Monday, June 21, 2010

MOONG DAL AND BARLEY PESARATTU

My MIL brought a bag of barley from India this time. So I started using it in many different forms. Usually I substitute it for rice or else use in soups. This time I want to try it for PESARATTU. Here too substitute barley instead of rice, which I thought to reduce carbo contents and make it a bit healthy.

INGREDIENTS:

Moong Dal - 2 cups
Barley - 1 cup
Green Chilles - 2
Peppercorns - 1 tsp (optional)
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Cilantro & Mint Leaves - 3 tbsp
Salt

METHOD:

1. Soak dal and barley separately for 5 hrs (best over night)

2. Grind the soaked dal and barley along with green chillies, ginger and salt as a bit coarse batter as like of adai batter

3. Add chopped cilantro and mint leaves and crushed peppercorns to this batter

4. Heat a dosa pan and start making pesarattu.

5. Serve hot with coconut chutney

Note:

- Can also use sprouted moong dal

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Healthy Spinach and Flax seed Dosa

Now a days I started using some healthy ingredients in usual cooking. When our doctor recommended us to take the flax seed oil, at first I dont have any clue about it. But after knowing the benefits about these seeds, I got the powder and started taking it in my daily basics in some way or other. And one of such thing is this dosa. It really yummy as a usual dosa but with some healthy stuffs.

Benefits of Flax Seed:

Its high content of alpha linolenic acids has made the ancient flax seed become our modern miracle food. Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) is a type of plant-derived omega 3 fatty acid, similar to those found in fish such as salmon. Benefits of flax seed as shown in many studies include lowering total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol) levels. Other benefits show that flax seed may also help lower blood triglyceride and blood pressure. It may also keep platelets from becoming sticky therefore reducing the risk of a heart attack.

Ingredients:

Dosa Batter - 1 1/2 cup
Spinach - 1 cup (chopped)
Onion - 1/2 Medium
Flax Seed - 1 tbsp
Oil - to spray
Salt - If required

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients method above except oil

2. Heat the dosa pan, Pour a ladle full of batter and and spread in a circular motion. Drizzle oil all over the surface.

3. Flip if its done in one side and wait for a min once its done on the next side fold it and serve hot with a chutney

Note:-

- This dosa goes well with either Kara Chutney / Coconut Chutney

EGG PUFF

For a long time I was thinking of making egg puffs, which usually reminds me my happy days ( i mean my college days). Most of the treats were end up with a puff and we loved that too. Hot, spicy puff with a tea and chit chat with friends in canteen... those are really a golden days.

When we purchased the pastry sheets, as usual he started kidding on me... and I was worried will it turns a disaster. But in surprise it came out well and we enjoyed it.

INGREDIENTS:

Eggs - 3 boil, 1 whisk
Pastry Sheet - 1
Onion - 1 mediam
Garlic - 3 cloves
Gram Masala - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Vegetables (peas, carrot) - optional
Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Thaw the pastry sheets in room temperature for 30-40 mins

2. Preheat the oven for 375F

3. Cut the onion in length wise, crash the garlic and cubed the carrots

4. Boil the eggs, remove the shells and cut into halve

5. Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and onions, fry till translucent then add the turmeric and gram masala and veggies (if desire) saute till raw smell goes

6. Meanwhile cut the thawed sheets into 6 squares

7. Place a spoonful of masala and halve egg in each square and fold it. Seal the edges with little water or use a fork to seal it.

8. Beat a egg and just brush the top of the puffs with it.

8. Bake for about 20-30 mins according to the oven temperature. Serve hot with ketchup and enjoy the puff

Note:

- For egg wash you can use either a brush. If you don't have it, just take a paper towel dip in the egg and apply in the puff just as a brush

- instead egg can make potato masala for veggie lovers. Even can use ur left over veggies