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 :)

CAPSICUM RICE

One more kind of rice to enjoy, is Capsicum rice..
Its very easy make using capsicums or also know as bell peppers.
Here's the recipe secret-

INGREDIENTS
Cooked rice- 2 cups (200 grams)
Red bell peppers/ Capsicum- 1 big, chopped
Onions- 1/2, chopped
Red chilies-  3-4
Cumin/Jeera- 2 tb sp.
Cilantro/Coriander- 3-4 springs or to garnish
Salt to taste
Oil and mustard seeds to Saute

COOKING
1. Saute oil and mustard seeds on a hot tawa or pan. Using curry leaves is optional
2. Add red chilies and cumin, allow for 1-2 minutes to cumin seeds to turn goldenish.
3. Add onions and capsicum, mix well until capsicum is cooked. this may take 4-5 minutes and then turn off the flame
4. Add salt, rice, mix well and then garnish with cilantros before you serve. Serve with Cucumber raitha.

Serves- 3; Cooking time- 15 minutes (Excluding rice preparation time)


















HAPPY COOKING :)

HACHIDA AVALAKKI/ CHIWDA

Avalakki is flattened rice, called as poha, aval, chuda and many other names. Avalakki looks flat but when soaked in water it swells. it is used in preparing variety of dishes like sweets, avalakki bath, smashed avalakki and hachida avalakki in Karnataka style. Hachida avalakki means avalakki together with, so here together stuffs are peanuts, curry leaves, coconut dried, red chilies, turmeric and salt. We can store this food as a snack, like for more than 3-4 months and will be good and crispy to eat whenever you like.

A quick list of ingredients are here..

INGREDIENTS
Peanuts- 1 cup
Dalia split- 1 cup
Dried coconut - 1/2 cup, thinly sliced
Curry leaves- 10
Red chilli- 5-6
Oil- 3 tb sp.
Salt to taste
turmeric- 2 tb sp.
Sugar- 1 tb sp.
Chilli powder/sambar powder/ a pinch
Avalakki/flattened rice- 500 grams

PREPARATION
1. Add all ingredients one after the other (in any order but turmeric 1st), except avalakki, and saute for 5-8 minutes.
2. Now add avalakki and mix everything thoroughly along with adding sugar and sambar powder, for 5 minutes or until the turmeric color gets into avalakki.
3. Few people follow to heat avalakki separately by adding 1 or 2 tb sp of oil and then mixing up with all other ingredients. Both ways are good, so follow any one.
4. Allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes and store in containers, air tight and use as snacks whenever you feel like.

You can eat as it is or garnish with tomatoes, onions and freshly grated coconut & lemon on top.

NOTE: make sure to fry coconut, dalia splits and peanuts 1st or separate (Best!) so as to remove raw smell, if any.

HAPPY COOKING :)

JANMASHTAMI SPECIAL RAWA LADOO

HAPPY KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI TO ALL MY BLOG FRIENDS

I was literally waiting for Krishna janmashtami so that I would be preparing rawa ladoo/ rawa unde and enjoy eating it one after the other. For my surprise even my husband loved this (usually he hates sweets). I am glad it came out very good and this was my 1st attempt. I never helped my mom while she was preparing for ladoos and never happen to see it. She told me over phone about how to prepare rawa ladoo and I am here. This is one of my bestest food. So here I share and you guys can also prepare this for Janmashtami or you know, " don't wait for any festive day. Just prepare it and grab some in hand, enjoy eating with evening snacks"

INGREDIENTS
Sooji rawa: 2 full cups.
Sugar- 1 cup (usually sugar powder)
Grated coconut- 1 cup (fresh once would be better)
Cardamom/ Elakki/ Elakkai- 2, crushed
Raisins, cashews, almonds - any of these dry fruits which makes good flavor
Ghee- 5 tb sp.
Milk- 1/4 cup

COOKING
1. Heat a pan, add rawa and stir it on low flame for about 5 minutes. then add cardamom, ghee (1 tb sp.) and stirr until raw rawa smell goes off.
2. Add grated coconut and sugar and stir it for 8-10 minutes. By this given time, rawa gets along with sugar and every thing sets.
3. On the other side, in a pan heat 2 tb sp. ghee and add all dry fruits. I used raisins and almonds. YOu can also use cashews. Keep it aside.
4. The rawa is heated up with sugar, so now add slowly milk content and ghee roasted raisins and almonds
5. turn off the flame and make it small round shaped balls. Rawa ladoos are ready
6. Make sure not to add more milk and once rawa gets cooled a bit, its easy to make ladoos.

Hmmm... I am feeling like having one more ladoo. You also make some and enjoy :)

Serves: many (If you want or eat up everything alone ;)) could make around 22 ladoos
Cooking time 35-40 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 :)

TOMATO- CORIANDER CHUTNEY

Tomato chutney is authentic for idly and dosa. I modified a bit to make nice colored tomato-cilantro chutney that goes very well with my Rawa upma and Aloo upma (Click here).

Note down the recipe ....

INGREDIENTS
Tomato- 3, cut into pieces
Onion- half- chopped
Cilantro/ Coriander leaves- 1 cup full (usually 1)
Urd dal- 1/2 cup
red chilies- 4 (medium sized)
Oil to saute
Salt to taste

COOKING
1. Saute tomatoes, onions and urdal in oil in a pan on low flame for 2 minutes.
2. Add coriander and red chiles and salt to taste
3. Grind it to a thick paste and serve with any breakfast dish

Serves: 5-6 people. Cooking time: 5 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 :)