Pesara Pappu Upuma ( பச்சைபயறு உப்புமா )

Pesara Pappu Upuma

 ( பச்சைபயறு உப்புமா )

Pesarattu Upuma is a traditional Andhra style breakfast. The Moong dal dosai (pesarattu) is stuffed with a dollop of rava upuma and served.

But my recipe has a slight twist to the original, I have used the moong dal batter to make Upuma.

I learnt this recipe from my elder sister a long time ago. It's a healthy version of the lentil using the same batter. Green gram or Moong dal as it is called in Hindi is a common lentil used in Indian cooking. It is available as a whole, split or skinned. Each type is used in different recipes.

Ingredients

Pesarattu batter 

Small onions   -  10 nos. or big onions - 2 Nos.

Green Chillies   -    2 nos

Fresh grated Coconut   -   3 tbsp

Carrot  -   1 

Mustard & Urad dal - 1/2 tsp each

Asafoetida - a pinch

Curry leaves - 1 twig

Coriander leaves - handful

Sesame oil  - 3tbsp

Batter Preparation

Whole moong dal (or split type can also be used) - 1 cup

Rice - 1/5 cup

Green chilies - 2 or 3 

Ginger  - 1'' peeled &sliced.

Soak dal and rice together for a minimum of 3hrs or can be soaked overnight. The whole green gram needs to be soaked for longer time. Grind together with green chillies and ginger into a fine paste. Add salt and let it stand for an hour

Steps

In a steamer, steam the batter as you would normally for idlies. Allow it to cool. Then crumble it into fine pieces using your fingers. Peel and slice the onions lengthwise. Grate the carrot and slit the green chillies.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, as it cracks add urad dal and asafoetida. Add curry leaves followed by green chillies and onions. 

Fry in medium flame till the onions are soft (for that add the required salt, onions will saute well). 

Add the grated carrot, saute for a minute. Add crumbled idlies followed by the grated coconut. 

Switch off the flame. Stir well, 

Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Yummy, nutritious meal is ready. Goes well with coconut chutney or tomato chutney. This can be served for breakfast as well as an evening snack for children who need protein-packed food before or after school  :)

I have posted two dishes' pictures. One with big onions and carrots. The second one with small onions. Play around with your choice. 

                                           

Pesarattu பச்சைபயறு தோசை

Pesarattu  ( பச்சைபயறு தோசை)

The Pesarattu eaten at a small Restaurant at Tirupathi, Andhrapradesh 22 years ago when we went for our son' head tonsuring, still lingers in my taste bud and  it is one of the best I have tasted. The 2 chutneys and the sambar served were lip smacking.

Since then I have been preparing this recipe and my family likes it. The sauted onion added is also a reason for this dish to be a favorite of many.

Ingredients

Whole green gram (or split one can be used) - 1cup

Raw rice - 1/5 cup

Green chillies - 2 or 3 

Ginger  - 1'' peeled &sliced.

Big onions - 4

Steps

Soak dal and rice together for minimum 3hrs or can be soaked overnight. The whole green gram needs more soaking time. Grind together with green chillies and ginger into a fine paste. Add salt and let it stand for an hour. If the batter is thick, add water and bring it to required consistency so as to spread nicely on the tava for a crisp dosai.

Normally for onion dosai or onion uthappam, chopped onion is added directly to the dosai and cook. In this recipe, the onion is sauteed.

Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and asafoetida followed by curry leaves and onion. Saute for a few min until onion is half cooked and not too soft. If you can take the spice, you can add chopped green chillies together with onions.

Heat the tava and spread the batter. Add the onions and cover the whole dosai. (You may have to add ample amount of onion on each dosai for the right taste.)

Cover the dosai for a minute for the batter on the upper side to cook. Remove the cover, allow to cook crisp on the underside. Do not turn the dosai. Once done,  fold and serve with coriander chutney, coconut chutney and sambar. The side dish is individual' choice.

Rice and Coconut Pudding ( தேங்காய் அரிசி பாயாஸம்)

Rice and Coconut Pudding

தேங்காய் அரிசி பாயாஸம்

This Pudding, or Payasam  ( பாயாஸம் ) as it is called in Tamil, was a regular sweet for most of the prayers at my Paternal Grand mom' place. My mother had followed suit.

There are many types of Rice Payasam with a main difference in the ingredients - one made with sugar and another with palm sugar (jaggery). Great many variations can be done based on the person' taste buds.

I made this recently for the prayers last Friday (Thai Month).

