Bhatt ki Dal

Bhatt ki dal is an iconic dish and a traditional recipe of the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand. This dal is prepared using bhatt aka locally grown, organic black soybeans though I have used the regular ones here. It is a typical winter dish which provides enough energy to suit the cold, hilly terrain. I had prepared this simple yet nutrition packed dal as a part of my Uttarakhand Thali a few months ago. The soy beans are soaked, ground and cooked along with spices which makes it as easy and quick dish. 

Recipe source: Here

Ingredients:

1/2 cup black soy beans ( I used the yellow one.)

1 to 2 tbsp. ghee / oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 pinches of asafoetida
1 green chili
1/2 tsp. finely chopped ginger

1/4 tsp. chopped garlic (I didn't add any.)
1 onion, finely minced

Chili powder to taste
1 tsp. coriander powder

1/8 tsp. turmeric powder

1/2 tsp. garam masala powder3

2 tbsp. wheat flour

Salt to taste

Directions:
* Soak beans overnight in water and drain. 

* Grind them to a fine paste adding a little water if needed.

 

* Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds and asafoetida. When cumin starts to brown, add ginger, garlic, green chili and onion. 

* Sauté until onion is cooked. Next add coriander powder, turmeric, garam masala, salt, chili powder and sauté for few seconds. Add wheat flour and cook until it starts to brown.

* Pour in the ground paste and about a cup or more of water to the pan.

* Mix well and simmer for about 15 minutes until it thickens.

* Serve warm with rotis.

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Musthi Polo

I thought of posting one more dosa recipe today which happens to be a popular and traditional breakfast dish from Konkani households. Polo means dose / dosa in Konkani while musthi means 'fist' in both Konkani and Kannada. Most of the ingredients used in the recipe were measured by fistfuls which would amount to approximately to 1/4 cup and hence the name. These polo are soft and fluffy and are prepared on the similar lines as the set dose, a breakfast popular in the eateries across Bangalore. Served along with coconut chutney or any other chutney of preference, these spongy dosas make a delicious breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice *
1/4 cup skinned black gram / urad dal
1/4 cup flattened rice / poha

1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds / methi seeds

1/4 cup fresh coconut

Salt to taste

Water to grind (I used a little more than a cup of water.)

* (I use extra long grain rice. Any rice can be used but not aromatic variety). 

Directions:

* Rinse and soak rice, black gram, flattened rice and methi seeds for about 4 hours. Drain the water used to soak before grinding.

* Grind finely the soaked ingredients along with coconut, salt and enough water to form a pourable but not runny batter. 

* Transfer the batter to a container, cover and let it ferment in a warm place overnight or for more time if living in a cold place.

* Heat a griddle and pour a ladleful batter at the center and spread only a little with the back of the ladle. These dosa are made smaller and thicker than the regular dosa. Drizzle oil around the edges and cook until the surface appears dry. The surface turns all porous if the batter is fermented well.

* The dosa can be removed at this point or flipped and cooked on the other side as well for few seconds.

* Remove the polo with a spatula and repeat the polo making process.

* Serve them warm with chutney of your choice.

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Avarekaalu Dose / Spicy Field Beans Crepes

Come winter season, streets in Bangalore area would be flooded with avarekayi, aka fresh hyacinth or field beans. A favorite of the locals, the bean is extensively used in cooking and enjoyed through out the season in the region. During my previous visit to India, I happened to see them surprisingly in the month of July when we went to eat at the Thindi beedhi / Eat street in V. V. Puram, Basavanagudi. We bought some avarekayi to try later at home while I tasted these dose there. 

Here is a delicious breakfast option using these beans if you are bored with the regular dosa and looking for a colorful and nutritious variation. These dose are prepared similar to uttapam with toppings thrown over though the dose are made with fresh batter. Feel free to use the measurements given below as a guideline and adjust the quantities of toppings as preferred. Minced dill leaves is a flavorful addition to this dose which I have omitted. Even spring onions can be used. 

Ingredients: (Yield - about 10 dosa)
4 cups dosa batter

Salt to taste

About 1/2 cup hitakida avaraekayi / skinned field beans *

1 big onion, finely minced

2 spicy green chilis, finely minced

Minced cilantro as needed

Oil to make dosa

* Fresh or frozen field beans can be used to make these dose / dosa. If using fresh beans, they must be skinned. 

Directions:

* Add salt to dosa batter if it was not done before. 

* If using fresh hitakida avarekayi, pressure cook for one whistle adding salt and little water. If using frozen beans, nuke them in a microwave adding little water and salt. Drain and proceed with the recipe.

* Combine cooked and drained beans, minced onion, green chili and cilantro. Keep this topping mixture aside. (Minced dill leaves, ginger and cumin seeds can be added if preferred.)

