Raagi Sweet Dosa/Uthappam/Adai

Ingredients:

Raagi Flour- 1/2 cup
Wheat flour -  2 tbsp
Jaggery/Bellam - 1/4 cup
Grated Coconut - 1/3 cup (optional)
Cardamom powder - 1tsp
Nuvvula Oil/ Gingelly Oil - for frying or cooking the dosa

Procedure:

• In a mixing bowl, add ragi flour, wheat flour, grated coconut, cardamom powder and mix well.
• In a microwave safe bowl heat 3 to 4tbsp water and to it add the jaggery and dissolve it. 
• Now filter the jaggery mix to remove any sand or dust in it.
• Add the jaggery mix to the flour mix and mix it well by adding water to the mix.
• The mixture has to be not too thick nor watery. It has to be thicker than the dosa batter.

• Heat a dosa pan and add ghee/ oil on the pan.
• Put one laddle full of batter on the heated pan and spread it from middle to sides very slowly.

1. It will take for 2-3 mins to cook.
2. Now put little oil on the dosa and flip it to the other side and cook for another 1 min and serve.
3. Repeat the process with the remaining batter and serve it hot. 
4. This is a very good and healthy breakfast for both kids and adults.

Tips: 

• This will not be very thin as dosa and not as thicker as uthappam but medium in size.
• If you try to turn or spread the batter hard and fast on the pan it may not be perfect but crumbles. So be careful while spreading the dosa.
• Without the grated coconut it may be little harder but tastes good too. 

Sweet Pongadalu with Coconut

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Cardamom pods -5 tsp
Grated jaggery - 1 1/2 cups
Wheat flour - 1/4 cup
Oil for deep frying

Procedure:

• Soak raw rice for 1 -2 hours.
• Drain the water completely and grind the rice first in a mixie.Then add little water, grated coconut, cardamom pods and grind it to a smooth paste. 
• Add grated jaggery to it and mix well till it dissolves.
• Then add wheat flour and mix well .The batter should be of dosa batter consistency, so adjust accordingly by adding the flour.
• The batter need not ferment, you should make pongadalu immediately after grinding it.
• Heat oil in a small kadai, keep it in medium flame, take a small amount of batter in a small ladle or ice cream scooper and drop it gently into the oil. One pongadam at a time is preferred. 
• When it puffs and float on the oil, turn over and cook the other side also till golden brown(refer notes if it is not comes out in the correct shape). Drain the oil using a slotted ladle and take it out from the kadai. 
• Repeat the same process for the rest of the batter.
• Sweet pongadalu is ready to be served. It can had as a tea time snack.

Notes:

• If it sticks to the pan when the batter is dropped into the kadai, then the batter is thin and need to adjust the consistency by adding little wheat flour.
• If the pongadam gets squeezed and rises up rather than puffing up in the middle and flat on the edges then the batter is thick and need to adjust the consistency by adding little water of 1 tbsp at a time. 

Eggless Wholewheat Dates Cake/Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Dates - 18 to 20 (preferred seedless)
Milk - 3/4th cup
Sugar - 3/4th cup
All purpose Flour/ Maida - 1cup (or) Whole wheat flour - 1cup
Oil - 1/2 cup
Baking Soda - 1tsp
Cashews/Walnuts/Pecans/Almonds - 1/2 cup (chopped) use any nuts you have.

Procedure:

• Soak dates in warm milk or just microwave for 5 mins till warm so that the dates turn soft enough to grind.
• Add sugar and along with the milk and dates into a blender and grind it to a smooth paste.
• Take this in a large mixing bowl. Add oil and mix.
• Sieve together flour and baking soda in a separate bowl.
• Add the flour 1 tsp at a time and mix well with a spatula.
• Add nuts and mix well. Do not over mix it.
• Preheat oven at 350F. Bake the cake in a greased oven proof dish for 35-40 mins or till the knife inserted in the cake comes out clean. (or) Pour the batter in the cupcake molds. But it takes only 20- 25 mins to cook the cupcakes.
• Cut it into pieces and serve the cake. For cup cakes transfer them onto the cooling rack and serve when cool.

This cake is more yummier the next day.

Keera Capsicum Curry

Ingredients:

Keera - 1
Capsicum - 1
Onion - 1/2 medium
Green Chillis - 4
Turmeric- pinch
GGP/ Ginger Garlic Paste - 2tsp
Besan - 2tsp
Oil or Ghee  - 3-4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Jeera - 1tsp
Curd- 1cup
Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Heat 2tsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and jeera. Once they are spluttering add the onions, green chillis, Salt and turmeric and fry for a few mins.
• Now add GGP and fry for 2 mins.
• Add cut keera and capsicum and keep the lid and cook for 10 mins.
• Some water oozes out from it and let it cook.
• Add little water and curd to the curry and mix well.
• Meanwhile in another pan add remaining oil and add the besan and fry till the aroma comes out.
• Take the lid and once it is done, add the fried besan mix and mix well and there should not be any lumps in the curry.
• Adjust the consistency by adding little water if needed.
• Serve it hot with rice or chapati.

