Banana Sweet Pidi Kozhukattai

Kozhukkatai is a traditional south Indian delicacy prepared in both sweet and savory versions. There was a stage when my son started preferring foods which he can hold and eat. Paniyaram was my instant saver on many days. One day I prepared Savory pidi Kozhukattai for us and he liked.

Knowing the fact he loves sweets and  to include banana into his diet, generally I prepare sweet pidi Kozhukattai with jaggery and banana.

Check out my other Kozhukattai recipes,

Cracked Wheat Kozhukattai

Sweet Kozhukattai

Aval Kozhukattai

Ammini Kozhukattai

Ingredients:

Rice Flour – 1 cup

Banana – 1 cup puree from two  banana

Jaggery – 1/4 cup

Water –   1 cup 

Cardamom powder – 1/8 tsp

Salt – pinch

Oil/ Ghee – to grease

Method:

• Soak jaggery in  luke warm water for 20 minutes (Time depends on the size of the cut jaggery). Strain to remove impurities
• In  heavy bottomed pan add the jaggery syrup and cardamom powder and bring it boil. Add the banana puree and cook for 2 minutes

• Add rice flour and salt to the jaggery syrup – banana puree and mix well to avoid lumps. Cook til the dough separates from the pan and forms a mass

•  Keep it aside till you can handle the dough. Cover it with a damp cloth

• Grease the hand with little water, take a small portion of Kozhukattai and make it into cylindrical shape
• Grease the idli mould with little oil. Steam kozhukattai in idli stand or pressure cooker for 8 to 10 minutes. 

My Notes:

• I used store brought rice flour, instead homemade rice flour can also be used
• The water quantity depends on the rice flour so adjust accordingly

Advertisement

Aval Upma

Aval Upma is one of the common breakfast/ evening tiffen items prepared at home. One day I saw Amma adding lemon juice into the Aval Upma and stopped eating it, as I am not a big fan of lemon flavours during those days. When I was working in IT we use to have breakfast and lunch in office as I start by 7 from home. One of my teammates always gets Poha, after seeing onions and peanuts I tasted it and that version slightly differed from the one we do in home, and also the lemon flavor was less . Inspired from that, here is my version.

Ingredients:

Aval/Poha (flattened rice) – 1 cup

Onion – 1

Green chilli  – 1

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Roasted peanuts – 1/4 cup

Lemon juice – 1/4 tsp

To temper:

Oil -1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Channa dal – 1 tsp

Asofetida – generous pinch

Curry leaves – few

Method:

• Wash and soak the Aval, till it is well immersed in lukewarm water; let it sit for 2-3 minutes.  Strain it in a colander; spread it in a plate and fluff it well

• Add  oil and when the oil becomes hot, add the ingredients under “to temper” and let it splutter. Add chopped onions and  green chillies,  sauté till the onions are cooked. Add  turmeric powder and salt and cook for a minute. Add the roasted penauts

• Add the poha and Cook for a minute and switch off

• Squeeze little lemon juice and mix well

My notes:

• Can add pomegranate seeds, coriander leaves and grated coconut for garnish
• Red Aval can be used instead of White, but it takes more time to become soft (about 15- 20 minutes)

Rava Kichadi – Pressure Cooker Method

I love upma varieties, and even if I am having Upma daily I wont regret. Instead of cooking in pan I generally cook Rava kichadi in Cooker as its lump free and easy to cook.

Rava Kichadi – Pressure Cooker Method

Preparation Time: 10 mins | Cooking Time: 25 mins | Serves : 3

Ingredients:

Sooji /Rava –  1 cup, roasted

Onion – 1, thinely sliced

Tomato – 1, finely chopped

Carrot – 1, small cubes

Beans – 4, cored and chopped

Frozen/Fresh peas – 3 tbsp

Frozen/Fresh corn – 3 tbsp

Green chilli – 1, slit

Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp

Garam masala – 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder – 1/2 tsp

Cumin Powder – 1/4 tsp

Water – 2  cups

Cardamom pods – 1

Cinnamon – 1/8 stick

Cloves – 1

Bay leaf – 1

Fennel seeds powder – 1/8 tsp

Star Ansie – 1

Salt – as needed

Oil – 1 tbsp

Ghee – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves and Coriander leaves  – few

Method:

• Boil 2 cups of water in a kettle or in stove and keep aside
• Add oil to the pressure cooker and when the oil is hot add clove, bay leaf, Star Ansie, cardamom pod, cinnamon and fennel seed powder; cook for 30 secs.
• Add onion, green chilli and ginger-garlic paste and sauté them till the onions are translucent. Add tomato and cook till they became mushy
• Add carrot, beans, corn and peas; sauté till vegetables are half cooked. Add garam masala ,turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and cook for a minute

