Savory and Sweet Nombu Adai is an offering or naivedyam made for the festival of Nombu.
This is a very simple preparation which requires very few ingredients. These Adais are steamed Rice Dumplings (they look more like flattened Doughnuts) perfect for snacking anytime since they are very low in calorie. Each savory Adai has only 64 calories and each sweet Adai has only 81 calories. Apart from this, they are perfect as a vegan, gluten free and oil free snack too (you need just a little oil which is also optional).
These healthy homemade Oreo Cookies are delicious and addicting. They are as delicious (or probably more since anything homemade is tastier) as the store bought versions but without those high fructose corn syrup and trans fat. And above all they are vegan and gluten free and require no cooking or baking.
Pide (pronounced pee dae) is a Turkish staple which has a base of flat bread usually with a meat topping. Here is a Vegetarian recipe for Pide which will make you fall in love with this delicious Turkish Flatbread.
Pide generally has a long Boat-like shape with folded edges. Pide and its various varieties are wide spread through Turkey. In every city in Turkey, you can find Turkish Flat Bread shops that solely make and sell Pide. Pide is addictively good anytime of the day-for breakfast, lunch or Dinner.
Although it is street food, it is common to see people making it at home quite often specially for social gatherings and celebrations.
There are many variations of Pide which normally depends on the region from where it has originated.Usually, it is ‘açık’ or open, but it can also be ‘kapali’ which means closed.
Vegetarian Pide is a complete meal in itself since it combines carb and Protein in the form of meet. To convert this to a vegetarian version, I have replaced meat with boiled soya granules.
I love vegetarian pide since it is very flexible and there is no end to the type of topping that you may add. Unlike pizza where you have limited options to add as a topping, the toppings vary widely for the Pide. Even vegetarian Pide is quite common in Turkey. The toppings typically include but are not limited to onion, pepper, spinach, cheese, mushroom. I have also seen some recipes where the topping is made of cooked eggplant. Breaking an egg on top of meat and baking is also very popular which gives some added protein.
How to make the Dough
The base of Turkish Pide is a flat bread similar to pizza crust. But instead of using white flour, I have incorporated Semolina since the protein content of Semolina is higher than the white flour. Also semolina is a commonly available pantry ingredient in India.
Making dough for Vegetarian Pide is very simple. You just need to combine all ingredients and knead to form a smooth dough. Since I have used Semolina, it may take some extra time to become smooth. That’s why I prefer to use a stand mixer where you can dump everything and knead for 6-10 minutes.
I often use my bread machine to make any kind of dough. So today I used the machine to make the dough. If you are using a bread Machine, then you should add ingredients according to manufacturer’s recommendation. Typically it will be all wet ingredients first followed by dry ingredients. It is recommended to use bread machine yeast or instant yeast if making dough in a bread machine. If using active dry yeast, then activate it first by adding to lukewarm water (temp between 110-115F or 43-46C) once it blooms, then add it to the rest of the ingredients.
If you are kneading dough with your hand or using a stand mixer, then you can use active dry yeast by activating it first. Then add this along with all other ingredients and knead. Rather than adding 3 tbsp of oil in one shot, you can add in batches to help incorporate better into the dough.
You can follow the detail steps for making dough in stand mixer or by kneading with hands in my Bread recipe .
The base which I have made is similar to my Bread recipe. I have used the same ingredients. For some added protein, I incorporated whey protein powder in place of regular milk powder. But for a vegan option, you can use any vegan protein powder or even Almond Flour.
Vegetarian Pide
Pide (pronounced pee dae) is a Turkish staple which has a base of flat bread usually with a meat topping. Here is a Vegetarian recipe for Pide which will make you fall in love with this delicious Turkish Flatbread.
Pide generally has a long Boat-like shape with folded edges. Pide and its various varieties are wide spread through Turkey. In every city in Turkey, you can find Turkish Flat Bread shops that solely make and sell Pide. Pide is addictively good anytime of the day-for breakfast, lunch or Dinner.
Ingredients for the dough
1.5 cups Lukewarm Water (Temperature should be between 110-115°F or 43-46°C)
3 tbsp Olive Oil
3.5 cups Fine Semolina also known as Chiroti Rava in India. (If you don't have fine semolina, then grind regular semolina in a grinder and use.)
¼ cup Milk powder or Whey Protein powder for vegetarian option. (Use any vegan protein powder for a vegan option.)
1 tbsp Granular Brown Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Bread Machine Yeast or Instant Yeast. (You can use active dry yeast as well. If using active dry yeast, then add it to 1/4 cup of lukewarm water. Keep aside for 5 minutes to activate. then add it to the dough.)
