Category Archives: Konkani Recipes

Kali dosa | Soft and spongy dosas for lunch box

May 3, 2021 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 6 Comments

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Traditional recipe + mom’s recipe + unique name + dosa = I have to try it! 😄 This is what ran in my mind the moment my friend Sreeja posted this Kali dosa. It was a dosa which her Amma made regularly for her college lunch box and she loved it as it stayed soft till lunch time unlike other dosas. I too have made this dosa many times now following her recipe and love how soft these dosas come out.

College lunch time reminds me of my lunch sharing with my best friends, Taniya and Sunanda (Tanu and Chu 😍😍). Tanu being brought up in the North used to bring roti-sabzi for lunch whereas Chu being a Malayalee used to bring dishes from the Kerala cuisine. And you can guess what I used to take for lunch box 😅 – Konkani food. So it was a great combination of three cuisines and we used to have a wonderful time sharing our food while chattering our hearts off, giggling at our silly jokes which only we understood. 😅😍❤️

Even though I miss seeing, hugging, talking and laughing with them, I am so grateful to Mr Whatsapp 😁 that we are in contact everyday even after being in three different countries in our small group named “Tanu Chu Ladoo”😍😍😍. Our friendship has been strong since more than 12 years now and I am sure we will be the same forever. ❤️

My Amma shared a quote yesterday saying she felt it apt to describe our friendship and I can’t agree more. Here’s the quote. ❤️

For me, soul connection is most important and these relations are what I treasure the most..❤️

Here’s ending my write-up by thanking Sreeja for her recipe and sharing her mother’s recipe with all of you. Happy and healthy cooking!

Thank you dear Sreeja. Loved the dosa very much. ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 12 dosas }

2 Cups Raw white rice ( I use any regular variety available)

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

1/2 Cup thick or thin Poha (flattened rice/ beaten rice)

1 tsp Fenugreek seeds or Methi

Salt to taste

Ghee or oil to cook the dosa

Step by step recipe:

1. Wash well and soak Urad dal with poha while rice and Methi separately for 3 to 4 hours.

2. Drain water from urad dal- poha bowl. Add water as required, little by little and grind Urad dal with poha and Methi to a smooth paste. Don’t drain water from soaked Methi. It is very healthy and also helps ferment the batter well. Pour the ground paste into a large bowl.

3. Now add drained rice to the mixer and grind to a smooth paste too. Add to the Urad dal batter and add salt. Mix well.

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

5. Heat a dosa pan and add a ladle of batter. No need to spread this dosa. Cook on medium flame or else the dosa may turn black due to poha in the batter. Add ghee on top when it cooks on the surface.

6. Flip and cook for few seconds.

7. Remove and repeat the same with the rest of the batter. Serve hot with a chutney or your choice or with sambar or with both like me. 😄😄

Notes:

* Adding the soaked Methi water in the batter is beneficial to health and also ensures good fermentation of the batter which gives very soft dosas.

* Remember to make these dosas on medium flame and not on high flame as this dosa turns black underneath very quickly due to poha in the batter.

* You can also cook these dosas only on one side like set dosas.

* Check all my dosa varieties in my Dosa Corner page.

* For all my no rice dosas, check this No Rice Dosa Recipes Compilation.

Konkani Recipes, Recipe collections

Ram Navami recipes | Konkani dishes made on Shri Ram Navami festival day

April 20, 2021 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 3 Comments

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Ram Navami is celebrated as the birth day of Lord Rama. For me, as much as I love my Krishna, that much I respect Rama too (“my” Krishna because I consider Krishna to be my own, dwelling within me and not separated from me ever ❤️). If Krishna has taught me unconditional love, Rama has taught me righteousness. They are both incarnations of Lord Vishnu but their teachings are different and we have lots to learn from stories of their life. 🙏

Apart from reading about their life, there are two shlokas which I listen to daily. It is the Shri Rama Raksha Sthothra and Hanuman chalisa. Amma taught them to me when I was a child and told me to chant these whenever I felt lonely, sad or need to talk to God. Now, when I listen to these shlokas, I feel God is always with me and listening to my woes. Also, the divine vibration in the house when these shlokas are chanted are the reason that I believe brings peace and happiness in my house. If you have any stress in life, do try listening to shlokas and trust me, you will definitely feel better. You will feel yourself entrusted in God’s hands and once that is done, there is no need to worry as he will take care of everything. 🙏

When I had mentioned about my daily shlokas in my earlier posts, I got messages from couple of my friends asking how do I manage to read shlokas in midst of household chores and taking care of kids. I want to clarify with all of you who wonder the same that I don’t sit and read the shlokas. I listen to my daily shlokas playlist on Youtube while cooking and doing other chores. In fact I keep the shlokas first and then start cooking. It keeps my mind engaged in a positive way and I keep reciting alongside too (that is when my kids are not talking in between 😁). So, those of you who are not finding time to sit and read shlokas, try listening to them on Youtube.

