Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Spiced Yogurt with Adai (lentil pancakes)





Around here, weather is still the big news. Even after applying "flinty Chicago toughness" to DC for a year, the federal government had to close for 3 days in a row. The schools are out till the day after Presidents Day. Keeping high energy kids under house arrest is probably the toughest part of the deal. Thankfully we still have power and a warm place to stay which is not the case with a lot of residents in the area. Thanks all of you for checking up.



cleaned once a lot more left by the new one to be cleaned again



In a space of 2 days here we are in the midst of another snow storm, seriously Mother Nature is the boss if I ever I had any doubt. While the other one was orderly and well organized with the sun coming out the minute the snow stopped falling and making the landscape look absolutely magical when the sun reflected on the pristine snow (we will leave aside the shoveling part for now). This one on the other hand is one ugly storm, the difference is the blizzard conditions with snow blowing all over and the violently swaying trees laden with snow is scary to watch. Snowmeggadon, snowpocalypse all seem appropriate terms to describe the conditions we are under now.





Shoveling snow is a workout like no other. The high calorie foods we tend to consume while caught indoors were all burned pretty easily. Shoveling out a 800 sq feet area of driveway and walkway definitely gave the feeling of having run a marathon. The upper arm workout while throwing the snow over the ever growing mounds sure makes one sleep without a stir at night.



it is beautiful alright



From the next post on I promise to not bore you with any more snow talk but there is snow still falling and I can't think straight.



this new one which started yesterday, sure is messy with drifting blowing snow




Adai - it has come to this, family plays a guessing game trying to figure out what went into the mix when the adai got made. The composition changes and this time it had toor dal, moong dal, urad dal, steel cut oats and whole ragi. The ragi adds a good bit of nuttiness to the dosai. Avial - mixed vegetable in a yogurt coconut base is by far the best accompaniment for Adai.





The protein filled adai with the vegetable filled soothing yogurt is indeed a perfect match. With not enough time on hand and not enough vegetables, plain spiced yogurt is all I could come up with. Add a few sauteed shallots if you wish. Almost similar to this neer poosanikai thayir kuzhambu but with a lot of ginger and you know why.






Spiced Yogurt
Ingredients
1. 2 Cups Yogurt whisked
2. 1/2 tbsp coconut grated
3. 3-4 green chilies (control for heat)
4. 1 tbsp ginger grated
5. salt to taste
6. seasonings: cumin, mustard seeds, one whole red chili, curry leaves
7. 1/2 tsp ghee

Method
1. Dry roast the coconut, ginger and green chilies and blend to a smooth paste
2. Whisk it into the yogurt.
3. In a small pan heat the ghee and the let the cumin and mustard splutter, add the red chili and curry leaves, cool and pour on the yogurt.

25 comments:

  1. Snow looks beautiful..we love yougrut, spiced up version is best way to eat with rotis..like your recipe.

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  2. Snow can be very dangerous, specially it is THAT much. Power goes off sometimes which is a nightmare. We had our power lines down for 6 days in 1995 ice storm, we had terrible time, cold and hungry, all the hotels were full too. Hope Spring comes soon for all of us. It's windy here 40miles/hour and windchill is at 10F. God, I am really tired of this.
    Adai and Avial so yum. Lathamma made these for me when I was at her home in Bangalore. Very tasty, so far I have served Adais only with chutney, must make Avial next time. Looks great Indo, enjoy.
    I am off to make dinner now, have some leftover Pulao and roast chicken! :)

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  3. The first storm was bad... I was in Virginia over the weekend and ooh boy, it was bad.. I was stranded there for 2 days.

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  4. We witnessed a 'terrible' winter the last year here in Toronto, with snowstorms like weekly from christimas till like mid feb. Thankfully, this year, its ok. I have always loved snow, from indoors. Winter is perhaps one of my least fav seasons.

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  5. I am hearing so much from friends over at east coast about this snow storm.. stay warm! and hoping that soon you guys get a good relief from the persistent snow. Adai looks delicious, I love flavored yogurt any which way I can get, the seasonings look great in here.

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  6. I love spiced yogurt, have to try your version!

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  7. Hi,
    I have been wanting to comment on your blog for a long time.
    That is a hell lot of snow...

    When I was in NY I faced the worst blizzard & blackout in 2002. The powerlines were down for most part of the northeast,buses were packed and the subway did not work and I remember walking all the way from Manhattan to Queens ..

    Stay warm!!!

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  8. My goodness, looked at that third picture and it seems to be puring snow out there. Glad you are all doing well.
    We are bracing for possbile snow tomorrow. Let us see how it goes.
    What a coincidence, I made that spiced yogurt 3 days ago; it is called Shunti Tambli in Kannada. I will post it soon too.

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  9. The first pic's beautiful. and the second - it's like a snow wave! Today's Sivaratri, and the end of whatever little winter we have here.

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  10. yesterdy only my sister called up from DC and was telling the same about the bad weather there. hope everything is fine at your end. the spiced yogurt looks lovely and I love any version of this. so bookmarked.

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  11. That's a nice dish. Snow pics r very good.

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  12. You know about my passion for snow Indo..but I can understand how tough it must be..pls do share more pictures if you don't get bored..:)

    nice dish..will have to try this combo..

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  13. Beautiful snow pics ! I agree with you on keeping kids at home ; it is the toughest thing for moms....Ada is a family fav..such a healthy and comfort breakfast !

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  14. Adai aviyal is all time favorite at home..Lovely, good for the snow ;)

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  15. Beautiful snow pics and thats quite a lot of snow, its snowing non-stop here too...Adai looks yummy and make a perfect breakfast!

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  16. Girl!! Where is the recipe for the adai? :) You can't tell about a dish with ingredients I can eat and then not share the recipe.

    Share please?

    I'm so glad you are all doing okay and have power. I think all the snow is TO has been carried south, this time. I feel 'almost' guilty that we don't have much snow this year when you guys have THAT much.

    Stay safe and keep warm.

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  17. Kay,
    I knew you'd like this one. Here goes
    1 cup toor dal(I used the steel cups, would be about 1/2 cup measure)
    1 cup moong dal
    1 cup split urad dal
    1 cup steel cut oats
    1 cup whole ragi
    curry leaves, asfoetida, 5-6 red or green chilies (i used red), 1 tbsp ginger and salt
    I soaked these overnight blend and use almost instantly.

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  18. Woww snow clicks looks awesome...spiced yogurt looks prefect..looks fantastic..

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  19. That is bad bad weather. I am so glad you have power and are warm. Time to bring those board games out?

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  20. Love the first pic. I hear there is more snow coming in next week. I am so tired of all the snow

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  21. Hiding the frying part with the healthy part ISG, hence my avocado poori, was really good, surprisingly not oily!

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  22. Beautiful pics of snow...adai recipe is deliciouas and tempting..

    cheers

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  23. Seeing all that snow seems so scary... when the sun is out it looks beautiful but when it is cloudy, man that would drive me crazy but I guess it is something that one can get accustomed to.

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  24. The snow pics and the snowstorms create a shrill in my backbone. I am really afraid of that chilling bon breaking cold! Please stay safe dear! The snowed lamp pic is absolutely beautiful. Wow, nothing can beat adai avial combo but my fav is adai with fesh butter and jaggery!

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  25. I used to have pudi/sugar with adais. But this combination is perfect.

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