Showing posts with label brunch. Show all posts

Shahi Dosa, Step By Step Filling & The Winner of March Month’s ‘Only’ Event

Hello Friends!!

Firstly apologies for disappearing suddenly, I was just held up with too many things..

Today I’m posting a Dosa recipe very close to my heart. This brings in many childhood memories..Almost once in a month after the Sunday meditation, I and my brother would accompany my parents and visit a vegetarian restaurant called Naivedyam, where I and my dad would religiously order the Shahi dosa and savor that. While my brother ordered spring rolls and my Mom would order a paav bhaaji or chhole bhature. This happened for several years till the restaurant shut down. My dad also loved their Kashmiri pulao and after the restaurant shut down I tried the preparation

at home for him and fortunately in my first attempt I made it exactly like the restaurant and then whenever we had guests coming over my mom would ask me to make the pulao. After the success of the pulao, I tried my hand on the dosa, I did not have any recipe in hand what I remembered were the ingredients, flavor and taste. Keeping all that in mind I attempted making the filling and I got it right the first time Smile .

I had almost forgotten about this dosa preparation and recently while remembering old memories I was reminded of it and I was too eager to try it again and when DH asked me to make masala dosa on a Sunday, I also made the filling for Shahi dosa and treated myself with age old memories and relived those moments..

The word ‘Shahi’ means ‘royal’, and the word royal is related to the richness of the filling. It is cooked in ghee with nuts, raisins and cottage cheese all of which make the preparation rich looking and obviously high on calories. But once in a while indulgence is okay, isn’t it?

I felt like a kid after eating the dosa and wished that I could go 20yrs back and visit the place again. Me and my dreams..nevertheless, I know whenever I want to be a kid again, I’m going to make this Dosa Winking smile .

Shahi Masala Dosa

Preparation Time For Filling: 15mins

Preparation Time For Dosa Batter: 8-10hrs

Cooking Time For Filling: 10mins

Cooking Time For Each Dosa: 2-3mins

Makes: 8-10 dosas with the filling

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

For Dosa Batter

3cups parmal rice

1cup boiled rice

1cup thick beaten rice

1cup urad dal

1tbsp methi seeds

1cup mix of chana, tuvar and yellow moong daal

For Filling

10-15 cashew nuts

1tbsp raisins

2-3tbsp ghee/clarified butter or oil

an inch of ginger, grated

1green chili, chopped

2medium tomatoes chopped

1 onion chopped

250gms cottage cheese/paneer grated

a pinch of garam masala

1/4tsp turmeric

1-1-1/2tsp red chili powder

1tbsp coriander powder

salt to taste

1tsp cumin powder

salt to taste

1 green capsicum, finely chopped

Method

For Dosa Batter

Soak all ingredients separately for 4-5hrs and grind them into a smooth paste, mix and leave aside for 5-6hrs to ferment. Add salt and mix again. Adjust the consistency of the batter, it should not be very thick nor too thin. It should have a consistency thinner than a cake batter. The addition of three yellow lentils adds more nutrition as well as color to the dosa. For another version of Dosa batter check here. Sending this dosa rich in legumes to my event ‘Only’ Cooking With Legumes hosted by Nalini.

Heat a griddle or non stick pan and grease it. Pour a ladle full of dosa batter in the center and spread it using the base of ladle in circular movements. This process has to be done really fast else the batter gets cooked and does not spread.

Cook on one side till it develops a golden color and then turn and cook on other side.

Turn again and put the filling in center and fold the dosa or turn the edges lightly on three sides (I did it).

For Filling

Heat the ghee and add the cashew nuts and fry them.

Tip in the onions and ginger, sauté.

Add the green chili, tomato and dry spices, raisins along with salt, mix and cook.

Finally add cottage cheese and capsicum and cook for a minute. Do not overcook, the capsicum needs to be crunchy. This filling is multi purpose, it is great as a side dish with paratha and a good stuffing for sandwiches too.

