Chatpati Idli (Spicy rice and lentil cake)

Morning breakfast and afternoon snacks tend to put one in a dicey situation.  It's so difficult to please everyone and then of course, we are always concerned about being able to provide a healthy meal to youngsters who are so finicky about food.

At times, we have some leftovers at home so here’s a quick recipe for you if you have some leftover idlis (and no sambhar) or sandwich bread at home.

So here’s a healthy snack for

Ingredients:

1 Tb. Sp.              Sunflower Oil

1 Tsp.                    Mustard seeds 

2-3                         Dried whole red chillies (optional)

5-6                         Curry leaves

½ medium sized Onion (cut lengthwise)

1 medium sized               Tomato (finely chopped)

Salt (according to taste)

1 Tsp.                    Sambhar powder

Water

4-5                         Idlis (or white sandwich bread)

1 Tb. Sp.              Ground poppy seeds and almonds mix

Procedure:

1.                   Heat oil in a pan.

2.                   Add mustard seeds.

3.                   When the seeds start sputtering add whole red chillies. 

4.                   Add curry leaves, after 2-3 minutes add onions.

5.                   Stir fry till they are well cooked.

6.                   Add tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes while stirring from time to time.

Add salt and sambhar powder and mix well.

Add ground poppy seeds and almonds mix.

Add idlis and mix well.

If required, add  ¼ cup of water and mix well.

And if you wish to make it healthier, just add a few veggies such as peas and carrots (finely chopped).  Have a nice and healthy meal!

Tomato Rasam

A quick and yummy recipe, especially for summers.   One of the basics and essentials of south-Indian cuisines that is much loved by north-Indians as well.  Today, I’m sharing the recipe of one type of rassam because contrarily to the way we, north-Indians, look at it Rassam is not just one dish.  There are several types of rassams…

Ingredients:

2-3 medium       Tomatoes (cut into big cubes)

25 gms.               Toor/ arhar dal

1 pinch                      Asafoetida

20 gms.               Tamarind (pulp, without seeds)              

Salt (according to taste)

Water

3-4                         Green chillies

10-15                    Curry leaves

50 gms.                Green coriander, finely chopped.

1 Tb. Sp.               Sunflower Oil

1 Tsp.                    Mustard seeds 

1 pinch                 Asafoetida powder (Hing)

1 Tb. Sp.              Coriander powder

1 Tb. Sp.              Sambar powder

Procedure:

1.                   Boil toor daal with 1 pinch of  Asafoetida and keep it aside.

2.                   Take tamarind pulp / raw tamarind, boil it in 200 ml water.  Crush and filter it and add more water to it.

3.                   Add 1 table spoon coriander powder, Sambar Powder and start heating the liquid at small flame.

4.                   Add asafoetida.

5.                   Add salt.

6.                   Add cut Tomatoes, half cut green chilli ( 2-4 pieces max), onions and curry leaves(only a few).

7.                   Boil at a higher flame till the tomatoes are cooked.

8.                   Add toor dal to the above and Letit boil for another 5-6 minutes.

9.                   Switch off the gas and add green coriander (sufficient amount) to the hot rasam.

10.               Heat oil in a pan.

11.               Add mustard seeds.

13.              When the mustard seeds start spluttering add dal and tomato mix to this.

14.               Add dal and tomato mix to this.

15.               Take off the heat and garnish with green coriander, mix.

16.               Serve in a bowl as an appetizer or with rice.

I hope that you enjoyed this soup-style dish.  It is good especially if you suffer from constipation but must be avoided if you have cough and cold or stomach upset.