RICE UPMA/ AVAL UPMA/ ಒಗ್ಗರಣೆ ಅವಲಕ್ಕಿ (Kannada language)

Flattened rice (beaten rice) is also known as aval, avalakki, atukulu in south India and is available in every Indian stores outside India. It is not other than Pohe, Pauwa or Baji in North part of India. This rice flakes, aval, will be swollen when added into water. This recipe can also be prepared, replacing poha/ flattened rice with Cuscus also. But flattened rice is more healthier and easy to cook, it is said as one of the convenient foods than bread. 

INGREDIENTS

Flattened rice (medium sized) - 2 cup

Ground nuts/ peanuts - 1/2 cup

Green chilli - 2 long slit

Coconut flakes - 3 tb sp.

Onions - 1 chopped

Tomatoes - 1 chopped

Coriander leaves 

Mustard seeds - 1 tb sp.

Turmeric - pinch

salt to taste

Oil- 4 tb sp. 

COOKING

Soak aval in water for 5 minutes.

Heat oil, fry mustard seeds, turmeric, green chillies, peanuts, onions until it turns brown.

Continue adding tomatoes and cook it until soft.

Now add soaked aval and mix is softly, without smashing aval. Salt the dish as per taste. 

Add coconut flakes and garnish with coriander leaves. 

Once aval is cooked, keep it on low heat for 3-4 minutes to allow aval to spread out. 

Here, green chillies are the only source of hotness or spiciness in dish and coconut in the only source of sweetness. So add more coconuts.

Lime can be added to get a bit tangy taste if you like to.

You can also sprinkle pieces of muruku on top and serve it while hot.

Serves = 3 people

Cooking time = 15 minutes

HAPPY COOKING

AKKI ROTTi

Akki rotti, ಅಕ್ಕಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ is rice flour bread/ rice pancake, famous Uttara kannada foods. Finely chopped onions, cucumber, carrots, cilantro- the more u add in making rotti, the most tastiest rottis you can enjoy. Once, when I was in Dharwad, my rotti plate was garnished with 5 different varieties of chutneys and chutney powder!! [i am already dreaming of it]. The day I ate in dharwad, I noted in my to cook list, to cook rotti. Akki rottis are the 1st ever made dish that even my friends from north most part of India praised and ended up saying one more! one more!

So, I am here with present my delicious colorful akki rottis, enjoy folks!!!

INGREDIENTS

Rice flour- 2 cups
Green chilli- 1, chopped
Jeera (Cumin seeds)- few grams
Onions -2 chopped

Carrots (1), Cucumber (1/2)- grated

Coriander leaves/ cilantro- chopped in to pieces
Clarified butter/Ghee-2-3 tb sp.
Curd (2 table sp., helps rotti to be very soft)
Salt to taste

COOKING 

1. In a round bowl, take rice flour with salt, ghee, cumin seeds, mix well then add all cut/chopped vegetables and curd. 

2. Add required amount of water and make it as good as chapati dough. The dough should be kneaded well to make it as soft dough as possible. 

3. Now, the dough is ready with all vegetables mixed together in flour properly. Take a banana leaf or a thick tracing sheet, spread ghee on it with finger tips.

4. Now, slowly press and move dough to make uniform flat rotti, on all sides- using finger tips only. If not ghee use oil. The size of the rotti will be medium ~10 cm ( a small scale size, to be easy for you :) )

5. On a hot tawa, put rotti reversed so that rotti is on tawa and banana leaf on top of it. Slowly take our banana leaf and roast akki rotti on a medium flame.

6. While you roast rotti, oil or ghee can also be added. make sure you will not over heat when roasting on a high flame. Enjoy the hot rottis with tomato chutney or pudina or coconut chutney... Not a single chutney would be sufficient I bet.

