Instant Rava Idli.

Instant Rava Idli is the best and healthy breakfast. Idli use to be only breakfast dish before in my house but nowadays it has taken the place in lunch, dinner and even evening snacks too. I'm a very big fan of idlis because there is no oil or any masala and they taste great without chutney too. Here in England I'm not able to make over night idli or dosa batter because of the horrible climate, since last 4days it is continuously raining. Keeping this climate in my mind I came up with instant idea using little bit of active yeast.. I know it wont give the same taste but it's better then nothing and I'm happy with it. For this rava idli instead of yeast I have used baking soda and they were very soft and spongy. If your idli is soft and spongy then what else you want.

Ingredient's.

1 cup rava (sooji)

3/4 cup curd

1/2tsp finely chopped giner

1 small onion, 2 small green chillis (finely chopped)

2tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Pinch of baking soda

1/4cup of water

Salt to taste.

Ingredient's For Tempering

1/4tsp channa dal

1/4tsp urad dal

1/4tsp mustard

Few chopped curry leaves

1tbsp oil.

Cooking Method.

In a big mixing bowl, add rava(sooji), curd, onion, green chilli, ginger, baking soda, salt and water, mix them all together well and set it aside for 10 minutes.

In the mean time heat water in a idli steamer and make tempering using all the tempering ingredients. Then mix the tempering into the rava mixture and give quick stir, add more water if you needed to bring it to the right consistency of idli batter. Now pour the ladle full of idli batter into the idli maker trays and steam them for about 15 to 20 minutes.. Take idlis out.

Serve hot with Coconut Chutney and Sambar.

Masala Vada / Sabbasige Soppu Masala Vadai / Dill Leaves And Lentil Fritters.

Dill Leaves Madala Vada.. Dill is a unique plant, because both its leaves and seeds are used as seasoning. It is rich in vitamin A, C, B6, folates, riboflavin, calcium, iron and other important minerals. Using of dill leaves in masala vada it is very common in south India and they make different varieties of fritters with this leaves. Even I love adding this leaves in different recipes and I cook dill leaves saag with potato, when goes very well with roti.. When ever I cook this leaves at home the smell of the leaves stays for atleast 2days and I love that and I rarely cook any fried items but when ever I cook I always make it a point to add fresh green leaves.. Adding dill leaves to fritters it gives a very nice smell and unique taste and you'll end up having more.. The people who are weight concious needs to watch out when you cook this masala vadai.

Ingredient's.

1 cup channa dal

1tbsp sooji/rawa

2tbsp besan

1 Onion, 3 green chilles(finely chopped)

1/2tsp fennel seeds

2tbsp chopped coriander and mint leaves

1 spring curry leaves

1 inch piece ginger

5-6 garlic cloves

Salt as needed

Oil for deep frying.

Cooking Method.

Soak channa dal for 3-4 hours. First grind ginger, garlic and fennel coarsely.

Then drain channa dal completely and add it in two batches and grind coarsely. (Not too smooth)

In a mixing bowl add grinded channa dal, fennel mixture. Then add onion, green chilles coriander and mint, salt, sooji, besan and curry leaves.

Keep a bowl with water and wet both hands. Make equal sized balls first for uniform sized vadas. Mean while Heat oil in deep frying pan. Shape each ball to flat patties of medium thickness.

Deep fry in hot oil until golden in colour,flipping once in between. Cook in medium flame to ensure even cooking and golden colour. Drain in paper towel.

Serve hot with tea/coffee or coconut chutney as side dish for vada .

Nippattu.. A Spicy And Crunchy Snacks.

I think now this is the right time for me to take few days break from my blogging. As I have a very special thing to do in my life and which is going to change my life forever... I know you all must be thinking what it is. But I'm not going to disclose it now, you all will know very soon, even I'm also waiting desperately to give this news.. Every morning I get up by thinking that from today my holiday will start but it is getting postponed everytime, so I decided what ever happens, from today only my holiday is going to start... Now enough of this hiding business lets come to recipe :)

Nippattu.. This is one of the very famous snacks in South Indian, in every kannadiga families this is must on Ganesh festival. This was there in my to do list from ages and kept delaying to cook and as you all know tomorrow never comes, so I have given a small suggestion to myself that if I have to cook something I should cook it on the same day and never put it on my TO DO LIST. You can serve them with tea or a coffee and they even make very good time pass snacks while travelling..

Ingredient's.

1/2 cup rice flour

1 tbsp all purpose flour

1 tbsp fine sooji (rava)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

10 curry leaves (finely chopped)

1tsp red chilli flakes

2 tbsp dry roasted peanuts

2 tbsp soak channa dal

Salt to taste

2 tsp oil

Water as req to make stif dough

Oil for deep frying.

