Carrot & paneer Oats uttappam

Oats doesn’t have to be turned into boring porridge. Try these carrot and paneer oats uttappams instead.

It’s no secret – everyone knows the goodness of oats. But not many people know that it is versatile and can blend with almost any type of recipe.

If you are someone who looks at oats only as a porridge then it’s time you wake up and smell the roses. Out of many recipes in the a booklet about oats I recently received, these pancakes/uttappam caught my eye. A very simple recipe to make, but it tastes sumptuous.

Carrot and Paneer Oats Uttappam

Oats doesn’t have to be boring. Try these Carrot and Paneer Oats Uttappams.

Ingredients

• For the Batter-
• Oats – 1 cup
• Wheat flour-1/2 cup
• Water to blend
• Salt- 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida powder (optional)- 1/4 tsp or dash of it
• For the topping-
• Grated Paneer 1/2 cup
• Chopped green chillies -1 tsp
• Curry leaves chopped- a few
• Carrot- 1 (grated)
• Additional-
• Oil for greasing the pan

Instructions

1. Grind the oats in a mixer to a coarse powder.
2. Mix all ingredients mentioned under batter together.
3. Add enough water to the batter to get a thick pouring consistency. Beat well and keep it aside for 1/2 hour.
4. Mix all ingredients mentioned under topping together. Set it aside.
5. Heat a non stick pan/tawa. Grease the pan with oil.
6. With the help of a ladle pour the batter on the pan and spread it a little into a round shape.
7. Sprinkle the topping and cook the uttappam/pancake on medium/low flame till the edges turn golden.
8. Flip the uttappam to other side and cook the other side.
9. Remove from pan and serve it hot with chutney/sauce of your choice

Black eyed peas

Black eyed peas are an excellent source of calcium, and rate high in terms of nutritious value. They also blend well with Indian spices.


Once, my friend admitted that her cooking choices depended on how easy it is to cook and clean up the kitchen after cooking. That set my mind thinking. I realised that sub-consciously, even I tend to pick up things that are easier to make than its nutritious value. ah… I know, that doesn’t get me any brownie points. Of late, I have tried to make a sincere attempt at picking groceries with nutrition in mind. My latest venture in this attempt is black-eyed beans. An excellent source of calcium, these peas rate high in terms of nutritious value. I also realised that it is comparatively easier to cook and they blend well with Indian spices. Ain’t that a bonus?

Indian Style Black Eyed Peas Recipe

Recipe type: Side dish

Author: Suchitra Vaidyaram

The not so popular black-eyed beans get jazzed up with Indian spices!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups black eye beans (soaked overnight)
• 1/2-tablespoon coriander powder
• 1/2-tablespoon cumin powder
• 1/2-tablespoon turmeric powder
• 3/4-tablespoon garam masala
• One chopped onion (big onion)
• 3 big cloves garlic (crushed and chopped)
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 medium sized tomates (chopped)
• 1/2-teaspoon cumin seeds
• Dry red chili (2 pieces) -
• Chopped coriander for garnishing
• 1 spoon butter

Instructions

1. Pressure-cook the black-eyed beans till they are soft and tender.
2. In a wok add some oil and once it gets hot put in the cumin seeds and dry red chilies (break them into pieces).
3. As the cumin seeds start sputtering, add the onions and fry them till they are translucent. Add the garlic and ginger. Keep stirring for two minutes.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and mash them a bit so that it becomes a good thick paste.
5. Now comes the spices- put the turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala.
6. Cook for around 5 minutes till the oil separates from the mixture.
7. Add the boiled black eye beans with 1 cup of water and continue to cook till the beans blend well with the spices (which should take just around 5 minutes).
8. Add salt, butter and cook for one minute.
9. Before serving add chopped corriander and enjoy it hot with your rotis!

The art of making Phulka

What is special about this flat bread is it is made on a gas flame and allowed to raise/fluff up without yeast or baking powder.

