Avalakki (Poha/Flattened rice) Upkari:

Avalakki (flattened rice) upkari is a popular breakfast item or evening snack. It is served for breakfast with upma and banana.

Avalakki Upkari

Ingredients:
Avalakki (Thin variety) - 2 Cups
Powdere Jaggery or brow sugar - 2 Tbsp
Red chilies - 2
Coriander seeds - 1/2 Tsp
Cumin seeds  1/2 Tsp
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 Cup
Salt - To taste

Seasoning:
Olive/Coconut oil - 2 Tbsp
Asafoetida - A pinch
Mustard seeds - 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp
Curry leaves - 2 Strings
Coriander leaves - 2 Tbsp chopped

Method:
1.  Dry grin cumin seeds, coriander seeds and red chilies.
2.  Add the grated coconut to the poha and mix.
3.  Add the powered spices, jaggery/brown sugar, and salt.
4.  Head the oil, add mustard seeds and when it sizzles add asafoetida, curry leaves, and turmeric powder.
5.  Pour the seasoning on the avalakki.
6,  Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro leaves.

Chakli

Chakli is a popular savory snack.  It is made with rice flour, roasted gram flour and urad dhal flour mixed with butter and spices.

Chakli

Ingredients: 
Rice flour - 3 Cups (preferably rice soaked, dried in shade and powdered)
Roasted urad dhal flour - 1 Cup
Roasted gram flour - 3/4 Cup
Asafoetida - A pinch
Cumin seeds - a Tsp
Sesame seeds - a Tsp
Butter - 3 Tbsp
Salt - To taste
Oil - To fry

Method:
1. Mix all the flours and add asafoetida, cumin seeds, sesame seeds and salt.
2. Add butter and water to mix  and knead to a smooth dough.
3. Make spiral chaklis with the chakli maker.
4. Deep fry till done.
5. Store in airtight container.

Beet Chapati & Mini Puris

This year for Valentine's Day I tried making chapati with beets.  I steamed the beets and blend in the dough and later cutting into heart shaped pieces and infusing with the dough.  I also made mini puris.

Beet & Plain Chapati

Beet Chapati

Mini Beet Puris

Ingredients:
Plain Dough:
Wheat flour - 1 Cup
Yogurt - 2 Tbsp
Salt - To taste
Water - To make dough

Beet Dough:
Wheat flour - 1 Cup
Small beet - ½ Steamed
Green chilies - 1
Salt - To taste
Water - To make dough

Olive oil - for roasting chapatis

Method for Chapati:
1.  Mix the ingredients for the plain chapati and make a soft pliable dough.  It should be elastic, soft and smooth dough easy to roll.
2.  Blend the steamed beets, and green chilies with very little water and add this to the other ingredients the wheat flour and salt.  Make a smooth and soft dough.
3.  Roll the beets chapati dough thin with a rolling pin and cut out the desired shape with a sharp knife.
4.  Roll the plain chapati dough to a circle.  Place the cut out shapes of the beets chapati dough and gently roll so it fuses with the plain chapati.
5.  Place it on a hot griddle and cook.  Apply oil and cook and flip to turn to cook on the other side till there are golden brown spots.
6.  When it is cooked keep it covered in a container.

Method for Puris:
1.  Roll the beets chapati dough and cut to heart shape pieces and deep fry in olive oil