Cucumber - Jaggery Dosa & Guli Appa

Cucumber/Mullu southekai as we call it, is mainly used in salads and eaten raw. We do make use of it in curries, idli, roti or dosa.

Here I have prepared Sweet Dosa, using Cucumber, Bottle gourd and the normal dosa ingredients with jaggery.

Cucumber Jaggery Dosa turns soft once it is fully fermented. Soak rice for 2 to 3 hours and grind it with cucumber and strictly no water. The batter should be thick and you can add water if needed once you start preparing dosa the next day morning or after 5 to 5 hours.
This is one of the South Canara /Udupi recipe which my doddamma and amma used to prepare. Dosa turns soft and fluffy and very nice to have them for breakfast or as snack.
Let us see some benefits of having breakfast in the morning.
Breakfast is one of the best meal for the day. It gives energy for the whole day. It helps to strengthen  metabolism and helps you to concentrate at work.Eating breakfast is good for health. It helps for better memory and concentration, lowers the bad cholesterol and helps in increasing good cholesterol.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Raw Rice : 2 Cups
Urid dal : 1/2 Cup
Methi /Fenugrik seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Fresh grated coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Cucumber : 2 (Very small ones or 1 medium size)
Grated bottle gourd : 1 Small bowl. (1/2 bottle gourd of medium size)
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons./Powdered
Salt : As required
Oil/ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and soak raw rice, urid dal and methi seeds together for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Grate coconut. Wash cucumber and cut into small pieces. Grate bottle gourd.

3. Now grind soaked rice-dal mixture with coconut,grated bottle gourd and cucumber till paste.

4. Add jaggery to the dough. Grind it for 2 minutes. Remove from mixi jar to a big bowl and add salt. Mix it well and let it ferment nicely till next morning/Overnight.

5. Mix the dough nicely.

6. Next morning see that dough is fermented well. Dough should be like normal dosa consistency.
7. Keep a pan on the fire and add very little oil and clean it with a kitchen tissue.
8. Take a ladle full of Cucumber jaggery dosa dough and pour it on the hot pan.

9. Do not spread much. Add oil on the top, cover and cook on medium flame for a minute.
10. Remove the cover and turn the dosa on the other side and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

11. Remove it from the pan. Dosa is ready to serve.

12. Serve it with a spoon of fresh ghee on the top of hot Cucumber jaggery dosa and a side dish of your wish.

Note :
The dough has to be fermented well or you will not get good dosas. So you need to see the dough is fermented well. Use of jaggery more /less is optional. Thick dosas taste better. Spreading and making it thin might tare and it will not come out of the pan. Let the flame be low while pouring the dough to the pan and then increase the flame to medium flame). I have used organic jaggery. Powder the jaggery and then add it. ( It is easy to grind powdered jaggery). Adding bottle gourd is optional. ( I have added grated bottle gourd while grinding along with cucumber). Time : Soaking the ingredients 3 hours + grinding 10 minutes and fermentation over night/6 to 7 hours.
Dosa preparation : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .

You can also prepare Guli appa /guntponglu/kuli appam/paddu using the same dough. I added little grated carrots on the top of Guli appa.

Southekai Dose (Mangalore Cucumber dosa)

Southekai /Mangalore Cucumber Dosa is one more Udupi Special dish.  We have it with Jaggery. (Joni bella).

Uduipi is in the southern part of Karnataka and its quite hot since its on the edge of Arabian sea. (Coastal side). People have the habit of keeping themselves cool. The food too is depending upon the climate. It is always a mild and yummy food. I have a recipe here which is prepared using Mangalore

Southekai/Cucumber.

I have used raw rice, mangalore cucumber, liitle jeera/cumin seeds, pepper and little coconut. No need to ferment and you can have them with any type of chutney, sambar/curry or even plain jaggery.

Let us see the recipe now :

Things needed :

Raw Rice : 2 Cups

Mangalore Cucumber/Southekai : 1/2 ( Medium sized 1/2 mangalore cucumber).

Coconut : 1 small bowl.

 Pepper pods : 4 to 5
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Salt : As required 

Oil : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

Method : 

1. Wash and soak rice for 2 hours.
2. Wash and remove the outer layer of Southekai and remove the seeds and pulp.
3. Cut southekai/cucumber into small pieces. Soak the pieces in water for 5 minutes. Wash it again.
4.Grate coconut and grind it with rice and cucumber pieces. (Add very little water to grind).

5. Add jeera/cumin seeds, pepper pods and grind along with rice and cucumber.

6. Remove it from mixi jar to a bowl. Add salt and mix required water.
7. Dosa dough should be normal dosa consistency.

8. Keep a pan and heat. Sprinkle little oil and clean it with a kitchen tissue.
9. Take a ladle full of dough and spread it around the pan.
10. Sprinkle little oil on the top and let it cook. Turn the other side and cook for a minute.

11. Remove it from the pan. Repeat the same with remaining dough/
12. Serve hot Southekai dosa with side dish you prepared. We had it with jaggery and chutney pudi.

Note :

Do not add much water while grinding. Southekai provides the required water. If the dough turns watery add little rice flour and mix it. Adding coconut adds to the taste. This is one of the Udupi Special dosa and no need of fermentation. Soaking Southekai pieces helps to remove the bitterness if any. Dosa will not be so crispy or thin.
Type : South Canara 
Time : 2 hours + 20 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.

Ragi & Rice Flour Spicy Rotti

Ragi/Finger millet is one of the healthy millet and is used more and more these days. I have prepared Ragi -Rice flour rotti and rotti is loved by many. Ragi Rice flour rotti tastes so Yummy.

Here I have tried Ragi/Finger millet flour and very little amount of rice flour which adds to the taste to rotti. Adding rice flour gives a crisp and yummy taste and it holds the rotti dough in good form.

