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A new blog after a long break of many months. Kids had their summer vacation and towards the end of it, we went to India. Had a great month celebrating festivals with our families and the highlight being able to spend Janmashtami time at my native, Udupi. ❤️
If there is heaven on earth for me, it is Udupi. The feeling of living there, being able to see my dearest Krishna always is very precious. Hope my dream of settling down in Udupi fulfills in the coming years. ❤️🙏
I missed cooking at Udupi as we were either constantly travelling or were at our relatives’ houses. So coming back to my kitchen in Qatar, I have been cooking a lot to compensate it. 😁 This Capsicum Peanut Masala was a recent try inspired by something similar which I ate at a hotel during my vacation.
It comes out so delicious that a meal with rice, rasam and capsicum masala is all you need to get your soul satisfied. This is that kind of curry, simple, unique and very flavourful.
Hope you all try and love this curry too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️
RECIPE:
Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Peanuts
3 medium sized Green Capsicum, chopped into small pieces
1 small Onion
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
2 tsp Mustard seeds
Few Curry leaves
3 Green chillies
1 tsp Tamarind paste
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp Red chilli powder or to taste
2 tsp Sambar powder ( I use Nirapara brand)
Freshly grated coconut for garnish
Salt to taste
Step by step recipe:
1. Dry roast peanuts in a pan till it starts changing colour and let’s out an aroma. Don’t let it turn black. Allow it to cool.
2. When it cools down, powder it coarsely in a mixer. Just pulse for few turns. Don’t blend it a lot as it will turn into paste. Keep it aside.
3. Now heat oil in the same pan, splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for few seconds.
4. Add finely chopped onions and fry till the onions turn translucent.
5. Now add chopped Capsicum and fry for few minutes.
6. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sambar powder and tamarind.
7. Mix well. Cover and cook till capsicum turns soft. Sprinkle little water if necessary. Now add the peanut powder.
8. Mix well. Cover and cook for about 5 mins. Add grated coconut on top. Done. 🙂
Serve with rice meals as a delicious accompaniment.
Notes:
* Be careful while roasting peanuts such that they don’t turn black. Roast on medium flame and immediately remove them as soon as they start changing colour.
* Also be careful while grinding the peanuts such that they should not turn into a paste. Coarse powder is enough.
* Onion can be skipped if you follow satvic diet.
* You can reduce chilli powder as we have already added green chillies, depending on your spice level.
* Sambar powder adds a wonderful flavour. So don’t skip it in this curry.
* This curry also tastes yummy with dosa.
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Click on the image to save the recipe on Pinterest
I know if you have come here to read the recipe, you must be wondering as to what kind of Pohe this is. The name itself is so unique that I too was amazed as I read it few months back. My friend on Facebook, Aparna Kamat had posted this recipe and as part of a theme, I had tried it. Even though I was hesitant as to how it must taste with cabbage (also called Kobi in Goan side), I was surprised that it tasted so delicious and I never missed onions in my Pohe.
Thus Kobi Pohe found it’s place in my kitchen and I started making this whenever I had fresh Cabbage or when I felt like making Pohe on Pooja days and I needed to skip onions in my dish. Cabbage substitutes onion really well and you can never tell the difference. Aparna says this Pohe is made in our temples in Goa and I must say, what a great idea!
Though our breakfast is mainly Dosa and Idli varieties, some days the dosa batter is not sufficient for everyone and that’s when I make seasoned dishes like this Kobi Pohe for breakfast and relish it.
Hope you all try and love it too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️
Thank you so much Aparna for your wonderful recipe. It’s a keeper for sure. ❤️
RECIPE:
Ingredients:
3 Cups Thick Poha/ Flattened rice/ Beaten rice
1 Cup Finely chopped/ Shredded Cabbage
2 medium sized Potatoes
3 to 4 Green chillies
1 inch Ginger piece, finely chopped
For seasoning:
1 to 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Tbsp Peanuts
A sprig of Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp Lemon juice, for garnish
1/4 Cup finely chopped Coriander leaves, for garnish
2 Tbsp freshly grated coconut
Step by step recipe:
1. Keep finely chopped Cabbage, peeled and chopped potatoes, finely chopped ginger, green chillies and curry leaves ready.
2. Take the thick Poha in a large bowl and wash it well removing impurities if any. Drain and keep aside.
Note: Be careful while washing Poha as some Poha requires only be sprinkled with water and it turns soft. My variety of thick Poha needs to be washed well and drained completely to get the desired texture.
3. I add salt to this softened Poha. Mix well and keep. This ensures that salt gets mixed evenly in the poha.
4. Now heat oil in a large pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves, ginger, green chillies and peanuts. Roast till peanuts turn slightly brown in colour.
