Savoury French Toast Indian Style (Spicy Masala Egg Toast)

Nothing like a spicy and savoury French Toast-Indian Style! You can eat them for breakfast or even a snack.

Savory French Toast (Indian Style Masala Egg Toast)

Savoury French Toast (Indian Style Masala Egg Toast):
Ingredients: (Serves 4)

• Whole Wheat Bread-8 nos.
• Egg-4 nos
• Onion- 1 medium (finely chopped)
• Tomato(optional)- 1 small (finely chopped)
• Cilantro- 3tbsp (finely chopped)
• Red chili powder- 1/2- 1 tsp (or as per your heat tolerance)
• Coriander powder- 1 tsp
• Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
• Turmeric-1/2 tsp
• Milk-3 tbsp (or water)
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 3 tsp

Method:

1. Break the eggs into a bowl, add the spice powders, salt and milk (or water) and mix well.
2. Pour a little onto a flat saucer.
3. Heat a tsp of oil in a non-stick sauce pan.
4. Dip the bread into the egg mixture on both sides, then place into the pan one by one.
5. Sprinkle with the onion,tomato and cilantro on the top and flip carefully and cook till done on both sides.
6. Repeat for the rest.
7. Serve the savoury French Toast hot with ketchup or chutney(optional).

Note:
You could replace the spices (red chili, cumin, coriander powder)with green chilies.

Savoury French Toast (Indian Style Spicy Masala Egg Toast)

Ragda Patties ( Potato cutlets in a white pea gravy)

Ragda Patties

Ragda patties is another street food which comes in the category of 'chaat' in India. The ingredients for Ragda pattes are 'white vatana' or dry white/yellow whole peas (which makes the main part of the ragda/curry) and potatoes for the patties/cutlets. 

Ingredients for the Patties:

• Potatoes:4-5 big (I use the red skin potatoes as they don't get too mushy when boiled and mashed)
• Ginger+garlic paste: 1 tbsp
• Green chillies: 1-2 (finely chopped)
• Onion: 1 small/1/2 big (chopped fine)
• Cilantro/coriander leaves: 1 small bunch (finely chopped)
• Rava/semolina/frarina: 1 cup (to coat the patties)*
• Salt : to taste
• Oil: 2 tbsp (for shallow frying)

*I use rava/semolina(cream of wheat) to coat the patties before frying as it tends to absorb less oil. You can also use bread/bread crumbs.
Method:

1. Boil and mash the potatoes.
2. Add the ginger+garlic paste,chopped onions, green chillies,cilantro and salt and mix it well with the potatoes.
3. Check for salt. Make 15-20 portions of this mix, flatten into a cutlet/patties.
4. Roll the patties in the rava.
5. Heat the oil in a pan, when it's hot, add the patties and shallow fry till it becomes golden brown. Remove from pan.

Ingredients for the Ragda:

• White vatana/dry white peas: 1 cup(soaked overnight)
• Onion: 1 small/1/2 big (finely chopped)
• Tomatoes: 3 (finely chopped)
• Ginger+garlic paste: 2 tsp
• Zeera/cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Bay leaves: 1
• Chole masala: 1 tbsp
• Water: 1-2 cups (depending on how thick you want the gravy)
• Chili powder,amchur(dry mango powder),chaat masala : to taste (optional)
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 2tsp

Method:

1. Pressure cook the vatana/white peas in about two cups of water. Keep aside.
2. Heat the oil. Add the zeera/cumin seeds and the bay leaves.
3. Then add the chopped onions and fry till it changes colour.
4. Add the ginger+garlic paste and the chole masala and fry till the oil leaves the sides.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir till the tomatoes are cooked.
6. Add the vatana, water,salt and let it cook for one boil.
7. Check for taste(you can add the chili powder,amchur and chaat masala if needed).