Coming to the winner of last month’s event. Out of the 25entries sent under Indian Category posted here, the winner is number 18 picked by random selector.

The recipe at number 17 is Shell Pasta in Spianch Pesto Sauce, posted by Sharanya of Sara’s Tasty Buds. Congrats Sharanya, you win ‘Baked Dishes’ cookbook by Tarla Dalal. Please mail me your address in India, with landmark, pin code and phone number to cookingoodfood@gmail.com within two days to claim the win. If you are unable to claim within two days, I will pick a new winner.

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Couscous and Corn Idli

Hi All!

For this month’s Blog Hop Wednesday’s started by Radhika of Tickling Palates, I was paired with Priya of Now Serving. I had an opportunity of meeting this multi talented lady recently. She is not only a great cook but a Bharatnatyam dancer too. She teaches Bharatnatyam in US. I was definitely in a fix on what to attempt from her space. I was bowled over by her post on the different versions of Hummus recently and I wanted to try that but since the theme of this month’s event is ‘Only’ South Indian, I decided to make an instant version of Idli.

I’m in love with the instant versions, whether it’s instant dosa, dhokla or Idli, I’m on for it. In the last few days this is the second instant Idli that I’m posting using wheat, the previous one was using Oats and Broken Wheat and my family loved it and this time, I picked an Instant Couscous and Corn Idli from Priya’s, Now Serving. Couscous is a durum wheat product. Couscous, as we all know is very light to eat and cooks fast. It has the same texture as our Indian Daliya/ broken wheat, but it’s easy to digest as compared to the Daliya. Keeping the lightness and the coarseness of the product in mind, it’s an apt choice for making Idli which is a breakfast item.

I made it for our breakfast along with an unusual Sāmbhar(which I’ll post soon) and the chutney. I tweaked the recipe slightly to suit our palate. The idli turned out light and spongy, the kid loved it and ate heartily.

Couscous and Corn Idli
Makes:18
Serves:3
Preparation Time:15mins
Cooking Time:12-15mins
Ingredients
1/2cup Couscous
1/2cup Semolina
2cups curds
3/4-1tsp fruit salt/ baking soda
half carrot finely chopped
3-4 French beans finely chopped
1/2cup fresh corn
2tbsp coriander finely chopped
salt to taste
For Tempering
3tsp oil
1tsp mustard seeds
2tbsp urad-chana dal mix
1” grated ginger piece
3-4 green chillies finely chopped
10-15 curry leaves finely chopped
Method

Mix Couscous and Semolina. Prepare the tempering and add all the chopped veggies, corn and sauté lightly.Mix it in the Couscous, add the chopped coriander.

Mix the curds and let the idli mix stand for 10mins. After 10mins check the consistency of batter, if it’s too thick add some water.

Grease the idli mould.

In the idli mix, add the salt and eno fruit salt, mix quickly and put a ladle full in each dimple of the idli plate.

Keep the steamer ready and steam the idli for 12-15mins, till done.

Cool and unmould.

Serve hot with chutney and Sāmbhar.

Also sending the idli to my event ‘Only’ South Indian and Monthly Mingle#3.

Sending it to Julie's EP Series- Herbs and Spices, Cilantro and Cumin , Rasi's I'm Star Event

and Cooking For Myself at Vegetarian Surprises.

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Avalakki Bissi Bele Bhaath..A Quick Fix With Beaten Rice

Hi!

I'm kick starting contributions to my event 'Only' South Indian, hosted here at Foodelicious, with a very tasty preparation from the state of Karnataka, which is S's native state. I have reiterated several times that my MIL is an excellent cook and is my guide and tutor to Karnataka style cooking or in more romantic word's she has guided me clearly on the correct path to my husband's heart who is fond of good food and especially his Mom's food.

