Yum! Yum! Yum!

Layered Vegan Pancakes

 Ingredients:
Besan Flour - 1 cup
Sooji Rava - 1 Tbsp
Broccoli Florets - 3
Cauliflower Florets - 3
Spinach - 1/2 cup
salt - 1 tsp
black pepper - 1 tsp
onion - 1 medium
green chili - 1
cilantro - 1/3 cup




Method:

1. Grate the broccoli and cauliflower. Chop the onions and green chili. Chop the Spinach and cilantro.
2. Add all the vegetables to a bowl and add salt and black pepper. Mix it very well.
3. 
4. Add the besan flour and Sooji Rava to the bowl and mix it well, add the water little by little until it forms a thick batter consistency.
5. 
6. Heat the nonstick pan and pour one ladle of batter on the pan. sprinkle some oil round on the pancake.
7. 
8. Once you see the bubbles forming, turn it onto other side and letting it cook evenly on both sides.
9. Make pancakes until you finish the batter. 

I have served these Pancakes with the side of Apples to my kiddos ;-)

Now, you perfectly made your heart healthy breakfast that breaks your routine breakfast but not the breakfast routine. Gather your family to breakfast table and serve it proudly.... :-)



As these are loaded with veggies you can serve it as it is or serve with some hot pickle, spicy sauce or ginger chutney.

Ginger Chutney

When I was a kid, during those busy weekend mornings, when mom don't have energy to make anything or if we have unexpected guest at home, we get to order the tiffin (breakfast) from a hotel (tiffin & coffee place). And my pick with out any thought is 'Masala Dosa', and usually in those parcels, we get two type of chutneys to go with one is our routine coconut chutney and the other one is ginger chutney. It is not same as Ginger pickle, but made freshly with Green Chilies and Tamarind. Because of it's tarter and spicy taste we can not eat ginger chutney a lot like other breakfast chutneys. But sure it has nice flavor in it. Because of this my mom won't make it for our usual break fast items like Idli or Dosa. That's why whenever we get those parcels from hotel we get to taste and cherish the chutney.

The following is the interesting quote I come across while researching the goodness and health benefits of  this powerful herb.“Eat more radish in winter and ginger in summer, you will not need doctor’s prescriptions.” The Chinese believe that ginger will keep the stomach cool, it is beneficial to eat some ginger in summertime.The recent medical research also proven that Ginger can cure from Cancer to Migraines.



Then why late, we are in the perfect season to taste this superb chutney, and here it is sharing for you. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Ginger  - cubed - 1/2 cup
Tamarind  Paste - 1/2 cup
Gud (Brown Sugar) - 1 cup
Green Chilies - 5 or 6 ( medium)
salt - 2 tbsp

Preparation:

• Wash and peel the ginger. pat it dry and cut it into small cubes.
• Make Tamarind Paste by placing the tamarind in  1/2 cup of water and set it on high for 1 min in the microwave. Let it cool and squeeze and extract the paste by discarding all the seeds.

Method:
Grind Ginger along with Green Chilies, Brown Sugar, Tamarind Paste in the Mixie or Blender. Add little water as required and add salt in between in small amounts. Taste and adjust salt and sugar according to your taste. and now make the Indian Tempering and mix it in the chutney.

Now you have made perfect companion for your morning breakfast items idly or dosa and it keeps your tummy cool in this hot summer. ;-)



Glad, I have bought that ginger in excess unintentionally, which inspired me to make this Chutney today. And when I had it with my favorite Dosa, that made my soul satisfying breakfast. :-)


Take care until we meet here again..
-Mythreyi

Papaya Smoothie

I think in India we lost the concept of Spring  in seasons, as March already was like summer, And I heard it is going to be the rough summer here this year.  So I am planning to to make and write about summer spirit dishes or beverages in this month. My tip for you, keep your kids also involved while you cook or make healthy dishes so that they will know the importance of healthy eating and it is fun for them to eat what they make. With out any due, let me welcome this month Hot Summer, April with this Cool and Healthy Beverage, Papaya Smoothie!!!


