF KOSAMBRI!!!

                                      CHANA DAL KOSAMBRI / LENTIL SALAD


Soak the chana dal  (split bengal gram)for 3-4 hrs.   Wash well and remove the water completely.
In a tsp of oil temper with mustard, hing(asafoetida), finely chopped green chili(about 1/2 or 1 green chili is enough),  curry leaves. Add salt and mix well. Then add a few spoons of freshly grated coconut and finely chopped coriander leaves. 

This article about chana dal interested me and hence I am sharing it here.

http://www.mendosa.com/chanadal.html

                                      MOONG DAL KOSAMBRI/GREEN GRAM SALAD

Soak moong dal (split green gram) and follow the same procedure as above.

VARIATION :    To this salad you can add grated cucumber or grated carrot also.

CHANA DAL AND MOONG DAL KOSAMBRI

                                   CARROT KOSAMBRI/ CARROT SALAD

Grate carrot and follow the same procedure as above. Add a pinch of sugar for extra taste.

LIME JUICE IS OPTIONAL. YOU CAN ADD IT AS PER YOUR TASTE TO ALL THE SALADS.

BANANA FLOWER VADA

It had been raining for some days and it brought down the banana plant in my garden. The bananas were very tender but the blossom was ready to be used.

I had never cooked or tasted banana flower before.  So I thought , "why not do it now".  It was raining and a perfect time to have hot crispy vadas and tea.  

I began by first soaking the dal. After an hour I began cleaning the blossom. I was quite apprehensive since I had not done it before. The first step is to apply some oil on your hands.

Hold each flower in hand and pull out the stigma and the shield. They are both hard and can be easily pulled and removed. After cleaning, put the flowers in water or they will turn black.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chana dal (bengal gram dal)

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup banana flowers

3-4 green chillies

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

salt to taste

oil for frying

METHOD

Coarsely grind the chana dal. Add finely chopped green chillies,onions and the banana flowers. (I did not use the cone portion of the blossom). Add salt and hing and mix well. Make small balls and flatten them with your palms.

When you taste this mixture it may feel bitter. But do not worry.

Deep fry the flattened balls to a golden brown colour.

My vadas got over before they could reach the serving bowl :)

It took me half an hour to clean the blossom and my nails became black !!!. But the end product was worth all the trouble and an evening well spent.