How to make Homemade Crispy Rava Masala Dosa | Suji Dosa | Semolina Dosa

Rava Masala Dosa is a thin crispy dosa with semolina, rice flour, all purpose flour, whisk curd and other ingredients. It's an instant dosa recipe which does not require fermentation.

Dosa is the most popular South Indian dish which is eaten on a daily basis for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is eaten with Sambhar, and Chutneys like Mint, Coconut, Peanut, Tomato Onion, etc. It is just not eaten in southern but eaten in every part of our country.

Well, there are different types of dosas like Masala Dosa, Rava Masala Dosa, Sada Dosa, Mysore Masala Dosa, Moong Dosa etc.

Here I'm making my favorite Instant Rava Dosa which you can make in 40-45 minutes and it taste delicious.

The dosa batter is made with semolina, rice flour, all purpose flour, whisk curd, salt, cumin seeds, black pepper. Add eno after 15 minutes, and water again. If your batter becomes very thick you can add more water until it becomes thin.

Adding onion tomato filling in the rava dosa is totally  optional. If you making without any filling or Masala just make sure to add more water in the dosa batter.

You can make filling of your choice, add anything which you like to eat. And fill the Masala in the dosa till it turns crisp or golden brown. 

I recommend you all just try this delicious recipe. This Dosa recipe is made for 8-10 people.

Dosa Batter

1. Combine semolina, rice flour, all purpose flour, whisk curd, and 1/2 cup of water in a deep bowl and mix it well.

2. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. Add cumin seeds, black pepper add salt. Whisk again and mix 1½ - 2 to 1 cup of water. Be careful while adding the water in the batter and adjust the consistency to get the smooth texture.

3. Add 1/2 tbsp of eno in the batter and mix it well.

Onion Potato Filling (Masala)

1. Heat the oil in the pan. Add in the mustard seeds let it splutter. Add chopped garlic and grated ginger. Sauté until it tell fragrant for around 1 minute. Add in the curry leaves and mix it well.

2. Than add 2 chopped onions till it turns translucent or for 4-5 minutes.

3. Add in the mashed potatoes and mix it well. Sauté it for 3-5 minutes

4. Add in the Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, chopped green chilli, Salt to taste and mix it well. Sauté for 2-4 minutes.

5. Add in the cilantro leaves mix on medium flame for a minute. Switch off the flame and the onion potato filling is ready.

Prepare the Dosa and add the Onion Potato Filling (Masala)

1.  Grease the tawa with oil. Heat the pan on medium flame. Pour 1/2 cup of dosa batter on in the circular manner and cook it on the medium flame. Put the oil outside the corners of the dosa.

2. Flip the dosa till it turns golden brown from one side.

3. Add onion potato filling (masala) in the dosa fold over from both the sides. Spread oil once again outside the corner until crisp.

4. Serve hot with Sambhar, coconut chutney, Tomato, onion chutney or mint chutney.

If you are interested in checking out more delicious and hearty recipes check out my other recipes like 

 

Medu Vada

Sambhar

Coconut Chutney

Mint chutney 

Onion-tomato chutney

Peanut Chutney

How to make Homemade Crispy Rava Masala Dosa | Suji Dosa | Semolina Dosa

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 12-15 Dosa
Author: The Food Root

Ingredients

 

For making the Dosa Batter

1 cup semolina, finely coarsed
1/2 cup rice flour
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup whisk curd
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp crushed black bepper
Salt to taste
1½ - 2 cups water
1/2 tbsp Eno

For Onion Potato Filling (Masala)

4 tbsp Oil
2 Onions, chopped
4 Boiled Potatoes, mashed
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1/4 tbsp turmeric powder
1 green chilli, chopped
1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
1 inch ginger, grated
4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
handful of curry leaves
handful of coriander leaves
salt to taste

Dosa Batter

1. Combine semolina, rice flour, all purpose flour, whisk curd, and 1/2 cup of water in a deep bowl and mix it well.

2. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. Add cumin seeds, black pepper and salt. Whisk again and mix around 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water. Be careful while adding the water in the batter and adjust the consistency to get the smooth texture.

3. Add 1/2 tbsp of eno in the batter and mix it well.

Onion Potato Filling (Masala)

1. Heat the oil in the pan. Add in the mustard seeds let it splutter. Add chopped garlic and grated ginger. Sauté until it tell fragrant for around 1 minute. Add in the curry leaves and mix it well.

