Savory Loaf Cakes: Cheese, Cashewnut and Bell Pepper Cake

Ever since I started watching Rachel Khoo’s television show, I have been going somewhat mad on trying out a few of her recipes. This particular recipe really stuck in my head and I just had to make it the next day. This loaf cake is really nice and what really gets me all zinged are the various savory variations.

Savory cakes are very popular in France, they appear in boulangeries and with a side salad on lunch menus in chic cafés, but they’re most likely to appear at a picnic.

Of course the original recipe makes use of different fillings, but I used whatever left-overs I had in my refrigerator and it turned out just fine. It was a spontaneous decision that became really good. Yummy savory cake filled with cheese, cashewnuts, caramelized onions and bell peppers. It tasted incredible.

The result is an explosion that takes place in my mouth, when I taste this creation. It turned out moist and if made the right way will be nice and fluffy.

I picked this one because it was the perfect Summer like loaf, perfect for the weather right now in Bangalore.

This cake is super simple to make and you can always make a scrumptious loaf cake using all the fresh produce available in the current season. I find this so clever.

I made changes to the fillings using up whatever I had with me. But other than that I kept to the directions. I present to you a wonderful loaf cake adapted from Rachel Khoo’s “The Little Paris Kitchen: Cooking with Rachel Khoo”

I love this cake for two reasons. One it is savory which makes it rather unique. Second, the innovative flavor combinations you can try with whatever that’s left-over in your pantry.

Serve these tasty slices of cake warm (when warm, the cheese will be all melted and delicious) with ham; or a spicy frittata on the side; or some spicy fried chicken; or sautéed spicy sausages; steak and gravy…. anything. Or just munch away just as it is. A definite winner with your kids, serve these up at birthday parties, picnics, kitties or potlucks and you will be a star!

The dish is simple and elegant and can be prepared as a mid-morning meal, evening snack or a part of nice continental dinner.

We are all down with a bad cold, throat pain and what not; but I made this cake nonetheless and served it with some delicious hot Tomato Soup with croutons and spicy fried chicken. We enjoyed it.

Oh and the best news, it tastes better the next day! So bake and store in your refrigerator and cut a few slices when you are hungry!

Ingredients

250 grams Plain Flour

1 tablespoon Baking Powder

150 grams Cheese, cut into small pieces (refer notes)

80 grams Cashewnuts; roughly chopped

100 grams Red and Yellow Bell Peppers; finely chopped (refer notes)

3 to 4 Red Onions; finely sliced

4 Eggs

150 ml Olive oil

100 ml Milk

50 grams Plain Yoghurt

1 teaspoon Salt

Freshly-ground/milled Black Pepper (as per spice tolerance)

Coriander leaves; finely chopped

Method

Caramelize the sliced onions and keep aside. (please refer to the my Pizza recipe for more details on caramelizing onions)

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ and line a loaf tin measuring 22x11cm/8½x4¼inch across the top and 6cm/2½inch deep with baking paper.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cheese, cashewnuts, bell peppers and caramelized onions.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until fluffy and pale in color. Then gradually whisk in the oil, milk and yoghurt. Season with the salt and black pepper.

Fold the flour mixture into the whisked eggs. Try not to overbeat the mixture as this will make the end result tough. (it is better to undermix)

Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Sprinkle on top with fresh coriander leaves.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. (when I say clean knife, please ignore if melted cheese comes on it, that does not mean it is not cooked. If uncooked batter appears on the knife, it needs further cooking.)

Leave to cool in the tin.

Notes:

1. You can use any kind of cheese. I used a mixture of grated cheddar, mozzarella and normal cheese cubes. Also I added a little lesser than mentioned in the recipe. You can even goat’s cheese to make it healthier.

2. If you do not have red and yellow bell pepper, you can always use green bell peppers. The original recipe uses a combination of cheese, pistachios and prunes. So be creative when it comes to the filling.

3. Use a rubber spatula rather than a whisk to prevent overbeating the flour.

Recipe Source: Rachel Khoo’s “The Little Paris Kitchen: Cooking with Rachel Khoo”

Daring Bakers, Say Cheeeese :) Delicious Home-made Pizza

This pizza is heartfelt. It is all about a salute to finding the balance between indulgence and healthy and along the making it as made from scratch as possible. A homemade thin crust pizza topped with shredded spiced chicken, caramelized onions, mozzarella and cheddar cheese and bell peppers is just the perfect, yummylicious weekend dinner or even breakfast, I say!

