Chole

There is really nothing I can write about Chole. It needs no introduction. Everybody makes it. Everybody likes it. 

Initially I used to make it with chole masala, but one of my cousins told me that garam masala works just fine. Since then I’ve been using only garam masala. Actually chole masala gives it some tartness, which I personally don’t like, so I prefer garam maslala.

This is one of my easy-to-make, delicious, can’t-go-wrong, feed-a-crowd type of dish. 

Rava Dosa

I am not very fond of Rave dose. But it is my husband’s favorite. So, I learnt to make this. My mom makes very good Rava dosa. So I took her recipe and tried to make it. It had its share of disastrous trials and errors. I remember initially we hardly got to eat whole dosas. It used to come out as a lump of cooked, sticky batter. But I am glad and proud to say that I have mastered the skill :) 

The key to making good rava dosa is the batter consistency. Then, the cooking time. 

Goli Baje

Goli Baje is another popular dish from South Canara. In Bangalore it is known as Mangalore bajji. This bajji is unlike any other bajji as it does not have any vegetable. It is made with just maida and some masala in it. This is a very easy recipe. Add some mashed bananas instead of masala, it becomes Mangalore Buns.

Pear Crisp

I am not a big fan of cinnamon in desserts... hence, I don't like most of the pies, crisps, pastries that are available here in US.. 

I had a bunch of pears which, thanks to my daughter’s intervention, was going bad super quickly. So, I thought of making this pear crisp - cinnamon less.

Instead of cinnamon I added cardamom powder, instead of maple syrup I added honey, I did not cut down on butter and added some extra sugar to make the ripe fruit even more sweet :) 

The result was this super rich, super tasty, super easy dessert. 

A bite of hot crisp, contrasting with the cold ice-cream, with oats and nuts providing just the right amount of crunch will take you to a different world, I tell you...

My friend Veena has a good mantra, “diet mane haalaaga!”... Chant and eat away...

Mente Soppina Bath/Methi leaves Bath

Growing up, lunch time at schools/colleges was so much fun. I remember the ones especially from college days where all us friends would sit together and have a nice chat while tasting food from everyone’s lunch boxes. We would open our lunch box and pass it around to friends to taste first, before eating it ourselves. I particularly remember this super delicious mente bath that my friend Roopa used to bring for lunch. I loved it so much that I'd gladly accept another helping and relish every bite of it.

Time flies... and I am glad and thankful that I am in touch with my college friends.

Roopa gave me this recipe. It is a pretty simple recipe if you have vangibath powder handy. Mente soppu(Methi leaves) gives this bath a very distinctive, bitter taste. Sweetness from jaggery compliments the bitterness from soppu. You can add batani(peas) or any other kaaLu, but I think avarekaaLu(Surti Lilva) goes well with this bath. 

Heerekayi Chatti/Ridge Gourd Dosa

This is a very popular dish from my native place - Kota. Given it is my all time favorite, this was one of the first few dishes I learnt to make. I haven’t come across a person who doesn’t like this or who hasn’t asked for the recipe after tasting this:) It tastes like heerekayi bajji. In fact in my native place, bajji is also made with a similar ground batter instead of besan based batter. 

My mom makes wonderful chattis and this is her recipe.

You basically need to dip thinly sliced heerekayi(ridge gourd) in a spicy-tangy-sweet batter and place it on a dosa tava next to each other - somewhat like a beehive - and cook it on both sides. 

More the oil, better the taste :)

Mooli Paratha

This is one foolproof recipe that has given me good results every time I’ve made it. Even if your chapathi making skills are average, you’ll still be able to make this paratha. Actually that is true for any paratha. 

My cousin C gave me this recipe. 

The work is a little tedious, but you can always make the palya before hand and deal with just chapathi part while making it. 

This Mooli palya can be eaten as a side dish with chapathi too.