Kaima idly - restaurant style

Welcome back to jiyas delicacy blogging, today I am going to share a recipe with the boring idly. Once upon a time, I used to have this kaima idly in chennai frequently, one of my favourite dishes. Whenever I go to restaurant I buy kaima idly or chilly parotta. This recipe is healthy as well as tasty. Usually the idly is deep fried, but I have just toasted it.

Ingredients:

• Idly - 10
• Onions-2 finely chopped
• Tomato- 4 finely chopped
• Capsicum - 1 finely chopped
• Green peas - 1 cup
• Chilly powder -1 tsp
• Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Biryani masala - 1 tsp
• Salt
• Oil
• Water
• Coriander leaves
• Green chilly - 2 slitted
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Method:

• Take the idlies and refrigerate for sometime, then take it and cut them into small cubes.
• In a dosa tava, place the cubes and toast them by adding few spoons of oil.
• Take them in a bowl and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add fennel seeds, curry leaves, green chilly and fry them.
• Add the onions and fry them nicely.
• Add ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell vanishes.
• Add the tomatoes and salt.
• Close and cook until the tomatoes become mushy.
• Now add the capsicum and peas. Add the spice powders and allow it to cook.
• Close and cook until the masala is cooked well .
• Open and stir the masala, add little bit water to it. Let it boil a bit.
• Now add the toasted idlies and give a good stir. 

• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Sooji dhokla

Dhokla is a vegetarian food item that originates from the Indian state of Gujarat. It is made with a fermented batterderived from rice and split chickpeas.^[1] Dhokla can be eaten for breakfast, as a main course, as a side dish, or as a snack. Dhokla is very similar to Khaman, and the terms are frequently used interchangeably. Khaman is a similar gram flour-based food. Whereas dhokla is made with rice and chickpeas, khaman is made from chickpeas only. It is generally lighter in color and softer than dhokla, to make dhokla small proportion of baking soda is added while in khaman more baking soda is added to make it more fluffy spongy and porous.
  We love dhokla, we have this when we got to pune. I have tried this kaman dhokla for quite a fe times, it was a big failure. One of my friends here in singapore who is from Mumbai, treated me with dhokla in her house. But this dhokla was made in sooji. It was so soft and yummy. I couldnt resist myself in trying my hubby and some of my relatives. She told me the recipe and the nuances. thanks my dear friend Sweta.
 Here is the recipe for Sooji Dhokla :

Ingredients :

• sooji - 1 1/2 cups
• Sour curd - 1 cup
• Lemon juice -1

• Salt
• Water
• Eno fruit salt - 11/2 tsp
• Oil
• Mustard seeds -1tsp
• Green chilly -2
• Coriander leaves
• Hing

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Method :

• In a bowl, mix sooji, sour curd, salt and lemon juice.
• Mix the batter well. Add water to alter the consistency.
• The batter must be thick and not very runny.
• Finally add fruit salt, and give it a nice stir. The batter becomes frothy and fluffy.
• Grease the vessel in which you are steaming.
• Add the batter and steam it like idly for 7-10 mins.
• Remove from steam and add the tempering.
• Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, green chillies and hing.
• Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Tasty soft dhoklas served with mint chutney.

Mac in bechamel sauce / Pasta in white sauce

Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, Also commonly used to refer to the variety of pasta dishes, pasta is typically a noodlemade from an unleavened dough of a durum wheat flour mixed with water or eggs and formed into sheets or various shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. As an alternative for those wanting a different taste, or who need to avoid products containing gluten, some pastas can be made using rice flour in place of wheat. Pastas may be divided into two broad categories, dried (pasta secca) and fresh (pasta fresca).

 

Most dried pasta is commercially produced via an extrusion process although it can be produced in most homes. Fresh pasta was traditionally produced by hand, sometimes with the aid of simple machines,but today many varieties of fresh pasta are also commercially produced by large-scale machines, and the products are widely available in supermarkets.Common forms of pasta include long shapes, short shapes, tubes, flat shapes and sheets, miniature soup shapes, filled or stuffed and specialty or decorative shapes. As a category in Italian cuisine, both fresh and dried pastas are classically used in one of three kinds of prepared dishes. 

