Dalgona Idli

This is just for fun not for eating. 

Prepare Mysore Mallige Idli Batter. Put some batter in a small glass coated with oil (any oil sunflower oil, sesame oil, coconut oil etc). Steam it till batter gets hardened. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of instant coffee in 2 tea spoons of water. Take two cups with idli batter and add this coffee mix to these cups to get a dark shade and light shade. (mix a small quantity of coffee for one cup and a large quantity of coffee in another. Pour dark mix on hardened idli in glass. Steam again . Garnish with light coloured batter.  I have named it as dalgona idli

Idli Art

Adding funny twists while cooking enhances your mood and increases creativity. Inspired by one of my face book friend I tried this art with idli. You can perfect the idli art and can be more creative.

Click here for Mysore Mallige Idli Recipe. You need carrot slices cut in shape of flowers and few curry leaves and stalks of coriander. Pour idli batter on idli plate and arrange the veggies you like  and cook in idli cooker. Eat with Marimallappa's Canteen Style Roasted Gram Chutney. 

You can make kids happy with stars and cartoon characters. Enjoy.  

Raw Mango Juice (Aam ka panna)

aam ka panna

Now it is season for raw mangoes. In this sweltering weather, raw mango juice or aam ka panna comes as a boon to quench our thirst. Water, sweetening jaggery, tangy raw mango, aroma of cardamom and edible camphor (pachcha karpura) makes us to crave for more. This juice helps to supply energy instantly and rehydrates body. Calms mind and satiates your taste buds. Here is a quick recipe for this juice. This is usually prepared during Sri Ramanavami or Chaitra navami in India

Ingredients:

raw mangoes

Raw mangoes - 2
Jaggery - 1 cup (you can add more if you need)
Cardamom - 5
Edible Camphor (pachcha karpura) - 1/4 pinch (don't put more. It turns juice bitter).

Method:

cooked raw mango

Wash raw mangoes well and cook them in cooker or you can also boil them in water till cooked. Powder jaggery and dissolve it in 4 cups of water. Allow the cooked mangoes to cool down. Remove its external skin and seed.  Mash the pulp. You can also mix it in blender. Mix this pulp in jaggery water. Stir it well.  Strain this juice mix to remove mango fibers. Add powdered cardamom and edible camphor. Mix well. Aam ka panna is ready to drink.

Also read Ayurveda Health Benefits of mango

Ash Gourd Halwa ( Boodukumbalakai Damroot)

Ash Gourd Halwa ( Boodukumbalakai Damroot)

This recipe is very popular in karnataka. Usually this is prepared during functions and very easy to prepare. Here is a quick look at recipe.

Ingredients for Ash Gourd Halwa ( Boodukumbalakai Damroot)

Ash gourd - cleaned and grated - 6 cups

Sugar - 2 1/2  cups (according to sweetness required

Saffron strands or Kesari - 1 tea spoon

Ghee (clarified butter) - 2 cups

Powdered cardamom - yelakki - 2 tea spoon

Broken Cashew - 1 cup

Preparation of Ash Gourd Halwa ( Boodukumbalakai Damroot) - Method

Take out the skin of ash gourd (picture given below). 

Grate it. Don't squeeze its water. Transfer grated ash gourd to a woke (kadahi or Bandle) . Cook this in medium flame , till its water evaporates. It takes around 20 - 30 minutes for this. Keep stirring in between. You need not stand in front of it. You can do other jobs. But in between don't forget to stir this. 

As water evaporates the volume of grated gourd reduces. When 95% of water is evaporated add sugar and saffron strands. Mix them well. This mixture starts thickening as it boils and looses water. It starts leaving the sides of woke. At this stage add ghee or clarified butter. Mix well again. As ghee starts separating from halwa , turn off flame.

Take a tampering ladle. Add a table spoon of ghee and roast cashews in it. Pour this on damroot. Add cardamom powder. Give a good mix . Serve when it is hot. Watch your sweet toothed hubby's face. You can see a glow radiating from his face and Pot Belly ;) . 

