Instant Rava Idli

Hubby dear was down with flu last week. I made this instant rava idli for him last week and it turned out very well.

Ingredients:
Sooji - 1 cup
Curd/Yogurt - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies - 2 finely chopped
Carrot - 1, finely chopped
Green peas - 3 tbsp
Cilantro/Fresh Coriander - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Broken Cashews - 2 tbsp
Ginger powder/Grated Ginger - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Chana Dal - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - As per taste


Method of Preparation:
1. Add sooji to a small pan and fry on medium heat till a pleasant smell is emanated.
2. Transfer the sooji to a mixing bowl. Meanwhile heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds. After they splutter, add urad dal, chana dal, broken cashews and fry till they change color. Add the chopped carrots, green peas, chopped chillies and fry for 2-3 minutes on medium high heat.
3. If using ginger powder, add it in the end, just before removing from heat. If using fresh ginger, add it just before adding the vegetables and fry till raw smell disappears.
4. Add this mixture to the mixing bowl and mix well. Add salt, baking soda, yogurt, water and whisk well.
5. Grease the idli molds with a little oil and add the batter in each mold. Steam the idlis for 7-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Serve the instant rava idli with a chutney and sambar of your choice.

Ciabatta

A ciabatta, is an Italian bread which is rather flat and full of holes. Since the ciabatta dough is wet, baking the dough in a cake pan or baking dish will hold its shape better. Also, it is easier to mix the dough in a mixer than by hand.

Ingredients:
All purpose flour - 3 cups
Barely warm water - 11/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons
Active Dry Yeast - 11/2 tsp
Extra Virgin Oil - 1/4 cup
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Butter - a little at room temperature, to grease the baking dish

Method of Preparation:


Making the Starter: Put 3/4 cup of flour and 3/4 cup of water in a bowl and combine with a whisk and sprinkle the yeast over it. Wait for about 3 minutes, for the yeast to moisten and stir again until the mixture has a consistency of a thick batter. Cover this mixture with plastic wrap and let it rise for 2 hours, until doubled or tripled in volume.

Mixing: Combine the started with the remaining flour, water and oil. Mix with a stand mixer fitted with dough hook for about 2 minutes or by hand for about 2 minutes. Cover with a moist towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Kneading: Add the salt and knead with a stand mixer on medium speed for about 7 minutes or by hand for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and stretches without breaking.

Fermentation: Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a moist towel. Leave the dough for about 2 hours at warm room temperature for a faster rise or for 30 minutes at room temperature then overnight in the refrigerator for the slowest rise.

Shaping: Transfer the dough gently into an oiled 11 inch cake pan, don't punch it down.

Proofing: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for about 2 hours or about twice its original volume.

Baking: Preheat the oven to 450F. Place a sheet pan on the bottom rack of the oven and pour in enough water to cover the bottom of the sheet pan (Be careful not to drop any water on the hot glass of the oven). Slide the baking dish with the ciabatta dough onto a rack over the pan with water. Turn down the oven to 425F. Bake for around 35 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool for 5 minutes before turning the ciabatta out onto a cooling rack.

Let the ciabatta cool down completely, before slicing it.

Uggani

Uggani, is a simple, yummy dish, prepared using puffed rice, also known as marmaralu/murmure/borugulu and can be served as breakfast or evening snack. This is a popular regional dish in my native place, Ananthapur, in Andhra Pradesh, India. Usually it is served along with mirapakaya/mirchi bajji. Me and my brother love uggani. This is so simple to make and so tasty. My grandmother always makes mirchi bajji as an accompaniment for this dish. She used to send someone to the neighboring town especially to get the long chillies to make the bajjis for us.