This is my first attempt in making pasta along with the white sauce. I have been doing pasta only with the store bought sauces. I have been longing to try out these pastas. I loved it.

Ingredients:

• Butter -2 tbsp
• Maida - 1 1/2 tsp
• Milk - 2 cups
• Salt
• Pepper powder -1/2 tsp
• Chilli flakes - 1 tsp
• Mixed herbs - 2 tsp
• Elbow pasta - one cup
• Capsicum - half finely chopped
• Mushroom - 4 chopped
• Carrot - half finely chopped
• Garlic cloves - 4-5 finely chopped
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Water
• Cheese slices -3

Method:

• In a vessel, heat water to boil pasta. Add the mac pasta, salt and few drops of oil.
• Allow it to boil for 7 mins. Once the pasta is boiled, strain it and run  through the cold water.
• In a pan, add olive oil, fry the chopped garlic. Add the carrot, capsicum and mushroom and saute for a while. 
• Add salt, chilli flakes , herbs and pepper powder . Fry them until the veggies are cooked but still little crunchy.
• Take the veggies and keep it seperately.
• In the same pan, add the butter, once it is melted, add the maida flour.
• Roast it nicely in the butter without turning into brown.
• Now add half of milk and stur continuously so that lumps is not formed.
• When it starts to thicken, add some more milk , cheese and stir completely until the cheese is fully melted. Add little herbs and chilli flakes to this.
• Add salt only for the sauce. Now add the fried veggies and give it a mix.
• Finally add the boiled pasta and stir it in sauce. This white sauce is called bechamel sauce.

Serve it hot , if u want u can garnish some grated cheddar cheese or herbs.

Neer dosa

Neer dosa literally meaning water dosa in Tulu Language is a crêpe prepared from rice batter. Neer dosa is a delicacy from Tulu Nadu region and part of Udupi - Mangalorean cuisine. Unlike other dosas neer dosa is known for its simple preparation method and lack of fermentation. Usually neer dosa is served with coconut chutney, sambar, saagu and non vegetarian curries like chicken, mutton, fish and egg curry.  There is no requirement for fermentation of the rice in order to prepare Neer dosa. The rice needs to be soaked for at least 2 hours. After a quick wash and a drain the rice needs to be ground by adding water in order to get very fine batter. Additional amount of water can be added based on the thickness of the batter and then salt is added for taste. Finally the batter is used to prepare the dosa. I have had this neer dosa in bangalore. Its quite famous as its a mangloreon dish. They serve this with chutney as well as coconut and jaggery. Tastes yum with this poornam side dish.

Ingredients :

• Raw rice/ basmathi rice - 1 1/2 cup
• Coconut - 1 cup or tender coconut water - 1 glass
• Water
• Oil or ghee
• Coconut - 1 cup 
• Jaggery half cup
• Salt

Method :

• Wash and soak the rice for 2-4 hrs.
• In a mixer, add the rice and grind it into smooth paste. Add the tender coconut water to grind.
• The batter should not be thick like dosa batter. It should be watery as it is neer dosa.
• Add salt and keep it aside. No need for fermentation.
• For the aide dis), grate the coconut and mix it with powdered jaggery.
• Heat a tava, pour the watery batter and spread over the tava. 
• Close and cook with a lid to steam it. This dosa should not be flipped over to other side.
• Open the lid. Once the upper portion is cooked, remove from tava.

Serve hot with coconut and jaggery.

Methi poori

Methi poori is a wonderful tiffin or a snack item. Its a very easy dish to make like our regular poori. It is so flavorful and aromatic. It does not need any side dish. Methi poori will be loved by all. I made this poori for my kid for evening snack. She loved it. Try this delicious poori for dinner and do let me know..