5. Now add potatoes, cabbage and turmeric powder. Keep frying for couple of minutes. Now cover and keep on medium flame. Cook till potatoes turn soft.
Note: Only if needed, you can sprinkle little water for potatoes to cook. I don’t add water at all.
6. Now add the softened Poha and mix well. Cover and keep for 2 mins on low flame.
7. Remove from flame. Drizzle lemon juice and garnish with finely chopped Coriander leaves and freshly grated coconut. Done! Enjoy Kobi Pohe with a hot cup of tea. ❤️
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Notes:
* For a regular version of Poha which is called Kanda Poha in Maharashtra and we Konkanis call Batat Phovu, substitute Cabbage with finely chopped Onions. Rest procedure is the same.
* You can use white or brown Poha but make sure it is Thick Poha and not Thin Poha.
* If you are unsure of whether your family will like this or not, just use 1/2 Cup Cabbage first. Trust me, you just can’t say the difference between this and Kanda Poha. Just be sure to finely chop the Cabbage such that it mixes well with other ingredients.
* I also like to drizzle a spoon of ghee at the end as garnish while making any kind of Poha. It not only ensures that the poha is not dry but gives a wonderful flavour to the poha too. It is completely optional but just sharing the way I do.
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My Dosa Corner page is proof for our Dosa love. It has 35 Dosa recipes as of now (just back from counting 😀) and here is the 36th variety of dosa – Our favorite and a dosa which I make most regularly, Methi dosa. ❤️
Methi or Fenugreek seeds when soaked and if the soaked water is used while grinding the dosa batter yields really delicious dosas. Also, is very beneficial for our body. I have been making different kinds of Urad dosas but this one works perfect for me and is a weekly once dosa at our place.
My kids’ can eat these dosas for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner (True dosa lovers 😍😍). Making dosas for them and watching them enjoy it is my happiness. ❤️
Hope you all try and enjoy these dosas too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️
RECIPE:
Ingredients: Makes about 20 dosas
1 Cup Whole Urad dal (can use split urad too)
2.5 Cups White rice ( I use any regular white rice or parboiled rice)
2 tsp Fenugreek seeds/ Methi
Salt to taste
Ghee to cook the dosa
Step by step recipe:
1. Wash well and soak Urad dal, rice and fenugreek seeds in separate vessels in atleast twice the amount of water for 4 hours.
Note: Do soak fenugreek seeds separately as we won’t be draining the soaked water but will use it while grinding the batter. This gives best texture to the dosas.
2. Drain water from Urad dal and add to the mixer. Now add the fenugreek seeds along with the soaked water.
3. Grind to a smooth paste. Pour into a large vessel.
4. Drain water from soaked rice too and grind it to a smooth paste adding little water as needed. Add this to the Urad dal paste. Mix well adding salt.
5. Keep it covered to ferment for about 8 hours at room temperature.
6. Heat a dosa pan and spread a ladle full of dosa batter into a circle.
7. Cover and cook till the surface cooks. Add ghee on top and sides.
8. Flip and cook for crispy dosas. Else you can just cook one side, fold and remove the dosas. Serve with a chutney of your choice!
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* Leftover batter can be refrigerated and used for two to three days.
* Please do soak fenugreek seeds in a separate container and do not discard the soaked water while grinding. Use it as it is very healthy and will also give a great texture to the dosa.
* You can also make dosas within an hour of making this batter as it still turns soft and tasty. I make it when my son craves for dosas and the batter is just ground. He loves it.
* Soft dosa lovers can make the dosa thick and cook only one side. Crispy dosa lovers can make the dosa thin and cook both sides till crisp.
* You can check all my Dosa recipes (35 Dosa recipes): Dosa Corner
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Both the kids just left for school and I take this (peaceful 😄) opportunity to write a recipe which I wanted to share since long time. In Qatar, during winters ie roughly from November to April, residents grow vegetables in their gardens. Main vegetable which almost everyone grows is Tomato. Even we have tomatoes in abundance every year which we enjoy till June due to it’s good shelf life.