Ingredients:(Serves 2-3)
Puffed rice - 200 gm or 1/2 lb
Roasted Chana Dal Powder - 2 tbsp
Onion - 2, sliced length wise
Tomato - 1, large (traditionally, sliced length wise)
Green Chillies - 6
Garlic - 1 clove
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
Chana Dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - As per taste

Method of Preparation:
1. Grind the green chillies and garlic to a paste.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seed, after they splutter, add cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal and curry leaves.
3. Fry for a minute or two and add sliced onions, turmeric powder. Mix well for a minute. Add the ground chilli garlic paste to it.
4. Mix well and fry till the raw smell disappears, then add chopped tomatoes to it and let them soften.
5. Meanwhile, add the puffed rice to a large bowl, half filled with water. Since puffed rice will float on the water, you need to push them so that all of them get soaked in water. After a minute, use both of your hands to take out a handful of the soaked puffed rice from water and squeeze them tightly to get rid of the excess water and transfer them to a dry plate/dish. Repeat the same with the remaining puffed rice.
6. After the tomato gets cooked, add salt, mix well and add the drained puffed rice to the pan.
7. On medium heat, mix well till all the puffed rice gets coated with the onion tomato mixture.
8. Sprinkle the roasted chana dal/pappula/putnala podi on the puffed rice and mix well.
9. Adjust the salt and fry for a minute.
10. Enjoy the hot uggani just like that or accompanied with mirchi bajji.

Sending this to my own event 'Celebrating Regional Cuisine'

No Yeast Brown Bread

Brown bread is a healthy alternative to the white bread. I came across a very simple recipe for brown bread in a book named 'Cookbook For Women'. The recipe uses flax seeds, rolled oats, whole wheat flour and brown sugar. Flax seed replaces most of the oil or fat used to make regular breads. The best part of this recipe is the preparation time. It takes hardly 5 minutes to prepare the batter for no yeast brown bread.

Ingredients:
Whole wheat flour - 11/2 cup
All Purpose flour - 1 cup
Old fashioned rolled oats - 1/2 cup
Ground Flaxseed - 1/3 cup
Brown Sugar - 2/3 cup(packed)
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Buttermilk - 12/3 cup

Method of Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a loaf pan(8X4 inch) with cooking spray.
2. Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well. Stir in the buttermilk into the dry ingredients just until mixed.
3. Transfer the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle a teaspoon of oats on the bread batter.
4. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Cool the loaf pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the loaf pan and place it on the wire rack.
6. Wait until the bread completely cools down(around 2 hours) before slicing.
7. Enjoy the delicious no yeast brown bread with the favorite topping of your choice. This no yeast brown bread tastes even better when it is toasted.

Sending this to  'Bake-Off' event being hosted by 'Champa', 'Tasty Tuesday' being hosted by 'Alicia', 'Slightly Indulgent Tuesday' being hosted by 'Amy', 'Tempt My Tummy Tuesday' being hosted by 'Grace'

Eat Well Live Well, New Monthly event with a giveaway offer from CSN and Any One Can Cook: Series 4 - being hosted by 'Ayeesha'

'Hearth n Soul' being hosted by 'GirliChef'

Kerala Aval Poha

Its been a while since I bought the Kerala Aval/Atukulu/Beaten Rice from the Indian grocery store. Finally I made a very simple dish using them. The Kerala aval poha is a good option for a quick breakfast.

Ingredients:
Kereal Aval - 1 cup
Onion - 1, medium sized, roughly chopped
Green Chillies - 3, chopped
Raw Peanuts - a handful
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Bengal Gram - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 5
Oil - 1 tbsp
Lime Juice - 1/2 tsp
Salt - As per taste

Method of Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a vessel and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds. raw peanuts and Bengal gram. Once the seeds start spluttering add the curry leaves, chopped onions and chopped chillies.
2. Fry till the onions become transparent.
3. Add the Aval/Atukulu/beaten rice and mix well.
4. Add salt and sprinkle a little water. Mix well.
5. On low heat, cook covered till the aval/atukulu gets cooked.
6. Add a dash of lime juice on top, adjust the salt and serve the kerala aval poha, while it is still hot.

Cinnamon Honey Granola

Granola is one of those breakfast options that is very tasty, healthy, satisfying and pretty costly too. However, it is very easy to prepare granola at home. The best part about preparing granola at home is that you can tailor make it as per your taste and preferences and can also make it in small batches so that the granola stays fresh.

