RAG Demo

Tag: Breakfast

  • Misal Pav

    Misal is a breakfast institution across Maharashtra, with fierce loyalty to regional styles. Kolhapur's misal is the hottest, with a thin, oily red rassa; Puneri misal adds poha and potato; Nashik's is dark and black-masala heavy. All share the same structure: a bowl of spiced sprouted beans, a ladle of fiery gravy called kat or tarri, and a mountain of crunchy farsan on top.

    The base is usually matki (moth bean) sprouts cooked with onion and tomato, while the kat gets its colour and heat from Kolhapuri chilli and a roasted paste of dry coconut, onion and garlic. Eating it is a balance act: crunch from farsan, cool sharpness from raw onion and lemon, and heat from the rassa, which you pour in to your own tolerance.

    Misal is eaten with soft pav, often with a glass of buttermilk or a cup of tea to soothe the heat. Restaurants serve the kat separately so you can top up as you eat. Pune, Nashik and Kolhapur each claim the best misal in the state, and every town has its famous joint with a queue outside on Sunday mornings.

    At a glance

    RegionMaharashtra
    CuisineMaharashtrian
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelHot
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmatki sprouts / dry coconut / onion / farsan

    Ingredients

    For the masala paste

    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 1 large onion, sliced
    • 1/3 cup dry coconut (kopra), grated
    • 8 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 1 tomato, chopped

    For the usal and kat

    • 2 cups matki sprouts
    • 4 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 2 tsp Kolhapuri or Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp hot red chilli powder
    • 2 tsp goda masala or kanda-lasun masala
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 small piece jaggery
    • 2 kokum petals
    • 4 cups hot water

    To serve

    • 2 cups mixed farsan or chivda
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup chopped coriander
    • Lemon wedges
    • 8 pav

    Method

    1. Heat 1 tbsp oil, add the sliced onion and fry on medium for 5-6 minutes until brown. Add the coconut and roast for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until it turns reddish-brown and fragrant. Add garlic, ginger and tomato for 1 minute. Cool and grind to a fine paste with a little water.
    2. Pressure cook the matki sprouts with 1 1/2 cups water, a pinch of turmeric and salt for 1 whistle only. They should be cooked but hold their shape.
    3. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a pot on medium. Crackle the mustard seeds, add asafoetida, curry leaves and the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft.
    4. Add the ground masala paste and fry for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until the oil separates and the paste darkens.
    5. Lower the heat, add turmeric, both chilli powders and goda masala and stir for 30 seconds without burning.
    6. Remove one-third of this masala to a separate pan for the kat. Add the cooked matki with its water to the main pot, plus 1 cup hot water, half the salt, jaggery and a kokum petal. Simmer for 10 minutes to make the usal.
    7. To the reserved masala add 3 cups hot water, the rest of the salt and a kokum petal. Boil for 10-12 minutes until a layer of red oil (tarri) floats on top. This is the kat.
    8. To serve, ladle usal into a bowl, pour kat over it, top with farsan, chopped onion and coriander, and add a lemon wedge. Serve with pav and extra kat on the side.

    Tips

    • Do not overcook the sprouts; mushy matki makes the misal pasty.
    • The red oil layer on the kat is the hallmark of a good misal; let it boil until you see it.
    • Add the farsan only at the table so it stays crunchy.

    Serve with

    Soft pav, buttermilk or cutting chai, and extra kat in a jug.

  • Khatta Dhokla

    Khatta dhokla is the original dhokla of Gujarat, older and plainer than the yellow besan khaman that outsiders usually picture. It is made from rice and a little urad or chana dal, ground coarse with sour curd and left to ferment overnight. The name means sour dhokla, and that gentle tang from fermentation is the whole point.

    The texture is soft, slightly grainy and moist, closer to a thick idli than to a sponge cake. The pieces are pale white, dusted with crushed black pepper or red chilli on top before steaming, and finished with oil tempered with mustard and sesame seeds. There is no sugar syrup poured over, which keeps the flavour savoury and clean.

