Masala Sanna Khotte - Spicy Idli (2)

 

During my cabbage marathon cooking, I thought of masala sanna khotte. These steamed dumpling is a variation of Masala Sanna Khotte(1).

Masala Sanna Khotte - 2
Spicy Steamed Dumpling
Ingredients
1/4 cup toor daal
1 cup rice

Grind
8-10 byadgi chilies, roasted in few drops of coconut oil
1/2 cup fresh coconut

You will also need
1/2 tsp asafetida
1 tsp tamarind paste
salt
1 cup finely shredded cabbage

Coconut oil to grease the mold

Method
1. Soak toor daal and rice overnight.
2. Next morning, grind to a smooth paste along with roasted chilies and coconut.
3. Cover and set aside for about  8 -10 hours.
4. Right before steaming the idlies, stir in asafetida and tamarind paste. Add shredded cabbage.
5. Adjust the batter consistency, adding more water as needed.
6. Grease idli mold with coconut oil. Pour the batter.

7. Steam for about 45 minutes.
8. Serve hot with coconut oil. Serve as an accompaniment with your meal.

Note -
1. For most authentic flavor, use containers made with jackfruit leaves.
2. This idli is not as fluffy as the usual idli.


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Kultha Idli - Horsegram Idlies

Idlies using kulith or horsegram is a traditional Konkani delicacy. It imparts a distinct flavor so it may be an acquired taste. For a truly authentic flavor, do use coconut oil for greasing the idli moulds and also serve these idlies hot off the steamer along with a drizzle of coconut oil.

Kultha Idli
Horsegram Idlies
Ingredients
1 cup urad daal
1/2 cup kulith sprout
2 cups rice
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
salt to taste

coconut oil as needed

Method
1. Soak urad daal, kulith/horsegram and (rice+fenugreek seeds) separately.
2. Drain and grind to a smooth paste.
3. Cover aside to ferment for 7-8 hours. Add salt and mix.
4. Grease idli moulds with coconut oil or any oil of your choice - although coconut oil is preferred.
5. Pour a ladleful of batter.
6. Steam the idlies.
7. Serve with coconut oil and chutney of your choice.

Note -
1. Traditionally, kulith are soaked, drained and used. I use kulith sprouts for this recipe.


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Masala Sanna Khotte - Spicy Idli (1)

 

 

I haven't eaten Khotte in ages. But these days, Indian storeowners bring many uniquely exotic vegetables. So I am hoping that one day I may even get jackfruit leaves. You see, khotte are steamed in the containers made using jackfruit leaves. After they are steamed, the idli gets a very unique flavor. The leaves are meant to be discarded. When we visited "Robert is here" in Miami, I longingly looked at their jackfruit tree.  I wished they were selling jackfruit leaves along with their delicious fruits. I guess, only a Konkani can understand that feeling about jackfruit leaves.;-)

Mom mentioned that Ram Nayak's Idli House in Matunga/King Circle area serve all the Konkani idlies - Khotte and masala khotte included. They are served with chutneys, but more importantly with coconut oil as well. There are two ways (with or without cabbage) Masala Khottes are made in my family. So for keeping records, I am going to blog both the methods. However, accept my apologies since there are no jackfruit leaves to be seen in my part of the world. So I steamed them in my usual idli stand. One can make banana leaves wrapper as I had tried here. But still for qualifying it to be the authentic khotte, jackfruit leaves are essential.

Please note that these khotte are heavier than usual fluffy idlies. They are served as a side dish with your daily Konkani meal.

Masala Sanna Khotte - 1
Spicy Steamed Dumpling
Ingredients
1/4 cup toor daal
1 cup rice

Grind
8-10 byadgi chilies, roasted in few drops of coconut oil
1/2 cup fresh coconut

You will also need
1/2 tsp asafetida
1 tsp tamarind paste
salt

Coconut oil to grease the mold

Method
1. Soak toor daal and rice overnight.
2. Next morning, grind to a smooth paste along with roasted chilies and coconut.
3. Cover and set aside for about  8 -10 hours.

4. Right before steaming the idlies, stir in asafetida and tamarind paste.
5. Adjust the batter consistency, adding more water as needed.
6. Grease idli mold with coconut oil. Pour the batter. Traditionally, the batter is poured into the moulds made up of jackfruit leaves.