• Add the roasted rava and sauté for a minute. Add hot water, salt and ghee; close the pressure cooker, cook till the steam comes well and switch off (like we cook Idli). Open the cooker after the pressure relases

• Add coriander leaves and serve with any chutney

Notes:

• Instead of pressure cooker method Can also cook the kichadi in pan
• Potato, cauliflower or any other veggies of your choice can be added

Arisi Kurunai Adai

Kozhukattai is a traditional south Indian breakfast. There was a time when I used to say biggggg no to kozhukattai. Whenever my Amma prepares kozhukattai I bug her for alternative tiffen.  To make me eat, instead of steaming, she grills it in tawa and I love it. Now things changed, I started experimenting various forms of Kozhukattai like Cracked Wheat Kozhukattai and Aval Pidi Kozhukattai, still this particular preparation is my favorite. Being a Mom is so challenging – now I can understand.

Arisi Kurunai Adai

Preparation Time : 5  mins | Cooking Time : 25 mins | Serves : 3

Recipe Category: Breakfast

Ingredients:

Rice  – 1 cup

Scraped Coconut – 1/4 cup

Salt – as needed

Curd – 1 tbsp (Optional)

Water – 2 cups

Oil – for Grilling (I used coconut oil)

For tempering

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Green Chilli – 1 (Adjust according to your taste)

Urad Dal – 1/2 tsp

Channa Dal – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Asafoetida – a generous pinch

Method

• Pulse the Rice coarsely in a blender and transfer to a plate
• Add oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, green chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida. After it splutters, add 2 cups of water, coconut and salt. Bring to boil. Once the water starts boiling add curd and pulsed rice

• Stir till all the water is absorbed and kurunai is 3/4 th cooked. Sprinkle some water if required. Switch off the heat

• When you can handle the dough, take small portions and make small balls (if required use water) and flatten it. Add oil to the tawa and grill it both sides. Serve warm with chutney

My Notes:

• I have used rice, instead Aval, oats, cracked wheat or any other grain can also be used
• Can use red chilli instead of green chiili

Aval Pidi Kozhukattai

Kozhukattai is a traditional recipe prepared with broken rice.  Previously i have posted a Kozhukattai recipe  with cracked wheat and oats.  Couple of days ago tried with flattened rice and liked the taste. It tasted similar to the traditional Kozhukattai prepared with Rice

Aval Pidi kozhukattai:

Preparation Time : 5  mins | Standing time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 25 mins | Serves : 4

Recipe Category: Breakfast

Ingredients:

Flattened Rice/Aval  – 2 cup

Scraped Coconut – ¼ cup

Salt – as needed

Curd – 1 tbsp (Optional)

Water – 2 cups + 3 tbsp

For tempering

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Red Chilli – 3

Green Chilli – 1 (Adjust according to your taste)

Urad Dal – 1/2 tsp

Channa Dal – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Asafoetida – a generous pinch

Method

• Pulse the Aval coarsely in a blender and Transfer to a plate
• Add oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, red chilli, green chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida. After it splutters, add 2 cups of water, coconut and salt. Bring to boil. Once the water starts boiling add curd and  pulsed Aval

 

• Stir till all the moisture evaporates and Aval is half cooked. Sprinkle some water if required. Switch off the heat

• Form kozhukattai with it when they are not too hot to handle

• Steam them in a steamer or idly stand for 8 to 10 minutes.

My Notes:

• I have used Thin Flattened Rice and pulsed them fine grain, instead Thick flattened rice can also be used and pulsed to coarse texture

Tri-Color South Indian Platter

Happy Independence day to all my Indian buddies. Jai Hind!!!!

This is a special post, drafted for the Indian post with a tri-color theme. My actual plan was to post a Tri-Color fruit leather using Peach, apple and kiwi, but after baking I was not satisfied with the color, especially green.