Here are some of the beautiful tomatoes which grew in our’s and our neighbor’s garden who was kind enough to share with us. ❤️
And plenty of tomatoes means making my favorite, my Amma’s Tomato chutney. 😍 Apart from that, due to my daughter’s request, who wanted the hotel style Tomato Chutney which she enjoys at Aryaas restaurant here, I happened to try this recipe which came out exactly the same. Imagine my happiness!! ❤️
So after getting daughter approval as well, I knew this recipe deserved to be blogged and shared with all of you. Hope you all try and love this recipe too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️
RECIPE:
Ingredients:
About 4 to 6 medium sized Tomatoes (or as available, even 2 large tomatoes are fine)
2 medium sized Onions
1 inch Ginger piece
4 pods of Garlic
3 to 4 Red chillies
A sprig of Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder/ Haldi
1 Tbsp Coconut oil
Salt to taste
For seasoning:
2 tsp Coconut oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds/ Jeera
A sprig of Curry leaves
A pinch of Asafoetida powder/ Hing
Step by step recipe:
1. Take all the ingredients for the chutney and keep ready. I have taken home grown tomatoes of different sizes depending on which of them were turning soft. Since I have a lot of tomatoes, I have taken plenty to make this chutney. You can use only two to three large ones depending on availability.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add curry leaves, chopped ginger, garlic and onions. Fry till onions turn translucent. Then add red chillies. Fry for few seconds.
3. Add roughly chopped tomatoes along with turmeric powder and salt. Cook till tomatoes turn soft. Don’t add water at all. Tomatoes will leave a lot of water as it cooks.
4. Once the tomatoes cook and turn soft, remove from the flame. Allow it to cool. Blend to a smooth paste.
5. Heat oil in the same pan, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and hing.
6. Now add the blended paste along with little water if needed to bring it to desired consistency. Check for salt and also spice level, adding red chilli powder if needed.
* You can skip Onion and Garlic if you don’t consume or on Pooja days. The texture of tomatoes will still make a thick chutney.
* Ripe and bright red tomatoes will give a beautiful colour and flavour to the Chutney.
* Keeps well if refrigerated for couple of days. Mine usually gets over within that.
* I make a big batch specially during tomato season, hence you can see I have used plenty of them. You can use two to three tomatoes to make one batch of chutney.
* For variety of dosa recipes, you can check my Dosa Corner page.
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Hello dear readers, I am back after a very long break. I know I have been taking many breaks now and then but I also know you all will understand me. I had travelled to India, to my hometown Udupi in Karnataka, last month which was after a period of 2.5 years and had a wonderful time with my Amma along with my dearest family members. ❤️
After coming back to Qatar, my kids started school, with my son joining kindergarten too. I miss the kids specially my son a lot as he was always stuck to me (fevicol ka jod 😄) but as they say, we have to accept whatever life brings and I have got accostomed to his absence in the mornings too (though I get teary eyed each time he leaves 😁 #motherhood).
When he comes back though, I get smothered with hugs and kisses from him which compensates for everything 😍😍. My daughter comes a little later and then an hour goes by with her narrating what happened at school. Her stories remind me of my younger self who used to tell each and everything to my mother after she came back from work. ❤️
When they are at school, I cook or bake something special just to see their excitement and the way they enjoy it. 😍 That’s how I baked these Cashew Butter Cookies which both the kids loved a lot.
These cookies are healthier as compared to store bought ones and very tasty too. Once you get the trick on how to make it well, it’s very easy and hardly takes 30 mins to bake a batch of cookies.
Hope you all try and love these cookies. Do let me know if any doubts and it will be a pleasure to help. Happy and healthy baking! ❤️
RECIPE: { My 1 Cup = 250 ml }
Ingredients: { Makes about 15 cookies }
100 grams Salted Butter ( 1/4 Cup + 3 Tbsp) (Add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter)
3/4 Cup Whole wheat flour or Atta
1/2 Cup finely powdered Cashews ( + 2 to 3 Tbsp if needed)
1/4 Cup Jaggery powder
Step by step recipe:
1. Soften butter by keeping it at room temperature for little time. (Do NOT melt it in microwave or so.) Just place it at room temperature till it turns soft. Now add jaggery powder.
2. Combine both well with a spatula till jaggery powder blends with the butter.
3. Add cashew powder and mix well using the spatula.
4. Now add wheat flour.
5. Combine well to form a non sticky dough. At this step, if needed add extra cashew powder or wheat flour if the dough is very sticky. The dough should not be very hard but should not be sticky too. It sometimes takes me extra 2 Tbsp of cashew powder to get non sticky dough. Depends on your wheat flour/ butter brand.
6. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 10 to 15 mins so that the dough becomes firm. After that Preheat the oven for 180 C for 10 minutes in the center rack of the oven.
7. Now make roundels using your palm and place on a greased (with butter or ghee) oven proof plate. Grease your palm too if needed.
8. After the oven finishes pre heating, place this plate in the center rack of the oven and bake at 180 C for 12 to 15 mins. My cookies get done at 14 mins.