***A snapshot of my daily shlokas playlist on youtube. My day starts with these. 🙏***

Lord Rama’s life or The Ramayana has been a path of inspiration for his believers like me and I would like to share a picture of him describing his qualities which I found apt to share on this auspicious occasion. 🙏

Though it is not easy for us, mere mortals to follow all these qualities, we can atleast:

* Try to be good and kind towards everyone, choosing empathy and being understanding instead of being judgemental while controlling our negative emotions like anger, pride and jealousy.

* Love and show compassion to all beings, not only humans but also every creature, every bird, every animal as they deserve to live peacefully on this Earth too as much as we all.

* Also, always remember to be humble and grateful, for what we are is due to God’s blessings and without that, we are nothing.

This is what I feel Lord Rama’s life and his qualities show us. Jai Shree Ram. 🙏

Coming to the occasion of Ram Navami, there are some dishes which are made in every Konkani household on this day. Though it may vary with every family, these dishes are the most commonly made ones.

1. Paanak – Spiced Jaggery Lemonade drink

2. Muga dali Kosambari – A salad with raw moong dal, cucumber and carrots

3. Muga dali Usli – Seasoned Konkani style moong dal

4. Sheera – A sweet with semolina and sugar but I add jaggery instead

5. Chane Usli & Godu Phovu – A classic combination of seasoned black chickpeas and sweetened rice flakes made as prasad

You can click on the names above for each recipe. Will write in detail about each dish below.

1. Paanak – This drink is made on Rama Navami in our temples and served to all the devotees. One of the most precious memories of my childhood is when I used to wait for my turn to get to drink this refreshing Paanak in Venkatarama temple, Katapadi. Though the ones made in temples are divine and heavenly, we can easily make it at home to dedicate to Lord Rama on his birth day.

Recipe here – Paanak

2. Muga Dali Kosambari – This is also a offering made commonly on Ram Navami in not only Konkani households but also among Kannadigas, Tamilians and Telugu community too. It is a salad with soaked moong dal, cucumber and carrots. I make it regularly even otherwise as it is very tasty and healthy too.

Recipe here – Muga Dali Kosambari

3. Muga dali Usli – Moong dal in another form that is made on Ram Navami. It is seasoned in a simple manner and cooked either till soft or mushy, like how I like it. I make this during those sudden hunger pangs too as it is very healthy and delicious.

Recipe here – Muga Dali Usli

4. Sheera – Also known as Rava Kesari in South India, this sweet was regularly made on festive days at my house by my grandmother and mother. They used sugar but I have been using jaggery in it since many years. We all love Jaggery Sheera more than sugar ones now.

Recipe here – Sheera

5. Chane Usli & Godu Phovu – This is yet another prasad made in temples, even on Ram Navami day in some places. Chane Usli is seasoned black chickpeas and Godu Phovu is sweetened rice flakes. The combination is delicious and hardly takes time to make.

Recipe here – Chane Usli & Godu Phovu

So, these were the dishes that are commonly made on Ram Navami day to offer Lord Rama. Apart from these, you can also make sweets like Churmundos or wheat flour ladoos on this festival. You can check my Ready in 15 min healthy sweet recipes compilation for easy, healthy sweet recipes.

Click on the image for the recipe compilation.

Wishing you all a very Happy Rama Navami. May Lord Rama bless you all with peace and happiness in your lives. Jai Shree Ram. 🙏

Breakfast time, Konkani Recipes, Snacks

Chane Usli – Godu Phovu | Seasoned black chickpeas – sweetened rice flakes | Konkani Breakfast/snack combo

April 16, 2021 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 10 Comments

Since childhood, my Amma has always taught me the importance of days dedicated to each God. Not sure how many of you believe in it but sharing the little I have learnt.