Bissi Bele Bhaath is an all time favourite at my place and my husband call's it 'concrete food' as it sits in the stomach and makes you feel heavy and drowsy. I normally make it on weekend for lunch so that after eating we can have a sound sleep. Avalakki Bissi Bele Bhaath or Bissi Bele Huli Avalakki, is a simpler and easily digestible version of Bissi Bele Bhaath and it translates to Hot Dal/Sāmbhar With Beaten Rice. This preparation makes use of beaten Rice (Poha) and Yellow Moong dal, both of which are easy to digest and quick to cook. My MIL had made this preparation for all of us during one of our recent visits and every one had relished it. I asked her that time, how she had made it, but forgot to pen it down.

Last month, I suddenly remembered this preparation and wanted to try it, so I called my MIL but she was unavailable. Then I called up my elder co-sister R and asked her if she knew how to make it, and I was disappointed with her 'No'. I was almost ready to give up and half heartedly called up my younger co-sister P, she brought an instant smile on my face by saying a 'Yes' and gave me the recipe. I tried the recipe that day itself and it was a huge hit in the family, so I decided to make a more healthier version and tweaked the recipe a little and to my delight it was liked even more by the two of them. The kid happily took it in his lunch box and finished it too. Tomorrow is P's birthday, so I thought it's an apt time to post this recipe. Can't thank you enough dear 'P' for this excellent recipe Smile

It’s a one pot meal and can be made very quickly.

Avalakki Bissi Bele Bhaath

Preparation Time:20mins
Cooking Time:20-25mins

Soaking time:15mins
Serves:4

Ingredients

4 hands full beaten rice/ Poha, thick variety ( I used the red version to make it more healthy)

3/4-1 measuring cup roasted Yellow Moong Dal

1small carrot cubed

1/2cup peas

1medium potato cubed

6-7 French beans cut into 1cm pieces

5-6tbsp Sāmbhar Masala

1/2tsp red chilli pwd

1/2tsp turmeric pwd

2tsp coriander pwd

3/4-1tsp cinnamon pwd

about 6-7 cups water

coriander stems chopped

about 1-1/2tbsp tamarind paste

salt to taste

For tempering

2-3tbsp oil

1tsp mustard seeds

2-3 dry red chillies

2sprigs curry leaves

1/2chopped onion

small hand full of peanuts

1/4tsp good quality asafoetida (heeng)

Method

Wash the poha 4-5 times in water and keep it aside for 15mins to soak properly. The red poha absorbs a lot of water and needs more time for soaking than the regular white poha.

Dry roast the lentils till a nice aroma is smelt.

Add 3cups water to the lentils and bring it to a boil. Simmer and cook till half done.

Add all the vegetables and coriander stems now. Cook covered till the vegetables are done and the lentils cooked.

Add 3more cups of water and add Sāmbhar masala, red chilli-turmeric-coriander-cinnamon powders. Add the soaked Poha and salt to taste. The red poha needs more spices than the regular poha, so adjust your spices accordingly.

Mix properly and cook covered for 10 more minutes. If you feel that the consistency of the bhaath is too thick, add more water.

Pour the tempering and mix.

Serve hot with curds or raita and some potato wafers to go along.

For Tempering

Heat oil and add the mustard, once it splutters add the peanuts and red chillies, fry. Now add the onions and sauté. Tip in the heeng and curry leaves and pour it over the bhath.

Sending this to Rasi's I'm Star Event

Note-
One can add their choice of vegetables to this bhaath.
Cinnamon and heeng are a must as they add a good flavour to the preparation.
One can completely replace all vegetables and use only one vegetable in more quantity and make this preparation.
Adding onions is optional.
The quantity of water provided here can vary based on the quality of beaten rice used. So be observant and follow your instincts while adding water.

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For My MOMS and Posting the 251st, Sambhar Vadai… a fried treat after a long time

Hi All!

