Question abt vinegar? Hi Can u please tell me wat is the difference between clear vinegar and apple cinder vinger? Can we replace one to another? where to use Clear vinegar and when to use apple cinder vinegar? Thanks Vatsi
They are different. Hello Vatsi, White vinegar is synthetic & made by diluting acetic acid. Usually this is used for salads, pickles etc since it has no characteristic flavour. Aple cider vinegar is natural & made from malt - has a deep colour & typical flavour. If this is called for in any recipe, it will be specifically mentioned. So unless specified, one can use white vinegar. Regards, chithra.
correct consistency of water Hi chitra, I m asking u question for the first time as i got all my answers in ur other threads n replies.I just wanted to ask u what is correct water measurement for upma so it turn soft as hotels n temple prasadam.Here in malaysia they present upma as prasadam n i can tell u its damn delicious. can u help me in making prefect upma ??? n pls give me its recipe also. Thanks sonu
Hello Sonu ! Dear Sonu, I am giving the recipe of rava upma: Rava Upma: Upma , though considered an easy tiffin , is not easy to make perfectly ! Normally Bombay rava takes (if, well roasted) 1 3/4 - 2 cups of water & wheat rava takes 2 1/2 - 3 cups of water . As soon as you buy rava , roast it dry on a pan , on medium heat till very well roasted & keep . This way, roasting to be done when you make upma , is minimum. 1 cup of bombay rava needs 1 3/4 - 2 cups water. 1 cup wheat rava needs 2 3/4 - 3 cup. All this , assuming that you have roasted the rava very well.(this is the key point ) Next is oil .Perfect upma requires correct amount of oil - in fact a tsp more makes the upma so soft & nice. That is why upma served in restaurants & weddings is so delicious - they are not bothered to be stingy about oil , because they want to give the best taste . For 1 cup Bombay rava ( before making upma smear 1 tbsp oil on rava) - keep 2 cups of boiling water ready . (i don't add cold water to hot rava because lumps are sure to form!) . In a vessel , heat (bare minimum) 3 tbsp of oil, temper mustard seeds , 1 tsp udad dhal , 1 tsp gram dhal , chopped onions , green chillies & ginger , curry leaves & fry till onions are transparent. Now add the (pre roasted & oil-smeared )rava & continue to roast on a medium flame till the rava gets well heated . Now decrease the flame , add 1 3/4 cups boiling water, stirring well ( I find a whisk useful ) , add salt & hing. You will now know whether you need to add 1/4 cup more of water or not. Mix thoroughly , lower the gas & wait till the entire water is absorbed & the rava is cooked. Mix once again & keep covered - rest for a few mts. Now some people add a tsp of ghee as topping to give a good flavour - this is optional. In Chennai , I find that all branded ravas take 2 cups of water. But always keep rava very well roasted & the roasting to be done with other ingredients when making upma should be minimum. I think I have ended up writing an essay on upma ! If you try it ( I am sure , successfully ) please send me a feedback. Regards, Chithra.
how to differenciate hi chitra, its nice to get ur reply so fast .Thanks for ur recipe but i have one question.how can we differenciate between bombay rava n wheat rava.we here only get one type of rava.what can i take it as??? when i was in bombay there it was 2 types of rava one is very very fine which is used for babies porridge n other little bigger than it which we use for upma. Dalia which is also broken wheat we make it lapsi of it.Now u tell me what i get it here what to call it bombay rava or wheat rava??? Thanks sonu
Hello Sonu ! Dear Sonu, Since I have absolutely no idea about what you get there, I can't say ! Bombay rava is " like sand " & whitish in colour. Wheat rava, which we call lapsi here is light brown in clour & bigger in size. Regards, Chithra.
Flower Aappam - stun your guests with professional expertise ! In the aappam pan, pour batter. In your mind, imagine 6 directions starting from the top in clockwise direction – N, NW, NE, S, SE, SW, S. First shake the pan N – S. Come to centre, pause & shake from NW – SE Come to centre, pause & shake from NE – SW. Flower is formed. Proceed as usual.
Ways with left overs - How best to use cold rice ? Poruchi kottina saadam or Thaalichu kottina saadam This is ideal for cold, extra rice. Cold cooked rice - 1 cup Salt To temper: Oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dhal - 1 tsp ( minimum, can be 2 tsp by preference) Gram dhal - 2 tsp Curd chillies - 4,5 ( or to taste) – break into pieces Curry leaves - few Hing - ½ tsp Soak the dhals in water for 1 hr, drain well & dry on a cloth. Soak rice in water overnight or preferably for 2-3 hrs atleast. Drain well. Heat oil & add all tempering ingredients, one by one & fry carefully till the curd chillies turn almost black. Add the drained rice & mix well along with salt. Curd is not necessary to eat with this. This does not require a side dish & can be eaten, as it is. Raw small onions, finely chopped can be added just before eating to give a crunchy taste. Burgi; Cold cooked rice - 1 cup Salt Tomatoes - 2 – chopped Onions - 2 – finely chopped Coriander & mint leaves - few chopped Haldi - a tiny pinch Chillii powder - 1 tsp Dhaniya powder - ½ tsp Garam masala powder - ¼ tsp ( optional) Oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - ½ tsp Heat oil & temper mustard seeds. Then add onions & fry till light brown. Add chopped tomatoes & all spices. Fry till all liquid is absorbed. Add coriander & mint leaves ( optional). Add rice, salt & remove. Mix well. Serve with raita. Mixed rice: Lemon rice or any vegetable rice can be made with old rice. Tiffins: Used for rice roti & Coorg idli.
