The Reader's Cafe - Train of Thought

Masala dosa or masale dose or masala dosa is a variation of the popular South Indian dosa, which has its origins in Tuluva Mangalorean cuisine of Tulunadu. It is made from rice, lentils, potato, methi, and curry leaves, and served with chutneys and sambar. I personally love masala dosa and have tasted it in various places. I am a foodie. Here are the ten best places where we can taste the best masala dosas: 1) Vidyarthi Bhavan Vidyarthi Bhavan is a vegetarian restaurant in Gandhi Bazaar, Basavanagudi, South Bengaluru Bangalore. It is a local landmark of old "Bangalore" architecture and heritage. Founded in 1943, the restaurant has been visited by many personalities such as Bharatratna Dr. C N R Rao, Padma Vibhushan Chief Justice (retd) Sri M N Venkatachaliah, Padma Shri Dr. K S Nissar Ahmed, and Padma Shri Smt Sudha Murthy. The restaurant is noted for its crispy "Masale Dose", especially the "Sagu Masale Dose". Address: 32, Gandhi Bazaar Main Rd, Gandhi ...

Paneer is an important part of the Indian cuisine, and like any other food, is nourishing and healthy when taken in the right amounts.  Paneer is made by curdling milk using food-derived acid. Paneer is a good choice for proteins, especially in a vegetarian diet. Paneer contains lower amounts of carbohydrates as compared to dals. It can be prepared for breakfast, brunch or lunch. It can be served as healthy snack for kids. Preparation time  : 30-40 minutes Ingredients  For the dough 2 cup Whole Wheat Flour 2 teaspoons Sunflower Oil Salt to taste For the filling 250 grams Button Paneer finely chopped/grated 1 Onion finely chopped 1 small capsicum 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (Jeera) 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder 1/2 teaspoon chat masala (Optional) 2 Green Chillies finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi) Ghee or oil for cooking Steps to prepare stuffed paneer paratha 1) Prepare soft dough using ingredients mentioned ...

Ingredients Gram flour - 300 g Rice flour - 200 g red chilli powder - 1 tsp salt - 1 tsp Sesame seeds,  cumin seeds - 2 tsps Ghee - 2 tsp Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp Method Mix all the ingredients into a thick paste and make murukku as in curd murukku. Checkout my other recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Popular links which describes this recipe: Hebbar's Kitchen Swathi's Kitchen Veg Recipes of India Recipe Video

Ingredients Onion 1 large Green peppers 2 Tomatoes 2 large Broccoli 1/2 lb. Cauliflower 1/2 lb. Butter 4 tbsp. Red Chili Powder 1 tsp. Turmeric 1/2 tsp. Ginger 1 in. stick Garlic 3 cloves White vinegar 2 tbsp. Tomato puree 2 tbsp. Method 1) Chop onion; cut green peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower into 1 in. cubes. 2) Melt butter and saute onion. Add all the remaining vegetables and stir-fry for about 5 minutes over medium heat. 3) Add the spices and vinegar. Stir in the tomato puree, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground pepper. Bonus Recipe Dal radish Ingredients   1 cup toovar dal (soaked in water for one hour)  2 radishes  1 large tomato  1 large onion  1 tbsps Sambar powder  1 tsp. Jaggery  2 tbsps. finely grated coconut  A little mustard  2 sprigs of curry leaves  6 whole cashew nuts 2 tbsps. oil Salt to taste.  Method  Scrape and cut radish into round pieces. Heat oil in a ka...

  Ingredients 150 gm puffed rice (murmura) - washed and soaked in water for 2 hours. 60 gm mawa 1/4 tsp baking powder Oil for frying Stuffing 90 gm Amul Cheese-grated 90 gm mawa 100 gm sugar 1 tbsp cashew nuts-chopped 2 tsp grated coconut 1 tbp raisins-chopped 1 tsp chironji-chopped Syrup 200 gm sugar 3 cups water 1 tbsp milk 1/2 tsp cardamom powder 2 tsp rose essence Silver foil for decoration Method Prepare syrup by boiling together the sugar and water. And milk and remove the scum as it surfaces. Boil till 3 cups of clear syrup are obtained. Remove from fire and flavour with essence and cardamom powder. Keep aside. Cook the mawa for stuffing in frying pan till it is golden brown. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. form into small balls and keep separately. Squeeze out the water from the puffed rice and mix it with the rest of the ingredients for Jamuns except oil. Knead well and from into as many balls as the number of stuffing balls you have.  Flatten out the pu...

