Kara Kuthiraivali - Ravai Pidi Kozhukatta

 Kara Kuthiraivali - Ravai Pidi Kozhukatta - 

This traditional dish is from Tamil Nadu - Kongunad region. In Andhra it’s known as Kudumulu. In Karnataka it’s known as Kadubu. In Kerala it’s known as Pidi Kozhukattai. This dish is usually made during Ganesh Chaturthi or during occasion… family gathering. Usually made with rice. The rice flour is cooked in hot water with spices and salt. Then once the dough is easy to handle, the Kozhukatta are usually oval shaped and moulded by hand (Pidi) and then steamed. A very healthy comfort steamed dish that can be eaten for breakfast. 

There is a sweet and a savoury version of Kozhukatta. We are making the savoury version. 

Here I have made Kozhukatta not with rice flour but with semolina and barnyard millet mixed in equal portion. 

This can be had for fasting and can be good substitute for rice. This dish can be served with coconut chutney. 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Semolina / Rava 

1/2 cup Barnyard millet / Sama 

Few Curry leaves 

Few chopped Coriander leaves 

2 to 3 chopped Green Chillies 

1 small piece for Ginger Grated 

1/2 cup Grated Coconut 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 

1 tsp Chana dal

1 tsp Urid dal 

Pinch of Asafoetida 

2 cups of Water 

2 tbsp Oil 

1 tsp Ghee 

Method 

Take a wok, add 2 tbsp oil, heat the oil. Reduce the flame. Add the chopped chillies, ginger, curry leaves, urid dal and chana dal. Sauté, add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for few seconds. Add the water. Add salt, let the water simmer. Add the coconut and stir. After few seconds add the washed semolina and sama millet. Stir as the batter shouldn’t form a lump. Stir and cook until it forms a soft dough.. once cool. Switch off the flame… and cover the wok and wait until the dough is easy to handle. Take a steamer, on the top vessel, brush some ghee or place a banana leave. Apply ghee or oil on your palm. Take small portions and shape the Kozhukatta with the help of the palm. Place the Kozhukatta into the vessel. Steam the Kozhukatta for 10  minutes. Serve them hot with chutney.

Keema - Patties Pav

 I had eaten this dish at a Sindhi restaurant in Ulhasnagar. The dish was so delicious that I couldn’t resist making this at home… and moreover when the request comes from my daughter…..

Keema - Patties with Pav - 

The patties was made with keema stuffed in between the potato covering… and the keema gravy was poured over the patties… served with pudina Chutney, sliced onions, a lemon wedge and Pav….. 

Here is my version of making Keema Patties at home with a twist …. As there was no keema at home and had around 300 grams of boneless mutton at home…. I tried making keema at home… usually with the help of the chopper I manage to make small pieces of mutton, but my chopper knocked out… as I didn’t have any options, I tried grinding the keema in a grinder… the mutton became a paste… I had to make the keema texture… so the twist… and believe me the dish was delicious… see the recipe for the twist…. And some what healthy for the twist added… 

For the non-vegetarian- mutton and chicken keema and for the vegetarian boiled soya keema can be used… rest the recipe is the same… 

For me the twist ingredient had to be used by force as the mutton became a paste and I didn’t have soya granules to give the dish keema texture… but I would say use the twist, it becomes healthier.. 

I made the Potato Patties without the Keema stuffing in an air fryer…. 

For the Patties 

Ingredients 

3 Big Boiled Potatoes mashed 

2 finely chopped Green Chillies 

1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves 

1 tbsp finely chopped Mint leaves 

3 Bread cut into pieces 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Amchur powder 

1/2 tsp roasted Cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp roasted Dried Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp + 1 tsp Oil 

Method 

Take all the ingredients in a bowl, except 1 tsp oil. Mash and mix all the ingredients together until a soft dough is formed. Make lemon size portions and flatten the portions with the help of the palms. Apply little oil on the palms to avoid sticking. Grease a tray with oil. Place the patties on the tray, air fry at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes on one side, turn and for 10 - 15 minutes on another side. The patties is done. 

For the Keema 

Ingredients 

300 grams Mutton Keema 

1/2 cup Oats 

1 medium size Onion cut into pieces 

2 medium size Tomatoes chopped 

15 Garlic cloves 

3 small pieces of Ginger 

4 to 5 Green Chillies 

1 small bunch of Mint leaves cleaned 

1 small bunch of Coriander leaves chopped 

1 dried red Kashmiri chilli cut into pieces 

2 Bay leaves 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin powder 

1 tsp Coriander powder 

3/4 tsp Chilli powder 

3/4 tsp Garam Masala Powder 

1 tsp Meat Masala 

1 tsp Kasuri Methi 

4 tbsp Ghee 

Method 

Since I didn’t have mutton keema, I tried doing the keema at home and it became mutton paste.. 

Take grinder, add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies, few handful of coriander leaves and mint leaves… grind the ingredients together into a coarse paste. 

Take oil in a dekhchi / pot. Add 3 tbsp ghee, once the ghee heats up, add the dried red chilli pieces and bay leaves, after few seconds add the wet masala paste, sauté and keep cooking for a minute on medium low flame. Add the dried spice powders and salt - turmeric, cumin, chilli powder, coriander, salt, garam masala, meat masala and Kasuri Methi. Stir and cook for few seconds, add the chopped tomatoes. Cook until the masala starts to release ghee. Add the mutton keema… I add the mutton paste, and stirred well so that the paste doesn’t form a big lump… cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, add 1/2 cup of water and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. When the mutton was almost done, I added oats and stirred well. Let it cook for 2 minutes. The gravy will thicken up because of the oats, add another 1/2 cup water, let it cook for a minute. Switch off the flame and let the keema rest for 2 hours… this will enhance the taste… before serving… if you see the gravy has thicken up, add water as desired so the the gravy is of pouring consistency.. check on the salt… add the salt if required. Add the roasted cumin powder and 1 tbsp ghee… garnish with chopped coriander and mint leaves…

To serve the Keema Patties-

Take a flat bowl or a plate. Place the patties and pour the keema gravy on top, garnish with sliced onions, mint leaves, lime wedges and mint chutney. Serve with Pav….