KOTTE KADUBU

(IDLI IN BANANA AND JACKFRUIT LEAVES)

Rice (dosa variety) -- 2 1/2 cups
OR
Rava -- 2 cups
Split black gram (Urad dal) -- 1 cup
Salt to taste

Banana and Jackfruit leaves for making idli



Soak urad dal for 8-10 hours.

Wash soak rice for 15 minutes. Drain and spread it on a clean cloth for 20 minutes.

Run it in a mixer to make rava. Be careful not to make a smooth powder. It should be grainy and a bit bigger granules than the semolina.

Once done sieve to remove the fine flour particles from rava. Keep the rava aside. 2 cups of rava is needed for the kadubu. The remaining flour can be used for some other dish.

Grind urad dal to a smooth paste. Add the rava and mix it nicely. Leave it for fermenting overnight.


To make banana leaf kotte --
    Take a wide and long banana leaf
    Slit the banana leaf in the center and separate the stem.
   Each piece should be around 2 feet length and 1 foot width.   Wlit them on open fire (takes 2 minutes, only until the color changes)
   Tie one side with the thread (usually thread is obtained from the center stem portion)
   After the batter is poured the other side is also tied.

To make jack fruit leaf kotte --
    Four leaves are held together with the help of the coconut leaf sticks.
    Take semi-tender and big sized 4 leaves of equal size.
    Pin them together one by one at the tip of the leaves.
    Fold them and pin them to make kotte as in the picture.
    Cut off the stem end to make room for pouring the batter.

Add salt and pour the batter into the kotte (a little more than half the capacityof each kotte. remember to leave some space for it to expand after cooking. ) and steam it in a steamer for 30 minutes. Peel and serve hot with coconut chutney.

MASALA NEERU DOSA

(SPICY RICE CREPE)

Rice -- 1/2 cup

Oil -- 1 teaspoon
Split black gram (without the husk)(Urad dal) -- 3 teaspoons
Coriander seeds -- 1 1/2 teaspoons
Cumin seeds -- 3/4 teaspoon
Sesame seeds -- 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
Red chillies -- 5-6 broken

Onion -- 3 (medium)(chopped finely)
salt to taste
Oil for greasing



Soak rice for 5-6 hours.

Heat oil in a small pan and roast the black gram until golden brown. Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds and red chillies and fry on low flame for a couple of minutes. Finally add the sesame seeds fry until it starts spluttering. Turn off the heat and let it cool.

Run the fried spices in a food processor to make a powder(need not be smooth). Now add the soaked rice and make a very smooth paste with little water.

Add salt and water (around 1 1/2 cup water).

Add the chopped onion and make dosas as in neeru dosa

Add a little oil on top (calorie conscious people can skip this step!) and cook it on slow flame for a couple of minutes.

Serve it hot with coconut chutney.

PATRODE

Colocasia leaves -- 2-3 large

Split chick pea (chana dal) -- 3/4 cup
Split Black gram (Urad daal) -- 1/4 cup

Coriander seeds -- 2 teaspoons
Cumin seeds -- 1 teaspoon
Red chillies -- 6-8 broken

Lemon juice -- 2 teaspoons
Rice flour -- 2-3 teaspoons
salt to taste

Soak both lentils separately for 4-5 hours. Wash them and keep aside.

It is better if you cut the colocasia leaves in advance as the fresh one tends to cause an itching sensation in your mouth. It is better if it is cut off two days before preparing the dish.


Run coriander seeds, cumin seeds and red chilies in a processor and make a coarse powder.
Now add the black gram and grind it to paste(without water,or little water). Remove it in a bowl and grind the chick pea into a coarse paste(without water). Take care that it doesn't become smooth.
Add this to the spice paste.

Add salt, rice flour, lemon juice and mix it nicely.

Clean the colocasia leaves and slice off the thick stem if any, without slitting the leaf. Rub in a little salt and lime juice mixture to prevent it from causing the tongue itch.

Spread a medium thin layer of the ground masala on the leaf. Cover it with the second leaf and again spread the masala. Repeat it with the 3rd leaf as well.

Now roll the colocasia leaves with the masala as in spring rolls. Tie it wit a thread if necessary.(usually not necesary) Steam it for 20 minutes, or until the colocasia changes color and the lentil paste is cooked.

Slice it when it is still a bit warm.

Traditionally it is roasted on a griddle with coconut oil until crispy on sides.
Or it can be deep fried and served with chutney or sauce.

POTATO GNOCCHI

I have used the Gnocchi recipe from North Coast Journal by Simona Carini


Potato -- 1/4 kilo (floury type)
Plain flour -- 50 grams (about 1/4 cup)


Pressure cook the potatoes with out water. Peel them and grate them with a cheese grater to get a smooth mash.

Sift in the flour to the mashed potato and knead into a dough on a dusted board.

Keep a pot of water for boiling.

Take a small portion of the dough and roll it into a string of about 3/4 inch thickness. Chop them up into square pieces with a knife, and slighly press it into a grater or a fork to get small indentations on the surface.

Once the water is boiling cook the gnocchi in batches of 10-15. Gnocchi, once done surfaces the water. (in about 2 minutes) Remove it from water and repeat the process till all the gnocchi are cooked.

Serve it with any pasta sauce of your choice. I served it with my favorite Spicy carom sauce.