Aliv Ladoo

Ingredients: (makes about 15 ladoo)
Aliv (aleev): 1/2 cup
Fresh grated coconut: 4 cups
Gul/ Jaggery: 3 cups
Milk: 2 Tbsp


Method:
1. Mix  Aliv and coconut in a deep pan. Mix 2 tbsp of milk. Set aside for 2 hours. This helps aliv soak.
2. In the same pan mix grated jaggery.
3. Cook on low flame stirring continuously for about 10 mins or until its consistency changes to a slightly solid form (which can be formed into a ladoo).
4. Remove from flame and let it cool for a few minutes then make ladoo.

Chili Idly

  

   
       I did not know any such dish existed until I had it at a South Indian restaurant. It tasted so good that we ignored the fact that it was made out of leftover idly (leftover food not from home but in a restaurant!!!).Over the years we tried making it a couple of times. Since we do not eat very spicy or oily food, I can call this as a healthy version of chili idly:-)

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Leftover idlies: 5-7 Cut into large squares.
Capsicum: 1 chopped into cubes
Onion: 1 chopped into cubes
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp
Chili sauce: 1 tsp (use more if you want it spicy)
Soy sauce: 1 tbsp
Tomato sauce: 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander: 1/2 tbsp chopped
Oil: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan. Add Ginger garlic paste and chopped onion. Fry till it onion is half cooked (for about a min).
2. Add Capsicum and fry for a couple of mins on high flame.
3. Add Soy sauce, Tomato sauce, chili sauce and salt and mix well.
4 Add Idly pieces and mix well. Add Coriander and let it cook for a couple of mins on high flame. Serve hot with Tomato ketchup.

87. Akki Roti

Final Outcome: Good

        It was on my list from the beginning of this resolution, and here I am making it in the month of December. By now it is very clear that I will not be achieving my target of 200 recipes. So in this last month of 2013 I will try to reach as close to target as I can.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Rice Flour: 2 cups
Onion: 2 medium chopped
Curry leaves: 8-10 torn by hand
Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp chopped
Oil : 1 tsp for dough and a little for cooking
Salt as per taste

Method:
1. Mix all the ingredients (rice flour, onion, curry leaves, coriander leaves, a little oil and salt) with water. Make a very soft dough. It should be kind of watery and easy to spread.
2. On a tava spread a little oil. Make a ball about twice the size of a ping pong ball. Spread it with palm and fingers. Dip your palm into water frequently while spreading. Spread it as thin as possible.
3. Place the tava on medium heat and cook covered. The akki roti should not turn brown. Turn once one side is done and cook covered the other side.
4. Serve hot with tomato pickle. Once it cools down it turns chewy. Hence consume while its hot.

85. Rot (Atta cake)

Final Outcome: Tasty healthy snack

        Another recipe out of my mom's book. In this picture the cake looks overcooked however it was not. This recipe does not need an oven. A thick bottomed pan will work fine. I used a non stick thick bottom pan.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Atta/Whole wheat flour: 1 cup
Jaggery: 1/2 cup (crushed)
Rava: 1 tbsp
Cooking Soda: 1/2 tsp
Salt: a pinch

Method:
1. Mix all the ingredients except soda together.
2. Add a little water (about 1/2 cup) and mix well. It should not be watery.
3. Add soda and mix
4. Apply ghee to a thick bottomed pan. Pour the above mixture into the pan. Keep covered on medium head for about 12 to 15 mins.
5. Take off heat and cut into squares. Serve with Ghee.
Can be stored for a day

75. Broken Wheat Upma (daliya upma)

Final Outcome: Good

        Whew!!! What a month I had! Guests, social gatherings, unplanned events.... I have not cooked a single new dish for an entire month. I had begun working on a cross stitch project. As usual I took a bite larger than I could chew. I planned on making a BIG 'Tweety' bird for my kid. So far I have only finished its foot! I need a few extra hours in a day. Lets hope I can complete atleast this resolution on time.
        This recipe is borrowed from my mom. She makes it frequently. I have made it several times in the last month. The one in the picture was the 1st one ( We had just returned from a visit home and our refrigerator was empty except frozen sweet corn. Hence the picture contains only corn).