Who doesn’t love pizza! But, alas, things so good are hardly ever good for you. Now, exactly what about the pizza is bad? Oh, the gallons of grease, and piles of cheese, you say; all good tasting but sadly artery clogging stuff. But, what if you could actually control all that to the normal and acceptable levels? If you could with some extra effort ensure that a pizza slice is as good-for-you a meal as any other that you make at home, would you do it? Of course, without compromising on the flavor etc. etc....

If you are willing to go that extra bit, then you are in for a happy, happy surprise! I made pizza at home. Yes, from scratch. What else did you expect from me?! The base, the sauce, the toppings, the whole nine yards. I really would not have even considered making the pizza base at home if not for browsing some of my favorite food blogs, in particular Sanaa’s ‘Easy Pizza Dough’ recipe on Cucumbertown. She makes bread-making sound so easy that I decided to give it a chance. And it was worth it! Thanks a ton Sanaa. My other inspiration to try out this delish pizza was a fab baking tray gifted by our loving aunt, Mommy. Mommy is an excellent cook (though I haven’t tasted her food yet, maybe the next time you visit us Mommy?) and a beautiful person. The day she gave us the tray I was determined to cook up something interesting using the same. “Mommy, the tray was lovely, thanks to you the pizza turned out extremely well”.

I have not attempted to make any yeast-bread at home at all. Until now... Once I set about it, I was really surprised to see how easy it was. It’s quick to prepare and an excellent on-the-go-meal option and I assure you it is worth every minute. It made me wonder why I thought all this was a painful process in the first place. But, well, happily I have been corrected of my faulty notion. And, from this day forward, I swear to give any other yeast bread more than a passing shot in my kitchen!

So, once the dough was all set, I rolled it out into an oval shaped base, topped it up with some delicious stuff and used very less cheese and hence no grease making it healthy! Simple, rustic and absolutely divine…so what are you waiting for, go ahead and make this scrumptious pizza for your family.

Simple, clean flavors… that's the way I like it...

It was delicious! So, I can really have it more often than before and with my own choice of toppings! Yippee! :)

Ingredients for the Pizza Base

2 cups All Purpose Flour

2 1/4 teaspoon Dry Yeast (refer notes)

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup Water

2 tablespoon Olive oil

Ingredients for the Pizza Sauce

4 large Tomatoes; diced

4 cloves of Garlic; finely chopped

1 small/medium size Big Onion; finely chopped

1 tablespoon Tomato paste

2 teaspoon Oregano; fresh or dried (I used dried)

1 teaspoon Basil; fresh or dried (I used dried)

1/2 teaspoon Pepper; freshly milled (adjust as per spice tolerance)

1 teaspoon Paprika

2 1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Red Chilli flakes (optional)

Salt; to taste

Ingredients for Caramelized Onions

3 to 4 large size Big Onions

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Sugar

Salt; to taste

Apple Cider Vinegar or Water; just enough to soften the onions (refer notes)

Ingredients for the Topping

I used 250 grams of shredded chicken sautéed with a few spices like paprika; freshly sliced bell peppers and of course cheese. (a mixture of mozzarella and cheddar) [Please refer notes for more ideas]

Method to prepare the Pizza Base

Dissolve the dry yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water. Let it rest till slight bubbles form. Now add sugar, stir and keep aside for 4 to 5 minutes or till the mixture turns frothy.

Take a wide mixing bowl and add all the ingredients (including the dissolved yeast) into it. Combine all the ingredients and gently knead with fingertips until a slightly sticky dough forms. You don’t have to work your arm by kneading too much. Just get the dough together. Transfer into an oiled bowl and turn the dough so the oil coats it. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let it rise for about 25 to 30 minutes or until doubled in volume.

Method to prepare the Pizza Sauce

Heat the oil in wok and add chopped garlic and onion into it. Sauté till the onions turn light brown. Throw in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, salt, pepper, spice powders and chilli flakes (optional) and sauté till tomatoes turn soft. Cover and cook for a few minutes till tomatoes turn very soft and mushy and water has evaporated. Cool the mixture and blend to a smooth puree.

