Nuchinunde

Nuchinunde (steamed dal dumpling) is one of the traditional dish from Mysore.  It is made up of toor dal and spices, well to give a twist in taste one can add even channa dal along with toor dal. This is a low fat, high protein  dish. This can be served for breakfast with coconut chutney. Traditionally it is served with 'Majjige huli' prepared with curd and spices....but I love this with coconut chutney.

When I was young this wasn't prepared at home, I heard from my grandmother that when they were young they used to have this one. I was not so interested in this dish as I had never tasted it...later after marriage when I started cooking full fledge...I always wanted to try different variety everytime...At that time my mom had a very old recipe book from which I got the idea of this dish. So later adjusted the taste as I wanted and started preparing it. Now this is  included in favourite  list of our family....I too feel happy that I am preparing a very healthy and filling breakfast.

Preparation time : 10 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins
Serves: 4
Yields: 15-16 dumplings.

Ingredients
Toor dal - 2 cups
Ginger- 1 inch
Green chilli - 8-10
Salt- to taste
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped
Dill leaves - 3/4 cup chopped (optional, can be replaced with 1/2 cup more Coriander leaves)
Onions - 1/2 cup finely chopped (optional)
Asafoetida (Hing) - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Soak toor dal for couple of hours

2. Grind the dal to coarse paste with ginger, green chilli and salt.

3. Mix in chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) , dill leaves, onions, asafoetida.
4. Make oval or round shaped dumplings.
5. Steam the dumplings in pressure cooker for 20 mins
6. Serve with coconut chutney or majjige huli.

Oats Dosa/Dose

What better way to gain the strength and energy to carry you through a hectic morning schedule than with a steaming bowl of freshly cooked oatmeal,especially if you are trying to prevent or are currently dealing with heart disease or diabetes. Oats contain a specific type of fiber known as beta-glucan which typically lowers the total cholestrol by 8-23% by just consuming 1 cup of  oats . High cholesterol levels correlate with the build up of plaques in blood vessel walls. If these plaques become damaged or simply grow too large, they can rupture, blocking a blood vessel and causing a heart attack, stroke, or blood clots elsewhere in the body. Lowering high cholesterol levels can therefore significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. The latest research suggests they may have another cardio-protective mechanism.

Oats is an excellent source of Manganese and good source of Selenium, Tryptophan, Phosphorus, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), magnesium and good of all its rich in dietary fiber and Protein. Isn't it good source all nutrients. Oats are for good for diabetic patients as they stabilize blood sugar. Oats enhance immune response to infection. Eating a serving of whole grains, such as oats (atleast 6 times a week) is good for postmenopausal women with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

This is just a summary for the health benefits of oats. Isn't it wonderful idea to incorporate this in our Indian menu. I always try for whole grain, healthy food for my family. I try to cook everything whole grain. So thought of preparing one healthy dosa which is rich in protein, fibre, has good nutrition.  So I used oats and lentils and prepared this dosa. Believe me it was heaven when I tasted this. I didn't expect it will turn out so yummy!!!

Ingredients:

Urad dal - 3/4 cup
Channa dal - 1/4 cup
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Moong dal - 1/8 cup
Methi - 1 tbsp
Oats - 1.5 cup ( I used quaker plain oats)
Brown rice - 1.5 cups (I used brown rice)
Salt - to taste

