TATTE IDLI ( PLATE IDLI )

Tatte Idli/plate idli is also called majjige/mosaru idli. It is prepared using mosaru/curd or majjige/butter milk. In this particular type of idli we do not use much of Urid dal.

We do this kadabu/idli back at home in South Canara and Malnad area. (Karnataka). It is one of the healthy dish for breakfast and its easy too. Recently I have seen Mr. Sadananda Mayya the owner of Mayya's group of Hotels showing the recipe in one of the T. V. Channel. Then I thought I should put up this recipe here. I have tried this many times and the result is super soft idlis.
The ingredients used here are raw rice, curd or butter milk and avalakki/flattened rice. (Avalakki). You can add grated ginger and carrots .

Things Needed :

Raw Rice : 2 Cups
Thick Avalakki : 1 Cup
Urid dal : 1 Tablespoon
Curd : 3/4 cup
Salt : as it required

Method :

1. Wash and soak rice and urid dal for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Wash and soak Avalakki/flattened rice for at least 1 hour.

3. Now grind avalakki/flattened rice in 1/2 cup of curd/butter milk till smooth.
4. Add rice to this avalakki and grind it as rava. (not fully in to paste).
5. Remove the ground mixture from the mixi jar and put it in a big bowl.

6. Add required salt and leave it for fermenting.
7. Apply oil on the plates or cooker container. Mix this mixture nicely and pour it to the plates.

8. Keep a idli cooker/pressure cooker on the fire and put some water into it.
9. Let the water boil. Keep these dough poured plates in the idli cooker and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

10. Insert a spoon edge to know idli is cooked well. (if the dough sticks by the sides of the inserted spoon then cook for another 10 minutes).

11. Remove from idli plate and cut the idli in to small pieces.
12. Serve with ghee and the side dish you prepared.

Note :

You can use tatte idli stand to prepare this idlis/cooker container or small plates.

The dough must be fermented well. The consistency of the dough turns little watery. Not to worry. It is because of curd and Avalakki the dough turns as little watery.  Use only the required curd. Do not grind the ingredients into watery. (Let it be thick when groun, since curd is added the dough turns little watery). That is the reason we use plates.
You can add grated carrots, ginger, coconut pieces, curry leaves, cut green chilly and coriander leaves (cut into thin)  to the dough (just before preparing idli) and prepare masala tatte idli.
Do not add any bicarbonate soda or baking powder and Eno salt. It takes away the natural aroma.
Be careful while eating outside. They might use ajino moto (a type of chinese salt) (taste powder as they call) to pull the crowd. Ajinomoto is a kind of salt which is not good for our health and it damages our intestine.
Time :   Total time : 7 hours & 40 minutes.
Soaking time : 2  hours
grinding : 10 minutes
Fermenting time : 5 to 6 hours.
Cooking Time : 20 minutes.
Serves :  5 to 6.

Avalakki Huggi (Flattened Rice Sweet Pongal)

Avalakki is nothing but Flattened Rice or Beaten Rice and Huggi is Sweet Pongal. 

During the month of Dhanurmasa (December 14th to January 14th normally)  normally Huggi/Pongal is prepared. It is said that at least once we should eat Huggi/Pongal in this month. We prepare sweet version of pongal/huggi. But now Khara or Sweet Pongal has become one of the favourite dish of many. The spicy/khara pongal is prepared for breakfast/lunch/snack/dinner (any time of the day). Of course it is good to eat this healthy food. It is prepared using moong dal and rice. Moong dal is full of protein and is one of the good legume for vegetarians. Dhanurmasa is full of cold and in some places it is a harvesting time. Fresh grains (rice) are brought home or cooked in the field and the whole family sit and enjoy. 
Sankranthi falls on 14th of January every year.(may be a day difference some time, according to the calendar. (Panchanga). The sun moves towards North (Uttara) side on that particular day and it is noted as Uttarayana. There is a belief that the heaven's door opens on that day. (According to Hindu Purana). Uttarayana circle goes on for 6 months and on July 15th is noted as Dakshinayana. On that particular day the sun moves slightly towards South. (Dakshina).
It is a tradition that, people cook both varieties of Pongal. (Khara/spicy and Sweet) on this day and celebrate Sankranthi mainly in South India. Some part of Karnataka like Udupi /Mangalore and Malanad we do cook mild sweet huggi and it is eaten with tamarind and jaggery mixed gojju. . That is a superb combination with Huggi.
One more interesting thing is that this particular day Ellu bella  ( sesame, jaggery , roasted channa and roasted ground nuts mix) is also eaten and given (shared in little quantity)  to neighbours. There is a saying that "ellu bella tindu olle maatadu", which means eat sesame and jaggery and speak good words.
India is a traditional land. Each part of India has different varieties of traditions. That is why it is said " Unity in Diversity ".  Though we have  different culture, tradition, cloth, food habits from place to place we all belong to " MOTHER INDIA ".

