One Day At A Time!

Undi or Oondi is a popular Konkani breakfast recipe of steamed rice dumplings. This recipe is somewhat similar to Idlis , but takes lesser time and needs no fermentation. I generally prepare Undis for lunch and serve it with a spicy curry or chutney. While I was in Mangalore, I came across its Tulu name - Pundi Gatti . Ingredients: Idli Rava/Cream of Rice/Rice Rava - 1 cup Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1/2 cup Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs Curry Leaves/Kadipata/Karbeo - a sprig (optional) Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp Methi/Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp Oil preferably Coconut Oil Salt How to prepare steamed Undi: Finely chop cilantro leaves and pat the curry leaves dry. Heat about 2 tsp oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, methi seeds and curry leaves. When mustard seeds splutter, add 3 cups water.  Add salt to taste. When water starts boiling, add idli rava gradually and stir simultaneously. Cook it covered at low heat for 2 ...

Dal Pakwan is one of our summer vacation memories when we used to visit our Mavshi (maternal Aunt) in Ulhasnagar. No school, kids of our age to play with, fun movies and lots of pampering. My Aunt used to treat us with many delicacies, both savory and sweet. Ulhasnagar is known for its Sindhi regional cuisine. Our favorites were the local ice creams, mithai and savory Dal Pakwan. Now what is Dal Pakwan? A Sindhi breakfast, similar to Punjabi Chole Bhature. Flat crisp Ajwain Puris served with savory, spiced chana Dal. Ingredients: Whole Wheat Flour/Atta - 1 cup Carom Seeds/Ajwain/Owa - 1/2 tsp Ghee/Clarified Butter - 1/2 tbsp (optional) Olive Oil or any other oil - 1/2 tbsp Chana Dal/Split Bengal Gram/Split Chickpeas - 1 1/2 cups Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1 1/2 tsp Ginger Paste - 1 tsp Green Chili Paste - 1/2 tsp Kasuri Methi/Dry Fenugreek Leaves (optional) - 1 tbsp Chat Masala - 1 tsp Tamarind Paste/Imli/Chinch - 1 tsp Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/2 tsp ...

Chutney is the most popular Indian condiment served as a side dish with meals or as a dip with snacks. Today's recipe is a dry chutney made of phutane/dalia and coconut.   This dry chutney is also sprinkled on Masala Dosa . Ingredients: Phutane/Dalia/Roasted Chana Dal - 1 cup Dessicated (Dry) Coconut - 1/2 cup White Sesame Seeds/Til - 1 tsp Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp Dry Red Chillies - 5 Sugar - 1/4 tsp Salt How to prepare Dry Phutane Chutney: Wipe the blender/grinder jar completely dry. Blend all the ingredients in a blender/grinder to a fine or slightly coarse powder. Serve dry Chutney with Idli or Dosa with coconut oil.

Set Dosa is a South Indian recipe of soft, rice and lentil pancakes. These pancakes are generally served as a set of three small dosas with Coconut Chutney, Sambar and/or veg curry. Ingredients: Idli Rice or Medium Grain Rice - 1 cup Urad Dal/Split Black Gram - 1/4 cup Fenugreek/Methi Seeds - 1 tsp Thin Parched Rice/Beaten Rice/Pohe - 1/2 cup Salt Oil or Ghee/Clarified Butter   How to prepare Set Dosa: Soak rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds for 6 - 8 hours in water. Wash soaked rice and dal well. Wash parched rice with water. Grind soaked rice, dal and parched rice to a slightly coarse paste. The batter consistency is thick and not runny. Let the batter ferment overnight. You can add 1/4 tsp of baking soda to the batter as well. After fermentation the batter will rise almost to double. Add salt to the batter and mix.   Heat a pan and grease the pan with oil or ghee. Pour a ladle full of batter to form a thick dosa. Do not spread. Flip the dosa when the batt...

Paan Pole or Paan Polo are soft, thin crepes of rice and coconut.  These crepes also known as Neer Dosa or Tandalache Ghavan , can be made with rice flour minus coconut.   Ingredients: Idli Rice or Medium Grain Rice - 1 cup Grated or Shredded Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1/4 cup Salt Oil How to make soft Paan Pole: Soak rice for 6 - 8 hours. Wash soaked rice well. Grind rice and coconut to a very fine paste. Add 1 - 2 cups water and salt to the batter. The batter consistency is too thin. Heat a pan and grease the pan with cooking spray or oil. Pour a ladle full of batter and swirl the pan to spread the runny batter evenly. Flip the dosa when the edges start leaving the pan. Cook for about a minute or so.   Repeat the same for the batter. Serve Paan Pole with Coconut chutney or a curry.