I tried with Palak Paneer and tomato chutney... recipe for Palak panner is coming soon:)

HAPPY COOKING :)

JOLADA ROTTI/JAWAR BREADS (Indian style)

Typical north Karnataka dish served with onions and green chilies. I am so happy that after trying for 3-4 times I could prepare jolad roti. Every time I tried, it used to break at edges and it was disappointing and decided I am not going to try anymore. This time I made it nice. I loved jola roti.
Jola roti can be called as one of the multi vitamin, protein food, healthier and delicious. Its also known as bhakri eaten along with vegetable fry or any curry. I always say, every dish is very easy to make when you enjoy cooking :)
Here is how I tried...

INGREDIENTS
Jawar/ Jola/ Sorgham flour- 1 cup
All purpose flour- 5 tb sp. (if all purpose flour is not available, it can be replaced with wheat flour)
Spring onions- 1-2
Small onions- 5-6, chopped
Jeera/Cumin- 1 tb sp.
Chilli powder - 1 tb sp.
Salt to taste

COOKING
1. Mix all ingredients and make it to thick dough using hot or warm water, cover it for 5 minutes with a muslin cloth. Later divide dough into equal sized balls.
2. On a plastic sheet, add oil and make flat round rotis by rolling it or pressing along sides
3. Heat it on a tawa or a thin pan until roti becomes slightly brownish color and add ghee if required.
4. Serve hot with any curry or vegetable fry or with onions and green chilli. I served with hot beans palya and onions with green chilli. hmmmm it was so so good !!!!

Serves- 2, cooking time 10 minutes

HAPPY COOKING :)

DHOKLA

Dosa, idly, upma, chapati, poori, akki rotti all kinds of breakfast would be boring sometime and you actually feel like I want something else. I WANT TO TRY DIFFERENT :)
Why dont you guys try some thing different for a holiday/ weekend breakfast. You must be thinking and scratching your head for just a breakfast. I keep an option of Dhoklas for you.
Dhoklas also known as gram flour steamed snack, a Gujarati dish made in just few minutes and easier than before. It is usually made up of chickpea flour but also prepared using sooji or rice flour. Dhoklas are very soft if prepared perfectly and served with mint chutney or tomato chutney. The mustard seeds on top along with curry leaves and green chilies make anyone melt like butter. Its not a normal regular breakfast food in South India but no harm in trying it out today !!!
Here's I go!

INGREDIENTS
Chickpeas - 1 cup
Ginger- 5-8 pieces of small size or 2 tb sp paste
Cumin/Jeera- 2 tb sp.
Eno or baking soda- 1/4 tb sp.
Curd- 1/4 cup
Curry leaves- few leaves
Coriander leaves- few
Mustard seeds and oil
Vinegar- 5 tb sp.
Sugar- to saturate in vinegar
Salt to taste

You need a big steamer or a idly stand and a pressure cooker. I do not have a idly stand or a big pressure cooking so I used a big pot which had a lead closed tightly. Just the basic is to create steam inside to bake dhoklas. 


COOKING

1. Add chickpeas, jeera, salt, ginger pieces and curd, bring this to thick consistency, nearest to idly batter.
2. Now place pot on a stove and add water to its 1/4th level and then reverse a container or another small pot inside. This was my stand on which I kept dhokla mix in a pan.
3. Let it boil. Now add baking soda or eno into batter and stir continuously for 3 minutes. The batter comes to double of the actual amount. This makes dhoklas smooth and pouf kind or cake texture.
4. Transfer into a pan and keep it at the centre on the inversed or reversely places contained. Close the pot with a lid and allow dhokla batter to cook under steam for 15-18 minutes.
5. An easy way to check whether its nicely baked or not is to poke with a knife. if the knife comes out with out any attached batter its perfect.
6. take out dhokla pan and cut into pieces. Add vinegar-sugar mixture on it.
7. On the another stove, add oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chilies. Take out and add on top of Dhoklas.
Oh my god! you will give the same expression while you eat.

