Instant Rava Idli

Sunday breakfast is a tough choice. There is enough time to cook something elaborate, but it is also alluring to make something quick, so I can have a relaxed weekend. Sometimes I just pick a simple but great tasting recipe that serves me just right. This one I picked from Hebbar's kitchen fit the bill. In addition, I made the sooji mix on Saturday night, so it is ready for me to soak on Sunday morning for the batter. 

Recipe

Ingredients

Sooji - 1 cup

Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated

Curry leaves - 10, chopped

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Channa dal - 1/2 tsp

Green chilli - 1 finely chopped

Oil - 3 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Curd - 3/4 cup 

Salt - to taste

Water - 1/2 cup 

Coriander - 2 tbsp

Carrot - 2 tbsp grated

Eno (fruit salt) - 1/4 tsp

Method

Heat the oil in heavy bottomed pan. When the oil is hot, add the curry leaves, mustard, cumin, channa dal, green chilli, ginger, asafoetida. When the mustard starts to sputter, add the sooji and fry on a low flame, add the turmeric and continue frying until the raw smell goes. 

Allow the Rava mixture to cool down and store in an airtight container. 

The next morning, in a bowl, add 3/4 cup of curd to the rava mix. Rest for about 10-15 minutes, to allow the rava to soak the moisture. Add the salt and water make a batter like consistency. 

Add the Eno, just before pouring the batter onto the idli plate. 

Steam the batter on a greased idli plate for about 15-18 minutes.  

Allow to cool on the idli plate for about 5 minutes. Remove the idlis with a sharp spoon. 

Serve hot with chutney. 

Verdict

These taste very good, a must have recipe for quick breakfast. 

Crispy Fried Chicken

The kids have named it MFC - Mamma's Fried Chicken. Necessity is the mother of invention - isn't it? 

When the kids were looking for some fried chicken instead of the regular chicken curry, I was very apprehensive. However I decided to give it a try after checking a lot of recipes online. 

I always marinate the chicken in yoghurt and spices before freezing it for use. 

So I just used the marinated chicken rolled it into flour and deep fried it in the kadai. 

I was apprehensive, however it turned out great and disappeared in no time.

Recipe

Ingredients

12 pieces - Marinated chicken preferably boneless and leg pieces

1/2 cup - maida or corn flour

1 tsp - salt

1 tsp - pepper

Oil - for frying

Method

Mix the maida, salt and pepper an spread on a plate.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed iron wok/kadai. 

When the oil is hot enough, roll the chicken one piece at a time in the flour mixture, and gently drop it into the kadai.

Allow the chicken to fry well until the sizzling softens and then flip the pieces over. Again wait until the sizzling softens to remove the pieces from the kadai and drain the excess oil on a kitchen towel. Serve hot. 

Verdict

There are a few tips to keep in mind. Cornflour works better than maida. It yields crispier chicken. Wait until the oil is hot, before you drop the chicken into the oil. Use a heavy iron kadai. This helps maintain the oil temperature constant. Keep the flame on medium-low throughout. Do not tweak the flame inbetween. Avoid flipping over the chicken before the sizzling softens. Lastly, announce to the kids that the chicken is ready only when you have a plateful ready to serve.

Whole-wheat biscuits

Emboldened by my earlier success with wholewheat scones, I decided to bake these biscuits with whole wheat flour. 

Here is the recipe.

Recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups of wholewheat flour

1 tbsp - granulated white sugar

1/2 tsp - salt

2 1/2 tsp - baking powder

1/2 cup (113g) - unsalted butter cold

3/4 cup - whole milk (cold)

1 - large cold egg (lightly beaten)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and keep aside.

Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture. Blend using your fingertips, such that the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Do not over mix or knead. 

Next add the cold beaten egg to the cold milk and add to the crumb mixture to mix with your fingertips until it just comes together. Roll or pat the dough into a disc about an inch thick. Using a lightly floured cookie cutter, cut discs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top of the biscuits with milk. Bake at 200 degrees C for 15-17 minutes. 

Allow the biscuits to cool down for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Verdict

This was slightly less sweet than the scones. But they tasted great nevertheless. The texture was flaky and crumbly too. Yet another favourite of the kids now.