Easy and Healthy Breakfast Ideas (10 months and above)

It’s so easy to feel frustrated when food you have spent time making is simply refused. Eating habits and tastes are formed from an early age, so a variety of foods is very important from the outset. Not only is this important to help avoid fussiness, but is important in giving them a balanced healthy diet that provides the nutrients they need.

I have an active 1 year old daughter who is a fussy eater too. But the day she turned one, I started giving her everything we eat with a close check on spice and salt. And what really helped me is setting meal plans for the week. Planning a menu at the beginning of the week will not only save you time and money, but will also allow you to plan a delicious variety of meals that the whole family can enjoy.

Breakfast is an integral part of a child’s diet. It does not need to be heavy but more essentially needs to be nutritious and well balanced.

Below are a wide variety of breakfast ideas that your toddler will love. Easy peasy, home-cooked, yummylicious recipes. So go ahead and create delicious meals for your precious babies.

Notes:

1.  Below are mostly ideas to help you make normal everyday food interesting. These recipes are mostly tweaks or quick fixes that are interesting and fun for your toddler.

2. A few recipes can be used even before your baby has turned one. But you are the best judge, alter the recipes to suit your baby’s age and preference.

3. Some of the recipes have sugar and salt added to it. Restrict the use of excessive additives in your baby’s food. Salt and Sugar may be added to your baby’s food only after one year.

1. Dosa

Ingredients

1 cup Idli Rice

1/2 cup Urad dal (whole)

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of Beaten Rice or Poha (red or white)

A few Fenugreek seeds or a pinch of fenugreek powder

Salt; to taste

Method

Wash and clean the rice, dal, poha and fenugreek seeds (if you are using fenugreek powder, just add it before grinding) and soak in water for atleast 5 to 6 hours. (I usually soak it overnight)

Grind the soaked ingredients in a mixer-grinder or wet grinder till smooth. Leave to rise for a few hours.

Before making the dosas, add enough salt and mix well. Pour ladlefuls of batter on a hot tawa or non-stick dosa pan and spread in a circular motion till nice and thin. When crisp and brown, take off from pan and serve warm.

Here are a few ways to make Dosa more interesting for your little ones:

Variations:

1. Crispy Dosa with ghee smeared inside and a sprinkling of sugar or honey on top.

2. Dosa with grated veggies and freshly chopped coriander inside. (veggies like carrot, beetroot etc…)

3. Dosa with grated cheese.

4. Dosa with cheese and grated veggies inside.

5. Dosa with fresh fruit. (you can use fruits like finely chopped strawberries, fresh ripe mangoes, mashed ripe bananas, etc… the options are endless)

6. Dosa with home-made fresh fruit compote. Here is an easy recipe for fruit compote: (no specific measurements are given, just an idea of the ingredients and the basic method to prepare this)

Fresh Fruit Compote:

Ingredients

Fresh fruit (you can use strawberries, peaches, plums, blueberries, raspberries, pineapples, apricots, apples etc… You can also try a combination of one or more fruits to make the compote)

Brown Sugar or fresh applesauce as sweetener

Cold Butter (optional)

Vanilla Extract

Method

In a large bowl, mix the fresh fruit and vanilla extract till combined well. Pour this fruit mixture into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle brown sugar all over and finally add chips of cold butter on top. (don’t overdo the butter, just a little here and there will do, this helps to keep the fruit moist) Cover and bake for a few minutes till fruit is soft or until the mixture is bubbly. Serve warm or cool.

2. Wheat Dosa

Ingredients

1/2 cup Wheat Flour

A pinch of salt

1/2 tablespoon Rice Flour (optional)

Water

Method

Mix all the ingredients with enough water to make a batter. (consistency similar to a pancake)

Pour ladlefuls of batter on to a hot tawa or non-stick pan greased with oil. Drizzle with oil on the sides of the dosa. Flip the dosa when one side is cooked and cook for a few seconds.

Serve warm.

