Idiyappam with Vegetable Stew

Idiyappam /Noolappam /String Hoppers:

Sevai & Idiyappam thought both to be the same. But Sevai is made with par boiled rice and idiyappam with raw rice. Sevai is ground, cooked/steamed and then squeezed thru the nazhi where as idiyappam is rice made into flour, cooked in boiling water, then steamed and squeezed . It goes along with Morkulambu And one of my favorite.In Kerala, idiyappam is served with stew, kurma, kadala curry etc.

Idiyappam is a typical and healthy Keralite dish usually served for breakfast. It looks like noodles but entirely different from it. This dish goes well with vegetable stew or any gravy curry. It also tastes best with coconut milk with a dash of jaggery or sugar.I Prepare Rice Flour for Idiyappam at home and I always like to have Idiyappam with grated fresh coconut and sugar. It’s one of the favorite breakfasts of my family.

1.   Wash and soak 1 cup raw rice ( pacharisi ) for 3 to 4 hrs.

2.   Drain well and allow it to dry in a cotton cloth.

3.   When the rice is damp and semi dry, grind it to fine powder in mixer

4. Roast the rice flour until you get a sandy texture until you are able to draw a line dropping the powder through your fingers. . (Do not over roast the flour till it changes colour ).

5. Seive for lumps and these lumps can be powdered again.

6. Allow the roasted powder to cool before storing in clean air tight containers.

7. You can store that flour in an air tight container and use it whenever you need it.

Idiyaappam Ingredients:

Powdered and roasted rice flour 1 cup

Water 1 and 1/2 cups (sometimes a little more water needed in case dough dries up quickly, hence add more water.)

Oil - 2 tsp

Salt as required

 

Method

1.Boil water well, add salt and oil to it.Add the water little by little to the rice flour and make a soft dough. Knead it well.

2. Add little amount of oil for your palms, mix the dough kneading it applying some pressure. Knead to a smooth lump free dough. If necessary increase the oil by another teaspoon

3. Grease the inside of the idiyappam maker with oil and fill it with the prepared dough and press it in a circular motion on idly plate in the form of long strings.

4.Pour some water in the steamer and heat it. I used my idly pot for steaming

5. Place the plate inside the steamer and allow to Steam it for 5 to  10 minutes of steaming.

6. Open the lid and remove this plate. Now the idiyappam is ready. It can be served as such with vegetable stew, sweetened coconut milk, coconut chutney, Kurma or any gravy of your choice.

                               

Vegetable Stew

This is a very simple dish, but I like it because of its subtle flavor and of course I love the thick & creamy coconut milk. This is a very simple recipe which goes well with appam and idiyappam

 

INGREDIENTS:

Onion - 2 Medium

Veggies - 1 Bowl( Cauliflower, carrot, potato, Beans, Peas, Onion)

Coconut milk - 2 cups

Green chilli - 5-7

Bay leaf - 1

Cloves - 2

Ginger Paste - ¼ Tsp

Salt - As Needed

Oil - 1 Tsp

Curry Leaf - Few

METHOD:

Microwave the veggies along with salt as needed. Keep aside.

Heat a pan and add oil to it. Then add the bay leaf, cloves and ginger paste. Fry it for few seconds.

Then add the sliced onion, green chilli and fry it. Don’t allow to change its colour. Once it’s add the cooked veggies, curry leaf and mix it.

Then add the coconut milk and mix it. Add water if the consistency is thick. Allow it to come to a boiling point and switch of the flame.

Serve hot with Idiappam.

Chocolate Marble Asian Bread (Roux Method)

This was my first attempt at making bread .Making a bread recipe for the first time I am bit scary. But finally it turned out delightful!This Bread I baked for Home Baker's Challenge -4

Ingredients:Water roux:

1/3 cup bread flour( I used All Purpose Flour)

1 cup water

Main Dough:

2 ½ cups bread flour

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons milk powder ( I used Milk)

100 ml of water plus 2 tablespoons water

1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ teaspoons yeast

2 tablespoons butter

Method:Water roux:

In a small pan, mix all the ingredients of water roux, place in a low heat and stir constantly until the temperature reach 65oC (150F), or if you do not have a thermometer, cook until ripples form. Set aside to cool by covering with a plastic film.

Main Dough:

1.In the bread machine bucket or a bowl, add the water roux, and all the other ingredients, except for the butter, water and cocoa powder.

2.knead it until it forms soft dough. Add the butter and  knead until the butter incorporates into the dough.

3.Divide the dough in approximately 2/3 and 1/3 portions. Remove the small portion and set aside by covering with a plastic/cling film.

4.Knead the bigger portion until the dough is smooth and elastic. Set aside in a bowl by covering the dough with a plastic/cling film.

 

5.Take back the small portion and knead it again and add cocoa powder and water as needed and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.

6.Cover the chocolate dough and set aside in a bowl by covering with a plastic/cling film.

7.Let both dough proof until the dough doubles to its original size.Knock back both dough and let it rest for 5 minutes on the counter, cover both dough.

8.Flatten the chocolate dough into a rectangle shape of approximately 6 x 9 inches and the white dough to 12 x 6 inches.

9. Layer the chocolate rectangle in between the white rectangle. Flatten the rectangle and cut in 2 equal portions. 

10Layer one piece on top of the other and flatten again. Repeat this procedure a couple of times.

Cut the flatten dough into 3 equal pieces. Then again cut into 3 equal strips. 

11.Gently roll the strips and place 3 together and make a braid. Place the braided bread in the tins. Cover the tins with plastic film and let them rise in a warm place until the dough has almost tripled its original size.

12.Meanwhile, preheat oven at 200 F. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter. Remove from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool.