Palak parota

Palak parota is mildly spiced flat bread made with whole wheat flour and spinach. Spinach or palak as it is called in Hindi is rich in fibre, iron, besides vitamin A and C. Diabetics can have this flat bread for breakfast or dinner.

Ingredients:

Chopped spinach leaves -1cup

Whole wheat flour - 3cups

Chopped green chillies -2tsps

Garam masala -1tsp (optional)

Salt and oil -As required

                                           Spinach leaf

Method:

Add little salt to spinach and stir fry till it changes colour. Add the chopped green chillies and garam masala. Set it aside to cool. Then mix the wheat flour and prepare soft dough out of it.  Rest it for few minutes not more. Divide the dough into equal balls. Roll out the balls into round flat breads. Heat a griddle and cook the flat bread on both sides using little oil. Serve hot with tomato sauce or curd. 

Note: Use only spinach leaves and not the stem.

Onion uttappa

 

Onion uttappa is a soft pancake topped with finely chopped shallots, green chillies and coriander leaves and toasted on both sides with a dash of clarified butter. Kids would love it for its aroma and soft texture.  This pancake can be made with dosa or idli batter. However, using idli batter gives a softer texture. 

Ingredients:

Idli batter -2cups
Chopped shallots -1/2cup
Chopped green chillies -2tsps
Chopped coriander leaves -1tsp
Clarified butter - 4tsps

Method:
Heat a griddle moderately. Grease it and pour one ladleful of batter over it. Place the chopped items in the centre. Press lightly with the ladle so that it spreads out to form a round shape. Drizzle little clarified butter and cook on both sides. It tastes well with red chutney or dosa podi.
 

Tutti frutti cookies

This is an egg less cookie made with all-purpose flour, custard powder and tutti fruti.

 

                                                Tutti frutti
Tutti frutti is candied raw papaya, which is available in all grocery and department stores. It is used in the preparation of biscuits, bread, fruit salads, custards, ice cream besides dry fruit rice. It is an ideal ingredient for food decoration and colourful food presentation.

Ingredients:
Tutti frutti -1/2 cup
All purpose flour -2 1/2cups
Custard powder -1/2cup
Baking powder - 1pinch
Butter -100gm
Powdered sugar -100gm
Pineapple essence -1/2tsp
Milk/water - 2tsps

Method:
Combine the all-purpose flour, custard powder and baking powder. Sieve twice and keep it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar and butter nicely. It should look like a paste. Add milk to this sugar mixture and stir well. Then slowly add the dry ingredients and the tutti frutti pieces. Add the pineapple essence. Mix well and make soft dough out of it. Flatten it with a rolling pin and cut into square pieces. Bake in a preheated oven at 150 c for 15 minutes. 

Onion rava dosa

This dosa is crispy, perforated and never round like other dosas.  I call it instant dosa as it does not require fermentation. When dosa is made from a batter using rice flour, all purpose flour, and semolina, it is called plain rava dosa. To make onion rava dosa add chopped onion to this batter. To make dried fruits dosa add chopped nuts and dried fruits of your choice. If plain rave dosa is wrapped with fillings of spiced potato, it becomes rava masala dosa.  If it is wrapped with cauliflower Manchuria, it becomes Chinese dosa. 
 

                                      other side of the dosa
Ingredients:
Semolina/rava – ½ cup
Rice flour – 1 cup
All purpose flour/maida – 3cups
Finely chopped onions – ½ cup
Chopped green chillies and coriander leaves -2tsps
Salt and oil – as required
 
Method:
Mix all the flours and salt. Add three cup of water and make a smooth paste. Add more water to make it to pouring consistency. Finely add the chopped vegetables.  Heat a griddle on high flame. 

Grease it and pour ladles of the batter over it. Do not spread it. Cook on both sides. Serve with red chutney, dosa podi and sambhar.

Peanut sesame balls

                                             
This sweet dish made of just three ingredients is not only an offering to the gods but also an ideal food on fasting days. Roasted sesame and peanuts along are brown sugar can pack a lot of energy. In fact, a handful of sesame seeds contain more calcium than a glass of milk. Besides, its high zinc content helps to boosts bone mineral density. Peanuts are also rich in minerals with high concentrations of anti-oxidants. 

Ingredients:

Roasted and husked peanuts - 200gms
Roasted white sesame seeds -50gms  
Powdered brown sugar - 1cup


 
           Roasted white sesame seeds


Method:
Combine everything and grind it coarsely in a blender. Make equal size balls out of it. Store it in an air tight jar.

Note: Roasted and husked almonds can also  be added to this sweet to give that extra crunch.

Banana cheese tango

This is a simple and tasty sweet that can be made with just three ingredients. Kerala banana is one fruit lends itself to various innovations.  Hence, I have tried to bake it with a dash of cheese.  

Ingredients:

Kerala banana – 2

Brown sugar – 4tsps

Grated cheese – 2tsps

Butter for greasing

Method:

Grease an oven proof dish with butter. Slice the bananas and arrange them at bottom of the oven proof dish.

Put the brown sugar over it.  Sprinkle ¼ cup of water.

 Top it with grated cheese. 

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 150°C for 15 minutes.

 Note: Choose ripe but firm Kerala bananas.

 

Chilli pepper balls

Fried dumplings made of chilli peppers are a popular street snack in South India.  It is known as milaga bajji in Tamil and is sold widely on Marina beach and Elliots beach of Chennai. Milaga bajji is prepared by frying chilli peppers that are dipped in chickpea batter. I have given a twist to this recipe by giving it a ball shape.

                                          Chilli peppers
Ingredients:
Chilli peppers/bajji milaga - 4to5
Chick pea flour - 1 cup
Rice flour - 4tsps
Chilli powder - 2tsps
Baking soda - 1pinch
Salt and oil - as required
     
Method:
Mix the flours and chilli powder.
Cut the chilli peppers into 1/2 inch rounds. Rub some salt to it and set it aside for few seconds. Then, sprinkle the flour mixture over it.  Add little water and mix till the peppers are coated well. Make round balls out of it and deep fry them in hot oil. When they turn crispy remove on an absorbent paper. Serve it with tomato ketchup.