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Namak Pare
Rajasthani

Rajasthani

Namak Pare

  • Duration: 30 minutes
  • Serves: 2 to 4 people

Authenticity Slice

It is good to remember to deep-fry the Namak Pare on a low flame and in small batches. Once they begin to turn pinkish in colour, take care to scoop them out of the kadhai quickly, or else they will over-cook and taste bad. You could also sprinkle on some spices like amchur and lal mirch for a slight twist in the taste.

Trivia Tadka

Namak Pare is both an excellent everyday tea-time snack as well as a must-prepare specialty dish during the festival of Holi. When friends and neighbours keep stopping by in big groups to frolic with colours on that festive day, generous servings of Namak Pare add to the revelry.

Ingredients

  • Wheat flour (atta) (1 cup)
  • Semolina (sooji) (½ cup)
  • Carom seeds (ajwain) (1 tsp)
  • Salt (1 tsp)
  • MTR Dhaniya Coriander Powder (1 tsp)
  • MTR Lal Mirch Red Chilli Powder (½ tsp)
  • Cumin (jeera) powder (½ tsp)
  • Pepper (kali mirch) (¼ tsp)
  • Dry mango powder (amchur) (½ tsp)
  • Oil (for frying)
  • Ghee (2 tsp)
  • Curd (dahi) (½ cup)

Method

  • In a paraat (big, flat plate with shallow edges), mix the atta, sooji, ajwain and salt together.
  • Add 2 tbsp ghee to this and mix well. 
  • Next, add in the beaten dahi and warm water and knead into a stiff dough.
  • Shape the dough into a ball. Then, roll out this ball into a half-an-inch thick circle and cut small squares out of it.
  • Heat oil in a kadhai and deep-fry these squares on medium to low heat.
  • Take the kadhai off the flame and place the Pare on an absorbent kitchen paper.
  • Sprinkle the remaining spices onto these fried squares. 
  • Then, add ½-a-tbsp of hot oil and mix well. 
  • When they have cooled, store the Namak Pare in an airtight container.
 

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Thakkali Dosa and Rava Khichadi

Thakkadi Dosa and Rava Khichadi with Sambar-Chutney

In traditional Tamilian homes, the Rava Khichadi-Thakkali Dosa combination is one of the most nutritious breakfast meals and a favourite for a lazy Sunday. This meal finds its mention as early as the 10th century Tamil Sangam Literature, where it has been described as a common man’s food. Generally savoured with coconut chutney, a daily staple with most South Indian homes, and sambar, this wholesome platter has, over the years, found its way into lunch menus at various restaurants around the country.

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Rava Khichadi
  • Duration:20 minutes
  • Serves:3 to 4 people

Authenticity Slice

Tamil

Rava has the tendency of soaking up a lot of water, so it’s always a good idea to keep a cup of hot water at hand while preparing the Rava Khichadi. Among vegetables, chopped beans can be a welcome and healthy addition to the Khichadi recipe.

Ingredients

  • Semolina (rava/sooji) (1 cup)
  • Water (3 cups)
  • Oil (2 tsp)
  • Clarified butter (ghee) (3 to 4 tsp)
  • Mustard (sarson) (¼ tsp)
  • Green chillies (hari mirch), split (2)
  • Split chickpeas (chana dal) (¼ tsp)
  • Black gram (urad dal) (¼ tsp)
  • Onion, finely chopped (1)
  • Tomato, finely chopped (1)
  • Carrot (gajar), finely chopped (½)
  • Green peas (matar) (a handful)
  • MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder (¼ tsp)
  • Curry leaves (kadipatta) (5 to 6)
  • Cashew nuts (kaju) (a few, optional)
  • Salt (to taste)