  Ingredients :  

• Wheat flour - 1 cup
• Salt
• Methi leaves or kasuri methi - one handful
• Oil
• Water

  Method:

• In a wide vessel, add the wheat flour, salt, methi leaves finely chopped. If you are using kasuri methi , nicely crush in your hands and put it.
• Add oil and water and knead into a soft dough. Let it rest for 15 mins.
• Heat oil in a pan, take the rolling pan and take small balls from the kneaded dough and make like small discs.
• Fry them in the hot oil , flip over on both the sides and fry till golden colour.

  Yummilicious methi poori ready to be served.  

Masala toast

Today's dish or the recipe is a toast. It is perfect for breakfast, midnoon snack, evening snack, a sudden snack or tiffin for guests. I simply loved and my kiddo enjoyed it as well. This recipe was made by Venkatesh bhat sir, but i have changed one ingredient in it. We can make this toast with so many other variations by adding spinach puree or chopped spinach. We can also add chopped mushroom and capsicum to it. Kids those do not take egg can have this. Its a nutritous toast on the whole. The ingredients are simple those that are available at our home. Do try this and write to me.  

  Ingredients:

• Bread - 6 slices
• Eggs -2
• Milk - half cup
• Coriander leaves- finely chopped
• Pepper powder -1/2 tsp
• Salt
• Green chutney - 1/2 tsp
• Oil

Method:

• In a bowl, beat the eggs, add all the ingredients one by one.
• Cut the bread into half.
• Heat a tava, add oil. Dip each slice in the mixture on both the sides and place it on te tava.
• Add oil for toasting.
• Flip the bread on both the sides and toast nicely.

Soft bread masala toast is ready for kids.

Hash brown

Hash brown is an American breakfast . Hash browns or hashed browns are a simple preparation in which potato are pan-fried in a rectangular shape pattie after being shredded, julienned, diced, or riced, in the style of a Swiss Rosti. In some cultures, hash browns or hashed browns can refer to any of these preparations, while in others it may refer to one specific preparation. Hash browns are a staple breakfast food at diners in North America, where they are often fried on a large common cooktop or grill, according to Wiki.

Hash browns are very simple and easy to make , most importantly very tasty too.here comes the recipe

Ingredients : 

Potatoes - 2

Salt

Herbs or white pepper - 1 tsp

Corn starch - 2 tsp or eggs - 2

Oil or butter ( according to your taste

Method :

Take the potatoes and wash it well. Peel the potatoes and grate it using a grater and transfer it into a vessel.

Add cold water to it and rinse nicely to remove its starch.

Add white pepper or if you like herbs add it.

Add salt and corn starch or eggs.

Mix all of the together nicely. They will blend and mix well.

Heat a Tava, take one spoon of the mixture and place it on the Tava like patties .

Sprinkle oil or butter and roast on both sides.

Yummy finger licking hash browns are ready. Serve hot with tea / coffee. 

Avocado paratha

Today ' s post is about a healthy dinner or breakfast option. What is it when it is done with avocados?

It's a paratha , it's an Indian bread made using avocados. For a Long time I was planning to buy avocados, but didn't buy till date. For today's dish , courtesy is my Cousin who bought me some avocados so that at least I. Oils innovate some dishes. Thanks to her.

Nutrients of avocados:

Hass avocados are a nutrient-dense fruit. Why is nutrient density important? According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, nutrient-dense foods are those foods that provide vitamins, minerals, and other substances that may have positive health effects, with relatively few calories. They are lean or low in solid fats, and minimize or exclude added solid fats, added sugars, and added refined starches, as these add calories but few essential nutrients or dietary fiber. Nutrient-dense foods also minimize or exclude added salt or other compounds high in sodium. Ideally, they are in forms that retain naturally occurring components such as dietary fiber.

With nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients per 1-oz. serving, avocados are a good nutrient choice.

Avocados – the Nutrient Booster

Why increasing absorption of these nutrients matters: Alpha- and beta-carotene can form Vitamin A in the body, which is important for proper growth and reproduction as well as good eyesight.  Vitamin A is involved in immune functions, vision and cellular function. Vitamin A also supports cellular growth and differentiation, playing a critical role in the normal formation and maintenance of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs.

