Dosa corner

Barley Urad dosa – No Rice dosa

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I know this dosa might be new for most of you. Don’t worry, it’s the same with me too. 😄 Never knew dosas could be made with Barley. I usually make this Barley Carrot soup and Salad but dosa idea never dawned upon me (which is quite a surprise in itself as I see dosa in every grain, every lentil that I see 😂😂 Talk about Dosa Pyaar 😍).

Few months back, as I was organizing my pantry shelves (which is my favorite timepass when I have extra time after my chores and my kids are playing on their own = Rare blue moon occasions 😅), I found this little packet of Barley lying in the corner of the cupboard smiling at me, as if happy to be found. 😍 As I was about to soak it to make salad and soup, I remembered I had to soak for dosa batter too. A quick Google search and next day, Barley dosas were born in my kitchen for the first time. 😍

These dosas come out so tasty and you can never say it has Barley in it. If you are looking to include this healthy grain in your diet, dosa is the best way. My kids love it so much that they have more dosas than usual when I make them. ❤️

Hope you all try it too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 10 dosas }

1 Cup Urad dal (I use split ones)

1/2 Cup Barley

1/2 tsp Methi seeds

Salt to taste

Step by step recipe:

1. Take Urad dal, Barley and Methi seeds in a large bowl.

2. Wash it well and soak in enough water for atleast 2 to 4 hours. Now drain the water and add to a mixer jar.

3. Add salt and little water. Grind to a smooth paste. Pour into a large vessel.

4. Keep covered at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.

5. Heat dosa pan and pour a ladle of dosa batter over it. Spread using the back of the ladle like regular dosas. Cook till the surface cooks. Add ghee or oil. You can either cook only one side or flip and cook both sides.

6. Remove and serve hot with a chutney of your choice.

Notes:

* I served it with Sambarpalli leaves Chutney. Makes a great combination with this dosa.

* Barley dosa made this way comes out very soft. You can cook both sides to make it crispy.

* Barley is very good for health, mainly for intestines and is rich in vitamins. Here is the Barley Salad and Soup recipe that I make with Barley.

* You can check all my “no rice” dosas here – “No Rice” dosa recipes compilation

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Chutneys, Konkani Recipes

Sambarpalli Chutney | Panikoorka/ Doddapatre chutney – version 2

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Sambarpalli leaves are also known as Panikoorka in Malayalam, Doddapatre in Kannada, Ajwain Patta in Hindi and Indian Borage in English. They are very good for digestion and also to cure common cold.

It’s amazing how good music can change your mood completely. This morning as I woke up, checked my YouTube subscriptions and saw that T series has released something called a mixtape which is a combination of two beautiful songs. Today’s was a mix of Tera Chehra and Jaan Meri, both of which are soothing songs, the mixtape sung beautifully by Jubin Nautiyal and Tulsi Kumar. It gave a wonderful start to my day and I loved it so much that I listened to it on repeat. ❤️

So since I am in a pleasant mood, I decided to utilize it to blog a new recipe (Make hay while the sun shines 😀). This chutney might look like a simple recipe but it’s a very special one. Not only does it taste super delicious, is healthy, made from our home grown leaves and importantly learnt from one among my favorite people, Mamta mai. ❤️

Me and her are so similar in many many ways that she calls us as twins with 25 years difference 😂😂. We met each other through food groups, then realized we are related distantly and now we bond just like two long lost siblings and gel along like best friends. 😍 It’s super sweet how she cares for me and her love is very precious for me. ❤️

So when she shared this recipe of Sambarpalli chutney, I had to try it as we have loads of these leaves in our backyard, all thanks to my husband’s gardening skills. For him, plants are his love and passion in midst of his hectic work life, something which makes him very happy. Here is the sambarpalli bush which came in as a small plant but look at how well it has grown. 😍

So, here’s sharing the recipe of this chutney made from homegrown leaves. A very healthy yet delicious chutney. Hope you all try and love it. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

Thank you so much Mamta mai for this recipe. ❤️🙏

RECIPE:

Recipe Credit : Mrs Mamta Shenoy

Ingredients:

About 8 to 10 Sambarpalli leaves

1 tsp Oil

1 tsp Jeera/ Cumin seeds

3 to 4 Green chillies

4 Garlic pods

3/4 Cup Coconut

1 tsp Tamarind paste

Salt to taste

Step by step recipe:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Fry for few seconds. Add green chillies and garlic. Fry till garlic turns slightly brown in colour. Add sambarpalli leaves and fry till it wilts.