Method to prepare Caramelized Onions

Heat butter in a broad pan and when the butter melts add the onions into it. Add enough salt and sugar and sauté on high heat till onions turn a lovely golden brown. Stir continuously to avoid onions sticking to pan. At this time pour cider vinegar or water little by little to soften the onions. This process is called deglazing. Repeat this process till onions turn soft and water has completely dried up. (your onions must be a beautiful golden brown and should be soft and sticky)

Method to prepare the Pizza

Punch down the prepared dough and knead lightly until it forms a ball. Transfer to a floured surface.

Roll the dough into a circle, rectangle, oval or any desired shape, flouring it as you go. Once rolled out to desired shape, transfer the base to a greased baking tray lined with parchment/greaseproof paper (optional). Slather on some pizza sauce and throw in the shredded chicken, caramelized onions, bell peppers and grated cheese.

Preheat oven at 100 degree Celsius for 10 minutes. Bake the pizza in the preheated oven at 200 degree Celsius for about 15 minutes. The base will turn a lovely golden brown.

Sprinkle a pinch of chilli flakes and oregano on top and serve them hot or warm. Yum yum yum…

Notes:

1. If you are using instant yeast in place of dry yeast, just throw it directly into the pizza dough while preparing it, so that makes the process easier. But please don’t go hunting for instant yeast because dry yeast works out just fine and is not difficult at all. Just takes a few extra minutes, that’s all.

2. You can always use cider vinegar to deglaze your caramelized onions but I used water and it worked out just fine.

3. You can use any topping of your choice. Some yummy options are sausage (chicken/pork/beef), pepperoni, chicken franks, beef mince, spinach, basil leaves, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, jalapeno peppers, fresh onions and tomatoes, any kind of grilled or prepared leftover chicken from day before’s dinner or lunch…. Oh the options are too many! Of course cheese goes without a say, anything is ok I guess, mozzarella, cheddar, goat’s cheese, feta, anything really.

Here are a few links that helped me get going to prepare this tasty pizza:

Easy Pizza Dough: http://www.cucumbertown.com/recipes/easy-pizza-dough

How to Quickly Caramelize Onions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt_0e72fs9M

Egg Salad Canapés that taste like Summer...

I have been going through a funny roller coaster ride of emotions, giddy highs and miserable lows. There are days when I can hardly wait to get out of bed to tackle the next chore on my list. Then there are days when I just want to pull the covers over my head and stay in bed all day – handling a 5 month-old baby is not easy! Of course each moment with little Michelle is exciting but it can sometimes tire you out totally!

This little blog space has become my island, where I can come and be creative and share my thoughts regardless of what my mood is and whichever part of the world I am! For this I am happy because I can take you where ever I go! I know that I haven't been a regular blogger these past few months and it may be that way for sometime because managing a baby and home can sometimes get difficult. But I try to share my enthusiasm with new recipes whenever I can steal some time and update you on the latest.

The recipe today is a gorgeous Egg Salad Canapé.

Eggs - Comforting, happy, leisurely, fresh, satiating, rich, whimsical, enveloping, warm.... versatile. That's what I think of and feel when I eat them. What do they remind you of? This is a recipe where the quality of products play a large role so try and get your hands on the yummiest mayonnaise, best herbs and the most fresh bread you can find. You won't be sorry.

Picnics and salads are a great combination. I'm sure all of us have a passion for being outdoors and enjoying our meals in some scenic spot. And what better time to do this but Summers; with kids vacations going on, lovely fun picnics are always on the agenda. How many of you are planning little picnics with family and friends? Isn't it fun to dream of huge theme parties and picnics just as soon as the first warm sunrays strike. I just love spending time with a family and friends, laughing and chatting, the aromas of delicious goodies filling the air. The gentle summer breeze brings the scent of perfumed flowers and the sounds of other people giggling and laughing as they too enjoy their parties and fun trips.

