Instant chakli recipe / Simple murukku recipe with step by step and video. This Karnataka style easy and simple murukku recipe (Chakli in Kannada) using store bought rice flour and besan flour was in my to do list for long time. Recently I got a pack of bull driven cold pressed (Chekku ennai) sesame oil, groundnut oil and coconut oil from Gramiyum – An online store. Product & packaging was too good and its professional too. If you are looking for original cold pressed oils, you can buy them online from Gramiyum. They also have organic honey, natural nuts at a reasonable price.
My MIL usually says snacks fried in groundnut oil is more flavorful. So I thought of making this easy, Karnataka style chakli/ murukku by frying in cold pressed groundnut oil ( Kadalai ennai).This instant chakli recipe which I had bookmarked years ago from Savi ruchi blog came to my mind. Its an easy, instant chakli recipe made with easily available ingredients. It came out very well with the awesome flavor of groundnut oil. I have tasted this Chakkuli/Chakri ( My friends tell this way) in my friends place. All my friends here make it during Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali and Gokulashtami festivals.
Basically I love this Karnataka style chakli a lot and got the recipe for homemade chakli powder from my friend Priya. I will share that recipe later. This chakli is made with rice flour and besan flour. Its prepared without butter or ghee. Hot oil is used to bring crunchiness. So it doesn’t have a melt in mouth texture just like butter chakli but tastes crispy and crunchy. It tastes the best with full flavor by the next day. We enjoy this chakli with our evening tea/ chai.
As its summer vacation in India, Kids must be nagging you for some evening snacks. Do try this easy chakli recipe at home for your kids!They will like it. Please excuse me for the non uniform shapes. I am not so good or patient enough in pressing
murukku. But my MIL says everything comes by practice. So this year, I am planning to try more murukku
recipes. Hope I can make perfect swirls in future.
Lets see how to make Karnataka style Instant chakli recipe with step by step pictures and VIDEO.
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp ( I used Kashmiri chilli powder)
Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp (I used black. You can use white too)
Asafetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp
Hot cooking oil - 3 tbsp
Water - As needed
Salt - As required
Cooking oil or Groundnut oil - To deep fry
HOW TO MAKE CHAKLI - METHOD
In a wide bowl, sieve the rice flour + besan flour.To the sieved flour, add salt, red chilli powder, sesame seeds and hing.
Heat cooking oil and add it to the flour. Mix with a spoon till oil spreads well in the flour.
Add water gradually and make a smooth dough.Make the dough slightly sticky. If the dough is too hard, chakli will break while pressing. Cover the dough with a wet cloth till use. Besan flour in the dough absorbs more water and dough becomes thick over time. So if the chakli breaks while pressing, sprinkle little water to the dough and try again. You will get it right. Sprinkle water whenever needed.
Take the chakli maker with star mould, fill with the dough. Press it on a butter paper or cotton cloth. Make shapes. Cover it till use else dough will become dry and murukku breaks while frying.
Heat oil in a kadai to deep fry the chakli. When the oil is heated, drop a pinch of dough. If it rises to the top immediately, oil temperature is right.
Drop 2-3 chakli for one batch. Keep the flame medium. Do not touch the chakli for one minute. Let it cook in the hot oil. Then flip it and cook the other side. Keep the flame medium. Cook the chakli till 90% of bubbles cease and becomes golden. Remove in a tissue paper. Repeat the same & fry all the chakli. Store in an air tight box after it cools down completely. Tastes best the next day !
Enjoy !
Note
Besan absorbs all water in the dough. So you may need to add sprinkle more water whenever needed while pressing.
Do not reduce the quantity of hot oil else chakli may turn hard.
Make sure oil temperature is right else murukku absorbs more oil.
Try this easy, instant chakli for your kids and family’'. They will love it !
