Net Masala Dosa

 

           Check out these yummy Net Masala Dosas, prepared in a unique net shape and stuffed with some potato curry. They are a real visual treat and very appetizing too. They are both healthy and nutritious. Enjoy them for breakfast, snack, lunch or dinner. Choice is yours. 

          There is a very easy way of preparing them. A squeezer bottle does the job. Cook these Net Masala Dosas on both sides as you do to your regular Dosa however, a wee bit gently or your new innovative creation will come apart. Enjoy these unique dosas with coconut chutney, sambar and a sprinkle of some idli podi.

           

            It is a new way to serve your very own Dosa in a creative way - Net Masala Dosa is not only easy to prepare but is also appealing to the eyes. 

            You can let your imaginations run wild and create your own design on the tawa. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy breakfast.

Net Dosa - 

• 2-3 cups Dosa / Idli batter or as required
• oil for shallow frying
• squeezer bottle
• sambar and chutney to serve

Potato Curry - 

• 2-3 potatoes
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. sambar powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder 
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Pour the dosa batter into a squeezer bottle through a funnel if needed.

          Heat a hot non-stick tawa / griddle and add few drops of oil. Sprinkle some water over it. After it sizzles off,  wipe it clean with a tissue paper.

          Reduce the flame and gently squeeze the bottle over the tawa and create a net pattern.

          Drizzle some oil over and it around the edges. Let it cook on one side before carefully flipping it over. Cook the other side too for a few seconds.

          Transfer to a plate carefully. Make similar net dosas with the remaining batter.

          Place a little of the potato curry lengthwise and gently fold it. Serve them hot with coconut chutney and sambar. 

Potato Curry - 

           Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. 

         After it stops crackling, add the curry leaves, onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Sauté till light brown. 

          Add all the dry spices and give it a stir. 

         Then add the mashed potatoes and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. 

          When done, add lime juice and coriander leaves. 

                Boil the potatoes & mash them coarsely.

                  Heat oil in a pan && temper with mustard seeds.

After it stops crackling, add the curry leaves, onion, ginger, garlic & green chilies. Sauté till light brown. 

                 Add all the dry spices and give it a stir. 

          Then add the mashed potatoes & cook for 2-3 minutes. 

              When done, add lime juice and coriander leaves. 

Reduce the flame & gently squeeze the bottle over the tawa & create a net pattern. Drizzle some oil over it & around the edges. Let it cook on one side before carefully flipping it over. 

                    Cook the other side too for a few seconds.

Transfer to a plate carefully. Place a little of the potato curry lengthwise.

                   Gently fold it. 

                   Serve them hot with coconut chutney and sambar. 

Gongura Rice / Pulihora (Gongura / Red Sorrel Leaves Rice - Andhra / Telangana style)

 

           Gongura Rice / Pulihora is a traditional and a very popular Andhra / Telangana cuisine. It is also known as Gongura Puliyodharai. A great way to use up any leftover rice is to prepare this simple and yummy dish. It is a spicy and tangy fried rice prepared with sorrel leaves that are naturally sour in taste. 

          This dish can be relished for breakfast and a quick brunch / lunch. Very easy to prepare, it is also a perfect lunch box meal or a picnic meal that can be served as it is or with some chips, papad or fryums. 

          Gongura is widely used in many ways in Andhra / Telangana cuisine. The leaves are tangy in taste and it is used to make pickles, dal, chutney and non-veg. dishes. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this wholesome and comforting one pot dish. 

          

Spice powder - 

2 tbsp. sesame seeds

1 tbsp. coriander seeds

1 tbsp. chana dal

1 tsp. urad dal

1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds

3-4 dry red chilies

Other Ingredients - 

• 2 cups cooked rice
• handful of gongura leaves, washed, drained and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1-2 whole dry red chilies
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts / cashew nuts
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Dry roast all the dry spices till you get a nice aroma. Set aside to cool and then grind into a slightly coarse powder. Keep aside. 

          Wash, drain and finely chop the gongura leaves. Keep aside. 

           Heat oil in a pan and temper with red chilies, cumin seeds and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add asafoetida, urad dal, chana dal, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the chopped gongura leaves, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and sauté till it is wilted and the moisture has evaporated.

          Next add 2 tbsp. of the spice powder, peanuts and the cooked rice. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes on a medium flame till the rice is well coated with the masala. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy just as it or with pickle and papad for a comforting meal. 

Dry roast all the dry spices till you get a nice aroma. Set aside to cool & then grind into a smooth powder. Keep aside. 

                    Wash and drain the gongura leaves. 

                     Chop them finely and Keep aside. 

        Heat oil & temper with red chilies, cumin seeds & mustard seeds. 

After it stops spluttering, add asafoetida, urad dal, chana dal, green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the chopped gongura leaves, turmeric powder & salt. Mix well & sauté till it is wilted & the moisture has evaporated.

