South India

Dosa

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white rice

• 1/2 cup urad dal

• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds

• Salt to taste

• Oil or ghee for cooking

Instructions:

1. Soak the rice and urad dal separately in enough water for 6 hours or overnight.

2. Grind the rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds separately to a fine paste using a little water.

3. Mix both the batters together, add salt, and mix well.

4. Cover and keep in a warm place to ferment for 8-10 hours or overnight.

5. Heat a non-stick pan or a cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat.

6. Pour a ladleful of the batter onto the center of the hot pan and spread it evenly in a circular motion.

7. Drizzle some oil or ghee around the edges of the dosa.

8. Cook for a minute or two until the bottom side is golden brown and crispy.

9. Flip the dosa and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute on the other side.

10. Serve hot with chutney and sambar.

Idli

Ingredients:

• 2 cups parboiled rice

• 1/2 cup urad dal

• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds

• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Soak the rice and urad dal separately in enough water for 6 hours or overnight.

2. Grind the rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds separately to a fine paste using a little water.

3. Mix both the batters together, add salt, and mix well.

4. Cover and keep in a warm place to ferment for 8-10 hours or overnight.

5. Grease the idli plates with oil or ghee.

6. Pour the batter into each idli mold until it's 3/4th full.

7. Steam the idlis in an idli cooker or a steamer for 10-12 minutes.

8. Remove the idlis from the mold with the help of a spoon.

9. Serve hot with chutney and sambar.

Appam

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw rice

• 1/2 cup grated coconut

• 1 tsp active dry yeast

• 1 tbsp sugar

• Salt to taste

• Water as needed

• Oil for cooking

Instructions:

1. Soak the rice in enough water for 6 hours or overnight.

2. Grind the rice and grated coconut together to a fine paste using enough water.

3. Transfer the batter to a bowl and add yeast, sugar, and salt.

4. Mix well and keep in a warm place to ferment for 2-3 hours or until the batter doubles in volume.

5. Heat an appam pan or a non-stick pan over medium heat.

6. Pour a ladleful of the batter onto the center of the hot pan and swirl it around to coat the edges of the pan.

7. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center is cooked.

8. Serve hot with coconut milk and sugar or with vegetable stew.

Uttapam

Ingredients:

• 2 cups idli batter

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 tomato, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped

• Salt to taste

• Oil for cooking

Instructions:

1. Heat a non-stick pan or a cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat.

2. Mix the chopped onion, tomato, cilantro, green chilies, and salt in a bowl.

3. Take a ladleful of the idli batter and spread it evenly on the hot pan to make a thick pancake.

4. Spread some of the onion-tomato mixture on top of the uttapam.

5. Drizzle some oil around the edges of the uttapam.

6. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the bottom side is golden brown and crispy.

7. Flip the uttapam and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side.

8. Serve hot with coconut chutney or tomato chutney.

Pesarattu

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green gram (moong dal)

• 1/4 cup rice flour

• 2 green chilies

• 1-inch piece of ginger

• Salt to taste

• Oil for cooking

Instructions:

1. Soak the green gram in enough water for 4-6 hours or overnight.

2. Drain the water and grind the soaked green gram, green chilies, and ginger to a fine paste using enough water.

3. Mix in the rice flour and salt to the batter.

4. Heat a non-stick pan or a cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat.

5. Take a ladleful of the batter and spread it evenly on the hot pan to make a thin crepe.

6. Drizzle some oil around the edges of the pesarattu.

7. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the bottom side is golden brown and crispy.

8. Flip the pesarattu and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side.

9. Serve hot with ginger chutney or coconut chutney.

Vada

Ingredients:

• 1 cup urad dal

• 1/4 cup chopped onions

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

• 2 green chilies, finely chopped

• 1 tsp grated ginger

• Salt to taste

• Oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Soak the urad dal in enough water for 4-6 hours or overnight.

2. Drain the water and grind the soaked urad dal to a fine paste using enough water.

3. Mix in the chopped onions, cilantro, green chilies, ginger, and salt to the batter.

4. Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat.

5. Wet your hands and take a small portion of the batter and shape it into a ball.

6. Make a hole in the center of the ball and drop it carefully into the hot oil.

7. Fry the vada on medium heat until they turn golden brown and crispy.

8. Remove the vada from the oil and drain excess oil on a paper towel.

9. Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambar.

Chapati

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour

• Salt to taste

• Water as needed

• Oil or ghee for cooking

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, add the wheat flour and salt.

2. Mix well and add water gradually to make a soft and pliable dough.

3. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes until it's smooth and elastic.

4. Cover the dough and keep it aside for 15-20 minutes.

5. Divide the dough into small portions and roll them into thin circles.

6. Heat a tawa or a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

7. Place the rolled chapati on the hot tawa and cook for 30 seconds or until small bubbles appear on the surface.

8. Flip the chapati and cook for another 30 seconds or until the other side is cooked.

9. Apply some oil or ghee on both sides of the chapati and cook for another 30 seconds.

10. Repeat the process for the remaining dough portions.

11. Serve hot with vegetable curry or dal.

Parotta

Ingredients:

• 2 cups maida (refined flour)

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup oil or ghee

• Water as needed

• Oil for cooking

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, add the maida and salt.

2. Mix well and add water gradually to make a soft and smooth dough.

3. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes until it's elastic and soft.

4. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.

5. Divide the dough into small portions and roll them into thin circles.

6. Spread some oil or ghee on the rolled chapati and fold it like an accordion.

7. Roll the folded chapati into a spiral and tuck the end under.

8. Roll the spiral into a thin circle, about 1/4 inch thick.

9. Heat a tawa or a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

10. Place the rolled parotta on the hot tawa and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side.

11. Drizzle some oil around the edges of the parotta while cooking.

12. Repeat the process for the remaining dough portions.

13. Serve hot with vegetable kurma or chicken curry.

Pathiri

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice flour

• 1 cup water

• Salt to taste

• Oil for cooking

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, add the rice flour and salt.

2. Mix well and add water gradually to make a soft and smooth dough.

3. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes until it's elastic and soft.

4. Divide the dough into small portions and roll them into thin circles.

5. Heat a tawa or a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

6. Place the rolled pathiri on the hot tawa and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side.

7. Drizzle some oil around the edges of the pathiri while cooking.

8. Repeat the process for the remaining dough portions.

9. Serve hot with vegetable stew or chicken curry.

Naan

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

• 1/4 cup warm milk

• 1/4 cup yogurt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup oil or ghee

• Water as needed

• Garlic, chopped (optional)

• Cilantro, chopped (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, add the flour and salt.

2. Mix well and add yeast, sugar, milk, yogurt, and oil or ghee.

3. Mix well and add water gradually to make a soft and smooth dough.

4. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes until it's elastic and soft.

5. Cover the dough and keep it aside for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.

6. Preheat the oven to 500°F.

7. Divide the dough into small portions and roll them into oval shapes.

8. Brush the surface of the naan with water and sprinkle some garlic and cilantro on top.

9. Place the naan on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 2-3 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

10. Brush some butter or ghee on top of the hot naan.

11. Serve hot with butter chicken or dal makhani.