2. Allow it to cool. Then add it to a mixer jar along with coconut, tamarind and salt.

3. Add little water as needed and grind to a smooth paste. Serve as a rice accompaniment or with idlis or dosas.

Notes:

* You can another version of chutney with these leaves here – Sambarpalli leaves Chutney . This version is without garlic.

* The leaves I have taken are tender, small ones. If the leaves in your plant are large ones, 5 to 6 will suffice for the amount of coconut mentioned.

* These leaves are very healthy and I use them in two ways apart from making chutney:::

1. I put couple of leaves in a vessel along with water. Heat it and take steam inhalation when even having the slightest of cold symptoms.

2. Heat the leaves in a pan as shown in the first picture. Then when it starts oozing water, remove it and crush it using mortar and pestle. Sieve the juice and mix honey (for kids above one year old) . Give as medicine for kids and adults when suffering from cold or stomach ache. Works very well. Take about 6 to 8 small leaves for one dose.

Hope these home remedies are helpful to you too. These leaves are really magic!

Idli Stand

Split Green moong – Urad dal idli | No Rice Idli

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Summer vacations are about to begin here and this is the last week of online classes for my daughter. Many people we know are travelling to India and even though I am happy for them, it is making me homesick. Sometimes no matter how much you explain to your mind and heart, it fails to listen. Missing people you love is the worst kind of heartache which does not go away until you meet them.

My Amma has been telling me how safe I am here and I truly accept that. But on days when I am down, all I want is to go to Amma, sleep on her lap and just listen to her talk. That’s the most comfortable place on Earth and I really miss it. ❤️

With all this going on, blogging was the last thing on my mind, but today morning I had a heart to heart talk with my best friend, Sunanda who suggested me to focus on the blog for some relief. Talking to her really brought peace in me and I decided to think only about positives as much as possible. Really blessed to have her in my life, who is with me in all my ups and downs in life since many years. As is said, you don’t need the whole world, just handful of friends who support and love you is more than enough. ❤️

After this emotional talk, here’s sharing my kids’ “green idlis”. 😀 For them, Mallige Idli is “white idli” , Ragi Idli is “chocolate idli”, Pumpkin idli is “yellow idli” and so on.. so these are their green idlis as it’s made of green moong even though it’s a mix of green and brown in colour. The idlis come out soft and delicious with the flavour of moong in it. Do try for a change and I am sure you will like it. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { 13 idlis and about 6 dosas }

1 Cup Split green gram / green moong dal with skin

1/2 Cup Split Urad dal

Salt to taste

Step by step recipe:

1. Take Urad dal and Moong dal separately in two vessels.

2. Wash atleast couple of times till water turns clear. Now soak in enough water for atleast 2 to 4 hours. Look at how much moong gets increased in size on soaking.

3. Now, first grind Urad dal with little water to a smooth paste. Pour in a vessel.

4. Now grind moong dal with little water to a smooth paste. Pour into the same bowl as Urad dal paste. Mix well adding salt.

5. Ferment overnight or for atleast 6 hours. Look at how well the batter ferments.

6. Mix well and add into greased idli moulds.

7. Steam in idli steamer for about 20 mins till a knife inserted in the center of the idli comes out clear.

8. Allow it to cool slightly. Remove and serve with a chutney of your choice.

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Notes:

* I have served them with my Amma’s style Tomato chutney and it makes a great combination.

* Dosas from this batter comes out very crispy. Here is the picture.

* You can also make these idlis with regular yellow moong dal like I make these Urad Moong dal idlis.

* I also make whole moong idlis. You can check the recipe here – Whole moong idlis.

* You can check all my idli recipes here – Idli recipes.

* My last blog was with split green moong too – Split Moong Curry

Curry house

Split Moong curry | Easy side dish for chapatis

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Usually I decide the lunch menu the previous night itself. When I put my kids to sleep, before falling asleep myself, I quickly think of what vegetables are in the fridge, what pulses can I soak and what I could make such that it caters to the liking of all of them (Motherhood diaries and I am sure it‘s a kahaani ghar ghar ki 😅).

