Rava Dosa

Dosas are to South India what crepes are to France. The dosa is a large crepe made with fermented batter of rice and urad dal. Rava dosas, however, are made from an airy thin batter of rice flour and semolina, and can be made whenever one gets the craving to eat dosas. This batter is poured out on an iron flat griddle letting the batter flow in the pan. The pan needs to be hot so the batter does not stick and comes off easy.

Makes about 7 dosas
Ingredients:
Rava (Semolina) ½ cup
Rice flour ½ cup
Salt ¾ tsp
Soda bicarbonate ¼ tsp
Green chilies 2 finely minced
Ginger ½ inch grated
Curry leaves 2 finely minced
Cumin seeds ¼ tsp
Yogurt 2 tbsp
Water 2 cups
Oil for making the dosas
Method:
1. Mix the rava, rice flour, salt, and soda bicarbonate.
2. Add the green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, and cumin seeds.
3. Add the yogurt, and water mix well with a whisk till no lumps are formed.
4. Set aside for a few minutes, and get your tava or flat non-stick pan ready.
5. Heat the tava, add ½ tsp oil, and use a cut onion to spread the oil on the tava.
6. Pour a ladleful about ½ cup batter on the hot tava in a circular motion without touching the tava, see that you pour it in a thin layer, because it is hard to spread the batter with a ladle. The batter will have a lattice work effect, and a lot of holes.
7. Pour ½ tsp of oil and cook on medium heat. Cook only on one side till crisp and golden. Use a flat spatula to coax the dosa off the tava fold over and serve with chutney.

Usually using the cut side of the onion to clean the tava does the trick and I have hardly ever had a dosa stick. I also use a cast iron flat griddle pan to make my dosas.

Jeera , Cumin Seeds

Mythili of Vindhu is hosting a food-blogging event called 'Mistress of Spices', and we get to write about our favorite spice.
I’m choosing Jeera as my favorite spice for this event; I hope it’s not too late to post.
Cumin (Jeera) is usually used both as a whole seed or ground powder in virtually any Indian curry dish, which makes it one of the most important of all Indian spices. Cumin seeds can be either white or black. Black cumin seeds have a slightly sweeter and more delicate flavor than the white seeds. It gives that powerful aroma which many people associate with Indian food. Cumin also has a bitter and nutty taste. Cumin is identified with Mexican cuisine as well. Cumin can be found in some Dutch cheeses and in some traditional breads from France.
Cumin is an ancient spice and the use of which dates back to ancient Egypt, has been mentioned in the Bible, been used by Greeks, and been referenced in middle age Europe. Cumin is also known to be an appetite stimulant and believed to ease stomach disorders, such as diarrhea.
Cumin is the dried fruit of a small herb. Cumin adds flavor to foods, liquors and beverages. The spice is of particular value in the blending of Indian curry powder. It also enlivens pulaos, biryanis and kebabs. Cumin has digestive properties and when boiled in water and drunk, is very refreshing. It is also used in medicines, toiletries and perfumery.

Indian cumin grows abundantly in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Utter Pradesh. It is exported in its natural form as well as oil and powdered forms. Exports are mostly to USA, Singapore, Japan, UK and North Africa.
Lastly, my parents are currently visiting, and they insist on drinking Jeera Water, water boiled with Jeera and Ginger powder. This is a very common way of drinking water in Kerala, and in Malayalam, is called Chukku/JeeragamVellam; Chuka meaning dried ginger, jeeragam meaning jeera, and vellam meaning water. “Chukkuvellam”, the boiled and herb-infused water has become a trademark of Kerala. Tourists have been fascinated by this herbal concoction, often falling into the everyday habit of drinking it.

Tropical Smoothie

Frozen fruits like papaya, mango, strawberries, and pineapple which come in a bag, or any frozen fruit of your choice about1 cup
Any watery fruit like watermelon 1 cup cut into cubes
Honey 2 thsp

In a blender place the fruits and honey. Blend on high speed until smooth. Serve in a tall glass.
If you don't have watermelon just add 1/2 cup water instead.
This is a great smoothie, no dairy, and low cal. I usually have this for my mid-morning snack.

Baingan Fry (Brinjal Fry)

A FYI, an eggplant considered a vegetable is actually a fruit, and it originates from India. It gets more interesting, in the US, the eggplant was used as a table decoration till the 20th century. Didn't know that...Anyway I had gone to the Asian store to buy my weekly round of veggies. They always have plentiful varieties of eggplants in the store. For this recipe you can use any variety, they all turnout well.