Serves: 4
Cooking time- 25 minutes

HAPPY COOKING :)

Special PLATE - RAWA IDLY

I do not have a idli stand as we moved to US for a very short time duration and I was missing my rawa idlis. I even started counting my days to go back India and have idlis. My mom tought me rawa idli preparation and also gave a brilliant thought of using a plate and a steam setup for idli preparation. I have a big brewing pot in which i added water and reversed a steel container on which kept one plate with idli batter. Closed for 20 minutes and when I opened I got super duper masala rawa idli. WOW WOW WOW I was amazed to see plate rawa idli in front of me. I prepared tomato kurma within 5 minutes and started eating delicious plate rawa idli. You guys can try if you do not have idli stand but having any big contained or a cooker.

Here is my recipe. Have a try

INGREDIENTS
Rawa/ Sooji (small)- 2 bups (200 grams)
Curd- 1 cup
Cumin/ Jeera- 3 tb sp.
Ginger- 4-5 small pieces
Mustard seeds, oil to saute
Asafoetida- pinch
Curry leaves- 8-10
Carrot- 2 gratesd
Cilantro- few leaves
Tomatoes- 3-4 slices cut horizontal
Baking powder- a pinch (Optional)
Salt to taste

COOKING
1. Mix rawa, curd and jeera seeds by adding water and keep aside. Make it a thick consistency. I have not used baking soda as I kept this mixture for fermenting for 4-5 hours
2. Just before you pour batter to a plate of steam container, on a separate pan heat oil, mustard  seeds on a low/medium flame. continue adding ginger, asafoetida, salt and cilantro leaves. (Can also add cashews)
3. Add this sauted mixture to rawa batter and mix thoroughly and adjust salt to taste.
4. Apply oil evenly on a plate or a baking pan and add this batter mixture on to it. (If you are not fermenting for 4-5 hours, add baking powder before pouring to pan and mix for 2 minutes)
5. Now on another big container or a pressure container add water, keep it to high flame and place the idly plate on it. you can garnish your idly your own way, I added grated carrot and tomatoes as topping. (Even cilantro, coconut can be used) Close the cooker or container and steam it for 16-20 minutes
6. After this, place aside for cooling. You can make small cubes of it or cut square shape.

7. Serve with tomato kurma (see recipe- click here)

Serves- 2-3; Cooking time- 30 minutes

HAPPY COOKING :)

ALOO UPMA

I have previously added a recipe for Upma but still I would like to share my another invention recipe "Aloo upma". I am obsessed with potatoes because its delicious when cooked and I add this to many food types. This is 2 minutes upma which tastes lots of potatoes and cilantro and no other vegetables. So if you have no onions and tomatoes at home but still want to have a good breakfast- Its here for you. Try it and let me know how you feel about this recipe.

INGREDIENTS
Sooji rawa/ fine rawa- 3 handful
Potatoes- 1 big, cut into big pieces
Red chilies- 4-5
Curry leaves- few
Cilantro/ Coriander- few leaves
Cumin/ Jeera- 1 tb sp.
Ghee- 1 tb sp.
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Grated coconut - 3-4 tb sp.

COOKING
1. Saute red chilies, turmeric, curry leaves and cumin to oil in hot pan and stir it for 3 minutes.

2. Then you can add potatoes and cook it for 5-7 minutes with continues stirring. If required, add water (very little)
3. Add coconut and continue stirring.
4. Now when the potatoes and coconuts are cooked add rawa and mix it. when rawa is heated up add water (required amount).
5. Stirring should be continued so as to minimize lumps formation with rawa.
6. The rawa absorbs water while it gets cooked up. On low flame leave it for 2 mins and aloo upma is ready.
Serve with tomato-cilantro chutney. Its just .... no words to say!

Serves: 2. Cooking time: 20 minutes

HAPPY COOKING :)

VEGGIE MAGGI

Eating maggi blend is so boring.. I have my own way of making Maggi a healthy and delicious food.
Check out this recipe and Enjoy eating!!!