* Heat a griddle / tawa and pour a ladle of dosa batter at the center and spread in a circular fashion and quickly sprinkle the toppings generously over the dose covering it entirely. (Or pour a ladleful of batter at the center of the griddle and spread a little. Sprinkle the toppings over it and again spread the batter lightly in a circular fashion, with the back of the ladle so that the toppings stick better to the dosa.)

* Drizzle oil around the edges and cook until the surface doesn't look wet. Flip, drizzle some more oil around the edges and cook the other side as well.

* Remove the cooked dosa with a spatula and repeat the procedure with the remaining batter.

* Serve them warm with chutney.

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Uppu Huli Dose / Pathrode Dose

It is good to be back after the brief hiatus I had from blogging. I am going to post a few regional recipes from the south Indian state of Karnataka this week. The first one in the series is going to be a popular breakfast recipe from the coastal regions of Karnataka called uppu huli dose. Uppu means salt and huli means sour while dose pronounced 'though-say' is the local term for the popular south Indian breakfast crepe called dosa.  

These dose make a great alternative to regular dosas and the fact that the batter doesn't need any fermentation is an added bonus. All one needs to do is soak rice for a few hours and then grind with spices. The final batter would be slightly spicy, sweet and sour. One can add vegetables like any chopped greens, ridge gourd, or cabbage to the batter to make the dose more nutritious. These dose can be served with or without any side dish.

Ingredients for dose batter:
1 cup rice
1/2 cup fresh or frozen shredded coconut
3 - 4 dried red chili
1 tbsp. sized tamarind ball
1 heaped tbsp. coriander seeds
1 heaped tsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. jaggery or to taste
Salt to taste
About 1 cup water to grind the batter
Oil to make dose

Note:
1. There is no need to use sona masuri / Basmati kind expensive rice to make these dose. I used extra long grain rice which is available in bulk at Costco / Sam's club. 

2. If using frozen coconut, nuke it in a microwave for a minute to thaw it. 

3. Byadagi variety chilies lend a reddish color to dose.

Directions:

* Rinse, drain and soak rice in water for about 3 to 4 hours. Drain the water completely from rice after the soaking period. Add everything except oil to  a blender / mixer and grind them together to a fine batter. Transfer the ground batter to a container.

* Heat a griddle and pour a ladleful of batter at the center of it. Spread it into a circle with the back of the ladle. 

* Drizzle few drops of oil around the edges and cook it covered at low medium flame.

* When the bottom side is cooked, flip it and cook the other side as well.

* Remove and serve it warm with butter / yogurt or coconut chutney.

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Vegan Banana Bread

Banana bread is a favorite at home while it comes to quick breads category and this eggless bread is my to go recipe as everyone thoroughly enjoys it. I therefore usually don't go around looking for a banana bread recipe, to be honest. I accidentally came across this banana bread recipe at KAF which happens to be their 2018 Recipe of the year. I am a fan of their recipes and decided to give this one bowl banana bread recipe a try. It was a good bread though my pictures taken from a mobile don't do justice to it.

I substituted for the eggs in the recipe with flax meal eggs making it a vegan bread and prepared it using only all-purpose flour. I halved the recipe and baked in two mini loaf pans. This is a moist and flavorful bread and very forgiving when it comes to substitutions according to KAF. I have mentioned some of those here. The bread can be prepared using whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour alone. If looking to reduce the fat in this recipe, half the quantity of oil can be replaced with apple sauce or yogurt. Or replace the entire quantity of oil with full fat yogurt. Brown sugar can be replaced by white granulated sugar if that is what you have on hand. The oil in the recipe can be replaced by 2/3 cup butter if you prefer the butter flavor more. The banana can be replaced by applesauce to make applesauce bread. The walnuts in the recipe can be substituted with other chopped nuts and dry fruits or can be omitted if you have nut allergies. The batter can be used to make muffins instead but the baking time would be around 20 to 23 minutes.

Wet ingredients:
Any substitute for 2 eggs (I used flax eggs.)

2 cups thoroughly mashed banana (About 5 medium sized ones)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Dry ingredients:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I used walnuts, pistachios, craisins and raisins.)

Topping:

1 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

* If using flax eggs, combine 2 tbsp. flax meal and 6 tbsp. water in  a small bowl and keep aside for about 5 minutes or until it thickens. Skip this step if using eggs.

* Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Reduce the temperature to 325 deg F if using a stoneware or glass pan. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

* Stir together all wet ingredients in a large bowl. 

* Mix the dry ingredients into the banana mixture. Scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl and mix thoroughly to combine the ingredients. 

 

* Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon (topping) and sprinkle uniformly over the batter. (I didn't use any topping and sprinkled some nuts.)

