You may sometimes find yourself in the middle of a discussion between what's better - dosas from the scratch or pack mix or using rice flour.. At least I have a couple times ;)
I think it's all upon your convenience and mood. I simply LOVE cooking, but there are times when I just say "Thank you Gits"
Here's my mom's recipe I used to follow for the longest time until.. for this you need to read my next post ;)
Ingrediants (serves 6)
1 cup Urad Dal
2 cups Rice
1 tsp methi(fenugreek) seeds (optional)
Preparation:
Soak the above ingrediants for 3-4 hours.
Grind them in a blender to an extra smooth consistency (make sure the dough is not too think or too thin)
Transfer into a container such that the dough only takes up a third of the room inside, you would need the additional room to give space for the fermented dough - you will know what I mean when you try this out, otherwise you may just wake up to a surprise ;)
Leave it overnight or by a window that gets sufficient sunlight during the day.
When you see the dough rise to twice its height inside the container, your dosa dough is ready!
Before pouring the batter onto a dosa pan, mix the dough and add some salt and a 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds.
Heat a circular flat pan until it's heated to medium-high heat.
You may sprinkle a drop of oil or spray some before pouring out the first dosa.
You would need a spatula with a circular mouth that can contain the dough as well as can be used in spreading it evenly in circles to occupy most of the pan's surface area.
Let the dosa brown, cook on both sides.
Serve with besan chutney/coconut chutney/peanut chutney.
** The key thing with dosas and idlis is fermentation process without which they just dont taste right. So make sure you plan in advance if you want to make dosas.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Chinese Broccoli Stir-fry
A good friend of Mahesh, Bentley, introduced me to this awesome vegetable! So now there I am at the chinese/asian supermarket every other week or month going for one precise reason, well I should say two - 1)Basil leaves 2) Chinese broccoli
This is the simplest recipe but with great results and very healthy for you, an excuse to get some greens in your body.
Ingredients:
1 bunch of chinese broccoli cut in halves
3 pieces of garlic chopped
1 whole red chilli broken into halves
3 tsp soy sauce (for low sodium, use lite soy sauce)
1 pinch of black pepper (optional)
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Wash the broccoli thoroughly, as the last thing you want is sand on your teeth. One minor fact that sometime people overlook is the manner to wash the greens - Never put them in running water hoping the sand/soil will wash away.
1.Make sure you wash them in a deep dish immerse the leaves in the water
2.Take them out into a second container by hand (Don't drain the water from the leaves instead as the left over sand lying as sediment will stick back on the leaves)
Repeast 1, 2 as needed. I do it at least twice maybe a third time if I still see sand in the water.
In a pan, warm a dash of olive oil (or sesame oil or peanut oil for alternative flavor)
Add the garlic and red chili
Immediately add the chinese broccoli, soy sauce and salt
Sprinkle a few drops of water and cover with a lid.
Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes and turn the stove off.
Serve as a side with chinese chicken fried rice
Or
Just eat it as a meal!
This is the simplest recipe but with great results and very healthy for you, an excuse to get some greens in your body.
Ingredients:
1 bunch of chinese broccoli cut in halves
3 pieces of garlic chopped
1 whole red chilli broken into halves
3 tsp soy sauce (for low sodium, use lite soy sauce)
1 pinch of black pepper (optional)
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Wash the broccoli thoroughly, as the last thing you want is sand on your teeth. One minor fact that sometime people overlook is the manner to wash the greens - Never put them in running water hoping the sand/soil will wash away.
1.Make sure you wash them in a deep dish immerse the leaves in the water
2.Take them out into a second container by hand (Don't drain the water from the leaves instead as the left over sand lying as sediment will stick back on the leaves)
Repeast 1, 2 as needed. I do it at least twice maybe a third time if I still see sand in the water.
In a pan, warm a dash of olive oil (or sesame oil or peanut oil for alternative flavor)
Add the garlic and red chili
Immediately add the chinese broccoli, soy sauce and salt
Sprinkle a few drops of water and cover with a lid.
Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes and turn the stove off.
Serve as a side with chinese chicken fried rice
Or
Just eat it as a meal!