    Gujarati homes make it for breakfast, as a tea-time snack, or as part of a Sunday farsan spread. It is often eaten with a drizzle of raw groundnut oil and a spoon of garlic chutney, a combination common in Kathiawad. Leftover pieces are tossed in a pan with tadka the next day.

    At a glance

    RegionGujarat
    CuisineGujarati
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / urad dal / curd / ginger

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup rice (regular or idli rice)
    • 1/4 cup urad dal
    • 2 tbsp chana dal
    • 1/2 cup sour curd
    • About 1/2 cup water
    • 1 tbsp ginger-green chilli paste
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 1/2 tsp Eno fruit salt or 1/4 tsp baking soda

    For topping and tadka

    • 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp white sesame seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 8-10 curry leaves
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Wash the rice and dals together and soak in plenty of water for 5-6 hours.
    2. Drain and grind with the sour curd and just enough water to a slightly coarse, thick batter, like fine semolina. Transfer to a large bowl, cover and ferment in a warm place for 8-10 hours, until bubbly and pleasantly sour.
    3. Set up a steamer with 2 inches of water on high heat. Grease a 7-8 inch thali or cake tin with oil.
    4. Stir the ginger-chilli paste, salt and 1 tbsp oil into the batter. Just before steaming, add Eno with a splash of water on top of it and fold gently in one direction until the batter turns frothy.
    5. Pour into the greased thali to about 1/2 inch deep. Sprinkle crushed pepper over the surface.
    6. Steam on high for 12-15 minutes until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Rest for 5 minutes, then cut into squares or diamonds.
    7. Heat 2 tbsp oil, add mustard seeds and let them pop, then add sesame, asafoetida and curry leaves. Pour evenly over the dhokla and garnish with coriander.

    Tips

    • In winter, ferment in an oven with just the light on, or add the salt before fermenting to speed it up.
    • Do not add Eno until the steamer is boiling; it loses its lift within a couple of minutes.
    • The batter should be thicker than idli batter; thin batter gives flat, dense dhokla.

    Serve with

    Garlic-red chilli chutney or green chutney, with raw groundnut oil drizzled on top.

  • Rava Upma

    Upma began as a South Indian breakfast, the name coming from the Tamil and Kannada words for salt and flour, and today it is cooked in kitchens, canteens and hostels across India. Its appeal is speed: roasted semolina, a tempering and boiling water produce a filling, warm breakfast in under 20 minutes.

    Well-made upma is soft and fluffy, not lumpy or gluey. The rava is roasted until it smells nutty, and the tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, ginger and green chilli gives crunch and aroma. Vegetables, cashews and a spoon of ghee make it more substantial, and a squeeze of lemon brightens it.

    At a glance

    RegionPan-Indian
    CuisineSouth Indian
    DietVegetarian
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time15 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientssemolina / onion / curry leaves / ginger

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup bombay rava (medium semolina)
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 1 tsp chana dal
    • 8 cashews, halved
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 1 tsp grated ginger
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1 small carrot, diced
    • 1/4 cup green peas
    • 2 3/4 cups water
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp sugar
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice

    Method

    1. Dry-roast the rava in a kadhai on medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty and looks slightly pale golden. Transfer to a plate.
    2. Heat oil and ghee in the same kadhai. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, then urad dal, chana dal and cashews. Fry for 1 minute until golden.
    3. Add curry leaves, ginger and green chillies and fry for 20 seconds. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent.
    4. Add carrot and peas and cook for 2 minutes.
    5. Pour in the water, add salt and sugar, and bring to a rolling boil on high heat.
    6. Lower the heat and add the roasted rava in a thin stream with one hand while stirring continuously with the other, so no lumps form.
    7. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 2-3 minutes until the rava absorbs all the water and turns soft.
    8. Add coriander, lemon juice and a teaspoon of ghee, fluff with a fork and serve hot.

    Tips

    • The water-to-rava ratio decides the texture: 2 3/4 cups gives soft, spoonable upma; use 2 cups for a firmer, grainy version.
    • Properly roasted rava is the difference between fluffy and sticky upma.
    • Upma firms up as it cools; sprinkle hot water and reheat covered.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney, a little sugar, or with filter coffee.