Variations:

1. Wheat Dosa with ghee smeared inside and a sprinkling of sugar or honey on top.

2. Wheat Dosa with grated veggies and freshly chopped coriander. (veggies like carrot, beetroot etc…)

3. Wheat Dosa with grated cheese.

4. Wheat Dosa with grated cheese and veggies.

5. Wheat Dosa with fresh fruit. (you can use fruits like finely chopped strawberries, fresh ripe mangoes, mashed ripe bananas, etc… the options are endless)

6. Wheat Dosa with home-made fruit preserve or fresh fruit compote. (refer above pages for recipe for fruit compote)

3. Semolina/Rava Dosa

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Semolina/Rava

1/2 Cup Rice Flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup onion; finely chopped

1 green chilli; finely chopped (adjust as per spice tolerance)

1/4 teaspoon asafetida

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon crushed black pepper (adjust as per spice tolerance)

oil for making the dosa

2 tablespoons coriander leaves; finely chopped

Salt; to taste

Method

In a large bowl combine the Semolina, flours and salt. Stir 2 cups of water to make a thick batter. Allow the batter to rest for about 10 minutes.

Stir in the remaining ingredients except the oil/ghee. Combine well. Finally add more water to the batter to make it of thin pouring consistency. It is thinner than the pancake/dosa batter. (when the batter is thin, it spreads like wild on a heated skillet, producing holes in the dosa and making it crisp)

Heat an iron skillet or a non-stick pan on high heat. Make sure the skillet is very hot. Pour a ladle of the batter in a circular motion starting from the outer edges. The batter will flow towards the centre. Fill in the batter where there are gaps. Although allow the dosa to have a few holes.

Turn the heat to medium, if you want a nice crisp dosa. The slower it cooks, the crispier it gets.

Drizzle oil or ghee around the dosa and allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Once cooked turn it over and allow to cook for another minute. At this stage the dosa will be thin and crisp, with one side golden brown in colour. Remove the dosa off the pan and fold from both sides. Repeat to make the remaining dosas.

Serve warm.

4. Idli

Idli is a healthy and great breakfast for your little ones. While Plain Idli is great, you can be innovative with it and make these really exciting for your toddler.

Ingredients

1 cup Idli Rice

1/2 cup Urad dal (whole)

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoon Beaten Rice or Poha (red or white)

Salt

Method

Wash and clean the rice, dal and poha and soak in water for atleast 5 to 6 hours. (I usually soak it overnight)

Grind the soaked ingredients in a mixer-grinder or wet grinder till smooth. Leave to rise for a few hours.

Before making the Idli, add enough salt and mix well. Pour ladlefuls of batter into greased Idli moulds (pour just enough to fill the mould) and place in pressure cooker. Cover and steam (do not use the cooker weight) till a high steam appears. After a minute, turn the flame to a gentle sim and continue to steam for 7 to 8 minutes or till done.

Unmould the hot fluffy idlis onto a serving plate. Serve warm.

Variations:

Here is how you can get creative with this simple recipe, you kids will love it:

1. Idli crumbled up and mixed with a little milk and sugar. (sugar is optional)

2. Idli with pureed veggies: Cook the veggie till done. Puree in a blender. Add this to idli batter and prepare Idli. (you can use veggies like carrot, beetroot, spinach, coriander leaves etc…)

3. Idli with grated veggies: Pour ladlefuls of batter into the mould. Grate veggie on top of each idli and steam in pressure cooker till done.

4. Idli with grated cheese, veggies and coriander leaves.

5. Idli served with Fresh Fruit Compote (refer above for recipe)

6. Idli and honey.

7. Mini Idlis soaked in Sambar

8. Idli Upma

9. Idli, Coconut chutney and honey: Cut up idli into cubes or use mini idlis. Pour the chutney and add sugar. Mix till combined well and serve warm.

