Instant Ragi-Oats Idli

Ragi or Finger millet is my favorite millet and I try to include it to my breakfast atleast twice a week. So while hunting for interesting Ragi recipes, I hit upon ragi dhokla in archanaskitchen.com and got inspired to try out this idli. A power packed breakfast to kick start your day!

INGREDIENTS:

• Ragi (finger millet) flour - 1 cup
• Rava (sooji/fine semolina) - 1 cup
• Quick cooking oats - 1 cup
• Salt - as needed
• Red chilli powder - 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
• Sour Yogurt - 1 cup **
• Eno fruit salt (regular) - 1 teaspoon or baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Oil - 1 tablespoon

For seasoning

• oil - 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves - a few
• Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon

**If you do not have sour curd, then you can squeeze a little lemon or add 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid

METHOD:

1. Mix ragi flour, rava and oats togther. Add in salt and red chilli powder
2. Add oil and yogurt to the dry mixture and mix well. Add water and bring to a thick batter consistency
3. Now add eno fruit salt to the batter and sprinkle water on it. When it starts to bubble, mix very gently and immediately pour in greased idli trays and steam for 10-12 minutes
4. Remove from heat, let it cool for 2 minutes and then demould the idlis
5. Heat oil and add the ingredients for seasoning. When the mustard seeds splutter, pour them over the idlis
6. Serve with any chutney of your choice

Sprouted Moong Dhokla

Off-late I have posted a lot of dessert recipes :) So now it is time for a healthy tea time snack - Sprouted moong dhokla. Loaded with the goodness of green gram sprouts and the flavorful coriander leaves. This recipe is inspired from Tarla Dalal site. The original recipe uses spinach and fenugreek leaves. I didn't have both at hand, so replaced with coriander leaves and loved the flavor! Try this simple, quick and healthy snack and enjoy it with you tea.

INGREDIENTS:

• Sprouted whole green gram - 1 cup *
• Green chilli - 2-3
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup, finely chopped **
• Besan - 2 teaspoons
• Curds - 2 tablespoons
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Salt - as needed
• Sugar - 1/4 teaspoon, optional
• Fruit salt - 1 teaspoon (I used regular eno fruit salt)

* If you do not have sprouts, soak whole green gram in water for 2-4 hours

** Coriander leaves can be replaced with spinach(palak) or fenugreek leaves (methi)

METHOD:

1. Grind the sprouts and green chillies into a smooth paste by adding little water
2. In a mixing bowl add the ground paste and all other ingredients except the fruit salt and mix very well
3. Finally add the fruit salt and sprinkle little water over it. When bubbles start appearing, mix the batter very gently and pour it immediately in a greased plate/thali dish/dhokla stand
4. Steam it for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool a little, cut into cubes and serve with green chutney or ketchup

Thinai Payasam | Foxtail millet Kheer

Recently, at home, we have started including a variety of millets in our daily cooking. Mom makes tasty and healthy dishes like upma, dosa, pongal etc with millets! So, as we gear up for the festive season of Navarathiri, I decided to try out something sweet with foxtail millet (Thinai in Tamil) and came across the recipe in Padhu's Kitchen. I have modified the quantities and proportion according to my preference. If you are looking for a healthy and tasty prasad (divine offering), for the festive occasion, then this is a perfect recipe for you!

INGREDIENTS:

• Foxtail millet/Thinai - 1 measure *
• Water - 4 measures
• Jaggery - 2 measures **
• Ghee - 1 tablespoon
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Raisins/Cashewnuts/Almonds - as needed for garnish
• Milk - as needed

* The proportion for Thinai : Water : Jaggery  is 1:4:3 , A quarter cup of Thinai will be perfect to serve 4 (In that case, you need to use 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of jaggery)

** The jaggery I used was sweet enough. So this quantity was perfect for me, you can increase it to 2.5 measures

METHOD:

1. Melt ghee in a pan and fry the cashewnuts, almonds and raisins (I did not add cashews)
2. Remove the nuts from the pan and in the same pan, roast the millet, till a nice aroma arises. You can add more ghee if you wish to
3. Pressure cook the roasted millet with 4 cups of water for 4 whistles
4. In the meanwhile, add a quarter cup of water to jaggery and heat it for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame and allow the jaggery to melt. Then strain the jaggery to remove any impurities
5. Mix the cooked millet, melted jaggery and cook on a medium flame. Allow it to boil well
6. Now add the fried nuts, cardamom powder and remove from heat
7. Add milk according to the consistency and sweetness that you require (I added about half a cup of milk)
8. Serve warm or chilled :)

Chocolate Oreo Pancakes - A celebration of 100 posts!

