How to make soft spongy Kerala Appam with yeast (without appa podi)

I have posted a recipe of making appam with appam podi and kappi. Click here for Recipe. This is from freshly ground batter. We use raw rice, called pacha arisi / ari for appam. This is how I have seen my grandmother making the batter only difference is my mother use mixer / grinder to make the batter. Lets see the ingredients.

Ingredients:

For Batter

1. Pacha Arisi (Raw Rice) - 2 cup - soak it for about 3 - 5 hours
2. Grated coconut - 1 cup
3. Small banana - 2 (yellow kind called palayamkodan) optional
4. Cooked rice - less than a handful
5. Water as required

Activating Yeast 

1. Dry Yeast - 1/4 t spn, (looks like small granules slightly larger than mustard seed, color is beige)
2. Sugar 1 tsp
3. Water 2 tb sp

Preparation:

Step - 1 Prepare the batter

Step 2 - Activate yeast and mix with batter

Step 3 - Prepare appam from the nicely fermented batter

1. In a grinder or mixer add the batter ingredients except cooked rice and blend well
2. Add water little by little and get a smooth paste.  Add the cooked rice and blend again.
3. The consistency of the batter to be watery, how ever it would be slightly thick. Not like dosa/idli batter
4. Transfer the batter to a vessel, its now ready have the yeast mixed.

To Activate Yeast - follow the below steps:

1. Heat the water, luke warm. you should be able to insert your finger comfortably so it should not be too hot.
2. Pour the water in a bowl , add sugar and dry yeast.
3. Stir vigorously, and set it aside for 10 - 15 min
4. If the yeast is activated you would see froth on top, mix this and add to the batter. Mix well.

Let the batter sit for 8 - 12 hours. Overnight would be best. 

After this set time, the batter would have raised and looks like double the quantity. When you stir it would all go down. Mix salt and make appam as desired. Serve with sweetened coconut milk or stew or chutney or meat curry. Anything you like :)

There are lot of tips you might have to keep in mind.

Note:

• Test your yeast before hand, so that your batter is not wasted to avoid hard stoney appams. If the yeast is not activated either its expired / bad quality or the water temperature is not correct
• Try to keep the batter in a bigger utensil as the batter raises and might over flow, if the vessel / container is small.
• With yeast you will have 110% soft lacey like spongy appam
• I don't use baking soda while using yeast.

Hot and Spicy Pepper Rasam for Cold/Cough/Flu/Fever / Sore Throat

I have been sick due to bad runny nose and sore throat this week. The weather in down south is bad, too chilly in the morning and extremely hot during the day. I got tired of using Vicks inhaler and halls. Thought of drinking something healthy and good. So made this rasam loaded with spices and pulse. Yes , pulse - lentils - are you reading ? Ok , I am just smiling :) You do not need rasam powder for this.

While having this, the body gets warmed up and it was soothing for my throat. I didn't find it burning or eyes watering. I warmed the rasam and had a bowlful as soup at night.

Ingredients:

1. Boiled toor dal - a handful
2. Tomato - 1 finely chopped
3. Coriander leaves - finely chopped a bunch
4. Tamarind juice
5. Oil for tempering - 1 t.spn
6. Mustard and Cumin Seed - 1 tsp
7. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Masala - We will dry roast and then use the coarse powder

1. Dried Chili - 2
2. Garlic with skin - 8 - 10 pods
3. Pepper - 1 tsp
4. Coriander seed - 1 tsp
5. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
6. Fenu greek seed (Venthayam) - 8 - 10
7. Asafoetida / Kayam / Hing - a small piece or 1/2 tsp powder
8. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp (do not roast)

Preparation:

1. Dry roast all masala items except for turmeric in low - medium heat for about 5 min. Do not let the ingredients burn. You will get nice aroma.
2. Cool down the masala and then grind in a mixer to a coarse powder by adding the turmeric. Do not have to be fine like my picture it can be rough as well. 
3. In a kadai or utensil, heat oil and add mustard and cumin seeds
4. Once the seeds crackle, add  curry leaves . a pinch of asafoetida and the ground masala powder. Stir well. Cook in medium flame
5. After 1 - 2 minutes add tomato and coriander leaves stir for another couple of minutes.
6. Add in the mashed dal and add tamarind juice. 
7. Add Salt and water, bring this to a boil.
8. Taste for salt and seasoning and add anything if needed
9. Simmer it for 10 - 12 minutes, and switch off heat
10. Serve with steamed white rice, or have as it is.