5. Vegetable Rava Upma

Ingredients

1 cup semolina/rava/sooji

1 large onion; finely chopped

An inch piece of grated ginger

1 green chilli; finely chopped

Curry leaves; finely chopped

1 carrot; peeled and finely diced

10 to 12 beans; finely chopped

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon urad dal

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida

Oil for cooking

Ghee

Juice from one lemon

Salt; to taste

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Method

Steam the carrots and beans and set aside. In a sauce pan; boil 3 cups of water along with salt and a dash of sugar and set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat; add mustard seeds, urad dal and allow it to crackle. Stir in the onions, ginger, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chilles and sauté until onions are tender.

Stir in the semolina and roast along with the onion mixture until you get the light roasted aroma and not letting it brown. Gradually pour the hot water into the above mixture and continue to stir in the process. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and allow the Rava Upma to cook and steam in the heat. Keep stirring occasionally to avoid lumps. This will take about 10 minutes. Finally stir in the ghee, steamed vegetables and lemon juice and sauté for a couple of minutes on low heat until all the ingredients are combined well.

Serve the Vegetable Rava Upma warm to make a wholesome complete breakfast.

Variations:

1. Plain Upma (without veggies) served warm.

2. Plain Upma (without veggies) mixed with bananas.

6. Millet Upma

Ingredients

1 cup Foxtail Millet (you can use a mix of millets or just one variety as well)

1 large size Red Onion; finely chopped

1/4 cup Carrots; finely chopped

1/4 cup Green Beans; finely chopped

1/4 cup Cauliflower florets

1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds

5-6 Curry leaves; finely chopped

1 teaspoon grated Ginger

2 green chillies; finely chopped (optional)

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder

Oil

Ghee

2 tablespoons of freshly chopped Coriander leaves

Salt; to taste

Method

Steam carrots, beans and cauliflower with a little salt and set aside.

Heat oil in a medium size sauce pan that has a light fitting lid; add mustards seeds, cumin seeds and allow them to crackle. Add the chopped onions, curry leaves and sauté until the onions are tender and the color changes to light pink. Add turmeric powder, green chillies, millet and salt. Stir for about a minute on medium heat until you get a roasted aroma of the roasted millet.

Add 2-1/2 cups of water to the above mixture and cover the pan with a lid. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed by the millet and feels cooked and looks grainy. If uncooked, sprinkle more water and simmer a little longer. Once done turn off the heat and allow the mixture to sit covered for 5 minutes. Gently stir in the steamed vegetables, the ghee and coriander leaves until well combined.

Serve hot/warm.

Notes: You can alternatively cook the entire thing in a pressure cooker for about 3 whistles. Once the pressure releases completely, you can stir in the vegetables and serve.

Variations:

1. Serve warm Millet Upma with sliced bananas.

7. Broken Wheat Upma

Ingredients

1 cup Broken/Cracked Wheat

1/4 cup Red Onions; finely chopped

1/4 cup Carrots; finely chopped

1/4 cup Green Beans; finely chopped

1/4 cup Cauliflower florets

1/2 teaspoon Mustard eeds

1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds

5-6 Curry leaves; finely chopped

1 teaspoon grated Ginger

1-1/2 teaspoon Green Chili; finely chopped (optional)

1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida powder

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder

Oil

Ghee

2 tablespoons of freshly chopped Coriander leaves

Salt; to taste

Method

Steam the carrots, beans and cauliflower with a little salt and set aside. Heat oil in a medium size sauce pan that has a light fitting lid; add mustards seeds, cumin seeds and allow them to crackle. Add the chopped onions, curry leaves and sauté until the onions are tender and the color changes to light pink.

Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, green chillies, broken wheat and salt. Stir for about a minute on medium heat until you get a roasted aroma of the broken wheat.

Add 1½ cups of water to the above mixture and cover the pan with a lid. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed by the wheat and feels cooked and looks grainy. If uncooked, sprinkle more water and simmer a little longer. Once done turn off the heat and allow the mixture to sit covered for 5 minutes. Gently stir in the steamed vegetables, the ghee and coriander leaves until well combined.