I have also used botte gourd coconut, ondelag aleaves carrots, ginger and green chilly.

 It is always better to eat home cooked food. Use of spices also should be considered while cooking. Too many spices should not be eaten regularly.

Let us see some benefits of eating " Ginger " in our diet.

Ginger is one of the ancient spices. It is known for its health benefits. Ginger helps to boost bone health, strengthen our immune system. It helps to increase our appetite and prevent cancer. It helps to improve respiratory conditions and good for digestion. It is good for reducing excess gas and helps to relieve pains during menstrual periods in women. Good for nausea and flu. Ginger is known as oldest herbal medicine and used in traditional treatments. It is also good for curing inflammation and diarrhea.

No Onion  OR No Garlic is used in this " Ragi & Rice flour Spicy Rotti". 

Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Ragi /Finger Millet  Flour : 2 Cups

Rice Flour : 1/2 Cup

Bottle Gourd : 1/2 of one medium sized Bottle gourd

Carrots : 2 

Green chilly : 1 

Ginger : An inch

Salt : As required 

Cooking Oil : 1/2 Cup

Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Curry Leaves : One handful.

Ondelaga /Gotukola Leaves : 1 Handful.

Method :

1. Wash and cut curry leaves, ondelaga leaves and coriander leaves.

2. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Dry grind it with washed green chilly and ondelaga leaves.

3. Remove it from the mixi jar. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

4. Wash and remove the outer layer of carrots, bottle gourd and grate it . Keep them aside.

5. Take a big bowl. Add Ragi and rice flour. Add ground ginger,green chilly and ondelaga leaves mixture.

6. Add grated coconut, carrots, cucumber and cut coriander leaves and curry leaves.

7. Add salt and mix it well. Add required water and mix it well. Let the dough be little thicker than idli dough. It is easy to spread it on the tava/pan.

8. Leave it for 5 minutes. 

9. Keep a tava/pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle oil and clean it with a kitchen tissue.

10. Now take a handful of the dough and spread it on the tava in circle shape. 

11. Let it be equal spread. Sprinkle little oil on the top and cover the lid.

12. Let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle oil and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes. Let the flame to low and medium. (Or rotti turns as hard and chewy).

13. Remove the rotti from the pan and serve hot rotti with ghee/butter on the top and side dish of your choice;

14. Repeat the same and prepare rotti with remaining dough. 

Note : 

1. It is always better to eat this " Ragi & Rice flour rotti when it is hot. Adding ghee /butter adds to the taste. Use of oil more/less is optional. Use of onions or garlic is optional. Adding 1/2 cup of curd helps the rotti to be soft. Use of more green chilly is optional. You can use red chilly powder. You should cover the rotti while cooking. It helps the rotti to be very soft and cooks quickly. 

Time : 30 Minutes + 10 Minutes for preparations.

Serves : 3 to 4 .

Jaggery - Cucumber Neer Dosa

Neer dosa/Neeru Dosa is well known dosa from Dakshina Kannada/South Canara. Neer dosa is always eaten with jaggery, fresh coconut milk and jaggery mix, Grated coconut mixed with jaggery or with coconut chutney. Eating jaggery is one of the healthy habits which helps to provide calcium and iron for our body.

Neer dosa is one of the easy and the best breakfast for the morning and I just love the aroma and the taste of Neer dosa. This time I have mixed cucumber and jaggery to the rice and prepared sweet neer dosa. It turned out to be great and we are loving it whenever I prepare.
I have used raw rice, cucumber pieces, jaggery, little jeera, coconut and pepper pods.
You can enjoy this Jaggery -Cucumber Neer Disa for breakfast or as snack. Try and enjoy. I am sure all the family members do love and enjoy Jaggery -Cucumber Neer d|osa I am sure.
Lets see the recipe now:
I have used non stick pan to prepare Neer Dosa......It is very easy and with very little oil one can prepare varieties of dosas.

Things Needed :

Raw Rice : 2 Cups
Cucumber ; 2 Nos.(Small ones).
Fresh grated coconut : 1/2 Cup (2 to 3 Tablespoons)
Jaggery : Jaggery  :2 to 3 Tablespoons
Pepper pods: 4 to 5
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : Required salt
Ghee: Cooking Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1, Wash and soak raw rice for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Grate jaggery and keep it aside.

3. Wash and cut cucumber in to small pieces and keep it aside.
4. Drain all the water from soaked raw rice and put it in a mixi.
5. Add grated coconut and cucumber pieces. Add jeera and pepper pods.

6. Add very little water if required. Grind it till very fine paste. Add jaggery and grind.

7. Remove from the mixi jar. Add salt and mix it well. Add required water. ( 2 cups of water).

8. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle oil on the top.
9. Mix Neer dosa dough nicely and take a ladle of dough and spread it on the hot tava in a circle shape.

10. Sprinkle oil/ghee on the top, cover and cook dosa for a minute.
11. Remove from the tava and keep it on a plate. Serve with the choice of your side dish.

12. Prepare dosa with remaining dough.

13. Add a spoon of ghee on the top and serve dosas.

14. Serve with the side dish of your choice.

Note :

I have added organic jaggery which I got from my relative who stays near Sagara. Fresh from Aale mane. ( Alemane is the place where they prepare jaggery). You can buy organic jaggery to use it. It is an healthy option. Or you can powder normal jaggery which is available in the market. Adding pepper is optional. It adds to the aroma and taste good. Adding coconut is optional. Coconut adds to the taste and aroma too.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.

It is better to use nonstick tava /pan for preparing  " Neer Dosa"  Dosa cooks nicely and easily you can take it from the pan without tearing it. Make use of the link ..It is cheaper and you get a good quality too
Dosa Tava /pan