Friday, September 21, 2012

Besan Ki Masala Roti/ Gram Flour Roti with Spicy Masala Stuffing

Its longtime since i posted for Indian Cooking Challenge. Though for the last two challenges, i made the dish, i really didn't had time to Click!!!! This Month's Challenge Srivalli gave us two Delicious Roti's to make, Sanjeev Kapoor's Besan Ki Masala Roti and Tarla Dalal's Bajra Aloo Roti. I made Besan Ki Masala Roti, for Last Friday's Lunch, It tasted great, I served with a Saucy Aloo-Baigan(Potato-Brinjal) Gravy. 
Though a bit heavy on the calorie-side with all those Tablespoons-full of Ghee, it is ok once in a while to indulge, thinking that those calories are divided among those roti's and you get, how much you eat and now that is a bit tricky, isn't!!!! :)

Ingredients
1 Cup Gram flour (besan)
1/2 Cup Whole wheat flour 
2 tbsp Ghee/Clarified Butter
Salt     to taste

The Masala   
1 1/2 tsp Cumin powder 
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 
1 Green chilli,chopped 
Salt     to taste
1/2 tsp Dry mango powder/Amchur Powder
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder    
1 1/2 Pure ghee/Clarified Butter 
Method
  • Combine all the ingredients for the masala filling in a small bowl. Divide into  eight portions and set aside. 
  • Combine both the flours, salt and ghee in a bowl nd knead into a soft dough using water as required. 
  • Divide the dough in eight portions and make balls. Roll out each ball into a four inch disc and place one portion of the masala filling on to it. Fold and Roll out again to make a triangular roti. Repeat the same with the remaining portions. 
  • Heat a tawa and fry each roti with a little ghee on both sides till golden brown. 
  • Apply a little ghee and press it gently between your palms. 
  • Serve hot with your favorite Curry.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

They're taking, and keeping more of your $$

For years now your local energy utility has been offering rebates, in the form of money or bill credit, for upgrading you old or inefficient home appliances.  This is nothing new.  Programs such as this help sweeten the deal when trying to make the decision between just replacing that old water heater or boiler or whether you should go with the next better model that promises to save you money as time moves forward.

Well, those rebates are getting less and less all the time.

Take a look at this email attachment I received this morning.  
In the second paragraph it states the proposed incentive for replacing that inefficient tank type water heater with a new high efficient tankless model is going to be reduced by 75%.  Yeah, you read that right.  In an age where great emphasis and marketing has the been pushing us all toward saving energy this utility company had decided they would rather you consider something more consumptive. After all, they stand to make less if you're using less. 

I know this the letter clearly states that these changes are just a proposal right now but there is little chance they will be redrafted to include more money for you.

Consider the present time as your best time to save money if you are in the market for a new water heater, boiler or furnace.  There's usually no going back to higher rebates if history repeats itself; if they're offering the money now then now is the time to get it. 

For a complete list of energy rebates and their providers you can click here.  Here you'll find a comprehensive list of local utility companies and all the programs they offer, residential and commercial.  Programs ranging from water heating rebates to solar and geothermal. 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

"Happy Vinayaka Chavithi" - Date Apricot Coconut Oats Laddu N Savory Idli Kudumulu (Oats and Yellow Corn Meal)



I completely forgot about Vinayaka Chavithi today, but managed to come home soon and made these two recipes as soon as possible. I was first feeling guilty that I forgot, but after making these two recipes came out so good and keeping the healthy ingredients in mind, made me so happy.


Well I will have to admit that nothing was traditional but tried to recreate the idea, that for doing pooja we must have at least a sweet and a savory dish. Both these recipes are a pure accident that turned out to be good I should say, because I just thought of making both the sweet and the savory recipes using oats. Thanks god I came up with these instant ideas which saved lot of my time, as it was very quick, easy and healthy.


"Happy Vinayaka Chavithi" to all of you, hope you have a wonderful auspicious family time.


Date Apricot Coconut Oats Laddu
------------------------------------------------

Ingredients:
-------------
2 cups oats (I used quarker quick cooking oats)
10 pitted Dates
10 Aparicots
1 tbsp Ghee
2 cups Milk
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder
1/2 sweetened Coconut flakes

Method:
----------
1. In a blender powder coarsely powder the quaker quick cooking oats.
2. In a pan add little (1/2 cup) water and add dates and apricots and boil it, until all the water is absorbed, cooking the dry fruits for about 10 mins. Allow it to cool.
3. In a mixer add the date and the apricots along with the milk and blend to a smooth paste.
4. Now mix the powdered oats to the date mix in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it for about 5 mins.
5. Meanwhile in a pan add the sweetened coconut flakes and dry roast it until it turns slight brown. Allow it to cool and crush it little with hands.
6. Now the oats and date mix would have cooled a bit, scoop out a spoon full and roll it to a ball shape with hands and roll it over again in the sweetened coconut and place the ladoos in a serving plate, repeat this step to make more ladoos.


Savory Idli Kudumulu: Oats and Yello Corn Meal
----------------------------------------------------------------------

1 1/2 cups cracked/broken Oats
2 1/2 cups Yellow Corn Meal
2 cups Yogurt
2 cups Water
2 tbsp Eno (fruit salt)
1 Onion chopped
2 Carrots chopped
1/2 Green Peas
1/4 inch Ginger
2 Green Chilies
1 Sprig Curry Leaves
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Oil
Salt as needed

Method:
---------
1. In a large mixing bowl add yellow corn meal, oats, yogurt, water and eno and mix all together with a whisk and allow it to sit for about 5-7 mins.
2. In a chopped add ginger, chili, curry leaves and carrots and chop it finely.
3. In a pan add oil and when it's hot enough add the mustard seeds, when they start to sputter add the onions and saute it until transparent.
4. Now add the green peas, and the chopped carrots, ginger, green chili and curry leaves and add enough salt and saute it for about 4-5 mins. Allow it to cool a bit.
5. Now add these sauted vegetables to the corn meal and oats mixture and mix well.
6. Meanwhile grease the idli plates, and spoon the batter into the idli plates and steam it for about 15 mins or until done.
7. Now open the idli cooker and allow the idlis to cool a bit.
8. Now with a spoon scoop out half of a idli and place it in middle of ur hands and hold it pressing it a bit so that it looks like the shape of "kudumulu/kozhukattai" and place it in a serving plate, repeat these steps to make as many as you want.



You Might Also Like:
Happy Vinayaka Chavithi 2011 SYFHWS - Cook with Spices South Indian Cooking (SIC) Series