Microwave Spinach Raita - Celebrating Bloggers

Raita's for me is normally a mixed veggie raita or plain cucumber raita. Recently tried this Spinach Raita from Suma's Veggie Platter, tasted great and also easy to make. We make More Kootu (Spinach in Buttermilk gravy) with spinach, but this raita is something different, has no hassle of grinding any masalas, Suma has done some tadka to the raita, i have avoided that portion too, thought of avoiding the oil(Blame the Diet!!! :))

Diet was very bad for the past 2 weeks, Lot of travelling, Son not well so got a bit carried away, but now i m back on track.

Ingredients

One small bumch opf spinach, finely chopped (comes approx 2 cups, loosely packed)

2 nos green chillies, finely chopped

1 tsp of ginger, finely shredded
1 cup of Low-fat yoghurt

Method

Take the chopped spinach, chillies and ginger, sprinkle some water and Microwave High for 12 mins. Add salt and cook for another 2 mins. Take it out, Let it cool, Add whisked yoghurt and serve.

Sending this raita to MEC-Celebrating Bloggers hosted by Jayashree, Event started by Srivalli

My recipe featured in The Hindu!

I am very excited to let you all know that one of my recipes was published in The Hindu MetroPlus newspaper ( March 27th edition)!
The article can be found here:
http://beta.thehindu.com/life-and-style/Food/article306171.ece

I thank my family members and friends for their constant encouragement and support which made this happen! 

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.