Phulka/pulka is an exciting variety of Indian flat bread. What is special about this flat bread is it is made on a gas flame and allowed to raise/fluff up without yeast or baking powder. The procedure looks pretty simple, but get this- it ain’t as simple as it sounds or looks. To get the bread to rise, you need perfect dough, which is perfectly rolled out into a circle. When I mean perfect, I literally mean the dimensions. In case you miss out on even a small aspect it just wouldn’t raise when you put it on the gas flame. It takes a lot of practice to get this right and not many can master it overnight. Now here is the best part- Phulka/pulka is great in terms of nutrition. Made from whole wheat it contains minimal calories (probably around 70 cal/per bread) and it can be eaten with any curry/dal of your choice. It is a staple food in North India and down south; you will hardly find this variety of roti/bread.

The art of making Phulka/pulka

Recipe type: Main

Author: Suchitra Vaidyaram

A healthier staple food in North India, these roti’s can be dunked in any gravy to fill your stomach!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of wheat flour
• dash of salt
• water for kneading
• a tsp of oil

Instructions

1. In a big bowl, mix the flour with salt and with the help of water start kneading the flour. Ensure you take time to do this and you don’t hurry up with this process.
2. Don’t dump too much water and keep pouring water as when required to bring the flour to a dough consistency.
3. Keep kneading till you get good, soft dough.
4. Towards the end add a bit of oil to give it a glossy texture.
5. Once the dough is ready, place it in a container with lid and store it in fridge.
6. I have always found that when the dough gets to sit in the fridge for 5 to 7 hours it helps. I have never found success in using the dough immediately- it never fluffs up when put on flame.
7. Take a small ball of dough and flatten it with a rolling pin.
8. Ensure you roll it evenly. This step is crucial to the success of your roti getting fluffed up when you put on flame.
9. Once rolled out, place it on a hot pan and allow both the sides to cook.
10. You will notice that it starts to fluff up a bit.
11. Now place one side of the roti on a high gas flame and allow it to bloat like a balloon. It happens within a second.
12. With the help of tongs flip it to the other side.
13. Allow it to fluff up for a second time.
14. Don’t overdo and burn/char your roti.
15. It should be done within seconds and removed from flame within seconds.
16. Please be cautious when you are using the flame.

Soya Chunks and Mixed Vegetable Rice

Using soya is a great way to pack some proteins into your rice. With a little seasoning, it’s a delicious side dish.

Soft and spungy soya chunks are full of proteins and can be cooked pretty easily. They do not have a strong taste on their own and tend to adopt the flavors that we cook them with. You can whip them into a curry or add them to rice or stir fry them with Indian spices. It’s a one pot (pan)dish packed with proteins and can be customized to suit your palette!

Soya Chunks and Vegetable Mixed Rice

Author: Suchitra Vaidyaram

Pack in some proteins with this flavorful rice!

Ingredients

• Soya chunks- washed and boiled (1 cup)
• Chopped Carrots & baby corn (1/2 cup)
• Basmati rice (1 1/2 cup)
• 1 dry red chilli (broken in two pieces)
• 2 medium sized onion (chopped)
• 2 tomatoes (chopped)
• 4-5 cloves to garlic- crushed
• Garam Masala- 1 tsp
• 1/2 tsp Paprika powder
• Salt according to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• Cooking oil/clarified butter for cooking

Instructions

1. Wash the rice and keep aside for 1/2 hour
2. Squeeze the water out of the boiled soya chunks and set aside.
3. Melt some clarified butter (or you can just use oil) in a non stick pan and add cumin seeds.
4. As they begin to sputter add bay leaf, red chilli and allow the oil to soak up the flavor.
5. Add chopped onions and garlic and saute till the onion begins to turn golden brown.
6. Add tomatoes, carrots, baby corn with soya chunks and fry them for couple of minutes.
7. Blend in the washed rice and add around 1 1/2 to 2 cups of water.
8. Add salt, garam masala and paprika powder.
9. Mix well and allow the rice to cook- Put the gas on a medium flame and put a lid and cook till the rice is soft and well boiled.
10. Once cooked, switch off the flame, mix the rice well and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.
11. Serve with dal or any curry of your choice.

Published  @ Honest Cooking -http://honestcooking.com/2012/02/01/soya-chunks-mixed-vegetable-rice-recipe/