Recipe: ( for 2 persons)
Broken Wheat/Daliya: 1 cup
1 cup of vegetables chopped: Beans, carrot, Green peas and sweet corn
Ginger: 1 inch
Onion : 1/2 medium onion chopped
Green chili: 1 chopped
Oil: 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida: a pinch
Salt to taste
Lemon juice: 2 spoons
Fresh Coriander: 1 tbsp

Method:
1. Add chopped vegetables and Ginger to broken wheat. Add 2.5 cups of water and pressure cook 2 whistles or until done.
2. In a pan heat oil. Add mustard seeds. once they begin to splutter add asafoetida, green chili and onion. Cook till onion is soft.
3. Add cooked broken wheat and salt. Mix well.
3. Add a little water if it appears dry. Add lemon juice and chopped fresh coriander. Mix well and serve hot.

72. Appe/ Gulpongle/Phud

Final Outcome: Fluffy delight!

        Idly and dosa are regulars at our place but 'appe' was made for the first time last month. What I have been doing keeping this post pending??? Well I don't really know.... Time is just flying, and I have no idea how so many weeks passed. I have a few more recipes that I have tried but pending post.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Urad Dal: 1 cup
Rice: 3 cups
Poha/Flattened Rice: 1/2 cup
Chana Dal: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Soak all the ingredients except Salt for 4-5 hours. Grind them to a fine paste. Let it ferment for 4-5 hours.
2. Add salt to the fermented dough. Mix well. In the appe pan pour the batter to 3/4th level and cover. After about 30 seconds flip each appa. let it cook from the other side.
Serve with Green chutney
        

57. Sabudana Wada

Final Outcome: Lovely!

        It is a yummy dish but involves deep frying. My family does not like (for health reasons) oily foods. But sometimes such unhealthy food is comforting:-). Me and my mom made a small batch of wada's. It was sufficient for 2 people. Given recipe is for about 6-7 wada's.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Sabudana: 1 cup (soaked for 2-3 hours)
Potato: 1 boiled, peeled, and mashed.
Green Chile: 1 finely chopped
Red Chili powder: 1 tsp
Fresh coriander: 1tbsp chopped
Roasted groundnut powder: 1 tbsp
Salt: to taste
Oil: for deep frying

Method:
1. Mix together all the ingredients except oil. It should not be too mushy. If the sabudana is too dry dip your hand into water and then mix the ingredients.
2. Make small round balls on your palms and then flatten the wada by pressing both palms together.
3. Heat oil in a deep pan. Keep on medium heat and deep fry the wada till it turns golden brown.

        Today is "Ta's" first day of school. She is going by school bus. Poor kid needs to travel so long. Just wish we could move to a different place.

55. Chole Bhature

Final Outcome: Good
     
        This was on my list for a long time. It is such a common dish and I cannot believe I never cooked it in so many years! I did not make normal size bhature, but made small puri sized bhature.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
For Bhatura:
Maida: 1 cup
Curd: 1 tbsp
Potato: 1/2 potato baked and smashed
Salt to taste
Water as required
Baking soda: a pinch
Oil: 1 tsp

For Chole:
Chole: soaked overnight and pressure cooked 2 cups
Onion: 1 large chopped
Tomato: 1/2 chopped
Everest chole masala: 1 tbsp
Ginger: 1 inch (crushed or finely chopped. I added crushed ginger)
Red Chili powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 2 tsp
Fresh coriander chopped: 1tbsp
Salt
Oil: 1 tbsp

Method:
Bhatura: Kneed dough for bhatura adding all the ingredients. It should be soft. Cover it with a wet cloth and leave for 1/2 hour. Roll and deep fry till golden brown.
Chole:
1. Mash about 1/2 tbsp of cooked chole. This gives the curry a nice thick consistency.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add Onion and fry till it turns light brown.
3. Add Tomato, ginger, 1/2 of Chole masala, red chile powder, coriander powder and fry till tomatoes are mushy.
4.Add cooked chole, salt, rest of Chole masala and a little water. Cook till gravy thickens. 
5. Serve garnished with fresh coriander.

54. Patal Poha Chivda

Final Outcome: This was my first try at such traditional but simple snack. It turned out well.

        I forgot to celebrate 1/4th completion of my resolution... Yay!!!!! Delayed celebration but so far I have really enjoyed it. 
        Here's a simple traditional snack. I have rarely tried traditional snacks. A lot of different things can be added to the 'Chivda' which I have mentioned at the end.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Patal pohe: 250 gms
Dried coconut slices: 1/2 cup
Roasted groundnuts: 1/2 cup
Dala/ Split pulse: 1/2 cup
Green Chili: cut into big pieces, 1/4th cup
Oil: 4 table spoons
Jeera/Cumin seeds: 1tsp
Jeera powder: 1 tsp
Til/ Sesame seeds: 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 2 tsp
Powdered Sugar: 2 tbsp
Cashew nuts: broken 8-10
Hing/ asafoetida: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 2 tsp
Curry leaves: 15-17
Salt: 1/2 tbsp

