Rice - Cucumber Akki Rotti

Rice Rotti is always loved by most. I just thought of using Cucumber ( Manglore soute kai ) instead of onions to rice flour and prepare Rotti. It turned soft and tasty. Rice cucumber rotti is good for breakfast, snack and for dinner too.

Mangalore Southekai/bannada southekai or Saambar southe kai (Curry cucumber) is largely used in South Canara or Dakshina Kannada.
Rice flour, Mangalore Southekai, coconut, coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chilly and salt is used  for this rotti.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Rice Flour -: 2 cups
Cucumber : 1/2 ( medium size).
Coconut: 1/2 Cup
Curry Leaves : Handful
Coriander leaves : Handful
Salt : to taste
Oil: 1/2 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and cut coriander leaves, coriander leaves.
2. Wash and remove the outer skin of Mangalore southe kai and put in water for 5 minutes.
3. Now grind southekai, coconut with little water. Remove from the mixi jar.

4. Now take a big bowl and put rice flour, ground southekai mixture and salt.
5. Add cut coriander leaves and curry leaves. Mix it nicely.

6. Keep a tava on the fire. Heat it. Sprinkle oil (half teaspoon) on the tava.
7. Take a handful of rotti dough and spread it nicely and thin.
8. Sprinkle little oil on the top and cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on low and medium flame.

9. Turn the other side and cook for 1 minute. Turn the other side again.

10. Just sprinkle little chutney powder if you like.

11. Remove from the pan and put it on a serving plate.
12. Add little ghee on the top and serve.

Note :

You can prepare this rotti by grinding raw rice. (Wash and soak 2 cups of rice in water and grind it after an hour into rava consistency. Then use it as rotti dough). No need to add any chilly to the dough. This rotti should be soft and without any masala. Adding chutney powder on the top of rotti is optional.

Time : 30 minutes if using rice flour. If soaked raw rice is to be used it takes  1 : 30 minutes.

Serves : 3 to 4 .

Almond - Besan Burfy

Sweets are always yummy to munch. Small piece of any sweet after food is always welcome. Most of the people have the habit of eating little sweet after lunch or dinner. So there should be little sweet at home right. I do prepare some or the other sweet at times. Here is such one Almond - Besan Burfy.
I have used some almond flakes on the top also.

Let us see the recipe now .
I have used besan/channa flour, sugar, almonds and ghee. Remember to prepare this burfy on low flame. and cut it only when it is completely cooled. I had some guest and did not wait for burfi to cool.
Let us see the recipe.

Things Needed :

Almonds : 1/2  Cup.
Besan : 1 cup
Sugar : 2 Cups
Ghee : 1 Cup
Milk : 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Dry grind almonds with its skin and keep it aside.
2. Keep a pan and fry besan on low flame. ( For 5 minutes).
3. Add milk and mix it well. Add sugar and stir slowly and let it mix well.

4. Add little ghee and stir. Mixing the mixture is very important. It should not be stopped.
5. It starts to mix well and slowly it starts to bubble.

6. Stir continuously till it leaves the edges of the pan. Add ghee in between.
7. Add powdered almonds and keep stirring.

8. It thickens well and starts to come up. Stir slowly for another 4 to 5 minutes.
9. Add remaining ghee and stir, shift it to the tray or plate. ( plate/tray should be greased before).

10. Leave it for cooling. Spread almond flakes on the top.(Optional). Cut it according to your wish only when it cools.

Note : 

Do the whole process on low flame. Cut the burfy only when it completely cools down. You can add more ghee (optional). Use of almonds are optional. You can also use cardamom powder to get good aroma. ( I have not added).
Time : 20 minutes.
20 Pieces : According to size .

Methi Leaves...and Potato Curry

Methi Leaves and Potato curry can be eaten with Rice ,Chapatis , Dosa or Idli..

Things Needed :
Methi Leaves : 1 to 2 Bundles
Potato: 2 to 3
Coconut : 2 Table spoons
Coriander Seeds : 2 Tea spoons
Jeera : 1/4 Tea spoon
Red Chillies : 4 to 6
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 4 to 6
Ingh : a pinch
Salt : to taste
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Tamarind pulp: 1 Table Spoon
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Water : 2 cups.

Method : Wash and cut Methi leaves in to small. Wash potato and cut in to big pieces. ( Do not remove the skin ). Boil Methi and potatos in one cup of water until it cooked soft.
Now grind coriander seeds , jeera , red chillies and coconut with small quantity of water until it turns into paste. Remove from the jar.
Keep a pan on the fire and put oil and heat for 1 minute. Add mustard seeds and urud daal . Let the mustard seeds spurt . Now add curry leaves and ingh. Add boiled Methi leaves and potatoes. Add turmeric powder . salt and tamarind pulp. Mix well and boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add ground coconut mixture and boil for 5 minutes. Stir in between . Serve Methi -Potato curry with hot rice .
Note : Can add one tea spoon of rice (soak the rice for 10 minutes ) while grinding masala to get the thicker gravy. Can add 1 spoon of jaggery to the gravy while cooking . Adding 1 table spoon of ghee to the curry gives better taste. Can use Palak , Spinach and other edible leaves instead of Methi leaves.
Serves :3

Cluster Beans and Toor Daal Curry.