Ingredients:
Japanese eggplant 5 cut like frenchfries, a little thicker though, 1/2 inch in diameter, and 1 inch long
Red onion 1 large sliced
Green chilles 4 cut lengthwise
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp

For the Tempering:
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1tsp
Garlic minced 1 clove
Curry leaves 5

Method:
1. Zap the brinjals in the microwave for 5 minutes.
2. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, let it pop add the rest of tempering ingredients as listed.
3. Add green chillies, then onions, saute for a minute.
4. Add brinjals, and salt. Keep stirring.
5. Cover and cook for 15 minutes on low heat, till everthing is fried well. Remember to keep stirring occasionally.
Goes well with a chapati or tortilla. Serve rolled up as a wrap. Yummy!!!

French Beans Thoran

I buy the French beans at Costco, and they are a staple in my house. Thoran is a dry vegetable curry , with the flavoring of coconut in it. My embellishment to this dish is the tempering which is slightly different from the traditional, mustard seeds and udad dal tempering. Instead I add cumin seeds and garlic which add a definite kick to the otherwise bland dish.

Serves 6-8

French beans 2 lbs chopped finely
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp

Grind to a coarse paste

Fresh/Frozen Coconut grated 2 tbsp
Green chillies 3
Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp

For the tempering

Mustard Seeds 1tsp
Cumin Seeds 1tsp
Hing a pinch
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Garlic chopped 1 clove
Curry leaves 4

Method:

1. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, once they pop add rest of the tempering ingredients in the order listed.
2. Add beans, salt, ground paste.
3. Cover and cook on low heat, till tender and dry.
4. Serve as a side dish.



If I am in a hurry, I zap the french beans for 5 minutes in the microwave, then the whole cooking process takes only 10 minutes or less.

Curry Leaf (Karipatta, Karivepalla, Murraya koenigii spreng)

I cannot think of cooking Indian food, especially South Indian food without Curry Leaves. It is hard to find them during winter in the Indian stores in Denver, so we decided to buy a Curry Leaf Plant instead. When Rajan went to Dallas, he bought the plant in one of the Indian grocery stores. Mine looks like the dwarf variety, which does not grow tall, but spreads its branches.
Its leaves are highly aromatic and are used as aherb or spice.. In Indian cooking curry leaves are used fresh in some recipes, while the most common method is to fry them in oil for the tadka (tempering of curries).
Curry Leaves can be stored in a Ziploc bag, in the refrigerator for a few weeks and they will remain fresh.
There is nothing like picking fresh curry leaves just the right amount when you need them for cooking.

Bhatia Nurseries in New York sells Murraya Koenigii (curry leaves) phone 212-221-7040.



Weekend Herb Blogging

Pumpkin Pachadi

We had the pachadi for lunch with the fenugreek dal from Mahanandi's website and rice.
I am home for the holidays which is a great luxury for us. I have almost three weeks off and get to spend time cooking and catching up on my reading, and now blogging.

Pumpkin Pachadi
(serves four)

White pumpkin- 1 cup cubed into half inch pieces
Yogurt- 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Mustard Seeds-1/2 tsp
Red Chillies-2
Curry leaves-4
Oil- 1tbsp

Blend the following-
Fresh Coconut- 2 thsp
Green Chillies-3
Mustard Seeds-1/4 tsp

Method:
Cook the pumpkin with 1 cup of water and salt till cooked.
Add the coconut paste and simmer for a few minutes till thick.
Let it cool add the yogurt.
Heat oil, add the mustard seeds, red chillies, once they splutter add the curry leaves, pour over the pachadi.
Enjoy with rice.

Vegetable Curry

Today is my first time blogging, we had some friends come over for dinner, and I served this Vegetable curry with Puris.

Serves about four

Cauliflower florets - 1 cup
Mushroom - 1 cup sliced
Peas - 1/2 cup
Tomatoes -2
Green chillies-2
Ginger-about 1/2 inch
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Hing(Asafoetida)-1/4 tsp
Chilli powder-1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder-1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped 2 tbsps
Canola Oil-1 tbsp

Method:
Prepare the vegetables.
Blend tomatoes,green chillies, and ginger in a blender.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add cumin seeds and hing.
Add vegetables, saute for a few minutes, till they get cooked a little, then, add the blended tomato mixture.
Add salt, chilli powder and garam masala powder, let it simmer and reduce to a thick gravy.
Add coriander leaves.
Serve hot with puris or any kind of bread.