As I have mentioned earlier, rice is an important and main item in our food. So during the fasting days, we eat rice only once a day and avoid it for all other meals. At my home, we do fasting every panchami (fifth day of fortnight in Hindu calender). During these days, satvik food -pure vegetarian food without onion and garlic, is prepared. We eat rice with lunch but for dinner, we either eat fruits or make something with wheat. Even for breakfast, rice is not used. So I make these idlis on such fasting days.
We have noticed that these are more softer and easier to ferment compared to the normal idlis with rice . So these days, I make these idlis very often. They have slightly different taste and healthier because of the wheat sooji – ganva ravo (Konkani – n is pronounced with nose as in Genhu in Hindi).
Ingredients: 1 and 1/4 cup wheat sooji/rava (the one used for upma) 1 cup urad dal Salt
Method: Rava is either steamed or roasted before adding it to the batter. Roast rava till a nice aroma comes out of it. OR Take the rava in a clean towel and tie a knot around it. Keep this in a cooker and steam (without whistle) for about 10mins. Cool the rava to room temperature. Soak urad dal in water for about 4hrs. Grind it to a very smooth batter. (There will be some air bubbles on top when it is finely ground. Also when you touch the batter, it feels very smooth). Add salt and mix again. Now add the rava and mix with a spoon. Keep aside overnight for fermentation. Next morning, make idlis .
Serves : 3-4
PS: During summer, I add the rava to the urad dal batter about 30mins before steaming the idlis (only urad batter is fermented overnight) as the wheat rava makes the batter sour if over fermented.
The new year started with a new job for me. Two weeks into the job, and I feel very tired by the time I reach home. Here timing is not very flexible like my old job. I am still trying to get adjusted to it, but the extreme cold weather these days is not helping much. No matter how much busy I am, over the years, I have always given preference to home cooked food. I am not a great fan of cooking in advance. So I cook something that gets ready in 15-20mins max. With some modifications here and there, I have cooked some tasty dishes in last couple of days.
My pachi makes something similar to this with moong dal . I clearly remember the taste and aroma, but I don’t know her recipe. I tried this and it was too good. Brought back my college days. Day by day, I have become great fan of goda masala .
Ingredients: 1 cup moong dal 1/2 cup onion 1/2 tea spn garlic 1/2 tea spn chilli powder 1 tea spn goda masala 3-4 strands coriander leaves 1/2 tea spn tamarind extract/ amchoor powder Oil Salt
Method: Wash moong dal and soak in water for 10mins. Heat oil and add onion, garlic. Fry for few minutes. Add moong dal , chilli powder, tamarind/ amchoor , goda masala and fry for 3-4 minutes. Cook till dal is done. (You can cook it in pressure cooker) Garnish with coriander leaves. Add water, salt and cook.
Serves : 3-4 Preparation time : 20mins