Method:
1. In a thick bottomed pan dry roast Pohe. Alternately dry the pohe in hot sun. This process turns them crispy, However do not burn them. Fry them for about 4-5 mins. 
2. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. Add Mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to splutter add cumin seeds, green chilies, dried coconut pieces hing and curry leaves.
3. After about half a min add roasted groundnuts, dala/ split pulse and cashew nuts. Fry for a few seconds and add pohe.
4. Mix it well. Add cumin powder, a little red Chile powder if needed, powdered sugar, salt. Keep on low heat and stir occasionally. Take off heat in about 4-5 mins.
This can be stored for 10-12 days. 
Optional ingredients:
*Garlic cloves can be roasted along with groundnuts, coconut etc
*A handful of puffed rice can be added to poha
*Deep fried papad can also be added to it in the end.

32. Idly Burger

Source:
Final Outcome: Very good!

        Here comes part 2 of leftover idlies. My mom shallow fried the leftover idly when we were kids. This idly burger is inspired by that.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Idlies leftover: as many burgers as you want. I used 5.
Potato: Cut into thin circular cuts (I used 10 slices, 2 for each burger).
Italian seasoning: 1/2 tsp
Paprika or Chile powder (I used paprika): 1/4th tsp
Cheese slices: 1/2 slice per burger
Salt
Oil

Method:
1. Cut idly into half (circular) in such a way that you have 2 thinner idlies out of one idly.
2. Shallow fry these idlies in oil till they turn golden brown.
3. Fry potato slices until they are cooked. Sprinkle Italian seasoning, paprika and salt over it.
4. Place one slice of idly at the bottom. Place 2 potato slices over it. Place cheese slice over it. Place another idly slice over it to finish the burger. Serve with ketchup.

        I am planning another resolution to go with this one. Will declare it once my leg recovers from the fall. There is a pasta coming up next. After that I plan to make some desserts.

31. Idly Upma (modern version)

Source: My mom and upgraded by my husband
Final Outcome: Good

        This is 1st part of 2 posts relating to use of left over idly. It was a well planned leftover :-) . I wanted to try this dish so I made extra idlies yesterday night. Stored them in refrigerator and made 2 dishes using them. This is the first dish. Giving it a modern twist was my husband's idea.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Idlies: 8-10 (idly is prepared by soaking 1 cup urad dal, 2 cups idly rava and a     tbsp poha over night. Grinding it into fine batter. Allow it to ferment for 5-6 hrs)
Onion chopped: 1/2
Tomato chopped: 1
Capsicum chopped : 1/2
Ginger-Garlic paste: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric: a pinch
Soy sauce: 1 tsp
Oil
Salt
Tomato Ketchup as per taste

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan add onion and fry. Add tomato, Capsicum, ginger garlic paste. Do not over cook it.
2. Add turmeric and continue to cook for a minute.
3. Add idlies (chopped into medium size pieces).
4. Add salt, Soy sauce and tomato ketchup and take it of heat and serve.

        Updates: I am still limping from my fall. My husband worked on this new look my blog is sporting now.

26. Mallige idly (Idly like Mogra flower)

Source: Mom
Final Outcome: Lightest, fluffiest idly ever!

        I am not cheating! This really is a very different idly. I ate this idly about a year ago at a restaurant. Since then I wondered how it was made. Recently my mom gave me this recipe and I tried it. It turned out wonderful.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
Urad dal: 1 cup soaked for 6-7 hrs
Rice:  2 cups soaked for 6-7 hrs
Cooked and cooled rice: 1/2 cup
Baking Soda: 1/2tsp
Salt to taste
Tava (optional)

Method:
1. Grind Urad Dal, Rice and cooked rice. Add very little water.
2. Add soda and mix
3. Heat iron tava and cover it over the dough (this step is optional)
4. Let the dough ferment for 5-6 hrs
5. Add Salt. Prepare idly!

        Isn't it funny that sometimes we don't like the songs in our own music player which we put them there because we like them and by our own wish!

21. Egg Vegetable Dosa

Source: Maid
Final Outcome: Very good

        My husband had once tasted this dosa which our maid brought for us to taste(I was not home and dosa was gone by the time I came back:-)) He loved it. So I decided to try it. I am writing normal dosa batter recipe for reference.
Recipe:Ingredients for dosa batter:
3 cups Rice
1 cup Urad dal
1 spoon Fenugreek seeds(methi)
1 spoon Bengal gram(Chana Dal)
     Soak all the above ingredients   for 5-7 hours and grind them separately and mix it. Let it ferment for about 5-6 hours. After it is fermented add salt and water.

