Thursday, August 18, 2011

Onion Thotakura Dosa (Amaranth Dosa)


This is a one pot meal dosa as it doesnt need any side dish, it contains some veggies like thotakura also known as amaranth which makes it filling.In place of amaranth leaves you can use cabbage,spinach etc.
I learnt this recipe from one of my kannada neighbours. She called it sambar dosa which surprised me.Then I asked her why she called it sambar dosa she said all the ingredients we use in sambar is used here.It has a tangy spicy flavor.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup rice
  • 1/4 cup grated coconut
  • 4 red chilli
  • 1 tsp cummin seeds
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions
  • 1 cup chopped thotakura ( amaranth )
  • 1/2 tsp jaggery
  • lemon size tamarind
  • 1/2 tsp oil for each dosa
  • salt to taste

( Click all images for enlarged view )

Procedure
Soak rice for 4 hrs. Drain the water. In a mixe jar/blender add all the above ingredients except onions and green leaves. Make a smooth batter and keep aside
Take 1 tsp oil in fry pan and add chopped onions and fry till translucent and keep aside.
In another bowl boil 2 cups water and add this hot water, fried onion, chopped veggies to the above prepared batter and mix nicely. Check the consistentcy it should be like rawa dosa batter.
Now heat a pan and pour one cup in a circle starting from the edge of the pan and it should move inwards till the center.
Note: Adding hot water makes the dosa smooth, in place. You can use chopped cabbage, chopped spinach instead of amaranth

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Half and Half Bread

From long time I wanted to try a whole wheat bread but suddenly I came across a very interesting book.I tried my hand on half and half bread and the result came out awesome.

This recipe is adopted from "Homebaked" by George and Celilia Scurfield. This recipe will give you two small 2 loaves. The half and half bread is little grainy in texture and tasted very good after toasting it.

Ingredients
  • 350 gms maida (all purpose flour)
  • 250 gms atta (wheat flour)
  • 8 gms dry active yeast
  • 25 gms margarine/butter at room temp
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 350 ml warm water
( Click images for enlarged view )
Baking Procedure

Stage 1 - Making the dough
Take a large bowl add sugar,salt, butter and yeast and mix nicely.Then add warm water and let it sit for 10 min. After 10 min add the all purpose flour 1 cup at a time and knead for approximately 5 min or until the dough becomes smooth.Keep the dough aside.

Stage 2 - Resting the dough for baking
Coat the bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil,then place this dough in it and roll it. Cover this bowl with a damp cloth or a cling wrap and let it sit for 1 hr.

Stage 3 - Baking
The dough size will double after 1 hr, knead it again nicely and divide it into two parts and shape each portion to a bread loaf and put it is a well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans and let it sit for another 45 min. It will rise to the edge of the pan.

Preheat the microwave at 210 C in convection mode and bake the loaf for 35 min.

Your bread is ready. Slice and toast and serve with your choice of spread.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Crispy Juicy Jalebi


Hi friends I have been not very consistent in my posts due to some unavoidable reasons. Last month it was my hubbys birthday and I had asked him what special he wanted me to prepare and he instantly replied Jalebi. This is my third attempt and I had failed twice so this time I did more research on the net and got the perfection I wanted. It was a wonderful experience .

Jalebi has been always one of my favorite sweets,its crunchy outer crust and soft sweet inner juicy feel makes it divine. In punjab warm jalebis are eaten with a topping of curd and in west bengal it is eaten as a breakfast dessert. I never miss a jalebi treat when we go out to any punjabi dhaba.

Courtesy of the recipe goes to vahrehvah chef.

Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup maida (all purpose flour)
  • 1/4 cup corn flour
  • 2 drops orange food color
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup curd
  • 1 tbsp hot oil
Mix all the above ingredients without lumps in a deep bottom bowl, then add one hot tbsp of oil and mix again.cover it and let it sit in a warm place and ferment for 24 hours.

I kept it for 20hr and it was well fermented.Mix the batter nicely with spatula or hand and It should have a continous consistency,check if not add some maida or water to get the required consistency.

To make suger syrup ,take one cup sugar in a seperate bowl and heat with little water ,the sugar should dissolve and form a sugar syrup with one string consistency

Heat oil to a temperature between low to medium heat to fry the jalebis

( Click all images for enlarged view)

Take a zip lock bag and make a small hole at the bottom centre of it ,pour the batter into it ,slowly squeeze the batter and give a shape of swirl direct in the frying pan .

Swirl the batter into the oil and fry till light golden brown.

Remove the jalebi and dip in the syrup for 20 sec and remove it immediately

Note: While making these jilebi the batter should be flowy and consistent and the oil temperature should not be too hot. At the perfect temperature the jalebi whould rise from the bottom of pan slowly.

Watch the video on youtube

I am sending this recipe to a wonderful event "Bookmarked Recipes" hosted by Priya and Aipi