Egg Flip

This is again one more healthy and simple recipe which is kids friendly and where we can eat a raw egg without that bad smell. This is a very good recipe for protein deficient kids. Protein deficient kids generally does not show any interest in games or getting tired very fast, their skin is very thin and wrinkles/folds come when we hold them etc. These are some of the major symptoms of children deficient in protein. Here the simple egg flip recipe goes:

Ingredients:
Egg - 1
Milk - 1cup
Vanilla essence - 1tsp
Nut meg powder - pinch for flavor
Sugar - 1 to 2 tsp

Procedure:

• Whisk one egg in a bowl thoroughly with a whisker/shaker/blender. 
• To this add milk, vanilla essence, nutmeg powder, sugar and mix well with a whisker/shaker/blender.
• Now serve this energy drink cold.

Tips/ Health benefits:
As there is a raw egg present in the recipe this is not advisable for pregnant women, kids under 3yrs, or elderly people.
Do not let them know that there is raw egg present in this drink and they will love it.
School going children can have this drink at least once or twice in a week and you will definitely see a big marked difference in their resistance, energy, bone and muscle strength etc.

Ravva Laddu

Happy Dasara to all my friends and Family. As this is the season of Navaratri specials i just wanted to share at least one sweet with you all. This is one the favourite sweets to the Goddess so i made this sweet this year for Naivedhyam. This is one of the dishes that i made during these 9days and wanted to share with you all. Yet more to come in my next posts.

Ingredients:

Goduma Ravva - 1cup
Grated Coconut - 1cup
Ghee- 3tsp
Cashews- few
Grated Badam - few
Kiss Miss(Raisins)- few
 (i took 1/4 cup of each dry fruits as per our taste)
Sugar - 1 cup
Milk - as needed

Procedure:

• Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and kiss miss till light brown in color and keep aside.
• In the same ghee pan add the goduma ravva on low flame fry them till light golden color and take aside in a bowl.
• Now in the same pan without any ghee add the grated coconut and fry for 5 mins and add this to the goduma ravva bowl.
• Add the fried dry fruits, elaichi powder and sugar to this mixture and mix well. 
• To this add some cold milk 1tsp at a time and mix well till they are lightly wet and good enough to make balls.
• Now make round balls when it is lightly hot only. Because if it is cold it will become hard and when cold serve.
• You can store them in refrigerator for 2 weeks to enjoy fresh ravva laddu.

Tips:

1. Make sure that you do not fry the ravva on high heat. Because it changes the color very easily which makes it taste very bitter. 
2. Be careful while adding the milk to the mixture at the end. If you add more milk it will avoid us to make balls  easily and will be sticky to hands.
3. You can add any of the dry fruits of your choice to this recipe.

Undrallu/Kudumulu, Aardhi for Vinayaka Chavithi

We generally do this Kudumulu for almost many of the festivals and one main festival we do this is for Ganesh Chaturdhi. This is a very common and favourite dish for Ganesh. 

Kudumulu

Ingredients:

Rice - 1cup
Chana Dal - 1tbsp
Jeera - 1tsp (optional)
Salt to taste

Procedure: 

1. Soak the chana dal overnight in water.
2. Soak the rice in water for 1 hour and let it dry under sun or fan till half dry.
3. Now course grind the rice by just pushing the grinder button to pulse mode and repeat it again depending on the consistency (it must not be very powder or very course. need to see at least some course rice like cream of rice)
4. Now sieve it and keep the course rice aside. 
5. For one cup of rice add 2cups of water and to this add the chana dal and let it cook till done.
6. Now add some salt to taste and add the cream of rice in it and mix well.
7. Keep the lid on it and let it cook for 5-10 mins till done. You will know that it is done when it is not that sticky if you test it by hand.
8. Now make this mixture into small balls (lemon size) and pressure cook them in the idly pan for 10-15 mins and now the kudumulu is ready to serve.

Points to remember(Hints):

• You can directly use cream of rice that we get it from the store by avoiding the steps 2, 3 and 4. But the above method is and old tradition method which gives us the perfect taste of kudumulu.
• Depending on the consistency after adding rice you can add some water if necessary. If it becomes very hard as soon as we added rice.
• Do not mix while adding the cream of rice. Mix it only after adding the full rice into it. If you do mix it while adding it may become very thin consistency.
• If you do not have pressure cooker or wanted to do it in the old method just add some water to a big pot and tie a wet cloth on top of it and keep these kudumulu on it and cook them on stove for 10-15mins.
• Some people do the same procedure with rice flour which is known as undrallu.