Chicken Bihari Kebab
For the longest time I used to think that Bihari Kebab is only made out of ground beef. During my last visit to visit Mahesh's(my husband) parents in Atlanta, we went to eat at a restaurant called 'Lukma'. Mom ordered Chicken Bihari kebab and it was just delicious.
I returned to Austin but the taste just haunted me and I had to give it a try on my own. So I started reading online and I found there are several ways to make them with beef.
This is a recipe with some of my personal favourites in grilling ingredients that I tried with and found very pleasing results.
Ingredients:
2 lbs Chicken breast fillets cut in thin strips length wise
Marinade ingredients:
1/4 cup yogurt
1/4 of raw medium size raw papaya
1 tbsp amchur
1/2 lime freshly squeezed
1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp red chili powder
2-3 green chillies
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp Shaan Bihari Kebab Masala
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Cut the onions in wedges and saute them in a pan until they turn golden brown
Let the onions cool down, and then in a blender, grind the onions, green chillies, ginger, garlic and yogurt(for providing the liquid consistency while grinding)
Once that becomes a paste, add the raw papaya cut into pieces and blend.
For preparing the marinade, add the contents from the blender in a long dish (so the chicken pieces can sit lengthwise), add the rest of the marinade ingredients, add the meat.
Cover with a lid, and refrigerate overnight.
Cooking on a grill:
Make sure the heat is mild/low, as the breast pieces are very delicate and will burn off easily.
Take some skewers and arrange the meat in length.
Before putting on the grill, make sure there's plenty of marinade on all sides, especially the bottom of the meat.
Spray some oil for protective coating and effective cooking.
Let the meat cook on the bottom, do not turn the meat until the bottom is done completely else the marinade will not come off with the meat when you turn.
Cook to completion.
Cooking in a conventional oven:
Most kebab dishes taste good on a grill, however in this case, I found cooking in the oven more effective as we can carefully regulate the heat and broil it when needed in controlled conditions.
All the instructions are the same for placement of the meat and grilling, except the temperature conditions.
I cooked the meat on lo Broil settings until the 1st turn of the kebabs. For the second turn, you can put it in high broil as the breast meat cooks very fast. Really, what you are broiling at this point is the marinade.
Serve with yogurt raita or fresh onions and lime.
I returned to Austin but the taste just haunted me and I had to give it a try on my own. So I started reading online and I found there are several ways to make them with beef.
This is a recipe with some of my personal favourites in grilling ingredients that I tried with and found very pleasing results.
Ingredients:
2 lbs Chicken breast fillets cut in thin strips length wise
Marinade ingredients:
1/4 cup yogurt
1/4 of raw medium size raw papaya
1 tbsp amchur
1/2 lime freshly squeezed
1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp red chili powder
2-3 green chillies
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp Shaan Bihari Kebab Masala
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Cut the onions in wedges and saute them in a pan until they turn golden brown
Let the onions cool down, and then in a blender, grind the onions, green chillies, ginger, garlic and yogurt(for providing the liquid consistency while grinding)
Once that becomes a paste, add the raw papaya cut into pieces and blend.
For preparing the marinade, add the contents from the blender in a long dish (so the chicken pieces can sit lengthwise), add the rest of the marinade ingredients, add the meat.
Cover with a lid, and refrigerate overnight.
Cooking on a grill:
Make sure the heat is mild/low, as the breast pieces are very delicate and will burn off easily.
Take some skewers and arrange the meat in length.
Before putting on the grill, make sure there's plenty of marinade on all sides, especially the bottom of the meat.
Spray some oil for protective coating and effective cooking.
Let the meat cook on the bottom, do not turn the meat until the bottom is done completely else the marinade will not come off with the meat when you turn.
Cook to completion.
Cooking in a conventional oven:
Most kebab dishes taste good on a grill, however in this case, I found cooking in the oven more effective as we can carefully regulate the heat and broil it when needed in controlled conditions.
All the instructions are the same for placement of the meat and grilling, except the temperature conditions.
I cooked the meat on lo Broil settings until the 1st turn of the kebabs. For the second turn, you can put it in high broil as the breast meat cooks very fast. Really, what you are broiling at this point is the marinade.
Serve with yogurt raita or fresh onions and lime.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Besan Chutney
Surprisingly not many people know about this recipe or dont make it often in south indian families.. However I grew up on this and LOVE it a lot!
