Soft Idlis with Idli Rawa

Idlis have been rated amongst the best breakfast foods in the world. I fall into the category of people who thought that an Idli was the bane of my existence as a kid, but I have begun to like them as an adult. My mom used to make the combined batter that was used to make Idlis and dosas too. The batter would be used for making Idlis for day 1 to 3 and then dosas from 4 to 6. if there was more batter left after day 6, we would have ootappams. These are spongy idlis and very different from the ones that you make with Idli rawa. 

I discovered the Idlis with Idli rawa and I fell in love with them. They are easy to make and the best part is, they turn out soft even when the batter is made in a blender or a mixie instead of a wet grinder. The boys are really fond of Idlis with Peanut Chutney and I make it often. Well, I love it too :)

Idlis:
Ingredients:
Idli Rawa - 3 Cups
Urad Daal - 1 Cup
Fenugreek Seeds - a big pinch
Salt - To taste

Wash and soak the daal for about 4 hours of more. When you are ready to grind, soak the Rawa in water. Grind to a smooth batter, adding water as you go. In a grinder, this could take a half hour or more. Wash the rawa a couple times and squeeze out the water, a handful at a time and add to the batter. Mix well. The batter should not be runny but semi solid.  Add salt and mix well.

Ferement over night. If you live in a colder climate, pre-heat the oven to it's lowest setting or in keep warm and turn off. When it's still warm, place the batter inside and let it sit over night.

The batter will raise and become fluffy. Mix and make the idlis and store in the refrigerator.

To make the Idlis:
Place and Idli Steamer or a regular Rice cooker with 2 cups of water on the stove on Medium heat. Grease the idli moulds and add about 1.5 heaping tbsp of batter into each mould. Place in the steamer and steam for about 12 min or so. Open and check for doneness. It will be firm but slightly wet on top. Remove, wait for a minute and them take the idlis out with a sharp spoon.

Serve the Idlis with Chutney or Sambar of your choice.

Vegetable Momos

Ingredients:
Filling:
Chopped cabbage- 2 cups
Carrot - 1
Red pepper - 1/2
Green onions - 2
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic cloves: 2
Salt - to taste
Black pepper - a pinch
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Hot sauce - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbp

Wrapper:
All Purpose Flour - 1 Cup
Salt - a big pinch
Oil - 2 tbsp

In a pan, bring a cup of water to boil.
Add the veggies and close the lid.
Let them cook till the raw smell disappears, but still remain crunchy.

In a pan, heat the oil and add grated ginger and garlic.
Add the black pepper powder and the sauces and the vegetables and check for seasoning.
Add more salt if needed.
Saute for a couple minutes and turn off the flame.

 Knead the flour with salt, oil and water until it's soft. Make small round 1 inch balls and flatten into thin disks. Add the filling and keep pinching the ends until the entire momo is closed. (Refer to picture for shape). Make all the momos.
Heat the steamer or a pressure cooker with water and add the momos in a single layer. Steam for about 13 minutes.

Remove and serve hot with Garlic Chili sauce.

Broccoli stir fry

Here's a simple stir fry for a quick veggie boost. It goes well with everything from pasta to grilled cheese. When I boil pasta, I tend to throw in the broccoli at th end. This is a quick and easy way to get the broccoli cooked, without any extra effort.

Broccoli Florets - 2 Cups
Red pepper flakes - 1 tsp
Olive Oil - 1 tsp
garlic cloves - 2
Salt - to taste

Blanch the broccoli or steam it to your desired texture. I like mine a little on the soft side.
In a pan, add the oil, and the red pepper flakes and crushed garlic.
When the gralic starts to sizzle, add the broccoli, salt and some black pepper.
Stir fry for about 5 min and serve hot.