Pancakes

I am back finally after a really long break. Too many mundane everyday chores have kept me busy. Shrugging off all the laziness, I decided to do a post on our current favourite breakfast at home - Pancakes.

I have never been a cereal person for breakfasts. I like hot breakfasts. What I love more is a dish that gets done in minutes.  This recipe is super easy and once you have your ingredients set out, it's ready in a jiffy.

Both my kids love it, and finally, we can stop running to McDonalds for our weekend quota of pancakes :)

You need:

• 1 cup all purpose flour, leveled
• 3 tbsps fine sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsps unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 egg
• Few drops vegetable oil

Steps:

• Set aside all the dry ingredients. Whisk the wet ingredients together in a larger bowl. 
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until it comes together. If there are a few small lumps, let them be.
• Heat a non stick pan / girdle over a medium low flame. Spread a few drops of oil in the center of the pan.
• When the pan is hot, pour a small ladle full of batter and let it spread to a round.

• Cook till you can see bubbles on the top, about 1-2 minutes, let a few bubbles burst. Flip the pancake gently and let it cook on the other side for another 1-2 minutes.

• Stack them in an aluminum foil and cover them so that they remain warm.

• Serve hot with chocolate sauce, honey, maple syrup, butter or just sprinkled with some icing sugar.

• This recipe makes about 13-15 pancakes.

Notes:

• Omit the vanilla essence for plain flavored pancakes.
• Add chopped berries to the batter for a more filling meal.
• The pancakes can be kept warm in the oven covered in the foil at the lowest setting of the oven.
• I needed to use only 3 drops of oil before I made the first pancake. The rest came off the pan easily without having to use any more oil.

Instant Oats Dosa

Necessity is definitely the mother of invention. There has been half a tin of Quaker Instant Oats lying  in my pantry for the last few months. I hate the taste of oats. Totally totally hate it. Would not even eat it if it was the only meal available, I would drink water and survive instead.

I came across this recipe, made a few changes and breakfast was ready in minimal time.

You need:

• 3/4 cup oats
• 1/3 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup wheat flour
• 3 tbsp onions, finely chopped
• 2 heaped tbsps corriander leaves, chopped
• 1 green chillie finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
• Approx 2.5 cups water
• Salt

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients and make a batter. It should be a little more runny than the dosa batter.

• Heat a non stick tawa on a medium hot flame.
• When it is hot, pour a ladleful of the batter in the centre and swirl it around.
• Add less than a quarter teaspoon of oil and allow it to brown.

• Flip it around and let the other side cook too.
• Serve hot with coconut chutney or pickle.

Notes:

• You can add grated carrots to the batter to make it more nutritious.

Aapam and Stew

Aapam is a rice pancake traditionally made in the Indian state of Kerala. I ate it for the first time at my aunt's home. It was absolutely yummy - lovely and soft. The next was when my sister-in-law made it. Took the recipe from her and have since made it a few times. 

One of the dishes that Aapam is served with is Stew. Both dishes are simple and easy to make and delicious.

You Need:

For the Aapam-

• 3 cups rice (the rice you use for making idli/dosa)
• 1/2 of a coconut grated
• 1 cup cooked rice
• Salt

For the Stew-

• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 2 cups mixed veggies cubed - potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, peas
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 green chilies
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 200 ml coconut cream/milk
• salt

Steps:

For the Aapam-

• Wash the rice well and soak for 4-6 hours.
• Add rice, coconut and cooked rice and grind to a runny batter (little thinner than a dosa batter).
• Add salt and mix well and store in a closed vessel.
• Allow it to ferment for atleast 10-12 hours.
• After the batter has fermented, heat a small non-stick pan which has a lid to cover it well.
• Sprinkle a few drops of oil on the pan when it heats up.
• Pour a ladle full of batter in the pan and swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pan. 
• Cover and allow it to cook for about 30 seconds to a minute depending on the size of your pan.
• Open and check. If the top of the pancake looks cooked, remove and serve.

For the Stew:

• In a pan heat the coconut oil and add the mustard seeds.
• When it splutters, add the curry leaves and slit green chillies. Then add the onions and saute till it turns pink in colour.
• Add the rest of the vegetables and saute. Season with salt. Allow the vegetable to cook. Add little water if required.
• When the vegetables are almost cooked, add the coconut cream and make sure the heat is turned to low. 
• Allow it to warm up well. 
• Serve hot with the aapams.

Notes:

• Use old rice while grinding the batter for the Aapams.
• I did not have green chilies at home, so used one red chilie. Adjust number of chilies as per heat you would like.
• You can also make Stew with just onions and boiled potatoes.
• Stew also goes well with Dosas and Uttapams.
• The Appam is actually white in colour. The pictures appear in different shades due to the lighting.
• Extra batter can be refrigerated and used the next day.  

Broken Wheat Aadai

Over the years I have got into the routine of preparing hot breakfasts. Along with it also came the task of thinking of something new for each day of the week.

Aadai is easy, and requires no fermenting time. Once you grind it, it's ready to be made.

You need:

• 1 cup broken wheat / lapsi
• 1/4 heaped cup of split, skinned, black dal / urad dal
• 1/4 heaped cup of split gram dal / channa dal
• 1/4 heaped cup of split pigeon peas / tur dal
• Dried red chillies - as per taste
• A handful of curry leaves
• A big pinch asafetida
• Salt as required

Steps:

• Wash the broken wheat and the dals in water a few times and soak for a minimum of 4 hours.
• Grind to a paste adding the rest of the ingredients.
• Heat non-stick girdle. When it is reasonable hot, take one laddle full of the batter and spread it like for a dosa.
• Drizzle a little oil around it. Once it is cooked turn to other side and cook till golden brown.
• Serve hot.

Notes:

• You can substitute the broken wheat with idli rice or use half and half of both. There will be a difference in the texture and taste.
• Alternatively grind using a piece of ginger and green chillies instead of the red chillie.
• You can coarse grind the batter for a crunchier Aadai.
• Instead of grinding the curry leaves, you can fine chop and add to the batter for a varied taste.
• Grind a small onion while making the batter for an onion flavored Aadai.
• Onion Tomato Chutney goes well with the Aadai.
• And for the absolute non-calorie conscious, what goes best with the Aadai is a generous dollop of butter :)