Ingredients

Raw Rice - 1/2 cup

Channa Dal - 2 tbsp.

Jaggery ( வெல்லம்  ) - 2 cups 

Milk - 2 cups

Coconut (cut into small pieces) - 4 tbsp.

Cardamom (powdered) -  1 tsp

1. Dry roast the rice and powder it coarsely in a mixie or a food processor.
2. Soak the channa dal for 30min, drain water and add to the powdered rice.
3. Add one cup of milk and 2 cups of water and pressure cook.
4. In a seperate pan, pound the jaggery, add 1 cup of water and bring it to boil. Strain to remove impurities and bring to boil again for 5 mins.
5. Add this to the boiled rice and stir well, Let it boil for 2 to 3 min. Add the remaining 1 cup of milk, stir well.
6. Fry the coconut in ghee and add together with powdered cardamom.
   
   
   Payasam is ready to be serve. The coconut pieces in this jaggery sweetened dessert has an unique and yummy taste. 

Mixed Bean Snack - Sundal (சுண்டல் )

Mixed Bean Snack -  Sundal 

சுண்டல்

Sundal, சுண்டல்(in Tamil), in my opinion is a protein power bank. A small cup of this would meet the daily requirements for protein for both the young and old. Legumes contain complex carbohydrates which are digested slowly, preventing glucose spikes which might be advisable for diabetic patients. This is also recommended for those that are trying to reduce their caloric intake.

For easy digestion and maximum absorption legumes should be consumed during the day time. One should avoid eating them during late evenings or at night. It can be prepared as an evening snack or packed to school for kids.If I crave for something after the afternoon soup, I would prepare this sundal for a healthy evening snack.





Ingredients

Green Bean , Black Chick Peas and Moth Beans - 1/2 cup ea. (to be soaked overnight or for 2hrs)

பச்சைபயறு , கருப்பு கொண்டைகடலை, தட்டைபயறு

Small onions - 10 nos.

Grated coconut  - 2 tbsp 

Curry leaves

Mustard & Urd dal, Asafoetida  - for seasoning

Steps

Add salt to the soaked beans and cook in the pressure cooker for up to 3 to 4 whistles.

Peel and slice the small onions length wise.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and urad dal. When it cracks, add asafoetida, curry leaves and dry red chilies. Roast well for 20 sec.

Add the boiled beans, the grated coconut and switch off the flame.

Stir well and transfer to serving bowl. 

Tips:

Never use baking soda or baking powder to make the legumes soft. Soaking well in advance and cooking it in a pressure cooker will do the trick.

Black chick peas has a higher fibre content and a lower GI(Glycemic Index) than the light colored big chick peas.

Remember that proteins are good for the body but as with anything, consume them in moderation. 

Mixed vegetable clear soup

Mixed Vegetable Clear Soup

A sore throat, tiredness and a few additional commitments that popped up led me to cook this soup for my lunch. It turned out to be very soothing and yummy :)

Ingredients

Red Raddish (சிவப்பு முள்ளங்கி) - 1/2
Carrot - 1/2
Yellow Pumpkin - 1/2
Cabbage - 1/2
Broccoli - 1/2
Garlic - 1 tsp finely chopped
Butter - 1 tsp

To prepare the stock, you can use 1 tbsp of cornflour or 1 tbsp of mashed boiled Tur Dal. Mix the chosen ingredient in 1 cup of water. 

Note: The vegetables used here can be altered based on seasonal and regional availability

Steps 

Heat butter in a saucepan and saute the finely chopped garlic.
Add the raddish first, let it cook for a minute before adding the carrots.
Add the other vegetables next as these take less time to cook.
Saute them all for a min or two until it is half cooked. 
Add 1 cup of the prepared stock, cover and let it boil for a minute.
Add salt and pepper to taste. 


It is very filling and can be taken as a main course on days when you feel like having a  light meal.

Whole black lentil Dosai with Onion Chutney

Whole black lentil Dosai with Onion Chutney

 கருப்பு உளுந்து தோசை & வெங்காய சட்னி

This is a specialty of my mother and my dad's favourite.
At my Grandmother' place,when the crops arrive from the fields, whole raw rice comes with split and broken ones as well. This broken raw rice, called kurunai in Tamil, is not wasted. It is separated from the whole grain and used to make this dosai.
In modern days whole raw rice is used but the name ' kurunai dosai' still exists. This dosai tastes different from the regular one and you would prefer this to the other.  Taste it to believe it.