INGREDIENTS
Maggi packs- 1 (Rs 20 pack)
Potatoes- 2, grated
Tomato- 1 chopped
Onions- 1 or 2 medium sized, sliced vertically
Carrot- 2/3 grated
Curry leaves- 3-4
Coriander leaves- few
Mustard seeds and Oil
Cumin/ Jeera- 2 tb sp.
Peas/ Mutter- 1 hand full

COOKING
1. Saute mustard seeds, jeera and onions in hot oil till onions turn brownish/ goldenish.
2. Continue to add potatoes and carrot and cook it by stirring frequently. I wont suggest to add tomatoes together as it gets smashed/overcooked by the time potatoes get cooked up.
3. Once all vegetables are cooked, add tomato and peas. After 2-3 minutes add 2 cups of water and allow it to boil. It may take (on a high heat) 5 minutes for water to boil
4. Now add curry leaves and corriander followed by maggi noodles.
5. Stir it continues by keeping flame to medium and once you feel water is observed or water comes down to 50% add maggi masala packets and keep mixing.
6. Now when all water gets absorbed, your veggie maggi is ready to serve/ or to eat.
7. If you require, can add a pinch of salt but usually the masala packets includes salt also.

Serves: 3 people. Cooking time: 20 minutes (more time for potatoes to cook. If you exclude potatoes, it may take just 12-15 minutes)

NOTE: I have read in news papers and articles saying maggi contains plastic. so its good to cook maggi once in hot water and then soak in cold water then add it to vegetable mixture. its safe this way!!!


HAPPY COOKING :)

BALEHANNINA SAJJIGE/ SOOJI SWEET RECIPE WITH BANANA

Sajjige is very famous in hotels of south Karnataka cities like Mysore, Bangalore and Shimoga while its also known as sheera in North part of Karnataka. Sooji is used to make kesari baath as well. But this sajjige is not kesari baath, both are very much different. Sajjige is prepared on Sankashti in Ganesha festival, on other festivals as sacred sweet. This is served with upma in hotels and condiments eat out places. 

You can try sajjige and fruit combo. I tried banana sajjige and I liked it. Hope you also like this. Try it and share your experience. 

INGREDIENTS

Rawa/ Sooji- 1 cup (My 1 cup is 100- 150 grams)

Banana- 1, cut into round pieces. Coat this with sugar and keep aside

Milk- 1 cup (My 1 cup = 250 ml.)

Almond/ Badam- 5, cut into pieces

Cahrews and raisins- few

Sugar- 1 cup 

Ghee- 5 tb sp.

COOKING

1. To the boiling milk, add sugar and after 2 minutes, add sugar coated banana

2. On the other side roast almonds and cashews in 1 tb sp. ghee. Keep aside

3. Now once the milk and banana starts boiling add rawa (sooji) slowly with continued stirring so as to avoid lumps. If required add water and cook rawa, make sure not to over cook banana.

4. Now add roasted dry fruits and ghee on top before serving.

Serve with rawa upma. Serves- 3 people. Preparation and cooking time- 15 minutes (maximum)

HAPPY COOKING :)

SIMPLE RAWA Uppittu/ UPMA

Uppittu/ Upma is a common breakfast dish, normally in south Indian. Definitely, its not a liking name as many of people if given a option, will opt upma as the last favorite. In Bangalore, near Banshankari 3rd stage, near Malleshwaram 16th cross and many more places are famous and attract people because of upma & coconut chutney combo. 

you should also try these places once and now, I am sharing upma recipe. Every mother have their own kind of preparation and measurements to make kids happy. This is my mom's secret recipe. She used to prepare on Ekadashi (sacred fasting) as we would be fasting and she will prepare nice upma without any vegetables. It recalls old childhood days too.

