Vegetarian Mini Thali

This was a bribe for my little one after trying to get him to do what I wanted. He loves the concept of a thali after having one at an Indian restaurant. Also, it's just pretty to look at and feels like a lot of love and effort was put into making this. 

I have the recipes for the Naan and the Kadai Paneer in my previous posts and those take the longest to make. The rest of the dishes are simple and the whole thali can be made within a hour and a half (not including the resting time for the naan dough).

I got some stainless steel bowls and the thali looks best served in these!

Contents of the Thali:

Butter Naan

Kadai Paneer

Veggie Rice

Aloo and Brinjal Fry

Peanut Chaat

* Please click on the Dish name above to go to the Recipes for the Naan and the Paneer dishes.

Recipes:

Veggie Rice:

Ingredients:

Veggies: 1/2 Cup (Peas, Carrots, Corn)

Cumin Seeds - 2 Tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp

Green Chilis - 4

Salt - to taste

Basmati Rice - 1 Cup

Water - 2 Cups

Butter/Ghee - 2 Tsp

In a shallow pan, add the Butter and the Cumin Seeds. Add the slit green chilis, chopped veggies, ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2 min. Add the rice and sauté till slightly translucent. Transfer to a Rice Cooker and add the water and salt. Turn on the Cooker about a half hour before you are ready to serve.

Aloo and Brinjal Fry:

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 small 

Potatoes - 2

Small Indian Brinjal/Eggplant - 6

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 Tbsp

Mustard and Cumin seeds - 1 Tsp each

Red Chili Powder - 2 Tsp

Coriander and Cumin Powder - 1 Tbsp

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Boil and peel the potatoes and cube them. Slit the onion and cube the brinjals. In a pan, add the oil and splutter the Mustard and Cumin seeds. Add the onion slices and sauté till golden brown.

Add the brinjals and cook till almost done. Add the turmeric, red chili, coriander and cumin powder and salt. Add the boiled potatoes and mix. Sprinkle some water and cook for a couple more minutes. Top with chopped cilantro.

Boiled Peanut Chaat:

Ingredients:

Fresh Peanuts - 1 Cup

Small Onion - 1/2 

Green Chilis -2 

Tomato - 1 small

Cilantro - a few sprigs

Lime - 1/2

Salt - to taste

Boil the peanuts in a cooker for 8 to 10 whistles. Finely dice all the veggies.

Remove, cool and mix all the veggies with the Peanuts and add the salt. Squeeze the lime.

Place all the curries and chaat into mini bowls, add the rice and naan to the plate and serve hot.

Baken Eggplant Casserole

Eggplant is a tricky vegetable and most people have a love/hate relationship with it. I am non-committal with this veggie and I neither like or dislike it, but this is certainly a dish that masks it beautifully. The Marinara and the Cheese brings out the fleshy and meaty texture without the actual taste of the eggplant that people seem to dislike.

The big eggplants work best for the dish as they are soft and cook quickly.

Pair this with a bowl of Mac and Cheese or a Salad and it's a hearty dish for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients:
Large Eggplant - 1
Marinara Sauce - 1 Cup
Shredded Cheese - 1/2 Cup
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Slice the Eggplant into thin 1/2 inch rounds. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.
If you are not a fan, I suggest you peel the eggplant and then continue with the recipe. After a few minutes, wash and set aside.

Heat up a flat pan on medium heat and drizzle some oil and place the slices in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook till it starts to brown. Turn and cook on the other side for a couple more minutes. The eggplants do not need to cook completely through.

In a baking dish, add a couple Tbsp of Marinara on the bottom. Layer the eggplant slices and top with more marinara. Spread into a thin layer and sprinkle some cheese. I had a mixed Shredded Cheese of Pepper Jack and Mozzarella.
Repeat until all the eggplant slices are done.

Pre-heat the oven to 375F and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the dish is cooked through. This should take about 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve with Crusty Bread and a Salad or something hearty like Mac and Cheese.

Tofu, Carrot & Cucumber Sushi

I already have a recipe for Sushi on my blog and this is just a slight variation. I used Baked Sweet Chili Tofu along with some fresh vegetables such as Carrots, Cucumber and Avocado. 

