Quick Uttapam

Ingredients:

for the Uttapam

1 cup sooji (semolina/rawa)

1 cup dahi (curd)

1/4 cup water

oil to make the uttapam

salt to taste

for the Topping

1 big sized onion

6 green chillies

coriander to garnish

Method:

• Mix the sooji and dahi. Mix it well to form a thick batter and keep the batter to rest for about 1/2 hour.
• heat the tawa on a medium heat. sprinkle 1/2 tsp of oil on the tawa ,within 15 seconds wipe it with a tissue paper.
• for making the uttapam, mix the batter and add water and salt. Give the batter a good stir.
• spread the batter on the tawa. Make two uttapams at a time of 6 inch diameter each.
• sprinkle onion, green chilli and coriander on the Uttapam. Put 1/2 tsp of oil on the sides of the uttapam and top of the uttapam. After the uttapam is done on one side flip on to the other side.
• turn the uttapam once and for all and turn the flame to high for a min and remove the uttapam off the flame.
• serve with sambar, chutney or even raita!!!

Tips:

• tomato or any other vegetable of your choice could also be added for the topping.
• if you like the onions to be caramelised then cook the topping for a slightly longer time. Avoid using coriander in this case.
• you could spread 1/2 tsp of ghee instead of oil while the uttapam is cooking or after cooking it to give it rich flavour.
• you could add 1/2 tsp of soda-bi- carb to the batter just before spreading the uttapam. However, i feel the result of the method I have given above is also good.
• the batter mixture should be of thick coating consistency, if required you could add more water to get the right consistency.
• if the curd is sour it gives a good fermented taste to the uttapam. However, fresh curd could also be used.
• non-stick tawa gives good result.
• ensure that the tawa is hot enough before spreading the batter. the tawa should be at a medium heat.
• sprinkle some water on the tawa to check the temperature of the tawa. if the tawa is too hot sprinkle more water to bring down the temperature of the tawa.
• uttapam must be cooked on low to medium low flame.
• you could make one big uttapam. However, I make two at a time of 6 inch each or 4 uttapams of 4 inch each (mini uttapam) on the dosa tawa. Mini uttapam are good for evening snacks for kids.
• the above recipe makes 6 uttapams of 6 inch diameter.
• while making the second batch of uttapam, just pour a drop of oil on the tawa and wipe it with a tissue paper. Alternatively, you could wipe the tawa with a cloth dipped in salt water.
• I feel that if the sooji Uttapam has good topping it could also be served with raita. i have served with garlic raita (will post the recipe soon!).
• these uttapam could also be served with tomato ketchup or even raita!!!

Vegetable Cream Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 slice of bread

1 tbsp fresh cream

1 tsp pepper powder

two leaves of cabbage finely shredded

1/2 carrot finely grated

salt to taste

Method:

• mix the cabbage, carrot and cream.
• season the above mixture with salt and pepper.
• spread the stuffing on one slice and cover it with the other slice.
• cut the sides of the slice and cut sandwiches into desired shape.
• serve with tomato ketchup.

Tips:

• you could also add capsicum, tomato or any other vegetable of your choice.
• incase you wish to have this sandwich after sometime of preparation, then you could apply butter to the slice before spreading the stuffing.
• this sandwich tastes excellent when had cold. but see that you wrap it with cling flim or aluminium foil when you store it in the refrigerator or else the refrigerator will use the moisture from the bread.
• this sandwich can also be had grilled.
• tomato ketchup could also be added to the stuffing. This variation also tastes good.
• fresh home cream or fresh cream available in tetra-packs in the market viz: amul fresh cream etc could also be used.
• the quantity of the fresh cream mentioned in this recipe could be varied. if the vegetables have enough moisture it would take less cream. However, i would recommend atleast one tbsp of cream, if the vegetables have lot of moisture squeeze out a bit of water and then add the cream. too much of water could moisten the slice bread.
• This sandwich taste fantastic with tomato ketchup, mustard sauce or green chutney!

Sooji Dhokla

Ingredients:

for the dhokla

1 cup sooji (semolina/rawa)

1/2 cup dahi (curd)

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp haldi

2 green chillies finely chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

2 tsp eno fruit salt

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

for the tempering

1/2 onion finely grated

1 garlic finely grated

3 green chillies deseeded and finely slit

1 tbsp white til (white sesame seeds)

1 tsp black mustard seeds

coriander for garnishing

Method:

• mix the oil and sooji.
• mix together dahi, haldi, salt, ginger and green chillies.
• add dahi along with the mixed ingredients to the sooji. Mix well to make a batter of thick coating consistency.
• keep the batter to rest for a minimum of 20 mins.
• In the meanwhile heat a cooker with enough water (about 3 inches of the cooker). Grease the dhokla plates with oil.
• once the water in the cooker starts boiling and steam is created, add 2 tsp of eno fruit salt to the batter and give one final stir to the batter and pour the batter into the dhokla plates.
• place the dhokla stand into the cooker. Cover the lid of the cooker without the whistle and let it steam for about 15-20 mins. Switch of the flame.
• uncover the lid, remove the dhokla stand from the cooker and let the dhokla rest.
• for the tempering, heat the oil, add mustard seeds when they crackle, reduce the flame and add til, when til slightly changes colour add onion, let the onion turn pink, add green chillies and let it cook for a minute. Turn the flame off.
• garnish the dhokla with the above tempering and coriander.

Tips

• 2 tsp of lemon may also be added to the batter along with dahi if you prefer tangy flavour.
• 1tsp of ajwain/1 tsp of jeera roughly ground can also be added along with dahi. Ajwain/jeera gives their distinct taste.
• the dhoklas can also be made in a stock pot or idli vessel, they give equally good results.
• haldi powder can be avoided, if you prefer the dhokla to be white in colour.
• once eno fruit salt is added, immediately transfer the batter in the steamer. The water in the cooker should be boiling before eno is added to the batter.
• if the batter is thick you can add 1-2 tbsp of water to it.
• you could completely avoid the water in this recipe and instead add 1 cup of dahi to the sooji mixture.
• tempering could be prepared of oil, mustard seeds curry leaves.
• onion can be avoided in the above mentioned til tempering.
• you can check if the dokla is done by inserting a knife, if it comes clean, the dhokla is done.
• dhokla can be had with imli chutney/green chutney.
• dhokla tastes best when its hot!