2. Than add 2 chopped onions till it turns translucent or for 4-5 minutes.

3. Add in the mashed potatoes and mix it well. Sauté it for 3-5 minutes

4. Add in the Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, chopped green chilli, Salt to taste and mix it well. Sauté for 2-4 minutes.

5. Add in the cilantro leaves mix on medium flame for a minute. Switch off the flame and the onion potato filling is ready.

Prepare the Dosa and add the Onion Potato Filling (Masala)

1. Grease the tawa with oil. Heat the pan on medium flame.

2. Pour 1/2 cup of dosa batter on in the circular manner and cook it on the medium flame. Put the oil outside the corners of the dosa.

3. Flip the dosa till it turns golden brown from one side. 

4. Add onion potato filling (masala) in the dosa fold over from both the sides. Spread oil once again outside the corner until crisp.

5. Serve hot with Sambhar, coconut chutney, Tomato, onion chutney or mint chutney.

Notes

1. If your batter becomes very thick, you can adjust it by adding water.

2. Adding cumin seeds and black pepper in the batter is an optional.

3. Infact adding onion tomato filling in the rava dosa is also optional.

4. If you making without any filling or Masala just make sure to add more water in the batter.

5. You can make filling of your choice, add anything which you like to eat. And fill the Masala in the dosa till it turns crisp or golden brown.

5. Using the right kind of tawa or iron skillet is very important to make a good tawa so that it doesn't stick on the tawa.

Healthy Pav Bhaji | How To Make Healthy Pav Bhaji

 

The delicious healthy Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a delicious combination of thick vegetables which are mashed together and served with Pav also known as buns.

 

‘Pav’ means buns and ‘Bhaji' means vegetable dish, and are eaten together. Pav Bhaji is the most comforting and hearty meal and is worth enjoying any time of the day. This dish is much loved in the Maharashtra region of India.

It is extremely flavorful dish and is served in almost all the restaurants and food joints, streets, canteens across the country. It’s the most famous street food in India.

Well, I’m making the healthy version of Pav Bhaji. It taste exactly like the street version which includes lots of vegetables rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

It’s an all time favorite staple at our home. Make this bhaji with whatever veggies that are available in the season. Since mine is healthy version, and I wanted green veggies for my Bhaji, thankfully it was available in the season.

To make the healthy version of Pav Bhaji, I added all the green veggies like cauliflower, lauki (bottle gourd), tinda (ridge gourd), torai (apple gourd), brinjal, green beans. Carrots and beetroot for color and potatoes for taste. 

It is highly nutritious because green veggies contains lots of iron and protein. It's a wonderfully delicious and nutritious dish. It's rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

Making healthy Pav Bhaji is also a great idea for kids since they run away from green veggies. Your kids will definitely have a smiley face after tasting this and than gobble it up for sure.

Pressure cook all the veggies, mash them with a masher. Sauté onions in a pan and prepare the tomatoes puree, add all the green veggies, mix and a dollop of butter on the top with some fresh chopped onions and lemon juice to make the Bhaji delicious and serve along with pav or buns. Cut the buns from between and toast it on pan with butter from both the sides.

You can also add Kashmiri Lal mirch and Pav Bhaji Masala to give a nice red color. But I substituted it with cumin powder or homemade Masala powder.

The Pav are toasted in butter and are eaten along with Bhaji. The taste, aroma, flavors are super delicious so do give it a try.

You can pin this recipe if you like it.

HEALTHY PAV BHAJI | How To Make Healthy Pav Bhaji

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6 People

Author: The Food Root 

Ingredients

For cooking Bhaaji

2 cups of water

1/2 size Lauki (bottle gourd)

3 medium size Tinda (ridge gourd)

3-4 medium size Torai (apple gourd)

1/2 cup French beans

1/2 cup cauliflower florets

1/2 cup Green peas

1 Beetroot (optional)

1 small Brinjal

4 medium size Carrots

4-5 medium size Potatoes

For Tempering

2 tbsp - clarified butter

2 tbsp - butter

pinch of asafoetida

1/2 tbsp - crushed cumin seeds

1 inch long - ginger, grated

5-6 garlic cloves, chopped

3 medium size onions

4-5 medium size tomatoes

1 Capsicum

3 green chillies, chopped

2 medium size onions - chopped

4 medium size tomatoes - chopped

1/2 tbsp - Red chili powder

1/2 tbsp - Turmeric powder

1/2 tbsp - Coriander powder

1/2 tbsp Garam masala

1/2 tbsp - Mango powder

1 1/2 - Salt to taste

chopped coriander leaves

For Serving

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

2 lemon wedges

For the Buns

8-10 Pav (Buns)

4-5 Butter

Method

1. Chop all the veggies : Rinse, peel and chop all the veggies like potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, apple gourd, brinjal, green beans, beetroot and add them in the pressure cooker.