9. When done, the cookies turn slightly brown at the edges and are hard to touch in the center. If the cookies look underdone, bake for couple of mins more.
10. Once baked, allow the cookies to cool completely. As they cool down, they start getting firmer but these cookies are more on the soft side and not the crispy kind of cookies. Enjoy soft, melt in the mouth homemade cookies! ❤️
Notes:
* Store the cookies in a dry, air tight container and it lasts well for two to three days. Mine gets finished off by my family before that. Will last longer if handled well, free from moisture.
* They are very soft and break upon touching on warm. As they cool down, they will harden but still not very hard like store bought ones as we have used only butter. The texture is melt in the mouth softer version of cookies.
* These cookies do not need baking sodanor baking powder. They still grow in width during baking process. I too was amazed the first time I tried it as I always thought cookies needed either baking soda or powder.
* Baking time depends on your oven. In some ovens, it can be done at 10 mins while in my OTG, it takes 14 mins. So keep an eye but don’t open the oven door before atleast 10 mins into the baking time. Else it will lead to uneven baking.
* Do refrigerate the dough for atleast 10 to 15 mins as it helps combine the ingredients well and also helps us form cookies well without sticking in our hands.
* Place the cookies in the center rack of your OTG or with both rods on if using microwave with conventional mode oven.
* I have not replaced butter with ghee or oil in this recipe. So can’t say about the outcome.
* I use Pillsbury brand of wheat flour for my bakes and it works very well for me.
* For making powdered Cashews, just put the cashews in a mixer and pulse it in regular intervals till it turns into fine powder. Keep checking in between so that it does not leave oil and become a paste.
* Leave space between cookie dough while keeping on the tray as they increase in width as they bake.
* When they fully bake, you can see the surface is free of raw dough and edges are slightly golden in colour. It is enough. You can remove the cookies out of the oven.
I have tried to note down as much points as possible so that it’s easy for you all to follow but if you still have any doubts, either comment here or message me on my Facebook page Healthy cooking with mitha or on my Instagram handle and I would be happy to help.
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Click on the image to save the recipe on Pinterest
As all of you already know, dosas are our family staple breakfast. So much that any day any time any variety of dosa batter would either be fermenting or ready in the refrigerator (talk about dosa love ❤️). This is one variety that I have been making quite often now and happy that I am able to share it today with all of you.
We have been home bound again since few weeks due to the sudden increase in Covid cases here in Qatar and my daughter’s classes are also online now. Half of my day goes in juggling between managing her classes, entertaining my son and cooking alongside while the rest half goes in playing with them and finishing off my chores. So I hardly get the lavish time that I used to get before to blog.
And whenever I do get some little time in between, I prefer to watch random YouTube videos or listen to my favorite songs and bhajans while walking inside my home or arranging the toys which has become my way to soothe myself. Along with these, the weather has become so beautiful in Qatar with light rains that I just sit looking outside at the trees, the birds and the precious raindrops. It’s a gift from nature that I was waiting for since many years. ❤️
Hope you all are doing well too. Really wishing peace and happiness with good health for all of you. Since this is my first post in 2022, I take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Happy New year too. Stay safe, take care. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️
RECIPE:
Ingredients: {Makes 17 dosas}
1 Cup Urad dal (I use split ones)
1 Cup Matta rice/ Parboiled rice/ Ukde tandulu in Konkani
1 1/2 Cups White rice (any variety)
1/2 Cup thick Poha/ flattened rice
Salt to taste
Oil or Ghee to cook the dosa
Step by step recipe:
1. Wash well and soak Urad dal separately and matta rice- white rice together in two vessels for 4 to 6 hours. (Matta rice needs more soaking time.) Here is the picture to show the rice varieties that I have used.
2. After soaking time, drain the water and add Urad dal in a mixer.
3. Grind to a smooth paste adding little water. Add to a vessel. Now drain and add both the rice along with poha in the mixer.
4. Grind this to a smooth paste. Add it to the Urad dal batter along with salt. Mix well with hands.
5. Keep covered at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours. I keep the batter for about 12 hours now since it is winter as the batter takes more time to ferment. In summers, 8 hours would be enough.
The well fermented batter ❤️
6. Mix the batter well once. Heat a dosa pan and pour a ladle of batter in the center. You can make both thin or thick dosas with this batter but we prefer thick spongy dosas. Add ghee over the dosas once the surface looks cooked.
