Sweet Ragi Kali is an alternative for Uzhundang Kali.
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Sweet Ragi Kali |
Ingredients :
Ragi Flour 1 cup
Powdered jaggery / Karuppati 1 cup
Oil 4 tbsp.
Method :
1. Heat 2 cups of water with jaggery till it just dissolves. Karuppati is the best choice.
2. Fill the syrup for impurities and boil in a 3 lit. cooker partly closed with lid.
3. When the syrup boils, add the flour without stirring. Keep a wooden ladle inside and let it rest on the side of the cooker. Reduce the flame and again partly close the cooker.
4. The water slowly boils and covers the flour. After 5- 8 minutes, the water gets absorbed and the flour must be almost covered. Add the oil and switch off.
5. Still hot, hold with a cloth, mix and mash well for the lumps to break.
6. When it gets cool enough to be touched, make them into balls of your preference, smearing the palm with oil. The tasty Kali is ready.
Ragi Paratha is an alternative for the Wheat Flour Chappathis and goes well with any gravy.
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Ragi Parathas |
For 10 Chappathis :
Ingredients :
Ragi Flour 1 cup
Salt, Oil
Method :
1. Boil 1.5 cups of water in a 2 lit. cooker or any thick bottomed container. To the boiling water add 1/2 tsp. of salt and then slowly add the Ragi Flour without stirring. Keep one end of a wooden ladle in the water and let it rest on the sides of the vessel. Close partly with a lid.
2. Reduce the flame and let it simmer. Slowly the water boils and covers the flour. Switch off and mix well the flour and the left over water. After it cools, knead with the hands and make a dough. The flour expands as it is cooked. That is why for 1 cup of flour we can get about 10 Rotis.
3. After 30 mins. make the Chppathis as usual and toast.
Kambu means Bajra and this Dosai has the unique flavour and taste of Kambu.Some people just mix Kambu flour with the rice flour and make Dosai. some grind Urad Dhal and mix with the Kambu Mavu.
But the taste is perfect only when we soak Kambu with rice and grind with the Urad Dhal.
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Kambu Dosai |
Ingredients:
Kambu 2 cups.
Idli Rice 1 cup.
Urad Dhal 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup.
Fenugreek 1 tsp.
Salt
Method :
1. Soak Kambu and rice together for at least 4 hours. Soak Urad Dhal and Fenugreek together for 1 hour.
2.In the wet grinder, first grind the Urad Dhal as normally done for Dosai, then add the rice and Kambu. Grind till the batter is fine.
3. Mix salt and let the batter be little loose, then only it comes up well.
4. After 8 hours, prepare the Dosais.
This is very easy to prepare with the common ingredients and is very handy when we have some digestive problems, nausea or vomiting. This can be carried while travelling.
This syrup can also be prepared when we have lemons, available cheap at the market or got from free from some orchards.
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Lemon Ginger Syrup |
Ingredients :
Lemon juice 2 tbsp.
Ginger extract 2 tbsp.
Sugar 1 cup.
Method :
1. Mix 1 cup of water with sugar and boil till a single string consistency is got.
2. Let it cool. Add the lemon and Ginger extract. Mix well and transfer to a clean
and sterile bottle.
3. When required, mix 1- 2 tsp. of the syrup with the cool or normal water. A tasty and healthy juice is ready
Asoka Halwa of Tanjore origin , fast and easy to make with the common ingredients, gives us a change from the regular Halwas.
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Asoka Halwa |
Ingredients :
Pasiparuppu / Moong Dhal 1/2 cup.
Ghee 1/2 cup.
Sugar 1 1/2 cups.
Wheat flour 3 tbsp.
Cashew 10
Method :
1. Heat a Kadai and dry roast the Moong Dhal till an aroma comes, taking care that it just starts turning red but does not become black. If even 1 grain becomes black, the colour and aroma of the Halwa may be lost.
2. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and rest for 15 mins. to save fuel and time. Then pressure cook for 4 whistles.
3. Heat 1/4 cup Ghee, add the nuts, later the Wheat Flour and sauté till it starts turning red.
4. Open the cooker, mash the Dhal and add sugar. Mix well. Add the roasted flour, mix well, add the remaining Ghee and stir constantly on a medium or low flame till the Halwa consistency is reached. The Tasty Halwa is ready.
The nuts can be roasted, kept aside and added in the end for a perfect presentation.
Note :
If the flame is high or medium, any dish can be made fast but a lot of care has to be taken to stir constantly, that the dish does not stick to the vessel or gets burnt. It is better to use a cooker or any thick bottomed Kadai or non stick Kadai.
If the flame is low, the dish is safe but takes time.
Aval Pakoda has a unique taste of being crunchy and soft at the same time.
It is a wonderful starter and snack.
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AVAL PAKODA |
Ingredients :
Thin Aval 1 cup.
Curd 1 cup.
Grated carrot 1 cup.
Grated Suraikkai 1 cup
Channa Dhal Flour/ Kadalai Mavu 4 tbsp.
Chilly Powder 1 tsp.
Green Chilly 2
Hing, Salt, Oil
Method :
1. Wash the Aval and let it drain for 2 minutes. Mix with Curd and set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Slit the Green Chilly and mix all the ingredients well except oil.
3. Heat the oil, squeeze the Pakodas and deep fry.
Radish Chappathi is very ideal during travel as it can be packed conveniently and can be taken without a side dish.
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Radish Chappathi |
Ingredients :
Wheat Flour 2 cup
Grated Radish 1/2 cup.
Roasted and powdered Zeera 1 tsp.
Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp.
Chilly Powder 2 tsp.
Salt, Oil, Coriander Leaves
Method :
1. Mix Wheat Flour, Radish, Garam Masala Powder, Zeera Powder, Chilly Powder, Coriander Leaves, Salt and set aside for 5minutes for the Radish to give out water. Pepper can be added instead of Chilly Powder . Or 1 tsp. of Pepper Powder and 1 tsp. of Chilly Powder can be added.
2. Add water and make a dough. 2 - 3 tsp. of oil can be added. After 30 minutes, roll into chappathis and roast them as you like, on a tawa or on the flame.