Sooji Dhokla

Prep Time: 20 min
Soaking Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Serves: 2 to3

Ingredients

1. Coarse Sooji / Upma rava (dry roasted & cooled) - 1 cup
2. Fresh thick curd - 3 to 4 tbsp
3. Water - 1.25 cups
4. Lemon juice - 2 tsp
5. Turmeric powder - pinch
6. Eno fruit salt - 1 tsp
7. Fresh tender ginger (grated) - 2 tsp
8. Green chilly (deseeded & chopped finely) - 1 medium sized
9. Vegetable Oil - 2 tbsp
10. Vegetable oil (to grease pan) - 1 tbsp
11. Salt - to taste
12. Sugar - 1/2 tsp

For seasoning

1. Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
3. Sesame seeds - 2 tsp
4. Asafoetida powder - pinch
5. Curry leaves - 12 to 15
6. Dry red chillies (vertically slit & deseeded) - 4 to 5
7. Green chillies (vertically slit & deseeded) - 4 to 5

For garnishing

1. Fresh/frozen grated coconut (optional but recommended) - 2 tbsp
2. Cilantro (finely chopped) - 3 tbsp

Method

1. Dry roast rava until light brown; set aside to cool.
2. Beat curd well, add water, salt, sugar, lemon juice, turmeric powder, grated ginger, chopped green chillies; combine well.
3. Add the above spiced curd water to the roasted and cooled rava; add vegetable oil; set aside for twenty min.
4. Transfer sooji mixture in to a vessel, do not cover with lid; steam cook for about 15 min without the cooker weight.
5. Meanwhile heat oil in a tadka ladle; add mustard seeds & let it splutter.
6. Add sesame seeds; saute for a min or two on low flame.
7. Add asafoetida powder, curry leaves & saute for a min.
8. Switch off gas; add vertically slit, deseeded green chillies, red chillies; mix well & set aside.
9. Once sooji dhokla is done, give a standing time to the pressure cooker (say for about 15 min) before opening the lid.
10. Cool dhokla completely before cutting them in to desired shapes or else they stick to the pan.
11. Season & garnish with the above mentioned ingredients.
12. Serve along with green chutney and dates, tamarind chutney.

Tomato Thokku

Other names - Thakkali Thokku / Thakkali Oorugai / Tomato Pickle

Prep Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 45 to 50 min
Shelf Life: For about a month or two when refrigerated.

Ingredients

1. Tomatoes (Bangalore Thakkali) - 24 medium sized
2. Tamarind extract (neither thick nor too thin) - 1/2 cup
3. Red chilly powder - 4 tbsp
4. Thick jaggery extract - 2 tsp
5. Sesame oil - 1/2 cup
6. Salt - 3.25 tbsp

For seasoning

1. Sesame oil - 1/4 cup
2. Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
3. Broken dry red chillies - 6
4. Fenugreek seeds (pounded) - 1.5 tsp
5. Fresh curry leaves - few
6. Garlic (crushed) - 20

Method

1. Wash all tomatoes one by one in water; pat dry & set aside.
2. Cut each tomatoes in to half, then in to four & then in to eight pieces.
3. Heat half cup of sesame oil in a heavy bottomed wok, add the tomato pieces & cook on high flame for about 5 min.
4. Reduce flame to medium; cook for about 25 min, stirring contents at regular intervals to avoid sticking to the wok.
5. Now add tamarind extract, red chilly powder, salt, jaggery extract; cook for another 20 min until oil separates.
6. Stir contents well towards the end of the process so that the oil separates completely; allow to cool.
7. Adjust ingredients according to taste.
8. Heat quarter cup of oil in another pan, add mustard seeds & let it splutter.
9. Add broken dry red chillies, curry leaves & saute for few sec.
10. Now add crushed garlic, pounded fenugreek seeds; saute for a min on low flame.
11. Set aside the seasoning for about 15 to cool completely.
12. Add the seasoning to the cooled tomato mixture & combine well.
13. Set aside the tomato thokku for half an hour.
14. Store in a dry, air tight plastic container / Tupperware / glass bottle & refrigerate for further use.

NOTE

• Adjust salt, red chilly powder, tamarind extract & jaggery according to taste.
• Can also grind the cooled tomato mixture (before adding the seasoning) to a smooth paste if preferred.
• Use Naattu Thakkali for that tongue tickling tangy thokku.
• Can reduce the amount of tamarind extract when using Naattu thakkali for the recipe.
• Pound raw fenugreek seeds using a Pestle & Mortar.
  

