WOYP Day # 61 Blueberry Orange Buttermilk Pancakes

Breakfast is usually cereal, eggs, breakfast potatoes, pancakes or toast on most days in our house. We do Banana pancakes, Banana chocolate chip pancakes and more recently these “stuff in your mouth”,  “ I can’t get enough of” Blueberry Orange pancakes :D I’m not exaggerating, try them for yourself and you’ll know what I mean! This recipe makes the fluffiest, light pancakes - the egg and buttermilk work wonders! 

Blueberry Orange Buttermilk Pancakes:
You will need:

Dry ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1.5 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

Wet ingredients:
1 1/4 cups Thick Buttermilk (see note)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp Orange zest
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Unsalted Butter as needed
Fresh blueberries
Chocolate chips (optional)
Honey to drizzle on top

Note: You can use store bought Buttermilk or make your own at home by combining 3/4 cup thick yoghurt with 1/4 cup water. The Buttermilk needs to be thick for this recipe. Other substitutes might not work as well. 

Whisk dry & wet ingredients until just combined. Batter has to be thick. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Heat a pan or griddle on medium heat. Spread a teaspoon of unsalted butter. Pour 1/4 cup of batter. Top with fresh blueberries. Cook until edges are light brown and the pancake has fluffed up. Flip to cook on the other side for a 20 seconds. Remove from heat. Continue with remaining batter. 

 

Top the pancakes with a generous drizzle of honey. My boys wanted chocolate chips too, so that went on the pancakes as well. 

These pancakes stay soft and fluffy even when cooled down, so they are great to pack in kids’ lunch boxes. 

The hints of Orange laced through every bite combined with the sweet blueberries, yum yum yum!! :D

WOYP Day # 51 Instant Spinach Rava Idlis

Rava Idli is a popular breakfast dish in Karnataka. Rava idlis can be made instantly, which means there is no need to soak, grind or ferment to make the batter. It’s very easy to make the Rava idli mix at home with Semolina or Rava and it tastes a lot better than the instant mixes available on the market. Spinach Rava idlis are a variation to these Idlis. 

  

You will need:

2 cups Semolina (Upma Sooji)
3 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Chana dal
Few curry leaves, chopped
2 tsp Salt

For the Idli batter:
Prepared Rava idli mix
4 cups Plain yoghurt thinned with 1 cup water to make 5 cups in total
2 tsp Fruit salt  

1 cup finely chopped fresh Spinach

 
Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and when it begins to splutter add the chana dal and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the measured quantity of Rava. Combine and roast for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Turn off heat and allow to cool.

Once cooled add the chopped spinach to the prepared rava idli mix and combine. 

Add 2 cups of yoghurt. Mix well and set aside for 2 minutes. Now add the remaining yoghurt and mix well. The batter should be in pourable consistency. Lastly add the fruit salt and mix vigorously to lighten the batter. This yields soft and fluffy idlis. If the batter feels thick and dense, add 1/4 tsp more of the fruit salt and combine until batter feels light. 

 

Grease idli plates with little oil. Add 1/4 cup batter to each mold.Steam in a pressure cooker or idli cooker for 10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before de-molding. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve hot with Bombay Gojju.

WOYP Day # 49 Moong Dal Parathas

Yellow Moong is Whole Green Moong that is split and skinned. When cooked it has a mellow, creamy taste. Yellow Moong dal can be used to make Spinach Dal, Moong Dal Payasa and even a traditional South Indian side dish made with soaked moong dal - Kosambari . I made a paratha filling with the versatile Moong for these Moong Dal Parathas. 

Moong Dal Parathas:
You will need:
For the Moong filling:

1 cup Yellow Moong
2 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tbsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Cumin powder
2 tsp Kashmiri Red chilli powder
1 tsp Red chili powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Chopped Cilantro

For the dough:

2 cups Whole wheat flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Oil
Warm water as needed

Make the dough:

Combine the wheat flour, salt and oil in a medium bowl. Slowly add warm water as needed to make a slightly soft dough. Knead for few minutes. Cover and rest for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the filling.

Make the Filling:

Dry roast the moong in a pan until light brown and fragrant. Remove from pan immediately since it continues to brown in the pan and burnt moong doesn’t taste good! 

