Multigrain Pancake (Cheela )

Today on Sunday when I rolled out of bed, my mind started planning for today's meals. Today there was no rush-hour and I could serve a good healthy brunch to my family. Something which would be filling, tasty, appealing to the eyes and something different. Combining six types of powerful cereals, it gives the kick start for the day. Sunday is a time to relax and lazily when you leave bed and move towards the breakfast table and find such a superlative Indianised version of the pancake, you would feel great. Flax seeds have omega fatty 3 acids and this dish has enough fibre contents. One gets all the essential nutrients, the iron from gram flour , calcium from sesame seeds, carbs from rice and wheat etc. So here's the recipe for food lovers who want to make their Sunday special. Try it out on your next weekend and send me reviews as to how you liked this dish. I'm sure moms would definitely love to serve this healthy awesome dish to their kids.

INGREDIENTS -

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups

Rice Flour - 2 tblspsns

Gram Flour (besan)- 2 tblspns

Ragi Flour (Finger millet) - 2 tblspns

Semolina (Suji) - 2tblspns

Roasted Oats powder (Jau ka atta)- 3 tbspns

Dry roasted Sesame seeds (Til) - 4 tblspns

Dry Roasted Flaxseeds (Teesi)- 4 tblspns

Carom Seeds (Ajwain) - 1 1/2 tblspn
Salt - to taste

Green Chillies - chopped - optional - to taste

Water - as required

Oil - for shallow fry - as required

METHOD -

• Take a deep bowl.
• Put whole wheat flour in it.
• Add to it rice flour.
• Next add gram flour.
• Put in Ragi flour.
• Add to it semolina.
• Add to it dry roasted oats powder.
• Throw in some dry roasted flaxseeds and sesame seeds.
• Add to this carom seeds.
• Add to it salt to taste.
• Add green chillies chopped, if using.
• Mix well. Now add water slowly.
• Keep on mixing so that no lumps are formed.
• The batter  has to be of dropping consistency.
• Mix well. keep it aside.
• Heat a non-stick pan.
• Put 1 tspn of oil.
• Pour a ladle (karchi) full of the prepared batter.
• Let it cook, like the picture below:

• 
  
  Sprinkle dry roasted sesame seeds and flaxseeds generously.

• 
  
    Turn the side and let it brown.

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  Cook well and serve hot garnished with cucumber slices and beetroot.
• 
  
  Serve with mint chutney and tomato ketchup.

NOTE- To prepare oat powder, dry roast rolled oats in a non stick pan. Cool and grind in a mixer.

Tip - Flax seeds and Sesame Seeds can be dry roasted and kept in jar for use.

I am participating in the WeBlog's Sleepy Sunday contest! You may read other participating posts HERE

Saffron Rice

Bihar's staple food for lunch always has rice. Rice can be prepared in several ways like boiled rice, steamed rice, fried rice, sweet rice etc. Today I want to present rice using saffron. Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. It's best quality is found in Spain. The delectable flavour gives this rice recipe an exotic touch. This rice recipe can go well with any mutton or chicken dish. Vegetarians can have it with a nice paneer recipe. Children would love to eat it as it is without adding any side dish. A careful selection of saffron is essential in this recipe. Long grain basmati is used for a nice aroma and taste.

INGREDIENTS-    

Basmati Rice - 1 cup

Saffron Strands (kesar)- 2 tspns

Cardamom whole (Choti Ilaichi)- 4-5

Cloves -(Laung) 4-5

Cinnamon Stick (Daal Chini)- 1 inch

Star Anise (Phool Chakari)- 1

Bay Leaf (Tej Patta)- 1

Cashew nuts (Kaju)- 6-7

Butter - 1 tblspn

luke warm milk - 1/2 tspn

Salt - to taste

Water - 2 cups

METHOD -

• 
  
  Wash Rice with several changes of water.
• 
  
  Soak in 2 cups of water for half an hour.
• 
  
  Drain the rice and keep it aside.
• 
  
  Soak saffron in luke warm milk.
• 
  
  Heat a non stick wide mouth pan.
• 
  
  Put butter. Throw in the cloves, cardamom, star anise, bay leaf, cashew nuts and cinnamon stick.
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  Saute till the aroma of the spices is emitted.
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  Cashews should turn slightly brown.
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  To this add drained rice.
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  Saute till it turns slight pink.
• 
  
  Add to it 2 cups of water.
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  Add Saffron along with the milk.
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  Mix in the salt to taste. Mix gently.
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  Cover and cook on high till water evaporates.
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  Switch off the gas and keep the pan covered for 5 minutes.
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  Transfer to a serving dish.

Yummy Baked Potatoes

Potatoes are good for health especially for kids. Combined with baked beans, Protein requirements are also fulfilled.  For fussy kids this is a finger licking dish. I've experimented this recipe with my children and they wait for me to prepare this dish for them. Apart from kids, this dish can be made as a starter for a party. It would be relished by everyone. Quick and easy to prepare. So here comes the recipe. While selecting the potatoes make sure they are larger in size and oval shaped.

INGREDIENTS -

Potatoes - 6

Baked beans - 1 tin

Onion - 1 medium - chopped

Tomato - 1 medium - chopped

Tomato ketchup - 4 tblspn

Processed Cheese - 12 tblspns - grated

Butter - 50 gms

Oregano - 1 1/2 tspn

Mixed dry herbs - 1 tspn

Chilly flakes - 1 tspn (optional)

Pepper - to taste

Salt - to taste

METHOD -

• 
  
  Wash and clean the potatoes.
• 
  
  Boil the potatoes with the skin. Do not over boil.
• 
  
  Cut lengthwise into two pieces. - see picture
• 
  
  Scoop out the centre portion and make a cavity.

