Tendle Bibbe Upkari

Fresh tender Cashew Nuts!!! This Konkani new year dish lets you enjoy the creamy tender nuts in a mild fry with ivy gourds and potatoes.

Fresh Cashew Nuts!! I cannot believe I was oblivious to their existence. Being Goan, my love for cashew nuts is obvious. But until today, all I had was dried cashew nuts, sometimes salted, mostly plain, sometimes flavored and once or twice, I have mustered courage to eat the fruit that causes throats to itch. Somehow, I totally missed getting on the fresh tender cashew nuts wagon, until now, of course. My friend Vindhya of A Million Morsels, introduced me to this tender creamy crunchy delicacy. 

So when Raj went to Karkala for an extended vacation for Ugadi (Hindu New Year), he got me these tender cashew nuts or bibbo/ bibbe. They are sold in packets of 50 or 100 and are very seasonal. They are usually sold around Ugadi as this Tendle Bibbe Upkari is a specialty for Ugadi in a Konkani household. If you cannot find tender cashew nuts, you can replace them with dried cashew nuts that have been soaked in water overnight or for 4-5 hours until they are nice and soft.

Upkari is a simple palya or a dry vegetable curry. It is also super healthy, low on oil, high on seasonal ingredients, barely any spices. It is a refreshing fresh dish fit for Summer.

Tendle or Tendli / Tondekayee or Ivy gourds is the fruit of a creeper. Tastes best when harvested when they are raw and tender and green. As they ripen, they become red and soft. Ripe tendle can be used to make Tondekayee Chutney. My luck shined when Raj got me home grown fresh tendle from Karkala. I am a big fan of anything home grown and organic. The tendle he got me were so tender and cooked so quickly. They were delicate and crisp, just the way I love them.

Potatoes, you can add them or you can leave them. Sometimes, if one cannot find tender cashews or not enough of them, the quantity of the upkari is increased by adding more potato. I put them in as everyone loves potatoes. 

Coconut, another homegrown ingredient in my cooking. I feel so lucky to get homegrown coconut. I don't grow them in Bangalore, but every time someone comes from Karkala, my mother in law makes it a point to send me coconuts grown at home. They are huge, sweet and juicy.. YUM!! The coconut here is much more than just a garnish, it is almost the heart of the dish that brings everything together. 

This Tendle Bibbe Upkari has very little in the way of spices, just mustard seeds, urad dal and red chillies with a sprig of curry leaves. It uses very little oil, it is mostly cooked in water. As I said, it is very healthy. Tendle Bibbe Upkari is eaten as a side along with rice and dal or with chapati.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto. 

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life is there on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email (How convenient!!)

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Tondekayee Chutney - Chutney made from ripe ivy gourds or tendle and coconut.
• Saasav  - Ripe mango curry from the Konkan coast.
• Banana Blossom and White Peas Curry - Dry curry made with banana flower and dried white peas.

Tendle Bibbe Upkari

Tendle Bibbe Upkari is a Konkani vegatable dish made with fresh tender cashew nuts, tendle or ivy gourd and potatoes. It is usually made during Ugadi.

Recipe Type:  Side
Cuisine:            Mangalore
Prep Time:     1 Hour
Cook time:     40 minutes
Yield:                Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

20-25 Tendle (Tondekayee or Ivy Gourd)
1 cup Bibbe or tender Cashew Nuts
1-2 Potatoes
3 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Urad Dal
3-4 dry Red Chillies
2 Tbsp grated fresh Coconut
8-10 Curry leaves
Water as required
Salt to taste

Method:

Boil 2 cups of water. Remove from heat once it comes to a rolling boil.
Soak the cashew nuts (bibbe) in the hot water for 1 hour. This will help loosen the skin.
Peel the thin brown skin of the tender cashew nuts.
Wash the cashew nuts thoroughly and split them into halves.
Cut the tips of the tendle and slice it into thin slices.
Peel the potato and slice them to the same size as the tendle
Heat oil in a kadhai and add the mustard seeds.
Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the urad dal, curry leaves and the dry red chillies.
Fry until the urad dal changes colour.
Add the sliced tendle and 0.5 cup of water.
Cover and cook until the tendle are half done.
Add the sliced potato and the tender cashew nuts.
Cover and cook until the potato and tendle are done.
Add salt and mix well.
Garnish with grated coconut.
Serve hot with chapati.

