CHOLE-BATHURE(TYPE OF PURI BHAJJI)

CHOLE-BATHURE(TYPE OF PURI BHAJJI)
This is a tasty dish  preferred by the younger generation.


Chole:
Ingredients:
kabuli chana(white chic peas)-250 gms,
onions-4(medium),
tomatoes-4(chopped),
amchur(raw mango powder)-1 tsp,
garam masala powder-1 tsp,
chole masala-2 tsps,
chilli powder-1/2 tsp,
turmeric powder-1/2 tsp,
green chillies-2,
ginger -1" piece,
garlic-5 cloves,
jeera- 1tsp,
oil-2tbsps,
edible soda-1/8 tsp,
tea powder-1tsp(tied in a soft cloth),
salt to taste.
For  Garnishing:
corriander leaves-1/2 cup(chopped),
onion-1(finely chopped).
Method:
Soak chana overnight.
Pressure cook it,  adding the edible soda and the tea bag, till it is cooked to a soft texture(approx. 30 mts on low flame). Throw away the tea bag.
Chop onions,ginger, garlic  and green chillies.
Heat oil in a pan, crackle jeera, add the chopped onions, green chillies, garlic  and ginger. Fry till golden brown.
Add tomatoes and fry again for 3 more mts.
Add the cooked chana, chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, chole masala, amchur and salt and cook for 5 mts on low flame.
Add sufficient water to have a  gravy consistency.
Remove from flame, add corriander leaves and mix well.
Chole is ready. It can be garnished with chopped onion and chopped corriander leaves before serving.
Note:
Chole masala and gharam masala are available in the market.


Bhathure:
Ingredients:
maida(all purpose flour)-2 cups(A combination of 1 cup each of wheat flour and maida will also do),
baking powder-1/2 tsp,
yogurt-1 tbsp,
salt to taste,
oil for frying.
Method:
Sieve the maida and baking powder together.
Add to it, salt and yogurt and knead it, using water or milk.
Apply little oil and knead it again to get a soft dough.
Keep it in a vessel with a lid. Keep aside for 3 hrs.
Heat oil in a pan.
Cull out small pieces of dough and roll each one to a chapathi size and deep fry them one by one.
Serve them hot along with hot chole.

VENPONGAL(DAL MIXED RICE)

VENPONGAL(WHITE PONGAL)-DAL MIXED RICE


Ingredients:
Raw rice-1 cup,
Moong dal-1/2 cup,
Pepper-1tsp(crushed into rough pieces),
Green chillies-4(chopped),
Jeera-1 tsp,
Mustard seeds- 1tsp,
Cashewnuts-6(cut into halves)
Salt to taste,
Ghee- 1tsp,
Curry leaves and
Oil-1tbsp.


Method:
Mix dal and rice, wash and pressure cook, adding 4.5 cups of water and the salt.
Heat oil in a pan, crackle mustard, add chillies, pepper, jeera, cashews, curry leaves and fry till light brown.
Add to it the cooked items and mix well.
Remove from the flame, add the ghee and mix. Close it with a lid.
The pongal is ready.
Can be served with any kind raita, chutney or spicy dish.
After serving, smatter a spoon of ghee over the pongal to enjoy the aroma of the dish.

PESARATTU(TYPE OF DOSA)

PESARATTU(SPICY DOSA WITH MOONG AND RICE)


Ingredients:
Moong(greengram)/moong dal-2 cups,
Raw rice-1/2 cup,
Green chillies-4,
Pepper-1/2tsp,
Ginger-1/2”piece,
Salt to taste and
Oil for making pesarattu.


Method:
Wash rice and dal and soak for 5 hrs.
Grind them wth the other items (except oil) to a  fine texture and dosa consistency, adding sufficient water.
Heat dosa pan, sprinkle little oil and pour a laddleful of batter and spread it thin to dosa shape.
Spriinkle a little more oil around.
Bring the flame to a low and roast it till one side becomes crispy. Turn to the other side and just cook it(it does not need to become crispy).
When both the sides are done, remove from the pan.
It can be served with  ginger chutney.(any kind of  chutney will also go well).


NOTE:A topping with chopped onions mixed with chopped green chillies along  with ½ tsp of whole cummin seed(jeera) will enhace the taste of the pesarattu. It should be spread and pressed lightly with the help of the ladle, soon after the dosa batter is spread. Pesarattu need not be covered with a lid, if  the topping is added. It can be folded just like a masala dosa, once it is done.

