Bread Upma (Shredded)

Hi,

Today sharing with you a easy breakfast recipe using bread. I shred it in a mixie like my MIL do. This gives a soft upma. There are variations that I follow in this which I will be sharing in subsequent videos.

Video recipe link is here :- 

Vegetable Rava Upma

Vegetables when added to Upma not only makes it look colorful but also healthy.  I have shared a regular & simple version of Upma recipe. Vegetable upma also uses the same recipe and ratios with only few additions in the ingredients.

Upma making is so easy if you take care of few things.. rava should be roasted, ratio of water to rava , right amount of oil and the consistency to which it need to be cooked. You will get perfect upma every time.

1. Rava - 1 Cup (roasted)
2. Beans - 7 Nos. - finely chopped
3. Carrot - 1 small - finely chopped
4. Onion - 1 no. - finely chopped
5. Tomato - 1 no. - finely chopped
6. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
7. Ginger - 1" piece - finely chopped
8. Green chillies - 2 nos. - finely chopped
9. Oil - 3 tbsp
10. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
11. Channa dal - 1/2 tp
12. Water - 2.5 cups
13. Salt to taste

• Heat a wok, Add the oil. when it is hot, add mustard seeds. When they start crackling, add channa dal and fry till it turns golden in color.
• Add Chopped Onions, curry leaves, green chillies and fry till onion turns translucent.
• Add the vegetables, Tomato and fry for a minute.
• Add water and salt, bring to boil
• When vegetables are partially cooked, start adding rava slowly while stirring it to avoid lumps.
• once they all mixed well and solidified, cover it with a lid and leave in low flame for two minutes.
• Turn off the gas.
• Delicious healthy Rava Upma is ready!

Venpongal / Pongal / Southindian Kichidi

Hello,

Here I am again, after a long break......  with a yummy dish... A colleague of mine asked for this recipe. I noticed i have not made a post on Pongal making........

Pongal - falls into Breakfast Menu of Tamizh Nadu. It is one of my favourite. I love to have Hot pongal and Meduvada with chutney and sambar followed by a cup of Filter Coffee to complete the ritual! A good start of the day with a Foodie Bliss!

It is a form of kichidi made in the state of Tamizh Nadu.  This is salt version hence the name 'Ven Pongal' (ven means white in tamizh). The sweet version is known as 'Sakkarai Pongal' which is made using jaggery hence little brown in color. The famous Harvest festival of southern india during Makarasankaranti - called 'Pongal' when the Salt as well as Sweet version is offered to the Sun God. Pongal also means rising... i.e. when you cook rice, when the water start boiling it rise and flow out.... it is considered auspicious on pongal day ... it is believed that "like the overflowing water happiness and prosperity should overflow in one's life".

Let's go ahead with the pongal making. It is very easy to make this dish. 

Ingredients :-

1. Rice - 1 Cup
2. Moong Dal - 1/4 Cup (split and deskinned green gram)
3. Water - 3.5 to 4 Cups
4. Milk - 1/2 Cup (optional)
5. Salt to taste

For temepering :

1. Curry leaves - 1 Sprig
2. Black Peppercorns - 1 to 2 tsp
3. Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Asafoetida - One pinch
5. Cashew Nut - 6 to 8 nos. (Broken) - (optional)
6. Ghee - 3 Tbsp

Procedure :-

• Lightly dry roast the Moong Dal (split deskinned green gram) till nice aroma comes. Color should not change.

• Add to the raw rice and wash it well.  Drain.

• Add Water and Milk to it. mix. (If you are not using milk, then you can add upto 4 cups water). If using milk, add 3.5 cup water and half cup milk.

• Pressure cook till it turns mushy. (I never let the whistle come. When the first whistle is about to come, i lower the flame and cook for 10 minutes).

• Add salt to taste.

• Crush the pepper and Cumin seeds coarsely using a mortal and pestle (this is to make the aroma blend well with the pongal. If you don't have one, no problem, crush the black pepper corns very lightly so that it will not burst while tempering)

• Now heat a tempering pan, add ghee, When it is heated, add the coarsely crushed black pepper, cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, cashew nuts. Roast in low flame till cashew turn light golden in color.

