Keeper recipes like Chutney, Thokku, Gojju are our family favourites. A few varieties of these preserves will always be there as part of our lunch and dinner. Not only there are tasty, they come very handy when I feel tired and can't make varieties of fresh curries.
Here is a finger licking Thokku recipe which I learnt during my India trip last year. This Thokku goes well with rice, chapathi or dosa.


Preparation time: 15 minutes
Serves - 20
Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients:
  • Mint leaves - 50gm
  • Dry red chillies - 50 gm 
  • Garlic peeled - 50 gm
  • Tamarind - 50 gm
  • Salt - to taste
  • Jaggery or sugar - 1/2 tsp or to taste
  • Water - 1/4 cup (if needed)
 - For seasoning:
  • Oil - 5 to 6 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:
  • Grind together mint leaves, dry red chillies, garlic pods and tamarind into a fine paste. Add a few tablespoons of water if needed. 
  • Heat oil in a thick bottom pan. Add mustard seeds to the hot oil and let it splutter. 
  • Now, add the prepared paste to the seasoning slowly and carefully. Mix it well.
  • Add salt and jaggery/sugar for taste. 
  • Mix everything well and cook till it becomes a thick paste and there is no water left in it. If minimal water is added, it takes less than 10 minutes to do this.
  • Keep mixing it regularly to avoid burning. 
  • Once it becomes like a big lump and starts leaving the bottom of the pan, turn off the flame and allow it to cool. 
  • Store in an airtight container. 
  • Mint leaves thokku can be served as pickle or chutney along with rice, dosa or chapathi. 
  • It stays good for 3 - 4 days at room temperature and can be stored in the fridge for a few months.

Tips:
  • Quantity of tamarind can be adjusted according to your taste.

Wheat flour dosa is popularly known as a fasting recipe. I was never a fan of Wheat Flour Dosas till I learn this recipe from my friend Maitri. Since then, Wheat Flour Dosa has become our family favourite breakfast. This is an instant dosa, and won't need any fermentation. 
Below is the recipe of Wheat Flour Dosa / Paper Dosa / Tellevu / Crepe:


Preparation time: 10 minutes
Difficulty level: Medium
Serves: 3

Ingredients:
  • Whole wheat flour - 1 1/2 cup
  • Sooji rava / Semolina - 1/3 cup
  • Green chillies - 1 or 2 (depending on spiciness)
  • Ginger - half inch
  • Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves - 5 to 6 leaves
  • Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Hing / asafoetida - generous pinch 
  • Fresh grated coconut (or frozen) - 1/2 cup
  • Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
  • Water - to prepare the batter


Recipe Instructions:
  • Combine wheat flour and sooji rava in a mixing bowl. 
  • Blend coconut, green chillies, ginger, cumin seeds, curry leaves, turmeric powder and hing into a smooth paste. Add water as needed while blending.
  • Add this paste to the wheat flour - semolina mix and also add salt to taste. Mix everything well. 
  • Add water little by little and keep mixing it. Make it a thick batter without any lumps.
  • Take a ladle full of batter and spread it thinly on the hot tava. 
  • Cook it on medium flame till it turns a bit crispy. 
  • Serve hot dosa along with Coconut Chutney or your favourite side dish. 


Tips:
  • Adjust the wheat flour - sooji rava ratio as needed. The more sooji rava you add, more crispier the dosa will be.


As a South Indian family, we love rice for our daily lunch. Hubby loves Roti / Chapathi and hence, I prepare Roti / Chapathi for our dinner. To ease the the cooking time, I plan to make any one side dish or sambar or dal to be suitable for both rice and roti! This reduces my time in the kitchen a bit.
Here is one such Palya / curry which goes well with rice, roti / chapathi, dosa and poori. Do try this healthy and delicious Cabbage - Sprouted Green Gram Palya / Thoran / Masala Dry Curry and let me hear your feedback :)


Preparation time: 15 minutes
Difficulty level: Medium
Serves: 3

Ingredients:
  • Finely shredded cabbage - 3 cups
  • Sprouted green gram / mung bean - 1/2 cup (can use more also)
  • Salt - to taste
  • Amchur powder / hulipudi - 3/4 tsp
  • Sugar - 1/3 tsp
  • Pav Bhaji Masala powder - 1 tsp
  • Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp (adjust according to spiciness)
 - For Seasoning:
  • Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
  • Dry red chilli - 1 inch piece
  • Urid dal - 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
  • Green chilli - 1 slit
  • Curry leaves - 5 to 6

Recipe Instructions:
  • Keep all the ingredients ready.
  • Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan for seasoning. Add red chilli piece, urid dal and mustard seeds. Toast it till mustard seeds start crackling.
  • Add turmeric powder, slit green chilli and curry leaves. 
  • Sauté it once and add shredded cabbage and sprouted green gram.
  • Mix everything well, close the lid and cook it on low to medium flame. 
  • Keep mixing it every now and then to avoid burning. If the mixture looks too dry, a few tablespoons of water can be added. I have not added and water here. 
  • When the mixture is nearly cooked, add salt, sugar, amchur powder, pav bhaji masala powder and red chilli powder. Mix it well and cook covered till done. 
  • Serve this delicious Palya along with rice, chapathi, dosa or poori.

Tips:
  • You can skip using green chillies by adding little more chilli powder.
  • Adding sugar is purely optional.  
  • Pav bhaji masala powder can be replaced with sambar powder or any other masala powder.

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