But since few days, me and the kids have been doing a dancing session in the evening where we put on Bollywood songs, dance however we want to, without the care in the world. 😂 Even though I am a big zero at dancing 😁, my daughter teaches me few steps and I am learning atleast basic dancing from her. 😀 For me, it’s a form of workout and apart from my favorite walking, this dance session uplifts my mood so much. 😍

My favorite song to dance is “Tum hi ho bandhu” from cocktail movie in which this line is my favorite, “Jag mujhpe lagaye pabandi, main hoon hi nahi is duniya ki.” That’s what I have thought of myself too. Over the years, trying to fit everywhere, I now realize there’s nothing wrong in being different. We are all unique and that’s what makes us special. ❤️ Also, there is truly something magical when you dance for yourself with no one to see you (no adult, to be precise 😄), that I realize now, all thanks to my 6 year old daughter. ❤️

So after all that dancing, I fall asleep even before the kids now 😂 and that leaves me no time to think about the lunch menu. That’s when this instant split moong curry comes handy. When vegetables are less, when you feel like having whole moong curry but have forgotten to soak it or merely if you are in no mood to make something elaborate, this split moong curry becomes a best friend. 😍

The curry tastes really delicious with chapatis and rice equally, is very filling and healthy too. I make this regularly and is loved a lot by my family. Hope you all try and like it too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup split green moong dal (with skin)

1/4 Cup split yellow moong dal (skinned)

1 tsp Ghee + 1 tsp Oil

1 tsp Cumin seeds/ Jeera

3 to 4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 inch Ginger, finely chopped

3 Green chillies, finely chopped

1 medium sized Onion, finely chopped

1 medium sized Tomato, finely chopped

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1 tsp Garam masala powder

1 tsp Red chilli powder

Salt to taste

1 tsp Lemon juice, for garnish

2 Tbsp Finely chopped Coriander leaves, for garnish

Step by step recipe:

1. Take 3/4 Cup split green moong dal and 1/4 Cup split yellow Moong dal in a bowl. Wash twice and soak till use. (You can make the curry even without soaking but soaking atleast for 15 mins helps it to cook quickly.)

2. Take ghee + oil (or only oil) in a pan. Add cumin seeds and allow it to change colour. Add finely chopped garlic, ginger and green chillies. Fry till garlic turns brown in colour. Add onions and fry till onions turn translucent.

3. Now add tomatoes and fry till tomatoes turn mushy. Now add turmeric powder, cumin powder, Garam masala powder and red chilli powder.

4. Mix well frying for few seconds. Now drain water from the soaking dal and add to the pan.

5. Add water and salt. Mix well. Bring to a boil.

6. Cover and cook till the moong turns soft and water gets absorbed completely.

7. Now drizzle lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Mix well. Serve hot with chapatis or rice.

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Notes:

* You can make the same curry with overnight ( or atleast for 6 hours) soak whole green gram or even sprouted green gram. I make with split ones when I forget to soak, yet feel like eating this curry.

* Combining both split green moong dal and split yellow moong dal makes it tastier.

* Skip onion and garlic for a satwik version of the curry. I do so on fasting days and it still tastes delicious.

* You can cook till the moong dal turn mushy or till it’s just done. Also you can make the curry dry or keep a little liquid in the gravy. Depends on your taste.

* I usually make this curry with chapatis but it tastes delicious with rice meals too.

* You can also try this:

# Amma’s style moong curry.

# Sprouted Moong Methi sukhe

# Muga Dali Usli

Desserts

Mango Coconut Ladoos | Healthy version without condensed milk

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Don’t the ladoos look pretty? I loved how this picture came out. 😍 Even though I have been making these ladoos since some time now, the cashew bits idea came while presenting them for the blog and they looked so cute that I felt so happy. ❤️

I have a Microwave Mango Coconut ladoos recipe on the blog which many of my readers have tried but the recipe is with condensed milk which they wanted to avoid and I got requests for alternatives. So, I started experimenting and substituted condensed milk with cashew paste. And it worked very well. 😍

The ladoos come out very soft yet melt in the mouth delicious. I still remember the first time that I made it, I shared it with my neighbor Trinita and she showered me with so many wonderful words saying it tasted really delicious. Happiness is sharing, everything tastes much more yummier once you have shared it with your loved ones! ❤️