Bhel Poori

Prep Time: 25 min
Serves: 2 to 3

Ingredients

1. Puffed rice / Pori - 4 cups
2. Omapodi / Sev - 1 cup (or) as reqd
3. Pani pooris (left overs in my kitchen) - 10 to 12 no's

To saute the puffed rice

1. Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp
2. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Vegetables

1. Onion (chopped) - 2 medium sized
2. Carrot (grated) - 2 small sized
3. Cucumber (finely chopped) - 1 medium sized
4. Raw mango (finely chopped) - 3 tbsp
5. Tomato (finely chopped) - 2 medium sized
6. Potatoes (cooked, cooled & diced) - 2 medium sized

Other ingredients

1. Raw peanuts (cooked) - 1/2 cup
2. Dates & tamarind chutney - to taste
3. Green chutney - to taste
4. Chaat masala (store bought) - to taste
5. Lemon juice (optional) - to taste
6. Cilantro (finely chopped) - 4 tbsp

Method
Step I

1. Prepare both the chutneys the previous day & store in refrigerator.
2. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan, add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, puffed rice; saute for 3 min on low flame; set aside.
3. Wash, chop and grate the vegetables; set aside.
4. Soak coriander leaves in water for 10 min; gather all the leaves; wash leaves for about 3 to 5 times in water; drain; chop finely & set aside.
5. Soak raw peanuts in water overnight; pressure cook for about 8 whistles along with salt, turmeric powder; allow to cool; drain water & set aside.
6. Wash, cut potatoes in to two halves; pressure cook for about 4 whistles; allow to cool; dice & set aside.

Step II

1. Add sauteed puffed rice,crushed pani pooris in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add required amount of chopped, grated and diced vegetables; mix well.
3. Add cooked peanuts, chaat masala, lemon juice and mix well.
4. Add both the chutneys; combine well.
5. Adjust ingredients according to taste.
   
6. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro & omapodi.

NOTE

• Can substitute crushed pani pooris with paapdi.
• Can add more red chilly powder to the bhel poori for extra hot taste.
• Can also add roasted peanuts instead of cooked peanuts.

Stuffed Brinjal Roast

Other names - Stuffed Eggplant Roast / Stuffed Aubergine Roast

Prep Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: approx 45 min
Serves: 3

Ingredients

1. Brinjals (Violet & White striped) - 12 small sized
2. Tamarind extract (neither thick nor too thin) - 1/2 cup (adjust to taste)
3. Water - 3/4 cup
4. Vegetable oil - 3 tbsp
5. Salt - to taste
6. Ghee - 3 tsp

To grind to a smooth paste

1. Onions (peeled, washed, sliced & sauteed) - 2 medium sized
2. Thick jaggery extract (adjust to taste) - 3/4 tbsp
3. Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
4. Garlic pods - 10
5. Ginger (crushed)- 1" piece
6. Cinnamon - 1" stick
7. Dhania powder - 1 tsp
8. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Sambhar powder - 1 tsp
10. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Kashmiri red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
13. Salt - to taste

For seasoning

1. Fenugreek seeds (pounded) -12 no's
2. Curry leaves - few

Method
To quarter the brinjals

1. Gently discard the stems of each brinjal; wash & pat dry.
2. Using a sharp knife, quarter each brinjal from the bottom towards half way of the upper part.
3. Repeat same method to quarter all the brinjals; set aside.

To prepare the stuffing

1. Heat ghee in a wok / pan, add garlic pods, crushed ginger, cinnamon stick; saute for a min or two.
2. Add the sliced onions and saute for about 3 to 4 min on high flame until golden brown; set aside to cool.
3. Once cool, grind to a coarse paste along with all the other ingredients mentioned above.
4. Stuff each & every quartered brinjal with about a teaspoon of the coarse paste gently and patiently; set them aside.
5. Stuff all the quartered brinjals in similar manner.
6. Keep aside the left over coarse paste for further use.

To prepare stuffed brinjals

1. Heat vegetable oil in a pan, add curry leaves; saute for few sec.
2. Add pounded methi seeds; saute just for 5 to 6 sec until the aroma emanates the kitchen.
3. Place the stuffed brinjals in the oil along with the left over coarse paste and cook on high flame for 2 min.
4. Cover with lid and let them cook on low flame for about 15 min.
5. Stir fry contents at regular intervals to ensure even cooking as well as to avoid them sticking on to the pan.
6. Add the tamarind extract and three fourth cup of water.
7. Bring to boil; reduce flame to low; cover with lid and cook for about 15 min until fairly dry.
8. Open lid; cook on low flame for about 10 min until the brinjals get dry roasted perfectly.
9. Switch off gas & transfer contents on to a casserole.
10. Serve hot with steamed rice, sambhar, rasam, chapathis, rotis and phulkas.

Coconut ~ Roasted gram ~ Ginger Chutney

Other name - Thenga ~ Pottukadalai ~ Inji Chutney

Prep Time: 15 min
Serves: 3 to 4

Ingredients

1. Fresh / frozen coconut - 3/4 cup
2. Roasted gram dhal - 1/4 cup
3. Ginger (peeled, washed & chopped) - 1" piece
4. Tamarind extract (optional) - 1 tbsp
5. Green chillies (washed & broken) - 2
6. Water - 1/2 cup
7. Salt - to taste

For seasoning

1. Sesame oil - 3 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Broken dry red chillies (optional) - 1 to 2
4. Split urad dhal - 1 tsp
5. Curry leaves - few

Method

1. Grind all ingredients to a smooth paste using a blender / mixie / food processor, adding water little by little at regular intervals.
2. Heat oil in a tadka ladle on medium flame, add mustard seeds & let it splutter.
3. Add split urad dhal, dry red chillies & saute for a min or two on low flame.
4. Switch off gas, add curry leaves & saute for few sec.
5. Add the seasoning to the chutney & mix well.
6. Serve as a side dish along with idlies, dosas, pooris, upmas, chapathis, phulkas and rotis.