STUFFED PESARATTU(TYPE OF STUFFED DOSA)

STUFFED PESARATTU
Plain Pesarattu can be stuffed with plain upma with cashew pieces liberally mixed and folded just like a masala dosa.
Stuffing is done after the pesarattu is done. Upma should be kept ready before making the pesarattu.
This can be a filling and wholesome breakfast.

SABUDHANA KICHDI

Sabudhana Kichdi

This preparation is a favourite of Maharashtrians and they generally savour it on Ekadasi/Upavas days. The preparation is very easy.

Ingredients:
sabudhana(sago)-200 gms,
groundnuts-100 gms,
potato-2(medium)
green chillies-4,
corriander leaves-1/2 cup(chopped),
coconut scrapings-1/2 cup,
mustard seeds-1 tsp,
oil-2 tbsps,
salt to taste.

SABUDHANA KICHDI

Method:
Wash the sago 2/3 times to remove the powdery coating, if there is any, and soak it in a small quantity of water for 6 hrs.
Roast the groudnuts and powder it.
Cook potato, peel and cut into very small pieces.
Chop the chillies.
Roll the soaked sago in the groundnut powder in such a way that all the sago is well coated with the powder.
Heat oil in a pan, crackle mustard and add the chillies and fry for a while.
Add  sago and salt and mix well.
Bring the flame to low and cook till the sago is well cooked.
Keep stirring often so that no lump formation takes place.
When done, add the potato and mix well.
Keep on low flame for another 2 mts and then remove.
Add the coconut and the corriander leaves and mix well.
Note: Depending upon the taste, the potato pieces can be fried before adding to the dish.Onions, chopped and fried in little oil and added to the khichadi will enhance the tast

VEGETABLE STEW(VEG. CURRY WITH GRAVY)

Vegetable Stew(Non-Spicy Curry with Gravy)

This is the best side dish that goes well with aappam.


Ingredients:
potatoes-3(medium),
onions-3(medium),
carrot-1(medium),
green chillies-6,
ginger-1" piece,
garlic-3 cloves(optional),
thick coconut milk-1 cup,
salt to taste,
coconut oil-2 tsps,
curry leaves.


Method:
Peel onions,de-skin potatoes and carrot and cut them into 1" pieces.
Cook them in 2 cups water(or in the mix of 2nd and 3rd coconut milk extracts, if fresh coconut milk is extracted for the curry) till they become soft.
Crush chillies, ginger and the garlic(call the mix, masala).
Add the salt, crushed masala and curry leaves and cook for another 2 mts.
Now add the coconut milk(1st extract) and just bring it to boil.
Remove from flame.
Add the coconut oil and mix well.
Serve hot with aappam.

AAPPAM(TYPE OF SOFT DOSA)

Aappam(A Type of Soft Dosa)

An exclusive Kerala breakfast item. It has a soft texture and is liked by all age groups. It is easily digestable and good even for small children. The  side dish  that goes well  with this is the stew. It can be vegetarion or non-vegetarian depending upon the preferences. Region-wise, people follow different methods for the preparation.


Ingredients:
raw rice-3 cups,
urid dal-2  tsps,
yeast-1/2 tsp,
coconut scrapings-1 cup,
sugar-1 tbsp,
oil-as required,
salt to taste.


Method:
Soak rice and dal together for 4 hrs.
Grind with coconut, salt and sugar to a fine batter.The batter should be thinner than the dosa batter.
Mix yeast in luke warm water and wait for 2 mts.
Add the yeast to the batter and keep it for fermentation for 6 hrs.
The batter will rise to the brim of the vessel.
Mix well and the aappam batter is ready for use.
Aappam pan is available in the market(normal/non-stick). If Aappam pan is not available, it can be made on dosa pan also.
Keeping the stove on medium, splash a little oil on the pan.
Pour one laddleful of the  batter  from the outer periphery to the centre of the pan to make thick and soft aappams. Close it with the lid,
Cook for 2 mts or till done.It is not necessary to cook the aappam on the other side.
Note:
One cup of coconut water(do not throw away the coconut water . It is full of  nutritious values), 1tsp salt and 1 tsp of sugar mixed and fermented for 3 to 4 days and used along with the yeast,while grinding the batter, will give a much softer texture to the aappam.