Doddapatre Tambuli Recipe [Video]

Doddapatre Tambuli is a traditional summer curry made with coconut and curd from Karnataka. This curry is made with Mexican mint leaves or Ajwain Patta.

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There has never been a better time to make Tambuli or Thambli as now. This summer heat calls for eating something that cools your insides.

Every region in India has a yogurt (curd) based curry that is popularly made in summer. Tambuli is one of those curries in Karnataka. It is very similar to Majjige Huli, but is much simpler and cooler. The main difference is Majjige Huli is boiled, while the Tambuli is not cooked, hence, usually needs to be consumed fresh.

Doddapatre

Doddapatre is known as Big Thyme or Mexican Mint in English, Ajwain Patta in Hindi and Karpooravalli in Tamil. It is a leaf that has a pungent and distinct aroma that is closest to the aroma of bishop's weed or ajwain, although unrelated. Some people equate the aroma to that of oregano or mint. This distinct aroma and taste becomes mild when the leaves are combined with yogurt and coconut to make the Doddapatre Tambuli.

My first interaction with this dish was at a Temple. On the coastal belt of Karnataka, there is a Lord Ganapati temple at Idagunji. When my grandfather frequented the place, one had to walk for miles together to reach it and it was hidden away tucked into a forest. I've seen the temple change from a small village temple to a quite popular one. When I used to visit the temple with my parents, it was still pretty small and the highway gave no indication to the tucked away temple. With no Google maps, one had to know the road before hand or had to ask the village folks for directions. It was here that they served a simple meal for lunch - Rice and Tambuli. It was and has been the only meal at a temple that I have relished.

Tambuli can be made with a variety of greens, but the recipe differs slightly with each green. Some are cooked longer while some are used raw. Doddapatre is mildly sauteed until it turn slightly yellow and wilts, this makes them milder in taste. The browned leaves are ground to a fine paste along with green chilli and fresh coconut. Whisked curd or buttermilk is added along with some salt. Then a tempering of cumin seeds and curry leaves, and Tambuli is ready to be served. Tamuli is not heated again, unlike most other curries. Tambuli is served with steamed rice.

P.S - This recipe has been reposted. The recipe was originally published in 2014. Images have been updated and a video has been added. The recipe remains the same.

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 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Doddapatre Tambuli

Doddapatre Tambuli is a traditional summer curry from Karnataka that is made with coconut, buttermilk or curd and doddapatre leaves, also known as Mexican mint or Ajwain Patta. This cooling curry is served with rice.

Recipe Type:  Main Course
Cuisine:          Karnataka
Prep Time:     5 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:              2 Servings

Ingredients:

20-25 Doddapatre Leave, chopped
0.5 cup Fresh Coconut, grated
1.5 cups Curd
1 Green Chilli
1 tsp Cumin seeds
A few Curry leaves
3 tsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add the chopped doddapatre leaves.
2. Saute until the leaves wilt and turn slightly yellow.
3. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
4. Fry until the doddapatre turns slightly yellow.
5. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
6. Grind it along with coconut, green chilli and a little water to a fine paste
7. Heat oil in the pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they brown, add the curry leaves.
8. Remove the pan from heat and add the blended paste. Mix well.
9. Add in whisked curd or buttermilk. Add salt to taste.
10. Add in more water if it is very thick.
11. Serve it with hot rice

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Majjige Huli

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Medu Vada Recipe | Uddina Vada Recipe [Video]

Uddina Vada or Medu Vada is a popular South Indian breakfast item. Medu vada is a savory donut made from urad dal or black lentils. Medu vadas are crispy and golden brown on the outside and soft and spongy on the inside. They taste best when served with fresh coconut chutney or dunked in a spicy hot sambar.

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It's raining!!!! and I'm pretty sure it is a crime to not eat crispy fried food when it rains. It isn't? Well, it should be. 

I recently mentioned in my Instagram post that Bangalore weather is as unpredictable. Summer unofficially started in early March this year and it's been blazing hot, hotter than ever, out here. Every year when it gets slightly hot, rains come and it cools off. Last year, when I tried to make a second batch of these sun dried potato chips, they caught mold due to the humidity. But this year there was no sight of rain or even a little cloud to shade us from the sun. Until now. The weather has been pretty unpredictable this week, just like Bangaloreans are used to. Heavy rains caught us off guard this week. And the evening rains are cooling down the city. And when it rains, eat all the fried food you can. 

