Showing posts with label Dosai n Adai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dosai n Adai. Show all posts

25 Jan 2011

Masala Dosai

Dosai - even better "Masala Dosa", the very word makes me drool. I think that is the case for most of us. This is my most favourite "Comfort Food". Before coming to UK, I'd just run to Sree Annapoorna Gowrishankar in Coimbatore whenever I feel like it, especially when I am lazy to cook to have this super crispy dosa ...... those were the days of absolute luxury.

Now, sitting in UK, I can't run anywhere nor do I have any other go but make this treat at home.....


I had to combine the post for dosa and masala dosa because you can't have masala dosa without the dosa nor the masala and I  don't want to waste anybody's time by having two posts.

Now for the Masala Dosa....This is the Basic recipe for Idli/Dosai Batter ......you can use either method for the dosa batter as mentioned in this post.


How to make dosai:
1.Prepare the required quantity of batter in a bowl [right consistency with the right amount of salt and sodium bicarbonate].
2.Heat a flat griddle or dosa tawa on a medium high flame.
3.Pour a ladleful of dosai batter in the centre of the tawa and spread it in one continuous circular steady motion to form a thin round dosai.
4. Drizzle oil on the dosai and on the sides of the dosai.


You will see tiny air bubbles popping up and bursting on themselves giving a wonderful "Bee Hive" effect to the surface of the dosai. The dosai is done when it becomes brown and crisp and will literally come away from the griddle surface. If the dosai is thin enough there is no need to flip the dosai, just make sure that all the batter is cooked on the surface.

For the masala:


Even though we now have so many varieties of masalas for the dosa filling, potato masala is the best ever combination.....it takes the dosai to the next level in taste. This filling is very easy to prepare, pleases everybody and most of all "A Match made in Heaven" ...

Large potatoes: 4.
Green peas [cooked]: 100 gms.
Green chillies: 2-3.
Onions [medium] : 2.
Fresh ginger: 1 inch piece.


Tumeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Salt : to taste.
Curry leaves:1 sprig.
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Channa dhal: 1/2 tsp.
Oil: 1 tbsp.
Coriander leaves: to garnish.


1.Peel, chop and boil potatoes until soft. Mash and keep aside. Thinly slice the onions, green chillies and ginger.
2.Heat oil on medium flame in a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds, channa dhal and curry leaves.
3.Add the ginger and green chillies and saute for 1 minute.
4.Add the onions and saute until translucent.
5.Add the tumeric powder, salt, mashed potatoes and green peas. Mix thoroughly until everything is well combined.


Garnish coriander leaves and keep warm until serving time.

Note: The masala should not be hard and thick. It should be creamy and spreadable [make sure that the potatoes are cooked well]...lumps are allowed but only a few. I added frozen peas directly into the masala and cooked for 5 minutes. If you are going to give this to your kid, make sure you remove the green chilli bits from the potatoes.

Now to assemble the masala dosai: You can do this on the serving plate or on the griddle. I have used a plate to demonstrate the assembly for the photographs....


Place a crispy dosai on a plate.

Note the "Bee Hive " effect on the dosa surface
Keep around 3 tbsp of the masala in the centre of the dosai and spread the masala along the entire diameter of the dosai.


Fold one side of the dosai onto itself.


Fold the other side onto the dosai covering the first flap.


Adjust the flaps and press gently so that they hold the shape. Carefully turn it to the other side, so that the flat surface faces the person who is going to eat the dosai.



This is the best part ..... Don't wait for anything or anybody....just have a mouthful of this luscious dosa, close your eyes and drift off to heaven....Happy eating.

Sending this to the event "Veggie/Fruit a month -Potato" by Priya , guest hosted by Divya.


My blogging buddies in this marathon: Gayathri , Priya Suresh , Veena , Jay , Srivalli , Ayeesha , Priya Vaasu , Usha , Soumya , PJ , Monika ....Lovely posts, check them out.


Enjoy......

Scribbled by Reva.

29 Dec 2010

Drumstick Leaf Adai/Murungai Ilai Adai

               Drumstick leaves, one of the most common varieties of greens used in Tamil Nadu mainly because every household will have a drumstick tree in their back yard and the nutritional value is abundant. I would call this a "Wonder Tree" as all parts of the drumstick tree is used in cooking and herbal medicine for their therapeutic and medicinal properties. 

The leaves, flower, pods are: 
1.Extremely rich in Vitamin A and iron: good for eyesight
2.Wonderful source of iron and potassium for expecting mothers and malnourished children.
3.Very good source of calcium which stimulates milk production in lactating mother.
4.Natural prevention of bronchitis and asthma.
5.Fresh leaf extract along with lime juice is a prefect cure for pimples and blackheads.


Drumstick leaves/Murungai Ilai: 2 handfuls.
Idli Rice [puzhungal arisi]: 1 cup.
Raw rice [pacharisi]: 1/2 cup.
Toor dhal: 1/2 cup.
Channa dhal/ Kadalai paruppu: 1/2 cup.
Urad dhal: 1/2 cup.
Onion [large]:1.
Garlic pods [sliced]: 5-6.

 Red chillies: 4.
Fennel seeds: 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.
Asafoetida powder: 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves: 1 sprig.
Coriander leaves [chopped]: 2-3 tbsp.
Salt: to taste.
Oil: as required to make the adai.

This is what I call "Leaning Tower of Drumstick Adai"
1.Wash the 2 types of rice and the 3 types of dhal and soak everything together for 3 hrs.
2.Remove the leaves from the stalks and wash them thoroughly.
3.Grind the soaked rice + dhal along with the garlic, fennel, cumin, red chillies and half the drumstick leaves. Remove and keep aside.
4.Meanwhile chop onions and saute together with the curry leaves in 1 tsp of oil.
5.Add the sauted onions, rest of the drumstick leaves [chopped], salt, asafoetida and coriander leaves to the batter and mix well.

Adai and Idli Podi
 6.Heat a flat skillet [dosai tawa] on medium flame. Oil the surface.
7.Pour a ladle full of the batter and spread it around to form a slightly thick pancake. Drizzle oil on the sides.
8.When cooked, flip it and cook the other side for 30 secs.
  
      Serve hot with avial/tomato chutney/podi and oil.

And now the tower has fallen......
Note: The batter should not be very smooth and the consistency should be like idli batter [not too thick nor runny]. It will have a slight ting of green colour because of the drumstick leaves. The taste is just as yummy as normal dhal adai but with the subtle taste of the drumstick leaves.
      If you want you can grind all the drumstick leaves with the batter.....great way to disguise greens when feeding kids....they can't pick out what they can't see.

"treesforlife"  is a NGO working towards betterment of people, enpowering them to solve their own problems by providing solutions for proverty and malnutrition. One their projects is "Moringa Tree" which speaks volumes about this "Wonder Tree"... Please do check it out when you have time.....

Entry for the event "Only Greens" by Pari , guest hosted by Sara of  simplysara07.blogspot.com

For more info about drumstick leaves go here and here

Enjoy....

Scribbled by Reva.
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