• Add this tempering to the rice dal mix.

• Once done, mix it well when the pongal is still hot.

• Relish it with coconut chutney / sambar.

I enjoy the pongal even without any side dish.

I remember the yummy pongal prashad we get at vishnu temples in the month of Margazhi. This month which falls during winter season air is cold in the morning and the hot hot  prashad just slips in spreading the warmth and soothe the hungry stomach. Makes the early waking and visit to temple in the cold morning an interesting one!

It is an excellent Food and is very good to consume when you have cold / cough / sore throat. In monsoon, it is apt to have a bowl of hot pongal followed by a cup of coffee watching the rains pitter patter near the window sil......

I am not getting much leisure hours now but still i have very good memories of my favourite time and pongal breakfast is one such gastronomically nostalgic moment! - to cherish for the life time.

Here is a hot cup of virtual Filter Kaapi (coffee) for you......

Enjoy!

Bajra Ragi Idli - Kezhvaragu kambu idli

Idli - is considered to be an healthy breakfast which supplies the required energy to start a day in the form of carbohydrates.   

Adding native grains of our country make an oridinary idli into an elated Healthy Idli. Native grains have their own health benefit. our traditional food consisted of this. But after the white rice entered our cuisine, the native grains which are compeltely filled with goodness from mother nature has been pushed to a corner which is noticed only by few. Those few are trying to bring them to the lime light through their innovative recipes.

Sharing with you a one such recipe which includes Ragi and Bajra into this healthy idli making.

Ingredients :-

1. Bajra / Pearl Millet - 1 cup
2. Ragi - 1 cup
3. Parboiled rice - 3 cup (idli rice)
4. Whole Urad / Bengal Gram - 1 cup
5. Sago - 2 tbsp
6. Fenugreek seeds - 1.5 tsp

Procedure :-

• Wash and Soak Bajra, Ragi and rice for 10 hours  along with sago and fenugreek seeds

• Wash and Soak urad for one hour

• Drain water from soaked urad

• First in a wet grinder, put the Urad and grind it for 20 to 30 minutes by adding water little by little till it becomes nice & fluffy like butter.

• Transfer the batter to a vessel.

• Now Add the soaked rice+ragi+sago+bajra+fenugreek and grind it to paste by adding water little by little as and when required so that you can easily transfer it to the vessel without dropping.

• when rice is ground, add the already ground Urad & required salt & grind them together for 10 minutes (no need to add water now) so that they get mixed well.

• Transfer it to a bigger vessel and let it ferment for 6 hours or till the batter raise well. If you are leaving it overnight on a hot day, do keep a big eating plate (thali) under the vessel so that in case any spillage happens during fermentation, it will fall into the plate.

• To make idli, to the fermented batter, add required water (slightly more than dropping consistency) and mix well.

• Grease the idli mould, Put the steamer on the stove and let the water inside it boil.

• Now pour a laddle of batter into moulds and steam it for 10 minutes.

• Insert a knife. if it comes out clean, the idli is done!

Enjoy the healthy idli with a healthy coconut or onion chutney or go as per what your taste bud suggest!

Eat Healthy, Live Healthy!

 

Aloo Poha

Poha or aval upma a common breakfast dish of west as well as south is prepared in various ways to bring in a twist to the plain one.  An ingredient when added or left out brings in a change in flavour as well as taste to the dish.

Sharing with you a recipe which use potato and is commonly known as 'Aloo Poha' in the western region of India. I slice them thin to reduce the cooking time.

This can be prepared either with or without onion and tomatoes, but tastes good in whatever combo you prepare.

The Recipe video is now available in Youtube Channel : Mira's Akshaya Patram. Added below :-

You will need :-

1. Thick Flattened Rice - 1 cup (Jada poha / Getti avil)
2. Poatao - 1 Medium size
3. Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
4. Onion - 1no. (optional)
5. Tomato - 1no. (optional)
6. Ginger - 1/2" piece
7. Green chilli - 2 No. (or as preferred)
8. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
9. Asafoetida Powder - 1 pinch
10. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Salt to taste
12. Oil - 2 tbsp
13. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
14. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
15. Lemon juice -  juiceof half lemon

Soaking the Flattened Rice:-

• There are two varities of Poha (flattened rice) viz white and red one. Red one is more healthier. These two varities are of two types. Thin variety and thick variety.  

