After trying out the Cornmeal Idlis, I was looking out for recipes using cornmeal and the one which caught my eye was this Cornmeal Dosa. It is very similar to the Rava Dosa in taste and texture and needless to say, we all liked these. 
Recipe Source - Redchilies

Instant Cornmeal Rava Dosa


Ingredients - 


1 cup = 250 ml
Calories
Protein
Fiber
Carbohydrate
Cornmeal 3/4 cup
321.00
3.60
3.30
74.00
Rice Flour 1/4 cup
81.00
1.30
0.01
18.75
Sooji 1/4 cup
120.00
4.00
1.00
30.00
Total 8 dosas
522.00
8.90
4.31
122.75
Per Dosa
65.25
1.11
0.54
15.34
Water 1 1/2 - 2 cups or as needed
Cumin Seeds /Jeera 1 tsp
Pepper Corns few (I used crushed pepper)
Coriander leaves chopped few (I didn't use)
Curry leaves chopped few (I didn't use)
Green Chillies chopped 1-2
Ginger finely chopped 1 tsp (Optional - I didn't use)
Onions finely chopped 1/2 cup (Optional 
- I didn't use)
Salt 3/4 tsp (or as per taste)
Oil a few spoons to spread on the griddle/tawa

Method Of Preparation - 

In a bowl combine cornmeal, sooji, rice flour, salt and mix well.

Mix in pepper and cumin seeds. Add water and mix well without any lumps. Let the batter rest for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare chutney. (I made Zucchini chutney with a slight variation)

If the batter is stiff, add more water and stir well to get a watery consistency.


Heat a griddle/Tawa. Pour a ladle full of batter in a circle from the edge to the center. Do not spread the batter with the ladle and do not fill the small gaps. It should appear lacy. 
[I found pouring the batter along the edges of the pan first and then proceeding towards the center, gives a proper circular shape to the dosa and makes it easier too.]

Drizzle a little oil all over. (I used very little oil by just spraying oil ). I also found that if oil is not used, the dosa tends to develop cracks and becomes a little dry.

If using chopped onions now is the time to add and press with a ladle so they don't fall off.

Cook till it turns crispy and the edges leave the griddle. It takes slightly longer to cook than the traditional dosa.

Gently flip it over and cook for about a minute.

Roll the dosa and serve hot with a side dish of your choice. [The texture of the dosa changes when cooled, so hotter the dosa, better the texture.]

Continue for the rest of the batter. [Keep adding more water to maintain the watery consistency of the batter else the dosa will be lumpy.]



Sending these dosas to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.




And also to Breakfast Club - Pancakes happening at Krithi's Kitchen started by Helen of Fuss Free Flavours.



Preparation Time 20 min (resting time 20-30 min)
Makes 7-8 medium sized Dosas

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I prepared this recipe in the traditional way (on the stove top) and found that they don't get crispy without lot of oil. As I am always looking for ways to make low fat versions, I tried these in the microwave taking inspiration from here


These Okra crisps  make an excellent accompaniment to Sambar-Rice or Dal-Rice combo. I have noticed that they stay crisp even after they are cool down, so a nice idea for the lunch box!! The leftovers (if any) are used up as a munching snack! If the spice level is adjusted, the kids also contribute their might in finishing off the plate of crisps!!

Okra Crisps

Ingredients -

Okra/Bhendi 1/2 lb
Besan/Chick pea flour 2 Tbsp (or as required)
Rice Flour 2 Tbsp (or as required)
Dhania-Jeera Powder 1/2 tsp (or as per taste)
Amchur Powder/Dry Mango Powder 1/2 tsp (or as per taste)
Red Chilli powder 1/2 tsp (or as per taste)
Turmeric a pinch
Curd (Yogurt) 2 Tbsp 
Salt as per taste
Oil 2 tsp

Method Of Preparation - 

Chop off the ends and slit the Okra/Bhendi vertically and then make 1-2 inch pieces. (Size is individual preference here)

In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients and mix well so the okra pieces are well coated with the flour mixture. 

Clean the microwave turn table and spread this okra mixture all over the turn table in a single layer.

Microwave them in 2 min intervals for a couple times shuffling them in between.

Continue zapping them in 1 minute intervals shuffling in between until they turn crispy. I did this for 6 min. Each microwave works differently so check yours and monitor appropriately.

I had to make these crisps in 2 batches. 

Okra Crisps

Serve it/ Pack it as a side dish with Dal/Sambar or munch it as a snack!

Sending this recipe to MEC - Lunch Box, happening @  Flavors and Tastes, Event by Srivalli.