Serve the delicious Broken Wheat Upma hot/warm.

Variations:

1. Serve Broken Wheat Upma warm with sliced bananas.

8. Broken Barley Upma

Ingredients

1/2 cup Barley Grits or Broken Barley

1 1/2 cups Water

1 large Red onion; finely chopped

1 teaspoon grated Ginger

2 Green Chilies; finely chopped (optional)

1/2 cup of Carrot; diced small

1/2 cup of Green Beans; finely chopped 

1/4 cup Green Peas; steamed

1 Tomato; chopped

Oil

1 teaspoon Mustard seeds

1 tablespoon half broken White Urad dal

Salt; to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

Coriander Leaves; to Garnish

Method

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker or a pan on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and allow it to crackle. Once it crackles add in the split urad dal. Sauté for a few minutes until the dal gets roasted. Once roasted add chopped onions, ginger, green chilies and saute till onion turns translucent. Add carrots, beans, peas and let it all cook for a minute or two stirring in between.

Now add the barley grits and mix well for few minutes. Keep stirring else barley may stick to the cooker or pan's bottom. Pour in the 1 1/2 cups of water. Stir in the salt and tomatoes and give the mixture a good stir. Cover the pressure cooker or the pan and allow the upma cook in medium flame till 2 whistles come. If you are cooking it in a pan, then cook until all the water is absorbed stirring occasionally.

Take the pressure cooker off the heat and let the cooker rest for some time before opening the lid. And if you are cooking it in a pan, once all the water is absorbed allow the upma to rest in the covered pan for about 10 minutes. The heat in the pan and the cooker helps the upma cook evenly. Open the lid and add in lemon juice and coriander leaves. Mix well and serve hot/warm.

9. French Toast

Ingredients

2 slices of fresh Brown Bread

1 Egg; beaten

2 tablespoon of Milk

Butter

Method

Pour the milk into the beaten egg and stir well. Melt butter in a non-stick pan. Dip each of slice of bread in the egg mixture and place on the pan. When one side has turned golden brown, flip over to the other side and cook till done.

Serve warm.

Variations

1. French Toast served with Honey.

2. Cinnamon French Toast.

3. French toast served with Fruit Compote or Fresh Fruit Preserve. (refer above pages for recipe for Fruit Compote)

4. French Toast and Mashed Bananas Sandwiches.

5. Savory French Toast: You can be creative here. You may use different kinds of veggies, cheese, onions, coriander leaves or other herbs, shredded chicken, flaked fish etc…. Use whatever you have in your pantry)

6. French Toast with Cream Cheese.

10. Fritatta

Ingredients

2 Eggs

Grated Cheese

1/4 cup shredded Chicken

A pinch of Paprika or Kashmiri Chili powder

Onions

Basil leaves or any fresh herbs

Butter

Method

Chop onions and sauté in butter until caramelized. Add chicken, and throw in basil or any herb of your choice. Once cooked through, add the onion and chicken mix to a baking dish or ramekin. Sprinkle cheese on top. Whip eggs, add salt, and pour to fill the ramekin. Bake at 190c for 20 minutes. Sprinkle paprika or Kashmiri Chili powder on top and serve warm.

Variations

1. You can be very very creative with this recipe. You can add absolutely anything; flaked fish, mixed veggies, any kind of minced meat, potatoes etc…

11. Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup All Purpose flour or Whole Wheat flour

1 cup Milk

1 Egg

2 1/2 teaspoons of Baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of Salt

1 1/2 tablespoon of Sugar (optional)

1 or tablespoon of Oil

Method

Whip eggs in milk and mix well. Stir in oil, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add flour all at once and mix till smooth. (get rid of any lumps)

Heat a non-stick pan and add oil or butter to it. Pour 1/4 cup of batter on the pan and cook till one side has turned a light brown. Flip over the pancake gently and cook till done.

Serve warm.