• Put the poha on a sieve or soup strainer, show under running tap by mixing gently with your hands. This serves two purpose. One, it gets washed nicely. Second, the moisture absorbed will help soaking the flattened rice (poha). 

• Keep the seive aside for 3 minutes. 

• If required, you may repeat the process of showing it under running water again and place it for 5 minutes. 

• If you are using thin variety then show it under running tap only once.

• While the flatened rice is getting ready, let us prepare the vegetables for the dish.

• Finely slice the potatoes (cut the potato into half. then again cut each piece into two. now slice them)

•  Finely chop Onion, Tomato, Ginger, Green Chilli, Coriander leaves (quick tip for chopping ginger)

•  Heat oil, add mustard seeds. When it start spluttering, add Cumin seeds. After the cumin seeds splutter, add curry leaves. 

• Then add sliced Potatoes and fry till it is 3/4th done

•  Add finely chopped Onion, Ginger and Green chilli. Fry till it becomes translucent

•  Add finely chopped Tomatoes and fry till they become mushy

•  Add Turmeric powder, salt, finely chopped coriander leaves, mix well

•  Add the soaked Flattened Rice (poha) and mix well

• Lower the flame and let it stand for two minutes. 

• Switch off the stove and let it stand for 5 more minutes

• Open, add the lemon juice, mix well and serve hot

Serving idea :- You may sprinkle some sev, fried groundnut on top or use the fried groundnut while tempering.

Rava Idiyappam - quick and easy semolina string hopper

The recipe sounded interesting when a friend shared this recipe. Gave it a try and it came out excellent! unlike the usual rice idiyappam (rice string hoppers), this one absolutely require the least amount of labour.  The friend is non other than Chitra Viswanathan lovingly known and called as CV

An excellent dish for a breakfast or evening tiffin when you want to cook in a jiffy or to entertain your unexpected sudden arrival of guests.  No soaking, No Grinding, No hard labour, No Blunders!!!

A best recipe when you feel lazy to cook for yourself.

Rava Idiyappam / Semolina String Hoppers / Rava Seviyan!!!

 

The recipe is so yummy that even the two 'happy buddhas' are doing a hip hip hurray by raising their hand happily!

You will need :-

1. Rava - 1 Cup (go for chiroti / fine rava)
2. Water - 1 Cup
3. Salt to taste
4. Oil - 1 tsp
5. Chakli press with sev mould (murukku achchu with omapodi thattu)
6. Steamer (I used a idli steamer)

Procedure :-

• Boil 1 cup water (Please note Boiling hot. Not just hot)

•  Put rava / semolina in a big mixing bowl, add salt, mix well.

• Add boiling water to the rava and mix it quickly with a spoon till it becomes a thick dough.

• Add a tsp of oil and mix it again. 

• Place the idli steamer with water on the stove. while it is heated up let us get into pressing process.

• Grease the idli plates applying little oil 

chakli mould with different plates. the last one on the right with many tiny holes is used in this recipe

• Take the chakli mould, put a lump of dough into it. Presse it (with no effort!) over the greased plates into each depression in a idli plate.

• Steam for 5 minutes.

• Yummy, Jiffy idiyappam / ravai sevai ready!

 Serving suggestion :-

1. sprinkle some grated coconut and sugar on top and have
2. have with coconut milk sweetened with sugar
3.  Have with kadalai curry
4. Have with Peas Curry

 

Note :-

1. You can use roasted rava for this recipe.
2. If the water is not boiling hot, it may not turn out the way it has to be.
3. Mix till you get the dough otherwise when you press, it may not comes like a string.

Mexican Corn Chilly Toast

A simple crispy toast which can make a good breakfast or a light snack with evening Coffee / Tea.

