Idli uppuma (Rice cake upma)

Idli upma - Preparation time 10 mins if idli is readily available
One of my favourite dish. When mom makes lot of idli during breakfast she makes this item during night. Usually when the idli flour start becoming sour (after 2 or 3 days) it will be difficult to use so it can be used in different way. One is making idli upma with spice. This is the traditional one from grandma.
Mostly they won't waste any of the food items when they can make something hot and new (only when the item is good to use).
You can make it in few mins. Keep all the ingredients ready so when you back from office you can immediately.

Ingredients:-
Idli - 5 to 6
Green chili - 2 (chopped finely)
Curry leaves - 1 string
Water - little
Salt - to taste
Small onion - 10 finely chopped (if not available one big onion)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Sesame oil - 2 or 3 tbsp

Preparation method:-
In a vessel crush the cooked (usually we will use morning cooked idli so it will be cool or if you are use fresh one let the cool so you can crush it) idli using clean hand.

 

Sprinkle little water, add turmeric with idli or while frying the onions and little salt.
In a tawa heat oil and add mustard to splutter, urad dal to become golden brown, green chili, curry leaves, onion and fry till the onion is cooked.

When onion is cooked add the crushed idli and mix.

The dish will change color to beautiful yellow.

You can serve this dish hot and without a side dish as we have added green chili for spice.
This is a very simple and easy to cook recipe when the idli is readily available.

Note: If your idli is too hard then also you can convert it to idli upma.

Kezhvaragu mavu (Ragi flour) dosai

Kezhvaragu mavu (Ragi flour dosai) dosai - Preparation time 10 to 15 mins
This recipe will be a healthy one. Mostly we wont be using ragi flour in our diet. I haven't took this in my moms place. I tried out only when i got married. My moms sister told it will be tasty and healthy food. She will make this dosai it seems. I mentioned the way i tried out. You can adjust the taste of the flour and make a tasty and nice ragi dosai. Give a try and provide your feedback.

Ingredients:-
Kezhvaragu mavu (Ragi flour) - 1 cup
Aarisi mavu (Rice flour) - 1/2 cup
Maida mavu (maida flour) - 1 or 2 tbsp (You can also added the roasted urad dal flour it will also go well)
Chopped onion - 1 (into small cubes)
Chopped green chili - 2
Curry leaves - 1 string
Mustard seed - 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tbsp
Salt - To taste
Sesame oil - 3 or 4 tbsp
Red Chili powder - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Water - Required to mix the flours for dosai mavu consistency
1 tbspn of curd to bring little sour taste (optional)

Preparation method:-
In a tawa add 1 tbsp of sesame oil. When it is hot add mustard to splutter, urad dhal to golden brown colour. To this add chopped onion, chili, curry leaves and fry.
In a bowl mix the flours (Ragi, maida & rice) with red chili powder. Add the above seasoning, water slowly to avoid lumps.


Required amount of salt is added. Asafoetida is added for digestion and mix all the ingredients well for dosai batter (flour) consistency.
Heat a tawa and add little oil. Now pour one laddle full of flour and make dosai. This dosai will be in beautiful & look like coco dosai.

You can take this Kara chutney or coconut chutney or idli podi.
Hope you love this healthy nutrition dosai. It will be different and can be made in very short time.

Note: If you are left out with plain dosa dough and it is sour , don't worry add 2 ladle of kezhvaragu mavu and mix it well. Fry mustard seed, urad dal, chili, ginger, chopped onion in little sesame oil and add to dough. You can make dosa and serve hot as new dish. Hope you don't waste the dough anymore.

Rava Kesari

Rava Kesari - Preparation time 20 mins
My mom used to make rava kesari very well. It wont be like a paste. The rava will be well cooked, too tasty and with lots of ghee. Occasionally you can take this much ghee. It will be good for today's and every time she serves after heating slight so it will be good till it gets over. Enjoy :-)

Ingredients :-
Small rava - 1 cup (keep the same cup for all (sugar, water) measurements)
Sugar - 2 cup
Water - 3 cup
Ghee - 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Cashew, Dried grapes - 1 tbsp
Kesari color powder - Little (usually 2 to 3 pinch)


Preparation method:-
Roast the rava with 3 tsp of ghee till it changes colour to light brown. Take care and don't burn it. Try to do in low flame.
When nice aroma comes and rava is roasted, add the measured water and boil. The rava will absorb all the water and become thick.

Add measured sugar, 1 tsp of ghee powder and cook.

