Bihari Kichdi

As I have married a Bihari, I have the "PLEASURES" of both the "WORLDS" - Bihar & that of Mangalore. It's really wonderful as I have more choice of food. There are many such Bihari preparations that my parents & brother love & relish. Well I've learn t them from my hubby Kuku & my Ma-in-Law. Mangalore dishes from my Amma ofcourse.

I would like to share a basic kichdi prepared @ Ranchi in Ma-in Law's place only on Saturdays . According to their belief, it helps to ward off the evils of shani gruha. Hence I see to it that the schedule of my visit, to my in laws place, includes a saturday to relish the tasty kichdi my Ma prepares. ;-)

Ingredients:

Rice - 1/2 cup
Tuar Dal
Masoor Dal} - 1/2 cup
***I store a mix of both the dals - can be prepared with just Tuar too***
Green Chillies - 2
Onion - 1 chopped
fresh Green Peas - 1tbsp
Carrots - 1 diced
Round Beans - 5-6 chopped
Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1tsp
Bay Leaves - 2
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Salt to Taste
Oil/Ghee - 1tbsp
Water - 4-5 cups
Method:

Wash the rice & dal together & keep aside. Heat the cooker on medium flame. Add oil or ghee. Now add the jeera & the bay leaf. After it splutters, add slit green chillies & chopped onions. Once the onion turns light brown add the ginger garlic paste & fry for a min or two. Then add the cut vegetables & peas & fry for 2-3 mins. Now add the washed rice & dal & fry for 2 mins. Add turmeric powder & salt & stir fry. Now add water, lock the lid & let the whistle blow for 5-6 mins. Once the steam is let off completely just add a dab of ghee to the preparation. It would smell good & taste DIVINE!

Note: In Bihar they say "Kichdi ke chaar yaar - chokha (mashed aloo tempered with chopped garlic, jeera & broken dry red chilli) , dahi, papad aur achaar". Savour the kichdi with all these side dishes.

MANGALORE IDLIS (Mangalooru Idli)

These are the idlis I was speaking about in my Neer Coconut Chutney post. Try them out, I'm sure one would forget the rough textured idlis they had been tasting. One can eat them with your coffee or tea. I still do not know how to prepare this. Of course for this recipe, mom is my source.

Ingredients:

White Rice - 4 cups
Urad Dal - 1 1/2 cups
Paper Avalakki (Poha) - 3/4 cup
Salt to taste
Sugar - 1tsp

Method:

Wash & soak the rice & dal together in water for 3-4 hrs. Best would be, soak somewhere during afternoon so that it can find time to get fermented during the entire night. Then late evening just grind the rice & the dal together with little water. Meanwhile wash the avalakki & keep it aside. When the rice & dal mixture is coarse, add the avalakki to the same and grind till you get a fine smooth texture. Now empty the batter to a deep bottomed vessel, add salt & sugar & mix well...really well (as that is a very very important step). Now cover the lid & leave it overnight to ferment. Morning the batter would be ready, for preparing the yummy, mouth watering idlis.

NOTE: Just prepare the idlis as you normally do. Before pouring the batter into the idli moulds, called as idli vaati's at Mangalore, just smear it a bit with any edible oil. In Mangalore we use the coconut oil.