Rice Flour Breads

Akki Roti

Makes: About 8 Rotis

Rice Flour - 2 cups
Onion - 1 small, finely chopped
Green Chillies - 2
Carrot - 1/2 cup, grated, optional
Coriander leaves - 6-8 strands, finely chopped
Dill leaves - 1/4 cup, finely chopped, optional
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - as required

1. Boil 1 cup of water. Boiling water makes smooth dough to pat and soft rotis to eat.
2. In the meanwhile use a spoon to mix all ingredients other than oil. Add the boiling water and keep it closed for about 10 minutes. The steam from the hot water makes the dough moist.
3. When the dough is cool enough to handle, make a smooth dough. The dough should be of medium softness.
4. Take a sheet or wax paper, smear it generously with oil. Take a handful of dough, make a ball, and pat evenly on the sheet to make a thin layer.
5. Heat a griddle to around 350 F and transfer the roti onto the griddle either by picking from the hand and placing on the griddle if you can, or just turn over the roti onto the griddle and gently remove the wax paper, so that the roti is transferred from the wax paper onto the griddle.
6. Leave if on for about a min and then change sides and heat another 30 secs or until it is done.
Repeat steps 4 to 6 with the rest of the dough.

Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

Chhole

Serves: 4

White Chickpeas - 1 cup
Oil - 3 tbsp
Onion - 2 small, finely chopped
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Chhole powder - 1 tbsp
Tomato - 1, finely chopped
Green chillies - 3, slit
Ginger - 1/2 inch, greated
Chaat powder - 1/2 tsp
Kasuri Methi - 1/2 tsp

1. Soak the chickpeas for about 8-10 hours, preferably overnight.
2. Cook the chickpeas with about 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker and set aside.
3. Heat the oil and fry the onions until they are golden brown. Add the coriander powder, red chilli powder, chhole powder and fry on low flame for about 3 minutes.
4. Add the tomato, green chillies and ginger and mix well. Cook until the tomatoes soften, then add the boiled chickpeas.
5. For added flavour, add the Chaat powder and Kasuri Methi. Mix well and remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Lemonade with a hint of ginger-mint.

A perfect drink for the hot summers !! 

Makes: 2 Glass

Mint leaves - 8
Ginger - 1/4 inch piece
Sugar - 6 tbsp
Juice of one Lemon
Black Salt - as desired("kala namak" u can easily get it in any Indian store)
Chilled water

1. Crush mint leaves, ginger in 1/2 glass of water and bring it to a boil
2. Strain the water and place it in a large bowl
3. Add lemon juice ,salt and sugar. Stir well until the sugar get dissolved. Add Chilled water.

Pour into serving glasses, garnish with few mint leaves.

Decorating Tip: 

To have a layer of sugar on the glass edge, make the edge wet with the help of water. In a bowl take a good amount of sugar. Dip the edge of glass in the sugar and freeze it for about 15-20 min..Take it out just before serving.

Boondi Raitha

 Serves: 4

Yogurt - 2 cups
Boondi - 1 cup
Sugar - 1
Dry mint leaves - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - a pinch
Black pepper powder - a pinch
Red chili powder - a pinch
Black rock salt powder - apinch
Salt to taste

Method

1. Beat yogurt and sugar well. Sprinkle jeera powder, garam masala, black pepper, red chili, black salt and mix in. Taste to check if you need additional salt. Add little salt as to taste if needed.

2. Then add boondi, mint and coriander leaves, mix well with yogurt.

Serve chilled. Add more boondi for garnishing while serving.  

South Indian Potato Peas Curry

Serves: 6

Fresh or Frozen peas - 1 cup
Potato - 2 large, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Coconut - 1/2 cup, grated
Onion - 1 medium, roughly chopped
Tomato - 1 medium, roughly chopped
Garlic - 3 cloves
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, coarsely chopped
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Green Chillies - 5
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves - 4-5 stalks
Mint leaves - 15
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Methi leaves - 10-15 strands, finely chopped

1. First boil the potatoes with the skin until done. Let them cool. Once they are cool enough to handle, peel the skin and cut into 1" cubes.
2. Grind together the coconut, onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, coriander powder, turmeric, green chillies, coriander leaves, mint leaves with 1/2 a cup of water to a fine paste.
3. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Wait for the mustard seeds to crackle and then add methi leaves and fry for about 2-3 minutes until the leaves are cooked.
4. Then add the paste prepared earlier, salt to taste and until the aroma changes from that of fresh ingredients to that of cooked gravy, i.e. for about 10-15 min on medium flame.
5. If you are using fresh peas, add them now and cook for about 5 more minutes before adding the potatoes. If using frozen peas, add the potatoes and peas and cook for about 4-5 minutes for the flavours to blend.

Serve hot or warm with chappatis or rice.