OKRA DOSA (VENDAIKKAI, BHINDI)

Bhindi masala, Okra Curry, Stuffed Okra, Sambar ...... etc are all regular dishes we make using Okra. This Okra Dosa is little different from the above list.  If you are okra lover then sure its for you and you should definitely give it a try.   I make this very often and we all love this a lot.   The sliced okra which we add to the batter is well roasted when making dosas, it gives a nice texture and you feel the crunchiness in every bite. You can have this with  Idli spice powder, Coconut chutney, Onion chutney. It still tastes great on its own, to enjoy the full flavor  I prefer to eat them without any condiments. 

 Please read my note before trying this...Happy eating :)


Ingredients :


Idli rice - 1 cup
Raw rice - 1 cup
Okra - 5 or 6
Green chilli - 8 (adjust according to spice level)
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few chopped
Coriander leaves - few chopped finely
Okra - 7 or 8 sliced very finely for the batter
Mustard - 1 1/4 tsp
Salt
Water- To adjust the consistency of the batter.







Method :


1. Soak the rice for few hours, and now grind the rice, 5 or 6 okra's, green chilli, asafoetida, salt to fine batter.
2.Dilute the batter thin like rawa dosa batter.
3. Season with mustard and curry leaves. Add the coriander leaves.
4. Add sliced okra's to the batter.
5. Now heat the Skillet, Pour a ladle full of batter starting from the edge of the skillet.
6. The middle part is filled by it own as the batter is thin and runny.
7. Fill the unfilled part by slightly pouring the batter.
8. Add 1/4 tsp of oil around once it is roasted, just flip it over and make it crispy.


Happy eating :)









Note :


1. Grind the batter at least 2 hrs before, to get very crispy dosa.
2.You can grind the batter in the evening,  keep  it in the fridge and can be used for morning breakfast.
3. Add the sliced okra only when you are ready to make Dosas. If you add it before it makes the batter slimy and its difficult to make dosa.
4. Reserve half batter separately before adding okra , because you cannot keep the leftover batter after adding the sliced okra, as I said it will make the batter slimy.
5. Since we are adding the okra while grinding the batter, it gives nice volume to the batter and you can make at least 20 to 25 dosa for the measurement I have given.
6.Add water to the batter whenever you need to thin it.





Tips :


One more tip for this okra is while grinding the urad dhal for making Idli's , if the quality of urad dhal is not good it does not foam right , Just add 1 chopped okra, it gives nice foam and your Idli comes out very soft too.

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ATUKULU (POHA) DOSA OR APPAM WITH VADA KURMA / VADA CURRY

Atukulu dosa or Aapam is Sponge dosa is the way we call from the childhood. Yah its really very spongy simply melts in your mouth. You can call either way, Dosa or Appam. You can make it thin or thick as you wish. This is wonderful breakfast or dinner menu. And any spicy chutney, coconut chutney everything goes very well with this. I often do Vada Curry with this Dosa . Vada Curry is very popular dish in Tamil Nadu. You will find this in almost all the hotel which is served with Idiyappam, Set dosas.. It extremely tastes wonderful and its best accompaniment for Idli, Dosa, Aappam, Idiyappam(string hoppers)and Set dosa. The history of this vada curry is they say that they started making this from the leftover vadas. Now it has become popular menu all over Tamil Nadu. If you never tried making this vada curry before, I suggest to try atleast once. I bet you will make it again and again.


Atukulu Dosa(Poha Dosa or Aappam)


Ingredients :


Raw rice - 1 1/2 cup
Idli rice - 1 1/2 cup
Atukul(Poha) - 1 cup
Urad dhal - 1/2 cup
Curd - 1/4 cup ( optional)
Salt







Method :


1. Soak rice and poha together and urad dhal seperately for few hours.
2. Grind the urad dhal first as you do for idli. And then grind the rice and atukul to fine batter.
3. While grinding itself add the curd.
4. Now add the salt and mix dhal and rice batter very well.
5. Ferment it over night.
6.In the morning or when ever you want, Just heat the skillet, pour laddle full of batter as thick or thin as you prefer add 1/4 tsp of oil and close with the lid.
7. Once it is cooked in the bottom and you will notice the color change in the top as it is cooked.
8. Do not flip it, as it is not need for this. Just serve with your favorite accompaniment.









Some variations with same batter :


1. You can make even idli , comes out so soft and fluffy.
2. You can make paniyaram by adding chopped onion, season with mustard, coriander leaves, green chilli paste, curry leaves.
3. Even you can make dosas after adding all the onion, seasoning and leaves. But this has to be flipped and roasted tastes awesome.


