[Chitvish]

Besan - 2 ½ cups

Rice flour - 1 cup

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Soda - 2 pinches

Salt

Oil - to deep fry

Grind fine with water:

Red chillies - 6

Pepper - 1 tsp

Garlic - 7, 8 flakes ( optional)

Sieve both flours together.

In a big plate cream ghee & soda very well till the paste looks white.

To this add flours & salt.

Strain the chilli paste & add, mixing everything well.

Add enough water to get a soft dough.

Heat oil & keep the ‘ karasev jalli karandi” ( a special holed ladle used for this) above the oil.

Rub the dough on it so that long strands will fall into the oil.

Fry well & remove to a kitchen tissue.

Wash the “ jalli karandi” ( ladle) with water every time after use, so that the rubbing will be easy.
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kara sev1.JPG

[Chitvish]

Maida - 1 ½ cups

Salt - 1 tsp

Haldi - ½ tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Onion seeds ( kalonji) - ½ tsp

Kasuri methi leaves - ½ tsp ( crush with hand)

Sieve maida, add all dry ingrdients.

Add water gradually & knead to chappathi dough consistency.

Make small balls & roll thin.

Cut into 2 “ squares.

Mark slits in the centre, pinch edges together & deep fry in hot oil.

Onion seeds & kasuri methi give it a characteristic, nice flavour.



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[Chitvish]

This is a very old fashioned recipe of Kerala.

This is also called " koozu kachina dosai"

This easy kuzambu, though given with this dosai, can be made for any tiffin & is a " jiffy" kuzambu.

Boiled rice - ½ cup

Raw rice - ½ cup

Grated coconut - 2 tsp ( optional)

Salt.

Soak both rice together & grind vey fine adding coconut & little salt.

Take 1 tbsp of the paste, mix with 1 cup of water & cook stirring to prevent lump formation, to get a porridge.

This is called “ kali”.

Cool it thoroughly & mix with the remaining batter.

Pour this also like rava dosai – do not spread from the centre as we do normally for dosais.

When the tava is hot, take in a small cup & pour from around in a circular fashion, till you reach the centre.

Very little oil is enough.

Cover & cook.

Also do not turn over, fold & serve.

Easy Kuzambu:

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp

Tomatoes - 3 – chop

Sambar powder - 2 tsp ( or to taste)

Salt, haldi

To temper:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 2,3

Pepper - ½ tsp

Saunf - ½ tsp

Methi seeds - ½ tsp

Small onions - 7,8 ( chopped)

Curry leaves - few

Mix tamarind paste, chopped tomatoes, sambar powder, salt & haldi in 2 cups of water & keep ready.

Heat oil, add tempering ingredients as given & fry well.

Add the tamarind mixture, boil & remove.
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[Chitvish]

This can also be called chappathi fry, but is made with layered parotas which are now available, frozen in packs. Ofcourse, left over chappathis & parotas can be used as well.

Parotas - 4

Oil + ghee - 3 tbsp

Onions - 2 – slice long & thin

Cabbage – shredded long and fine – 1 cup

Tomatoes - 2 – cut long &thin

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp

Salt, haldi

Coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tbsp

Tear cooked parotas into irregular size pieces.

Heat oil + ghee, add onions.

Fry till transparent & then add tomato ,and cabbage

Add all dry ingredients & fry for a while.

Add parota pieces & mix thoroughly.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves & serve hot.
vegetarian kothu parota.jpg

[Chitvish]

Select tender cluster beans, wash & cut the tips at both ends. String on both sides & chop into small pieces.

Clusterbeans - 250 gms

Methi seeds - ½ tsp

Potatoes - 2 medium, boiled, peeled & mashed

Bread slices - 2 – soaked in water for 2,3 secs & squeezed

Salt

Breadcrumbs - to roll

Oil - 2 tbsp

Grind to a thick paste:

Haldi - 1 tsp

Dhaniya powder – 4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Onion - 1

Garlic cloves - 6

Ginger - 1”

String, chop & then cook clusterbeans in water.

Drain very well & keep aside.

Grind paste & keep ready.

Heat oil, add methi seeds & add masala paste.

Cook till oil starts separating.

Now add boiled cluster beans & mix well in masala paste.

Cook for 10 mts.

Take out the mixture & grind it.

Add mashed potato & squeezed bread.

Knead well & form into cutlets.

Roll in breadcrumbs & shallow fry.

[Chitvish]

For SBS photos,please go to Step By Step photos for Tiffins

Normally idli upma is made by using crumbled idlis, sauted with onions, green chiliies & ginger. This is a more traditional recipe.

Cold ( preferably refrigerated) idlis - 6

Coconut - 4 tsp

Salt - a pinch, if necessary

To Temper:

Oil - 2 tbsp ( not less, can be a little more)

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Gram dhal - 2 tsp

Red chillies - 2, 3

Green chillies - 1, 2

Jeera - ½ tsp

Curry leaves - few
Soak urad dhal & gram dhal in water for 30 mts & drain very well.

Cut idlis into tiny cubes ( do not crumble).

Heat oil in a kadai.

Temper, red chillies, mustard seeds, both dhals & fry till dhals turn brown.

Add jeera, slit green chillies, curry leaves & fry a little.

Add coconut, fry lightly & add cubed idlis.

If at all necessary, sprinkle very little salt.

Simmer for 2, 3 mts, mix thoroughly & serve.

If you add very little oil, the dish is lightly to stick to the kadai.
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[Chitvish]

Raw rice - 1 cup

Tur dhal - 3 tsp

Gram dhal - 3 tsp

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Grated coconut - ½ cup

Salt

To temper:

Oil - 3-4 tbsp ( slightly more, gives a better texture & taste)

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Red chillies - 4, 5

Pepper-jeera coarsely powdered - 1 tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Curry leaves - few

To prepare upma kurunai ( broken rava) at home:

Mix the 3 dhals & grind in the mixi in low speed for a mte.