Preparation Time 30 min
Serves 3 Adults

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Posted by Harini on Thursday, April 28, 2011

Mamidikaya Mukkala Pachadi is so common a pickle in Andhra households that I totally forgot that I hadn't blogged about it. I was reminded by one of my cousins and I had promised him that I would include that as soon as I prepare it and here I am. Now that the mango season is upon us, the mangoes are best suited for pickles and such (in India I mean !) and what a time to enjoy this pickle with hot steaming rice and a blob of ghee. This is a foolproof and mouthwatering pachadi recipe from my MIL!!


Mamidikaya Mukkala Pachadi

Ingredients -

Raw Mango (chopped pieces - 2 cups)
Mirchi powder - 2 tsp (or as per taste)
Mustard powder - 3 tsp (or as per taste)
Salt - 2 tsp  (or as per taste)
Fenugreek powder (roasted methi powder) - 1/4 tsp  (or as per taste)
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1/4 cup
Asofoetida (Hing) - 1/4 tsp


Method of Preparation -

Wash and dry the Raw Mango. Remove the center seed and chop it into small pieces.

Add salt and turmeric and mix it well. Leave it aside for an hour or so.

Add mustard powder, mirchi powder, methi powder, oil and asafoetida and mix well.

Serve this pickle after 7-8 hours with steaming hot rice and ghee for a satisfying meal.


Sending this delicious pachadi to 'Design A Menu - 2' happening here at Tamalapaku



Preparation Time - 10 min (excluding resting time)
Makes about  2 cups

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Posted by Harini on Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Recently, when I was doing the Blogging Marathon and I was reading up on Diabetes Management, I came across this information that corn is indeed diabetic friendly when consumed in limited portions. Thats what prompted me to look for innovative ways to consume corn. The best way to enjoy the goodness of corn is to eat corn on the cob and eat it as fresh as we possibly can. But I was intrigued by the usage of cornmeal by fellow bloggers and decided to give it a try. My first attempt was by using it in the preparation of instant idlis. I must say, texture and taste wise, they were very similar to the regular rava idli.


Cornmeal Idli


Recipe adapted from here.
Ingredients - 

Corn meal 1 cup
Yogurt/Curds 1-1 1/2 cups 
Baking soda 1/2 tsp
Carrots grated 1/2 cup
Green Beans finely chopped 1/2 cup
Cashew bits 2 Tbsp (Optional)
Coriander leaves finely chopped 2 Tbsp (Optional)
Green chillies 1-2 (as per taste)
Salt as per taste
Seasoning (Oil 2 tsp, Chana dal 1 tsp, Urad dal 1 tsp, mustard seeds 1/2 tsp, jeera 1/2 tsp , curry leaves a few, Asafoetida/Hing 1/8 tsp)

Cornmeal Idli

Method Of Preparation - 

In a heated skillet, add oil and the seasoning and after the mustard seeds splutter, add the grated carrot,beans and finely chopped green chillies. [ Roast the cashew bits if using.]

After the carrots and beans are sauteed, add the corn meal and fry for about 2 min.

Switch off the flame and in a mixing bowl, transfer the contents of the skillet and let it cool.

After a few minutes (5-6 min) add the baking soda and mix well. Then add curd and water and mix well to make a batter (like idli batter).

Leave the batter aside for 10 min. Mix in the coriander leaves if using.

Grease the idli plates and put a ladle-ful batter into each of the moulds and steam them for 15-20 min.
Cornmeal Idli

Upon cooling a little, take them out and enjoy with chutney of your choice. We enjoyed with peanut chutney!

Sending these idlis to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.



and also linking it to the Bookmarked Recipes by Aipi and Priya.



Makes approx. 16 Idlis
Preparation Time  30 min

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Posted by Harini on Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Here again I had an opportunity to make a sweet for a party. This time it was my friend's baby shower. This is a very simple-to-make sweet and an easy-to-gobble kind of a sweet. Apparently Amma learnt it about 45 years back from a friend and she shared it with me and said it would be ideal for a baby shower. She said that she used to prepare khoya in advance the painstaking way! I made it the easier way and here is the proof !! 


Peanut Burfi


Ingredients -


Peanuts Roasted, Skinned and Powdered 2 cups
Cashews, Powdered 4 Tbsp (Optional, but enhances the taste)
Almonds, Powdered 4 Tbsp (Optional, but enhances the taste)
Khoya/Mawa 1 1/2 cups (Homemade / store bought
Sugar 2 cups
Cardamom powder 1 tsp
Ghee 1 tsp only for greasing
A few roasted Cashews for garnish.