Method

  • Heat a kadhai on a low flame and dry-roast the rava till it starts changing colour. Once done, keep aside.
  • In a pan, heat oil on a high flame and add the sarson, chana dal, urad dal, green chillies, kadipatta and kaju (optional). Lower the flame and stir-fry till the dal turns golden brown.
  • Add the onions and sauté till they become pink.
  • Toss in the tomatoes and sauté till they soften.
  • Add the MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder and salt to the concoction and keep stirring.
  • Next, add the carrot and the peas, and sauté for another minute.
  • Pour in the water and bring it to a boil on a medium flame. Once the water starts boiling, lower the flame and add the roasted rava.
  • Keep stirring carefully till the masala has mixed evenly with the rava, making sure that no lumps are formed in the process. Keep cooking on a low flame till the rava is cooked through. It generally takes just 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Take off the flame and add the ghee. Stir to mix.
  • Serve the Rava Khichadi piping hot with sambar and coconut chutney.
 

Tomato Dosa (Thakkali Dosa)
  • Duration:20 minutes
  • Serves:3 people

Authenticity Slice

Tamil

The slight tangy taste and alluring red hue of the tomatoes make the Thakkali Dosa a favourite among dosa-lovers. To ensure the best-tasting and best-looking dosas though, good care needs to be taken to grind the tomatoes into a smooth, fine paste. To further perfect it, any remaining lumps or seeds must be removed using a sieve. And, to lend it a deeper shade of red colour, mix in some Kashmiri lal mirch powder to the dosa batter.

Ingredients

  • Idli rice/parboiled rice (2 cups)
  • Tomato, finely chopped (3, big-sized)
  • MTR Lal Mirch/Red Chilli Powder (1 tsp)
  • Kashmiri lal mirch powder (1½ tsp, optional)
  • Mustard leaves (sarson) (¾ tsp)
  • Oil (2 tsp)
  • Black gram (urad dal) (1 tsp)
  • Asafoetida (hing) (2 pinches)
  • Curry leaves (kadipatta) (5 to 6)
  • Onion, finely chopped (1)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Water (as required for grinding)

Method

  • Wash the rice thoroughly and soak in water for a minimum of 6 hours. It is best to soak it overnight.
  • Toss the soaked rice in a mixer-grinder along with the tomatoes and MTR Lal Mirch Chilli Powder, adding in a little bit of water if required. The batter should be a bit thinner than the regular dosa consistency.
  • Pour this batter into a vessel and add salt as per taste.
  • Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan on a medium flame. Add the sarson, urad dal, hing and kadipatta and keep frying till the sarson begins to splutter and the dal starts to change colour.
  • Add the chopped onion and keep frying till they turn translucent.
  • Turn off the flame and add this tempering to the batter. Cover with a lid for a few minutes to let the batter soak in the flavours.
  • Next, heat a non-stick dosa tawa and sprinkle some oil on it. As it begins to give off smoke, gently wipe the tawa with a clean, moist cloth.
  • Pour a ladle-full of batter at the centre of the tawa and using the base of a katori, spread it clockwise to make a circular dosa of 5 to 6 inch diameter.
  • Once the edges begin to curl up, flip the dosa. Allow it to cook on a medium flame till the dosa acquires a golden red hue on both sides.
  • Transfer the Thakkali Dosa to a serving plate and serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.
 

Coconut Chutney
  • Duration:15 minutes
  • Serves:5-6 people

Authenticity Slice

Tamil

A good souring agent is critical to making this chutney. For long, imli was the chosen ingredient in Karnataka’s authentic chutney recipe. But even in the olden days, the imli would sometimes be replaced with curd, with great care taken to ensure that it was nice and thick. The chutney’s taste would otherwise be ruined.