Try it and share with me your upma recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Sooji, sanna rawa (small rawa)- 1 cup (Fry rawa for 5 minutes and keep it aside to cool)

Onions- 1 chopped to small size

Tomatoes- 1 chopped

Ginger- 4-5 small pieces

Green chillis- 2 sliced into half

Coriander- to garnish

Curry leaves- 4-5

Ghee/oil, mustard seeds and salt

Cashews- few (fry in ghee)

Grated coconut

lemon to taste

COOKING

1. In a pan heat oil and saute mustard seeds, green chillis, curry leaves followed by onions after 2 minutes. 

2. When onions turn brownish color, add ginger and tomatoes and continue stirring for 3 -5 more minutes

3. Allow this to cook and then add 3 cups of water and 2 tb sp of salt (salt as per requirement). The water and rawa ratio should be 3:1 (for 1 cup rawa add 3 cups water).

4. This requires continues stirring so as to prevent lumps formation. Once rawa is mixed properly, add coconut, cashews, coriander leaves and lemon to taste. Just 1 or 2 tb sp. of ghee on upma before serving refreshens your tasty buds and speechless you, will just continue enjoying. hmmm!!! cant express the happiness

Serves- 3 people

Preparation and cooking time- 20 minutes. 

NOTE: I have not added any vegetable thus its very easy in preparation and quick. If you like, make it vegetable upma by adding lots of variety of vegetables like beans, carrot, grated potato, sweet peas along with water and before boiling step. 

Serve upma with Malnad and Mangalooru special balehannu (Banana) SAJJIGE. 

 Enjoy eating. HAPPY COKING :)

SALAD WITH MACARONI

Recently I visited one of my friend's place who called for a party. They offered us sausages, cheese balls, bread/buns, chicken and salad. Of all, I liked the most was SALAD. This was a specially made salad for veggies, with all colorful vegetables along with macaroni. After tasting this delicious salad, I just got an idea for Indianized salad with macaroni and with no cheese. The best part I like in this is the macaroni which is most liked food of kids, college students and for western food loving people. So this can be a breakfast recipe by itself.
That was a rainy day when I prepared this recipe. When it rainy anyone loves eating hot stuffs with a hot cup of coffee. Instead of going for hot oily stuffs, for a change we have salad and enjoyed rain from window. So why don't you guys give it a try? Rain is here and so the recipe.
Here I go. you guys enjoy and please write to me your likings for this.

INGREDIENTS

Spinach- 300-400 grams, chopped
Cabbage- 1 cup (100 grams), chopped
Carrots- cut into round pieces
Capsicum/ bell peppers- 1, cut into pieces
Mushrooms- 5-6, cut into pieces
Onions- 1 chopped
Tomato- 1 chopped
(Optional- you can also use cauliflower, Beans, peas or any green vegetables)
 Macaroni- 2 cups
Lemon, salt, oil, pepper, basil leaf and red chilli flakes- to taste

COOKING

1. In boiling hot water, cook macaroni and carrots in little oil and salt.
2. On an another pan heat oil and toast all vegetables for 2-3 minutes. This is not to cook vegetables but to give it a hot feel and also while cooking if we add red chilli falkes and salt, it gives a better taste for vegetables.
3. once the macaroni is cooked keep it for cooling (3-4 minutes) and then mix it with basil leaf flakes, red chilli and salt.
4. Mix well all vegetables with macaroni and carrots carefully without smashing vegetables.
5. Here's out  salad with macaroni is all set to eat.

Could also be nicely decorated while you serve. Few drops of lemon before you serve would increase the flavors.

HAPPY COOKING :)

SHAVIGE BHAATH/ SEMIYE UPMA

Must try recipe. This also reminds my school days especially Saturdays. We had morning classes on saturdays from 8 am to 12 pm. By the time we come home, our face reflects hungry and the joy of next day SUNDAY!!! My mom works so she used to prepare shavige bhaath in a hot box and keep it. Me and my sister would sit in front of TV, enjoy Shaktiman (We had only Doordardhan) and shavigebhaath. By the time shaktiman gets over, the hot was empty. Love you Mom for such a tasteful delicious shavige bhaath.
Another occasion for shavige bhaath for marriage function breakfast. If I am not wrong, how many of us like idli kurma, shavige bhaath chutney at marriages!!! Answer is here :) I love It.
You can also try this recipe and enjoy watching TV.

