Tasty tiffins , Tastier snacks!

Idli Manchurian - Let us recycle leftover idlis !

For Manchurian:

Refrigerated or hard idlis 8

Cornflour ½ cup

Maida ½ cup

Soya sauce 1 ½ tsp

Ginger-garlic paste ½ tsp

Oil to deep fry

For gravy:

Onion 1 big

Green chillies 4

Ginger 2 cm

Capsicum 1 (optional )

Soya sauce ½ tsp

Cornflour 2 tbsp

Spring onions-chopped ½ cup

Manchurian:

Cut idlis into small squares.

Or you can use mini idlis also.

Mix the other ingredients –maida,cornflour, ginger garlic paste & very little salt with water to a medium batter.

Dip idli pieces in this batter & deep fry.

Drain & keep ready.

Chop onion, green chillies, ginger & capsicum fine.

In a vessel heat 1 tbsp oil .

Lightly fry all the chopped ingredients.

Add ½ tsp soya sauce & fried idlis.

Add cornflour mixed with 2 cups of water

Boil & remove.

Add chopped spring onions & serve.

This is a good way to use up left over idlis.

 

Set Dosai & Sagu - a Delicious Combination.

Dosai:

Raw rice - 4 cups

Poha ( aval) - 1 cup

Curds - 1 cup

Urad dhal - 1 tbsp

Soak poha in curds for 30 mins..

Soak rice & urad dhal together.

Grind rice - urad dhal mixture separately & soked poha with curds separately.

Mix both, add salt & allow to ferment.

The fermentation should be thorough, because the success of dosai depends on that.

Spread & make small dosais (about 4” diameter) with little oil drizzled around. These are usually served as a set of three.

Cover & cook – there is no need to turn them over.

It is sufficient to cook on one side only.

This dosa is made slightly thick.

The under side is golden brown & the top is spongy.

Some add little fruit salt to the dough before making the dosas for extra sponginess.

Sagu:

Mixture of vegetables like carrot, cabbage, beans, peas, potato, cauliflower, chow chow are used.

Vegetables cut into small cubes - 3 cups

Coconut - 1 cup

Pottukadalai (fried gram) - 2 tbsp

Khus khus - 2 tsp

Onion - 1

Green chillies - 5,6 ( or to taste)

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1”

Cardamom - 2

Warm in ½ tsp oil, onion, green chillies, cardamom, cloves & cinnamon.

Grind with pottukadalai, khus khus, coconut & green chillies.

Pressurecook the vegetables in a pressure pan for 2 whistles.

Cool, open & add the ground paste.

Cook till thick.

Be careful with salt, since this dish does’nt take much salt.

 

Mangalore Bonda - Sponge comes a close second !

Maida - 1 cup

Rice flour - 3 tbsp

Bombay rava - 2 tbsp (use chiroti rava, if you have it)

Curds - 3/4 cup (or as given below)

Grren chillies - 4,5 (or to taste)

Coriander leaves, chopped - ¼ cup

Salt

Oil - to fry

Mix the three flours with salt & enough curds to idli dough consistency.

Rest for 5-6 hrs.

Add finely chopped green chillies & chopped coriander leaves.

If on soaking, the consistency has thickened slightly, add 1 or 2 tsp water.

Whisk the mixture well, simultaneously, keeping the oil on flame for deep frying.

A food processor can be effectively used for the entire procedure. If the mincing blade is used, chopping will also be taken care of.

Drop in spoonfuls & fry till done.

Transfer to an absorbent tissue to remove excess oil.

Since this absorbs a little more oil, change the tissue 2,3 times before you serve.

This way, excess oil is completely removed.

Serve hot with any chutney.

 

Kodbale, with & without onion - needs more patience than expertise !

Kodubale without onion:

Rice flour - 1 cup

Chiroti rava - 2 tbsp

Chilli powder - 2 tsp (or to taste)

Ghee - 2 tsp

Salt

In a plate mix ghee with salt & chilli powder, rubbing well with palms.

This step is very important.

Add rice flour & rava & go on kneading.

Add minimum water & make a stiff dough.

Take marble size balls & roll each into thin pencils.

Join the ends to form a loop.

Heat oil, when hot , slide a batch into the oil & immediately lower the flame.

Fry, turning over frequently till they become uniform brown & the bubbles completely subside – this will take 7-8 mins on a low flame.

Transfer to a tissue lined plate to cool.

If kept in an airtight box, preserves for 8-10 days.

Kodbale with onion :

Rice flour - 2 cups

Maida - 1 cup

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Onions (minced fine or grated) - 1 1/2 cups

Green chillies - 10, finely ground (or minced)

Coriander (finely chopped) - 1 cup

Hing powder - 1 tsp

Salt

Oil - to deep fry

Take minced onions, green chillies, coriader leaves, salt & hing in a big plate.