* Bake the bread for about 60 to 70 minutes, until the bread feels set on the top and a toothpick or a thin knife inserted at the center comes out clean. (The baking time may increase by about 10 to 15 minutes if using stoneware or a glass pan.)

* Remove the pan from heat and let it cool for about 15 minutes. Loosen the edges and transfer the loaf onto a rack to cool completely.

* Th left over bread can be stored at room temperature for several days or frozen for longer storage.

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Vegan Banana Oat Waffles

I was cleaning up our pantry a few months ago and finding ways to use up those odds and bits from the bins. This recipe was an interesting find to finish off that last portion of the oats that were lying untouched in the can for months. Of course I could make only a small portion which my daughter thoroughly enjoyed for her lunch that day. 

These light and fluffy pancakes are gluten-free and vegan. These are made with oats, banana, almond milk and flax eggs. They make an easy and fuss-free breakfast. In fact, all you need to do is blend the ingredients and make waffles. They can be made in a big batch and extras can be refrigerated or frozen, stored in plastic wraps. They can be reheated in a toaster oven when needed.

Recipe source: Here

Ingredients: (Yield - about 4)

2 flax eggs
2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice

1 medium sized ripe banana

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1 packet stevia / preferred sweetener

Directions:

* For flax eggs, combine 2 tbsp. flax meal and 6 tbsp. water in  a small bowl.

* Blend all ingredients until smooth in a blender and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

* Meanwhile preheat the waffle iron. 

* Cook waffles in the waffle iron as per the manufacturer's instructions. Leave the waffles a little longer after the waffle iron goes off to make the waffles a little crisper.

* Enjoy them warm with any preferred toppings like maple syrup, fruits, honey / others.

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Chuda Santhula

Poha is a quick and tasty breakfast dish prepared in India under various regional names and variations. Poha, though usually associated with the state of Maharashtra is equally popular in other regions as well. The basic recipe involves rinsed flattened rice being tossed with sautéed onions and spices. There may be extra additions like vegetables, ground peanuts or coconut depending upon the region. Today's version comes from Odisha, a state from the eastern parts. This version is tasty as well and fennel seeds lend their unique flavor to it.

Below are some versions that have been posted earlier.

Avalakki Upkaari

Batata Poha

Chooda Matar

Coconut Poha

Gojjavalakki

Indori Style Poha

Lemon Poha

Milagu Aval / Pepper Poha

Ingredients:
2 cups thick flattened rice / poha
2 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. peanuts (optional)
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
1/2 tsp. grated / finely chopped ginger
2 green chilies, chopped finely (adjust the quantity as needed.)
1 big sized onion, sliced
1 tomato, finely chopped
1/8 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. salt

Directions:

* Rinse flattened rice with water and drain in a colander and leave it aside. Or if needed, soak for few minutes until they soften.

* Heat oil in a pan / kadai and add peanuts if using, mustard seeds and fennel seeds. 

* When the peanuts start to turn brownish, add ginger and green chilis and sauté for few seconds. Next add onion to the pan and stir. 

* Saute onion on low heat until it turns translucent. 

* Next add tomato and turmeric to the pan and stir well. 

* Cook until the tomato turns almost mushy. 

* Finally add the rinsed beaten rice and salt. 

* Mix well with a spatula, and if the mixture appears dry, sprinkle one or two tbsp. of water and toss again. Adjust the quantity of salt if needed. 

* Cover the pan and continue to cook on low heat for about 5 to 6 minutes and turn off the stove. Serve it hot immediately.

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Burfi - Bread Pudding

 
This pudding was randomly mentioned in an online article that I read sometime ago. There was no mention of the quantities of ingredients or any specific recipe though the idea of using burfis in the pudding stuck with me for years now. Burfis are Indian variety sweets that are usually nuts or flour based and are usually square shaped. This pudding can be prepared using any leftover burfi or mithais you have on hand. I used chickpea flour based burfi / besan burfi here. 

This pudding is a great way to recycle those burfis / mithais you have lying around untouched after any festival / celebration. All you need to prepare this really tasty and fuss free pudding are some left over burfis, bread slices and milk. Here is how I prepared this quick and easy dessert.

Ingredients: (Yield 2 servings)
3 burfi pieces
1 & 1/2 bread slices
1.5 cups milk
Nuts / Dry fruits to garnish

Method:
* Pulse the burfis and bread slices into a coarse mixture in a food processor. Do not grind them fine.
* Heat the milk in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Add the burfi - bread mixture and nuts to the milk and cook for a minute.
* Turn off the stove and bring the cooked pudding to room temperature. Chill it before serving.