Wanted to do something else. Being a south Indian, I was influneced by Saravana Bhavan, and remembered their Tricolor  chutney. I thought of preparing three chutneys, but the moment chutney was decided, I also wanted to make a platter with idly and Uthappam. I will post a detailed recipe on Idli batter (with mixie) shortly

Tri-Color Mini Idli

Ingredients:

Saffron:

Idli Batter – 1/2 cup

Carrot – 1

Green:

Idli Batter – 1/2 cup

Frozen Peas – 2 tbsp

White:

Idli Batter – 1/2 cup

Method:

Saffron Color

Cook the carrots, and once they come to room temperature, grind them into fine  paste. Add Idli batter to the carrot paste mix well / grind once

White color

Nothing to do:-) just the plain batter

Green color

Microwave frozen peas for a minute, or after switching off the carrot, remove carrot and add peas. Bring peas into fine paste and add batter and mix well

Mini Idli

• Grease the Idli plate with oil and pour a spoon full of batter into mould. Stack up all the idli plates and steam for 12-15 mins. Rest it for another 5 mins
• Dip a clean wide spoon in water and remove the idlis from the plate. Keep dipping the spoon in water in between to help in taking out the idli easily. In a skewer, I inserted Tri-Color idli

Tri-Color Uthappam

Ingredients:

Idli batter – 1/4 cup approx

Carrot – 2 tbsp (finely chopped in chopper/grated)

Onion – 2 tbsp

Frozen Peas – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Heat the skillet on medium heat and spread some oil on it. Pour ladle full of batter and spread it in a shape of rectangle. Drizzle carrot at the top, onion in middle and peas at the end and cover the lid and  cook. I didn’t flip the other side

Carrot Chutney

Ingredients:

Carrot – 5

Onion – 1

Garlic – 2 pods

Dry Red Chilli – 2

Urad Dal – 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/8 tsp

Salt – as needed

Method:

• Wash carrots, peel off the skin and trim the edges. Cut them into big chunks and cook them
• Add 1 tsp of oil, add urad dal and mustard seed and saute till urad dal starts browning. Add the onions and garlic, and saute till they are cooked. Add carrot and sauté for 2/3 minutes and switch off. Let it cool
• Transfer all the ingredients to a mixer, and grind it along with salt and required water.

Coriander chutney

Ingredients

Coriander leaves – 1/3 cup

Green chilli – 1/2

Coconut – 3 tbsp

salt – as needed

Method:

• Grind everything into fine paste adding water

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

Coconut – 1/2 cup

Green chilli – 1/2

salt – as needed

Method:

• Grind everything into fine paste adding water

To temper:

Coconut Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Urad Dal – 1 tsp

Hing – 1/8 tsp

Method:

• Add oil to the pan when the oil is hot add ‘to temper’ cook till they splutter and add to all chutney

Cracked Wheat and Oats Adai

After Cracked Wheat Idli, it has been a while since I posted (actually, cooked) anything with cracked wheat.  Thought of preparing Cracked Wheat Pongal and soaked moong dal, and then I realized I had only 1/2 cup of cracked wheat. I soaked toor Dal as well, along with moong Dal, and decided to try Uthappam with cracked wheat, dal and oats (I named Uthappam, as its texture resembled the soft Uthappam). To my surprise, it was a winner and hubby couldn’t believe that I used cracked wheat and made instant uthappam!

Cracked Wheat and Oats Utthapam

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Soaking Time : 2-3 hours | Cooking time : 10 minutes | Serves : 3

Recipe Category: Breakfast

Ingredients:

Cracked Wheat – 1/2 cup

Oats – 1/2 cup

Toor dal – 1/4 cup

Mong Dal – 1/4 cup

Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp

Hing – a generous pinch

Oil – as required to grease

salt – as needed

Method:

• Soak the two lentils, along with cracked wheat, fenugreek and oats for about 3 hours (I soaked in warm water)
• Drain the water, and Grind,  by adding water
• Heat the skillet. When it is hot, add a little oil and pour the batter into the skillet

• After one side is cooked well, turn and cook the other side. Serve it with any chutney. We had with Thakkali Thokku

Whole Moong Bean Paniyaram

When I was thinking what to prepare for breakfast next day, I saw a fresh pack of whole moong bean in the kitchen. Usually I do pesaruttu with whole moong bean for breakfast. Thought of doing something else this time, and my Tamilian roots thought about paniyaram. Previously I did Adai paniyaram with lentils and rice, this time wanted to skip rice.