Recipe for egg-vegetable dosa:
Ingredients: (for 3-4 Dosas)
1-2 Finely grated carrot.  
1 chopped onion
2 finely chopped green Chile
Few coriander leaves chopped
1 egg per dosa
Dosa batter (given above)

 Method:
Mix all ingredients other than the egg into the dosa batter. Add a little salt (this dosa requires a little more salt than regular dosa).
Spread the above mixture on a heated tava. 
After the dosa begins to settle, break an egg over it in such a way that it embeds itself with the dosa. Add a little salt over the egg.
Let it cook over one side then turn it over carefully.
This unique dosa is ready!   

 I think this my longest post with highest number of pictures!

17. Cucumber Dosa

Source: cucumber-dosa
Final Outcome: Very Good

        I was surprised that I could spread this dosa like a regular dosa although it does not contain urad dal and is not fermented. Recipe called for rice to be soaked for 4 hours, however I soaked it overnight since I had to make them for breakfast.
Recipe: 
Ingredients:
1 cup Rice (soaked 5-6 hrs or overnight), I used dosa rice.
1 cup Coconut
1 cucumber 
little jeera (cumin)
1-2 green chillies
Salt

Method:
Grind together all ingredients . Add little water. Spread Dosa on Tava.
 

        I am down with cold and fever while writing this. I was very proud (and boasted)of my immunity when I did not catch the flu doing rounds in office and at home. Now I know better!
       
       

14. Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Source: this recipe + slight changes as per taste
Final Outcome: Nostalgic (Bahama Breeze we miss u!)

    Bahama Breeze was one of our favourite cafe/restaurant. We finally found Portobello mushroom at 01 MG Road mall to prepare our favourite dish. I made some adjustments as per taste (eg added olives and corn).

13. Canapes Chat

Source: Self 
Final Outcome: Very good

    I am not a big fan of chats. Most people will be surprised to know that I try to avoid pani poori's, sev poori and have tasted bhel just a couple of times. Taste of chat is not a deal breaker but the ingredients scream 'unhygenic' to me, just like non veg food screams 'dead animals'. (I have not mentioned in my previous posts: I will be cooking only Vegetarian food, actually eggetarian :-))

Unhygienic or not, since my resolution is about experimenting (and also I need 200 recipes:-) ), I decided to make canapes chat. I prepared it very similar to SPDP (sev batata dahi poori). My parents and my aaji loved it! 

 

Recipe: 

1. Tamarind Chutney: Tamarind juice, Jaggery, Cumin Powder, a small piece of cinnamon, Red chilli powder, a pinch of salt.

Mix all the ingredients  and bring it to a boil.

2. Pudina(Mint) Chutney: Pudina leaves(one small bunch), Coriander leaves (one small bunch), 1 garlic, 1 green chili, little lemon juice and salt to taste.

Grind all the above ingredients.

3. Other Ingredients:

    Yogurt

    2 onions finely chopped

    2 tomatoes finely chopped

    5-7 potatoes boiled, pealed and mashed

    Sev 

    Canapes

Place canapes in a plate. Put a spoon of potatoes, onion, tomatoes, tamarind chutney, Mint chutney, 1/2 spoon yogurt and a spoon of sev on each.

Canapes chat is ready to serve.

3 & 4. Makai Palak & Zucchini and Feta Cheese Fritters

3. Makai Palak

    Source: Sanjeev Kapoor (book)
    Final Outcome: very good
I cook a curry very similar to this. It contains beans, carrot, matar and corn in addition to pureed palak. This recipe contains just corn and palak and some onion. Relatively simple dish. Great for any fan of North Indian food.

4. Zucchini and Feta Cheese Fritters 

    Source: Zucchini-Patties-With-Feta-Epicurious
    Final Outcome: very good

I can dedicate an entire post to this recipe. After an online search and a nice recipe in mind I began shopping. I bought a very expensive pack of feta cheese. But after going back home I realized the recipe required Ricotta cheese!!! This very much explains why I am not a chef. I cannot even remember  the ingredients:-). So again I looked up on the net for feta cheese recipes and made these.

I made these fritters for breakfast.  They are definitely not for the diet conscious. It contains a lot of cheese and a lot of oil goes into shallow frying them. So my final verdict is: I liked them but may not make them again (at least not for another year).