To serve the ragda patties:

1. Place two patties on a quarter plate/bowl.
2. Pour the ragda (curry)over the patties.
3. Garnish with freshly chopped onions and cilantro.
4. Add a dollop of tamarind+date chutney on top (you can also add some 'sev' on top) and serve.

Enjoy Ragda Patties  in any season!

Dahi-batata Chaat Towers(Yogurt and potato Chaat)

Dahi-batata chaat towers

A 'chaat' is a kind of street food that probably combines all the tastes(sweet, spicy, tangy, salty) and all the textures(crunchy, gooey, soft, crispy) that food can be made into. In India,there are different types of chaats-the most popular being bhel puri, pani puri, sev puri and so on and so forth(oh my-just writing about them is making my mouth water). What started as a street food is now also on the menu of most big restaurants,because let's face it-it's something which all Indians love!!!
Besides bhel-puri,my all time favourite chaat is anything which has 'dahi'/yogurt. I love the taste of yogurt when it's mixed with a spicy cilantro chutney and the sweet-n-spicy tamarind and date chutney. I found some Quaker puffed rice cakes (which claims to have 5gms of fiber/cake and is made of whole grain brown rice)at the grocery store and instantly visions of 'chaat' flashed across my mind. I used the rice cakes as a base and built the chaat tower on it. Here's what went onto the rice cakes:
Ingredients:(Serves 2)

• Rice cakes: 4
• Spicy cilantro chutney/Green apple chutney: 4 tbsps
• Boiled potatoes: 2 (coarsely crumbled)
• Onions: 2-3 tbsp finely chopped
• Tomatoes: 3 tbsp finely chopped
  
• Cilantro/coriander leaves: 3 tbsp finely chopped
• Green chillies:1-2 finely chopped(optional)
• Plain yogurt: 3-4 tbsp
  
• Tamarind-date chutney: 3 tbsp
• Sev: 4tsp
• Chaat masala: 2tsp
  

Method:

1. Spread some spicy cilantro chutney/green apple chutney on the rice cake.
2. Layer it with a mixture of boiled potatoes,chopped onions,cilantro,tomatoes and green chillies(optional).
3. Slowly drizzle some yogurt and some tamarind-date chutney over it.
4. Finally sprinkle a teaspoon of sev and some chaat masala over it and your chaat is ready!!

You can even add some sprouts or some tangy fruits to add in some more flavors and textures.
Eating the towers can be a little messy,but it's worth a try!!






Question: What is your favorite street food?

Mixed dal dosa/ Adai (Mixed lentils and rice crêpe)

Mixed dal Dosa/ Adai

What does one call a 'dosa' in English-is it a crêpe or a pancake? Oh but wait a minute-'crêpe ' is actually French in origin,so does that make the English translation of the 'dosa' a 'pancake'? Can't I just call it a 'Dosa', or hasn't Indian cuisine (or to be more precise-South Indian cuisine) gained enough popularity for foodies world over to know what a 'dosa' is? Well,as Shakespeare would have put it: "What is in a name, that which we call a 'dosa', by any other name would taste as great" ;-)!!
I was craving for some crispy dosas as I hadn't made them in a long time. But,with the weather no longer conducive for fermenting the batter, I had to think of something which didn't need fermenting. That's when my mom suggested the mixed dal dosa-or "Adai" as it's called in Tamil Nadu. Mom suggested soaking equal quantities of all the dals/split lentils that I had at home along with equal amounts of rice. There are so many different recipes for this mixed dal dosa/ Adai,but here's how I made it(with whatever ingredients were available at home last night):

Ingredients for Mixed Dal Dosa/Adai: (Serves 4)

• Raw rice: 1/2 cup
• Channa dal: 1/2 cup
• Urad dal(split black matpe beans): 1/2 cup
• Mung dal: 1/2 cup
• Masoor dal(pink lentil): 1/2 cup
• Tur dal (split pigeon peas)
• Cooked rice OR beaten rice(poha): 1/2 cup
• Ginger: 1" piece
• Dry red chillies: 4-5 (or to taste)
• Salt: to taste
• Water: 1 cup

Method:

1. Soak all the dals and the raw rice for at least 4-6 hours.
2. Grind all the ingredients together with a cup of water till you get a fine paste ( pancake batter consistency). If using beaten rice/poha-soak it for 15 minutes before grinding.
3. Pour a ladle of the batter on a hot 'tawa' or non-stick pan,and spread into a thin dosa.
4. Cover for a minute,then carefully flip it over to cook the other side.
5. Serve the mixed dal dosa/ Adai piping hot with chutney and/or sambar.

