Simple Rava Idly.

Rava idli is easy to digest and keeps you full for a long time. Rava idli can be prepared within 15 minutes. You can have these idlies for breakfast or in the evening for snack. Not much of things needed and its does not take much of your time.

I have used little Oats with Rava. Oats helps to soften the idli. You should remember to use sour curd to prepare and you will get good result.
No need to roast rava and oats. No needs to powder either.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Medium sized Rava .( Sooji ) Samolina ).: 2 Cups.
Curd /Yogurt : 1 to 11/2 cup.
Mustard seasoning : 1 Teaspoon
Cashew Nuts : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : To taste.
Cooking/Bicarbonate soda : 1/4 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves.

Method :

1. Put rava and oats in a big bowl. Add little salt.
2. Add curd and requird water and mix it well. Wash coriander leaves cut it into thin and add it.

3. Keep a small pan on the fire and put oil. Heat it. Add mustard seeds, urid dal.
4. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add cashew nuts Fry till they turn slightly golden brown.
5. Add this to Rava - Oats Mixture. Mix it well.

6. Wash and apply oil to all the idli plates.
7. Keep a pressure cooker/idli cooker on the stove. Put required water. Let the flame be slow.
8. Add cooking soda to the idli mixture.
9. Put a small ladleful of mixute to each idli plates. Arrange them in the stand.

10. Keep this idly in the pressure cooker.idli cooker.

11. Let it cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Idli is ready to serve.
12. Put them in the serving bowl and serve with the side dish you prepared.

Note : 

No need to add any extra oil. You can add coriander leaves or carrots gratings to the idli mixture. Let the dough consistency be like normal rice idli dough. Do not make it watery or thick. You should use sour courd to get the best result. Adding ENO salt is optional instead of cooking soda.
Serves : 4 to 5 People 
Time : 15 minutes.

You can also prepare tatte (plate idli) with same dough.

Lemon Rasam.

Lemon Rasam is a liquid type of dish.  You can drink this as soup or starter or even you can eat with rice. It also helps as appetizer. It helps for easy digestion and it helps to improve your taste bud when you are sick.

Pepper seeds, jeera and jaggery is used while preparing this rasam and that adds to the healthy ingredients which helps you to get well soon.
Lets see the recipe Now:

Things Needed:

Lemon : 2 to 3.
Water : 3 to 4 cups.
Green chilly : 2.
Pepper Seeds : 6 to 8.
Jeera : 1/4 Tea spoon.
Jaggery : 1 Table spoon.
Salt :  To taste.
Ingh (Asafetida) : a pinch.
Turmeric Powder : a pinch.
Oil : 1 Tea spoon.
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves.
Coriander Leaves 1 Table spoon.
Ginger : an Inch .

Method:

1.Wash coriander leaves, green chilly, ginger and curry leaves and cut them small.
2.Grate ginger and crush pepper seeds. Keep them aside.
3.Now keep a pan on the fire. Put oil and heat.
4.Put jeera and crushed pepper. Leave it for 10 seconds.
5. Now add curry leaves and ingh to it. Put water and let it boil.
6. Add cut green chilly and ginger to it.
7. Add turmeric powder, salt and jaggery to the boiling water.
8. Let it boil for 1 minute.
9. Squeeze out juice from lemon to the boiling water.
10. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
11. Add coriander leaves and serve Lemon Rasam with hot rice. OR serve as starter or use it when you have throat pain or fever. This works as kashaya too.
12. Hot Rasam is good for throat.
Its a good appetizer too.

Note : 

You can add more lemon juice if you want. Be careful not to add the seeds since it gives the bitter taste. You can add garlic to this rasam if you are fond of garlic flavour. Definitely it gives a different taste. Adding a spoon of ghee will give better taste. But remember if you are preparing this rasam for the sick person strictly do not add ghee.
Serves. 2 to 3.

Ridge Gourd Skin ( outer layer of Ridge Gourd ) Dal

 Ridge gourd skin dall is a curry with gravy and you can have this curry with rice , chapatis, pooris or even with dosas.
Things needed :
Ridge gourd skin: 1 to 2 cups.
Moong Dal : 1/2 cup.
Green chilly : 2 to 3.
Jeera : 1/2 spoon.
Ginger : 1 Tea spoon.
Salt : to taste.
Oil : 1 Tea spoon.
Ingh : a pinch.
Mustard seeds: 1/4 Tea spoon.
Tomatoes : 2 to 3 .
Curry leaves : 5 to 6 .
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons.
Turmeric Powder : a pinch.
Method :
Wash and Remove the edges of  the ridge gourd and wash it again.  Now remove the outer layer of  Ridge gourd and keep it in a bowl.  Boil with little water till soft and keep it aside.  Wash and Pressure cook moong dal  and keep it aside. Wash green chilly , curry leaves and coriander leaves and cut it into small. Wash and remove the skin of ginger and grate and keep it aside.
Now keep a pan on the fire  and heat. Put oil and mustard seeds . Let mustard spurt. Add jeera and cut greeen chilly and fry for 1 minute. Now add ingh and curry leaves. Add boiled moong dal, boil ridge gourd skin and tomatoes . Add ginger, turmeric powder and salt . Mix thoroughly and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in between or it may get burnt.  Add coriander leaves and 1 table spoon of ghee and mix it nicely and  serve Hot Ridge gourd dal  with Hot rice .
Note : Do not add the edges to the curry . Cook the pieces till soft to get the better taste. Adding ghee will give a good taste. You can also add cut onions to the dal and cook . This will give a different taste .
Serves 2 .

