Mini Oats Uttapam

          Make your first meal of the day a healthy way. So why not with some Oats Uttapam - the mini version? So here is another one from my kitty. Do try them and relish with coconut chutney and sambar as and when you like - for brunch, mini tiffin, tea time snack or a lunch box meal. You can also try for a light dinner too. Why not.....So Bon Appetit!!!!

          Healthy eating is always welcome at my place. Who would deny a perfectly healthy, satisfying and a guilt free breakfast? So I try to create new recipes most of the time. Hubby and sons vouch for it, though I would go in for some greasy and spicy stuff sometimes to cater to my taste buds. 

• 1/2 cup oats, dry roasted and powdered
• 1/4 cup urad dal (split black gram) soaked for 3 hours & ground
• buttermilk as required
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• oil to shallow fry
• coconut chutney & sambar to serve

          Mix the ground dal paste, powdered oats and salt. Add required quantity of buttermilk to form a smooth batter of dropping consistency.

          In a bowl, mix together onion, tomato, green chilies and coriander leaves. Keep aside. Heat a non-stick tawa and add few drops of oil.

          Pour a small ladleful of the batter and drizzle some oil around the edges. Sprinkle some of the onion mix over it and cook till one side is done before flipping it over to cook the other side.

          Transfer to a serving plate. Make similar uttapams and serve them hot with coconut chutney and sambar as accompaniments for a healthy and a sumptuous breakfast.

Stuffed Spinach Dosa (Rice-Lentil Pancake)

          Try to make your regular dosas a bit more appetizing, appealing and out of the beaten track. So here is a healthy and a nutritious dosa with some spinach stuffing. Serve them with sambar and coconut chutney or cut them into bite size pieces for an amazing appetizer. You could also have them as an evening snack or as a light meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe  to prepare this wholesome delicacy.

Stuffing - 

• 2-3 bunches of spinach, washed, drained & chopped
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes

Dosa - 

• 3-4 cups dosa batter
• oil as required 
• sambar & coconut chutney to serve

          To prepare the stuffing - Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds. Add the onion and garlic. 

           Fry till light brown in colour. Now add the chopped spinach, salt, turmeric powder, chili flakes and coriander powder. Fry till the water is absorbed and spinach is well cooked. Keep aside to cool.

            To prepare the stuffed dosa - Heat a tawa / griddle. Smear some oil and then sprinkle some water. After it sizzles off, wipe dry with a tissue water. This ensures a non-stick effect.

          Pour a ladleful of the batter and spread it around into a circle with the back of the ladle. Add some oil over it and around the edges.

         Add some of the spinach stuffing lengthwise and then when one side of the dosa is done, carefully roll it like a swiss roll and transfer to a serving plate.

          Prepare similar stuffed dosas with the remaining batter and stuffing. Serve them with sambar and coconut chutney.

                                 The prepared spinach stuffing.

                   Pour a ladleful of the batter & spread into a circle with back of the ladle. 
                   Add some oil over it & around the edges.

                                  Add some of the spinach stuffing lengthwise.

                    When one side of the dosa is done, carefully roll it like a swiss roll & 
                    transfer to a serving plate.

                                  Serve them with sambar & coconut chutney.

Spinach Appam with Idli / Dosa Batter

          Appams are delicious Kerala Style breakfast made out of fermented rice-coconut batter. But this is an instant version where I made use of some store bought idli / dosa batter and eno fruit salt to make it the easier way. 

          They are prepared in a special pan called an Appam Chetti and are traditionally had with veg. or non-veg. stew. Today I made these nutritious appams with spinach puree and relished with some mixed vegetable curry. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple delicacy.

• 2 cups Idli / dosa batter
• 1 & 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 3/4 cup spinach puree
• 1/2 tsp. eno fruit salt
• red chili flakes (opt)
• oil to grease

           In a bowl, combine the batter, spinach  puree and coconut milk. Just before preparing them, add the eno fruit salt and give it a stir.

          Heat an appam chatti and grease with some oil. Wipe clean with a tissue paper and drop a ladleful of the batter. 

          Immediately swirl it around. Sprinkle some chili flakes in the centre. Cover and cook on a  low flame for 1-2 minutes or till the edges turns crisp.

          Transfer to a serving plate. Make similar appams with the rest of the batter. Serve with any side dish or stew.

Blanch spinach in hot water for a few minutes.

Refresh in cold water.

Make a puree.

                                  Mix batter, spinach puree & coconut milk. 

Just before preparing, add eno fruit salt & give it a stir.

                   Heat an appam chatti & grease with some oil. Wipe clean with a tissue
                   paper & drop a ladleful of the batter. Immediately swirl it around. 
                   Sprinkle some chili flakes in the centre. Cover & cook on a  low flame
                   for 1-2 minutes or till the edges turns crisp.

Serve with any side dish or stew.