Traditional Pondicherry Style Soya Dosa | Healthy Soy Milk Dosa Recipe

Soya dosa is a traditional Pondicherry-style dish made using soya milk and wheat flour, along with a few aromatic spices. Unlike regular dosa, this recipe does not require fermented batter.

There are several shortcuts to making soya dosa, such as replacing urad dal with soya beans in regular dosa batter or combining soya flour with wheat flour to prepare instant dosas.

However, I wanted to try the traditional version using homemade soya milk, and I was quite happy with how it turned out! The dosa was flavourful, simple to prepare and made a lovely breakfast option.

So, let's see how to prepare this traditional Pondicherry-style soya dosa.

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

1. In a mixing bowl, combine soy milk, wheat flour and rice flour.

2. Add shahjeera, chopped green chillies, hing and curry leaves.

3. Mix well without any lumps. Add water gradually until you get a pourable dosa batter consistency.

4. Heat a dosa tawa and pour a ladleful of batter. Spread gently.

5. Cook on medium heat until the dosa is cooked and lightly golden. Flip and cook the other side.

6. Serve hot with onion chutney or any chutney of your choice.

I served my soya dosa with homemade onion chutney, and the combination was delicious!

Homemade Soy Milk Recipe – How to Make Soy Milk at Home

Soy milk is a nutritious, plant-based drink prepared by blending soaked soybeans with water and straining the mixture to extract the creamy milk. It is a popular dairy-free alternative and can be easily prepared at home with just a few ingredients.

Although ready-made soy milk is readily available in supermarkets, making it fresh at home is simple and economical. You can enjoy it plain or flavour it with vanilla, chocolate or a little sugar. Homemade soy milk can also be used in smoothies, breakfast cereals, pancakes and even dosa batter.

Soy milk makers are commonly used in many Asian households, but you don't necessarily need one. A regular mixer or blender and a muslin cloth are enough to prepare fresh soy milk at home.

So, let's see how to make homemade soy milk!

Ingredients Required

• 200 g soybeans

• Water, as required

• Fine muslin cloth or cheesecloth for straining

Method

1. Wash the soybeans thoroughly and soak them in plenty of water for approximately 12 hours or overnight.

2. Drain the soaked beans and rinse them well.

3. Boil the soybeans in fresh water until they become soft. Drain and allow them to cool slightly.

4. Transfer the cooked soybeans to a blender, add approximately 2 cups of water and blend until smooth.

5. Strain the mixture through a fine muslin cloth or cheesecloth, squeezing well to extract the milk. The process is similar to extracting coconut milk.

6. Transfer the extracted soy milk to a thick-bottomed saucepan.

7. Bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Reduce the flame and simmer for another 5–10 minutes.

8. Switch off the flame and allow the milk to cool.

9. Transfer to a clean, airtight container and refrigerate.

Your homemade soy milk is ready!

Storage: Keep refrigerated and preferably consume within 3 days. Always use a clean container and check for any changes in smell or appearance before consumption.

Tip: You can flavour your homemade soy milk with vanilla essence, cocoa powder, dates or a little sugar according to your preference.

Spicy Onion Tamarind Chutney Recipe for Dosa and Idli

Looking for a simple yet flavourful chutney to accompany your favourite dosa? This spicy onion tamarind chutney is a perfect choice!

Prepared with onions, tamarind, garlic and dry red chillies, this chutney has a lovely balance of spicy, tangy and savoury flavours. A simple mustard seed tempering adds an extra touch of flavour.

Unlike coconut chutney, this onion-based chutney has a slightly tangy taste and a wonderful depth of flavour. It pairs beautifully with dosa, idli, uttapam and other South Indian breakfast dishes.

The best part is that it requires just a handful of everyday ingredients. So, let's get started!

Ingredients Required

To be blended:

• 2 cups finely chopped onions

• 2 tsp thick tamarind extract

• 7–8 garlic cloves

• 3–4 dried red chillies, broken into pieces

• 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

For tempering:

• 3 tsp oil

• 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)

Method

1. Add the chopped onions, tamarind extract, garlic cloves, dried red chillies and salt to a blender.

2. Grind everything into a smooth paste without adding too much water.

3. Heat oil in a kadai over medium flame.

4. Add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.

5. Carefully add the ground onion paste to the tempering.

6. Mix well and cook on a low flame, stirring occasionally.

7. Continue cooking until the raw smell of onions disappears and the chutney becomes well cooked.

8. Switch off the flame and serve hot with your favourite dosa or idli.

Serving suggestion: This spicy and tangy onion chutney tastes especially delicious with crispy dosa, masala dosa, pesarattu and soft idlis.

Tip: Adjust the number of red chillies according to your spice preference. If the chutney becomes too thick while cooking, add a little water to achieve your desired consistency.

Homemade Condensed Milk Recipe with Milk Powder – Easy & Quick

Ever thought about making condensed milk at home? Yes, it is absolutely possible! 😍

There is something so satisfying about making your own ingredients from scratch and using them in delicious desserts. Homemade condensed milk is a handy kitchen staple that you can use in cakes, puddings, ice creams, sweets and many other treats.

The best part? You need just a few simple ingredients and a blender to make this easy homemade condensed milk. So, why run to the supermarket when you can try making it at home?

Let's get started!

