Welcome-2010, Err in FEB! Dhoddak-(Pan-IdliFry) , Candied Awala

Belated wishes of all that has passed n all that is to come!!!!!

HAPPY 2010 and a HALA FEBRUARY! Already into Feb, yeah..thats common knowledge..am here after a long blogocomma, 10 months to be precise.

Idli is the most common thing on breakfast table, all of us at times have looked for variation with our already bored kids as in making mini idlis, or stuffed ones etc.

Here is one variation which I loved the most as a kid. My children too are fond of it. It has been called DHO-DD-ak, in Konkani, the only difference between idli fry and dhoddak is , batter is directly poured in a small kadhai, no steaming involved and its bigger than an idli, maybe around two and half idlis in one, is quite filling as well!

The process is as follows :

Recipe for IDLI batter is from here.

Dhoddak / PAN-Idli Fry

Ingredients :

Idli batter as needed ( 2 cups will serve 4)

The below is for each Dhoddak:

1 Tbspn Coconut Oil (opt, u may choose vegetable oil)

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp jeera seeds

Method for Dhoddak :

Heat the kadhi. Add 3/4 Tbspn the oil, splutter rai and crackle jeera, on low flame, pour a ladle (approx 1/4 C to less than 1/2 C) batter, cover with lid and allow to cook. Around two minutes later, check for surface, should be cooked partially, without traces of raw batter. Drizzle the remaining oil, flip and cook uncovered for around 1-2 mins.

Serve HOT with the seasoning facing top. Accompany the dish with normal coconut chutney.

** The above pic is for my kids lunch, they don't like to bite into rai-jeera, so its skipped and served alongside honey. Size approx 3.5" in diameter. I have given those cuts so that it cools and tiny hands can have bite size pieces! :D ENJOY!!

The other good yummy is made from Gooseberries, known as 'Awala' is a sweet after food treat.

Sundried Meetha Awala / Candied Awala

Ingredients :

500 gms gooseberries

250 gms sugar

1/8th tsp pepper powder

1/8th tsp kala namak/black salt (normal wd do)

Method :

Wash the gooseberries, add double water in a vessel and pressure cook them upto only one whistle. Allow to cool, discard water in which it was boiled , they segment easily. De-seed them

and in a 1 kg capacity glass bottle, which has been sterilized and dried, layer them with sugar.

One layer of awala segments, one layer sugar. Once all the awala and sugar is used up close the lid tight and sundry in strong sun for upto 7 days. Pick the pieces from the bottle and lay them on a non-reactive plate, or a plate/tray lined with an aluminum foil. Let it dry on this for few hours on the counter sprinkle the pepper powder, kala namak and store this in an airtight container refrigerated. Eat after meals or simply :) Bet you can't resist!

More posts to come up...hope I get a good kick out of this first post of 2010!! Have a great week!!