Ingredients

  • Fresh coconut, grated (1 cup)
  • Green chillies (hari mirch) (2 to 3)
  • Ginger (adrak), crushed (1-inch piece)
  • Tamarind (imli) pulp (2 tsp)
  • Coriander leaves (hara dhania) (2 tbsp)
  • Curry leaves (kadipatta) (4)
  • Split Bengal gram (chana dal), soaked for a couple of hours (1 tbsp)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • label (For tempering )
  • Oil (2 tsp)
  • Mustard seeds (sarson) (1 tsp)
  • Black gram (urad dal) (1 tsp)
  • Dry red chillies (sabut lal mirch) (2)
  • Asafoetida (hing) (a pinch)

Method

  • In a mixer-grinder, toss in all the ingredients (except the ones for tempering), and a little water and grind up a fine paste. Transfer the mix to a bowl.
  • Heat oil in a pan on a high flame and add the sarson to it. When it begins to splutter, add the urad dal, hing and lal mirch, and fry till the dal turns golden brown.
  • Take off the flame and immediately add to the coconut paste. Mix well and cover the bowl with a lid. Let it rest for 2 minutes to allow the flavours to seep through.
  • Serve fresh with dosas or idlis.

Udupi Sambar
  • Duration:15 minutes
  • Serves:5 to 6 people

Authenticity Slice

Tamil

The MTR Sambar Masala is a perfect blend of all the authentic ingredients. To make sambar in a jiffy, use this masala and you can enjoy piping hot sambar in under 15 minutes.

Ingredients

  • Pre-cooked veggies of choice (1 cup)
  • Tuvar dal (split pigeon pea) (3/4 cup)
  • Water (600 ml)
  • Imli (tamarind) juice (2 tsp)
  • MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder (1/2 tsp)
  • MTR Sambar Powder (1 tbsp)
  • Grated coconut (1/2 tbsp)
  • Gud (jaggery) (2 tsp)
  • Salt (To taste )
  • Oil (1/2 tsp)
  • For tempering (1 tsp)
  • Mustard (sarson) (4)
  • Curry leaves (kadipatta) (1 tbsp)
  • Oil ()

Method

  • In a deep pan, add the water, dal, MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder and oil. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil on a high flame. Then, lower the flame to medium and cook till the dal is done.
  • Meanwhile, get the sambar paste ready. In a mixie, add MTR Sambar Powder, coconut, gud, a little water and blend well to form a fine paste.
  • Now, add this paste to the cooked dal and stir to combine on a medium flame.
  • Add the pre-cooked veggies of choice (onions, tomatoes, lauki, pumpkin). Then add the imli juice. Mix well.
  • Season with salt and let the dal cook for another 5 mins.
  • Make the tadka separately. In a pan, heat oil on a high flame. Add sarson and let it splutter, then add kadipatta.
  • Take off the flame and pour immediately on the sambar. Stir to mix well.
  • Garnish with hara dhania and serve hot with idli, dosa or steamed rice.

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Tirunelveli Halwa
Tamil

Tamil

Tirunelveli Halwa

  • Duration: 30 minutes
  • Serves: 5 to 6 people

Authenticity Slice

You might not get the dish’s authentic colour when preparing it in smaller quantities, but even then it is best to avoid the use of any artificial colouring agent. There is, however, one way to naturally colour your halwa. The trick is in taking 3 tsp of ghee, adding 2 tsp of sugar to it and stirring it till the sugar starts melting and caramelising. Once the ghee starts changing colour to brown, pour it over the halwa mixture and get the required colour naturally.

Trivia Tadka

The Tirunelveli Halwa is more than 3-centuries old. This lovely sweet dish was first prepared by those members of Rajasthan’s Rajputra community who had come down to serve Tirunelveli’s zamindars. The brown colour of the halwa comes from the use of wheat, sugar, ghee and cashew nuts in the recipe. Folklore suggests that initial preparations used water only from the nearby Thamirabarani River. The popular belief then was that this water lent a unique flavour to the dish. The first halwa shop opened in the year 1882 in Tirunelveli, so the dish came to be called ‘Tiruneveli Halwa’.


