Doodhi Muthiya

 Muthiya is a popular Gujrathi snack. It is a healthy snack that is made with a dough of different flours, like chickpea flour, wheat flour, cream of wheat, millet flours. We can add vegetables like bottle squash, carrot, zucchini, cabbage or greens to make it healthier. Today I made the Muthiya with grated bottle squash (doodhi / lauki). 

Ingredients:

2 cups grated doodhi

1/2 cup chickpea flour ( besan)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup cream of wheat (sooji)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon sugar

salt to taste

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or ginger paste

3-4 green chili, chopped

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon oil

For Tempering:

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Method:

1. Squeeze as much water as possible out of the grated doodhi. Set aside.

                              

2. In a large bowl, mix wheat flour, besan, cream of wheat, turmeric, asafoetida, baking soda, salt, sugar, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds. Add cilantro, doodhi(as required) lemon juice. 

                               

3. Knead this into a soft dough. Sprinkle little water if needed. The moisture in doodhi would be enough.

                                                    

4. Rub oil in your palms. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into cylindrical roll, 5 inch length and 1 inch diameter. 

                               

5. Prepare steamer, spray a steaming basket with holes with oil. Place the basket in a container with water. Or place the dough rolls in a bamboo steamer. 

                               

6. Steam for 15 minutes. Remove from the steamer. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Slice them into 1/2 inch slices.

                              

7. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium pan. Add mustard seeds and sesame seeds. When they splutter, add cooked Muthiya and gently toss to coat. Serve with green chutney.

                                                     

Notes:

Steaming the dough rolls makes it easier to slice muthiyas

Aappam

 Aappam is a wonderful fermented rice pancake with thin crispy edge and a spongy center. It is a popular breakfast dish in Tamil Nadu. In Kerala it is known as pal appam. It is usually served with potato stew or  coconut milk sweetened with sugar or brown sugar. I remember waiting with my siblings at the table for hot aappams, while mom patiently made them for us. I love to eat them with sweetened coconut milk. Aappam is made in a special shallow pan called appe pan.

                                                        

Ingredients:

1 Cup raw rice(short grain)

1 Cup Idly rice

1/8 Cup urad dal

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)

1/4 Cup fresh grated coconut

2 teaspoon salt

1/4 Cup coconut milk

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 pinch baking soda

1 Cup coconut milk

3-4 Tablespoons brown sugar 

Method:

1. Soak rice, urad dal, and methi together for 5-6 hours.

                                                       

2. Drain water. Add coconut and grind to a smooth runny batter. 

                                 

3. Remove batter in a large bowl. Add salt, mix well and allow to ferment for 7-8 hours. You would see bubbles in the fermented batter. Stir sugar into 1/4 cup of coconut milk. Add pinch of baking soda. and mix well in the batter. Add more water as required to make a thin runny batter. Your batter is now ready to make aappam.

                                 

     

Making Aappam:

1. Place the appe pan on the stove, set on medium heat. 

2. Remove the lid. Pour 1/4 cup ladle of batter in the center of the pan.

                                                       

3. Holt the pan by the handles, lift over the stove and gently swirl the batter around to make thin layer on the top and a bumpy layer in the middle. Place the pan back on the stove. Lower the heat, cover the pan with the lid and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the edges are crispy and brown and the center is cooked and spongy.

 

4. Lower the heat, cover the pan with the lid and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the edges are crispy and brown and the center is cooked and spongy.

                                               

5. Repeat process with remaining batter. Serve warm with potato stew  and sweetened coconut milk.

                                                

Sweet coconut milk:

Mix 1 cup coconut milk ( from the can ). Add 1 cup of water to it. Dissolve 3-4 Tablespoons brown sugar or white sugar. 

Notes:

If you are in a place with warm climate, add salt to the batter before fermenting. Keep in a warm place to aid fermentation.

If you are in a place with cold climate, add salt after fermenting. Pre-heat oven, turn the oven off, place the batter in the oven and turn the pilot light on for fermentation.

Thiruvathirai 7 vegetable Kootu (stew)

 Thiruvathirai is a festival celebrated on the full moon night of Margazhi ( Tamil month) during December-January in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is believed to be the day Parvathi met and united with Lord Shiva after her long penance. What I remember he most about this festival is my mom making a sweet dish called Thiruvathirai Kali and a savory stew(Kootu) made with 7 or more vegetables. 

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup dry toor dal 

1-2 Tablespoon tamarind pulp

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 small potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1/2 plantain, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1/8 Cup cubed pumpkin (Parangikai)

1/8 Cup cubed winter melon ( poosanikai)

5-6 green beans, cut in thirds

5-6 Indian broad beans ( avarakkai), cut in thirds

5-6 cluster beans (kothavarangai), cut in thirds

1/8 Cup green peas

1/8 Cup farm beans (mochai)

1-2 green chili, slit

5-6 fresh curry leaves

salt to taste

Spice to be ground to powder

1 teaspoon channa dal

1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon urad dal

5-6 peppercorn

5 dried red chili

2 Tablespoons fresh coconut

1 teaspoon oil

For tempering

2 teaspoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon urad dal

4-5 curry leaves

Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dal for 4 whistles. Allow to cool.

2. Mix tamarind pulp in 1/2 cup water.

3. Roast spices in 1 teaspoon oil. Add coconut in the end. Allow to cool and blend to a powder. Keep aside.

4. Place the vegetables and green chili in a large pot. Fill water to cover the vegetables. Place the pot on the stove. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook vegetables until soft, 10-15 minutes.