Days are rolling by and the work pressure is manifesting and at times managing home and work seems a herculean task. There are times when I wake up with the thought of quitting the job but by the end of the day I am still working and continuing to hate myself for being so tired and unorganised. I know, all the working Moms would empathise with me and so I dedicate this post to all the Moms and Moms to be who work so hard to keep the family running, to make the family feel special and love them endlessly….

WISH YOU A HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!!

I had made this combo a while ago and my MIL who is here with us had simply loved eating it, so I thought of posting this for her and also for my Mom who is still recuperating after her major surgery. To both my Moms, for just being there for me, when I needed you.

This recipe is very common in South Indian homes as the vadai keeps frequenting their kitchen but for us it was a treat as I do not indulge into frying that easily.

I had made this combo for a Sunday brunch and for which I got up around five in the morning to grind the batter, make the sambhar, the chutney and before every body woke up, I was done with my photography session too…

The vadai turned out light and crisp and the sambhar and chutney just blended well with it.

Ingredients For the Vadai

2 cups Urad dal soaked

7-8 green chillies

2 inch piece ginger

7-8 sprigs of curry leaves

2tsp cumin seeds

Salt to taste

Method

Soak the urad dal for 4-5 hours and then grind it. Beat the paste with a beater.

The trick to making good vadai lies in grinding the lentil with minimum water to a paste and then beating the paste to double in volume. A thick and nicely beaten batter makes crisp and spongy vadai.

Grind together the green chillies, ginger and curry leaves coarsely and mix it with the beaten batter along with salt to taste and cumin seeds.

Wet your hands and take a small portion of the batter (a medium sized lemon) and flatten it on the four fingers using your thumb and make a hole in the centre and slide the flattened batter into medium hot oil and deep fry the vadai till golden brown in colour. Remove it on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil. One can fry 3-4 vadais at the same time.

I served the vadai with a Tamilian style sambhar that I had made using the Sambhar Masala S got for me from the famous Grand Sweets in Chennai and to go along with it I made the coconut chutney. I garnished the sambhar- Vadai in the Sarvana Bhavan style with some chopped onions.

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Buckwheat and Colocasia Dosa

Hi!

Sunday started off in a great way as I made one of my best impromptu preparation till date using the buckwheat. I know good ways to consume the buckwheat but making a dosa never came to my mind till yesterday and was elated by the end result.To add to my elation S took me out for shopping and I shopped and shopped till I dropped, after returning home watched 3 Idiots again on Sony TV while eating a Cheese Burst Pizza.

Coming back to the Dosa I made, I never realized that buckwheat can yield such a perfectly textured dosa . I love the earthy flavor of buckwheat and truly enjoy it’s health benefits. While many people think that buckwheat is a cereal grain, it is actually a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and sorrel making it a suitable substitute for grains for people who are sensitive to wheat or other grains that contain protein glutens. Buckwheat flowers are very fragrant and are attractive to bees that use them to make produce a special, strongly flavored, dark honey.

The Buckwheat has huge health benefits, it’s lipid-lowering activity is largely due to rutin and other flavonoid compounds. The nutrients in it help control blood sugar and improves blood flow thus helping prevent heart problems. The versatile food is a possible probiotic,a carbohydrate that prompts the growth of “friendly” bacteria in the digestive tract. For a detailed read on it’s health benefits check here. How to proceed for the Dosa, read further..

Ingredients

4 cups buckwheat flour

250gms colocasia (boiled and peeled)

a small handful of coriander

5-6 green chilies

salt to taste

water

Method

In a food processor grind together green chilies and coriander.

Add boiled colocasia and mix it with the green chili and coriander paste.

Add 4 cups of buck wheat flour, salt to taste and mix again. If required add a little water.

Remove the batter and add more batter to bring it to a dosa like consistency.

Grease a non stick pan and spread the dosa in concentric circles. Cook from either side on a medium high flame.

Serve hot with any spicy chutney. I served it with coconut chutney and green tamarind thokku.

