Oriental Uthappam

For the final day of Blogging Marathon, I have selected this recipe under the theme '7 days of dal'.Before I go on,I just found out that this is my 100th post for the blogging marathon!!

The use of dals is not restricted to just making gravies and snacks.It can also be a centre piece in our menu like this oriental uthappam.Likewise the nutrient content of dals can be enhanced by sprouting them.Hence I combined these two factors for today's recipe.

Uthappam as you must be aware,is a thick pancake made of fermented rice and pulse combo- a thicker version of the South Indian favorite Dosa.We love to have uthappam with some topping instead of the plain ones. The toppings not only adds an excellent flavor, it is also nutritious and is more filling than the regular ones.

Do you remember the oriental curd rice post from the past?Ever since I got that pack of mixed sprouts and veggies , I have been going back for more as it is very versatile and one fine day I decided to make it a topping for uthappam.

I used:

Sprouts and vegetable mix - 1 bag,roughly chopped.The bag had bean sprouts,spring onions and carrots.

Dosa Batter

Idli / dosai Milagai Podi

Red chilli  powder and salt to taste

1. Heat a pan and put in the chopped sprouts and vegetables.Saute it for a couple of minutes. [Cook on high flame as the mixture will ooze out water when cooked in low flame and the mixture will turn soggy and runny.]
2. Add the chilli powder and salt and cook till the raw smell disappears.
3. Remove from heat and keep aside.In case the mixture is watery, be sure to drain the excess water before using it as a topping.
4. Heat a tawa / griddle and pour a ladle full of dosa batter in the centre.Do not spread the batter.
5. Drizzle a little oil around the edges if you prefer.
6. Once the edges start getting brown,and the top surface shows small bubbles,lower the flame and spread a little of the topping on the batter side.Sprinkle a little milagai podi to hold in the topping.Press down gently with a spatula.
7. Gently flip it over and cook for a couple of seconds and serve immediately as such or with a side dish of your choice.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page to find out what my fellow bloggers are cooking this week....

So far in 12th edition of BM under the theme '7 days of delicious dals'

Day 1 - Channa Dal Spice Mix
Day 2 - Adzuki bean gravy
Day 3 - Dahi Idli
Day 4 - Avarelaku gravy - Curried hyacinth bean
Day 5 - Spicy Moong Noodles
Day 6 - Zucchini Moongdal Kootu

This Day That Year...

2011 - Rose favoured agar agar pudding to celebrate my 700th post
2010 - Chocolatey banana tofu smoothie , Garlic dhal and the The confessions of a sore thumb....


Bon Appetit...

Zucchini - Moongdhal Gravy

Zucchini or courgette is one vegetable that I picked up from the farmers market after much hesitation initially. Once I started using it in my cooking, it became a regular in the shopping list.One of the dishes that I make often is this kootu / gravy that has become a family favorite.I prepare this in the pressure cooker so it gets done quickly and there is just one vessel to wash up later.

I used:

Zucchini - 1,medium size,peeled and diced
Moong dal -1 cup
Toamto-1,chopped
Onion-1,peeled and chopped
Sambar powder-2 teaspoons
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Curry leaves - a few
Salt to taste
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Coriander leaves to garnish

1. Heat oi l in a pressure cooker.
2. Put in mustard and curry leaves.
3. When the mustard crackles, put in onion and saute till light brown.
4. Next in goes tomato and cook for a few minutes.
5. Add 2 cups water and bring to boil.[Adjust the quantity of water based on the gravy consistency you prefer]
6. Put in zucchini cubes, moong dal, sambarpowder, salt.Mix well.
7. Pressure cook for 10-15 minutes or till the dal is soft.
8. When the pressure releases,remove the gravy into a serving dish and garnish with coriander leaves.

This goes well with Chapathi and poori...


Check out the Blogging Marathon page to find out what my fellow bloggers are cooking this week....

Sending this to Susan's - My Legume Love Affair #43 hosted @Chez Cayenee and to Hema's Double celebration event - Murari Anniversary Giveaway

This Day That Year...

2011 - Corn Pulao
2010 - Tangy Aval Upma and Vendakkai Vatral Puli Kuzhambu
2009 - Chole for bhatura



Bon Appetit...

Southern Flavors - Book Review

The minute you look at the book,it is bound to confirm what the book holds within itself! The click on the cover has a Southern touch indeed.This book - Southern Flavors by Chandra Padmanabhan, says it  gives the best of South Indian flavors.

A little about the author before going on to the recipes.Chandra Padmanabhan  has been this field for nearly 4 decades She has authored 3 best selling titles - Dakshin,Southern spice and Simply South.. The book Simply South won her the 'International GOURMAND award' for the second best Vegetarian cookbook in 2009.