Pressure cook the moong for 2-3 whistles and allow to cook. If cooking on stove top use enough water and cook until moong is soft. Drain the water.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds once the oil is hot and then add the chopped onions. Sauté until soft. Add the Ginger garlic paste. Cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Now add the spice powders - coriander, cumin and both the red chili powders. Add salt to taste and cook well. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium until the spices are fragrant. Now add the drained moong dal and combine. Cook until the moong dal mixture is slightly dry and can be rolled into a ball. Add chopped cilantro and combine. Turn off heat and cool the filling before using.

Method to make the Parathas:

Knead the rested dough for few minutes until soft and smooth. Divide into 10-12 equal balls. Make small balls of the cooled filling.

Flatten a ball of dough and using your thumb and fingers form a cup. Place a ball of filling in the cup and gather the dough around the filling and seal on top. Remove any excess dough. 

Dredge the ball in wheat flour and roll gently into a thick disc using a rolling pin. Take care to roll gently and with even pressure so that the filling spreads evenly. Parathas are usually thick but I prefer to make them a little thinner, but definitely thicker than Chapatis.

Heat a pan on medium heat. Roast one side for 1 minute, apply little butter and then flip to cook the other side until lightly browned. 

Remove from heat and serve hot with Raita and Pickle. 

These Moong Dal parathas are great for lunch boxes or to carry on a picnic, they remain soft and taste good even when cold.

WOYP Day #44 Udupi Style Pundi/ Pundi Gatti

Pundi is native to Mangalorean cuisine, popular in the city of Udupi too. Depending on the way its shaped it is known as Pundi in some places and Pundi Gatti in some others. The dough is first cooked on the stove top and then steam cooked. We make something similar called Bilkudumlu, without onions or tadka. Made with Rice Rava (Akki thari) or Idli Rava, these steamed dumplings are typically round with a dip in the center. I shaped them into round balls and small cylinders too. The cylinders are also called Pundi Gatti, meaning a ‘fistful’. 

You will need:

1.5 cups Rice Rava or Idli Rava
3 cups Water
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal
1 tsp Chana Dal
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 dry red chilies, broken into bits
1/2 cup fresh grated Coconut
1.5 tsp Salt

Heat oil in a deep pan. Add the cumin seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Cook for a few seconds and then add the dry chilies. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft. Add the water, salt and coconut. Cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Once the water begins to boil, lower heat, remove lid and slowly add the rice rava/idli rava while stirring continuously. Continue to stir and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Turn off heat and cool slightly.

Shape the Pundi:

Once the mixture is cool enough to handle. Shape the dough by hand. You can make rounds with a dip in the centre, cylinders or balls like in the picture below. My boys were excited to see the assorted shapes :) 

I used Idli plates to steam the Pondi. If you do not have idli plates, you can use a traditional steamer. 

Oil the idli plates, place the shaped pundi and place in a pressure cooker. Steam for 10-12 minutes. Allow cooker to cool before removing the Pundi. Serve hot with  Sambar & Coconut Chutney. 

WOYP Day #40 Tomato Poori with Bottle Gourd and Peas Saagu

Poori and Vegetable Saagu is a standard combination in Karnataka. The usual combination of veggies are potatoes, peas, green beans and carrots. I wanted to try a different combination this time and used Bottle Gourd and Green Peas. Bottle Gourd is a fairly versatile vegetable and takes on flavors well. Almost like Chayote Squash or White Pumpkin. It turned out good and we didn’t quite miss the other veggies :D 

Tomato Poori
You will need:

2 cups Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Tomato chopped & pureéd
2 tsp Kashmiri Red chili powder
1 tsp Garam masala
1/2 tsp Kasuthi Methi
2 tbsp Olive oil (or vegetable oil)
Salt to taste
Warm water as required

Oil for frying

Combine wheat flour, salt, chili powder and garam masala in a medium bowl. Lightly crush the Kasuthi methi in your palms and add it to the flour. Also add the oil and the prepared tomato puree. Add warm water little at a time to make a soft dough. The dough should not be sticky. I needed about 1 1/4 cups water. Cover the dough and set aside for 20 minutes.

After the dough has rested, knead the dough well until its smooth. Divide the dough into small balls. Using little flour as needed, roll into round discs, about 3”-4” wide. 

Heat oil for frying in a large deep pan. Set on medium heat. Drop a tiny dot sized piece of dough into the hot oil. If it rises to the surface immediately, the oil is ready. If it rises slowly, heat the oil a little longer and check again. Once the oil is ready, slide the rolled dough into the oil. Press lightly with a spatula to allow the poori to puff up. Flip and cook the other side for a few seconds. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Serve hot with Saagu. 

