Tag: coconut

Dosa version 6.0

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Green Lentils (French) & Brown Rice Dosa with Broccoli Slaw Thoran

Green lentils are NOT the same as split mung dal, just so we’re clear. They resemble whole masoor but are obviously green and not brown. (Moving on)

It’s the last and final week of summer vacation (finally!!!!) I’m obviously feeling pretty guilty about wanting to send my child off to school like…yesterday. So this is me making up for it. Clearly he loves Dosa and he loves it more when I make it. After having my million different non-authentic-yet-very-healthy-quick-and-tasty versions of dosas, he probably won’t be able to tell a real one if it smacked him in the face but that’s fine. (Like you’ve never manipulated your child)

This one in particular was his favorite because I served it with some “broccoli slaw” thoran. Ya, my little oddball is slightly obsessed with his veggies. Most of the ingredients in this recipe came from Whole Foods and took less than 2 hours to get plated.

Ingredients (Dosa batter)

  • 2 parts soaked green lentils (measured after soaking for an hour)
  • 1 part soaked long grain brown rice (measured after soaking for 30 mins)
  • Salt to taste
  • Cumin powder 1/2 – 1 tsp
  • Paprika powder 1/2 – 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Preparation

  1. Blend everything together to a very smooth paste. (I used a ninja mixer.) Grainy batter won’t make decent dosas, so smoother the better.
  2. No need for fermentation. I used the batter immediately.
  3. Watch a Dosa making YouTube video if you’re a first timer. It’s basically like making a crepe, but I insist you watch & learn.
  4. Butter/oil helps with the texture but I used just a tsp of it and the Dosa turned out pretty crispy so avoid using the whole stick. (We’re going with healthy here)

Ingredients (broccoli slaw thoran)

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (don’t stress if u can’t find it)
  • 1/2 cup dry unsweetened shredded coconut (got mine from Whole Foods)
  • 1 package broccoli slaw (got mine from Whole Foods)
  • Salt
  • Paprika powder
  • Cumin powder
  • Turmeric powder
  • Splash of lime juice
  • Chopped cilantro for garnish

Preparation

  1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the seeds.
  2. Once they start crackling, add the coconut and sauté until it’s golden brown.
  3. Add the broccoli slaw, spices & seasoning and sauté for a couple minutes. I like the texture slightly crunchy and this slaw mix can seriously over cook pretty fast.
  4. Throw in some lime and cilantro and serve with the Dosa.
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Milk madness.

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Tres leches rasmalai

Tres Leches Rasmalai

I mean why not right? They’re both pretty much all milk and sugar. And delicious. Here’s the backstory for you. Yesterday, I made a whole bunch of rasgullas out of guilt for my child and I forgot how tiny he is and how little he actually eats. Obviously the quantity I made was in direct proportion to the guilt I felt for picking up a weekend shift in spite of the fact that he strictly forbade me from ever doing so (rolling my eyes btw). Long story short, although it might be too late for that, I decided to recycle the leftover rasgullas and the logical solution happened to be Rasmalai. Two major problems with that situation. One, it’s extremely time consuming and time is one thing I literally do not have. Second, it’s too normal and I’m not wired that way. Which led to this 10 minutes or less, no cook, no prep version of rasmalai that you’re probably going to thank me for. Soon.

Ingredients

  • leftover rasgullas (I used about 8)
  • 8 oz condensed milk (half can approx)
  • 8 oz chilled whole milk (not skim, don’t do it)
  • 1/4 cup dry shredded coconut (unsweetened/sweetened, whatever you have)
  • Nuts to garnish (very optional)
  • Preparation
      • Squeeze the liquid out of the rasgullas and set them aside. Be gentle and avoid squashing them.
      Mix the condensed milk, milk and coconut in a bowl and pour it in a serving tray.
      Add the rasgullas and stir them in gently.
      Garnish with nuts if you choose to and serve. Chill in the refrigerator if you plan to serve it later.

    The No Boundaries Meal

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    Chana Dal & Oats Dosa

    Chana Dal & Oats Dosa

    Did I mention how amazing the weather’s been in NYC? School’s out and so are we, at least most of the time, which probably explains the lack of blogposts & recipes. I’m not lazy or anything. Really! And bartending at a Rooftop bar in Manhattan in this weather is not a job for the faint hearted so cut me some slack alright?!