Note:

• For pressure cooking the dal, ensure you just keep water level 1 inch above the dal. We do not want it to be watery.
• Use ripe tomato

Sweet Refreshing Salad - with fruit & veggies

This is a nice recipe to try for people who do not like salad. This is colorful carry a lot of nutrients, refreshing and tasty. You can mix and match with vegetables of your choice and dressing. This is a simple salad with the ingredients available in our kitchen.

Ingredients:

1. Grated Vegetables (Carrot, Beetroot, Chinese Cabbage ). you may use regular cabbage or iceberg lettuce etc.
2. Chopped Dates - optional
3. Grated apple - half

For Dressing:

1. Honey - 2 - 3 tb spn or as desired
2. Lemon juice - 1/2
3. Salt and pepper as desired
4. finely grated ginger less than 1 t.spn

Preparation:

1. Mix the dressing ingredients together and taste it, add if anything is required.
2. Add all the copped items of salad in a large bowl.
3. Add the seasoning and mix well
4. Taste, sprinkle salt or pepper or add honey if needed.
5. Serve or pack in a box box for lunch
6. You may also refrigerate and serve when needed.

Mixed vegetable paratha - quick and easy

Now who does not love paratha, even though you are in dieting. My mouth always water when I have the craving to eat paratha though I want to lose weight.

You can make parathas with any any of the vegetables you like such as Carrot, beetroot, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Onion, Radish, Spinach, Potato, Cottage cheese (Paneer), Peas, raw banana capsicum etc.  In this recipe I am using Chinese cabbage, carrot and radish.

Grate these vegetables and dry roast them slightly to loose the moisture. Do this in lowest heat for 2 - 3 minutes. Do not cook, as these vegetables can be consumed raw we just need to reduce the moisture so rolling out parathas would be easy.

Ingredients:

1. Radish (Red or white), Carrot, Cabbage - grated
2. Green chili - finely chopped - as per taste
3. Ginger - little finely chopped (optional)
4. Coriander leaves a bunch - finely chopped
5. Crushed Cumin - Optional 1/4 to 1/2 tb spn
6. Asafoetida - less than 1/4 t spn
7. You may add red chili pwder / garam masala / chaat masala - little if required
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil for paratha
10. Wheat atta for making the dough
11. Ajwain - carom seeds / ommam / imothagam (optional)

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl add ajwain to atta, little sal and few drops of oil if required mix well
2. Add water little by little and knead the flour and keep aside, covered for 15 - 30 min
3. In the meantime prepare the stuffing. 
4. Dry roast the vegetables for 3 - 5 min in lowest heat, add chili at last. Let is cool down
5. Add coriander leaves, and spice powders.
6. Mix all the ingredients for stuffing in a bowl and add salt at last just before making parathas.
7. Roll out paratha with stuffing, cook on medium heat on both sides till golden brown with little oil.
8. Enjoy the parathas with butter spread and cold yogurt(curd)

Radish stuffed Paratha - Mooli ka paratha

Paratha is widely eaten as breakfast in Northern part of India, which has become very popular in down south as well. It;s available and served as Breakfast or Lunch or dinner in most of the restaurants. Parathas are usually stuffed and there are a variety of kinds. One such type is made with Radish, referred as Mooli in Hindi.

There are different ways stuffing can be set in the dough before rolling out as paratha.  You can Google and will get lot of images. I usually follow a much easier method most of the time, Like the picture I have given below.

Ingredients:

1. Radish Grated - 1 (Red or white)
2. Green chili - finely chopped - as per taste
3. Ginger - little finely chopped
4. Coriander leaves a bunch - finely chopped
5. Crushed Cumin - Optional 1/4 to 1/2 tb spn
6. Asafoetida - less than 1/4 t spn
7. You may add red chili pwder / garam masala / chaat masala - little if required
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil for paratha
10. Wheat atta for making the dough
11. Ajwain - carom seeds (optional)