Cluster Beans ( Chouli Kodu/Ghori kaai ) Toor daal curry is one of the traditional dish of Iyengars. It goes well with almost all the main dish, but I like it with plain rice and ghee.

This Cluster Beans curry takes me to go down my memory lane I have eaten this curry many times in Mr. and  Mrs. Govinda Prasad's House. They are our very close friends. It is like once upon a time when we used to stay in Yola-Gangola - Nigeria. We both the families used to visit one another very often in Nigeria. They used to stay in a place called Gombe (Bauchi State), and we in Yola. (Gangola state). The time spent together is never be forgotten. We also continued our friendship in Dubai. It is nice to have friends like our family members. Though I have many many friends, I still think of the good old days spent together with Prasads. I learnt so many dishes from Mrs. Nagamani Prasad, like parapu pudi, khara pongal(one of Mrs. Nagamani Prasad's favourite), chakkara pongal (sweet pongal), and Karnataka, Iyengar's special, Moru Kolambu (Curd Curry).

Lets see the different names of Cluster Beans in some Indian Languages.
It is known as Gawaar in Sindhi, Panjabi, Urdu, Hindi and Marati. Goruchikkadu Kaya or Gorukaya in Telugu, Gorikai, chavali kodu, javali kai in Kannada. Kottavarai in Tamil.
Coming back to Cluster Beans - Toor Daal Curry, I have used cluster beans, toor dal, ginger, green and red chilly, jeera and pepper pods.
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this "Cluster Beans Toor dal curry". Though it looks a long process, it is an easy and yummy dish and I am sure you all love this traditional tasty dish.
Lets see the recipe :

Things Needed :

Cluster Beans : 1 Cup (250 Gram).
Green Chilly : 2 ( medium hot chillies).
Ginger : An inch
Salt :To taste
Toor Daal : 1/2 cup
Curry leaves : 2 to 3 table spoon
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Oil ; 3 Table spoons
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Ingh :1/4 Tea spoon(powdered ).
Water : 1/2 cup
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Coconut : 2 Table spoons.( Fresh Coconut).

Method :

1. Soak Toor Daal for 1 hour.
2. Wash and cut cluster beans and cut into small pieces.

3. Wash and cut curry leaves, wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash again. Cut into small.
4. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
5. Drain the water from toor dal and grind it with green chilly, ginger, pepper, jeera/cumin seeds.
6. Grind into rava consistency and remove from the mixi jar. Put it in a plate.

7. Keep a big pan on the fire and heat. Put 1 tablespoon of oil. Put mustard seeds, urid dal, cut red chilly.
8. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves and ingh. Add cut cluster beans and stir nicely.

9. Add 1/2 cup of water and mix the vegetable nicely.
10. Now place the ground toor dal plate above the vegetable and cover the pan with small plate.
11. Let it cook on low flame for a while. (4 to 5 minutes).

12. Remove the lid and mix toor dal with cluster beans and cook nicely till they turn soft and cooked        well.
13. Sprinkle little water in between so that it can be cooked nicely. Stir in between.
14. Cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Check that vegetable and dal is cooked well.

15. Add salt, little red chilly powder and mix it well. Add remaining oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

16. Add grated coconut and shift the ready cluster beans - Toor dal Curry to a serving bowl. Add coriander leaves and serve.

Note :
You can cook cluster beans and ground toor dal together by using more oil.
Put the ground dal along with cluster beans to the seasoning. But it takes lots of time and lots of oil should be used in that method.
OR
Pressure cook ground toor dal and then add it to the cooked cluster beans. That not only saves the time and you are sure the dal is cooked nicely. Stir nicely by adding very little oil.
Use of more /less oil is optional. Use of more chilly is optional.
Time : 3o Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 

Masala Buttermilk.& Sweet BUttermilk

Buttermilk/majjige (Kannada)/Moru (Tamil), is one of the healthy drink that fits into any season. It is 100% healthy no doubt which is done in home or prepared with clean place.
Buttermilk is a good drink as welcome drink, after the food or at any time of the day. It helps to keep the body cool.

