Avalakki Guli Appa/Paddu/Guntpongalu

Avalakki Guli appa/Paddu is a breakfast/snack dish. It is soft, fluffy and spongy. Most of us love to have them. It is normally prepared using dosa dough. Using avalakki and curd along with raw rice we do prepare dosa and idli. I just tried the same dough and prepared spicy onion coriander Guli appa.
I have used Avalakki/flattened/ Beaten Rice, curd and raw rice.

Lets know about what they call this Avalakki/Beaten or flattened rice in some indian languages.
Avalakki (in Kannada language) is known as Poha in Hindi, Pauaa /Paunva -Gurjarati and Poya in Rajastani. Chuda in Oriya, Atukulu -Telugu, Aval - Tamil and Malayalam. Pohe in Marathi and Phovu in Konkani.
Lets see some benefits of eating Avalakki/fllaten/beaten rice in our diet.  
Avalakki is also known as Rice flakes is light and easy to digest. It is a good source of instant energy since it contain carbohydrates. It provides good amount of Vitamin B 1 and helps to stabalize blood sugar. It is full of iron and low on gluten.
Lets see the recipe now. We can prepare fluffy dosa, sweet/spicy and onion guliappa with the same dough.

Things Needed : 

For the dough 
Avalakki/Rice Flakes /Poha : 1 Cup
Raw Rice : 2 Cup
Urid dal : 1 Tablespoon
Sour Curd : 1/2 Cup
Salt : To taste
 To Add : 
Onions : 2
Coriander Leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 leaves
Green Chilly : 1
Grated ginger : 1 Teaspoon
Guli Appa / Kuli appam/ Paddu Pan
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoon

Method : 

1. Wash and soak raw rice and urid dal together for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Wash and soak thin variety of Avalakki/Flatted rice separately
3. Grind rice, urid dal and avalakki using curd.
4. Remove from the mixi jar and put it in a big bowl. Add salt.
5. Mix it well and leave it for over night for fermenting. (or 6 to 8 hours)
6. Divide the ferment dough in to two parts.

7. Remove the outer skin of onions and wash it. Cut it into small.
8. Wash coriander leaves, curry leaves and green chilly. Cut them into thin pieces. Grate ginger and keep it aside. (Wash and remove the outer layer and wash it again before grating ginger).
9. Mix these cut onions, green chilly, coriander leaves to a portion of ferment dough.

10. Keep a pan on the fire. Heat. Sprinkle oil,
11. Mix the dough well and put a small portion of ground fermented dough in each part of guli appa.
12. Sprinkle oil on the top and cover. Let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

13. Turn the ohter side and cook for 10 Seconds.

14. Remove guli appa from the pan, add little ghee on the top and serve with the side dish you have prepared.

15. Prepare plain guli appa the same way.

Note :

The dough must get fermented to have good guli appas. You can also add jaggery to the dough and prepare sweet guli appa or sweet dosa. Let the dough be thick while grinding .(Use curd little by little. Do not add any water while grinding).
Time :
Soaking time : 2 to3 Hours
Grinding :  5 to 10 minutes
Fermentation : 6 to 8 hours
Preparation of guli appa : 15 to 20 minutes
Total time :  9 Hours and 30 minutes.

You can also prepare fluffy dosas with same dough.

Yugadi/Ugadi Festival Feast.

Happy Yugadi/Ugadi To All ...   "Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu...Samasta Sanmangalani Bhavanthu ". 
Festivals bring us joy and happiness in our life. It is also the best time we spend with our near and dear ones. Exchanging wishes and sweets are the sweet moments in every one's life. Time to have Lunch or Dinner with our family/friends. A sweet and lovely moments spent with our people is always cherished in life.

