Coconut Chatney

Ingredients
1 cup Freshly grated coconut
1 tsp roasted coriander seeds
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp tamarind
2 dry red chilies or 1 tsp red chili powder
salt to taste

Tempering
1/2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida

Method

• Grind all the ingredients in a grinder. Transfer the contents into a bowl.
• Heat oil in a iron ladle(paLi) and add all tempering ingredients. Transfer all in the chutney. Mix well.
• serve with Dosa.

Dosa

The basic batter for dosa


Ingredients
1 cup udad DaL
3 cups rice
1 tsp fenugreek seeds

Method

•  Wash & soak rice and udad DaL + fenugreek seeds  in  enough water for 5-6 hours. in separate containers.
• Grind udad daL finely and add soaked rice in parts to make a smooth batter.
• Transfer the contents into a vessel/container. Mix the batter well.
• Cover the container. keep aside for half an hour.
• Add salt as per taste.
• Dosa batter is ready.
• Heat the griddle/beedacha tawa. Pour a ladle of batter on it and spread it evenly. Cover it and let it cook on medium flame.
• Once done light brown,fold it and serve it with coconut chutney and sambaar.
  
  
  Note
  If you want your dosa to be more crispy,soak 1/4 cup toor DaL in 1/2 cup water and grind along with udad DaL

Dahi-butti/Dahi-Bhat/ curd-rice

Dahi- Butti(Curd-rice)

General practice is to convert left over rice into dahi-butti next day. Basically the cooked rice which is used for dahi-butti should be separate(mokLa) and there should not be any moisture in it.
If you prepare fresh and spread it on a plate to cool for 1-2 hours before tempering ,it's OK.

The curd should not be too sour.


Ingredients
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup curd
1/2 cup milk
1/2 inch ginger(slices)


Tempering
1 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 dry red chili
2-3 curry leaves
salt to taste

Method

• In bowl mix the cooked rice,curd and milk. ( Adjust the consistency with milk as the mixture would become dry if you keep for more than an hour)Add salt and sugar(optional) to taste.
• Heat the iron ladle (paLi) .Add ghee. Add mustard seeds. As they crackle add cumin seeds,asafoetida and curry leaves. Add red chilies.
• Pour the tempering on the rice. Mix in the ginger slices.
• Tastes best with limbache gode loNache.

collapsible colander

Dudhichi(Bottle gourd) Bhajee

       Usage of Dudhi or bottle gourd in our diet has become very popular nowadays. I have heard that its juice is a cure on many ailments such as hypertension, urinary disorders, obesity and many more; but I feel not only dudhi, inclusion of every vegetable(in moderation of course) in our diet is necessary  for our body.
        Whatever nutrients are required by our body to stay healthy are not collectively present in any single fruit or vegetable. So eating variety of food gives us diversified nutrients. So even if pumpkin and bottle gourd do not come under the category of 'favorite vegetables', I do get them once a month at least. Nature has given us in abundance, so let's make use of it!!!
         Yesterday my daughter was complaining of stomach disorder and did not want to miss her college. I gave her dahi-butti (curd-rice)and dudhichi bhajee in her lunch box. Curd is also to keep our digestive system healthy.
  

Ingredients
1( 250-300 gms)  tender dudhi/bottle gourd/lauki
1/4 cup moog daL/chana daL(optional)
1 tsp grated coconut(optional)
1 green chili
1 tsp ginger pieces


Tempering
 1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
4-5 curry leaves

Garnishing
 chopped coriander leaves
salt and jaggery to taste

Method

• Soak moog DaL(yellow split peas) or bengal gram DaL(chana DaL)in warm water for 10-15 minutes.
• Wash and peel off the skin of dudhi/bottle gourd. Cut into small cubes. Slit the chili.
• Heat oil in a kadhai. Add  all the tempering ingredients. Add soaked DaL and little water.Cover with lid for a minute or two. Letit get half cooked.
• Add cut vegetable. Grated coconut. Cover with water on the lid. Keep the flame low.
• No need to add water inside.
• Check once after 4-5 minutes. Pierce with the fork/knife to see if cooked properly.
• If done, add jaggery and salt. Mix well. Garnish with chopped coriander.

BhopaLyache Gharage

 Pumpkin purees

Lal bhopaLa as we call it, Pumpkin is rich in beta carotene, low in fat & calories. It contains 90%  of water.
  I prefer to make these purees in winter as they are deep fried. BhopaLyachi bhajee or bhopalyache bhareet are not that  popular as these purees are.

Ingredients
1 cup grated pumpkin
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup grated jaggery
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup rice flour
1 cup wheat flour
salt to taste
oil for frying


Method

• Wash the pumpkin. Remove the seeds. Grate the pumpkin such that skin remains.( you can make chutney of the skin)
• In a pan heat a tsp of oil and add grated coconut,grated pumpkin and  turmeric powder. Cover with lid and let it cook on low flame for 2 minutes.
• Add jaggery and salt. Mix well. Let the jaggery melt and mix in. Switch off the gas.
• Add both the flours and mix with a spoon thoroughly when the mixture is hot. (Add wheat flour if required to adjust the consistency).Cover and keep aside till it cools.
• Knead the mixture to make a dough. Apply oil on palms to make it easy.
• Make small balls out of the dough. Pat each ball on a plastic sheet and spread with fingers to make a puree or vada.
• Deep fry in oil.

Note
There is no water added in this so these purees or gharage last for 3-4 days.If the dough is prepared in advance (i.e a day before)then gharge become soft.

Matkichi (moth beans)Usal-1

Moad aalelya Matakichi UsaL
            a veggie of sprouted moth beans

      We all know the benefits of sprouted beans. Sprouting increases the protein contents. The seeds are soaked in water for 5-8 hours( according to the type of the seed). Soaked seeds(hence swollen) are then drained and covered and kept at room temperature between 20-25 degree Celsius to germinate. Moog (green beans) germinate faster than  matki( moth beans).
      In winter it takes longer time for beans to germinate. To expedite the process, it is better to soak the seeds in warm water and keep the soaked seeds covered in warm place (e.g. enclosed in pressure cooker or in an airtight container for that period)
      

Ingredients
1 cup sprouted maTki(moth beans)
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 inch ginger (sliced)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt to taste

Tempering
1tsp oil
2 garlic cloves
1/2  cup chopped onion
1/2tsp turmeric powder

Garnishing
chopped coriander leaves

Method

• Pressure cook the  sprouted maTki(moth beans) by just making it moist with water.
• Heat oil in the kadhai. Add crushed garlic cloves. Fry till they become light brown. 
• Add chopped onion and ginger slices. Fry till onion becomes  soft and transparent. 
• Add turmeric and chili powder. Mix well.
• Add chopped tomatoes. Add garam masala ans salt to taste.
• Add cooked maTki beans. Stir well. Sprinkle some water so it won't become dry.
• Cover with lid for 1-2 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Note
Soak the 1/2 cup maTki  in approx. 1 cup water for 6-8 hours ( do not soak in excess water). Drain (if necessary)the extra water. Tie the soaked matki  lightly in a clean muslin cloth or  handkerchief. Or keep it covered in a warm place for 6-8 hours. ( So basically it takes almost 12-16 hrs to sprout depending upon the beans. If you want to make the veggie on Tuesday morning,then soak the beans on Monday morning before leaving for the office. Drain and keep it in warm place after you return home on Monday evening. So sprouted beans would be ready before hand on Tuesday morning)