  • Chhattisgarhi Chawal Chila

    Chhattisgarh is called the rice bowl of India, and its kitchens turn rice into dozens of everyday dishes: fara, muthia, angakar roti, dehrori and chila. Chawal chila, the rice pancake, is the quickest of them, made for breakfast or as a light dinner in villages and towns across the state.

    The batter can be made from soaked, ground rice or simply from rice flour mixed with water. It is spread thin on a hot iron tawa, where it sets into a soft pancake with crisp, lacy edges. Chopped onion, green chilli and coriander go into the batter, and it is eaten hot with a sharp tomato or dhaniya-mirchi chutney.

    At a glance

    RegionChhattisgarh
    CuisineChhattisgarhi
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice flour / onion / green chilli / coriander

    Ingredients

    For the chila

    • 1 1/2 cups rice flour (or 1 cup rice soaked 4 hours and ground)
    • 1 1/2 cups water, approximately
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1/2 tsp grated ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • Oil for cooking

    For the tomato chutney

    • 2 tomatoes
    • 2 green chillies
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1 tbsp coriander
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. For the chutney, roast the tomatoes, chillies and garlic directly over a flame or on a tawa until charred. Peel the tomatoes and crush everything with coriander and salt on a sil-batta or in a mortar.
    2. Whisk the rice flour with water into a smooth, pouring batter, thinner than dosa batter. Rest for 10 minutes.
    3. Stir in the onion, green chillies, ginger, cumin, coriander and salt.
    4. Heat an iron tawa on medium-high heat and grease it lightly with oil using a cut onion or a cloth.
    5. Stir the batter, pour a ladleful from the edges towards the centre, and tilt the tawa to spread it thin. Do not try to spread it with the ladle like a dosa.
    6. Drizzle oil around the edges and cook for 2 minutes until the edges turn crisp and the surface looks dry.
    7. Flip and cook another 1 minute. Serve hot with the tomato chutney.

    Tips

    • Rice flour settles to the bottom quickly; stir the batter before every chila.
    • If the chila sticks, the tawa is not hot enough or needs better seasoning; non-stick pans also work.
    • Add a spoon of curd to the batter for a slightly tangy, softer version.

    Serve with

    Roasted tomato chutney, or green chutney and tea.

  • Indori Poha

    Poha is a breakfast across western and central India, but Indore has made it a civic identity. Street stalls near Sarafa and Chappan Dukan serve it from huge steaming pans from early morning, usually with jalebi on the side. Indore's version is steamed rather than stir-fried, so the flakes stay soft and separate.

    Indori poha is sweeter and more aromatic than Maharashtrian kanda poha. Fennel seeds and a little sugar go into it, and the finishing touches are crucial: a sprinkle of jeeravan masala, a local blend of cumin, black salt, dried mango and other spices, plus thin ratlami sev, chopped onion, pomegranate and coriander. A squeeze of lemon brings it together.

    At a glance

    RegionMadhya Pradesh
    CuisineMalwa
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time15 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientspoha (flattened rice) / onion / fennel seeds / sev

    Ingredients

    For the poha

    • 2 cups thick poha
    • 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 8 curry leaves
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp roasted peanuts

    For the topping

    • 1 tsp jeeravan masala
    • 1/2 cup ratlami or nylon sev
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • Lemon wedges

    Method

    1. Rinse the poha in a colander under running water for 20-30 seconds, tossing gently, until just softened. Drain well and leave for 5 minutes.
    2. Sprinkle sugar, salt and turmeric over the damp poha and fluff with your fingers so it is evenly coloured.
    3. Heat oil in a kadhai on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, then fennel, cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for 20 seconds.
    4. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until translucent but not browned, then add the peanuts.
    5. Add the poha and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle 2 tbsp water over it.
    6. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 4-5 minutes so the poha steams and turns soft and fluffy. Traditional stalls steam it in a pan set over boiling water.
    7. Serve on plates, topped generously with jeeravan masala, sev, raw onion, pomegranate and coriander, with lemon on the side.