Coming to the recipes,the book has a wide collection of dishes from Tamilnadu, Andra, Karnataka and Kerala.It has a collection of the author's favorite recipes from her previous three best sellers in addition to the 50+ new recipes featured in this book.

The contents....

The book starts with the Table of measures and the South Indian Utensils that you will require to make some of the South Indian dishes from this book.

It moves on to

1. Basic recipes which features the basic powders / spice mixes like sambar / rasam / curry powder  and even the method to cook rice,etc. - 7 recipes
2. Sambar and Kuzhambu - The south Indian favourite side dishes to go with steamed rice - 28 recipes
3. Rasam -  Also eaten with steamed rice, this thin concoction is a favourite appetiser too - 12 recipes
4. Porriyal and Kootu - Vegetable side dishes - 13 recipes
5. Rice - Features flavoured rice dishes. The South Indian staple, packed with different flavors and is ideal as packed lunches for work / travel - 16 recipes
6. Snacks - Can be light or heavy and can be a part of the meal too - 32 recipes
7. Sweets - Fit for everyday meal as well as celebrations and special occasions - 12 recipes
8. Accompaniments - dishes that can be paired with the main course and snacks - 20 recipes

 Each of these headings starts with a small introduction of the recipes that are features under each section.

After the recipes is a section that helps in menu planning - The Buffet spread. This section has 2 menus that has select recipes from the book.13 recipes listed under each menu would be ideal to host a South Indian buffet party.

This is followed by the ' Suggested Menus' section which features 5 menu choices .It has 6 recipes under each menu that is ideal for everyday cooking.

The book ends with a Glossary of the ingredients in English,Hindi and Tamil.

  Some features that I liked in this book:

• This book has some traditional South Indian recipes that are no longer seen in the modern kitchen.
• The pics of idli stand and kuzhipaniyara kal is worth mentioning as many from non Southern states may have never seen these before.
• Tips and notes in the recipe provides insights to recipes and also has mentions about the substitution of ingredients if needed.
• Each recipe starts with an intro that explains in a couple of sentences about the origin of the dish and the places where it is famous.

Recipes like  Nupindi Pulusu [Sesame flavoured curry from Andra],Kaay Hulli[Curd curry with veggies from Karnataka],Ghashhi [Chickpea curry from Saraswath community of Karnataka] , Kosu Carrot rasam [cabbage carrot rasam], Kadugu Chaaru [Rice water rasam from Andra] ,Sagalay [Stuffed aubergine from Saraswath community of Karnataka] ,Mosaru Godhi [Broken wheat with yogurt from Karnataka] ,Chepankilangu vadai [Colocassia Patties from Tamil Nadu] , Arathikai Pachadi [Green plantain relish from Andra] are some of the recipes that are new to me and as the names go- very intriguing...

Though there are around 20 full page colour pics of the dishes featured in this book, it would have been nice if there were more clicks.


I would definitely recommend this book for someone who has just entered the kitchen or who is planning to do so in the near future. This book is a boon for the newly weds. If you are going to cook South Indian food for the very first time,this book is worth keeping handy.And as for Bachelors, the simple recipes are sure to earn appreciations on the first try itself.

With a book full of delicious recipes,I tried a dish that sounded very different and tempting. A snack to go with our evening coffee that was light and perfect - Moru Appam.This is a savoury rice dumpling from Tamil nadu. It is similar to the Chettinad Kuzhi Paniyaram. This is a perfect recipe to use up the left over Idli / Dosa Batter.

I will post the recipe next week.Until then you can enjoy this tasty click....

The Book At A Glance

Book - Southern Flavors 

Author -Chandra Padmanabhan,

Publishers -Westland Ltd

No. Of Pages - 172


No. Of Recipes -140

Please note that I have not been paid to write this review.This book was reviewed as a part of the 'Book Review Program @ Bloggadda

Happy browsing...

Spicy Moong Noodles

In the orient I have seen, purchased and experimented with a whole range of noodles right from buckwheat, black rice,rice noodles, moong noodles etc.Each one of these have been used in soups, main dishes , salads and as snacks.

Moong noodles are made from green bean or whole moong dal. It is transparent and hence it is also known by the names - glass noodles / cellophane noodles.You can get this is various thickness.It is used in soups, main dishes and salads.This is used extensively in Chinese and Thai cuisine.

Since this noodle is quite bland,it takes in the flavors of the other ingredients that go along with it in a dish.Hence it is very versatile to use.

Today's recipe for the blogging marathon is an Indianized version of preparing this moong noodles- with lots of spiciness. Since moong bean falls under the 'dal' category, I chose this one as it is a different way of using the bean.....

Before we go to the method of preparation, here is a glimpse of the noodles I use...

Here is how to prepare this moong noodles in a dish of your choice....