* Mondays – To worship Lord Shiva and in our case, our Kuladevata too, Shree Damodar. 🙏

* Tuesdays – For Ganpati Bappa, Devis/ Goddesses and Hanumanji. 🙏

* Wednesdays – Dedicated to Lord Krishna. ❤️🙏

* Thursdays – A day dedicated to Lord Vishnu and our Gurus. Dattatreya Swamy or Guru Raghavendra Swamy or Sai Baba or as believed by each individual in their life. 🙏

* Fridays – To worship Devis/ Goddesses. 🙏

* Saturdays – Dedicated to worship Lord Venkatarama. Also, Shanidev and since worshipping Hanumanji is said to remove the Shani dosha or wrath in one’s life, Hanumanji too is worshipped on this day. 🙏

* Sundays – Dedicated to Sun God. Also, Mahalasa Narayani (Amma’s Kuladevi in her mother’s side); Sunday is dedicated to this devi. 🙏

You might be wondering why all this explanation (free ka gyan 😅) is for. Actually, along with all the days dedicated to each God, there have been foods dedicated to these days too. In almost all Konkani households, black chickpeas is cooked on Fridays as it is believed to be a favorite of Goddess Lakshmi. Hence, considered auspicious to make a ghashi (curry) or this usli with black chickpeas on Fridays. Same is the case with Horsegram which is said to be good to be had on Saturdays saying it gives us strength like Hanumanji.

Some of you may laugh at this, but I believe all of these traditions were made by our ancestors for a reason. When I think about it, this tradition made sure we had the healthy legumes atleast once a week. Else, I would forget to make it as Chickpeas and Horsegram have a long shelf life, easily can be bought and forgotten (if you are like me 😅).

And whenever I make Chane Usli on Fridays, it has to be combined with this delicious Godu Phovu. This is a classic Konkani breakfast/ snack combination, also made as Navaratri prasad.

Inspite of being from Udupi, I have grown up among our Konkani community in Elamakkara, Kochi where we have a GSB Vikas Parishad group which conducts meetings every month in one of the members’ house to discuss issues faced by our community and also to help those in need. During Navaratri, members would volunteer for bhajans to be conducted in their house and the rest of us would go, sing bhajans together and consume the prasad made by them. The prasad would always be Chane Usli – Godu Phovu in every member’s house and it used to taste so divine and delicious that I still remember the flavours. Every family had their own unique way of making it and that made it even more special. ❤️

Now, whenever I get black chickpeas, I always make it on Fridays, to respect our traditions and not allowing it to diminish away at any cost. Also, since these traditions have health benefits associated with it, it is an added advantage too, right! 😄

Hope you all try this combination too. Very filling and comes out delicious. Also, can be made as a breakfast or evening snack too. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Serves 3 }

For Chane Usli –

1 Cup dried Black Chickpeas/ Kala Chana

1 Tbsp Coconut oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

A sprig of Curry leaves

A pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida

3 to 4 Green chillies

Salt to taste

3 Tbsp freshly grated Coconut for garnish

For Godu Phovu –

1/2 Cup Jaggery

1/4 Cup water

1/2 Cup freshly grated Coconut

1 1/2 Cups Poha/ Flattened rice/ Beaten rice/ rice flakes (thin variety)

1 Tbsp Ghee

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Step by step recipe:

For Chane Usli:

1. Soak the black chickpeas in more than double the water for atleast 6 to 8 hours. Drain the water. Add to a pressure cooker. Add fresh water enough to soak the chickpeas. Pressure cook till soft. {Takes a whistle on high and 10 mins on medium flame on my electric stovetop.}

2. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, hing and green chillies.

3. Fry till green chillies change colour. Now add the cooked chickpeas. {I add along with the cooked water. If you plan to make saar (check notes), add only the chickpeas and keep the cooked water aside}.

4. Mash lightly with a ladle. Add salt and cook till the mixture turns dry. Mix in coconut and keep aside.

For Godu Phovu:

1. Melt jaggery in water. I use 1/2 Cup jaggery and 1/4 Cup water. It melts and bubbles start forming. Then I remove it from the flame. Sieve and mix in 1/2 Cup coconut.

2. Now add thin Poha, first 1 Cup, mix well. Then if needed add 1/4 Cup at a time till the texture and sweetness is perfect. Do taste tests.

3. When the mixture is even and done, add ghee and cardamom powder. Mix well.

Serve with Chane Usli. I have garnished the Godu Phovu with Tulsi leaves as they do in temples.

Notes:

* Mixing few Tulsi leaves in the Godu Phovu not only makes it more aromatic, but gives us the benefit of eating Tulsi leaves which are very healthy and also giving us the divine feel of temple prasad.

* Thin Poha does not need soaking. Just mix as it is with melted jaggery. Add little at a time to ensure you don’t over add the poha as it leads to less sweet poha.

* Both these recipes require atleast the amount of freshly grated Coconut I have mentioned. Lesser than that, it does not give the authentic taste. You can add more too if you love coconut.

* Make sure to cook the chickpeas till soft.

* Black chickpeas can be substituted with white chickpeas too.