Ingredients for the topping
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Finely chopped Garlic
1 cup Finely chopped Onions
2 cups Finely chopped Tomatoes
1 tsp Red chilli powder
1 cup Boiled Soya Granules (You can grind boiled Soya chunks and use it if you don't have granules.)
1 cup chopped Red Bell Pepper
1 cup chopped Green Bell Pepper
1 cup chopped Mushroom (Adding mushroom is optional)
1 tbsp Hot Sauce
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Soya Sauce (Soya sauce is optional. This is added to give darker color to the mixture since traditionally the mixture is made of beef which gets a darker color once cooked.)
Ingredients for Topping
2 tbsp Milk (Use any milk either regular or vegan.)
1 tsp Nigella Seeds (To sprinkle on the edges)
1 tsp Sesame Seeds (To sprinkle on the edges)
½ cup Grated Cheese. You can use any cheese of your choice like Feta, Mozzarella, Fresh Mozzarella etc. (Use Vegan cheese for the Vegan option.)
1 tbsp any herb of choice like chive, oregano (To sprinkle on top)
1 tsp Red chilli flakes (To sprinkle on top)
Make the topping
Heat a Pan and add olive oil to it.
Add chopped Garlic.
Add chopped Onions and saute for a few minutes.
Add chopped Tomatoes.
Cook for a few minutes till moisture from Tomatoes reduces.
Add Red chilli powder.
Add Boiled Soya granules.
Add Red Pepper.
Add Green Pepper.
Add Mushroom.
Add Hot Sauce.
Add Salt.
Mix and cook everything till mushrooms turn tender.
Add Soya Sauce and turn off flame.
Keep the mixture aside to cool.
Make the Dough
Add all ingredients to the Bread Machine Pan according to the instruction of your machine. In my machine, I have to add all liquid ingredients first followed by the dry ingredients.
Start the dough cycle on the machine.
Let the dough prove.
Make Pide
Divide the dough into 6 parts.
Take one part and roll into an oval shaped flat bread. It should be slightly thicker than chapati (about 1/4 cm)
Arrange on a lined baking tray.
Spread the topping on the flat bread leaving about 1/2 an inch Border.
Fold the edges, press corners to form a boat shape.
Brush edges with some milk.
Sprinkle and press Nigella seeds and Sesame seeds on the edges.
Bake in a preheated oven @400°F/200°C for about 20 minutes.
Take the Pides out and sprinkle some cheese
Bake again for about 5 minutes or till the cheese melts.
Take out and top with your desired herb and chilli flakes.
Vazhai Poo Usili is a delicious dry curry with Banana flower and crumbled Lentils from the state of Tamilnadu. Vazhai Poo means Banana flower in Tamil. Usili is a preparation which is made using steamed and crumbled Lentil paste. You can add usili to many other vegetables like French Beans, Cluster Beans, Cabbage etc. For this recipe, Usili has been combined with Banana Flower. Let’s learn to make this signature dish of the Tambrahm community.
Happy Valentine’s Day folks. Here is an easy, Vegan and healthy Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe with a surprisingly healthy frosting.
Red velvet cake is good all year around. But because of its vibrant color it is well suited to this day of celebrating love.
These Vegan Gluten-Free Waffles or Pancakes are egg free, dairy free, gluten free, contain no white flour or white sugar or butter. Each waffle or pancake contains 164 calories with 22 grams carb and 12 gms protein.
Two popular, ancient grains -Amaranth (Rajgira or Ramdana in Hindi) and Buckwheat (Kuttu in Hindi) are the star ingredients of this recipe.
Amaranth and Buckwheat are staple ingredients in Indian homes and we use them widely on fasting days and festivals. Botanically, these two are categorised as seeds and not as cereals.
Buckwheat and Amaranth belong to a group of foods commonly called pseudocereals. Pseudocereals are seeds that are consumed as cereal grains but don’t grow on grasses. Another common pseudocereal is quinoa.
Most of us in India must have grown up eating several varieties of Rajgira or Ramdana. The most popular one being Rajgira Laddu. The fresh leaves of Amaranth are also consumed as leafy vegetable in many parts of India and in the world. In Bihar and UP, the leaves are known as “Chaulai Saag” whereas in Maharashtra, they are locally known as “Maath” or Rajgira Saag. The Tamil name for Amaranth leaves is Ara Keerai.
Buckwheat or Kuttu is another popular grain which is available throughout the year in India. This is an Energizing and nutritious seed grain and hence is popular during fasting days.
Origin of Amaranth
The origin of the word ‘Amaranth’ is from the Greek term ‘Amarantos’ which means “one that does not wither”. This superabundant seed has rightfully got this name due to its virtue to grow in harsh and lackluster nutrient conditions.