Sabbssige ( Dil leaves ) and Sweet Potato Dry Curry .( Palya ).and Cutlet...

Sabbssige soppu ( Dil Leaves ) and sweet dry curry is a side dish and you can have them with rice , chapati or pooris.
 Things Needed : 
Sweet Potatoes : 2 to 3 .( medium sized ).
Dil leaves. ( Sabbassige soppu ) : 2 to 3 Bundles.
Green chilly : 2
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Salt : to taste.
Oil : 2 Tea spoons.
Turmeric : a pinch.
Method: 
Wash and cut sweet potato in to small and wash again . Boil for 3 to 4 minutes in medium flame. ( See that it does not over cook ). After that drain the water and keep it  aside. Wash and cut Sabbassige soppu ( Dil leaves ) and green chillies and  keep it aside.
Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil, mustard and let it spurt. Add jeera and cut green chill and fry for 2 seconds and add cut Sabbassige soppu and fry in that oil on low flame for 3 to 4 minutes . Now add boiled sweet potatoes and stir slighty and add salt and turmeric and mix it well.  Cover the mixture and cook on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between.  Sabbassige Soppu - Sweet Potato Dry curry is ready to serve now.  Put the Dry curry in a serving bowl.
Note : Boiling Sweet potato will reduce the use olf oil and the time too. Must take care while boiling Sweet potatoes since it should not be over cooked otherwise the curry will taste differ. Can add red chilly powder while cooking to give a yemmy hot taste . Remember too much hot( chilly taste ) is not good for the health. Can add 1 more table spoon of oil if you wish. Definitely it will taste better.  Can also add vanghibath powder to the curry to get little different taste. Can prepare Cutlets with this Dry Palya.
Serves 2 to 3 

Spicy Cutlet with Palya.
Dil leaves - Sweet Potato Palya : 1 cup.
Bread slices : 2 to 3
Oats : 3 Table spoons.
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Salt : To taste.
Oil : 2 to 3 Table spoons.
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons  . ( Wash and cut it into small).
Ginger : 1/2 table spoon. (Wash ginger, remove the skin, wash again and grate the ginger ).
Method : 
Mash the Dry curry and bread together. Roast oats and leave it for cooling . Now add roasted oats, cut coriander leaves and grated ginger to
the mixture and prepare balls.
Keep a tava on the fire and heat. Put oil and spread it . Take a mixture ball and flat it on the palm and cook on the tava. Sprinkle oil on the top and cook on low flame till both sides are brown. ( Cook on both side ). Use little oil while turning cutlet to cook on other side.
Cutlets are ready to eat. Serve with ketch up.
Note : No need to remove the sides of the bread. Just mash or powder bread slices. Can add cashew nuts or ground nuts to the mixture. Roast nuts before using it.
Serves 2 .

Heerekai( Ridge Gourd ) Sweet Curry.

Heere kai Sweet Curry is a side dish and you can have this with rice , chapati, poori  or dosa too.
All age group people will njoy eating this dish.
Things needed : 
Ridge gourd : 2 
Coconut : 3  to 4 Table spoons.
Jaggery : 1 Table spoon.
Jeera : 1/4 Tea spoon.
Mustard seeds : 1/4 Tea spoon.
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6 .
Red chilly : 2 to 3 .
Raw rice : 1 Tea spoon.
Ghee : 1 Tea spoon.
Salt : To taste.
Method : 
Wash Ridge gourd nicely and remove the edges by scraper. Wash again and remove the skin nicely and cut ridge gourd in to small pieces. Wash and soak raw rice for 10 minutes.
Boil these ridge gourd pieces till soft and keep it aside.( Use 1/2 cup of water). Grind fresh coconut and soaked rice till paste and keep it aside.
Now keep a pan on the fire. Heat and put ghee. Add mustard seeds, red chilly  and jeera to it. Let the mustard sprut. Add curry leaves to it and add boiled ridge gourd and ground coconut. Add salt, jaggery  and little water if required. Mix  nicely and boil for 5 minutes and put off the gas. Serve Ridge Gourd Sweet Curry with Hot rice and a spoon of ghee on the top. 
Note : Can add more jaggery if you like sweet. You can also use watermelon rind , sweet potato or red pumpkin or Snake gourd instead of ridge gourd. Adding soaked rice is to helps the mixture to be thick and it does not separate the water from the vegetable.
Ridge gourd outer skin can be used for preparing Chutney.
Serves 2 to 3 .