Method Of Preparation - 


In a heated non stick pan, add khoya, sugar and mix well.


Once the mixture turns syrupy and sticky [about 8-10min], then it is time to add the peanut-almond-cashew powder. 


Keep stirring the mixture continuously so there are no lumps. Add in the cardamom powder too.


Keep a greased plate ready. [I lined a cookie sheet with parchment paper.]


When the mixture comes together as a single mass, remove from fire.


Transfer the mixture to the prepared plate.


Peanut Burfi


Level it using a greased rolling pin or a flat plate. Make deep dents with a greased knife/pizza cutter to cut into desired shapes while it is still hot.


Please don't wait to cut them into pieces. It is going to need strong arms after they are cooled. [I learnt it the harder way..S had to pitch in :)]


Press a cashew on each of the squares (while they are still warm) to give it a festive look. [Either way they are going to disappear!! I could take the pictures as I made this when I was alone at home :)]


Preparation Time - 45 min
Makes 45-50 1 inch squares

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Posted by Harini on Monday, April 25, 2011

We, south Indians, usually don't make the main dish of our meal with Chana Dal, do we? We rely more on Toor Dal or Moong Dal, right? But this combination of Chana dal and Methi leaves is very popular in the Northern areas of India and a very delicious one at that.

A few months back, I had tried the combination of chana dal and tomatoes but didn't blog about it as the picture was not a great one. I plan to make it again and post it here. We loved the usage of Chana Dal so much that I thought I should try Chana Dal with Methi leaves this time. The burst of flavors was just unbelievable. It had a mild methi flavor and the chana dal gave a special crunch. Also this is truly nutritious, tasty and a very good low glycemic index food for diabetics. This recipe has since become so special to me because my kids loved this just as much as we did (which is very rare :)). Here is how you can enjoy this too..


Methi Chana Dal


Ingredients - 


Methi leaves washed, chopped 1 cup (1 cup = 240 ml)
Chana Dal/Senaga Pappu 1 cup
Tomatoes, Chopped 1/2 cup
Dhania-Jeera Powder 3/4 tsp (Or as per taste)
Red Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp (Or as per taste)
Garam Masala 1/4 tsp (Or as per taste)
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Salt as per taste
Seasoning (Oil 2 tsp, Jeera 1 tsp, Finely Chopped Garlic 1 tsp)


Method Of Preparation - 


Cook Chana Dal al dente (cooked firm not mushy) either on the stove top or in a pressure cooker using adequate water(I used 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker). Drain any excess water. [Retain the water if you want the resultant dal as a gravy.]


In a heated pan, add oil and the rest of the seasoning. Saute the garlic till it attains a golden brown hue.


Add tomatoes and cook they are mushy. Add in the chopped fenugreek leaves and mix well.


After the methi leaves are well cooked, add in coriander-cumin powder, turmeric, red chilli powder and salt.


Methi Chana Dal


After the mixture comes together, add the cooked chana dal and mix well.


Finally sprinkle some garam masala, cover with a lid and let the flavors blend in.


Remove from fire and serve hot/warm with some steaming hot rice. I loved to eat it as is with some curd/yogurt :)


Sending this delicious dal to 'Design A Menu - 2' happening here at Tamalapaku. I shall post the entire menu for the event after I individually post all the recipes. So keep checking this space!!
Also sending to PJ's Herbs and Flowers - Fenugreek Leaves hosted by Kalyani.






Preparation Time 30-40 min
Serves 3-4 Adults

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Posted by Harini on Sunday, April 24, 2011


I always see the vegetable broth cartons in the supermarket shelves and get tempted to buy those. But it somehow didn't feel right to me to buy it ready made when we could make it at home. With the convenience of a pressure cooker, preparing the broth is just a breeze! This sure adds lot of flavor to the soups or stews. Since we are beginning to enjoy soups for dinner these days, I am sure this broth would come in handy. I am sure this is the right thing to do specifically on Earth Day :) [I wish everyday be treated as Earth Day]

Recipe Source - here

Homemade Vegetable broth

Ingredients

Yellow Onions, sliced 1/2 cup 
Carrots, Peeled and Sliced 1 cup
Celery, sliced 1/2 cup
Garlic, sliced 1 Tbsp
Potato, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 cup
Bay Leaves 2
Peppercorns 1 tsp

Parsley / Coriander Leaves, Chopped 3 Tbsp [I used coriander leaves]
Water 8 cups
Method Of Preparation -
Cook all the ingredients in a pressure cooker or bring to a boil over high heat in a stock pot. (I cooked in the pressure cooker.)