Add ghee, mix everything very well by rubbing with your palms so that water is released by onions completely.

As given earlier this step is important.

When the mixing is complete, add flours & work to a stiff dough.

This should be possible without adding water if onions are minced fine.

If at all, add minimum water.

Made this way, the end product is very crisp.

Take marble size balls & roll each into thin pencils.

Join the ends & form a loop.

Heat oil, when hot add a batch & immediately lower the flame.

Fry, turning over frequently till they become uniform brown & the bubbles completely subside – this will take 7-8 mins on a low flame.

Transfer to a tissue lined plate to cool.

If kept in an airtight box, preserves for 8-10 days

 

Ragi Dosai Spread with Onion Chutney - Madurai Style !

This dish is not eaten hot. This is ideal for packed lunches, picnics and for breakfast get -togethers .

Ragi dosai:

Ragi Flour - 2 cups

Urad dhal - ½ cup

Salt, Oil to make dosai

Wash once & soak urad dhal in ½ cup of water.

Keep in the fridge for 1 hour.

Take out & grind as fluffy as possible adding water as much as is required.

This can be done in the mixi, unless you are grinding 1 cup of urad dhal when you need grinder.

Allow it to ferment without adding salt.

After about 10 hrs, mix ragi flour first with salt & water, then add fermented urad dhal & beat well.

Dosais can be made immediately.

They can be made as thin as you want – but take them out soft.

Remove, spread onion chutney & fold into 2 or 4.

Sprinkle 1 or 2 tsp water & keep in a serving plate.

Onion Chutney:

Big onions - 4

Red chillies - 8-10 ( spicy chutney is very tasty as a filling)

Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp

Salt, sugar

To temper:

Oil - 3-4 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Soak red chillies in water for minimum ½ an hour.

Chop onions.

Grind half the onions, red chillies, tamarind paste, sugar & salt fine.

Add the remaining onions & just give one run in the mixi – the chutney will be a little coarse.

Heat oil in a small kadai, temper mustard seeds & pour over the chutney & mix well.

This chutney keeps well for atleast a week.

This is very good with venthaya dosai & toast as well.

 

Stuffed Poha Buns - Individually packed, this is ideal to take when you travel.

For the buns:

Raw rice - 2 cups

Urad dhal - ½ cup

Poha (aval) - ½ (good quality)

Salt

For the filling:

Potatoes - 6 medium

Tomatoes - 3 medium

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Green chillies - 5,6 finely chopped

Curry leaves - few, chopped

Coriander leaves - few, chopped

Bun Dough:

Soak rice, urad dhal & poha separately & grind each separately ( mixi is enough).

Mix thoroughly, add salt & ferment well ( to ensure softness).

Filling:

Boil, peel & crumble potatoes.

Dice tomatoes.

Heat oil, add in order each after the previous ingredient is lightly fried – mustard seeds, urad dhal, tomatoes, green chillies, curry leaves & coriander leaves.

When the mixture is fairly dry, add potatoes, haldi & dalt.

Mix & mash till it becomes thick.

Stuffing the buns:

Heat a greased tava on the flame.

Put ¼ cup of batter – do not spread.

On that spread a few spoonfuls of filling evenly.

Pour some batter over it & quickly spread thinly with the back of a spoon till masala is covered completely.

Add little oil around, cover & cook on a low flame.


When the lower side is cooked & starts turning golden, gently & carefully overturn it.

Press it gently on all sides, cover again & cook till the othe side is also cooked.

 

Kunukku - It is a snack, almost forgotten !

Gram dhal - ½ cup

Tur dhal - ½ cup

Urad dhal - ¼ cup

Raw rice - ¼ cup

Red chillies - 5,6

Green chillies - 2,3 (optional)

Grated coconut - ¼ cup

Hing, salt

Curry leaves - few, chopped

Coriander leaves - few, chopped

Oil - to deep fry

Wash & soak all the above dhals & rice together in water with red chillies for2 hrs.

Drain, add hing, salt & grind like coarse rava like paste.

Add coconut, chopped leaves & chopped green chillies .

A food prcocessor can be used best.

Heat oil.

Don’t roll into balls, but take a handful of dough & drop small portions from it in the oil& deep fry.

When well fried, transfer to a kitchen tissue.

If preferred, chopped small onions can be added after grinding.

Serve with coconut chutney.

 

Pasiparuppu idli with Mango-giger Chutney - Unusual combination.