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MIL's Spicy Tomato Curry with fried Bhindi (Okra) [Video]

Spicy Tomato Curry with fried Bhindi / Okra recipe with video instructions. Spicy Tomato Curry is a quick vegan tomato soup that is served with pan fried okra. Spicy Tomato Curry is vegan, gluten free and fits a Jain diet.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

They say winter is over. While I love the promise of sunshine all through the day, I miss the chill in the air. Luckily, it is still chilly in the morning, so I'm enjoying the last few days with my jacket until it is stacked in the cupboard for the next 6-7 months until the monsoons bring on some more chill.

Winter may be over, and warm nights back on the calendar, but hey, that really does not stop me from enjoying hot meals. And speaking of hot meals, especially my Mother-in-law's Spicy Tomato Curry. This curry is perfect for winter nights or rainy nights when all you want is a bowl of spicy sour soul warming goodness. But don't let the weather stop you from enjoying something this delicious. Unless you live on the coast in a tropical country in the Northern Hemisphere, you still have a few days of cold nights left, use it to enjoy this Tomato Curry.

While the name suggests curry, this is really a spicy Tomato Soup flavored with cumin, thickened with chickpea flour (gram flour/ besan) and garnished with fried okra (bhindi). Isn't fried okra the BEST? Crispy crunchy salty and we can always pretend it is healthy, after all it is a vegetable. If I haven't convinced you to fry that okra, you can just as well be a health freak and grill it up until it is nice and charred. My mother in law sometimes adds boiled potato cubes to the curry as well, but okra is the family favorite.

This is probably the quickest and absolutely no fuss soup I know to prepare. So no fine chopping, no 100 ingredients, no exotic spices (unless you consider cumin exotic), no hours and hours of simmering. NADA!!! Just 3 main ingredients and barely 40 minutes to prepare. No chopping, just blending.

Making this curry is super simple. I pressure cook the tomatoes whole for 8-10 minutes or 1-2 whistles. Then allow them to cool a little, before peeling them and blending. Meanwhile, fry up your chopped okra or boil the potatoes. Heat oil in a kadhai or pot and add cumin seeds. When they brown, add in the gram flour and saute it well for 1 minute. Then add in the blended tomatoes. Add water if required. Season with salt and red chilli powder and allow it to simmer for 5-8 minutes. If it is too thin, add more gram flour. If it is too thick add water. Too sweet, then add a little tamarind juice or lime juice. Too sour, then you can sweeten it with sugar or jaggery. Just TRUST your taste buds more than anything. I like my curry hot, sour with full flavor of cumin. Add the fried okra or potato just before serving.

Serve it with some crusty bread and dinner is done! You can also serve it with rice, though then I'd recommend you keep it thick.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto. 

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life is there on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email (How convenient!!)

Video Recipe

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Spicy Tomato Curry

Spicy and easy Tomato Curry or Soup made with fresh tomatoes, thickened with gram flour and garnished with crispy fried okra.

Recipe Type:  Soup
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     40 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

5-6 large Tomatoes
6 tsp Oil
1 Tbsp Gram Flour (Chickpea Flour / Besan)
1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
15-20 small Okra (Bhindi)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder (Optional)
A handful of Curry leaves
Red Chilli Powder to taste
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Pressure cook the tomatoes with 1 cup of water for 1-2 whistles or 8-10 minutes. If cooking in a pan, cook the tomatoes until they are soft. Reserve the water.
2. Peel the tomatoes and leave aside to cool.
3. Chop the end of the okra.
4. Heat 3 tsp oil in a small pan and fry the okra until they are slightly browned and crispy. Keep flipping the okra so that they cook evenly.
5. Once the tomatoes have cooled, blend into a puree with 1 cup of reserved water.
6. Once the tomatoes have cooled, blend into a puree.
7. Heat 3 tsp Oil in a large pan or pot and add the cumin seeds and curry leaves.
8. Once they brown slightly, add the gram flour and saute for 1 minute until the raw smell disappears.
9. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
10. Pour in the blended tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Add salt to taste.
11. Let it come to a boil and then simmer for 5-8 minutes.
12. If the consistency is too thick, add more water. If it is too thin, add a 1 Tbsp gram flour mixed in water.
13. If the curry is too sour, add a little sugar. If the curry is not sour enough add a little tamarind juice or lime juice.
14. Add the crispy okra just before serving.
15. Serve hot with crusty bread or rice.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Corn Tomato Bharta