7. Flip and cook the other side for few seconds too.
8. Remove and serve with a chutney of your choice.
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Notes:
* I usually make a simple ginger chutney with this dosa. Just grind coconut with ginger, green chillies, tamarind, salt and little water to a smooth paste. Season in coconut oil with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
* I use the Palakkadan Matta rice variety which we consume daily for our meals, to make this dosa. It is also called Kerala red rice or Kerala Parboiled rice. In Konkani, we call it Ukde tandulu. You can use any variety of brown rice.
* Note that the soaking time for Matta rice is atleast 6 hours so that it grinds well in the mixer.
* Poha makes this dosa very spongy and soft. I use thick variety, you can use thin ones too.
* This batter stays well if refrigerated for couple of days. Ideal for lunch boxes too as the dosas stay soft for a long time.
* I got inspired to make this dosa from my Surai Ukdle Polo, a dosa commonly made in Konkani households.
* I also make Paniyarams or Appos with Matta rice and mixed dals – Mixed dal Appos.
Click on the image to save the recipe on Pinterest
Click on the image to save the recipe on Pinterest
The bowl of sweet appes that you can see above has been finished off by my sweet 3 year old son as I write this. After I made it and gave him one, he took a bite and asked me innocently, “mmm yummy Amma, ye hotel?” 😄. I felt very happy and like a chef that my son found the appes so good that he thought they were from hotel. 😍
He wanted more and finally ate the whole bowl of it. My heart filled up as a mother by seeing him eat happily and I wanted to share my happiness with all of you too as soon as possible. So, sat to write down this blog now itself. ❤️
These appes were one among the first I learnt to make when I got the Appe pan as we have grown up eating them. My kids love it a lot and I make it regularly for them as a tasty snack. It’s so quick to make yet fills up their tummies in a healthy way. ❤️
I also want to share a glimpse of my kitchen counter with all of you today seeing which makes me very happy each day. I love arranging it and love to keep the house clean. Took this picture to send my Amma and felt like sharing with you all too. A peek into my kitchen and my favorite place in the house. 😍
The popsicle molds are my recent purchase and I am loving making new varieties of fruit popsicles each day for the kids. Their excitement while enjoying them is one of a kind. 😍 Will share the recipes when I find time. ❤️
Hope you all loved reading this blog. Do try these appes and I am sure you will love them. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️
RECIPE:
Ingredients: { Makes about 24 small sized appos }
1 Cup Wheat flour (Chapati Atta)
1/2 Cup Jaggery powder or to taste
2 to 3 Tbsp freshly grated Coconut
A pinch of Salt
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 to 3/4 Cup water (to make the batter)
1 small Indian Banana (1/4 Cup mashed banana)
Ghee to cook the appos
Step by step recipe:
1. Take 1 Cup wheat flour, 1/2 Cup Jaggery powder, about 2 Tbsp freshly grated coconut, salt and Cardamom powder in a mixing bowl.
2. Add 1/2 Cup Milk and water (1/4 Cup each time) to make a slightly thick lump free batter. It takes about 1/2 Cup to 3/4 Cup water to make this batter depending on the brand of wheat flour and how much water it absorbs. The consistency should be neither very thin nor very thick. It should be thicker than dosa batter.
3. Now add the mashed banana to the batter. Mix well. I add 1 small Indian Banana which is 1/4 Cup when mashed.
4. Now heat the Appe pan and when it becomes hot, reduce the flame to medium. Now add a drop of ghee in each of the holes of the pan. Add one spoonful of batter in each of them. Don’t keep the flame on high as the appes may turn black in colour. Always keep the flame on medium to get golden coloured appes.
5. Cover and cook for a minute or till the surface looks slightly cooked.
6. Flip and cook for a minute again.
7. Serve them warm or at room temperature. Tastes so yum! 😍
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Notes:
* You can skip banana if you don’t have but trust me, these appes taste really heavenly with the banana flavour and the slight bite of bananas in them.
* If you are not adding bananas, you will need to add a pinch of baking soda to help the appos fluff up. I don’t like to use soda and hence I add bananas everytime while making appos.
* This is how I make Wheat banana pancakes too. So you can use appe batter to make pancakes.
* The measurements I have shared above works very well for me. You can add or reduce jaggery, coconut and milk as per your taste.
* Always cook the appes in medium flame for perfect golden coloured appes.
* I also make Mixed dal Appes which comes out delicious. You can check the recipe here.
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It has been so long that I have posted a cake recipe, in fact the last one was in February which was this delicious Chocolate Sponge cake. The cake is so amazing that I have been making it regularly, mostly as cupcakes for my kids. It is also a great snack box option for my daughter who’s school has started regularly now (after months of online classes, my butterfly is happy to be flying again 😄).
