Sweet & Khara Rava Kadubu

Kadabu or Kadubu is one of the Karnataka Food. Kadubu can be stuffed with sweet coconut or some spicy dal.
Here is two varieties of kadubu Spicy and Sweet.
1. Kadubu stuffed with Moong and Cabbage Dry Curry and  Jaggery - Coconut Stuffed.

Kadubu is a simple steamed dish. 
Kadubu is prepared during festivals like Nagara Panchami, when they worship Naga devati /Snake. That festival falls during the Shravana month when the rain starts to slow down its pour. Shravana Month is very precious for Hindus. The month is full of festival,  celebration and enjoyable time.
Normally Kadubu is done using raw rice and some prepare with Millets. I have tried this Kadubu with thin variety of rava/chiroti Rava.
There were some banana leaves and I thought of making use of it. So the YUMMY Kadubu is here.
I have prepared Both Spicy and Sweet Kadubu.
For spicy Kadubu - Cabbage and Moong dry curry 
And the sweet Kadubu its usual Jaggery - Coconut Mix.
I had some cabbage - moong dry curry left which was done for lunch. The same curry was used for spicy Kadubu.
It is healthy Kadubu. It is simple and easy to preapre.
NO ONION OR GARLIC IS USED. 
Let us see the recipe

Things Needed :

Chiroti Rava / Thin Variety Rave/Semolina : 1 1/2 Cup
Water : 1 1/2 Cups
Salt : As required
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Cabbage - Moong Dal Dry Curry : 1 Small bowl.
Coconut - Jaggery Mix :  1 Small Bowl

Method :

1. Keep 1 1/2 Glass of water to boil.

2. Add thin variety rave/chiroti rave/semolina and mix it well and stir it turns thick.

3. Allow it to cool. Kneed the dough well. Add 1 tsp of ghee and kneed it again.
4. Divide them as small portions.

5. Roll them with roller as thin as you like.

6. Place 1 tablespoon of spicy or sweet  stuffing.

7. Fold the edges and place on piece of banana leaf.
8. Fold the banana leaf around the kadubu.

9. Arrange them in a bowl.

10. Steam in pressure cooker or idli cooker for 12 to 15 minuurwa.
11. Remove it from the bowl and arrange the kadubu on a tray or plate.

12. Serve with your choice of side dish and ghee.

Note :

Use of banana leaf is optional. But it is said that use of banana leaf is healthy. Use of more spice is optional.
Use powder jaggery to mix it with grated coconut. It mixes well with fresh grated coconut.
Time : 30 Minutes : If Cabbage - Moong Dry Curry is ready.
Serves : 2 to 3 

Preparing Cabbage - Moong Dry Palya :

Wash and cut cabbage as thin and cook with 1/2 cup of moong dal. Season with mustard seeds, jeera, ingh, green chilly and curry leaves. Add cooked cabbage and moong dal and stir nicely and slowly.
Add salt. Mix it well and add grated coconut. Shift it to a serving dish.
Cabbage - Moong Dal Dry Curry is ready to Serve.

 Made some Modakas with same dry curry and sweet mixture stuffings. It looks cute and definitely kids will surely love to eat them. So this idea of giving shape while preparing food definitely attract kids and you can say sweet and spicy Modakas.

Spicy Stuffed Brinjal

Brinjal/Egg plant/Badanekai/Kattarikai is one of the most wonderful vegetable. We can prepare the spicy dishes using this vegetable. I Have tried Stuffed Brinjal and added two to three potatoes with fresh roasted spices.

 It is one of the favourite vegetable for many and many don't like it too. They must have this Spicy Stuffed Brinjal and they will never say No Brinjal  again in their life. ☺☺. Try and Enjoy " Spicy Stuffed Brinjal" and it is one of the side dish goes well with all most all the dishes.

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

Brinjal/Egg plant has many health benefits. It has the ability to help strong bones and reduce the symptoms of anemia. It protect the digestive system and helps to lose weight. It also helps to manage diabetes and reduce the stress. Brinjal is rich source of vitamin C, Vitamin K, vitamin B6 and minerals like magnesium, phosphorous, copper, dietary fiber, folic acid, potassium and manganese. It has very low amount of cholesterol and no saturated fat.
Remember that some might get allergy to brinjal and it start itching even while cutting brinjal. 

I have used onions, freshly roasted spices and coconut. 

Let us see the recipe now : I have used round green brinjals. This is one of the classic dish.
The procedure might look long but the taste is yummy and excellent. Give a try and Enjoy....

Things Needed : 

To cook 

Small Brinjals : 5 to 6
Potatoes : 2 to 3 ( Small size)

Onion : 1 (Big size )

Spices to Roast/fry :

Methi seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Channa dal : 1 Teaspoon

Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon

Coriander Seeds : 1 Tablespoon

Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon

Red chilly (Byadagi) : 5 to 6 or little more

Cloves /Lavang : 4 to 5

Cinnamon : Small pieces 2 to 3 

Ingh/Asafoetida : A little 

Sesame seeds : 1 Tablespoon

Pepper Pods : 2 to 3

To grate : 

Grated Mango : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Grated Coconut /Copra : 2 Tablespoons
To add :
Ground masala 

Salt : As required
Coriander leaves.