The vegetables to use are a combination of crunchy & fresh, such as cucumber, carrots and the creamy& fatty such as an avocado or a mango.

Here's a link to the Recipe:

Sushi Recipe

Kadhai Paneer

My favorite vegetarian dish to order at Indian Restaurants is anything that has paneer in it. I really don't know the difference between paneer Butter Masala and Kadai Paneer. Is it just the amount of Butter and Cream in the dish? :)

I have tried both dishes at several restaurants and for the most part, that's about all the difference I have noticed. I served it with my homemade easy naan recipe and it's pairs perfectly with this dish.

Most store bought paneer is hard, but I tried the Haldiram's Taaza Taaza Fresh Paneer and it's delicious and soft. I am in love and I really don't think I need to make the Homemade version as long as I have access to it.

Ingredients:
Paneer - 15 to 20 pieces, Cubed
Tomato Puree - 1 1/2 Cups.
Onion - 1 (I used a big handful of Fried Onions I had)
Butter - 2 Tbsp
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 Tbsp
Cumin Powder - 1 Tsp
Salt - To Taste
Garam Masala - 1/2 Tbsp
Dried Fenugreek Leaves -  1 big pinch
Cream/Half and Half - 1/4 Cup
Cashew Powder/Paste - 1 Tbsp

If you are using fresh onion, slice and fry in a pan with 1 Tbsp oil until darker brown and a little crispy.
In a pan, add the oil and season with Fennel Seeds. Add the Tomato Puree and cook till it starts to get thick. Add the fried Onions, Ginger Garlic paste, all the dry powders and cook until the raw smell disappears. Add some water and cook till the gravy is thick.

Add the Paneer cubes. I used soft paneer, so I just added them as is. If the Paneer is hard and rubbery, soak in warm water for a few minutes, drain and add to the gravy.

Add the cream or half and half, the cashew paste/powder and cook for a couple more minutes.

Top with chopped cilantro and serve with Naan, Roti or Rice.

Mini Pizzas with Naan/Pita/Arabic Bread

This is my dinner routine on most days. Go into the kitchen half an hour before we eat. Find what's in the pantry and think of a quick 15 to 20 minute dish with the available ingredients. 

Here' what I had - Pita Bread, Mushrooms and some shredded cheese. What do you make with those? Pizza! It's better to use Sautéed Vegetables since these will bake in no time.

If you have some Marinara sauce, it works. Else some sautéed tomatoes, any Tomato sauce or Ketchup, Pizza Sauce will work here.

Ingredients:
Naan/Pita/Arabic Bread - 1 per person. 2 if you are realllly hungry.
Sautéed Vegetables - Mushrooms, Red Bell Peppers or any other veggies of your choice
Pizza Sauce/Marinara Sauce - 1/4 Cup per mini Pizza
Shredded Cheese - 3 Tbsp per Pizza

Pre-heat oven to 400F.

Spread the Pizza Sauce on the base, top with veggies and sprinkle cheese on top.
Bake for about 6 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted through.

Remove, top with some cilantro and serve hot.

Easy Homemade Naan without Yeast

Her's an easy and simple recipe for naan. I saw several recipes that call for yeast, but this just uses curd or yogurt and the result is a really soft and tasty naan. I prefer the homemade one to the frozen naan that we get in stores.

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour/Maida - 2 Cups
Baking Powder + Baking Soda - 3/4 Tsp each
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 2 tsp
Yogurt - 1/2 Cup
Milk - 1/2 Cup
Oil/Butter - 2 Tbsp

For Toppings:
Sesame Seeds, Crushed Garlic, Cilantro, Melted Butter

Mix all the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix well. The mixture will be a bit sticky. Cover and set aside for 3 to 4 hours. Make tennis ball sized balls and roll into triangle or circles.
Top with Sesame Seeds, Garlic on one side. Turn and apply water on the other side and place this side on a pan and press gently. Place on a medium flame on the stove top for a minute. Now turn the pan so that the naan is directly on the flame and move it around so all the parts get the flame.

