Undi / Pidi Kozhukkattai

Undi / Pidi Kozhukkattai - It's  a delicious steamed dish in South Indian cuisine, made of homemade rice flour. Undi's best best with coconut chutney or tomato chutney ...

Here's the recipe of Homemade rice flour

Makes: 11 - 13 undis / kozhukkattai

Please use same measurement cup to measure rice flour and water

Main Ingredients

Rice flour, Seasoning (phann) and  3 tablespoon grated coconut

For  the seasoning:

1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)
1/2 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon chana dal
1 spring curry leaves or 6 nos
2 dried red chillies, broken into 2 - 3 pieces (optional)

Method

For the  seasoning:

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle completely, add jeera.  urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves and broken red chillies. Saute on a low heat for 5 minutes until fragrant and color changes. Keep aside.

Ingredients

1 cup (200 ml) rice flour

1 3/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon oil or ghee

Method

In a bowl, boil 1 3/4 cup water with salt and ghee or oil on a medium heat. Cover with a lid. 

When water boils vigorously, reduce the gas flame to low and add rice flour slowly and mix well with thick steel ladle until rice flour well combined with hot water and there's no trace of water / like porridge.  

Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes to cool naturally.

Transfer cooked rice flour into another wide bowl and mix with seasoning and grated coconut and make a soft dough.

Rice dough

Undis

Apply little oil on your hand and make small round undi / balls (11- 13 balls).

Apply little oil in a flat steel bowl and grease well.  Arrange these undis  and steam in a steamer or idli stand  or rice cooker and steam for 15 - 20 minutes on a medium heat until done and soft. Serve hot with Chutney ..

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

1 cup ( 100 g ) coconut grated

2 dried red chillies or 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 tablespoon roasted chana dal (pottukadala)

1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste ( optional )

Salt to taste ( or 1/2 teaspoon )

Ginger - 1/2- inch piece

Method

Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste with a little water. Adjust the thickness of the chutney with extra 2- 3 tablespoons water if you required.

For the seasoning (optional):

2 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon urad dal
1 red chilli, halved
1 spring curry leaves or 6 nos

Method

In a pan, heat 2 teaspoon oil. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add remaining ingredients. Saute well. Pour this over to coconut chutney.

Mangalore Taj Mahal Cafe Style Theek Rotti (Spicy Puri)

Mangalore Taj Mahal Café Style Theek Rotti (Spicy Puri). Recipe from Kudpi Raj maam & Saigeetha Pai, Mangalore !!

Makes:13 – 14 theek rottis

Ingredients

Please use same measuring cup to measure whole wheat (atta), all purpose flour (maida) & water.

1 cup  / 200 ml / 8 oz (Indian standard measuring cup) whole wheat (atta)

½ cup all purpose flour (maida)

1 teaspoon rawa (sooji)

2 tablespoon curd

1 small size well ripe banana (30 g)

2 green chillies, chopped

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

½ teaspoon peppercorns

½ cup water

Method

Crush peppercorns and cumin seeds in mortar and pestle.

Make a paste of banana and green chillies in a small mixer bowl. Do not water. It should be a thick paste.

Transfer powdered ingredients and banana paste in a mixing bowl.

Add salt, sugar, curd, whole wheat, all purpose flour and rawa. Reserve 2 tablespoon water from ½ cup  water. Add water little by Little and knead into a medium stiff dough. If the dough the very hard, sprinkle 1 tablespoon water and knead again into a medium stiff dough. Cover and keep aside in an airtight container for half an hour.

Divide this dough  into 13 – 14 portions. Flatten them to make rounds (just like puri) with the help of a little dry flour. Make perfect shape with the help of a medium size inverted soup bowl or with a sharp lid or a katori if required. 

In a kadai / frying pan,  heat oil. Reduce heat to medium and fry theek rotti / puri  one at a time till it puffs up. Turn over till both sides are golden brown. Drain out from oil and place  on paper towels to absorb extra oil. Serve hot with potato bhaji and coconut chutney.

Potato Bhaji

 Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

½ teaspoon urad dal

3 green chillies, slit lengthwise

6 curry leaves

½ - inch piece ginger ( chopped )

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 onions, finely sliced

4-5 medium- sized potatoes (boiled, peeled and mashed)

3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida), dilute in 2 teaspoon water

2 tablespoon water

Method

Boil, peel and mash potatoes.