Whole Moong Bean Paniyaram:

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Soaking Time : 4 hours | Cooking Time : 10 mins | Serves : 3

Recipe Category: Breakfast

Ingredients:

Whole Green Moong bean/Mung Bean –  1 cup

Toor dal – 1/4 cup

Channa dal – 2 tbsp

Onion – 1 finely chopped

Cumin Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Green Chilli – 1

Ginger – 1/4 tsp

Hing – a generous pinch

Oil – 2 tbsp

salt as needed

Method:

• Soak the three lentils together for about 4 hours (I soaked in warm water)
• Drain the water, and Grind into a coarse paste, along with green chillies, cumin seeds and ginger, by adding water
• Mix with onion, hing and salt. If required add some more water for the batter

• Heat the paniyaram pan. Add a little oil to each hole. Spoon the batter into the pan

• After one side is cooked well, turn the paniyaram and cook the other side. Serve with any chutney

 

My Notes:

• Instead of oil you can even use cooking spray
• If you do not have kuzhi paniyaram pan, you can deep fry them in oil or make dosage
• You can add any veggies of your choice
• Instead of green mong bean, yellow moong dal can also be used

 

 

 

Appam – Without Yeast

Aapam is one of my favorite breakfast items. During our childhood days, Amma used to do Appam in an Iron skillet. Then she brought this nonstick pan and started preparing with this. When my parents came to visit us, I had prepared a list of item to be brought from India, Appam pan and Kuzhi panniyaram pan were top priority items in the list 😉

Aappam – Without Yeast

Preparation time: 5 Minutes | Soaking time : 7 hours | Fermentation Time : 8 hours

Category: Breakfast

Ingredients:

Raw rice – 1 cup

Par boiled rice/Idli Rice – 1 cup

Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp

Whole Urad dal – 2  tbsp (whole urad dal without skin)

Baking soda  – 1/2 tsp

Salt – as needed

Method:

• Soak raw rice, par boiled rice, fenugreek seeds and urad dal overnight, or atleast for 7-8 hours. Add water and grind well, making a bater which is slightly thinner than dosa batter consistency. Leave it  overnight to ferment. In the morning, add baking soda and sugar to the fermented batter, and mix well. Keep it aside for 10 – 20 minutes

• Switch on the stove and keep the aapam pan in low heat. After the pan is slightly hot, add oil to the pan (Spread oil all over the pan using cloth or brush). Add a ladle full of batter and hold the handle of the pan and rotate the pan in such a way that the batter spreads all around in a circle (This is the traditional way, instead, you can spread the batter with the ladle, and because of the pan texture, remaining batter will come in the center)

• After that close the pan with the lid. Once the Aappam is cooked and the edges start turning brown, remove the Aappam from the pan. Do not flip side. Serve Aappam with sweetened coconut milk/ Vegetable Stew/Vegetable Kurma/Theeyal

My Notes: 

• If you do not have Aappam pan, you can make it in any other curved non stick pan with lid
• Can add 1 tbsp of coconut milk before making Aappam, for nice flavor
• If you want crispy edges can add 1/4 tsp of sugar before making Aappam

Cracked Wheat Rava Idli

Sometimes, a dish becomes an accidental hit, and we start liking them to the level where it is included regularly in the menu. To me, Cracked Wheat Rava Idli is one such item. One day I felt like having Rava Idli and when I was about to start, I realized I didn’t have enough Rava at home. Cracked Wheat was in my sight. Though I have tried few recipe with cracked wheat, this instant idli is something which I did not even think about. Followed Rava Idli procedure, except that I used cracked wheat instead of rava. I was actually amazed by its texture and taste. Hubby and I liked this Idli more than Rava idli. It was spongy and tasty, and above all healthy:)

Cracked Wheat Rava Idli

Preparation  time : 10 mins | Standing time : 10 mins | Cooking time :10 mins | Serves: 3

Category : Breakfast

Ingredients:

Cracked Wheat/ Gothuma Rava – 1 cup

Thick Curd/ yogurt – 1/2 cup

Carrot – 1, I chopped in chopper you can even grate them

Water –  1/3 cup

Baking Soda/Eno salt – 1/2  tsp, heaped (I used baking soda)

Salt  – as needed

Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Urad dhal – 1/2 tsp

Chana Dhal – 1/2 tsp

Cashew nuts – as required

Oil – 1/2 tsp + to grease

Method:

• Add oil to pan. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Let them splutter. Set aside. In the same pan, add remaining oil and cashew, and roast them till golden brown and set aside
• Add Cracked wheat to the pan and saute for a minute, and let it cool. Pulse them in a blender to fine grain (Since the one I had was big, I opted this way. You can skip this if the broken wheat you use is fine grain)

• Add yogurt, salt, carrot, tempered stuff and baking soda to the cracked wheat powder and mix well. Add water to get the desired idli batter consistency. Let them sit for 10 minutes.
• Set the idli steamer ready and grease the idli mould with oil. Pour ladle ful of batter to the idli mould and cook for 15 minutes or until done. Serve hot with any chutney/ podi/sambar

Sending this Zesty South Indian Kitchen – Tasty Recipes From All Over The World