When it starts to char and there are air pockets, remove the naan. Top with melted butter and Cilantro and serve with a gravy of your choice.

Cauliflower Wings - 3 Ways

We love chicken wings and I love to make them at home. But I also wanted to try an alternative to chicken wings that was vegetarian. Cauliflower is a perfect substitute and people who hate cauliflower must have never tasted the amazing Cauliflower 65 or the delicious Indo-Chinese dishes such as Cauliflower Manchurian or Chili Gobi. 

Since the Cauliflower is not as meaty, the best thing to do is coat it in a thin batter to bring that firm texture to the vegetable.

I used 3 different Sauces:

Buffalo Sauce

BBQ Sauce

Asian Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce

You can fry the Cauliflower or bake them. I baked them, since I am not big on frying stuff. Left to me, I would bake every single thing. I think it's obvious looking at the number of baked recipes on my blog.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 2 small

Batter:

All Purpose Flower - 1/4 Cup

Corn Flour - 1/4 Cup

Rice Flower - 1/2 Cup

Salt - To Taste

Pepper Powder - 1 tsp

Mix all the ingredients for the batter with water. It shouldn't be too thin. Wash and cut the Cauliflower into florets. Heat the over to 400F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Dip the florets into the batter and place on a single layer on the baking sheet.

Bake for about 15 to 20 min until slightly firm and crisp.

Meanwhile, have 3 bowls for the sauces. Remove the florets from the oven, dip into the sauce until well coated and place them back onto the baking sheet. Place it back in the oven and bake for an additional 10 min or so, until the wings are cooked through and the sauces are well coated and start to dry up.

Remove and serve with a ranch dip.

Sauces:

BBQ Sauce: 

Phil's BBQ Sauce

I used store bought BBQ sauce. Phil's Devil's spit. Fair warning, this is an extremely spicy BBQ sauce, but they have milder varieties as well.

Buffalo Sauce:

Frank's Red Hot

I used 4 tbsp of Frank's Red hot, mixed with 1 tbsp melted butter.

Asian Sauce:

Hoisin Sauce - 2 tbsp

Chili Garlic Sauce - 1 tbsp

Honey - 1 tbsp

Soy Sauce - 1 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Sesame Seeds - 1 tbsp

Mix all the ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning.

Mi Goreng: IndoMie with Broccoli

Have any of you tried the IndoMie brand's Mi Goreng noodles? It's a fancier and much tastier version of our own Maggi noodles. This has got to be the tastiest instant noodle out there. 

You boil the noodles separately and mix the sauces that come with it. There is a spice mix, a chili oil and a sauce that comes in the pack. If you can get your hands on these noodles, do try them.

Serve with blanched Broccoli or any other vegetable and top with a fried egg for a complete meal.

Onion Pakoras

A very basic recipe for some fried Pakoras. I gravitate to baking these but an occasionally it's good to have the original fried version too.

Ingredients:
Onions - 2 big
Green Chilis - 2
Peanuts - a Handful
cilantro - a handful
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red Chili - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Gram Flour/Besan - 1/2 cup

Oil to Deep Fry
Slice the Onion into long thin strips and chop the chilis and cilantro. Mix all the ingredients except Gram Flour. The onions will start releasing some water. Add the Gram Flour little by little. There should be barely enough to coat and the onions should be the star. There should not be clumps of Flour. This will ensure that the Pakoras are crispy and not soggy after they cool a bit.

Heat a frying pan with oil on medium high. Once the oil is hot enough, use your hand or spoon to slowly distribute the mixture into the oil. Do not add in clumps but just randomly distribute into the oil. Fry until golden and remove onto a paper towel to absorb any extra oil.

Serve hot with sauce of your choice.

Shredded Mixed Veg Fry

I love my new food processor, and this is one of my favorite dishes to make using the processor. The cabbage and the carrots are shredded really thin. The best part is, greens like spinach, parsley or cilantro are chopped really fine, without turning into a mush. 

Onion - 1 small

Green chilis - 5 to 6 (More if you like heat)

Ginger - 1 inch

Garlic cloves - 4 

Cabbage - 1/2 head

Carrots - 3 medium

Capsicum - 1

Spinach leaves - 3 cups

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Shred all the vegetables in a food processor or with hand. In a pan, heat the oil and splutter the cumin seeds.