Sending this to Iftar Moments Hajiri 1431 hosted by Taste of Pearl City.

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For My 150th Post, Wrapped Up..Grilled Veggies and Couscous in Aioli Dressing

Hi friends! I feel elated typing this post as I cross another landmark. For this, I decided to share a wrap which I am very fond of and is surely very very tasty and healthy too.

Mocha is a favorite hangout place for me and DH and we keep exploring their menu every time we visit it but this wrap has surely become a regular order. It was after reading the description in menu card that I learnt about the aioli dressing and wanted to give this a try. The aioli dressing as I have understood is a French dressing for salads and meat. It is garlicky, creamy and like mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil and oil soluble compounds in water and water soluble compounds.

To make the wraps my first hurdle was to get hold of Couscous which is not so easily available here, gladly my good old INA market came to my rescue. For a foodie this market is a must to visit. Working with couscous is a child’s play, they are so easy to work with that it does not need any detailed explanation.

The next step was convincing S to by a grill pan (actually it’s a steak pan but grills excellent), to my delight after 2 years of pestering I eventually bought it a few days back.

Once I had this there was no looking back I had to make this wrap. The original recipe asks for char grilled veggies but I was happy by grilling my veggies on this pan, since it’s a cast iron pan it gave a nice rustic, burnt and smoky flavor to the veggies.

There are many aioli recipes available on the net. I read many and then suiting our taste buds concocted mine. This was my first attempt to make this dressing so with all apprehensions in mind I made this and was extremely happy with the result.

I also made whole wheat tortillas at home, yes, I did work hard for this post but during the entire process I was worried how the end product would be. The tortillas are so easy to make if you are used to making thin rotis regularly at home, for me it was an easy task surely and I was mighty happy looking at my tortillas. Open-mouthed

Finally came assembling the wrap, then grilling it and at last dig into it. I was so apprehensive that I served it first to my son and I jumped with joy the minute he showed his thumbs up with the first bite Thumbs-up . The taste was as close as I could get to Mocha’s. I patted myself for all the hard work and made a wrap for myself.

So here’s what I did…

Ingredients for Aioli Dressing

1 garlic

2 egg yolks

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup EVOO

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp cold water

1 tsp crushed whole grain mustard

Method

Bring the eggs to rooms temperature and then separate the egg yolks.

Finely chop the garlic and mix it with salt.

Whisk the egg yolks with the garlic.

Add half of EVOO gradually drop by drop while whisking continuously. I used my electric beater for this process. Be careful as the oil needs to get mixed with the water component to form the emulsion. If precaution is not taken then the oil-water components separate.

After adding half the oil add lime juice, water and beat. After this stage the oil can be added in more quantities and keep whisking.

The end product’s a thick, viscous, garlic flavored emulsion which can be used as a dip or dressing.

Ingredients For Whole Wheat Tortillas

(makes about 13)

1 cup APF

1-3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

5 tbsp oil/shortening

1 cup warm water

Method

Mix both the flours and salt. Add the oil and rub and mix to get a bread crumbs like texture.

Add water gradually and knead a dough which is soft but not as soft as a bread dough.

Cover it with a cloth and let it stand for an hour.

Divide the dough into 12-13 parts and then give each part a ball shape.

roll each ball on a floured surface into thin 7inch circles.

Heat a griddle and roast the tortilla lightly on each side on a medium high flame. Turn immediately as light blisters appear.

Do not over roast else they will turn crisp.

Preparing Couscous

Boil 150 ml water with 1/2 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp salt. Add this to 150g of couscous, mix and let it stand for 2mins so that it can fluff. Add 2 tbsp butter to it and mix again. The couscous is ready to be used.

Grilling the Vegetables

Cube a half of green, yellow and red capsicum, half onion and slice 1/4 zucchini (one can add veggies of their choice). Grill on high flame till they are slightly charred from either side. Then chop them.