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.

Earlier I had blogged about Idli Fry . Here is another easy and fast snack made from leftover idlis . In Konkani, we call this as Idli Usli . You might know it as Idli Upma . Ingredients: Idli - 10 small Grated Coconut - about 3/4 cup Green Chilies - 6 Curry Leaves/Kadipata - a sprig Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Asafetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp Oil preferably Coconut Oil Salt How to make Idli Upma with leftover Idli: Crumble the idlis with hands to a powder. Add salt keeping in mind that idlis do have little salt. Mix and keep it aside.  Wash green chilies, curry leaves. Pat them dry to avoid oil spluttering. Slit the green chilies lengthwise. Heat 2 - 3 tbsp coconut oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, green chilies, curry leaves and asafetida. When mustard seeds pop, add crumbled idlis and grated coconut. Sauté at low flame to mix all the ingredients for about 5 minutes. Simple yet tasty Idly Upma is ready. 

Idli is something I can eat all day long. One of my comfort foods. My Mom used to make it especially for me. In most Konkani homes, idlis are made in small steel bowls and a special idli cooker called as Pedawan . Next time when I visit my parents, I'll click some pics for you guys. Here in my kitchen, I use a steel idli cooker with the idli plates. All over Southern India, Idli Chutney Sambar is a well known breakfast item. Let me tell you how my Mom makes it. Ingredients: Raw Rice (Medium Grain) - 1 cup Split Urad Dal/Black Gram - 1/2 cup Salt Oil Pressure Cooker Idli How to cook South Indian Idli: Soak rice and urad dal in plenty of water in separate vessels for 6 - 8 hours. Wash soaked rice and dal well. Add little water at a time and grind urad dal to a smooth fine thick paste. Let the blender/grinder pulse the urad dal paste for another 40 - 60 seconds. This increases the fluffiness of the steamed idlis. Pour the ground urad paste in a big bowl. Next, ad...

We Konkanis prepare many kinds of Idlis for breakfast. So far, you have read about Dudde (Pumpkin) Idli and Tavshe (Cucumber) Idli . Here is another one - Rave Idli made of Semolina/Rava. This is especially made on auspicious occasions or fasts. Ingredients: Urad Dal/Split Black Gram - 1/2 cup Rava/Sooji/Semolina - 1 cup Baking Soda - 1/8 tsp (a pinch) Salt Oil How to cook Konkani Rave Idli: Soak Urad Dal for about 2 hours. Wash soaked dal well. Grind soaked dal with about 1 cup water to a smooth fine paste. Let the ground urad dal ferment overnight, preferably in a warm place.  Fermentation is not necessary. For instant idlis without fermentation, add more baking soda. Roast Rava at low flame until it turns aromatic, for 10 - 15 minutes. Let it cool. Grease the idli plates with little oil or cooking spray. Add the roasted rava, baking soda and salt to the fermented urad dal. Add enough water (about 1 cup) and mix well to remove lump...

Aloo Methi is a much liked combo in my family.  Earlier, I had blogged about Aloo Methi Paratha , Aloo Methi Pulav and Aloo Methi ki Sabji .  This time, I tried with pohe/beaten rice.  It turned out to be tasty and a good change from the regular Kande Batate Pohe.  You can also add peanuts, cashewnuts if you like. Ingredients: Thick Pohe/Parched/Beaten/Flattened Rice - 2 1/2 cups Methi/Fenugreek Leaves - a bunch Red Onion - 1 big Potato - 1 medium Green Chillies - 8 Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - few sprigs Curry Leaves - a sprig Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Sugar - 1/4 tsp Salt Oil - 3 tbsp Method: 1. Wash parched rice in water 2 - 3 times and drain the water after a minute.  Keep it aside for 15 - 20 minutes. 2. Wash curry leaves and pat them dry.  Julienne slice the onion and peeled potato.  Place diced potatoes in a bowl of water to avoid darkening.  Slit the g...

