Ridge Gourd Peel ( outer layer ) Chutney.

Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney is prepared using ridge gourd peel. Whenever you use ridge gourd, you can make use of the peel to prepare so many side dishes. I have prepared its fritter, dal, chutney, curry etc.

Ridge gourd also can be used along with the peel. But normally the inner part is used for curry or other dishes and the peel is also used in our kitchen.
Wash the ridge gourd nicely and then remove the peel. The edges should be scrapped out and then slowly remove the outer layer.
I have used little urid dal, red byadagi chilli, coconut and little tamarind.
Lets see the recipe Now :
Things Needed:
To Cook :
Ridge Guard outer layers ; 1 cup
Coriander seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Tamarind : 1/2 Lemon size
Salt : As required
To Fry
Urd Daal : 1 Tablespoon
Curry Leaves : 8 to `10
Red Chilly : 4 to 6
Ingh/Asafoetida : a pinch
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
To Season :
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : A pinch

Method :  
1.Wash and remove the outer layer of  Ridge Guard
2. Scrape the sharp edges and wash it again.
3. Slowly remove the outer layer of the ridge gourd and put it in a bowl.
4. Cook this Ridge Gourd skin with tamarind, salt, coriander seeds and turmeric powder with little water. Let it get cool.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add a spoon of oil, urid dal and red chilly. Fry till urid dal turns golden brown.
6. Add curry leaves and ingh. Mix it nicely and put off the fire.
7. Add coconut and leave it for cooling.

8. Now grind cooked ridge gourd peel with the water and fried coconut- Urid mixture nicely. (According to your wish).

9. Remove from the mixi jar to a serving bowl.
10. Add mustard seasoning and serve with the main dish.

Note :
Use of chilly is optional. (more/less). You should fry urid dal nicely or chutney does not taste good. Adding oil to fry is optional. (You can just roast the dal and chilly).
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4

Garlic - Ghee Rice

Garlic - Ghee Rice is normally used for lunch or dinner.
Things Needed :

Cooked Rice : 1 Cup
Garlic Pods : 6 to 8
Red Chillies : 2 to 3
Salt : to taste
Coconut : Fresh and Grated : 2 Table spoons.
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon .
Urd Daal :1/2 Tea spoon
Cashew Nuts: 2 Table spoons
Ghee : 2 Table spoons.

Method :
Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put 1 table spoon of ghee. Put mustard seeds and Urd daal . Let the Mustard spurt. Add Garlic pods and fry for 3 seconds . Add cashew nuts and red chillies. ( Cut chillies and put it to the mixture).  Now add curry leaves and fry for 2 to 3 seconds. Add  cooked rice and stir . Then add  salt and mix well. Add coconut and put of the gas.  Add the remaining Ghee and mix well and Serve Garlic - Ghee rice with some chips or Papad.
Note:  Do not use over cooked rice.  You can add little Jeera  while frying . Left over rice can be used for preparing Gharlic - Ghee rice for  breakfast. Do not use the whole ghee in the beginning....since it gives a burnt smell. ...use little ghee to fry the mustard spurt and  add the remaining ghee at the end. It gives very good Aroma and taste better.
Serves :2 

Nendra Baale and Wheat Spicy Dosa

Nendra Bale and Wheat Spicy Dosa can be eaten for breakfast or as an evening snack. It is good to have hot Nendra Bale dosa. 

This is one of the quick, easy and healthy way of preparing Nendra Bale Dosa. Traditionally raw rice is soaked in water for at least 2 hours and then ground with little spices and dosa is done as soon as you prepare the dough.
Instead of using rice I have used Wheat flour and a very little quantity of rava/semolina.
Nendra Bale is one variety of banana, we do use this banana for preparing sweet dish and bajjis (Fried fritters). Here I just tried this Nendra bale for Spicy dosa and it has come out yummy.
Remember you should use well ripe Nendra bale to prpeare any of the dish or it turns savoury and you might not like it. We can prepare Halva, Jamoon, sweet fritters and even payasam.
Lets see the recipe Now "

Things Needed :

Nendra Bale : 1
Wheat Flour : 2 cups
Medium size Rava/Semolina  : 2 Table spoons
Jaggery: 2 to 3 Table spoon
Fresh boiled and cooled milk : 1/2 Cup
Spices :
Rasam Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Ingh /Asfoetida : a Picnch
Salt : to taste
Ghee/Oil : 4 Table spoons.
Water: Required water.