Most people don't waste too much time preparing food for picnics, they simply make a few sandwiches and cut up some vegetables and fruit, take a few bottles of fresh or fizzy drinks and ta-da, your picnic basket is ready. But I believe in just the opposite; picnics if planned with a little care can be both exciting and healthy. Usually for most picnics the spotlight is mostly on the location rather than the food; but it need not always be that way. A picnic with freshly prepared home-made goodies like grilled delicacies, refreshing salads and piquant sauces is so much more fun and appealing than eating all that junk. The food always has to be plentiful because, I do not know about you, but I always tend to overeat at picnics; everything always tastes better.  But when the food is home-made and healthy, why worry if you eat a little extra! I love playing around with flavors for salads, sauces and salsas. Here I took an old salad favorite and gave it a slight twist. Egg Salad – I used very little mayonnaise, a little dijon-style mustard and lots of herbs, making it lighter and slightly tangier in flavor. What makes this salad exquisite is the use of sharp but sweet red onions and the mild heat from the paprika brings about a flavor explosion. The salad works really well as little canapés arranged on tiny pieces of firm bread or crisp lettuce leaves. It can also be spread on a bread of your choice making yummy sandwiches. Whichever way, they taste great and are quick to prepare and make an excellent picnic snack. I have presented them as bite-size canapés today. Simple, easy, home-made....Do try them out.

We also had some for breakfast today; perfect start to the day! :)

Ingredients

3 Eggs

3/4 tbsp Mayonnaise

Boiled & Cooled Water - 1 or 2 tsp (refer notes)

1/2 to 3/4 tsp Dijon-style Mustard (refer notes)

2 to 3 tsp of fresh herb (you can always add more if you like the flavor; refer notes)

1/4 to 1/2 tsp Paprika (adjust as per spice tolerance)

1/2 of a medium size Big Onion; finely chopped

Method

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. Keep aside.

In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, water, mustard, herbs, paprika and chopped onions. This is the dressing.

Into this add the chopped egg and combine well by mashing with a fork or wooden spoon.

Chill the Egg Salad in the refrigerator for atleast an hour. Serve cold as canapés or as sandwiches.

Notes:

1. I like my dressing a little runny (of course not too much), so I always add a little water to give it the right texture. That way we don't have to add too much mayo into the dish.

2. In case you do not have Dijon-style mustard in your pantry, you can always use any other good quality mustard.

3. You can use any fresh herb of your choice. Here are a few choices, you can use any one at a time: Dill, Parsely, Cilantro or Coriander and Celery.

Kerala Calling - Kadala Curry aka Chickpea curry

Howdy folks! So how is the New Year coming along? For me, it has been an interesting start to the year and I must say time definitely flies really fast! It’s February already and Bangalore is getting less cold but yet very pleasant.

I love my legumes especially chickpeas. Only Indians have such a large repertoire of incredible tasting legume dishes. The variety seems never ending. One of my all time favourites is a simple and comforting dish of chickpeas cooked Southern style, more specifically Kerala style.

Breakfast is a very integral part of Kerala cooking. You will always see the table laden with goodies both savoury and sweet during breakfast. So I’m back today with a famous breakfast dish I grew up with on the coastal shores of Kerala. Chickpea (usually black chickpea) in a deliciously smooth onion and coriander gravy along with steamed rice cakes or puttu (click here to get recipe for puttu) is one of the most popular breakfast combinations inside and outside the homes of all Keralites. (the sides that go well with puttu are many, chickpea being one of the most popular and common) Generally, black chickpea is more common in Kerala as opposed to the white chickpea in North India. But I personally am a bigger fan of white chickpea and hence decided to use it in today’s recipe. The traditional recipe for this curry uses roasted coconut or coconut milk. But I have avoided coconut and kept it simple and healthy.

I learnt this dish from amma, (my hubby’s mum) queen of simple and quick recipes! Thanks amma for this lovely recipe. I dedicate this post to you.