There are two types of buttermilk which the first one is salty and mild spicy and the other one is sweet. For sweet buttermilk I have used honey instead of sugar or jaggery.
I have prepared fresh buttermilk and then used it. I have a habbit of collecting the top cream which you get after boiling milk. I do collect the very small quantity of cream from fresh milk everyday and keep that in a small container in freezer. When ever I have the sufficient quantity I shift the cream filled bowls to fridge. (down portion). Then it melts in a day. I put them in a bigger bowl and add little curd to it to turn savoury. Next is to take away the butter from milk. I have an easy method. I change the mixi blade and place the churner blade in side the mixi jar. Then start grinding little amount of savoury cream. Butter is churned out nicely. You can collet the butter and place it in a big bowl of water. Then again you refill the cream, add little water and churn the butter out and take away the butter. Buttermilk is poured out to the big container and butter milk is collected as it is.
Masala Butter milk and Sweet buttermilk Helps to keep the body cool during summer, helps to digest food and it can be served as welcome drink.
Here I have used fresh buttermilk.
1. Masala Buttermilk :

Things needed:

Buttermilk : 2 Cups
Water : 1 Cups
Ginger grated : 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 1 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetid : A pinch
Green chilly : 1/2 (Optional)

Method :

1. Wash and cut coriander leaves and cut into small pieces.
2. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it.
3. Wash and cut green chilly into small pieces and keep it aside.
4. Take a big bowl and put buttermilk, water, ingh/asafoetida, grated ginger and cut green chilly.
5. Add coriander leaves pieces and just squeeze out all the ingredients by fingers.

6. Strain this buttermilk to other bowl/ vessel with a strainer.

7. Put them in a serving glass, add a tiny piece of coriander leaf and serve.

Note : 

You can use a mixi jar and grind all the spices and then mix it with buttermilk. Then strain it with a strainer. (Optional).
Adding green chilly to buttermilk is optional. Adding a pinch of garam masala powder/chat masala powder or jeera powder is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 

2: Sweet Buttermilk:

Things Needed :

Buttermilk : 2 Cups
Water : 1 Cup
Honey : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Chat Masala Powder : 1/4 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Mix buttermilk and water nicely in a big bowl.
2. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of honey and mix it well.
3. Add a pinch of salt (optional)

4. Now put this to a serving glass and top up with very little chat masala and serve.

Note : 

You can add sugar instead of honey. Adding more/less honey is optional. Adding salt is good, since it helps to keep cold away.
Remember :
You can use thick curd instead of fresh buttermilk. Add required water and mix it slowly to get diluted buttermilk. Adding sugar to buttermilk is optional as I said before. Adding chat masala is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Servings : 3  

Bitter Guard Curry..

Bitter Guard, the bitter taste vegetable is one of the healthy vegetable and it should be eaten at least some times. It has a natural bitterness which is good for our body.

I have prepared dry curry using bitter gourd. This Bitter gourd curry goes well with rice, chapatis, rotis etc.
Let us see some benefits of eating " Bitter Gourd " in our diet.
Bitter gourd is well known for its ability to manage diabetes. It is good blood purifier. It has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and one of the good blood purifier and take care of any skin disorders. It helps to improve respiratory health. Boost and strengthen the immune system. It is also a rich source of anti inflammatory, anti-fungal, antibiotic, anti -allergic properties.
Point to note : It is better to avoid bitter gourd during pregnancy or breast feeding period. It has a strong quality of reducing blood sugar level.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

To cook :
Bitter Guard : 1(Medium sized )
Jaggary : 3 Table spoons
Salt :to taste
To Add :
Rasam powder : 2 Tea spoons
Roasted and powdered sesame seeds : 1 teaspoon
Ingh ( Asafotida ) : a pinch
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Tamarind : 2 tablespoon pulp.
Turmeric powder: a pinch
To Season :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Urd daal :1/2 teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves.
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 sticks.

Method :

1. Wash and cut bitter gourd into small pieces. Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp.

2. Dry roast sesame seeds till they pop up and dry grind it and mix with rasam powder.
3. Keep a pan and heat. Add oil and put mustard seeds and urid dal.
4. Add little ingh/asafoetida. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves.

5. Add cut bitter gourd pieces and fry nicely till slightly brown.

6. Add jaggery. salt, tamarind pulp and turmeric powder. Mix it well and add water. (1/2 cup).
7. Let it cook and turn soft. Add sesame seeds mixed rasam powder and mix it well.
8. Let all the moisture disappear. Mix it well and shift " Bitter gourd Curry " to a serving bowl.

9. Add coconut and coriander leaves and serve the curry with the choice of your main dish.

Note : 

Wash coriander leaves and curry leaves before use. You can put some salt and squeeze out its juice so that the bitterness in Bitter gourd reduces a little. (Remember that eating bitter gourd as they are healthy habit.
Frying on low flame will helps to reduce the bitterness in bitter gourd. Adding coconut is optional.
Dry roast sesame seeds and dry grind it. Mix this mixture with rasam powder and keep it ready to use. Adding any brand of rasam powder is optional. Use of chilly more/less is optional. use of any cooking oil is optional. We used coconut oil. Adding jaggery to the curry is optional. (More/less).
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 
South Canara 

Rasam powder Recipe :

Roast 1/4 teaspoon of Methi seeds (Mentyam ) , 2 tbspoons of Coriander seeds 4 to 6 red chillies and 1/4 spoon of jeera one by one and dry grind together and powder it . You can add curry leaves and a pinch of ingh ..while roasting . so that it gives a better taste.
It is a fresh and exact amount for one time use.