Heat oil in a wide pan on medium heat. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add jeera, urad dal, curry leaves, chopped ginger & green chillies. Fry on a medium heat till crisp.

Add onion slices. Fry on a medium flame till the onions are brown in colour.

Add turmeric powder and fry well. Finally add mashed potatoes, salt to taste and diluted hing. Mix all the ingredients well. Sprinkle 1 – 2 tablespoon water.

Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 12 – 15 minutes  until done / medium dry in consistency. Serve with theek rotti.

Coconut chutney

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients

1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz  coconut grated (loosely filled)

2 green chillies, small size

1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional)

Salt to taste (or 3/4 teaspoon)

Ginger - 1/2- inch piece

For the seasoning:

2 teaspoon oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon urad dal

1 red chilli, halved

4 curry leaves

Method

Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste with a little water. Adjust the thickness of the chutney with extra ¼ cup (50 ml) tablespoons water if you required.

For the seasoning:

In a pan, heat 2 teaspoon oil. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add remaining ingredients. Saute well. Pour this over to coconut chutney.

Haalbai

Haalbai – A delicious sweet from South Canara (Udupi) Cuisine. Recipe  from ‘ 7 wonders in my spice box by Veena Bhat’ !!

Makes -10 – 12 slices

Ingredients

1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz (Indian standard measuring cup) raw rice (pachari)

1 cup grated coconut

3 teaspoon ghee

1 cup melted and sieved jaggery (or to taste, ¾ to 1 cup)

¼ teaspoon cardamom powder

Method

Grease a steel thali with 1 teaspoon ghee and keep it ready.

Wash and soak raw rice in 2 cups of water  for 2 hours. Drain out water (reserve ¼ cup) and grind to a smooth paste with grated coconut in a mixer. Sprinkle reserved water while making paste. Consistency should be   that of dosa batter.

Heat  pan on a medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon ghee. Add jaggery and   mix well gently. Now transfer rice flour paste  to the pan and stir continuously. Sprinkle very little water. Slowly the flour will thicken and no longer stick  to the utensil. If  touched with wet hand, it shouldn’t stick to the hand. Finally it leaves from the sides of the pan and become a soft ball.

 Transfer the thick paste to a greased plate. Sprinkle a teaspoon ghee. Spread the paste evenly with a flat spatula. Keep aside to cool  for an hour and later cut into desired shape and size. Once it completely attains  room temperature, remove from greased thali / plate / baking dish.

Coconut Dosa / Soyi Polo

Coconut Dosa / Soyi Polo  - Tasty dosas / polos in Konkan cuisine !!

Makes: 7 - 8

Ingredients

 1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz boiled rice (ukkada chawal / puzhukkalari)

¾ cup grated coconut

½ teaspoon salt

1/ 4 cup water ( for final mixing)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

Method

Wash and soak rice in 2 cups of water for  4 hours.  Drain out water and reserve ¼ cup. Grind rice with grated coconut and salt to a very fine paste with the reserved water.

Add enough water (extra ¼ cup or 1 ladleful of water)  to obtain batter of pouring consistency. Batter should be thinner than normal dosa batter.  Cover and keep aside for 4 hours.

In a dosa tawa / griddle, heat little oil on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium.  Pour a ladleful (approximately 120 ml ) of the batter into it. Spread evenly by circular rotations using the base of the ladle, starting from the centre and progressing outwards. Close with a lid.

Allow to cook for about 30 seconds (until top portion done ). Turn the other side and cook  until light golden color. Carefully remove it with flat spatula.Repeat the process with the remaining batter. Serve hot with chutney/ sambar /  spicy vegetable  curry / korma / gashi /  prawns / chicken curry.

Puran Poli / Pooran Poli (4th recipe , made of less oil)

Puran Poli / Pooran Poli / Boli (made less oil ) – A very popular sweet in Indian cuisine. Recipe from my Amma !!

Makes: 5 – 6 (5 medium thick puran polis or 6 thin puran polis)

Please use same measuring cup measure chana dal , sugar, maida (all pupose flour) and water.

