Easy Ottu Shavige

Ottu shavige is a traditional dish and its prepared using Rice.

We can use any of these following like, boiled rice or boiled rice and raw rice or only raw rice or raw rice + beaten rice + grated coconut. Ottu shavige is very famous in Karantaka, We can have Ottu shavige for a breakfast, lunch or dinner. Ottu shavige goes very well with coconut chutney, Kai huli, Majjige huli (moru lolambu), any pickle or with coconut milk, mango rasayana, banana rasayana, coconut with jaggery or only jaggery.  We can prepare Chitranna, Kai shavige or Puliyogre with Ottu Shavige. This dish is favourite of all age group, children like this since it looks like a string, others like it since its soft and nice combination of many side dishes. Here I used fresh Raw rice powder and prepared this Ottu shavige. You too try this Ottu Shavige and enjoy. If You do not have Shavige Mane (Shavige Mould), use the one which comes with chakkuli mould, which is used for semiya (the thinner hole). I too tried with the same mould.

Things Needed: 
Fresh Raw Rice powder: 2 Cups
Water: 3 1/2 cups
Salt : to taste
Oil or ghee: 1 Tea spoon (Optional)
Shavige or Semia Mould

Method : 
1. Keep water for boiling.
2. Put rice powder slowly when the water boils and stir until it is thick.
3 Stir for little more time and put of the gas.
4. Keep the rice mixture bowl down and wet your hands and mix the dough slowly. Wet your hand inbetween if you feel very hot.
5. Divide the dough in to small balls.

6. Steam these balls in a pressure cooker or Idly vessel for 20 minutes.
7. Now put of the gas and take each ball of the dough and insert in the shavige mould and press when the dough is hot.

8. Press the shavige on the plate according to your wish. (you can make a big shavige mudde or small one)                  

9 Repeat the same to the rest of the dough Keep the done shavige separately.
10. Serve Ottu shavige with the side dish you have prepared. Add coconut oil or ghee on the top of shavige just before serving.

Note: Do not add too much of water to the rice powder. The measurement is 1 = 2 or 1= 1 3/4.. You must mix the flour nicely with the boiling water and also later when you are preparing to steam the dough. Wet with your hands with water or ghee, Or else you may get the lumb and will not be able to press the shavige in smoother way since it stucks in the hole. Do not allow the steamed dough to get cool. It must be hot. If it becomes cool the dough becomes hard and you find it difficult to press the dough through the holes of the mould. Each time you insert the wanted quantity and them immedietly close the cover of the idly vessel or pressure cooker, so that the the dough remains little hot until you use.
Serves : 2 to 3
Time : 1 Hour. (The whole process).

PANEER- TOMATO CURRY

Paneer - Tomato Curry is easy to prepare in very little time. It is one of the easy dish and goes well with almost all type of rotis. This curry is not spicy and every one loves to have paneer in their diet now a days. Paneer is filled calcium since it is made of milk. Just give a try and let me know how did it turn?

I have used Nandini Paneer , tomatoes, almonds, garam masala and  coriander leaves.

Cottage cheese is known as Paneer and it contains rich source of calcium and Protein. Using Paneer we can prepare lots of dishes , like Paneer Tikka, Parotha, Pakoda. Chapati Paneer Roll and many more. Kids love to have Paneer in their diet. Here is a Paneer Curry simple recipe and this curry is prepared with out using onions or garlic and all age group will definitely like it. Paneer is made with milk.  Paneer - Tomato curry is an easy dish as I said it does not take much time. Give a try and I am sure you will love it.

Things Needed:

Paneer: 2oo Grams.
Tomatoes: 2 to 3
Coriander leaves: 1 Table spoon
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tea spoon
Green chilly: 1
Ginger: 1/2 Tea spoon (grated)
Almonds: 5 to 6
Grated fresh coconut: 1 table spoon
Salt : to taste
Jeera: !/2 Tea spoon
Oil: 1 Table spoon

Method:

1.Thaw the frozen Paneer and cut them in to small pieces.( According to your wish). Put them in hot water till you use.

2. Wash and grind  Tomatoes (raw) , green chilly, grated fresh coconut, Almonds (with skin),grated ginger  and 1/2 tea spoon of garam Masala and keep it aside.
3. Now keep a pan on the fire. Heat and put 1 teaspoon of oil and fry Paneer cuts (cubes) till little brown and remove them.
4. Now put one more spoon of oil to the pan and put jeera and fry for 10 seconds.
5. Add ground tomato mixture. Fry till the raw smell goes off.
6.  Add fried paneer to it. Mix it nicely. Add required water. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
7.  Add turmeric powder a pinch and salt to it.. Mix it nicely and cook for a minute

8. Shift it to a serving dish and add coriander leaves. Add a teaspoon of butter or cream on the top.
    ( Top layer on the milk).
9. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note:
Soaking paneer in hot water helps the paneer to be soft. Frying paneer turns it chew. So do not fry much. Use of onions and garlic is optional. Use of more/less spice is optional. Adding milk cream on the top adds to the taste. ( Use home prepared cream. Just collect the cream once you boil milk and put it in freezer and use it within a week). Use of any brand garam masala is optional. Use very little of it.
Serves 2 to 3
Time : 15 Minutes.

