maakolam / மாக்கோலம் design

Momo / DIM SUM / Dumpling

Momo is a healthy snack and a distant relative of our traditional dumplings. Vegetables are packed inside a dough base and then steamed.  It is mostly commonly available in Nepal and in northeastern India. These dumplings are cooked in different methods viz., steamed, Deep fried and Pan fried.

They make a filling meal. They can be added in soups when it is boiling, as a separate dish along with a spicy garlic based red colored chutney as an accompaniment with it.  This red chutney makes it even more interesting and delicious.........


The place where we were living earlier in Navi Mumbai, we had couple of momo carts set up by people from northeastern India.  We enjoyed momos a lot and more specially during the rains and in winter. The fresh & hot hot momos taken out of the steamer are transferred to a paper plate with a dash of chutney on the side and is handedover to us... oh! this dish has become so dear to my heart that I even dreamt of it once .... :p I shared the same in a post and if you wish to read it, here it is!

Here are few photos of the steaming box i use inside my steamer ... it is made of bamboo and is very good.

 

 

I am giving you the vegetarian version of the momo. Generally finely shredded cabbage is used. You can use boiled potatoes / peas or even shredded panneer sauted with some spcies as stuffing.

Ingridients : (makes around 11 nos)

1. Maida - 1/2 tea cup
2. Salt to taste 
3. Water to knead the dough

For stuffing :-

1. Green chillies - 2 Nos. (optional)
2. Cabbage - 250g (finely shredded)
3. Carrot (grated) - 1 No.
4. Coriander leaves - finely chopped - 1 tbsp (optional)
5.  Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
6. Salt to taste

Procedure :-

• Knead maida by adding water, salt, into a stiff dough like you do for making puris. Knead it well so that it will become very soft. Leave the dough for 30 minutes to set.

• .For shredded the vegetables, you can use your food processor. I always prefer a knife. I forogot to take picture, which i will share with you when i make them next time. 

• In a mixing bowl add the finely shredded cabbage,grated carrot, green chillies, coriander and salt. Mix well.

•  Divide the dough into balls of equal sizes (like you do for poori)

• Dust the board and using rolling pin make a big thin chapathi (or make small balls and roll them individually) and using a round cutter (I use a small katori) cut rounds of equal size.

• Place the grated vegetable stuffing inside each rounds, gently bring the sides together in layers by pinching together.  Gather the ends together, press lightly and slightly twist them to get the spiral folds.

You may check this youtube video link which gives you various ways of shaping momos.  https://youtu.be/Zh5_DuuxHC0

• Steam them for 15 to 20 minutes.

• Hot hot momos are ready!

If you are making this in a large batch, you can store them in a microwave safe box and before microwaving, just sprinkle little water and then microwave high for 1.5 minute and serve hot with the chutney.

For the Red Dip :

The traditional chutney is make by soaking few dry red chillies (as per your preferred quantity) & few garlic pods in vinegar for a minimum of 4 hours.Then ground to a smooth paste adding water little by little checking the consistency. Add salt to taste.

I am sharing with you the chutney that I tasted as find it even more delicious!

1. Garlic pods - 2 nos
2. Schezwan sauce - 2 tbsp
3. Water
4. Cornflour - 1 tbsp
5. Cooking / Olive oil - 1 tsp
6. Spring onion greens (optional) - you get chienese seasoning in the market now-a-days. substitute that.

Finely chop garlic pods. Heat a tsp of oil & fry garlic till they turn golden in color. Then add the sauces, water and little cornflour dissolved in water to get the chutney consistency. Boil till it gets a gloss on the surface. Add spring onion green or the chinese seasoning. Yummy spicy chutney is ready!

Your healthy snack is ready to eat .

Momos tastes best when served piping hot ...

Idli / இட்லி / इडली

Idli the all time favourite , healthy and now a quitessential dish for breakfast in most of the southindian homes. 

It became an integral part of breakfast only in recent times. I have heard from elders that it was made only during festival days and not a regular affair. Since the joint family system was prevalent, grinding huge amount of batter is not an easy task. During festival days, the work load will be even more hence idli makes the breakfast making easy that day. Mostly served with Molagaipodi (idli chutney powder) mixed with oil (mostly nallenna / sesame oil or Chuttenna [any leftover oil that is used for deep frying] ). Chuttena tastes good and makes the idli molagaipodi, more yummier.

It is made by soaking and grinding rice & urad, fermented and then steamed.

A good combo of lentil and carbs for a healthy breakfast.

Giving the tips for soft idli making at the end of the post. Don't forget to read it.

The art of making soft Idli comes with practice. The best rice that goes into making of soft idlis is the parboiled variety which is otherwise known as 'Idli Rice'. The urad should be of good quality, which you can identify from its appearance and when ground the batter should be fluffy. 

Wet grinder helps you get soft & economy idli as you need to use only 1 portion of urad for five portions of rice. In a mixer the combination is 3(rice) : 1(urad). Adding few methi seeds will not change the colour but gives a nice light aroma to the steamed idlis and also makes them soft. The batter for idli should be of little more than dropping consistency. The same batter can be used for making Dosais (dosas) by diluting it with little water which will be thick but of pouring consistency.

Some soak 2 tbsp of sabudana (Sago/Javvarisi) too along with rice and grind the batter to make soft Idlies but it will be tasty like the normal Idli.

Let us get into Idli Making :-

Ingridients :

1. Parboiled Rice         - 5 Cups
2. White Urad / Bengal Gram (deskinned) (whole) -  1 Cup
3. Methi Seeds / Fenugreek           - 1 1/2 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Water to grind

Procedure :-

• Wash rice + methi seeds and soak in water for 6 hours

• Wash urad and soak for 1 hour (urad need not be soaked for long hours)

• 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.

• Transfer the batter to a vessel

• Now Add Rice + methi seeds and grind it to paste by adding water little by little when required

• when rice is ground, add the already grond Urad & required salt & grind them together for 10 minutes (no need to add water now)

• Transfer it to a bigger vessel and let it ferment for 6 hours or till the batter raise well

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

IDLI MOULD :

Idli Mould

• Heat the steamer by pouring water inside it for steaming.

• Pour a drop of oil in each mould and grease them while wet to prevent sticking.

• Pour batter into idli moulds & steam for 7 to 10 minutes.

 

• To check whether the idli is done, insert a knife and it should come out clean.

Steamed Idli  :

• Enjoy your soft idlis with the side dish of your choice.

Side dish suggestion :-

Tastes best with Onion Sambar, Coconut or Onion Chutney or Chutney Powder which is also know as 'gun powder' or 'Idli Milagaai Podi' 

TIPS for those using mixer grinder :-

If you are using mixer grinder then for 3 : 1 ratio add a tsp of fenugreek, grind to nice paste as usual and mix both matter and put then again in your mixer jar, whip them for some time till the batter forms bubbles & of creamy texture.

Soft Idli tips :-

1. Add 2 tbsp of rice flakes (Avil / poha) to rice while soaking to get soft idlies.
2. You can also add a tbsp of sago (sabudhana / javvarisi) instead of poha / rice flakes,  to get softer idlies. The famous kushboo idli uses more portion of this sago (Sabudana / Javvarisi) to get that spongy idli.

 

Mira's Talent Gallery: Brinji / பிரிஞ்சி

Mira's Talent Gallery: Brinji / பிரிஞ்சி: This is a southindian masala rice with mixed vegetables viz. Carrot, Beans, Cauliflower, Green Peas, Potato Flavoured by a mixture of Herbs...