2. Pressure cook all the veggies : Add 2 cups of water. Pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles on medium flame.

3. Mash the Bhaji : Switch off the flame and remove it. Wait for the pressure to release completely before opening the cooker. Next, open the lid and mash the bhaaji with wooden or aloo masher. Do not make a smooth paste, coarsely mash it.

4. Sauté onions and garlic in a pan : Heat 2 big tbsp of clarified butter or oil and 2 tbsp of butter. Add cumin seeds and a pinch of asafoetida powder. After it crackles, add finely chopped garlic cloves, add grated ginger and fry them for 40-50 seconds. Next, add chopped onions and stir it. Keep stirring and adjusting the flame so that onions cook slightly golden brown.

5. Prepare the tomato puree tempering : Add chopped tomatoes and sauté it for around on 7-8 minutes on low-medium flame. Next, add the spices - Red chili powder, Turmeric powder, Coriander powder, Mango powder and Salt to taste. Stir it well. Let the mixture cook, till the oil separates.

6. Add the cooked bhaaji in the pan : Now add the cooked bhaji in the pan. Add hot water if needed to adjust the consistency. Stir it for another 8-10 minutes on low/medium flame. Add garam masala and mix it well. Add 1/2 cup of green peas. Add 2 tbsp of butter and mix it well. Garnish with coriander leaves. Turn off the heat and remove it.

7. For the Pav : Slit the Pav or buns horizontally with knife on low flame. Heat butter on the frying pan and place the Pav, toast it for 1 or 2 mins from both sides until it’s slightly crisp.

8. Serve and Garnish : Now, transfer the bhaji to a serving bowl and serve the Bhaji. Since it is so much healthier just top it with butter on Bhaji. Serve bhaji with Pav or Buns and enjoy it with onions, lemons.

Notes

You can also add Kashmiri Lal mirch and Pav Bhaji Masala to give a nice red color.

You can also add Garam Masala and Red Chilli Powder which is normally available in all the super markets instead of Kashmiri Lal Mirch and Pav Bhaji Masala.

Tropical Sunshine Smoothie

Tropical Smoothie Bowl

It's Mango Season!!! It's that glorious time of the year, where shops and markets are flooded with fresh and juicy mangoes. It's a great time to experiment new recipes with fresh seasonal fruits, so if you get your hands on some, stop yourself from eating them all plain and make a smoothie instead.

Beat the heat on a hot summer day and hydrate yourself with a cool smoothie, filled with frozen mango, banana and orange juice! This fresh fruit smoothie provides you with essential vitamins and minerals. They are a great way to nourish your body with nutrients and are a healthy addition to your daily diet.

This smoothie is vegan, gluten free, guilt free and absolutely delicious! A spoonful of this tropical smoothie taste anything like sunshine. This smoothie is my favorite because of its luscious, creamy texture and wonderful flavor.

This smoothie will refresh and rejuvenate your day. It's very simple and a delicious recipe, you can have this smoothie at any time of the day. It's low in sugar and perfect for a morning breakfast.

The tropical flavors of this sunshine smoothie is refreshing. It's very healthy for breakfast and quick enough for a dessert. This delicious smoothie can be made in less than 5 minutes. It is one of the reasons, i like it so much. All you need is blender, your favorite fruits and milk.

Start with a base, like a banana, then add frozen mango chunks and orange juice in a blender. Add 1 cup of milk. There are varieties of milk to add like coconut, almond, soy or hemp milk. I added coconut milk. It gives a nice creaminess, nutty flavor and a sweet taste to the smoothie. You can also add greek yogurt, if you want. Add sugar or your favorite sweetener. I added honey. Blend all these ingredients in a blender, until smooth and serve. Decorate with your choice of nuts and seeds, and, enjoy your tropical sunshine smoothie bowl.