    And while I’m being honest, the only new recipes that my brain have cooked up in the last entire month, are more of the liquid kind. So I decided to do what I do the best, reinvent the mighty Dosa, again!! I served this healthy (slightly inspired by the chilla from the East) Dosa with a spicy red chili & coconut masala calamari (slightly inspired by its Goan counterpart) & harissa sauce, straight from the Middle East. Nope, no boundaries for this meal.

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Chana Dal, washed, soaked and drained.
    • 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats, rinsed
    • Salt to taste
    • Butter to cook

    Preparation

    1. Grind the chana dal and oats using just enough water to make a smooth batter, slightly runnier than your average pancake batter.
    2. Season with salt.
    3. Heat a Dosa/crepe/non stick griddle and spread a ladle full of batter forming a thin layer of crepe. (YouTube video if you’re a first timer)
    4. Spread about a tbsp of butter evenly and let it brown on the underside.
    5. Roll and serve hot with your choice of accompaniment.

    Crispy Little Things!

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    Bulgur & Mung dal Dosa with Beet, coconut & jalapeño Chutney

    Bulgur & Mung Dal Dosa with Beet, Coconut & Jalapeño Chutney

    Another Dosa experiment in my kitchen. This one turned out to be my favorite so far. It’s also been months since I last ate Dosa and I’m guessing that’s probably clouding my judgement a little. Or the fact that these were so crispy and light, they almost had a junk-food-like feel to them. Quite deceptive considering how healthy and nutritious they are. But they say never trust a skinny chef, so don’t take my word for it. Go on, try it urself!

    Ingredients (for Dosa batter)

    • 1 cup soaked and drained bulgur
    • 1 cup soaked and drained split mung dal
    • Salt
    • 1 tsp cumin powder

    Note: measure after soaking and draining or things will dramatically be different. This measurement serves about 2 people so multiply accordingly!

    Preparation : (for Dosa batter)

    1. Blend to a smooth paste till you reach a pancake batter like consistency. Slightly runnier if you want that extra crispy texture.

    Ingredients: (Chutney)

    • 1 cup shredded beet (do not use boiled beets, it won’t be the same)
    • 2-3 tbsp sweetened shredded coconut
    • 7-8 slices (Not whole) picked jalapeños. (I insist on the pickled kind because its really not the same with the fresh ones)
    • Salt

    Preparation: (Chutney)

    1. Blend all the ingredients to a smooth paste. Serve chilled.

    Preparation: (for Dosa)

    1. Watch a YouTube Dosa making video if you’re a Dosa virgin.
    2. Use a Dosa pan or a crepe maker for best results.
    3. A tsp of butter per Dosa really makes a big difference.

    Holi Thi!

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    Coconut Laddoo Macaron

    Coconut Laddoo Macarons

    I know, this post is at least a week overdue. But I officially went back to work after a 7 year long sabbatical so cut me some slack won’t you?

    Say hello to the new bartender at one of the cutest Rooftop bars in Manhattan! So while I should have been making laddoos for Holi for my one and only mini halwai, I was busy shaking up some cocktails for thirsty tourists (who by the way, don’t really get the American tipping system that well!)

    So let’s get back to my almost Holi mithai-macarons. These are not as complicated as you might have heard but then they’re not authentically French either so that might give you some confidence to bring out those oven mits and give it a try. I used my trusty Kingarthur flour macaron recipe for the shells so posting the link to it. 👇🏻 (just follow the shell recipe, filling recipe’s on the bottom*)

    https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/macarons-recipe

    *For the coconut laddoo filling, follow the following recipe.

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups desiccated unsweetened coconut
    • 1/2 can (8oz) sweetened condensed milk

    Preparation

    1. On a low flame, dry roast the coconut till golden brown, preferably in a non stick saucepan.
    2. Add the condensed milk and keep stirring till the mixture is semi dry but not too dry.
    3. Set aside to cool completely.
    4. Fill in the centers of the macaron shells.

    Note: This mixture is a lot harder than your average cream based fillings so gently place the top shell on top and resist the urge to push them together. They will crack. Trust me.