Flavour Diary: August 2015

Pesarattu | Green Moong Dal Dosa Recipe | Green Gram Pancake | Flavour Diary

Dosa are pancakes made with different lentils and these are very common breakfast in South India. Dosa has many variations as it is made with different lentils, rice..., one among them is Moong Dal Dosa or simply called Pesarattu.
Pesarattu is from Andhra Cuisine and is stuffed with Upma or chopped Onions. Its simple to make and uses very few ingredients. Soaking Green Gram is the only time consuming process. This is one of the healthiest and tasty breakfast to have in the mornings and also its gluten free.This would be the simplest version of pesarattu with only 5 ingredients. You may like to browse other 5 ingredient Recipes here are few

Khubani Ka Meetha

Fruity Oats and Greek Yogurt

Lauki Ki Puri

Nutella Strawberry French Toast

Level: Easy
Soak time: 4 hr / overnight

Cook time: 30 mins
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

Green Gram/ Moong Dal: 1 cup
Onion : 1 large
Green Chillies : 2 (To taste)
Ginger: 1 inch
Coriander: a handful(optional)
Oil: for sprinkling
Salt to taste

Directions

Soak Moong Dal for 4 hours or overnight.
Drain water and blend the Moong Dal along with ginger, salt,chillies , coriander(optional) and 100 ml of water. Once blended the batter should be falling consistency. The batter will be thick and rough.

Heat the pan, wipe with wet cloth, pour the batter in the middle and swirl around and make a big round circle.
Drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil around it and add chopped onions.
Once you find the color of the pancake is changed then flip it and cook for 30 secs and remove it.

Serve hot with coconut chutney or Peanut chutney or simply with tomato ketchup.

Wanna try....let set go....

vanilla cake with fresh cream frosting flavourdiary

This is my all time favourite vanilla cake recipe, its tasty and spongy.You can sandwich with fresh cream and fruits its yummy.This is no fail recipe and perfect as base for many cake creations.

Vanilla Cake straight from oven

Serves: two 9" cakes or 24 cupcakes
Level: Moderate

Prep time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 35 min + cooling time

Ingredients

All-purpose flour - 3 cups (360g)

White sugar - 1 3/4 cups (350g)

Unsalted butter - 1 cup (225g) @ room temperature

Baking powder - 1 tablespoon (g)

Baking soda - 3/4 teaspoon (3g)

Salt - 3/4 teaspoon (5g)

Egg - 5 @ room temperature

Milk - 1 1/4 cup (250ml)

Vanilla extract - 1 tablespoon (15ml)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C .Grease and cover two 9 inch round pans with parchment paper.

Sift together the dry ingredients ;flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add egg one at a time and whisk until well incorporated before you add the other one, otherwise your cake smells eggy.

Mix vanilla and milk.

Add Milk and dry ingredients alternatively to the Egg mixture and whisk until well incorporated but don't over mix it.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in Center comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen edges, and remove cakes to cool completely.

Tips

Scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl with rubber spatula

when you are creaming the butter.
when you add the eggs.
when you add milk and dry ingredients.

Here are few other cake recipes to try

Eggless Ragi Chocolate Cake

Wholewheat Cornbread

Orange cake with orange syrup

Custard powder Lava Cake

Whole wheat Banana Bread

Eggless Vanilla Cake

Yogurt Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ambada/Gongura are sour leaves which are available specially in South India. If you are lucky then you can get it in Indian/Srilankan grocery store as they will be sold as hotcakes. I was happy to get those leaves and first thing came to my mind was to make this wonderful combination with lamb....yummmm. This dish comes from Andhra Pradesh usually served at marriages or for family gatherings.
This recipe is very easy and simple to make and you just need to throw in the ingredients into the pressure cooker and cook it. This is tangy curry and its mouthwatering too and is usually served with Bagara Rice, Roti or simple plain white rice with Ghee.

Level: Easy

Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

Lamb: 300 gm
Gongura/Ambada : 1 bunch
Onion : 1 large
Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilli Powder : 1 teaspoon (To taste)
Coriander powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Garam Masala : 1/2 teaspoon
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 1/2 tablespoon
Oil: 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Directions

In a pressure cooker add oil,chopped onion, lamb, ginger garlic, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and half cup of water. Stir and close the lid and listen 3-4 whistles or until the lamb is cooked.
Separate the leaves and from steam and chop it, if they are big. Once the lamb is cooked then add leaves, garam masala powder, coriander powder, cover and cook for 5 mins.
Test and adjust the seasoning and uncover and cook until the desired consistency.