Instant poha idli with idli rava or upma rava (Semolina, sooji) / aval idli without urad dal is a quick fix, instant recipe for my idli cravings. After a long time, I am sharing an instant Idli recipe in my blog. Being a South Indian, Idlidosa batteris a must in my home. So I grind the idli batter at least once in a week and use it for 3 to 4 days. I used to explore varieties of idli recipes as a result of which you could find 15+ idli varieties in my blog. Myself & Sendhil can manage food without idli dosa for one to two weeks. But Raksha can’t. As she is in Salem, I did not make idli,dosa batter for the past two weeks and managing our breakfast & dinner with upma, instant dosa varieties, paratha recipes etc.
Yesterday all of a sudden I got the craving to have idli for our dinner. As I had bookmarked this Instant, no fermentation poha idli recipe from Smitha’s blogyears ago, I thought of trying it. It came out really well. I relished it with easy tomato thokku. Yes, I made an easy tomato thokku recipe in pressure cooker. It was tasting great for this idli. Recipe posted HERE.
Even though this aval idli came out very soft, I won’t say it tastes equally well to our usual fermented, soft and spongy idli made with rice & urad dal.As this is an instant version, the natural sour taste & flavor from fermented idli batter would be missing in this idli. So I feel only a tangy side dish like tomato thokku ortomato chutney would be the best side dish for this idli. But this is sure a keeper recipe for people who wants to make quick yet healthy steamed food using poha (Flattened rice/Pressed rice in English, Aval in tamil, Avalakki in Kannada). Its ideal for bachelors and working women. Its good for our tummy as well because curd, poha and idli rava are the major ingredients for this idli recipe.
Cooking soda is not essential for this recipe still I used meagre quantity. If you like this idli recipe, you can make many variations like adding grated vegetables, season it like rava idli. Do try this easy, quick instant idli recipe if you run short of our usual idli batter. You will like it for sure. I have shared all the possible tips for making this idli perfect. So lets check out how to make super soft, instant poha idli with step by step pictures and a video !
UPDATE : THIS IDLI CAN BE MADE WITH RAVA/SOOJI/SEMOLINA ( COARSE VARIETY) INSTEAD OF IDLI RAVA. BUT ADD ROASTED SOOJI AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. IT SHOULD NOT BE HOT. ADD 1/2 TSP ENO JUST BEFORE MAKING IDLI.
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp . Add 1/2 tsp ENO if using semolina
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POHA IDLI - METHOD
Wash the poha once or twice in water. Drain it. It will be soft. Now add 1 cup of curd to it. Mix well and soak for 10 minutes.
Mash the poha after soaking. Add 1.5 cups of idli rava or roasted semolina (upma rava) and mix well. Idli rava absorbs all the water content. So add 1 cup water, mix well and let the mixture soak for 10 minutes. ( Update : You can also use roasted upma rava/sooji at room temperature instead of idli rava.)
After soaking, mix well and add 1/2 to 3/4 cup water. Mix well to bring thick idli batter consistency. Add water carefully, make thick, pourable batter. Thin batter makes flat, sticky idli. Add salt & baking soda, mix well. Make idli immediately. (Update: If using semolina, add 1/2 tsp ENO or 1/4 tsp baking soda. )
Grease idli plates with oil. Pour the batter. Roll boil water in an idli pot. Keep the idli plates only after the water starts to roll boil. Close & steam it for 12 to 15 minutes. You will get nice cooked smell of idli. It looks slightly flat after steaming. Don’t worry.
Remove the idli plate and rest it for 5 minutes. Unmold it with a small flat ladle or spoon.This idli may be sticky, very soft & breaks when removed hot. So remove it after the idli becomes warm to get the perfect shape.It stays soft for few hours.
Enjoy with some tangy side dishes. I personally liked with tangy tomato thokkku & tomato chutney more than coconut chutney or sambar. Choice is yours !
Note : If you make the batter in the morning, you can use the leftover batter for making idli in dinner. You can refrigerate the leftover batter or keep it outside which helps for fermentation.