Frankly, Bangaloreans don't need a reason to eat this scrumptious crispy vada. Vada is eaten for breakfast, snacks, and may be lunch and dinner too. A plate of idli with one vada and a piping hot cup of traditional filter coffee, a simple soul satisfying breakfast for any South Indian. But the lazy me definitely needs a reason to make them at home.

Uddina Vada or Medu Vada is a quintessential item on the breakfast scene of South India, not just Bangalore. The vadas are crispy golden brown on the outside, soft and spongy on the inside. When they are served piping hot with a bowl of fresh coconut chutney and a spicy bowl of sambar, one just stops talking and digs in. Contrary to popular belief, making these vadas at home is not difficult. But what can be challenging is to make that hole in the center. You cannot cut it as you would with a donut. But there are a few simple tricks to making the perfect uddina vada, hole and all.

Firstly, the batter has to be thick. As thick as it can be. The urad dal or black lentils, have to be soaked for just the right amount of time. 3-4 hours at max. More than 4 hours, and you will get a soggy batter that cannot be shaped. After soaking, completely drain the lentils and grind with as little water as possible until you have a smooth creamy batter. 

Secondly, for a crispy vada, you need to add in a little rice flour and a pinch of cooking or baking soda. Too much of the soda and you will have a very crispy vada that won't go well with the purists.

Third, the flavor givers. Add in what you like to flavor the vada. Popular ingredients include cumin, pepper, curry leaves, coconut pieces, green chillies and coriander leaves. Add what you like in them. Also, add salt at the very end, just when about to make the vada, else the batter may turn soggy.

Fourth, the hole. Making the hole isn't as complicated as it sounds. All you need is a thick batter and wet hands. Yup. Wet your hands properly and then take a dollop of the batter, use your wet fingers to make a hole and then gently drop it in the oil. If you are unable to make the hole for any reason, don't worry too much, just drop the batter in oil using a spoon. The hole is just for visual appeal and doesn't impact the taste or the texture.

Five, the frying. To get a nice crispy exterior, fry for the first one minute of high flame. Then lower the heat and allow the vada to cook on the inside. Once the vada is the golden brown, it is ready to be served.

Six, make extra. Well, this isn't a trick or tip, as much as an advise. Vadas are irresistible, always make extra.

Wishing you a vada happy weekend!!

P.S - This recipe has been reposted. The recipe was originally published in 2014. Images have been updated and a video has been added. The recipe remains the same.

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 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Medu Vada Recipe | Uddina Vada Recipe

Medu Vada is an Indian deep fried savory donut made from lentils. A popular South Indian breakfast along with Idli.

Recipe Type:  Snacks / Breakfast
Cuisine:          South Indian
Prep Time:     3-4 Hours (Including lentil soaking time)
Cook time:     20 minutes
Yield:              12 small Vada

Ingredients:

1 cup Urad Dal
1 Tbsp Rice Flour
6-8 Curry leaves, finely chopped
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped
0.5 tsp Pepper, freshly crushed
A pinch of baking soda
Salt to taste
Oil to fry
Water as required

Method:

1. Wash the urad dal and soak the dal in water for around 3-4 hours.
2. Drain the dal and grind into a fine batter. Use as less water as possible. The batter should be thick.
3. Heat oil in a kadhai to deep fry the vadas.
4. While the oil heats, add in the rice flour, green chilli, pepper, baking soda and salt. Mix well until combined. IF the dough feels watery, add a little more rice flour.
5. Once the oil is hot enough, wet your hands and take a spoonful of batter onto your fingers. Using the wet finger of the other hand, make a hole in the center. Watch the video for help on how to do this.
6. Gently drop the vada in the oil.
7. Fry on high heat for 1 minute, then lower the heat slightly and continue to cook until the vada becomes golden brown.
8. Now gently slide this batter into the oil. Stir the vada occassionally and flip it, so that it cooks evenly. Cook until golden brown on both sides.
9. Serve the vada hot with coconut chutney or sambar.

See the notes mentioned above the Video for tips on making the perfect Medu Vada.

