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Steaming idli is a staple of South Indian breakfast item. The best accompaniment for this dish is chutneys and sambhar. These are usually termed as savory cakes that are made by steaming fermented batter. Combination of ingredients and fermentation process plays an important part for idli's to come out soft and spongy. There are variations in making idli and are varied. The most common and famous South Indian mark, steamed patties ~ Idli.
Ingredients
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Idli Rice 3 cups
Urad Dal 1 1/2 cups
Salt
Method
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- Wash idli rice and urad dal seperately and soak in water overnight. Next morning, clean and rinse both urad dal and idli rice thoroughly and drain. Grind urad dal with enough water to a very fine smooth paste. Keep adding water as needed to a smooth consistency. Take the urad dal batter in a mixing bowl. Now grind soaked idli rice adding water as needed to a thick paste. The idli rice batter should be little coarse. Once smooth batter is attained, transfer to the urad dal batter and mix thoroughly. Add salt and mix the batter thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. Cover and keep for 6-8 hours for the batter to ferment.
- Later the batter will be double the volume. Batter should not be too tight or too watery, should be of right consistency. Stir the batter well and prepare the idli batter for steam cooking.
- In the cooker add 2 1/2 cups water. Grease the idli plates with ghee and take deep spoonful of batter and pour in the round space. Fill all the round spaces with idli batter and place the idli stand in the cooker. Cover with cooker lid and switch on the flame to high.
- Steam the batter on high for 15-20 mins. and turn off the heat. After 5 mins. open the lid and and take out the idli stand carefully.
- Run a thin spoon under the idli rounds to separate out the idli's from the plate.
- Top the idli's with ghee and serve hot hot idli's with peanut chutney.
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A quick dish anyone can think of is the one's which are made with eggs. Especially omelet which is made with beaten eggs is as quick and easy as it can be. There are variations in preparing the omelet. It can be varied from adding different vegetables. Omelet can be a hearty meal either for breakfast, lunch or dinner. There is no limit in adding veggies and having a good time that's appealing and tasty.
Ingredients
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Eggs 4
Pepper to taste
Milk 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Method
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- Beat the eggs in a bowl and pour milk and beat for 2 mins.
- Now add salt and black pepper powder to the egg milk mixture and beat again.
- When all the ingredients are well combined, keep the mixture aside.
- Heat a large frying pan, add 1 1/2 tbsps. oil. Let the oil heat on medium flame.
- Pour the prepared beaten omelet mixture in to the oiled frying pan. Reduce the heat to low and cover with the lid for 2 mins.
- After 2 mins. take out the lid and flip the omelet to the other side and cook uncovered for 1-2 mins. till the omelet is set.
- Once it's done serve hot Omelet as a side or have it as it is. Delicious :)
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Pancake shapes vary depending on the regions. According to the individual preferences pancakes structure differs. With variety of fillings and toppings, the tastes differ from one pancake to another. They are well suited for breakfast but surely can be served at any time of the day. There are numerous variations while preparing the batter for pancakes. American Pancakes are round thick like cakes.
Ingredients
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Flour 1 1/2 cups sifted
Butter 3 tbsps. melted
Baking Powder 3 tsps. sifted
Egg 1
Salt 1 tsp.
Sugar 1 tbsp.
Low Fat Milk 1 1/4 cups
Raspberries 1/4 cup
Blueberries 1/2 cup
Strawberries 3/4 cup sliced
Method
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- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Make little space in the center for the wet ingredients to incorporate.
- Now add melted butter, milk and egg and mix well. Whisk till the batter thickens. Keep aside.
- Heat a frying pan or griddle and add 1 tbsp. butter and let it spread.
- Once the butter is spread, scoop the batter with a ladle in the center of the pan. ( Donot spread the batter to the entire pan, just drop and leave into a small round. It bulges by itself. )
- When the bubbles start on top, check whether the bottom has turned light brown. Then flip the other side.
- After a min., when the pancake has turned brown the other side too, remove from pan and place on a serving plate.
- Repeat the process from points 4-6 for other pancakes.
- Once all the pancakes are done, it's time to serve.
- In a serving plate, arrange all the pancakes and dress up with blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries.
- Drizzle delicious maple syrup over the pancakes and fruits.
- Soft, spongy American Pancakes are so delicious and tasty.
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Vermicelli is a type of pasta. In India it's named differently. In south mostly it's called as semiya. Either it's made sweet or like upma. Instead of making the same routine semiya upma, I spiced up by adding whole garam masala and to make it more healthier I added egg to it. So it matches to both for kids and grown-ups.
Ingredients
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Eggs 2 boil eggs for 15 mins. on high and peel out the shell
Vermicelli 4 cups
Oil 2 tbsps.
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp.
Coriander Leaves to garnish
Cardamom Pods 6
Salt to taste
Black Cumin 2 tsps.
Onions 2 finely chopped
Cloves 4
Green Chillies 3 finely chopped
Method
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- Cut the boiled eggs into half and scoop out the yolks separately into a small bowl and keep aside.Now chop the boiled egg whites into small cubes. Keep aside.
- In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil and add semiya and toast till light golden. Once the semiya changes to slight color, take out in a bowl and keep aside.
- In the same pan, add 1 tbsp. oil. Once the oil is hot add mustard seeds, cloves, cardamom pods, black cumin and sautee.
- When the mustard seeds sputter around, add onions and sautee till the onions turn transparent. Add green chillies and curry leaves and stir for few secs.
- Once all the ingredients are combined well, pour water 6-7 cups and add salt. Let it come to a boil.
- When the water starts to boil, add toasted semiya and keep stirring gently.When the semiya is 3/4 done or is tender, add chopped egg white cubes and stir.
- Once all the water is evaporated garnish the dish with coriander leaves. (if you like you can as well top it off with kept aside boiled egg yolks)
- Serve hot Egg Masala Semiya along with the sides of your choice.
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There are variety of upma's which can be made with wheat grains or vermicelli. It's typically a South Indian dish. In South India the ingredient which is used to make upma is called as "ravva", wherein the rest of the places, call it as "Sooji". It's very easy to prepare and also is incorporated with various flavors including spices and vegetables used in the preparation of making upma. Though there are many ways to prepare this dish, basic rule applies. If you know to make basic upma, you can play with the vegetables and other ingredients and turn out to your own recipe.
Ingredients
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Sooji Roasted 1 cup
Salt to taste
Hing 1/4 tsp.
Onion 1 medium chopped
Green Chillies 3 chopped
Ginger 1 tsp. thinly & finely chopped
Curry Leaves few
Tomato 1 medium chopped to cubes
Coriander Leaves 2 tbsps. finely chopped
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp.
Cashewnuts 3 tbsps.
Chana Dal 2 tbsps.
Urad Dal 1 tbsp.
Ghee 1 tbsp.
Water 3 cups adjust water level accordingly
Method
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- In a large saucepan, add ghee. Once the ghee is hot add cashewnuts, chana dal and urad dal. Let all the nuts turn light golden and then add mustard seeds.
- Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add hing, broken dry red chilli, curry leaves.
- Now add onions and let sautee for 3 mins. Once the onions turn golden add chopped green chillies and ginger. Sautee for few secs. Now add tomatoes and let them become soft.
- When the tomatoes are soft, toss in the coriander leaves and sautee for a min.
- Pour water and add salt and let it come to a single boil.
- When the water starts to boil, slowly add the sooji / ravva and stir continously in order not to form any lumps. Stir continously for 3-4 mins. or till you get the desired consistency of upma. Turn off the heat and let it sit covered for 5 mins.
- Serve hot upma along with a lemon and pickle.
