Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Watermelon dosa,Soornali, Tausali & chutney

If you think making dosas from watermelons is wierd, then I presume you won't be buying these square watermelons anytime soon.My jaw dropped when I saw these! Now why didn't I think of this?Everytime there is a space crunch in the refrigerator, because of their unwieldy shapes I end up chopping and rechopping them until I have filled the fridge from top to bottom with 50 different containers and a million watermelon pieces.Wouldn't a square tiny one be just nifty?
All said and done,there is something to be said for NOT thinking "out of the box" but instead just staying right there-IN the box!

Watermelon dosa
2 cups rice -soak for 3 hours
coconut grated
White part of water melon ( yup- the one between the juicy red part and the skin) chopped

grind together- don't add too much water
Add salt.

Soornali
2 cups rice -soak for 3 hours
coconut grated

10-12 methi seeds soak in water
grind together - don't add too much water , add salt.
Now add grated jaggery

Tausali
2 cups rice -soak for 3 hours
coconut grated
10-12 methi seeds soak in water
grind together - don't add too much water , add salt.
Now add grated cucumber and grated jaggery


Chutney
coconut grated
3 green chillis
ginger small piece
2-3 pudina leaves
hing water
grind together.season with mustard and curry leaves

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Dudhi Paan Phodi

Never ceases to amaze me that the rest of the world is so much more attuned to the laws of nature and generally does not challenge positions atleast in the food pyramid.They see leafy vegetables, they quietly add oil and vinegar, if they want to be fancy; garnish it with nuts and that's that.Matter of minutes..

Konkani approach to leafy vegetables?
1.Apply for 2 week leave from work.. ( Atleast I would have to, I wouldn't want to attempt this unless I am mentally and physically well rested!)
2.First week, scout obscure farmer's market to procure doodhi Paan.
Remember Spinach leaves and other easily available greens are for the Toms & Dicks not for the Pundaliks and the Keshavs!
3.Don't idle away this time.Its time to work the body that has been beefing up on the bendis and wolfing down those waags ( am quite pleased with these animal witticisms, if I may say so myself:-)).Pay special attention to leg muscles and don't forget the upper body workouts.
4.Week 2 -5th day...today is the big day.All that you have been working towards for the past days is about to pay off

Soak rice in water for 1-1/2 hrs
drain water completely

3-4 red chilis
soi 2-3 spoons
1 spoon urad daal fried reddish

Grind above ingredients together and add salt

Dudhi Paan Washed and dried
Add above masala one by one to stack of 5-6 dudhi paan (This is where you thank me for the upper body work out)

Be kind to your tongue..Remember to add masala to coarse side

Roll the stack so the masala doesn't leak and chop it up into manageable bites.

Now , fry these in oil.
Remember -smaller the pieces the more for you to fry!

5.Next 2 days to recover and clean up the mess.