Instant raagi oats idli

I recently came across this recipe on the net.The copy right of the recipe is with http://www.veginspirations.com/search/label/Idli%20varieties

I made one change - that was, in using eno fruit salt instead of baking soda.

The quantity of ingredients used yields 16 medium sized idlis.

Ingredients : 3/4 cup coarsely powdered oats,3/4 cup fine lapsi rava(roasted),1/2 cup raagi ( nachni ) flour,1 tsp eno fruit salt,2 cups dahi & salt to taste.

The dahi & the raagi-oats-rava mixture has to have 1:1 proportion -hence,2 cups dahi as this dry mixture will measure 2 cups.



Seasoning : 2 tbsp oil,1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp chana dal,1 tsp urad dal,1 sprig of coriander leaves ( cut finely or whole ),1-2 green chillies( optional )finely cut.

Method: Mix the coarsely powdered oats ,lapsi rava & raagi flour.Add 2 cups dahi & mix thoroughly.Now add salt & eno fruit salt & mix vigorously.Add water if there is need.The mixture must be of idli batter consistency.

Take the 2 tbsp oil in a pan & heat it. Now add mustard seeds.After they splutter add chana dal followed by urad dal.After the dals have changed color slightly,put off gas.Add coriander & green chillies.Add this seasoning to the idli mixture prepared.


Now grease the idli moulds & pour the idli mixture into the moulds.Steam the idlis for 8-10 minutes. Your idlis are ready to be savoured !

This recipe is excellent for diabetics as it has no rice & has raagi & oats.Raagi is a good souce of calcium & oats help in controlling cholestrol.

Aloo ki tikki

I tried this dish as I felt,this will be definately eaten by my daughter who loves aloo parathas & all ki sabzi.The recipe I followed is from Sanjeev Kapoor's khana khazana on the net.But I used hari mirchi instead of lal mirch powder.I also added a thin slice of bread to the mashed potatoes.Bread is not an ingredient in Sanjeev Kapoor's recipe.

Ingredients : 3/4 medium potatoes,1-2 bread slices( brown /white ),1 hari mirch,1/4 inch ginger,a few sprigs of fresh coriander ( washed ),1tsp garam masala,2 tbsp oil,1/4 piece lemon,1/4 tsp haldi,1/4 tsp hing & salt to taste.

Method : Boil potatoes nicely .Peel them & mash them so that no lumps remain.Make a paste of the green chilly & ginger.Add this to the mashed potato.Add the bread slices to the mashed potato.Agin mix thoroughly.One option is to wet the bread slices & squeeze the water & then add it to the potato.I added only a thin slice & so I added it just like that without wetting it.Now add haldi,hing,garamm masala , finely cut fresh coriander ,lemom juice of the lemon piece & salt & mix the whole mixture again. Take a little oil on the palms & a small amount of the potato mixture & press it to get a small flat round shape.Repeat with the rest of the mixture.Take a tawa & put the flat round aloo tikkis on the tawa & put a little oil on each of them.Shallow fry on the tawa.Turn the tikkis upside down & shallow fry again.Serve the aloo tikkis with green chutney or tomato sauce.

Moolangi kosambri

This is a dish which my mother makes whenever she gets fresh raddish.My neighbour gave me some fresh raddishes grown in her garden.As she has never tasted raddish salad,I thought ,why not make it & get her to taste it ?

Ingredients: 2/3 fresh raddishes ( the radishes I used were 4 as they were very small ones ).1 tbsp oil,1/4 tsp urad dal,1/4 tsp jeera,1/4tsp mustard seeds, 1 Byadgi lal mirchi,a pinch of hing,1/4 tsp haldi,1/4 lemon,salt to taste & 1 tbsp fresh dessicated coconut ( optional )

Method:Cut the leaves of the raddishes.Wash the leaves to free them from mud & dirt by soaking the leaves in a bowl of water.Similarly wash the raddishes as well.Now cut the leaves finely -you can cut away the stems also or you may discard them.Now grate the raddishes.Take a bowl & put the chopped leaves & grated raddishes in that.Prepare vagar by spluttering mustard seeds & jeera ,byadgi lal mirch,urad dal,hing & haldi.Pour this vagar on the veggies.Now squeeze the lemon.Add salt & mix all the ingredients.Garnish with fresh coconut.

This is a great accompaniment to any paratha & also any rice dish like pulao,biryani or fried rice.

Healthy Noodles

I make my instant noodles in a healthy manner.

Ingredients : A carrot,some peas,1/4 cup sprouted moong,a tomato,a few leaves of fresh coriander,a packet of instant noodles inclusive of their masala packet.

