PULI PONGAL

 

 

Puli Pongal is a tangy,tasty breakfast dish from the Tamilnadu cuisine. Puli - Tamil word for tangy and tart flavour. In this dish,broken rice rava is used. Tamarind lends a nice tangy taste to this pongal. Like pongal,consistency of this dish too is gooey. When I prepared this dish,my mom became nostalgic.She recounted her childhood memories of savoring this pongal along with sandigae ( fryums) for nreakfast. My mom explained that, in those days,rice was never purchased from shops as it was harvested and packed in gunny bags and stocked in many households.

After removing the chaff from the grains,it was packed in sacks. The broken grains in the sacks were segregated from the whole grains. The broken grains or rice rava was productively used in preparing many dishes :  puli pongal, rice upma or huli nuchu-  a sour buttermilk based dish prepared in Karnataka. But today,rice rava is easily available in all the shops.    

 

 

 

 

    

INGREDIENTS :

 

RICE RAVA-  1 CUP

WATER-  3 CUPS

TAMARIND- LEMON SIZE

SALT TO TASTE

 

FOR SEASONING :

 

SESAME OIL-   1 TBSP

 MUSTARD- 1 TSP

GRAM DAL- 1 TSP

URAD DAL-1 TSP

ASAFOETIDA- 3/4 TSP

GROUND NUTS- 5 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 2 SPRIGS

RED CHILLIES- 3 NOS

GREEN CHILLIES- 1

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/2 TSP

 

PROCEDURE :

 

1. Take raw rice in a mixer jar and blend to coarse rava consistency and keep it aside.

 

2. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract syrup.

 

3. In a heavy bottom pan heat sesame oil and splutter mustard seeds. Then add all the ingredients cited above one by one and prepare the seasoning and switch off.

 

4. Now pour the tamarind syrup along with salt over the seasoning and boil till the raw smell evades completely.

 

5.Pour three cups of water over the tamarind syrup and boil in mild heat.

6. Slowly transfer the rice rava and keep stirring in mild heat till the grains get cooked.

7. Switch off the flame and close the pan with a tight lid and keep it aside for 20 minutes.

8. Serve with a dollop of  ghee and enjoy with any kind of crispy snacks.

AKKI ROTI

 

Akki is Kannada word for rice. Hence,rice flour is the primary ingredient in this roti. Akki roti is an ubiquitous breakfast option in most of the households in Karnataka. Sabsige soppu- a particular variant of greens imparts an authentic taste to this dish. Since it was unavailable here,I substituted it with fennel powder. To make perfect rotis,your dough has to be in right consistency. 

 

If the dough is too tight,then the rotis will turn hard, if it loose,then the roti will disintegrate while cooking. With little practice,you can certainly master the technique of mixing the dough. There are two methods of cooking akki roti-  You can either flatten the dough on plastic/ parchment paper or banana leaf. Another  method  is flattening it directly on the tawa. I always find the latter method convenient. You can have it with any chutney of your choice.

 

 

 

 

 INGREDIENTS  :

RICE FLOUR-  1 1/2 CUPS

ONIONS-  2 NOS

CARROT- 1 NO MEDIUM SIZE

GREEN CHILLIES- 2 NOS

CURRY LEAVES- 2 SPRIGS

CORIANDER CHOPPED- 

FENNEL POWDER- 1/2 TSP

COCONUT GRATINGS- 1 1/2 TBSP

GINGER GRATINGS- 1 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS- 1 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

WATER AS REQUIRED FOR KNEADING

PROCEDURE :

1. In a wide bowl , take rice flour,chopped onions,chopped green chillies,ginger and coconut gratings,cumin seeds,fennel powder,salt,curry leaves copped,chopped coriander leaves and mix well with hands or ladle.

 

2. Add water little by little to the rice flour mixture and blend well.

 

3. You should be able to roll it like chapati dough. If the dough is not smooth enough,then add some water to it.

4.Now pinch out the dough and roll it into balls of equal size and keep it aside.

5. Take butter paper/ parchment paper/ plastic cover or banana leaf.  Flatten the dough on it. 

6. Brush oil on the tawa and heat it. Alternatively, you can also flatten it directly on the tawa.Now gently shift the flattened dough to the hot tawa. 

7. Drizzle oil on the surface and sides of the roti. Cook on medium heat. When  it is cooked on one side,flip it to the other side and cook until you can see brown spots on the surface.

8. Serve with a dollop of ghee or butter with any side dish of your choice.

Leftover delicacy # 3

 

 

 

 I stocked remnants of bharwa bhindi masala in the refrigerator. I utilized the masala as a stuffing for paratha. It turned out to be a perfect,tasty rehash dish. You can even use it in any kind of curry, but I found Paratha as an apt choice.

 

 

 

 

 

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INGREDIENTS :

 

WHEAT FLOUR-  1 CUP

 MASALA POWDER-  3/4 CUP

 OIL  FOR KNEADING THE DOUGH

PROCEDURE :

1. Knead the dough for paratha by adding oil,salt and water. Keep the kneaded dough aside for 20 minutes.

2. After 20 minutes, take a portion of the dough and flatten it. Place the masala stuffing inside and seal it perfectly.

3. Dust some flour on the stone and roll it into thick chapati.

 

4. Brush some oil on the tawa and heat it. When it is hot enough,place the parathas on it and cook on both the sides.

 

5. Slide the cooked parathas on a plate and serve it hot with a dollop of butter or ghee.

 

 

 

STUFFED OKRA / BHARWA BHINDI

 

 

 

 

 

Bharwa bhindi or stuffed okra is an appetizing dish from the Punjabi cuisine. I don't fancy okra ; my all-time favorite veggie is Brinjal / Aubergine. But I loved the spicy flavour and crispy texture of okra in this dish. Gram flour imparts the crispiness and mellows down the spiciness. Always choose big variant of okra , as stuffing the masala will be easier. You can serve it with plain rice,jeera rice and chapati. I relished it as a starter. 

