Rajgira Kadhi / Vrat Ki Kadhi / Farali Kadhi

A Indian kadhi generally is a spicy, yogurt based gravy which is thickened by the use of chickpea flour. Other flours are substituted for chickpea flour aka besan especially during the Navratri fasting season, a tidbit I have learnt from the blogging world over the years. I tried recently amaranth flour based kadhi aka rajgira kadhi and it turns out that even a basic version kadhi without all the frills can taste good too. No chickpea flour, onions, tomatoes, asafoetida, mustard seeds, turmeric or dried mango powder in this version but one wouldn't call this gluten free gravy a flavorless one. We at least didn't mind even a bit and I am sure that any kadhi lover would enjoy this amaranth flour kadhi as well. The lackluster color of the kadhi may be a giveaway that it may not be the regular version kadhi but one would probably just assume the lack of turmeric in it.

Whisk the yogurt well to a uniform consistency. I was lazy to do so when I made this and that's why the kadhi looks curdled but it is not so. If not using this as a fasting meal, feel free too use turmeric, mustard seeds, asafoetida, onion, salt and other stuff one would prefer in a kadhi. Even buckwheat flour or chestnut flours can be used in place of amaranth flour in the recipe.

Ingredients: (2 servings)
1 cup yogurt
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup amaranth flour
2 tsp. ghee / oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. ginger paste or grated ginger
2 finely minced green chillies or 1 tsp. green chili paste
Rock salt to taste
Minced cilantro to garnish

Directions:
* Whisk yogurt well in a bowl. Add amaranth flour to the yogurt and mix until there are no lumps. Yogurt and flour together can be whisked in a blender as well.
* Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they start to brown add ginger and chillies. Saute for few seconds and then add water.  Next add yogurt - amaranth flour mixture and rock salt to the pan. Continue to cook on low flame stirring intermittently until the mixture thickens. If the mixture appears to be thicker than the preferred consistency, add extra water and bring the mixture again to a boil and turn off the stove.
* Garnish with cilantro and serve warm. It can be served with any cooked grains allowed during fasting or rice / rotis.

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Menthe Thambuli

Thambuli, a side dish from the state of Karnataka is a yogurt / butter milk based one and can even be loosely called a raita. The word thambuli comes from combining two Kannada words 'thampu' and 'huli'. Thampu literally means cool and this dish is normally preferred in the summer months for it's cooling properties. The dish is usually on a milder side and involves minimal cooking. The thambuli / thambli varieties are mostly prepared using herbs or some seasonal vegetables and adding a few simple, roasted spices. Today's version is a healthy one and uses fenugreek seeds / menthya kaalu. 

Ingredients:
1 tsp. ghee
1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds 
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 - 3 byadagi chillies
A fistful of fresh coconut, grated
Salt to taste
1 cup yogurt 
Ingredients for tempering:
1 tsp. ghee / oil
1/2 tsp. split black gram / urad dal
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
Few curry leaves

Directions:
* Whisk the yogurt well in a bowl.
* Heat ghee in a small pan and add fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and red chillies. When the fenugreek starts to change color, add the coconut to the pan. Stir well and turn off the stove. Let it cool a bit.
* Grind the above mixture to a fine paste adding salt and little yogurt. Finally add the remaining yogurt and pulse once to combine.
* Heat ghee / oil in a small pan for tempering and add all othe other ingredients mentioned under tempering. When urad dal starts to turn brownish, turn off the stove. Let it cool a bit and add it to the yogurt mixture and mix well to combine.
* Serve it with hot rice.



This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon #100 under 'Regional Side Dishes' theme.

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Millet Daddhojanam

Millets in US has long been synonymous to being bird food or cattle feed even though they have been a part of human diet for thousands of years in other parts of the world. Millets seem to be back owing to the craze going on nowadays for the healthy, ancient grains. The most commonly available millet in (selective) American stores has to be proso millet. This yellow hued millet looks like tiny seed and needs no prior soaking before cooking. This can be easily cooked in a pan on stove top in about 15 minutes or can be pressure cooked. It tastes rather bland on it's own and can be eaten just like rice. Or it can replace rice in many rice based recipes, especially from the Indian cuisine. 