Add the sliced onions, green chilis, garlic and ginger. When the onions are soft, add all the other shredded vegetables, and fry till soft. Add salt, and fry till the veggies are cooked through. 

This dish tastes good as a stuffing for wraps, sandwiches or with rotis.

Bell Pepper Masala

What do you do when you open the refrigerator and all you find is 2 bell peppers, a big tomato and a bag of spinach? Green rice and bell pepper gravy of course. I did not any onions either, but nobody knew the difference. I pureed the tomato with some coconut, a few peanuts and some poppy seeds. It's a very simple and a quick meal. Perfect for last minute guests who drop in without notice. They would think you slogged in the kitchen for hours. 

Bell Pepper masala:

Bell Peppers (Green/Red) - 2

Tomatoes - 2 small

Peanuts - 1/4 cup

Coconut powder/grated - 3 tbsp

Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp (optional)

Red chili powder - 1 tbsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Dice the bell peppers into 1 inch pieces. In a pan, add the oil and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the bell peppers and fry till soft. In a smaller pan, dry fry the poppy seeds, coconut and peanuts. Powder these in a mixie jar. To the same jar, add the ginger garlic paste, salt, chili powder, garam masala and the tomatoes. Puree them and add to the pan with the bell peppers. Cook till the gravy is cooked through and it thickens. Serve with rice or rotis.

The recipe for the green rice is from my blog. I just skipped the onions and added 1/2 cup frozen peas.

Chakkara Pongal

Chakkara Pongal is my aunt's special dish. This is her recipe:

Rice - 1 cup

Moong daal - 1/4 cup

Water - 4 cups

Grated Jaggery - 2 cups

Cardamom powder - a pinch

Ghee - 1/2 cup

Raisins and Cashews - 2 tbsps each to garnish

In a pressure cooker, add the daal, rice and water. Cook for 3 to 4 whistles and turn off.

In an other pan, add the grated jaggery and 1/2 cup water. Let this mixture melt and come to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes. When a drop of this is added to some water, it should remain in place and not spread in the water.

Open the cooker, and mash the rice and daal. Pour the jaggery mixture into the rice and daal.

If it is too runny, place on stove top and cook till it thickens. If if is too thick, add some milk and coook some more.

In a pan, heat the ghee and fry the cashews and raisins, till the raisins plump up and the cashews are golden brown. Add this to the pongal, and add the cardamom powder.

Mix well, and serve hot.

Stuffed Buns

Pizza/Bread dough - Refer to my pizza recipe
Potato Peas masala - Refer to my Aloo Matar recipe
Egg - 1/ Milk - 4 tbsp

Optional toppings (Just to make them look pretty :))
Jalapeno - 1
Shredded cheese - 1/2 cup
Black pepper/Red pepper flakes - 1 tsp

Mix the pizza dough according to the recipe. Else, use fresh store bought bread or pizza dough. Here in the US, we can buy fresh whole wheat pizza dough, at most grocery stores and super markets. This makes baking pizzas and other such dishes, really easy to make.
Prepare the potato fry, or any other stuffing of your choice. I made the potato fry from my previous post, just made it nutritious, by adding a bunch of chopped spinach along with the onions.
Take a golf ball size of the dough. Spread it with your hands and place some of the stuffing in the center. Close the edges, and form into a ball again. This process is similar to how we make parathas, before rolling them out.
Place the stuffed dough balls on a baking sheet. Whisk an egg, and brush it on the dough. Else, use milk. (This helps the buns turn a lovely golden brown)
Top with thinly sliced Jalapeno, a sprinkle of cheese and pepper.
Bake in a pre-heated 425F oven for about 12 to 15 min, until they are golden brown on top.

Serve hot with ketchup, hot sauce or any chutney of your choice.

Bhindi Fry

Ladies Finger/Bhindi - 1 lb
Chopped Onion - 1/2
Chick pea flour - 1/2 cup
Red chili powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Amchur powder/lemon juice - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Wash and pat dry the bhindi. Cut both the ends, the stem and the tip. If the bhindi is long, cut into half.