The Thai soup with the intriguing flavour of lemon grass. Preparation time : 15 minutes.Cooking time: 10 minutes.Serves 6. 6 tea cups clear vegetable stock 1 green chilli, cut lengthwise 10 to 15 canned mushrooms, sliced 10 to 12 cauliflower florets (parboiled) 1 tablespoon roughly chopped lemon grass 2 pinches Ajinomoto powder (optional) 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 to 3 drops oil salt to taste Method 1. put the stock to boil. 2. Add the green chilli, mushrooms, cauliflower, lemon grass, Ajinomoto and salt and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. 3. Add the lemon juice and top with oil. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Popular links which describes this recipe: https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegetarian-tom-yum-soup-3217762 https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/tom-yum-soup-recipe/ https://www.archanaskitchen.com/vegetarian-tom-yum-soup-flavoured-with-lemon-grass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx0UL9J628o https://www.youtube.com/...

Ingredients Spinach 1 bunch Crushed fennel seeds (sounf) Ginger Hing (Asafoetida) Dried red chilies Green chilies Method 1) Dry roast the ginger and fennel seeds and remove. In oil sprinkle heeng and add red chilies and then green chilies.  2) Add fennel seeds and ginger and fry. Add spinach and cook covered. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of Healthy Spinach Haak Recipe: Haak Recipe Kashmiri Haak Recipe - Video Haak Recipe - Video

Ingredients 1 cup chopped apple (without skin) 1 cup chopped banana 1 cup grated carrot 1 cup milk or 1/2 cup milk powder 1 cup coconut 3/4 cup ghee 2 cups sugar/Jaggery Method Grind carrot & milk. Mix all the ingredients together except ghee. Keep on stirring till the apple & banana pieces are cooked & the halwa becomes one mass. Then add ghee, cardamom powder. Remove from the stove top & decorate with nuts of your choice. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of Apple, Banana & Carrot Halwa (ABC Halwa) Recipe: ABC Halwa - Video ABC Halwa Recipe Apple, Banana & Carrot Halwa Recipe

  Ingredients 2 cups tur dal 6-7 green chilies, chopped 3tb.spoon cumin seeds 1 pinch asafoetida Salt to taste 3 tb.spoon finely chopped coriander leaves 3-4 tb spoon grated coconut Method 1. Soak toor dal overnight. Then wash it thoroughly. 2. Grind it coarsely. 3. Then add chopped chillies, coriander leaves, grated coconut, cumin seeds, asafoetida & salt mix it thoroughly. 4. Then make small koftas (balls) with the mixture pressure cook for 15  min. 5. Serve hot with rice dishes or chapati. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of Toor Daal Kofta Recipe: Dal Kofta Toor daal kofta recipe video

Ingredients Milk - 1 cup gram flour - 1 cup Sugar - 3 cups Grated coconut - 1 cup Ghee - 1 cup Dry fruits Methods 1) Mix well and heat in a fry pan until it becomes soft. 2) Add semi-powdered dry fruits for garnishing. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of 7-Cup Sweet Burfi Recipe: 7 cup burfi Seven cup burfi recipe - video Festival sweet - Video 7 Cup burfi recipe

Making time : 40 minutes Ingredients 3 large potatoes 1 capsicum 1/2 cup grated cheese 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/2 cup milk 1 Red chilli crushed 2 tsp butter 1 tbsp. plain flour Method 1. The potatoes will turn out best if boiled and refrigerated overnight before using. 2. Do not peel potatoes. Slice into thin rounds or grate coarsely. 3. Deseed capsicum and slice into thin rounds 4. Heat a thick nonstick pan about 5" diameter. 5. Meanwhile mix cheese, milk, crumbs, flour and chilli. 6. If mixture feels thin, add some more bread crumbs. 7. Add salt to taste. Apply 1 tsp. on bottom of pan. 8. Arrange potatoes to cover the pan. Top with capsicum. 9. Pour the mixture all over evenly. Level to cover all the potatoes. 10. Sprinkle fresh ground pepper, salt and simmer on low till bottom is golden brown. 11. Flip over very carefully with a wide sharp spatula, and roast the other side. 12. Let in the remaining butter around the edges to seep down. 13. Let other side become golden brown too. ...

Making time : 10 minutes (excluding chilling and baking time) Makes : 6 rolls Ingredients 6 slices soft bread fresh 1 tbsp. butter softened 2 flakes garlic crushed 1/2 tsp. crushed red chilli salt to taste 1 tbsp. grated cheese Method 1. Roll the bread flat with the help of a rolling pin. 2. Mix the salt, chilli, garlic in the butter. 3. Apply on all slices generously. 4. Roll one slice tightly from end to end. 5. Brush all over with a bit of butter. 6. Coat the roll with grated cheese by rolling in it. 7. Repeat for all slices. Cover rolls with a moist cloth. 8. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 9. Bake in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes or till golden brown and crisp. 10. Serve hot with ketchup. Note: If you have trouble keep the rolls in place when raw, secure them with toothpicks before placing in the fridge.  Remove toothpicks  before baking. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular lin...