Method : Grate the carrot,cut the tomato finely & take out the peas from the pods.Now boil the water ( take 2 cups instead of 11/2 cups as stated on the noodle packet).More water is needed as we are going to cook the sprouted moong,carrots & peas as well.After the water starts boiling add the sprouted moong,peas ,grated carrot & the instant noodles.Let all this cook for 5 minutes.Then add the diced tomato .Now add the noodle masala.Mix all.Put off the gas after two minutes.Now you can garnish the dish with fresh coriander.

This is healthy as no oil has been used.Only veggies like carrot,tomato , peas & coriander have been added thereby increasing the fibre content & also the quantity.Sprouted moong is an excellent additive.

Tips : One can add more water if you like a curry type consistency.You may also add some pepper & little grated ginger to enhance the taste.Even a squeeze of lemon will make it more tangy.Remember that carrots & tomato will turn the dish little bland.So ,you may need more spice ( any leftover sipces from other ready to cook packets will do fine ) or you can add any masala powder available with you.Some of you may feel the need to add salt but preferably eat without adding salt as you might as well get used to less salt.

Ripe Mango Curry

This dish was taught to me by  my colleague at work.She is from Kerela & so this is from that State.

I have always made this with Badam aam.One can use any mango which has a predominantly sour taste.

Ingredients : 1 badam aam,1/4 cup dahi -beaten up ,1/24 cup fresh grated coconut,3-4 red chillies ( Byadgi variety ),1 tsp jeera,1/24 tsp haldi,1/4tsp hing ( powder form ) ,salt to taste.Kadi pattas are optional.

Method : Cut the badam aam into big pieces ( more than 1 inch) & put it in a flat pan with water  enough to  just drown the mango pieces.Put on the gas. Now add haldi,hing & salt.

Take the coconut, lal mirchi & jeera & make a paste in the grinder.Within 5 minutes of cooking the mango ,it would have turned tender.Now add the ground paste to the pan. & mix the paste with the cooked mango pieces.Cook for another two minutes .Put off the gas.

After the pan has cooled to room temperature add the beaten curds to it & mix thoroughly.Delicious ripe mango curry is ready.It has three tastes-sweet,sour & teekha.

I add kadipatta whilst grinding the coconut paste as kadipattas are good for blood hemoglobin. The ghutli of the aam can be also added to the pan at the initial stage itself or it can be separately consumed as per one's wish.Byadgi is a place in Karnataka which produces the famous Byadgi mirchi.They are not hot at all but they have a unique taste.

Khatti namkeen lauki

This is my own creation -I had this large doodhi full of seeds.I deseeded it & proceeded ahead.

Ingredients : A doodhi ( skinned & deseeded) ,1 medium carrot,1 capsicum,1 medium onion,1 medium potato,1 medium tomato,1 green chilly,a few kadipattas,1 tbsp pav bhaji masala,1 tbsp oil,1/2 tsp haldi,  1/2 tsp hing & salt to taste.All veggies are diced into 1 inch pieces.

Method : I took a kadhai put on the gas. Now,pour  the oil in it.Then I added the onion, kadipattas & green mirchi & sauted it.I added haldi & hing.Then I  added the carrots,the potato ,the capsicum & finally the tomato.Then I added salt & mixed it all.Now,I added 1/2 teacup of water to the kadhai &  mixed it.I poured all this mixture into a vessel which will fit inside a cooker .I then kept the cooker vessel in cooker & pressure cooked it till I heard 1 whistle.I put off the gas.The delicious sabzi was ready.

Tip : I used potato with skin as all vitamins are there on surface but if the skin is muddy ,it is better to remove it if it sticks in spite of  repeated rinsing.I added pav bhaji masala on instinct.You can even try garam masala,if you feel that will be better.

Date cake - eggless

Ingredients : 1 Cup maida,1 cup deseeded dates,1 cup milk,4 teaspoons ghee,1/2 cup sugar,1/2 tsp eating soda.

Method :Soak the dates in milk for 1 hr or till they become soft.Mix them together in a mixer .Add maida & again mix all -milk,dates , maida & ghee.You  can add dry fruit pieces (optional ).Take an aluminium vessel Grease it on the inside & powder the inside with little maida.Now pour the cake mixture into it.Add soda & mix .

Put the aluminum dish containing the cake mixture in a rice cooker - without the rubber ring & whistle. Put the gas on & cover with cooker lid.Keep gas on high for 5 minutes & then keep it on low  .In 15 minutes,you  will get the aroma of  baked cake. Just put off the gas.Take out the vessel & allow it to cool. You  can check by inserting a knife in the cake. If the knife comes clean,the cake is ready.

A TIP : You  can add less sugar as dates have a deep sugary taste.

In case ,making the cake in microwave oven,please microwave on high for  7-8  minutes.Keep the cake in the microwave after the baking is over till it cools down -about 10 minutes. Then put a knife in the cake.If it comes out clean ,the cake is done.Now,put it upside down on a plate.Cut it with  a knife into squares.

Remember no water in the cooker - .preferably an aluminum cooker.