Soak the required quantity of moong noodles in a bowl of hot water. Let it sit covered for at least 15 minutes.This will soften the noodles.When you are ready to prepare the dish, drain the water and add to the pan/ pot along with the other ingredients....

No wonder it is called 'glass noodles'..Can you see how transparent it looks in a bowl of water...

Now to the recipe...

I used:

Moong noodles- 2 blocks
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Sambar powder - 2 teaspoons
Red chillies- 3
Curry leaves- a few
Oil- 1 teaspoon
Roasted groundnut,lightly crushed - a handful
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves to garnish

1. Put the moong noodle bocks in a bowl of hot water and let it sit covered for 15 minutes or till soft. Since they are very thin, don't let it sit unattended for a long time.Keep checking to see if it is soft enough or else they will turn mushy.Drain and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan put in mustard, red chillies and curry leaves.
3. When the mustard crackles, put in the sambar powder, salt , a tablespoon water and mix well.Let it simmer for a minute.
4. Next in goes the moong noodles.Mix well.Simmer,cover and cook for a couple of minutes for the flavors to blend.
5. Remove from heat and serve garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander leaves - An Indian touch to the Oriental noodles.....

Note:

• Adjust the level of spiciness to suit your taste
• Instead of sambar powder, garam masala can also be used

Here is a simple,tasty and filling Chinese Style Noodle soup that will tempt you for sure.....

Check out the Blogging Marathon page to find out what my fellow bloggers are cooking this week....

This Day That Year...

2011 -  Instant Ragi Dosa
2010 - Noodle Soup For The 'Bored' Soul


Bon Appetit...

Avarekalu Gravy | Curried Hyacinth bean

Avarekalu / Hyacinth beans / SurtiPapdi is a fresh bean that is quite popular in Karnataka. It is used in various forms and today I am sharing with you two simple dishes that are excellent with steamed rice / chapathi / poori. This is yet another bean that I started using only after landing in the orient. Though this is available in my hometown in India, I have never made anything with it.On a holiday to India last year,my maid insisted that we have this planted in our small garden and we loved watching these plants grow...

Freshly picked....

Lil Angel was excited to see the fresh produce....

Okay, now to the recipes..I am presenting here two ways to use this bean.The first one is the way our cook prepared this for us..

She uses:

Fresh hyacinth beans - 2 cups
Brinjal- 2, small, cut into wedges
Pearl onions - a handful peeled
Garlic- 5 large pods, peeled
Tomato -1, large, chopped
Tamarind paste- 1 tablespoon, dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
Coriander powder- 2 teaspoons
Chilli powder- 1 1/2 teaspoons
Mustard- 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves - a few
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Salt to taste

1. Pressure cook the bean with enough for 2 whistles or till just done. The bean should not turn mushy.Drain the water and keep them aside [ bean+ drained water]
2. Heat oil in  a pan and put in mustard and curry leaves.
3. When the mustard splutter, put the onion and garlic and saute till the onion turns light brown.
4. Put in tomato and cook till soft.
5. Add the brinjal to the pan and mix well.
6. Put in the tamarind extract, coriander powder, chilli powder and salt. Simmer till the brinjal is almost done. Add a few tablespoons of reserved liquid into this mixture if it turns dry.
7. Put in the cooked beans and add water to get the gravy consistency of your choice.
8. Simmer for another 5 minutes and remove from heat.
   

Serve hot garnished with freshly grated coconut and coriander leaves along with steamed rice / chapathi

The next recipe is what I learnt from MIL .It has a more ' masala' flavor and uses coconut.


I use:

Fresh hyacinth beans - 2 cups
Onion-1,chopped
Tomato- 1,chopped
Mustard- 1 teaspoon
Oil- 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Grind to a smooth paste with a little water

Grated coconut - a little less than 1/4 cup
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Garlic- 4 pods
Fennel seeds- 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder- 1 teaspoon
Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon

1. Pressure cook the bean with enough for 2 whistles or till just done. The bean should not turn mushy.Drain the water and keep them aside [ bean+ drained water]
2. Heat oil in a pan and put in the mustard seeds
3. When it splutters add the onion and saute till translucent.
4. Put in the tomato and cook till soft.
5. Add the ground paste and a little of the reserved water [if the mixture is too dry] , salt and mix well.
6. Cook till the raw smell of the masala disappears.
7. Put in the cooked beans and the reserved water and simmer till you get the gravy consistency.
8. Remove from heat and serve garnished with coriander leaves.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page to find out what my fellow bloggers are cooking this week....

Sending this to Susan's - My Legume Love Affair #43 hosted @Chez Cayenee and to Hema's Double celebration event - Murari Anniversary Giveaway

This Day That Year...

2011 - Aloo Nu Raita -Potato Raita
2010 - Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Awashanzhai - A Chinese restaurant review


Bon Appetit...