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Kharbuja Panaka | Muskmelon Sherbat

Kharbuja Panaka is a muskmelon based beverage that is traditionally served during the festival of Ram Navami in South India.

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Night Fury completes one year on Sunday, well, at least as per the Hindu calendar. Yay!!

Sunday, the 14th is Ram Navami. And Night Fury isn’t our dragon, although Raj almost drives it as if it is, instead it is our car. When we bought it, we thought hard on what we should name it. Did you know there are websites out there that suggest names for your car based on color, type etc. They weren’t much help though. But after one hard look at the front grille of the car, and we both thought it looked like “Toothless” smiling. If you are totally lost right now, then all my references to night fury, toothless and dragons is from the movie “How to train your dragon”. It is a very good animated movie, and you should watch it.

So now there are 2 reasons to celebrate the day, one of course cause it is Ram Navami, a festival, and second it is also birthday number 1.

Ram Navami has always been a festival that invokes mixed feelings in me. As children, my mom took/dragged us to her family temple near Mangalore as Ram Navami is celebrated with a lot of grandeur there. While the festivities were nice and grand, what killed me there was the heat. April to me marks the beginning of Summer and Summer and the tropics don’t really work well together. While the tropics are always warm, Summer can literally roast you. And with Mangalore being on the coast, the humidity is very high too. So I was always sweating buckets and rushing to hydrate myself.

The good thing was that any Ram Navami celebration always has cooling drinks being served. You are bound to find either Panaka or Majjige (buttermilk) being served to keep everyone hydrated. Last year I posted the recipe for a simple Panaka. Today I'm sharing another version - Kharbuja Panaka or Muskmelon Sherbat. To make the Kharbuja Panaka, muskmelon or cantaloupe is juiced and cardamom, lime juice, pepper and jaggery are added for flavor. Chill it and serve it along with some diced muskmelon.

If you are in the mood, you can also make this Bele Holige, that is traditionally made for all festivals in South India.

Happy Ram Navami!!

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 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

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Kharbuja Panaka | Muskmelon Sherbat

Kharbuja Panaka is a muskmelon based beverage that is traditionally served during the festival of Ram Navami in South India.

Recipe Type:  Beverage
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     0 minutes
Total time:     10 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped Muskmelon
0.5 Lime
2 Green Cardamom
0.25 tsp Pepper, freshly crushed
2 cups Water
Jaggery to taste
Muskmelon pieces for garnish
Ice cubes as required

Method:

1. Blend the chopped muskmelon along with lime juice, 0.5 cup water, pepper and jaggery until smooth.
2. Start by adding 2-3 tsp of jaggery and increase as per the desired sweetness.
3. Peel the cardamom and crush the seeds into a fine powder.
4. Add the cardamom, remaining water and ice cubes to the blender and give it a quick whizz.
5. Serve it chilled. Top with muskmelon pieces before serving.

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Bele Holige Recipe | Obbattu Recipe | Puran Poli Recipe [Video]

Bele Holige (Obbattu or Puran Poli) is a traditional Indian flatbread that is stuffed with a sweet lentil stuffing and pan fried in ghee. Popularly made for weddings and festivals.

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I confess, I have a sweet tooth. From the first drop of honey that I tasted as a baby, I’ve had that weakness for sweets.

Time has proven, that my weakness for sweets is much stronger than my will power to ignore them. So instead of fighting a losing battle, I’ve given up and let myself enjoy them. After all, there is so much chaos and bitterness everywhere, at least my stomach can be full of sweetness.

Of all the sweets I know, Holige has always been the crown jewel. You know how cakes are synonymous with weddings in the West, to a Kannadiga (people of the state of Karnataka), a holige holds the same place. When you are unmarried, a lot of the older folks in the family will inevitably ask you when you will treat them to a feast with Holige, which is nothing, but a nice way of asking you the nosy question of when will you get married. I know this from experience *rolling eyes*.

So when we were planning our wedding menu and Raj declared he hates Holige, for a fleeting moment I wondered if he was the guy for me. Here I was in love with Holige, the quintessential wedding dessert and here was my man questioning its presence it our wedding. (May be he was jealous that I’ve loved it longer, who knows?). But my mom settled it by having 2 desserts, one that he liked and one that I liked. Wise woman. And both of us were happy.