Ingredients:
Papaya - 1cup ( cubed and ripe)
Milk - 1 cup
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Ice Cream - 1/2 cup (vanilla)
Honey - 1 Tbsp
Saffron - 1 tsp
Warm Milk - 1 Tbsp

Method:
1. Add Safforn in Warm milk and keep it aside.
2. Blend Papaya and Milk in the blender.
3. Then add, Yogurt, Ice Cream and Honey and blend it once until all the ingredients blends very well.
4. Now transfer this to cups or tumblers add 1 tsp of saffornish milk on top.
5. Chili it until serve it.

Take a Close Peek ..:-)

I like papaya until it becomes too ripe, as we have Papaya tree in the garden here, it has lot of yield. And  I am ending up with lot of ripen papayas even after distributing them to my neighbors. The ripe papaya has some strong smell which makes me turn away to them, and I found this is the best way to eat all those ripe papayas as the safforn avoids that smell and adds nice flavor to it. VJ loves the papaya as ti is, this didn't excite him much. That's even better for me, now i can have his portion as well ;-).

linking this to MizHelen's Full Plate Thursday 

Happy Smoothying in this Hot Summer,
-Mythreyi

-Take care until we meet here again
Mythreyi

Vankaya Pachi Pulusu / Roasted Eggplant Stew

First of all let me wish all my readers Happy Ugadi (నందన నామ సంవత్సర శుభాకాంక్షలు).  Hope you are celebrating this Telugu New Year festival with all the goodness of Mamidi Aakulu (Mango Leaves), Vepa Puvvu (Neem Flowers), Arati Aaakulu (Banana Leaves),  Ugadi Pachadi , and with Festive Meal. Last year I  wrote up How to make Ugadi Pachadi and the specialty of this Telugu Festival.  As this is my favorite festival and I celebrate this with my heart where ever I am.   This year being in India,  Waking up early, get the Mango Leaves during my morning walk,  getting the first pick of Raw Mangoes from the market and plucking the Fresh Neem Flowers on the Tree from our neighbors backyard made it even more special.  (In Dallas, I used to get the dry Neem flowers from Indian Stores for Ugadi Pachadi.).

While celebrating Ugadi, today I am featuring a south indian special dish, that is made with Eggplant / Vankaya.   and known as Vankaya Pachi Pulusu / Roasted Eggplant Stew. You can make this with out the egg plant also.  But I felt like addition of roasted egg plant gives a nice authentic taste. As name says, this a raw stew, not boiled but made with raw tamarind juice with the addition of tempering.  And this is very good during summer as it makes your tummy cool, with out missing any flavors in your meal.  With out any due, let me share the recipe here!!



Ingredients:
Egg plant - 1 medium
Onion - 1 medium
Green Chili - 1 or 2
Tamarind  - 1  Tbsp or small lemon size
salt - 1 tsp
red chili flakes - 1 tsp

and
Ingredients for Tempering

Method:

1. First Roast the Eggplant on the Flame on the stove. Or you can grill it for the best taste, if you have grill handy.
2. And then peel all the roasted skin. (it comes very easily, if it is perfectly done). and take away the stem or trim the edge and let it cool.   
3. Take 1/2 cup of water and add tamarind and microwave it on high for 1 min.  Let it cool, and extract the tamarind juice or thick paste out of it.
4. Mash the roasted egg plant and take it into a bowl.
5. Add salt, chopped onions, chopped green chili, red chili flakes and mix it very well. 
6. Add the tamarind paste to the bowl and mix it very well and add 1/2 cup of water.
7. Now taste and  adjust the seasonings accordingly. For your desired consistency add some more water as you needed. Top it with Tempering. That is it, it is ready to be served now.

You have to eat this with White Rice to get all the flavors in it. After eating this you will know, why it makes your cool... Usually we make this stew in the Summer.


Hope you had your Ugadi at your best, Wishing you one more time that, this New Year will bring wealth and prosperity to your and your family.

linking this recipe to ONLY South Indian Recipes event by Pari


Enjoy all those festive dishes.... until we meet here again.
-Mythreyi