Mixed Dals & Rice Dosa.

 Eating dosa or idli for breakfast is one of the good habit. Dals are loaded with proteins and carbohydrates.
 Idli and dosas are prepared using rice or rava and urid dal. They are rich in carbohydrates and proteins. It is easy to prepare and it is always healthy to eat home made food.Here is one such recipe which loaded with proteins.

Mixed dal dosa is called adai or dal dosa and I have used all the dals and red boiled rice (Kocchakki - or Kusulakki ) as we say and I have not used any maida. (normally maida (all purpose flour) is added in hotels. Try this and I am sure you all love this dosa very much. Dals /legumes are loaded with protein, carbohydrates and energy rich. They also loaded with minerals and vitamins.
Kochhakki/Kusalakki makes the dough soft and crispy. 

Things needed :

Toor Dal : 1/2 Cup
Urid Dal : 1/2 Cup
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
Chenna Dal : 1/2 Cup
Raw Rice : 2 Cups
Red boiled Rice : 1 cup
Avalakki : 2 Handful (Optional)
Methi Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Medium Rava/ Semolina : 1 Cup
Oil/Ghee : 1/2 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and soak rice and all dals together for 2 to 3 hours. Wash and soak Avalakki/beaten/flattened rice separately.

2. Grind them nicely adding water little by little and put it in a big bowl. Add salt and mix it well. Let it rest for 4 to 5 hours or over night.

3. Add rava in the morning when you are ready to prepare dosa. Mix it thoroughly .

4. Keep a tava (dosa pan) and heat. Put 1/2 Teaspoon of oil on the tava and spread it nicely. Clean that oil with a kitchen tissue.
5. Take a ladle full of dosa batter and spread it on the tava in circular shape. Do not press so much it might stick to the spoon and it becomes difficult to prepare dosa.

6. Add a spoon of il on the top of dosa and let it cook for 1 minute. Turn the other side and cook for 10 seconds.
7. Remove it from the dosa pan and serve hot dosa with any curry or chutney you prepared. Add a spoon of ghee on the top of hot dosa before serving.

 8. Repeat the same with remaining batter to prepare dosa.

Note :

Adding more boiled rice may turn dosa very soft and you might not be able to prepare thin dosas. Adding Avalakki/poha is optional.That too makes the dosa very soft but it adds to the  fluffyness to the dosa. You can use ghee instead of oil. It adds to the taste,
Prepare dosas on medium and low flame.(while spreading let it be low flame and then let it cook on medium flame).

Adding rava is to get the crispness and binding consistency. (Instead of maida added medium sized rava/semolina). You can also prepare dosas with this batter. Add a cup of curd just when are ready to prepare dosas. Do try it on a small quantity first and then you can prepare the larger quantity. (You get the idea by preparing smaller quantity and then you can adjust according to your wishes.


Time :
Dosa preparing : 20 minutes.
Preparation : Soaking 3 hours, leaving the batter to ferment : overnight. 
Serves : 8 to 10 ppl :  35 to  40 Dosas can be prepared.

Jack Seeds Kachori

Kachori/Kachuri/Kachodi or Katchuri is a fried dish. It is one of the famous dish of Rajastan and very popular dish in North India and world wide now a days. It is a savoury and spicy fried dish. There are so many varieties of Kachoris. For example onion kachori, peas kachori, mava (kova) Kachori, etc etc etc. Even sweet kachoris also very popular and kachori can be eaten during upavas (fasting). 

Ready to Serve Hot Kachoris

 Kachoris are prepared with maida and moong dal usually. But as I said earlier there are varieties of stuffing is done and filled. I have used moong dal and jack seeds and little spices like cumin seeds, pepper etc.
Lets see some benefits of eating jeera/cumin seeds.
Jeera/Cumin seeds are one of the important spice, and famous for their wonderful flavour and aroma. They also have number of health benefits. Jeera can help to improve digestion and helps to overcome insomnia. It helps to improve digestion and stomach ache. Jeera is high in fiber and is good remedy for constipation. In Ayurveda, it is said that it is capable of preventing and healing severe digestive disorders like piles. Jeera contain high potassium and that helps to maintain our blood pressure and heart rate. They contain anti bacterial and anti fungai properties and its a great remedy for cold, sore throat and asthama. It is good for people who are suffering from anaemia since it helps in production of hemoglobin. These jeera seeds are good for pregnant women since it contain Iron an Calcium.
No onion or garlic is added in this Kachori.