 

Ingredients

  • Broken wheat (Gothumai rava) (1 cup)
  • Sugar (2⅓ cups)
  • Desi ghee (1¼ cup)
  • Cashew nuts (Kaju), roughly chopped (3 tbsp)
  • Green cardamom (hari elaichi) powder (¼ tsp)
  • Water (1½ cups)

Method

  • Wash and soak the broken wheat in water overnight.
  • In a mixer-grinder, work up the wheat along with a little water. Make a fine paste and run it through a strainer to extract the wheat milk.
  • After straining out the wheat milk, put the paste back into the mixer-grinder and grind once again. 
  • Strain again.
  • Let the collected wheat milk stand for an hour. Then, carefully discard the resultant clear liquid. 
  • Add 1½ cups of water to the thick wheat milk and mix it well. 
  • Add 2¼ cups of sugar in a non-stick pan with half a cup of water and bring it to a boil. To check if the consistency is right, place a drop of the syrup between your thumb and index finger and tap it once or twice. If a string forms between your fingers, then you have got it right.
  • Meanwhile, in a separate pan, add the remaining sugar along with 2 tbsp of ghee and heat the mix. Keep stirring till the sugar melts and caramelises and the ghee turns deep brown in colour. 
  • Switch off the flame and keep aside. 
  • Now, add the wheat milk to the sugar syrup and mix well.
  • Once the added milk has become slightly thicker and translucent, add in the caramelised sugar. Start slowly adding in the ghee, stirring continuously. 
  • Continue slowly adding the ghee at regular intervals, till the concoction starts to leave the sides of the pan. 
  • Turn off the flame.
  • In a kadhai, shallow-fry the cashew nuts in a tsp of ghee. 
  • Add the fried cashews and the cardamom powder to the halwa and mix well.
  • Serve hot.

 

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Kesari Bhath
Kannada

Kannada

Kesari Bhath

  • Duration: 20 minutes
  • Serves: 2 to 4 people

Authenticity Slice

The traditional trick to getting that refreshing orange-yellow colour is soaking the kesar strands in warm water for some time. This helps the kesar lend its brilliant colour to the dish. One can even add this water to the sugar syrup. For additional flavour, you could add a dash of elaichi powder to the mix.



Trivia Tadka

Kesari Bhath is Karnataka’s famous festival sweet dish, made especially during Ugadi, the new year day.  ‘Kesari’ means ‘saffron’, which is what is used to give this dessert its unique orangish-yellow bright hue and lovely flavour.  The interesting thing about this Bhath is that inspite of it being a sweet dish, it is cooked in Kannadiga homes as a breakfast staple. It is also often served along with Uppittu or Khara Bhath, with both dishes scooped up side-by-side in equal quantities. This combination is popularly known as ‘Chow Chow Bhath’.

Ingredients

  • Semolina (rava/sooji) (½ cup)
  • Sugar (½ cup)
  • Saffron (kesar) strands (3 to 4)
  • Cashew nuts (kaju), roughly chopped (1 tbsp)
  • Green cardamom (hari elaichi) powder (½ tsp)
  • Desi ghee (½ cup)
  • Water (1½ cup)

Method

  • Heat a kadhai on a high flame and dry-roast the rava till it starts to change colour. This will take about 5 to 6 minutes. Take it out on a plate and keep aside to cool.
  • In the same kadhai, heat the ghee on a low flame. Add the cashews and fry them till they turn golden brown.
  • Add water to the cashews and bring it to a boil. Take out 2 tbsp of this boiling water in a small bowl and soak the kesar in it. Keep aside for 2 minutes and then pour it back into the boiling water in the kadhai. Add the sugar and stir thoroughly.
  • Next, tip in the elaichi powder and stir.
  • Carefully and slowly, add in the rava. Keep stirring continuously till it has absorbed all the water and no lumps remain.
  • Continue stirring till the ghee starts to separate from the sides.
  • Turn off the flame and transfer the Kesari Bhath to a serving bowl.
  • Serve piping hot.
 

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Holige
Kannada

Kannada

Holige

  • Duration: 30 minutes
  • Serves: 8 to 10 people

Authenticity Slice

Holige only looks and tastes good once it has turned dark brown on frying. The authentic method of getting that perfect hue is adding rava to the rice-and-dal mixture. The rava also helps make the Holige crisp on the outside.

