Graama Bhojana - Restaurant Review

Graama Bhojanam or Prem's Graamabhojanam restaurant is in Jayanagar, namma Bengaluru. We saw this restaurant while coming back from a programme in National College. After a few days, one of the Adminis  of FOODIES BLOG Mr. Sadashiva Rao Mailankody has put up the restaurant name. FOODIES blog is one of the very good and creative blog and the members and adminis always have new and useful tips and the yummy recipes. I am a member too. Visiting the restaurant Graama Bhojana was already in my mind and we planned to visit the Restaurant very soon. ( I have already had the plan  ☺☺☺  ).

When Usha - Suresh Cukkemane came to our home we told them about the restaurant since they are millet lovers. (They use millet regularly since 5 years).

Thats how we visited this restaurant for lunch. This is my opinion about the lunch /Thali which was served on Saturday 1 st July. Will visit again and again because I am a millet lover too. 

Saturday's Lunch Menu at " Prem's Graama Bhojana ":

The Mini Thali 

 The Thali Costed Rs 125 and I think it is very reasonable.

We had thali in Graamabhojan.   I knew that the food is prepared using millet. Being a blogger  http://nsomayaji.blogspot.in/   I have tried so many dishes with different millet except raagi mudde. As I said our friends Suresh Cukkemane and his wife Usha are also use millets on regular basis. They are millet lovers and do intake millet food since 5 years with the advice of Dr. Khadar from Mysore. I have planned the visit for Saturday lunch. It was perfect hungry stomach. We ate mini thali food. Food is nice there is no other words. Coconut rice,  sambar rice , dal rice, sweet rice, curd rice. Millets were used instead of rice, coconut rice was prepared using Haraka, Sambar rice with Navane, Dal rice is with Oodalu, Curd rice is with Saame/little millet. The sweet dish was with red flattened rice and palm jaggery (Vaale bella as we call it).  Every thing tasted well with mild spice and well it filled the stomach to tell happy tummy, yummy taste for the tongue. 

We met the owners wives, Smitha and Tina. (Two friends and their wives joined together and started this restaurant). The owners were too busy and checking about their food quality and taste with the customers. 

With Smitha  ( One of the partner's wife)

I would say  yummy taste, but the sambar rice and rasam rice/dal rice were loaded with tomatoes .

(The hard outer layers were more. ( It is not healthy to eat so much tomatoes at one time too). The skin of the tomatoes might cause kidney stone. 

Use of different millets at a time is not a good idea. Each millet takes its own time to digest and one might get into a problem in the process of digesting . Use of one millet at a time is advisable. Prepare dishes with one millet and serve the sambar rice, dal rice with same millet. ( I felt a teaspoon of millet mixed with sambar and dal and may be a tablespoon of millet in Curd rice). Use some vegetables instead millet in these varieties. Its just a suggestion and according to Dr. Khadar one should use one millet for 2 days to get the good benefits. ( You must have heard his speech).

 We did not feel hungry for a long time and that's the effect of eating millet. They digest in a very slow manner. 

I should say the sweet dish was ok.

The ambience was good reflecting village mood, the waiters were entu and full smile on their face, 

Drinking water with lavancha smell ( a very healthy way ), the service is bit slow since there were too many loved to have saturday lunch. Raagi Mudde is soft and nice. The ghee smelt coconut rice prepared with Haraka (Kodo millet ) was excellent.

All the best to the start up group of two families. 

Your idea is good but do take care of the place where the food is kept to serve. It looked bit messy but the rooms and tables were clean. 

Suggestions :

Just visit Taja Tindi restaurants in Jayanagar and Kathriguppe where kitchens and the washing areas are kept open to people to see. I have no connection with the people who run these restaurants but admire the cleanliness of the restaurants. 

Once Again Wishing You the owners ...All the best and You Rock....(Y).    
Address :
PREM'S GRAAMA BHOJANAM, ( unit of stay hospitality )#234, 2nd Main, 32A cross, 7th Block, Jaya Nagar. Banglore. Tel:- 9 8 8 6 8 7 6 8 6 8.