INGEDIENTS 

Onion- 1, chopped
Carrot- 2, grated
Potato- 1 big, grated
Green chillies- 2
Peas- 1/2 cup
Ginger- 2-3 small pieces
Cilantro/coriander and salt

COOKING

1. Saute oil, mustard seeds, chilli and ginger in a medium heat pan
2. Mix onion, carrot and potato and fry until its cooked (I dint use tomato. It can also be added)
3. Add peas and then 2 cups of water should be added for 1 cup of shavige. its 2:1 ratio
4. Once the water starts boiling, add shavige and keep stirring.
5. The stirring helps mix shavige and vegetables. Allow to boil enough to make it dry without water.
6. add coriander and coconut powder on top.

Serve hot. This serves 2. Preparation and cooking time, 20 minutes.



HAPPY COOKING !!!

TOMATINO NARAM DOSA

This is very common at every house you go into in South India basically Malnad region of Karnataka. In Bangalore, I used to try all kinda dosas with my friend. It was like just go randomly to dosa famous restaurants and try it. My mom got best & varieties of dosa recipes and will post it some time. I love this tomoato dosa because of the rosy color and, when I eat I get tomato taste combined with green chilies and onions in between. When I tried this 1^st time during my high school days, I spoiled it making dosa flour watery. Now when I know the perfect recipe, I would like to share with you guys... Goes best with coconut chutney (you could see recipe in my kitchen list).

Ingredients

Dosa BATTER- Preparation - Soak dosa rice and urdal in water separately for, say overnight. And then next day grind it separately. Mix both using bare hands and add salt. Our hands are best to provide required bacteria to make batter fermented for next day, say after 8-10 hours. The quantity of dosa rice and urdal should be in 2:1 ratio.

Tomato- 2-3, cut into pieces

Green chili-2-3, washed

Onion- half cut into small pieces

Curry leaves (Optional)

Salt

To blend- add tomatoes, green chilies and required amount of salt to taste, in blender. Grind it to paste

COOKING

Add grinded tomatoes to 2 cups of dosa batter and mix well.

Take a pan. Saute onions and curry leaves nicely in oil until cooked and add them to dosa batter

Once the batter is ready, make dosa and Enjoy!

dOS & dONS

Do not use ghee for roasting dosa. Better to keep tomato taste for this

HAPPY COOKING!!!

SABUDANA UPMA/KHICHADI

Once I had been to Mumbai (5 years back) and had delicious sabudana dish for breakfast. I was wondering what was it. Then I was told it’s a very traditional Maharashtrian dish. I just loved it. Most of the time, when Mom prepares rava upma, even though its “WOW”, I feel bored of eating the same. I have tried savia upma (will share it sometime). So I thought of trying upma with sabudana. I like its pearl appearance and when prepared it looks colorful with green (green chilis), yellow and flavor full. Here we go!!!

Ingredients

Tapioca/Sabudana soaked in water overnight- 1 bowl full

Potato- 1 bid, sliced into small pieces

Green chilis-2, each cut into half

Onions- very less (may be 1/3 part of 1 onion)

Ground nut/peas- optional (I dint use this time)

Coconut powder

Cilantro- for flavor

 

To sauté

Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, little pepper & salt.

Cooking

Heat oil in a pan and then add all ingredients listed under to sauté

Add green chili and potatoes and fry it until it’s cooked. Then onions and coconut powder should be added & fried for 10 minutes.

Mix salt and pepper as much as required followed by sabudana.

Stir well so as to mix content well and then add cilantro while you serve.

This serves 3 people.

dOS & dONS

sabudana if not soaked for a good time duration will become smashed while cooking. 

HAPPY COOKING !!!