Now, the Holige is not a very difficult dessert to make if you follow your instincts, but until recently, it was something that had to be made at home. No sweet shop ever stocked it, and even if they did, it was never as good as the homemade ones. But recently, I’ve seen a lot of holige shops spring up around the city and they make some really good ones there. You will know how fond people are of Holige by just looking at the crowd at these stores.

But we still love to make our own, because it is so easy and so delicious. A Holige is made of 2 components – the dough and the stuffing (also called hurna or puran). The dough can either be of only whole wheat flour (atta) or of only all purpose flour(maida) or a mix of the two. I’ve found that only whole wheat flour makes it slightly tougher in texture and only all purpose flour makes it chewier. The mix of flours works best for me. The stuffing is what gives flavor to the holige. Holige can be stuffed with a variety of things – lentils/dal, coconut, peanuts, and for the adventurous, there are dry fruits, dates and carrots too. While I love all varieties, this recipe is all about the lentil/dal or bele one. Chana Dal works best for Bele Holige.

To make the stuffing, chana dal is boiled, drained and pureed with very little water until smooth and then cooked with jaggery until it forms a thick paste. This is flavored with cardamom for the minimalist, while you can add other spices like dry ginger powder or fennel seeds powder etc. Getting the consistency of the stuffing right is what all the fuss is about in making the holige. Like I said before, follow your instincts, and you won’t falter. You should be able to take the stuffing in your hands (once cool) and shape it into a ball that holds its shape. If it sticks to your hands or doesn’t hold its shape, it needs to thicken further. Put it back on the heat and allow it to thicken. If the stuffing powders in your hands, add a little water or milk and make it thinner.

Once you have the right stuffing, the holige is very easy to make. Holige is traditionally pan fried with a lot of ghee, but to make it vegan, use vegetable oil. I’ve made it with oil too and it doesn’t affect the texture.

Holige tastes best when served warm, with lots of ghee or milk.

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 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Bele Holige Recipe | Obbattu Recipe | Puran Poli Recipe

Bele Holige (Obbattu or Puran Poli) is a traditional Indian flatbread that is stuffed with a sweet lentil stuffing and pan fried in ghee. Popularly made for weddings and festivals.

Recipe Type:  Dessert
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     45 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Total time:     90 minutes
Yield:                Makes 10 to 12 medium Holige

Ingredients:

For the Stuffing (Hurna / Puran)

1 cup Chana Dal
1.5 cups Jaggery Powder
1 tsp Cardamom Powder

For the Dough:

2 cups Wholewheat Flour
1 cup All Purpose Flour
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
0.25 tsp Salt
Water as required

Ghee or Oil to fry

Method:

To make the Stuffing:

1. Wash the chana dal twice in water and then soak and leave aside for 30 minutes.
2. Pressure cook the chana dal with 2-3 cups of water until it is cooked. It may take 4-5 whistles or 8-10 minutes after the pressure builds up. If not using a pressure cooker, cook the chana dal in a covered pan until completely cooked.
3. Drain the chana dal and allow it to cool.
4. Once cool, blend it into a smooth paste. Use as little water as possible.
5. Heat a non stick kadhai and add the chana dal paste to it. If you are not using a non stick kadhai, add a little ghee first and then add the chana dal paste.
6. Add in the jaggery powder and mix well. If you want a mildly sweet holige, add only 1 cup of the jaggery powder. You can taste the stuffing and add more if required.
7. Continue cooking the stuffing on low heat while stirring frequently until the stuffing thickens. It may take 15-20 minutes.
8. Add in the cardamom powder and mix well. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
9. If the stuffing feels thin in consistency after cooling, add it back to a kadhai and heat it again until it reaches the desired consistency.
10. While the stuffing cools, make the dough for the holige.

To make the Dough:

11. To make the dough, take the wholewheat flour and all purpose flour in a large bowl. Add in the turmeric powder and salt.
12. Knead it to a smooth dough with water. Add water as required.
13. Cover the dough and rest for 30 minutes.

To make the Holige:

14. To make the holige, take a lime sized ball of dough and roll it out into a small disc on a flour dusted surface.
15. Take a lime sized ball of stuffing and place it on the rolled out dough.
16. Seal the edges and roll out the holige as thin as possible. Dust the holige with flour as required.
17. Heat a tava and grease it with ghee or oil. Place the holige on it.
18. Spoon ghee or oil on the other side of the holige.
19. Cook the holige on medium to high heat until both the sides are cooked.
20. Remove from heat and serve with ghee or milk.

