STEAMED DOSA

STEAMED DOSA

Dosa steamed and prepared without using oil.

Preparation Time : 6-8 hours

Cooking Time : 20-30 minutes
Servings : 4

INGREDIENTS

Parboiled rice (ukda chawal), soaked 2 3/4 cups
Rice 1/4 cup
Split black gram skinless (dhuli urad dal), soaked 1 cup
Salt to taste
Molagapodi (gun powder) as required

METHOD
Drain and mix the two rice and grind to a smooth batter. Drain the dal and grind to a smooth batter. Mix both the batters, add salt and whip with hand thoroughly. Keep the batter in a large vessel, close tightly and rest the batter overnight or for about four to six hours at room temperature to ferment. Mix the batter well, add water and adjust to a pouring consistency. Heat a flat non-stick tawa. Pour a ladle full of batter and spread it as thin as possible. Sprinkle a little molagapodi over the dosa. Sprinkle a little water over the dosa and also around it, cover with a banana leaf and then with a lid and cook till the underside is done. Gently fold into half and remove onto a plate. Serve immediately.

LOW FAT FRIES

Here's a healthy way of making fries using just a teaspoon of oil instead of deep frying them in oil. This helps you to savour the taste of french fries without adding unnecessary inches to your waist.

Preparation Time : 15 mins.
Cooking Time : 20 mins.

Serves 2.

Ingredients

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into fingers
1 teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon roasted cumin (jeera) powder
1 teaspoon oil
salt to taste


Method


1. Parboil the potatoes in salted water for 5 to 7 minutes.


2. Drain and keep aside.


3. Mix the chilli powder, cumin powder and salt in a bowl, sprinkle over the potato fingers and coat them well.


4. Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan and add the potatoes.


5. Cook them over a slow flame till they are crisp and browned on all sides turning them carefully with a fork.


6. Serve hot.

Kanchipuram Idli

Mildly spiced rice cakes steamed in banana leaves
Preparation Time : 12 hours
Cooking Time : 20-25 minutes
Servings : 4



INGREDIENTS
Rice 1 cup
Split black gram skinless (dhuli urad dal) 1/2 cup
Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)-1/4tsp
Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp (optional)
Black peppercorns -20-25
Split Bengal gram (chana dal) -1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Yogurt -1 cup
Ghee -little
Salt to tastw
Banana leaves , tender - few



METHOD
Soak rice and split black gram with fenugreek seeds for three to four hours.
Drain and grind to a smooth paste with sufficient water to make a thick batter.
Add turmeric powder, black peppercorns, split Bengal gram, asafoetida, yogurt, ghee and salt.
Mix well and let it stand overnight to ferment. Whip the batter and adjust the consistency. It should be fairly thick.
Heat sufficient water in a steamer. Line the idli cups with the banana leaves and pour the batter into them.
Place them in the steamer and steam for about twenty minutes or till done. Serve with coconut chutney and sambhar

Steamed foods are healthy!

Steaming is definitely a very healthy way to prepare foods. Steamed foods retain nutrients, flavour, colour and texture and can be prepared without butter, oil or salt. Steamed foods are naturally moist and tender. In fact, all foods can be steamed successfully. So how about trying out Steamed Date Pudding or the very famous Khaman Dhokla and Kanchipuram Idli.