Treat yourself with this delicious and easy smoothie and let me know how you like it in the comments below. You can also follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe by email so you don't miss any of our new recipes. Enjoy and have a bright sunshine day! ☀️

Sunshine Smoothie Recipe

Serves: 2 people
Preparation time: 2 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Author: The Food Root

Ingredients

1 cup ripe banana 

1 cup mango chunks, frozen

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup coconut milk (use more or less depending on how thick or thin you like it)

1 tbsp honey or your favorite sweetener, if needed

A handful of ice cubes

Garnish with your choice of fruits, nuts and seeds

I added -

2 cashews, crushed

2 walnuts, crushed

1 tbsp cantaloupe seeds

1 tbsp buchanania lanzan seeds

Method

1. Place all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

2. Pour the smoothie in a bowl and garnish it with toppings like nuts and seeds. Serve and enjoy your tropical sunshine smoothie!

Notes

1. If you prefer a thicker consistency, use less liquid. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a little more liquid.

2. If you want to keep your smoothie vegan and gluten-free, you can add coconut, almond, soy or hemp milk.

3. You can garnish your smoothie bowl with your choice of fruits, nuts and seeds.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA SALAD

Brighten your day with this fresh and colorful Mediterranean chickpea salad - packed with nutrients and taste! Filled with cooked chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, fresh beets and tossed in a vinaigrette flavored dressing with cumin and dijon. This recipe is completely vegan and gluten-free. Lately I've been a bit obsessed with chickpeas salads. This Mediterranean Chickpeas salad was a pure bliss. It has all my favorite Mediterranean flavors. It's super addictive and super satisfying!

Chickpeas are used in varieties of vegetarian recipes and are mostly added in Indian, Mediterranean and South American cuisines. They are very versatile and easy to cook. They can be added in salads, dips, soups, curries, ground into a flour to make variety of snacks like falafel, fritters, sev, boondi, and many more. Chickpeas are one of the best sources of protein, carbohydrates and fiber. 1 cup of cooked beans = 15 grams of protein


To prepare the chickpeas, soak the beans overnight or quick soak for about 4 hours. Add salt, water and pressure cook it for 15 minutes, over medium-high heat. When done, drain the chickpeas in a strainer and let it cool for a while. I usually cook the whole bag of chickpeas (500 grams) at once and use them up within a week. These are much more tastier and healthier than the canned one's.

This salad is particularly delicious if served when chickpeas are slightly warm. If it has been refrigerated, just be sure to allow it to come to room temperature before serving. To make this salad, you can cook chickpeas ahead of time. This salad has an endless combinations. You can pretty much throw in whatever you like. I love beets, cherry tomatoes and cucumber so I added that. Make a simple vinaigrette dressing, drizzle over the top and toss it well. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately! 

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA SALAD

Serves: 2-3 people
Soaking time: 4-5 hours
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Author: The Food Root

INGREDIENTS

1 cup or 200 grams dried white chickpeas (kabuli chana or safed chole)
2 medium size tomato, chopped
1 medium size cucumber, chopped
1 small size beetroot, grated
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt or as per taste 

For the Dressing 

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or apple cider, black wine, balsamic, rice)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon cumin, roasted
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar or honey

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook chickpeas : Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight, or quick soak for about 4 hours in enough water. Drain the water, rinse it again with cold water. Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt and 2 cups of water and pressure cook it for around 15 minutes, over medium-high heat. When done, remove from heat and let it cool for sometime. Drain the chickpeas in a strainer and keep it aside. You can also refrigerate it for a while.

2. Chop raw veggies : Chop your favorite raw veggies and refrigerate until they are ready to use. You can pretty much throw in whatever you like. I added cherry tomatoes, cucumber and garnished it with fresh beetroots.

3. Prepare the dressing : Whisk all the ingredients - (olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, cumin, lime juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, sugar or honey) in a bowl until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The dressing keeps well for 3-4 days.

4. Assemble : In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, tomatoes and cucumber. Pour Cumin-Dijon flavored vinaigrette dressing over the top and toss it well. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish it with grated beets. Serve immediately! Enjoy!

NOTES

1. Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight, or quick soak for about 4 hours in enough water.
2. Chop your favorite raw veggies and refrigerate until they are ready to use.
3. You can make generous amount of dressing and keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
4. Whisk the vinaigrette 2-3 times, before serving.
5. This salad is particularly delicious if served when chickpeas are slightly warm.
6. If the chickpeas has been refrigerated, just be sure to allow it to come to room temperature before serving.