Ways with left overs - Idli batter & adai batter Dosai batter or idli batter– (1) paniyaram – Mix 1 cup of idli batter with 1 tbsp rice flour thoroughly, temper with mustard seeds, urad dhal, finely chopped onions, green chillies & coriander leaves. Make small appams in appakaral - shallow frying, keeping the appakaral covered is enough, no need to deep fry. Dab it in 2,3 tissues to remove extra oil. (2) Dhokla: For 1 cup idli batter, soak 1/2 cup gram dhal for 2 hrs, grind coarsely, add, mix well. Then do exactly as you do for dhokla. The fremented dosai or idli mavu will make it soft. But remember, it will still have idli taste (3) Different rava idli: For 2 cups of left over batter, take 1 cup of Bombay rava & 1 cup of curds. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai, temper mustard seeds, urad dhal & gram dhal. Finally add rava & roast till it turns pink. Add finely chopped green chillies, ginger & curry leaves, fry lightly & remove. Cool & add to idli batter with curds & salt. Mix well & rest for 30 mts. Make rava idlis, adding lttle fruit salt. When making all these remember,you are using left over batter & not creating anything new. Adai batter: 1 - Steam well for 10 mts. Cool & crumble. Do like for paruppusili. 2 – Add finely chopped onions, roll into small balls & deep fry
Tips on dhals : Dhals are generally eaten with rotis, but make a good accompaniment with rice also. The dhals commonly used are, moong dhal, tur dhal, masoor dhal & gram dhal is less commonly used. Whole pulses like chawli, red gram, channa, rajma, whole masoor, whole urad, whole moong are also used. A combination of dhals can also be used. Of the many, I find a very creamy consistency is obtained by using ¾ cup of masoor & ¼ cup of moong dhal. The general method is: Soak the dhal after washing in 3 times the volume of water for atleast 30 mts.In a pressure pan, heat oil add mustard seeds, methi & jeera. Then add chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies , chopped ginger ( optional), curry leaves& fry for a while till tomatoes become soft. Then add red chilli powder, haldi, hing & dhaniya powder( optional). Add little water & when the mixture starts boiling add the dhal with the soaked water. After the first whistle comes, simmer & cook for 10 mts. Cool, open add chopped coriander leaves & I tsp ghee for flavour. Lime juice after cooking or very little tamarind paste during cooking can be added. Generally little jaggery is added, but this is optional. A slight variation for (1) masoor dhal, (2) moong dhal, (3)mixture of 4 parts channa dhal & 1 part urad dhal: Soak dhals & pressurecook with haldi. Mash well. Heat oil or ghee, add jeera, hing, ginger-garlic paste, minced green chillies, red chilli powder, dhaniya powder & finely chopped tomatoes. Fry well & add to the cooked dhal & boil. Add chopped coriander leaves & lime juice ( or amchur powder ) can be added along with other masalas, for a variation. Alternately the following dhal masala can be used: Roast each of the following separately & powder: Dhaniya - ¼ cup Jeera - ¼ cup minus 1 tsp Red chillies - 10 ( or more to taste) Jain Gujarathi tur dhal: Pressurise tur dhal with haldi & 4 times the volume of water.In a kadai, heat oil, temper mustard seeds, methi seeds, jeera, hing, curry leaves, coriander leaves, slit green chillies & finely chopped to matoes. Add cooked dhal, chilli powder, salt, very little dhaniya powder & little thin tamarind water ( or a few pieces of cocum). Finally add jaggery. Thin to required consistency, boil & remove. Top with little ghee. Jain Gujarathi Moong Dhal: Pressurise moong dhal with haldi & 3 times the volume of water. In a vessel, heat oil, temper jeera, hing, chopped tomatoes, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves & slit green chillies. Add salt, haldi & red chilli powder. Then add dhal & boil together. Top with little ghee. Gujarathi Urad + channa dhal: Add equal urad ( white) dhal & channa dhal. Pressurise with 2 times the volume of water. Heat oil, temper jeera, hing, crushed garlic ( optional), chopped tomatoes, curry leaves & slit green chillies. Add salt, haldi, red chilli powder & enough water to get the required consistency. Boil & remove. Recipes for Punjabi Channa, rajma, dhal makhni will be given separately.