Idli Dhokla / Dhokla Idli / Khatta Dhokla

     Dhokla is a very popular North Indian dish using besan flour. My cousin taught me Dhokla Idli a North Indian – South Indian fusion dish by adding old Idli batter to besan flour. Dhokla Idli looks like Dhokla, taste like Idli. Don’t miss it!!!

Recipe Cuisine : Indian | Recipe Category: Breakfast

Preparation Time: 7 mins  | Cooking Time: 13 mins | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Fermented Idli Batter or Left over Idli Batter	1 cup
Besan Flour / Kadalai Maavu	½ cup
Red Chilli powder	1 tsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Eno Fruit Salt	1 packet
Sugar	2 tsp
To Temper:
Oil	2 tsp
Mustard Seeds	½ tsp
Black Sesame Seeds	1 tsp
Curry Leaves	1 spring
Asafoetida / Hing	¼ tsp

1 cup = 240 ml

Procedure:

1. In a wide pan, add idli batter, besan flour, red chilli powder and salt. Add little water and mix them well without lumps. Keep it aside for 5 mins.

2. Add Eno fruit salt before cooking and mix them well.

3. Grease the plate or pan with oil. Pour the batter in the plate.

4. Then steam cook them for 12-14 mins or until the inserted tooth pick comes out clean.

5. Meanwhile mix the sugar with ¼ cup of warm water and keep it aside.

6. If dhokla cooked, them take the plate from the steamer and allow it to cool down for 3-4 mins.

7. Using the knife, overturn the dhokla. Now pour this sugar water ( from 5) over the dhokla.

8. Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and wait for popping. Add sesame seeds, curry leaves and hing. Fry for few mins.

9. Now pour this temper over the dhokla and cut the dhokla into diamond shapes. Then serve it with chutney or have it as it is.

Note:

1. Use fermented idli batter only.

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Besan Flour / Kadalai Maavu Murukku

       Most people use roasted gram flour or moong dal flour for preparing murukku. But in our villages besan flour is also used. The difference is that besan murukku is more aromatic and preparation is also very easy because besan flour is readily available.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Snacks

Preparation Time: 5 mins | Cooking Time: 15 mins | Yields: 15 (medium size)

Ingredients:

Rice Flour	½ cup
Besan Flour/ Kadalai Maavu	¼ cup
Butter	½ tbsp
Red Chilli Powder (click here for homemade red chilli powder recipe)	1 tsp
Sesame Seeds	1 tsp
Asafoedita	¼ tsp
Salt	As Required
Oil	For Deep Fry

Procedure:

 1. Sieve besan flour, rice flour, red chilli powder, asafoedita and salt for 2 times.

2. Then add this flour in a wide bowl and add butter to this mixture. Mix them well with your fingers till it becomes like bread crumbs.

3. Now add water little by little and knead it into a soft dough.

4. Take the murukku-press and choose the design as per your wish. I used star design. (mullu murukku design).

5. Grease the murukku-press with oil, then fill the murukku-press with dough upto ¾ of the press. Press a round shape on the ladle. I used 2 ladles for quick process.

6. Heat the oil in a pan till it becomes hot or put a pinch of dough into the oil. If the dough comes up immediately, then this is the correct stage of oil heating.

7. Now flip the ladle over the oil. After a min, flip the murukku and cook till the sizzling sound reduces completely.

8. Take it out from the oil and drain them using tissue paper. Repeat this for remaining dough also. Allow it to cool down completely and store it in a air tight container.

    Tasty besan murukku is ready to serve with tea.

Note:

1. We can get 12 large size murukku for this quantity.

2. Do not reduce the flame to simmer. Leave some time gap between batches of murukku.

3. When making large number of murukkus, make the dough also in batches.

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Pepper Kara Sev / Milagu Kara Sev

     Kara Sev is very popular snack. Most people buy it from shops which are prepared with unhealthy oil due to repeated use. Surprisingly it is very easy to prepare at home within half an hour.

Recipe Cuisine : Indian | Recipe Category: Snacks

Preparation Time: 15 mins  | Cooking Time: 15 mins | Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients:

Bengal Gram / Besan Flour / Kadalai Maavu	1 cup
Rice Flour	½ cup
Pepper	2 tesp
Butter	1 tbsp
Asafoedita	½ tesp
Salt	To taste
Oil	To Fry

Procedure:

1. Powder coarsely the pepper corns using the mixer grinder.

2. In a wide bowl, add Bengal gram flour, rice flour, powdered pepper, butter, asafoedita and salt.

3. Mix them well with your fingers. Then add water little by little and make a soft, smooth dough like chapathi dough consistency. Not like poori dough.

4. You can use murukku press with murukku maker plate (plate with 3 wholes) or sev-maker plate (plate with small circle at its center and have a pin attached.

5. Meanwhile heat the oil in a pan. Put a pinch of the dough into the oil. It should come up immediately if the oil temperature is correct.

6. Now grease the murukku press with oil and fill it with dough. Once the oil reached the correct temperature squeeze the murukku dough directly over the  hot oil. Don’t overload too many pieces.

7. Fry them in a medium heat and turn over occasionally. Cook till the sizzling sound stops and the sev turns into golden color.

8. Then remove them from the oil and place it on a tissue paper to remove the excess oil.

9. Repeat the procedure for remaining dough.

10. Make all the dough into sev and allow it to cool down completely. Store it in an air tight container.

Note:

1. If you are preparing for bigger quantity then prepare the dough in batches.

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