The rava will become thick and starts getting shiny look from sugar. Now add the kesari colour. Slowly keep adding the ghee and mix.Roast cashew, grapes(optional) in ghee and garnish.

Turn of the flame when it becomes thick. It will become dry when it starts cooling. Try this one surely you love it.

Lady's finger butter milk gravy (Vendaikai More Kuzhambu)

Lady's finger butter milk gravy for rice (Vendaikai More-kuzhambu) - Preparation time 15 to 20 mins
We will get bored taking sambar, rasam daily so for a change you can try this more-kuzhambhu surely you will love it. Ingredients should be soaked , need butter milk to prepare the gravy part, so this might require little bit planning.

Ingredients:-
Butter milk - 250 ml or 300 ml
Green chili - 2
Pepper - 5 to 6
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp
Toor dhal - 1/4 tsp
Bengal gram - 1/4 tsp
Rice - 1/4 tsp
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp to 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Sesame Oil - 2 tsp
Red chili - 3
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Coriander and curry leaves chopped - 1 tbsp
Lady's finger - Chopped to 1 inch pieces (1 cup)

Preparation method:-
Soak toor dal, bengal gram, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, rice, pepper in water for 3 to 4 hrs . If you want to prepare early morning you can soak during night itself.
If you have curd make to butter milk with required amount of water and keep aside.

In a mixer grind the soaked ingredients along with grated coconut, green chili and salt to fine paste.

Mix the paste with butter milk,turmeric powder and blend well.

In a low flame start cooking the mixture.

You have to keep on stirring the gravy else it will start curdle. If you keep on stirring it will start boil on edges slightly.

Now switch of the flame and keep transfer the more kuzhambu to serving bowl. Garnish this with chopped curry leave and coriander leaves.
In a tawa add oil, mustard to splutter, cumin seed, red chili, asafoetida. Add to more kuzhambu and mix well.

Fry lady's finger pieces with 2 tsp of oil and when roasted well (not sticky) add water, pinch of turmeric, salt and cook till the vegetables are soft.

Add this during garnish and mix well.
This goes well with rice. Take with potato curry or plantain curry or at least with deep fried papad.


If you can also add vegetable like brinjal, pumpkin, etc. Chop the vegetables to small pieced fry with 2 tsp of oil and add add water, turmeric, salt and cook till the vegetables are soft. Add this during garnish and mix well.

Fresh green peas masala (Pachai Pattani masala)

Fresh green peas masala (pattani masala)- preparation time 20 to 25 mins
Wish you all a very Happy new year. Let this year filled with happiness, peace and love. Hope you all celebrated new year well.


Health tips:- Peas is rich in Vitamin K, Vitamin C,iron, Manganese, folate, phosphorous,copper, zinc, protein, etc. So try to use fresh peas when available inside of tinned or preserved one. You can add peas in gravies, kuruma, dry curry and salad, so the required nutrients will be added at least in small quantity. People who have some uric acid problem should avoid it.

I made the peas masala and it came out well. I won't buy ginger-garlic paste so i used fresh ginger and garlic. You can use it if you have the paste. I didn't make onion or tomato paste. Try this out this is simple and easy to make. I used masala powder(i will surely share the making of masala powder) which i made in home but you can use your garam masala.

Ingredients:-
Fresh peas - 1 cup (or 50 to 100 gms according to your wish)
Onion - 1 ( chopped to thin half inch strips)
Tomato - 2 chopped finely
Green chili - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Fresh coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch (chopped to fine strips or crushed)
Saunf - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 4 ( crushed nicely along with 1/2 tsp of saunf)
Bay leaf - 1 (spilt to small pieces)
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Sesame oil - 3 tbsp

Preparation method:-
In a pressure pan (or some heavy bottomed pan) add oil, bay leaf and roast. Add crushed ginger, garlic, saunf sortae for few mins.
Add chopped onion, green chili, peas, little salt and fry till the onion is slightly cooked. Now add sambar powder, turmeric powder.
Fry for few seconds and add chopped tomato and sortae till the tomato is cooked. Add 1 tbsp of coriander leaves, garam masala and mix well.
Add water till it comes to gravy consistency (might be 25 to 50 ml) and pressure cook for 1 or 2 whistle.
Open the lid after 10 mins or vapor is released and cook till the gravy is thick and oil separates.
Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves. Serve this with hot chapathi or poori. This will be very tasty.


Note :You can increase the spice level according to your taste by adding green chili. If the gravy is too spicy don't worry add some thick coconut milk or normal milk and mix it will be tasty.