Savory Chickpea Flour Crepe / Besan ka Cheela

Adapted from http://ahaar.blogspot.com/2011/05/eggless-omelet.html

For filling:
Mung bean sprouts - 1 cup, may be used raw or cooked for a few minutes with 1 tbsp water
Red Onion - 1/2, finely chopped
Roma Tomato - 1, chopped
Cilantro - a handful, chopped
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon
Salt
Pepper
Mix everything together and keep aside

For crepe:
Chickpea Flour / Besan - 1 cup
Brown Rice Flour - 2 tbsp (optional)
Water - 2 cups
Salt
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Ajwain - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Olive Oil

Makes 4 crepes

Add besan, water and all the above ingredients together (except the oil). Mix well with a wire whisk so that there are no lumps in the batter. The batter should be thin with a consistency of whole milk.

Heat a non stick pan with a little oil and pour about a quarter cup of batter. Roll the pan gently so that it forms a big round crepe. Add a few drops of oil.

Cook for a minute and when brown spots appear, flip the crepe and cook on the other side. Add a few drops of oil again. Once the outside becomes golden brown, Remove the crepe on a plate. Add a few spoons of the filling, fold it and serve immediately.

For a quick pancake, instead of stuffing, finely chopped onion and cilantro can be added to the batter itself.

Masala Lassi

Cold Greek Yogurt - 2 cups
Cold Whole Milk - 1/4 cup
Crushed Ice cubes - 4
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Rock Salt - a pinch
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Mint Leaves - 2 leaves, shredded

Mix everything together and blend in a blender till smooth and frothy. Serve immediately.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Brown rice - 3/4 cup, cooked and kept in the fridge
Eggs - 3, scrambled with a little whole milk, salt, pepper and kept aside (optional)
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Ginger - 1 inch, finely shredded
Garlic - 3 cloves, grated
Green Onion - 2, chopped
Shelled Edamame  - 1/2 cup
Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup - carrots, capsicum, green beans, green onions, etc - finely shredded or chopped
Soy Sauce - 2 tsp
Salt
Pepper

Heat oil in a large wok. Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies and fry for a minute.

Add the vegetables, salt, pepper and cook on high heat for a few minutes. The vegetables should not be overcooked. They should remain crunchy.

Add the cold rice and soya sauce. Mix everything well. Cook for a couple of minutes more.

Add the scrambled egg, mix well and serve hot.

Corn Cutlet

Red Potato – 1 (small)
Frozen Corn – 1 cup
Frozen Green Peas – a handful
Roasted Peanuts – a handful
Olive Oil – 2 tsp
Green Chillies – 2, finely chopped
Onion – ½, finely chopped
Ginger – ½ inch, grated
Roasted Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
Roasted Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric – a pinch
Aamchur / Dried mango powder – ½ tsp or 1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt
Cilantro – a handful, chopped

Cornflour – 1 tbsp
Water – 1 tbsp or as required to make a thin paste
Whole Wheat Panko bread crumbs – 2 tbsp
Oil for shallow fry – ½ tbsp

Boil the potato till soft. Drain from water, add salt and coarsely mash. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the green chilli and onion and sauté till onion gets soft.

Add frozen corn and green peas. Mix well. Add ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, aamchur and cook for a few minutes.

Add the mashed potato, cilantro and salt. Mix everything well. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.

When the mixture has cooled down a little, divide the mixture into 10 round balls. Flatten each portion between the palms to make slightly elongated shape.

Heat half a tbsp of oil in a cast iron skillet. Make a thin paste of cornflour and water. Dip each portion in the paste, roll in panko bread crumbs and shallow fry on medium heat till golden brown on both sides. Serve with Ketchup.

Besan Barfi

Besan - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

Sieve the besan to make it light and airy. Keep aside.

Mix the sugar and water in a large pan.and bring it to boil. Reduce the heat and continue to cook till the syrup reaches one thread consistency.

Using the left hand, slowly add the besan little by little to the syrup and with the right hand, continuously mix the syrup with a wooden spoon or an egg beater.

