All about Food

A unique satisfying South Indian breakfast.

Idly batter:

Soak 1 cup of Urad dal and 1 cup of poha in water for about 4 hours.
In an another container, soak  2 cups of Idly rice for about 4 hours.

Grind dal and poha together in a mixer to a smooth paste.
Similarly, grind the rice  separately and mix both batter together and leave it to ferment for about 8 to 10 hrs.

Add required salt and check for batter consistency. Ensure its not too thick or liquid. The batter consistency should be slow dripping.

Pour adequate water in an idly steamer and keep to boil water. Take idly mould and grease it to ensure idly is not sticking to mould. Pour batter and fill Idly mould.
Cook the Idly in steamer for about 10 minutes.
Once the Idly is cold, cut it in to today 1/2″ Size cubes and keep ready for next step.

In a wok, pour 2 tbs of ghee. Allow to heat. Once it’s hot, add urad dal, mustard seeds and curry Leaves. Once mustard seeds start sputtering, add chopped onion, ginger and green chilly. Saute for a while. Add a pinch of salt to get onion light golden brown.
Add 3 tbs of mulagapodi and mix well.
Now add the chopped idlies in to podi mix and give a good mix. Increase the flame to high and saute for about a minute to get Idly edges bit roast and brown.

Aloo Masala

In a pressure cooker, wash and boil around 6 medium sized potato. After 3 whistle,switch off the flame and allow it to cool. Once it’s done, peel the potato.

Take a wok, keep on a medium flame. Pour oil and once it’s hot, add Channa dal, urad dal and saute for about a minute. Now add mustard seeds, curry leaves. once mustard seeds start sputtering, add chopped onion, green chilly, ginger and cook till onion start softening. Add turmeric powder and stir. Boiled potatoes need to be coarsely mashed and added along to onion. Keep mixing it properly.

Serve Podi Idly along with Aloo masala.
Happy cooking!

An accompaniment which comes in handy while your fridge is empty and not stocked or during any lockdown or while on travel.
This can be used along with Idly, dosa, steamed rice or with Chappathi.

Ingredients:

• Fresh ripped tomatoes  1 kilograms
• Tamarind paste 2’tbs
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Asafoetida 1tsp
• Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
• Kashmiri mirch powder 2 tbs
• Mustard oil 4 tbs
• Curry leaves 2 sprig
• Salt to taste

Method:
Wash and air dry the tomatoes. Slice them and saute in a pan at medium flame. No oil or water to be added. Let the tomato soften and release the moisture and let the pulp get cooked. Add along with tamarind paste, turmeric powder and salt. Cook till the tomato turns into a thick gravy.
Switch of the flame and let it cool.

In an another saucepan, heat mustard oil under low flame. Once the oil is hot  add mustard seeds and curry leaves and let it sputter.
Remove the pan from flame and add chilly powder & hing. Mix it well and allow the oil to cool.

Now mix both the tomato paste and the oil together. Mix well and check for salt.
Fill it in an airtight jar and refrigerate. This can be preserved for a month plus.

Happy Cooking!

An amazing dry powder chutney from Curry leaves. Its medicinal properties are incredible. It’s good for control, bacterial growth reduction, weight loss and hair growth and many more benefits.

This flavoursome leaves are discarded from the food without knowing it’s properties. But my intent is to share the knowledge with all those foodies out there urging them to eat those earthly wonder leaves without throwing away, but eat as part of your meal whenever you see it on your plate. Let’s make delicious curry leaves powder chutney. 

Ingredients required:

• Channa dal  1 cup• Urad dal 1/2 cup• Dried Red Chilles 8 nos• Asafoetida (hing) 1/2″ Cube• Tamarind 1 lemon size ball• Rock salt to taste• Curry leaves 1 cup cleaned, washed and dried. 

In a blender, grind all above ingredients to a fine smooth powder and store it in an airtight glass bottle or porcelain jar. 
Use it along with any meal as its suitable with all food. However, try it out with Curd rice and experience the gastronomical fantasy. 
Happy Cooking! 

