South Indian Fiesta!! Semi-homemade Puliogare and Pesarattu with Tomato-Ginger Chutney

Need I say..I LOVE South Indian food?? With all the Idli and Dosa recipes I post....you know it by now...I love that cuisine!! My friends A, P,V and T have a lions share in that. I have had the most deliciousssest of the foods cooked in their kitchens!
In the past couple weeks, I cooked these delicacies for a birthday and a baby shower and thought of sharing them with you all!
Semi-Homemade Puliogare :

It's the small things that make a BIG difference. I bought the MTR Puliogare powder and I love that stuff.So yummy..it's perfect! I jazzed up the rice with a 'tadka' of extra peanuts, urad dal, chana dal, red chilies, curry leaves and the colorful festive Pomegranate! Small additions making it look and taste more 'mouthwatering'!

Ingredients:
1 Cup long grain rice
4-5 tsp MTR puliogare powder
4tsp Peanuts
2tsp Urad dal
2tsp Chana dal
1/2tsp mustard seeds
2 Dried Red chilies
few curries leaves
Chopped cilantro
1/4 cup Pomegranate seeds for garnish
salt
4tsp oil

Method:
1) Wash the rice, drain and keep aside for 30 mins.
2) Boil 2 cups water.Heat 1tsp oil, saute the rice for 2-3 mins. Add the boiled water and some salt (very imp!!...makes the rice tasty).Let it cook till all the water is gone and the rice is cooked.Turn off the heat.Keep it covered for 5 mins. Then spread it on big platter to cool off.This way the grains will remain separated.Let it cool completely. You can cook the rice a day before too and store in refrigerator.
3) In another pan, heat 3tsp oil, add the mustard seeds, peanuts.Fry for 1 min.Add the curry leaves, dal,red chilies and fry till dals are golden.Add the MTR Puliogare powder,mix. Add the cooked rice, mix.Adjust for salt.
5) Before serving, garnish with chopped cilantro and pomegranate seeds.


Pesarattu with Tomato-Ginger Chutney:

 I had my first Pesarattu at 'P's house. I loved how healthy and easy to make this dosa was..and ever since this 'light green dosa' is a staple in our kitchen!

Ingredients:
1 Cup Green whole moong
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 inch piece of ginger
1tsp cumin seeds
1-2 green chilies
salt
oil

Method:
1) Soak the green moong for 8-10 hrs. Drain the water. Let them sprout for a day or two.
2) Grind together sprouted moong, ginger, cumin, chilies. Make into fine paste.

3) Add the rice flour, salt and mix
4) Heat a non stick pan/tawa, brush lightly with oil (I use a small piece of paper towel dipped in oil an drub it on the tawa).
5) Place a large spoon of batter and spread into a dosa. Let it cook on low-medium flame till it crisps up.
 6) Roll it and serve with Sambar and chutney
Sambar recipe:http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/12/brown-rice-idlis-and-dosa.html
 Green Peanut Chutney: http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2011/05/for-little-tummies-spinach-dosa-with.html

 Pesarattu Uttapa:
With same batter, make Uttapas with chopped onion, green chilies,cilantro and sliced tomato in the center!

 Tomato-Ginger Chutney:

Ingredients:
2 large Ripe red tomatoes chopped
1/2 inch piece of ginger
2 red chilies
3tsp urad dal
1tsp chana dal
3tsp roasted chana dal(daala/pandharpuri dal)
1tsp mustard seeds
1/2tsp cumin seeds
salt
2tsp oil
8-10curry leaves

Method:
1) Heat 1 tsp oil, add 1/2tsp mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin, half of the curry leaves, red chilies, roasted chana dal etc and fry. Add the tomatoes and fry for few mins, till they are cooked and most of the water evaporates.Add salt, ginger piece.Let it cool completely.
2) Grind into fine paste.
3) Tadka: Heat 1tsp oil, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, drizzle over the chutney.