Wanna try....let set go....

After knowing the health benefits of oats, i made sure that i should include it at breakfast at least twice a week.This is one of my favourite breakfast which is healthy to eat and easy to make. This can be a grab and go snack or breakfast for those busy days.

Over few decades oats have become one of the healthier alternative food. This is mainly eaten as porridge, or as an ingredient for breakfast cereals and can be used in baking cookies/bread/cakes and many more.

If you are on diet plan and want to reduce weight the healthier way then this would be one of the breakfast to opt in, as Oats releases energy slowly and keep hunger at bay for a long time.
Oats are loaded with dietary fiber and have a range of healthy cholesterol lowering properties.
Oats rich foods experience much lower rise in blood sugar levels when compared to the rice or bread.Starting a day with a blood sugar stabilizing food like Oats will make it easier to keep blood sugar levels under control for rest of the day.

Level: Easy

Prep time: 5 mins
Serves: 1

Ingredients

Rolled oats - 1/2 cup

Greek Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Sugar/Honey - to taste (optional)
Water/Orange Juice - 1/4 cup
Lots of Fruits and dry fruits

Directions

Mix oats, yogurt and water in a serving bowl and top it up with lots fruit fruits and dry fruits of your choice.

Tips

You can mix all the ingredients except fruits and keep it in fridge overnight, next day you have readymade breakfast.

New relations you are bond with, new things you will learn... Same thing happened....Cooking was not new to me while i was getting married but every home has its own taste and ways to do. At my moms place we very often cook potatoes with various combinations like Aloo palak, Aloo Methi, Aloo Khurma and many more...but this twisted process of simple combination of onions and potatoes with some spices was not in my moms recipe list. So you might think what's the twist which makes it different....we first fry the potatoes and then add onions to the fry.
If you have any such recipes which might be new to you with your new relationship then comment down below .... I love to know your experiment with it. With no further delay come lets check out the way my MIL does this simple curry....

Level: Easy

Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

Potatoes : 450 gm
Onion : 1 large
Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilli Powder : 1 teaspoon (To taste)
Coriander powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Garam Masala : 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic Cloves: 2-4
Oil: 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Tadka:
Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds: 1 teaspoon
Curry Leaves: 10 leaves

Directions

In a non stick pan add oil and add mustard seeds...once mustard seeds crackles add cumin seeds and curry leaves.
Add chopped garlic cloves, potatoes, salt and turmeric powder.
Fry on medium high flame and fry till potatoes are half cooked. Add chopped onions stir once and cover the lid and let it cook for 5-8 mins on medium heat.
Add chilli powder,garam masala and coriander powder and stir and cook for another 5 mins without lid. Do the taste test and adjust your seasonings and you are done.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot phulkas or roti or rice or Dosa.

Wanna try....let set go....

Looking for a soft spongy muffins with chocolate chips in it, then this would be one good option. Its an easy peasy recipe and best when you want to cook along with your kids. Me and my little helper (5yr old) made these beauties for evening snack. Its always a fun to have a helper who does all measuring and mixing job. Check out other cooking with kids recipes here.
Muffins are similar to cupcakes but the process of how we mix the batter is different. I always find muffins are easier to make as it is mixing up the ingredients with no fancy equipment.....

Level: Easy

Total time: 30-45 mins
Makes: 12
1 cup = 240 ml

Ingredients

*Self Raising flour: 2 cups
Eggs: 2 medium
*Vanilla Yogurt: 1 cup
Sugar: 3/4 cup
Chocolate Chips: 3/4 cup
Oil: 1/2 cup

*1 Cup Self Raising Flour = 1 Cup plain flour + 2 teaspoons of baking powder
* 1 Cup Vanilla yogurt = 1 cup plain yogurt + 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Directions

In a bowl place eggs,sugar,oil,yogurt and whisk it until well combined.

Take 1 tablespoon of flour and chocolate chips and shake it till chips are coated with flour(this is make sure that chips don't sink to bottom of the muffin).
Add flour to yogurt mixture, whisk till combined and then add chocolate chips along with flour to the batter. Whisk till combined ( make sure not to over mix).

Place the muffin liners in the muffin tin and fill the muffin liner 2/3 way with the batter. Bake at 375°F for 18-20 mins until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Muffins are best the day when are made.....