Wish I could share with all of you too 😍

Similar is with my daughter. She can’t colour alone and needs me (only me, mind you! Mr daddy is invisible to her 😅😁) to colour along with her. I guess sharing the colouring page and pencils make it much more pleasurable an activity. So, we both colour together listening to our favorite songs. Her current favorite is “Mere Sohneya” from Kabir Singh movie. Listening with her, I too love the song now (super cute music and lyrics ❤️) which is coming very close to “Tujhe kitna chahne lage” which has been my most favorite from the movie. How kids change our song choices too! 😍

On the note, sharing this sweet recipe made from my favorite Mango. Hope you all try and love it. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { About 15 small ladoos }

2 Cups Freshly grated/ Desiccated Coconut

1 Cup thick Mango Pulp (fresh/canned)

1/2 Cup Cashews

1/4 Cup Milk

1/4 Cup Jaggery powder

1 Tbsp Ghee

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Step by step recipe:

1. Grind 1/2 Cup Cashews with 1/4 Cup Milk to a smooth paste.

2. In a pan, add 2 Cups desiccated Coconut, 1 Cup Mango pulp, 1/4 Cup Jaggery powder along with cashew paste.

3. Now mix everything well into an even mixture.

4. Keep this pan on medium flame and cook till moisture evaporates and the mixture turns dry. Takes about 10 mins depending on the moisture content of the mango pulp. Now add ghee.

5. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Add cardamom powder and mix well.

6. When it cools, using your palms form ladoos. It will be very soft and you can make ladoos easily. If the mixture sticks to the palm, apply ghee on your palms while making ladoos.

7. Repeat the same with the rest of the ladoos. Garnish with bits of cashews for it to look pretty. 😍

Notes:

* If using freshly grated Coconut, dry roast in a pan first to remove the moisture and then mix in mango pulp, jaggery and cashew paste like in step 2. Do not brown the coconut though. Just light toasting will do.

* You can use both fresh or store bought mango pulp during off season. If using fresh pulp, do not grind using water. Just slice mangoes and grind the mixer without water for a thick pulp.

* During off season, I use Mother’s recipe brand of Alphonso mango pulp. It works really well for this recipe.

* You can skip jaggery if the mangoes are very sweet. You can taste the mixture slightly and then add jaggery only if needed.

* You can use grated Jaggery in place of jaggery powder as anyhow it will melt when we cook it.

* For a Vegan version, you can skip milk and grind cashews with equal amount of water. Also you can skip ghee and use any neutral flavoured oil while greasing your palms while forming ladoos.

* Cook the mixture really well such that the moisture evaporates. Else it will be difficult to form ladoos is the mixture is sticky. But don’t cook a lot that mangoes lose flavour. It took me about 10 mins on medium flame in my cooktop.

* These ladoos are not like regular ladoos and very soft but tastes delicious.

* If you have difficulty forming ladoos even after applying ghee on your palms, then refrigerate the mixture for an hour or so. You can form ladoos easily after that.

* After a day, refrigerate the ladoos in a moisture free container.

* You can also check out these recipes:

# Microwave Mango Coconut ladoos

# Coconut Burfis

# Dry fruit Coconut Ladoos

# All Mango recipes list

# Easy, healthy sweet recipes ready in 15 mins compilation

Salads

Mixed Vegetable Salad | Simple salad recipe

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This salad recipe is so simple that I thought twice before adding on the blog wondering if anyone would actually even look at this recipe. But then I thought, even if one person benefits by it, then the blog is worth it. So here is sharing the easiest salad recipe ever and definitely very healthy too since it has so many vegetables in it. ❤️

My kids are huge fan of this salad and this whole bowl that you can see above is finished mostly by them only. They enjoy it as it is and then add puffed rice or Bhel to it, calling it “Charmbure Upkari” or Bhel Puri in Konkani. Whatever they call it, I am very happy that all these vegetables go into their tummy without a fuss. ❤️

When I was a child, my grandmother used to make a simple salad with just tomatoes, onions, green chillies and coriander leaves. After a while of making it, it would leave water due to salt in it and I used to love to slurp that water. 😍 Now my son is the same. The water left by the salad is reserved only for him and he enjoys drinking it. Like mother, like son. ❤️❤️

Today, I also want to share a glimpse of my mother’s window which is her view of the outside world. Suffering from muscular dystrophy in her legs, she’s mostly sitting on her bed and this window is her best friend which offers her beautiful views of mother nature, the gleaming sky, different varieties of birds and butterflies, also of cows grazing. This picture was clicked by Amma today. Isn’t it beautiful! ❤️