Jack Fruit Idly

Jack Fruit is a seasonal fruit and it is used for many dishes in South Canara. We do prepare curries, payasa/Kheer, sweet and spicy idli, appams, dosa and guli appa. Now a days Jack fruit is used in Rice Palav also.

Preparing Jack fruit idli/kadubu is very common in South Canara and it is healthy dish. During jack fruit season almost all houses prepare these idlis at least once a week. It can be eaten for breakfast or as snack. It is also done in using Indian oak /Tega leaves, idli plate, banana leaves or even flat plates.
Though the producer preparing the dough is same the container or the leaves gives a different shapes and aroma. It is the best way to get healthy properties of the fresh edible leaves.
Here I have done idli, kadubu and the tatte kadubu using jack fruits, raw rice and jaggery with coconut.
 Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Raw Rice (Dosa Rice ): 2 cups.
Coconut : 1 Cups.
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup.
Jack Fruits: 20 to 25 fruits. (separate the seed and its cover before using the fruit).
Salt : to taste.
Ghee or oil : 2 Tea spoons.

Method :

1. Wash and soak rice in water for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Grate coconut and cut jackfruits in to small pieces.

3. Now grind grated coconut and cut jackfruit together .

4. Add soaked and drained rice and grind it along with jack coconut mixture till rava consistency.
5. Add  jaggery and salt and grind it for 2 minutes.
6. Remove the jack rice mixture from the mixi jar and put it in a bowl.

7. If you are using a idli plate apply cooking oil to each plate and put the dough on each idli mould.
8. Cook in a pressure cooker or idli cooker for 20 to 25 minutes. '

9. If you are using plates apply oil on each plate and pour the ground dough and cook in idli cooker for 25 to 30 minutes.

10. If you are using tega leaves/indian oak tree leaves/ Teak wood tree leaves, wash the leaves and then put a spoonful of dough in the middle of the leaf and fold.

11. Arrange these kadubu in a idli cooker and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.

12. Serve Ready kadubus with ghee. Hot or cold both way you can enjoy these traditional jack fruit kadubus.

Note :
No need to use any water while grinding. Jack fruits do contain lots of water. ( or use very little water)
If the dough turns watery add some rava/semolina to the mixture. The taste differ.
Adding more /less jaggery is optional.
Adding more coconut helps the kadubu to be tasty. Use of more jack fruits helps to reduce the amount of coconut.
Remember the jack fruit must be ripen or Jack fruit kadubu does not taste good.
Time : 40 minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5 .
  Different shapes of Jackfruit Idli/Kadubu. It is healthy, easy to digest and yummy to have during the rainy season. Hot or cooled idli taste yum yum yummy. Try and enjoy these Jack fruit Idlis.

Wild Mango ( Kaatu Maavu ) Dry Curry . ( Palya )

Kaatu Maavu  is a kind of Mango and its little savoury and sweet too. Its round and very small  in size. This mango is used in Rasayana ( to get the savoury taste), done Mavina Sasive or even dry curry. It is full of fibre content. Mango Palya can be eaten with rice, chapati, poori and dosa too.

Things Needed :

Mangoes : 5 to 6
Curry leaves: 5 to 6.
 Mustard Seeds : 1 Tea spoon.
Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Ingh ( Asfoteda ) : a pinch.
Red chilly : 3 to 4.
Salt : to taste.
Coconut : 3 to 4 table spoons.
Oil : 2 Table spoons.
Jaggery : 1 Table spoon.

Method :
1. Wash and remove the outer skin of the mangoes and just prick on the the fruit. (With the help of knife just prick it around the mango fruit).

 2, Grate coconut and dry grind with 1/2 Teaspoon of mustard seeds, red chilly and a little ingh. Remove the ground masala from the mixi jar.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, mustard seeds and urid dal.
4. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves and little ing.(a pinch).
5. Add mango fruits. Stir it slowly. Add required salt and jaggery. Let it be on low flame.

6. Mix it well. Let it cook on low flame nearly 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt.
7. Add ground coconut - mustard seeds mixture and stir slowly. Leave it for 2 minutes.
8. Shift Wild Mango Curry to a serving dish and serve with hot rice a little ghee on the top.

Note :
Mangoes should be cooked nicely to get the best taste. Do not add any water to it. You can add more jaggery. (taste nice for people who like sweet taste).
Time : 10 minutes
Serves 2 to 3.