Method

Soak Urad dal, Channa dal, Toor dal, Moong dal, Methi together in a container. Soak brown rice in a seperate container. Soak all these for a minimum of 5-6 hrs. Just before 1/2 of grinding soak oats seperately in water. Grind all dal to a fine paste. Wet grinder works the best....for Indian mixie there is a simple trick to enhance the flavour. What I do is when dal is ground to fine paste....I whisk this mixture in the mixie for few rounds...it will create air inside the dal which enables the fluffyness in the batter. Grind the brown rice seperately...at the final round of grinding add soaked oats and grind into fine paste. Mix the ground dal and rice together. Let this ferment for a minimum of 7-8 hrs. I will mix salt before preparing dosa. Once fermented prepare dosas as desired. Serve with any chutney, aloo palya (subzi) or any gojju (gravy subzi)....This is the perfect breakfast, evening snack or a very healthy dinner. Even Uttapam can be prepared with this batter. Spread the dosa batter thick....spread finely chopped onions, grated carrots, chopped cilantro/coriander, finely chopped cabbage and finely chopped green chilli (optional)...spread oi....flip and cook well and serve with chutney....Its a complete food which has dal, rice, vegetables. Isn't it very nutricious power packed food for kids....

For good fermentation place the batter inside a oven (please don't switch on the power of it)...or the best way I do is....I put the container of the batter inside a microwave oven and will open the door....as the heat of the light will help in good fermentation. This method holds good for preparation of home made curd too.

For kids try to be innovative in preparing dosa....Prepare a mickey dosa, or alphabet dosas.  Alphabet dosas work well for toddlers as it helps them to learn alphabets in a very fun way....

Try this dosas....I promise you are going to love it....My dear friend 'DV'...u r very fond of oats. I bet you are going to love it....Happy cooking....Try this recipe and post your comments....

Cucumber Chat

 We have a misconception that food that are healthy won't taste good. But I say ' Food that looks good almost always tastes better '. Many of us don't like salad (don't count me, I can survive on salad) and we say salads are boring. So why not put this salad in an interesting  lip-smacking chat style. This is basically a street food in Mysore. I have posted recipe of Churmuri in this blog....so using same ingredients on a cucumber or tomato will be a chat kinda salad. This works as great appetizer, a great snack, a great salad......what ever u name it....its worth trying..and I am sure one will be in love with this and prepare this atleast a  zillion time.

     This can be prepared either with cucumber or tomato as base. I am using cucumber here.  Cucumber is filled with water and yet very nutritious. It is rich in Vitamin A , C and folic acid. This is an excellent source of Silica which is a trace mineral which contributes to strenghten our connective tissue.  This is very good for skin and prevents water retention. So lets start making our healthy Cucumber chat.

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 0

Serves : 3-4

Ingredients: 

For the paste 

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (washed and chopped)

Green chilli - 6-7 (according to spice level_

Jeera - 1 tsp

Pepper - 5-6

Onion - 1/8 cup (chopped)

Salt - to taste

Grind all these into fine paste

Other Ingredients:

Cucumber - 1 (preferable seedless)

Carrot - 1 medium (grated)

Onion -  1 small finely chopped.

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup finely chopped

Salt - just to sprinkle

Lemon - 1/2

Peanut - 1/4 cup (roasted)

Puffed rice (puri/murmura) - 2 cups

Method

2. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on each slice.

     Drizzle lemon juice on each slice .

    Spread the green chutney on each slice.

1. Peel the cucumber and cut horizontally like in picture.
Alternatively cucumber can be cut into rounds
if circumference of cucumber is more.

3. Sprinkle grated carrot,chopped onion,
chopped coriander leaves and peanut

4. Finally sprinkle puffed rice all over
    the slice and serve immediately.

This will serve as an excellent healthy snack or as an healthy starter or as an chat or as an salad. I bet this is an excellent way to feed kids the vegetables.  Try it out and share the experience.....happy cooking....

Akki Rotti

Akki Rotti is a Karnataka special. Akki means rice, rice flour is used to make this rotti. Rotti can be prepared using ragi or Jowar flour too. There are so many varieties of akki rotti, different methods gives different tastes. Here is my simple procedure for akki rotti. This can prepared with just rice flour and salt, or can add masala like chopped onions, grated carrot, chopped cilantro/coriander leaves and even greens like methi leaves, dill leaves. For ragi rotti even grated beet root can be added.

Preparation time : 15 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Serves : 3

Yeilds : 9 rotti.

