Atukulu Upma / Poha Upma

Ingredients:

1.       Poha/ unflattened rice/ atukulu – 1 cup

2.       Onions – medium size (1)

3.       Green chillies – 3

4.       Curry leaves

5.       Mustard Seeds

6.       Cumin Seeds

7.       Turmeric powder

8.       Salt

9.       Lemon

10.   Peanuts/ chana dal (optional)

Prepration Time : < 10 mins

Cooking Time : < 10 mins

Method:

1.       Take 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet. Heat it.

2.       Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves (peanuts optional)

3.       Once the mustard seeds splutter add the cut onions and green chillies.

4.       Saute for 1 min on  medium flame

5.       Add a pinch of turmeric powder and half a spoon salt.

6.       Mix well and add the poha/atukulu.

7.       Stir for 1 min on medium flame.

8.       Allow to cool down for a bit and squeeze some lemon juice on top for that tangy flavor

9.       Serve hot

Samosa

A rainy afternoon, some hot samosa's and cup of chai with a good novel is a perfect combination. So I decided to try my hand at making samosa's. A big deviation from my diet, but the weather was so perfect for a samosa snack

Preparation Time : 10-20 mins
Cooking Time: 5-10 mins

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour (Maida) - 2 cups

2. Oil (2- tbsp)

3. Water

4. Salt to taste

5. Ajwain Seeds

Making the dough : Add all the ingredients except the water, and mix well. Add few drops of water to knead the dough like you would for pooris.

Stuffing:

6. Potatoes - 3 No.s (Boiled and cut into pieces)

7. Green Peas (Carrots optional)

8. Cumin Seeds

9. Curry Leaves

10. Chaat Masala

11. Red Chilli powder


Method:

1. Take 2 tbsp oil in a wok. Add the cumin seeds, curry leaves and let them splutter.

2. Now add salt, red chillie powder, turmeric, coriander powder, chaat masala and add half a cup of water,

3. Then add the green peas, potatoes. Mix well and close the lid.

4. Allow to cook for 5-10 mins. Granish with coriander (optional) . Open cook it if any water left.

5. Take the kneaded dough and make small rounds like you do for a poori.

6. Roll it with a rolling pin and make circles. Make sure to not have thick edges.

7. Now, cut the circle into half.

8. Take the semi circle, a dip your finger in a water bowl and run your finger across the border of the semi circle.

9. Now make it into a cone by folding the side.

10. Add stuffing into the cone.

11. Heat a kadai with oil and fry the samosa till golden brown/

12. Serve with pudina chutney and tamarind chutney.


NOTE : Since it was my first time, I had trouble with the initial lot of samosa's, the dough was a little too thick, I had to learn it the hard way with each round. So when you roll the dough, keep it thin at the edges and you should be good.

Biyyam Pindi Attu / Rice Flour Pan cakes

I have been looking at healthier options for breakfast and remembered this tiffin that mom used to make. Something I would look at with a frown in my teenage years. But I decided to try it out today since I had the ingredients and the time to make.


Ingredients:

1. Rice Flour - 1 cup

2. Yogurt - 4 table spoons

3. Sooji / Rava - half cup

4. Onions - 1

5. Green Chillies - 2

6. Ginger - a pinch

7. Salt (to taste).

8.Cumin Seeds

.Preparation Time : < 10 mins

Cooking Time : 3-5 mins per attu

Method:

1. Take all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. If the mixture is too coarse in texture and a little water. It should be a little thicker than your regular dosa mix.

2. Take a frying pan. Add a very very little oil. And take the batter into a ladel and pour it to the center of the pan. Dont try to thin the batter too much like you would do for a dosa. Keep it a little thick , like you would do for a pancake.

3. When the upper surface begins to looked and no longer runny, flip the attu.

4. Allow it to cook on the other side too and serve with some spicy chutney for breakfast or an evening snack.