Extremely excited on posting the 100th post in My Cheerful Kitchen. I realised only last week, when I posted Onam Sadhya, that I have posted 99 recipes already! I wanted my 100th post to be special, yet simple, that I can be tried by all. So here goes my 100th post, for all chocoholics like me :) 

Recipe Source: chocolatecoveredkatie.com

INGREDIENTS:

For the pancake: (Makes 4 palm sized pancakes)

• White Vinegar - 1/2 teaspoon (can be substituted with lemon juice)
• Milk - 5 tablespoons
• Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
• Oil - 1 tablespoon (Vegetable or coconut oil)
• Maida - 1/4 cup
• Baking powder - 3/4 teaspoon
• Salt - 1/8 teaspoon
• Cocoa powder - 1 tablespoon
• Sugar - 2 tablespoon (can be increased or reduced according to your flavor. I used only 1 Tbsp and found it less sweeter. So next time I'd increase it to 2)

For the cream layer:

• Oreo cookies - 2-3 crushed (any cream/chocolate cookies can be used)
• Yogurt - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla extract - 1/2 teaspoon
• Sugar - 3 to 4 teaspoons (depends on your taste preference and sourness/sweetness of the yogurt)

METHOD:

1. Pour the yogurt in a muslin cloth and hang it, to allow the excess water to drain. In a hot and humid place like Chennai, the yogurt will sour if hung outside in a muslin cloth for long. So I usually pour it in a strainer, place the strainer over a vessel and keep it in the fridge
2. In a bowl, mix together vinegar(or lemon juice), milk, vanilla extract and oil. Stir well
3. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients - maida, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder and sugar. Mix well
4. Grease a non-stick pan with little oil and heat it on a medium flame
5. In the meanwhile, combine the wet and dry ingredients together, till they are just mixed (Do Not over mix)
6. Pour spoon full of batter on the pan, to form palm sized pancakes. Reduce the heat if it has become too hot. Once you start to see bubbles on the top, flip the pancake and cook it on the other side
7. Mix the hung yogurt, vanilla extract and sugar together. Add in the crushed cookies to the filling
8. On a serving plate, place one pancake, spread a layer of filling and stack another pancake on top and repeat the process. That's it! Simple, yummy, chocolatey pancake is ready to be hogged on to!!!! 

Ada Pradhaman

Ada Pradhaman is a traditional Kerala dessert, which is made out of ada (rice flakes) and coconut milk. It has a rich texture and tastes divine when served warm :)

I made ada pradhaman for Onam and all of us at home enjoed it!

Recipe Source: mariasmenu.com

Puli Inji

Puli Inji is a sweet and sour ginger pickle. It is one of the important appetizers in a Kerala menu.

Recipe Source: chitrasfoodbook.com

INGREDIENTS:

• Ginger - 1/4 cup ( peeled & finely chopped)
• Tamarind – Big gooseberry size (or 1/2 teaspoon of tamarind paste)
• Green chilli - 2 ( finely chopped)
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Grated jaggery - 2 tablespoons
• Salt & water - as needed
• Roasted & ground methi seeds powder - 1/4 teaspoon

To temper

• Coconut oil - 1 tablespoon
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon
• Red chilli - 1
• Curry leaves - a few

METHOD:

1. Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water.(I used half a teaspoon of tamarind paste and mixed it with water)
2. In a kadai,take the tamarind extract and add turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder and jaggery. Allow it to boil well for 5 minutes
3. In another kadai, heat coconut oil and temper mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, pinched red chillies, green chillies and finely chopped ginger. Saute well till ginger turns golden brown
4. Add this to the boiling tamarind mixture and add little water if required. Allow it to boil till the mixture thickens.Lastly add the methi seeds powder.Mix well & switch off the flame.Let it cool
5. Store in an air tight bottle and can be refrigerated 

Check out my Onam Sadhya inspired Kerala Lunch Menu

Cabbage Thoran

A Kerala style veggie!

Recipe source: chitrasfoodbook.com

INGREDIENTS:

• Cabbage - 1 cup (finely chopped)
• Big Onion –2 (finely chopped)
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon (optional)

To grind to a coarse paste

• Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
• Green chillies – 2
• Jeera (Cumin Seeds) – 1/4 teaspoon

To temper

• Coconut oil –2 tablespoon
• Mustard seeds –1 teaspoon
• Red chillies – 1
• Curry leaves - A few

METHOD:

1. Grind coconut , green chillies and jeera to a coarse paste without adding water.Set aside.
2. Chop the cabbage and onions . Mix together the finely chopped cabbage, onions, and salt
3. Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter, add pinched red chilli and curry leaves to it. Now add the ground mixture, veggies and saute for few minutes
4. Tastes best when served with hot rice and rasam!

Check out my Onam Sadhya inspired Kerala Lunch Menu

Olan

Olan is an important dish in the menu list of Onam Sadhya. It is surprisingly very easy to cook and also has a wonderful aroma :)

Recipe source: chitrasfoodbook.com

INGREDIENTS:

• Black-eyed beans /vanpayar / kaaramani – 1/4 cup (I used red kidney beans or rajma)
• Ash gourd or Yellow pumpkin -  2 cups, cut into cubes
• Green chilli – 3-4, slit lengthwise
• Water – as needed
• Thick coconut milk – 1/2 - 3/4 cup (adjust)
• Salt- as needed
• Curry leaves – few
• Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon

METHOD:

1. Soak the rajma overnight
2. Pressure cook the beans with 1 cup of water in low flame for three to five whistles. Drain the excess water & keep aside the cooked beans
3. Cook together pumpkin, green chilli, salt and 1.5 cups  of water, till the pumpkin becomes tender
4. Add the cooked beans to the ash gourd and mix well. Add coconut milk and curry leaves
5. Cook on low flame for 5-7 mins. Remove from the fire and drizzle some coconut oil
6. Serve hot with rice or roti

Check out my Onam Sadhya inspired Kerala Lunch Menu

Kerala Rasam

A unique flavorful Rasam from Kerala cuisine, that has a wonderful aroma and is absolutely delicious. 