Makes : 8 toasts

Ingredients :- 

1. Onion - 1 No. (finely chopped)
2. Tomato - 1 No (finely chopped)
3. Capsicum - 1No.(finely chopped)
4. Green Chilli - 2 Nos. (finely chopped)
5. Sweet Corn - 1 No.
6. Coriander leaves  - 3 tsp (finely chopped)
7. Oil- 1 tbsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Cheese Cube - 1 No (finely grated)
10. Brown Bread - 4 Nos.
11. Butter to apply on bread slices

Procedure :-

• Remove corn kernels from the cob, steam it and keep aside

• Heat oil in a wok, add onions and fry well

•  Add capsicum and green chillies and fry for a minute

• Add tomatoes, boiled corn, coriander leaves and salt. Mix well. Cook for two minutes

• Remove from fire. Immeditely add grated cheese, mix well.

• Heat a non-stick tava

• gently Cut each bread slice into two

• Apply little butter and roast it on tava till it turn crisp.

• On a serving plate arrange the bread pieces, spread in a spoon of the prepared corn mixture. 

• Serve immediately

PS: 

1.  to avoid butter you can use pop up toaster and toast till crisp
2. You can cut the slices after toasting it on tava incase it breaks. in that case, use a kitchen scissor to cut it to exact shape.

Idli Upma

Nothing goes waste if used wisely. Those days there were no refrigerators available, hence our ancestors devised a new dish out of remaining food. The outcome is morkootan / morkozhambu, kaalan, Idli upma, Erichakari, sayalmani in kokum (left over chapathi in a gravy), etc.....

Made some idlies couple yesterday. I purposely made some extra idlies as we all love idli upma. Stored the extra ones in the refrigerator.

Humble idli takes its new form................yes, idli upma using leftover idlies.

Idlies kept in a fridge is perfect for crumbling to make idli upma to give the dish the right texture.

Ingredients :-

1. Idlies - 7 nos. (crumbled)
2. Mustard - 1 tsp
3. Black gram - 1 tsp
4. Sundried pickled chillies (mor milagai) - 6 nos.
5. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
6. Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. water - 1tbsp  
9. Oil - 2 tbsp 

The chilli is not the usual dry red chilli. these chillies are special green chillies that are soaked in sour curd, then sun dried. This chilli can be eaten as it is tasty and has unique flavour.

But you can use normal green chilli or dried red chilli too instead of this. 

Procedure :-

• Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds, Bengal gram. The mustard seeds will splutter and when the bengal gram turns golden brown, add asafoetida powder, curry leaves and then the chillies
• After the chillies are fried well, add the crumbled idlies, salt and sprinkle water, mix well.

• [I used dried pickled chilli which in tamizh is called thayir molagai or mor milagai because it enhance the taste and flavour of the upma.
• As the batter has salt and the chillies are already pickled in salt & curd and then sun dried, add salt accordingly.]

• Keep it covered, switch off the flame and leave it for 3 minutes
• Yummy & simple idli upma is ready!

 

Murungai ilai dosai / Drumstick tree leaves dosa

My Hobby Lounge's 4th century! ... to make it special made it a nutritious one.

I very much missed the green leafy veggies which I used to savour everyday at mayeka. Yesterday my visit to the Friday Market brought me so much happiness when I found the horseradish leaves (drumstick tree leaves) which is not so easily available here. Bought a nutritious bunch for Rs.5/- On my way back, was planning to do few dishes and here is today's Breakfast recipe ... A dosa (dosai) using the leaves........

Botanical Name : Moringa Oleifera

Horseradish tree (english) / Murungai (Tamizh) / Muranka (hindi) / Muranka (or) munga saudha (Hindi) / Moringi (Kannada) / Shevga (Marathi)

It is a very delicate tree. The leaves is tender hence gets cooked quickly. The leaves, the flower, the fruit are used for cooking. Bark has medicinal purpose. It helps releive the body pain. The bark is used to cure swelling etc.

It is a source of iron, Vitamin A, B, C, Magnesium, Beta carotene, high in calcium. It is very safe to give to children and nursing mothers. If included regularly, helps fight malnutrition.

There are many yummy recipes that can be prepared using the leaves, flower and the fruit (it resembles a drum stick hence the name drumstick) viz., kootu, proiyal, dosai, sambar, etc

Here is a easy dosa recipe using the leaves :-

Drumstick / Horseraddish / murungai Leaves

Ingredients :-

1. Rice - 1 cup
2. Sabudana -  tbsp (javvarisi / tapioca grain)
3. Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. whole urad - 2 tbsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Drumstick leaves - 1 cup

Procedure :-

• Soak all the above together for 2 hours. 