Ingredients: Semolina/Rava/Sooji - 1/2 cup Wheat Flour or All purpose flour (Maida) - 1/2 cup Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup Green chillies - 3 Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1 tsp Brown sugar or Sugar - 1/2 tsp Salt Oil Method: 1. In a mixing bowl, add semolina, wheat flour, coconut, finely chopped green chillies, cumin, brown sugar and salt. 2. Add about 1 1/2 cup water and mix well to avoid lumps.    3. Heat a pan and pour a ladle full of batter and spread it thin.  Drizzle oil and roast both sides till golden brown. 4. Serve instant dosa with chutney.

Solitary lunches are usually breakfast items for me, maybe Poha or Bread Omelette... something like that. What am I cooking for myself? Bread Masala! A wholesome and quick snack cum meal with veggies and nuts. Ingredients: Sliced Bread - 6 slices Onion - 1 medium Grated Carrots - about 1/2 cup Green Peas - 1/2 cup Curry Leaves/Kadipata - a sprig (optional) Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1/2 tsp Roasted Peanuts - 1/2 cup Turmeric/Haldi - 1/8 tsp Spanish Paprika - 1/4 tsp Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp Chat Masala - 1/4 tsp Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp Sugar - 1 tsp Oil - 3 tbsp Salt How to cook Bread Masala: Finely chop onions, peel and grate the carrots. Chop  the bread slices into small pieces.  Pat the curry leaves dry. Grind the roasted peanuts in a blender or a food processor to a slightly coarse powder. Heat 2 - 3 tbsp oil in a pan/skillet and add cumin seeds and curry leaves. After few seconds, add finely chopped onions. Sauté until ...

A simple breakfast recipe.  An instant Konkani pancake recipe made of rice flour. Ingredients: Rice Flour - 1 cup leveled Grated/Shredded Coconut - 3/4 cup Finely chopped Onions - 3/4 cup Green chillies - 8 Cilantro/Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup Finely chopped Ginger - 1 tsp Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1 tsp Water - 1 cup Salt Oil Method: 1. Finely chop onions, green chillies, ginger and cilantro. 2. Mix rice flour, chopped onions, green chillies, ginger, cilantro, cumin, grated coconut and salt.  Add about 1 cup water and mix all the ingredients well.  Use Coconut water if available. 3. Heat a pan/tawa. Spread a handful of the above mixture evenly as thin as possible using hands.  While spreading lowering the heat helps. 4. Drizzle little oil on top and at the sides.  Flip it after a minute or so and roast both sides till golden brown. 5. Rice Thaalipith is ready to serve.

Besan or Chickpea Flour or Gram Flour is an excellent substitute of eggs for vegans and vegetarians.  This is an egg free omlette recipe with a variety of veggies.  You can use carrots, tomatoes too. Ingredients: Besan/Gram flour/Chickpea flour - 1 cup Rice flour - 1/4 cup (optional) Cabbage - about 300 gms Onion - 1 big Green chillies - 8 Coriander/Cilantro leaves - 1/3 cup Salt Oil Method: 1. Finely chop onion, cabbage, green chillies and cilantro.   2. In a mixing bowl, add chopped veggies, chickpea flour, rice flour and salt.  Add about 1 cup water and mix all the ingredients well.  Add more water if required.  Consistency is like whisked omlette or dosa batter.  Mix well to remove lumps if any. 3. Heat a pan and add about 1/2 tsp oil.  Pour a ladle full of the batter and spread it evenly.  Add little more oil and roast both sides till golden brown. 4. Serve Besan Omlette with tomato ketchup or coriander ch...

When we talk of Indian flatbreads, the popular Tanduri Naan or Roti comes to our mind. Today's Konkani flatbread recipe is not made of wheat flour, but of cooked rice. This Bhakri recipe is similar to the unleavened flatbread made of Rice flour and/or Jowar flour, quite popular in Maharashtra. Ingredients: Cooked Rice - 1 cup Rice flour - about 2 cups Salt Oil How to cook Rice Bhakri: Grind cooked rice in the mixer adding little water. Add salt, rice flour and knead into a soft dough. Add more rice flour if required. You can also use leftover rice for this Bhakri recipe. Make round balls.  Roll each ball like chapati in between 2 food wrap sheets.  While rolling each bhakri, apply oil to the plastic to avoid sticking. Traditionally, banana leaf is used to roll this bhakri. Instead of rolling pin, you can spread the dough ball with hands. Roast bhakri on a tawa/griddle drizzling little oil.  Serve Bhakri with a chutney or a sp...