7. Steam for about 45 minutes.
8. Serve hot with coconut oil. Serve as an accompaniment with your meal.

Note -
1. For most authentic flavor, use containers made with jackfruit leaves.
2. This idli is not as fluffy as the usual idli.



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Shevaya Idli

This idli was the inspiration for my Alphabet Idli and yet, it took so long to blog about it!


Shevaya Idli
Ingredients
1/2 cup seviya/Shevya, crushed by hand
1/2 cup rawa

1/2 cup yogurt
Water as needed
1/4 tsp baking soda

Tempering
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 curry leaves sprig, torn

Stir in
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 green chili, minced
1 tbsp fresh coconut

Method
1. Roast rawa and shevya separately without adding any oil.
2. Mix with yogurt and salt. Add water to adjust the consistency. It should have the consistency of the idli batter.
3. Stir in ginger, cilantro, chili and coconut.
4. Heat oil in a small saucepan. Add all the tempering ingredients. Drizzle tempered oil over the batter.
5. Mix well. Grease idli molds. Just before steaming, add baking soda and mix well.
6. Pour a ladle ful of batter in the molds. Steam the idlies.
7. Serve with chutney of your choice.

Note -
1. Add baking soda to the batter just before steaming.

Vegetable Potstickers

 

I was introduced to the pot stickers in late 90s/early 2000. A friend who was originally from Minneapolis would rave about a place called Leeann Chin. According to her, it was the best Chinese food ever. So when I got a chance to visit Minneapolis later, I visited Leeann Chin and tried their signature pot stickers. They were delicious. I loved the technique of making Pot stickers where they are shallow fried as well as steamed and in the process they literally stick to the pot and hence the name!

I had bookmarked chef Ming Tsai's recipe eons ago. I couldn't find the round Gyoza wrappers around so I had to make that special trip to the Chinatown. When I was actually assembling the pot stickers, I was too occupied to go to the bookmarked site and actually read the recipe and follow it. So I proceeded with my interpretation.

Vegetable Potstickers
Ingredients
30 Round Spring Roll Wrappers/Gyoza

For the stuffing
1 tsp oil
1 tbsp. ginger paste
1/2 tsp garlic paste
2 tbsp. minced scallions/green onion
2 tbsp. minced red bell pepper
2 tbsp. mined green bell pepper
1 cup grated cabbage
1/2 cup grated carrots
1 cup sliced mushrooms
Few drops of Soy Sauce
Salt to taste
Few drops of sesame oil

Oil for sautéing

Method
1. Thaw the spring roll wrappers in the fridge if they are frozen.

2. Make your stuffing ahead of time. Heat oil in a wok. Sauté ginger and garlic pastes.
3. Add scallions and the remaining vegetables. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
4. Add soy sauce, salt as needed and a few drops of Asian sesame oil.
5. Let the mixture cool down. Adjust for seasoning.
6. Keep the mixture in a huge sieve or colander so excess moisture will drain out.

 Keep this way at least for an hour.

7. Now let's assemble the wrappers. Take about 6 round wrappers at a time.

Meanwhile, keep a pot ready. Add a spoonful of oil, swirl around and keep it moderately hot.

8. Add a spoonful of stuffing in the center. And fold like a half-moon dumpling.
9. Use water around the circumference of the wrapper so it folds easily.
10. Using a fork, make markings.

11. Now, place those dumplings in a single layer on the hot pot.

12. As they crisp up, flip them. Let them get little crispy on the other side. Add 1/4 cup water. Switch gas to high. Cover and let them steam.

13. As the water evaporates, the dumplings will stick to the pot.  They should be soft but look crispy.

14. Proceed with remaining dumplings.

Note -
1. Do not shred the carrots or cabbage. Grate them so they have finer threads.
2. As the dumplings are getting steamed, you can make next batch of dumplings ready by stuffing, folding, using fork etc. But keep them covered with a moist towel till they go into the pot.

Recipe Inspiration/Credits
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/vegetarian-pot-stickers-recipe.html


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Jeer-Mirya Idli

Jeera-Miri (Cumin Seeds & Black Peppercorns) make a wonderful combo and its coconut based cold curry is devoured in Konkani families called "Jeer-Mirya" Kadhi. The same combo flavors the usual idli batter  with a hint of coconut oil. The result is "Jeer-Mirya Idli".