• Grind to nice paste.

•  Batter is ready. Let it ferment for 6 hours or overnight.

• Clean the leaves (discard stem), wash and drain (the leaf will float in water and will stick to fingers so do it patiently)

•  To the fermented batter, add the clean drumstick leaves, mix well. 

• Add water and keep the batter in pouring consistency 

• Heat a tava, grease it with oil, pour it around from outer edges to the centre

•  apply few drops of oil around

•  keep it covered with a lid

•  when the bottom side turns golden in colour, flip and cook the other side keeping it covered. 

• When the other side is also done, take it from the tava.

•  Yummy nutritious drumstick leaves dosa is ready 

• Just relax and relish it with sambar / chutney / gunpowder (idli milagai podi)

Sweet Wheat Dosai

Sharing with you a different variety of dosa which has no grinding or fermenting work.

Whole Wheat Flour - A Nutritious flour. Good source of calcium, iron, fiber and other minerals.

Jaggery - Also known as medicinal sugar has numerous health benefits. It is rich in minerals, vitamin. The magnesium in jaggery helps relaxing muscles, nerves. Iron helps to improve anaemic conditions.

Wheat dosai are made in two ways. One by soaking whole wheat & grinding it second method is the easiest way using wheat flour.

Just let the batter stand for 15 minutes or more and go ahead preparing it.

Ingredients :-

1. Wheat Flour - 2.5 cups
2. Rice flour - 1 cup
3. Semolina (rava) - 1/4 cup
4. Jaggery - 1 cup

Procedure :-

• Mix all the ingredinets except jaggery.
• Dissolve jaggery over medium flame adding a glass of water.
• Strain the impurities and add it to the mixed flour. Mix well.
• Add water little by little & prepare the batter without lumps
• If you find lumps, don't worry, take the big mixer jar, pour the prepared batter, blend well.
• Add salt to taste (lesser than normal consumption)
• The batter should not be too watery or too thick.
• Heat the dosa tawa, grease it, pour a laddle of the prepared batter & immediately & very very gently spread it to circular dosa shape.
• Pour few drops of oil around it 
• When one side is done, flip and cook the other side too till it turns golden in colour.

Note : If you are not able to spread it properly, then don't worry just add little more rice flour, required water & check the consistency. I use the traditional iron dosa tava into which the above ratio comes out well for me. You can use a non-stick tava too.

Flavouring :- By making some variations in the ingredients you can bring a twist in taste.

1. You can add some cardamom powder to the batter to bring in a nice flavour to your sweet dosa. 
2. Use ghee instead of oil.

Variation : - With the given ingredient minus Jaggery you can make the normal salt wheat dosa.

Enjoy the yummy sweet wheat dosa along with chutney / gun powder / pulikachal (puli inji).

Vellai Appam without coconut and yeast

Many of the southindian breakfast menu is made using rice in different forms as carbohydrate is very necessary to start the day energetically.

Vellai Appam, is a spongy soft breakfast dish from the God's own country - Kerala. The sides are thin and the centre will be thick and spongy in texture as well as in feel. The recipe I share here is got from my friend which is prepared without coconut or yeast. Mostly coconut is ground along with the soaked rice to which the water from coconut is added. This kind of appam tastes different & good in its own way.

If you don't have coconut or feeling lethargic yet want to enjoy the appam, here is the simple preparation. Few tips are also added then and there to guide you to make a flawless spongy appams :-

There is a special  wok in which it is prepared. The wok is made of iron and comes with a lid. If you don't have the wok AKA 'appa chatti' don't worry, you can still make it using a non-stick tava or pan.

Ingridients : (serves 3)

1. Raw rice - 1 cup
2. Boiled rice - 1 cup
3. Urad white - 1 tbsp
4. Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. sugar - 1 tsp

You may also need a wok (or a non-stick pan), a clean thick kitchen towel to handle the wok, a spatula with sharp thin end to take the appam out of the wok.

Procedure :-

• Soak  the ingridients from 1 to 4 together for 4 hours. 

•  Adding water, grind it to a smooth paste of dosa batter consistency.