To Season : 

Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh / Asafoetida : A little

Method : 

1. Wash and cut brinjal . (Avoid making complete pieces). Soak in water. Grate mango and keep it aside.
Wash and remove the outer layer of potatoes and wash it again. Just poke in between and make scars on the potatoes.

2. Remove the outer layer of onion and cut into pieces. (According to your wish. Small/big).

3. Keep a pan on the fire add 1/2 Teaspoon of oil. Fry methi seeds till they turn slightly brown.

4. Add cloves, cinnamon, channa dal and urid dal. Roast them till they turn golden brown.
5. Add sesame seeds and fry till they pop up.

6.. Add coriander seeds and red chilly. Fry for a minute. Add jeera and fry.

7. Add curry leaves and ingh. Put off the fire. 

8. Grate coconut and add it to the fried ingredients. Mix it well.
9. Grind coconut and fried ingredients with required water, (First dry grind the ingredients, then add water and grind).

10. Remove from the mixi jar and keep it aside.
11. Add little salt to ground mixture.
12. Mix ground mixture with grated mango nicely.

13. Now remove the brinjals from water.
14 Fill in each brinjal with the ground mixture and keep them on a plate/tray.

15. Keep a pan and add 2 tablespoon of oil. Add mustard seeds and little urid dal.
16. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves and ingh.  Add onions and fry for a minute.

17. Arrange stuffed brinjals one by one in the pan. Put the potatoes.

18. Add the remaining ground mixture. Add required salt, turmeric powder.
19. Add 1/2 Cup of water and cover the pan. (I used pressure cooker). (2 to 3 whistles).
20. Just see that brinjal cooks till soft. Turn the other side slowly after few minutes and cook them till soft. ( I have used a small pressure cooker). If you are using cooker just 2 to 3 whistles will be ok.

21. Shift them to a serving dish and add washed and cut coriander leaves.

22. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :
Do not cut the brinjal fully. Just leave the edge and it is easy to fill the stuffing nicely.
You can dry roast the spices or fry with very little oil. Adding more spices is your choice.
Adding more/less oil is optional. Dry roast the ingredients one by one to get the exact roast.
Adding mango adds to the taste. Adding mango instead of tamarind or lemon is optional.
Adding a little jaggery help the dish to reduce the gas in the dish. I have added some potatoes which turns yummy along with spices.
Adding potatoes is optional. You can try this brinjal stuffed with ready " Vanghibaat powder" or  " Birsibele baat powder", instead of fresh roasted spices.
Use of pressure cooker helps to cook Stuffed brinjals easily. (Optional). You can cook on the big pan too. Adding onions and garlic to the dish is optional. ( I have not added garlic).
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.

Cheese and long beans Small chapatis.

Cheese thats younger generations favourite now. What ever it is you just spread OR put some cheese and it is in more demand.

Eating cheese in certain amount is good. It is filled with calcium and is nutritious. I have tried some cheese, filing in chapati and rolled as chapati. It Cheese roll can be eaten as snack or for kids you can pack it their lunch box.
I have seen Mrs. Karuna Moorthy, one of our Srilankan friend used to prepare these type of chapatis in the evening for her kids. Since cheese is my favourite she used to stuff some vegetables and give it to me. I am talking about our good old days we spent in Nigeria, Yola. We used to live near by and used to visit them very often. All old memories are good to cherish and influence you one or the other way.
Coming back to the Cheese stuffed chapatis, I have used cheese, wheat flour, milk and little salt. The other version I tried is, stuffing long beans dry curry to the same type of chapati.
Wheat is mixed with milk and little salt and done the dough. The dough is soft and it turns fluffy taste yummy.
Lets see the recipe now :

Cheese stuffed chapatis.

Things needed :

Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Milk : 1/2 Cup
Salt : A little
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Cheese : Slice cheese : 3 to 4 slices
Oil/Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :
1. Take a big bowl and add wheat flour, a teaspoon of ghee, little salt.
2. Add milk and mix it well and prepare dough. (You can use water if necessary).
3. Cut slice cheese into small pieces.
4. Divide the dough into small portions and roll them as balls.
5. Take a small portion of the dough and roll with chapati roller. ( A little ).
6. Place the cheese pieces and arrange them.
7. Pull all the corners of chapati to the center. Just press and fold it well.
8. Roll slightly and flatten a little.

9.Keep tava /pan on the fire and heat. Put rolled cheese filled chapati on the pan.
10. Sprinkle some oil on the top of chapati and cook on both sides.
11. Serve hot cheese stuffed chapati with some ketch up.
12. Repeat the same with remaining dough and cheese.

Long beans Stuffing also can be done with your remaining dry curry that you have prepared for your lunch.
Place 1 tablespoon of the curry you prepared and fold the chapati and flatten slightly.
Cook them on both sides on medium flame.

Serve with chutney or ketch up. I have tried using long beans dry curry and cheese together. It has turned yum yum yummy.
Long beans and Cheese mix Chapatis :

Note: You can add corn , beans and cabbage for the filling if you want. You can also add red chilly powder to make it more spicy. Use of butter or ghee instead of oil is optional. You can also use creamy cheese but taste differ.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.