Note
Most important point to note is idli batter consistency. It should not be thin. No problem even if its too thick. You can add little more water anytime, mix and make idli. So add water carefully while mixing.
Cooking soda is not essential if you leave the batter for 30 minutes to 1 hour resting time.
Unmold the idli only after 5 minutes of steaming. Idli may break when you unmold it immediately. Give a resting time of 5 minutes.
If you are using thick poha, grind to a coarse powder in a mixie. Then wash and soak it. I hope it works.
ENO can be used in place of soda but use only 1/8 tsp if making with idli rava. If you use upma rava, you should add 1/2 tsp of ENO or 1/4 tsp of cooking soda.
Enjoy this instant poha idli with tangy side dish like tomato thokku or tomato chutney ! You will love it for sure !
I try to include vazhaithandu recipes in my cooking at least once in a month as it has lots of health benefits. Whenever I go to Salem, my FIL buys me banana stem and banana flower because finding these vegetables in my place is very rare. Mostly I make Vazhaithandu juice ( Salt version) Or valaithandu thayir pachadi and sometimes poriyal or thogayal. I haven’t tried any gravies/ kulambu or kootu with it. So this time, I wanted to try some kuzhambu with banana stem. I got the recipe from HERE. I made some changes and tried it. It tasted good when mixed with plain rice adding ghee. Banana stem is a bland vegetable. It doesn’t absorb any flavor or taste within it. So in this gravy, the masala gives the taste more than the vegetable. Original recipe called for using black chana along with banana stem. But I had used only vazhaithandu as I wanted to consume more quantity of this vegetable.If you are looking for some different vazhaithandu recipe, try this one. You may like it . Lets see how to make banana stem gravy for rice with step by step pictures !
Banana stem gravy / Vazhaithandu Kuzhambu
How to make vazhaithandu kuzhambu/ Banana stem gravy for rice
Soak tamarind in little water. Grind all the ingredients given under “To grind” adding tamarind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Wash and chop raw banana stem into small pieces. Keep them immersed in water or buttermilk till use to avoid discoloration. In a pressure cooker base, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, hing and curry leaves.
Add the ground paste, 1/4 cup water and saute for a minute. Add 1 tsp sambar powder. Mix well. Squeeze the banana stem and add it to the cooker. Add 1 cup of water, required salt and mix well.
Pressure cook in low flame for 2 whistles. Open the cooker after the steam is released. Mix well and check for taste. Add more salt if needed and more water if the gravy is too thick. Mix well and serve with plain rice adding ghee. Tastes the best when mixed with rice & ghee. Ghee helps to enhance the flavor of this gravy.Do add it !
Enjoy !
Note
Sambar powder is not mentioned in the original recipe.But I used it.
Adjust the consistency of the gravy as you like. I made it semi thick.
This gravy thickens as it cools down. So add more water whenever needed.
Try this healthy vazhaithandu gravy for a change. You may love it !
Dum Aloo or Aloo dum is a potato based gravy which is very popular in Kashmir. I browed few recipes and found deep fried small potato /Baby potato is used in this dish. Authentic Kashmiri dum aloo is prepared without onion and tomato. Curd & Kashmiri red chilli are the most important ingredients for the base of gravy apart from spice powders. So the recipe I have shared here is not the authentic one.
Recently I tasted Dum aloo for the first time in my friend Megha’s house birthday party. I loved its taste and got the recipe from her. Based on her recipe, I browsed and found this Punjabi style dum aloo in Spice up the curry. After going through rave reviews from the readers comments, I tried this recipe confidently. Yes, it came out finger licking good with a nice flavor. It tastes similar to restaurant style gravies.
In this method, baby potato is sautéed in less oil instead of deep frying to reduce the calories. Still it tasted great. Sendhil liked it very much. Raksha has gone to Salem ( to my in-laws house) for vacation. I must prepare this for her as soon as she comes to Bangalore. I am sure she will love it. Try this for your kids birthday parties. They will like it for sure. Lets see how to make Dum aloo at home with step by step pictures and a video !
