Super Soft Idlies

This is one of the most popular, old,  breakfast dishes of South India. It is a very healthy, super tasty and protein rich dish,  and the number  of calories are relatively low as it is steamed, there is no oil,  butter or any other fat added. Good for weight loss if you eat right quantity.
It is always hard to make soft and spongy Idlies. I learn it after few years of trial and error. Even though we know the ratio of dal and rice, we fail as we do not pay attention on amount of water we use. Just use what is required for grinding. add little by little water. After few trials you will know how much water we can add. Give it a try. Let me know how it went through.  Enjoy.

 

Cooking time:15 min 
Servings: approximately 70 medium size Idlies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Urad Dall (blanched black gram lentil)
• 4 cup Idli Rava (coarsely cracked Idli rice)
• 1/2cup Poha (flattened rice)
• Salt to taste
• Oil for greasing

Method:

• Soak the Urad dal for 3 to 4 hours. Soak Poha for 10 min.
• Grind the Urad dal and Poha into fine paste. Do not add lots of water, add minimum required water for grinding.(Grinding in wet grinder gives the best of best results. I used mixer grinder)
• Wash the Idli rava and drain off the water. Make sure there is no access water to avoid thin batter.

• Now mix the Urad dal paste and Idli Rava well
  
  
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• Keep the batter in a warm place. Allow it to ferment for 8 to 10 hours. (I usually keep it in the oven with the lights on as I live in cold place).
• Add salt and mix well.
• Grease the Idli mould with oil. Pour the required amount of batter and steam for 15 mins. allow it to cook.
• Take Idlies off the mould with a spoon and serve hot with Chutney and Sambar.

 

Herbal Milk/ ಕಷಾಯ

When we say kashaya/ಕಷಾಯ, people think its some kind of a syrup with bitter taste. Trust me its not. It is a tasty, healthy immune boosting drink. It is keeps you away from gas, acidity ,cold and caugh (ವಾತ, ಪಿತ್ತ, ಕಫ) if you have it at least once or twice a week. It has all the anti septic, anti viral adn anti bacterial ingredients.I used all fresh and raw ingredients. you can keep the kashaya in fridge for 2 days without adding milk.  Give it a try, keep yourself warm and healthy and safe. Enjoy.

Preparation time: 35 min
Servings : 5 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Coriander
• 1 tbsp Jeera/Cumin
• 1 tsp Pepper corn (can adjust the quantity according to your taste)
• 4 cloves
• 4 Cardamim/Elachi
• 1/4 th piece of Nutmeg
• 4 inch Ginger
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 2 tbsp Jaggery/brown sugar/ Sugar to taste
•  1.5 lt water
• 1 cup Milk

Method:

• Blend all the ingredients except Turmeric, Jaggery milk and water. Make fine to coarse powder.
• Mix the powder with water, and Turmeric powder. Boil for 30 min. Add Jaggery to taste  and mix well
• Add milk and Serve hot. You can strain the kashaaya before serving if you like.

 

Egg less Orange Cake / Bread/ಕಿತ್ತಳೆ ಹಣ್ಣಿನ ಕೇಕ್

Hellooooo, I am back after a very long time, hope I will be on track here after!!!
Lock down, lock down and lock down everywhere!!!. Yes this is one of the lock down recipes which I made with my two little daughters!!. They love to have cook something special everyday. I m pretty sure you are all busy with trying new recipes. Here is my version. This is the first time I used whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. I just loved the texture and taste. Give it a try. Say bye bye to all purpose flour. Eat healthy, stay healthy. You can call it either Orange cake or Bread. Give it a try, let me know how you liked it.

Preparation time: 15 min plus baking time
Servings: 4

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups of Whole wheat flour/ Godi hittu 
• 5 medium size peeled and deseeded oranges
• 1 tsp Orange zest
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup brown sugar/ sugar( I used brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup warm Milk
• Pinch of Salt

Method:

• Pre-heat the oven at 350F for 15 min.
• Blend Oranges, Suger, Oil in a blender for 1 min.
• Sieve the wheat flour, baking soda and baking powder and pinch of salt together in a bowl. 
• Mix the sieved flour  and Orange blend. Add the warm milk and Orange zest, mix well. Make sure no lumps.
• Line a baking pan or oven friendly bowl with parchment paper. Pour the batter. 
• Preheat the oven at 350F for 15 min. Keep the  pan in  middle of the upper rack. 
• Bake for 50 min at 350F. Insert a knife or fork through to check if its evenly baked. If the batter still sticks to the knife, bake again for 3-4 mins. 
• Allow to cool completely
• Serve (with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for kids).

Masala Tea

Are you bored of having same coffee, Tea everyday? try Indian style tea flavored with spices and milk. Enjoy.

Preparation time :10 min
Servings: 2


Ingredients:

• 2 Orange Pekoe Tea bags ( I used Red Label brand)
• 2 cloves crushed
• 1 inch Ginger crushed
• 4 Cardamom crushed ( with skin)
• 1 1/2 cup milk( I used 2%)
• Sugar as needed

Method:

• Heat 1/2 cup water in a small cooking pot.   When the water starts boiling add Tea bag, crushed Clove, Cardamom and Ginger. Boil for 2-3 min.
• Then Add milk, boil for 2 min, then strain it.. ( If you do not want to add milk at all then add boiling water as required or just use one Tea bag, substitute milk with water)\
• Add sugar if required. Serve hot.