I have written the importance of Yugadi Festival in my previous post. Celebrating New Year beginning with Pooja and Elders Ashirwada (blessings) is a good beginning too. Houses will be decorated with fresh Mango, Neem leaves and fresh flowers. Rangolis are spread in bigger way, taking oil bath in the morning and wearing new dress. Having festival/feast food with all the family members. Wow these things really freshen up and takes back to our childhood days.
Yugadi is here and it is the first day of our New Year according to Hindu Panchangam. " Happy
New Year - Happy Yugadi/Ugadi/Gudi Padva ". Lets all pray for Every one's good health. Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu , Sarva Sanmangalni Bhavantu".
The feast dishes are normally according to the one's traditions and customs. The family has continued its elders footstep and followed how they have celebrated.
Let us know how do they celebrate Yugadi in Raychoor District. (in Karntaka State).
I usually go for a short walk in the evening. I met a lady called Kusuma (while walking), who hails from Soraba (Near Sagar), We started talking about the Yugadi Celebration and naturally it turned to the dishes that we prepare. Bevu bella and the way it is prepared etc etc. I always listen to people when they talk. She started telling about how do they take Bevu bella. It is something interesting In their house (Husband is from Raichoor district) They call it as Shavige sosodu. (Drain the shavige after cooking). Let me tell the whole procedure. They cook shavige (payasam shavige is used here) with more water. Once the shavige/vermicelli  is cooked the extra water is to be drained out. They add some amount of jaggary to shavige and cook till it turns thick.  Add required water if it requires. Mix it nicely and let it boil for a while. At first they serve cooked shavige jaggery mixture and serve bevu bella mixture separately. Then it is mixed together and eaten. Interesting to note right? One more thing to note is that they use only neem flowers. (No neem leaves are added). That's the way of celebrating Yugadi. It sounded interesting to me.
Each place has its own importance in celebrating and keeping up the traditions and customs.
We pray God and Wish Each one Happy Yugadi/Ugadi. Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavanthu.
The food we eat should be light and not with much hard work put up while cooking. One gets tired and lose the interest in the rest of the day. My advice is Cook simple and easy dishes and relax and enjoy. You can prepare the sweet dish on previous day, (except payasa)  if you are not keeping it for Neivedyam for God.
Lets see the festival dishes Now.
1. Carrot Capsicum Pachdi or Raitha
2. Sweet Potato-Capsicum Fry
3. Colour Cucumber/Mangalore Cucumber Bolu Huli/Dal
4. Avalakki/Flattened Rice Chitranna
5. Jack Fruit Payasa/Kheer
6. Seven Cups Burfi
7. Brinjal Bajji /Pakoda

1. Carrot Capsicum Pachdi or Raitha:

Things Needed :
Carrots : 2
Capsicum : 1
Green chilly : 1
Curry Leaves : 3 to 4
Coriander Leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Curd : 1 Small cup
Salt : To taste
Mustard Seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon,
Jeera/1/2 Teaspoon
 ingh: a pinch,
Curry leaves : 3 to 4
Oil : 1/2 Teaspoon
Method : 
Wash and cut capsicum and grate carrots and keep it aside. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil. Put mustard seeds. let it splutter. Add cut green chilly, jeera and c4 urry leaves. Add ingh. Mix it well and add grated carrots and cut capsicum. Mix it nicely and let it cook on low flame till soft.( 3 to 4 minutes. Add salt. Put off the fire. Let it cool. Add required curd and cut coriander leaves. Mix it well just before serving.

2. Sweet Potato -Capsicum Fry

Things Needed :
Sweet Potatoes : 2 to 3
Capsicum : 1
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Dry ginger powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder/Rasam Powder : 2 Teaspoons
Jeera Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : To taste
Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Methi seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Ingh/Asafoetida : a pinch
Method :
Wash and remove the outer layer (optional) and cut sweet potatoes and capsicum in to thin pieces. Keep a pan on the fire and add oil. Let it be hot. Add mustard seeds, methi seeds. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add ingh, jeera and curry leaves and leave it for 30 seconds. Add cut capsicum and fry nicely for a minute. Add cut sweet potatoes and mix it nicely. Let it cook on low flame. It takes about 4 to 5 minutes to soften. Sprinkle water on the top. It helps to cook sweet potatoes fast. Add salt, chilly powder, jeera powder and turmeric powder. Mix it slowly and nicely. Let it cook on low flame for 1 minute. Mix nicely and remove it from the pan to a serving dish. Add cut coriander leaves and mix it nicely just before serving.

