Red Velvet Pancakes

Pancakes are one breakfast dish that is greatly fancied by my kids. But somehow this is not a thing which has impressed me much and so I have never bothered to try the variations in them. The other day the request popped up for a red velvet pancake, and when the request prolonged for a long time I knew that I had to give it a try and that was how the search for the recipe went and finally ended up making this one. I have to admit the fact that, this pancake did impress me!!! It was really delicious especially with the cream cheese sauce that went along with it. So here's the recipe for the same. 

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
a pinch of salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup melted and cooled unsalted butter + extra for coating the griddle
2 tsp red food colouring
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

For the cream cheese sauce
8 Tbsp cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
3 Tbsp whole milk
2 Tbsp castor sugar

Method

• Prepare the cream cheese sauce by whisking together all the ingredients mentioned under cream cheese sauce and keep aside.
•  In a bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until pale yellow. Then add to it the buttermilk, melted butter, food color, vanilla extract and vinegar.
• Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and fold until well incorporated.

• Heat a griddle or a non-stick skillet. Lightly coat it with melted butter. Pour a laddle full of the batter into the hot skillet. Spread it out lightly if needed.
• Cook until bubbles begin to pop up on the surface of the pancake. This will take approximately 3 minutes.
• Now flip over and cook the other side too(another 1-2 minutes). Remove the pancake and transfer onto a serving plate. Repeat this with the remaining batter.
• While serving drizzle the prepared cream cheese sauce on top of the pancakes.
• You can also drizzle some maple syrup and top with some toasted pecans if you wish to.

Recipe courtesy- www.foodnetwork.com

Bengali style cabbage curry

 Ingredients
2 cups of shredded cabbage
1 potato, diced
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
2 whole red chillies
salt
2 Tbsp oil

Method

•  Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves, whole red chillies and asafoetida. Keep the flame low.
• Once the mustard crackles and the remaining ingredients attain a golden colour, add the shredded cabbage.
• Stir fry on high flame for about 1 minute, then reduce the flame to medium and stir fry for 5 minutes more, so that the cabbage sides of the cabbage shreds turn into a golden brown colour. The cabbage has to get a roasted look.
• Now add the chopped tomatoes and salt. Cover and cook on low flame until the tomatoes get mushy.
• Add the diced potatoes, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Saute for 1 minute, then add 1 glass of water.(The water should be about 1 inch above the vegetables)
• Cover and cook until the potatoes are cooked and the water is almost absorbed. Add 1/2 cup of warm water and mix well.
• Now add the sugar and garam masala powder and cook for 1 minute more. Serve hot.

Paneer & Sprouts Wrap

 A quick lunch pack for school, office etc. A wrap filled with the richness of paneer and crunchiness of the sprouts with an amazing blend of flavours from spiciness of the chillies to the tangy taste of the mango powder and vinegar. Grab, go and have at ease!!!

Ingredients
300gms paneer/cottage cheese, cubed
1/2 cup bean sprouts
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 green chillies, chopped fine
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 onion, sliced
1 small capsicum, sliced into thin strips
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 teaspoon amchoor/dried mango powder
2 Tbsp oil
salt to taste
4 parathas/chappathis/roomali roti/ tortilla

Method

• Mix the vinegar and the chopped green chillies and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add the garlic paste and ginger paste. Fry for half a minute.
• Add the sliced onion and saute for half a minute more.
• Add the sliced capsicum, chilli powder, turmeric powder, mango powder and salt. Mix well.
• Add the paneer cubes and saute over medium heat for two minutes.
• Now add the bean sprouts and saute for a minute more. Remove from heat and keep aside.
• To prepare the wraps, equally divide the paneer and sprouts mixture into four portions.
• Spread each portion over each paratha or roti. Drizzle the vinegar and chilli mix on top and roll the paratha. Secure the roll or wrap with aluminium foil.

There goes a perfect and healthy wrap into a kids lunch pack or even yours. Something that you can grab, go and have at ease:)(Remember to omit the chillies for a kids pack)

Thakkali Muringakka Pulinkari

 Ingredients

2 tomatoes chopped into medium pieces

1 drumstick, cut into 2 inch sticks

15 shallots, sliced

a gooseberry sized tamarind ball, soaked in half a cup of water

To roast and grind

3 Tbsp grated coconut

2 shallots

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

few curry leaves

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp garam masala powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

For tempering

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp urid dal

few curry leaves

salt to taste

3 tbsp oil

•  In a pan take two shallots, fenugreek seeds, coconut and curry leaves. Roast this until the coconut turns brown in colour.
• Once cooled grind this along with the chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and turmeric powder into a fine paste. Keep this aside.
• Now heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the sliced shallots. Fry until the onions start to turn golden brown.
• Now add the tomatoes and drumstick. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Then add the grinded masala paste. Saute everything well until the raw smell of the masala goes(approximately 2-3 minutes).
• Squeeze out the tamarind juice into the soaked water. Strain the tamarind juice and add it to the curry.
• Add 1 cup of water and salt too. Allow this to come to a boil.
• Cover and cook for 10 minutes on a medium low flame, until the gravy thickens slightly and the drumsticks get cooked.
• Heat 1tsp oil in a small kadai, Add the mustard seeds. Once they start to crackle add the urid dal and curry leaves. As the urid dal starts to turn into light brown colour, remove the kadai from heat and pour this seasoning over the tomato and drumstick curry. Mix well and serve hot with  steamed rice. 

Carrot & Oats Dosa

Another healthy breakfast option that can be made instantly. This delicious crepe is something that can be made in no time as the hours long fermentation process is not required here.Not only is this an alternative to the regular South Indian  dosas, this is more healthy as well as its key ingredients are oats and carrots.

Ingredients
2 cups oats
1 Tbsp semolina/rava
1 Tbsp wheat flour
1 Tbsp rice flour( 1 Tbsp of idli batter would also be fine)
1 onion
1"piece of ginger
1 medium carrot
3 green chillies
few curry leaves, chopped fine
few coriander leaves, chopped fine
salt
oil

Method

• Coarsely grind the onion, carrot, ginger and green chillies.
• Mix oats, semolina, wheat flour and rice flour together.
• Add the coarsely grinded carrot mix, chopped curry leaves ,coriander leaves and salt to the oats and flour mixture.
• Knead everything until mixed well.
• Add water and mix well until you get a dosa batter consistency.
• Keep this batter aside for 10 minutes.
• Heat a griddle or non- stick dosa tawa.Pour a laddle full of the batter and spread into a thin dosa in a circular motion. 
• Drizzle some oil on the top and sides of the dosa.
• Flip it and cook the other side too until light brown in colour.
• Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Grilled Malaysian Chicken

Ingredients
800 gms boneless chicken, cubed
4 long red chillies
2 green chillies
1 inch ginger , peeled
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 Tbsp turmeric powder
1-2 shallots, sliced
2 1/2 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp oil
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 Tbsp tamarind paste
salt

Method

• Deseed the chillies and grind them into a smooth paste along with ginger, garlic, coriander powder, cinnamon powder, turmeric powder and shallots.
• Marinate the chicken with half of the prepared paste, little salt and 1/2 cup of coconut milk. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
• In a pan,heat oil and saute the remaining paste on a medium heat for about two minutes.
• Stir in the remaining coconut milk, sugar and tamarind paste. Season with salt.
• Bring the sauce to a boil and let it simmer for about 3 minutes and then remove from heat.
• Skewer the marinated chicken pieces and grill over a medium heat basting with the prepared sauce, until the chicken is done.
• Drizzle the remaining sauce on top just before serving.