Dum aloo recipe - Restaurant style Dum aloo recipe
How to make restaurant style Punjabi dum aloo recipe at home
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp ( Kashmiri chilli powder)
Dhania powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Crushed Kasoori methi - 1.5 tsp
Fresh curd – 1to 2 tbsp
Fresh cream - 1 tbsp ( I used Amul fresh cream)
To grind
Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cloves - 2 nos
Cardamom - 2 nos ( small)
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Green chilli - 1 no
Big onion - 1 no
Tomato - 2 nos
Cashew nuts or almonds – 6 to 10 nos
Ginger&Garlic paste – 1/2 to 1 tsp
Coriander leaves – to garnish ( I din’t use it)
HOW TO MAKE DUM ALOO
Wash and pressure cook baby potato in a cooker adding 2 cups of water. Cook for 2-3 whistles in low flame. It takes 15 minutes. In the mean time, lets prepare the masala for gravy.
Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in a kadai. Saute cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds and green chilli for a minute. Add chopped onions and saute till transparent. Add ginger, garlic paste and saute for a minute.
Add chopped tomato, salt and saute till tomato turns pulpy. Add cashews, mix once and switch off the flame. Let the mixture cool down. Grind to a smooth paste adding enough water. Set aside.
Take the pressure cooked potato. Drain the excess water and peel the potato skin. Keep in a plate. Prick all over the potato with a fork. Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a kadai. Shallow fry the potato till it turns golden in color and looks roasted. Remove in a plate.
In the remaining oil, splutter cumin seeds. Add ground tomato paste and saute for a minute. Add red chilli powder, dhania powder, sugar, garam masala powder and curd. Saute for a minute. Gravy will become thick and leaves the sides of pan. Add 1/2 to 1 cup water, mix well and check for taste. Add salt if needed.
Cover cook and boil till oil floats on top. Open the lid, mix the gravy and add 1/2 cup more water if needed. Now add the baby potato and mix well. Add fresh cream, crushed kasoori methi and mix well. Boil for a minute. Add water to adjust consistency. Garnish with coriander leaves. This gravy thickens when it cools down. So add more water whenever needed. Boil and serve hot with roti !
Enjoy !
Note
Add more red chilli powder if you want spicy gravy.
Originally baby potato should be deep fried in oil. But I shallow fried it to reduce the calorie.
You can use butter instead of cooking oil.
Adding fresh cream is optional. Skip if you don’t have it. But adding cream makes the gravy rich.
This gravy tastes the best if you give a standing time of 1 to 2 hours after preparation. So if you are making for birthday parties, make it in advance and reheat it adding some water.
Try this yummy, creamy dum aloo recipe at home & enjoy with chapathi/Naan/Kulcha !
In this post, I have shared how to make instant raw mango pickle recipe in 3 different ways from 3 different states. Yes, Its Andhra style mamidikaya menthi pachadi, Kerala style Nadan mango achar and Tamil nadu style mangai oorugai. Instant raw Mango pickle is a must to do recipe during mango season.It is our family favorite. I have already posted 2 recipes for instant mango pickle which is my mom’s version.
This time just for a change, I wanted to try 3 different styles of making South Indian mango pickle from various cuisines. I followed my mil’s method for Tamil nadu style, referred Sailu’s food for Andhra style & Mia kitchen for Kerala style recipe. All the 3 came out very well & finger licking good. Yesterday I relished a plateful of curd rice with these 3 pickles.
Preparation time, cooking time & Ingredients of this pickle are almost the same. But the method of making has slight variations.Each recipe has its own touch and style. Tamil nadu style raw mango pickle needs less ingredients when compared with Andhra & Kerala. It can be consumed immediately too. Of course I tasted Andhra & Kerala mango pickles immediately after making. Even though they tasted good, I felt they need a setting time of at least one day to know its best taste & flavor.