NOTE: Few add grated khova to this. This is optional. I prepare both types. Being a hardcore Mysorean I always use Nandini Khova which is fresh and tasty. (For this measurement you can add 1 cup khova while adding sugar.)

Read Ayurveda Health Benefits of Ash Gourd

Roasted Gram Chutney (Canteen Style)

I loved this chutney prepared in  Marimallappa's canteen in Mysore. I studied in this institution . I am sure all Marimallapites of our times definitely agree with me.

My brother used to eat 2 idlis with a serving bucket full of this chutney. And owner if the canteen was kind enough to serve this as much as we wished.

I wish I can travel back on time machine and enjoy this.

Here is the Recipe

Ingredients

Roasted gram (hurigadle or putani) - 1 cup

Freshly grated coconut - 1/3 cup

Green chillies - 2

Fresh curry leaves - 1/2 cup

Finely chopped Coriander leaves - 1 tea spoon

Sugar - 1pinch

Tamarind - 1cm

Asafetida - 1 pinch

Mustard - 1/2 tea spoon

Urad dal 1/2 tea spoon

Oil 2 tea spoons

Method of preparation

Dry roast curry leaves, tamarind, green chilli and roasted gram till they become fragrant. Allow this to cool.

Put everything along with grated coconut, corriander leaves, salt, a pinch of asfitida and sugar to mixer jar adding little water. If you like watery consistency, add more water and blend. 

Tampering

Place a tampering ladle on stove , add oil. When it is hot add mustard seeds . When mustard seeds splutter add urad dal and turn off stove. Allow urad dal to turn golden colour. Add asafetida and pour this on chutney. Enjoy with mallige idli or Mysore Masala Dosa.

Also view
Onion Chutney
Coconut Chutney
Raw Mango Chutney

Chana dal (chickpea lentils) salad (ಕಡ್ಲೆ ಬೇಳೆ ಕೋಸಂಬರಿ)

This is my favourite weight loss food, which brims with protein, vitamins and anti-oxidants. But very very low in calories. Since it has plenty of protein and fibers, it fills stomach and stays for a very long time. I usually eat this tangy dish before starting my meal. This helps me to cut carb portion. Here is the recipe. Just try it.

Ingredients

Soaked Chana dal 1 cup - (wash 1/2 cup chana dal. Soak it for 3 hours. Wash it again and drain the water. )

Fresh grated coconut 1/4 cup

Finely chopped coriander  2 tea spoon

Lemon juice 1 tea spoon

Asafetida 1 pinch

Finely chopped green chilly 1 (optional) or grounded black pepper

Salt to taste.

Take a bowl and mix all the ingredients well. Eat a cup of this before breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Add this to your ayurvedic weight loss diet.

Lemon Rice With Green Peas

Lemon rice is a popular dish in India specially in South India. This tangy yellow coloured dish is favourite of many. Few prefer this with onion and garlic. But I prefer this recipe without these.

Ingredients

Lemon large size  2

Fresh Green peas 1/2 cup

Cooked rice. 1.5 cups

Turmeric  1/4 tea spoon

Groundnut (peanuts)  1/4 cup (Read Ayurveda Health Benefits of Peanuts or Ground Nut)

Green chilli 2

Finely chopped coriander  1/4 cup

Curry leaves 10 to 15

Mustard  half tea spoon

Cumin seeds (Jeera)  half tea spoon

Asafetida 1 pinch

Cooking oil 1 table spoon

Salt to taste

Spread rice in a large bowl. Keep a kadai or pan on stove. Add oil to it. Add mustard, cumin seeds (jeera) to oil. When they splutter add chopped chillies, curry leaves, ground nut and turmeric. When ground nuts start splitting , add fresh green peas. Mix well and cook by covering for 2 minutes. switch off stove. Pour this tampering on rice. Add salt, lemon juice and finely chopped coriander . Give this a good mix. Serve with curd rice and pickle.