One of the American grocery stores in my neighborhood sells proso millet for around $1.50 per pound, which is economical compared to my local Whole Foods Market or the Indian grocers. I therefore stock up more proso millet variety than the other ones. The same millet replaces rice in today's daddhojanam / mosaranna / thaayir saadam aka the famous south Indian style yogurt rice recipe. Proso millet can be replaced by barnyard / foxtail / kodo / little millet. Use freshly made yogurt, preferably full fat one if not counting calories. Do not use yogurt which has gone sour. If packing / planning to eat later then replace some quantity of the yogurt with boiled and cooled milk. It is especially essential during summers when the yogurt can go sour in a few hours at room temperature.

Yogurt rice happens to be a perfect foil for the spicy Indian food or the tropical hot climate of the nation since yogurt is a natural coolant.  Lightly spiced and tempered with mustard seeds, roasted split chickpeas (chana dal), aromatic curry leaves and garnished with coriander, this dish makes an inviting meal. A gluten-free dish perfect for a south Indian style festival / picnic or brunch item. This also serves as a light, healthy meal on it's own and serves two adults.

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup millet
1 and 3/4 cups yogurt
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. roasted, split chickpeas / chana dal
1 tsp. split, skinned black gram / urad dal
1/2 tsp. grated ginger
A sprig of curry leaves
1 green chillie, chopped fine / 1 red chillie, broken into two or three pieces
1 tbsp. minced cilantro to garnish

Directions:
1. Rinse millet in two exchanges of water. Pressure cook for 3 whistles, adding 1 and 1/2 cups water. Let the cooked millet cool.
2.  Mix the cooked millet, yogurt and salt. Add more yogurt if needed. Replace some of the yogurt with milk (or pack extra milk) if the dish is going to be left at room temperature for hours, especially during hot climate.
3. Heat a small pan and add ginger, roasted, split chickpeas, black gram, mustard seeds, chillies and curry leaves in that order. When the dals turn red, remove the pan and add it to the millet - yogurt mixture and mix well.
4. Garnish with cilantro and serve as it is or with some pickle.

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon #98 under 'Cooking for two' theme.



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Greek Yogurt and Raspberry Parfait

My final post of this week is going to be this quick and delicious parfait which needs only three ingredients. This is one of those recipes which needs no recipe as such since anyone can blindly layer the ingredients. This recipe is child's play if one is using store bought ingredients.

The ingredients needed for this parfait are granola, yogurt and berries. The granola can be either a homemade batch of one's preference or store bought one. One can use either a single kind or a combo of berries they have on hand or even other fruit pieces. The yogurt can be a flavored or plain one. Even non fat yogurt will do.

I used store bought low fat granola and paired it with raspberries. The yogurt was a homemade low fat one with the consistency of a Greek yogurt kind. I am not mentioning the quantities here since one can use them as needed.

This makes a quick fix, wholesome breakfast during morning rush hours or when one is not in a mood to cook. Or when fixing breakfast for just one.

Pour yogurt into the bottom of a couple of tall glasses. Then granola and fruit. Alternate layers of granola and fruit with yogurt until glasses are full. One can sprinkle some slivered almonds or nuts over the top if preferred. Serve parfaits immediately to keep granola crunchy.

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Boondi Raita

Raita is a popular accompaniment to go with aromatic, spicy biryanis whether laden with meat or substituted with vegetarian options. A raita is a yogurt based condiment that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is usually served with spicy main course rice dishes such as biryani or pulao and also parathas - the spicy, stuffed flatbreads from the region. Pairing raita with a spicy dish is logical considering the fact that yogurt acts as a coolant. Boondi raita was an accompaniment to methi-potato rice for our lunch today.

Of course there is no one standard raita dish and variations are possible as the main ingredient can be altered or the ground spices that go into the dish can change. Today's raita is made from the plain, salted variety boondi. Now what is boondi ? They are prepared with chickpea flour and look like tiny golden pearls. A medium consistency batter is prepared using chickpea flour, salt and water and it is passed through a multi holed sieve into the hot oil and deep fried. The so prepared boondi can go into savory snack mixes or into the classic sweet dish from India, boondi laddu or motichoor laddu. One can easily find this plain boondi at snack aisles in any Indian store or at Indian sections in stores that sell international food.