Trivia Tadka

Holige is Karnataka’s most popular sweet dish, an essential delicacy made to mark festivals such as Ugadi, Vara Maha Lakshmi Vrata and Diwali. The word ‘Holige’ means ‘something very special’, and the dish is also known as ‘Obbattu’, ‘Bobbatlu’ and ‘Puran Poli’ in other regions. It comes in many varieties, such as Peanut Holige, Kai (coconut) Holige, Bele (arhar dal) Holige and Sesame (til) Holige.

Ingredients

  • Refined wheat flour (Maida) (1½ cups)
  • Split chickpeas (chana dal) (1 cup)
  • Jaggery(Gud) (1 cup)
  • Semolina (Sooji) (2 tsp)
  • Green cardamom(Elaichi ) powder (1 tsp)
  • Oil (1 tsp)
  • MTR Haldi Turmeric Powder (a pinch)
  • Salt (a pinch)
  • Oil (as required)
  • Water (as required)

Method

  • Thoroughly wash the chana dal in water and pressure cook it on a high flame, timing it to 3 whistles.
  • Allow the steam to escape naturally and then drain out the water from the pressure cooker. Add the gud to the dal and cook it for another 10 minutes on a medium flame or till it dissolves. Then, take it off the flame and set it aside for cooling.
  • When the gud-dal mix has cooled down, put it through a mixer-grinder and work up a smooth paste without adding any water.
  • Transfer it to a vessel and add the elaichi powder. Mix well and keep aside.
  • Next, mix the maida with the sooji, MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder, and salt. Then, add a bit of oil and water as required to make a roti-like dough.
  • Cover and set aside for an hour.
  • Make small 1-inch balls of the dough and flatten them into small circles using your palms.
  • Now, place a teaspoon of the chana mixture at the centre of a flat dough circle. Cover it with another flat circle. Seal the edges by deftly pressing down with your fingertips.
  • On a plastic sheet, apply an even coat of oil. Now, place the stuffed flat dough circle on it and gently roll it out like a chapati, making sure that the stuffing doesn’t spill out.
  • Heat a flat tawa on high flame. Place the chapati on it and cook till both sides have turned golden brown.
  • Serve the Holige hot or cool.

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Rava Khichadi
Tamil

Tamil

Rava Khichadi

  • Duration: 20 minutes
  • Serves: 3 to 4 people

Authenticity Slice

Rava has the tendency of soaking up a lot of water, so it’s always a good idea to keep a cup of hot water at hand while preparing the Rava Khichadi. Among vegetables, chopped beans can be a welcome and healthy addition to the Khichadi recipe.

Trivia Tadka

The name ‘Khichadi’ originated from the Sanskrit word ‘Khicca’, which translates to ‘a dish made with rice and pulses’. The Mughals fell in love with it on tasting it, and re-named it ‘Khichadi’. They also added their own touches to it by suffusing the dish with more spices, dry fruits and nuts. Later, the British too developed a taste for it – they renamed it ‘Kedgeree’ and savoured it as breakfast. Rava Khichadi is a lighter, more nutritious version of this rice dish, and is cooked using healthy spices. It is generally served as breakfast in south Indian homes, and at most south Indian weddings, the Rava Khichadi is served with sambar and chutney as accompaniment.

Ingredients

  • Semolina (rava/sooji) (1 cup)
  • Water (3 cups)
  • Oil (2 tsp)
  • Clarified butter (ghee) (3 to 4 tsp)
  • Mustard (sarson) (¼ tsp)
  • Green chillies (hari mirch), split (2)
  • Split chickpeas (chana dal) (¼ tsp)
  • Black gram (urad dal) (¼ tsp)
  • Onion, finely chopped (1)
  • Tomato, finely chopped (1)
  • Carrot (gajar), finely chopped (½)
  • Green peas (matar) (a handful)
  • MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder (¼ tsp)
  • Curry leaves (kadipatta) (5 to 6)
  • Cashew nuts (kaju) (a few, optional)
  • Salt (to taste)