If you ever happen to visit a Kerala home especially during breakfast time, you are most likely to be treated to a bowl of this simple and flavourful curry with steamed rice cakes. In little hotels/restaurants where these sell like hotcakes, you get them served in little bowls made of banana leaves. Oh! and the flavour that comes out, heavenly!! :)

This popular dish from Kerala is sure to fit your bill perfectly when you desperately need a hearty and wholesome breakfast. I also love this dish because it goes extremely well with garam naram rotis :) Fancy it is not – but it is darned good and a perfect dish if you are still acquainting yourself with Kerala cuisine. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Chickpeas (kabuli chana) – 1 cup

Big Onion (finely chopped) – 2 (medium)

Tomato (finely chopped) – 1 (medium)

Garlic (ground to paste or finely chopped) – 5 to 6 cloves

Ginger (ground to paste or finely chopped) – 1 small piece

Green chilli (slit lengthwise) – 1 or 2 (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Fennel seeds – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – 2 ½ to 3 tsp (heaped)

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp (you can avoid this if you find it too spicy)

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Water – 2 cups

Oil

For the Tempering

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Curry leaves – 2 to 3 sprigs (enhances flavour of the dish)

Oil (preferably coconut oil) {refer notes}

Method

Soak chickpeas overnight or for atleast 8 hours. (refer notes) Drain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and splutter fennel seeds. When fennel seeds start to pop, add green chillies and finely chopped onions and sauté till onions turns golden brown. When onions have browned, add ginger & garlic paste into it and sauté till raw smell disappears.  (if you are adding finely chopped ginger and garlic, add it along with green chillies and onions) Into this, add the spice powders and stir till raw smell disappears and the masala is cooked through. Now, throw in the chopped tomatoes and sauté till it becomes soft and oil separates. Add the drained chickpeas and sauté for 1 minute on medium heat till masala coats the chickpeas. Pour water and cover and cook till done. Switch off flame and open when pressure releases. Make sure the gravy is thick and the chickpeas is well coated with the masala/gravy. (if there is excess gravy/liquid, reduce it to get the right consistency)

To prepare the tempering

Heat oil in a kadai (wok) and splutter mustard seeds. Throw in the curry leaves and fry for a few seconds. (make sure the leaves don’t burn and turn black) Add this seasoning to the chickpea gravy and close for 15 minutes. Serve hot with puttu or chapathi.

Notes:

1. Coconut oil definitely lifts up the flavour of the dish. But you can always use any other oil to make it healthier. I didn’t use coconut oil when I prepared the dish, but it tasted just fine.

2. In case you forget to soak the chickpeas earlier, soak it in hot water to speed up the soaking process. But remember you will still need 4 to 5 hours for this process.

Source: Amma

Puttum Motta Roastum/Steamed Rice Cakes and Egg Roast

Ummmmm! What can be more comforting than this? Hi Y’all! Here is the roving foodie from wonderful Bangalore. I am having a fantastic time and eating like a hog :) So many types of cuisine to go through that one just forgets about that slim waistline!! Not so good I know :(

Well I did a make a nice breakfast for my loving hubby over the weekend. Decided to spoil him with breakfast (he generally doesn’t get such luxury most mornings, poor thing!) This is what I served up, piping hot steamed rice cakes with coconut and gorgeous egg roast. What could possibly be more spoiling than that?! Reju, my hubby loved it and licked his plate clean.

Eggs in a delicious onion and tomato based gravy paired with steamed rice flour is the dish of the day. It is one of the most popular breakfast combos in Kerala. We are a rice people, as you might have guessed, so much that we have some version of it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Incidently, things have changed. Roti's and parathas (Indian breads) have taken it's place either for breakfast or dinner in most families.

The steaming puttu (steamed rice flour) spreads it's aroma at home transforming me to the cool early mornings back home at Kerala. Bustle of activity outside where the very health conscious are onto their brisk walks, the loud horn of the umpteen number of vehicles and whistle of boiling milk in our neighbours home. These dishes are synonymous with life in Kerala.

Some other combinations for the steamed rice is black channa curry or pappad, ghee, sugar or boiled green gram with coconut and sugar. Of course, you can always make your own combinations as you go and make an entree of this steamed rice flour with a side dish of your choice.