Dodda Patre (Sambar Balli) Leaf Bajji.

Sambar balli or Dodda patre is a medicinal plant. From Dodda patre we can prepare chutney, tambuli, mosaru bajji, pachadi and sasive etc. Hear I have prepared Bajji, the fried item and it was yemmy too. I saw this recipe in one of the cookery show in the Telivision. The dish is yemmy and all like it very much. Kids like this since it is fried. Since the leaf inside is cooked, its soft and all age group will like this bajji. Good for the evening snack or the starter in the party.

Things Needed:
Dodda Patre: 8 to 10
Besan : (Channa Powder): 1 /2 Cup
Rice Flour: 1 Table spoon
Chilly Powder: 1 Tea spoon
Salt: as required
Cooking Soda: a pinch
Jeera : 1 Tea spoon
Ingh  (Asafoetida): a pinch.
Oil:  1 Cup
Water; Required

Method:
1. Wash Dodda Patre leaves and keep it aside.
2. Put besan and rice flour in a bowl. Add salt red chilly powder and jeera. Mix it nicely.
3. Add needed water. Mix it nicely . The consistency should be like Idly dough.
4. Add a pinch of cooking soda and mix it nicely.
5. Keep a pan on the fire. Put oil and heat.
6. Dip Doddi Patre leaf one by one in the besan - rice flour dough and fry it in the oil. Fry both side of the bajji till slightly golden colour and remove from the oil.
7. Repeat the same with the remaining leaves.
8. Serve with any kind of chutney or ketchup when Doddi Patre Bajjis are hot.
Note: Fry the bajji on the medium heat. The dough should be like idli consistency. You can use little garam masala with chilly powder to give a spicy taste.(1/4 tea spoon).
Serves : 2 to 3
Time : 15 Minutes.
Dodda Patre is known as Patharchur in Hindi, Panikkurukka in Malayalam , Pan ova in Marathi , Pashanabhedi in Sanskrite and karpuravalli in Tamil.  Dodda patre soppu is also called as Saviara Sambara.

Jolada (Millet Roti) Rotti

Jola or Millet is a staple food of Indians. Millet is one of the ancient food grain. People of North Canara are expert in preparing Jola/Millet roti. It is healthy and helps to stay long. 

I have used Millet/Jola flour, a little salt and boiling water. 
Let us see some benefits of eating Jola/ Millet in our diet. 
Doctors advise diabetic people to intake jola instead of rice, since it contains lots of fiber and it is gluten free. Anyone suffering from constipation should use jola so that they can overcome their problem of constipation. It is high in protein, rich in nutrients and great energy source for kids and ideal to have Jola in their diet. Jola is packed with vitamins and mineral.
Here I have prepared Jolada Rotti which is the daily diet and North Kannada people are expert in preparing Rotti from Jola. I am sure all age group will love to have this rotti. It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner with any spicy curry or simply with curd and chutney pudi. 

Things Needed:
Jola (Millet) flour:  2 Cups
Hot water: 1 1/2 Cups
Salt: to taste:
Water: required

Method:
1. Keep 1 1/2 cup/glasses of water for boiling.

2. Let the water boil. 
3. Add millet flour slowly to the boiling water and mix it nicely. 
4. Put off the fire and let it rest as it is for 2 minutes.
5. Mix the flour slowly. (Be careful because it is still hot). Mix it and prepare the dough. Use little normal water if required.  

7. Take a ball size dough kneed it nicely and then flatten a bit with hand. 
8. Keep 1/2 cup of dry millet flour in a bowl. Just dip the small portion both sides.
9. Now roll on with the roller, slowly. Do not put pressure. (The dough will be very soft). 

10. Keep a pan or tava on the fire. Heat. Put the rolled rotti very carefully on the tava. 

11. Press the rotti with a clean handkerchief or a small towel. Turn the other side and cook for 10 seconds. 

12. Now put the cooked roti on a flame and let it cook on both sides (like dry phulkas). Remove from the fire and put it on a plate. 

13. Apply butter  or ghee immediately on the rotti and serve hot Millet Rotti with your favourite dish.

14 Repeat the same way with the rest of the dough. 
15. You can cook roti on tava it self. Put roti on hot tava and press with a spatula slightly. It turns fluffy. Turn the other side and repeat the same. Let the flame be medium. 

16. Serve Hot Jola/Millet Roti with the side dish you have prepared. 

Note: 
Adding the millet flour to boiling water helps the flour to be soft and sticky. You should kneed the dough nicely or it breaks up while rolling. You can prepare flatten roti by using your finger if you are an expert. Do not put any pressure while rolling. It might stick or break. One should handle the rolled roti very gently. 
Quantity : 1 glass of flour =   1/2 cup of water will do.    You can use normal water if you need.

3 to 4 serves.
Time taken : 20 to 30 minutes.

  

Navane (Foxtail) BisiBele Bath..

Navane/Foxtail millet is a healthy millet and now a days millets are known for their healthy benefits. I have tried this bisibele baath one of the famous Karnataka's yummy dish.

Navane /foxtail millet is known for its rich source of fiber and other healthy benefits. It is said that long long before these millets were the main food grains used all over India. Anyways as they say History repeats. The days are back again and people know the value of these millets.
 Navane/Foxtail millets are grown mainly in North Karnataka and in some places of India. We can prepare lots of dishes using Navane/Foxtail Millet. Foxtail millet is known as Navane akki in Kannada /Karnataka.  Navane/Foxtail millet can be used instead of rice and prepare varieties of Indian dishes. For example like chitranna, Milk ganji, bisibele baat, payasam, dosa, idli etc etc etc.
Foxtail millet is full of fiber and it helps to control our cholesterol and blood pressure.
Here is a recipe for Bisibele bath which is good for any time of the day and for all age group. I have used moong dal instead of toor dal since moong dal keeps the body cool and ready bisibele bath powder. (M.T.R.)

Ingredients:
To cook:
Navane : 1 Cup
Moong Dal: 1/2 Cup
Carrots: 2
Peas : 1/2 Cup

To Add :
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Tamarind pulp : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Ghee: 1 Table spoon

To Grind :
Coconut : Grated : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Bisibele baath powder : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

To Season :
Mustard Seeds: 1 Teaspoon
Urd dal : 1 Teaspoon
Oil: 2 Tablespoons
Salt: to taste
Ingh:(Asfoetida) : a pinch
Curry leaves: 8 to 10

Method: 
1. Wash and pressure cook Navane and Moongdal separately. Wash and cook pea pods till they are soft. (Used frozen peas).

2. Wash and cut carrots in to small pieces and cook separately till soft and keep it aside.

3. Soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the juice and keep it aside.( Lemon size tamarind).
3. Grind coconut and keep it aside.
 4. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and put mustard seeds and urd dal. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add ingh/Asafoetida and curry leaves.
5. Now put cooked Navane and moong dal lt. Put 2 glasses of water. Add salt.
6. Add cooked carrots, peas Add turmeric powder and tamarind pulp.
7.  Add required salt and mix it well. Cook for 2 minutes.

 8. Add ground coconut and mix it slowly. Add  bisibele baat powder. Mix it and let it cook on low flame For 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Put off the gas and shift the ready Navane /Foxtail Millet Bisibele Baat to a serving dish.

10. Serve with chips or papad.

Note:

 You can add  other vegetables like peas, beans or capsicum. Adding more/less ghee is optional. Use of any brand Bisibele baat powder is optional. Here I used fresh bisibele baat powder prepared at home . (Use of onions are optional).
Time : 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve : 3 to 4 

Procedure to prepare Bisibele bath powder:

Channa dal : 2 Tablespoons.
Urd dal : 1 Tablespoon
Coriander seeds :2 to 3 Tablespoon
Cineman : 2 to 3 small pieces
Cloves: 3 to 4
Jeera " 1 Tea spoon
Red chilly : 6 to 8
Dry roast and dry grind when it cools down.

NENDRA BALEHANNU -ALMOND HALVA

Nendra balehannu is a kind of banana which contain lots of carbohydrates and other minerals. Normally Dakshina Kannada people make variety of sweet dishes out of Nendra balehannu. People of Kerala use this banana in their regular diet. They just steam Nendrabale hannu and eat for breakfast. Dakshina Kannada people make halva, bajji, even Tava fry with ghee, and a fry-dip this in sugar syrup like jamoon.the list goes on. Here is a recipe which is sweet.  People love to have this sweet any time of the day I am sure, and its 100% yemmy. Even you can pack some pieces to kids in their lunch box for the munching after their food. It melts in the mouth and goes down to tummy as you enjoy this sweet.
Things Needed: 
Nendra Bale hannu: 3 to 4
Almonds: 1 Cup
Sugar: 1 1/2 Cup
Ghee : 3/4 Cup
Cardamom : 5 to 6
Cashew Nuts: 2 Table spoons.

Method : 
1. Remove the Nendra Balehannu skin and steam the fruit in the pressure cooker for 6 to 8 minutes. Leave it for cooling.
2. Powder the whole almonds in a dry grinder along with cardamom till powder and keep it aside.
3. Now take the steamed banana and smash it nicely.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and add smashed banana, sugar and powdered almonds and mix it nicely and cook on low flame.
5. Add ghee littie by little inbetween while stirring. Stir continuously till the banana and almond mixture starts leaving the pan.
6. Add the remaining ghee and mix it nicely and pour it to the tray. Put Cashew Nuts on the top.
7. You can even cut this halva in to pieces when it is cool.
Note: The whole process should be on the low flame. Do not add any water or milk. You can drain out the extra ghee coming out of the halva slowly just before you shift  the halva to a tray or plate.
Time : 30 minutes
20 to 25 pieces.