Things needed :

For the outer layer:
Wheat flour : 2 cups
Maida (All purpose flour ) 1/2 Cup
Ghee or Oil  : 1 Tablespoon
Jeera : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : as required
For Filling (stuffing)
Jack fruit seeds : 8 to 10 (cooked)
Moong dal : 1 cup
Green chilly : 2
Coriander leaves : 1 Handful
Jeera : 2 Teaspoons
Pepper pods : 4 to 5
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Salt : As required
Garam masala powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil : 1 1/2 Cup (for frying)

Method:

1. Remove the outer skin of jack seeds and cook and let it cool. (Pressure cook at least for 8 to 10 minutes).
2. Roast moong dal and let it cool.

3. Wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves and ginger.
4. Cut cooked jack seeds in to small and put it in a jar along with ginger, coriander leaves,pepper pods and green chilly.

5. Now add roasted moong dal and dry grind with jack seeds mixture.

6. Remove from the mixi jar and put it in a big bowl.
7. Add a teaspoon of jeera/cumin seeds, garam masala powder.
  8. Mix all the ingredients nicely and divide into small size of a ball.

9. Dry roast maida, wheat flour on low flame. Leave it for cooling.

10. Add salt and 1 teaspoon of jeera.and a spoon of chilly powder. Add ghee and mix it well.
.Add required water slowly and then prepare dough.( It should be poori consistency). Let it rest for 5 minutes.

11. Now make small balls with wheat +maida dough.
12. Roll them into small poris.

 13. Add  a tablespoon of jack and spice mixture in the middle of the rolled chapati and bring all the edges to the top.
14. Make like a ball and flatten it slightly and arrange them on the plate.

15. Keep a frying pan on the fire. Put oil and heat.
16. Deep fry ready kachoris on both side. (Fry it on low flame). Put them on the kitchen tissue.

  17. Repeat the same with remaining kachoris.

 18. Serve with green and red chutney or tomato ketch up.

Note :

Dry grind roasted moong coarsely. Let it mix well with ground jack seed mixture. Add spices according to your wish. (more or less). Adding more ghee to the flour might absorb oil while frying. Dry roasting wheat flour and maida help kachori to be crispy. Use of maida or wheat flour is optional. You can not keep kachori for a long time. Since wheat flour is used it will turn soft. You can use any legume instead of jack seeds. (Rajma, Channa or whole moong Field bean/avarekai etc).
Time : 40 to 50 minutes. (The whole process).
12 To 15 Kachoris can be prepared.        

Field Beans & Cucumber Curry.

Field Bean/Avaekai and Coloured Curcumber/ Mangalore Southekai curry is a side dish. Avare kai/ field beans is used lavishly here in Bangalore and around. You can get this field beans in any time of the year in Bangalore. Jayanagar 4th T block is very famous in selling this Avarekai/Field beans. You can even get the ready beans to cook. (They remove the outer part and keep the seeds separately to sell. One more thing I have noticed that, they even remove the outer layer from field bean and sell the soft seed. This seed is known as Chitak Avare, means squeezed seeds.These seeds are used for deep frying and rasam. It will be very very tasty.

 Lets see some benefits of eating Toor Dal in our diet.
Toor dal is also called as tur dal, tuvar dal or arhar dal. It is an excellent source of carbohydrates and provide energy to our body. It also contain many of the nutrients, like protein, fat and fiber. It has minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and B Vitamins. It has high dietary fiber. low saturated fat and cholesterol free. Toor  dal is an excellent source of folic acid and vitamins and good for pregnant women.
This Field Beans & Cucumber Curry has no onions or no garlic and easy to prepare.
I have used , toor dal, field beans/avarekai, green chilly and some spices.
Lets see the recipe now.