Variations

1. Pancakes served with Honey, Maple syrup etc…

2. Pancakes served with Fresh Fruit Compote (refer above pages for recipe for Fresh Fruit Compote)

3. Fruity Pancakes: Chop up any fresh fruit into the pancake batter and mix well. Use this to make delicious fruity pancakes. You can use any fresh fruit like strawberries, apples, blueberries, peaches, pineapple etc…

4. Savory Vegetable Pancakes: Grate veggies of your choice (veggies like carrot, beetroot, coriander leaves etc…) and add it to pancake batter and mix well. Use this mix to prepare healthy and wholesome vegetable pancakes for your little ones.

5. Pancakes served with Caramelized Bananas: Heat a pan and add a few tablepoons of brown sugar to it. Let it melt and bubble up. Switch off flame and add round slices of ripe banana into it and toss till sugar coats the bananas.

Serve warm with Pancakes.

12. Savory Broken Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Onion; finely chopped
1 cup fine Broken Wheat (looks a little coarser than semolina, but light brown- called as bansi rawa sometimes in indian stores)
1/2 cup Oats (you can use steel cut/rolled oats or instant oats)
1 cup Yoghurt
1 teaspoon Baking powder
Salt; to taste
Butter and Vegetable oil
Green chillies; finely chopped (optional)

Method

Combine the broken wheat, oatmeal, yogurt and salt in a bowl along with 2 cups of water. Cover and allow it to soak and rest for 30 minutes.  Stir in the baking powder and onions into the above wheat mixture until well combined.

Heat a 8 inch pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon butter or 1/2 tablespoon oil in the pan. When the butter is hot (not smoking), lower the heat to medium-low and drop one heaping soup spoon of batter into the pan. Cook the pancake about 2 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked. Continue with remaining pancakes and serve warm.

Alternatives, you could make tiny 1 inch appetizers with this batter and serve. These remain soft and warm well in the oven even after they are cooked without getting brittle. If you happen to warm in the oven, just make sure to cover with aluminum foil so they don’t dry out.

Variations:

1. You could add grated zucchini, carrot, beetroot, corn, spinach, basil or any other herb to make it extra nutritious.

13. Healthy Vegetable Multigrain Pancakes

Ingredients

1/4 cup All purpose flour
1/4 cup Whole Wheat flour
1/2 cup of Ragi flour
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
Salt; to taste
1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 cup Milk
1 Egg
1 small Capsicum; finely chopped
1 medium size Carrot; grated
1/2 cup Cabbage; finely sliced
1/2 cup Zucchini; grated
2 Green Onions; finely chopped
Oil

Method

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.

In another bowl, beat together the egg and milk, toss into the bowl of vegetables, and stir. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until well combined.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Spoon the batter onto the pan like you would do pancakes. When one side turns golden brown, flip over to the other side until golden brown. Proceed the same way with the remaining pancakes.

Serve the Vegetable Multigrain Pancakes warm.

14. Banana Pancakes

Ingredients for the Pancakes

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk (or water)
2 eggs
Butter for greasing
Berries of your choice (for topping)
Maple syrup

Ingredients for the Banana Filling

6 bananas; peeled and sliced
4 tablespoons melted butter

Method

Sift flour into a bowl and add eggs, milk (or water), and sugar. Mix and beat well and set aside.

Heat melted butter in a pan, add the bananas, toss until coated, and cook over medium heat until the bananas start to soften and brown. Make sure not to overcook the bananas. Dish out and set aside.

Melt a little butter in a non-stick frying pan and pour the pancake mixture into the pan and cook over medium heat until the underside is golden. Turn the pancake over and cook the other side. Transfer to a plate and fill the pancake with the banana. Fold the pancake over to enclose and top it with some berries. Drizzle maple syrup on the pancake before serving.