Mixed Dal Dosa or Adai

Question: What is the difference between a 'pancake' and a 'crêpe ' and what is the more befitting translation for the 'dosa' ?

Misal Pav ( Moth bean curry with traditional Indian bread)

Misal Pav

"Misal" is a traditional Maharastrian (from the state of Maharashtra) dish and actually means "mixture". It's made of sprouted Moth beans called 'matki' in Marathi. It's one of my husbands favourite Marathi dishes and though I grew up in the state of Maharashtra, I ate it for the first time when I visited hubby's hometown in Belgaum, Karnataka (which is situated very close to Maharastra).Till then I had only eaten it's counterpart and the more famous dish called "Pav Bhaji". Pav in Marathi means bread and seems to have originated from the Portuguese term for bread-"pao".
Today happens to be hubby's birthday and like always,I wanted to cook up something special. I was looking for ideas and had even asked a couple of friends for something new to make. The usual suggestions of "biryani,paneer butter masala, kofta" was politely turned down (cause I've been making similar stuff for the past b'day's) and then my friend Shilpa came up with this brilliant idea of making 'Misal Pav',and I thought "why not-it's his favorite,and I've never made it before"!!
This was sometime last week,so I spent a good amount of time surfing a couple of blogs for the right recipe as I've eaten it only once before and that too in a restaurant,four years ago. I finally zeroed it down to two recipes,that I felt must be the authentic way of making it.
The soaking and sprouting of the beans takes two days, so I had to do some 'back-calculation' as I like to call it,which went like this: Birthday-Wednesday,so soak beans on Monday night, Tuesday rinse beans and tie in muslin cloth and keep it in some place warm,and hope that it has sprouted on D-day!!
Since I haven't made any changes to the original recipes I saw in the two blogs,I'm just going to give a link to them. So,you can check out the recipes here(this one gives the recipes to make the masala as well) and here.
Shilpa had given me the all important masala which her MIL had made called "Goda Masala/Kala Masala" which gives this dish it's distinct flavour, so thankfully I didn't have to make any.
The 'misal' once ready, is eaten after mixing it with freshly chopped onions, coriander/cilantro, green chillies(optional), a little "farsan/Chiwda/Bombay mix" to give it a crunchy texture and a dash of lime. I substituted 'Potato rolls' for the pav and the end result was "simply superb" to quote hubby dear!!

Tuna Cutlets (and why fish is good for your EYES)

Tuna Cutlets

Here's one more reason to increase your "oily" fish intake-the omega-3-fatty acids found in fish have shown to halt and slow down the age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in lay-man's terms: AMD basically is a medical condition which is mostly seen in older adults and results in the loss of vision in the center of the visual field.
The research and findings conducted by Dr Elaine Chong at the University of Melbourne,Australia, involved 90,000 participants and showed that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids could cut the risk of developing AMD by 38%.
Experts suggest eating oily fish like salmons,mackerel,tuna,shellfish and herring about twice a week to get the benefits of omega-3!
Sources:

• BBC News: Oily Fish Can Halt Eye Disease
• Telegraph: Diet rich in oilyfish can cut risk of developing eye disease.
  