I have been wanting to share this recipe with you for a long time and I think Tuesday is a good time to share it with you. Make this treat at home over the weekend and help your kiddies experience the aroma and taste of a Kerala home while you revoke some memories of old times that bring a smile to your face. Happy cooking and eating!!! :)

For Puttu

Ingredients

Rice flour (puttu podi) - 1 cup (refer notes)

Grated Coconut - 8 to 10 tbsp (refer notes)

Salt - a pinch

Water - as required

Method

Making the flour ready is the trickiest part in this simple preparation. Take the rice flour in a wide mixing bowl and add salt into it. Slowly start adding water, mixing the flour with your hand and breaking the small dough balls with your finger tips. You could stop adding water when you hold a fistful of dough, it stays together, making a lump with the shape of your fist. The longer the time you take to reach this, the better and softer will be the puttu.

Keep the dough covered for atleast 15 minutes.

Boil water in a pressure cooker. When the steam starts coming, take the puttu maker (puttukutti) {refer notes} and spoon in a tablespoon of grated coconut, followed by 2-3 tablespoon of prepared dough. Repeat with coconut and rice dough (flour) till you reach the top, finishing it with a tablespoon of coconut.

Keep this on the top of the pressure pressure cooker and let the steam come through the top. Reduce the heat (make sure steady steam is still present) and cook till done. This takes 5 to 6 minutes approximately.

Serve warm with Egg Roast, Black Chana Curry, Pappad, Fish/Chicken curry, Beef fry! Yes the combinations are many and they all taste yummmm!!!! Enjoy.

For Egg Roast

Ingredients

Eggs (hard boiled; cut into halves) - 2

Big onion (finely chopped) - 2 (medium)

Tomato (finely chopped) - 1 (big)

Garlic (finely chopped) - 2 to 3 cloves

Ginger (finely chopped) - 1 small piece

Curry leaves

Garam masala - 3/4 tsp

Pepper - 1/4 tsp (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Kashmiri Chilli powder - 1 tbsp

Coriander powder - little less than 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves (finely chopped)

Water - 1/4 cup

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp (preferably coconut oil)

Method

Heat oil in a wok and add chopped ginger, garlic, onions and curry leaves. Saut'e till onions turn golden brown. When onions have browned well, add garam masala, pepper, chilli, coriander and turmeric powders and saut'e till raw smell disappears. Now add chopped tomato and salt and stir till oil separates. Add water and bring to a boil. When the gravy starts boiling, turn the flame to sim, add boiled eggs and close for 2 minutes.

Switch off flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

Notes:

1. Rice flour (puttupodi/puttu powder) is available in all Indian stores. But in case it isn't available, here is how you can prepare your rice flour at home:

Soak 1/2 kg raw rice (pachari) in water for 4 hours. Drain, dry well in sun and grind to a fine powder. Dry roast the flour and store in an air-tight container.

2. You can reduce the amount of coconut used in this dish to make it healthier. But of course, as always, coconut definitely enhances the flavour.

3. Puttu is generally made in a Puttu maker. (also available in Indian stores) If you don't have one, don't worry, you can make this in a steamer too. But you do not get the shape, though the taste is the same. But in case you are using a steamer, make sure the dough has more water content and you must mix in the grated coconut also into this. Coconut usage is much more if you are using this method.

4. You could use either the white rice flour or red rice flour for making puttu. I have used the white variety here.

Recipe Courtesy: My Mom

Idli Upma

As a kid I always loved upma. It used to be one of my most preferred breakfast. Idli upma is a yummy twist to the usual upma we make everyday. Indian food is so versatile that the same dish with a little variation by an addition or subtraction of a few ingredients or spices can produce a whole new tasty dish! Sometimes, I think that's about how cooking goes around the world.

We just got back yesterday after a relaxed weekend at home. My mom-in-law sent us some yummy grub that will last for another day for sure and I'm so happy about that. Coming back after a holiday and getting back to the usual routine is always a painful task for me. I'm sure it's like that for a lot of us.

Coming back to the recipe, this dish is a little different from the normal upma and is extremely easy to make. Amma (mom-in-law) had sent us a few idlis along with chutney so we could have it for breakfast. I still had a few more left after yesterday's breakfast and thought I'll make an upma with the left-over idlis. This is a fun, quick and delicious breakfast or a perfect tiffin/snack for your lil ones.

I have shared below the way I cook it and I hope you will enjoy this as much as we do.