Mango Jam

Jam is fruit content and liked by kids, younger generation and even the elders. It is soft, sweet and if made at home it is healthy. Here is such a try that you can prepare jam in very easy way.
I have used mango fruits which are brought from Our Birthi Mane At Salikeri a place near Brahmavar - Udupi - Karnataka - India.

Home grown fruits are organic, they are grown naturally, Its watered naturally during the rainy season and get hold of the moisture in the roots. Each house will be having 2 to 3/ or even more mango and jackfruit trees and they do give us the healthy fruits during their seasons. I got these mangoes from our native house which is ripen and fallen from the tree.
It so happens that fruits starts to fall of because of wind and rain. We pick them and store them and then prepare rasayana (Mango Payasa ). Or it can be used for pachdi, a side dish which goes well with hot rice and ghee or coconut oil. Or curd curry.
In our native people eat these mangoes with curd rice. It goes well with curd rice and curd rice is well digested because of eating mangoes.What a combination of healthy way of eating our elders had ? They knew what to eat. and the limit and the use of seasonal fruits and vegetables. I have seen my father in law used to grow veggeis in front of the house. The house is surrounded by a big gate and lot of space in front of the house. So he used to put up soil and then plant vegetables which are easy to grow like, bendi, harve (amarnth leaves), ridge gourd, bitter gourd, tindli, snake gourd (padavala kai). etc. They used to grow naturally and no chemicals. The manure from the cow shed and the shredded leaves mixed together and then used as manure. Those are the only days that we can think and cherish them.
Coming back to mango jam.
I brought so many like 20 to 25 mangoes which are dropped down by wind. When it is just about to ripe. This tree's mango is bit savour and  I used them for jam using some jaggery.
It is very simple and easy but takes little more time to be thick.

Fresh Mango Jam which is ready to be packed for the relatives.

Let us see the recipe now :
Mango Jam is prepared Twice. The first one is just about to get it thick and easy to spread. Needs to be kept in the fridge after each use.The other one is stirred little more and got a thick consistency. Remember to use a glass bottle which is a healthy option.
The mangoes are from our home (Birthi Mane - Salikeri  - Brahmavar - Udupi - Karnataka - India).

I have used savoury mangoes which are ripen. They are very small compared to usual big ones and they are bit savoury too. ( They are known as wild mangoes or Kaatu Mango as we say in Kannada language).

Things Needed :

Wild Ripe Mangoes : 15 to 20 or more
Jaggery : 1/2 Kg
Corn flour : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : A pinch

Method:

1. Wash and clean all the mangoes nicely in a dry towel or cloth. Spread it on a dry tray or plate.
2. Squeeze out the pulp completely and put it in a big bowl.
3. Powder or grate jaggery and add it to the mango pulp.
4. Keep it on a medium flame and stir continuously.
5. Add a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of corn flour.

6. Stir till it get the thick consistence.

7. The first try I have tried this Mango Jam with little softer and good enough thickness.It is very easy to spread the jam easily.

8. The second time I have stirred a little more and got the thicker consistence.

9. When it turns thicker you can put off the fire and let the jam get cooled.

10. Use a clean and dry bottles and fill the ready jam you have prepared.

Note :

The first type of jams are surely to be kept in the fridge. Or they get spoiled. But they are soft and easy to prepare excellent mango juice.
The jam which it tried 2nd time is perfect jam and you can also spread them easily on the bread, or eat with dosa/idly/chapati etc.
Adding more jaggery helps mango pulp to get it thick consistency.
You can add some sweet variety of mangoes. ( I have not added). The mango which is kept in the tray is a Neelam Mango and I have just taken a pic with this mango). I have used a non stick pan to prepare this Mango Jam.
Better to use glass bottles as a healthy aspect. I have given this jam to many and they were very happy.
Since it is home prepared you can use them any time of the day. No chemical or artificial flavour is added here. Use of corn flour is optional.
Serves : 2 to 3 small bottles. 
Time : 1 hour or little more.

Simple Bread Mango Jam Sandwich.