* The cooked water is usually drained and kept for Chane Saaru (A kind of rasam). Just add salt to the water and bring to a boil. Season coconut oil with mustard seeds, curry leaves and broken red chillies. Pour over the boiled water. Mix well. Serve with rice meals. You can also give fried garlic seasoning instead.

* You can also check this Quick to make Kerala style Kadala curry recipe.

Curry house, Konkani Recipes

Amma’s Moong curry (with freshly ground masala)

February 3, 2021 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 5 Comments

All of us have a special kind of liking towards our mother’s cooking and I am sure you all will agree that no matter which Masterchef cooks for us, our Amma’s food is the best. Why not, as she makes everything with a secret ingredient in it – Love. ❤️

My Amma too used to cook so well and the flavours of all her dishes are still in my taste buds. This moong curry was one among them and I used to take it with puris in my lunch box during my school/ college days. My friends used to love it too and I used to take extra boxes of it for them as well. The precious memory of those days is forever etched in my heart and I remember it each time I make this curry. ❤️

Now Amma can’t cook like before as she suffers from muscular dystrophy in her legs. Although she’s strong most of the days and remains happily engaged all day, there are times when she falls into self doubting sadness and I have to convince her my best that she is still very much loved and an important part of our lives. Right now, she’s going through a difficult phase and this post of mine is to cheer her up in my little way, by adding her recipe on my blog.

Amma, this is for you. ❤️ I am coming in few months to make this curry for you and you have to tell me if it tastes as good as yours or not. 😍 Loads of love to you Amma. 😘 Please be happy always as that is what makes me happy too. ❤️ Sharing some words for you which I found as best to describe our love for each other. Hope it cheers you up. 😍

Now to Amma’s recipe. Hope you all try her way of moong curry too. Tastes amazing with puris, chapatis or even with rice. Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 Cup dried whole green gram/ whole moong

1 Tbsp Oil

2 tsp Red chilli powder or to taste

Salt to taste

For the ground paste:

1/4 Cup Coconut (freshly grated or desiccated)

6 to 8 sprigs of Coriander leaves

1/2 a large Tomato

1 small sized Onion

2 Cloves

1 Cardamom

1 small piece of star anise

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds or Jeera

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Step by step recipe:

1. Soak whole moong in atleast thrice the amount of water overnight or for 6 to 8 hours. When soaked, drain the water. Add fresh water enough to soak it in a pressure cooker and cook until soft. Takes 3 to 4 whistles on high in my electric stove top. Might vary depending on your cooking range.

2. Add ingredients to grind in a mixer.

3. Grind adding about 1/4 Cup water or as needed to a smooth paste. Now heat oil in a pan and add the paste. Also add red chilli powder and cook till the raw smell goes away. (About 5 mins and this paste splatters. So be careful and mix continually.)

4. Now add the cooked moong and salt. Bring it to boil and cook for 5 to 8 mins. Adjust consistency of the gravy.

5. Serve hot with Puris, Chapatis or rice meals.

Notes:

* The gravy thickens when kept at room temperature as moong absorbs a lot of water. So if serving later, add water that time to adjust gravy consistency.

* Star anise and coriander leaves make this masala very aromatic. So don’t skip it.

* The masala splatters while cooking. So be careful while sauteing.

* I also sprout moong and make this same curry.

* You can also check my mother’s other three recipes –

# Amma’s Carrot Pulao

# Amma’s Tomato Chutney

# Amma’s Alu Paratha

Breakfast time, Idli Stand, Konkani Recipes, Snacks

Broken wheat sweet sannan | Konkani style broken wheat steamed cake

January 30, 2021 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 1 Comment

Traditional recipes always attract me as I believe in going the age old ways to live a healthy life. Simple, homemade food combined with regular exercise even if brisk walk for atleast 30 mins a day is enough for our good health instead of any diets. Having said that, I do indulge in restaurant food and store bought goodies sometimes (especially sweets for the sweet lover in me ❤️) which I believe is necessary too for a change in tastebuds.

But finally, making sweets at home gives me happiness and specially simple and tasty Konkani sweet like this one, which is filling and doubles up as a great evening snack too. I learned to make this from my dear friend Sreeja Shenoy whom I came to know through Facebook food groups. She says she resonates with my feelings in each of my posts and feels close to me (how sweet of her ❤️) while for me, her posts take me back to my days in Kochi as her food is Kerala Konkani style.

So when she posted this broken wheat sannan, I knew I had to try this and saved the post immediately. And how amazing does it come out! So so delicious. Cannot believe this simple sweet can have such an amazing texture and flavour.

