One Day At A Time

Masala Dosa  is the most loved breakfast in my family.  Oats Masala Dosa is our new favorite.  We all know that Oats is a healthier grain than rice.  But for these dosas to turn crisp, some rice is definitely required.  After a few trials and errors, I came up with this recipe for a crispy and healthy Masala Dosa with Oats.

Every recipe brings back some good old memories. As a child, I used to assist my Mom in her kitchen. Mom used to assign some recipes to me.. Lemonade, Chai, Shikran, Aamras and all the easy stuff. Being Moms's sous chef was total fun with a sense of accomplishment. Here is the easy Aamras Puri which kids love and is perfect for entertaining guests too. Ingredients: Mangoes/Aam - 4 medium Green Cardamom/Elaichi - 1 pod Wheat Flour - 4 cups Brown Sugar or Sugar - 1 tsp Salt Oil How to make Aamras Puri: Wash and peel the mangoes. Dice the mango flesh and discard the mango seed. Blend the mango flesh with about 1/2 tsp brown sugar to a smooth puree. You can add a little milk too.  Crush the cardamom seeds in a mortar pestle to a fine powder. Pour the mango puree in a bowl and sprinkle cardamom powder on top. Making Puris : In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, 1/2 tsp brown sugar and little salt. Add water and knead to form a firm dough, not as soft as chapati ...

Aromatic, spicy pigeon peas stew with ivy gourd. Ingredients: Ivy Gourd/Tindora/Tendli - about 2 cups Onion - 1 small Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - few sprigs Toor Dal/ Split Pigeon Peas - 1/2 cup + 1 tsp Urad Dal/Split Black Gram - 1 tsp Coriander Seeds/Dhane - 2 tsp Fenugreek/Methi Seeds - 1/2 tsp Cloves/Lavang - 5 Cinnamon/Dalchini - 1/4 inch piece Black Peppercorns - about 8 Dry Red Chillies - 4 Tamarind/Chinch/Imli - about 1 tsp Jaggery or Brown Sugar - 1/2 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Salt Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Curry Leaves/Kadhipata - a sprig Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp Dry Red Chilly - 1 Oil Method: 1. Wash 1/2 cup pigeon peas well and cook them till soft. 2. Dice ivy gourd and onion into big cubes.  Finely chop cilantro. 3. Heat about 1 tsp oil in a pan.  Add 1 tsp toor dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns and 4 red chillies.  Roast all the spices till they slightly darken and turn aroma...

Deep fried raw Banana or plantain Wadas with chana dal. Ingredients: Plantain/Raw Banana - 1 big Chana Dal/Split Bengal Gram/Split Chickpeas - 1/2 cup Ginger - 1/2 inch piece Green Chillies - 5 Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1/2 tsp Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - few sprigs Salt Oil Method: 1. Soak chana dal overnight or for about 4 hours.   2. Cut the plantain into 3 or 4 big pieces and make few cuts on the skin with a knife.  Cook plantain in enough water till they turn soft.  Drain the water and let it cool.  The skin will come off easily, discard the skin.  Grate or mash the cooked plantains.  Finely chop cilantro leaves. 3. Wash soaked dal well.  Grind soaked dal, green chillies, ginger, cumin seeds and salt to a slightly coarse paste. 4. In a mixing bowl, add grated plantains, ground dal and chopped cilantro.  Make round balls of the mix or slightly flatten them to form a pa...

A mixed dals recipe made with five lentils - Toor Dal,  Mung Dal, Masoor Dal, Chana Dal and Urad Dal. Ingredients: Toor Dal/Split Pigeon Peas - 1 tbsp Mung Dal/Split Green Gram - 1 tbsp Masoor Dal/Split Red Lentils - 1 tbsp Chana Dal/Split Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp Urad Dal/Split Black Gram - 1 tbsp Onion - 1 small Tomato - 1 medium Ginger - 1/2 inch piece Garlic - 3 big cloves Green Chillies - 4 Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - few sprigs Curry Leaves - a sprig Dry Red Chillies - 2 Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1/2 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Salt Oil Method: 1. Mix all the five dals and wash them well.  Cook dals till they soften.  Lightly mash them. 2. Finely chop onions and cilantro leaves.  Crush ginger and garlic.  Medium chop tomatoes and green chillies.  Pat the washed curry leaves dry. 3. Heat about 1 tbsp oil in a pan.  Add cumin, crushed ginger, garlic, red chillies and curry leaves.  Saute till garlic changes ...

Kadipata Herbs are those plants which are either decorative, fragrant, medicinal or culinary. The seed plants of which the stems do not become woody, but remain more or less soft.  But this definition excludes some like the fragrant Curry Leaves - which is a woody tree and not a soft shrub or herb. Curry leaves also known as Kadipata, Kadhilimb, Karbeo are widely used in Indian cooking. Cilantro, Mint and Kasoori Methi are the most widely used herbs in Indian Cuisine. Cilantro ( Coriandrum sativum ) Also known as Coriander or Chinese Parsley.  Hara Dhaniya or Dhaniya  in Hindi. An annual herb growing from seeds. This plant is both an herb and a spice. Fresh leaves are the herb and its seeds are used as a spice. Coriander seeds are an indispensable part of the spice combination known as Curry Powder. Coriander or Cilantro In India, the plant is said to cool hot stomach, banish gas and aid digestion. Also used in Mexican, Thai, Moroccan, Spanish and African Cuisi...

A sweet, tangy, spicy dates and tamarind chutney. Ingredients: Pitted (Deseeded) Dates/Khajur - 2 cups Tamarind/Imli - 1 cup Ginger/Adrak - 1 inch piece Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1 1/2 tsp Coriander/Dhania Seeds - 1 tsp Dry Red Chilies - 4 Kala/Sendha Namak/Black Indian Salt - about 1/2 tsp How to make Indian Khajur Imli Chutney: Check for seeds in dates and tamarind. Soak both separately in water for about an hour.  Grind soaked dates, soaked tamarind, roughly diced ginger, cumin, coriander seeds, dry red chilies and Kala namak to a fine chutney. About 1 - 2 cups water will be needed. Add more if required. Add Kala Namak to suit your taste. Add jaggery or brown sugar while grinding the chutney if required. I did not add sugar. Serve Khajur Chutney with Samosas, Pakodas, Cutlets.