Once all the besan is added, start adding the ghee, a tablespoon at a time, while continuously mixing the syrup. Continue this process till all the ghee is added. Cook the mixture till it begins to brown slightly, leaves the edges of the pan, starts releasing ghee and becomes porous.

Immediately trasfer the mixture to a glass plate. Cool and cut into desired shape. Store in an airtight container.

Capsicum Rice

Adapted from http://www.sailusfood.com/2011/05/02/quick-butter-capsicum-rice/

Brown Rice - 3/4 cup, cook with sufficient water till done and keep aside
Ghee / Clarified Butter - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Urad Dal / Black gram - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Capsicum - 1, finely chopped
Frozen Corn - a handful (optional)
Bisi Bele Bhath Powder - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt
Roasted Cashewnuts - a handful

Heat ghee in a pan. temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies, cinnamon stick, curry leaves.

Add the urad dal and saute till the dal changes color to slight brown.

Add the chopped capsicum and salt and cook for 5 minutes. If using corn, add them along with the capsicum. Do not overcook the capsicum, leave them crunchy.

Mix the rice, bisi bele powder(if using) and cashewnuts. Cook for a couple of minutes more and serve hot.

Cabbage and Chickpea Soup

Adapted from http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2011/04/cabbage-chickpea-soup-basil.html

Chickpeas - 1 cup, soaked overnight
Cabbage - 1/2 of a small cabbage or 1/4 of a medium sized one, chopped
Vidalia Onion - 1, chopped
Garlic Cloves - 2, chopped
Tomato - 2, chopped
Veg Bouillon Cubes - 2, (Rapunzel Brand No Salt Vegan Veg Bouillon)
Carrot -1, sliced
Water - 4 cups
Olive Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Red Chilli Flakes - 1/4 tsp
Basil / Cilantro - for garnishing
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Heat oil in a pressure cooker pan. Add the garlic and saute. Once the garlic starts changing color, add the chopped onion and cook till they get soft.

Add all the reamining ingredients. Toss well.

Add water and close the pressure cooker. Cook under pressure for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle some more ground black pepper, garnish with fresh basil leaves or cilantro and serve hot.

Black Bean Soup, the Panera Bread Style

Dry Black Beans - 1 cup, soaked overnight
Yellow Onion - 1/2, finely chopped
Garlic Cloves - 3, finely chopped
Green Chilli -1. finely chopped
Tomato - 2, chopped
Roasted Cumin Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce - 1/2 pepper + a little sauce
Salt
Water - 4 cups
Cornflour - 1 tsp
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Heat oil in a pressure cooker pan. Add the garlic and green chilli. Saute for a minute.

Then add the chopped onion. Cook till the onion gets soft.

Add the chopped tomato, cumin and coriander powder. Cook till the oniuon tomato mixture becomes a soft paste.

Add the soaked beans, salt, mashed chipotle pepper with sauce. Add about 3 cups of water and cook under pressure for 20 minutes.

Once it has cooled a little, release the pressure. Mix the cornflour with a little water and add it to the soup. Bring it to boil and cook till the soup gets thick and reaches desired consistency.

Serve hot with baked tortilla chips.

Quinoa Upma

Quinoa - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Onion - 1/2, finely chopped
Tomato - 1/2, chopped
Frozen Green Peas - a handful
Carrot - 1(small), grated
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Green Chilli - 2, finely chopped
Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
Roasted Chana Dal / Dalia - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Peanuts - a handful
Cashewnuts - a handful
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Salt

Place the quinoa in a strainer and wash well for atleast a couple of minutes. Add 2 cups of water and cook on medium heat till the water dries up and the quinoa is fluffy. The quinoa looks transparent when it is cooked. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Then add cumin seeds, grated ginger, chopped green chillies, urad dal and curry leaves. Saute till the urad dal turns light brown.

Add chopped onion, salt and cook till the onion gets soft.

Add frozen green peas, grated carrots, tomato, roasted chana dal and the nuts. Cook for a couple of minutes.

Then add the quinoa, adjust salt and mix everything well.

Add a dash of lemon juice and serve.