15. Kanda Poha

Ingredients

300 grams Beaten Rice (aka Avalakki or Pohe)

1 large size Red Onion; finely chopped

1 medium size Green Chilli, slit lengthwise (optional)

6-8 Curry leaves

1 tablespoon Cumin seeds

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 tablespoons Oil

1 teaspoon Sugar

Salt; to taste

Coriander leaves; finely chopped

Lime or Lemon, 1 wedge per serving (adjust as per taste preference)

Method

Heat the oil in a large shallow pan. When oil is hot, throw in the cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the chili and the curry leaves. Add onions and cook till light pink or brown on a medium flame. Now add turmeric powder and mix well.

In the meanwhile, wash the beaten rice and leave them to drain in a sieve. (The trick is to ensure they are still damp but not dripping when they are added into the pan.) Once the onions are cooked, add in the beaten rice and mix well. Season with enough salt. Add sugar, chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime. Toss till everything is combined well.

Turn off the gas and serve hot/warm.

Variations:

1. Poha served with fresh Curds/Yoghurt.

2.  You can also add cooked veggies like potatoes, carrot, green beans etc… to make it more wholesome.

16. Mashed Potato Salad Sammies

Ingredients for the Mashed Potato Salad

5 Medium size Potatoes; boiled

1 Egg; boiled and finely chopped

1/2 a Red Onion; finely chopped

1 Green Chili; seeds taken out and finely chopped (optional)

Any Herb of your choice [you can use parsely, dill leaves etc…] (optional)

1 tablespoon Mayonnaise or a little Milk

1/4 teaspoon Mustard

Cracked Pepper

Salt; to taste

Ingredients for the Sandwich

A few slices of soft Brown Bread

Butter

Method to prepare the Mashed Potato Salad

Add the boiled potatoes, mayonnaise (or milk), mustard, pepper and salt into a food processor and give it all a good whizz. Once all the ingredients have been mashed well, tip this mix into a wide bowl. Throw in the chopped egg, green chillies, onion and herbs and mix well. Check for salt and add more if necessary.

Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Method to prepare the Sandwiches

Butter two slices of bread lightly. Slather on the chilled mashed potatoes onto one slice and cover with the other slice of bread. Your tasty potato sandwich is ready…. Munch away!

Variation:

1. You can also have these sandwiches warm. For this do not chill the mashed potatoes. Lightly butter the bread slices and toast them on a pan. Spread the mashed potato on these slices and serve warm.

17. Coconut Crepes

Ingredients for the Crepes

1 1/2 cups All Purpose flour OR Wheat flour

1 1/2 cups Milk

1 Egg; beaten

2 tablespoons Sugar

Salt; to taste

Water; as required

Ingredients for the Filling

2 cups of Grated Coconut

3 Cardamom pods; deseeded and powdered

2 tablespoons Ghee

6 tablespoons Sugar

Method to prepare the Crepes

Mix together all purpose flour, eggs, salt, sugar and water and make a thin batter. Heat a non-stick pan/thava and pour the batter and spread it. Cook for a few minutes on one side and then flip over. Prepare pancakes like this with the remaining batter.

Method to prepare the Filling

Heat ghee in a pan and add coconut, crushed cardamom and sugar and mix well. Cook till the mixture becomes soft and juicy. Place the filling in the pancakes and roll it.

Serve hot/warm with honey.

18. Basil Olive Muffins

Ingredients

1 Egg

1/4 cup Oil

1/2 cup Milk

1 1/2 cups Flour

1/3 cup Grated Cheese

2 teaspoons of Baking powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

A handful of chopped Olives

2 tablespoons of Basil leaves

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Beat egg until foamy in a small mixing bowl. Beat in oil and milk. Add cheese.

In a separate bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients. Stir in olives and basil. Make a well in the center and pour in liquid ingredients. Mix together with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened; no more than 25 to 30 strokes. Batter will be lumpy.

Using an ice-cream scoop, fill the cups. This will measure your batter equally for each muffin. Fill each muffin cup slightly more than half full. Sprinkle a little sugar on top for a little crunch.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and muffins test done with a toothpick. Loosen with spatula and turn out.

Serve warm.

Notes:

You can add pretty much anything into this muffin and your kids are sure to love this.

