Akki Bhakari/ Akki Rotti/ Tandula-chi-Bhakari

Akki Bhakari/ Akki Rotti/ Tandula-chi-Bhakari

Flatbreads are a part of Indian menus. We, Indians make flatbreads out of wheat, jowar/sorghum, and millets like ragi, bajra and many more grains  I do not know about.

Indian flatbreads like its culture and cuisine is diverse but still there is a thread connecting them all. You can read about Indian flatbreads here.

Coming to today’s CCC challenge I am making Akki rotti (like the Lingayats community will say in my hometown) or Akki Bhakari like the Brahmin community will say!

Akki bhakari was a standard food growing up.  It used to be like jowar one only whiter, easier to eat and hot straight from the tava/skillet to the plate!

This used to be breakfast and then straight to books after that to do holiday homework!

Amma never added spring onion or dhania/ coriander or chillies but here in Goa the same is made with all the above and is called Tandula chi bhakari.

Remember the thread that connects the whole of India! You will find the same foods with a slight variation all over India.

It’s delicious and hubby loved it.

Akki Bhakari/ Akki Rotti/ Tandula-chi-Bhakari

Akki Bhakari/ Akki Rotti/ Tandula-chi-Bhakari

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rice flour
• 1 bundle of spring onions, chopped fine
• 2-3 green chillies, chopped fine
• 3 tblspn coconut, freshly grated
• A few springs of dhania/ coriander
• Salt to taste
• Oil to fry
• Water

Foil

Non-stick tava/skillet

Method:

• In a bowl add the rice flour, spring onion, green chillies, coconut coriander and salt.mix well.
• Pile the mixture in the middle and make a well in the centre.
•  Using hot water and a spoon mix a little water. Add water gradually the idea is to get a soft dough without it being sticky.
• Once the dough is ready make small balls the size being smaller than that of tennis balls but bigger than a lime. Set aside.
• Heat the non- stick tava/skillet.
• Oil the foil and place one ball on the smeared portion.  Flatten the ball on the oil gently turn it over and using your fingers flatten the dough to make a thin circle about 1/8 inch in thickness.
• Place the foil on the tava/skillet with the flattened circle on the tava/skillet. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes then you will be able to peel the foil off and reuse to make the next roti.
• Meanwhile the roti on the tava/skillet needs your attention. Use a tsp to oil the sides of the roti. Flip it over and cook on the other side. The roti is done when it gets slight brown flecks and changes colour.
• Serve hot with homemade butter.

Akki Bhakari/ Akki Rotti/ Tandula-chi-Bhakari

This joins the May Week 3 Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.

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Ranjka/Thecha ~ A Chilli Preserve

Ranjka/Thecha ~ A Chilli Preserve

In Karnataka it’s traditional to make Ranjka also known as Thecha in Maharashtra. This was true as long as Amma could manage it. There used to be pickles, jams and sauces made according to the season. So in the season when red chilles were available ranjka was made.

Not that I was keen to eat it but the pounding of ranjka in the mortar and pestle, in kannada mortar is vallu and pestle is harikol was our job. I used to start with enthusiasm and Chetana my sister, used to finish always grumbling that I never finish what I start.

Ranjka is made of red chillies and many a times garlic is not added. I had too many green chillies (never tell all the family members going out to get chillies) so I made this with green chillies. The flavours were just as hot!

Chirotti ~Indian State Karnataka

Chirotti ~Indian State Karnataka

Today in we are Karnataka in this Blogging Marathon were we are blogging Cuisines of Indian States. 

When I looked for my inspiration for this mega marathon where we are blogging Indian states the first thought was what do I cook for Karnataka. I know I have hardly lived there but have grown up never feeling that I have left Karnataka.  I wanted something that is special about the place.

Then I remembered this food map that was shared with me ages ago and that was my guide for most of my dishes.

So for Karnataka one of the dishes that were mentioned was Chirotti, Mysore pak and Dharwad peda.