• 
  
  Heat a flat non-stick pan.
• 
  
  Put butter and place the potatoes upside down.
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  Let them turn brown. - see picture below.
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  Turn sides.
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  Let it turn slightly brown on the side with the peel.
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  Remove with a slotted spoon.
• 
  
  Place all the potatoes on a flat plate,
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  Sprinkle salt and pepper on the inner side.

For the Filling

• 
  
  Heat a non stick pan.
• 
  
  Add little butter and immediately put the onions.
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  Saute till pink.
• 
  
  Add chopped tomatoes.
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  Saute till glossy.
• 
  
  To this add baked beans from the tin.
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  Mix well.
• 
  
  Add tomato ketchup. Mix well.
• 
  
  Sprinkle salt to taste and all the herbs.
• 
  
  Add chilly flakes if required.
• 
  
  Keep it aside to cool.
• 
  
  Place 2 tblspns of the filling in each cavity.
• 
  
  Top  it with grated cheese. - See picture below.
• 
  
  Microwave high for 1 minute or till cheese melts.
• 
  
  Serve hot on a bed of lettuce and chopped red cabbage.

Coriander Rolls

Monsoon showers have already abated the blistering heat of the North. People in other parts of the country are also enjoying the rain showers. When it's raining outside one feels like having some snacks along with tea. I remember my mom used to prepare these Dhaniya rolls when I was small and I used to relish. So today this recipe comes from my mom's kitchen, she's also a very good cook and I guess I've the same abilities. When I made this even my children loved this dish very much. The main ingredient is of course the fresh coriander. The outer cover is made of chick-pea flour or besan. A very simple to make dish ready in minutes.Let's see how it is made.

Ingredients -

(Outer Covering)

Chickpea Flour (Besan) -  200 gms

Turmeric powder            - a pinch

Salt  --                              to taste

Water -                      for kneading - as required

(Filling)

Fresh Coriander leaves -  1.5 cup

Dessicated coconut -        1.5 cup

Charoli, Chiranji, -           2.5 tblspn

(Buchanania lanzan)

khus khus dry roasted -     1 tblspn

onion                         -    1 small

Chopped green chillies -   3-4

Salt -                            to taste

 

(Curd - Mixture - Masala for sticking)

Fresh Curd                   -     1/3 rd cup

Garam Masala Powder -       1 tspn

Salt - a pinch

Oil for deep frying - as required

Method -

STEP -I

For the filling -

1. Clean, wash and finely chop fresh coriander and put it in a bowl.

2. To this add dessicated coconut.

3. Add to it chironji, chopped chillies, khuskhus - (poppy seeds)

4. Add salt to taste and mix well.

STEP - II

Mix all the ingredients under the curd mixture and keep it aside.

STEP - III

Knead a soft dough using all ingredients under Outer covering.

STEP - IV

1) Take a small ball of the dough and roll it like the picture given below.

2)Smear 1 tspn of the curd mixture on the chapati.

3) Put about 2 tblspn of the filling on the chapati.

4) Fold from below. like this picture

5) Turn from the other side - like the picture below:

6) Close the ends - see below picture

7) Boil water in a steamer.

8) Keep a perforated dish 1 inch above water level.

9) Steam the rolls for about 10 minutes.

(Note - I used idli pot)

10) Deep fry the rolls in hot oil till golden brown.

11) Serve hot with chutney/relish of your choice.

Note- Rolls can be served without frying.

Sattu Ka Paratha

Sattu is Bihar's staple food. It is a high energy giving food. Sattu means roasted gram flour. Either black gram or bengal gram is baked/roasted and then ground to prepare Sattu Flour. Sattu is easily available in all stores. In summer Sattu is mixed a glass of water and people drink it to get the cooling effect. It is a cooling agent which gives respite from heat waves. Sattu is also used to make Litti - recipe would be uploaded in ensuing blogs. Today am writing about famous Sattu ka Paratha which is best had with Tamatar ka Chokha or pickle.


INGREDIENTS -


For the filling -

Sattu ka atta (Roasted Chana flour) - 1 cup
Onion - 1 Large chopped
Green Chillies - 3/4 chopped finely
Garlic - 4/5 flakes chopped finely
Ginger - 1 inch piece chopped finely
Coriander leaves - 2 tblspn chopped finely
Onion Seeds (Kalaunji) - 1 tspn
Carom Seeds (Ajwain) - 1 tspn
Salt - to taste
Fresh Lime Juice - 1 tspn
Pickle (Achaar Masala) - 1 tblspn
Water - as required


For the Covering/dough-

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt - to taste
Carom Seeds (Ajwain) - 1/2 tspn
Roasted Flax Seeds (teesi) - 1/2 tspn
Onion Seeds (Kalonji) - 1/2 tspn
Coriander chopped - 1 tspn
Water - for kneading dough


METHOD-


For the filling -
In a bowl mix all the ingredients under filling and mix well. Add 3-4 tblspns water, to make it a wet filling. The water acts as a binding agent.


For the Dough -


Mix all the ingredients under the "dough" and prepare a dough. Rest it for 15-20 mins.


For the Paratha-

1. Take a little dough and using roller pin make a small chapati.
2. Prepare a small chapati of about 3 inch diameter.
3. Put 2 tblspns filling in it.
4. Close the chapati to form a small ball.
5. Using the rolling pin prepare a paratha.
6. Heat a non stick tawa/griddle
7. Place the paratha on the pan.
8. Turn sides when done.
9. Smear some ghee on both sides.
10. When brown specs appear means the paratha is done.
11. Cut in to quarter and serve hot.