• Mix in the required salt

•  Let it ferment for 6 to 8 hours (if your geographical location slows down the fermentation process, then add a tbsp of fermented dosa batter if you have in stock. if not, then don't worry add in a tsp of baking powder before you make appams but let the batter stand for 8 hrs) 

• Grease the wok, heat it, pour in 1 1/2 laddle of batter, using the kitchen towel lift the wok and rotate it clockwise & anti clockwise so that the batter spreads all over and gives a thin end & a thick centre. 

• Cover it with a lid and let it cook for a minute or two. Check it by lifting the lid. The centre of the appam will be thick and spongy. When the centre portion is cooked, remove it with a spatula. 

• Hot vellai appam (white appam) is ready. Vegetable stew, kadala curry, Green Peas curry are good accompaniments for this dish.

Rava Uppuma / Upma / Uppit

The most common and easy to make tiffin variety, comes handy when you have unannounced guests . Uppuma or upma is a tiffin variety made of Broken wheat called rava / sooji, onions, spices and herbs.

In every household, this dish is prepared in different methods using different measures of the ingredients, which gives it an unique taste and texture.

Two important thing to get a perfect looking upma is Roasted Rave and Ratio of water to Rava.

Quantity of water is very important in upma making otherwise it will turn into paste. So right measure will give right consistency. 

Ingridients :-

1. Rava - 1 Cup (roasted)
2. Water - 2.5 cups
3. Salt to taste
4. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
5. Onions - 1 no.
6. Ginger - 1/2" piece
7. Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp (optional)
8. Green chillies - 2 nos or as per taste
9. Oil - 3 tbsp
10. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
11. Channa dhal - 1/2 tsp

Procedure

• If you are not using roasted rava then Roast 1 cup rava till it lets out a good aroma. spread on a paper and let it cool.
• Chop onions, green chillies, ginger and coriander leaves
• Heat oil in a wok, add  mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add channa dal and roast till it turns into golden colour.
• Add ginger, green chillies, curry leaves and chopped onion, saute till onion becomes translucent.
• Add coriander leaves, salt to taste and 2.5 cups of water, mix well, cover and cook for 2 minutes.(this is to let the flavour blend with water)

• Now open the lid and slowly add the roasted rava little by little and stirring simultaneously to prevent lumps and let is boil.
• When the water on top has dried and you see only bubbles coming out of holes, put off the flame and keep it covered for 10 minutes.
• Hot and delicious upma is ready! When you scoop you can see each granule is visible & cooked well. Put in your mouth & relish the delicious upma that is cooked perfectly.

PS: Texture of rava is as per one's preference. If you like it to be crumbled and dry then use 2 cups of water.

Misal (Misal Pav)

Misal with pav is a famous Maharashtrian dish which can be had as a breakfast or as a snack or a evening tiffin. The pav bread gives a filled up feeling like pav baji.  Farsan (mixture) is added to the prepared ras (gravy liquid), garnished with coriander leaves & finely chopped onions and served along with a bread called Pav.

I have shared two photos.. One with simple farsan (sev and ghatia mix) with boiled potatoes and the second one is with tempered potato and mix farsan.

The tempered potato and mix farsan version I had tasted good so sharing that version as well with you.

Ingredients :-

1. Dried yellow peas (Vatana) - 1/2 cup
2. Onion (Sliced) - 1 No.
3. Onion (finely chopped) - 1 no. (for garnishing)
4. Tomato (finely chopped) - 1 No.
5. Cloves - 3 Nos.
6. Pepper - 1/2 tsp
7. Red chilli - 4 to 5 Nos. (or as preferred)*
8. Cinnamon - 1" stick
9. Dry coconut grated - 2 tbsp
10. Garlic pods - 2 big
11. Farsan (mixture)- 1 cup
12. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
13. Oil
14. Water - 2.5 cups 
15. Salt to taste
16. Kandha Lasun masala powder - 2 tsp (optional)-a spicy masala powder.
17. Pav Bread or plain bread slices

* I used kashmiri chillies along with the normal red chilli to add colour to the ras. Kashmiri chilli powder or deggi mirchi powder can also be used.