If you liked this, you may also like:

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Instant Mix Vegetable Uttappa Recipe | Rava Uttapam Recipe [Video]

Instant Mix Vegetable Uttappa is a quick savory South Indian pancake that is made from semolina and topped with finely chopped vegetables. It is popularly served as breakfast along with some fresh coconut chutney.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

I'm a complete breakfast lover! These days breakfast is served with a side of "Man with a Plan" playing on Amazon Prime. The show on the side changes, but the love for breakfast never does.

Right from childhood, I've always woken up hungry. It doesn't matter what time I wake up, it could even be a short afternoon nap, but I am hungry for the first 10 minutes after I wake up. It seems like I spend a lot of energy in sleeping and dreaming. But this also gives me the opportunity to actually enjoy my breakfast. I've heard of people forgetting to eat their breakfast (Gee!) and people not being hungry even an hour after waking up (Raj!), but not me, I was born to enjoy the first meal of the day.

Since this has always been my favorite meal, I keep searching for recipes and ideas to keep it interesting. And for me breakfast has to be instant, else it has to be made the previous night. I cannot wait for hours to prepare something. So instant recipes are always a hit with me, like this Instant Mix Veg Uttappa.

To tell you the truth, Uttappa is my favorite way to eat a dosa, even over a Masala Dosa. It's something about those charred onions on top that just makes me want it more than the others. I just went a little ahead with this Instant Uttappa, I topped it not just with onions but with a mixture of vegetables. You can keep it traditional and just use onions, or just use tomato. I love Tomato Uttappa too, with a little bit of spicy chutney pudi sprinkled on top of it.

This Instant Mix Veg Uttappa requires just a few ingredients. Rava or Semolina or Sooji forms the base along with some sour plain curd (yogurt). A pinch of baking soda or cooking soda is added to give it that slight fluffiness. You can also use fruit salt like Eno, but add just a pinch. These ingredients along with salt and water just form the dosa, the actual base of the Uttappa. As I mentioned earlier, you can now top this with vegetables of your choice - traditional choices are onions or tomatoes, I used a variety - onions, tomatoes, cabbage, capsicum and carrot along with some green chillies, curry leaves and coriander. 

Instant Mix Veg Uttappa can be served for breakfast or as an early evening snack. You can also serve it for dinner (I'm a big "breakfast-for-dinner" person). 

Serve the Uttappa with a fresh coconut chutney.

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 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Instant Mix Vegetable Uttappa Recipe

Instant Mix Vegetable Uttappa is a quick savory South Indian pancake that is made from semolina and topped with finely chopped vegetables. It is popularly served as breakfast along with some fresh coconut chutney.

Recipe Type:  Snacks, Breakfast
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     20 minutes
Cook time:     15 minutes
Total time:     35 minutes
Yield:                5 to 6

Ingredients:

1 cup Semolina (Rava)
0.75 cup Yogurt (Curd)
1 cup Water
0.25 tsp Baking Soda
1 Onion, finely chopped
0.5 Tomato, finely chopped
0.5 cup Cabbage, finely chopped
0.5 Carrot, grated
2 Tbsp Capsicum, finely chopped
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves, finely chopped
Oil to make the dosa
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix together semolina, yogurt, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 cups of water until well combined and keep aside for 20 minutes.
2. After 20 minutes, add in the baking soda and mix.
3. Add a little water and mix until there are no lumps. Add more water as required, the batter has to be of the same consistency of a dosa or pancake batter.
4. If the batter is too thin, you can add in a little rice flour.
5. Mix together the onions, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, capsicum, curry leaves, green chilli and coriander leaves in a separate bowl.
6. Add a little salt and mix well.
7. Grease a dosa tava or a flat frying pan.
8. Once the tava is hot, pour one spoonful of batter onto it.
9. Top it with the mix vegetables. Pour a teaspoon of oil on the top.
10. Allow the uttappa to cook for 1-2 minutes on one side or until slightly browned. Cook on low to medium heat.
11. Flip the uttappa and allow it to cook completely, approximately 2-3 minutes.
12. Remove from tava and serve hot along with some fresh coconut chutney.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Instant Ragi Dosa

Instant Wheat Dosa

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Read more ...