MEDU VADA - THE INDIAN SAVORY DOUGHNUT

Mornings get so much better when Mom pampers with piping hot Medu Vadas aka The Indian Savory Doughnuts with coconut, coriander and tomato onion chutney.

Medu vadas are one of the most famous breakfast item across South India. They are made by split black lentils (urad dal) batter and deep-fried in a doughnut shape savory fritters. They are crunchy and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Medu vadas are an extremely delicious recipe for a breakfast, lunch or any kind of occasion. They can be enjoyed with variation of dips, lentils based vegetable stew (sambar) or even a cup of hot tea!

I grew up eating Medu vadas and nothing can supersede it. It's a staple food in our family. As a kid, my parents took me to 'Indian Coffee House', quite frequently and now we have a weekend ritual of dining out to the nearest 'Sagar Restaurant'. I have fond memories of gorging on idlis, utthapam, dosas but medu vadas remains my favorite. Yesterday, my Mom surprised us with these delicious medu vadas. It was raining most of the weekend here, so we enjoyed it even more.

Medu vadas are made by split black lentils (urad dal) batter. Wash the urad dal, soak them into the water for about 2-3 hours and grind into a coarse paste. Add the spices and veggies just 10 minutes before frying the batter and enjoy your crunchy and delicious medu vadas with coconut, coriander, tomato onion chutney and hot tea!

Do try this recipe, I would love to hear how it turns out for you!

Click the link on other South Indian dishes like:

Rava Dosa

Sambhar

Coconut Chutney

Mint chutney 

Peanut chutney 

Onion-tomato chutney

MEDU VADA - THE INDIAN SAVORY DOUGHNUT

Serves: 5-6 people
Soaking time: 2-3 hours
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Author: The Food Root

INGREDIENTS

1 cup - split black lentils
2 cups - water
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 medium size capsicum, chopped (optional)
few curry leaves, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon - rice flour (optional)
1 inch - ginger, grated
2 green chillis, chopped
1/2 teaspoon - cumin seeds, roasted
1/2 teaspoon - turmeric powder
1/3 teaspoon - garam masala
1/3 teaspoon - red chilli powder
1 teaspoon of salt or as per taste
coriander leaves, chopped
Oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse and wash a cup of split black lentils under the running water. Soak 1 cup of split black lentils in 2 cups of water for 2-3 hours.

2. Drain the excess water, if any, and add the soaked lentils in the grinding jar. Add enough water into the jar and grind it into a smooth paste.

3. Transfer the paste into a big bowl and add all the spices and chopped veggies (onion, capsicum, curry leaves, rice flour, ginger, green chillis, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, salt and coriander leaves) in the batter and mix it well.

4. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile pour sufficient oil in a deep pan, to a depth of atleast 2 inches and start heating your oil.

6. Take water in a small bowl, wet your hands, place some batter between the palms of your hands and lightly flatten it. Make a whole in the center of the batter to give it a doughnut like shape and gently transfer it in a pan and start frying until it turns golden brown.

7. Place them on a paper napkin to absorb excess oil.

8. Serve these delicious medu vadas with coconut, coriander, and tomato onion chutney and a cup of hot tea!

NOTES

1. Pour sufficient oil in a deep pan, to a depth of atleast 2 inches and start heating your oil on medium flame for first 5-6 minutes and than gently increase the flame, to the normal deep frying temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 C).

2. You can fry atleast 4 medu vadas at a time, but it depends on the size of the pan.

3. You can add a tablespoon of rice flour and chopped veggies in the batter to make your vadas more crunchy and crispy.

4. Add the ingredients just 10 minutes before frying the batter and enjoy your crunchy medu vadas with your favorite chutneys!

HOW TO MAKE POHA

Poha is the most underrated yet the most loved breakfast of all time!

A plate of poha or beaten rice/flattened rice is a perfect treat for those lazy mornings when you don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen! It's a super quick meal option, and is very healthy and filling as well. I’ve been making lot of poha on the weekends lately. It’s one of my go-to recipe. You can purchase a packet of Poha from any Asian supermarket or grocery store. Poha is that one street food snack which is popular almost everywhere in India.

This dish always reminds me of my college days in Pune. On my way back home from college, my brother and I use to stop by a stall and have a plate of poha for breakfast. Being located at a prime spot, that stall became the hub for every Poha lover. It was the favorite breakfast place for many college-goers out there. No other restaurant serves the poha like theirs, it was that great..!!

