Paniyaram Kadhi

 

           In this recipe, I combined some leftover Paniyarams and kadhi to come up with this yummy fusion dish of South Indian & North Indian cuisine. You can enjoy as a soup, with hot steamed rice or jeera rice for a great comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.  

          Paniyaram / Kuzhi Paniyaram is a traditional South Indian breakfast, most popular in Tamil Nadu. In simple words they are fried idli or dumplings, prepared in a special mould called chatti and enjoyed with coconut chutney and sambar. It is a very easy and a quick recipe and is also a great tea time snack. 

          However, I made some healthy, nutritious and diabetic friendly Paniyaram with Foxtail Millet. They turned very crispy from the outside and yummy in taste.

          Kadhi on the other hand, is a yoghurt-chickpea flour based sauce with a tempering. It is best enjoyed with hot steamed rice. 

         (Please note - this dish can also be done with the normal paniyaram made of idli-dosa batter.)

• few leftover Paniyarams
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 2-3 tbsp. gram flour
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. pickle oil 

           In a large bowl, whisk the yoghurt, gram flour, salt to taste, turmeric powder and 3 cups water. Keep aside.

           Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chili. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. 

           Then add the ginger-garlic paste and coriander powder mixed with some water. Sauté till oil separates.

           Now add the yoghurt mix and bring it to a boil. Simmer on a low flame till it is almost thick to a desired consistency. Keep stirring at intervals.

           Drop in the Paniyarams and simmer for 2 minutes. When done, garnish with coriander leaves. While serving, drizzle some pickle oil and relish with hot steamed rice.

Note  -  The recipe of Foxtail Millet Paniyaram is given below. 

                        In a large bowl, whisk the yoghurt, gram flour, salt to taste, turmeric 

                        powder and 3 cups water. Keep aside.

                                 Few leftover Foxtail Millet Paniyarams.

                             Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds & dry red chili. 

                        After it stops spluttering, add curry leaves & asafoetida. Sauté for a 

                        few seconds. 

                      Add ginger-garlic paste & coriander powder mixed with some water. 

                      Sauté till oil separates.

                      Add the yoghurt mix & bring it to a boil. Simmer on a low flame till it is 

                      almost thick to a desired consistency. Keep stirring at intervals.

                                  Drop in the Paniyarams & simmer for 2 minutes. 

                                   When done, garnish with coriander leaves. 

                        While serving, drizzle some pickle oil & relish with hot steamed rice.

Foxtail Millet Paniyaram - 

Ingredients - 

• 1 cup foxtail millet
• 1/2 cup urad dal (split black gram)
• 1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. flaxseed (opt)

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida

Other ingredients - 

• oil to grease the Paniyaram Chatti
• coconut chutney & sambar to serve

           Soak the millet, lentil and fenugreek seeds overnight or for 4-5 hours. 

          Grind to a slightly coarse paste. Adjust the consistency. Cover and keep aside overnight to ferment. 

          To the batter, add rest of the ingredients and mix well.

          For the tempering, heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida, uard dal and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds and pour this tempering into the batter and mix well.

          Heat a paniyaram chatti and grease well. Drop spoonful of the prepared batter in it and cook, covered on a low flame for 4-5 minutes or till one side is done.

          Flip it over and cook the other side too. Make similar Paniyarams with the remaining batter and serve them hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

                                  Foxtail MIllet Paniyaram.

Dubki Kadhi

 

          This is a very popular dish from Chhattisgarh. It is a yoghurt based gravy with soaked and ground urad dal dumplings dunked in it. Dubki word in Hindi literally translates to dive. Hence the name. 

          It differs from the rest of the kadhi recipes of different states as the lentil dumplings are not fried. They are directly dropped into the boiling kadhi and cooked. So this dish is healthy and wholesome. This classic dish is very easy to prepare and is best enjoyed with jeera rice, plain rice, paratha, chapatti or tandoori roti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1/3 cup urad dal (split black gram lentil)
• 1/3 cup yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil 
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilies 
• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Rinse the urad dal well and soak overnight or for a minimum of 3-4 hours. Drain well and grind along with a green chili and a pinch of salt to a fine paste without adding any water. Beat well and keep aside. 

          In a mixing bowl, take the yoghurt and 1 tbsp. of the ground urad dal paste. Whisk till it is lump free. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilies. After it stops spluttering, add the fenugreek seeds, onion, garlic, curry leavers, green chilies and asafoetida. Sauté till light brown. 

          Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Now add the whisked yoghurt, 2 cups water and salt to taste. Once it comes to a boil, make small dumplings of the dal paste, using your hand or a spoon and drop them directly over the boiling kadhi. 

          Cover and cook on a medium flame for 10-12 minutes. Once done, the dumplings will surface over the kadhi. Switch of the flame now.

          Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot steamed rice, jeera rice or chapatti.  

                          Grind the soaked, one green chili & a pinch of salt to a fine paste without

                          adding any water. Beat well and keep aside. 

                        Whisk the yoghurt & 1 tbsp. of the ground urad dal paste. Keep aside. 

                                  Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilies.

                    Add the fenugreek seeds, onion, garlic, curry leavers, green chilies....

                                  .... and asafoetida. Sauté till light brown. 

                     Add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with some water. 

Sauté till the oil separates.

                                  Add the whisked yoghurt, 

                                  2 cups water & salt to taste. 

                        Once it comes to a boil, make small dumplings of the dal paste & drop 

                        them directly over the boiling kadhi. 

                    Cover & cook on a medium flame for 10-12 minutes till the dumplings will

                    surface over the kadhi. Switch of the flame now.

                                  Garnish with coriander leaves.

                        Serve with hot steamed rice, jeera rice or chapatti.  

Bottle Gourd & Green Peas in Yoghurt Gravy

          Bottle Gourd is a healthy veggie that has high water content and is a rich source of essential vitamins and calcium. It can be made use of in making many varieties of dishes. It is generally not preferred by many, but this combination with green peas turned out real yummy with a creamy texture from the yoghurt. It can be relished as a side dish with either rice or chapati for a perfect healthy meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1 medium size bottle gourd, chopped
• 1/2 cup green peas (I used frozen ones)
• 2 tbsp. oil 
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated 
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 1 tbsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder or to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 cup yoghurt, beaten
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Steam the chopped bottle gourd and green peas (if using fresh ones) till soft. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan. Temper with cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida.

          Add the green chilies and ginger. Sauté for a few seconds. Now add the onion and stir fry till light brown. 

          Add all the dry spices (except salt and garam masala powder). Give it a stir. Add the steamed bottle gourd, green peas, salt and garam masala powder.

          Mix everything well and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame. Now add the beaten yogurt and coriander leaves. Mix well and enjoy either with rice or chapati for a healthy meal. 

                      Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds, mustard seeds & asafoetida.

                       Add green chilies & ginger. Sauté few seconds.

                       Now add onion & stir fry till light brown. 

                      Add all dry spices (except salt & garam masala powder). Give it a stir. 

                     Add steamed bottle gourd, green peas, salt & garam masala powder.
                     Mix well & stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame.

                      Add beaten yogurt & coriander leaves. Give it a stir. 

                                 Enjoy either with rice or chapati for a nice healthy meal.