Neer Dosa / Lacy Rice Crepes ~ Day 164

 Neer = Water

Dosa = Crepe

This South Indian delicacy is so easy to make with minimal ingredients.  These soft, lacy, melt in your mouth dosas make an excellent breakfast dish or evening snack.

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Preparation time: 10 minutes + 6 hours soaking time

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Yields: About 12 to 15 dosas

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Ingredients:

• Raw rice (sona masoori or long grain) - 2 cups
• Freshly grated coconut - 1/4 cup
• Salt - to taste
• vegetable oil - for frying

Method:

1. Soak the rice in enough water for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.  Drain the rice and place it in a blender along with coconut.  Add enough water and grind into a smooth paste.
2. Transfer the ground rice into a mixing bowl.  Add salt and mix well.
3. Add 2 to 3 cups of water to the batter and mix well.  The batter should be very thin like the consistency of milk.  Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.
4. Heat a non-stick or a cast iron griddle (season well). Once the griddle is hot enough, take a ladle full of batter and pour it in the center.  The batter should spread to the sides, if not lift the pan and swirl so that the batter coats the pan. Fill the gaps with more batter.  Spoon some oil around the edges of the dosa. Cover and cook for 30 seconds.  Remove the lid and cook for another 30 seconds.  
5. Fold the dosa into a triangle and remove from the heat.  Repeat the process with rest of the batter.
6. Serve hot with your choice of chutney or pickle.

Simple Rava (Sooji) Upma / Semolina Porridge ~ Day 145

I never liked rava upma while growing up.  My favorite kinds are Arisi (rice grits) upma and semiya (vermicelli) upma.  After a while, I started liking it only when prepared in a certain way and it has to be piping hot.  I like my upma to be soft and not sticky.  Though I love vegetables, I don't care much for upma that is loaded with all kinds of vegetables.  This super simple and quick upma recipe is our favorite and we make it often.  It is simply delicious with or without onion.  I love having it with a side of lemon pickle and a tall glass of salted lassi (buttermilk).

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Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

• Coarse Rava / Sooji / Semolina - 2 cups
• Ghee / Clarified butter - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 4 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 2 tsp
• Onion - 1, large, finely chopped
• Green chilies - 4, chopped
• Ginger - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Water - 4 cups
• Salt - to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves / Cilantro - a handful,  finely chopped

Method:

1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, mix the rava and ghee thoroughly.  Microwave for 1 minute. remove and mix well.  Microwave for another minute.  Alternatively, you can roast the rava in a deep skillet, over low flame for 2 minutes.  Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a deep skillet and splutter mustard seeds.  Add urad dal and fry until golden brown.
3. Add the chopped onion, green chilies, ginger, asafoetida, and curry leaves.  Saute until the onions turn translucent.
4. Add 4 cups of water along with salt.  Let it come to a boil.  Add the coriander leaves.
5. Reduce the heat to low and add the roasted rava gradually with one hand and keep stirring with another hand.
6. Keep stirring until all the water is absorbed.  Cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring in between.
7. Serve hot with your choice of chutney or pickle.

Cornmeal Adai (Pancake) With Kohlrabi (Knol-Khol) ~ Day 77

Akki Roti with Edamame - Taste of Karnataka ~ Day 8

This is a very popular breakfast dish from the State of Karnataka in India.  Akki means rice in Kannada language.  These rice flour tortillas are so simple to make yet it tastes so delicious.  In this recipe, I have used edamame to add some protein to the dish.  You can use dill or fenugreek leaves as well.

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Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Yields: 4

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Ingredients:

• Rice flour (white or brown) - 1 cup
• Shelled Edamame - 3/4 cup, frozen or fresh,  ( if frozen, cook in the microwave for 1 minute)
• Onion - 1, medium, finely chopped
• Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
• Green chilies - 2
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Cilantro / Fresh Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - for frying
• Water - 3/4 to 1 cup
• Parchment paper for making rotis.

Method:

1. Using a blender jar or food processor, pulse the edamame and green chilies.   It should be coarse and not mushy.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine rice flour, chopped onion, coconut, chopped edamame-green chili mix, cumin seeds, chopped cilantro and salt.
3. Add water little at a time and knead to make a soft dough.  The dough should be moist and spreadable by fingers.
4. Heat a cast iron skillet.
5. Divide the dough into 4 equal balls. Take a small piece of parchment paper and spread little oil.
6. Take one ball of dough and place it on the parchment.  Dip your finger in water and flatten the dough evenly into a round disk. Make a hole in the middle.
7. Pick the parchment paper and place it on the hot skillet.  Remove the parchment paper.  It should come off easily.
8. Spoon some oil around the edges and in the middle.  Cook on a medium heat until bottom is golden brown.  Flip and cook on the other side.  Repeat the process.
9. Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

Ragi-Rava Upma

Ingredients:

Rava / Sooji / Cream of Wheat - 1 cup
Ragi / Finger Millet Flour - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 medium (chopped)
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 2 tsp
Green Chilies - 4 slit
Ginger - 2 tsp (chopped)
Asafetida - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 TBSP
Yogurt - 1 cup (well beaten)
Water - 2 1/2 cups

Method:

1. Roast the rava with 1 tsp of ghee or oil until golden brown in low flame.  Switch off the flame and mix in the ragi flour and roast without the heat.
2. Microwave version:  Place the rava in a microwavable plate or bowl and mix with oil or ghee and cook on high powder for a minute.  Add the ragi flour and mix well and cook for an another 30 seconds.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.  After spluttering add urad dal and fry until golden brown.  
4. Add the chopped onion, green chilies, ginger, asafetida and curry leaves.  Fry until the onion is translucent.
5. Now add the water, yogurt and salt.  When the water starts boiling, add the rava-ragi mixture and mix it without any lumps.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Serve hot with pickle or chutney of your choice.