Dals are rich in protein and they also help in many ways. It strengthen our body and provide good vitamins and minerals.
Coming back to the dish, Avalakki Huggi /Flattened rice Pongal is prepared using moong dal, avalakki and jaggery as main ingredients. This is an easy dish and you can enjoy Avalakki Huggi even on any festival day.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things  Needed :

Avalakki/Flattened Rice Thick variety  : 2 to 2 1/2 cups
Moong Dal : 1 Cup
Jaggery : 1/2 cup
Ghee : 4 to 5 Tablespoons
Carrot : 2
Cashews and raisins : 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Cardamom : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and soak avalakki (1/2 cup of water ) for 10 minutes.
2. Wash and remove all the water from moong dal.

3. Wash and grate carrot (slightly remove the outer layer, wash again before grating) and grate coconut. Keep it aside.
4. Powder cardamom and keep it aside.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put 1 Teaspoon of ghee. Fry washed moong dal for 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Add 1/2 cup of water and cook till they turn soft.
7. Add jaggery and mix it well. Let jaggery melt and mix it with cooked moong.
8. Now add soaked avalakki to cooked moong. Mix it well.

 9. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between.
10. Now keep a small pan and heat. Put 2 tablespoons of ghee. Fry cashews and raisins till they turn slightly golden brown.
11. Remove  some fried cashews and raisinis . Add grated carrots to the same pan and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

12. Put this carrots to the moong and avalakki mixture. Mix it nicely and slowly.

13. Add powdered cardamom and mix it again. Add grated coconut. 

 14. Shift the cooked avalakki huggi to a serving dish. Add ghee fried cashew and raisins on the top.

 15. Serve when it is hot. We had it with Uppittu/ Upma.

 Note :

You should use thick variety of beaten rice to get the good consistency and taste. Roasting moong dal is to separate the grains.(or it becomes very soft when cooked and it might turn saggy). Adding jaggery (more/less) is optional. Adding ghee is optional. I have used Delhi Carrots (red carrots). Since it is winter you can get plenty of red carrots in the market. Use of less/more carrots is optional. Use sugar is optional. Jaggery is good for health and it mixes well with  avalakki/flattened rice. Take care while cooking. Do not make the dish watery. It should be like Upma consistency. (Avalakki Uppittu). Adding a pinch of salt is optional. ( I did not add).
Preparation time : 15 minutes.
Cooking Time 15 minutes.
Serves : 5 to 6.

Mixed Dals & Rice Dosa.

 Eating dosa or idli for breakfast is one of the good habit. Dals are loaded with proteins and carbohydrates.
 Idli and dosas are prepared using rice or rava and urid dal. They are rich in carbohydrates and proteins. It is easy to prepare and it is always healthy to eat home made food.Here is one such recipe which loaded with proteins.

Mixed dal dosa is called adai or dal dosa and I have used all the dals and red boiled rice (Kocchakki - or Kusulakki ) as we say and I have not used any maida. (normally maida (all purpose flour) is added in hotels. Try this and I am sure you all love this dosa very much. Dals /legumes are loaded with protein, carbohydrates and energy rich. They also loaded with minerals and vitamins.
Kochhakki/Kusalakki makes the dough soft and crispy. 

Things needed :

Toor Dal : 1/2 Cup
Urid Dal : 1/2 Cup
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
Chenna Dal : 1/2 Cup
Raw Rice : 2 Cups
Red boiled Rice : 1 cup
Avalakki : 2 Handful (Optional)
Methi Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Medium Rava/ Semolina : 1 Cup
Oil/Ghee : 1/2 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and soak rice and all dals together for 2 to 3 hours. Wash and soak Avalakki/beaten/flattened rice separately.

2. Grind them nicely adding water little by little and put it in a big bowl. Add salt and mix it well. Let it rest for 4 to 5 hours or over night.