Method

  • Heat a kadhai on a low flame and dry-roast the rava till it starts changing colour. Once done, keep aside.
  • In a pan, heat oil on a high flame and add the sarson, chana dal, urad dal, green chillies, kadipatta and kaju (optional). Lower the flame and stir-fry till the dal turns golden brown.
  • Add the onions and sauté till they become pink.
  • Toss in the tomatoes and sauté till they soften.
  • Add the MTR Haldi/Turmeric Powder and salt to the concoction and keep stirring.
  • Next, add the carrot and the peas, and sauté for another minute.
  • Pour in the water and bring it to a boil on a medium flame. Once the water starts boiling, lower the flame and add the roasted rava.
  • Keep stirring carefully till the masala has mixed evenly with the rava, making sure that no lumps are formed in the process. Keep cooking on a low flame till the rava is cooked through. It generally takes just 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Take off the flame and add the ghee. Stir to mix.
  • Serve the Rava Khichadi piping hot with sambar and coconut chutney.
 

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MEAL

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Khaman Dhokla
Gujarati

Gujarati

Khaman Dhokla

  • Duration: 20 minutes
  • Serves: 4 people

Authenticity Slice

To get an evenly steamed Dhokla, it is best to prepare it in an authentic aluminium thali with high edges. 'Saji na phool' (source of natural citric acid) has always been used to ensure a soft texture, but it can be replaced with a fruit salt, such as Eno. It is critical that the steaming process begins immediately after the salt has been added, or else the bubbles created in the batter by the fruit salt will escape and the Dhoklas will come out hard.

Trivia Tadka

The good old Gujarati Dhokla actually originated in Indonesia. It made its way into Gujarati kitchens around 1520 AD through enterprising Silk Route traders who visited Indonesia often. The Indonesians in fact enjoyed a blander version of this fermented gram flour dish, but its recipe has been suitably improvised over the centuries by the food-loving Gujaratis. And so has the Gujarati Dhokla evolved, and become popular across the country.

Ingredients

  • Gram flour (besan) (1 cup)
  • Semolina (Sooji) (1½ tbsp)
  • Sugar (3½ tsp)
  • Ginger and Green Chilli paste (1 tsp)
  • Lemon juice (1 tsp)
  • Citric acid or fruit salt (Saji na phool) (1½ tsp)
  • Oil (1½ tsp)
  • Rai (black mustard seeds) (1½ tsp)
  • Black sesame seeds (Kaala til) (½ tsp)
  • Green chillies(Hari mirch), finely chopped (2)
  • Asafoetida (Hing) (a pinch)
  • Curry leaves (Kadipatta) (10-12)
  • Coriander leaves (Hara dhaniya), finely chopped (2 tbsp)
  • Salt (to taste)

Method

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the besan, sooji, sugar, ginger and green chilli paste, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well.
  • Add water, a little at a time, to make a thick batter.
  • Whisk the batter well using a fork or a hand-blender to ensure that no lumps are formed. Tap the bowl on the kitchen counter or any other solid surface to release trapped air bubbles, if any. Set the batter aside for 5 minutes.
  • While the batter is resting, grease an authentic aluminium thali with high edges. Ensure that the sides too are greased well.
  • When you are ready to cook the Dhokla, add in the saji na phool or fruit salt along with 2 teaspoons of water. Bubbles will start to form immediately. Mix thoroughly and pour immediately into the greased thali.
  • Tilt the pan and start pouring in a circular motion to form even layers of the batter about half an inch thick. If your batter forms a thicker layer, you may need a bigger thali because the Dhokla rises during the cooking process and may spill out.
  • Half fill a pressure cooker with water and bring it to a boil.
  • Lower the flame and place an aluminium jaali (sieve) on the water. Balance the batter-filled thali on the jaali and close the lid.
  • Remove the cooker whistle and let the batter steam on a medium flame for about 15 minutes or till the Dhokla batter is cooked through. (To check if done, pierce the Dhokla with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the Dhokla is ready.)
  • Carefully remove the pan from the pressure cooker.
  • For the tadka, heat the oil in a pan and add the rai. When they begin to crackle, add the hing, til, kadipatta and hari mirch and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
  • Take the tadka off the flame, and while keeping a safe distance to avoid any splatter, add 2 tablespoons of water. Mix well and pour immediately over the Dhokla, coating the pan evenly.
  • Once the Dhokla is cool enough to be handled, run a knife around the edges of the thali to release it. Using a flat ladle, gently transfer it to a chopping board or a flat plate.
  • Use a lightly greased knife to cut equal-sized Dhokla squares or wedges.
  • Garnish with chopped hara dhaniya and serve warm or cool with mint and tamarind chutneys.

