Plain Boondi

Ingredients

Gram Flour - ½ cup

Water - 75 ml
Oil - For frying

Method

Step 1: Sieve gram flour in a mixing bowl. It is necessary to avoid lumps. Add water little by little and mix together.

Step 2: To make a perfect batter of boondi, beat the batter rigorously for 3-4 minutes.

Step 3: Cover and keep aside to set for 4-5 minutes.

Step 4: Add 1 tsp oil to the batter, which will make the boondi crispy and soft.

Step 5: Meanwhile, heat the oil in a kadhai or wok, on medium flame.

Step 6: Beat the batter again. It is very necessary otherwise boondi will become hard.

Step 7: Pour a luttle drop of batter into the oil to check if the oil is hot enough to cook. If the batter turns solid with bubbles and rises up to the surface, then the oil is ready.

Step 8: Take a frying spoon or any spoon with small holes and pour batter on it. Slowly tap the spoon on the kadhai/wok to make sure the drops of batter fall into oil.

Step 9: Do not over crowd the boondi in oil.

Step 10: Stir occasionally and fry until golden colour. Take out and drain over kitchen paper. Repeat the process for all of the batter.

Step 11: Crispy and golden boondi are ready. Cool completely and store in air-tight container.

Tip - If boondi is long ins shape i.e. not round, it means that the batter is think. Then add a little water and beat again.

Tip - Oil should be medium hot, neither too hot nor too cool.

Vegetables Semolina Uttapam

Ingredients

Semolina (Sooji) - 1 cup
Curd - ½ cup
Water - ½ cup or as required
Onion - 1 medium
Carrot - ¼ cup
Capsicum - ¼ cup
Tomato - ¼ cup
Beans - 2 tbsp
Green chilli - 1-2
Coriander - 2 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp or as per taste
Black Pepper Powder - ½ tsp
Oil - for cooking

Method

Step 1: Finely chop all vegetables

Step 2: In a mixing bowl add semolina, curd and mix it well. Add salt. Then add water little by little and mix well while adjusting consistency. It should make a think batter, not very runny.

Step 3: Keep aside to rest for 20-30 minutes or until the rawa absorbs the water well. Check the consistency if required and add some water, as appropriate.

Step 4: After 20 minutes add all veggies to the batter. Add black pepper powder and 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.

Step 5: At this time check the salt and add some if needed.

Step 6: Heat the tawa on medium heat and grease with some oil.

Step 7: Pour a ladle full batter into small uttapam and sprinkle some coriander over it. Pour 1 tsp oil around the uttapam.

Step 8: Turn the heat to low and cook for a minute or until the base is cooked well.

Step 9: Flip the uttapam and cook well both sides.

Serve uttapam with tomato sauce or green chutney

Oats Cheela

Ingredients

Plain Oats - 1 cup
Semolina (Fine Rawa, Durum Wheat) - ½ cup
Wheat Flour - 2-3 tbsp
Curd - ½ cup
Grated Carrot - ½ cup
Finely Chopped Onion - ½ cup
Finely Chopped Tomato - ½ cup
Finely Chopped Coriander - 2-3 tbsp
Chopped Green Chilli - 2-3
Water - 2 cup
Oil - for cooking
Salt - as per taste
Black Pepper - 1-2 tsp

Method

Step 1: In a blending jar, add 1 cup of instant oats. Blend it into a fine powder.

Step 2: Transfer the powdered oats into a bowl. Add wheat flour, semolina, curd and salt as per taste. Mix it well.

Step 3: After that, add all veggies and black pepper. Add water a little at a time and make a lump-free batter by continuously mixing it. The batter should not be too thin and the consistency should be slightly thick.

Step 4: Heat the tawa and brush oil on it. Take a ladle of batter and drop it in the centre. Spread it in a round shape.

Step 5: Smear oil on all the corners and on the cheela. Cook the cheela for a few min, until the bottom side gets cooked well or gets light golden in colour. Flip the cheela and cook the other side too until it is cooked well too. Flip again until both sides become golden colour.

Serve it with green chutney and a cup of hot tea.

Eggless Pancakes

Ingredients

Wheat Flour - ⅓ cup (50 gm)
All Purpose Flour - ¾ cup (100 gm)
Powdered Sugar - 2 tsp
Baking Powder - 1½ tsp
Butter - 1 tbsp melted
Banana - 1
Salt - ¼ tsp
Milk - 1 cup (at room temperature)
Cardamom Powder - ¼ tsp
Cinnamon Powder - ¼ tsp
Fresh Fruits

Method

Step 1: In a mixing bowl, transfer wheat flour, all purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, butter and mix all ingredients very well.

Step 2: Peel the banana, chop finely and transfer in an bowl. Mash it finely with a spoon or fork.

Step 3: Add milk gradually into it and mix together.

Step 4: Add all dry ingredients into milk mixture and stir well to get smooth batter. If batter seems thick add 1-2 Tbsp more milk into it and mix. The consistency of the batter should be semi thick not flowing.

Step 5: Keep this batter aside to rest for 10-15 min.

Step 6: Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat and grease with butter or ghee.

Step 7: Pour a ladle-full batter. Do not spread - it will take its own shape.

Step 8: Simmer and cook for 1-2 min or until it gets light brown in colour from bottom. You should see bubbles appear on the top surface.

Step 9: Flip the pancake and simmer for 1-2 min or until cooked properly.

Step 10: Serve the pancake with butter, honey or maple syrup. You can top it with freshly chopped fruit like banana, strawberries.