Ingrediants (for 6-8 people):
1 medium onion cut in length
1 chopped tomato
1/2 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
4 fresh green chillies
3/4 tbsp turmeric powder
1 cup besan (gram flour)
handful of chopped coriander for garnish
Chonk/Popu : 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp dry mustard seeds, 2 tsb urad dal, 4 curry leaves
Preparation:
Heat some oil in a pan.
Add the chonk ingrediants and let splatter
Add the onions, green chillies, ginger, garlic and stir until onions turn golden brown
Add tomatoes, cover with a lid and let cook till its a paste
Add turmeric powder and some red chilli powder if you need some more spice
Add 3 cups of water and set it to boil for approx. 10 minutes on medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, make a fine smooth paste of besan in 1/2 cup of water. Make sure there are no lumps big or small.
Add the besan paste to the boiling contents and stir.
cook for 5 minutes and set aside.
Garnish with shopped coriander leaves.
Time saver tips:
Substitute ginger and garlic with readymade ginger garlic paste bought from a store.
Serving suggestion:
Tastes best with hot idlies or dosas.
Ingrediants (for 6-8 people):
1 medium onion cut in length
1 chopped tomato
1/2 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
4 fresh green chillies
3/4 tbsp turmeric powder
1 cup besan (gram flour)
handful of chopped coriander for garnish
Chonk/Popu : 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp dry mustard seeds, 2 tsb urad dal, 4 curry leaves
Preparation:
Heat some oil in a pan.
Add the chonk ingrediants and let splatter
Add the onions, green chillies, ginger, garlic and stir until onions turn golden brown
Add tomatoes, cover with a lid and let cook till its a paste
Add turmeric powder and some red chilli powder if you need some more spice
Add 3 cups of water and set it to boil for approx. 10 minutes on medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, make a fine smooth paste of besan in 1/2 cup of water. Make sure there are no lumps big or small.
Add the besan paste to the boiling contents and stir.
cook for 5 minutes and set aside.
Garnish with shopped coriander leaves.
Time saver tips:
Substitute ginger and garlic with readymade ginger garlic paste bought from a store.
Serving suggestion:
Tastes best with hot idlies or dosas.
Peanut coriander chutney
Ingediants:
1 cup raw peanuts
2-3 twigs of dry tamarind (seeded or unseeded)
3 fresh green chillies (you can add 2-3 more depending upon your spice tolerance)
1 cup fresh coriander leaves
Chonk (popu): 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp dry mustard seeds, 2 tsb urad dal, 5-6 curry leaves, pinch of hing (asafoetida), 1 dry red chilli broken into pieces (optional)
Pre-preparation:
Soak the tamarind for 15 minutes.
Preparation:
Roast the peanuts on medium heat to just when they start releasing a nice roasted smell, and turn slight yellowish brown. Do not let them burn to a complete brown or they lose flavour.
Cool the peanuts to a room temperature.
Extract the pulp from the tamarind by gently kneading it with your hands.
In a blender, grind peanuts, tamarind, green chillies, coriander to a fine paste
In a frying pan, heat oil and add the contents for chonk and let them splatter.
Transfer the peanut paste to a serving dish, mix the chonk and cover with a lid to retain the chonk floavor.
Garnish
Decorate with chopped coriander leaves.
Time saver tips:
Replace raw peanuts with "dry roasted unsalted peanuts" that you get from most stores.
Replace the tamarind with readymade tamarind paste.
1 cup raw peanuts
2-3 twigs of dry tamarind (seeded or unseeded)
3 fresh green chillies (you can add 2-3 more depending upon your spice tolerance)
1 cup fresh coriander leaves
Chonk (popu): 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp dry mustard seeds, 2 tsb urad dal, 5-6 curry leaves, pinch of hing (asafoetida), 1 dry red chilli broken into pieces (optional)
Pre-preparation:
Soak the tamarind for 15 minutes.
Preparation:
Roast the peanuts on medium heat to just when they start releasing a nice roasted smell, and turn slight yellowish brown. Do not let them burn to a complete brown or they lose flavour.
Cool the peanuts to a room temperature.
Extract the pulp from the tamarind by gently kneading it with your hands.
In a blender, grind peanuts, tamarind, green chillies, coriander to a fine paste
In a frying pan, heat oil and add the contents for chonk and let them splatter.