Ingredinets

For the  covering:

1 cup (200 ml ) maida ( plain flour ) (Indian standard measuring  cup of  200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

3 pinches turmeric powder )or ¼ level teaspoon)

1/2 cup (100 ml / 4 oz) water

1 tablespoon  oil ( for making dough ) or sunflower oil

1/4  cup maida ( for dusting ) or 4 tablespoons

3 – 4 teaspoons ghee  (final preparation)

For the dough:

In a wide bowl, combine maida, turmeric powder and 1 tablespoon oil.

Knead maida mix with and enough water ( approximately 100 ml / 1/2 cup ) to make a smooth chapatti dough. Sprinkle extra 1 or 2 teaspoon water if required to make very soft dough.  Keep aside for half an hour to one hour  in an airtight container. Dough is ready now.

For puran (dal mixture):

1 cup / 200 ml  (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity) chana dal (Bengal gram dal / chone daali)

2 1/4 cups water

Method

Wash and soak chana dal in 2 1/4 cups water in a pressure cooker for one hour and  pressure cook for 20 minutes (pressure cook along with soaked water) (reduce heat to medium after 3rd whistle  (3 quick whistles) and cook for 15 minutes or until done and soft). Do not open the cooker immediately. Allow the cooker to cool naturally.  Open the cooker.  It should be a thick and soft mixture or drain out dal water if any (may be ¼ cup ).

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon ghee

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method

1^st stage:

Transfer the thick  cooked  dal into a  bowl. Keep aside for 15 – 20 minutes until it reaches room temperature. Then  mix with  1 cup sugar. Make a smooth and thick paste in a mixer bowl in 2 batches.

2^nd stage:

Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in  a kadai / frying pan on a medium heat.  Add thick chana dal  - sugar paste and stir it on a low to medium heat till the mixture thickens / water dries up / leaves from the sides of the pan (approximate time  15 - 20 minutes on a low heat). Puran is ready now.

Sprinkle cardamom powder and mix well.

Remove from the heat and cool. Make 5 - 6 medium size lemon sized balls.

Final preparation of Pooran Poli:

Roll  out each maida dough into  4 – inch width puri with the help of a rolling pin. Sprinkle little dry maida when making the shape of a puri.

Place a lime-sized ball (1 tablespoon) of dal paste in the centre. Gather up the edges of the puri, enclose the dal paste completely and pinch the seams well together (like aloo paratha).

Dust this ball generously with maida  flour mix. Place the dusted ball on a chapatti board and carefully roll it out into a  chapatti  (slightly thicker than chapatti) and place each puran poli carefully.

Heat a  frying pan / tawa. Reduce heat to medium, place the rolled puran poli carefully on the frying pan and fry till golden color on both the sides - like chapati ( turning it over once or twice carefully; smear little ghee  (1/2 teaspoon) on both the sides while frying). Carefully remove it from the frying pan with a flat spatula. Serve as a sweet dish. It's a very tasty after school snack.

Udupi Sambar (with coconut paste)

Udupi Sambar (with coconut paste) – Recipe from The Hindu 08 / 06/ 2013, Sunday Magazine – In search of Udupi Sambar.

Ingredients

Toor dal -  1/2 cup

Fenugreek seeds (methi)  - 1/2 teaspoon

Urad dal  - 1 teaspoon

Dried Red chillies -  6 to 7

Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tablespoons

Curry leaves - Five sprigs

Coconut (grated) -  1/4 cup

Mustards seeds -  1/2 teaspoon

Asafoetida - One pinch

Green chillies -  2 slit lenghthwise

Vegetables of choice (brinjals, pumpkin, yam) 2 cups (diced)

Tamarind juice - lemon sized ball of tamarind soaked in 1/3 cup of water.

Salt to taste

Jaggery or brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon

Oil 2 tablespoon

Method

Cook the toor dal till tender and then mash it. Heat oil (1 tablespoon) in a heavy-bottomed pan and roast the fenugreek seeds till light red, then add urad dal and sauté till it changes colour. Add the red chilli and coriander seeds. Add curry leaves and the grated coconut and roast. They should all turn light brown and aromatic. Cool and grind to a fine paste with a little water.

Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add 1/2 teaspoon of urad dal and the asafoetida. Fry for a minute. Add the green chillies, vegetables and fry till you get a nice aroma. Add a little water. Cover and cook till the veggies are done.

Extract pulp from the tamarind and add to the vegetables. Add salt to taste and crumbled jaggery and cook till the raw smell of the tamarind disappears. Add the mashed dal and the ground masala. Mix well and add a little water if required. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve with idli / dosa / vada ...

 

Biscuit Ambado

Biscuit Ambado – A delicious deep fried snack in Konkan  cuisine (Mangalore region)  !!

Soaking time: 2 hours

Makes: 16 - 20

Ingredients

200 ml /  1 cup  urad dal (Indian standard measuring cup of 1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz capacity

2 1/2 cup water ( for soaking )

2 green chillies. finely chopped

1 - inch piece ginger, finely chopped

1 tablespoon thin coconut bits (katli)

6 nos curry leaves , roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

250 ml oil for frying

Method

Wash and soak urad dal for 2 hours. Drain out water completely.

Grind urad dal into a thick and smooth paste in a mixer in  2 batches. Add / sprinkle 2 tablespoons water during grinding. It should be a thick batter.

Transfer the vada batter into another flat bowl and mix it with chopped green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, coconut bits  and salt to taste (Finally add salt). Mix all the ingredients well with thick tablespoon until all the ingredients well combined  evenly with urad dal batter 

Heat oil in a kadai / frying pan. Reduce heat to medium  and wait for 1 minute. Do not fry on high heat. It will brown immediately.  Drop  teaspoons ( use  teaspoons which shape like ice cream scoop to get evenly round shape) of the ambado batter (8 ambados at a time ) and fry till puff /  golden color  on both the sides.

Drain and place on kitchen towel / paper towel to absorb excess oil. Please use 3 – 4 paper towel to absorb extra oil. Serve as an evening snack or with breakfast or serve with coconut chutney.

Udupi Sambar (2nd recipe)

Udupi Sambar – A fantastic  sweet & sour sambar in Upupi cuisine. This sambar is totally different from normal  South Indian sambar !!

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients

For dal :

1/2 cup ( 100 g ) tur dal (Indian standard measuring cup of 100 ml / 4 oz capacity)

300 ml water

1 teaspoon oil

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Method

For Dal:

Wash and clean tur dal. Soak dal for half an hour.

 Pressure cook tur dal along with water, turmeric powder and  oil for 20 minutes. Water level should be 1 - inch above dal  ( reduce heat after 2nd whistle and  cook on a low heat for 15 minutes). Allow the pressure cooker to cool naturally.

Open the lid. Gently mash cooked da mixture.

Other ingredients for sambar:

200 g pumpkin, gently peel off the outer skin and cut into ½ - inch cubes (or any other vegetables)

½ cup to ¾ cup  water

 3 tablespoons  tamarind juice Small lemon sized tamarind (soak in ¼ cup water for half an hour and then strain it through a fine sieve) or ¾ teaspoon thick tamarind paste

1 teaspoon jaggery

¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

2 teaspoon sambar powder (Everest, MTR, Aashirvaad, udupi sambar powder or homemade sambar powder) Dilute sambar powder in 4 teaspoon water. Then it will blend easily with other ingredients

6 tablespoon grated coconut, make a fine paste of coconut in a small mixer bowl with 2 tablespoon water

Method

In a bowl, mix boiled tur dal (along with dal stock), water (1/2 to ¾ cup), pumpkin, tamarind juice or thick paste, jaggery,  salt to taste and diluted sambar  powder. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 8 – 10 minutes until pumpkin almost cooked.

At this stage, add coconut paste. Mix well. Cover with lid again and cook on a low heat for  another 8 minutes. Sambar is ready now.

For seasoning :

2 teaspoon cooking oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 spring curry leaves (6 nos)

1 red chilli, halved

For seasoning :

Heat oil in a pan . Add mustard seeds. When they start crackle, add curry leaves and halved red chilli. Saute for 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant and crisp. Pour this seasoning over sambar. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves (optional). Serve with Idli / Dosa / Vada / Rice ....