Rava Idli

Idli is a healthy food and much loved South Indian snack, made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils and rice. Most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack, idlis are usually served with green / coconut chutney and sambar. One of my colleagues used to bring idlis with molagai podi (mixtures of crushed dry spices).

Rava Idli is a popular variety of idli, a speciality of the state of Karnataka in India. Rava means semolina (suji) in the native Kannada language. Rava Idli is usually found in restaurants that serve the Udupi cuisine. During our stay in Bangalore, we tasted Rava Idli in a popular restaurant �Udupi Park Family Restaurant� on Airport Road, opp Kemp Fort.

Serves: 8-10 idlis

Ingredients:

• � cup semolina / rava / suji
• 150 gms / 1 cup sour curd
• 1 tsp fruit salt / eno
• 1 tbsp cashewnuts
• � tsp soda-bi-carbonate
• 6-8 curry leaves
• 2-3 dry red chillies
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 3 tsp white oil
• water (as required, for batter)
• 1 tsp ghee
• salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a kadhai, add the curry leaves and mustard seeds and let them splutter.
2. Lower the flame, add the cashewnuts, dry red chilies, saut� a little and then add the semolina (sieved).
3. Roast till the semolina is light brown (don�t fry too much). Remove from flame and let the mixture cool thoroughly.
4. Put all the ingredients in a mixer and blend to form a smooth powder.
5. Take a bowl, add the powdered mixture, add curd and soda-bicarb & salt. (Add water as required, but not too much).
6. Mix well to form a thick batter and keep aside for atleast 2 hours.
7. Grease the microwave safe idli moulds with ghee and pour a ladle full of batter in the moulds (Remember not to fill the moulds to the top).
8. Microwave (covered) at 60% power for 5-6 mins. Let it be in the microwave for 5-6 mins.
   Demould and serve with coconut chutney and sambar.

Tip:
First time I made idli in a microwave, I found that the idlis are not as soft as those made in a steamer / pressure cooker. So next time, I used butter milk instead of water while making the idli batter.
Be sure to use enough water in a microwave idli maker as the steam from the water helps in making soft idlis.

Parantha

Parantha (Paratha / Parota) is a popular food item that can be eaten at breakfast / lunch / dinner. Paranthas are basically of two main types: 1) Stuffed Paranthas and 2) Plain Paranthas.
Each State of India have some special way of preparing these paranthas, the basic methodology remaining the same (The difference is only in the way each stuffing is prepared and in the rolling process).

Paranthas are mostly a North Indian speciality incluidng some mouth watering paranthas from Gujarat and Rajasthan as well. Rice being the staple food for Eastern India (Bengalis), paranthas have become a delicacy which are prepared on special occasions like festivals / rituals etc.

Non-stuffed paranthas are usually made from wheat flour / chappati flour (flour made from whole wheat) and normally layered. The dough is rolled out and brushed with ghee, folded and brushed with ghee again and folded several times to get the requisite shape (triangular / square / spiral). The final rolled out dough is palced on a hot tawa / griddle. As the parantha is cooked, the steam puffs up separating the layers. (This technique is used in making puff pastry patties, known as flakiness).

Here is the recipe for Plain Parantha (Triangular shaped)

Ingredients:

• 1 � cups wheat flour (atta)
• 1 cup plain flour (maida)
• 1 � cups water (as required)
• 1 tbsp white oil (for dough)
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 cup wheat flour (for dusting to roll out dough)
• white oil, for frying

Preparing the dough:

1. Take a flat bottomed utensil and sift wheat flour & plain flour. Add a little salt. Mix well.
2. Add white oil. Slowly add water, mixing after each addition.
3. Knead the flour thoroughly to form a smooth dough. Add 2-3 drops of oil if required (Stop adding water or else dough will become wet & sticky).
4. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel. Allow to rest for 1 hour.

Rolling out the dough:

1. To make triangular-shaped paranthas, divide the dough into small round balls (the balls will be slightly thicker than balls made for ordinary chapati / roti).
2. Take a rolling broad and dust the board with a little flour.
3. With a rolling pin, roll out one of the small ball to form a circular shaped parantha (similar to rolling out a chapati / roti).
4. Fold in half to from a crescent shape.
5. Dust the parantha with wheat flour and again fold to form a triangle shape. Press the corner with fingers and seal the edges well.
6. Roll the triangular shaped dough into a large, flat triangular shaped parantha.
7. Roll out evenly with the edges slightly thinner to ensure uniform cooking.

Method of cooking the rolled out dough:

1. Preheat a tawa / griddle over medium heat (Don�t place the parantha on a cold tawa, or else it will stick).
2. Place the triangular rolled out dough on tawa.
3. When the color changes on the top, flip to the other side.
4. Apply 1 tsp of white oil, coat the paratntha and flip over.
5. Repeat the process of brushing the parantha with oil on the other side.
6. Keep flipping it over till both sides are evenly browned and spots appear on the parantha (Do not fry too much or the parantha will blackened patches).
7. Serve hot with curries and pickles. (To keep the final paranthas warm, place them in a towel lined casserole and fold over the sides of the towel).

Bread Upma

Bread Upma / Bread Pulao, a tasty breakfast dish prepared with bread slices and choice of vegetables. My mom used to call this paurutir pulao (pauruti or bread as known in Bengali). This can be done with 1-2 days old bread. Here is the recipe as prepared by my mother during weekends.

Ingredients:

• 10-12 bread slices
• 2 large onions, finely sliced
• � cup potatoes, cut into small cubes
• � cup carrot, cut into small cubes
• � cup cauliflower, small florets
• � cup peas, shelled
• 1-2 green chillies (as per taste)
• � tsp mustard seeds (black / white)
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil, for frying

Garnish:

• roasted grounduts / bhujiya
• 1 bunch coriander leaves, finely chopped
• grated coconut / small coconut slices

Procedure:

1. Cut the bread into 4 pieces (you can remove crust or keep as desired). Keep aside.
2. Parboil the vegetables in water mixed with a little salt till al-dente (don�t overcook or the vegetables will turn mushy). Drain the excess water and keep aside.
3. Take a deep flat bottomed non-stick frying pan. Heat oil, add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
4. Add the sliced onions and saut� till light brown.
5. Add the boiled vegetables and green chillies and stir fry for 1 min.
6. Add the bread slices and mix well with the vegetables and fry for 3-4 mins.
7. Sprinkle sugar, mix well with the breads and vegetables and stir fry for 1 more min.
8. Remove from fire and transfer in a serving plate.
9. Garnish with either roasted groundnuts / bhujiya and coriander leaves or grated coconut / small coconut slices. Serve hot.

Sending this recipe for "Kids and Healthy Breakfast" event in bloggermoms.