I started this blog because I am so interested in adapting traditional Indian recipes to make them healthier, tastier and easier-to-make. During the course of my writings, I have started to solicit reader recipes, since many minds work better than one! Here is a post written by my mother, Madhuram – recipe courtesy, my sister, Indu Sundaresan, author of four books – “The Twentieth wife“, “The Feast of Roses“, “The Splendor of Silence” and “In the Convent of Little Flowers” with a fifth on the way.
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Every culture in the world has some sort of crepe or pancake in its recipe repertoire. In South India, it is the ‘dosa.’ Served in almost all Indian restaurants the world over, the dosa is a fermented batter of rice and a dal (lentils), served usually with sambar (a stew of vegetables and lentils) and different types of chutneys.

When I was young, my brothers and sisters (I come from a family of 10 children!) would wait eagerly by the stove as our mother or grandmother made us piping hot dosas, swept off the pan, crisp, golden and crunchy. When I had children, and learned to cook, dosas were a favorite Sunday treat for them.

Now my daughters make this for their children and below is a recipe concocted by my daughter Indu—more tasty and nutritious than the usual recipe—for her daughter.

The original recipe has only two grains in it—rice and urad dal (black lentils). My daughter’s recipe has five grains to increase the nutrition content of the original dosa—white rice, brown rice, mung dal and whole urad dal and pearl barley in center (shown below, clockwise from white rice on top right corner).

Brown rice is a good source of minerals such as manganese, magnesium, also contains Niacin and has a lower glycemic index than white rice. Barley is loaded with fiber, has no sodium, is very rich in iron and has hardly any fat. Mung dal (split yellow lentils) is rich in protein, dietary fiber and minerals like magnesium, phosphorous and potassium, and urad dal is full of protein.

Here’s the recipe for this Penta-grain Dosa. This can be served with any chutney or even folded with scrambled eggs, or spread with cream cheese, or hummus, or stuffed with mashed potatoes.

Here is what you need:

1/2 cup white rice
1/2 cup brown rice
1/4 cup pearl barley
1 1/4 cup yellow mung dal (equal to the mixture of the brown and whiter rice and barley)
3/4 cup whole urad dal (husked black lentils)
3/4 tsp salt

This will make about 12 to 15 dosas of about 8″diameter. If lesser quantity is needed, use less ingredients, but in the same proportions.

Here is how you make the batter:

Combine the white and brown rice, barley and mung dal in a big bowl and fill with water. Swirl water around and drain to wash the grains. Repeat twice more until water runs clean. Then fill enough water in the bowl to cover about 2 inches above the grains, and let the mixture rest thus overnight.

Put the urad dal in a separate bowl and follow the washing and soaking instructions as above. Fill the bowl with water at the end and let it rest overnight also.

In a blender, grind the first grain mixture with a little water—should grind fine and to a thick batter consistency. Set aside in a large steel bowl or an oven-proof deep dish.

Grind the urad dal with some water also, again to a thick batter consistency. Stir in the urad dal batter with the grain batter. Mix well. Add ¾ to 1 tsp of salt and mix again.

Here is how you ferment the batter:

If the kitchen/room temperature is below 70 degrees F, heat oven to 140 degrees, switch it off, let cool awhile until inside of oven is warm and set the batter bowl inside. Make sure you cover the bowl well with aluminum foil or an oven-proof lid.

Let the batter ferment for 6-8 hours. Upon uncovering the bowl, the batter should have risen an inch or so and become foamy on the top.

This batter can now be refrigerated and used when wanted, or used immediately.

Here is how you make the dosas:
Heat a frying pan or a pancake griddle until hot (but not smoking). Pour a big ladleful of the batter and spread immediately into every widening circles with the flat side of the ladle.

Drizzle a little oil around the edges of the dosa and a little in the center. Keep the flame on a medium to medium high so that the dosa does not burn. When the edges begin to look golden and curl up from the pan slightly (about a minute or so), flip the dosa over to cook the other side for another minute or so.