Now a simple and tasty way of including fish into your diet: fish cakes or "cutlets" as they are called in India. This is my mom's method of making cutlets(thank you Angie of Angie's Recipes for reminding me of it).
Mom would first steam mackerel,then take out the bones and mix it with mashed potatoes and coat them in rava/ semolina instead of using bread crumbs. Rava absorbs much less oil and tastes equally nice. I used canned tuna,but it tastes great with just about any fish you fancy.
Ingredients:

• Tuna: 1 can (5 oz)
• Potatoes: 1 medium size (boiled)
• Onions: 1/2 (finely chopped)
• Cilantro: 2-3 tablespoons (finely chopped)
• Giner+garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
• Green chillies: 1-2 (finely chopped)
• Rava/Semolina: to coat the cutlets
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: for shallow frying
  

Method:

1. In a bowl coarsely mash the potatoes.
2. Drain the water from the tuna and add the tuna,chopped onions,cilantro,chillies,ginger +garlic paste and salt to the mashed potatoes and mix well.
3. Shape into cutlets and shallow fry till the cutlets turn golden brown.
4. Serve hot with chutney or tomato sauce.

Question: How much of fish do you manage to include in your diet per week?

Tangy Masala Bread

Masala Bread with Yogurt Dip

"Masala bread" or "Bread Uppma" is a great dish to have for breakfast or as a brunch on a lazy Sunday morning or even as a snack with a nice cup of "chai" in the evening.
Ingredients:(Serves 2)

• Whole wheat bread: 4-5 slices (cut into small squares)
• Onion: 1/2 medium (chopped fine)
• Tomatoes: 1/2 medium (chopped fine)
• Ginger+garlic paste:1/2 teaspoon(optional)
• Garam masala:1/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric:1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander/Cilantro leaves: 1 tablespoon(finely chopped)
• Oil: 1teaspoon
• Salt: to taste
  
• For tempering (Optional)
  
• Mustard seeds:1/4teaspoon
• Zeera/Cumin seeds: 1/4 teaspoon

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the ingredients for tempering(optional-or skip this step and add the onions to the oil).
2. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the onion,ginger+garlic paste,turmeric,garam masala and salt.
3. Saute till the onions turn a golden brown.Add the chopped tomatoes, and saute till they are thoroughly cooked.
4. Add the chopped bread and mix gently till the masala coats the bread.
5. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve either as such or with a yogurt dip.

Note:

• The tempering is optional-so don't fret if you don't have the ingredients(we always have these in the masala box and I tend to use it since I like the extra Indian flavour it tends to impart)
• I added a cup of mushrooms too to this dish(I love mushrooms so I try and add it where ever possible).
  

Question: What is your favorite Sunday morning breakfast/brunch?

Chickpea Salad

Yesterday, Gina in her blog 'The Candid R.D', had a great post called "Snack Attack" ,where she lists out the good snacks (and the not so good ones).She had also asked if we had a favorite snack, to which I mentioned that chickpea salad was one of my fave. That,actually reminded me that I had not made it in a very long time-so,thanks to Gina,today's snack just had to be "Chickpea Salad". This can be eaten as a side salad or as a snack by itself. There's one more version which my mom used to make for breakfast(since it didn't have fresh onions),so this post has two recipes (but only one pic)with chickpeas.

Chickpea salad

Chickpea salad: (Serves 2)
Ingredients:

• Cooked chickpeas: 2 cups
• Onions:1/2 medium (finely chopped)
• Green chillies: 1/2 or 1 (slit or finely chopped)
• Cilantro: 2 tablespoons (finely chopped)
• Tomatoes: 1 small (finely diced)
• Lime juice: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Toss all the ingredients together and serve with baked tortilla chips(optional).

Chickpea (breakfast version): Serves 2
Ingredients:

• Chickpeas: 2 cups(cooked)
• Green chillies: 1/2 or 1 (slit or chopped))
• Freshly grated coconut: 1-2 teaspoon (optional)
• Coriander leaves: 2 tablespoon(finely chopped)
• Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
• Urad dal (black matpe bean dehusked and split): 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves: 2-3 nos.
• Zeera/Cumin seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
• Oil: 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan,add the mustard,cumin and urad dal. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves and then the green chillies.
2. Add the cooked chickpeas,salt and mix well.
3. Serve hot,garnished with coconut gratings(optional) and chopped cilantro.