Also, here is a picture of a pigeon, one among the many who come to visit Amma. How sweet is that! 😍

During my vacations, I used to lie on this bed, chatting with Amma while looking outside at nature, enjoying the beautiful scenery. Major missing since close to two years now. But really happy that Amma has this window as her friend, which makes her feel close to nature, even from within her room. That’s so blissful! ❤️

On this note, here’s sharing the recipe with all of you. Hope you all try it too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

2 English Cucumbers (about 2 cups chopped Cucumbers)

1 medium sized Carrot (1 Cup grated Carrot)

1/2 Cup grated Cabbage

1/4 Cup finely chopped Capsicum

3 Lettuce leaves, chopped into small pieces

1 medium sized Onion

1 medium sized Tomato

3 Tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves

2 Indian lemon or to taste

1/4 tsp Cumin powder

Salt to taste (I use rock salt/ kaala namak)

Step by step recipe:

1. Get all the veggies for the salad ready. I love to keep everything set at first so that I don’t forget any of the Vegetable and also love how colourful it looks. 😍

2. First chop the cucumbers into small pieces and add to a large mixing bowl. Then peel and grate carrots, finely chop cabbage, capsicum, onion and tomato. Make small pieces of lettuce and add to the bowl too.

3. Now add lemon juice along with salt, cumin powder and coriander leaves. Mix well and serve.

Notes:

* If using Indian cucumbers, it will need peeling and removing the core. Since I used English Cucumbers, I do not peel it.

* You can skip any Vegetable in this if you don’t have. I add as per what I have available.

* You can also add green chillies or pepper powder. I skip both as I make for my small kids.

* This salad acts a good base to make Mixed Vegetable sandwiches. Just take little of this salad and mix either hung Curd or cream cheese along with little tomato ketchup. Mix well and spread between bread slices. Toast on a pan and delicious sandwiches are ready.

* Also you can use this salad to make Mixed Vegetable Bhel Puri. Just take a little of this salad and mix in red chilli powder to taste along with little curd, puffed rice/ Bhel and Bhujiya/ Sev. Add Date Tamarind chutney too if you have.

* These are the other Salads that I make regularly:

# Carrot Kismuri

# Moong dal Kosambari

# Cabbage Kosambari

# Khamang Kakdi

# Mixed Bean Salad

Desserts

Amrakhand | Mango Shrikhand | Easy Mango dessert

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This picture of Amrakhand or Mango Shrikhand is making me drool now and I am so sad that it’s already finished off. 😅 Had made it as it is my brother’s birthday today and I wanted to post a sweet recipe on the blog dedicated to him. As my regular readers know, Mango is my most favorite fruit among all and making mango sweets are my favorite pastime during mango season. 😍

This dessert hardly takes any effort (just mixer jar washing 😂) but looks so beautiful (all credits to my fav Mango ❤️) and tastes so delicious that whenever I make it, the kids can’t get enough of it. They call it mango ice cream. 😍

Just received a picture of my brother cutting his birthday cake. He turned 25 years today and this picture amazed me as to how much he has grown from a little baby on my lap to a handsome man. ❤️

He works for IBM, Bangalore but is at home due to the work from home situation now. Grateful to God for that as I am relieved that my parents have company and also he’s much safer in Udupi. This picture also shows my home, Amma’s dream flat amidst nature near Shri Krishna temple, Udupi and makes me miss all of them so much. ❤️

Also sharing a collage of pictures of my journey with my brother from when he was a baby, born 6.5 years after me, to our childhood memories to growing up together. ❤️

Here’s wishing you a very happy birthday dear Madan. Loads of love and blessings on this special day as you turn 25. Dedicating this sweet to you. ❤️ The big heart is me, being your Akka and the small heart is you, my little brother.😍😍

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On this note, sharing the recipe with all of you. Hope you all will try this sweet recipe and I am sure you will love it. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 3 Cups }

2 Cups Curd / Yogurt

1 Cup thick Mango pulp

1/4 Cup Jaggery (about 3 to 4 spoons)

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Saffron strands and mango pieces to garnish (optional)

Step by step recipe:

1. Make Hung Curd from the regular curd. It is very easy to make and I have shared all the step by step pictures in this Jaggery Shrikhand post. You can check that.