Slit along one end, leaving the other side intact.

Mix all the ingredients except the oil with a few drops of water, to form a thick paste.

Stuff the paste into the slit bhindi.

In a shallow flat bottom pan, heat the oil and place the bhindis in a single layer. Cover and cook on a medium flame, turning them to avoid burning the bhindi. When the are soft and 3/4 cooked, open the lid and continue cooking. Serve with rice or rotis.

Simple homemade Cappuccino and Popcorn

Cappuccino is a coffee that's made with espresso, hot milk and topped with milk foam. This is a simple way to make something similar at home, without the fancy cappuccino maker.

Instant Coffee - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1 1/2 tbsp
Hot water - Few drops
Milk - 1 cup

In a cup, add the instant coffee and the sugar. Add a few drops of hot water and mix. The mix should be like wet sand. With a whisk or a fork, start whisking the mixture. Eventually, this will start getting frothy and light in color. When the mixture becomes frothy and thick, add a cup of hot milk and mix well. Sprinkle some cocoa/coffee powder on top and enjoy hot.

Popcorn:

Dry corn - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Garlic powder - 1 tsp

In a pan, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the salt, chili and garlic powder. Add the corn, mix well and close the lid. The corn will start popping in about half a minute, and when the popping starts to subside, turn off the heat. Open after a few seconds, when the popping subsides. 

Mac and Cheese

My little darling wrote his first story. He made up a story about Tom & Jerry, and wrote it for me. It was simple and sweet. I was really thrilled and impressed with it, and decided to make him one of his favorite meals. I asked him to pick a dish, and to my surprise he chose Mac & cheese. Now, this is not one of the dishes he often eats, but it was his choice, so I had to make it. I had none of the ingredients that are needed to make the dish, but I did not want to disappoint him either. So I had to improvise. I had some egg noodles, American cheese singles and bread crumbs. I took a gamble and went with these, but the result was a really flavorful dish, and we did not miss any of the fancy cheeses or the macaroni.

 

Macaroni/ Egg noodles - 1 cup
Butter - 1 tbsp
Flour - 2 tbsp
Milk - 3/4 cup
Any grated Cheese - 3/4 cup (I used 3 American cheese singles)
Bread crumbs - 1/4 cup
Salt - to taste
Black pepper - 1 tsp
Garlic powder - 1 tsp

Cook the pasta according to instructions on the package (Usually in a pot of boiling salted water for 8 to 12 min). In a pan, melt the butter and add the flour. Whisk well and cook this golden brown, and the raw smell is gone. Heat the milk in the microwave, and stir slowly into the flour and butter mixture. Whisk really well, in order to avoid any lumps. When the mixture is well incorporated, add the cheese, garlic powder and pepper. Mix well, till the cheese melts and add the pasta. If the mixture is too thick, thin it with some milk. Pour into an  oven safe dish, and top with the bread crumbs. Spray with some cooking spray or drizzle some oil on top, to help with the browning. Bake in a pre-heated 425F oven for 10 to 15 min, until the bread crumbs are golden brown on top. Serve hot.

Instant Rawa Idli

Sooji/Rawa - 2 cups
Curd/Yogurt - 1.5 cups
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green chilis - 2
Red chilis - 2
Cilantro - 3 to 4 sprigs (leaves only)
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Cashews - 3 to 4
Chana daal - 1 tbsp
Carrot - 1
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Heat oil in a pan. Splutter the mustard seeds. Add the chana daal, broken cashews and red chilis. Fry till golden brown. Add the chopped green chilis, curry leaves, chopped ginger and the rawa. Fry till it's fragrant and turns a light golden brown color. Remove and cool in a bowl. Peel and grate the carrot and add to the rawa. Add the chopped cilantro, salt and the curd. Mix well and set aside. The rawa will absorb all the moisture. Add water to the batter, to get it to the consistency or an idli batter. Set aside for 15 min.

Grease idli moulds and fill them with the batter. Steam in an idli steamer or a cooker for about 8 min. Remove and serve with chutney and sambar.