I'm going to ask you the same question that Gina asked(maybe it'll remind you of your long forgotten snack)
Question: What is your favorite snack item?

Moong Dosa or Pesarattu(Savoury Mung Crepes) with Green Peas chutney

Moong Dosa (Pesarattu) with Green Peas Chutney

A 'green' breakfast in tune with all the colours of springtime!! This dish is packed with protein and makes a healthy start to your day.
This is an easy version of the pesarattu(as there is no fermenting required).My mom learnt to make this moong dosa from one of our neighbours and as a kid I was not too fond of this 'green' dosa,but of course now it's a totally different story. There are so many things that we hate as kids,but as grown ups we have a totally different take on it.
The peas chutney recipe is from my mother-in-law.I had never heard of(forget tasting) 'peas chutney' until she had made it for breakfast one day. I had to call her up to get this recipe and she was just so thrilled about it.
Moong dosa/Pesarattu (Mung Bean Crepes):
Ingredients:

• Whole Mung: 1 cup (soak in water overnight)
• Green chillies: 1 or 2 nos.
• Ginger:1/2" piece
• Zeera/Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Grind the soaked mung,green chilly, ginger and salt to a fine paste of pancake/dosa consistency(add about a cup of water while grinding)
2. Add the cumin seeds and mix well.
3. Heat a non-stick pan,when it's hot, pour a ladleful of the dosa batter and spread.
4. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.
5. Remove the cover, check if the dosa has cooked.Then,flip the dosa and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Remove and serve hot with chutney.

Note:It's usually served with freshly chopped onions sprinkled on top as a garnish(I made this for breakfast and since hubby won't dream of eating raw onions and heading to work,I had to omit it).
Green peas chutney:
Ingredients:

• Fresh/frozen green peas: 1 cup
• Green chillies/Serrano: 1/2 or 1 no.
• Salt: to taste
• Mustard seeds:1/2 teaspoon
• Zeera/Cumin seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
• Sesame seeds:1/2 teaspoon
• Lime juice:1 teaspoon
• Oil:1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Grind the peas(thaw first if frozen), green chillies and salt to a fine paste. Keep aside in a bowl.
2. Heat the oil in a pan,add the mustard,cumin and sesame seeds.When the mustard starts to sputter,remove from flame.
3. Pour this tempering on the chutney and mix,then add the lime juice and mix well.
4. Serve with dosa's or use as a spread with sandwiches or wraps.

Question: Is there anything that YOU hated as a kid,but don't seem to hate it anymore?

Quinoa Upma

Quinoa

I had heard so much about "Quinoa" a high protein 'pseudo cereal' (foods that are cooked and eaten like grains and have a similar nutrient profile). It is rich in complete protein, fibre, the B vitamins and healthy monounsaturated fats. It is believed that substituting quinoa for grains like polished rice and wheat could improve the blood glucose levels in diabetics and the cholesterol levels . Also, since it has a high fibre content it is a good choice for those looking to lose weight.
After researching a bit with the different recipes ,I realized that I could try it out in my regular 'mixed veg upma' recipe. Here's how to make quinoa upma:

Ingredients:

• Quinoa: 1 cup
• Mixed vegetables: 2 cups(green beans, peas,corn,carrots)
• Onion-1/2 medium(finely chopped)
• Green chillies-1 or 2(finely chopped)
• Tomatoes: 1(chopped fine)
• Mustard seeds-1/2 teaspoon
• Urad dal(black matpe bean dehusked and split)-1 teaspoon
• Sambar powder-1 teaspoon(optional)
• Water: 2 cups
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Wash the quinoa 2-3 times,drain and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan,add the mustard seeds and the urad dal. When the mustard seeds start to sputter,add the sliced onions, salt and saute till the onions turn translucent.
3. Add the mixed vegetables,green chillies and stir for 5-6 minutes. Then,add the tomatoes and sambar powder(optional) and stir till the tomatoes are completely cooked.
4. Add the quinoa and mix well.Stir for about a minute or two,then add two cups of water,cover and cook on medium heat for about 15-20 mins.
5. Serve hot (as such or with some chutney)