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 2.5 cups

Salt - to taste

Onions - 3/4 cup (finely chopped)

Carrot - 1 (grated)

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

Green chilli - 10 (finely chopped or crushed)

Methi/dill leaves - 1 cup (finely chopped)

Oil - Few table spoons (for cooking rotti)

Water - 2.5 cups

Rotti can be prepared with just rice flour and salt, this will be plain rotti. We can play with masala ingredients. It can be added according to ones taste. Here I have given just few examples what to add, even avarekai (Lilva papdi) can also be added, but it should be cooked with salt before adding.

Method:

1. Mix rice flour,salt,onion,carrot,coriander/methi/dill leaves, green chilli in a mixing bowl.

2. Boil 2.5 cups of water.

3. Add boiling water to the rice flour mixture and mix with a spoon.

4. Let the mixture cool a bit and become warm enough to handle.

5. Knead the dough well when the mixture is warm enough.

6. Take a thick plastic paper (I use the atta bag ) or a parchment paper which is cut into a 8 inch        

     round or square.

7. Divide the dough into 9 parts and make balls.

8. Take the ball on a greased plastic paper.

9. Flatten it

10. Rotti can be pressed with hand or rolling pin.

 Smear oil to the rolling pin also or else it will be a mess. While pressing with hand also apply little oil over the hand. This needs little practice, as the dough is not pliable like chapathi it may break. Little practice is required here, after couple of rotti it will be easy job.

11. Transfer the pressed rotti onto a hot tawa. 

      The iron tawa works better than the nonstick one. 

12. When one side is cooked a bit flip it over. when another side is turning little brown flip it again and at                                            

       this time spread a spoon or oil over rotti, flip spread oil on this side. Cook till reddish brown.

13.  Serve hot with any chutney. 

This goes well with coconut chutney or red chilli chutney. Add dallop of ghee/butter over chutney.....hhhhhhmmmmmmm it will be so yummy. Same method can be used for ragi  rotti too just add ragi flour instead of rice flour. This is one of healthy filling breakfast. If u want to prepare just plain rotti, serve it with any gravy like stuffed brinjal, mixed vegetable. Try it out definitely u gonna fall in love with rotti.....SLUUURRRPPPPPP....

Dabeli

Dabeli is like an Indian burger from Gujarath which is served as a snack and I can have it as a meal too . I never tasted it in India...After coming to US I tried it in couple of places...and just fell in love with this Dabeli. This week I prepared  Dabeli for dinner, so wanted to share this recipe in my blog. So here is the recipe.

Preparation time : 20 mins

Cooking time : 15 mins

Yeilds : 12 Dabeli

Ingredients

For potato stuffing :

Potatoes - 4 medium

Tomato - 1 big

Onion - 1 small

Dabeli masala - 3 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Butter - 2 tbsp

salt - to taste

For Garnishing :

Pav bread - 12

Onion - 1 medium chopped

Thin sev - 1/2 cup

Masala peanut - 1 cup

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup finely chopped

Dry coconut powder - 1/2 cup

Garlic chilli chutney - 1/4 cup

Meeta chutney - 1/4 cup

Butter - to toast pav

Method

Garlic Chutney

Remove seeds from around 20 red chillies. Soak them in water for an hour. Grind this soaked red chilli with 15 garlic cloves. Add salt while grinding. Add very little amout of water, the paste should be very thick. The lesser water is added more the shelf life of garlic chutney. This Chutney can be stored in refrigerator for few weeks.

Meeta Chutney

Soak around 10-12 dates in warm water for 30 mins. Remove the seeds if any. Grind this date with 1/8 cup of tamarind extract and 1/8 cup of jaggery. Grind into a fine paste. Boil this paste, Before switching off the stove add 1 tsp of fennel powder and jeera powder (roast it and make into a fine powder) add 1/2 tsp of black salt. Mix well , boil for a min. Switch off the stove. Once the chutney comes to room temperature. It can be transferred to an air tight container and can be stored in refrigerator for few weeks. 