19. Finger Millet Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

1 cup Finger Millet/Ragi flour

2 tablespoons Cocoa powder

1/2 cup Jaggery

2 cups Milk (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup water)

1/4 teaspoon Cardamom powder

3 tablespoon chopped Nuts

Method

Mix Ragi , Cocoa powder and milk thoroughly and pour it into a heavy bottom cooking vessel. Keep stirring, make sure there are no lumps. Add more water or milk to get the right consistency and keep cooking this for around 10 minutes. Add jaggery and stir for another 5 minutes. Add cardamom and chopped nuts. Cook till the porridge starts to thicken.

You can make it really thick so you can cut out pieces like halwa. Or make it semi thick and eat like a pudding. If you want halwa, grease a plate with little ghee and pour the mix into it. Cut into pieces when cooled.

Else pour into pudding cups and enjoy as breakfast pudding.

20. Grilled Fish Sammies

Ingredients for the Sandwich

A few slices of Bread

Butter

Ingredients for the Filling

Fish (Seer fish) - 7 to 8 pcs

Lime - 2 tbsp

Ginger - a small piece

Salt - to taste

Water - 1/2 to 3/4 cup

Garlic (crushed) - 3 to 4 cloves

Big Onion (chopped fine) - 1

Green chillies - 1 (optional)

Tomato (chopped fine) - 1 (big)

Pepper powder - 1 tsp (I add more. You can add as per your spice tolerance)

Cream Cheese (Cheese spread) - 4 tbsp (you can add or reduce as you like)

Oil

Method to prepare the Filling

Cook the fish with Lime juice/vinegar, ginger, salt and water until done. Throw away the piece of ginger and leave to cool. Once cooled, flake the fish pieces into tiny bits and keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Add garlic, green chillies and onions and saut'e till onions turn light brown. Then add tomato and saut'e for about 2 minutes. Add the flaked fish pieces along with pepper and salt and combine with the other ingredients. Switch off the flame and keep aside.

Method to prepare the Sandwiches

Take bread slices and lightly butter them. (optional) Take the cream cheese in a bowl and gently whisk it. Add the fish mixture into it and mix. Adjust salt.

Take the buttered bread slices and place them on the grill, spread the fish and cheese mixture onto it. Place another buttered slice of bread on top and grill for about 3 to 4 minutes, just to give it that crisp. And there you have it, Grilled Fish Sammies, ready-to-eat!

21. Open Chicken Sammies

Ingredients

Chicken breast (cut into cubes) - 250 gms (refer notes)

Green chilli - 1

Pepper - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Big Onion - 2 (medium)

Tomato (finely chopped) - 1 (medium)

Chicken stock - 3 to 4 tbsp

Bread slices - 8 to 10

Oil

Method

Take a pressure cooker and add chicken pieces along with a pinch of salt and pepper and a little water into it. Cover and cook till chicken is tender and juicy. Remove the stock/liquid (you can use this as stock that has to be added later into it) and keep aside. Shred the chicken pieces and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add green chilli and onions and saut'e till onion reduces and turns golden brown. Add finely chopped tomato and saut'e for a few minutes till tomato becomes soft. Add the shredded chicken along with pepper and salt and saut'e for a few minutes. Now add chicken stock and stir on medium flame for a few minutes till all the liquid evaporates. Once done, switch off flame and keep aside.

Lightly butter the bread slices and toast them on the griddle or a frying pan. Place the chicken filling on top. Keep warm in a pre-heated oven. (refer notes)

Serve warm.

Notes:

1. If you don’t have boneless chicken breasts, don’t worry, you can use chicken with bones. But remember to shred the chicken off the bone. Either way, it tastes the same.

2. It isn’t necessary to place the sandwiches in the oven, you can serve it straight from the stove too.

Recipe Courtesy:

http://www.archanaskitchen.com/

http://kuspi.cucumbertown.com/

http://rasamalaysia.com/

Photo Courtesy: google.com