Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

Tips to extract most out of the limes or lemons :

• Buy limes and lemons having thin skin. The ones with thick skin have less juice in them.
• Roll the lime or lemon on the counter pressing with your palms before cutting and squeezing.
• Soak the lime or lemon in warm water for 10 minutes before cutting and squeezing.
• Or, microwave them in little water for 30 seconds.

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy !!!  ;) 

Kharam Podi /Kaarapodi

Kharam Podi or kaarapodi or Milagai Podi or Molaga podi or chutney powder... call it whatever, they are all more or less the same.
It can be eaten with idli or dosas... It is my favourite. If you just give me kharam podi with idli, that is enough for me. I can do without chutney or sambar. I like my podi spicy. But of course, you can alter the recipe to suit your taste buds. Like, you can avoid coconut or tamarind or garlic. You can adjust the amount of chilies.  You could also add sesame seeds and little jaggery  to it, which i usually don't. Yeah, there are many ways to make this powder.

Ingredients:

• Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
• Chana Dal - 1/4 cup
• Coriander Seeds - 1/2 cup
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Red Chilies - 10 ( to taste )
• Garlic Pods - 6 ( with skin )
• Tamarind - Small Lime sized
• Coconut Powder - 1/2 cup
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Curry Leaves - 3-4 springs

Directions: 

• Dry roast chana dal and urad dal one after the other till they slightly turn reddish. Remove it from pan and keep aside in a plate.
• Dry roast coriander seeds till slightly brownish , remove and add it to the dals.
• Dry roast cumin seeds, red chilies, curry leaves till red chilies and curry leaves turn crispy.  Remove and add to the plate with other roasted ingredients.
• Dry roast coconut powder and keep aside.
• Turn off the heat, while the pan is still hot, roast garlic pods and tamarind.
• Let them all cool before grinding.
• In a grinder, add all these roasted ingredients along with salt and hing ( asafoetida ) and grind them to a coarse powder.
• While serving make a small hole in between and pour some melted ghee in between. ( As shown in picture below )
• Serve with idli or dosa. ( It is Rawa idli in the picture below )

Arachuvitta Sambar

I learnt this type of sambar from a tamil friend of mine. She told me that the literal meaning of "arachuvitta" is freshly ground spices added to the recipe.
I tried it and I liked it.

Ingredients:

• Toor Dal - 1 cup
• Water - as needed to pressure cook the dal.
• Tamarind Extract - Big gooseberry size
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Shallots/Small Onions ( Sambar Onions ) - 10-12
• Tomato - 1 medium
• Oil/Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Cilantro - 2 springs 

For Roasting and Grinding ( masala ):

• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek Seeds - 3/4 tsp
• Chana Dal - 2 tbsp
• Whole Red Chilies - 5-6 or to taste
• Grated Coconut( fresh of dessicated )- 2 tbsp

For Tempering:

• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 1 spring
• Hing ( Asafoetida ) -  1/8 tsp

Directions: 

• Pressure cook the dal for about 3 whistles.
• Roast and grind all the ingredients under " For roasting and grinding masala". While roasting keep stirring making sure it doesn't burn. Nice aroma will be emitted. Grind and keep aside
• In a heavy bottomed pan, heat ghee/oil and splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds. Add curry leaves and hing. 
• Add small onions and saute them. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till done. Tomatoes are optional, you can omit it if you want.
• Add tamarind extract and turmeric and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add cooked dal and some water. Add salt . Add the freshly ground masala. Mix well without lumps. 
• Let it boil for about 10 minutes. Add more water if the sambar thickens a lot. 
• Add chopped cilantro. 
• Serve with plain steamed rice or idli or dosa or vada or pongal.

Instant Rawa Idli

Making idlis is a long process... soaking, grinding, fermenting.. But what to do if you suddenly crave for idlis.
Instant rawa idli is the solution. No soaking, no gringing, not fermenting.

Ingredients:

• Semolina ( sooji ) - 1 cup
• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Grated Ginger - 1 tsp
• Finely Chopped Green Chilies - 2 or to taste
• Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Grated Carrot - 1 tsbp 
• Cilantro Leaves - for garnish

Directions: 

• Dry roast semolina till it slightly changes the color and emits a nice aroma. Keep it aside in a plate.

• In the same pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add grated ginger and green chilies. Saute.
• Turn off the heat and add the roasted sooji to it and mix well.

• Add curd, salt, soda to it. Mix well. This is your batter for idli. Let it stand for half an hour.

• Take the idli stand, grease it. and place few grated carrots and one cilantro  leave so that it can be used as a garnish on the idli. 

• Spoon the batter on top of the carrots and cilantro.  Steam for around 10-12 minutes. If you are using a pressure cooker to steam, do not put on the weight. 
• Serve with any chutney or sambar.

Note : 

• I have used carrots and cilantro as garnish, however, if you want you can mix it in the batter. In that case increase the quantity of carrots, say 1/2 cup and half cup of chopped cilantro. Mix it in the batter.
• You can use roasted cashew nuts to garnish. Just like how I placed the carrots and cilantro, you can replace it with one roasted cashew nut. Similarly, you can also garnish with a small slice of tomato or anything you can think of. 
• This recipe makes around 8 idlis. If you want to make more, please increase the quantity of the ingredients accordingly.  
  
  
  
  

Gobhi Paratha

Paratha stuffed with cooked and spiced cauliflower.

Ingredients:

For Dough: 

• Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
• Water - as needed to knead the dough
• Salt - 2 pinches

For Cauliflower Filling: 

• Grated Cauliflower - 2 cups
• Carom Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Finely Chopped Green Chillies - to taste ( 1 or 2 )
• Grated Ginger - 1 tsp
• Finely Chopped Cilantro - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder or garam masala - 1/2 tsp ( optional )
• Amchoor Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp

For Making Paratha: 

• Wheat flour - for rolling
• Ghee ( Clarified Butter ) - to frying parathas

Directions: 

• Knead the dough and set it aside for 10 minutes. 
• Grate the cauliflower into coarse mixture. I do it in a food processor. 

• For the stuffing,  heat oil in a pan, crackle carom seeds. Add green chillies and grated ginger. saute far a few seconds. Add turmeic powder. Now add grated cauliflower. Let it cook on medium flame till tender. Add salt, chili powder, amchoor and chopped cilantro. Mix well. And let it cool a bit.

• Divide the dough and filling in equal parts.
• Roll each ball of dough into 3 inch diameter circle. Place one part of gobhi filling in the center.

• Seal by pulling the edges together and make a ball again.
• Repeat the process with the remaining parts. Keep them aside.
• Heat the skillet on medium high. 
• Now roll each ball into the dry wheat flour so that it doesn't stick while rolling.
• Roll them into 6 inch diameter disc with a very light hand, making sure all the stuffing doesn't ooze out. But little bit of mixture peeping out is ok..

• Place the paratha on the hot skillet.  After around 15 - 20 seconds, flip it over. You would notice small brown spots on the paratha.
• After 10 -12 seconds, drizzle a few drops of ghee all over the surface of the paratha. And Flip it over again.
• Drizzle ghee over this surface as well. Roast the paratha till it is golden brown on both the sides.

• Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

• Serve hot with curd and pickle or chutney. You do not really need a curry with it. The paratha in itself is so flavourful.