AKKI ROTTI AND RAGI ROTTI with Coconut chutney and Paneer peas gravy

Akki rotti or rice flour rotti and Ragi rotti are very popular and heatlhy breakfast dishes in Karnataka. The preparation method is the same for both. Very time consuming so prepare on a Sunday morning till you perfect it.  I prepared these for breakfast today.

I have served with coconut chutney and peas paneer gravy to a get a balanced meal.

Ingredients:

1. Rice flour/ Ragi flour – 2 cups
2. Water – 3 cups
3. Coconut oil – 1 teaspoon
4. Chopped onion   – 3 table spoon (optional)
5. Grated coconut   – 3 tablespoon (optional)
6. Green chili  – 2 finely chopped
7. Coriander leaves – 2 teaspoons finely chopped
8. Curry leaves – 2 teaspoons finely chopped
9. Ginger – 1 teaspoon finely chopped
10. Salt        – 1 teaspoon
11. Perungayam   – ½ teaspoon
12. Banana leaf –  4 to 5 (10 inch square pieces)

Method:

• In a heavy bottomed pan bring 3 cups water to boil. Lower the flame. Add salt and ½ teaspoon oil and slowly fold in the flour. Mix well to a smooth ball and take off the stove. Cover and leave to cool.
• Once the dough is cool add chopped onion, grated coconut, chopped coriander, curry leaves, ginger, green chili and Perungayam. Mix well and divide into orange sized balls.
• Wash and wipe the banana leaf and grease with a little coconut oil and spread the dough into 3 mm thin rounds.
• Heat tawa on high flame and invert the prepared roti along with the banana leaf. Remove the leaf carefully.

Cook the rotti on a medium flame on both sides till brown dots appear. Serve hot with coconut chutney and any gravy of your choice.

 

Coconut chutney:

Ingredients:

1. Grated coconut – 1 cup
2. Green chili – 2
3. Curry leaves       – 5 leaves
4. Goose berry – 1 (seeded)
5. Channa dal – 1 table spoon
6. Perungayam – a small piece
7. Red chili – 2
8. Til oil – 1 teaspoon
9. Salt – ½ teaspoon

For seasoning:

1. Til oil – 1 teaspoon
2. Mustards seeds  – 1 teaspoon
3. Urad dal             – 1 teaspoon

Method:

• Heat 1 teaspoon oil and fry channa dal perungayam and red chili  till golden brown.
• Add all other ingredients and grind to a paste adding till water.
• Season with mustard and urad dal fried in 1 teaspoon oil.

Paneer and peas in Tomato gravy.

Ingredients:

1. Tomato – 3 cut into chunks and pureed
2. Peas – 1 cup
3. Paneer – ½ cup (cubed)
4. Ghee – 2 teaspoons
5. Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
6. Cumin powder – ½ teaspoon
7. Kasuri methi – 1 table spoon
8. Garam masala powder – ½ teaspoon
9. Thick curd (beaten) – 1 tablespoon
10. Turmeric powder -1/2 teaspoon
11. Perungayam                – ¼ teaspoon
12. Salt – ¾ teaspoon

Method:

• Cut tomatoes into big chunks sauté for a few minutes and grind to a puree. You can also leave the tomatoes in hot water and remove skin and grind to a puree.
• Heat ghee in a kadai add peas and paneer and sauté on low flame. Add turmeric powder and perungayam.
• Add the tomato puree, salt and ½ cup water cover and cook for 5 minutes on a low flame.
• Add all other ingredients and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes on low flame.

This gravy is a low  fat version of Paneer mutter. Can be served with Chapathis and ghee rice as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pavakkai Karamedu (Bitter gourd curry)

Some of the visitors wanted the recipe for simple bitter gourd curry. I prepare this curryatleast twice in a month.

Ingredients

• Bitter gourd (Karela or Pavakkai) – 1/2 kg
• Oil – 2 tbs
• Grated Coconut – 3 tbs
• Tamarind – lemon sized ball
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• 2 teaspoons sugar and 1/2 tsp salt for marinating*.

Method

1. Cut the bitter gourd into half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and cut into thin slices.
2. Add 2 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt and leave to marinate for 1/2 hour. Squeeze the slices well to remove bitterness.
3. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract around 2 tablespoons of thick pulp.
4. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When it crackles add the bitter gourd slices.
5. Add turmeric, salt and saute well. Saute on medium flame for 5 minutes. Add the tamarind pulp and cook for some time till the juice dries up.
6. Saute on a low flame till the slices are golden.Add chili powder and  grated coconut and saute for  2 more  minutes.
7. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve as a side dish with rice or chapathi.

*Marinating is optional.