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl add ajwain to atta, little sal and few drops of oil if required mix well
2. Add water little by little and knead the flour and keep aside, covered for 15 - 30 min
3. In the meantime prepare the stuffing. 
4. Take a handful of grated radish and squeeze out the water, alternatively you may also dry roast this for 2 min in low heat (If dry roasted wait for it to cool down)
5. Mix all the ingredients for stuffing in a bowl and add salt at last just before making parathas.
6. Roll out paratha with stuffing, cook on medium heat on both sides till golden brown with little oil.
7. Enjoy the parathas with butter spread and cold yogurt(curd)

Red Spinach Dal - Toor dal and spinach (Keerai parupu)

Dal (Lentil) prepared with spinach is a very tasty dish. This can be prepared with any type of Spinach of your choice. This goes well with Rice or Roti. This dish is not only delicious but filled with health benefits abundantly (Protein & Vitamins). This is very easy and simple dish. Only pain taking job is cleaning the spinach leaves. Spinach leaves and stems are used differently for different dish.

You may use the leaves along with the stem, chop and use. Else use the leaves and cook the stem for some curry. Lets see how to prepare this dish.

Ingredients:

1. Red Spinach leaves as desired or available spinach (Washed and separated)
2. Toor dal 
3. Shallots 5 to 10 (small onion)
4. Green chili - 2 or as desired
5. Asafoetida - 1/4 tspn
6. Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
7. Cumin powder or crushed cumin - 1 tspn
8. Salt to taste

For Tempering

1. Oil of your choice 1 tbspn
2. Mustard Seed 1/4 tspn
3. Curry leaves 1 sprig
4. Dried red chili - 1 (optional)

Preparation:

1. Add all the items from the main ingredients in a pressure cooker. Add adequate amount of water
2. Pressure cook on high for 1 whistle, and simmer for 5 - 7 minutes. I like my dal mashed well. Turn of the heat.
3. Let the pressure go by itself, open the lid, check the taste and add anything required. Turn on the heat and keep in sim. You may mash it with spoon if needed.
4. You may add some hot water if you find it too thick
5. Prepare the tadka / tempering pour on to dal mixure and mix well, turn off the heat.
6. It can be served with hot steamed rice or roti.

Egg chili masala (Pan fried boiled eggs)

Dear friends,

This is a recipe from my mother which I altered a bit. She use to pack this in our lunch boxes to go along with rice. This usually is a side dish and tasty. It's very easy and not rocket science. Anyone can try their hands on this one. Here is it for you guys.

Ingredients:

1. Boiled eggs - 2 to 4 as per the servings 
2. Oil to fry (oil of your choice)
3. Whole or crushed Cumin seeds - 1/2 tb spn
4. Pepper powder less than 1/4 tb spn
5. Red chili power less than 1/4 tb spn
6. Salt to taste
7. Chopped coriander leaves / spring onion for garnishing (optional)

Preparation:

1. Cut the Egg in half, and dice or you may use it in halves, keep aside
2. n a large flat pan, heat oil. Keep the flame to the lowest
3. Add the cumin seeds saute for 30 sec
4. Add other masala powder with salt saute for another 10 sec.
5. Place the egg with the yolk facing down
6. Cover and cook for a minute, turn the other side repeat the same.
7. Garnish with greens and serve hot.

Note:

• Ensure the egg slices get coated with masala
• You may alter the spices with fennel / little garam masala / oregano for different flavour
• Do not use kadai, as the eggs need to be placed on a flat surface.

Sweet Poha Balls (Aval urundai)

Dear Friends,

This is a south Indian delicacy during my grand parents time. I am not sure if this is prepared in cities but definitely in country side. I remember my grand mother making this sweet aval urundai for breakfast or as evening tiffin after school.

It;s prepared from pressed rice, jaggery, banana, grated coconut. It hardly take any time to prepare this sweet balls. I am sure kids would like this dish for a change.

Ingredients:

1. Pressed rice 1 cup - do not use paper thin poha for this
2. Banana small 2 - small yellow bananas available in south India would best suit
3. Sugar - as per taste
4. Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
5. Grated Jaggery - 1/4 cup

Preparation:

1. Wash the poha couple of times to remove the dust. Strain and put in a large bowl
2. Add all ingredients, including the banana and mix well. Use your hands to smash banana and mix well.
3. Add more sugar / jaggery if needed. Make small balls and serve immediately.

Note:

• Do not let this dry, as it loses the moisture. 
• Wash the poha well so it;s soft to make the balls.