Let's go the recipe:

Verdict from my kid : Amma, the chappathi is Super soft and wonderful. She just loved it. Mamma happy.... Courtesy for today's snaps is my kid. 

Ingredients :

Avocados - 2 ripe

Garlic pods - 2

Lime juice - half lime

Green chilly -2

Salt

Coriander leaves - finely chopped

Wheat flour / atta - 1 1/2 cup 

Oil - for making chapathies

Water if needed

Method :

In a big vessel, take the ripe avocadoes and cut open it.  

Take the has from it. Put it in the vessel. Smash it well using a potato smasher until no chunks . Add the lemon juice.

Add the grated garlic pods ,green chillies and coriander leaves.

Add salt and add the wheat flour and knead the dough using the pulp itself.( I did not add any water).

Add the flour little by little while kneading it. Once the dough is ready. Add a tsp of oil and mix the dough.

Allow it to rest for 15- 20 mins.( I kept for 2 hrs).

Like the normal chappathi, make into small balls and roll it using the rolling pin by dusting on the flour.

Heat a Tava and keepin high while making chapathies , place the chapathies and flip over on both the sides. Sprinkle oil if required.

Wonderful soft avocado paratha share ready. I served it with cucumber onion tomato raitha..Enjoy!

Devanagare benne dosa - Karnataka style

According to wiki, Benne Dosa or Benne Dose  is a type of dosa which traces its origin from the city of Davangere in Karnataka. The term "benne dosa" in English language simply corresponds to Butter Dosa. It is prepared by addition of generous amount of butter while preparing the normal dosa, and accompanied by coconut Chutney. It is similar to masala dosa or set dosa but smaller in size, made out of rice batter and much butter. It is served with liberal helpings of butter sprinkled on it. This makes the dish enticing in both flavour and aroma.

Some of the variants of the benne dosa:

• Benne khali dosa
• Benne open dosa
• Benne masala dosa 

Today, benne dosa is almost synonymous with the city of Davangere and has found its own well-deserved place in the menu cards of all well-known restaurants in Karnataka. It has also found its distinct place in the cuisine of the Indian diaspora abroad. There are also restaurants in Singapore and USA that serve this specialty dish of Davangere.

My Husband being a Bangalore guy wanted to have Karnataka style special recipes. So I make these dishes for him. He just loved it and enjoyed. So let me share the recipe of this benne dosa.

Ingredients:

• Aval - 1 cup
• Parboiled rice - 1 cup
• Idly rice - 1 cup
• Urad dal - 1/4 cup
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Salt
• Water

Method :

• Soak Aval . Soak idly rice and parboiled rice together.
• Soak Urad dal and fenugreek seeds separately.
• Grind Aval, do not add too much of water.Grind rice. 
• Grind Urad dal,add salt and mix it.
• Add water accordingly.
• Leave to ferment overnight.
• Heat a Tava , add the batter and make regular dosas. This particular dosas must be thin outside and little thick in the corner.
• Place the benne cube on TOP of the dosa while serving.

For the potato masala :

• Potato - 250 gms
• Onion - 2 finely chopped
• Green chilly - 2 finely chopped
• Ginger - 1" finely chopped
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Oil
• Water

Method:

• Boil potato and smash them well.
• Heat oil in pan, add mustard seeds .
• Add curry leaves, green chilly, ginger.
• Add chopped onions. Saute well.
• Add turmeric powder, salt.
• Add the smashed potatoes and little water.
• Keep it closed and cook well.
• Turn off when its mushy.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Coconut chutney for accompaniment

Ingredients:

• Coriander leaves - a bunch
• Coconut - 1/4 cup
• Roasted gram - 3-4 tsp
• Ginger - small piece
• Salt
• Green chilly - 2
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Method:

• Grind all the above ingredients using water. 
• For the last pulse add the lemon juice and pulse it.
• A perfect chutney is ready.
• You can also increase the chillies if you want it more spicy.

Enjoy the hot benne dosas!