Bottle Gourd and Peas Saagu:

 You will need:
1 large Bottle Gourd
1 cup Green peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup chopped Onion
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Few curry leaves
Salt to taste

To grind to a paste:

3 tbsp Dalia (Hurgadale)
6 Green chilies
4 pods Garlic
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
6-8 fresh Mint leaves
1/3 cup fresh grated Coconut
1 tsp Garam masala
Water as needed

Wash the bottle gourd. Trim the ends and peel the skin. Slice in half and then into quarters. Remove the seeds and spongy white part on the inside. Cut the remaining into cubes.

Prepare paste using water as needed. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the onions and sauté until soft. Now add the cubed bottle gourd and peas. Stir and cook for a minute. 

 Add the prepared paste and saute for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the garam masala. Season with salt and add 1.5-2 cups of water, enough to immerse the veggies. Stir to combine. Close the lid and turn heat to high. Place weight on cooker lid and cook for 4 whistles.

Turn off heat and allow cooker to cool for 10-15 minutes before opening the lid. Stir well and serve hot with the Tomato Pooris.

WOYP Day #35 Ragi Tomato Onion Dosa

This dosa is made with a combination of flours you might already have in your pantry and the humble tomato. The best part is no one can guess there is puréed tomato in the Dosa batter. Ragi Tomato Onion Dosa turns out crisp, studded with roasted onions, it’s a party in the mouth! This is an instant Dosa which means no soaking, grinding or fermenting, more reason to make this right away! :D 

Ragi or Finger Millet is highly nutritious - rich in fiber, calcium, amino acids and Vitamin D. Keeps you full longer which means you are snacking less between meals! 

Ragi Tomato Onion Dosa: 

You will need:

1 cup Ragi flour
3/4 cup Rice flour
3/4 cup Fine semolina (fine Sooji/Chiroti Rave)
Few curry leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup Chopped tomato
3 Green chilies, chopped
1” piece Ginger, chopped
Salt to taste
Water as needed

1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

 
Purée tomatoes, green chilies and ginger into a smooth paste. Whisk together the Ragi flour, rice flour and Semolina in large bowl. Add cumin seeds, salt and finely chopped curry leaves. Add the prepared purée. Using a whisk add little water at a time and combine into a lump free dough. Add about 3 cups of water to make a thin batter. 

Heat a crepe/dosa pan and apply oil. Sprinkle a tablespoon of onions and little cilantro. Pour 1/2 cup of batter evenly over the onions. Drizzle little oil, cover and cook on high for 2-3 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook until the Dosa crisps up. Remove from heat and serve hot with Coconut chutney.

WoYP Day #24 - Sabudana Paddu with Tomato Onion chutney

Paddu (Gunthpanganalu/Paniyaram) are dollops of batter cooked in a paddu pan (Aebleskiver pan). Paddu is primarily savory and is seasoned with onions, grated carrots, chana dal. Paired with a spicy chutney, these Sabudana paddu make for a good breakfast or light evening snack.These are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. 

I made a spicy Tomato Onion chutney, this goes well with dosas, chapatis, puris or paddu. Sabudana paddu is made with 3 main ingredients - Sabudana, Rava & Yoghurt. The recipe can be easily doubled. 

Sabudana Paddu
Adapted from here

You will need:

1/2 cup Sabudana (Sago pearls)
1/2 cup Rava (Semolina)
1/2 cup plain Yoghurt
Water as needed
Salt to taste
1-2 tsp Fruit Salt
1 tsp Green chili paste
2 tbsp Chopped cilantro
1 onion finely chopped
2 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Chana dal

Wash and drain Sabudana. Pour enough water to cover the Sabudana on top by 1/2”. Soak overnight or for at least 4 hours. The Sabudana should have absorbed all the water and would have fluffed up.

In a pan, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds and when it begins to splutter add the chana dal. Sauté until the chana dal is browned lightly. Now add the chopped onions and sauté until soft. Add the semolina and roast until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool completely.

Once cooled, add the soaked sabudana, chopped cilantro, salt to taste and the green chili paste. Now add the measured quantity of yoghurt and combine. It will be a thick batter. Add 2 tablespoons of water at a time to make a slightly thinner batter. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Check for consistency again and add more water if needed. Now add the fruit salt and give a quick stir to lighten the batter.