This is interesting that the Hindi name for Amaranth is Rajgira which means a Royal Grain. Raj means royal and gira means grain.
Another popular name for Amaranth is ‘Ramdana’. As the name suggests, this is God’s own grain. Ram ka dana which means a grain of Lord.
You can see its growth all throughout India from the high slopes of the Himalayas to the many coastlines of the country. This is a low-fat grain with a remarkable nutritional value. The protein content in Amaranth is more than any other grain in the market. This is probably what makes Amaranth a valuable food source for so many cultures.
Protein Content of these Waffles and Pancakes
By weight, Buckwheat contains a small amount of protein (about 3.4%) but because of its well balanced Amino Acid profile, the protein in buckwheat is of a very high quality.
Amaranth’s protein content is about 13 percent, or 26 grams per cup, which is much higher than for most other grains. To compare, a cup of long-grain white rice has just 13 grams of protein.
These Vegan,Gluten-Free Waffles or Pancakes also use some added Protein. I have used the Whey Protein Isolate for this recipe. You can use any other protein powder as per your choice. You can even skip the protein powder but it will bring down the protein content that has been mentioned under Nutrition info. With added protein, each portion yields a whooping 12 grams of protein.
Please also check some other Breakfast recipes of mine here and leave me a comment and share your feedback.
Vegan Gluten-Free Waffles or Pancakes, with added Protein
Whip up a batch of these Vegan, Gluten -Free Waffles or Pancakes for a healthy and wholesome breakfast. Two popular, ancient grains -Amaranth (Rajgira or Ramdana in Hindi) and Buckwheat (Kuttu in Hindi) are the star ingredients of this recipe.
3 tbsp Sweet Basil Seeds or Chia Seeds. (Sweet Basil Seeds have other names like Tumeria, Sabja Seeds, Falooda Seeds. Use either Sweet Basil or Chia whichever is locally available to you.)
2 ½ cup Any Vegan Milk. I used Almond milk here. (The quantity of milk will vary depending on whether you use Basil seeds or chia seeds. If using Basil seeds, you need more liquid content in the batter as Basil seeds have a tendency to absorb more liquid. If using chia seeds, you will need only 2 cups of milk in total.)
3 tbsp Oil. Preferably use any unflavored oil.
½ cup Jaggery or unrefined cane sugar. (You can also use Maple syrup (for vegan option) or Honey.)
1 cup Buckwheat Flour (You can use store bought flour or grind Buckwheat groats in a high speed blender and use.)
1 cup Amaranth Flour (You can use store bought flour or grind Amaranth seeds in a high speed blender and use.)
1 cup Protein Powder. (Use any Vegan protein powder for Vegan Option. For a non vegan option, you can use Whey Protein Powder.)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Take 1/2 cup milk in a bowl.
Add Chia seeds or Basil seeds to it.
Let it soak for 1/2 an hour.
The seeds will swell once soaked.
Add soaked seeds to a jar of a blender.
Add oil.
Add Jaggery or maple syrup or honey.
Add Buckwheat Flour.
Add Amaranth Flour.
Add Protein Powder.
Add Salt, Baking Powder and Baking Soda.
Add Vanilla Extract.
Add 2 cups of milk. If you use chia seed, then add only 1.5 cups of milk.
Blend everything together to form a smooth batter.
Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of washed off water from the blender jar.
Mix everything till well incorporated.The batter should be slightly thick but should have a pouring consistency.
The same batter can be used for making Waffles or Pancakes.
If making Waffle on a silicon Mould
Arrange Mould on a Baking Tray.Coat with some cooking spray.
Pour waffle batter to fill each cavity.
Bake in a preheated oven @ 425°F /220°C for 1o minutes.
Take the mould out. Flip the waffles onto the tray.
Bake again for 10-12 minutes till the waffles are fully baked.
If making Waffle on Waffle Iron
Coat the waffle iron on both sides with cooking spray.
Spread the waffle mixture.
Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Open and take out once waffles are fully cooked.
If making Pancake
Heat a cast iron skillet or any other skillet of your choice.
Spread a ladle full of batter.
Cook on one side for a few minutes.
Flip and cook again.
How to Serve
You can make waffles ahead and even deep freeze them.
When ready to serve, defrost and warm them slightly in a microwave.
Serve with healthy toppings of your choice.
Even the pancakes can be made ahead and stored. Heat it up when ready to consume.
Serve with maple syrup and any topping of your choice.
Litti and chokha need no introduction. Here is an easy recipe to make perfect and soft, oven made Litti and Chokha. This is a fail proof recipe and tastes the same as traditionally baked (over coal or cow dung cake) soft and delicious Litti.
