SEMOLINA / RAVA IDLI

 Rava idli,is my favorite variant. This idli can be easily prepared as it doesn't require fermentation.When running out of batter or bored of the eating the traditional idli,you can try this dish! Though the ingredients used in this idli are similar to the one used in upma;the cooking procedure and inclusion of curd ,makes it slightly different. I have prepared this idli many times,but it didn't make it to my blog !! Couple of years back,I wrote about this idli on Quora. I was really thrilled by the positive feedback. I would like to share the same here. 

                                                                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 INGREDIENTS

 

RAVA /SEMOLINA- 2 CUPS

CURD- 4 CUPS

 

SOUR BUTTER MILK- 11/2 CUPS (Optional)

ROASTED GROUNDNUTS- 1 1/2 TBSP

GREEN CHILLIES- 3 NOS

GINGER GRATINGS- 2 TSP

CORIANDER LEAVES-1/2 CUP

ROASTED MOONG DAL- 1 1/2 TBSP

COOKING SODA- 1/2 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

GHEE- 2 TSP

 

OIL-  2 TSP ( For greasing idli plates)

 

FOR SEASONING

OIL- 2 TSP

MUSTARD-1 TSP

URAD DAL- 1 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

 

ASAFOETIDA- 1/4 TSP

 

 

PROCEDURE

 

 1. In a pan,add 2 tsp of ghee and roast semolina till nice aroma emanates.Keep the roasted semolina aside. In the same pan,roast moong dal and allow it to cool. On cooling,grind the lentils to powder.

 

2. In a wide bowl take roasted semolina,roasted and powdered moong dal,salt,curd and whisk till it becomes homogeneous mixture.

3.Add chopped green chillies,ginger gratings to the semolina batter and mix well. Allow the batter to rest for 20-25 minutes.

4. After 20 minutes,take the semolina mixture,and add the tempered ingredients to it and mix well.If you find the batter thick,then dilute it with water or sour butter milk.Make sure that the batter,is of pouring consistency else,your idlis will turn hard.

5. Add roasted groundnuts,chopped coriander leaves and blend it well.

6. Prior to steaming,add the cooking soda to the mixture. For even disturbution,mix cooking soda in water and then add it to the batter.

 7. Grease the idli batter with oil and fill it with batter.

8.Steam the contents for 10 minutes and switch off.

9. Allow it cool and scoop out the idli.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MADDUR VADE

Maddur vade,is a crispy snack from the Karnataka cuisine. This vade/vada originated from the Maddur town,in the Mandya district of Karnataka. Hence,you van find this amazing snack in the nook and crannies of Karnataka. Google for the  fascinating tale behind the discovery of this amazing snack.This snack  can be readily prepared by combining semolina,rice flour and maida flour in equal proportion. You can either add cashew nuts or groundnuts for the crunch.

 

INGREDIENTS

RICE FLOUR- 1 CUP

SEMOLINA- 1 CUP

MAIDA FLOUR- 1 CUP

GREEN CHILLIES- 3 NOS

GINGER GRATINGS-1 TSP

 

ONION CHOPPED- 2 NOS

RED CHILII POWDER- 3/4 TSP

ASAFOETIDA- 1/2 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

CORIANDER LEAVES- CHOPPED

HOT OIL- 1 TBSP

WATER FOR MIXING DOUGH

ROASTED GROUNDNUTS- 1 1/2 TBSP

 

PROCEDURE

In a wide bowl,add above cited ingredients and mix to tight dough.

Always use hot oil/ghee while mixing the dough as it imparts nice crispy texture to vade.

Meanwhile,heat oil in a kadai and check if it is hot enough,by dropping a pinch of batter. If it pops up,then it is right time to fry the vades.

 

Grease plastic cover with oil. Pinch some dough and flatten it on the greased sheet.

 

Now gently fry on both the sides till it turns brown in colour.

 

 

BESAN KA CHILLA

 

 

Besan Ka Chilla,is a gram flour based pan cake from the North Indian cuisine. Besan is Hindi word for gram flour and chilla is pan cake.This nutritious pan cake,is mostly had for breakfast. The taste is similar to South Indian 'Adai'. But unlike adai, this dish can be easily prepared by combining gram flour with veggies. You can even add chopped spinach or any number of veggies  to the batter.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

GRAM FLOUR- 2 CUPS

 

WATER- AS REQUIRED

 

AJWAIN / CAROM SEEDS- 1 TSP

 

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

 

CHILLI POWDER- 3/4 TSP

 

GREEN CHILLIES- 3 NOS

 

GRATED GINGER- 1 TSP

 

CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES

 

ONIONS- 2 NOS

 

SALT TO TASTE

 

OIL- FOR ROASTING 

 

 

 

PROCEDURE

In a bowl take,gram flour,carom seeds,salt,turmeric powder,water and whisk to a smooth batter and set aside for 20 minutes.

 

Batter should not be too thick or watery. Hence,while adding water,take care to get the requisite consistency.

After twenty minutes,add the onions,hopped chillies,grated ginger,coriander leaves,chilli powder,curry leaves and mix well.

Heat a tawa,and drizzle some oil on it. Now,slowly pour the batter and gently spread it.

Drizzle some oil on the chilla and when it turns brown,flip it to the other side cook for some time till the brown specks appear.

Ladle out the cooked chilla and serve with chutney of your choice.

I had this with mor kuzhambu (Tirunelveli Style). Skim through my posts to peruse the mor kuzhambu recipe.

 

HYDERABADI KICHIDI

The very mention of kichidi,conjures up image of bright-yellow hued rice with a humble seasoning. There are a few variants of this comfort food. Other day, I steamed excess amount of whole moong dal. Hence, I reserved a cup of steamed lentil, after preparing moong dal masala gravy. I skimmed through my recipe repertoire and discovered a delicious kichdi recipe- Hyderabadi Kichidi.Unlike the North Indian Kichdi,this has a nice fluffy consistency.

The original recipe calls for masoor dal and basmati rice. Some even prepare it with split yellow lentils/ split moong dal. Hence,I bartered it with seeraga samba- aromatic short grained rice and the lentil I had steamed. Thus,this is my take on the 'Hyderabadi Kichidi' 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

SEERAGA SAMBA RICE- 1 CUP

 

STEAMED WHOLE MOONG DAL- 1/2 CUP  

 

WATER- 2 CUPS

OIL- 1 TBSP

GHEE- 4 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER-1/2 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

ONIONS- 2 NOS

GREEN CHILLIES- 3 NOS

GINGER GARLIC PASTE- 1 TSP

CARDAMOM- 2

STAR ANISE- 1

BAY LEAF-1

CINNAMON- 2

CLOVES- 4

 

CUMIN SEEDS/ SAHI JEERA- 1 TSP

 

MINT LEAVES- A FEW

 

CORIANDER  LEAVES

 

 

PROCEDURE

 

Wash and soak the rice for thirty minutes. 

 

Heat the pressure cooker,and add oil,ghee and all the whole masala ingredients.

 

Over this,add chopped onions,salt and fry till the onions turn translucent. Add mint leaves,chopped coriander leavea,slit green chillies,ginger garlic paste,turmeric powder and fry till the raw smell of the paste goes off.

 

Now transfer the soaked rice over this and add two cups of water and steam for one whistle.

 

Allow the steam to subside and open the lid and add the steamed whole moong dal and gently mix it.

 

Now close the lid of the cooker and cook for two whistles and switch.

 

If you are using raw lentil,then you can it along with the rice. Since,I had the steamed ones,I added it after a while.