Recipe source: chitrasfoodbook.com

INGREDIENTS:

• Cooked toor dal water – 1 cup
• Tamarind extract – 1 teaspoon
• Chilli powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Hing – 1/4 teaspoon
• Water – 1/4 cup
• Jeera – 1/4 teaspoon
• Methi seeds –1 / 4 teaspoon
• Tomato – 2
• Curry leaves – a few

To dry roast and powder

• Dhania – 1 teaspoon
• Pepper corns – 1 teaspoon

To Temper

• Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Pinched red chilly – 1 
• Coriander leaves – to garnish

METHOD:

1. In a kadai , dry roast dhania and pepper corns and grind them into a powder
2. Take the tamarind extract, chilli powder, 1 tomato (crushed), jeera, hing and methi seeds along with little water. Boil everything till it reduces to half
3. Then add the dal, remaining 1 tomato(finely chopped), ground powder and the required salt. Boil for few minutes
4. Remove and temper with mustard seeds and pinched red chillies
5. Garnish with coriander leaves
6. Serve hot with rice

Check out my Onam Sadhya inspired Kerala Lunch Menu

Kerala Parippu Curry

Kerala Parippu curry is an important part of the Onam Sadhya and is served with ghee and hot rice

Recipe Source: chitrasfoodbook.com

INGREDIENTS:

• Moong dal – 1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Red chilly – 1 no ( pinched )
• Water & salt –as needed

To grind

• Grated coconut – 2 tablespoon
• Jeera – 1/4 teaspoon
• Green chilli - 1

To temper

• Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
• Mustard seeds –1 /2 teaspoon
• Pinched red chilly – 1
• Curry leaves – a few

METHOD:

1.  Roast dal for a minute till raw smell emanates
2. Pressure cook the roasted dal with water , turmeric powder and a pinched red chilly
3. Grind the coconut, chilli and jeera with little water to make a paste/chutney
4.  Mix the ground paste to the cooked dal and boil till it thickens
5. Remove and temper with the above items
6. Serve with ghee and hot rice

Check out my Onam Sadhya inspired Kerala lunch menu

Mini Onam Sadhya

Wish you all a very Happy Onam!!!

The moment we think about Onam, it is the colorful pookolam, boat race and the grand feast - "Onam Sadhya" that comes to our mind!

I have not had the opportunity to taste a traditional Onam sadhya, but every time I see a picture of the Sadhya, I drool :) Today I've tried to make a mini Onam Sadhya and I referred to all the recipes from chithrasfoodbook.com

Please click on the below links for the recipes. I was not able to take individual pictures, I shall try to update the recipes with pictures, when I try them next.

• Ada Pradhaman
• Cabbage Thoran
• Olan
• Kerala Rasam
• Kerala Parippu Curry
• Puli Inji

Disclaimer: The cooking method used for each recipes may not be traditional. The above picture is just for representation and it is not the way how a traditianal sadhya is served.

2-minute Eggless vanilla cake

I had half an hour in hand, to meet my dearest friend who got married recently. I had to rush up as she was leaving to her in-law's place soon. But still I wanted to make something special for the newly wed couple. So I had to make something special, get ready and be at her home within half an hour. Is that possible?? Ofcourse it is, when you have a microwave at home! Whip up this spongy cake in just 2 minutes and surprise your dear ones. I inspired this recipe from my previous mug cake experiments!

INGREDIENTS:

• All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
• Baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Milk - 2 tablespoons
• Baking soda - 1/4 teaspoon
• Hot water - 1/4 cup
• Sugar - 1/3 to 1/2 cup (depending on how sweet you want your cake to be)
• Melted butter - 1/4 cup
• Vanilla extract - 1/2 teaspoon
• Strawberry emulsion - 1/4 teaspoon (optional)

METHOD:

1. Sieve the flour and baking powder. Keep aside
2. Mix milk and baking soda together. Keep aside
3. Mix hot water, sugar and butter together
4. Mix all the three mixtures together and add vanilla essence and strawberry emulsion(if adding)
5. Pour the batter into a greased glass bowl or any microwave safe baking dish (I used microwave safe silicon moulds. Isn't the butterfly cute? :) ). Make sure to pour only till half of the mould/dish that you are using, as this cake rises high and fluffs up
6. Microwave on high for 1 and a half to 2 minutes. Each microwave power varies. Mine took exactly 1.5 minutes. Keep an eye after 1 minute and switch off accordingly
7. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes and then demould
8. You can top it with powdered sugar/ nutella/chocolate sauce or any frosting of your choice
9. Enjoy it when it is warm!