5. Mash cooled toor dal. Stir into the vegetables. Add 2-3 tablespoons ground spice. Add tamarind water. Check for salt and add as needed. Simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Temper mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves in coconut oil and pour it over the kootu.

                                                             

7. Serve warm with Thiruvathirai Kali

                                                   

Somasi (Gujiya)

Somasi is a popular sweet made for Diwali in India. They are deep fried crescent shaped dishes filled with sweet filling. This sweet is known by different names through out the country. Somasi (Tamil Nadu), Karanji (Maharashtra), Ghughra (Gujarat), Gujiya (North India), Karjikai (Karnataka), Kajjikayalu (Andhra). The sweet fillings vary depending on where you are in India. It could be a filling of khoya, sugar and dry fruits (in the north) or dahlia, sugar, cream of wheat, and coconut (in the south). Somasi is similar to empanadas. My friend gave me some of the filling after Diwali, and I made Somasi for the first time. I fried one batch in oil and used air fryer for the rest. The air fryer somasi were very crispy and stayed crispy even after a couple days. 

Ingredients

For the outer covering

1 Cup all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon corn flour

1 Tablespoon melted ghee

1 pinch salt

For the Filling

1/2 Cup desiccated coconut, toasted in pan

1/2 Cup crumbled mawa (khoya) 

2 Tablespoons golden raisins

2 Tablespoons slivered almonds

2 Tablespoons chopped cashew nuts

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method

1. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center, add ghee. Combine gently using fingers. Adding water as needed, knead to a firm smooth dough. Cover the dough and set aside for 20 minutes.

                                       

2. Combine the ingredients for filling in a medium bowl. Keep aside.

3. Divide dough into 12 portions. Keep them in the bowl, covered with a damp towel.

                                                               

4. Roll out a portion of the dough into a 3 inch disc. Place the disc on a Somasi mould. Place a Tablespoon of the filling on one side. Wet the edges with water. Close the Somasi mould to seal. Open the mold to remove the somasi. Place on a tray and cover with damp towel. Repeat the process with remaining dough.

   

                                   

5. Heat ghee in a deep pan and fry 3 somasi at a time, on medium heat till  they are crispy and golden brown. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel.

                                                               

Air Fryer version

Spray the prepared somasi with oil. Place them in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, turning over in between.

                                                                   

Notes

Making somasi without the mold.

Roll the dough to a 3 inch disc. Place the filling in the center of the disc. Fold it over to make a semi circle. Seal the edges with a little water. Crimp the edges with a fork or twist the sides to form pleats. Fry them in ghee or cook in air fryer.

Salsa Verde

Salsa Verde is  green salsa, made with tomatillos, garlic, onion and jalapeno.

Ingredients

1 pound tomatillos ( about 10)

1/2 cup chopped white onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 or 2 jalapeno  peppers, stemmed and seeded

salt to taste

Method

1. Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse well. Cut the tomatillos in half and place the tomatillos cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet.

                                                 

 

                                                     

2. Broil the tomatillos in the oven until the skin browns. 

                                                           

3. Allow the vegetables to cool. Place vegetables in a blender along with cilantro. Add salt, and lemon juice.  Blend to make salsa. Salsa should not be too  thin.

                                      

Arancini ( Fried Rice Balls)

 Arancini or fried risotto ball is a favorite Sicilian street food. It is made with risotto, that is rolled into a ball, stuffed, breaded and gently deep fried. It is crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. I first tasted arancini in Rome last spring. I got the recipe from my co-worker for and made it to bring to my friend's annual holiday party. 

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Cup finely diced yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 1/2 Cups Arborio rice 

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves

3 Cups vegetable stock

2 teaspoons tomato paste

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 Cup grated parmesan cheese

For the Stuffing:

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, and chilled

For the Coating:

1/2 Cup all- purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 eggs

2 Cups plain panko breadcrumbs

2 Cups vegetable oil, for frying

Method:

1. Place a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once the oil shimmers add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

                                                           

2. Add rice to the saucepan and stir until semi-translucent, about 1 minute.                                                        

3. Add salt, ground pepper, parsley, stock, tomato paste, and butter. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Let simmer until rice is tender and the broth is absorbed, 20-25 minutes.

                                

4. While the rice is cooking, place 3 bowls on the counter. Stir together the flour, salt, and pepper in one bowl. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the breadcrumbs in the third bowl. Line 2 shallow baking sheets with parchment paper.

                                                      

5. When the rice is tender and the broth is fully absorbed, turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan. Carefully spread the rice onto a prepared baking sheet and let it cool for 10 minutes.

                                 

6. When the rice is cool enough to handle, form into 18 1-inch balls with wet hands, so rice does not stick to your hands. Once the balls are formed, insert a cube of cheese into the center and press the rice around it so the cheese is completely encased.

                                  

7. Carefully dredge each ball in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Repeat until all the balls are completed and place each completed ball on the other parchment lined baking sheet

                                  

8. In an 8- inch saucepan, heat 2 cups of oil until the oil forms small bubbles, but is not smoking. Fry 6 balls at a time turning gently until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Place completed arancini on a paper towel lined plate.

         

9. let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with warm marinara sauce.

                     

Notes

- Do not touch the lid of the saucepan while the rice is cooking. Leave for 20-25 minutes until the rice is cooked.

- You can use egg substitute if you do not eat eggs. I used energy egg.

-  Wet your hands before forming the rice balls, so it does not stick to your hands.