Oats Upma

Today, I am sharing a healthy, recipe menu which can be served both as breakfast or lunch i.e Oats Upma..Normally Upma is made with roasted semolina ( sooji/ rava)..Now I am sharing a upma with roasted oats instead of semolina, which is more healthier...Those who hate semolina upma or diabetes person can definitely have this...Earlier I shared savoury versions of upma like Oats-Rava Idli and Oats Puttu..As ramadan is approaching near, do try to make this for iftar too..My hubby loves oats upma very much..Its easy to make and do make oats upma from the change of semolina upma..Do try it and impress your family..

    Ingredients

• Instant Oats - 1 1/2 cup ( I used Quaker Oats)

• Oil - 2 tbsp

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

• Broken cashew nut - 1 tbsp ( optional)

• Small onion,chopped - 1 ( or half of one large onion)

• Green chillies,chopped - 2

• Garlic chopped - 2 no.s

• Chopped curry leaves - 1 tbsp

• Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

• Egg - 1 no.

• Any vegetables,finely chopped - 1/2 cup ( I used beans, carrot and capsicum)

• Turmeric pdr - a pinch

• Red chilli pdr / pepper pdr - 1/2 tsp

• Garam masala pdr - 1/2 tsp

• Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp

• Water - 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp if needed

      Method

• Roast instant oats in a pan till light brown..Take care not to get burnt..Cool and set aside ** (see notes) 

• In a deep pan,heat oil and add mustard seeds and let it crackle completely..

• Add broken cashews( if using) and saute till light brown..Be careful don't get burnt..

• Add chopped onions and saute till pink..

• Add chopped ginger and green chillies and saute for few seconds..

• Add finely chopped vegetables ( I used fresh vegetables) and saute for high flame for 2 mins,without getting burnt...If using frozen vegetables, not need to cook at high flame as it is already cooked,just saute for few seconds...

• Place masala on one side and other side add egg, scramble it at high flame and combine well..

• Reduce the flame and add coriander leaves and saute well..

• Add all the spice powders and salt and saute till raw smell goes away..

• Add lemon juice and saute well.

• Add roasted oats and mix well thoroughly till masala coats on oats.

• Add water and mix well till oats is wet..If it is too dry add 1 tbsp water at a time...

• Adjust salt and spice if needed..If it sticks on pan, add few drops of oil and saute well..

• Add finely chopped curry leaves and off the flame..

• Serve warm and enjoy..

     Notes:

• Its very important to roast the oats while making upma, otherwise it turns soggy..

• Its better to use instant oats to make this upma so its cooks faster..If you don't have instant oats, don't worry,you can use rolled oats instead..Just powder the roasted rolled oats coarsely( not into fine powder) at one stroke **

• Don't add too much water like in semolina upma, otherwise oats will have thick lumps and tastes horrible...

• Always use less water as mentioned in oats upma..If you think water is too less, add extra water 1 tbsp at a time...

• You can use any desired vegetables or you can add shredded chicken too if you wish..If you are using frozen vegetable that is better..If using fresh vegetables,make sure to chop very finely, otherwise its difficult to get cooked..

Paneer -Vegetable Uttappam - Cottage Cheese and Vegetable Fermented Rice Pancake

Today, I am posting a recipe of healthy breakfast menu, Paneer-Vegetable Uttappam..Uttappam is made with rice and urad dal which is grinded into thick batter like Idli (fermented rice cakes)...This batter is same for dosa ( fermented rice crepes) which is diluted with water...Uttappam is made with pouring batter in a pan like pancakes and topped with chopped onions...Additional to chopped onion, chopped tomato and vegetables toppings are also added..I did the topping of crumbled paneer ( cottage cheese)and some vegetables...It tastes too delicious with the combination of any chutnies of your choice..I had the combination with coconut garlic chutney..Those who don't like paneer, do crumble it and combine it with vegetable masala..It tastes delicious, no one will know main ingredient is paneer :)..My hubby, who is a paneer hater,didn't believe it..He thought it is an egg :)..He gives thumps up to this :)..Do try this uttappam and impress your family:)

     Ingredients

        For Uttappam:

• Raw rice - 1 cup ( I used dosa rice)

• Urad dal - 3/4 cup

• Cooked rice - 3 heaped tbsp

• Fenugreek seeds ( uluva) - 1 tsp

        For Vegetable topping:

• Frozen Paneer - 1/2 cup

• Chopped Onion - 1 large

• Shredded Carrot - 1 no.

