Thursday, November 29, 2007

Toor Spiced Rice (Togari Bath)




Toor/Tuar is one of the most versatile legumes. Toor Dal is known by many names such as Arhar dall, Tuvar Dall, Yellow Spilt Peas etc. Through out india this pulse is used as a basic pulse for making dals, chutneys, sambhars, rasam and curries.





This recipe is very nutritious, quick & extremely delicious. It is very different than the regular masala bath/pulavs but equally flavourfull. Hope you all like this recipe as much as I do..


Ingredients:

Tool dal/Togari bele --dry ones 1cup

Red dried chillies--5-6

Garlic pods--3

dhania--2tsp

hing--a pinch

cashews--2tsps(optional)

tamarind pulp--2tsp/ or lime juice can be used.

grated fresh coconut--2tbsp

Cooked rice-1.5 cups

salt

1tsp sugar

1 papad either microwaved or fried in oil


Method:


Dry roast the tool dall without oil in a pan till nice aroma comes and cool it on a plate. In the same pan, add a tsp of oil and add garlic pods, dhania and hing and fry for 2mins till the rawness from the garlic goes. Now add the dried red chillies and fry for a minute.


Grind all the above into a coarse paste with tamarind pulp/lime juice adding little water.


Take cooled boiled rice in a plate, add the ground paste above and mix well. Add salt and sugar and mix again. Finally add the fresh cocunut and break the papad and mix well.


This chutney can be made ahead and refrigerated for long since it does not contain coconut. This makes an excellent recipe for leftover rice and also for a large party cooking. Kids especially love this rice with papad bits. This will surely be a party hit.


Thursday, November 22, 2007

Avarekalu Rotti


Avarekai reminds of the most authentic aromatic dishes like Rotti, kodubale, nippattu, sambhar the list is endless. In bangalore the deskinned avarekalu called 'hitaka bele' is sold in a few places. The rotti and sambhar with this is out of the world.



In English the name of Avarekai is either Flat Beans or Field Beans .They are grown in India and elsewhere, mainly during summer.The definition of a field bean - Old World upright plant grown especially for its large flat edible seeds but also as fodder.Other names for the field bean is:broad-bean, broad-bean plant, English bean, European bean, Vicia faba..

Rotti is a flat pancake made it either rice flour or Finger millet flour(ragi). Avarekalu rotti represents typical karnataka breakfast food. Here is the recipe


Ingredients:


Avarekalu (papdi lilva)/Hitakabele if available -- 1cup


Grated coconut or fresh coconut pieces--1/2 cup


Rice flour -2cups


jeera 1tbsp


Sabsige soppu/dill-1small bunch


butter milk--1/2 cup


oil , salt and water..


Method


microwave avarekalu till tender with a pinch of salt. Drain and reserve the drained water. In a mixing bowl, add rice flour and all the other ingrediants with chopped dill and mix it with buttermilk. If the mixture is too dry, add the reserved water for mixing. The consistency should be like a soft chapati dough. Now smear this with 2tsp oil and keep it aside for 15mins.


Take a non stick pan, smear your hands with oil , take a small piece of the dough and using your fingers spread it around the pan. The oil on your palm will help you expand the dough to the thick ness you want..


on a medium flame cook the rotti till brown spots appear. smear it with ghee or butter and serve with cold yogurt.


Optional: cook the rotti and garnish with fresh grated coconut and serve..

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Chitranna--a spicy rice delicacy



Chitranna represents a quick fulfilling breakfast item or a part of a big lunch..It is always a part of festive food.
There are varieties of chitranna. Sometimes it is made with lemon juice or mango or tamarind. My most favourite chitranna is with a combination of coriander with tamarind. This is one of my most favourite recipes given to me from my mother.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup grated fresh coconut
a small piece of tamarind (soak a small piece of tamarind in water and remove seeds or break tamarind into little bits)
coriender-a bunch
green chillies--4-5

For seasoning:
2tbsp peanuts
1twig curry leaves
4 red dried chillies
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp urad dal
a pinch hing

Method:
1) grind coconut, coriender leaves and the tamarind pieces in a mixer without adding any water. The mixture need not have to be finely ground.
2) In a pan, add 2tbsp oil and when heated add mustard seeds , urad dal and hing. When it splutters add chillies, curry leaves and peanuts and fry till the peanuts turn brown
3)Now add the ground mixture and fry for 2-3minutes.

Voila.. the mixture is ready to be mixed with boiled rice .Add salt and enjoy..

Shavige-gasagase payasa

This is a classic recipe which I learnt from my mother in law..Its a rare and tasty combination of vermicelli & poppy seeds with a unique mouth tingling taste..

For all the Payasa lovers who are looking for a refreshing change with shavige.. this is a rewarding change.

Ingredients :
shavige(vermicelli) - 1 cup
Gasagase(poppyseeds) - 2tbsp
Ghee-2 tbsp
Cardamom - 4 (peeled and powdered)
Dry fruits - 2tbsp
Jaggery -- 1cup (if brown sugar used, use 1.5 cup)
Milk - half cup (optional)
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

Method:
1) Fry vermicelli in a tbsp of ghee on a medium flame till golden brown..
2) In the same pan, fry the poppyseeds till the raw smell goes away.
3) Grind the poppy seeds with coconut and cardomom into a watery paste.
4) Take another pan, add 1/2 cup water and boil the vermicille, when almost done, add jaggery and boil for a few more minutes till the jaggery melts.
5) Now add the poppy seeds paste in this pan and mix everything. Based on the consistency water could be added or milk could be added.
6) for more richer taste coconut milk can be added too.
7)Fry all the dry fruits and nuts in the left over ghee and garnish the payasa.This can be served warm or cold..