2. Once hung curd is ready, keep all the other ingredients ready too. In this picture you can see, freshly made hung curd, mango pulp, jaggery powder and cardamom powder.

3. Now add all these ingredients in the mixer jar and blend till the mixture turns smooth and creamy.

4. You are done. Now pour into bowls, garnish with saffron and mango pieces. Serve chilled.

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Notes:

* This sweet tastes best with Alphonso mango pulp due to the natural sweetness of the mango.

* You can use fresh or canned mango pulp. When making the mango pulp at home, just blend the mangoes to a thick pulp without adding water. Else the Amrakhand turns watery.

* You can skip jaggery too if the mangoes are very sweet.

* The thicker the yogurt, the quicker you will get hung curd. I hung the curd in a bowl only for two hours and it came out to be a thick hung curd. That’s because the curd or yogurt that we get here is very thick.

* For making hung curd using regular curd, check my Jaggery Shrikhand post.

* You can also add dry fruits to it. I skipped as my kids like it only with mango pieces.

* I have added a lot of mango sweet recipes on the blog. You can check them here – Mango Recipes.

Dosa corner

Horsegram dosa | Kulitha polo | Crispy dosas with Muthira/ Huruli kaalu

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Dosas are our “most made” breakfast as my regular readers already know. For those who are new, here is a glimpse into more than 30 dosa recipes on my Dosa corner page. We just can’t get enough of them and my kids’ too either love dosas or idlis for breakfast. ❤️❤️

And what’s not to love about dosas? They are healthy, filling and so delicious when dipped into its companion, the quintessential chutney 😍. Also, I love how once we finish our breakfast, there are no mid meal hunger pangs which keeps us away from junk food binging. That is why I believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. ❤️

My grandmother always made Horsegram idlis but I started making these dosas after seeing many people make it in Konkani households. Came out so crispy and importantly my kids loved it. So during winter months, when I include Horsegram in our diet (as it is warm to the body), I make these dosas as well.

Hope you all try these dosas for a change too. I am sure you will love it. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

Want to share a quote with all of you which my Amma shared with me last week and I loved it a lot. ❤️

I am someone who loves with all my heart and get attached with all depths. The problem with that is sometimes that leads to a lot of hurt. Not judging people whom I love, can never do that, but all the experiences I have faced in life has taught me exactly what is written in the quote above. Don’t expect anything in return. You love someone without any reason, so don’t expect anything back, not even love. Just keep expectations away and pray for the well being of that person. That’s what love is all about and no one apart from you needs to understand your love. ❤️

Amma, this quote is so beautiful and I am going to remember it forever. Thanks for sharing this Amma. ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 13 dosas }

1 Cup Raw white rice ( I use any variety available here )

1/2 Cup Horsegram/ Muthira/ Kulithu/ Huruli kaalu

1/2 Cup Urad dal ( I use split ones )

Salt to taste

Ghee or oil while cooking the dosas

Step by step recipe:

1. Wash well and soak rice, Horsegram and Urad dal together for 4 to 5 hours. Now drain water completely. Add along with about a cup of water to a mixer.

2. Grind to a smooth paste. Pour into a large steel bowl. Add salt and mix well.

3. Keep covered at room temperature overnight or for 6 to 8 hours.

4. Heat a dosa pan and pour a ladle full of dosa batter. Spread like regular dosas using the back of the ladle. Add little ghee and cook till the dosas turn crisp.

5. Remove and repeat the same with the rest of the batter. Serve with a chutney of your choice. I serve this with hing chutney.

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Notes:

* Do pick stones from Horsegram before soaking as Horsegram usually contains stones in it.

* I also make Horsegram idlis. You can check that recipe here – Horsegram idlis.

* Fermenting this batter too long can make the dosa batter turn sour as it contains Horsegram in it. So don’t ferment more than 8 hours in summers.