Nuchhina Unde Recipe | Nuchinunde Recipe | Steamed Lentil Dumplings [Video]

Nuchchina Unde or Nuchinunde are steamed lentil dumplings from South India. The dumplings are made from mixed lentils and flavored with herbs like curry leaves and dill. The lentil dumplings are vegan and healthy. 

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

So, I just read a quote somewhere, "I start my new year resolutions in February, January was just a trial month". I'm beginning to believe in that.

I had so many plans for 2019 and it has been slowly going down the drain. January may have well been my most hectic and tiring month of all time. I had planned to go off sugar, something I've been wanting to do for so long. But I just caved it once the stress rose. Guilty as charged, I am a stress eater and when stressed I crave chocolate, like any other woman on the planet. So yes, I gave in to my chocolate cravings. It also did not help that a colleague of mine got me special candy because I helped him shop last time he was over in India. How does one just ignore such a nice gesture. Very soon 1 candy turned to 20 and I had no control over myself. I had to send the bag over to my sisters. Multiple weddings in January didn't help either. February just started today, let's hope I make this one count.

I had also resolved to blog more. But I've actually been blogging less than ever. It's not that I haven't had the time. It's just been one of those fortnights where I want to crawl into bed and watch reruns of TV shows. Currently hooked on to My Kitchen Rules and Come Dine with Me. 

So what have you been up to recently? How was January? 

So for all the sugar I ate in January, I'm trying to compensate with these healthy steamed lentil dumplings. It suits all sorts of diets - vegan, plant based, high protein, low fat etc. So you really have no excuse not to try it. If you thought just because it fit all those diets, it does not have flavor, think again! Because if you are a dill lover like me, this one is all Dilly. Pun unintended. 

These nucchina unde or lentil dumplings were a breakfast my mom used to make. The first time I tried them I fell in love with them. To make the dumplings, you need to soak mixed lentils for a few hours. You can also leave them soaking overnight. Then drain and grind them coarse. Add in the dill along with coconut, ginger and chilly for added flavor. Shape into dumplings and steam until done. And if you aren't in such a healthy mood, just deep fry them to make Masala Vadas. Tastes great both ways.

No matter how you make it, don't forget to serve it along with spicy Chutney.

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! 

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Nuchina Unde Recipe

Nuchchina Unde or Nuchinunde are steamed lentil dumplings from South India. The dumplings are made from mixed lentils and flavored with herbs like curry leaves and dill. The lentil dumplings are vegan and healthy.

Recipe Type:  Snacks, Breakfast
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     4 hours
Cook time:     15 minutes
Total time:     4 Hours 15 Minutes
Yield:                11-12

Ingredients:

0.75 cup Toor Dal or Pigeon Pea lentils
0.5 cup Chana Dal or Split chickpeas
1 cup chopped Dill leaves
1 Green Chilli
0.5 tsp Ginger
5-6 Curry leaves, finely chopped
0.25 cup grated Coconut
A pinch of Asafoetida
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash the toor dal and chana dal. Soak the dals in water for 4-6 hours.
2. Drain out the water and coarsely grind the dals without adding any water to the mixer.
3. Remove the dal mixture into a large bowl and add finely chopped green chilli, finely chopped curry leaves, chopped dill leaves, ginger paste, asafoetida (hing) and salt.
4. Mix well until combined and shape into dumplings. If the batter feels watery, add a little besan or chickpea flour.
5. Steam for 10-12 minutes until done.
6. Serve hot with chutney.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Khaman Dhokla

Mixed Dal Handvo

Battalu Kadabu

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Raw Banana Kofta Curry Recipe [Video]

Raw Banana Kofta Curry is a spicy, sweet and tangy coconut based curry with fried raw banana (plantain) dumplings. This curry is vegan and gluten free.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

We are mid way through January already!! I must say, time literally flies. It feels like just yesterday it was December and I was getting all excited for the New Year, and today we are already well into it. So did you start all that you planned to do in 2019? I'm still dragging my feet on my checklist. 

