Soya dosa

Soya dosa is an typical pondicherry dish.  The traditional methodology involves combining soya milk with wheat flour with other dry spices.  But, there are also shortcuts like substituting soya beans for urad dal in regular dosa batter or using soya flour with wheat aata to creat instant soya dosas... I tried the traditional version and it came out good..

Ingredients required

• One cup soy milk
• 1/4 cup wheat flour
• 1/4 cup rice flour (optional)
• 1 tsp shahjeera
• 1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
• 1/2 tsp hing/perungayam
• 7-8 curry leaves
• Water, as required

Method

In a vessel, add in all ingredients till it resembles the consistency of dosa batter like follows

Pour the batter on pre-heated tawa.  Cook on both sides and serve with chutney of ur choice

 I served it with onion chutney

Soy milk

Soy milk is most nutritious drink made by blending the soya beans and straining the liquid left behind.  These are easily available in packets, and there are also machines used in making them called soy milk maker that are found abundant in Asian homes.  These soy milk can be flavoured and had as such.  They are also used in making smoothies, dosas etc.  So, let us learn how to make soy mik at home...

Ingredients required

• 200 gm soya beans
• Water, as required
• Fine muslin cloth (to filter)

Method

Soak soya beans for about 12 hours.  Wash them, and heat at moderate flame for ten to fifteen minutes.  This is done to destroy any harmful enzymes, if present.  Then blend it in blender along with 2 cups water and filter using cheese cloth/muslin cloth.  This process will exactly resemble the coconut milk extraction.

After extraction, heat the milk till boiling point and again for five to ten minutes on simmer flame.  Remove, cool and refrigerate.  You can store for three days...

Onion chutney

Ingredients required

To be blended

• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• 2 tsp thick tamarind extract
• 7-8 garlic pods
• 3-4 broken red chillies
• 1 tsp salt

To  temper

• 3 tsp oil 
• 1 tsp rai/mustard seeds

Method

Add all ingredients to be blended in a blender and grind into fine paste.  Meanwhile, heat oil in kadaai, add mustard seeds/rai, let the seeds crackle.  Add the blended paste and cook the paste (as raw onion is blended, and there is a need to cook them) on simmer flame till raw smell fades away. Serve hot with any dosa..

Condensed milk

Ever thought about making condensed milk at home??? yes, it is possible and there is nothing so wonderful than making ur own condensed milk and using them in desserts....

Ingredients required

• 2-3 cups milk powder
• 3-4 tsp butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup water 
• Electric blender, of course :)

Method

In a blender, take water, butter and sugar.  Beat it thoroughly till butter and sugar dissolves

Now add in milk powder.  When adding milk powder, be careful to add in batchwise, like adding one cup of milk powder and blending.  After sometime, add another cup and blend such that milk powder gets incorporated into fluid very well.  

Now, our condensed milk is ready.  Store in air tight container and refrigerate!!

Carrot poriyal

Carrot poriyal is an common side-dish for lunch ,this nutritious supplement is topped with grated coconut and other dry spices.  I added a touch of fenugreek leaves too!! hmm... it was sooo yummyyy....

Ingredients required

To temper

• 1/2 tsp rai/mustard seeds
• 3-4 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp jeera
• 1/4 tsp whole dhanya
• 1/4 tsp methi/venthayam
• 2-3 green chillies, broken
• 2-3 tsp finely chopped onions
• 4 tsp finely chopped methi/fenugreek leaves

other

• 2 cups finely grated carrot
• 4 tsp grated coconut
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

In a kadaai, heat oil and add ingredients for temper one by one.

Add in grated carrots.  Cover the kadaai and cook, by sprinkling water occasionally.  When carrots are almost done, sprinkle grated coconut and serve

Milagu cauliflower fry

Cauliflower is blooming nowadays and i can find it more frequently here @ hydi... Eversince the price went reasonably low, my father-in-law makes a point of buying more gobi ... and  yes, my refrigerator is flooded with cauliflowersss :)  :)  Thinking to make more gobi dishes... this post is a dry side-dish of cauliflower with peppercorns and other dry spices, thus making an excellant combo with paruppu saadham, keerai saadham, sambhar etc.  Go ahead and try ... its so simple....

Ingredients required

To temper

• 4 tsp oil
• 1 tsp rai/mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp broken urad dal
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 8-10 whole dry red chillies
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp hing/perungayam
• 2-3 tsp of finely chopped onions
• 2 tsp coarsely crushed peppercorns

other

• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

In a kadaai, heat oil and add ingredients for temper one by one

Now, throw in cauliflower florets and cover the kadaai.  

Sprinkle water now and then and cover cooked till cauliflower is done.  Sprinkle salt.  If wanted add pepper powder (if u need more other than tempering, which completely suits ur taste buds) and serve hot with rice and dal.