Tomato Saar

Tomato Gazpacho

Read more ...

Methi Rice Recipe

So how is Monday treating you? 

I've always suffered from Monday Blues... more so these days as weekends seem to go off in a blur.

Come Sunday night, and I find myself wondering what I did in the past two days. Usually, it is just a lot of cooking, photography and cleaning. This weekend I added in an extra trip to a place called Pottery Town, hoping to buy some earthen pots to cook in. I've heard that the earthen pots enhance the flavor of the food cooked in them and I'm always in the forefront to try out anything that takes my food to the next level. And while the entire trip was futile, as we reached late and probably skipped the very section of the street we should have driven on, I've not yet given up hope. So if you stay in Bangalore and have visited Pottery Town/Lane/Road and know the best shops there to pick up pots for cooking, please leave me a comment, I highly appreciate any help I get to locate the place.

So this Sunday night when I did a little introspect, I realized I'm getting so involved in all this that I'm running out of time to do the thing I love next to cooking - Blogging!! I'm now consciously making a resolution to start managing my time better so I get enough time to blog. 

While I spend most of my weekend cooking for the week ahead and making dishes that are slow cooked or have too many steps, my weeknight mantra is "Quick and Simple" with a very strong emphasis on the quick part. My work has a way of interfering with my evenings and a lot of it is unplanned so I'm usually scrambling for time on weeknights. So quick it has to be.

When I think quick cooking recipes, I always turn to Rice. One of my quick rice recipes is this Methi Rice. Methi, Menthe or Fenugreek is a small leaved green that is native to India. Usually slightly bitter in taste, it goes amazingly well with rice. I've been eating Methi Sabzi all my life like this Aloo Methi, but the first time I tried Methi Rice was at my aunt's place a few years ago. I loved it instantly. Spicy, fragrant, with the slight salty bitterness of Methi leaves, what's not to love in it?

There are 2 ways to make Methi Rice. You can cook it entirely in the pressure cooker or a single pot or you can make rice separately and the methi masala separately and mix the two together. For those weeknights when I need a quick fix, I make the pressure cooker version and on weeknights like today, when I have a little more time, I use the latter method. The recipe below is for the second method, but if you plan to make it in a single pot, just skip the steps to cook the rice. Make the masala as described below, and then add the rice and water and cook the rice with the masala until it is done.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Mint Rice - Mint Rice is a one pot dish of rice cooked along with a mint puree, vegetables and spices.
• Mushroom Biryani - Mushroom Biryani is Basmati rice cooked along with whole spices and mushrooms.
• Ghee Rice - Ghee Rice is a simple Indian rice dish where Basmati rice is cooked in ghee or clarified butter.

Methi Rice

Methi Rice is made by cooking rice along with methi or fenugreek leaves and a fragrant masala.

Recipe Type:  Rice
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     20 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 cups Fenugreek / Methi leaves
1 cup Basmati Rice
1 medium Potato
1 large Onion
1 large Tomato
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 a Lime
4-5 Tbsp Oil
2 cups + 2 Tbsp Water
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear. Drain and keep aside.
Boil 2 cups of water in a large pot. Add 1 tsp oil and 1/2 tsp salt to it.
Add the washed rice. Cover and cook until the rice is done.
Allow to cool, then fluff rice with a spoon or fork
Heat the remaining oil in a large kadhai or pan.
Add diced potato to the oil and stir fry until the potatoes are cooked. Remove from oil and keep aside. Alternately, you can boil the potato and then dice into cubes.
Add the cumin seeds the oil.
After the cumin seeds are slightly browned, add sliced onions.
Fry until onions turn golden brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft.
Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add washed and chopped methi leaves and 1-2 Tbsp water.
Cook until the methi leaves are completely cooked. Add sugar, salt and lime juice. Mix well. Fry for another 1 minute.
Add the cooked rice and mix until the masala coats every grain.
Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes until the rice is at least warm.
Serve with raita.