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In Your Kitchen

You may use any aluminium vessel that fits into your pressure cooker to cook the Dhokla, but make sure that it is deep enough to allow the batter to rise without spilling out.

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Pesarattu, Upma, Allam Pachadi

Pesarattu, Upma, Allam Pachadi

Pesarattu and Upma together make a popular Andhra breakfast that is best served with Allam Pachadi (ginger chutney). Locally, the meal is known as ‘MLA Pesarattu’. The nomenclature came into being in the 1950s when the combination became a rage in the restaurants of Hyderabad’s MLA Quarters area. It is believed that serving Pesarattu and Upma priced as a single dish had become a loss-making venture. However, the restaurant owners in the area continued to serve this combination to the prominent members of the MLA quarters only. They instructed their cooks to hide the Upma inside the folds of the Pesarattu when they served it to the select few in order to deceive the rest of the customers clamouring for the combination.


Upma was and continues to be a hot favourite in the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh, which comprise Guntur, Krishna and Godavari districts—the bastion of the most powerful MLAs. ‘Upma Pesarattu’ became so famous that the combination made it to a special travel website created by the State Government in 2002 as part of its Incredible India campaign.


MLA Pesarattu is best served on a banana leaf and makes a filling and satisfying authentic breakfast. You may prepare the Allam Pachadi in advance. Start with the Upma and then make the Pesarattus. Quickly fill in the Pesarattus with Upma as you would stuff Masala Dosa—the Pesarattus must be piping hot.



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Pesarattu
  • Duration:30 minutes
  • Serves:6 people

Authenticity Slice

Telugu

Using ready-made/pre-made rice flour as a quick fix tends to make the Pesarattu too crispy. It's best to soak the rice overnight alongside the dal to get the texture just right.

Ingredients

  • Sabut moong dal (whole green gram), washed and soaked for 5-7 hours (2 cups)
  • Rice, soaked for 5-7 hours separately (½ cup)
  • Green chillies (hari mirch), chopped (3)
  • Ginger (adrak) (½ inch)
  • Asafoetida (hing) (¼ tsp)
  • Salt (1 tsp)
  • Coriander leaves (hara dhania, chopped) (a few)
  • Onion, chopped (¼ cup)
  • Ghee (½ tsp)

Method

  • In a mixer-grinder, grind the dal, rice, hari mirch, adrak, hing and dhania leaves to a smooth dosa-batter consistency. Add salt to taste and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. The batter needs to settle for a while so that the dal is completely soft.
  • Heat the tawa. Wipe it with a moist cloth when hot and grease with ghee.

  • Pour a small katori of batter in the centre of the tawa and move the katori in concentric circles quickly, using the katori base to spread the batter. Increase the flame to high. As the edges of the Pesarattu start to curl up, sprinkle ghee around it and some on top as well.

  • Sprinkle onions and dhania on top of the Pesarattu, pressing down gently. Let it cook for about 30 seconds more on low flame. No need to flip the Pesarattu. It will be ready to serve once it gives off a pleasing aroma and is no longer sticky at the top. Gently slide a wooden spatula under it and transfer to a serving plate.