 

 

 

 

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INGREDIENTS :

 

OKRA-   8-9  NOS

GRAM FLOUR- 2 TBSP

CHILLI POWDER- 3/4 TSP

DRY MANGO POWDER- 1/4 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER- 1 1/2  TSP

CUMIN POWDER- 1/4 TSP

FENNEL POWDER- 1/2 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

OIL FOR FRYING

PROCEDURE :

1.  Wash,wipe okra thoroughly. wiping prevents sliminess while frying.

 

2. Dry roast gram flour till nice aroma emanates. In a wide bowl take gram flour,salt and all the above cited spice powders. Add oil and blend the mixture together to a dough consistency and keep it aside.

 

3. Trim the crown and thin tail portion of okra. Make a slit on the okra and take care not to cut into halves. Slit should be intact. After slitting,check for worms or black spots.

4. Now take out a small portion of the masala mixture and carefully stuff it inside the okra. Arrange all the stuffed okras on a plate.

5. Heat oil in a flat pan. Gently place all the stuffed okras and cook in medium heat.

6. When the veggie is cooked.flip it to the other side and cook. Take care while doing so else the stuffing will spill out.

7. Slide fried okras on a paper tissue and serve.

WHEAT RAVA PONGAL

 

 

Wheat rava pongal is an excellent breakfast option.You can even have it for dinner,but since sleeping is a sedentary activity , it is advisable to have light meal for dinner. Wheat rava is rich in insoluble fibre,vitamins and minerals.It helps in maintaining blood sugar levels due to low glycemic index. There are varied dishes prepared from this variant of semolina : Dosa, pongal,upma idli,bisibela bath,kesari and porridge.

                                                                                                                     

 

   

 

INGREDIENTS :

 

 

WHEAT RAVA-  1 CUP

 

MOONG DAL-  1/4 CUP

WATER-    4 CUPS

SALT TO TASTE

GHEE-   1 TBSP

SEASONING :

GHEE-  2 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS-  1 TSP

PEPPERCORNS- 3/ 4 TSP  CRUSHED

CASHEW NUTS-  10- 12 NOS

ASAFOETIDA-  3/4 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 2 SPRIGS

GINGER GRATED-  1 TSP

                                                             

PROCEDURE  :

1.  In a pan heat a teaspoon of ghee and roast wheat rava till it is roasted with a slight change in the colour.

 

 

2.  In the same pan,add another teaspoon of  ghee and roast moong dal till nice smell emanates.

 

 

3. In a pressure cooker add 4 cups of water,salt and roasted wheat rava ,moong dal,a teaspoon of ghee and close the lid and pressure cook for 3 whistle and switch off.

 

 

 4. Prepare the seasoning by heating ghee in another pan. Splutter cumin seeds,crushed peppercorns,ginger gratings,asafoetida,cashewnuts and curry leaves.

5. After the heat subsides,open the pressure cooker and pour the seasoning over it and mix well. 

6. Serve with sambar and chutney of your choice.

ULUNDU THATTAI

Thattai is a crispy disc- shaped snack prepared by blending varied flours in precise ratio. This ulundu thattai is another variant, prepared from coarsely ground urad dal/ black gram dal batter. Ulundu translates to urad dal/ black gram dal in Tamil.If you prefer super-crispy thattai,then your batter should be of very coarse and of tight consistency. 

 

After flattening it, you have to make perforations on the surface with a fork or stick to prevent accumulation of air while frying. I love the softer version,hence I didn't follow the aforementioned procedure.

 

 

 

 

 

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INGREDIENTS :

 

URAD DAL-  1 CUP

RICE FLOUR- 1 TBSP

CRUSHED PEPPERCORNS- 1 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS- 1 TSP

ASAFOETIDA- 3/4 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

CURRY LEAVES- 2 SPRIGS 

OIL FOR FRYING

 

PROCEDURE :

 

1. Soak urad dal for 2 hours till it softens. Pass the urad dal through a colander. Drain the water completely

 

2. In a mixer jar take the soaked urad dal ,salt and pulse it to a coarse consistency. Don't add water,else thattai will become soft and soggy. While grinding,stop in between to prevent damage to mixie blades. 

3. Transfer the batter to a wide bowl, add crushed pepper powder,asafoetida,curry leaves,cumin seeds and mix well. Incorporate rice flour to the batter and keep it aside.

4, Brush some oil on the surface of banana leaf or plastic cover. Pinch out a small portion of the dough and flatten it on the banana leaf. 

5. Heat oil in a pan. To check the right temperature,drop a small portion of dough  in the oil. If it pops up,then you can fry the thattais.

6. Now gently slide the flattened dough one by one in oil and deep fry it. Fry till the colour changes to golden brown on both the sides.

 

7. slide the fried thattais on a papper tissue to absorb excess oil