Thank you so much Sreeja for this recipe. A definite keeper and will surely be making this whenever I crave for something sweet. My kids loved it a lot too which made it even more special. ❤️

Also, I want to thank you and your sister Ambratha for always encouraging me with your kind words. It means so much to me that I am always filled with gratitude. Much love to both of you. ❤️❤️🙏🙏

Hope you all will try this recipe. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 12 squares of 5 cm each }

1 Cup Broken wheat / Gonva Khan/ Dalia

3/4 Cup Coconut (freshly grated or desiccated)

3/4 Cup Jaggery

Seeds from 2 Cardamom pods

A pinch of Salt

Ghee to grease the bowl

Step by step recipe:

1. Soak 1 Cup Broken wheat for 3 to 4 hours in thrice the quantity of water.

2. Now drain the water completely and add the broken wheat to a mixer. Also add 3/4 Cup Coconut, 3/4 Cup Jaggery and seeds of 2 cardamom pods.

3. Add a pinch of salt and grind to a semi coarse paste. Don’t add water at first while grinding as soaked broken wheat leaves water while grinding. Only if required, add 1 Tbsp at time. It took me about 4 Tbsp to grind it to a thick semi coarse batter.

4. Now grease a vessel with ghee and pour this mixture to the vessel. Level using a spoon and spread evenly. My vessel is of 18 cm diameter.

5. Steam for about 20 mins till a knife inserted in the center comes out clear. Cool down. Slice and serve.

Notes:

* I used Patanjali brand of Broken wheat or Dalia.

* Soaking the broken wheat for atleast couple of hours ensures that the broken wheat turns soft and grinds quickly.

* The amount of jaggery can be changed according to your taste.

* You can grind to a smooth paste too but grinding coarsely gives a bite of coconut which tastes delicious.

* It takes me exactly 20 mins to steam. You can check by inserting a knife in the center. If it comes out clear, it’s done.

* Remember to level the mixture evenly in the bowl for it to steam evenly.

* Grease the bowl well with ghee so that the pieces comes out in perfect shapes.

* I poured in a round vessel of 18 cm diameter.

* You can also try this:

# Broken wheat sweet khichdi

# No rice Broken wheat idlis

# No rice Broken wheat mixed dal dosas

Dosa corner, Konkani Recipes, Millet recipes, Recipe collections

Collection of “no rice” dosa recipes

January 6, 2021 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 23 Comments

**Click on the image to Pin the post on Pinterest**

My regular readers know how much my kids love dosas. So much that anyday you come to my home, you will find dosa batter ready, either fermenting or in the fridge (and if you don’t find it, don’t worry, I can magically make some instant dosas for you too 😍). It is also very handy for those sudden hunger demands by the kids, especially my son who feels very hungry after his evening nap and says, “Amma, bobbo jayi.” (I want dosa in baby Konkani 🤩)

We have a little game after he wakes up where he being held in my arms, shows me the way to the kitchen and points to what he wants to eat. I purposely do a little wiggly kind of walk (the never growing child in me 😅) to make him laugh and that brightens him up. Then it finally ends in him pointing to dosa batter bowl. So I always have any one variety of dosa batter ready for him (my little “bobbo” lover boy ❤️).

My readers also love the dosa recipes that I post and always request for more “no rice” dosa recipes. So I decided to finally compile all my dosas which don’t contain rice and I was surprised to find that I had so many of them. This is one compilation I enjoyed making as it was like playing treasure hunt with my blog. 😂 Hunting dosa recipes without rice which is indeed no less a treasure for my readers requesting for it (sorry for the poor joke 😬).

Anyhow, hope this is useful to all of you. Happy and healthy cooking! Enjoy dosa making! (That rhymed!) 😄

Instant “no rice” Dosas/ Bhakris:

1. Rava Bhakri/ Instant Semolina dosas: These are one of the oldest variety of Konkani breakfasts and my family favorite too. If I forget to soak for regular dosas, Rava Bhakri it is for breakfast the next day. Also makes for a quick snack option. Tastes oh so heavenly with butter. ❤️

Recipe here: Rava Bhakri/ Instant Semolina dosas

2. Instant Cucumber dosas: This is a variation to rava bhakri with the addition of grated cucumbers which makes it even aromatic and healthy along with being super delicious. When I have to finish off those leftover cucumbers, I make these dosas.

Recipe here: Instant Cucumber dosas

3. Eggless Tomato Omelette: Being from a vegetarian family, the only Omelette we knew as a kid was this eggless Tomato Omelette which Amma made with loads of love. She always made sure I got the omelette with the maximum number of tomato pieces in it. 😍

Recipe here: Eggless Tomato Omelette

4. Instant Oats Vegetable Bhakri: This is our favorite evening snack and is super filling too. Best way to get oats and veggies in our diet. Add loads of green chillies and coriander leaves. Tastes super yummy with butter and simple coconut chutney. ❤️

Recipe here: Instant Oats Vegetable Bhakri

5. Instant Oats Poha dosas: A soft yet delicious dosa which can be made instantly yet tastes like regular dosas. Awesome combination with sambar making it a complete meal in itself.