Ingredients:
Old Fashioned Oats - 1 cup
Cinnamon Powder - 1/8 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Honey - 1 tbsp
Canola/Vegetable oil - 11/2 tbsp
Brown Sugar - 1 tsp
Almonds - 8, finely sliced
Pumpkin Seeds - 1 tbsp(optional)
Walnuts - 2 tbsp, roughly chopped
Dried Cranberries - 2 tbsp

Method of Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 250F. In a bowl add oats, cinnamon powder, salt, brown sugar and mix well.
2. Add the oil, honey to the bowl and combine all ingredients using your hand.
3. If you like to have granola clusters, then fold a little amount of the granola in your fist and press firmly to form small lumps.
4. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the oats mixture on it evenly.
5. Place the baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
6. Take out the baking tray and using a spatula turn the granola mixture around. Add the nuts and dried cranberries and mix well. Spread the granola evenly on the parchment paper and put the baking tray back in the oven for 10 minutes.
7. Take out the baking tray mix well and spread evenly the granola mixture. Switch off the oven and place the baking tray back in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until it cools down.
8. Transfer the cinnamon honey granola to an airtight container and store.
9. Add milk/soya milk/yogurt to your cup of cinnamon honey granola and enjoy.

Rayalseema Style Pongal(Pulagam)

Pongal is a very easy breakfast which is healthy as well as hassle free to prepare. Unlike the most of the variations of pongal, the rayalseema style pongal uses onions and tomatoes. Wondering, what do onions and tomatoes have to do with pongal? Trust me, you will change your opinion once you taste this flavorful rayalseema style pongal, which is commonly referred to as pulagam, in the local dialect.

Ingredients: (Serves 3-4 persons)
Raw Rice - 2 cups
Moong Dal - 1 cup
Water - 7-8 cups
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as per Taste

For the Tempering:
Oil or Ghee/Clarified Butter - 2 tbsp
Cinnamon - 2 inch piece
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Whole Pepper Corns - 1/4 tsp (can also use pepper powder, instead)
Giner - 2 tsp, finely chopped
Green Chillies - 4-5, split length wise
Onions - 1, medium sized, sliced length wise
Tomatoes - 1, medium sized, sliced length wise
Curry Leaves - 5-6

Method of Preparation:
1. Wash the rice and moong dal, drain the water.
2. Add the washed rice and dal along with the appropriate amount of water to a pressure cooker.
3. In a small pan, heat the oil and add the cinnamon, cumin seeds and pepper corns. Once the seeds start spluttering, add the sliced onions and sliced green chilies. Fry for a minute or two.
4. Add the chopped giner and curry leaves, fry for a minute and add the chopped tomatoes.
5. Fry for 2 minutes and add this mixture to the pressure cooker.
6. Add the turmeric powder and salt, mix well.
7. Pressure cook till the pongal is done.
8. Serve the Rayalseema style pongal, hot with groundnut chutney or groundnut rasam.

Sending this recipe to the event 'Two For Tuesdays'

Spicy Poha

Poha is one item, which we can have for breakfast or brunch or even dinner on a Saturday night. Such is the fascination we have for poha in our house. Its quick to prepare and tastes yummy.

Ingredients:
(Serves 2-3 persons)
Beaten Rice/Atukulu - 3 cups
Onion - 1 medium sized, chopped
Potato - 1 medium sized, finely chopped
Green chillies - 4-5, finely chopped/paste
Shredded Coconut - 2 tbsp(Preferably fresh, can also use dry/frozen)
Tomato - 1 medium, sliced into thin strips
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - As per taste
Coriander - Finely Chopped

For Tempering:
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
Chana Dal - 1/2 tsp
Raw Peanuts - 1 handful
Curry Leaves - 4-5

Method of Preparation
1. Heat oil in a vessel and add the ingredients for tempering. Once the seeds start spluttering add the chopped onions and turmeric powder.
2. Fry for 2 minutes and add the chopped potatoes and the chopped chillies or the ground chilli paste.
3. Fry for 5 minutes and cook covered for 3 minutes.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, mix and cook covered till the tomatoes becomes soft.
5. Meanwhile, add the beaten rice to a vessel and add enough water to cover it. Soak for a minute and drain the water from poha. Squeeze the beaten rice with hand to remove excess water.
6. Add the soaked beaten rice to the vessel on stove. Mix and cover the vessel with a lid, cook on low heat for 2 minutes.
7. Add chopped coriander and adjust the salt.
8. Serve hot spicy poha.