• Chopped capsicum - 2 tbsp

• Finely chopped beans - 2 tbsp

• Tomato paste - 1 tbsp

• Chopped garlic - 1 tsp

• Chopped chillies - 1 to 2 no.s

• Turmeric pdr - a pinch

• Chilli pdr - 1/2 tsp

• Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

    Method

        For Uttappam

• Soak raw rice and urad dal together in a water for 4 hrs..Grind it along with fenugreek seeds in a blender as a thick batter like idli..

• Pour this batter in a large bowl and close it with large lid or plate..Keep it aside and allow to ferment overnight...

• Meanwhile, make vegetable topping as mentioned below..

• Batter will rise next day..It depends upon climate..If it is hot season, batter will rise next day..If it is cold season, its difficult to get rise..Keep the batter somewhere in a hot place especially cupboard or shelf..It might help.

• Add salt into the batter and mix well..Add 2 tbsp of water and mix well..Don't add too much water, as we don't want the batter to be of dosa consistency..

• Heat non-stick tawa or frypan..To check the heatness of pan, sprinkle little water on it..If you hear hissing sound, it indicates tawa is heated..

• Add one ladleful of batter and lightly smooth the batter..Don't smooth too much,otherwise it will become dosa...

• Immediately, sprinkle vegetable masala sparingly and sprinkle little olive/sunflower oil on top and close the lid..

• When one side becomes brown, turn other side and cook at medium flame for 3 mins..Don't cook vegetable part at high flame, otherwise it will get burnt..

• Repeat the steps till the batter and vegetable is used up..

• Transfer it into plate and serve hot with any chutneys of your choice..

      Vegetable Topping

• Soak frozen paneer in a water for 10 mins..This is done in order to smoothen the paneer..Wash thoroughly and squeeze the water from it..You can crumble it with your hands or grind coarsely in a grinder... keep aside..

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add chopped onions and saute till light pink, no need to get transparent..

• Add chopped garlic and chopped green chillies and saute for few seconds..

• Add tomato paste and saute well.

• Add turmeric and chilli powder and saute for few minutes till raw smell goes away..

• Add vegetables and cook at high flame for 2 to 3 mins..Stir in between to avoid getting burnt..

• Add salt and crumbled paneer and mix well..

• Close the lid and cook at medium flame for 2 mins..

• Off the flame and add chopped coriander leaves and mix well..

    Notes

• Leftover batter can be refrigerated and can make dosa or idli next day..

• While making Uttappam, make sure batter must be thick like idli batter...

• Uttappam should be thick like pancake..I prefer semi-thick batter, so I dilute it with very less water and smoothened lightly..

• You can add this vegetable topping in idli too, it gives different taste to idlis...

Elaneer Appam - Tender Coconut Pancake

Today, I am sharing a recipe of different type of appam, Elaneer ( Tender Coconut ) Appam...As in the name, main highlight of this appam is tender coconut..Commonly made appams  are vellappam ( yeasted laced rice crepes), polla ( yeasted thick rice pancakes) etc... appams or rice pancakes / crepes used yeast for fermentation and used shredded coconut for grinding batter..But, this is different kind of appam, which used both tender coconut pulp and tender coconut water for grinding batter and fermented..It is a yeast free batter..It tastes delicious when served warm and serve it with the combination of any non-veg or veg spicy curry of your choice..Do try this appam and impress your family..Off to the recipe

   Ingredients

• Raw rice ( Pachari ) - 1 1/2 cup

• Tender coconut pulp - 1 cup

• Tender coconut water - 1 1/2 cup

• Sugar - 1 tsp

• Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

•  Salt - 1/2 tsp

    Method

• Soak raw rice in water for 2 hrs..

• Blend soaked rice, tender coconut pulp, tender coconut water and sugar thoroughly..Batter should be of semi-thick consistency..If the batter becomes too thin, add 1 tbsp of rice powder and blend again..

• Pour this batter in a large bowl and keep aside for 6 hrs..

• After 6 hrs, mix baking soda and salt and set aside for 1 hr..

• Heat a fry pan, when it becomes hot, add one ladleful batter in a fry pan..slightly swirl the pan, batter will spread itself..

• When you see the pores on batter, close the lid and cook for 2 to 3 mins..

• No need to flip other side, when one side turns golden brown, take out the appam and place it on serving plate..

• Repeat the steps till all the batter is used up.

• Serve it with any spicy curries of your choice.

    Notes

•   If you don't have tender coconut pulp or tender coconut water, replace it with shredded coconut or coconut water / normal water..