How to make Spicy Quinoa Upma

Sweet Mango Dosa

Mango Dosa

It's mango season,and I just had to try something different.I tweaked this traditional Manglorean(a small seaside town in South India that my side of the family is originally from)Sweet Dosa recipe and added mangoes instead of cucumbers.As a kid,I grew up watching my mom and gran starting the next day's breakfast preparations a day in advance.We always woke up smelling the wonderful aromas wafting from the kitchen. This recipe too is no exception,I had to soak the rice once we were done with breakfast,grind it in the evening and let it ferment overnight,and voila the batter for the next day's breakfast was ready.
Traditionally it's made with either Southekai(Kannada for cucumber) or with watermelon. Otherwise it has all the original ingredients like:Beaten/Flattened Rice: 'Poha' is rice that is dehusked and then flattened into light flakes. Traditionally flattened with iron rods,it used to contain more iron than regular rice.
Jaggery: or 'gur',is a traditional non-refined sugar(made from either cane sugar or from date palm) which is rich in non-heme iron and other mineral salts.
Fenugreek seeds: 'Methi' seeds as it's commonly known in India, is a known galactagogue and recent studies have shown that it has cholesterol and serum glucose lowering properties as well.
Ingredients:

• Rice: 1 cup
• Flattened rice/Poha: 1/2 cup
• Jaggery(scraped): 3/4th cup (or sugar-1/2 cup)
• Yogurt(preferably homemade)-1/2 cup
• Fenugreek/Methi seeds-1/2 teaspoon
• Ripe Mango:1 big or 2 small
• Salt:1/2 teaspoon

Method:

1. Wash the rice and the fenugreek seeds,then soak it in water for at least 6-7 hours.
2. Wash and drain the flattened rice and let it stand for about 10-15 mins.
3. Grind all ingredients(except the mango) till you get a fine batter.Let it ferment for at least 8-9 hours or overnight(works well in warm weather). The batter will double in volume.
4. Make a puree of the mango pulp(when sugar is added to this pulp,it's called 'aamras').If using cucumber instead of mangoes,then grate half (a big) cucumber and mix with the batter.
5. Mix this puree with the batter and pour a ladle of the batter onto a hot non-stick pan and spread.
6. Cover with a lid and cook on medium flame for two or three minutes. Then cook uncovered till the dosa is done.
7. Serve hot(you can serve it with cut mangoes or even with some 'aamras').

Note:

1. If the weather is not warm enough(as was the case when I made it),the batter will not ferment and the dosa will not get tiny little holes on it( the dosa will be flat as seen in the snap).
2. The jaggery tends to add a brownish colour to the dosa(if you add sugar,the dosa will turn out a lovely yellow colour) but the dosas are more nutritious when made with jaggery.
3. Traditionally the dosa is eaten hot with a little ghee spread on top. Since the dosas are sweet, you can eat it as it is.
4. I used the Scarlet Sweet mango for this recipe,you could use any of the sweet mangoes available.