Remove, add rice & grind in low speed till it crumbles completely & fairly well.

Now add back the dhals & give one run again for proper mixing.

If you have 1 cup of this, 2 cups of water will be required.

This again depends on the quality of rice & hence keep some boiled water ready, to add on, if necessary for thorough cooking.

This used to be traditionally prepared in a heavy vessel called “ vengala panai “ in olden days.

Now any heavy saucepan or kadai or pressurepan can be used.

Heat oil in the vessel & temper all given ingredients.

Finally add the mix & roast lightly just to coat it with oil completely.

Now lower the flame, add boiling water ( beware of splashing !) & salt.

Add coconut, simmer & keep covered.

Keep the flame as low as your settings will allow.

It gets cooked in about 15 mts.

Top with 2 tsp ghee for a nice flavour & rest for 10 mts, before serving.

Serve with any gotsu ( preferably with brinjal.)
arisi upma.jpg

Second recipe:
Grind in the mixi 1 cup raw rice+1 tbsp tur dhal +2 tsp pepper (only). Proceed as above. There is no red chilli even in the tempering & this has a predominant pepper flavour.
arisi upma-1.jpg

[Chitvish]

Outer Covering:

Maida - 1 cup

Salt - ½ tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Warm water to knead

Sieve maida with salt.

Add oil & knead first to breadcrumb consistency.

Add warm water gradually to get a soft dough. Rest for 15-20 mts under a damp towel.

Filling:

Potatoes - 4 – peel & chop into small cubes

Peas - 2 tbsp

Salt, haldi

Chopped green chillies -- 2

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala powder - ½ tsp

Amchur - 1 tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Whole dhaniya seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - ½ tsp

Steam potatoes & peas.

Heat oil temper whole dhaniya seeds & jeera.

Now add chopped green chillies, steamed vegetables & all masala powders with salt.

Saute on a low fire till dry.

Add chopped coriander leaves.

Making & frying samosas:

Mix 2 tsp maida with water to get a creamy paste to stick.

Make lemon size balls from the dough.

Take a ball & roll into a chappathi not less than 5” diameter.

This will determine the size of the samosa.

Cut into 2 along the diameter.

Take one & fold as shown in the photo.

Imagine a centre line- one side curve should fall on the centre line – then apply lttle mada paste on the other curve & paste it over the first.

Now you will get a cone, hold it in your hand & stuff with just enough filling.

Stick the top with little maida paste.

Heat oil in a kadai.

When fairly hot, add not more than 3 samosas at a time & lower the flame.

Fry on a low flame, turning frequently, till bubbles subside completely.

This will take atleast 7-8 mts.

This is very important to get crisp samosas.

Serve with tomato ketchup.

You can refrigerate the samosas & fry when you need them.
samosa.JPG

[Chitvish]

For SBS photos,please go to

Kuzhi Paniyaram (1)
Kuzhi Paniyaram (2)

Boiled rice - 1 cup

Raw rice - 1 cup

Urad dhal - ¼ cup

Methi seeds - 2 tsp

Salt

Oil - to shallow fry

To temper:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Finely chopped onions - ½ cup ( or more)

Green chillies, finely chopped - 5,6

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp ( optional)

Wash & soak rices, dhal & methi seeds together for 6 hrs.

Grind fine adding salt & water.

Allow to ferment for 10-12 hrs.

Temper the given ingredients & mix well.

Keep it in dosa batter consistency.

Drop small amounts in appakaral & shallow fry.

Serve with onion – tomato chutney.
Big onion- tomato:

OnHeat oil & fry 7,8 red chillies, 4 big onions chopped, when transparent, add 3 chopped tomatoes & fry till done. Cool, add 1 tsp tamarind paste & grind in mixie with salt. . Heat oil temper mustard seeds, hing & curry leaves, add paste & fry till done.


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kuzhi paniyaram.JPG

[Chitvish]

This is increasingly becoming a popular dish in Chennai.

Outer covering:

Maida - 1 cup

Salt - a pinch

Saffron or lemon colour - few drops

Oil - sufficient to keep the dough immersed.

Masala filling:

Potato - 1 big

Finely minced cabbage - 2 tbsp

Finely grated carrot - 2 tbsp

Green chillies, finely minced - 7,8 ( to taste)

Coriander leaves, finely minced - 2 tbsp ( can use half & half of coriander & pudina)

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp ( optional, depending on how spicy, you want it )

Salt

Oil - 2 tsp

Salt

Outer cover;

Add salt & colour to sieved maida.

Add water & knead to a soft dough.

Pour oil over it to completely soak & leave for 2 hrs.

Filling:

Boil, peel & mash potato.

Heat oil & add minced green chillies & minced leaves.

Fry for 1 mte & then add mashed potato, grated cabbage & grated carrot.

Add chilli powder,salt & saute well.

Cool & use as filling.

Making poli:

Take a small lemon size dough from the oiled & soaked dough.

Spread it to a small puri.

Keep a lemon size filling inside.

Draw to the centre, dough from all around the edges.

Now using a rolling pin, roll it uniformly thick to about 6” diameter.

Put it on a hot tava.

When the underside is lightly cooked, turn it over.

Now again turn over, dribble 1 tsp oil over the first side.

Then cook the other side also, without pouring any more oil.

Remove when both sides are cooked & serve hot.

Note:

Plain potato can be used without cabbage or carrot.

Either coriander leaves or pudina leaves completely can be used.
masala poli-CV.jpg
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