Easy and quick pancakes made of Semolina and Cucumber. A Konkani recipe which is like thaalipith and also known as Sajjige Roti in Kannada. Ingredients: Semolina/Rava/Sooji - 1 1/4 cups Grated Coconut - about 1 cup Grated Cucumber - about 1/2 cup Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1 tsp Chopped Green Chilies - 4 Water - 1 cup Sugar - 1/2 tsp Salt - about 1/2 tsp Oil How to cook Konkani Rave Bhakri: Mix all the above ingredients except oil in a mixing bowl. Let it rest for 5 - 10 minutes. Soaking semolina for a longer time will make the pancakes too soft and not crisp. Add coconut water if available, enhances its taste. Heat a pan/tawa, add few drops of oil. Spread a handful of the above mixture evenly as thin as possible with hands. While spreading lowering the heat helps.  Flip it after a minute or when the edges dry. Drizzle few drops of oil all over the pancake and roast it till golden brown on both sides. Rave Bhakri is ready to binge. If the pancake ...

Sasam is the Konkani name for Mustard seeds .  Dodak is thick, unfermented  dosa made of urad dal and semolina.  Authentically, Sasama Dhodak is made in a bowl shaped pan/Kadhai.  I tried it using a regular nonstick pan. You can change the amount of Semolina and Urad dal as per your choice.  Too much Semolina will make the dosa hard.  You can also ferment the ground urad dal like a regular dosa, but do not add semolina and other ingredients for fermentation. Ingredients: Urad dal/Split Black Gram - 1 cup Rava/Sooji/Semolina - 1 1/2 cup Ginger - 1/2 inch piece Green Chillies - 8 Coconut Slices - about 1/2 cup Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1 tsp Mustard Seeds Salt Oil Method: 1. Soak urad dal in water for 30 - 45 min.  2. Wash urad dal well.  Grind urad dal and green chillies into a fine paste. 3. Add semolina, salt, finely chopped ginger, cumin seeds and coconut slices to the batter. 4. Add water to soak the semolina...

Uttappa or Uttappam is a South Indian gluten free savory pancake made of lentils and rice. Like an Italian pizza, it can be topped with multiple veggies - onions, tomatoes, green chilies, cilantro. Onions and carrots are my favorite toppings for this delicious pancake. Nowadays, cheese is also added as a topping. Ingredients: Idli Rice or Medium Grain Rice - 1 cup Urad dal/Split Black Gram - 1/3 cup Methi/Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp Cilantro/Coriander Leaves Green Chilies (optional) Onions Carrots Salt Oil How to cook South Indian Uttappam: Soak rice and urad dal separately for 4 - 5 hours. Soak Methi seeds with rice. Wash rice and urad dal. Grind urad dal to a very fine paste and rice slightly coarse, like semolina. Mix ground rice, ground urad dal, salt and ferment it overnight. The batter consistency is thinner than idli batter.  The batter will rise almost to its double after fermentation. Finely chop onions, green chilies, cilantro and c...

Dosas are always welcome in my family.. and crispy dosas top the list. Ingredients: Rice - 3 cups Mung Dal/Split Green Gram - 1 cup Chana Dal/Split Chickpeas - 1 cup Urad Dal/Split Black Gram - 1 cup Curd/Yogurt - 5 tbsp Methi/Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp Salt Oil Method: 1. Soak rice and dals separately for 4 - 5 hours.  Add methi seeds with rice for soaking.  Wash the soaked dals and rice well. 2. Grind the dals and curd to a very fine paste.  Add more curd if required.  Grind rice slightly coarse, like Rava/Semolina. 3. Mix ground dals and ground rice, add salt and ferment it overnight. 4. Heat a pan and pour a ladle full of batter and spread it very thin.  Drizzle oil and roast both sides.  Serve crispy Dal dosa with chutney.

This is a dosa/crepe well known as  Pesarattu in Andhra Pradesh.   A crisp dosa made of whole Mung Bean and rice. Ingredients: Mung/Whole Green Gram - 1 cup Medium Grain Rice or Idli Rice - 1 cup Salt Oil How to cook Andhra Pesarattu Dosa: 1. Wash rice and mung with water and soak them together for 5 - 6 hours. 2. Grind soaked rice and mung into a fine paste.  Batter consistency is same as masala dosa.  Add salt and ferment it overnight. 3. Heat a pan and spread a ladle full of batter into a thin circular dosa.  Drizzle little oil and roast both sides till crisp.  Serve hot Mung Pesrattu with Coconut Chutney and/or Potato Bhaji .