Raagi Puttu

Ingredients:

Raagi flour - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 4 tsp
Cinnamon - 2 or A pinch of cinnamon powder
Salt - 1/2 tsp.
Sugar - 4 tsp
water - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Roast the raagi flour in a pan for 5 mins and let it cool.
2. Mix salt with the raagi flour. Sprinkle water on the flour little by little and wet the flour. Consistency we can say like, the flour should be wet, but when you try to make as ball, it should break and should not stick with each other like dough. You can see the picture below.
3. If you have the puttukuzhai(puttu making vessel), add 1 tsp of coconut first, then 3 tsp of the prepared mix, then coconut again and then prepared mix again, until it fills. (OR)

If you don't have that puttukuzhai, you can make using idly vessel. Spread a white cotton cloth in the idly plate and spread the prepared mix. In the middle keep the coconut and cover it with the cotton cloth, just bring the 4 corners to the middle(see wheat puttu recipe in my blog). If you do not cover, because of the steam, it will stick to each other and will be like cooked dough.
4. Steam it for 10 mins.
5. Change it to a vessel, add ghee, sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Nice aroma will tempt you to eat hot.

Notes and Secrets:

-> Those who are in diet can have this raagi puttu, but reduce the amount of coconut and sugar. Avoid ghee.
-> You can also mix pappad and banana with this. Same way you can also prepare rice puttu. I'll post it soon.
-> Diabetic patients also can have this, but instead of adding sugar follow the method below.

-> Add a tsp of oil, splutter mustard seeds, add 2 red chillies, few curry leaves, a pinch of hing and mix the boiled puttu with this. Kaara puttu is ready!!

Vegetable Kuruma - 2

Ingredients:

Potato - 2 - boiled
Green Peas - a hand full - boiled or fresh
Onion - 1 - Cut it lengh wise or as your wish
Tomato - 1 - chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry masala powder - 1/2 tsp(optional)
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp

For Grinding:
Grated Coconut - 3 tsp
Green chilli - 4 nos
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 4 nos
Poppy seeds - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Chutney dal - 1/4 tsp(optional)
Cloves - 1 nos
Cinnamon stick - 1/2"
Oil - 2 tsp(optional)

Method:

1. Heat a pan, add all grinding ingredients and fry in medium flame for 10 mins or until you see coconut is roasted well and getting nice aroma of all ingredients.
2. Let it cool, grind and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan, splutter fennel seeds, add onion and fry until golden brown color.
4. Add chopped tomato, turmeric powder, coriander powder, curry masala powder, salt and fry until oil gets separated.
5. Add boiled potato and green peas and mix well.
6. Add ground coconut paste, and 1 cup of water and mix well. If you add chutney dal and poppy seeds then add 1/2 cup water in additional.
7. Let it boil for 10 min, see the thickness of the gravy and finally add coriander leaves for garnishing. (Boil for few more mins, if gravy is not thick.)

Notes:

-> This kurma suits idly, dosai, chappathi/roti.
-> In our home, only on special occasions we'll prepare this dish.

Onion Uthappam:

Ingredients:

Dosai batter - 1 cup
Red onion - 1 - Chopped( for each uthappam)
Oil - 2 tsp or less

Method:

1. Heat dosai pan, add a ladle of batter and spread lightly. Uthappam should be thick.
2. Then add chopped onions on the top, and add oil around uthappam.
3. When it is half cooked(means, in the middle or sides you will see raw batter here and there, remaining portions will be cooked)flip uthappam to the other side and let it for 15 secs.



Notes and Secrets:

-> If your dosai batter is sour/bitter, add a little baking soda and you can try this uthappam.
-> All chutney varieties, kurma varieties and chicken curry suits this dish.