Do serve with coconut oil for the authentic flavor. Drizzle, Drop or smear - you decide!

Jeer-Mirya Idli
Cumin Peppercorn steamed dumpling
Ingredients
1 recipe idli batter

Roast and pound coarsely
1 tsp. cumin seeds
10-12 black pepper corn

Coconut oil for greasing idli moulds

Method
1. Prepare Idli batter as described here.
2. Roast cumin seeds and black peppercorns separately. Pound them to a coarse powder.
3. Stir in the powder in the idli batter.
4. Grease the idli mould using coconut oil.
5. Prepare idli by steaming.
6. Serve hot idlies with chutney of your choice and coconut oil on side.

Note -
1. Do not powder cumin seeds/peppercorns too finely.
2. Any oil of your choice can be used for greasing, however coconut oil gives the authentic flavor.





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Damni Dhokla

 

 

Damni Dhokla is a unique dhokla from Gujarat where Handvo flour is made to make dhokla. Actually such interchange happens in Indian kitchens. My mom-in-law also uses khata dhokla flour to make handvo.

I spotted some pre-cut banana leaves while browsing our China town. They came handy as they serve as wrapper for making this dhokla.


Damni Dhokla
Multi grain Steamed cake wrapped in Banana leaves
Ingredients
Mix
1 1/4 cup handvo flour
1 cup buttermilk - preferably sour

Add
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Gujarati pickle masala/sambar powder
1/2 tbsp. ginger-green chili paste
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp. sugar or jaggery
1/2 tbsp. white sesame seeds
1 cup surti lilva
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp. oil

Garnish
A generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Oil for greasing/roasting

Method
1. Mix handvo flour with buttermilk till there are no lumps. Adjust the quantity of buttermilk. Cover and set aside in a warm place for about 8 hours.
2. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except black pepper powder and oil for roasting/greasing. Adjust water to get a smooth  idli batter consistency.

3. Line dhokla plates or cooker containers with banana leaves.

4. Grease them with some oil and pour handvo batter.
5. Sprinkle some black pepper powder on top.

6. Steam for about 20 minutes without using weight.

7. Let it cool down. Cut into squares or diamonds.
8. Serve with green garlic chutney.

Note -
1. Damni Dhokla is traditionally served after steaming. I , however, shallow fried it as a variation. This step of shallow frying is not necessary.
2. Instead of Surti lilva, you can use grated cabbage, grated bottlegourd/dudhi or even green peas.
3. Handvo loat/flour is easily available at the Indian stores.




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Idada - It's actually a Dhokla!

We had an impromptu plan for a tea party with new family that has moved from Chennai to our city. Their little girl is in Gudiya's class. Gudiya was very eager to invite her new friend. We thought it would be a nice play date for the girls while we would get a chance to meet the parents.

I had soaked urad daal and rice that morning for making idli. I thought about making Idada - Dhokla without fermentation for the tea party. I, of course made tea and also served other readymade items like milk cake, some cookies and spicy mix. Our new friend got a Tamilian delicacy - banana blossom vadas. They were delicious.


Idada
Steamed Dumpling From Gujarat
Ingredients
1 cup Urad Daal
2 cups rice

2"Ginger, peeled/roughly chopped
3-4 green chilies

salt to taste

Whisk
1/4 cup yogurt
1 tbsp. oil
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Tempering
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds
A generous pinch of Asafoetida

Garnish
1/4 cup minced cilantro

Method
1. Soak urad daal and rice for about 5-6 hours.
2. Drain and grind using minimal water. Add ginger and green chilies and make a smooth batter. Mix salt.

 

3. Whisk yogurt, oil and baking soda. Add to the batter.

4. Add water as needed to resemble Idli or dhokla batter.

5. Grease the containers of dhokla maker.

6. Distribute the batter equally among about 4 plates.

7. Sprinkle freshly crushed black pepper.

8. Steam for 15-20 minutes.

9. Take off from the pressure cooker. Let it cool down for 5-10 minutes.

10. Cut into squares or diamonds.

11. Sprinkle minced cilantro.

12. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add mustard seeds, asafetida and sesame seeds. Take care as sesame seeds splutter.