  • Present the Pesarattu rolled up like a regular dosa. Serve with chutney of your choice, though traditionally ginger chutney is preferred. To enhance the flavour of the Pesarattu and give it a deep golden hue, Andhrites use cow milk ghee, which is yellow, more textured, and has a strong aroma.

Upma
  • Duration:20-25 minutes
  • Serves:6 people

Authenticity Slice

Telugu

In Andhra homes, Upma is smeared with a teaspoon of aromatic desi ghee when it is ready to be served. This lends flavour and a particular sheen to the dish.
 In the coastal Andhra region, Upma is made lighter and more crumbly by using water in a 2:1 proportion to sooji. Usually more water is used to make for a heavier dish. With the MTR Poha Mix, getting all the authentic ingredients together will not be a cumbersome task anymore!

Ingredients

  • Water (450 ml)
  • Ghee (1 tsp, for smearing)
  • MTR Upma Mix (1½ tbsp)
  • Oil (80 gms)
  • Carrot, chopped and power boiled (80 gms)
  • Beans, chopped and power boiled (80 gms)
  • Peas, power boiled (2 tbsp, for garnishing)
  • Dhaniya (coriander) leaves ()

Method

  • Pour 450 ml of water in a pan. Let it boil for about 1 minute.
  • Before adding the upma, add the oil to the water. This is done so that the oil gets into each grain of upma and the upma doesn't get sticky with lumps.
  • Add the MTR Upma Mix to the boiling water slowly, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. It should take about 4-5 minutes to get done.
  • Just a minute before finishing, add some power-boiled carrots, beans, and peas to the upma. Mix till the upma absorbs all the water and the consistency becomes thick. Just as it gets done, you’ll see that it has left the sides of the pan.
  • Smear with a teaspoon of ghee and garnish with dhaniya leaves before serving.
  • Upma may be eaten as a breakfast dish or a snack.

Allam Pachadi
  • Duration:30 minutes
  • Serves:2 people

Authenticity Slice

Telugu

Use only tender adrak, which is smooth to taste and not gravelly with threads. Generally, Andhrites break the adrak into pieces at the vegetable store to check the roots and avoid picking those with strands. In some areas of the state, shopkeepers actually stock an 'Allam Chutney' variety of adrak separately.

Ingredients

  • Ginger (Adrak) (2 inches)
  • Tamarind (Imli), seedless (1 lemon sized ball)
  • Jaggery (Gud) (2 tbsp)
  • Black mustard seeds (Rai) (1 tsp)
  • Cumin seeds (Jeera) (1 tsp)
  • Black gram (Urad dal) (2 tsp)
  • Split chickpeas (Chana dal) (2 tbsp)
  • Coriander seeds(Sabut dhania ) (2 tbsp)
  • Whole red chillies(Sabut lal mirch) (5-6)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Oil (2 tbsp)
  • Curry leaves (Kadipatta) (a few)

Method

  • Soak the imli in a cup of warm water for about an hour.

  • Clean, wash, and dry the adrak by wrapping it in a clean cloth for around 30 minutes or till the dampness disappears. Chop the dry adrak into pieces.

  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add jeera. When the jeera starts spluttering and gives off an appetising aroma, add chana and urad dal.
  • Fry until the dals turn golden brown. Add dhania and sabut lal mirch and fry for a few seconds more before turning off the flame. (Make sure you follow this sequence while preparing the tadka. Dhania and sabut lal mirch burn fast and hence need to be added after the jeera and the dals are done.)
  • When cool, grind the dal mixture along with the chopped adrak, gud, imli, and salt to taste. Add water only if necessary; water decays the chutney faster, cutting down its shelf life.
  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add rai and kadipatta to it. When the rai starts spluttering, take the tadka off the flame and pour it over the chutney. This spice mix will sizzle and give off an appetising fragrance. Cover it instantly to let the flavours seep in.

  • Allam Pachadi can be eaten warm or cool.


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