Take off the griddle—the dosa should be crisp and gold on the edges, a little softer in the middle. Serve with coconut chutney, spicy tomato chutney, sambar, or any of the other accompaniments suggested above.  Enjoy!

Sunday mornings are meant to be for lazing, relaxing and recuperating after a strenuous week. And so it was almost a family tradition that Sunday breakfasts were eaten out. It seems like Sunday breakfasts at restaurants is a family tradition for many, because the restaurants I frequent are filled to bursting on Sundays.

When I used to live in India, our Sunday breakfasts consisted of Idly (Steamed rice cakes) and Vadai (Crispy fried lentil doughnuts!) served with Coconut chutney, Sambar (Spicy tamarind lentil sauce) and a spicy tomato onion chutney. We used to stand in line for a table at some of the popular joints in Chennai for this breakfast. By the time we finished, it was usually noon and we would be replete and more than ready for a siesta. I know, I know, eating heavy meals and sleeping it off sounds indolent and slothful, but I do think that we sometimes need days like this when we do nothing other than eat and sleep!

Since we moved to the US, Idly-Vadai-Sambar-Chutney is a distant dream, unless I am willing to spend a couple of hours in the kitchen preparing all this. So, we’ve substituted our Indian breakfast with our 2nd favorite breakfast, the Omlette. There are many mom and pop or family restaurants sprinkled all around the US, where you can get a delicious omlette. The scene  is pretty much the same: you have to wait in line for a table at some of the good restaurants. The difference between the breakfasts, though, is that for one, it is relatively simple and quick to make an omelette at home, while, like I mentioned before, the Idly-Vadai is quite a big production of pre-preparation. In addition, the cost of an Omlette breakfast in a restaurant can run into nearly $6 or $7 per person, while the effort of making an Idly-Vadai breakfast will easily justify the cost of eating this meal at a restaurant.

So, continuing with our series of Cooking on a Shoestring Budget, try out this Fusion Omlette at home. Breakfast can be served within 10 minutes, you can control the butter in the dish and best of all, the whole breakfast, including coffee, will cost less than $1.50 per person.

Here is what you need:
2 eggs or 2 egg whites and 1 yolk
1/4 red onion (chopped fine)
1/4 green pepper (chopped fine)
1 green chili (chopped fine)
couple of sprigs of cilantro (washed and snipped fine)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
Pinch turmeric powder
Grated cheese (optional)

Here is how you make this:
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. In a bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric beater until frothy. Add salt, pepper and turmeric powder and yolks. Beat for a few more minutes.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. When the oil is hot, add the beaten egg. Sprinkle chopped onion, green pepper, green chili and cilantro. Sprinkle cheese if desired. Cook on one side and fold over and cook the other side.

Remove from pan and serve with pan-toasted whole wheat or 7 grain bread.

Cost:
2 eggs: $0.20
Oil : $0.10
Filling (veggies): $0.20
Cheese: $0.05
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Total : $0.55

Add a couple of slices bread and coffee and your meal is less than $1.50! Better still, use organic or cage-free eggs and your meal is still much less than a restaurant breakfast.

Rice flakes, or Poha, as it is called in Hindi, is one of my husband’s favorite breakfast dishes. It is also my favorite dish, simply because it is very very quick and easy to put together on a busy morning and it can also be made healthy and fulfilling by throwing in some crunchy vegetables, as I am usually apt to do. This is also a favorite dish in Western India – my friends from Mumbai make this often for breakfast. The Maharashtrians usually add roasted peanuts for garnish and it tastes simply fantastic with that garnish too.

Here is the all time favorite Poha, made with very little oil. This dish takes just 10 minutes to whip up. Enjoy!