Apart from chocolate cake and other cakes, I have also learned to make this healthy Dry fruit Cake which she takes to school and my 3 year old son too enjoys it as his morning snack. In fact I made it again today on their request and decided to take step by step pictures to share the recipe with all of you too. 😍
My son could not wait for me to complete taking pictures and he came to take a slice. I captured the moment and it came out so cute. Those tiny hands. 😍
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He gobbled up two slices of the cake and the rest of them are waiting for my daughter to come back from school. It’s her favorite and I am sure she will be very happy to see it. ❤️
Hope you all try and love this cake too. They are a great way to add the healthy dry fruits in the kids’ diet and since it has wheat flour and ghee along with the nuts, they are filling too. Specially great for the winters now. I have also been making these easy Sesame seeds Burfi and Dry fruits ladoo for them which you can try as well. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️
RECIPE:
Makes a single loaf cake in a loaf pan of length 20 cm and width 7 cm
Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients: { 1 Cup = 240 ml }
1 Cup Whole wheat flour (Regular Chapati atta)
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Salt
Wet Ingredients:
1 Cup Mixed nuts, raisins and dates (I take about 10 cashews, 10 Almonds, some raisins and 5 seedless dates which make a total of 1 Cup)
1 Cup Orange Juice (I use freshly squeezed)
1/4 Cup Jaggery powder
1/4 Cup Ghee
Step by step recipe:
1. Sieve together 1 Cup wheat flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Take mixed nuts and raisins in a mixer. Deseed dates and halve them (Fine chop them if they are not very soft. It helps when you pulse later in the mixer). Keep aside.
3. Coarsely powder the nuts and raisins together using Pulse mode of the mixer. Don’t grind at one go or you will get a paste. Just pulse few times till the nuts turn into coarse powder. Now add the deseeded dates to it.
4. Pulse again till the dates blend together and it forms a coarse mixture as shown. (Small pieces of dates left in the mixture is fine. Gives a great bite in the cake.) Note that this mixture is in powder form and not paste. Pulse the mixer few times to get this. Don’t grind all at once as the nuts leave oil and the mixture becomes a paste.
5. Now preheat the oven at 180 C for 10 mins.
6. Meanwhile take this dry fruit mixture in a mixing bowl, along with jaggery powder and ghee. Keep orange juice ready too.
7. Add orange juice and mix well. Remember to sieve the orange juice if using fresh ones so that it does not have the pulp.
8. Now add the dry ingredients to the wet Ingredients. Mix well using light hands till you don’t see any dry flour specks. Don’t overmix or you will get a dense cake. Just few mixes till you don’t see dry flour is enough.
9. Add to a greased cake pan. I grease my pan with ghee. The size of my loaf pan is 20 cm length and 7 cm width. Using a spatula, flatten the surface.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 30 mins. Might take between 25 to 35 mins depending on your oven type. Keep an eye after 25 mins. Don’t keep opening the oven door before that. Using a skewer or toothpick, insert in the center of the cake. If it comes out clear or with dry crumbs, it is done. If it comes out wet, keep again for 5 mins and check again.
11. Allow it to cool for sometime. Once cooled, loosen the edges of the cake using a knife and invert onto a plate.
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12. Slice and serve. Store in a moisture free container.
Notes:
* This cake lasts well at room temperature for a day. Mine gets over within that time but if yours lasts, you can refrigerate it. Microwave for few seconds before serving if needed.
* I always use Pillsbury wheat flour and it works well for all my bakes. Recently though I started baking with Lulu brand of wheat flour and they come out great as well. This particular bake was with Lulu wheat flour and I was happy to see the cake come out soft and tasty.
* I have used freshly squeezed and sieved orange juice for this cake. It enhances the flavour of the cake so much. You can use store bought ones too.
* Regarding the mixed nuts, raisins and dates, as I have mentioned above, I have used about 10 cashews, 10 Almonds, few raisins and 5 dates. This made 1 Cup. You can use other nuts too if you like but I prefer this combination. Don’t skip dates though as it adds to the sweetness of the cake.
* You can also finely chop all the nuts and dates but I prefer coarsely powdering it as my kids don’t like the bite of nuts in their cakes.
* I have used 1/4 Cup Jaggery powder. It makes the cake sweet like bakery ones. You can skip if you want to make it completely sugar free and also substitute with brown sugar if you want.
* I always use ghee or butter in my bakes as I make it mainly for my kids. So, not sure about the texture and flavour if oil is used instead.
* Don’t overmix the dry and wet Ingredients. Mix slowly with light hands till the mixture is free from dry flour specks.
