Aapam and Quick Raw Onion Chutney

I am very disappointed that our professional camera is not working now and I had switch back to my small camera to take the pics. Until we get the other camera serviced, please bear with my pics! :)

Here is the recipe for Aapam(from a cookbook) which does not require fermentation.

Ingredients:
Raw rice-1 cup
Idly rice or par boiled rice-1 cup
Hing-1/4 tsp
Coconut-3/4 cup
Baking soda-2 pinches
Salt

Method:
Soak both rice for 2 hours. Grind it along with coconut and hing by adding little water(less than 1 cup). The batter should be of dosa batter consistency.
Once the batter becomes smooth and creamy(takes at least 15 to 20 minutes in the grinder), add salt and baking soda. Run the grinder for 2 more minutes.
Heat a deep curved pan(something like this). Add few drops of ghee or oil. Pour 1 or 2 laddles of batter in the center. You can either swirl the pan so that it is coated with the batter or spread the batter just like you would spread for dosa in circular fashion. Add a drop of oil around the edges. Close the lid. Simmer and cook on one side till it is done(approximately 5 minutes). You don't have to flip it around. Serve with any chutney or kurma.

I made raw onion chutney to go with Aapams. It is very easy to make.

Ingredients:
Red onion chopped-1/4 cup
Coconut-1/4 cup
Red chillis-3
Salt
Hing-a pinch
Tamarind-2 inch piece

To tamper in 1 tsp oil:
Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp
Urud dal-1/4 tsp
Curry leaves-a few sprigs

Method:
Grind all the above ingredients with little water to a smooth paste. Tamper and pour over the chutney.

Yeah we had a coconut-filled dinner today. haha..

Aapam and chutney are made for each other. Aren't they?
So I am sending this to Asvadha's Made for each other event.

Cauliflower fried rice

One friday, my husband called from office to say, one of his friend will be coming for dinner that night. Since it was the weekend, i didn't have any veggies stocked in my fridge. All I had was one cauliflower.
Decided to make Teekhat Meethachi Puris and panchmel dal. Having only cauliflower, went ahead to make fried rice using, which I haven't tried before. I usually don't attempt such experiments when guests are coming over. Thought since pooris are there, if it fails, I can adjust. Made dates payasam for the dessert. Shall reserve the recipes of other dishes for later post. First thought making it a one dish meal. Cooking the masala and adding rice to it and pressure cook. But did not feel comfortable cooking cauliflower. So cooked the rice separately and went on to prepare the base masala.

Wash the cauliflower and drop the flower into a pot of hot water added with little salt and turmeric. Cover and let it stand for 10 minutes.This will ensure that the small worms tucked inside the flower come out,if any. Cut the cauliflower into small florets.

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Cauliflower florets - 1 cup

Onion - 1

Cumin - 1/2 tspn

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tspn

Cloves - 4 nos

Green chilly - 2 nos

Turmeric - a pinch

Chilly powder - 1/2 tspn

Tomato sauce - 2 tblspn

Soya sauce - 1 tspn

Oil - 2 tblspn

Cook rice separately and spread it on a plate to cool.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds and cloves. When they start browning,add the chopped onions. Saute till the onions turn pink. Add the chopped florets. Add salt, turmeric, chilly powder. Cover and cook till the florets turn tender. Add 2 tablespoon of tomato sauce and a tspn of soya sauce to the cooking mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, till the flavors blend in.

Stir in the cooled rice and serve with yogurt or roasted papad. Left over rice can also be used. Even the masala can be prepared ahead and you freeze it. Defrost and use with cooked rice and pack it for lunch.

I am sending this to

JFI: Cauliflower , hosted by Mythrayee, an event started by Indira of Mahanandi.

Sunita's Think Spice:Think Twice: Mastic Gum or Fennel Seeds , guest hosted by Ivy.

Today is the birthday of Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, The Botany of Desire, and most recently, In Defense of Food.

Michael has been a good friend and adviser to The Kitchen Sisters and when we were producing our story, Deep-Fried Fuel, about biodiesel made from farm crops and recycled restaurant grease, we spoke with Michael and asked him to weigh in on the rise of biofuels. Take a listen to this Kitchen Conversation with Michael Pollan.