Samiya (Vermicelli) Idli

 I tried something new tonight. Instead of making upma with vermicelli or semiya, I made idli. It is similar to rava idli. Spongy idli made with semiya and cream of wheat (rava) mixed with plain yogurt and garnished with cashew nuts, green chili and ginger. It tasted very good with coconut chutney.

Ingredients for 12 idlis:

1 Cup roasted vermicelli (semiya)

1/2 Cup roasted cream of wheat (rava)

2 Cups plain yogurt, beaten, plus more if required

1 Tablespoon sesame oil or olive oil

2 teaspoons ghee

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon urad dal

1/2 teaspoon channa dal

2-3 green chili, chopped

1/2 teaspoon chopped ginger

few curry leaves

1 Tablespoon cashew nuts

salt to taste

                                         

Method:

1. Heat oil and ghee in a large pan on medium heat. Temper mustard seeds, urad dal and channa dal. Then add green chili, ginger and curry leaves. 

                                                     

2. Add rava and roast for 2-3 minutes.

                                                              

3. Add cashew nuts and gently roast for couple minutes. Then add roasted vermicelli. Roast for couple minutes. Add salt. Turn the stove off. Cool for 5 minutes.

                                     

4. Mix beaten yogurt to the dry mixture. Check for salt and add more if required. Cover and leave for 10 minutes.

                                    

5. The batter would absorb the yogurt and would become thick. Add little more yogurt if necessary. 

                                                                     

6.Grease the idli plates. Pour 1/4 cup of batter in each mould.

                                                                     

7. Steam idli in idli cooker for 10-12 minutes. Tooth pick inserted in the center of idly should come out clean.

                                                   

8. Serve idli hot with chutney or sambar.

Potato Masala for Poori

 I would always wait for Sunday mornings when I was young. My dad would buy us breakfast. It would always be poori with potato masala, vadai with sambar, and pongal, all packed in banana leaf packets. Oh the smell of the leaf and the potato. I can still feel it when I think about it. In South India, poori is almost always served with this delicious potato, that is cooked with sliced onion and chopped tomato and green chili, mashed to form a pulpy curry.

Ingredients for 5 servings:

4 Potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed to chunky pieces

1 large onion, sliced

2-3 green chili, chopped or sliced

1/2 inch ginger, chopped

curry leaves for garnish

1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon red chili powder

salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida

for tempering:

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon urad dal

1 teaspoon channa dal

Method:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a broad pan. Temper mustard seeds, urad dal and channa dal. Add green chili, ginger and curry leaves. Saute for a minute.

2. Add sliced onion and cook till translucent. Add chopped tomato and cook for 5 minutes. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafoetida and salt.

3. Add mashed potato to the pan. Mix with onion mixture. Add enough water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Check for salt and add if required.

4. Add more water if required. Garnish with chopped cilantro. 

5. Serve hot with poori.

Poori

Poori or Puri is a deep fried puffed flat bread made with a dough of whole wheat flour made. In South India Poori is usually served for breakfast with potato curry or kurma. In North India it could be served with channa masala or chickpea curry. The dough for poori just has wheat flour, salt, cream of wheat and water. It is a favorite food of most Indian kids and adults.

Ingredients:

2 Cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup cream of wheat (rava)

salt per taste

water to make dough

oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add enough water to make a stiff dough. Use your hands to make the dough. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a broad pan. Divide dough into large pebble size balls. Roll dough into 5 inch thin round discs.

3. Gently slide the poori into the hot oil over medium heat. Gently press  the top until it puffs up. Flip over and cook the other side. 

                                               

4. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel to drain oil. Repeat process with remaining dough.

Serve with potato masala for poori.

                                                       

Mocha Bundt Cake

 I was very impressed with my daughter when she sent me a picture of the cake she made last weekend. She is trying out new things. I am glad she is enjoying this. She inspired me to make this rich moist chocolate cake for Valentine's Day. It is a chocolate cake with coffee liqueur baked in and glazed with coffee liqueur. Normally we do not have alcohol in our house. I sent my husband out to buy coffee liqueur to bake this rich cake. Boy was it delicious. Served with vanilla ice cream, it was divine. I adapted the recipe from allrecipes.

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup unsalted butter, softened

2 Cups sugar

3/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 egg yolks

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 Tablespoons cold water

1/2 Cup strong brewed coffee

1 Cup coffee flavored liqueur, divided

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

1 1/3 Cup all-purpose flour

4 egg whites

1 Cup confectioner's sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 10 inch Bundt pan.

2. In a large measuring cup dissolve baking soda in cold water, then add coffee and 1/2 cup of the coffee liqueur, and vanilla. Keep aside.

                                                             

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

                                        

4. Beat in the cocoa.

                                         

5. Next beat in the egg yolks one at a time. 

                                                                

6. Alternately beat in the flour and the coffee mixture just until incorporated.

                         

7. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

   

                                

8. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.

                               

9. Pour batter into a 10 inch Bundt pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 

                            

10. Let cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack. Pierce warm cake all over with a fork.

11. In a small bowl combine confectioner's sugar and remaining 1/2 cup of coffee liqueur to a smooth glaze without any lumps.

                                                          

12. Drizzle glaze a spoonful at a time over the cake until it is absorbed. Wrap  cake tightly with plastic wrap to preserve moisture.

             

13. Serve cake with vanilla ice cream. I like my cake warm.

                                               

Note:

Leave the butter on the counter for an hour or so to soften it.

You can replace the liqueur with 3/4 cup chocolate syrup mixed with 1/4 cup warm water if you prefer a non-alcoholic cake. 

You can add some chocolate glaze for more richness. I prefer the cake without the icing.

Sweet potato(Chakkaravalli)Kuzhambu

Using freshly ground spices when we cook always enhances the flavor of the dish. Chakkaravalli kizhangu, known as sweet potato in English is a sweet tasting tuber. This is different from the orange Yam. This vegetable has a pink skin and is off white color on the inside. It tastes very good when roasted. I am reminded of my grandmother when I see this vegetable. She used to make a kuzhambu (stew) with this vegetable with freshly ground spices. She used to call it araithuvitta kuzhambu. It is sweet and spicy at the same time. I made this aromatic dish this morning (for lunch). My kitchen was filled with the aroma of freshly ground spices.

Ingredients:

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into big chunks

1 Cup tamarind water ( using 3 Tablespoons extract)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

salt as required

1 teaspoon brown sugar (vellam/gud)

For Masala:

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 1/2 Tablespoons coriander seeds

1 1/4 Tablespoons channa dal

1/2 Tablespoon toor dal

1 teaspoon urad dal

1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)

3-4 dried red chili (adjust to taste)

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida

Method:

1. Roast the ingredients for masala with 1 teaspoon oil. Transfer to a plate. Allow to cool. Grind in blender, using water to a slightly coarse paste. Keep aside.

                                         

2. Place sweet potatoes and tamarind water in a saucepan. Add some more water to immerse the vegetables. Add turmeric powder and salt. Cover and cook on medium heat until vegetables are soft and tamarind smell is gone.

                                             

3. Gently stir in the ground masala paste. Check for salt and add if required. Add vellam if you are using. This enhances the taste.

                                                             

4. Simmer for a couple minutes. Remove from stove.

                                                             

5. Temper mustard seeds and 2 dried red chili in sesame oil and garnish kuzhambu. Serve hot over rice.