Saturday, September 28, 2024

Khichidi-Polo : Urad Dal- Moong Dal- Nachani Polo (Black Gram Dal- Green Gram Dal- Finger Millet Dosa).


“Khichidi-Polo : Urad Dal- Moong Dal- Nachani Polo (Black Gram Dal- Green Gram Dal- Finger Millet Dosa)” … here is a kurkuri polo/ crispy dosa that can be relished with any chutney/ curry of your choice … Khichidi-Polo is a delicious combo from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine; here crispy dosas are served with sweet khichidi and one has to taste it to enjoy this unique combination … I prepared it today for Ekadashi NO “Onion- Garlic- Rice” meal and also combined it with “Coriander Coconut Chutney and Magge- Alsando- Keerla Sukke (South Indian Cucumber- Yardlong Beans- Bamboo Shoots Curry)” … try it, in all a tasty- wonderful combo meal … Yummilicious …

** Dosas are always a delight to relish be it for bf/ lunch or dinner with chutney podi, coconut chutney, pickle, sambar or any other dish of one’s choice. I simply love my dosa’s with fresh homemade loni/ butter while hubby prefers chuntey/ curry. About dosa’s I have written in reams and I really don’t think much is left to be said. However, here it is the unique combo “Khichidi- Polo”, very famous amongst GSB Konkani Saraswats especially in and around Mangalore city and also in some southern parts of India.

** Though it is prepared during Margashira masa (Dhanurmasa) throughout the month in different varieties, it is also prepared during other festive/auspicious occasions and also as a fasting meal as it does not include onion, garlic, rice or non. Veg items in it. Most Hindus observe Ekadashi and in my home, we have been doing so for decades now. However, we do not keep a complete refrain from food as I find it difficult to do so with medications and have just one meal that follows the above pattern.

** For today’s Ekadashi meal I included above dishes along with this crispy dosa with urad- moong dal- nachani. As you all know nachani ie ragi/ finger millet is a store house of good nutrients, vitamins, calcium etc. and in my home I have been using it for decades by adding it in most dishes. I have already prepared this combo dosa before to which I will share a link at the bottom of this recipe. The only change here is I have used nachani powder while the other dosa I ground whole nachani along with other dals.

** Many of my friends find it easier to use flours/ powders while preparing dosas etc. Though I always prefer using whole grains/ pulses/ beans there are times when I too prefer to use flours to check outcome of the dish. This dosa too turned out crisp and delicious just like the previous one though here the appearance is different. Good- tasty food is always a welcome sight especially on weekends, so do try it and serve it n combo with sweet khichidi, it tastes wonderful and both children and elders are sure to love it.

** Here is my recipe for “Urad Dal- Moong Dal- Nachani Polo (Black Gram Dal- Green Gram Dal- Finger Millet Dosa)” …. My Style …

** Ingredients :
Urad Dal/ Black Gram Split Dal : 1 heaped cup
Moong Dal/ Green Gram Split Dal : 1 cup
Nachani/ Ragi/ Finger Millet Powder (Flour) : 1 cup
Methi/ Fenugreek Seeds : 1 tsp
Green Chilly/ Tarni Mirsanga/ Hari Mirchi : 3-4
Ginger/ Alle’/ Adrak : ½ inch piece
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 10-12 fresh leaves
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste

** Oil (Tel/ Tela)+ Toop (Ghee) mixture in 1:1 for removing the dosa's.


** Soaking of Methi Seeds: Soak methi seeds in ¼ cup of water in a small cup for an hour or so, just before you start grinding batter, to be used while grinding. I do not add the methi along with the dal’s coz. when we drain off the water, the health and medicinal properties of methi seeds are also lost through it. You can use lukewarm water if you have only 10-15 mins time at hand only. It will give similar result.

** Just before you begin to grind the batter, in a bowl add the nachani/ finger millet powder along with little bit water and mix to a thick paste. Do not add excess water. Keep this aside to soak in water while you go ahead with grinding.

** Wash, soak urad dal and moong dal together in plenty of water for 5-6 hrs. Drain off water, wash twice in fresh water, drain off excess water and then add into a wet grinder along with methi seeds and the water in which it is soaked and grind to a smooth fluffy batter adding little by little water, say about 1-2 cups.

** The consistency of the batter should be thick, so do not add excess water while grinding or the batter will be thin and spoil the crispness of the dosas. When done remove the batter into a vessel, add in the prepared and kept nachani mixture and mix well. Do not add excess water the batter should be that of idly batter consistency.