    Tips

    • Do not soak the poha in a bowl – rinsing in a colander keeps the flakes from turning mushy.
    • No jeeravan masala? Mix roasted cumin powder, black salt, amchur, a pinch of black pepper and a little chaat masala.
    • Poha itself is gluten free, but most packaged sev contains wheat or is fried alongside it; check if needed.

    Serve with

    Hot jalebi and a cup of cutting chai.

  • Dhuska

    Dhuska is the signature breakfast of Jharkhand, sold hot from roadside kadhais in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad, and made at home for festivals and Sunday mornings. It belongs to the Adivasi and Sadan food traditions of the Chota Nagpur plateau, where rice and pulses are the everyday staples. A plate of two costs very little at a street stall.

    Rice and chana dal, sometimes with a little urad dal, are soaked and ground into a thick, slightly coarse batter, then ladled into hot oil where they puff into golden, thick discs. The outside is crisp, the centre soft and spongy. Dhuska is almost always eaten with a spicy aloo or kala chana curry, or with ghugni and green chutney.

    At a glance

    RegionJharkhand
    CuisineJharkhandi
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / chana dal / urad dal / green chilli

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup rice (any short or medium grain)
    • 1/2 cup chana dal
    • 2 tbsp urad dal
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 3 green chillies
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • A pinch of baking soda (optional)
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the aloo curry

    • 3 potatoes, boiled and cubed
    • 2 tbsp mustard oil
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 1 tomato, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Rinse the rice, chana dal and urad dal and soak them together in water for 6 hours or overnight.
    2. Drain and grind with ginger, green chillies and garlic, adding as little water as possible, to a thick, slightly coarse batter like idli batter.
    3. Stir in cumin, turmeric, salt and coriander. The batter should drop thickly from a spoon. Rest for 15 minutes; add baking soda just before frying if you want them fluffier.
    4. For the curry, heat mustard oil, splutter cumin, then fry the onion for 5 minutes until golden. Add tomato and the powdered spices and cook for 4 minutes until soft.
    5. Add potatoes, salt and water, lightly mash a few pieces, and simmer for 8-10 minutes until thick. Finish with garam masala.
    6. Heat oil for deep frying on medium-high. Pour a ladleful of batter gently into the oil; it should sink and rise immediately.
    7. Spoon hot oil over the top so it puffs, fry for 2 minutes, flip and fry another 1-2 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Drain and serve hot with the curry.

    Tips

    • A batter that is too thin spreads and absorbs oil; add a spoon of rice flour to thicken it.
    • Fry one at a time until you get the hang of the ladle movement – pour from close to the oil to avoid splashes.
    • Ghugni (spiced dried peas) is the other classic accompaniment.

    Serve with

    Spicy aloo curry or ghugni with coriander chutney.

  • Sattu Paratha

    Sattu, flour made from roasted chickpeas, is the protein staple of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Farmers and labourers carry it to the fields mixed with water and salt, and in homes it becomes litti, sharbat and these stuffed parathas. Cheap, filling and shelf-stable, it is one of the oldest convenience foods in India.

    The filling is dry, savoury and sharp: sattu mixed with raw onion, garlic, green chilli, ajwain, kalonji, lemon and mustard oil, often with a spoon of masala from the mango pickle jar. Once rolled inside a wheat dough and cooked on a tawa with ghee, it gives a nutty, smoky paratha that keeps you going until lunch.

