Roti Jala Mould
Friends do try making this delicious lacy pancake - its Roti Jala - Roti means bread and Jala means net - coz of its lacy design it also looks like a fishing net too. Normally ppl over here enjoy it with chicken/mutton/beef curries, sambal or even sambar.
But I was thinking whether these moulds are available at your ends? The only alternative is to trying making a roti jala mould yourself :-
1. Firstly get an empty condensed milk tin or any small tins that's available.
2. .Makes holes at the bottom of the tin using a 1/2cm nail. (Do not use bigger nails coz batter simply flows without control and you cannot get that lacy design)
3. Make about 3 to 5 holes - if 3 holes make it in a triangle shape but if its 5 holes follow Kavi's mould pattern.
4. Wash the tins clean and dry it.
5. To test if the batter flows well thru this holes - pour a ladleful into the tin and try making a lacy pattern.
6. Hold the tin close to the dosa kal and move in a circular motion as instructed by Kavi.
Edited by Sue Nair - 16 years ago
SPICY CHANNA DAL
Ingredients:
2 cups channa dal soaked over night
tsp tumeric powder
cup grated coconut roasted to a light brown colour
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp chillie powder
To season and garnish:
1 tbs oil
tsp mustard seeds
2 dried chillies cut into pieces
tsp asafetida powder ( optional )
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tbs finely cut coriander leaves.
Method:
Boil the channa dal, with tumeric powder, till the dal is tender.
In a blender grind the roasted coconut, chillie powder
And coriander powder to a thick smooth paste.
When the paste is stirred in the curry, it should be fairly thick.
So if there is excess water in the boiled dal, drain some of it.
Add the ground paste and salt to the boiled dal.
Simmer for about six to eight minutes.
Heat oil in a saucepan, add the mustard seeds, dry chillies
Asafetida, and curry leaves. Stir for a moment.
Pour it over the cooked dal curry. Garnish with chopped
Coriander leaves. Goes well with chappatis.
PUMKIN ERISSERI
Ingredients:
2 cups pumkin cut into 1 inch cubes
cup moong dal
tsp tumeric powder
tsp chillie powder
1 green chillie slit and cut across
salt to taste
To season and garnish:
tsp cumin seeds
1 tbs oil
tsp mustard seeds
1 dried chillie cut into pieces
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tbs grated coconut, toasted until light brown
Method:
Dry roast the dal until golden colour.
Wash and add I cup of water. Green chillies
Chillie powder, tumeric powder and cook
Until it can be mashed well.
Add another cup of water and add the pumkin cubes
And cook until they are fork tender.
In a saucepan heat oil, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds
Curry leaves, and dry chillies.
After a second pour the tempering on the cooked pumkin.
Now add the toasted coconut to the cooked pumkin.
Stir gently. Remove and set aside for 10 minutes
Before serving.
I wanted to share a very simple yet tasty recipe with mushroom. I'm a vegetarian and eating mushroom was a big NO when I was in India. But after I came to the US, I tried it in the kitchen of a Malayalee friend, after a lot of hesitation. It had a knock out taste and I got hooked to it. After I saw that it's pretty much cultivated like any vegetation, I was even more clear on the concept. But still, I can't get my Mom to eat it, but that's a different story 😃
Mushroom Fry
What do you need
- An 8 or 10 oz box of FRESH button/ Portabella mushroom
(OR any quantity of any kind of mushroom, you prefer)
- 3 Dried red chillies (more if you want extra hot)
- 1/2 inch ginger, 2 pods of garlic cut into small pieces.
- little asafoetida
- salt to taste
- a few tspns of oil
* I use Olive oil for all of my cooking.
I usually cut about half an inch from the stem of the mushroom and discard it, when using whole mushroom. I would then slice the mushroom tops and remaining stem for this recipe. If you have sliced mushroom in the box, then just follow these steps below.
* Wash mushroom in running water.
* Try to squeeze out as much water as you can.
How do you make it
First, break red chillies in half and fry them in few tspns of hot oil.
Add to it quickly - asafoetida, ginger and garlic and fry a little.
** Add cut up onion too if you like extra flavour and fry a little more.
Add the sliced musroom and fry till oil is coated evenly. Keep frying every once in a while. It cooks rather quickly, if you cover it with a lid and cook in its own water and steam.
You can add desired salt in between the process.
If you are using the portions I've mentioned, it should be done cooking in about 10 minutes.
IMPORTANT Tips that I learnt when cooking this:
- Do not add any water to the mushroom, as it lets out water when being cooked. If there's excess water in this dish after it's cooked, keep the stove in high heat and let the water evaporate from this dish.
- Try to add a little salt at a time and then keep checking for taste till you think it's enough. That's because it kind of fools you - For beginners with mushroom, when you put the mushroom in the pan it looks like a lot and within minutes it shrinks to about 1/10th quantity. That's why, add only a little salt.
** For extra flavour, I some times add about half a medium sized onion cut into small pieces along with ginger and garlic and saute for a bit. And then add the sliced mushroom to this.
It's quite tasty and I usually love to eat it with Rasam sadham.
Edited by jenim - 16 years ago