Recipe here: Instant Oats Poha dosas

6. Instant Jowar Vegetable Bhakri: These Bhakris contain a mix of radish, carrots, cucumbers along with Jowar flour but still comes out so tasty. A very healthy and filling evening snack that I make always. You can make them as thalipeet too.

Recipe here: Instant Jowar Vegetable Bhakri

Dosas which don’t need fermentation:

1. Moong sprouts and Oats dosas: My kids don’t eat sprouts as it is, so this is my way to include sprouts in their diet in their favorite way, the dosa way! 😄 The way our brain works overtime in motherhood. 😂😂 Turns out so delicious too! No fermentation required makes it very easy too.

Recipe here: Moong sprouts and Oats dosas

2. Masoor dal dosas: One of the most tried and loved recipe by my readers. Try masala dosa with this and it tastes amazing. ❤️

Recipe here: Masoor dal dosas

“No rice” Dosas with millet flours:

1. Ragi Set Dosas: A dosa that I make atleast weekly once to include the wonder millet, Ragi in our diet. Turns out so soft and delicious. My daughter calls it “chocolate” dosas since she was a baby and even now at almost 6 years. 😍

Recipe here: Ragi Set Dosas

2. Urad – Jowar flour dosas: I feel this is the best way to include Jowar flour in our diet. Yet another weekly once breakfast in my house as kids love it. Kids food preferences rule in my house. 😀

Recipe here: Urad – Jowar flour dosas

“No rice” dosas with Whole Millets

1. Bajra Moong dal dosa: This is the crispiest dosa that I have ever made and you can never say it does not have rice in it. Also combines the goodness of Bajra with moong dal.

Recipe here: Bajra Moong dal dosa

2. Little Millet dosa: A very healthy yet tasty dosa with Little millet. Great idea to include this variety of millet in your diet.

Recipe here: Little Millet dosa

Other “no rice” dosa recipes:

1. Oats mixed dal dosas: A dosa for which I have got many compliments from readers for making them so evenly and also for the gorgeous colour. One of my readers have even commented that it looks machine made and there’s magic in my hands that it has been crafted to perfection. 😀 So these dosas are indeed very special for me. ❤️

Recipe here: Oats mixed dal dosas

2. Broken wheat Mixed dal dosas: These are one of my recent additions on the blog but tried and loved by so many of my readers. They loved how healthy yet tasty it turns out without missing rice in the dosa at all.

Recipe: Broken wheat Mixed dal dosas

3. Urad whole moong dosas: These are my favorite because I can make both idlis and dosas with this batter. Also a great way to include whole moong in my kids’ diet as they don’t eat moong as it is.

Recipe here: Urad whole moong dosas

4. Urad wheat flour dosas: This was my last recipe that I posted on the blog. Learnt it from my friend Vinanti and have turned out to be my kids’ favorite. They eat more dosas (touchwood!) when I make them. I absolutely love the gorgeous colour that it turns out. ❤️

Recipe here: Urad wheat flour dosas

5. Barley Urad dosas: These dosas are so soft and delicious, you could never say it has the healthy Barley grain in it. One of the most regularly made dosas in my house lately.

Recipe here: Barley Urad dosas

You can check all my dosa recipes here: DOSA CORNER

You can check all my idli recipes here: IDLI STAND

I have made two other recipe collections. You can check them out.

Oats recipes Collection:

Healthy Cakes and Bakes:

Healthy sweets that can be made under 15 mins:

Curry house, Konkani Recipes

Easy Kadala Curry | Kerala style chickpeas curry | Quick lunch box idea

November 30, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 1 Comment

Meet my “friend” (😀) who’s my go-to quick fix curry with no much hard work involved yet comes out lip smackingly delicious and a huge favourite of my family – Kadala Curry. I learnt to make it from our Konkani neighbour, Padma akka in Kochi. She used to bring freshly steamed puttu and Kadala Curry with love for us whenever she made it and it tasted so heavenly that I still have that etched in my food memory. ❤️

When I asked her how to make it (imagining it to be a long, laborious recipe), it amazed me as to how simple it really was to make this curry. As is said by someone (don’t know who 😬), Simple is Beautiful ❤️ and in this case delicious too. 😀

