Friday 24 February 2012

Whole Moong Dosa


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Whole green moong dosa or better known as Pesarattu in Telugu.This is a famous snack from Andhra Pradesh.Needless to say this is a very healthy breakfast item as it contains moong..


Ingredients -
For Dosa -
whole moong/green gram(1/2 cup)
rice (1 cup)
urad dal/black gram(3/4th cup)
chana dal(1 tspn)
fenugreek/methi seeds(1 tspn)
cooked rice(4 tbspns)
onion(1 medium)
salt
oil


For Sambar -
Yellow pigeon peas/toor dal(2 cups)
asafoetida/hing
turmeric powder
any of the veggies-eggplant/brinjal,drum-sticks,ladyfinger,bottle gourd/lauki,pumpkin.
onion(1 medium)
red chilly(3-4)
green chilly(2-3)
mustard seeds
fenugreek/methi seeds
curry leaves/kadi patta
sambar powder(2tspn)
tamarind extract(1 tbspn)
salt
fresh coriander leaves


For Garlic Chutney -
freshly grated coconut(1/2 cup)
garlic (2-3cloves)
red chilly(3-4)
salt


Method -
Soak the moong,rice,urad dal,chana dal,methi seeds in water overnite.
Next day morning grind all these ingredients together with water.
Add the cooked rice and grind again.I have used the previous day leftover rice.
Add the onion and grind again.Adjust the amount of water to get a desired consistency batter.
Finally add salt.
Heat a non-stick tawa.Take a laddle full of batter and spread in a circular motion to make a thin dosa.
Cover the spreaded dosa with a plate(covering helps in cooking faster).
Now turn it on the other side and cook till crispy.
Similarly make dosas out of the rest of the batter.


Sambar -
Pressure cook the dal with hing,salt and turmeric powder.
Chop the veggies.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add hing,mustard seeds and methi seeds.
Once they splutter add curry leaves.
Put in the green chillies and red chillies.Add the chopped onion and saute.
Put in the chopped veggies.
Add sufficient water.Then add the boiled dal to the veggies.
Add sambar powder and stir well.
Now put in the tamarind extract and let it simmer.
Finally add freshly chopped coriander leaves.


Garlic Chutney -
Grind together coconut,red chillies,garlic and salt.

Carrot Cutlet(Gajar ki tikki)




Carrot cutlets/tikkis are a healthy alternative to the typical aloo tikki..It is one of the options to include carrots in your diet :)


Ingredients -
carrot(1 medium)
onion(1 medium)
turmeric powder
red chilly powder
freshly grated coconut(2 tspns)
salt
bread crumbs
oil


Method -
Wash,peel and grate the carrot.
Chop the onion finely.
Mix the chopped onion and grated carrot.
Put in turmeric powder,red chilly powder and salt.
Add freshly grated coconut.This is optional but adding coconut makes it more tasty so we prefer it.
Make small tikkis out of the above mixture.
Roll them in bread crumbs and shallow fry.
Crispy carrot cutlets are ready to serve as a starter or as a side dish :-)



Monday 20 February 2012

Dates Pudding(Khajur halwa)




Dates or khajur is an excellent source of iron.It also contains many essential nutrients,vitamins and minerals required for the healthy growth and development of our body.So this is one such dessert which can please people of all age groups..that too without worrying :)


Ingredients -
dates(1 cup)
milk(4 cups)
sugar
ghee(2 tspn)
cashew nuts
raisins


Method -
De-seed and chop the dates fine.
Heat ghee in a non-stick pan.
Add the nuts,raisins and dates.
Keep adding the milk in batches.
Add sugar as per the sweetness of the dates.
Get the desired consistency and turn off the heat.
Garnish with dry fruits and dates halwa is ready to serve :-)

Friday 17 February 2012

Nankhatai(Microwave)



Nankhatai is the famous eggless Indian cookie.Anyone who has tasted nankhatai will agree with me that it is one of the most tastiest cookies..This is a very easy recipe for beginners like me in cookie making.So go ahead and enjoy these beautiful home-made cookies at tea-time or just anytime :-)

Ingredients -
all purpose flour(maida)-1 cup
caster sugar(powdered sugar)-1/2 cup
ghee-1/2 cup
baking powder-a pinch

Method -
Mix the maida and baking powder.
Beat the sugar and ghee well.
Now put in the maida little by little into the sugar-ghee mixture.
Mix it till a dough is formed.
Keep this dough aside for about 30min.
Preheat the microwave to 180deg.
Make small balls out of the dough.
Grease the glass plate with ghee and place the balls keeping some distance between each of them.
Set the convection option of microwave for about 20min.
Once done you will notice some cracks appear over the surface of the cookies.
Let them cool and then store in an air-tight container.
This recipe makes around 9-10 nankhatais.