Rasam’ is a word which is so popular since ages. Matter of fact, it’s a thin spicy, herbal liquid even known as ” Charu’ made out of lentils, kokum and tamarind as base along with other items such as pepper, garlic, ginger, cumin etc. This was also a must for the common man along with staple food rice in villages. But due to it’s medicinal values and popularity, it started visible on rich & famous dining. 
Ingredients required:

• Coriander leaves washed and drained 2 cups• Green chilly 4 nos• Garlic pods 10 nos• Cumin seeds 2 tsp• Black peppercorns 1tsp• Rock salt to taste• Tomato* 3 medium size chopped• Mustard seeds 1tsp• Dried Red chilly 2 nos• Curry leaves 1 sprig• oil for tampering 1tbs
Method:
Grind all above in a blender to a coarse paste except mustard seeds, dried red chilly and Curry leaves. ( for tampering) Pour in a vessel and mix with water as required keeping in mind consistency. Check for salt. Bring it to boil and remove from flame. Now for tampering, heat a pan with 1tbs of oil, once hot, add mustard seeds, dried chilly and curry leaves. Once mustard start sputtering, pour the boiled liquid and give it a good stirring. Your rasam is ready. 
Now enjoy rasam with steamed rice or as an appetizer before your meal. 
* Tamarind is an option
Happy cooking! 

A very delicious and attractive but easy to make breakfast. 
Idly batter:Soak 1 cup of Urad dal and 1 cup of poha in water for about 4 hours. In an another container, soak  2 cups of Idly rice for about 4 hours. 
Grind dal and poha together in a mixer to a smooth paste. Similarly, grind the rice  separately and mix both batter together and leave it to ferment for about 8 to 10 hrs. 
Add required salt and check for batter consistency. Ensure its not too thick or liquid. The batter consistency should be slow dripping. 
Ingredients for Chutney:

Grated coconut 1 cup• Mint leaves washed and drained 3 sprigs• Coriander leaves washed & drained 3 sprigs• Gren chilly 4 nos• Ginger 1/2 inch length• Garlic pods 6 nos• oil for tampering 1 tbs• Mustard seeds 1tsp• Curry leaves 1 sprig• Salt to tasteGrind all above to a coarse, thick paste in a blender. Tamper with mustard seeds and curry leaves. 
Heat Idly steamer on a medium flame. Grease Idly mould properly and fill half of each mould with batter. Use a tablespoonful of any stuffing of your choice and place it in center of each Idly cavity. It could be finely chopped vegetables, chutneys or anything of your choice. Fill each mould with batter to cover the stuffing. 
Steam cook for about 15 minutes. Allow it to cool. Serve it hot. I’m sure there is no need for any accompaniment as it’s already taken care. An ideal option to carry along with while on travel, a long drive or a picnic. 

Happy Cooking! 

An ideal, healthy South Indian breakfast for the all ages. It’s a favorite for the young ones due to it’s shape and size. 
Batter for mini Idly:• Urad dal  1 cup• Poha or Sabudana 1 cup• Idly rice 1 cup. • Salt to taste
Soak urad dal and poha / sabudana in water and leave it for 4 hours. Similarly, soak Idly rice too. 
Grind urad dal and poha / sabudana together to a smooth consistency. Grind rice to a coarse – smooth batter. Mix both batter together and leave it to ferment overnight. Add salt to taste. Ensure the batter is not too thick or loose. Grease the mini idly mould and fill all without spreading it out. Steam cook for about 12 minutes. 
Allow to cool and serve along with Coconut chutney, sambar or rasam. Here today, I have used rasam as dip. 
Happy Cooking! 

A medium spiced, tangy flavored vegetable curry. This dish would taste more better if it’s used after a day or two. Also taste much more delicious if cooked in earthen pot. 

Ingredients:-

• Drumstick (Moringakai)  3 nos washed and cut into 2 inch length. • Shallots. Cleaned and washed 1 cup• Elephant Yam *( suran) cleaned, washed and cut in inch size cubes• Potato cleaned & washed cut 1 ” Cubes• Garlic  12 cloves peeled• Green chilly 6 nos• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp• Coriander powder 1tbs• Chilly powder 1/2 tsp• Tamarind paste  3 tbs• Curry leaves 2 sprigs• Ginger 2″ Julienne cut • Onion thinly sliced 2 medium• Mustard seeds 1tsp• Oil for cooking 3 tbs• Salt to taste.