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Meethi Sakrouri / Boondi ki Kheer

This boondi ki kheer was part of the Bihari thaali that I posted back in September. This is supposedly a traditional Mithila sweet and goes by the regional name meethi sakrouri. This kheer contains boondi, the tiny balls of chickpea flour that are deep fried which makes it a special one. Boondi can be prepared from scratch or store bought boondi can be used which makes the kheer preparation quite a simple and easy task. The milk needs to be reduced until it thickens and then cooked further after addition of boondi and sugar. The dish is finished with a generous garnishing of nuts which makes the kheer more inviting.

Ingredients:

4 cups full-fat milk

Sugar / sweetener to taste (I added about 6 Stevia packets.)

Plain boondi as needed 

1/8 tsp. ground cardamom

Coarsely chopped nuts to garnish

Directions:

* Boil milk in a non stick pan or a thick bottomed pan on low heat setting. Continue to cook until the milk quantity reduces to about 3 cups.

* Add sugar and cook further until the sugar is melted completely.

* Next add boondi, cardamom and nuts to the milk. Cook for 4 -5 minutes more and turn off the stove. The boondi soften and slightly plump up by the time.  

* Serve the kheer immediately.

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Suruttai Poli

(These were originally posted as part of Indian Cooking Challenge during March 2011.)

If you landed here hoping to get a poli recipe, you are surely in for a disappointment. However, hang on, hang on. Don't move away. I promise you that you are going to get introduced to another South Indian delicacy, suruttai poli. Srivalli, the creator of Indian Cooking Challenge chose suruttai poli for this month's challenge. When she mentioned that they are the rolled polis, I wasn't sure why the polis need to be rolled. 

When I went through the recipe and tried it, what do I realize? They are not polis / bobbatlu in any angle, but are kajjikayalu in a different avatar. Instead of being crescent shaped shells, they are presented as rolls. One of the Indian sweets we do like and enjoy. A delicious deep fried crisp roll with a cardamom scented sweet filling - that is suruttai poli for you in a nutshell. The process was simple and very easy to prepare (at least for me). Next time I would like to try with a coconut or nut filling.



Recipe Courtesy: Nithya's mom

Ingredient: (Yield - 10 polis)
1 cup all purpose flour / maida 
A pinch of salt
1 or 2 tbsp. powdered sugar for dusting
1/2 cup oil for deep frying

Ingredients for the stuffing:

1/2 cup roasted gram / pappulu (The one used to make the chutney.)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. grated dry coconut
2 tbsp. coarsely chopped cashews
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tbsp. ghee
(And keep some paper towels handy.)

Preparation of stuffing:
1. Heat ghee in a pan. Add the cashew pieces and toast until they turn golden brown. Remove them onto a plate with a slotted spoon. To the same ghee, add the grated coconut and fry for a few seconds and turn off the stove. Let cool.
2. Powder roasted gram, sugar and cardamom together. Add the coconut - cashew mixture to it and mix well. The stuffing mixture is ready now. The stuffing can be made in advance and stored so that poli making process is a breeze.

Preparation of polis:

1. Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add water gradually and make a firm dough, as you do for rotis / pooris. Cover and rest the dough for at least 30 minutes.
2. Pinch about a big marble sized dough and roll out as thin as possible, into a circle of about 5 inches diameter. Prick the disc randomly using a fork so that it won't puff up during the frying process. You don't want to deal with puffed up pooris in this recipe and pricking takes care of that. The circle should be bigger than your typical poori and repeat the same with the remaining dough. 

3. Spread the rolled discs on a wide plate and allow them to air dry for about 10 minutes. 
4. Now comes the frying part. Heat oil in a kadai or a pan. Add a pinch of dough to the oil and check whether it swims immediately to the surface. If it does, then lower the heat to medium setting and slowly drop a disc. As soon as it appears cooked and bubbles start to show up, flip using a large perforated spoon and fry for a few seconds and remove it taking care to drain the oil using that spoon. It should not be fried till it starts to change color to a brown hue like a poori. It should be just done, still maintaining the creamish hue. Also if fried longer, they would become brittle. (I placed the fried disc between two paper towels and patted it to remove the extra greasiness. This way, it was also be not hot to handle while stuffing.)
5. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on a platter and place this fried disc on it. Add about 3 tbsp. of the stuffing mixture along one edge of the disc. Start rolling from that end where the stuffing has been added and form a tight roll. 

6. Place the rolled poli on a plate with the seamed end facing downwards. Let cool. Repeat the same with the remaining discs.
7. Once cool, they become crisp. I just decorated with nuts, coconut and saffron and this is entirely optional. Store them in an air tight container.

Notes:
They are very easy to prepare. The only points to remember are
1. Discs need to be fried only until done with out changing the color. Few seconds on each side, that's it. A little longer would result in brittle discs.
2. The discs need to be rolled immediately since rolling becomes impossible when they are let to cool down.

3. If you are trying to prepare a large quantity of polis then try to make them in small batches.

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