Yields about 16 idlis.

Note: I did not add baking soda during the process, but some recipes call for 1/3 tsp baking soda to yield softer idlis.

Recipe for Tomato chutney:  http://yumm-o.blogspot.com/2011/04/tangy-tomato-chutney.html

Shahi Gobi (Whole cauliflower cooked in spice mix)

This is one veggie dish that is very elegant to look at, and will serve as the show stopper at your next dinner party. It is also very simple to prepare. The trick is to try keeping the cauliflower whole, through the cooking process. I did not have much of a problem with this step. Also, I had a packet of Khana Khazana Murgh Makhani/ Paneer Butter masala mix, and I used that for the gravy. It is so simple, and tastes just like the restaurant ones. All you need to do is mix the powder with water and add the veggies and cook. Very simple, and great to have on hand for those last minute meals that need to be special too.

Small Cauliflower - 1
Gravy:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1
Green chilis - 2
Khazana Chicken Makhani masala - 1 pack
Water - 2 cups
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
(or)
Refer to my Butter chicken recipe for the gravy

Marinade: (Optional)
Yogurt - 1/4 cup
Red chili powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Lemon - 1/2 squeezed

Cut the stem and leaves off the gobi. Remove as much as the stem as possible, leaving only the florets intact.
Fill a pot with water and when it starts boiling, add 2 to 3 tbsp salt and the gobi. Cook till 3/4th done, about 6 to 8 min. Remove and set aside.

Additional step (Optional) : Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and apply all over the gobi. Bake in a 425F preheated oven for about 20 min, until slightly browned on top. Not sure if this step adds any special flavor to this dish. Next time I plan to omit it.

In another pan, add a tbsp oil, and fry the chopped onions and chilis. Fry till soft. Mix the Khazana masala with 2 cups water and add to the pan with the tomato puree. Mix well.
Else, follow my recipe for the gravy from my Butter Chicken recipe.


Add the gobi to the pan, spoon some of thee gravy on top of the flower and close the lid. Cook on low heat for 10 to 15 min. Garnish and serve with naan, rotis or rice. Cut and serve table side.

This is a very beautiful dish and tastes really good.

I have used others mixes such as Tikka masala and chettinad chicken. They are really good.

Spinach Rice

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Spinach leaves - 4 to 5 cups (Tightly packed)
Green chilis - 4
Salt - to taste
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1
(Whole masalas - 2 Cardamom, 2 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 star anise)
Oil/Ghee - 1 tbsp
Cilantro/Mint leaves - handful
Saunf/Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Water - 2 cups

Puree half the spinach leaves and finely chop the rest of the spinach, mint and coriander leaves.
Wash the rice and soak in the water for 10 to 15 min.
In a pan with a tight lid, heat the oil and splutter the saunf.
Add the whole masalas, followed by the sliced onions and chilis.
Fry till soft and add the chopped leaves and ginger garlic paste.
Fry till fragrant and add the pureed spinach. Add the rice with the water and check for salt.
Turn up the heat and when the water starts boiling, close the lid and reduce the flame to really low.
Cook for about 20 to 30 min, until a nice aroma fills the kitchen.
Open and check for doneness of the rice.

Serve with raita or side of your choice.

Farinata - Chickpea flour cake

It's an Italian dish made with chickpea flour. I of course Indianized it. I was not really sure if this would work, so went with minimal toppings. Feel free to use any toppings that you would use on a pizza.

Chickpea flour/Besan - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Green chutney - 1/4 cup
Onion - 1
Red pepper - 1
Mozzarella cheese - 1/4 cup

Mix the chickpea flour, water, salt and cumin seeds. Whisk well and let it rest. I did not do this step, so I don't know how much of a difference it makes.
Heat a skilled or a non-stick pan. A skillet is traditionally used for this. Drizzle some olive oil, and pour the batter into the pan. Cook till crisp at the bottom, and turn once. Cook till the other side is cooked through.
Spread some green chutney, and veggies of your choice and cheese.
Pop under a broiler or in a 400F pre-heated oven, till the cheese melts.
Serve hot or at room temperature.