Pasiparuupu Idli:

Moong dhal - 1 cup

Urad dhal - ½ cup

Salt

To temper:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Coarsely powdered pepper & jeera - 2 tsp

Finely chopped green chillies - 1 tsp

Finely chopped ginger - 1 tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Curry leaves - few, chopped

Coriander leaves - few, chopped.

Wash & soak moong dhal in water for 3 hrs.

Wash once & soak urad dhal in ½ cup water in the fridge for 1 hr.

Grind urad dhal adding water little by little, till it becomes fluffy.

Grind moong dhal to a coarse (rava like ) paste – keep a watch, this grinds very fast !

Mix both with salt & allow to ferment.

6-8 hrs fermentation is enough since moong dhal will become sour.

Temper all the given ingredients.

Mix lightly & make idlis as usual.

It is optional to add 1 tbsp coconut pieces & 2 tbsp soaked & well drained gram dhal to the dough.

Mango-Ginger Chutney:

Grated mongo-ginger - 1 cup

Red chillies - 4,5

Small onions, chopped - 3 tbsp

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp (or to taste)

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt

To temper in 1 tsp oil:

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Hing - ¼ tsp

Curry leaves - few

Heat 1 tbsp oil, fry red chillies & onions for a few mts.

Lower the flame & add coconut & mango ginger lightly & switch off.

Let them remain in the heat for sometime.

Then grind them with salt & tamarind to a chutney.

Temper as given.

Since all ingredients are fried, this keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days.

 

Bajji - Who does'nt love this snack ?

For SBS photos, lease go to
Bajjis (1)
Bajjis (2)

Besan - 1 cup

Rice flour - ½ cup

Cornflour - 2 tbsp

Chilli powder - as per taste

Omum - ¼ tsp

Cooking soda - ¼ tsp

Dosai mavu - 4 tbsp (if, available only)

Salt

Oil - to deep fry

Vegetables of your choice

Mix besan, rice flour, corn flour, salt, chilli powder & omum well.

Keep oil for frying ready.

Now add about 2-3 tbsp hot oil & soda to the mixture.

Mix well.

Add dosai mavu & enough water & WHISK thoroughly to get the bajji batter.

This can be best done by a Food Processor - either blade.

You must really beat up, rather whisk the batter very well.

This step ensures good, crisp, fluffy bajjis.

Potatoes, banana, ridge gourd, brinjal:

Slice thin, dip in batter & deep fry, turning well to get a uniform colour.

Cauliflower:

Break into florettes, put in salt water for sometime.

Remove & put in boiling water, switch off the flame, cover & keep for sometime.

Drain & proceed.

Capsicum & onion:

Slice into rings & make bajjis.

This makes crisper bajjis

 

Pesarattu & Ginger Chutney - Chala Ruchikaramaina Padartham.

For SBS photos,please go to - http://www.indusladies.com/forums/968313-post6.html

Pesarattu & Ginger chutney are " made for eachother" !

Besides, pesarattu & upma also make a great combination , which is very famous in Andhra.

Pesarattu:

Whole green gram - 1 cup

Raw rice - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 5,6

Ginger - 1 ½”

Hing - ½ tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Salt

To sprinkle on pesarattu:

Finely chopped onions - 1 cup

Finely chopped coriander leaves - ½ cup

Finely chopped green chillies - 2 tsp

Wash & soak moong & rice together for minimum 6 hrs.

Strain , add green chillies, ginger & salt.

Grind just before making pesarattu, to a rava like paste.

Add jeera & hing.

Keep the tava on medium heat and grease it with little oil.

Pour a ladleful of paste on it and spread it into a thin round layer like a pan cake and drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil around the edges of pesarattu.

Sprinkle small quantity of chopped onions, coriander leaves and green chilies on the pesarattu.

Cook until the edges become brown.

Lightly press the onions etc to stick to the pesarattu.

Then flip the pesarattu over and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of oil over the edges.

Cook it for a minute , keeping a watch that it does not get charred.

Remove from the pan, and serve the greenish brown pesarattu with ginger chutney.

Ginger Chutney:

Oil - 3 tsp

Red chillies - 7,8

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Gram dhal - 3 tsp

Chopped ginger - 3 tbsp

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp

Jaggery - marble size (optional)

Salt

To temper:

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Heat 2 tsp oil, add red chillies & both dals till they become light brown.

Add grated ginger & fry a little.

Cool, add tamarind, jaggery & salt.

Grind to a fine paste.

Temper as given.

Variation:

Make rava upma, the usual way.

Do not add the filling for pesarattu, instead after cooking both sides, keep 2 tbsp upma on one half of the pesarattu, fold over & serve with ginger chutney.
In the photo pesarattu is served with puthina chutney & red hot chutney.