Read more ...

Shavige Payasa | Semiyan Kheer | Vermicelli Pudding

Happy New Year!!!

I hope you had a great New Year's Eve!!

I ended 2016 with a sweet note. Read about it here.

In our culture, we start everything new with something sweet. I'm starting the new year with this sweet treat - Vermicelli Pudding or Semiyan Kheer or Shavige Payasa. Not that I need excuses to eat desserts, but then it is January, and I have resolutions made that I don't want to break in the very first week.

So, I just had one little bowl. But what a bowl it was, rich, sweet, fragrant, everything a kheer is meant to be.

Shavige Payasa is very commonly made for all festivals and is what we begin the meal with. It is one of the easiest desserts I know to make.

To make Shavige Payasa, we first need to roast the shavige or semiyan or vermicelli in ghee until golden brown. This is an important step as it prevents the vermicelli from clumping up when added to the milk. Also it imparts that rich taste of ghee to the entire kheer. You need to do this step carefully, stirring frequently and ensuring that the vermicelli does not burn. I always use wheat vermicelli that is not pre-roasted and is already broken into small pieces. I buy brands like MTR or Bambino

The second step is the dry fruits. I am a total "nut-case", I love nuts and dry fruits. I am extra generous with nuts and dry fruits when it comes to desserts and I also like to add a variety of them. This time I've used almonds, cashews, raisins and pistachios. The nuts and dry fruits need to be chopped and fried in ghee as well. Again, you need to be careful while frying in ghee. Ghee heats up quickly and you can end up with burnt nuts. So keep a watch on them. Stir frequently and keep the heat low. Fry the raisins separately as they burn quickly.

After this you are pretty much done with the "work". Just boil milk, add sugar and the roasted vermicelli. Give it a good stir to separate the strands of vermicelli and then allow it to simmer on low heat until the vermicelli is cooked completely but still retains it's shape. The vermicelli will give way when squeezed. About the sugar, I'd say start with less and add more if required later. Add around 3/4th the quantity in the beginning and you can add more after the vermicelli is cooked. Somehow, a lot of people think Indian Desserts are way too sweet and avoid them. But when you make it at home, you can adjust how much sugar you add depending on your taste. So Indian desserts don't have to be sickly sweet. Once the vermicelli is cooked and the sugar adjusted, add the cardamom powder and the fried nuts and dry fruits and mix well. If you have over reduced the milk and the kheer begins to look thick, add more milk and adjust the sugar.

Shavige Payasa is usually served hot to warm, but I like it at room temperature. I enjoy it even when it is cold.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Chana Dal Payasa - Kheer made from chana dal and coconut milk.
• Gajar ka Halwa -  North Indian carrot pudding made with grated carrots, milk, sugar, ghee and dry fruits.

Shavige Payasa | Semiyan Kheer | Vermicelli Pudding

Shavige Payasa | Semiyan Kheer | Vermicelli Pudding is a simple Indian dessert made by cooking ghee roasted vermicelli in milk.

Recipe Type:  Dessert
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     5 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Yield:                Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

0.5 cup Vermicelli or Semiyan or Shavige
4-5 cups Milk
3-4 Tbsp Sugar
1.5 Tbsp Ghee
3 Cardamoms
5-6 Cashew Nuts
5-6 Almonds
8-10 Raisins
4-5 Pistachios

Method:

