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What's Cooking? Indian recipes
P.S. Lakshmi Rao, a retired banker, has a passion for cooking. Her friends and family enjoy her culinary delights. Lakshmi is a long time Atlanta resident.

<<What's Cooking? Main


Black Eye Beans Dosa

2 Cups dry black eye beans
6 Cups water
1 Teaspoon salt or to taste
1 Green chili
1 Teaspoon cumin aseeds
1 Tablespoon of rice flour
¼ Cup of water.

Topping

1 Medium onion chopped red or yellow
3 Green chilies chopped
2 Inches fresh ginger chopped
1/2 Teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ Cup oil

Put the dry beans in the blender and turn it on and turn it off for three times on high. Transfer to a large bowl and wash them thoroughly until the water comes out clear. (Some of the skin and black eyes will wash off). In the same bowl soak the beans with six cups water for two hours or over night. 

Blend the beans in two batches with salt and little water. Add green chili and cumin seeds at the end and blend until chili is chopped. Salt can be added for your taste at this time. The batter should be of the consistency of any dosa mix. Mix rice flour and ¼ cup water and blend with batter. This will make the dosa crisp. 

Mix green chilies, ginger, cumin seed, and onion in a small bowl and keep it aside.

Heat a flat 11-inch non-stick skillet on medium heat. Sprinkle few drops of water to see if the pan is hot enough. If the water sizzles that means the pan is ready. Pour half a teaspoon of oil on the pan and wipe it clean to condition the pan so that the batter don’t stick to the pan. Take a ladle full of batter and pour it on the griddle. Spread it with the bottom of the ladle in a circular motion to make a thin dosa. Sprinkle a tablespoon onion mixture on top of dosa. Press onions with spatula so that they do not fall off when you turn it.
Put a teaspoon of oil around and middle of the dosa. When the bottom of the dosa starts to get brown turn it over and let it cook for a minute. Turn it over, fold it and serve the dosa with any chutney or pickle. 

Note: you can add more chilies to the batter if you like it hot.
Variation: Instead of black eye beans use whole mung beans or split mung dal with skin or half mung dal with skin and half with out the skin. This dosa is called Pesarattu. This is a specialty of Andhra Pradesh. Upma, Pesarattu and chutney are a very healthy combination and very filling.
We are supposed to eat black eye beans for good luck and some kind of greens for prosperity on new years day. May be you can sprinkle some chopped fresh coriander leaves for green. 


Soji Upma



2 Tablespoons oil
1 Teaspoon ghee (clarified butter optional)
1 Teaspoon red mustard seeds
1 Teaspoon chena dal
2 Teaspoons urad dal
2 Tablespoons broken raw cashew pieces
1 Small onion chopped
4 Long hot green peppers chopped
2 Stems curry leaves (karivepaku)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 Cups boiling water
1Teaspoon salt or to taste
1Cup coarse soji rava (cream of wheat)

In a four-quart stainless steel pan or non-stick pan heat oil and ghee (if using). Add mustard seeds and fry until they start to splatter. Add chana dal and urad dal and fry for a minute in medium low heat for half a minute. Add cashew pieces and fry until dals and cashews become light brown. Add onions and fry for another minute. Fry green chilies, curry leaves, and ginger for a minute. Add boiling water and salt. You can taste the water to see if the salt is enough at this point with a separate spoon. Add the soji slowly in to the water mixing vigorously with a large serving spoon being careful not to let any lumps to form. As soon as you mix it, reduce the heat to low and keep it covered for two minutes mixing in between.

Note: I use boiling water so that the spices will remain crispy. Please do not add peanuts, cumin seeds, and red chilies. You can add small pieces of potatoes, carrots, peas, cauliflower, and sugar snow peas for a change. If you fry soji upma, taste and flavor will be different. If you mix properly there is no need to fry soji. You can add a little fresh lemon juice to upma at the end. 

Good Luck And Happy New Year!
   
 





 

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