Uttapam

Ingredients:

1. Dhuli Urad - 3/4 cup
2. Rice - 1/4 cup

Steps:
1. Wash and soak the rice and daal for 2-3 hours.


2. Grind them adding little water to make a thick batter, add salt and asafoetida (heeng) and let it to rise overnight (8-9 hours)


3. You might have to add little bit of water after the batter has risen as the batter should not be very thick.

4. Spread it over a tawa (girdle). I've never been fussy of perfect rounds which is obvious from the picture.

5. Sprinkle some chopped onions and put little droplets of oil on the open side and flip it when its done from the other side.


7. Serve it with coconut chutney or ketchup as you like it!

Variations:
1. Instead of onion, you can use finely chopped tomato as a topping.
2. You can make mixed veggie uttapam by finely dicing capsicum, diced tomato, chopped onion, coriander and grated carrot for topping.

P.S. I forgot to click the pic of the uttapam when fully done.

Healthy Bhel Puri

This is a healthy version of Bhel Puri - the eternal favorite of all things children and adult.

Ingredients:
1. Murmure - 2 cups
2. Onion - 1/2
3. Potato - 1 small
4. Cucumber - 1/4
5. Apple - 1 very small slice.
6. Sprouts - About 50 gms
7. Assorted vegetables that can be eaten raw - about 1/2 cup (incl carrots, matar et al)
8. Pudina Chutney - to taste
9. Gur-Imli Chutney - a little more than pudina chutney, as per your preferance.
10. Salt, Pepper, Green Chilli and Black Salt to taste. No red chilli. Add oregano if u or the children like it.
11. Grapes - one for each child.

Preparation:
1. Dice all the vegetables into really small pieces.
2. Mix Murmura, Vegetables, Salt, pepper, black salt, seasoning et al. in a bowl.
3. Now toss the vegetables and add again(apple is a vegetable in this recipe)
4. Add both the chutneys and mix like bhel is normally mixed.

Serving:
1. Place a single grape at the bottom of each serving bowl.
2. Top with Bhel puri.
3. Decorate with a wedge of Apple if you'd like. (not really recommended)
4. Challenge the children to find the hidden grape in their bowls while eating and to say "Bingo" each time they are able to identify a piece of sweet apple in their spoon.
5. Reward all children. :-)

Why this is healthy
You will notice that Bhel tastes nice even without the sev and the puri et al, if there are enough veggies to maintain variety in each bite. This one is totally fat free, and manages to push a little roughage down.

Sevain ki Kheer

One of my favorite childhood sweetdishes "Sevain ki Kheer" (sweet vermicilli in milk) is what I made yesterday, which we all enjoyed as a hot dessert and I think it is quite healthy for a child too. Since I used whole wheat vermicilli and whole cane sugar (something like north Indian shakkar) that makes it all the more healthy. So, enjoy!

But there is another thing I would like to share regarding this dish. This dish also reminds me of "Java ki Kheer" which both my grand mothers made for us now and then. These are home made whole wheat (atta) noodles (I'm calling them so) and resemble vermicilli to a certain extent, except that they are very short (1 -2 cm), spindle shaped noodles, about 2 mm thick in the middle and thinner outside. And are prepared just like "Sevain ki Kheer".
Since this is another one my recipes I learnt through watching my mom prepare it, I cannot give you precise measures. But, then there isn't much that can go wrong, simple as it is. The only important thing is that shouldn't leave it for long in the pan over the stove, as the vermicilli swells up too much and gets too soft. It is best enjoyed when still hot. Store the left overs in the fridge and add hot milk to it for the next time.
The most important flavoring in this "kheer" comes from whole cane sugar. It gives a wonderful aroma to this simple but delicate dessert. Once you have eaten it like this, you would never want to make it with white sugar. I would also love to use palm sugar or jaggery for this, but then there is more work involved, and I don't get them here in any case.
So, here it goes, the easiest and yummiest recipe around!

Makes for 4-5 people.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes


Ingredients:
(These are approximate measures)

2 cups (100 g) whole wheat vermicilli
750ml milk
100 g whole cane sugar (or use north Indian Shakkar)
1 tbsp almonds, chopped
Optionally:
1-2 tsp ghee or butter for roasting the vermicilli
2-3 tbsp rose water
2 tbsp raisins
1 cardamom , powdered (if using white sugar)

Method:

• Roast the whole wheat vermicilli for short on medium heat , with or without ghee
• Add milk and stir. Increase heat to full. Let cook while stirring in between, till it starts to boil. Reduce heat to low.
  
• Add whole cane sugar (if you use refined sugar, then you might require cardamom powder or rose water for the flavour)
  
• Keep stirring while coking the vermicilli till done. It should be al dente, just like spaghetti
• Serve garnished with raisins or almonds

My son wanted some raisins in his dessert which I added just to his hot vermicilli in his bowl.

Whole wheat Banana Pancake

Yes, again banana! But, wait, the recipe is really simple and finger-licking tasty! :)

The inspiration for making this recipe comes from A&N's Banana Muffins. On seeing A&N's lovely muffins, I knew I have to do something with my over-ripe bananas lying in my fruit basket too. So, here is my ultra-simplified version (Although, I plan to make the muffins one day too!).
Since I have a three year old son, I have become very conscious about what ingredients I use, how healthy it is, if I can reduce the amount of sugar in it or replace it with something healthy and so on. This time I served it with some stirred sourcream and blueberries as an evening snack which was enjoyed by us and my son thoroughly. He ate so much that I could forget about his dinner, but then I didn't worry! As this is a wholesome meal for children for now and then.

The picture is not showing the best pancake, but just didn't remember to click. Managed to take one picture later on. The pancake got a bit wrinkled while turning. :(

Preparation Time: 1 h 15 minutes
Baking time: 3 minutes for each pancake
Makes about 8-10 pancakes

Ingredients:

Pancake Batter:
2 ripe bananas (overripe is as good!)
150 g Wholewheat flour
2 tsp Baking powder
250 ml milk
1 tbsp Maple syrup
1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
or
1 large pinch cardamom powder

Oil or butter for frying the pancakes

Method:

• Mash the bananas with a fork in a large bowl
  
• Mix the whole wheat flour with the baking powder and add to the crushed bananas
  
• add milk and maple syrup and mix everything with a whisk into a smooth batter
  
• Set aside for about an hour , if for longer, then put in the fridge, covered
• Use butter or oil for frying them in a fry pan or griddle
  
• For that, heat the pan on medium heat, spread a tbsp of butter and put one ladle of the batter on the pan and spread slowly with a base of a ladle into a round pancake.
  
• Cover the pan immidiately. Reduce heat slightly
• After about half a minute, when the upper part is no more fluid and shows bubbles, turn it upside down. Use some more butter, if required.
• Bake till the other side is done.
• Serve with maple syrup or honey or sweetened apple puree and chopped nuts or fruits!

Keeping the blog alive! ;)