13. Take off the gas. Wait for few seconds. Add 1/4 cup water.

14. Pour over the dhokla pieces.

15. Serve warm dhokla with chutney of your choice.

Note -
1. If you like spicy snack, add minced chilies in the tempered oil before drizzling over the dhokla.
2. Instead of black pepper powder, you could also sprinkle, red chili powder or Gujarati Pickle Powder - Sambhar powder.
3. Although the ingredients are almost similar, Idada is different compared to Khata Dhokla. One of the major differences is that Khata dhokla needs fermentation.
4. Never put pressure while steaming dhoklas.

 

 

Our Tea Party

Milk Cake, Cookies and Hot Spicy Mix for the Tea Party

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Chora Methi Na Dhokla

 

 

As I have mentioned before, Chora Daal somewhat resembles Urad daal. I have seen it is used only in Gujarati cooking - of course that doesn't mean anything. Indian cuisine is vast and I won't be surprised if I learn that it's indeed used in some other cooking as well. My Gujarati family makes poodas (1 & 2), vadas and dhokla.

This chora na dhokla has an unusual twist. If you are familiar with Gujarati cooking, you would know that there are many unusual combos and burst of flavors in Gujarati vegetarian cooking. Chora  na dhokla also features fresh methi/fenugreek leaves.

It's rather surprising to note that this dhokla does not have any grains like rice. Still it comes out spongy and is this full of complete proteins.

Chora Methi Na Dhokla
Cowpeas Lentils - Fresh Fenugreek Dumplings
Ingredients
Soak
1 cup chora daal for 4 hours
1/2 tsp methi/fenugreek seeds

Grind
Drained daal
2 cloves garlic
1/2" ginger
2 green chilies - use more/less per desired preference
salt to taste

Whisk
1/4 cup sour buttermilk
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp baking soda

Add in
1 cup roughly chopped fresh fenugreek leaves

Garnish
A sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
or
A sprinkle of Gujarati Sambhar/Pickle Masala

Oil for greasing dhokla plates or cooker containers

Tempering
1/2 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafetida
1 tsp white sesame seeds
2 red chilies

Method
1. Soak chora daal with fenugreek seeds in adequate water for 4 hours.
2. Drain completely. Grind with ginger, garlic, chilies and salt to taste.
3. Pour the ground daal in a container. Add chopped fenugreek leaves.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, oil and baking soda. It will have whisked egg whites consistency.
5. Fold in the ground daal batter. Mix well.

6. Grease dhokla plates or pressure cooker containers.
7. Pour the batter and spread uniformly.
8. Sprinkle black pepper powder or pickle masala.
9. Steam in the pressure cooker without using any pressure/weight.

10. Steam on a high flame for 5 minutes and then on medium-low flame for 15-20 minutes.
11. Let it cool down completely before cutting into squares or diamonds.

12. Heat oil in a separate saucepan. Add spices for tempering. Drizzle tempered oil over dhokla.

Note -
1. Do not soak chora daal more than 4 hours else it will start to stink.
2. When in season, use fresh garlic along with garlic greens while grinding.
3. If you prefer spicier version, add chopped green chilies in the dhokla batter along with fenugreek leaves.



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Chilkewali Idli

This was a part of my kitchen experiment. I wanted to add more fiber to our daily breakfast.

Chilkewali Idli
Ingredients
1/2 cup green moong daal with skin
1/2 cup urad daal
1 1/2 cups brown rice
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
salt to taste

Oil for greasing

Method
1. Soak daals, rice & fenugreek seeds adding adequate water.
2. Drain and grind to smooth paste.
3. Add salt and set for fermenting.
4. Grease idli moulds.
5. Pour a ladleful of batter and steam like regular idlies.

6. Serve with chutney of your choice.

Note -
1. If batter does not get fermented due to cold weather, add a pinch of baking soda just before steaming.


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Shrimp Bao

Gudiya loves Chinese Steamed Buns. They are stuffed with veggies, chicken or shrimp. I especially enjoy the veggie filled steamed buns that are available at San Francisco's Farmers Market. Gudiya enjoys Trader Joes' Shrimp stuffed ones. So I decided to make my own version. The result was surprisingly good. I used short cut by using buttermilk biscuit dough.


