RAG Demo

Tag: South indian breakfast

  • Medu Vada

    Medu vada, also called ulundu vadai in Tamil Nadu, is a savoury fritter made from urad dal batter, shaped like a doughnut and deep fried. It is a staple of South Indian breakfasts, served alongside idli, pongal and dosa in homes and restaurants, and offered in temples during festivals. It is loved across the south.

    A perfect medu vada is crisp and golden on the outside, soft and fluffy inside, with pockets of air throughout. The batter is flavoured with black pepper, ginger, green chilli, curry leaves and sometimes coconut pieces. The hole in the centre helps it cook evenly. Freshness matters most. Serve them hot, straight from the oil.

    Medu vada is served with coconut chutney and sambar, and it is also soaked in sambar to make sambar vada or in curd to make thayir vadai. It is a dish that rewards practice, especially in shaping. Fresh batter makes the best vada; do not refrigerate it for too long, or the vadas turn dense.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineTamil
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsurad dal / black pepper / ginger / curry leaves

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup whole urad dal, soaked 4 hours
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 10 curry leaves, chopped
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1 tbsp rice flour (optional)
    • Oil for deep frying

    Method

    1. Drain the soaked urad dal well. Grind with very little cold water, adding it a spoonful at a time, to a thick, smooth, fluffy batter.
    2. Beat the batter with your hand for 2-3 minutes to incorporate air. A spoonful dropped into water should float.
    3. Add salt, pepper, ginger, chillies, curry leaves and coriander, and rice flour if the batter is soft. Mix gently.
    4. Heat oil to medium-hot, around 175 C.
    5. Wet your hands, take a lemon-sized portion of batter, flatten slightly on your palm and make a hole in the centre with your thumb.
    6. Slide the vada gently into the oil. Fry 3-4 at a time for 4-5 minutes, turning, until golden brown and crisp.
    7. Drain on paper and serve hot.

    Tips

    • Use minimal water when grinding; a runny batter cannot be shaped.
    • Keep your hands wet while shaping to prevent sticking.
    • If shaping is hard, use a wet plastic sheet or banana leaf.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney and sambar.

  • Masala Dosa

    Masala dosa is the most famous dish from South India, and it is closely associated with Udupi restaurants in Karnataka, which spread across the country in the twentieth century. A thin, crisp crepe made from fermented rice and urad dal batter is filled with a spiced potato filling called palya, and served with coconut chutney and sambar.

    A good dosa is golden and crisp on the outside, soft in the centre, and slightly tangy from fermentation. The potato filling is mildly spiced with mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies and turmeric, and has soft onions throughout. In Mysore, a red chutney is spread inside the dosa before adding the potato.

    Masala dosa is eaten for breakfast or as a light meal at any time of day. Homemade dosas take some practice, especially spreading the batter thinly, but are well worth the effort. The batter keeps in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, so dosas can be made quickly once a batch is ready.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineUdupi
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time70 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / urad dal / potato / onion

    Ingredients

    For the dosa batter

    • 2 cups raw rice (sona masoori)
    • 1/2 cup urad dal
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 2 tbsp chana dal
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt
    • Water as needed
    • Oil or ghee for cooking

    For the potato palya

    • 4 medium potatoes, boiled and coarsely mashed
    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 1 tsp chana dal
    • A pinch of asafoetida
    • 10 curry leaves
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, chopped
    • 2 onions, thinly sliced
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Soak the rice in water for 5-6 hours. Separately soak the urad dal, fenugreek seeds and chana dal together for 5-6 hours.
    2. Grind the urad dal mixture with a little water to a light, fluffy batter. Grind the rice to a slightly coarse batter. Mix both with salt, cover and ferment for 8-12 hours until doubled.
    3. For the palya, heat oil, crackle mustard seeds, add urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, curry leaves, chillies and ginger, and cook until the dals turn golden.
    4. Add onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft. Add turmeric, salt and 1/4 cup water, then the potatoes. Mix well, cook for 2 minutes and add coriander.
    5. Heat a cast iron tawa on medium-high. Sprinkle water; it should sizzle and evaporate immediately. Wipe with an oiled cloth.
    6. Pour a ladle of batter into the centre and spread it quickly in a circular motion to form a thin dosa. Drizzle oil around the edges.
    7. Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden and crisp. Place 2-3 tbsp of palya in the centre, fold the dosa over and serve immediately.

    Tips

    • Fermentation depends on temperature; in cold weather keep the batter in a warm place.
    • Spreading batter is easier on a well-seasoned cast iron tawa.
    • Adjust the batter's consistency with water; it should be pourable but not runny.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney and hot sambar.

  • 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.