* My cake gets done exactly at 30 mins. Since each oven type is different, please keep an eye on the cake after 35 mins. Mine is an OTG. In microwave convection oven, the time required to bake will be less. So keep an eye after 20 mins into the baking time.
* This cake is very soft and slightly moist due to the orange juice and dates. So be careful while slicing it and start slicing only after it cools completely. Else it can break apart as it’s very soft in texture.
* If you are new to baking, I have written an article combining all notes and pointers that I learnt in my decade long baking journey. You can check that if needed – Baking Basics for Beginners
I have tried to note down as much points as possible so that it’s easy for you all to follow but if you still have any doubts, either comment here or message me on my Facebook page Healthy cooking with mitha or on my Instagram handle and I would be happy to help. Happy baking!
Click on the image to save the recipe on Pinterest
Click on the image to save the compilation on Pinterest
As I started compiling all the 21 varieties of Idlis for this post, I got nostalgic and went back to the memories of my first few months here in Qatar when I hardly knew to cook nor to make idlis. I only made dosas or upma for breakfast and idlis were a luxury when we visited any South Indian restaurants (I remember I used to crave idlis so badly 😍).
So the next time when I visited my parents in Kochi, my dad took me to Broadway ( a place known for its large collection of utensil shops and all kinds of shops that you can think of 😄). There he bought me this small Idli steamer or Pedavan as called in Konkani and since then, this Pedavan has been my true friend in the kitchen. 😍
Drumstick leaves idlis in my Pedavan 😍
It was in 2012 that my dad gifted me this steamer and I never thought that in 2021, I would be compiling 21 varieties of Idli recipes in my blog. What a wonderful coincidence there! ❤️
This post was long pending and I am happy that finally today I got the time, mood and energy to complete it. Hope you all have a great time making these idlis. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️
* Click on the images or the names for the recipes. *
Varieties of Idlis:
Instant Idlis – Idlis that can be prepared instantly without the need of soaking or fermentation.
1. Instant Poha Idlis – These idlis taste as good as regular white idlis but can be made instantly with very few ingredients. A kind of magic idlis these are! 😍
2. Instant Rava Idlis – Rava Idlis were among the first idlis that I learned to make in my cooking journey. Before trying these, I had thought rava idlis were made only in restaurants and now, I laugh at my thought then. 😀 Very quick to make yet comes out so delicious, these idlis definitely can be made quite easily at home.
3. Instant Oats Idlis – These idlis are a regular at my place as my kids love it a lot. Great way to add oats in our diet. So soft and tasty idlis, you can never say it has oats it it.
5. Instant Vermicelli Idlis – When you wish to make something unique, these idlis are for you. A variation from the Rava Idlis, love how colourful they turn out and a great idea to add carrots in our kids’ diet. Don’t they look beautiful too? 😍
6.Instant Cucumber Idlis – Traditional Konkani style idlis which can be made both sweet and savory. The aroma when these idlis steam are heavenly. Best part is these can be prepared instantly too.
7. Instant Drumstick leaves spicy Idlis – Also known as Sannamudhos in Konkani, you can make these idlis with any kind of leaves like spinach, Methi leaves or drumstick leaves. Traditionally enjoyed as an accompaniment in rice meals, I also enjoy to eat them soon after it’s steamed, hot with a drizzle of coconut oil. Tastes like a bite of heaven! 😍
8. Broken wheat sweet Sannan – Sweet Konkani style idlis, they are steamed in a vessel and cut into pieces like a cake. Tastes too delicious for words. Learned it from my friend Sreeja and this is her mother’s recipe. ❤️
Millet Idlis – Idlis with millets or millet flours
1. Jowar Idlis – A regularly made idli at my place and trust me, you will not miss rice at all in these idlis and can definitely not say it is made of Jowar flour. Very tasty idlis! 😋
2. Barnyard millet or Varai Idlis – Yet another regular at my place, tastes too delicious for words, you can never say it has millet in it. One of my favorite idlis too. ❤️
3. Ragi Urad Idli – Right from when my kids’ were babies, I have always made these idlis instead of Ragi porridge. They loved it’s flavour ad soft texture. They used to and still call it “chocolate idlis” 😍
4. Instant Ragi Idlis – An instant version of Ragi Idlis which can be made within 30 mins, yet comes out soft and very tasty. Idlis for those quick hunger times. 😀
1. Mallige Idlis – If there is a way I make regular white idlis, it is this way. Mallige Idlis are so soft and delicious even when ground in the mixie. So, for those who want super soft idlis like restaurant ones, these idlis are for you. ❤️
2. Urad Moong dal Idlis – Diabetic friendly idlis as they don’t contain rice, yet comes out very soft. These idlis are traditionally made in Konkani households like ours on fasting days when we don’t consume rice for breakfast. One among the most tried recipes from my blog among idli recipes apart from Mallige Idlis. You can make crispy dosas with this batter too.