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups wheat flour 1/2 cups gram flour 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder 1 tbsp oil salt to taste 1/2 turmeric powder 2-3 pinches asafoetida 1/2 tsp each cumin / oregano seeds finely chopped coriander 1 tbsp water Method Knead a slightly stiff dough, adding all above ingredients, cover with wet cloth. Break off bits and make small potato sized balls. Roll to 3-4 mm thickness.  Roast on griddle (tawa) as for phulka. Or after brown spots appear place direct on gas flame and puff, with help of tongs. Phulka also may be done similarly if puffing with cloth, feels difficult. Apply ghee or butter and serve hot with sweetened mango preserve (chunda) or curds or jam. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of Tasty Spicy Roti Recipe: 6 Amazing roti collection - Video Masala Roti Masala Paratha Spicy Roti

  Ingredients 2 cups plain flour (maida) 100 gms. chilled butter 1/2 tsp. salt chilled water For Filling 2 cups Chopped vegetables of choice (eg. potatoes, peas, beans, carrot, spinach, cauliflower etc, All or any) 2 onions 1 tomato 2 green chillies 1/2" piece ginger 1 tbsp. oil 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder 1/2 tsp. curry masala (or garam masala) 1 tbsp. cream 1 tsp. corn flour salt to taste Method Sieve together flour and salt. Add chilled butter. Mix with fork till mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle chilled water over it. Quickly, with light hand mix the dough into a lump. Do not over knead. Chill dough for 15 mins. in a plastic bag. Roll dough into 4" thick round. Place over a greased pie plate. Prick with a fork all over. Bake in a preheated oven for 12 mins., or till light brown. Keep aside. Filling Grate tomato, onion, ginger. Finely chop green chillies. Chope and boil other vegetables. Heat oil in a skillet, add the grated vegetables and chillies. Cook for 4-5 mins. Stirring o...

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups of grated white radish 5-6 tbsp scraped fresh coconut 3 green chillies 1 tsp Roasted Gram (Hurugadle) 5-6 garlic flakes, crushed 3-4 peppercorns 1 small piece ginger 1 tsp tamarind juice Salt to taste 1 tbsp cooking oil 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1 sprig curry leaves Method Blend together the coconut, tamarind, peppercorns , roasted gram, green chillies and the ginger. When it's almost smooth in texture, add the garlic. Salt to taste and the grated radish. Run the blender for about 3-4 secs. The radish and garlic should be about a quarter  mashed up. Remove from the blender and season with  mustard seeds and curry leaves. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of White Radish/Moolangi Chutney: Radish Chutney Recipe Mullangi Pachadi Recipe - Video Spicy Mullangi Recipe

Making time : 45 minutes. Makes : 2 1/2 cups. Ingredients 1 cup water 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup ghee 1 1/2 cup maida (plain flour) Ghee to deep fry Method 1.Warm the water, sugar and ghee together till sugar dissolves. 2.Add maida and knead into a soft pliable dough. 3.Divide dough into 4 parts. 4.Roll into chapatis 1/3" thick. 5.Cut with a cookie cutter or knife into small diamond shapes. 6.Lift with spatula and loosen. Keep aside on a dry cloth for 1 hour. 7.Deep fry in hot ghee over slow flame till light golden brown. 8.Drain well and keep aside till cool. 9.Store in clean, dry containers. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of Shankarpali Recipe: Shankarpali Recipe - Video Spicy Tukkudi Sweet Shankarpali Sweet Diamond Cut

Ingredients 2 tbsp. wheat flour 2 1/2 tbsp. ghee 3/4 to 1 cup sugar or jaggery elaichi powder chopped pista and almonds Method Add flour and roast on slow fire, stirring continuously Side by side add to sugar 2 1/2 cups water and keep to boil When the atta becomes a golden brown, add the boiling sweet water Stir gently and continuously till excess water evaporates and the ghee separates. Decorate with chopped nuts. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of Wheat Halwa Recipe: Simple wheat halwa recipe - Video Atta halwa recipe Atta ka halwa - Hebbar's kitchen Atta Halwa

