Whole Wheat Dosa

A very simple and nutritious dosa in whole wheat flour.

To make 5 dosas:
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1.5 cups of water
salt per taste
optional: 1 tbsp of curd
optional: 1 tbsp of rice flour
optional: 1 tbsp of fine ground Flaxseeds  (heart healthy!)

Blend the above using an electric mixer into a smooth batter with no lumps.
You may even mix it with bare hands - my mom used to do so! But I can never get that smooth texture so I employ the electric mixer. Just stir up the contents on moderate speed for 2 mins or till no lumps. Set aside for 15 mins minimum.

You may season the batter if eating with no side dish:
Heat 1 tsp of oil and season it with 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 tsp of chana dhal, 1 tsp of urad dhal, 1 spring of curry leaves, 1 red chilly (broken into small pieces).
Now toss the seasonings into the batter and give it a stir.

Heat the dosa tava and pour the batter and make circles like you do for regular dosa.
Optional: Add a tsp of oil around the edges
Cover and cook for a minute
Flip the dosa and cook the other side uncovered for another minute.

Serve hot with a side dish or as is (if the batter is seasoned).
Kids may love it with sugar too.

Vegetable Kurma

• Saute 1 cup of cubed vegetables, little salt  in few tsps of oil for 5 minutes
• Cover and cook the veges on medium flame till veges are half done or aldente

While the veges are cooking,

• Grind 2 tbsp of grated coconut, 2 tbsp of roasted cashews into a fine paste and set aside
• Take another pan and heat 3 tsp of oil
• Season it with 5 cloves, 1/2 inch cinnamon stick, 1 tsp o cumin seeds, 1 tsp of fennel seeds, 1 spring of curry leaves, 3 green chillies slit lengthwise
• Add 1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste and saute all till the raw smell vanishes
• Toss in the steaming vegetables and give them a quick stir
• Add 1 tsp of coriander (dhania) powder, pinch of turmeric powder
• Stir for a minute
• Add the coconut-cashew paste (you may substitute the cashews with kasakasa.. )
• Saute the contents for a minute so the cashews get cooked a little
• Add 2 cups of water and give them a good stir
• Cover and cook the kurma for 15 minutes on medium flame
• Serve hot with Chapati, Roti , Paratha, Idli or Dosa

Bombay Chutney

An easy side dish for Idli / Dosa.

• Mix 1/2 cup of Besan (Chana flour) in 1/2 cup of water and set aside
• Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan
• Temper it with 1tsp of mustard seeds, 1tsp of chana dhal, 1tsp of urid dhal, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 spring of curry leaves, a pinch of hing
• Add around 10 garlic pods, slit lengthwise
• Add 3 green chillies slit lengthwise
• Optional: Add 1tsp of ginger-garlic paste and stir for a minute
• Add 1 big red onion finely chopped
• Saute the contents with a little salt till onions brown slightly
• Add a pinch of turmeric and saute for a minute
• Add 1 big tomato finely chopped
• Saute them till tomatoes are well cooked
• Now add the Besan flour mix and keep stirring continuously to avoid any lumps
• Add 1/2 cup of water and taste test the dish for salt and spices
• If the salt and spices are at teh desired level, simmer the contents in low-med flame  till the gravy turns lttle thick and shiny
• This ensuresthat the besan is well cooked
• Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot with Soft Idli or Crispy Dosa