Being from Dharwad I wanted to make Dharwad peda.  For those who do not know about Dharwad Peda this peda is something of a tradition and is a family secret that is closely guarded from the 19^th century.  Needless to say I failed in my efforts and hubby who had to be at the receiving end of the pedas was at his wits end, (for he did not know about this marathon) “Dharwad peda bole ke kuch bhi khilati hai” …: D

That left either Chirotti or Mysore pak….. Its only yesterday I thought of Hayagreeva - A chickpea based dessert prepared on special occasions; popular amongst the Maadhwa community! Maybe later…

So Diwali time, yes I made it for Diwali been hoarding these pictures since then  ;) I made Chirotti!! For one sweet that my elder daughter, Apeksha eats, no dives in is this.

I make the once on which you sprinkle powdered sugar over them. Chirotti can be made and dipped in the sugar syrup too but I never made them . Sorry I cannot tell you anything about making them other than the syrup will have to be thick. The only person who will eat them will be’ little miss me’ the size I have become I would rather avoid them.

Actually Chirotti, chakali, kadboli, oondi, sankarpali etc all these we  (my sister and I with my brother helping out by supplying tea, water  etc)regularly made with my mother. It was a tradition for Diwali.

I was never involved in rolling out these sheets that these pastry needs, I used a lot of flour that Amma detested so  that was Amma and Chetana’s, my sister’s job, mine only frying and sprinkling sugar on them.

Oats Bisi Baali Huli Anna

Oats the wonder grain is a new addition to our diet. The most easily available (read I have not checked) form being the rolled oats that I try making on a regular basis. The girls refuse to do anything with it claiming all sorts of reasons from downright stinks to tastes yucky. We have heard them all.

So how do I get them in them? Well I sneak them in like today’s Sunday special being Bisi Baali Huli Anna. Their favourite!!

I generally do not make the masala that Amma used to make for making this rice so special.  I promise I will post the authentic recipe soon. In fact I am surprised that I have not posted the recipe as yet.   No wonder so many of you have commented that I have Goan style cooking featured in my space. Maybe because cooking Karnataka style food is comfort cooking.

HACHID AVALAKKI

Like I have said in my earlier post METHKUT OR MENTHE HIT has a lot of uses. One of kid's favourites is HACHID AVALAKKI in Kannada. In my college days (that is the only time I have studied in Karnataka) my friend Savitri used to swear that she had an additional stomach to eat HACHID AVALAKKI.

The difference in Dadpe Pohe, as it is called in Marathi is that METHKUT OR MENTHE HIT is not used nor is CHATNIPUDI.It is more like Chivada.

The proportions I am giving are approximate you can mix it anyway you want. Please feel free to add/leave out some more ingredients (only let me know so that I can try them out).

For 1 cup of thin avalakki/pohe(the kind you use to make chivda) add 2 tsp of methkut or menthe hit 2tsp of chatnipudi add salt to taste, a little say ¼ tsp chilli powder.

Put a tblsps of oil to heat and add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds when they splutter add ½ tsp of hing/asafoetida, add curry leaves. If you wish to add nuts now is the time, traditionally peanuts or groundnuts and phutani are added and stirred a little till they become a little reddish. Cool the mix a little. It's a good idea to make this phodni/vagarni first and then make the mix of avalakki.

You can keep this mixture in a container till you need or put in some diced cucumber, freshly grated coconut, tomatoes, capsicum, coriander, lime, sev, farsan. Mix all the ingredients together and serve.

It tastes very good so good in fact that I don't think I will ever be able to post a photograph in fact I am hungry now and I have fished all the avalakki/pohe so I have to hunt for something else to eat.

METHKUT OR MENTHE HIT

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Hot rice, ghee, salt a dash of lime, papad and methkut or menthe hit.

This is one of my favourites.

Methkut as in Marathi and Menthe hit as in Kannada is considered healthy and boy is it versatile.

In Karnataka it is used in almost anything rice, pohe/ awalakki (the thin variety), churmure/churmuri, in curds as an accompaniment.

This is how you make the powder.

Ingredients:

2 cups Channa dal/ split chick pea

A small bit of asafoetida/hing (if you are using powder use 1 tsp)

1 cup urid dal/ split black lentil

A few seeds Gahu/ wheat (optional)

Turmeric powder

1 tblsps Jeera /cumin seeds

Little less than 1 tblsps Dhania /coriander seed

Few seeds menthe/fenugreek seeds

1 tsp rice

Method:

1. Wash the rice remove all the water and pat dry.

This is the important part don't lose patience and raise the flame!!

