Mangalore Buns / Banana Puris / Banana Pooris

Ever imagined preparing buns without a need to add yeast and bake?! The coastal region in Karnataka is very famous for a kind of sweet banana pooris called as "Mangalore Buns". May be its resemblance to that of a bun in appearance and its sweet taste are the main reasons for its name. They can be enjoyed as breakfast dish or as snacks and they are kids favorite too! so, lets go through the recipe!

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour - 1 cup , maida / all purpose flour can be used instead
• Well riped banana - 1
• Curd / Yogurt - 3 tbs
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 2 to 3 tbs, use according to your taste
• Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp 
• Oil - As required

Method:

• Mix the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, cumin seeds and give a good mix.

• Break the banana in to pieces and blend it with curd in a blender or mixer.

• Add this to the flour mixture and mix it into a dough slightly firmer than that of a chapati dough. Water can be used in very small amount  in intervals if required to make dough.

• Put few drops of oil on top and smear around the surface of the dough so that it does not get dried up. 
• Cover it up with a damp cloth and keep aside for 2 to 6 hrs. More the time you give them to sit the nicer they will turn out.
• Keep some oil to get heated. Meanwhile make small marble sized balls from dough and roll them into round sheets slightly thicker than that of the chapati sheets (This makes the buns / pooris to fluff up).

• Make sure that the oil is hot enough for deep frying. An experienced person can easily make out this by feeling the warmth on the surface of the vessel in which the oil is heated, or else one can put few mustard seeds in to the oil and when they splutter, its the indication that the oil is sufficiently hot.
• drop the poori sheet in hot oil and fry on a medium heat, flip the sides and make sure that it has turned nice golden brown on all the sides and transfer it on to a plate lined with tissue paper to soak the oil. Repeat it with all the sheets of poori.

• Enjoy the hot "Mangalore buns" with coconut chutney and sambar (optional)

Watch the video for recipe:

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Ragi Mudde / Finger Millet Balls

          "Ragi Mudde" is one of the signature dishes of Karnataka, forming the staple food for the rural population. Its simple in its avatar, requires less ingredients and gets prepared quickly in minutes. Its a treasure of nutrients including protiens, amino acids and minerals like calcium and iron. It has low fat content and is gluten free. Because of its high fibre content its easy to digest and is very filling which makes it apt for diabetics too. Hence there is a whole bunch of reasons to consume "ragi mudde" and the simple procedure for the preparation is as follows,

Ingredients:

• Ragi (finger millet) flour - 1 cup
• Water - 2 cups
• Salt - 3/4 tsp
• Oil - 1tsp
• Ghee - As required, in its unavailability oil can be made use of

Procedure:

•  Take 2 tbs of ragi flour in a small bowl and add 1/4 cup of water. Mix well and prepare a lump free mixture.

• Take remaining amount of water (1 3/4 cup) in a thick-bottomed pot, add salt, oil and the prepared ragi flour - water mixture, mix well. 

• Allow it to stay for 3 - 4 minutes. The mixture starts to boil and gets little thick by that time.
• Now add in the remaining ragi flour, wait patiently for around 2 minutes, the boiling watery content starts to raise and cover up the ragi flour from sides.

• Take any thick wooden stick (traditionally was called as "mudde kolu") or a rolling pin or a thick wooden laddle and mix thoroughly until you get a lump - free thick mixture.

• Add 1 tsp ghee, give a quick mix and lower the heat. Cover it with a plate and let it get cooked in steam for 1 minute (keep an eye and do not allow it to get burned). Then remove the plate give a good mix for one last time and remove from stove top.
• Meanwhile take a bowl and grease it with ghee. Add in some prepared ragi mixture and rotate clockwise and anticlockwise for several times. By this time the ragi mixture would have taken a roughly round shape.

• Wet your hands by immersing in cold water and give the ragi ball a final touch to give it a more sophisticated shape (be careful as the ragi mixture will be very hot initially)

• Enjoy the hot ragi mudde with sambar or "bassaru - palya" (dal and greens stock gravy)

Watch the video for the recipe.

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Masala Chapati - Stirfried Chapati / Roti / Paratha / Tortilla

          Chapati / roti is a staple food of every Indian. whether the chapatis are fresh or they are leftovers, or simply you are bored to prepare a curry to go with it, you can give them a yummy twist with this simple recipe...

Ingredients:

• Chapatis / rotis / parathas / tortillas - 4 to 5
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Urad dal (split and skinned black gram) - 3/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Asafetida - 1/4 tsp
• Rasam powder - 1 to 2 tsp, curry powder can be used in its unavailability
• Green chili - 1 small. use according to the spiciness or the heat required in the dish.
• Curry leaves - Around 1 spring, chopped
• Chopped onions- 1/2 cup
• Chopped tomatoes - 1/2 cup
• Cilantro - for garnishing
• Oil - Around 3 tbs
• Salt - to taste

Method:

• Tear the chapatis / rotis / parathas / tortillas into small pieces using your fingers.

• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds stop crackling, add cumin seeds and allow them to turn slight brown in color. 

• Then add urad dal and when it slightly starts to change color, add chopped green chili and saute.

• Add in the turmeric powder, asafetida followed by curry leaves and onions. By this time the urad dal would have turned golden brown in color. Saute until the onions turn transparent.

• Add the tomatoes and saute until they attain the desired texture ( firm or mushy) and add in the rasam or curry powder, give a good mix.

• Add in the chapati pieces, salt and mix thoroughly and finally garnish with cilantro.

• "Stir fried chapati" can be had as a breakfast, evening snacks or can be packed for lunch.

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