Procedure :-

• Soak dried yellow peas (Vatana) overnight or for 6 hours, pressure cook adding little salt & keep ready.
• In a kadai, dry roast the grated dry coconut till golden colour. transfer to a plate and allow it to cool.
• In a blender grind coarsely - garlic,  pepper, cinnamon, cloves and dried red chillies.

• Heat oil, add the crushed masala, saute for 15 seconds. Add sliced onions and saute till onion turns golden brown, let it cool.

• In a blender grind together the fried onion masala mixture + tomato + roasted coconut to a smooth paste. (If required add little water to grind).
• Heat 3 tbsp oil, add the ground masala paste and saute well. Cover & cook with stirring in between, till oil oozes out.
• Now add water, salt, cover and cook till oil floats on top (approx. 5 minutes)

Now the "Ras" is ready!

You can use boiled potato as it is or you can give a tadka of mustard, curry leaves and potato with salt, lightly mashed... and use it while serving.

Now comes the interesting presentation for serving.

with plain boiled potato and simple farsan

with mix farsan and tempeted potato

Making the bowl of Misal:-

• In a small shallow plate or a wide mouthed bowl, first put 2 tbsp of pressure cooked vatana.
• Add a spoon of boiled potato or the tempered potato
• Sprinkle some Farsan (mixture)
• Over that sprinkle the finely chopped onion
• Pour the Ras over it
• Sprinkle the finley chopped coriander leaves (optional).
• On another small bowl pour some Ras for additional helping.

Serving :-

• On a plate place plain pav or pav toasted in butter, a bowl of Misal & the additonal serving of ras and serve.

Enjoy the Mumbai's 'home made' street food  :-)

Colourful Oothappam

Oothappam is a thick dosa. Many varities can be created viz., Plain, Onion, Mix Veg, carrot, spinach, etc.

Prepare the batter like you do for idli / dosai.

Here I am sharing the carrot + Onion ootappam.

Ingredients :-

1. Dosa / idli Batter - 1 litre
2. Onion - 1 No. Big
3. Carrot - 2 Nos.
4. Green Chillies - 2 Nos (optional)
5. Coriander Leaves - 3 tbsp
6. Ginger - 1 tbsp

Procedure :-

• Grate the carrots
• Finely chop Onion, green chillies (optional), ginger, coriander leaves
• The ootappa should be thick, so pour one and half laddle of batter into the dosa tawa and spread it in round shape. the layer should be thick.
• Pour 1/4 tsp oil all around it.
• Sprinkle the chopped veggies and grated carrot on top, cover and cook on low flame.
• When one side turns golden brown, (here you can flip & cook if you like, but the veg will get roasted and lose its attractive colour), serve it hot with chutney or sambar.

Masala Dosai / Masala Dosa / மசாலா தோசை

It is a filling item compared to Ordinary dosa. Mashed potato cooked in spices is spread on the dosa and the aroma will make one drool and the taste linger in the mouth. Taste best when served hot along with crispy dosa.

Ingridients(serves 4-5 dosas)

1. Potato (medium) - 4 nos
2. Onion (medium) - 1no.
3. Ginger  finely chopped - 1 tbsp
4. Green chilli finely chopped - 1 tbsp
5. curry leaves - 1 sprig
6. coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
7. Hing powder - 1 pinch
8. Turmeric Powder - less than 1/4 tsp
9. Salt to taste
10. water
11. Oil, mustard seeds for seasoning
12. Dosa batter (prepare the batter previous day as given in the link & let it ferment)

Procedure :

• Boil and mash potatoes
• Heat little oil in a wok, add hing powder,  mustard seeds.
• After the seeds splutter add chopped ginger, green chilli and curry leaves, saute for 30 seconds
• Add Chopped Onion and saute till it becomes translucent

• Add mashed potato, salt, turmeric powder and little water.
• Cover and cook till water evaporates and the aroma of spices blend with the potatoes.
• Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves over it and mix.
• Masala is ready

• Now heat the dosa tawa, grease it with oil, pour a laddle of dosa batter, spread it in round shape, pour little oil around the dosa.
• When the edges turn golden colour & the top portion is also cooked, spread little masala on one half of the dosa 

• fold the other half over it and serve hot.