** Note : I use always use table top wet grinder for grinding of dosa batter which always gives best results, however if you do not have one you can use mixer grinder too. In case your family loves dosa/ idly then it is always wise to invest in a small sized table top wet grinder as it runs smoothly for decades without issues.

** In a mixer grinder add green chilly, ginger, curry leaves and grind to a coarse paste. Remove and add this to prepared batter along with salt to taste, mix well and keep it aside covered  for 2-3 hours only. There is no need to ferment this batter overnight but it is advisable to do so for a few hours for perfect dosas.

** To remove Dosa/ Polo : Heat an iron dosa tava, sprinkle some oil+ ghee and gently wipe with a tissue, leaving a thin film on the tava. Pour a large ladle full of batter, say about ½ cup at the center of the tava, and then gently with the back of the round ladle/ spatula spread the dosa slightly thin into a round dosa say about 6-8 inches in diameter. 

** Sprinkle some oil+ ghee drops on the outer rim of the dosa and a few on the top of the dosa and let cook on medium to low heat for a few minutes, say about 3-4 mins. Once evenly browned and cooked on the bottom side, then loosen it through edges with a dosa spatula and gently remove the dosa and place it on a serving plate. 

** You may flip over the dosa to cook on the top side too for just a few seconds if desired though not necessary if perfectly cooked. This dosa does takes some time to turn out crisp and done properly, so be patient, remember to apply the dosa thinlayered and do not rush in removing it, it’s worth it.

** If necessary and you find the heat is low then raise the heat for sometime towards the end so that the tava is hot enough for making the dosa brown/ crisp, however be careful and keep a keen watch lest it burns, one learns proper dosa making with experience, so be patient and learn it the perfect way by watching it a few times from any family member/ relative/ friendly neighbor for best knowledge on cooking methods.

** These dosas need to be served hot from tava immediately while you go about preparing the remaining dosas, as it tastes best when relished crisp and hot as dosa’s with millets somehow turn softer on resting, so avoid keeping them. Remove the required number of dosas in similar pattern as mentioned above and do not forget to add oil+ ghee after each dosa to get perfectly done crisp textured dosas.

** “Urad Dal- Moong Dal- Nachani Polo (Black Gram Dal- Green Gram Dal- Finger Millet Dosa)” is done and ready to be served. Always serve dosas hot from tava with any chutney, sambar, chutney podi, pickle, curry or any other side dishes of your choice for a healthy tummy filling breakfast. I served this as combo meal along with sweet khichidi as today being Ekadashi its one meal of NO Onion- Garlic- Rice in my home.

** I also included simple coriander coconut chutney and Magge- Alsando- Keerla sukke as side dishes while serving Khichidi- Polo and it was a wonderful meal. But the show stopper definitely was “Khichidi- Polo” and I really need not have bothered to add on more dishes, trust me, you need to try this combo, I am sure your family to will love it for a change from the usual chutney, gun powder, pickle etc.

** Note : I always follow my Mom's method of using oil+ ghee in the ratio of 1:1 for removing of dosas as they turn out great. You can use either ghee or oil for the same too, it's a matter of individual choice. I use Iron tava for preparing dosa which requires a little bit of oil/ ghee to cook and remove the dosa, if non stick is used you may add sparingly too, however I always recommend Iron tava for health benefits.

** Given below are the links to the recipes of individual dishes in the picture above, please go through the link for that particular dish .....

** For "Spicy Coriander Leaves- Curry Leaves- Coconut Chutney" recipe ….

** For “Chana Dal- Rava (lapsi) Sweet Khichidi" served topped with Ellacihi Bananas recipe …

** For “Magge- Alsando- Keerla Sukke (South Indian Cucumber- Yardlong Beans- Bamboo Shoots Curry)” recipe …

** Sharing a common link below to all “Dosa/Polo” recipes shared in the Blog, along with the recipe to “Crispy Whole Grain Nachani- Urad Dal- Moong Dal Dosa (Whole Finger Millet- Black Gram Dal- Green Gram Dal Dosa)”, a similar to the above recipe shared before, please browse through and try them out in leisure …

** Sharing a common link below to all “Chutney” recipes shared in the Blog, which includes the coriander chutney shared above too, please browse through and try them out in leisure, there are plenty of choices and they all taste great …

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