2. On low flame dry roast till light brown, the chana dal/ split chick pea.

3. Then dry roast the urid dal/ split black lentil, again till light brown.

4. If you are using wheat dry roast them till they splutter.

5. Dry roast the asafoetida/hing, Dhania/coriander seeds, jeera/cumin seeds, and menthe (for an added flavour my mom used to put one red chilli) till they you get an aroma, individually.

6. Lastly dry roast the rice grains till they are pinkish.

7. Add the turmeric and cool all the ingredients.

8. Dry grind in the mixer to a fine powder.

9. Sieve the powder use the fine powder as METHKUT OR MENTHE HIT.

Store in an airtight container on your kitchen shelf. Remember to use a dry spoon.

Eat with rice,salt and a dash of lime mixed together with papad and pickle.

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P.S. The coarse stuff left over in the sieve can be mixed with finely chopped onion, tomato and curds as an Accompaniment (you can use the powder also). You could also add phodni/vagarni of oil, mustard, asafoetida/hing and green chillies and coriander. Serve with chapatti.

Mulangi Chutney or Radish Chutney

This summer we were at Dharwad, Karnataka, my hometown for my brother's wedding. It was like the old times, where each aunt made something different, some new some old recipes.

Savita Mami, a cook par excellence made "Mulagi Chutney". The best part was none of the kids knew they were eating 'mulangi' or radish. They just gulped down the chutney. I knew this was one recipe that needs mention and try.

As Mami cooks in the same way as my mom a little this and a little that, it is a little difficult to get the right measures. I have tried approximation please feel free to adjust the ingredients.

The yield is about 2 ½ cups with these measures.

Ingredients:

The green leaves of 2 radish (you can use the stalk if tender), roughly chopped

1 cup grated radish

1 small bunch of coriander (optional)

1 cup freshly grated coconut

2 tblspn oil

1 tsp mustard

2 tsp urid dal

1 tsp chana dal

½ tsp fenugreek /methi

1 tsp asafoetida

2-3 springs curry leaves

4-5 green chillies

1tblspn til/ sesame seeds

1 marble sized ball of tamarind

1 tsp sugar

Salt

Method:

1. Heat oil, add the mustard. When it splutters add urid dal and chana dal. Fry till they change colour a bit.
2. Add the green chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida, til. When these are fried a bit add the methi. (Take care that the methi does not turn black for your entire dish will become bitter).
3. Add the radish leaves and stir till the leaves are tender but not cooked.
4. Mix the rest of the ingredients and cool.
5. Grind in the mixer with a little water (if required) and serve with roti, dosa, idli.

Tip: you can use lemon instead of tamarind but make sure you finish it up fast as tamarind is a preservative.

Chatni Pudi

In Karnataka we eat a lot of “chatni pudi” which is a dry powder of dal etc. it is used to enhance the flavour of any dish be it “masuru avalaki”i.e curds and beatten rice, plain dosa or with ghee on a slice of bread, upma....

As an accompaniment it can be served mixed in curd or even oil.

Ingredients:

1 cup chana dal (heaped)

1 cup urid dal (levelled)

¼ cup ground nuts

1 dry coconut/khobra

1 tblspn til

10-15 Dry chillies (Badgi) or 1/8 cup chilli powder (as per taste)

2 tsp asafoetida

8-10 springs of curry leaves

Tamarind a small ball

Jaggery(optional)

Salt

Method:

1. 1. Dry roast chana dal on low flame till reddish in colour. Cool and grind coarsely.
2. 2. Dry roast urid dal on low flame till reddish in colour. Cool and grind coarsely.
3. 3. Dry roast ground nuts. Add til, they will splutter. Add curry leaves, then add dry coconut, if you are using dry chillies now is the time to add them. Fry on low flame till the coconut is reddish and you get a nice aroma. Add the tamarind. Add the red chilli powder after you switch off the flame and keep stirring till all the ingredients are well coated.
4. 4. Grind the above mixture with jaggery and salt after it cools a bit.

Mix with the dry powders.

This mixture can be stored outside for about a month. Only use dry spoons to remove them from the jar.