Besan Dosa (Chickpea flour crepes)

When I was growing up in Bombay,Besan dosa was a very popular dish in most Udupi restaurants and was even sometimes called "Vegetarian Omelet". Besan dosa was also sold as a filling inside sandwiches which were named "Veggie omelet sandwich"! Funnily enough,I hated them at that time and preferred my regular 'egg omelet' to the veggie omelet. I made Besan Dosa for the first time sometime after Diwali as I had a pack of leftover 'besan' that my mom who was visiting,had used to make sinful 'besan laadus'. I used it for making kadhi a couple of times and was wondering what else I could do with it (pakodas are a strict no-no).That was when my mom mentioned that I could make Besan dosas but also reminded me that I never much cared for them when I was a kid. Finally,one day I tried it out and to my amazement, loved it(thankfully it was appreciated by hubby and little brat) and so now it's a regular feature at home. Make sure you use a good non-stick pan when you make this-that way,you won't need to use a lot of oil.Besan Dosa

Besan Dosa (Chickpea pancake):Serves 4
Ingredients:

• Besan/Gramflour/Chickpea flour: 2 cups
• Rice flour:1/4th cup
• Rava/Semolina/Cream of wheat: 1/4th cup
• Whole wheat flour: 1/4th cup
• Curd (plain Yogurt)-3 tbsp
• Onion:1/2 small(finely chopped)
• Tomatoes:1 small(finely chopped)
• Green chillies:1-2(finely chopped)
• Corriander leaves/Cilantro: 2 tablespoon,finely chopped
• Hing/asafoetida: a pinch
• Turmeric powder: 1/4th teaspoon
• Jeera/Cummin seeds:1/2 tsp
• Salt:to taste
• Oil:1 tsp, to grease the pan

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients.
2. Add enough water to make a batter of dosa/pancake consistency.
3. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan on medium flame.
4. Pour a ladle of the batter and spread like a dosa. Cover for a 3-4 minutes.
5. Then,flip the dosa over to the other side and cook for another 1-2 minutes.Make sure not to burn them.
6. Serve the besan dosa hot with mint,ketchup or a spicy chutney.

Nucchina Unde(Steamed Lentil Ball)

This recipe is being shared by Suma Bhat from Corvallis,Oregon,who got it from her mom-in law.
It can be served as a snack or even a breakfast item. It's a combination of two lentils and the steaming certainly qualifies this as a "healthy" snack.You could opt to add a mix of different vegetables to make it more filling and of course more nutritious. Thanks Suma for sharing this recipe.
Nucchina Unde(Steamed lentil ball): Serves 3
Ingredients:
• Toor dal/split yellow lentils: 1 cup
• Channa dal/split Bengal gram: 1/4 cup
• Corriander/Cilantro leaves: ¼ bunch(finely chopped)
• Curry leaves: 10nos. (finely chopped)
• Green chillies: 5 to 6,chopped.
• Grated fresh Coconut: 1 tsp
• Grated Ginger: ½ inch
• Salt: to taste
• Hing /Asafoetida:a pinch
• Oil: 1 tsp (for greasing)

Method:
1. Soak both the dals in water for 4 hrs. Later drain the water and grind the drained dals without adding any water (make sure the mixture is coarse, not very smooth).
2. Mix all other ingredients to this mixture.
3. Now grease steel vessel or Idli plates lightly with oil, make oval shaped balls and steam cook in a pressure cooker for 15 – 20 minutes until they are done.
4. Serve hot with mint chutney.
Note:
To make it more nutritious,you can add cut and steamed mixed vegetables like french beans, peas, grated carrot,finely chopped onions and mix it with the coarse lentil mixture before steaming.

Khara Chakoli (Spicy Wheat Squares)

Yipee,we're on a roll!!My second "Healthy Snack Recipe" contribution is from Suvarna Patil, currently residing at Corvallis,Oregon. It's a traditional North Karnataka snack made from whole wheat flour. It also has a little tur dal(good protein+carb combo) and requires very little oil. Tastes yummy when eaten hot!!
Khara Chakoli(Spicy Wheat Squares):Serves two
Ingredients:

• Whole wheat flour: 2 cups
• Tur dal: 1/2 cup
• Green chillies:1 (or 2 if you want it really spicy)
• Garlic: 3-4
  
• Corainder leaves:1 tablespoon(finely chopped)
• Turmeric powder: 1/4 teaspoon
• Jeera:1/4 teaspoon
• Oil:1/2 teaspoon
• Salt:to taste

Method:

1. Boil tur dal in about 4 cups of water until it's cooked but not mashy.
2. In the meanwhile,make a dough with the flour and roll into a regular chapathi/tortilla.
3. Cut into squares and keep aside(be careful not to pile it one on top of the other,or else it'll stick to one another)
4. Make a paste of the green chillies and garlic.
   