* For hing chutney, grind about 1 Cup coconut with 3 to 4 red chillies, 1/4 tsp Hing powder, salt and little water. Season in coconut oil with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

* You can check all my Dosa recipes here – Dosa Corner

* For my ” no rice ” dosa recipes collection – ” no rice” Dosa recipes Compilation

Curry house, Konkani Recipes, Salads

Banana stem salad | Banana stem Kosambari | Banana stem Upkari | Gabbo recipes Konkani

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There was a time when I used to make only one or two curries for our matta rice meals. Since I cook the matta rice very soft like a gruel, a side dish would be sufficient to enjoy a simple dinner. Don’t know when I started cooking more, maybe lockdown effect 😄 or to deviate my mind 😅 or listen to more music 😍, I now make atleast 3 to 4 varieties of curries daily. It makes me very happy to see the thali with different colours and nutrients too.❤️

My son is also a huge fan of his plate filled with curries and says, “Amma, Wow 😍” when I bring his meal to feed him. I am glad that this boy needs no extra efforts to make him eat veggies. He already loves vegetables (even traditional ones) so much that I am sure he was a farmer in his past life and a Konkani for sure. 😅

As for me, due to him, I too have learned to like these vegetables which I did not like as a kid (Amma, true na? 😂). So, as a mother, at 31 year old, I am learning healthy eating habits from my 2.5 year old son ( how cool is that 😄). But honestly, not only this, if I have learned to be happy at the simplest things, it is through my kids, if I have learned to enjoy life with whatever we have, it is through them. Even if I scold them, they still come back to me with the same amount of love and hug me saying, “Love you, Amma”. That forgiving, non judging, free thinking, trusting nature of kids and the innocence, which gets lost as we grow up, have to be learned from kids. Maybe that’s what is a part of the circle of life. ❤️

So, on this thoughtful note, sharing the recipes with Banana stem. Hope you all like it. Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

Banana stem (inner pith)/ Gabbo as available {mine was 35 cm in length}

For Kosambari:

1/4 Cup Moong dal

1 Cup finely chopped Banana stem

3 Green chillies

2 Tbsp Coriander leaves

2 Tbsp grated Coconut

A pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida

1 tsp Oil, 1 tsp Mustard seeds, A sprig of Curry leaves – for seasoning

Lemon juice from 1 Indian lemon for garnish

Salt to taste

For Salad:

1 Cup finely chopped Banana stem

1 Cup Curd / Yogurt

2 Green chillies

Salt to taste

1 tsp Oil or ghee, 1 tsp Mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds, A sprig of Curry leaves – for seasoning

Step by step recipe:

1. First wash well and soak the moong dal in enough water and keep aside till use. This is for the kosambari.

2. Next, wash the Banana pith well. I get the outer parts of the stem already removed. So I don’t have pictures of how to remove that. Please check YouTube videos on how to use banana stem if using for the first time. Cut into roundels while removing any fibres which may come out. Immediately put in a vessel filled with water as shown.

3. Now finely chop these roundels and add little to a bowl for the salad. Also add finely chopped green chillies.

4. Now add curd and salt. Mix well.

5. Season oil or ghee by spluttering mustard seeds and adding cumin seeds and curry leaves. Pour this seasoning over the salad. Mix well. Salad is ready.

6. For the Kosambari, now again finely chop the banana stem and add to the soaked, drained moong dal along with green chillies and coriander leaves.

7. Now add coconut along with the seasoning of mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil.

8. Add lemon juice and salt. Mix well. Kosambari is ready.

9. For the Gabbe Upkari, cut the rest of the Banana stem into long pieces. Heat about 2 tsp Oil in a pan. Add a pinch of Hing along with 3 to 4 broken red chillies and the chopped Banana stem pieces with salt and little water. Cover and cook till the stem pieces turn soft. Garnish with grated Coconut and mix well.

10. Serve the Banana stem salad, Banana stem Kosambari and Upkari with rice meals.

Notes:

* I also make a simple sambar along with these three dishes as it makes a great combination and a very wholesome meal.

* Remember to remove the outer parts of the Banana stem if you have the stem with outer parts intact. Check YouTube videos on how to use Banana stem. I get it with the innermost pith in my nearest supermarket.

* While chopping the pith, you will get some fibres come out. Discard it.

* Keep the chopped pieces in plain water or tumeric water till use, else the pieces turn black very quickly.

* Don’t worry about using banana stem without cooking it in salad and Kosambari. It can be had raw and tastes really good too. Just chop it very finely.

