BESAN ( CHICKPEA FLOUR) PANCAKES

Hi all, the vacations have just started, and things are looking up finally. I came across this recipe when a popular chef posted this on social media. Decided to try this, it did come out very well. I did not have all the ingredients but did make with whatever I had. This dish is perfect for breakfast or a light dinner, So sharing it right away

BESAN (CHICKPEA FLOUR) PANCAKES

INGREDIENTS

Besan (Kadalai Maavu): 2 cups

All-Purpose Flour(Maida) : 1 cup

Onion: 1 medium finely chopped

Green Chilli's: 2 finely chopped

Ginger: 1 Tbsp finely chopped

Turmeric: A pinch

Red Chilli Powder: 1-2 Tsp

Ajwain seeds: 1 Tsp

Baking Powder: 1 and 1/2 Tsp

Cilantro/Coriander leaves: 1/4th cup finely chopped

salt as required

Oil: 1 Tbsp

Water for making the batter

Chickpea Flour ( Besan) Pancakes

Besan (Kadalai Maavu) Pancakes

MAKING

In a large bowl, add in all the ingredients starting with the chickpea flour, All-purpose flour, ginger-green chilli's, the spices, salt, baking powder, chopped cilantro and add about 2 tsp oil and dry mix it a bit. Now, slowly add water little by little until you make a semi-thick batter.Make sure you get the right consistency, so make sure to add water little by little. The batter should not be runny instead should be semi-thick.

Allow it to rest for about 5-10 minutes

Heat a flat non-stick tawa, grease it with a bit of oil. Once heated, pour in the batter with a round ladle. Sprinkle oil around it and on top of it, once you see holes, flip it and allow it to cook the other side as well. Once you see the color has changed and its cooked both sides, remove it from gas and serve it hot with Coriander-Mint chutney or yogurt.

Delicious Besan Pancakes are ready to eat. 

TIPS/VARIATIONS

Make sure the gas in in low-medium heat so as to avoid uneven cooking as a result of over-heating.

When the pancakes are being cooked, use a knife to make a few small slits/pierces through it so as to make sure the batter is cooked thoroughly on both sides.

Non-stick pan works better to make these pancakes.

Make sure, NOT to add too much Ajwain seeds, it overpowers the flavor.

You could add finely chopped, spring onions or finely chopped Bell peppers etc for added flavor.

Yogurt as a side worked much better than mint chutney but again that's my personal opinion. 

COLD BEAN SALAD/DIP

Hi all, this dish was first introduced to me by my close friend at her house gettogether. I have been making it ever since. The best part is that it's easy, quick to make and most of all healthy. No usage of gas , no need to cook. 

So presenting to you, 

COLD BEAN SALAD/DIP 

BRUSSEL SPROUTS KI SABJI

 Hi all, my husband bought some Brussel Sprouts and I had no idea what to do with it as I had not made anything ever with it nor eaten it before. It looked a lot like a mini cabbage with a root/base attached to mini leaves. Browsed on the internet to know more about veggie. Anyway, came up with a sabji using the same and luckily, our first experience eating this veggie was delicious. Sharing with you,

BRUSSEL SPROUTS KI SABJI

INGREDIENTS

Brussel Sprouts: About 2 cups

Onion: 1 small-medium chopped

Tomatoes: 2 small chopped

Capsicum: 1/4th cup chopped

Cumin seeds (jeera): 1 Tsp

Ginger-Garlic: 1 Tbsp chopped

Cumin-Pepper: 1/2 Tsp, dry roasted and powdered

Green Chilli: 1 slit

Red Chilli powder: 1/2 Tsp

Turmeric: A pinch or two

Salt as required

Oil: 1 Tbsp

Cilantro/Coriander leaves: 1 Tbsp Chopped for garnish

water if needed

Brussel Sprouts ki Sabji

MAKING

The first step is to wash and cut off the hard base of the Brussel Sprouts and set aside. Take a pan/Kadai, add 1 Tsp of oil, once heated put in the Brussel Sprouts. Sprinkle some salt and cook for about 5 minutes on low flame. Switch off the gas and transfer the contents into a plate. The sprouts should be intact, and have a bite to it.

Now use the same pan/Kadai, add in oil again. Once heated, add the cumin seeds, slit green chilli, Ginger-Garlic chopped, and chopped onion. Saute it for a few minutes until the onions turn translucent and golden brown. Add in the chopped tomatoes. Saute again for a couple of minutes before adding in the chopped capsicum. Now add the rest of the spices ( Red chilli powder, turmeric, Cumin-Coriander powder, dry roasted cumin-pepper powder). 

Saute until the masala is well mixed and blended and the tomatoes are soft and cooked. Now add in the Brussel Sprouts that was set aside, add the required salt and cook for at least 3-4 minutes in low-medium flame until the sprouts are blended well with the masala mix.

You could sprinkle some water if it gets too dry to avoid burning.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander/cilantro leaves and serve it hot with Rotis or Phulkas or rice.

TIPS/VARIATIONS

You could avoid dry roasted cumin-pepper powder if not available

You could add 1/2 Tsp Garam Masala.

Make sure to check the salt added.

Basically, the texture of the gravy should be that the gravy should be soft but the sprouts in the gravy have to have a bite to them.

KADAI PANEER

Hi all, hope and pray that the covid situation in India becomes better and things start looking up with more vaccinations and safety protocols in place. Now, last weekend, wanted to make this popular Paneer dish, never thought it would be this complicated to make. Even though the process was tedious the end result was worth it Here it is,

KADAI PANEER

MASALA STEP 1

Dry Roast in low heat, 2 Red Chillis, 2 Tbsp Cumin, 2 Tbsp Peppercorns, 2 Tbsp Coriander seeds, 1 Tsp Methi seeds. Once cooled, grind this into a coarse powder and set it aside.

KADAI PANEER

MASALA STEP 2

Oil and Butter: 5 Tbsp

Onion: 1 medium finely chopped

Tomato: 2 medium finely chopped

Ginger-Garlic: 2 Tbsp chopped

Turmeric: 1/4 Tsp

Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder: 1-2 Tsp

Coriander-Cumin powder: 1-2 Tsp

Bayleaf : 1-2 medium

Salt as required only for Masala 2

Heat Oil and butter in a pan, once heated, add in the bay leaf, chopped onions, chopped ginger-garlic. Saute it for a few minutes until it turns golden brown. Add in the chopped tomatoes, turmeric, Red chilli powder, Cumin-Coriander powder. Saute for a few minutes with a little addition of water and salt, until the masala is well mixed and the oil starts leaving the sides. Switch off the gas.

STEP 3: PANEER-VEGGIE MIX

Paneer: cut into cubes

Onion: 1 medium diced

Tomato: 1 medium diced

Capsicum: 1 medium diced

Oil: 1 tbsp

Salt as required

In a pan, add oil. Once heated add in the diced Onions, Tomatoes, and Capsicum. Saute it for a few minutes before adding the Paneer cubes. Now add in the Dry roasted Masala 1 powder. Mix it well into the paneer mix with enough salt. Saute it for a few minutes until the paneer and veggies are well mixed with the roasted masala powder. 

Finally, add this dry paneer mix into the prepared Masala 2 gravy. Saute in low heat, until all the masala is well blended. 

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander, and delicious Kadai Paneer is ready to eat. serve it hot with Rotis' or Naans or Paratha's

TIPS/VARIATIONS

In Masala 2, you could also add Tomato puree to take away the spice.

You could dry roast the methi separately and grind it into a powder and add it along with the dry roast masala 1 into the paneer mixture.

As I mentioned, the process is tedious but well worth it.