Boondi is the star ingredient of today's raita and the preparation is quite a child's play when you use store bought boondi like I did. Boondi raita is an yummy accompaniment to any spicy rice dish or a paratha. The chilled raita can be even eaten as a snack on it's own since the cool, sweet yogurt, boondi and the spices gel beautifully well in this dish. The spices can be added or omitted according to one's preference and the quantities of the ingredients can be tailored to one's needs as well.

Ingredients: (Yield 2 servings)
1 cup full fat yogurt, chilled
1/2 cup boondi 
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp. red chili powder 
1/4 tsp. roasted cumin powder
Cilantro or mint leaves to garnish
(Chaat masala / black salt and/or ground black pepper can also be interesting additions but I don't use any.)

Method:
* Soak boondi in warm water for about five minutes. 
* Add salt to the yogurt and lightly whisk it for a uniform consistency.
* Gently squeeze the water from boondi without crushing them and add to the whisked yogurt. Add spices of your choice and stir to combine. 
* Garnish with minced coriander or mint leaves and serve as an accompaniment to the rice dish.

This goes to Blogging marathon # 89, under the 'Combo dishes' theme. Check out the page here to read what other marathoners are cooking.

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A - Z Indian Street Foods ~ E for Elaichi - Kesar Lassi (Cardamom - Saffron Lassi)

 I had seen as a kid often my grandfather requesting my grandmother to prepare whisked yogurt / buttermilk adding sugar, especially during summers. I would wonder why he had to drink that when salty version tasted way much better. That was before my palate got used to the sweet smoothies / milkshakes and before I got to learn that every ingredient used in traditional Indian cooking has a purpose behind it. I came to know later that whisked yogurt in some other parts of India goes by the name lassi and it is consumed for the cooling effect it has on body.

Nowadays lassi has gained popularity globally though the drink originated in India and especially associated with the Punjab region. Lassis are served at every meal at homes in some parts and this refreshing drink is quite filling and makes a great protein filled snack. It is not uncommon to find famous lassi parlours / lasssi bhandars in towns where the drink is popular. The basic versions of lassi are the healthiest where yogurt is whisked with a small quantity of water and either salt or sugar is added to get mildly salted lassi and sweet lassi respectively. Cumin powder may be used as well for salted version. Sweet versions may be flavored or pureed fruits added like mango to make delicious, exotic versions. The stores sell more richer versions with butter like the makkhan lassi or top it with malai (cream) or rabri. There is even the bhaang lassi, the cannabis infused drink served by some during the Holi festival in northern parts of India. In my husband's hometown of Kadapa, nannari lassi is more popular. It is prepared with yogurt and nannari syrup blended which in turn is made with the woody aromatic nannari roots that have cooling medicinal properties and sugar.

For my ‘E’ post today as part of the ongoing Indian street food series, I decided to go with elaichi / cardamom flavored lassi infused with kesar / saffron and topped with crushed nuts. It is a quick drink to prepare and enjoy, especially on a hot summer day. I wanted a thicker version and so, omitted water but replace a small quantity of milk with water. Add more water if you are preparing chaas or buttermilk. The quantity of sugar used depends upon how much sweeter lassi one would prefer.

Ingredients:

2 pinches of saffron strands

2 cups cold, full-fat yogurt

½ tsp. ground cardamom

Sugar to taste

Slivered pistachio and almonds to garnish

 

Method: 

* Combine saffron strands and a tbsp. of hot water in a small cup and keep it aside for a couple of minutes. 

* Blend yogurt, water soaked saffron strands, cardamom and sugar until smooth. 

* Pour the mixture equally into 2 or 3 serving glasses and garnish with nuts and saffron strands. Serve immediately. 

So far, on this series, 
A for Aloo Kabli
B for Bajra Vada
C for Chooda Matar
D for Dahi Batata Puri

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