    At a glance

    RegionBihar
    CuisineBihari
    DietVegetarian
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientssattu / whole wheat flour / onion / mustard oil

    Ingredients

    For the dough

    • 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp oil
    • About 3/4 cup water

    For the filling

    • 1 cup sattu (roasted gram flour)
    • 1 small onion, very finely chopped
    • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, grated
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1/2 tsp ajwain
    • 1/2 tsp kalonji
    • 1 tbsp mustard oil
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tbsp mango pickle masala (optional)
    • Salt to taste
    • 2-3 tbsp water if needed

    For cooking

    • Ghee or oil, as needed

    Method

    1. Knead the atta with salt, oil and water into a soft, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
    2. Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl. Squeeze with your hand – the filling should hold together when pressed but crumble when poked. Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp water if it is too dry.
    3. Divide the dough into 8 balls and the filling into 8 portions.
    4. Roll a ball into a 10 cm disc, place a portion of filling in the centre, bring the edges together and pinch to seal. Flatten gently.
    5. Dust with flour and roll carefully into an 18 cm paratha, applying light, even pressure so the filling does not break through.
    6. Cook on a hot tawa over medium heat for 1 minute until small bubbles appear, flip and cook another minute.
    7. Spread ghee on both sides and cook, pressing with a spatula, until both sides have golden-brown spots, about 1 minute per side. Repeat with the rest.

    Tips

    • Chop the onion very finely; large pieces tear the paratha while rolling.
    • If the filling is too dry the paratha tastes powdery, too wet and it leaks – aim for damp sand.
    • Wrap cooked parathas in a cloth to keep them soft if packing for travel.

    Serve with

    Curd, mango pickle and aloo chokha or a hot cup of tea.

  • Luchi with Cholar Dal

    Luchi with cholar dal is the breakfast of Bengali festivals: Durga Puja mornings, Saraswati Puja, weddings and lazy Sundays. Luchi differs from a north Indian puri in being made with maida instead of wheat flour, and it should puff up into a pale, almost white ball rather than turning golden.

    Cholar dal is chana dal cooked until soft yet whole, then tempered in ghee with whole spices, bay leaves and slivers of fried coconut. A little sugar and a handful of raisins make it gently sweet, which is the Bengali style. Torn luchi scooping up thick, fragrant dal, perhaps with alur dom on the side, is a combination most Bengalis grow up waiting for.

    At a glance

    RegionWest Bengal
    CuisineBengali
    DietVegetarian
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time45 minutes
    Total time75 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmaida / chana dal / coconut / ghee

    Ingredients

    For the cholar dal

    • 1 cup chana dal, soaked for 2 hours
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 3 cups water
    • 2 tbsp ghee
    • 1/4 cup fresh coconut, cut into small cubes
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 dry red chillies
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 3 green cardamoms
    • 3 cloves
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 1 tsp grated ginger
    • 1 tbsp raisins
    • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • Salt to taste

    For the luchi

    • 2 cups maida (about 250 g)
    • 2 tbsp ghee or oil
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup water, approximately
    • Oil for deep frying

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked chana dal with turmeric, salt and 3 cups water for 2 whistles on medium heat. The dal should be soft but each grain should hold its shape.
    2. Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the coconut cubes on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden. Remove and keep aside.
    3. In the same ghee add cumin, dry red chillies, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Once they crackle, add the ginger and fry for 30 seconds.
    4. Pour in the cooked dal, add sugar, raisins and the fried coconut. Simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes until thick enough to coat a spoon. Finish with garam masala.
    5. For the luchi, rub the ghee into the maida and salt until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add water a little at a time and knead to a smooth, firm dough. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
    6. Divide into 16 small balls. Smear each with a drop of oil and roll into a 10 cm circle of even thickness; do not dust with flour, which burns in the oil.
    7. Heat oil in a kadhai until a small piece of dough rises immediately. Slide in one luchi, press it gently with a slotted spoon, and it should puff within seconds. Flip after 10 seconds and remove while still pale. Fry all and serve hot with the dal.

    Tips

    • Uneven rolling stops luchis puffing – roll from the centre outwards with light pressure, turning the disc as you go.
    • Do not overcook the chana dal; mushy dal loses the texture that makes cholar dal special.
    • Keep the oil hot but not smoking; luchis should stay white, not brown.

    Serve with

    Alur dom or begun bhaja on the side, followed by a sandesh.

  • Pesarattu

    Pesarattu is the breakfast dosa of Andhra Pradesh, especially the Godavari districts, made from pesalu, whole green gram. Because the batter needs no fermentation, it can be ground the night before or on the same morning. In Andhra tiffin centres it is often served as MLA pesarattu, with a spoon of upma folded inside, a combination said to have been popular in the canteen of the Hyderabad legislators' quarters.