Potato Masala

• Boil potatoes with skin in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles.
• Peel the skin off and mash it well.
• Take oil and butter in a pan.
• When it is hot add the chopped onion
• When it is half done add 2 tsp of Dabeli masala
• Saute it, add chopped tomatoes and 1/2 tsp of salt. Saute well.
• When tomatoes are cooked  add mashed potatoes.
• Add 1 tsp of dabeli masala and required amount of salt, mix well.
• Cook for about 3-4 mins and transfer into a big plate of big bowl.

                                                          Spread masala peanut over it.

                                                         Spread dry coconut powder over it.

                                                                  Spread sev over it.

                                                                    

                                                            Spread cilantro over it.

Make a slit in the pav (don't make into two pieces). Refer the picture above. Warm bread a bit (just to soften it). Or else it can be toasted with little butter. Then spread Meeta chutney inside the pav bread.

                                              Spread garlic chutney over the meeta chutney.

                        Take a spoon of the potato stuffing and stuff it inside the pav bread. 

                           Then Garnish it with onion, sev, masala peanut. Serve immediately.

I had Pita bread too in my refrigerator. So thought how will it taste if I stuff it inside the pita pocket. Believe me taste was awesome. Than pav bread I loved it with pita bread. Instead of pav bread or pita bread burger bun can also be used to prepare Dabeli. Each one will give unique taste. Try it out, definitely u will fall in love with this Dabeli.

Pita Dabeli

   
                                                            The Pita bread packet

                                             The Pita bread. This is the whole wheat pita bread.

                                            It can be cut into 2 equal halves or 4 quarters.

          There will be a pocket inside where we can stuff the dabeli masala or any other stuffing we like.

                                                                     Pita Dabeli

Mixed vegetable curry (Saagu)

Poori Saagu.....who doesn't like Poori....it's one of the all time favourites of all. Along with poori I usually prepare mixed vegetable curry which we call as saagu in kannada. I prepare 2 versions of saagu. The ingredients are almost same in both but with little difference in taste. Here is one of the version of saagu that I prepare.This  is similar to the one which is served with poori in Bangalore/Mysore. This is my son's favourite saagu. So  I make sure that I will add as many vegetables as I can.

Ingredients

Masala (grind into fine paste)

Coconut -  1/2 cup 

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped

Ginger - 1 inch (1 tsp)

Garlic - 2 or 3 pods

Rice flour - 1 tbsp

Dalia (Roasted channa dal) - 2 or 3 tbsp

curry leaves - 5 or 6 leaves

Green chilli - 10 (adjust according to spice level)

Onion - 1/8 cup

Mint leaf - 8-10 leaves

Poppy seeds - 2 tbsp (optional)

Vegetables 

Beans - 3/4 cup

Carrot - 1/2 cup

Potato - 1/2 cup

Peas - 1/4 cup

Finely chop all these veggies . The secret of this recipe is the fine chopping of veggies. The amount of veggies can be altered according to one's taste.

Seasoning (oggarane/tadka)

Tomato (Chopped) - 1 big

Onion (Chopped) - 1 small

Capsicum (Chopped) - 1 medium

Curry leaves - 2 leaves

Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli - 1

Oil - 4 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Method

• Grind the masala into a very  fine paste. 
• Finely chop all veggies. 
• Boil the veggies (potato,beans,carrot,peas) either stove top or in microwave. Add only the required quantity of water. Vegetables should just immerse in water.
• Once veggies are 3/4 th cooked. Add the ground masala. 
• Boil for 5-10 mins on medium flame. Stir inbetween.
• While this is boiling, give seasoning in another pan.
• Take oil in pan, when it is hot add mustard seeds.
• When it starts popping add curry leaves, red chilli.
• Add Onions, saute for around 3 mins.
• Add Capsicum (bell pepper)- give nice stir.
• Add chopped tomatoes . Cook untill tomatoes are smashed well.
• Add this seasoning to the curry mixture.
• Give one nice boil. Then add salt. stir and simmer for 10 mins while stirring inbetween.

