Idiyappam or Nool Puttu

Idiyappam is a typical kerala dish which is made from raw rice or rice flour.
It can be made in two ways - by soaking raw rice for 4 to 6 hours, grind it and cook the batter till loose and smooth or alternatively by making a smooth paste from rice flour and boiled water.
It is a very healthy dish because it is made with rice and steam cooked.
Here's the recipe

Ingredients:

For Method 1:

2 cups    Raw rice

2 tbsp    Coconut oil

1 tsp      Salt

1/2 cup  Grated Coconut

For Method 2:

2 cups    Rice Flour

2 cups    Boiled water

2 tbsp Coconut oil

1 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Grated Coconut

Method 1:

Wash and soak raw rice in water for 4 to 6 hours and grind to a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a pan. Add rice batter and salt. Keep flame in medium and stir continuously to form a loose dough like consisency.
Take off from heat. Put the dough into Seva Nazhi or Idiyappam Press and spread over the plates of Idiyappam stand or onto the plates of Idly stand.
Steam cook in high flame till steam comes, lower the flame and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
Top each layer with freshly grated coconut.
Serve hot with Sambar, Chutney, Coconut Milk, Kadala Curry, Chicken Curry or Egg Masala.

Method 2:

Add boiled water to rice flour. Add salt and coconut oil and mix well with a spoon to make a smooth and loose dough.
Put the dough into Seva Nazhi or Idiyappam Press and spread over the plates of Idiyappam stand or onto the plates of Idly stand.
Steam cook in high flame till steam comes, lower the flame and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
Top each layer with freshly grated coconut.
Serve hot with Sambar, Chutney, Coconut Milk, Kadala Curry, Chicken Curry or Egg Masala.
 

Gobi Paratha / Cauliflower Stuffed Paratha

Stuffed parathas  have always been my favourite, may be because I was brought up in north india.
And the good thing is now my hubby dear has also started liking it.
I have tried my hands at every kind of stuffing I could possibly think of but today I'm sharing the recipe of Gobi paratha.

Ingredients:

2 cup Atta

1 Onion, finely chopped

4 Green chillies, finely chopped

1 cup Cauliflower, finely chopped

1 piece Ginger, finely chopped

1 tsp Corriander powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Corriander leaves

Water to make Chapathi Dough

4 tsp Oil

Method:

Add Salt and water to atta and make chapathi dough. Cover with a mosit cloth and keep for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan. Add Ginger, green chillies, onion and fry well.

When onions turn brown add all the masala powders and salt. Fry well. Sprinkle 2 tsp water for masalas to combine well.

Add finely chopped cauliflower and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add finely chopped corriander leaves and remove from heat. Allow to cool.

Make balls from chapathi dough and roll into th size of puri.

Keep 2 to 3 tsp of cauliflower masala in the middle of rolled puri and fold all the sides to make a round.

Dust with atta and roll again to the shape of chapathi.

Heat tawa, add chapathi and cook in low flame for 15 seconds.

Turn and cook other side for 40 seconds.

Turn again and add oil or ghee to the sides on both sides.

Serve hot with raitha and pickle.

 

Ada Dosa

Ada dosa is one of my favourite for breakfast or dinner. Its easy to make, very filling and nutritious too. You just need to plan a little ahead for the soaking part otherwise its done in just minutes.
Here's how my mom makes it:

Ingredients:

1 cup Raw Rice

1 cup (Urad Dal, Chana Dal, Moong Dal, Moong, Toor Dal) All together

6 Red Chillies

1 Onion

1 inch piece Ginger

Few Curry Leaves

Salt to taste

Sesame oil to make dosa

Method:

Wash rice and dal and soak together for 3 to 4 hours along with Red Chillies.
Coarsely grind. Add finely chopped ginger in the last round of grinding.
Add chopped onion, curry leaves, salt and mix well.
Make into a thick batter. Add little water if needed but the batter should be of thick consistency.
Heat pan and spread the batter into thick round dosas.
Drizzle sesame oil around the sides and in the middle. Keep stove in high flame.
After 1 minute turn and cook other side in low flame till both sides are done.
Serve hot with a dollop of butter on top and Idly powder or Ulli chammanthi

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa is an all time favourite at our house.
Once I was starting to make Poori Bhaji, and as  I was cutting onion and green chillies my husband entered the kitchen and asked me what was I upto. I said I'm going to make Poori bhaji - he said make it masala dosa - so now u know how much favourite it is.

Ingredients:

2 Potatoes, peeled, washed and cut into cubes

1 Onion thinly sliced

4-5 Green chillies, chopped

1 piece Ginger

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

Few Curry leaves

1 tsp Mustard

1 tsp Urad dal

2 tsp Cashew nuts (Optional)

2 tsp Oil

1 cup water

Salt As per Taste

Dosa Batter - to make Dosas

Method:

Heat oil in a cooker. Add mustard and allow it to splutter well. Add urad dal and cashew nuts.
Add chopped Ginger, Green Chillies, curry leaves. Add onions and fry till they turn glassy.
Add potatoes and fry. Add turmeric powder and mix well. Add water and salt and mix well.
Cover with the lid with the whistle on.
Lower the flame after first whistle and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes.
Allow the pressure to drop and mash the potatoes well with a ladle.
Check the water consistency as required.

Prepare Dosa. Cook both sides. Add masala in the center of the Dosa and fold.
Serve with coconut chutney or Sambar.

 

Kozhukattai / Uppu Kozhukattai

Uppu kozhukattai is one of  my favourite snacks which I love for breakfast and dinner.
Its very simple to make and very good for health too because it is steamed and not much oil also.
I usually make it with raw rice soaked for few hours but you can make it with rice flour also.

Ingredients:

2 cup Raw Rice soaked for 4 hours

1 cup Grated Coconut

5 Red chilli

Curry Leaves

1 tsp Mustard

1 tsp Urad Dal

Salt to taste

2 tsp Oil for tadka

Method:

Grind soaked rice coarsely.
Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard, urad dal, red chillies, curry leaves.
Add ground rice, coconut and salt and mix well.
Keep stirring till the batter becomes a thick paste.
Remove from heat and make small balls.
Steam cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve hot with Ulli chammanthi.

 

Rava Semiya Kichadi

Who needs a break from the usual rava, semiya or aval upma???
Here's a treat for all those who said yes - its Rava Semiya Kichadi.
All you need to make this is Rava, Semiya and the usual upma ingredients.
So without wasting much time lets go straight to the recipe.

Ingredients:

Roasted Rava                      1 cup
Roasted Semiya                   1 cup
Onion                                  1 Finely chopped
Green chilli                           4 to 5 Finely chopped
Ginger                                  1/4 inch piece, Finely chopped
Mustard                               1 tsp
Chana Dal                            1 tsp
Curry Leaves                       Few
Turmeric Powder                 1/4 tsp
Salt                                      1 1/2 tsp or As per taste
Ghee                                    1 tsp
Oil                                        2 tsp
Water                                   3 cups

Method:

Cook roasted semiya in boiling water for 5 minutes and drain.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, chana dal, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves.
Add onion and fry well. Add turmeric powder and 3 cups of water and salt and allow to boil.
Add roasted rava when water boils and cook in low flame for 1 minute.
Add Semiya, mix well and add ghee.
Cover and cook for 1 minute in low flame.
Remove from stove and serve hot.