Black gram (urad dal or uluntha paruppu) is one of the handful lentils that has essential fatty acids EFA and while fermenting, the bacteria and yeast in the urad dal makes it even more nutritious and this has much beneficial effect.

People accustomed to western food all the time, have more of the sulphite reducing bacteria which produce Hydrogen Sulphide gas, in their stomach. Once they get used to the prebiotic foods like idli / dosas which contain urad dal, the good bacteria in the lower intestines multiply and at the same time produce the very healthy Short Chain Fatty Acids - SCFA, which in turn creates a slightly acidic environment in which the Hydrogen Sulfide producing bacteria cannot live. So in the long term, eating Dosas actually gets rid of the smelly gas problems.

There is even research evidence suggesting that diets containing high contents of Urad Dal prevent Alzheimer's and Dementia. So it is good for even the older generation.

Boiled rice     -  2 cups
Raw rice       -  2cups
Whole black gram - 1 cup
fenugreek  -  1tsp

Mix both the rice and soak for 2hrs. Mix dal and fenugreek and soak for 2hrs. For a quick soaking time,to cut short by 30min, I keep them in refrigerator.
In wet grinder, first grind dal and then grind the rice. Add salt, mix well. Let it ferment overnight.

In the morning, mix the batter well. Heat the dosai tawa, spread the dosai evenly and thick.
This dosai is not made thin and crisp. This is made a bit thick like kal dosai. It will be spongy and tasty.
Serve with onion chutney, which will be a hit. Coconut chutney or sambar can also be served.  

Small Onion Chutney  வெங்காய சட்னி

Ingredients
Dry Red Chillies  - 8
Small Onions - 15 to 18
Curry leaves and a small portion of Tamarind
Mustard & Asafoetida for seasoning

Fry the Chillies in oil, remove them.In the same oil, saute the onions and curry leaves.
Allow it to cool and make a paste. Season it with mustard & asafoetida.

Serve the black gram dosai with onion chutney.

பரங்கிக்காய் மொச்சைபயறு கார குழம்பு Parangikai Mochai payaru Kara Kuzhambu

Parangikai(yellow pumpkin) Mochai payaru ( Field beans) 

Kara Kuzhambu

பரங்கிக்காய் மொச்சைபயறு கார குழம்பு 

Synonymous with the colour, yellow pumpkin is rich in carotenoids. It also has more potassium than in a banana. High in fiber, low calorie and reduces bad cholesterol.
This vegetable is commonly used by people all over the world.
It is a crowd-pleaser used in soups, curries, mashed form, risotto, lasagna and even in desserts.

Here I am posting an authentic south Indian kuzhambu( spicy curry)

Usually fresh or dried field beans is used to make Kara Kuzhambu. But this recipe, with a combination of pumpkin and field beans has a unique taste and is a balance of protein and fiber.

My Grandmothers and Mother have always used fresh field beans, called mochai payaru in Tamil, for the curry. Field bean is seasonal and so this is cooked often during the period of Dec to Feb.

If the fresh bean is not available, you can soak the dry bean overnight and pressure cook to use.

Ingredients:

Yellow Pumpkin  -  6 to 8 pieces

(deseeded and cut into cubes with the skin )

boiled Field beans - 1/2 a cup

small onions           - 8 numbers

Garlic            -   4 to 5 cloves

Tamarind - lemon size

Tomato         - 1

Turmeric powder - 1/4 sp

Kuzhambu / Sambar Powder - 3 tsp

Curry leaves

Mustard & Fenugreek for Seasoning

Salt to taste

Sesame oil - 3 tbsp

For kara Kuzhambu, Sesame oil (நல்லெண்ணெய்) is used for its distinctive aroma and enhancing flavor.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When they crack, add curry leaves, followed by garlic and small onions cut into small pieces.
Saute for a while, add tomatoes and pumpkin. Let it cook for a min. 
Extract the juice from the soaked tamarind. Mix turmeric powder, kuzhambu powder and salt to the juice.Add this mixture and let it boil.
(I have used the homemade kuzhambu podi. You can use the sambar powder available in the market.)
After  4 to 5 min, add the boiled field beans and let it boil for a min.
Remove from fire. Serve with hot rice and with sesame oil added to the rice.
The sour, spicy pumpkin with the skin is succulent  ;)
Keerai kuttu / poriyal or any stir fry veg is suitable as a side dish for this kuzhambu. Today we relished with keerai poriyal and peerkangai kuttu.