Moving on,

You can make Poha more nutritious, spicy, colorful by adding different vegetables. It is very similar to how upma is made. Just when the mixture is ready, add the poha, toss it nicely and it's done! But before adding poha into the mixture, do remember to rinse it in a strainer, under running water, for about 2-3 times.

This classic one-pot dish is loaded with diced potatoes, chopped onions, peas, peanuts and tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafetida, turmeric and various other spices. Finish it with a handful of chopped coriander leaves, sprinkle some spicy mixture (sev) and squeeze in some fresh lime juice. Oh man, it just tastes so good! You will just love it!!

POHA

Serves : 4 people 
Preparation time : 6-8 minutes 
Cooking time : 15 minutes
Author : The Food Root 

INGREDIENTS

Tempering
1.5 cups poha or flattened rice
3 tablespoons - oil
1 teaspoon - mustard seeds
2-3 curry leaves (optional)
pinch of asafetida
few peanuts
1 onion, chopped
1 potato, diced
1 tomato, chopped
2 green chillis, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon - turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon - coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon - cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon - red chilli powder
1/3 teaspoon - garam masala
1 teaspoon - salt or as per taste
1/2 teaspoon - sugar

Garnishing
chopped coriander leaves
spicy mixture (sev)
fresh lime juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Gently rinse the poha in a strainer, under running water, for about 2-3 times. Set aside to drain, for 10-12 minutes. 

2. Heat oil in a large skillet, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and a pinch of asafetida. Stir and fry until the mustard seeds begin to splutter and pop.

3. Add few peanuts and sauté it for a minute, till it turns golden brown.

4. Add chopped onion, stirring occasionally, until lightly softened, about 3-4 minutes on medium flame.

5. Add in some diced potatoes and cover the pan for 2-3 minutes. Remove the lid and sauté it for 2 more minutes

6. Next, add chopped tomatoes, followed by finely chopped green chillis, stir it for next 3-4 minutes on medium flame.

7. Add in the spices - turmeric, coriander, cumin, red chilli powder and salt to taste. Stir it nicely.

8. Sprinkle some sugar on poha and gently mix it while using your hands. Then, add it in the pan and toss it. Cover the pan for 3-4 minutes.

9. Remove the lid and finish it by adding some garam masala and a handful of chopped coriander leaves. Sauté it one last time and it's done.

10. Serve piping hot, with some spicy mixture on the top! Squeeze in some fresh lime juice and enjoy! 

NOTES

1. Always rinse the poha in a strainer or a colander, under running water at least 2-3 times and then set it aside to drain, for 10-12 minutes.

2. If the poha gets too dry, sprinkle some water on it and serve immediately.

3. Poha usually comes in thick and thin varieties. I have used the thicker variety of poha here, in the recipe. Though, they take longer time to absorb water, but I find them much more tastier than the thinner ones.

4. You can make Poha more nutritious, spicy and colorful by adding different vegetables.

DAL PAKWAAN

Scoop the dal with a bite of crispy pakwaan!

Dal Pakwaan an authentic delicacy among Sindhis, mostly served as breakfast or brunch. It's a combination of Dal (lentils) and Pakwaan (crunchy snack). It's one of the easiest, and yet lip smacking dish. It's my favorite among the few Sindhi dishes that I have relished so far and is something that is often prepared in our kitchen. It's an ideal dish for brunch which you would love to serve to your family.

Pakwaan is deep fried crisp flat bread prepared with all-purpose flour (maida), carrom seeds (ajwain) and crushed black pepper which is served alongside with Dal.

I added both bengal gram (chana dal) and black gram split (urad dhuli) in this. Though, urad dhuli is not the part of original recipe but I added both the lentils in equal quantity. This dal will give you a perfect nutty sweet texture of bengal gram and a creamy texture of black gram. In punjabi we call it as 'maah choleyan di dal'. I don't like chana dal so I always add urad dhuli to get the right flavors. If you don't like urad dhuli you can make it with chana dal. The method is same.

I haven't soaked the lentils here, I directly pressure cooked it. This process will take 15-20 more minutes. I find it better because you can control how far you can take it and this method will give you perfect flavors and creamy texture.

To get the authentic taste of Dal Pakwaan, add some dry mango powder (amchur) in the dal. Sprinkle some chaat masala, squeeze in the lemon juice and it will taste delicious. Scoop the dal with a bite of crispy pakwaan and enjoy it with onions, pickle or your favorite chutney. Yummmm!!!