4. Horsegram Idlis – A traditional Konkani idli which was regularly made by my grandmother and steamed in the big Pedavan or steamer. Tastes too delicious for words and a must try idli if you have not tasted it yet. ❤️
8. Urad Rava Idlis – Yet another Konkani style idli made on fasting days where Rava or semolina is added to Urad dal batter instead of rice. Delicious idlis and so pretty too 😍
9. Split green moong Idlis – These idlis are similar to Urad Moong dal Idlis but I have used green split Moong dal instead of yellow ones. The colour change in idlis excites my kids 😀
So here are all the idli recipes that I have shared till now on the blog. Hope you all have a great time trying these idlis. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️
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Click on the image to save the recipe on Pinterest
This must be the fastest I have ever made and blogged a recipe (the excitement of sharing this great recipe 😍). These beautiful golden appes or appos as we call in Konkani were our breakfast this morning and I must say, it made for an amazingly delicious breakfast today (My favorite meal of the day ❤️).
I got a Paniyaram pan recently and have been making different varieties of appes with it. For those who don’t know what a Paniyaram pan is, here is a photo of it. Isn’t it super cute? 😍 Making these appes have been such a stress reliever for me. Feels so happy when these cute bundles of joy come out of the pan 😍 (Me and my thoughts 😅).
So, in my quest to find many varieties of appe recipes, I found an interesting one in my dearest Asha Satish Philar Mai’s cookbook. This recipe is very unique as it has mixed dals and Matta rice or parboiled rice in it. The flavours are also very delicious along with it being healthy too. A great idea to add protein in the form of lentils in your diet. The addition of ginger, green chillies, coriander leaves and curry leaves makes it taste really heavenly. ❤️
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Thank you so much for sharing this recipe in your cookbook mai. Just like all the other recipes in your book, this one is amazing too. ❤️
Hope you all try and love these golden beauties (as I have named them 😅). Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️
RECIPE:
Recipe credit: “The Konkani Saraswat Cookbook” by Mrs Asha Satish Philar
Ingredients: { Makes around 65 appes } {My 1 Cup = 240 ml}
1/2 Cup Urad dal {I used split ones}
1/2 Cup Chana dal
1/2 Cup Toor dal
1/2 Cup Moong dal
1/2 Cup Matta rice/ Parboiled rice/ Brown rice/ Ukde tandulu (can be replaced by regular white rice too)
Salt to taste
Ghee or coconut oil to cook the appes
Additional ingredients: 1 inch Ginger, 3 to 4 green chillies, two sprigs of curry leaves and few sprigs of coriander leaves, finely chopped
Step by step recipe:
1. Take Urad dal, Chana dal, Toor dal, Moong dal together in a large vessel. Take matta rice in another vessel.
2. Wash well and add fresh water. Soak for about 4 to 5 hours.
3. Drain the water from both completely and grind to a fine paste adding water little by little as needed to make a thick batter resembling the consistency of dosa batter. Add salt and mix well with hands.
4. Keep it covered at room temperature overnight or for 8 hours. Look at the well fermented batter. 😍
5. I divide the batter into two. One half to make plain appes for my kids and second half to make the one with ginger, green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Add them into the batter and mix well.
6. Now heat the Appe pan and reduce the flame to medium. Add ghee or coconut oil. Pour the batter into each of the holes of the Appe pan filling up to three fourth of the pan.
7. Cover and cook for few seconds till the underside turns golden brown. Using a wooden spoon, check the underside.
8. Now add little ghee or coconut oil on surface. Flip them slowly and cook till opposite side too till they turn crisp and golden brown.
9. Repeat the same with the rest of the batter. Serve hot appes with coconut chutney.
Notes:
* Remember to add ghee or oil each time before adding the batter so that the appes come out clean as well as for the golden brown colour.
* You can use any variety of white rice which you use for dosa/idlis instead of matta rice.
* Ginger, green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves give a wonderful flavour to appes. So don’t skip it unless if making for kids.
* If you don’t have any of the dals in Chana dal, Moong dal and Toor dal, skip it and make 1 1/2 Cups of the other two dals.
* Since it has dals in the batter, don’t ferment the batter for more than 10 hours in hot weather as it can lead to a smell in the batter.
* I bought my appe pan from Lulu supermarket here in Qatar and it’s really good in quality.
* I also make Mixed dal dosas and Idlis always. You can check the recipe here –
Healthy cooking with Mitha 