Milagai Podi / Idli Podi / Chutney Powder | Side Dish for Idli Dosa

Milagai Podi / Idli podi is a common side dish for South-Indian delicacies - idlis and dosas. Often referred to as gun powder (I don't know why), there are 'n' number of methods to make podis with numerous varieties of dhals used in different proportions of each. This recipe is a traditional one by grandma. I am yet to try many varieties including my sister's specialty, my MIL's and the one I have tasted at my friend Sowmi's home. Planning to try every variety and blog about it. 

Ingredients:
Urad Dhal / Black gram - 1/2 cup (standard measuring cup)
Chana dhal / Split Chick peas - 1/4 cup
Dried Red Chillies - 10 - 12
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - cleaned and dried - 25-30
Salt - to taste 

Method:

Dry roast all the ingredients (except salt). Roast the dhals until they turn a pale brown color, currl leaves until they are crisp and the chillies until they turn  little puffed. Grind the roasted ingredients with salt in a blender/dry grinder until coarse. It should not be too coarse or too fine. Serve mixed with oil for hot steaming idlis or dosas.

Sending this super aromatic podi to Srivalli's Condiment Mela.

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Tea Time Scones

In honor of the Royal Wedding tomorrow
 I'm making scones.
 We can enjoy these with tea while we watch a bit of the festivities.

This is my favorite scone recipe because it's so easy.

They take just a few minutes to prepare.

 Combine the dry ingredients.

 Stir in the cream.

 Knead a bit.

 Flatten into a circle and cut out into circles or wedges.

 Place on a foil lined baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and a sprinkle of sugar.

 Bake until golden at 425 for 15-20  minutes.

 Serve warm with raspberry jam and butter, whipped cream or clotted cream.
Now all you need is   A Perfect Pot Of Tea.

CHEERIO!

Tea Time Scones

2 C flour

1/4 C sugar

1 T baking powder

1/2 t salt

Mix well then stir in

1-1/4 C heavy cream

(1/2 C currants or dried cranberries, optional)

Knead on a floured surface 6-8 times.

Pat out into a circle. Score and cut, or cut into circles.

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Brush the tops with  2 T melted butter 

and a sprinkle, about 1 T sugar.

Bake until golden at 425 for 15-20  minutes.

Serve warm with jam, butter, whipped cream or clotted cream.

Enjoy!

Links: My Romantic Home

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How to Cook an Artichoke

We love artichokes and when they are in season we have them often.

There's really nothing to cooking an artichoke, 

but some of you may not realize how easy it is.

Rinse the artichokes under cold water.

Trim off the stem.

 Put in a pot with about 1" of well salted cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat 

and low boil covered for about 45-60 minutes, depending on their size. 

They are done when you can easily pull off a leaf.  Drain. 

Serve with melted garlic lemon butter.

 In each cup put 2 T butter, 1/2 t garlic salt and 1 t lemon juice.

Melt in the microwave.

Serve with the artichoke.

 To eat, pull of a leaf and dip the end into the butter.

Pull the meaty part between your teeth, scraping off the good stuff.

 When you get to the center, take your knife and cut around the base of the leaves.

 Lift off the choke.

 This is the heart and bottom of the artichoke.

 It's well worth getting to.

 This is the choke. Discard this part.

 Cut up the bottom, season with a bit more garlic salt if you like

 and dip into the butter.

YUM! YUM!

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Quinoa Savory Pancakes

I know I cannot be so late in posting something for the Breakfast Club event I am hosting this month, but better late than never. I was planning to make some fruity pancakes, but thought why not something savory. After all my DH loves pancakes though he is not a big fan of sweet dishes. So decided to make it savory by adding onions, spinach and one of my recent discovery - Quinoa. I was quite skeptical about quinoa until I cooked and tasted some. And wow I did like it for its nutty texture.

Ingredients:
Quinoa - cooked - 3/4 cup
Wheat flour - 1/4 cup
All-purpose flour - 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp or to taste
Pepper - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Spinach leaves - a few - chopped
Milk - 1/3 cup or more based on how thin/thick your pancakes should be
Egg - 1
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp(optional)

Method:
Wash and cook quinoa with with twice the amount of water in a saucepan in medium heat for 15-20 mins until soft. Here is my tip for quick cooking of quinoa. I pressure cooked it with twice the amount of water for 3 whistles. Voila! Done in less than 15 mins.
Whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt and pepper, followed by the cooked (cooled) quinoa. Beat the egg until frothy and add in the vanilla. Heat oil in a small saucepan and add the onions and fry until transparent followed by the spinach. Saute until the leaves wilt and add the mixture to the quinoa mixture. Add the beaten egg and milk and mix to form a batter. Heat a pan and spray some oil and pour 1/4 cup of batter and allow it to spread on its own. Maintain a medium heat on the pan. After a minute flip and cook for some more time. Serve hot with a pat of butter or a drizzle of maple syrup.

Sending these Quinoa savory pancakes to the Wholesome Wholegrain Cooling - Quinoa event by Sanjeeta guest hosted by Denny of Oh Taste N See and to Only - Fusion recipes event by Pari guest hosted by Priya of Now Serving and to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela. 
This also goes to Breakfast Club - Pancakes event by Helen of Fuss Free Flavours, happening here this month.

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Oma's Bean Soup a.k.a Bohnensuppe

Save your leftover ham bone and add it to a soup pot with water. Throw in some beans, cut up vegetables and seasonings and you'll have yourself one satisfying bowl of soup.

My Mother made the best bean soup. She never measured, so I'm going to help you out with that 

by about guess-measuring today while I make my soup.

 Add your leftover ham bone, with bits of ham still attached, to a soup pot. 

 You'll need about 2 C of dried beans, about one 16oz. bag kidney beans.

 Add to the pot.

 Add about 10-12 C of water.

Bring to a boil. Cover and boil while you chop the vegetables.

Add about; 1 onion, cut-up, 2 garlic cloves, 1T salt (less if your ham is salty),

1t pepper, 1t thyme.

Roughly chop about 3 carrots, 3 stalks of celery including the leaves,and 1/2 tomato.

Add to the pot.

 Add about 3 peeled potatoes, cubed.

 Stir and bring to a simmer.

Cover and let simmer for about 2-3 hours until the beans are tender.

Add the 1/8 t nutmeg. Now you can thicken it slightly with a roux.

 Melt about 2T shortening or butter in a small skillet.

Stir in about 1/4 C flour.

 Stir constantly and cook until it's the color of coffee with cream,

about 2 minutes.

 Ladle a little of the hot soup broth into the skillet, 

then return all of this to the soup pot.

 Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened. 

Check for seasoning and add a few dashes of Maggi.

 Serve with a little Maggi on the side to season to taste.

You can find Maggi seasoning in the condiment section of your grocery store.

Good for lots of things. 

 This is the soup without being thickened with the roux.

It's good that way too. 

This is the thickened soup.

You can serve this the authentic German way with potato pancakes, 

or just a good bread. Try my Sour Cream Dill Bread.

I hope you enjoy this and never throw out bones again!

Guten Appetit!

Links: Savvy Southern Style, Type A

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