Shrimp Bao
Steamed & Stuffed Shrimp Bun
Ingredients
Stuffing
4 oz small salad shrimp
1/4 cup minced mushroom
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach

Tempering
1/2 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 tsp garlic, grated
2 tbsp. minced red onion

You will also need
1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
A dash of Soy Sauce
A dash of Rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste
1 tbsp. corn starch

8 Buttermilk Biscuit Dough (I used Trader Joe Brand)
Flour for dredging

Pam spray for greasing the steamer

Method
1. Heat oil in a saucepan or wok. Add ginger-garlic and onion. Sauté for 4-5 minutes.
2. Add bell pepper and mushroom. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add salad shrimp, spinach and all the spices, sauce and vinegar with salt and sugar.
4. Add cornstarch and mix well. Sauté till moisture evaporates.
5. Set aside to cool down completely.

6. Take apart each buttermilk biscuit dough.

7. Dredge in little flour to roll out a small disc.
8. Place shrimp mixture in the middle.

9. Bring all the edges together and roll into a neat bun.

10. Using Cooking spray, grease sieve to be placed on a boiling water for steaming.
11. Place 4-5 stuffed buns.

12. Cover and let it steam for about 20 minutes.

13. Uncover and serve with soy sauce and Sriracha.

Note -
1. Salad shrimp is a small shrimp - generally available in the frozen seafood section. It's generally precooked.
2. You can make a vegetarian version by excluding shrimp and increasing the amount of mushrooms, bell peppers and spinach.
3. You can even halve each biscuit dough and make 16 mini shrimp bao.






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Kothimbeer Vadi (2)

Kothimbeer Vadi is featured prominently in most of Mumbai's Maharashtrian restaurants. But I think almost always, it's deep fried. Maharashtrian home cooks actually pan or shallow fry this delicacy.

 

 

Kothimbeer Vadi (2)

Cilantro Dumplings

Ingredients

1 big bunch of coriander leaves/cilantro, chopped - about 1 1/2 cups

1 cup chickpea flour/besan

2 tbsp. rice flour

1 tbsp. goda masala

1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. asafoetida

salt to taste

2 tbsp daaNyache kooT/powdered unsalted peanuts
1 tbsp. white sesame seeds
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tbsp. garlic paste
 

Mix

1/2 tsp. tamarind pulp

1/2 tbsp. powdered jaggery

1 cup water

Oil for shallow or deep frying

 

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients - except oil for frying -  to make batter.

 

2. Steam in a pressure cooker without using the weight.

 

3. Let it cool down completely.

4. Cut into squares or diamonds.

5. Deep or shallow fry the "vadies" till they are crispy.

 

Note-

1. Serve it as an accompaniment with the main meal or as a snack.

2. Rice flour makes "Kothimbeer Vadi" crispy.

High Fiber Appe or Idlies

I had packet of 17 beans soup mix from Trader Joes. I had tall plans to make this soup like "Daal Makhni" or "Daal Maharani". But it never happened. After keeping that packet for infinity on my pantry shelf, I finally decided to use it off at once.

If I had indeed made that soup, it would have lasted us forever. So I decided to make an idli like batter and freeze it. I remembered that Saffron Hut had posted 16 beans Adai many years ago. I decided to use her idea and made idli/appe.

High Fiber Appe
Ingredients
1 pack 17 beans & Barley soup
1 cup brown rice
1 cup urad daal

1/2 tsp asafoetida
salt to taste

Oil as needed

If making appe -
Stir in the batter
2 sprigs curry leaves
3 green chilies (or as needed) minced
2 tbsp finely minced red onion
1 tsp whole black peppercorns

Method
1. Soak beans, rice, daal overnight. Make sure it has plenty of water.
2. Drain and grind to a smooth batter adding salt and asafoetida.
3. Take out in a big container. Cover and set aside to ferment.
4. After fermenting, I keep half of the batter in a freezer safe container for later use.
5. If making appe, add the additional ingredients in the batter. Add more water if needed to adjust the consistency. Adjust salt. Heat Appe kayili/paatra/pan. Add oil and fry appe till they are browned on both the sides. Serve with chutney of your choice.
6. If making idli, grease idli pan/paatra and steam idlies. Adjust for salt and water as needed before pouring the batter. Serve idlies with chutney or sambar.

Note -
1. I used half of the batter to make idlies and the other half for making spicy appes.

Credits
http://saffronhut.blogspot.com/2006/11/more-is-more-16-bean-adai.html

17 Bean & Barley Idlies

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