Method:

1. Take a big bowl and put wheat flour, rava/semolina, salt, rasam powder, ingh and jaggery.
2. Add 1/2 cup of milk and required water. Prepare dosa dough. Keep it aside.

3. Remove the skin of Nendra bale and cut the fruit into circle shape. (thin).

4. Keep a dosa pan on the fire and heat. Spread little oil on the hot tava.
5. Dip each piece of banana in the spicy wheat batter and arrange them on the tava. (Circle shape).

6. Sprinkle little oil on the top of dosa, cover and cook on low flame. Let it cook nicely.
7. Now turn the other side and cook till they turn golden brown. ( 1 t 1 1/2 minutes).

8. Remove it from the tava and serve hot Nendra bale Wheat spicy dosa with little ghee on the top of hot dosa.

9. Repeat the same with remaining dough and bananas.
10. You can also prepare this dosa with  Yalakki banana. It taste very nicely. Cut them into pieces and dip in the same batter and arrange them on the tava and cook. (Same procedure).

Note :

Do not add more rava. Just 2 Tablespoons of rava will do. Or it turns hard and chewy. Adding more jaggery is optional. Adding grated coconut is optional. I have not added. Cooking banana dosa in ghee is optional. I have used cooking oil. Powder jaggery before adding. It takes longer time to dissolve. Consstency of dough should be like idli dough. It is easy to dip the banana and arrange it on the tava. No need to add any cooking soda or baking powder. You can use sugar instead of jaggery, but using jaggery in our diet is a good aspect. Use of any brand rasam powder is optional. . (Home made is always best).
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 (According to the size).

Veggy Modak..

Veggy Modak is a snack ..and you can have them as break-fast or  as evening snack.

Things Needed:
Rice powder: 2 cups
Carrot : 1 cup
Beans : 1 cup
Capsicum:1 cup
Green chilly : 2
Coriander Leaves : 2 Table spoons.
Salt : to taste.
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves.
Oil: 1 Tea spoon
Method:
Wash and cut all the vegetables, Green chillies and coriander leaves  in to small pieces and keep it aside.
Take a pan and keep it on fire and heat. Put 1 tea spoon of oil . Put mustard seeds and urd daal. let the mustard seed spurt.  Add curry leaves and cut vegetables . Mix well and  cook on low flame adding little water. Add little salt to it. Cook it for 4 to 5 minutes until the water disappear. Put cut coriander leaves and remove from the pan.
Now take an another pan and put  4 cups of water and add little salt to it. .  Bring to boil and  add rice powder little by little while the water boiling. Mix it well and stir the dough for at least 5 minutes. The dough gets thickens .Stir well and remove from the pan and keep it aside. Make balls when the dough when it becomes cool and flatten them with your palm place a spoon full of  vegetable dry curry prepared and close them with your finger giving it Modaka shape. Prepare this kind of modakas placing vegetables in it.  Arrange in a  steam cooker  or pressure cooker and steam them  for 10 minutes and serve hot Modaks with Coconut chutney and a spoonful of pure ghee on hot Modakas.

Mote : Wet your hands while making balls . So that it will be easy to make Modakas. Can add Green peas to the vegetables also.

You can use Maida flour instead of rice powder. ( Roast Maida flour and leaving for cooling . Add plain water and mix as chapati dough and  kneed well and make small balls and then flatten them one by one add the filling and prepare Modakas).
Note on  steaming Modakas in a steamer or Pressure cooker:  Add 2 glasses of water put a small bowl ( any pressure cooker container will do or similar vessel). upside down.  Place a plate on it and arrange the Modakas on the plate and cover the pressure cooker and cook for  10 minutes.

10 to 15  Modakas can be prepared.