Bottle Gorud-Banana Sweet Rava Rotti.

We are sweet people. (we do love to have some sweet taste in our food ). I am saying this here I am preparing Bottle Gourd Banana Rava Sweet Rotti. Is not that I am saying this for this purpose, we udupians /Karnataka's southern part, prepare food that is bit sweet. Whether it is a curry or solid food there are varieties of food that have sweet taste with them.

Adding jaggery to the curry or any edible is one of the healthy point to note. Spice adds acidity and jaggery helps to reduce the acidity. Such a wonderful quality that jaggery has. They are good for quenching thirst, adding iron content to our body, helping to reduce the acidity in the food.
We visited Cambodia last December and I got two small tins of Palm Jaggery on the way to the capital city of Cambodia Phnom Penn. Lots of Palm trees in that country and preparing Jaggery from Palm fruit in traditional way.
Let us see some benefits of using PALM JAGGERY in our diet.
Palm Jaggery is an excellent substitute for white sugar. It is healthy and natural sweetener. It is the most beneficial and nutrient rich variety of raw jaggery. It is prepared from palm tree extract and is loaded with minerals and vitamins. It is loaded with medicinal properties.
Palm Jaggery is rich in iron, increases hemoglobin level when you eat regularly. It is good for treating anemia. It is a rich source of magnesium and regulates the nervous system. It is rich source of antioxidant, calcium,potassium and phosphorus. It is good remedy for constipation and helps in easy digestion. It is a good energy booster.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Bananas : 2 ( Small size)
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Rava/Semolina : 2 Cups
Bottle gourd : 1 Bowl ( 1/2 of 1 bottle gourd medium size)
Palm Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Salt : A little
Coconut : 1 Cup
Ondelaga leaves : 1 Handful ( Optional)
Oil : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash bottle gourd and peel off the outer layer. Grate it and keep it aside.

2. Peel off banana skin and smash banana in 1/2 cup of milk. Add palm jaggery and mix it well.

3. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Wash Ondelaga / Gotu kola leaves and cut it into thin pieces.
4. Take a big bowl and put, cut ondelaga leaves, rava/semolina, salt, grated bottle gourd, coconut and banana - jaggery mix.

5. Mix all the ingredients nicely. Add water if required and mix it nicely. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Keep a dosa pan on the fire and heat. Add a teaspoon of oil and spread it nicely around the pan.

7. Wet your hands with water and take a handful of rotti batter and spread it slowly on the hot tava. Let the flame be very low while you spreading the batter.

8. Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil on the top and cook on medium heat. ( You can use your spatula to spread the batter evenly, once you put oil on the top). cook for a minute.
9.Turn the other side and cook for another 2 minutes.

10. Now the bottle gourd - banana Rava sweet rotti is ready to serve.
11. Serve with your choice of side dish.  Add a teaspoon of ghee on the top and serve.

12. Repeat the same with remaining batter and prepare Sweet Rava rotti.

Note :

Use of Ondelaga leaves is purely optional. Use of palm jaggery is good for health. You can use normal jaggery instead. Use of milk and banana adds taste to rotti. Use of ghee instead of oil to cook rotti is optional. More / Less jaggery is optional. Use of bottle gourd is good for health. Use of medium rava is better. ( I used medium sized rava).
 Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Heere Kai ( Ridge Gourd ) Spicy Dosa

Heerekai/Ridge gourd (Heere -kai in kannada) spicy Dosa is one of the traditional dish of South Canara. We do use ridge gourd in curries, chutney, fried fritters and Dosa. Dosa means it is one of the spicy dosa that goes well with a slice of butter. It is easy to prepare and good to have for breakfast and snack time.

Spicy batter is ground using raw rice, spices and red chilly. Ridge gourd is cut into thin circle shape and dipped and arranged on dosa tava/pan. Dosa is cooked in  medium and low flame on both sides and then Hot Heere Kai Spicy Dosa is served with Butter on the top.
Let us see the recipe Now :
 Things Needed:
Ridge guard : 2
Dosa Rice: 2 Cups.
Urd daal: 1 Teaspoon.
Fenugreek seeds ( Methi seeds) : 1 Teaspoon.
Red chillies : 6 to 8.
Tamarind Pulp: 2 Tablespoons.
Coriander seeds : 2 Tablespoons.
Jeera ( Cumin ) seeds: 1/2 teaspoons.
Salt : to taste.
Fresh Coconut: 2 Tablespoons.( Grated).
Water: As required
Turmeric powder: a pinch.
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons.
Oil : 5 to 6 Tablespoons.

Method:
1. Wash and soak raw rice for 2 hours. Add a teaspoon of methi seeds./Fenugrik seeds and urid dal.
2. Wash and scrape out the edges of ridge gourd and peel off the outer layer.
3. Slice ridge gourd into circle shape. Keep them aside. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
4. Drain out water from soaked raw rice and grind it with fresh coconut, tamarind, coriander seeds red chilly and jeera. Add only required water to grind.
5. Add  little turmeric powder, salt and jaggery. Give a churn for 1 minute.
6. Remove the batter from mixi jar to a big bowl.

7. Keep a pan on the fire and heat.
8. Sprinkle oil on the top of the pan. Mix the batter nicely and dip heerakai slices/ridge gourd slices and arrange on the pan.
9. Let the flame be low while keeping the ridge gourd slices on the pan.
10. Cook on medium and low flame till it turns golden brown and bit crispy.

11. Remove it from the pan and serve with a slice of butter on the top.

12. Repeat the same with remaining batter and ridge gourd pieces.
Note :
Do not add much water to grind. The batter should not be watery. Add little rice flour if the batter turns watery. Batter consistency should be like idli batter. Use of coconut oil is optional. Use of red chilly should be minimum. Use of jaggery more/less is optional.
Time : Soaking rice 2 hours + Grinding time 5 minutes + preparing dosa 30 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.