Akki rotti/rice flour rotti

Akki rotti/Rice flour Rotti:

Akki rotti is traditional south Indian breakfast,mainly belonging to Karnataka cuisine .It can be made  plain with just the rice flour or  rice flour can be mixed  with grated veggies / just  onions . Or just add boiled field beans / avarekalu for avarekalu akki rotti. Here I am giving the recipe for  onion akki rotti.


Ingredients:
Rice flour- 2 cups
Onions medium size- 6 to7 ,finely chopped
Coriander leaves - about 1/4 cup loosely packed, finely chopped .
Green Chillies- 3 or more acc to taste, finely chopped.
Jeera/ cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Water to make the dough.
Oil- for cooking the rottis


Procedure:
In a large mixing bowl take  the rice flour , onions , Coriander leaves , green chillies,jeera and salt and mix well without adding water.Do not add water to the entire flour mixture as onions tend to leave moisture when mixed. Take the flour in parts , add water and make a soft dough as shown.

I use aluminium foil disposable plates to pat my rottis, as it requires very little oil.
It can be cooked directly in a kadai/ wok .I somehow find this method a little messy.
For the foil plate method, smear little oil on the aluminium foil plate, take a tennis ball size  dough and start patting it into thin circle as shown in the picture.
apply a little (about a tsp)  oil on the patted rotti.

Heat a girdle and when its hot transfer the Al.foil pate on the girdle with the patted rotti facing the tawa and press on all the sides.On medium flame cook it for few mins , once that side is cooked the foil plate comes out easily.Take the foil plate off and flip the rotti and cook on the  other side for few mins.

For crispy rottis cook on the tawa for long time on low flame. For soft rottis take it out from the tawa as soon as it is cooked .Serve it when it is hot along with coconut chutney or chutney powder and yoghurt.

Variations:

1. Onions can be replaced with finely chopped or grated cabbage shreds or grated mixed vegetables     ( Carrots, cabbage and cucumber). 

When using cabbage or mixed vegetables add grated fresh coconut.

2. Rice flour can be replaced with Ragi/finger millet flour or jowar/Sorghum flour.

Note:

If using finger millet or sorghum flour the rottis take longer time to cook,if you try to remove the foil plate before the rotti is cooked it will break/tear.

Heerekayi/Ridge gourd chutney

Heerekayi/Ridge gourd Chutney


Chutney is a  side  dish which is blended with flavours (Sweet, Spicy and tangy). My ajji ( Grand mother ) makes a wide varieties of chutneys and each time she replaces the ingredients in it so that it gives a different taste to the same chutney. You can prepare it using urad dal/ Chana Dal/ Sesame Seeds/ Corriander/ Cumin seeds.In this recipe i have used chana dal and dry coconut .Must admit that  I got this idea from my ajji ,but definitely it cant replace ajji's taste . I just relish her chutneys .
Here goes the recipe

Ingredients :

Ridge Gourd- 1 medium size
Chanadal/ Kadle bele- 1 1/2  tbsp
Dry red chillies- about 3 ( I use Kashmiri/ Byadige variety)
Dry coconut- 1/4th cup
Thick Tamarind juice - 1 Tbsp
Jaggery - 1tsp
Hing - A generous pinch
Turmeric - a pinch
Roasted fenugreek pwd / Methi pwd - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil- 1 1/2 tsp

For seasoning :
Oil-  1 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 spring

Procedure:

Wash and just peel the sharp edges of ridge gourd, retain the skin. Cut it into bite size pieces and keep it aside.

Heat a wok and once hot dry roast channa dal until golden brown . Set this aside and in the same wok add 1/2 a tsp of oil and toast the red chillies and dry coconut.Grind the channa dal, red chillies and dry coconut into fine  powder.

Again Add about a tsp of oil in the wok once hot add hing , methi pwd and turmeric pwd. Add the chopped ridge gourd . Cover it and let it cook until mushy.Keep stirring in between.Once cooked allow it to cool and grind it along with salt tamarind juice and  prepared channa dal red chilly and coconut powder without adding water.
Heat 1 tsp oil once hot add mustard seeds and once it stops spluttering add urad dal , let it turn golden brown and then add curry leaves .  Add this seasoning to ground chutney and serve with piping hot rice and rasam.

Variations:
1. can use urad dal instead of chana dal.
2.Dry coconut can be replaced with fresh grated coconut.
3. Dry Red chillies can be replaced with green chillies.
Add green chillies when cooking the ridge gourd. And once ridge gourd is cooked add fresh grated coconut and stir fry for few minutes.