Transfer the peanut paste to a serving dish, mix the chonk and cover with a lid to retain the chonk floavor.
Garnish
Decorate with chopped coriander leaves.
Time saver tips:
Replace raw peanuts with "dry roasted unsalted peanuts" that you get from most stores.
Replace the tamarind with readymade tamarind paste.
Peanut Garlic Chutney
This is an alteration of the Peanut Chutney for all the garlic lovers!
Ingediants:
1 cup raw peanuts
2-3 twigs of dry tamarind (seeded or unseeded)
3 fresh green chillies (you can add 2-3 more depending upon your spice tolerance)
3 peeled garlic cloves
Chonk (popu): 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp dry mustard seeds, 2 tsb urad dal, 5-6 curry leaves, pinch of hing (asafoetida), 1 dry red chilli broken into pieces (optional)
Pre-preparation:
Soak the tamarind for 15 minutes.
Preparation:
Roast the peanuts on medium heat to just when they start releasing a nice roasted smell, and turn slight yellowish brown. Do not let them burn to a complete brown or they lose flavour.
Cool the peanuts to a room temperature.
Extract the pulp from the tamarind by gently kneading it with your hands.
In a blender, grind peanuts, tamarind, green chillies to a fine paste
In a frying pan, heat oil and add the contents for chonk and let them splatter.
Transfer the peanut paste to a serving dish, mix the chonk and cover with a lid to retain the chonk floavor.
Garnish
Decorate with a dry red chilli on the top and 2 curry leaves each side of the dry red chilli.
Time saver tips:
Replace raw peanuts with "dry roasted unsalted peanuts" that you get from most stores.
Replace the tamarind with readymade tamarind paste.
Ingediants:
1 cup raw peanuts
2-3 twigs of dry tamarind (seeded or unseeded)
3 fresh green chillies (you can add 2-3 more depending upon your spice tolerance)
3 peeled garlic cloves
Chonk (popu): 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp dry mustard seeds, 2 tsb urad dal, 5-6 curry leaves, pinch of hing (asafoetida), 1 dry red chilli broken into pieces (optional)
Pre-preparation:
Soak the tamarind for 15 minutes.
Preparation:
Roast the peanuts on medium heat to just when they start releasing a nice roasted smell, and turn slight yellowish brown. Do not let them burn to a complete brown or they lose flavour.
Cool the peanuts to a room temperature.
Extract the pulp from the tamarind by gently kneading it with your hands.
In a blender, grind peanuts, tamarind, green chillies to a fine paste
In a frying pan, heat oil and add the contents for chonk and let them splatter.
Transfer the peanut paste to a serving dish, mix the chonk and cover with a lid to retain the chonk floavor.
Garnish
Decorate with a dry red chilli on the top and 2 curry leaves each side of the dry red chilli.
Time saver tips:
Replace raw peanuts with "dry roasted unsalted peanuts" that you get from most stores.
Replace the tamarind with readymade tamarind paste.
Peanut Chutney (Pallilu Pachhadi)
Ingedients:
1 cup raw peanuts
2-3 twigs of dry tamarind (seeded or unseeded)
3 fresh green chillies (you can add 2-3 more depending upon your spice tolerance)
Chonk (popu): 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp dry mustard seeds, 2 tsb urad dal, 5-6 curry leaves, pinch of hing (asafoetida), 1 dry red chilli broken into pieces (optional)
Pre-preparation:
Soak the tamarind for 15 minutes.
Preparation:
Roast the peanuts on medium heat to just when they start releasing a nice roasted smell, and turn slight yellowish brown. Do not let them burn to a complete brown or they lose flavour.
Cool the peanuts to a room temperature.
Extract the pulp from the tamarind by gently kneading it with your hands.
In a blender, grind peanuts, tamarind, green chillies to a fine paste
In a frying pan, heat oil and add the contents for chonk and let them splatter.
Transfer the peanut paste to a serving dish, mix the chonk and cover with a lid to retain the chonk flavour.
Garnish
Decorate with a dry red chilli on the top and 2 curry leaves each side of the dry red chilli.
Time saver tips:
Replace raw peanuts with "dry roasted unsalted peanuts" that you get from most stores.
Replace the fresh tamarind with readymade tamarind paste.
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