WAIT IS OVER...

I'm leaving tonight to......INDIA. I will be visiting Mangalore, Bangalore, Chikmagalur, Mysore, & many other places in between. I'm all excited.I may not visit this space or other blogs for a month(sob sob). But will definitely come back with a bang. Until then.., bye bye.., take care, eat & serve good food. Also, miss me please;)

Rave rotti(Semolina Roti)

This dish is requested by a reader of mine & she wanted me to publish it as early as possible. So.., here it goes for you & also to others who want to give it a try.


Ingredients:

Chiroti rava or small rava/semolina: 3.5 cups
Akki hittu/Rice flour: 1/2 cup
Anna/Cooked rice: A fistful/ondu hidi (optional, makes the rotti soft)
Carrot: 1/2 cup grated

Erulli/Onion: 1 medium sized (finely chopped, optional but recommended as this would give a crunchy effect to the dish)

Curry leaves: as much as you want (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves: a fistful (finely chopped)
Grated coconut: 3-4 tbsp
Salt: According to taste
Jeera/Jeerige/Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Mosaru/Curd/Yogurt: 1/2 cup (shouldn't be very sour)
Grated cucumber: 1/2 cup (this gives a totally different flavor to the rotti, but if you don't like you can discard it too)
Finely chopped green chillies: As much as you want (I normally do not add this, as my family likes it less or rather no spicy)

Oil: 1 tbsp for each rotti

Water: Roughly around 1 cup (use cucumber water as much as possible)

Method:

• Blend the cooked rice to make a smooth paste.
  
• Mix all the above ingredients mentioned. Make a dough similar to rice rotti dough.
• Pat it on the tava or a banana leaf, cook on both sides & serve with coconut chutney.

Notes:

1. If you want the rotti to be soft, decrease the rawa & increase the rice flour.
2. Do not pat the rotti very thin, keep it medium like parathas.
3. Add the oil generously as it helps in roasting the rotti better.
4. Feel free to add leafy vegetables like methi, dill to this rotti for different flavors & nutrients.

Spanish Rice: My version

I am one of those nuts who watch all cookery shows without a book & pen in hand. I just enjoy watching the show. Sometimes, few dishes attract me soo much that I start memorizing the ingredients & prepare it on the same day or the very next day. I note the ingredients in a small chit & prepare it.. One can see soo many such chits floating in my home; hubby keeps wondering as to what those chits are for!!

Spanish rice is one such dish I saw in Zee Kannada Channel. I found it to be a very simple dish. It was prepared the very next day at my home & since then this recipe is treasured in my list. Cook it & relish it to believe me. It is very tasty & filling.

Ingredients:

Long grain rice: 3 cups (I used basmati)

Water : 6 cups
Onion: 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Capsicum: 1/2 to 3/4th cup ( chopped into 1 inch cubes)
Tomato paste: 1 tbsp
Garlic: 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Red chilli: 8-10 (adjust according to your needs)
Cheddar cheese: 3tbsp (grated)
Butter: 1 tbsp
Cilantro: 2tbsp (finely chopped)
Lemon juice: 1 tsp (optional)

Parmesan Cheese: a big pinch (for garnishing, optional)

Method:

1. Wash the rice 2-3 times in running water & cook it by adding 6 cups of water. Allow it to cool.
2. After the rice is warm, spread the rice & let it cool completely.
3. Meantime, make a fine paste of red chillies & garlic. Add a tbsp of water if required while grinding.
4. Heat the butter in a broad pan, when butter is hot, add onions & saute till turn soft (need not wait for it to turn golden brown). Add capsicum & cook it on a medium-high heat for 2 mins.
5. Add the chilli-garlic paste, tomato paste & saute for a minute.
6. Add the cooked rice, salt, cheese, mix well & cook till the cheese melts.
7. Add lemon juice, mix & garnish it with cilantro
8. Serve it hot/warm with wafers or papad

Awards:

Asha of "Asra Ashaon Ka"has showered me with a lot of awards. Thanks a lot Asha. It means a lot. Here is a quick peek into the awards.I'll put them soon in my sidebar too.

Masale Uppittu (Masala Upma)

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ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು.
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Me: What shall I cook for dinner tonight?
Hubby: Give me the options, I'll choose one.
Me: As it is already late, I'm planning to do something quick. So, I was thinking of.., gojjuavalakki, rave dose, uppittu or chitranna.
Hubby: It is really long that we had upma/uppittu, so.., how about upma?
Me: (trying to say no...)hmmmm.. it was prepared 2 days before.., why again?
Hubby: (trying to hide his anger....)when you have decided what you are going to cook, why do you ask me? Cook whatever you want.

I get inside the kitchen, ask my maid to chop the vegetables & the process starts. When I prepare the tempering & pour water over it, my son comes screaming inside.., uppittu uppittu(upma, upma). That 3 year naughty fellow can differentiate the dish from the aroma itself. He jumps with joy for upma. I feel, his liking for upma is in his genes. Almost everyone in my extended family loves it.

This dish is a slight variation from the normal upma, but tastes so different & great. This upma is different because of the spice powder added to it.

Ingredients: (Serves 2-3)

Normal rava/semolina: 3 cups
Vegetables of your choice: 1 cup chopped (I normally add carrots, french beans, peas, potato)
Tomato: 2 medium sized
Onion: 1 no(optional)
Green chilli: 2 nos
Water: 6 cups
Ghee/Clarified butter: 1 tsp
Oil: 2-3 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Urad dal: 2 tsp
Channa dal: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: a big pinch
Rasam powder: 1.5 tsp (MTR rasam powder would taste great too)
Curry leaves: 1 string
Grated coconut: 3 tbsp
Salt: According to taste
Sugar: 1 tbsp (adjust according to your needs)
Lemon juice: 1 to 1.5 tbsp (adjust according to your family needs)
Coriander leaves: 3 tbsp (finely chopped)


Method:

1. Heat ghee in a wok & when ghee is warm, add semolina to it. Roast the semolina on a low/medium heat for 5-8 minutes or until the semolina turned golden & aroma fills the house. Keep the semolina aside.
2. Cook the mixed vegetables in a cup of water until soft & yet crunchy.
3. Meantime, boil the water.
4. Heat oil in a broad pan & start the tempering process. Start with mustard, followed by cumin, urad dal, channa dal & fry till dals turns golden brown. Throw in the green chilli, curry leaves, onion & saute until onions turn translucent. Add tomato & cook for a minute or two. Add the cooked vegetables & saute it again.Add the rasam powder, turmeric & mix them.
5. Pour in the boiling or hot water to the pan.
6. Add salt, sugar & allow the water to boil again. When water starts bubbling, reduce the heat.
7. Now carefully, add the semolina to the boiling water. Keep stirring to ensure no lumps are formed. (Keep the semolina in a big plate. Take the plate in one of your hands, carefully start dropping the semolina to the boiling water & keep stirring the water using the other hand). Close the lid & reduce the heat. Let the semolina get cooked for 1 to 2 mins.
8. Open the lid & mix well.
9. Add the lemon juice, coriander leaves & coconut. Mix again & serve it hot.