Chop the almonds, cashew nuts and pistachios.
Heat ghee in a kadhai and add the chopped nuts. Fry them until they are a gentle brown. Do not allow them to burn. Keep stirring.
Remove the nuts and keep aside.
Add the raisins and stir fry them until they puff up. Remove and keep along with the nuts.
Add the vermicelli to the kadhai and on low heat roast the vermicelli until it is golden brown. Keep stirring frequently. Remove from heat and keep aside.
In the same kadhai, add 4 cups milk and bring it to a rolling boil.
Lower the heat and add sugar and simmer for 1 minute until the sugar dissolves.
Add the vermicelli to the milk and on low heat allow it to simmer until the vermicelli is cooked. Stir occasionally so that the vermicelli does not form lumps.
The kheer is done when the vermicelli is cooked. At this point if the kheer looks very thick, add the remaining milk and you can add more sugar and cook it until the sugar dissolves.
Crush the cardamom into a powder and add to the kheer. Simmer for 1 minute after mixing well.
Add the nuts and raisins and mix well. Remove from heat.
Kheer is usually served hot, but you can serve it at room temperature or even cold. As the kheer cools it ends up thickening. You can add a little milk to loosen the kheer while serving. You can add powdered sugar to adjust the sweetness as well.

Read more ...

Garlic Stuffed Karela (with Step by Step Photos)

Happy Holidays!!!

The last week of the year is HERE! As the new year inches closer. and with it the new year's resolutions, I'm giving in to all my indulgences one last time. After all there are just 7 days left for 2016 to end.

While I'm filling up on all those chocolate cakes and french fries, I'm also bringing out the family favorite indulgences. One of them is my Mother-in-law's Garlic Stuffed Karela - Baby bitter gourds stuffed with a spicy masala of garlic and red chilli powder and fried in lots of oil. This is a tried, tested and loved recipe. It is what I call a flavor bomb, well they look like little bombs, don't they?

This Garlic Stuffed Karela is sure an explosion of flavors. It is S-P-I-C-Y, well you can reduce the spiciness by reducing the red chilli powder, but we love it spicy. It is heaven for garlic lovers (like me, of course), you can never kiss after this recipe, unless of course, the other person is filling up on it too. And if I haven't mentioned it enough times on this blog, I am a big bitter gourd or karela fan. Check these out if you have any doubts.

There is one thing that mellows down the sharp flavors of karela, chilli and garlic, and is also marries them all together, and that is Oil. This curry uses more oil than any other curry I've ever posted here. But it is an essential ingredient. Now you know why I call this an indulgence! You can decide to use less oil int he beginning and then add more as you go, or start out with a fair amount in the beginning. This Garlic Stuffed Karela is meant to be eaten with rice, either as a side with rice and dal or just mix it along with rice. If you are having it with just plain rice, add more oil.

This is a slow cooking recipe, perfect for holidays. This one cannot be rushed. The karela needs to be slowly coaxed into submission to bring out the best flavors. There is on silver lining though, once you have the karela frying, it requires minimal monitoring. Just check once in 10-15 minutes and flip 

them to ensure the all sides cook evenly.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• Slit each bitter gourd lengthwise. Be careful that the knife does not pierce all the way through.
• Heat water in a shallow pan and add 1 tsp of salt and the tamarind juice to it. Allow the water to come to a rolling boil.
• Now add the slit bitter gourds and allow them to cook on medium flame for around 8-10 minutes until they change color. Do not cover the pan.
• Drain and keep aside.

• Make a paste out of the garlic, red chilli powder, salt and 2-3 tsp Oil.
• Stuff the bitter gourds with the spice paste.

• Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and add cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add the curry leaves.
• Add the stuffed bitter gourds to the frying pan and cook on low flame for an hour. I prefer using a flat based pan, you can use a kadhai.
• Keep turning them frequently so all sides are cooked well.
• Sprinkle salt on top to coat all the bitter gourds. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• The dish is done when the bitter gourds are soft.

Garlic Stuffed Karela

Garlic Stuffed Karela is vegan semi dry curry made with baby bitter gourds stuffed with a masala of garlic and red chilli powder and then fried.