Monday 13 February 2012

Pithe(Sweet dimsum)




Pithe is a type of dimsum which is common in the eastern states of India.It is typically made out of rice flour.This is a very famous dish which is prepared in Bengal during Makar Sankranti.I know I am posting it very late.. but ofcourse it can be prepared anytime during the year as a dessert :-)


Ingredients -
rice flour(1 cup)
freshly grated coconut(1/2 cup)
milk(1L)
sugar
dates jaggery(khejur gur)


Method -
Heat the milk.Let it reduce and condense.
Make a dough of the rice flour with water.
Prepare small balls out of the rice flour.
Stuff in the freshly grated coconut in these balls to form dumplings just like how we make stuffed parathas.
You can make dumplings of any shape as you like.(see pic below)
Now add jaggery in the milk for sweetness.If required add little sugar also.The sweetness can be varied as per your choice.
Now put the dumplings in the milk and let it cook for about 5-10 min.
Turn off the flame.
Dudher Pithe is ready to serve :-)



Wednesday 8 February 2012

Radish/Mooli Paratha




Radish/mooli is a root vegetable.Many people are reluctant to use this because of its bad smell.But after making these parathas I am not bothered about the smell :) If you do not trust me give it a try and check out...


Ingredients -
radish/mooli
cumin seeds/jeera
ginger(1 small piece)
green chillies(3-4)
red chilly powder
turmeric powder
garam masala powder
salt
oil
fresh coriander leaves
wheat flour(atta)


Method -
Wash and peel the radish.
Grate it and apply salt and turmeric powder to it.
Let it stand for sometime so that the excess water drains off.
Chop the green chillies and ginger finely.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan.
Add jeera,green chillies and ginger.
Squeeze out the water from the radish.
Now add the radish,chopped coriander leaves,red chilly powder and garam masala powder.
Add salt if required as per taste.Let it cook till the raddish gets dry(for about 3-4min).
Cool the mixture completely before making the parathas.
Take atta in a bowl.Add a pinch of salt to it and knead it with water to form a dough.
The dough should not be very soft.Make circular balls out of the dough.
Take one ball, roll it to form a small roti with the help of a rolling pin.
Put the stuffing inside and close all the ends.
Now roll this slowly to form a paratha.
Similarly make parathas with the rest of the dough.
Heat a tawa and fry the parathas on both sides with ghee.
Serve hot mooli ke parathe with any sabzi of your choice :-)



Thursday 2 February 2012

Milk Cake/Milk Burfi




Milk cake is one of the most tasty milk sweets as per my opinion :).This is a very easy recipe I am sharing which you can prepare at home and have it whenever you like..so go ahead and give it a try..


Ingredients -
500ml milk
1 lemon
milk powder(3 tbspn)
powdered sugar(5-6 tbspn)
ghee
cardamom/elaichi powder


Method -
Take the milk in a pot and get it to a boil.
Squeeze 1 lemon juice in the milk so that it curdles(separates into water) and forms into cheese.
Drain out the remaining water and collect the cheese in a muslin cloth.
Keep some weight over the cheese so that the excess water is drained out.
Knead this cheese well with your hand.
Now add milk powder and sugar to the cheese and mix.
Heat ghee on a non-stick pan.
Put in the cheese mixture on the pan.
Fry on low heat till it comes to a desired consistency.
If the mixture is kept for a long time the cheese will get hard.In case that happens add little milk to get the consistency.
Sprinkle cardamom powder and let it cool to room temperature.
Then refrigerate it for 5-6 hours.
Cut into desired shape you like and milk cake/burfi is ready to serve :-)