13th Jan '08 Written update

IDLI SATAY

Ingredients

Cocktail idlis 32

Onion, 1 inch cubes, layers separated 1 large

Green capsicum, seeded, 1 inch pieces 1 large

Tomato, seeded, 1 inch pieces 1 large

Satay sticks 8

Salt to taste

Garlic, finely chopped 3-4 cloves

Pav bhaji masala 1 teaspoon

Lemon juice 2 tablespoons

Oil 2 tablespoons

Green garlic, roughly chopped 4-5 stalks

Green chillies, roughly chopped 2

Roasted peanuts 2 tablespoons

Coconut, scraped cup

Fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons

Method

1. Skewer onto each satay in the following order: onion, idli, green capsicum, idli, tomato, idli, onion, idli and green capsicum.

2. Arrange the satay sticks on a plate and sprinkle salt, garlic, pav bhaji masala, one tablespoon lemon juice and one tablespoon oil.

3. Heat a tawa, pour oil and arrange the satay sticks on it.

4. For the chutney grind together green garlic, green chillies, peanuts, coconut, salt, remaining lemon juice, coriander leaves and a little water.

5. Turn the satay sticks so that they get cooked evenly all around.

6. Serve hot with the chutney.

SHRIMP IDLI

Ingredients

Parboiled rice (ukda chawal) 1 cup

Split black gram (urad dal dhuli) cup

Salt to taste

Shrimps, cleaned and deveined 1 cup

Prawns, cleaned and deveined 12 medium

Crushed dry red chillies teaspoon

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons

Oil 2 tablespoons

Method

1. Wash and soak the rice and urad dal separately for at least four hours. Drain and grind dal to a fine paste and rice to a coarse paste using very little water.

2. Mix both the pastes and add sufficient water to make a batter of dropping consistency.

3. Allow it to ferment for four to five hours or overnight, covered, in a warm place.

4. Heat sufficient water in a steamer.

5. Add salt, crushed red chillies, coriander leaves and shrimps and mix well.

6. Lightly grease the idli moulds with oil. Pour a spoonful of batter into each mould and place a prawn over the batter.

7. Fit the idli moulds onto the stand and place the stand in the steamer and steam for twelve to fifteen minutes.

8. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

UTTAPAM PIZZA

Ingredients

Rice 2 cups

Split black gram (urad dal dhuli) 1 cup

Salt to taste

Oil as required

Tomato sauce 1 cup

Sweet corn niblets, boiled 1 cup

Stuffed green olives, sliced 3-4

Fresh basil leaves, hand torn 7-8

Mozzarella cheese, grated 2 cups

Method

1. Soak rice in six cups of water and urad dal in four cups of water separately overnight. Drain and grind them separately, using a little water, to a smooth paste. Mix them in a deep vessel. Cover and keep the batter to ferment for a minimum of six to eight hours in a warm place.

2. Take required quantity of batter in a bowl, add salt and sufficient water to get the desired consistency and mix well.

3. Heat a tawa, put a teaspoon of oil and wipe with a muslin cloth. Spread a ladle of batter thickly. Cover and cook for a minute. Drizzle some oil all around.

4. Spread tomato sauce (made up of tomato puree cooked with onion, garlic, salt and black pepper powder). Sprinkle sweet corn niblets, olive slices, basil leaves and grated mozzarella cheese. Over that sprinkle some more sweet corn, olive slices and basil leaves. Cover and cook on low heat till the cheese begins to melt.

5. Serve hot.