    It is thin and crisp at the edges, with a pale green colour and an earthy, grassy flavour from the moong, spiked with ginger, chilli and cumin. Raw chopped onions pressed on top add sweetness and crunch. It is high in protein and filling, usually eaten with a sharp ginger chutney.

    At a glance

    RegionAndhra Pradesh
    CuisineAndhra
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientswhole green moong / rice / ginger / green chillies / onion

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup whole green moong, soaked 6 hours or overnight
    • 2 tbsp raw rice, soaked with the moong
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 3 green chillies
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • about 3/4 cup water

    For topping and cooking

    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • oil or ghee for cooking

    Method

    1. Drain the soaked moong and rice. Grind with ginger, green chillies, cumin and salt, adding water a little at a time, to a smooth batter slightly thinner than dosa batter.
    2. Mix the chopped onion, coriander and cumin in a small bowl for the topping.
    3. Heat a cast-iron tawa on medium-high heat until a sprinkle of water sizzles off. Wipe with an oiled cloth.
    4. Pour a ladle of batter in the centre and spread it quickly in circles into a thin dosa about 20 cm wide.
    5. Sprinkle a tablespoon of the onion topping and press it lightly into the batter. Drizzle 1 tsp oil or ghee around the edges.
    6. Cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the base is golden and crisp and the edges lift.
    7. Flip and cook the onion side for 30-40 seconds, then flip back, fold and serve. For MLA pesarattu, place a spoon of hot upma in the centre before folding.

    Tips

    • A little rice in the batter helps the pesarattu crisp up.
    • Do not ferment the batter; pesarattu is best made fresh.
    • If it sticks, the tawa is not hot enough or needs re-seasoning.

    Serve with

    Allam pachadi (ginger chutney), coconut chutney and rava upma.

  • Akki Rotti

    Akki rotti, akki meaning rice in Kannada, is a breakfast flatbread from Karnataka made from rice flour mixed with vegetables and herbs. It is patted out by hand directly on a cold, greased tawa or on a banana leaf rather than rolled, which gives it its uneven, rustic look. In Malnad homes it is a staple, often made with dill (sabsige soppu) or grated cucumber.

    A good akki rotti is crisp and golden at the edges and soft inside, with green flecks of dill, chilli and coriander. It is savoury, mildly spicy and fragrant. Being made from rice flour it is naturally gluten free. It is eaten hot with chutney, a spoon of butter or a pickle.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice flour / onion / dill leaves / coconut / green chillies

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups rice flour
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup dill leaves, finely chopped
    • 1/4 cup grated coconut
    • 1 small carrot, grated (optional)
    • 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, grated
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 1 tsp salt
    • about 1 cup warm water
    • oil for cooking

    Method

    1. Mix the rice flour, onion, dill, coconut, carrot, chillies, ginger, cumin, coriander and salt in a large bowl.
    2. Add warm water a little at a time and knead to a soft, slightly sticky dough that holds together. Rest for 10 minutes.
    3. Grease a cold, thick tawa with 1 tsp oil. Take a lemon-sized ball of dough and place it on the tawa.
    4. Wet your fingers and pat the dough out into a thin, even circle about 15 cm across, wetting your fingers often so it does not stick. Make 3-4 small holes in it with a finger.
    5. Pour a few drops of oil in each hole and around the edges. Place the tawa on medium heat, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes until the base is golden and crisp.
    6. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more until spotted golden. Remove.
    7. Cool the tawa under running water before shaping the next rotti, or use two tawas in rotation. Alternatively pat the rottis on a greased banana leaf or butter paper and transfer them to a hot tawa.

    Tips

    • The tawa must be cool when patting out the dough; a hot tawa makes it impossible to spread.
    • Warm water helps the rice flour bind.
    • Make the dough just before cooking; onions release water and make it soggy if it sits too long.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney, ennegai, or white butter with chutney pudi.