Add the spice powder, peanuts & the cooked rice. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes till the rice is well coated with the masala. 

                        Garnish with coriander leaves.

              Enjoy just as it is or with pickle & papad for a comforting meal. 

Lauki Paratha (Bottlegourd Paratha / Indian Flat Bread)

 

          Lauki Paratha with some pickle or yoghurt is a very good combination for a weekend breakfast. Healthy and nutritious, it is also a perfect snack recipe and an ideal lunch box meal for young and old alike. It tastes absolutely yummy with rich creamy yoghurt or any type of pickle you fancy, homemade or store bought. Do not forget to serve with few sliced onion and green chilies for that extra kick and as it goes well with this sumptuous paratha. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

          This version of Lauki Paratha is an easier method as the grated lauki is directly mixed with whole wheat flour and rest of the ingredients and kneaded into a dough. There is another method where the grated lauki is stuffed into the dough and then rolled into parathas. You can choose whichever is best suited. 

• 2 cups lauki (bottlegourd), grated
• 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. carom seeds
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• oil to shallow fry

          In a mixing bowl, add all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil to shallow fry) and give it a nice mix. 

          Add water, if needed and knead it into a soft dough. Smear a tsp. of oil over it and keep aside, covered, for 10-15 minutes. 

          Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll out each portion into a paratha by dusting some flour. 

          Heat a tawa and roast the parathas, one at a time, on both sides. Then apply some oil and fry till golden brown. 

          Fry the remaining parathas in the similar way. Serve hot with pickle or yoghurt for a wholesome meal. 

In a mixing bowl, add all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil to shallow fry) and give it a nice mix. 

Add water, if needed  knead it into a soft dough. Smear a tsp. of oil over it & keep aside, covered, for 10-15 minutes. 

Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll out each portion into a paratha by dusting some flour. 

            Heat a tawa & roast the parathas, one at a time, on both sides. 

                Then apply some oil and fry till golden brown. 

                   Fry the remaining parathas in the similar way. 

               Serve hot with pickle or yoghurt for a wholesome meal. 

Dhapate (Maharashtrian style Flat Bread)

 

            Dhapate is a traditional Maharashtrian breakfast recipe prepared from sorghum (jowar) flours, whole wheat flour and chickpea flour (besan). Very healthy and wholesome, they can also be had as a snack, dinner or as a great lunch box meal too. 

           This dish is almost similar to Thalipeeth with slight variations in the flour used. Dhapate in Marathi language means patting, where the dough is patted into a round disc with your hands. Hence, the name.

           However, let me share my version of Dhapate made of multi-grain flour along with other basic ingredients easily available in your kitchen. It turns out real yummy. 

          The process is very simple and easy. You just need to mix all the above mentioned ingredients together into a dough, divide into equal portions of your choice, pat them with your hands into a round disc and shallow fry with some oil. 

          To make them more healthy and nutritious, you can add in some chopped greens and this will turn out just amazing. Serve along with yoghurt, pickles, chutney or just butter. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple recipe.

• 1 cup jowar atta (Sorghum flour)
• 1/2 cup atta (wheat flour) 
• 1/4 cup besan (gram flour)
• salt to taste 
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. ajwain (carom seeds), crushed
• 1 tbsp. til (sesame seeds)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. garlic, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• oil to shallow fry 
• chutney /pickle to serve

          In a bowl, mix together all the above mentioned ingredients. Add water, little at a time and knead into a smooth dough. 

          

          Smear 1 tsp. oil to the dough, cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. Knead the dough again for a minute and divide into small equal balls.

          Grease a parchment paper / plastic with some oil and place a dough ball over it.

With your fingers, gently press to form a round disc and make a hole in the centre. 

           Heat a tawa / griddle on a medium flame. Gently lift the dhapate and carefully transfer to the tawa. Drizzle some oil around the edges and in the hole. 

          Fry on both sides until golden brown in colour. Transfer to a serving plate. 

          Make similar Dhapates with the remaining dough and serve for breakfast / snack with chutney, pickle, yoghurt or butter.

                             In a bowl, mix together the flours, all the dry spices, ajwain, til, 

          

                                onion, green chilies, garlic, coriander leaves

                               and yoghurt.

                         Add water, little at a time & knead into a smooth dough. Smear 1 tsp. 

                           oil to the dough, cover with a damp cloth & keep aside for 10-15 min. 

                           Knead the dough again for a minute & divide into small equal balls.

                           Grease a parchment paper with some oil & place a dough ball over 

                           it. With your fingers, gently press to form a round disc & make a

                           hole in the centre. 

                        Heat a tawa on a medium flame. Gently lift the dhapate & carefully 

                        transfer to the tawa. Drizzle some oil in the hole & around the edges.  

                        Fry on both sides until golden brown in colour. 

                                     Make similar Dhapates with the remaining dough.

                              Serve for breakfast / snack with green chutney, pickle, yoghurt 

                              and / or butter.