Recipe Type:  Side
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     20 minutes
Cook time:     1.25 hour
Yield:                Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

20 Bitter Gourd, small (Karela)
4 Garlic Pods
4-5 tsp Red Chilli Powder
0.5 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
5-6 Tbsp Oil
2 tsp Tamarind juice
1 sprig Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

Slit each bitter gourd lengthwise. Be careful that the knife does not pierce all the way through.
Heat water in a shallow pan and add 1 tsp of salt and the tamarind juice to it. Allow the water to come to a rolling boil.
Now add the slit bitter gourds and allow them to cook on medium flame for around 8-10 minutes until they change color. Do not cover the pan.
Drain and keep aside.
Make a paste out of the garlic, red chilli powder, salt and 2-3 tsp Oil.
Stuff the bitter gourds with the spice paste.
Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and add cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add the curry leaves.
Add the stuffed bitter gourds to the frying pan and cook on low flame for an hour. I prefer using a flat based pan, you can use a kadhai.
Keep turning them frequently so all sides are cooked well.
Sprinkle salt on top to coat all the bitter gourds. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
The dish is done when the bitter gourds are soft.

Read more ...

Pathrode Dosa | Uppu Menasu Dosa | Uppu Khara Dosa

Happy Weekend Guys!!

Isn't it a wonderful feeling that you get to wake up when you want and for once your life is not ruled by technology. No alarms to snooze, no water heaters to be turned on, no bus / train to miss. So Saturday breakfast is usually something relaxed, that does not need too much effort, but definitely not something like a zero effort cereal. I love cooking traditional recipes on weekends when we get to sit down and enjoy a meal while it is still hot.

Pathrode Dosa also sometimes called Uppu Khara Dosa or Uppu Menasu Dosa is a dish from Mangalore and its surroundings. Rice grows abundantly there and almost every meal out there has rice as their hero.

Pathrode Dosa is a very similar to the Menthe Pathrode recipe, the only difference being there the entire batter is steamed and then fried, while here it is spread on a tava or a griddle and cooked.

To make Pathrode dosa, you need to soak rice for 2-3 hours and then grind it as fine as you can. Let that rest for 30 mins to an hour. For the masala, you can either use fresh coconut or onion depending on what you have available with you. Grind the onion or coconut with tamarind pulp, red chillies and coriander powder to make a coarse thick masala. Add the masala to the rice batter along with some salt and chopped up fenugreek or methi leaves to make Pathrode Dosa batter. Add water to adjust the consistency. You can replace the methi leaves with spinach or any peppery leaf, or just leave it out. Spoon out the batter and spread it a little on a hot greased tava or griddle. Flip when one side is cooked and cook until the other side is browned.

If you don't want to wait 3 hours for your breakfast, I don't, just soak the rice the previous night for 2-3 hours or you can soak it the previous morning. Grind it at night and leave it covered on the counter overnight at room temperature. Make the masala fresh in the morning and add it to batter just 10-15 minutes before making. Don't add any salt to the batter if leaving it overnight and don't add the masala overnight either.

You have to serve this dosa hot like all other dosas. You can serve this dosa with chutney or butter, or even just plain. It has enough flavour to stand up on its own.

Try out this Tondekayee Chutney to go with the Pathrode Dosa.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Mysore Masala Dosa - A rice and lentil pancake that has a chilli and garlic chutney spread on the inside and stuffed with a potato bhaji.
• Instant Ragi Dosa - Instant dosa or crepe  made with rava or semolina and ragi flour (finger millet flour).
• Instant Wheat Dosa - Instant savory dosa or pancake made with whole wheat flour.

Pathrode Dosa | Uppu Menasu Dosa | Uppu Khara Dosa

Pathrode Dosa is a pancake made with rice, spices and fenugreek or methi leaves. It is vegan and gluten free. 