If you have one big raw mango in hand, you can prepare all these 3 pickle varieties in the next 10 minutes.Its that easy ! Soon I must try Karnataka & North Indian( Punjabi) style pickles too.Ok, lets see how to make Andhra, Kerala & Tamilnadu style Instant mango pickle/ raw mango pickle with step by step photos and a video !
Kashmiri Red chilli powder - 2 tsp ( Add more based on sourness of mango)
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Crushed Garlic - 3 nos
Roasted methi powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds powder - 1 tsp
Asafetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp
Sesame oil - 1.5 tbsp
Salt - as needed
Kerala style manga achar
Raw mango - 1/2 cup
Kashmiri Red chilli powder – 1/2 to 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Garlic cloves - 2 nos ( finely chopped)
Ginger - 1/4 tsp ( Finely chopped)
Roasted methi powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds powder - 1 tsp
Asafetida/Hing - 1/8 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Sesame oil / Gingely oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Tamil nadu style mangai oorugai
Raw mango - 1/2 cup
Kashmiri Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Asafetida/ hing - 1/8 tsp
Roasted methi seeds powder - 1/8 tsp
Salt - as needed
Sesame oil/ Gingely oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
HOW TO MAKE MANGO PICKLE - METHOD
PRE-PREPARATION : Wash and chop raw mango into small pieces. Pat dry in a towel. Make sure there is no moisture in mango pieces. Dry roast 1 tbsp methi seeds till golden brown & aromatic. Let it cool. Grind to a fine powder.Transfer to a bowl. Grind 1 tbsp mustard seeds to fine powder. Keep in a bowl. Wash and chop the raw mango finely.
ANDHRA MANGO PICKLE : In a wide bowl, take 1/2 cup chopped raw mango pieces.In Andhra style pickle, I saw few recipes in which the mango pieces were cut into bite sized pieces. But I chopped it finely. So cut the mango pieces as you wish.
Mix red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, mustard seeds powder, methi seeds powder and mix well and keep aside. Heat sesame oil in a kadai and add hing. Mix well and switch off the flame. Let the oil cool down. Then add the oil to the spiced mango pieces. Mix well, cover it . You can enjoy with curd rice or mix with plain rice and eat immediately OR mix well and set aside for a day. The next day oil would float on top. Mix well and use it. Refrigerate the leftover pickle in an air tight box. Use clean spoon to handle. It stays good for a week.
KERALA MANGO PICKLE : Take the chopped mango pieces and add salt. Mix well and keep aside for 1 hour. This step is optional. I din’t do it. Heat sesame oil in a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds. Saute finely chopped ginger, garlic for a minute. Add curry leaves. Simmer the flame completely. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder,mustard powder, methi powder and mix well without burning the spices. Switch off the flame immediately.Add the chopped mango pieces and vinegar. Mix well in the residual heat and check for taste. Add more salt & chilli powder if needed. Let it cool down completely. Remove in a bowl and enjoy with rice.Store in an airtight box, refrigerate it. Use clean spoon to handle. Stays good for a week.
TAMIL NADU STYLE MANGO PICKLE : Take the chopped raw mango pieces in a bowl.Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, methi seeds powder and salt. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes.Check for taste and add more spice powders if needed. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds. Add this oil to the mango pickle. Mix well and serve immediately. Stays good for a week.
All these pickles stays good for one week if stored & handled properly.Refrigerate it till use. Use clean spoon to handle. Tastes the best with curd rice & Dal rice !Enjoy !
Note
Adjust the quantity of spice powders according to the sourness of raw mango.
In Andhra style pickle, I saw few recipes in which the mango pieces were cut big in size. But I chopped it finely. So cut the mango pieces as you wish.
These pickles can be prepared well in advance if making for parties or guests. The more setting time, the tastier it would be.
Color of the pickle looks bright red in color only if you use Kashmiri chilli powder.
Try this easy, yummy instant mango pickles at home and enjoy with curd rice !