In other news, I've been at home an awful lot lately, mainly because of some trade union strikes last week that stopped public transport and we were all forced to work from home, and I had some personal commitments that made me still work from home for a few days here and there. While you would think being home and cutting out all that stress of travel, I'd be more productive in the kitchen. But the truth is, when I'm home I'm super lazy. Sometimes, I make instant noodles or just buy bread to mop up leftover curry. 

I finally decided it was time to stop being lazy and cook up this amazing Raw Banana Kofta Curry that I had in my mind for so long. I found this recipe in a magazine at the doctor's. I actually dread doctor visits. I can probably count the number of visits I've made in the last 2 years on the fingers of one hand. Raise you hand if you dread doctor visits like me! While I waited for my turn for my annual checkup, I leafed through a magazine on the coffee table and this recipe kind of jumped at me. I made Raj take a quick photo and stored it away. Finally I got around to making it, thankfully.

This Raw Banana Kofta Curry is spicy, sweet and tangy! Flavor explosion in your mouth.

The curry or the gravy is what gives all the flavor. Tomato and Tamarind impart the sourness to the curry, the jaggery adds sweetness, the high count of red chillies gives the curry heat and color and the coconut milk just mellows down everything with it's rich creaminess. My mouth still waters when I reminisce about this curry, it was SO delicious. This curry really had the balance of sweetness, sourness and heat. Take the ingredients below as more of a direction than rigid quantities. Your palate may prefer the curry being less sweet and more tart. Adjust the ingredients to your liking. Start with less jaggery and tamarind and add more as you go along. The red chillies are deseeded so that the curry is not too hot but still has the vibrant color. You can leave the seeds in for a spicier curry.

The Raw Banana Koftas are really easy to make. They taste good just by themselves too. So you can make more and serve them as snacks at tea time. The original recipe called for raisins but I replaced them with cashew nuts. Add any nuts you like into the koftas. I also added in grated Tofu instead of the grated Paneer, because I had tofu in the fridge. The koftas can be either shallow fried or deep fried. You may even try to bake it. Add the koftas just before serving to retain the crispness of the koftas.

Raw Banana Kofta Curry is best served hot with naan or rotis.

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 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Raw Banana Kofta Curry

Raw Banana Kofta Curry is a spicy, sweet and tangy coconut based curry with fried raw banana (plantain) dumplings. This curry is vegan and gluten free.

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     40 minutes
Total time:     50 minutes
Yield:                Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

For the curry:

10-12 Dry Red Chillies
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
0.5 tsp Peppercorns
2-3 tsp Jaggery or Sugar
1 large Tomato
1 tsp Tamarind Pulp
1 cup thick Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp Kasuri Methi
2 Tbsp chopped Coriander Leaves
3 tsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
Salt to taste
Water as required

For the Koftas:

2 raw Bananas or Plantain
10-12 Cashew Nuts, chopped
1 cup grated Tofu or Paneer
1 Tbsp chopped Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
Oil to fry koftas

Method:

1. Cut the edges of the raw bananas and dice them roughly. Boil them with a pinch of salt until soft.
2. Peel the bananas and keep aside.
3. Deseed the dry red chillies and add to a mixer/blender. You can keep the seeds in if you want the curry to be very spicy.
4. Add turmeric powder and black peppercorns to the mixer and grind until you get a coarse powder.
5. Add 2 tsp of jaggery or sugar along with the tamarind pulp and chopped tomato to the blender.
6. Add a little water and blend until you get a smooth paste.
7. Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds.
8. Once they splutter, add the masala paste and cook for 7-8 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
9. Add 1 cup of water and a little salt and allow the curry to boil.
10. Once the water has evaporated, add in the thick coconut milk and allow it to come to a boil.
11. Adjust salt and sugar as required.
12. Once the curry has reached a rolling boil, add in the dried kasuri methi.
13. Allow it to simmer for 3-4 minutes.
14. Remove from heat and add in chopped coriander leaves and keep aside.
15. Mash the boiled raw bananas and add in the chopped cashew nuts, grated tofu or paneer, chopped coriander leaves and salt.
16. Mix well until combined and shape into koftas.
17. Heat oil in a shallow pan for frying koftas.
18. Add the koftas to the pan and fry until all sides are browned. You can also deep fry the koftas.
19. Add the koftas to the curry and mix well.
20. Serve hot with rotis or naan.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Lauki Kofta Curry

Raw Banana Fry

Banana Blossom Cutlets

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