DAL PAKWAAN

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 people
Author: The Food Root

FOR DAL
Ingredients
For Cooking Lentils
1/2 cup or 100 grams - bengal gram (chana dal)
1/2 cup or 100 grams - black gram split (urad dal dhuli)
2.5 to 3 cups - water
1 teaspoon - salt
1/2 teaspoon - turmeric powder
1 - 2 chopped green chilli
2 cloves (lavang)
1/2 inch cinnamon (dalchini)

For Tempering

2 tablespoon - clarified butter or oil
1/2 inch ginger - peeled, grated
5-6 cloves - garlic, finely minced
2 medium size onions - chopped
2 medium size tomatoes - chopped
1/4 teaspoon - red chili powder (lal mirch)
1/2 teaspoon - coriander powder (sukha dhania)
1/2 teaspoon - garam masala
1 teaspoon - dry mango powder (amchur)
coriander leaves (chopped)

For Garnishing
1 teaspoon - chaat masala
1 teaspoon - lemon juice

Method
1. Wash 1/2 cup of chana dal, under the running water. Drain it completely and add into the pressure cooker. Next, add 3 cups of water and pressure cook it for 1 whistle on high flame. After 1 whistle, turn off the heat and wait for the pressure to release completely before opening it.

2. Open the lid and add washed 1/2 cup of urad dal dhuli and the spices - 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 2 cloves, 1/2 inch of cinnamon and 2 chopped green chillis. Add water if required and pressure cook it again for 1 whistle. After 1 whistle, switch off the flame and remove it.

3. Heat about 2 tablespoon of clarified butter or oil in a pan and add ginger and garlic paste and sauté it for 40 to 50 seconds on low to medium flame. Next, add 2 chopped onions and stir it. Keep stirring and adjusting the flame so that the onions cook slightly golden brown.

4. Add 2 chopped tomatoes and sauté it for around 5 minutes on low to medium flame. Next, add 1/4 teaspoon of red chilli powder and 1/2 teaspoon of coriander powder and stir it well.
Let the mixture cook till the oil separates.

5. Now, add the cooked dal in the pan. Stir it for next 10-15 minutes till it's nicely cooked. Add 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala, 1 teaspoon of dry mango powder, chopped coriander leaves and mix it well. Stir it again for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove it.

6. Transfer the dal to a serving bowl. Sprinkle some chaat masala, squeeze in the lemon juice and it will taste delicious. Scoop the dal with a bite of crispy pakwaan and enjoy with onions, pickle or your favorite chutney!!


FOR PAKWAAN
Ingredients
1 cup or 200 grams - all-purpose flour (maida)
1 cup - lukewarm water
1 teaspoon - salt
1 teaspoon - carrom seeds (ajwain)
1/2 teaspoon - crushed black pepper
1 tablespoon - oil

Method
1. In a bowl, add the all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of carrom seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of crushed black pepper, 1 tablespoon of oil and mix it well.

2. Add sufficient water and knead into a semi-soft dough.

3. If the dough feels sticky, brush it with 1 tablespoon of extra dough and make it smooth. Set the dough aside and let it sit for atleast 15 minutes or longer.

4. Divide the dough into 7-8 balls and roll it into 4 inch diameter. Use your hand or a rolling pin to lightly flatten each ball. If the dough is sticking to the surface put couple of oil on the surface.

5. Prick the rolled dough with a fork all over, so that they don't puff up while frying.

6. Now, heat oil in a deep frying pan till the smoking point. Fry the each pakwaan on low heat till it turn golden and crisp. Fry one pakwaan at a time, make sure you press down the pakwaan when it's fluff up.

7. Remove the pakwaan on tissue paper to absorb the extra oil.

Notes

1. I added both bengal gram (chana dal) and black gram split (urad dhuli) in my dish. Though, urad dhuli is not the part of original recipe but I added both the lentils in equal quantity. If you don't like urad dhuli you can make it with chana dal. The method is same.

2. I haven't soaked the lentils here, I directly pressure cooked it. This process will take 15-20 more minutes. I find it better because you can control how far you can take it and this method will give you perfect flavors and creamy texture.

3. In order to obtain crisp, crunchy pakwaan prick the rolled dough with a fork so that they don't puff up while frying.