Bitter gourd can also be prepared as pavakkai pitlai, Kuzhambu etc.

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Urulaikizhangu Podimaas (Potato Podimaas)

Potato podimas is usually prepared on festival days. It can be prepared quickly with just a teaspoon of oil.

Ingredients

• Potatoes – 1/2 kg
• Oil – 1 tsp
• Coconut – 2 tbs grated
• Curry leaves – 1 twig
• Coriander leaves – 1 tbs chopped
• Green chili – 1no
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Cashew – 4 to 5 chopped ( Optional)
• Lemon juice – 1 tbs ( optional)
• Salt – to taste

Method

1. Wash and pressure cook the potatoes. Peel the cooked potatoes and mash well.
2. Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds. When it crackles add urad dal and cashew.
3. Saute till golden. Add chopped curry leaves and green chili.
4. Saute for a minute and add the mashed potatoes. Mix well.
5. Add salt and coconut and mix well.Take off the heat.
6. Add lemon juice and mix well.( Optional)
7. Decorate with chopped coriander leaves.

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Menu For Aadi Velli Kizhamai ( Venthaya Kuzhambu)

I prepared a simple lunch for aadivelli this year. Manja pongal recipe is already posted and others will be posted soon.

• Manja Pongal
• Kadalai Paruppu Payasam
• Venthaya Kuzhambu
• Urulikizhangu Podimas
• Kothamalli thengai pachadi ( Coriander raita)
• Pudalangai Poriyal

Venthaya Kuzhambu

Venthaya kuzhambu is a great side dish for Manja Pongal. Vegetables like Okra, yellow pumpkin, brinjal and tomato  can be used for the kuzhambu.

Ingredients

• Tamarind – Lemon size ball
• *Fresh bean seeds – 1/2 cup
• Tomato – 4 medium sized
• Sambhar powder – 2 teaspoons
• Red chili – 2 nos
• Curry leaves – a few
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
• Hing – a small piece
• Til Oil – 1 tbs
• Rice flour – 2 tsp
• Salt – to taste

Method

1. Soak tamarind in hot water for some time. Extract tamarind pulp adding 2 cups water.
2. Cut tomato into small pieces. Heat til oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds.
3. When mustard seeds crackle add hing, fenugreek seeds and red chili and saute till fenugreek is brown.
4. Add tomato, beans and curry leaves and saute . Cover and cook on a low flame for 3 minutes.
5. Add sambar powder and mix well. Add the tamarind extract and salt. Allow to boil for 5 minutes.
6. Mix the rice flour in 1 tbs water and add to the venthaya kuzhambu.Boil for a minute and transfer to a serving bowl.
7. Serve hot with manja pongal.

*A variety of fresh beans like avarai thuvarai etc are available during this season. I have used fresh kaaramani.

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Raw Tomato Kootu ( Thakkali Kai Koottu)

Harvesting tomatoes that were never sown!

Around five years back, I suddenly planned a  face lift for our small garden area. After cleaning up the garden I bought a nice pot to be used as compost pit. We collected the vegetable and fruit waste in this pot and used it as manure. I used to throw the rotten tomatoes as well.

In our new duplex home we made planters on the compound wall and the parapet wall. My hubby mixed soil with the compost we had collected over the years  and planted some rose cuttings. After around two weeks the planters were filled with tomato plants. We re potted them and have harvested over 100 tomatoes till now. Another hundred can be plucked in a week:).

Thakkali Koottu (Tomato koottu )

Cooking with home grown vegetables is very satisfying and you know there are no artificial fertilizers or pesticides. The aroma of freshly plucked vegetables is heavenly.

Ingredients

• Raw tomatoes – 6 to 8
• Moong dal – 1/4 cup
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – to taste

For the paste

• Grated coconut – 1 tbs
• Coriander seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Channa dal – 1 tsp
• Hing – a small piece
• Red-chili –  1 no
• Oil – 1 tsp

For  the seasoning

• Ghee – 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves – 5 nos
• Red chilli – 1 no

Method

1. Slice the tomatoes into long pieces.Place in a MW safe bowl and mix with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. MW high for 5 minutes
2. Pressure cook the moong dal with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
3. Roast the ingredients for the paste except coconut in 1 tsp oil, add coconut and grind to a smooth paste.
4. Add cooked moong dal, ground paste and salt to the tomatoes and mix well.Add a little water to get Koottu consistency.
5. Mw high for 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.
6. Cut the red chili into small pieces.
7. Heat 1 tsp ghee and add the mustard seeds and red chili; when the mustard crackles add the curry leaves. Add  the seasoning to the koottu.

Serve as a side dish for rotis,phulkas or rice.

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