Goli Baje (Maida Pakoda)

Goli baje (Mangalore Bajji) is very famous in Dakshina Kannada (Sourth Canara) side. When the Heavy Mansoon Rains pouring continuously outside, the sky covered with black clouds, we used to watech the rains, eating these Hot Goli bajes. Goli baje is nothing but a fried item which is prepared with Maida (all purpose flour), sour curd, green chilly, salt and little sugar.

Goli Baje is the round shape (goli) baje is pakodas. Maida is mixed with sour curd, requiring salt, a tablespoon of sugar. Keep this batter for at least half an hour and then mix it again. Add a pinch of cooking soda (bicarbonate soda) just before you fry pakodas. Adding soda along with curd and other ingredients will surely absorb oil. It is definitely a tasty dish when it is eaten piping hot.

Maida is a finely milled and refined and bleached wheat flour. We use Maida to prepare bread, cake, cookies and even it has sneaked into our kitchen, with loads and loads of recipes are prepared using maida.

Here is a recipe of Goli bhajji, we can have them with a cup of tea or coffee and even for parites or it can be served as starter too.

Things Needed:  

Maida (Plain flour) : 2 Cups
Curd: 1/2 cup
Green chilly : 2
Ingh : a pinch
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Cooking Soda : a pinch
Sugar : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : as required
Oil : to fry (1 Cup)

Method :

1. Put maida, sugar and salt in a big bowl.

2. Add curd and mix it nicely (let it be thick). Leave it for 10 minutes.

3. Wash Green chilly and curry leaves and cut it into small.

4. Add green chilly, ingh and curry leaves and mix it well. 

5. Keep oil for frying. Heat it. (on medium flame)

6. Just before frying add a pinch of cooking soda and mix it well.

7. Take a handful of batter and leave it in oil. ( just small balls shape).

8. Fry on both sides til they are golden color and remove from the oil.

9. Put it on a kitchen tissue (kitchen napkin) so that it absorb the extra oil.

10 Repeat the same with the rest of the batter.

Serve Hot Goli bajji with ketch up or any kind of chutney you prepared.        

Note 

Do not leave the batter more than 30 minutes. Do not mix cooking soda while you are adding curd. Let the batter be thick. When you add soda it becomes soft and little loose. If the batter is very watery add little more maida flour or besan. But the taste differ. Or it absorbs more oil while frying. You can also add cut onions to the batter. Udupi Goli bajji (original recipe) has no onions. You can also add cut coconut pieces in the batter. It gives a better taste. (optional). You can also add grated carrots but the taste differs. 

Serves : 3 to 4 
Time : 30 minutes. 

Brown Rice Bisibele Bhat (Rice Khichdi)

Brown rice (Jaddakki in Kannada language) with dal, vegetables and spices cooked together to prepare this Bisi bele Bhat. Bhat means normally a rice item. This is also a quick and easy and tasty dish. Normally Bisibele bhat is prepared with white rice and I haveused brown rice.

The name bisi bele bhat, which literally means Hot lentil rice in Kannada. Bisi means hot, bele means lentil and bhat means a dish made of rice. It is also known as Bisi bele huliyanna which means hot lentil sour rice. The traditional way of preparation of this dish is elaborate and the perticular spices are used. The dish has a unique flavour and taste. It should be served Hot and eaten with chips or papad.

Brown Rice is more nutritious and it contain essential nutrients such as B vitamins, phosphorus, manganese, potassium and magnesiu. The high content of dietary fibre contribute to a healthy colon and digestive system. Brown rice is an excellent source of soluble fibre and it helps to lower lthe levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. It helps to maintain a healthy body weight. It also controls the blood sugar level.

Toor Dal or pigeon pea provide an excellent source of fiber, protein and sodium. They are also low in fat content and it is an ideal food for heart healthy diets.

Vegetables are low in fat and contain good amount of minerals and vitamins. They are rich source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron,Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin A. Vegetables are antioxidants

Here is a recipe of quick Bisibele bhat, very easy to prepare and I am sure the whole family of all age group will enjoy having this bhat. We can have this bisibele bhat for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Things Needed :

Carrots : 1
Beans :  1/2 Cup  (10 to 12 beans)
Capsicum : 2
Brown Rice : 1 Cup
Toor Dal : 3/4
Tamrind Pulp : 2 Table spoons
Chutney Powder : 2 Table spoon (MTR)
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tea spoon
Rasam Powder : 1 Table spoon
Cloves : 2 to 3
Cinnemon : small piece
Coconut : 1/2 Cup (3 Table spoons)
Salt : required
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Tea spoon
Urd Dal : 1 Tea spoon
Ingh (Asafoetida) : a pinch
Turmeric Powder : a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and cook Rice and Dal separately. (You can presssure cook also).













2. Wash and cut vegetables and cook carrots and beans. Keep the capsicum pieces aside.

3. Grate coconut and grind with rasam powder, chutney powder and garam masala. (Use required      water).

4. Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp after 5 minutes. Keep the pulp aside.
5. Now keep a big pan on the fire and put cooked rice, dal and vegetables.

6. Add tamarind pulp. Add salt. Mix it well.
7. Add required water and let it boil nicely.
8. Now add ground coconut spice mixture.

9. Mix it well and let it boil on low flame. Stir inbetween.
10. Keep a small pan and put oil. Heat and put mustard seeds and urd dal.
11. Let the mustard seeds spurt, add ingh and curry leaves.

12. Add this mustard spurt mixture to bath mixture. Mix it well.
13. Keep a pan and put one tea spoon of oil. Add cloves, cinnemon.
14. Add capsicum pieces to the pan and fry capsicum along with cloves and cinnemon. Add this capsicum fry to the bath mixture.

Ready Bisibele Bhat 

15. Shift this mixture to a serving bowl.

Bisibele Bhat in the Serving Bowl

16. Serve bisibele bhat with a cup of curd and papad or as you like.

Ready to serve Bisibele Bhat

Note:

Do not over cook rice. You can also add cut onions along with capsicum while frying. You can add more oil or ghee if you wish. You must use good quality of rasam powder, chutney powder and garam masala. Make sure that chutney powder contain roasted channadal and urid dal. I have used  MTR powders. You can also add chilly powder if you like more chilly taste. Using Ghee with Bisibele Bhat adds to the taste. I have tried this dish with mixing chutney powder, rasam powder and garam masala. You can also use bisibele bhat powder of any good company or even you can prepare the powder.
Time : 40 minutes.

Serves : 3 to 4

Organic Brown Rice