Heat a Paddu pan, pour oil in all the cavities. Drop a spoonful of batter in each cavity. Drizzle with more oil, cover and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Flip the paddu with a spoon and cook on the other side for another minute. 

Take care not to burn and adjust heat according to the pan you use and your burner. Remove with a spoon and serve hot with a robust Tomato Onion chutney.

Tomato Onion Chutney: 

 

You will need:

2 cups chopped Tomato
2 cups chopped Onions
1 tbsp Oil
2 tsps Urad dal
6 dry Red chilies (Byadige & Guntur)
Salt to taste
2 tsp Tamarind pulp
1 tbsp Jaggery, powdered

For seasoning:

Saute 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds, few curry leaves, 1/4 tsp asafoetida in little Oil.

Heat oil in a pan. Add urad dal and dry chilies. Saute until urad dal is fragrant and light brown. Add the chopped onions and saute until soft and translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until soft. Stir in the tamarind pulp and jaggery. Season with salt to taste and cool completely. Blend this to a smooth paste once cooled.

Transfer to a bowl and add seasoning on top. Serve with hot Paddu. Leftover chutney can be stored in air tight container for up to a month. Always use a clean dry spoon to prevent spoilage.

What's on Your Plate?Day #2 - Cilantro Mint Poha

A tasty twist to the traditional Poha. I often make Poha for breakfast and this is a variation to spice things up which can be served for Lunch or Dinner. 

Cilantro Mint Poha
Ingredients

2 cups thick Poha (Avalakki)
3 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 onion thinly sliced
1 medium green bell pepper thinly sliced
1/2 cup Green peas, boiled
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 tsp Garam Masala
Salt to taste

Grind to paste:
1/2 cup Cilantro leaves
1/4 cup mint leaves
4-6 Green chilies (adjust to taste)
Water as needed

Soak Poha with enough water to barely cover the Poha. Set aside for2 hours or overnight. 

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds & mustard seeds and wait for it to splutter. Add the thinly sliced bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Now add the thinly sliced onions, cook for a minute and then add the Ginger garlic paste. Sauté until onions are done. Now add the ground paste and peas, cook for 2 minutes. Add the soaked Poha (should have fluffed up) ,salt to taste and combine gently. Cook on medium-low heat for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garam masala and mix well. Cook for another minute and turn off heat. Serve hot. This can be served with a Cucumber Raita or on its own.

U for UGNSPANNKAKA Swedish Pancakes - Day 21

Pancakes are a breakfast time favorite with my boys. I make them quite often and they sometimes eat it even for dinner! Pancakes are usually made on a griddle or pan. Ugnspannkaka is a Swedish style pancake that's baked in the oven. Baking it gives it a crisp exterior and soft interior. It's served with Lingonberry jam which is a staple in Sweden. 

U for UGNSPANNKAKA - SWEDEN

Ugnspannkaka is traditionally baked in a flat wide pan.You are probably expecting a flat pancake here but this is what I have! :D

I was planning on making 3 separate layers so I could stack them like the pancake stack we are accustomed to seeing. Well this is where the 'plan' ended. I used 3 small Wilton 4" pans. I figured the batter would rise and at the most overflow, which was fine. I also had a larger sheet pan to catch the overflow just in case. 

What happened in the oven sent me into panic mode.. almost! :D The batter rose and rose.. and formed a pancake 'bowl' .. haha! I thought it was going to collapse immediately since there was no pan to hold it up on the sides. Thankfully it kept its shape so we have pancake 'bowls' instead of a flat pancake. So no stack, I present to you Ugnspannkaka bowl!! :) This is probably the first Swedish pancake bowl ever! 

You will need: 

Makes: 3 four-inch bowls

1/2 cup All- purpose Flour

1/4 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp Baking powder

1/2 cup Whole milk 

1 egg

1 tsp Vanilla extract 

2 tbsp Butter,melted 

Preheat oven to 400F. 

Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Lightly beat the egg, milk and vanilla extract in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mix and whisk until smooth and lump free.  Melt the butter. Add half of it to the batter and combine. Pour the remaining butter into a pan (or pans like I did) Pour the prepared batter and bake for 14-16 minutes. I went a few minutes over and it browned up but was still delicious. 

Now filling these bowls is like topping a pancake.. get creative and let your tastebuds guide you. 

