TANJAVOOR SPECIAL CASHEW DOSAI

TANJAVOOR SPECIAL CASHEW DOSAI

When the mind clicks on the word TANJAVOOR, the magnificent picture of PERIA KOIL or BRIGADEESWARA temple looms before my eyes. My next thought associated with Tanjavoor is Hotel Karthik where we had halted for a coffee break during one of our visits. Our ears pricked up at the mention of “special cashew dosai” when the bearer rattled out a long list of available dishes.
We waited for our order, all the while guessing what this dosa was all about, though we knew that cashews and ‘gundu milagais’ (a small round variety of chillies) were Tanjavoor specialties. Dibs who was only twelve years of age then even wondered whether they would have ground the batter with cashew nuts!
Though the innovative special dosai surprised us it was really delicious with the accompaniment of sambar and chutney.

INGREDIENTS
Raw rice - 3 cups (a cup = 200 grams)
Black gram dal – 1 cup
Hard beaten rice – 1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
Salt – 1.5 tsps
Tur dal – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 pinch
(The last two are secret ingredients which lend the flavour and colour of “Hotel Dosais")

TO MAKE THE BATTER
1. Soak rice, urad dal, tur dal, fenugreek seeds, and beaten rice for two hours.
2. Grind to a smooth paste.
3. Mix in salt and sugar.
4. Cover and let it ferment over night.

FOR TOPPING
Cashew nuts – 100 gms (roasted or raw)
Green chillies – 2(minced)
Grated fresh ginger – ½ tsp
Minced coriander and curry leaves – 2 tbsps
Mix all the ingredients and keep aside.
MAKING DOSAS
1. Grease and heat the tava.
2. Pour a small tbsp of batter, dribble little oil and cook the first testing dosa.
3. Making sure that the tava is evenly heated pour a ladle full of batter on the center of the tava.
4. Leave a palm size of batter in the middle and spread the batter thinly around the circumference.
5. When small holes start appearing sprinkle a generous portion of the cashew topping mixture on the central thick portion of the dosa.
6. Dribble oil around the dosa and cover only the central portion with a small lid.
7. Cook until the golden colour of the roast is visible around the lid.
8. Remove the lid and dribble a spoon of ghee on the dosa.
Enjoy the flavoursome Tanjavoor special cashew dosai with coconut chutney and onion sambar.

Microwave Jackfruit Cashewnut Kheer

I was regular with the Microwave Easy Cooking event, started by Srivalli, for sometime. Then later on, my interest in event participation came down and did not bother to cook exclusively for the event. But I didnot want to miss this month's theme of celebrating fellow bloggers hosted by my namesake and dear friend. I had few recipes bookmarked in my mind. But could not get around making anything. When I had few jackfruit bulbs left from what was shared by my neigbour, I immedately decided to make this kheer.  I had tasted cooked jackfruit only with jaggery as sweetner. So I wasn't sure how the kheer with sugar is going to taste. I decided to go ahead. I adapted Priya's recipe. I replaced almond with cashew and used fresh jackfruit. The kheer is very simple gets done in 5 minutes in a microwave. 

You need

Fresh jackfruit bulb - 10 nos  (around 1/2 cup of chopped pieces)
Cashewnuts - 10 nos
Milk - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - 3 tablespoon
Saffron & Cardamom Syrup - 1 tspn

Method

Soak cashewnuts in warm milk for 10 minutes. Else MW half cup of milk and cashew together for 1 minute. Leave it to cool. Blend cashew along with milk and jackfruit to a smooth puree. Add rest of the milk and sugar. Microwave for 4 minutes. Add saffron and cardamom syrup and mw for 30 seconds. If you like, you can serve it warm. I liked it chilled. It tastes like a pudding. Depending on the variety of jackfruit the kheer can turn very creamy and thick. You can adjust the amount of milk to suit your consistency. Also adjust the sugar according to the sweetness of the fruit.

MIXED VEGETABLE SALAD

Ingredients:
Procedure:
Onion-1[thinly sliced]
Tomato [finely chopped]-1 cup
Finely sliced cucumber-1 cup
Finely chopped green chilli-1
Finely chopped coriander-half cup
Finely chopped mint leaves-2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Lime juice-1 tsp
Curd- 2 cups
procedure:
Mix in all the vegetables in a bowl.
Add enough salt and the lime juice.
Add the curd and mix well.
More curd can be added according to the requirement.