Ingredients 6 chikoos 1/2 tea cup milk 1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar 150 gms khoya or milk powder made paste. 2 - 3 drops cochineal (essence) 1 tbsp ghee Method Peel and mash chikoos or blend. Add milk and boil in heavy saucepan. When slightly thick add khoya and cook, stirring continuously. Add sugar and ghee. Cook on low turning continuously till ghee oozes. Garnish with almond or walnut in centre of the halwa. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Book Healthy Unique Food Recipes Here are few popular links and videos of Chickoo/Sapota Halwa Recipe: Chicku Halwa Recipe - Video Sapota Halwa Sapota Halwa Recipe

Making time : 1 hour (excluding soaking and keeping time) Makes : 20 imartis Shelflife : (1) Keep unsoaked in syrup for a day. (2) Soak in syrup as required. Ingredients 2 cups urad dal 3 cups sugar 300 ml. water saffron colour 1/2 tsp. cardamom ground 500 gms. ghee to fry Method 1.Soak urad dal overnight in plenty of water. 2.Wash and drain. Grind to fine thick batter. Put water little by little. 3.Add colour and mix very well. 4.If using a mixie, beat the dal well by hand till fluffy after grinding. 5.Keep aside for 3 hours. More is weather is cold. 6.Make 1 tar sugar syrup as shown in introduction. 7.Add cardamom powder to syrup. 8.Using either an imarti bottle (with nozzle) or cloth as shown in note, form imartis in the hot ghee. Lower flame and allow to crisp turning once. 9.Remove from ghee, drain and dip in hot syrup. 10.Soak for 3-4 minutes, drain and serve. 11.Repeat for remaining batter. 12.Make 4-5 imartis at a time, depending on size of frying pan. Note: Use a flat bottomed...

Potato in Curd gravy is common punjabi dish. Here is the recipe to prepare yummy Potato in curd gravy: Making time : 30 minutes. Makes for : 5 Shelf life : Best fresh Ingredients : 3 medium. potatoes boiled and peeled 1 cup curd or yogurt beaten 1 tsp. red chilli powder 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. dhania powder 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder 1/4 tsp. garam masala 2 pinches asafoetida 1 stalk curry leaves 1 tbsp. coriander leaves chopped 1 1/4 cup water 1/2 tsp. each ginger, garlic grated 2 green chillies slit 1 tsp. each cumin, mustard seeds 1/4 tsp. Besan/Wheat flour 1 tbsp. oil Method: Cut potatoes into big pieces. Mash 3-4 pieces fine with hand. Keep both aside. Mix all the dry masala in 1/4 cup water. Heat oil. Add the seeds (cumin and mustard). When they splutter, add ginger-garlic, chilli and curry leaves. Add the masala mixture and fry for 2 minutes. Add beaten curd and fry for 5 minutes or till the curd loses its whiteness. Stir continuously after adding curd. Add the remaining water and al...

Beetroot is a root vegetable also known as red beet, table beet, garden beet, or just beet. Packed with essential nutrients, beetroots are a great source of fiber, folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. Beetroots and beetroot juice have been associated with numerous health benefits, including improved blood flow, lower blood pressure, and increased exercise performance. Ingredients 1 kg beetroot 1 1/2 litre milk 400-500 gm sugar/Jaggery Elaichi powder (cardamom) Saffron few flakes 1 tbsp ghee Method Peel and grate beetroot Put milk and dudhi in a heavy saucepan. Boil till thick, stirring occasionally. Once it starts thickening, stir continuously.  Add sugar/jaggery and cook  further till thickens. Add ghee, elaichi, saffron and colour. Stir on low heat till the mixture collects in a soft ball or the ghee oozes out.  Serve hot, decorated with a chopped almond or pista. Checkout my other healthy unique food recipes in below link: Recipe Bo...

Pav bhaji  is a fast food dish from India. It consists of a thick vegetable curry served with a soft bread roll. Vegetables in the curry may include potatoes, onions, carrots, chillies, peas, bell peppers, beans and tomatoes. Its origins are in the state of Maharashtra. Making time : 30 mins. (excl. pressure cooking time) Serve : 4 (2 pavs each)  Ingredients 8 pavs (squarish soft buns about 4" x 5" size) butter to shallow fry. For Bhaji 1 capsicum chopped fine 2 onions chopped fine 2 tomatoes chopped fine 2 1/2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (beans, carrots, cauliflower, potato, beans, bottle gourds, etc.) 1/2 cup shelled  peas 2 tbsp. butter 2 tsp. pav bhaji masala 1 1/2 tsp. chilli powder 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder 1/2 tsp. sugar Salt to taste 1 cup water (in which vegetables were boiled) 1/2 tsp. each ginger grated, garlic crushed Juice of 1/2 lemon. To Garnish 1 tbsp. coriander chopped 1 onion chopped small pieces of lemon Method Pressure cook mixed vegetables and peas...