Things Needed :

 To cook
Field Beans/Avarekai : 1 Cup
Toor Dal : 1/2 Cup
Mangalore Cucumber : 1/2 (medium size )
Green Chilly : 2 to 3
Rasam Powder : 1 Tablespoon
 To Add :
Raw Mango Grated : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Ginger : 1 Tablespoon
Methi seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt to taste :
Coconut : 2 Tablespoon (Optional).
Coriander leaves
For  Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh :  a little

Curry Leaves : 1 Handful
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon 

Method :

1. Wash and cook Toor dal and field beans/avarekai together . (Pressure cook)

2.  Wash and cut mangalore southekai/cucumber and coriander leaves into small pieces. Wash and cut green chilly in to big pieces. (1into 2).

3. Grate coconut, raw mango and ginger. (wash and remove the outer skin and wash it again before grating).
4. Now keep a pan on the fire. Put cooked mangalore southekai/cucumber, cooked dal and field beans.

5. Add grated raw mango and ginger.. Add little turmeric powder. Add cut green chilly, methi seeds (raw) and salt. Mix it well.

6. Let it cook nicely for 2 to 3 minutes. Add rasam powder and cook again for 5 minutes.

7. Shift the ready field beans/avarekai and Mangalore Cucumber/southekai curry in to a serving bowl.
8. Add mustard, urid dal splutter with curry leaves and ingh.
9. Add coconut gratings and coriander leaves on the top.

10. Serve with Hot plain rice or chapati.

Note :

Adding methi seeds help to reduce the acidity and cholesterol content in the curry. You can adjust the curry according to your need. (thick or little more liquid by adding little water). Adjust the salt according to your taste. Adding garlic or onion is optional. You can also add 1/2 a teaspoon of garam masala. Adding a tablespoon of fresh ghee adds to the taste. (optional). You can use any other legume (kalu/beans) instead of field beans.Adding more or less chilly is optional.
Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4 to 5

Cabbage Fry

Cabbage Fry is an easy dish and even a fresher can try this curry. This cabbage curry goes well with chapatis, pooris, roti and plain rice. We can get cabbage any time of the year. It cooks fast and one of the healthy vegetable. Any type of cabbage can be used for this Cabbage Fry.               

Lets see some benefits of eating Cabbage.
Cabbage is a leafy vegetable and it contain Vitamin C and Vitamin A. It helps to control cholesterol. It is full of fiber and good for stomach ulcer, headache, obesity, skin disorders, jaundice, eye disorders, heart diseases and constipation. Cabbage contain antioxidant quality. It also contain anti-inflammatory properties. Cabbage is a rich source of beta-caroten properties and is good for Eye Health. Cabbage contain potassium and it helps in protecting people who suffering from blood pressure. It is good for people who wants to reduce their extra weight. Good for brain and bone health. Remember that steamed cabbage is most healthiest form of eating cabbage.
No onion No Garlic used in this curry.

Lets see the reciep :

Cabbage : 2 cups
Coriander seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Channa dal + Urid dal  : 2 Tablespoons (each 1 tablespoon).
Red chilly powder : 2 Teaspoons
Green chilly : 1
Mustard sees : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera /cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : Required
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons (optional).
Lemon : 1 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Dry roast channa dal, urid dal and coriander seeds. Dry grind them once they are cool.
2. Wash and cut cabbage into thin and keep it aside. Wash and cut green chilly.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and mustard sees. Let it splutter.

5. Add cumin/jeera and fry for 10 seconds. Add cut green chilly and curry leaves.
6. Add cut cabbage and fry nicely on low flame. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Add turmeric powder and salt. Mix it well.
8.  Let all the moisture disappear from the vegetable. Add powdered spices.

9. Mix it well and fry for 10 seconds.

10.Add grated coconut and lemon extract. Add coriander leaves and mix it well.
11. Now shift the ready curry to a serving bowl.

12. Serve with the main dish as you wish to.
Note :
No need to add more oil. Do the whole process on the low flame. Do not allow it get burnt. Adding coconut is optional. You can also add ground nuts powder along with other spice.(channa dal, urid dal and coriander seeds). Adding onions or garlic is optional.You can add a tablespoon of rasam powder and a tablespoon of chutney powder (any brand) instead of home made fresh spice powder.
Time : 15 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3.