3. Add rava in the morning when you are ready to prepare dosa. Mix it thoroughly .

4. Keep a tava (dosa pan) and heat. Put 1/2 Teaspoon of oil on the tava and spread it nicely. Clean that oil with a kitchen tissue.
5. Take a ladle full of dosa batter and spread it on the tava in circular shape. Do not press so much it might stick to the spoon and it becomes difficult to prepare dosa.

6. Add a spoon of il on the top of dosa and let it cook for 1 minute. Turn the other side and cook for 10 seconds.
7. Remove it from the dosa pan and serve hot dosa with any curry or chutney you prepared. Add a spoon of ghee on the top of hot dosa before serving.

 8. Repeat the same with remaining batter to prepare dosa.

Note :

Adding more boiled rice may turn dosa very soft and you might not be able to prepare thin dosas. Adding Avalakki/poha is optional.That too makes the dosa very soft but it adds to the  fluffyness to the dosa. You can use ghee instead of oil. It adds to the taste,
Prepare dosas on medium and low flame.(while spreading let it be low flame and then let it cook on medium flame).

Adding rava is to get the crispness and binding consistency. (Instead of maida added medium sized rava/semolina). You can also prepare dosas with this batter. Add a cup of curd just when are ready to prepare dosas. Do try it on a small quantity first and then you can prepare the larger quantity. (You get the idea by preparing smaller quantity and then you can adjust according to your wishes.


Time :
Dosa preparing : 20 minutes.
Preparation : Soaking 3 hours, leaving the batter to ferment : overnight. 
Serves : 8 to 10 ppl :  35 to  40 Dosas can be prepared.

Foxtail Millet & Flax Seeds Dosa

Dosa or Dose (Kannada word), is one of the most favourite and famous food item of South India. Now world famous. There are different varieties of dosas and it can be eaten at any time of the day.

Normally dosa is prepared with rice (raw or boiled), urid dal, methi /fenugrik seeds and flattened/beaten (aval/avalakki/poha). I always try to twist the ingredients and prepare it in slightly some thing different. This time I have added flax seeds because it gives fluffiness and softness to the dosa. Use of foxtail millet turns dosa very crispy. I added 1/3 of raw rice which helps dosa to be not only normal kind, it also avoids dosa to be very stiff.
Trying dosa, using different healthy grains is really gives me joy. This time I tried with, fox tail millet, flax seeds, raw rice and urid dal. Dosa came out very well and adding flax seeds gave softness to the dosa. These dosas are really healthy because it contain good healthy grains like foxtail millet, urid dal and flax seeds.

Foxtail millet is known as Navane and flax seeds are Agase beeja in Kannada language.
Lets see some benefits of having Urid dal in our diet.

Urid dal is rich in protein and carbohydrates which required by the body. It also contain Vitamin B, iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, potassium. Urid dal contain energy boosting, anti aging and anti inflammatory properties. It also helps to improve digestion and boost heart health.
Lets see the recipe now. You can prepare thinner and crispy dosa, fluffy dosa (Set Dosa) or Masala Dosa. (Option is yours).

Ingredients :

Foxtail Millet : 3 Cups
Raw Rice : 1 Cup
Flax Seeds : 2 Tablespoons
Urid dal : 1 Cup
Methi/Fenugrik seeds : 1 teaspoon
Avalakki/Poha/Beaten Rice : 1/2 cup or 2 handful
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons.

 Method :

1. Wash and soak all the ingredients except avalakki together for 3 to 4 hours. Wash and soak avalakki separately.

2. Grind it nicely  (including avalakki) and till paste consistency with required water. (add water little by little).
3. Remove from the grinder or mixi jar and add salt and mix it well. Leave it fermentation. (Over night or 5 to 6 hours).

4. Keep a tava or dosa pan on the fire. Heat. Just sprinkle little oil and put a ladle of dosa dough.
5. Spread it nicely, cover and cook for 1 minute on low and medium flame.

6. Remove the cover and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of oil on the top and turn the dosa and cook other side of the dosa for 10 to 20 seconds.

7. Remove from the pan and serve hot dosa with chutney or sambar or any side dish. Add a spoon of ghee on the top just before serving.

8. Repeat the same and prepare dosa with remaining dough.
9. Masala Dosa with the same dough.

Note :

You can reduce the quantity of rice and foxtail millet (each 1 cup and 1/2 cup urid dal etc) .
You can also use ghee instead of oil. (optional)
Time : Soaking : 4 hours, grinding : 10 minutes in mixi and at least 1 hour on grinder.
Cooking time : 30 minutes (As per requirement).
Serves : at least 25 to 30 dosas can be made