3. Mangalore Curcumber/Colour Cucumber Bolu Huli (No coconut or no powdered masala.

Things Needed :
Cucumber :1/2
Toor /Moong dal : 1/2 Cup
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Coriander Leaves : 1 handful
Tamarind Pulp ; 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : Required salt
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coconut Oil (optional) : 1Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : a Pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Method : 
Wash and remove the outer skin of cucumber and cut  into small pieces. Cook with little water till they turn soft. Wash and pressure cook toor/moong dal and leave it for cooling.
Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp.
Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put coconut oil and heat. Add mustard seeds, let it splutter. Add ingh and curry leaves. Add cut green chilly. Fry for 10 seconds and add cooked dal, cucumber pieces and tamarind pulp. Add a pinch of turmeric, required salt and jaggery. Mix it well and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt. Shift the curry to a serving bowl and add coriander leaves.

4. Avalakki/Flattened Chitranna (instead of rice you can prepare Avalakki Chitranna)

Things needed :
Avalakki : 2 Cups (Thick variety)
Mango gratings : 2 Tablespoons. (I have used Totapuri Mango)
Green chilly : 2
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Oil/Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid Dal : 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 8 to 10 Leaves
Method :
Wash and soak avalakki for 5 Minutes. (Or remove all the water and keep it). Grate mango and coconut. Wash and cut green chilly. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add mustard seeds and urid dal. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add cut green chilly and curry leaves. Fry for a second. Add grated mango and fry for 10 seconds. Add Avalakki, jaggery, salt and turmeric. Mix it nicely and slowly. Let all the moisture disappear. Mix it well and put off the fire. Add a spoon of ghee and grated coconut. Avalakki Chitranna is ready to serve.

5. Jack fruit Payasa /Kheer. (Jack fruits are available in the market. It is nice to make Jack fruit Payasa).

Things Needed :
Jackfruits : 8 to 10
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup
Cardamom Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Fresh Coconut : 1 Cup
Cashew Nuts : 5 to 6
Method : 
Cut Jack fruits into small and cook with little water and jaggery. Powder cardamom. Grate coconut and grind it nicely till paste. Add ground coconut to cooked jack fruit jaggery conten. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Put off the fire and add ghee fried cashews and cardamom powder. Mix it well and serve.
Adjust jaggery according to your taste. You can also use coconut milk instead of ground coconut.

6. Seven Cups Burfi : (This burfi can be prepared previous day to save your time and energy).

Things Needed :
Channa flour/Besan/Kadale Hittu : 1 Cup
Oil : 1 Cup
Ghee : 1/2 Cup
Sugar : 2 1/2 Cups
Coconut : 1 Cup
Milk : 1 Cup
Cardamom Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Method :
Keep a big pan on the fire. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee. Heat and let it melt. Add channa flour and fry nicely till the raw smell disappear. Put off the fire. Add milk, sugar, oil and grated coconut. Mix it well. See that it is clear and well mixed. Put on the fire and stir continuously til it starts leaving the pan. Add little by little ghee in between. Once the content starts leaving the pan remove the mixture and shift it to ghee applied tray or plate. Let it cool a bit. Cut it according to your wish. It stays for more than a week.
Note : Do it on low flame and it is easy to prepare. Using ghee/oil is optional. Adding more ghee adds taste to the burfi. Adding coconut is also optional. I have used dry coconut/Copra.

20 to 25 Burfi pieces can be made. (depend on the size).