Here is what you need:

1 cup Rice Flakes or Poha
1/2 small chopped onion
4-5 green beans cut into 1″ pieces
1 jalapeno slit
1 habanero slit
1″ piece grated ginger
1/4 chopped green pepper
1/4 chopped red pepper
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp lemon juice
water to moisten the rice flakes
3 tsp olive oil
Here’s how you make this:
Add about 2-3 tbsp water to the rice flakes until just moist (be careful to not add too much water – it will get soggy). Set aside for 5 minutes and chop the vegetables in the meantime.

Heat oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add 1 tsp black mustard seeds. Wait until the seeds pop and add chopped jalapeno and habanero and the grated ginger. Roast for about 20 seconds and add chopped onions. Stir fry for a minute and add the green beans. Fry for another minute. Now add the chopped peppers. Stir fry for another 30 seconds. Now add the moistened rice flakes, salt and turmeric powder. Stir fry for another minute. Take off the fire and sprinkle lemon juice.

If you like it the Maharashtrian way, garnish with roasted and coarsely chopped peanuts. Serve hot.

Serves 2.

Now that the world seems to be upside down and we are all focused on the economy, it seems to be a fantastic time to talk about abundance, so we can put the economic crisis behind us. Like the author of The Secret tells us, we get what we focus on, so let’s all focus on PONGAL!

Pongal is also the name of the dish that is made on Pongal day. Traditionally, it is made sweetened with jaggery (molasses) and eaten as a dessert. But, there is a breakfast version of this dish that I am now going to share. The sweet version of pongal is called “Chakkarai pongal” or sweet pongal – duh! The breakfast version, is called “Venn pongal” or white pongal and it is usually made with white rice.

Ever since my foray into the unrefined carbohydrate world, I have looked to see where I could substitute brown rice for white and this experiment of changing “Venn pongal” to Brown rice Venn pongal has been a great success with my family!

Try it – it is simple to make, easy on the stomach, has the right mix of unrefined carbs and protein (from the lentils) and the touch of ginger turns this simple dish into a delicious, aromatic, epicurean delight.

Here’s what you will need:

2/3 cup brown rice
1/3 cup yellow split moong lentils (the ones with the peel removed)
1 1/2 – 2 cups water
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 pinch asofoetida powder (optional)
1 tsp salt
2 dry red chili (broken into smaller pieces)
3 tsp chopped ginger
4 tsp or less cashews (chopped)
1 1/2 tsp Olive oil

To make:

Heat a pan and dry roast the yellow moong lentils until they become aromatic – for about 3-4 minutes. Stir constantly to ensure the lentils do not burn. Remove from fire. Now add the brown rice and dry roast – another 3-4 minutes. Remove from fire.

Mix in the rice and lentils. Add the water (I have provided 2 different ratios for water- add 1 1/2 cups if you like the rice dry and the grains firm, or add 2 cups water if you like the pongal mushy). Cook until all the water is absorbed. Set aside.

In a pan, heat oil. Add the chopped cashews and fry until golden brown. Remove from fire and set aside. Now add the cumin seeds into the same warm oil and stir fry until golden brown. Add the red chili and fry a minute more. Now add the asofoetida powder and immediately add the chopped ginger. Saute for another minute. Now add the cooked rice lentil mixture and salt and mix thoroughly.

Remove and garnish with fried cashews.
Serve hot with Red pepper gotsu or Peanut chutney.
Serves 2.

Since I had ruined my good eating habits by succumbing to the sinful Bread Roll yesterday, I was anxious to get back on track with a healthy brunch for my family. The first that springs to mind is a fabulously filling, sumptuous, wonderfully holier-than-thou dish – the great Pesarattu!

Crepes are a dish of pride, not just for the French but also for South Indians. We call it the “dosa” and it is ubiquitously enjoyed all over India. Dosa, with its accompaniments of Sambar (a spicy lentil soup) and chutney (coconut and dal dip) is South India’s most favorite dish. If you ever visit Chennai, India’s southern metropole, you will find all kinds of dosas, all sizes of dosas at prices ranging from a couple of rupees to nearly Rs. 200, served in every imaginable place – the street side carts, the middle class Saravana Bhavan and Woodlands and even in the upper crust Taj Coromandel.