Ingredients

Idli - 8 no.s (cut into cubes)

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Bengal Gram (chana dal) - 2 tsp

Black Gram (urad dal) - 2 tsp

Big Onion (finely chopped) - 2

Green chillies (finely chopped) - 2 (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Ginger (finely chopped) - 1/2 inch piece

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Fry bengal gram and black gram till colour changes. Then add finely chopped ginger, green chillies, onions and curry leaves and saut'e till onion becomes light brown. Now add the idli pieces and salt and toss till everything is combined well. Add 2 sprinkles of water (so that all the masala gets coated on the idli pieces) and cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.

And there you go, Idli Upma is ready to eat! Serve hot with any chutney of your choice.

Notes: You can use coconut oil instead of refined oil (I used sunflower oil) along with a pinch of gingelly oil to make this dish. It adds to the flavour.

Potato & Peas Bhaji

Last night was good. End to a good weekend. Watched a movie and had a good long chat with my lovely sister, bro-in-law and kiddos. Waiting for the next weekend.

We had a very simple dinner yesterday which consisted of a few chapathis, a simple potato & peas bhaji and brinjal crispies. We wanted to eat light yesterday, as you already know "we are on a diet"!!

I'm sure all of us cook a quick bhaji once in a while when we make masala dosas, poori or even chapathi. This bhaji is no different. I have also added some peas into this (was lying in the freezer and wanted to clear up left-overs). There is no specific recipe for a potato bhaji, so feel free to make changes to suit your palate.

Ingredients

Potato (cooked & mashed) - 3 (medium size)

Peas (cooked & roughly mashed) - 1/4 to 1/2 cup

Ginger (chopped) - a small piece

Garlic (chopped) - 5 to 6 cloves

Green chillies - 3 to 4

Big Onions (sliced fine) - 2 to 3 (medium size)

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Channa dal - 1 1/2 tbsp

Tomato (diced) - 2 (medium size)

Curry leaves - a few

Coriander leaves

Salt - to taste

Water

Method

Heat oil in a wok and splutter mustard seeds. Into this, add channa dal and saut'e. When the colour of the dal starts changing, add green chillies, ginger & garlic and curry leaves and saut'e till raw smell goes away. Now, add onions and saut'e till light brown. Throw in the tomatoes and saut'e till it becomes soft. Add necessary water, turmeric and salt. Into this, add the cooked potatoes and peas and combine well with other ingredients. Let it cook on a medium flame till you get the right consistency. Just before you take it off the flame, add coriander leaves and combine well.

Serve with Poori/Chapathi/Dosa/Sandwiches.

Notes: I usually make this dish with thick gravy and then use it the next day as stuffing for sandwiches. It tastes good. In case you want more gravy, you can add more water.

You can also add veggies like carrot (grated) into this.

Adding roasted/fried cashew and a pinch of ghee into this can transform this dish into one that is finger licking good!!! :)

Madakasan (Coconut Pancakes)

To tell you the truth I'm not much of a morning person and so I don't like getting up early in the morning and doing anything. And Bangalore weather has spoilt me even more, makes me want to snuggle up under my blankets and just sleep!!

Because of my love to sleep in the mornings and get up late, cooking breakfast was always a big big task for me! I normally ended up giving my hubby dearest yummy, crunchy Kellogg's wheat flakes (Oh, now it's Kellogg's Special-K) everyday. But now, I have slowly started making attempts to make breakfast because my husband, Reju loves this meal of the day the most.

This dish was a regular back home where my mom would make them and we would just gobble them all up because it was so tasty and light. The crushed cardamom adds that extra zing to this simple dish.

I was suddenly reminded of this recipe when I happened to bump on it when I was scrolling through recipes on mariasmenu.com the other day. I must tell you that Maria's site mariasmenu.com is a really good site, she has done a fabulous job and made cooking so easy and interesting. Thanks Maria...!

We at these delicious pancakes today for breakfast and completely loved it! Enjoy.

Ingredients

For Pancake

All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 & 1/2 cups

Milk - 1 & 1/2 cups

Eggs (Beaten) - 1

Salt - to taste

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Water - as required

For Filling

Coconut (grated) - 2 cups

Cardamom (crushed) - 3

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Sugar - 6 tbsp

Method

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.

For 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 with honey.

Source : mariasmenu.com