7. Brinjal Pakoda/Bajji (If you like fried dish in your festival lunch you can give a try)

Things Needed :
Brinjal : 1
Besan /Channa flour : 1/2 Cup
Salt : As required
Red chilly powder : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1 Teaspoonl
Ingh/ Asafoetida : a pinch
Oil : 1 Cup
Method :
Mix besan, chilly powder, jeera, salt, ingh in a big bowl. Add required water and prepare dough. (idli dough consistency). Wash and cut brinjal/egg plant in circle shape. (Better to use round brinjal). Wash it again. Keep a frying pan on the fire. Add oil and heat. Dip cut brinjal in besan dough and fry them one by one. Fry both sides on medium flame. Repeat the same with remaining dough.
Note : The dough should not be too thick or thin. If it is thin it absorbs more oil. It the dough is too thick bajji/fritter might turn hard. So take care of the dough while using water. You can add little rice flour to get the crispness. Cooking soda/Baking powder is not required.

All the dishes can be served for 4 to 5 people.

Sweet Potato - Avalakki (Flattened Rice) Cutlet.

Sweet potato and Avalakki (Flattened/Beatened Rice) Cutlet is a snack dish and you can enjoy them in the evening. Cutlets are very famous spicy dish.
I have used boiled sweet potatoes, thick Poha/Poa/Aval/Avalakki or Beaten/Flattened rice. Some spices to give them yummy spicy taste. I just put the cutlets on the tava and roasted with oil. (very little oil). They were Yummy and came out very well. You can try adding your own spice and giving a twist and enjoy.

Cutlets can be eaten as snack and some time as dinner too (if it is healthy version). It can be roasted with very little oil. Cutlets are nice to have with any chutney, ketchup or sweet and spicy chutney. There are various ways to prepare cutlets. This is my own creation and I have not used any bread or bread crumbs. The dough is just a mixture of sweet potatoes, Avalakki and spice mixture.
Garam Masala is a mixture of spices like clove, cinnamon, cardamom, jeera, nut mug and other spices.
Lets see some benefits of having cloves in our diet.
Clove is an herb and all the parts of clove plant is used. The dried bud, stems and leaves are used to make medicine. Clove oil is loaded with medicinal properties.
Cloves are loaded with many health benefits. It is very good aid for indigestion. It has antimicrobial properties. They protect the liver, boost the immune system, control diabetes and helps the bone to be strong. Cloves also helps as medicine for headaches, bad breathe and toothache. Cloves contain dietary fiber and minerals like vitamin C, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D and Vitamin K.
Lets see the recipe now:

Things Needed : 

Sweet Potatoes : 4 to 5 (medium size)
Flattened Rice/Avalakki/Poha (Thick Variety) : 1 Cup
Green Chilly : 2 to 3
Coriander Leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Oats : (optional) : 2 Tablespoons
Ginger : an inch
Garam Masala : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Oil : 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Cashew nuts : 10 numbers (split ones)

Method :

1. Wash cook sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the outer skin of sweet potatoes when it turns cool.
2. Wash thick variety of avalakki and soak avalakki with little water.

3. Wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves into small.

4. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
5.Take a big bowl. Put sweet potatoes, soaked avalakki, cut green chilly, coriander and salt.
6. Add oats (no need to fry or roast), garam masala, red chilly powder and jeera.

7. Mix all the ingredients nicely and prepare thick dough.
8. Now divide the dough into small portions. Flatten them according to your wish.
9. Keep tava on the fire and heat. Sprinkle oil on the tava.

10. Arrange the cutlets on the tava and roast them on low and medium flame.
11. It turns golden brown. Turn the other side and cook til they turn slightly golden brown.

12. Serve hot Sweet Potato Cutlets with ketch up/Hot spicy chutney and sweet chutney or coconut chutney..
13. Repeat the same with remaining dough.
14. You can also serve Sweet Potato Cutlet with a cup of curd.

Note :

Do not over cook sweet potatoes. It will be very soft and you will not be able to prepare proper cutlets. Adding more avalakki is optional. You can fry these cutlets in oil. ( I prefer roasting cutlet on tava). No onions or garlic is used. (optional). Adding more masala is optional. I did not add any bread or corn flour to the dough. (optional). Adding cashew nuts is optional. Just slightly insert one cashew piece on each cutlet. If you feel the dough consistency is bit soft add some bread/rava (sooji) and it binds the dough nicely.
Time : 30 to 40 minutes
Serves : 4 to 5

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.