Ready to serve. Goes well with Poori, Chapathi, Phulka, Naan, Kulcha.

Churmuri

Hi Everyone,
     Sorry sorry sorry, I couldn't post a new recipe till now. Was kind of busy (or say lazy) to post a new recipe.
Here is my another favourite snack. It is called as 'Churmuri' in Mysore. For some it looks like bhel puri. For some churmuri means just the murmura (puri).  Each place have their own style of churmuri/bhel puri. Well well well ! I can say this is Mysore style of Churmuri. Its very yummy, delicious and full of nutrition.
     When I was a kid I used to crave for 'Shettara churmuri' . Shettara churmuri is very famous in Mysore. Well I don't know his name, but he was famous as Churmuri Shettaru. Those days we never tried to make churmuri at home. Whenever we wanted we just were going there and having it (But had to wait for hrs together as many would come). When I was in college for some reason Churmuri Shettaru stopped coming (for few months). I was craving for churmuri. At that time my grandmother said, come let's try to make churmuri at home. So by getting some ideas here and there and from couple of experiments we were successfull in making perfect churmuri. Though it didn't taste as good as Shettara churmuri it was almost near to the taste. From then started preparing churmuri at home. This is my dad's favourite snack. Whenever he wants Churmuri he won't say I want to have it. Instead he will bring all the ingredients of it, by the ingredients I had to guess that he wants churmuri. Now also whenever I prepare this I miss him. I feel like going back to India and preparing him once.....When ever i visit my Parents I make sure that I do prepare Churmuri.
  Ok let me come to the recipe, it's very simple.

Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time : 0 mins
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

for the Churmuri masala,
Coriander/Cilantro leaves - 1 cup
Chopped onions - 1/8 cup
Green chilli - 7 or 8 (according to taste)
Jeera - 1 tsp
Black pepper - 8 or 10
Salt - to taste

Grind all these into a fine paste.

Other ingredients

   
Puri/Murmura- 5-6 cups
Carrots - 2  (grated)
Onions - 1/2  cup
Chopped coriander/cilantro - 1/8 cup
Roasted peanut - 1/2 cup
Lime - 1
Oil - 1/8 cup (I used olive oil)
Churmuri masala - according to taste
Salt- if required.

In a big mixing bowl take the puri/murmura. Add chopped onions, grated carrot, chopped cilantro/coriander, churmuri masala, oil, roasted peanuts, lime juice and mix well. Taste, if required add little more salt and mix well. Serve immediately.  This can be prepared in batches. If we mix big quantity at a time, it may become soggy. Here everything is according to taste, once the masala is ready one can add ingredients according to taste. The amount of masala, carrots, onions, coriander leaves, peanuts everything can be altered according to ones taste.  If fresh raw mangoes are available it can be grated and added too. If u r asking can we add tomatoes??  I say NO. Tomatoes won't suit for this style of churmuri.

     When ever I prepare churmuri at mom's house....I put all ingredients in seperate bowl. Arrange all those on a dinning table and mix according to individual taste. So at that time my mom,dad, brother and sister used to say "Shettare nange swalpa khara jasti irli" (Shettare I want little spicy) or they will say "Shettare nange swalpa kadlebeeja jasthi irli" (Shettare I want more of peanuts). This is the way we were ordering churmuri to Churmuri Shettaru (the person who used to prepare churmuri)....so in turn my family used to say all these to tease me.....
     One who tries this recipe will definitely fall in love with this snack. Long back I had given a cookery show over Udaya tv. I had shown this recipe. I will be uploading a video of it as soon as possible.

Tips
1. Use Kurmura Surti or Kurmura Kolhapuri, as it tastes good. These two are similar to Mysore Puri/murmura.
2. Serve immediately after mixing. If not served immediately it will be soggy and chewy.