VADA KURMA


Ingredients :


Making vada :


Urad dhal - 1/4 cup
Channa dhal - 1/4 cup
Moong dhal - 1/4 cup
Salt and Oil


Method :


1. Soak three dhals for few hours and grind it like vada batter , that is slightly coarse.
2. Now heat oil in the wok or kadai. Drop the batter to small balls. And deep fry till slightly golden brown.
3. While we do this... we have to make kurma in which we are going to add these vadas.


FOR GRAVY :


Ingredients :


Coconut - 1/4 cup
Poppy seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Red chilli - 5
Saunf - 1/4 tsp
Clove - 1
Cardamom - 1
Garlic - 3 pod
Roasted gram dhal - 1/2 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Onion - 1 sliced
Tomato - 1 cubed
Salt and oil
Curry leaves and coriander leaves.









Method :


1. Grind the first nine ingredients to coarse paste as we do for kurma.
2.Heat oil in the kadai, saute the onion to slight brown color.
3. Now add the curry leaves and tomato. Saute till the tomato is mushy.
4. Now add the ground paste and add water 3 times. Cook till raw aroma disappears.
5.Now the gravy starts to thicken. Add the vadas that you made and garnish with coriander leaves.


Yummy VADA KURMA  is now ready to serve !!!!!!!!!!







Note:


1. If you make big vada just make to small pieces and add to the curry.
2. I love to have small balls in the curry.
3. This tastes wonderful even the next day.
4. If you feel you have more vada batter you can add the chopped onions, saunf, asafoetida, coriander leaves, red chilli powder and make vadas and enjoy as a snack as well. Now it is two in one dish. Enjoy making :)

HEALTHY VERSION OF VADA CURRY 

Here are some of my casual shots for Vada curry which I made ...

 

For the vada curry the gravy part is little different from the vada kurma.  You can grind the batter for the vada same as the above and instead of deep frying , make them into small balls and steam them for 15 minutes or use the fried version itself and make curry as follows....

Making vada :


Urad dhal - 1/4 cup
Channa dhal - 1/4 cup
Moong dhal - 1/4 cup
Salt and Oil


Method :


1. Soak three dhals for few hours and grind it like vada batter , that is slightly coarse.
2. Now heat oil in the wok or kadai. Drop the batter to small balls. And deep fry till slightly golden brown.
3. While we do this... we have to make kurma in which we are going to add these vadas.

Here is another version using TOOR DHAL...

STEAMED VADAS USING TOOR DHAL

Ingredients:

Toor dhal- 1/2 cup

Urad dhal- 1/8 cup

Cummin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Pepper - few

Green chilli - 1/2

Red chilli -1

Coconut - 1/2 tbsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Soak the dhal in water for 1 hr then coarsely grind with other ingredients and ferment overnight(Fermenting is absolutely optional).

2.Make small balls and steam it for 15 minutes.

4. Once steamed make to proper balls and add it to the curry.

OR FOR THE HEALTHIER VERSION

1. Make small balls and steam it for 15 minutes.  Make proper balls before they cool.



Note :

1. My version is using all the above dhals, you can also use Channa dhal alone with some salt and red chillies and steam or deep fry them for the curry. Either way it tastes delicious.

FOR THE CURRY :

Onion - 1 finely chopped
Tomato - 1 big and 1 small chopped finely
Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp 
Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp or as needed
Green chilli - 1 sliced
Cinnamon - 1 small stick (1/2 inch)
Cloves - 2 to 3 
Kaal paasi - few (optional)
Saunf - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Curry leaves - few
Mint leaves few chopped
Coriander for garnishing 
Oil - 1 tbsp
 Salt as needed.

  

Method :

1. Prepare the vadas either by deep frying or steaming and keep it ready.
2. Heat oil in the pan, add the whole spices followed by the ginger and garlic paste, saute till raw aroma disappers.
3. Add onion and curry leaves, saute till they are light brown in color followed by the tomato.
4. Now add the green chilli, coriander powder ,chilli powder and mint leaves.
5. Saute until oil seperates.  Now add 1 1/2 cups of water let it come to nice boil.
6. Now add the fried or steamed vadas and let it cook until half of the water is evaporated, you can also break the vadas roughly to make the gravy little thick.
7.  Check for the salt and switch of the flame.  Garnish with freshly chopped coriander.

Serve hot with Idli, Dosa, Aapam ... its very yummy and I am sure you will eat extra dosa or appam with this delicious sidedish.

Note :

1. Both for vada curry and vada kurma you can use any leftover masala vada.
2. You can use any vadas and make kurma or curry.

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