Ingredients Required

• 2–3 cups milk powder

• 3–4 tsp butter

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 1 cup water

• An electric blender

Method

Step 1: Blend the liquid ingredients

Add the water, butter and sugar to a blender. Blend thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is well dissolved.

Step 2: Add the milk powder

Add the milk powder gradually, about one cup at a time. Blend after each addition to help the powder incorporate evenly into the mixture and prevent lumps.

Step 3: Blend until smooth

Continue blending until you get a thick, creamy mixture with a consistency similar to condensed milk. Add the milk powder gradually, adjusting the quantity according to the consistency you prefer.

Step 4: Store your homemade condensed milk

Transfer the mixture to a clean, airtight container and refrigerate promptly.

Your homemade condensed milk is ready to use in your favourite desserts!

Tips for Homemade Condensed Milk

• Add milk powder in batches for a smoother consistency.

• Use a clean, dry container for storage.

• The mixture may thicken further after chilling.

• Keep refrigerated and use promptly. Since this is a homemade mixture without a validated preservation process, avoid storing it for extended periods.

Give this simple recipe a try and let me know how it turns out!

Carrot Poriyal Recipe | South Indian Carrot Stir-Fry with Coconut

Carrot poriyal is a simple, nutritious and delicious South Indian side dish that pairs perfectly with rice and sambar. Made with freshly grated carrots, aromatic spices and grated coconut, this colourful dish is a regular favourite in many Indian households.

For this version, I added a little fresh fenugreek (methi) leaves to the usual carrot poriyal, giving it an extra burst of flavour. The combination of crunchy carrots, fragrant spices and coconut was sooo yummy!

If you are looking for an easy vegetable side dish for your everyday lunch, do give this carrot poriyal recipe a try.

Ingredients

For tempering

• ½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)

• 3–4 tsp oil

• ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

• ¼ tsp coriander seeds (dhaniya)

• ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi/venthayam)

• 2–3 green chillies, broken into pieces

• 2–3 tsp finely chopped onion

• 4 tsp finely chopped fresh fenugreek leaves

Other ingredients

• 2 cups finely grated carrots

• 4 tsp grated coconut

• ½ tsp salt, or to taste

• A little water, as required

How to Make Carrot Poriyal

1. Prepare the tempering: Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fenugreek seeds.

2. Add the aromatics: Add the broken green chillies, chopped onion and fresh fenugreek leaves. Sauté briefly until fragrant.

3. Cook the carrots: Add the grated carrots and salt. Mix everything well.

4. Cover and cook: Cover the kadai and cook over a low to medium flame. Sprinkle a little water occasionally to prevent the carrots from sticking.

5. Add coconut: Once the carrots are nearly cooked and tender, add the grated coconut and mix well.

6. Serve hot: Switch off the flame and serve your delicious carrot poriyal with steamed rice, sambar, rasam or curd rice.

Tip: Avoid adding too much water, as carrot poriyal tastes best when the carrots remain tender without becoming mushy.

Enjoy this simple, flavourful South Indian side dish with your everyday meal!

Spicy Pepper Cauliflower Fry Recipe (South Indian Gobi Milagu Poriyal)

Cauliflower is in full bloom right now! It is showing up everywhere in the markets, and because the prices dropped so beautifully, my father-in-law has made it his mission to stock up. Naturally, our refrigerator is completely flooded with gobi right now! 😊

If you are looking for delicious ways to clear out your cauliflower stash, you have to try this recipe. This is a quick, dry South Indian style stir-fry packed with freshly crushed black peppercorns and aromatic dry spices. It pairs exceptionally well as a crunchy side dish with paruppu saadham (dal rice), keerai saadham, or a comforting bowl of sambhar and rice.

It is incredibly simple to make—here is how to do it!

Ingredients required

For the Tempering (Tadka):

• 4 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds (Rai)
• 1/2 tsp Broken urad dal
• 1 tsp Chana dal
• 4-5 Whole dry red chilies (adjusted for balance)
• 10-12 Fresh curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
• 2-3 tsp Finely chopped onions
• 2 tsp Coarsely crushed black peppercorns

Main Ingredients:

• 1 cup Cauliflower florets (cleaned and blanched)
• 1/2 tsp Salt (or to taste)
• Optional: Extra black pepper powder for dusting at the end

Method

1. Prep the Cauliflower: For the best texture, soak your cauliflower florets in hot water with a pinch of salt and turmeric for 5 minutes. Drain completely and set aside.
2. Pop the Spices: Heat oil in a kadhai or frying pan over medium heat. Splutter the mustard seeds, then add the urad dal and chana dal. Sauté until the lentils turn a light golden brown.
3. Add Aromatics: Add the dry red chilies, fresh curry leaves, and hing. Toss for a few seconds until fragrant, then stir in the finely chopped onions and cook until translucent.
4. Stir-fry the Gobi: Toss in the cauliflower florets and stir well to coat them in the tempered oil.
5. Cook until Tender: Cover the kadhai with a lid. Cook on low-medium heat, sprinkling a tiny bit of water now and then so the spices don't burn. Cook until the cauliflower is fork-tender but still retains a slight crunch.
6. Season and Serve: Sprinkle salt and the coarsely crushed peppercorns. If you love a fiery kick, dust a little extra black pepper powder on top right before turning off the heat.

Give it a gentle mix and serve hot with your favorite rice and dal combo!