I filled up these bowls with chopped strawberries and blueberries tossed in a tablespoon of powdered sugar. Topped it with some whipped cream and drizzled honey all over the bowl and fruit. A light shower of powdered sugar on the top made it completely festive and special. It was not too sweet and just perfect. I'm glad the pancakes decided to rise and create something I didn't plan to. 

BAKES FROM AROUND THE WORLD: 

A for ANZAC BISCUITS - AUSTRALIA

B for BASBOUSA - EGYPT

C for CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS - FRANCE

D for DAMPER BREAD - AUSTRALIA

E for EMPANADAS - MEXICO

F for FLAN MEXICANO - MEXICO

G for GRISSINI BREADSTICKS - ITALY

H for HOT MILK SPONGE CAKE - USA

I for INDIAN LADI PAV - INDIA 

J for JOULUTORTTU - FINLAND

K for KORVAPUUSTI - FINLAND

L for LEMON SPRITZ SANDWICH COOKIES - GERMANY

M for MACARONS - FRANCE
N for NANKHATAI - INDIA
O for ORANGE OGURA CAKE - MALAYSIA
P for PINCA - CROATIA
Q for QUICK BREAD - STRAWBERRY PECAN BREAD - USA

R for RIGÓ JANCSI - HUNGARY
S for SCONES - UK
T for TOTTENHAM CAKE - ENGLAND

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 75

An InLinkz Link-up

Bell Pepper Upma

This is one of the quick go-to meals on any given evening to serve unexpected guests or to simply satisfy early evening hunger. The heavenly aroma of this upma made us drool when mom made it and now when I make it here, the wait seems endless before I can grab a bite!



This upma is flavoured with Bisibelebath powder, not usually used in a dish like Upma. Bisibelebath powder is easy to make and has more uses than just one. So make a batch.

You will need:

1 cup Upma Sooji (Semolina), dry roasted till fragrant
2 ¼ cups Water
¼ cup Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal
½ tsp Chana Dal
Few curry leaves
1 cup chopped Green bell pepper
2 ½ tsp Bisibelebath powder
2 tsp fresh Lemon juice
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a non stick pan. Add the mustard seeds, and when it begins to splutter, add the urad and chana dals. Saute on medium heat for a few seconds and then add the curry leaves. Now add the chopped green bell pepper. Cook until soft and done about 7-8 minutes. Add the water, cover and bring to a boil on high heat.


When the water begins to boil, remove lid, add salt, lemon juice and Bisibelebath powder. Stir and then reduce heat to low. Slowly add the roasted sooji while stirring continuously to prevent lumps. The mixture will quickly thicken, stir and cover. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then stir again. Check for seasoning. Add the chopped cilantro and combine. Serve hot.


A variation to this recipe is to add Eggplant , 1 inch pieces instead of the Green bell pepper. It tastes just as good.

Omlet with White Beans & Sesame seeds

The past few days have been gloomy with the skies overcast with rain clouds. It felt great to wake up to a bright sunny day and a blue sky this morning. Definitely sets the mood for the day.

Hubby dear usually comes home from work for lunch, today he called to say he was way too busy in meetings to come home, so it was just me. I hadn't planned what to make and was not quite eager to make anything elaborate. Moreover I wanted a break from the usual rotis and rice. So I made a hearty omlet with white beans topped with toasted sesame seeds. It made for a perfect meal for one.

You will need:

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Sesame Oil

1 Onion, chopped

1 Small Red Bell pepper, chopped

1 Celery Rib, chopped

1/2 cup Cannellini (white) Beans, drained and rinsed

2 Eggs

1 tsp Sesame Seeds

1/2 tsp Red chilli flakes

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 300F.

Heat the olive oil and sesame oil in a 6-inch oven proof pan. (Cover the handle with foil if you are not sure about the pan) Add the onions, pepper and celery. Cook until soft and done. Add the beans and continue to cook for several minutes to heat through.Sprinkle with red chilli flakes and season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a fork and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the ingredients in the pan. Stir the egg mixture with a flat wooden spoon until it begins to stiffen. Allow to firm up over low heat.

Sprinkle the omlet with the sesame seeds and place the pan in the oven. Heat for 5 minutes and then turn on the broiler. Brown the seeds evenly and then remove from oven.

Cut the omlet into wedges and serve immediately.

The crunch from the sesame seeds was great and the hint of sesame oil made it different from the usual omlet. Not bad for a quick, on the spur meal!