Bhagala Bhath

Other name - Curd Rice

Prep Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Serves: 3 to 4

Ingredients

1. Raw rice - 1 cup
2. Water - 3 cups
3. Whole milk (boiled & cooled) - 3 cups
4. Milk cream - 1/2 cup
5. Fresh thick curd (non sour) - 1 tsp
6. Salt - 1/2 tsp
7. Carrot (peeled, washed & grated) - 1/2 cup
8. Cucumber (peeled, washed, finely chopped & squeezed) - 1/2 cup
9. Pomegranate seeds - 1/2 cup
10. Ginger (grated) - 1/2 tbsp

For seasoning

1. Sesame oil - 1 tbsp
2. Curd chillies / More milagai (roughly torn) - 4 to 5
3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
4. Split urad dhal - 1 tsp
5. Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Curry leaves - few
7. Broken cashew nuts - few

For garnishing

1. Cilantro (finely chopped) - 4 to 5 tbsp
2. Seedless green grapes - 10 to 15 no's

Method

1. Soak rice in water for half an hour; drain water.
2. Wash rice well in water for about 3 to 4 times and drain water.
3. Pressure cook rice adding three cups of water for about 3 to 5 whistles.
4. Give a standing time to the pressure cooker before opening the lid.
5. Mash hot rice adding enough salt using a ladle.
6. Stir in whole milk little by little & mix well with the help of the ladle.
7. Add milk cream, curd & mix well once again.
8. Add grated carrot, chopped and squeezed cucumber, grated ginger and pomegranate seeds; combine well.
9. Meanwhile heat oil in a tadka ladle and add mustard seeds & let it splutter.
10. Add split urad dhal, roughly torn curd chillies, asafoetida powder, cashew nuts; saute for a min or two on low flame.
11. Switch off gas; add curry leaves & saute for few sec; set aside to cool.
12. Add the seasoning to the curd rice & mix well.
13. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro & seedless green grapes.
14. Serve along with home made mango avakkai pickle or any other pickle of your choice.

NOTE

• Cooked rice should be hot enough to be mashed; do not allow rice to cool.
• Curd chillies are the best substitutes for green chillies as they impart rich flavor & taste to the curd rice.
  
• Add less amount of salt while preparing the curd rice; add required amount of salt only at the time of serving.
• Add only a teaspoon of curd and more quantity of milk if the curd rice has to be served after long hours; add two to three cups of fresh, thick, non sour curd when it has to be served immediately.
• Can store the prepared curd rice either in refrigerator or keep it in a wok / pan filled with water when it has to be served after long hours.

Dates and Tamarind Chutney ~ For Chaats

Other name - Sweet Tamarind Chutney

Prep Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 35 min

Ingredients

1. Thick jaggery syrup - 1 cup
2. Black dates (deseeded) - 15 no's
3. Tamarind - small orange sized
4. Hot water - 1 cup + 1/4 cup
5. Water - 1.25 cups
6. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Kashmiri red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Fennel seeds powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Roasted cumin powder - 1 tsp
10. Black pepper powder - 3/4 tsp
11. Dry ginger powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Black salt - 1/2 tsp
13. Salt - 1 tsp

Method

1. Soak tamarind in a cup of hot water; set aside.
2. Soak deseeded dates in quarter cup of hot water; set aside.
3. Meanwhile dry roast cumin seeds; allow to cool & pound using pestle and mortar.
4. Squeeze out tamarind extract, dilute with one and a quarter cups of water; strain & set aside.
5. Grind dates in a mixie / blender / food processor adding dilute tamarind extract to a smooth paste.
6. Heat thick jaggery syrup, dilute tamarind extract, dates paste in a wok/pan on high flame for 5 min.
7. Reduce flame to medium, add red chilly powder, kashmiri red chilly powder & cook for about 25 min.
8. Reduce flame to low & cook for about 3 min.
9. Add fennel seeds powder, pounded cumin powder, black pepper powder, dry ginger powder, black salt, salt; mix well & cook for another 2 min.
10. Let the chutney become quite thick in consistency; whenever required dilute with enough water as per desired consistency.
11. Adjust ingredients according to taste.
12. Allow to cool & refrigerate for future use; stays fresh for about a month or two when refrigerated.
13. Serves best along with all the chaat items, samosas, kachoris, dhoklas, bhel poori, pani poori, pakoras and also for dahi vadas.