Since then, it is a commonly made curry at my place and the only way I make my chickpeas. I had also shared it in my old blog in 2013 and here is the picture from my archives. (In the same plate too. My favourite plate that is! 😍)

It was my 100th post on that blog which is no longer available now. Feels really sad sometimes that all my hard work went for a toss but console myself that I could start afresh and got this new, better version of the blog. Also, learned a lesson about how not to give my precious blog in anyone’s hands and learnt to handle everything single handedly. That does make me feel good and proud of myself too. 😊

Sharing her easy recipe with all of you. Hope you all try and love it. Makes a wonderful combination with chapatis and a great idea for lunch box. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 Cup dried Black chickpeas/ Kala Chana

1 large sized Onion { or about 6 shallots }

1 medium sized Tomato

1 Tbsp Coriander powder

2 tsp Red chilli powder or to taste

Salt to taste

For seasoning:

1 Tbsp Coconut oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

A sprig of curry leaves

Step by step recipe:

1. Soak dried chickpeas in atleast double the water overnight or for 8 hours. Drain the water.

2. Add to a pressure cooker along with thinly sliced Onions, finely chopped tomatoes and salt to taste. Pour water till it soaks the chickpeas and cook till it turns soft. { Takes 4 to 5 whistles on high for me on my electric stove top. Varies according to cooking range. }

3. Now open the cooker after it cools down. Keep the cooker on the stove top and add coriander powder along with red chilli powder. Bring to a boil.

4. Mash the chickpeas slightly using the back of a ladle or potato masher to make the gravy turn thick. Boil on medium flame for 5 to 8 mins till the gravy thickens.

5. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves and fry till crisp. Pour this seasoning over the curry.

6. Mix well and serve hot with chapatis/appams/ puttu/ dosas.

Notes:

* The main flavour of this curry comes from the coriander powder – red chilli powder combination. So do a taste test and add accordingly as it varies with your brand of both the powders. It may require more or less than I have mentioned.

* Cooking chickpeas till soft is important so that it can be mashed easily and the gravy turns thick.

* Curry leaves in the seasoning makes this curry very aromatic. Don’t skip it.

Dosa corner, Konkani Recipes

Mushti Polo | Traditional Konkani style soft dosa

November 28, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 1 Comment

My 25th dosa on my Dosa Corner page!! And what’s better than this dosa, our very own Mushti Polo which I have grown up eating almost every week as a kid. This super soft dosa with raw mango chutney is a combination that brings back all the nostalgia of childhood (and how carefree and fun that was! 😍)

Though I never realized the value of how much my grandmother and mother tried to make us eat healthy then, I understand it very well now after becoming a mother. Guess that’s what is called “Life is a full circle!” (also, I remember my mother’s dialogue whenever she got angry ” You will know this after you become a mother in future 🤣🤣).

Yes, I truly understand now. 😂 All these traditional recipes are all that we need in our life to eat healthy. Dosas especially being fermented or probiotic food and very good for our body. Pair it with a chutney or sambar and it is a complete meal in itself.

Hope you all try this dosa. All amchis know this dosa. It is actually called Mushti dosa meaning all ingredients are added in fist measurement using hands (Mushti is fist in Konkani). I thank my Amma for sharing her recipe with me. ❤️ Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 8 dosas }

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

3 Tbsp Urad dal ( I use split ones )

1 Tbsp Methi / Fenugreek seeds

1/2 Cup thick or thin Poha / Beaten rice

1/2 Cup fresh or desiccated Coconut

Salt to taste

Ghee or oil to cook the dosa

Step by step recipe:

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

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

Note: I don’t wash poha as it’s really clean here. You can wash it in running water and then add if it has grains in it.

3. Add about 1 Cup of water along with salt and grind to a smooth paste. Pour into a large bowl.

4. Keep it in a warm place at room temperature for about 8 to 10 hours. Since it is winter season, you may need to ferment even upto 12 to 14 hours for the batter to ferment well.

5. Now heat a dosa pan and add a ladle of batter in the center of the pan. Do not spread this dosa. Cover and cook on medium flame adding oil or ghee till the surface cooks.

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

Notes:

* I make Ambuli Chutney or Raw Mango chutney with this. Since we don’t get raw mangoes readily here, I use the ones leftover from pickle jars.

* Just grind three to four small mangoes from pickle jars (or about 1/4 Cup of fresh raw mango) with 1/2 Cup Coconut, 3 to 4 red chillies, Hing and salt with water to a smooth paste. This is a thick chutney.

* You can substitute Hing with 3 to 4 garlic cloves instead. I use Hing during fasting or Pooja days and garlic on other days.

* You can also use green chillies instead of red chillies.