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Cakes and Bakes

Eggless Banana Rava Cupcakes | Easy one bowl Banana semolina muffins

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Bananas are the most brought fruit in our grocery shopping as my darling daughter loves it. 😍 She eats one daily after breakfast and also when she’s hungry in the evenings. But even then, due to the onset of summers here in Qatar, the bananas turn black and overripe very quickly. Though it is still tasty on the inside, they are slightly sticky to hold and I don’t feel like giving her to eat as it is (don’t want her love for bananas to diminish away 😍). But what to do with those bananas now? 😄

That’s when this mommy puts on her thinking caps (my brains work overtime now 🤣) as to how to use the leftover bananas who stare at me, pleading to be used up whenever I pass through them (dramatic much?? 😅 That’s me 😂). So one week it’s Jaggery Sheera with the bananas and the next week it’s banana chocolate cupcakes or Vastad rottis or the easiest wheat banana pancakes with them. Finally, when all these options got exhausted, I found out a new way of using the bananas.

Substituted mango pulp with mashed bananas in my Mango Rava Cupcake recipe and it came out so well that it has become a regular at my place (as of now 😅). So much that the bananas are purposely left to turn black 😅 to make these delicious cupcakes. 😍

By the way, did you notice the toy bananas in my picture? It is from my daughter’s food toy collection, which her brother too loves a lot and they both play in this set up which I have made for them. 😍 Though the places for the toys keeps changing throughout the day, before sleeping, I set it up like this so that our mornings are welcomed by this beautiful, cute scene. ❤️

You can also see my son’s vehicle collection which me and him arrange in various ways. We spend hours sitting there and I don’t realize how time passes with this little boy. ❤️

Anyhow, hope you all try these cupcakes and I am sure you will like it. Do let me know if any doubts and it will be a pleasure to help. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE: { 1 Cup = 250 ml }

Ingredients: { Makes 7 cupcakes }

1 Cup mashed Bananas { I took 5 overripe small variety Indian Bananas }

1 Cup Semolina/ Rava / Sooji { regular variety }

1/2 Cup Jaggery powder

1/4 Cup Ghee

1 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Step by step recipe:

1. Preheat the oven at 180 C for 10 mins.

2. Take 1 Cup rava in a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 Cup jaggery powder to it. Keep mashed bananas and other ingredients ready as well.

3. Now add the 1 Cup mashed bananas along with 1/4 Cup ghee, 1 tsp Baking powder, 1/4 tsp each of salt and cardamom powder.

4. Mix well into a even mixture using a spatula.

5. Now take a muffin pan ready and line with cupcake liners. If you don’t have liners, just grease well with ghee. Fill three fourth of the mould with the batter.

6. Bake in the preheated oven (which has been heated at 180 C for 10 mins) in the center rack of the oven at 180 C for 25 to 30 mins. Mine gets done at 25 mins exactly. Insert a toothpick in the center of the center most cupcake to see if done. If the toothpick comes out clear, it’s done. Else bake for couple of mins more or till done.

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7. Allow it to cool slightly. Then serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

* I keep in an airtight container for a day and it lasts well at room temperature for a day. Refrigerate after that and microwave slightly before consuming.

* I use the small variety Indian bananas which have turned overripe. You can use any variety of bananas but just make sure they are really ripe and mashed well.

* I used the rava that I use for making upma. It is not very fine but regular semolina size. Just don’t use very coarse semolina. If you only have coarse variety, powder it in a mixer first and then use.

* Grate jaggery finely and use if you don’t have jaggery powder.

* Ghee and cardamom powder gives the cupcakes a wonderful flavour. So don’t skip or replace it.

* 25 mins got my cupcakes to bake perfectly and 30 mins made the top part slightly crisp. So please check at 25 mins and if done in the center, remove from the oven.

* I got this idea of using mashed bananas from my Mango Rava Cupcakes where I use mango pulp instead.

* I also make these three recipes with leftover overripe bananas:

# Jaggery Sheera – I add mashed bananas towards and end along with jaggery water, mix well. Tastes very delicious. This tastes like Sapath which is made for Satyanarayana vrath prasad in many households.

In fact these Banana Rava cupcakes are a cake version of the Sapath prasad. The taste is quite similar to it.

# Vastad rotti – Tawa fried version of Mangalore Buns

# Eggless, whole wheat, Chocolate Banana Cake – Can be made as cupcakes too

# Wheat Banana Pancakes – Instant snack for the kids with bananas and wheat flour.

* If you are new to baking, you can check this post which I wrote to help my readers – Baking basics for Beginners

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Join me in my journey with a foodie husband and hungry kiddos while I make them eat healthy!