The Pesarattu is the dosas’ cousin from our neighboring state Andhra Pradesh. It is healthier than the dosa – I make it completely with green Moong dal and I cook it in a non-stick pan with very little oil. Here’s how:

1 cup green Moong dal
2 dry red chili
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped green cabbage
1/2 cup chopped onion

Soak the Moong dal overnight – cover it with enough water to ensure that the beans dont swell and rise above the water. In the morning, place the Moong along with some of the water and blend to a fine paste along with the red chili and salt. See picture for the consistency of the dough. Now add the chopped cabbage and chopped onion into the mixture.

Heat a non-stick pan to medium heat. Pour in one ladle ful of the green moong mixture on the hot pan and spread thinly. Add a couple of drops of olive oil around edges of the pesarattu. Cook for a couple of minutes and try to pry it loose at one end. If it comes out easily, then slip a spatula under it and flip it over to cook the other side. If not, wait for another minute then flip it over. Cook both sides and serve hot with any chutney or ketchup. You can store the extra dough in the fridge for upto 3 days.

Tis a truth, universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a large fortune must be in need of a wife! – so wrote Jane Austen in the opening lines of her famous “Pride and Prejudice”.

With that in mind, I started breakfast today – I mulled over what was in my larder and decided to make the very basic Upma – a steaming hot, satisfyingly filling, rice semolina concoction, which is one of the very first dishes taught to a young girl who is being groomed to cook in her in-laws joint family kitchen after marriage. All I had seen was a bland, oatmeal kinda dish – yummy, nonetheless, cause my mother is a chef non pariel. She would whip this dish with chopped onions, a bit of chopped ginger and it would taste just fantastic.

But I always have to go a step further and make it a healthy meal, so here’s what I decided to put into the dish:
Semolina: 1 cup
Carrot: 1/2 finely grated
Green pepper: 1/2 finely chopped
Onion: 1 finely chopped
Ginger root: small piece finely grated
Potato: 1/2 finely chopped
Chili: 1 red
Water: 2 cups
Oil: 1 tsp
Black mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp

As I started to cook this meal, I got a call from a friend in India. Normally, I cannot multi task while cooking because I need to concentrate, but since this dish (remember, I had mentioned that this is one the first dishes a young girl learns to make?) was something I could make while blindfolded, I continued to talk and cook.

First, I roasted the semolina in the dry, hot pan with no oil.
See picture on the right. Then I removed it from the pan and dropped in the oil. Waited until the oil was hot to drop in the mustard seeds. When the seeds crackled, in came the chopped onions, red chili, grated ginger and chopped potatoes. Few minutes until the potatoes cooked, turned down the heat and added 2 cups of water. Added salt and waited for the water to boil. Once the water boiled, added the roasted semolina in slowly until all the water was absorbed. Now added the chopped green peppers, and closed the dish to let the green pepper partially cook in the steam. 2 more minutes, and this dish is done – add the grated carrot and here it is – a heart-healthy, low-fat, satisfying, breakfast dish – just eat it- you need no accompaniments with this.

We had been to a Thai place a couple of days ago and ordered a Coconut soup. Looked yummy when it was served, but the cook had had a free hand at the salt – so the dish was too salty.  As usual, unless it is very unpalatable, we do not return the dishes, so we ate as much as we could and packed the rest.  So, there it was – a salty coconut soup flavored with sliced ginger root and mushrooms, great accompaniment for the dosa but unedible all the same.

I told my son I would fix it but it was already too watery for the time-honored way to reduce salt in a dish – just add water and heat.  So I added a teaspoonful of the organic brown rice flour I had bought some time ago and heated the dish in the microwave for about 2 minutes until it was boiling. Took it out, stirred and added more water and heated it for another minute. It was a perfectly fine – the salt had toned down, the consistency was just right and it was perfect with the crisp dosas.