* This dosa is a thick one and to be roasted only on one side on medium flame.

* I get many queries about the kind of rice I use. I just use raw white rice of any brand which is available here. Not basmati nor any idli/ dosa rice. Just medium grain white rice which we get from nearby supermarket.

* You can check all my 25 dosas on my Dosa Corner page.

Curry house, Konkani Recipes

Brinjal Rava fry on tawa and Upkari

November 21, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha Leave a comment

Even though my kids eat almost everything that I cook ( touchwood!), my 5 year old daughter is slightly choosy when it comes to vegetables. So my mommy brains have to work overtime to make her eat some of the veggies. 😅

Brinjal is a vegetable she won’t eat if I make a regular curry with it (wish I could capture her face and show you all when she hears it’s brinjal curry for dinner 😂). I don’t blame her at all as I myself never used to eat any vegetable as a kid except for a few chosen ones like potato, elephant yam and beetroot. So I can totally understand her. 😃

But once I happened to make these rava fries for a change and she absolutely loved it. So now I make it regularly even as an evening snack. She loves munching on it and I am happy that a healthy vegetable is filling her with nutrition.

Hope you all will try this as well. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

3 small variety Brinjals or 1 large Purple Brinjal

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

A pinch of Hing or Asafoetida

Salt to taste

1/4 Cup Rava or Semolina (or as needed)

1 tsp Red chilli powder

Step by step recipe:

1. Wash the brinjals well and chop off the stem. Slice brinjals thinly for the rava fry and finely chop for upkari. Add both into separate bowls of water.

2. Now drain water and add Turmeric powder, Hing and salt. Mix well.

3. In a plate, take rava and mix red chilli powder in it. Roll the brinjal slices one by one over the rava mix.

4. Heat tawa and place these onto the tawa. Drizzle coconut oil while cooking both sides on medium flame till it turns brown in colour and the brinjal turns soft.

5. Serve with rice meals.

Notes:

* For Brinjal Upkari, fry about 4 to 5 finely chopped Garlic pods in oil till it turns brown and add finely chopped brinjal to it. Add red chilli powder and salt. Cook till it turns soft. Don’t add water at all.

* For the rava fry, slice brinjals very thinly. It helps them cook easily and also turns crispy.

* You can make this with any variety of brinjals.

Curry house, Konkani Recipes, Salads

Carrot Kismuri | Konkani style salad

November 20, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 5 Comments

Most days, our dinner is just ukde pej (matta rice cooked soft, eaten with its gruel) and couple of accompaniments to go with it. As much as it may seem from my posts that I cook a lot, our daily meals are very simple and basic.

One of the reason why I don’t (or rather can’t) cook elaborate meals are my kids who hardly give me time in the kitchen (I know it’s hard to believe 😀). My son pulls my dress (he literally roams around behind me with his fingers clutching my dress 😂 #fevicolkajod 😅) asking me to play football with him while my daughter who loves colouring asks me to draw something for her to colour (One is making me a footballer and the other, an artist 😬😬).

But my time passes very well and both the activities are so good to calm the mind. Never knew drawing is such a stress reliever. And about football, try playing it with a two year old who knows only to laugh when you kick the ball. It’s such precious source of happiness that I can’t thank God enough for blessing me with both of them. ❤️

And on days when they don’t leave me to cook at all, this carrot kismuri or Konkani style salad is our accompaniment for the day. Very quick to make, hardly taking 10 mins and tastes heavenly with pej and some pickle to go with it. The kids love it very much which makes it a perfect side dish for busy days.

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

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

2 large Carrots, peeled and grated (about 2 Cups grated carrots)

3 Green chillies or to taste

1/4 Cup freshly grated Coconut

3 Tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves

Juice from 1 1/2 Indian lemons

Salt to taste

For seasoning:

1 tsp Coconut oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

A pinch of Hing or asafoetida

One sprig of curry leaves

Step by step recipe:

1. Take the grated carrots in a large mixing bowl. Add grated coconut, green chillies, salt and lemon juice.

2. Now heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, add Hing and curry leaves. Fry till curry leaves turn crisp. Pour seasoning over the carrots. Mix everything well. Done!

3. It’s really that simple. Serve along with white rice and rasam or matta rice gruel with some pickle. Trust me, it tastes delicious!

Notes:

* You can add finely chopped onions to this too but I skip as after a while, it starts smelling. If made without onions, I can make even couple of hours beforehand and keep at room temperature.

* Some people add a tsp of Urad dal to the seasoning but I prefer only mustard seeds in it.

* If you add soaked moong dal and cucumbers to this, it becomes Kosambari which is another accompaniment that I make regularly. You can check the recipe here.