Aardhi

Soya Beans Egg Masala Curry

This is a very simple and healthy recipe. Both eggs and soya beans are very good source of protein. Soybeans are considered to be a source of complete protein. A complete protein is one that contains significant amounts of all the essential amino acids that must be provided to the human body because of the body's inability to synthesize them. For this reason, soy is a good source of protein, amongst many others, for vegetarians and vegans or for people who want to reduce the amount of meat they eat.

Getting bored with routine way of cooking egg made me explore this different combination which is a big hit in our home as it is very tasty and healthy as well. So it is very much enjoyable not only by adults but also by kids. It is one way of giving them healthy meal in a different colorful way. So lets start with the ingredients:....

Ingredients:

Eggs : 3

Soya Beans - 1cup (soak overnight)
Onions - 2 medium size
Oil -2tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste,GGP- 2tsp
Mustard seeds, Jeera, Urad dal - 1tsp each
Green chillis - 3
Chilli Powder - 1 1/2tsp
Curry Leaves - few
ఉప్పు తగినంత , Salt to taste
Turmeric - pinch
Dhaniya Jeera Powder - 2tsp
Garam Masala - 1tsp

Procedure:

1. Soak the soya beans overnight and pressure cook it with little oil and salt for 3whistles and keep aside.
2. Boil eggs and peel the shell and put some holes with the fork or toothpick to avoid bursting while frying.
3. Now in little oil add these eggs and little chilli powder and salt in it and fry evenly on all sides till it is brown in color and keep aside.
4. Heat the pan, add the remaining oil and in it add mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal and fry for 2 mins and add the GGP to it and fry for 1min.
5. Now add finely chopped onions, green chillis, curry leaves and fry till they are lightly brown.
6. Add the cooked soya beans(if there is any water left when cooking these beans add it along with water) and cook for 2 mins of there is no water. Else cook till all the water goes away. 
7. Lightly spice it up with garam masala and dhaniya jeera powder. 
8. Lastly add the fried eggs and mix well with the curry and serve it with rice.

Hint:

Vegans can make this dish by just skipping the 2nd and last points which also very tasty and of course healthy.

Egg Nuvvula Podi Curry

http://gayathriraj.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

Eggs : 4 (boiled)
Onions - 1, finely chopped
Oil - 2tbsp
Popu (Tadka)- 1tsp
Green Chillis - 2
Red Chilli Powder - 1tsp
Dhaniya  Powder - 1tsp
Sesame Powder/Nuvvula Podi - 4tsp
Pachi Kobbari, Coconut powder(grated)- 2tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste(GGP) - 1tsp
Coriander - for garnishing
Curry leaves - 5 chopped finely
Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Cut the boiled eggs into pieces (bite size pieces) and keep aside.
• Now heat oil in the cooking pan, add the popu and curry leaves and fry for 2 mins.
• Add onions and green chillis, salt and fry till translucent. 
• Add GGP, dhaniya powder, grated coconut and fry for 2mins till the raw smell goes.
• Now add the nuvvula podi and add little water for the gravy and cook all these ingredients for 3mins.
• When oil is started oozing out add the cut egg pieces and mix it slowly with the gravy till it is coated thoroughly to the eggs. 
• Close the lid and cook it for 2 mins and finish it off with coriander garnishing and serve with roti's or rice.

Raagi Roti with Gobi Tofu Kurma

Raagi Roti : 

Ingredients:

Raagi Flour: 1cup

Goduma Pindi/Wheat Flour: 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Oil: 1tsp

Procedure:

1. Add all the ingredients together except oil and make it a soft dough that are good enough to make roti's. 
2. Now make small lemon size balls and roll it as roti's.
3. Heat the tawa and add little oil and fry the roti's on both sides and serve with curry.

Gobi Tofu Kurma

Ingredients:

Gobi : 1 (cut into florets,medium size)

Tofu (preferably firm) : 1/2 lb, cut into cubes

Onions: 1/2 slice

Tomato: 1 medium size

Green chillis: 2

Curd : 1cup

Oil : 2tsp

Chilli Powder: 1tsp

Turmeric: pinch

Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Dhaniya Jeera powder: 1tsp

Curry leaves: 10

Coriander for garnishing

GGP(ginger garlic paste) : 1tsp

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Clean gobi and soak it in salt water for 15 mins. 
2. Now heat a pan, add oil, mustard seeds, jeera saute for 2mins and now add the onions,green chillis,GGP and saute for 3 mins.
3. Now add tomatoes,gobi, turmeric, chilli powder, turmeric and keep the lid on it and let it cook.
4. Meanwhile in a separate pan in little butter or oil fry the tofu cubes to light brown colour and keep aside.
5. Now when the gobi is soft add the fried tofu cubes, dhaniya jeera powder, salt and mix well. 
6. Add little water and let them cook for 2 mins. 
7. Finish it off with curd and garnish it with coriander.