Recipe Type:  Breakfast
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     3 hours
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:                8 to 10

Ingredients:

1.5 cups Dosa Rice or any Regular Rice
1/2 cup grated fresh Coconut or 1 Onion
2 tsp Coriander Powder
3-4 dry Red Chillies or 3/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Tamarind pulp
A handful of Fenugreek leaves or Methi leaves
1 cup Water
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method:

Soak the rice for 2 hours.
Drain out the water from the rice and grind it with very little water to get a smooth batter. Let it rest for 30 mins to 1 hour.
Grind together the coconut or onion along with the coriander powder, tamarind and the dry red chillies into a fine masala paste. Use 1/4 cup of water to help the grinding.
Wash the methi leaves thoroughly and chop it finely.
Add the masala paste and the chopped methi leaves to the rice batter.
Add salt and the remaining water and mix well.
Heat a griddle and grease it.
Once the griddle is hot, pour a ladle of the batter on to the griddle and gently spread it.
Cover and cook for 45-60 seconds on medium heat.
Spoon a little oil on the top and flip the dosa.
Cook for another 45-60 seconds or until the dosa is cooked through.
Serve hot.

Read more ...

Tondekayee Chutney | Tendli Chutney | Tindora Chutney

Today was Potluck at office. I took Dahi Kebab and Pathrode. My other friends got some really amazing dishes that I not only ate but packed in a box and got it home for dinner to share with my family.

Lunch was definitely my only extravagant meal of the week. I've been eating super simple food all week. More because the weather is just awesome and I cannot be coaxed out of bed to cook. It's been drizzling all through the week and it is cold outside. Perfect weather for snoozing, don't you think?

So what food does a lazy me cook or eat? Dosa and Chutney! I can eat that all week long and not get bored - true blue South Indian at heart and stomach. 

Let's get real, 50% of the taste of the dosa comes from its accompaniment, whether it is chutney or sambar. But I'm totally a chutney girl. So throughout this blog, you'll find me talking chutney many a times. And this Tondekayee Chutney is just one among my favorites. 

There is this little cart or gaadi near my house that makes awesome pillowy soft dosa and idli. It is a simple affair and very economical. The dosa is always served with 2 chutneys, a green coriander-coconut chutney and a red chutney. For a long time I believed the red chutney was made from tomatoes, so every time I made the chutney, I was always left wondering why my chutney tasted so different from his. I found out from Raj that the red chutney is actually made from ripe tondekayee (tendli | tindora | ivy gourd). The non foodie in the house knew more about chutneys than I did, what a shocker for me.

To make this chutney you need ripe tondekayee, the ones you usually throw away as they are squishy and mushy. Quarter the tondekayee and fry them up along with red chillies, garlic, chana dal (split bengal gram) and urad dal (split black gram). Grind it along with tamarind, salt, jaggery or sugar and a little water to a smooth chutney once the mixture has cooled. Add a tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves, and enjoy your crispy hot dosa with this red chutney.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Mint Peanut Chutney - Indian version of pesto, cooked peanut and mint chutney.
• Tamarind Date Chutney - Tangy sweet chutney made from tamarind and dates. Perfect for chaats.
• Heerekai Sippe Chutney - South Indian chutney made from fresh coconut and peel of ridge gourd.
• Mint Coriander Chutney - Popular green chutney of chaats made using fresh coriander and mint.

Tondekayee Chutney | Tendli Chutney | Tindora Chutney

Tondekayee Chutney | Tendli Chutney | Tindora Chutney is a South Indian chutney made from ripe ivy gourd and mixed dals. 

Recipe Type:  Side
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     20 minutes
Yield:                1 bowl

Ingredients:

18-20 ripe Tondekayee (Tendli or Tindora or Ivy Gourd)
2 dry Red Chillies
2-3 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1.5 Tbsp Chana Dal
0.5 Tbsp Urad Dal
1 tsp Tamarind Pulp
1/2 tsp Jaggery powder or Sugar (Optional)
4-5 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 sprig Curry Leaves
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

Wash and chop the tondekayee into quarters.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add the chana dal, urad dal and red chilli and fry for 2-3 minutes on low heat until the dals are slightly browned.
Add the garlic and chopped tondekayee and mix well.
Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes on low heat.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Grind the fried mixture along with tamarind, jaggery, salt and 2-3 Tbsp of water into a coarse paste.
Remove to a serving bowl.
Heat the remaining oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the curry leaves and immediately pour this tempering onto the chutney.
Serve the chutney with rice or dosa.
It stays fresh for around 7 days in the fridge.

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