Idli Kaara Podi

A dish which every idli/dosa eating South Indian likes. This recipe has a mix of different spices which tingles different taste buds at the same time.

Ingredients :

Channa dal : 1/2 cup
Urad dal : 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Jeera : 1 tsp
Pepperballs : 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek : 1/4 tsp
Dhania seeds : 1 tsp
Tamarind - a small amount
Curry leaves
salt
Red chillies : 10
Asafoetida

Method :

1. In a bit of oil, fry the red chillies
2. Add channa dal and fry it. Add mustard seeds.
3. Add pepperballs, jeera, fenugreek and dhania seeds.
4. When the channa dal has become a bit brown, add the urad dal and tamarind.
5. After the urad dal becomes a bit brown, add curry leaves, salt and asafoetida.
6. Fry till the curry leaves become very crispy.
7. Cool everything and grind.

Could also be had with rice and ghee.

Dal Palak

A tasty and healthy side dish.

Ingredients :
Palak - 2 bunches
Moong dal - 1 cup
corriander powder : 1/2 tsp
mirchi powder - 1/2 tsp
garam masala - 1/2 tsp
one big onion
one tomato
jeera - 1 tsp
asafoetida


Method:
1. Cook the moong dal in a pressure cooker.
2. Clean the palak and cut them into small pieces. Palak is loaded with nutrients and equally loaded with dust. So be careful to clean them proper.
3. In a bit of oil, fry the jeera. Add finely chopped onions and fry them till they are light brown.
4. Add the finely chopped tomatoes and fry them too.
5. Add the cooked dal and fry for a minute.
6. Add all the masalas and salt. Add a bit of water. Cook till all the masalas blend properly.
7. Add the palak and cook till the palak is done. Salt will bring out the water in the palak. So there is no need to add any extra water.
8. Also, keep checking if the palak is done. Overcooking the palak will destroy the nutrients.

I garnish it will a spoon on ghee and lemon juice. The lemon provides the necessary vitamin C to help absorb the iron in the palak. Generally the iron we eat is not fully absorbed by the body. You need to take additional vitamin c source to aid the absorbtion.

Ridge gourd chutney

A healthy option to have with your idlis/dosas.  

Nutritional value :
Ridge gourds are high in dietary fibre, vitamin C, riboflavin and a host of other vitamins. The asafoetida helps in digestion. 


Health benefits :
Helps in Weight loss 






Ingredients :
Ridge gourd(cut into small pieces) - 2 cups
Coconut : 1/2 cup
jaggery - a small piece (optional)
tamarind : a pea size
Mustard
chillies : 1 or 2
asafoetida


Method :
1. Fry the ridge gourd in oil till it is tender
2. Mix will coconut, chillies, salt, tamarind and jaggery and make into fine paste.
3. Season with asafoetide and mustard fried in oil.

Horsegram chutney

Horsegram chutney is a Coorg specialty.  We tried it first at the Coorg homestay where we were staying. It tasted amazing and we have since made it a part of our regular cuisine.

Nutrient value :

High in iron.
Has a good amount of phosphorus.

Health benifits : 
Helps in weight reduction

Ingredients :
Horsegram  - 1 cup
Garlic - 2 pods
Red chillies - 2
Corriander seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
A small piece of tamarind
Salt

Recipe :
1. Soak the horsegram in water overnight.
2. Pressure cook the horsegram. About three whistles would do.
3. In a bit of oil, fry the rest of the ingredients.
4. Allow it to cool and grind them together with the horsegram and tamarind.
5. Add salt and a bit of water.

Just before you have it, you can add some hot ghee. Tastes amazing with rice. You can also have it with idli or chutney. I just make the chutney a bit more watery in that case.

For a variation, you can add a bit of jaggery.

Oats Idli / Oats Dosa

Oats have suddenly become the order of the day. It seems that this grain suddenly crops up from nowhere and demands our attention. Well, given its nutrition values, it has good reason to. But, it might be a bit hard to embrace this new grain which did not play a part in our childhood eating habits. Which is why oats idli/dosa/upma might be a good way to break the ice. 

Nutrient value : 

Some important nutrient value of this wholegrain

1. Oats have more soluble fiber than any other grain. Which means you stay full longer. 

2. They are a good source of nutrients and antioxidants.

3. They have anti-inflammatory properties. 

4. And they have the best amino acid balance of all the cereals.  

Health benefits :

1. Lowers cholesterol

2. Stabilizes blood sugar.

3. Softens your skin.

Ingredients :
Oats - 1 1/2 cup
Rava - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch
Pepperballs - 2 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Curd - 1 cup
Baking powder - 1/2 tbsp
Salt

Recipe :
1. Powder the oats finely.
2. Add them to roasted rava.
3. Grind ginger, pepperballs, jeera and curryleaves together and fry the mix in a little bit of oil.
4. Add this mix to the oats/rava mixture.
5. Add curd.  We need to achieve the consistency of the regular idli batter. Add a bit of water to the mixture till that consistency is achieved.
6. Let the mixture stand for 1/2 hour.
7. Add baking powder and make idlis.

Oats dosa has the exact recipe except that I dont add baking powder.

My one and a half year old son loves them more than the regular idli/dosa. I make a separate batch for him with very little pepperballs and ginger. If you have one of these fussy eaters at home, you can try this variation too.