Heat a wok at medium heat. Add oil to it and once oil is hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. After mustard seeds splutter, add sliced onion, ginger, and saute till it caramelize. You may add little salt at this time, so that the water content in onion will be dried fast. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and chilly powder. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add the cut vegetables, shallots, 2 cups of water and allow to cook.  Once the vegetables are cooked, add green chilies, and tamarind paste. Mix well and check for salt and sauce consistency. If required, add water as per discretion. Cover the wok and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add chopped coriander leaves. 
Its a yummy tangy flavored curry which goes well with rice preparation or along with Idly, Dosa etc. 
Happy Cooking! 

A traditional South Indian favorite – a dry powder made out of lentils and red chillies. It’s often served as accompaniment along with Idly, Dosa and even with other preparations. Due to it’s vast acceptance, it’s also called as Gunpowder. 

Ingredients:-

• Urad dal 200 gms• Channa dal 100 gms• Black sesame seeds 50 gms• White sesame seeds 50 gms• Dried red chillies 50 gms• Asafoetida (Hing) block 1 inch size• Curry leaves 3 sprigs• sesame oil 2 tsp• Rock salt to taste
Heat a wok in medium flame. Add urad dal and roast it till golden color. Remove and keep it to cool.Use same wok and roast channa dal and while it’s roasted to golden brown, remove and add along with urad dal to cool. Roast sesame seeds, red chillies, hing and curry leaves in the same wok. Add oil and roast till the curry leaves are crisp and sesame seeds crackle. Remove from fire and allow to cool. 
Once all the ingredients are cold, grind it in a blender. Keep the powder mixture consistency to coarse – smooth. 
Serve it along with ghee or sesame oil. Happy Cooking! 

A delicious Chicken preparation without any complicated spices or process. 

Ingredients:-

• Curry cut chicken cleaned, washed and drained 500 gms• Finely chopped onion 4 medium sized• Ginger paste 1tsp• Garlic paste 1 tsp• Red chilly powder 1tsp• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp• Coriander powder 1 tsp• Green chilly 3 nos• Garam Masala powder 1 tsp• Kasuri Methi 1 tsp• Oil 3 tbs• Salt to taste• Coriander leaves for garnish 1 sprig

Heat a wok at medium flame. Pour oil and let it get heated. Add in chopped onion and keep saute. Add on little salt in order to get the moisture in onion to get dried up soon to get the onion caramelized. Add ginger & garlic paste and saute for a while till it’s raw smell fade away. Add chilly powder, turmeric and coriander powder and keep sauteing. Once you find the mix start releasing oil from wok sides, add the chicken and give it a good stirring. Add desired water quantity if required a gravy consistency. If not semi dried. Cook for a while. Add the green chilly and rubbed kasuri methi, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Put off the flame and let the vapur in wok get settled. Add chopped coriander leaves. 
Happy Cooking! 

A root vegetable rich in vitamin A, C, E, B6, potassium and several other minerals.  This Aam Aadmi friendly bhaji “Mooli’ is also known for antioxidants and anthocyanins. 
Ingredients:-
• White radish 500 gms washed, peeled and grated. • Spring onion 200 gms washed, drained and chopped • Green Chilly • Garlic 4 – 6 cloves• Urad dal 1 teaspoon• Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp• Dried Red Chilly whole 3-4 nos• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp• Curry leaves 1 sprig• Asafoetida 1/4 tsp• Amul Ghee 2 tbs• Salt to taste

Method:-
Heat wok, pour ghee in it and add urad dal. When dal gets light brown color, add mustard seeds, dried red chillies, curry leaves and saute for a while. Add chopped garlic, green chilly slit and turmeric powder. Squeeze out the water from Mooli and add to wok and mix well. After 2 minutes, add chopped spring onion and salt to taste. Cook in. Medium flame for about 10 minutes and add asafoetida. Ensure the water content is completely dried out. 
An ideal desi bhaji for Chappathi, parotha and rice. Try it out. It’s delicious. 
Happy cooking!.