Coriander chutney

Until recently, I used to prepare coriander chutney with only coriander which used to taste good when fresh but turn dark, grainy and separate water after 15 minutes or so. I tried this coconut combined coriander chutney that is the restaurant style one and it was good in texture, taste and color and goes perfectly with south Indian tiffin but may not go well with chats or parathas kinds.

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

1. Coriander - 1 bunch

2. Coconut - 5" piece

3. Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

4. Green chilies - 3

5. Salt to taste

6. Oil - 1/2 tbsp

7. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

8. Urad dal - 1/2 tbsp

9. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

Step 1: Grind fresh coriander, coconut, green chilies, salt and lemon juice together in a mixer jar.

Step 2: Prepare tempering by spluttering mustard seeds in hot oil, then roast urad dal in it till golden brown and throw in curry leaves.

Step 3: Pour the tempering over the chutney and serve with idli or dosa.

Maainji (Mango-ginger) Rice

I have not had mango-ginger in any form other than pickle. This time when I got mango-ginger I wanted to prepare anything but pickle; from internet (more specifically from www.7aumsuvai.com) I learnt mango ginger rice can be prepared and was more than happy to try it out. It so flavorful but tastes & looks more like lemon rice.

Ingredients:

1. Mango ginger -  4" piece
2. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
3. Dry red chilies - 3
4. Oil - 2 tbsp
5. Urad dal - 1 tbsp
6. Bengal gram - 1 tbsp
7. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
8. Asafoetida - 1 pinch
9. Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
10. Onion - 1 small (optional)
11. Lemon juice - 1-2 tbsp (optional)
12. Cooked rice - 2 cups
13. Salt to taste


Method:

Step 1:  Wash, peel and grate the mango ginger; chop onion finely if using.
Step 2: Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustards seeds in it, fry bengal gram & urad dal, add broken chilies, curry leaves and sprinkle asafoetida & turmeric powder.
Step 3: Saute onion (if using) and then grated mango-ginger.
Step 4: Now add cooked rice, salt to taste and mix thoroughly. Drizzle more oil and lemon juice if required.
Step 5: Serve with any fries or papads.

TIPS:
* Roasted peanuts can be added in the tempering which will make it more tasty and healthy.

Palak Dosa

There is no need mention the health  aspects of spinach or palak for even a small kid would say how powerful the popeye becomes on consuming spinach, thanks to popeye (or whomsoever designed and linked the character with spinach) by whose courtesy feeding greens to kids have become way easier. I had some not-so fresh spinach in fridge and thought if I can color and fortify my dosas with that... and it worked.

Ingredients:

1. Spinach - 1 small bunch

2. Green chilies - 2

3. Dosa batter - 2 cups

4. Salt to taste.

Method:

Step 1: Clean and chop the greens and chilies and put them in a mixer and blend well.

Step 2: Mix it with dosa batter, adjust consistency and salt.

Step 3: Prepare palak dosas as normal dosas.

Step 4: Serve hot with chutneys or sambar.

TIPS:

*  Alternatively you can saute the chilies and greens slightly or steam them and then blend it,  if greens are not pre-cooked, the dosas take a slightly longer time to cook.
* You can add chopped onions to batter or spread them on top like in uttapams to mask the flavor of spinach if you do not like the flavor.