Cooking Method.

Prepare the mixture by adding rice flour, all purpose flour, chilli powder, sooji, asafoetida, peanuts, channa dal, curry leaves, chilli flakes and salt. Mix all together nicely.

Heat 2tsp oil and add it to the above mixture of flour and nuts. Keep aside for 2 to 3 minutes.

Then, add water little by little to make it a medium density dough.

Divide the dough into 12 or 24 pieces to make the Nippatu.

In a deep frying pan. Heat the oil on a medium heat.

Take the dough, make it into a small ball, then press it onto your palm to make a circle or you can also roll it on parchment paper (make sure you have greased the parchment paper first).

Once the oil is hot enough (check by adding a little dough to the oil, the dough has to come up immediately), add the flattened (Nippatu), one by one.

Fry it until it turns golden brown color on both sides.

Nippattu is ready.

Store them in a airtight container and Serve with hot cup of tea or coffee.

Onion Rava Dosa..

Rava Dosa is a popular South Indian dish. It looks like thin crepes. Rava Dosas are quick to make. These crepes are prepared without fermenting. They can be served as a snack or part of a main meal. Initial days my rava dosa was terrible.. They use to be thick and never got the golden color. Slowly I learned to master it and now it is just perfect how it has to be. My hubby is not a big fan of rava upma, but thank god he atleast like rawa dosa. So here is the recipe of onion rava dosa in my way...

Ingredient's

Semolina 1/2 cup

Rice flour 1/2 cup

Maida 1/4 cup

Ginger, finely chopped 1tbsp

Green chillies 1, chopped

Whole black pepper 2 tsp, Jeera 1tsp

Onion 1, finely chopped

Coriander leaves,chopped 1 tblsp

Curry leaves 1 sprig

Salt as needed

Oil/ghee as needed.

Cooking Method

Take all the ingredients except onion in a bowl and mix water with it. Use a egg beater for easy mixing. Keep onions aside. The batter should be very thin of running consistency.

Heat a non stick dosa pan preferably. It should be really hot. Drizzle some oil and pour the watery batter, first to form a outer circle and then fill in the centre, just one layer. Immediately top the chopped onions in a sprinkled way. Add a tsp of oil/ ghee over it. Let it cook in medium flame until the dosa browns to a golden colour. It takes some time in medium flame. If you cook in high flame you may not get the crispy dosa. So cook slowly in medium flame. Do not flip, just fold and serve hot.

Serve hot immediately with sambar and chutney the best combo.

Chakli...

Ingredient's

2cups rice flour 

2tsp Urad dal flour

1tsp sooji (Rava)

1tsp maida 

2tsp melted butter

1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder

1/2tsp black and white sesame seeds

1/2tsp cumin

Salt to taste

Water as per reqs

Oil for deep frying.

Cooking Method

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Adding water little by little, form a stiff dough. 

Take the 1 star attachment and fix it to the maker. Alternatively take a plastic sheet lightly brushed with oil/butter.

Now take a small amount of dough and place it inside the maker. Press the dough on the plastic sheet and you will find the dough coming out shaped as per the one star attachment.

Slightly rotate the maker round and round until you make a circle. Press it until a sufficient amount has dropped into the oil and break off the rest of the dough from dropping - just stop pressing the maker.

Now fry them until done - You can make it red, light brown or golden as per preference.

Drain them on paper towels. Let them cool and store in air tight containers.

Suji Ka Ladoo

Though quick and easy to cook, this Indian dessert is very tasty and also hugely popular. It's perfect to make when time is short but you still want a special dessert. These ladoos can also be prepared on the occasion of any festival. These ladoos are very delicious and can be stored for even 15 to 20 days.

Ingredients:
500 gms Sooji/ Rava
6 tbsps ghee
300 gms sugar
500 ml milk
3/4 cup mixture of cashews, almond, raisin and dry cocnut

Preparation:
Heat a deep pan on a medium flame and when hot add the ghee. When it melts, add the cashews, almond and rasins and fry for 2-3 minutes. Drain with a slotted spoon and remove onto paper towels. Keep aside for later. In the same ghee, add the Sooji and mix well. Roast the Sooji (stirring frequently) till it begins to turn a very light golden color and give off a faint aroma. Add the sugar and mix well. Now gently add the milk, stirring all the while to prevent lumps from forming. If any do form, make sure to break them with the back of the stirring spoon so you get a smooth paste-like consistency. Cook the mixture till it is thick and begins to come away from the sides of the pan. Add the dry fruits and dry coconut now and mix well. Turn off the fire and allow the mixture to cool till you are able to comfortably handle it. Now form the mixture, a little at a time, into lime-sized balls (Laddoos). Press gently but firmly with lightly greased palms to ensure they have no cracks and are firm and smooth. Arrange the Laddoos on a lightly greased platter as you prepare. The Laddoos will become firmer if left alone for approximately half an hour. They are now ready to serve or store for later. Keep in an airtight container for upto 1 week.