Litti is a staple food of Bihar, Jharkhand and Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Alongwith Chokha it becomes a complete wholesome meal.
Moringa or Drumstick, a common Indian vegetable is now a wellness superfood. This is an attempt to combine the goodness of Moringa leaves in an extremely popular Indian snack. Mathri is a savory deep fried snack from Northern India which traditionally uses refined flour. Here is a healthier version of this popular snack which is a No-Fry Oats Moringa Mathri.
Here is an easy and complete breakfast recipe for Plantain Hash Brown in Turkish Style. This recipe is inspired by Savory Potato Kunafa. The Turkish style of making Hash Brown is different from the American style of making it. The Turkish Hash brown is thicker with a cheese filling in between.
For this recipe, I have substituted potatoes with plantains. Green plantains are an excellent source of complex carbs. Green plantains are also a top source of resistant starch, a type of fiber that’s not found in many foods. Resistant starch passes through your system largely undigested, so blood sugar levels rise more slowly after you eat it than when you eat other types of carbs. Plus, resistant starch helps maintain a healthy microbiome in the gut because it feeds the body’s good bacteria.It also helps with the feeling of fullness after meals.
Green plantains form part of indian diet to a great extent. There are different cuisines in different states of India where plantain is the key ingredient. And hence they are mostly available in an indian kitchen. And this recipe gives you an opportunity to sneak in the benefits of Plantain in a very popular breakfast item of Hash Brown which normally uses potatoes. You can change the quantity and the type of cheese(vegan/regular/low fat) as per your liking.
Another good part about this recipe is the ease in making it. This involves simple pan cooking with a very few ingredients. For my version of Turkish style Plantain Hash Brown, I have used flax egg as a substitute to regular egg. But you are free to use any egg replacer that you may have in hand. Egg helps to bind the mixture, so any type of egg replacer works here. For example, you can mix chickpea flour in water and add.
The turkish recipe for kunafa as a dessert is more popular. This is a savory version of sweet kunafa. For this recipe, you can substitute kataifi (type of turkish vermicelli) with vermicelli.
Please check some other breakfast recipes of mine here and leave your comment to help me get your feedback.
Plantain Hash Brown (Turkish Style), Inspired by Potato Kunafa
Here is an easy and complete breakfast recipe for Plantain Hash Brown in Turkish Style. This recipe is inspired by Savory Potato Kunafa. The turkish style of making Hash Brown is different than the American style of making it. The Turkish Hash brown is thicker with a cheese filling in between.
2 Nos Green Plantain
½ tsp Red chilli flakes
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Crushed Black Pepper
1 tbsp Corn meal
1 tbsp Flax seed meal
3 tbsp Water
1 tbsp Olive oil or any cooking oil
1 tbsp Vermicelli or kataifi or phyllo dough pastry
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese. You can use cheddar, kashar or fresh mozzarella or any combination of cheese.
Add 2 cups of water to a Pan.
Cut each plantain into 2 pieces and add to water.
Cover and let it boil for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, the plantain should be fork tender but firm.
Take it out and let it cool slightly. Then peel off the skin.
Grate plantains using the medium side of your grater.
Add Red chilli flakes, salt, turmeric, crushed pepper and corn meal to it.
Mix everything.
In a small bowl, take flax seed meal.
Add 3 tbsp of water to it.
Mix properly and let it rest for 5 minutes. It will turn into a gel.
Add this flax egg to the plantain mixture.
Mix everything till well incorporated.
Tale a 6 inch skillet. I have used a cast iron skillet. But you can use any skillet or pan that you have.Add 1/2 tbsp oil and spread on the base and sides of the skillet.
Spread 1/2 tbsp vermicelli in the base. Traditionally kataifi is used which is shredded phyllo pastry dough.
Layer about a cup of plantain mixture in the base.
Press it firmly using a spatula or wet palms.
Add a layer of cheese on top of the plantain Layer.
Add another layer of Plantain (about 3/4 cup)
Press firmly.
Sprinkle some vermicelli.
Now keep the skillet on low-medium flame.
Cook for about 7 minutes.
After 7 minutes, flip it over using a plate.
Again add 1/2 tbsp oil in the skillet.
Spread 1/2 tbsp of vermicelli.
Cook the flipped side for 5 minutes till that side also turns brown
Explore a No- Fry version of Ranga Alur Puli Pithe, Sweet Potato dumplings, which is a festival delicacy from Bengal. It is customary to make this dessert during the festival of Makar Sankranti which is just few days away. This delicious dessert is an offering from Bengal. Come Sankranti or Poush Sankranti, it is the customary pithe time in the eastern part of India. Every household prepares many different varieties of pithe. Ranga Alu means sweet Potato in Bangla.