5. Once the dal is cooked,add the squares and cook until the water starts to thicken.
6. Then add the paste of garlic+ green chillies,oil, salt, turmeric powder and coriander leaves.
7. Cook on reduced flame for about 15 minutes(add little water if needed).
   
8. Serve when it is still warm.
   

Healthy (and Tasty) Snack-Quick Mini Pizza

Hurray, a contribution to my Healthy recipe bank! Thanks to Tina Khanna from Delhi,who also happens to be a nutritionist,my former colleague and a friend. She swears that this recipe is a hot favourite with her husband and daughter.What I liked about the recipe, is the fact that it's a wholesome combination of whole grain(whole wheat bread),proteins(low fat paneer/tofu)and also a good source of fiber(veggies). So here's the recipe:
Quick and Healthy Mini Pizzas(Serves 2):
Ingredients:

• Whole wheat bread: 4 nos.(you could cut it with a bowl/biscuit cutter for a round shape)
  
• Low fat paneer(home made from skimmed milk) or Tofu: 100 gms
• Mixed Vegetables(Capsicum+onions+mushrooms+tomatoes): about 150 gms, finely chopped
• Oil:1 tsp
• Salt: to taste
  

Method:

1. Lightly toast the bread.
2. To a non-stick pan,pour one teaspoon oil and saute the mixed vegetables and paneer/tofu.
3. Add salt.
   
4. Spread this on the toast and grill in an oven or warm it in a closed pan.
5. Serve hot.

So,who says pizzas are bad for you-try this healthy version instead!! Any takers?

Healthy (and Tasty) Snack-Corn Bhel

The Sukha Bhel recipe reminded me of another one of my favourite snack item which has ingredients similar to that of Sukha Bhel.You just have to substitute the puffed rice with boiled corn kernals. Here's the recipe:
Corn Bhel(Tossed corn salad):
Ingredients:

• Boiled corn kernals-2 cups
• Tomato-1 chopped
• Onion-1 small (finely chopped)
• Carrot-1/2 (Grated)
• Cucumber-1/2(finely chopped)
• Corriander(cilantro) leaves-a handful,finely chopped
• Green Chilly-1 finely chopped or 1tsp red chilly powder
• Chaat masala-1/2 teaspoon
• Raw mango(optional)-1/2(finely chopped)
• Lemon juice-1 tablespoon
  
• Salt-to taste

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients into a big bowl.
2. Toss well and serve immediately.

Healthy (and Tasty) Snack-Sukha Bhel

It's 5pm and i feel like having something 'chatpata'.Hmmm,so what is quick,tasty and chatpata-Sukha bhel!!
If you are wondering why I've added "and tasty" in the title,it's because my husband Vinayak strongly feels that if I just put it as 'Healthy Snack' nobody will want to try it as everyone assumes that anything healthy is not tasty. Not true. You don't have to pour oodles of ghee/oil/butter to make something tasty. Try out this simple and easy snack,and you'll know!!
Sukha Bhel-Tossed puffed rice salad (Serves 2)
Ingredients:

• Puffed rice-2 cups
• Tomato-1 chopped
• Onion-1 small (finely chopped)
• Carrot-1/2 (Grated)
• Cucumber-1/2(finely chopped)
• Corriander(cilantro) leaves-a handful,finely chopped
• Green Chilly-1 finely chopped or 1tsp red chilly powder
• Chaat masala-1/2 teaspoon
• Raw mango(optional)-1/2(finely chopped)
  
• Salt-to taste

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients into a big bowl.
2. Toss well and serve immediately.