Suji Ka Halwa (Rawa Sweet)

Suji Ka Halwa is one of the very famous deserts in north India, and my hubby's favorite too. He loves to eat sweet's. Last sunday he just told me to prepare suji ka halwa. This was my first attempt to cook suji ka halwa, i leart how to cook halwa from my SIL (Sister In-Law). I followed the same steps and guess what, it was tasty the way my husband use to eat in his home. I am always in a learning process to cook north indian dishes.Before my marriage,i had never thought that i have to learn all this. Cooking was not at all my cup of tea, nowadays i always think what to cook next..

Ingredient's
1 cup rawa
1/2cup milk
4tbsp ghee
Sugar as per the taste 5tbsp dry fruits (Almond, Cashew and Rinsin)

Cooking Method
Heat a broad pan, add 3tbsp ghee and rawa. Keep stirring continuously till it becomes golden brown, Then remove from the pan and set a side to cool it down. Clean the same pan from kitchen towel, and add 1tbsp ghee and 3tbsp dry fruits, sauté for few sec, add milk, roasted rawa, and sugar keep stirring continuously till the rawa is soften.
Granish with left over dry fruits and Serve warm or cold.

Wheat Dosa

Easy, breezy and lacy - that’s how I’d describe wheat flour dosa. I prepare this traditional, instant dosa when I am low in appetite. Because this dont take much time to cook..

Ingredient's

250g wheat flour 

2 tbs Rawa 

1/2tbs musturd seeds 

1/2tbs red chilly powder, 1/2tbs turmeric 

1 Green chilly, coriander leafs (Optional) 

1/8 tbs salt, baking soda 

Oil for preparing dosa.

Cooking Method

Mix the flour and rawa with salt, soda & water to prepare dosa batter 

Heat a tbs of oil, add musturd, green chilly, coriander leafs. saute for 30sec, & add this to batter, mix thoroughly 

Heat dosa pan, pour a laddleful of batter on the pan 

Spread the batter quickly in circular motion to prepare a round thin dosa 

Drizzle some oil over & around the edges 

Turn & allow it to get brown on the other side & remove. 

Serve with Chutney or Tomato salad 

Even without chutney it can be enjoyed as it is tempered.

Rawa Fish Fry

Very tasty and delicious Rawa Fish Fry influenced by a recipe from Northern karnataka.






Ingredient's
2 pieces of Fish (Any)
1/2 cup rawa
1 & 1/2tbs red chilly Powder
1tbs Garam masala
1/2tbs turmeric, 1/2tbs coriander powder
1/2tbs Ginger garlic paste
2tbs lemon juice
Oil as per required
Salt as per taste

For Garnishing
Coriander leafs
1 onion, lemon
1 green chilly

Cooking Method
Make a paste of all the masala powder, add salt, lemon, ginger garlic paste, mix it up
Then apply it on the fish both the side (In n out), Keep it in the fridge for 1hour
Then sprinkle Rawa on the fish and keep it in the for another 30minutes
Heat up the deep frying Pan add oil, when oil is hot, deep fry the fish to golden brown
Garnish with coriander,onion, lemon and chilly
Serve hot with (Drinks, or as a side dish)

Kesari Bhath (Rawa Sweet)

I had been thinking from a long time to prepare some sweet dish but here in Seoul its hard to find all the required ingredients(Grocery stores selling Indian food items are very less) so i had to settle with something simple but delicious sweet dish that is nothing but kesari bhath. Kesari bhat is very simple to cook and more ever its very gentle on stomach so you dont feel heavy after eating it :-)

Ingredients
1 cup Semolina (rawa)
1 cup Sugar
5 pcs Almonds, 5 pcs Pistas
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
2 pinches Saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
Few drops orange colour (optional)
3 tbsp Ghee
2 1/2 cups Water

Cooking Method
Heat ghee in a large heavy pan, add rava.
Stir and roast on low for 7-8 minutes or till aroma exudes.
Side by side, put water to boil, add sugar, bring to a boil.
Add boiling water to the rava, little at a time stirring continuously. Take care to protect hands from the spluttering.
When well mixed, check rava grain between fingers and taste for sweetness.
Adjust sweetness, and add more boiling water if grain is hard.
Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer till ghee separates. Save a small amount of almonds and pistas for garnishing.
Add colour if desired and mix well.
Grease a steel cup. Press hot bhath inside it, and unmould onto a plate.
Garnish with a few slices of almonds and pistas, serve hot
Kesari bhath is ready to serve..