If cooking over the stove, simmer and cook for 2 hours.


Strain and discard solids. [I chose not to discard, so mashed the vegetables and made extra broth/paste to use up in soup]


Cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (I froze the broth for further use.)


Preparation Time - 30-40 min
Makes 8-10 cups

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Posted by Harini on Friday, April 22, 2011

When we South Indians think of fritters/pakodi, we think Chick pea flour/Besan and Rice flour, right? Here I thought I should give this combo a break and try with cornflour. I know that the Indo-Chinese Manchurian is made with cornflour and so wanted to try these fritters with a 'corny' twist. One bite into these fritters and I knew that I made a good choice!! These turned out ultra - crispy and tasty. And all the picky eaters bit their way to empty plates :)


Cornflour Onion Pakodi


Ingredients - 


Cornflour 1 cup (I used the yellow corn flour) + more if needed
Chick pea flour / Besan 3 Tbsp
Onions sliced 1-1 1/2 cup
Red Chilli Powder to taste
Salt to taste
Garam Masala to taste
Ginger-Garlic Paste 1 tsp
Coriander leaves / Cilantro, chopped 3 Tbsp
Water as needed
Oil to deep fry


Method Of Preparation - 


In a mixing bowl, add cornflour, besan, red chilli powder, salt, garam masala, coriander leaves and ginger-garlic paste and mix well.


Heat a frying pan with oil while the dough/batter gets ready. 


Mix in the sliced onions and make a stiff dough using as little water as needed. [The onions will shed some water too.] I had to sprinkle a little cornflour for the last batch as the dough was a little soggy.


When the oil is hot enough [test by gently sliding a little dough in the oil and it should rise to the top almost immediately], pinch a spoonful of dough, flatten it a little and gently slide into the oil.


Cornflour Onion Pakodi


Fry them in batches and take care not to over crowd the oil. Let them brown evenly on both the sides and remove with a slotted ladle onto the kitchen paper towels to drain excess oil.


Serve with Ketchup or any other chutney of your choice.



Having enjoyed these fritters with my family, want to share these with all of you by sending them to 'Design A Menu - 2' happening here at Tamalapaku.


Preparation Time 30 min 
Makes 3-4 generous servings

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Posted by Harini on Thursday, April 21, 2011

We are all great fans of the ordinary Vermicelli Upma. So the other day when I saw 'Ragi Vermicelli' (Finger Millet Vermicelli) on the grocer's shelves, it piqued my interest. I got it home and was wondering if that was a wise decision. So it sat in the pantry waiting for its turn and one fine morning, when I ran out of breakfast options, I gathered my guts and gave it a shot. Looking at the cooking instructions on the pack, I realized that it was ragi idiyappam. 


The traditional rice idiyappam was my favorite in my college days. But I haven't since eaten idiyappam. So many memories attached to idiyappam in general. Anyway, though the color was not visually appealing (the biggest disadvantage of ragi!), the taste and texture were extraordinary and surely a little earthy(ragi-ish??). The other day, when I was blog hopping, I came across a 'go-to' recipe for making idiyappam from scratch. I am sure I am going to give it a shot some time in the near future. Any tips on this will surely be appreciated :)


Ragi Vermicelli Upma


Ingredients -

Ragi Vermicelli - about 2 cups (used a 180 gms pkt)
Mixed vegetables - 1 cup (chopped carrots, beans, peas, corn)
Turmeric - a pinch
Onion - 1 medium (finely chopped about 1/2 cup)
Peanut-coconut masala - 1/4 cup (see the recipe here)
Salt to taste
Seasoning (oil, chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, dried red chilli, curry leaves)
Lemon juice - 2 tsp or as needed

Method of Preparation - 

Cook the Ragi vermicelli according to the instructions on the packet. [Soaked it in water for 3 minutes and steamed it for 5-7 min)

Don't remove from the steamer until required.  [It dries up pretty quickly.]

In a skillet on a medium flame, heat some oil and add the seasoning. 

After the mustard seeds start crackling, add finely chopped onions and saute them to a golden color.
Ragi Vermicelli Upma

Boil the mixed veggies separately and add it to the sauteed onions.

Put in turmeric and salt as per taste. Add the peanut-coconut masala and mix well.

Add the drained ragi semiya and mix well for a minute. 

Switch off the flame and squeeze in the lemon juice and mix well. Serve hot or cover it with a lid till it is ready to be served.


Sending this off to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.


Also to Dr Sameena Pratap's Ragi Event 

Serves 2-3 Adults
Preparation Time 18-20 min

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Posted by Harini on Wednesday, April 20, 2011
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