Oats Puttu -Savoury Oats Steamed Cakes

Puttu is a traditional breakfast menu which is steamed in Puttu kutti ( cylindrical wide tube which is fitted with vessel containing water) or cheratta mold ( coconut shell / coconut husk vessel)..Now a days puttu kutti or cheratta putt  mold can be fitted on top of pressure cooker, which makes it cook faster..Puttu powder is moistened with little water into crumb consistency, which is poured in puttu kutti and layered with grated coconut at bottom,middle and top and steam cooked..Most of the puttu is made with roasted rice or rava ( semolina) powder..Now- a-days puttu can be made with wheat, ragi ( finger millet)and corn puttu powder etc which are easily available in most of the Super Markets..Mostly, puttu is served with the combination of banana, kadala curry ( black or white chick peas curry) or any spicy curry..Earlier I shared the recipe of Oats - Rava Idli.. Today, I am posting a recipe of Oats puttu...Its definitely a healthy puttu, which is easy to make and cooks in a few minutes..I saw this in one of the cookery show in malayalam..I didn't have second thought, I made this for next day's breakfast..All the ingredients mentioned is ,of course, there in my pantry..My hubby love this steaming oats puttu very much..This oats puttu is steamed in Cheratta putt ( coconut husk shaped mold), which is layered with coconut and vegetables- shredded chicken..No curry is required for that..It tastes delicious when served warm..Do make this puttu as a change from making usual puttu...Do try it and impress your household.

                                              Recipe Source : Cookery Show

     Ingredients

• Instant Oats - 1 cup ( I used Quaker oats)

• Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

• Shredded cooked chicken - 1 cup ( cooked with turmeric, salt and pepper pdr)

• Grated carrot - 1/2 cup

• Very finely chopped beans - 1/2 cup

• Very finely chopped onion - 1 small

• Crushed garlic -ginger - 1 tsp

• Chopped curry leaves - 1 sprig

• Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

• Garam masala pdr - 1/4 tsp

• Salt - to taste

• Water - 2 to 3 tbsp

     Method

• In a bowl, add oats with little salt and mix well..Add water little by little and make into crumb consistency..Don't add too much water..Take care, there should not be lumps..If there is lumps, don't worry..Do grind the oats in a grinder coarsely..If you are using rolled oats, ignore grinding it. Keep aside..

• In another bowl, mix ingredients ingredients from 'shredded chkn' till 'salt' and mix thoroughly and keep aside..

• Meanwhile, fill water in a pressure cooker, close the lid and boil for sometimes..

• Take a cheratta puttu mold ( coconut husk shaped mold), add round slotted holes as shown in picture..

• Add 1 tbsp coconut grated on bottom..Then add little chicken- veg mixture on top of grated coconut and finally add half to one handful of grounded or rolled oats on top of it..Add little coconut shredded on top of it..

• When the steam comes out of pressure cooker, add cheratta mold on top of it..

• Cook for 5 to 6 mins till steam comes out through the holes of cheratta putt mold..

• Demold the putt on plate as shown in picture above.

• Repeat the steps when all the oats and grated chicken -veg mixture is used up..

• Serve warm..Make sure to eat oats puttu when warm, otherwise it will dry when cold..

      Notes

• You can serve this oats puttu either as breakfast or dinner..

• Instead of savoury layering, you can layer it with sweet filling too, like dates, plantain (Nentra pazham) mixed with coconut and cardamon powder etc etc

• You can also make oats just by layering it with coconut shredded filling only like normal puttu..You can also serve it with curry of your choice.

• As veg and chicken is used for layering, so no need of curry.

• You can add leftover chicken or veg dry masala as layering...

• Vegetarians can avoid chicken...

Oats Rava Idli - Oats Semolina Steam Cakes

Today, I am sharing a recipe of a healthy breakfast menu, Oats rava Idli..Idli is a traditional South Indian menu which is served as a breakfast..Normally, Idlis are made with the batter of rice and urad dal, which is fermented overnight and poured in idli molds and steamed..But,Oats- Rava Idli doesn't require fermentation..You can pour this batter immediately in a large holes of idli molds and serve this idli with the chutney of your choice...This idli is good for diabetic and elderly person. Oats contains fibre which is good for digestion and also it reduces cholesterol. We are familiar with sweet oats porridge that we mostly combined with milk ..Instead of that, we can make lots of savory items in oats too like Oats Upma, Oats puttu, Oats soup etc which I will share these in my later post..I didn't know that idli's can be made with oats until I came to  the recipe mentioned  here..I didn't have the time to take step by step pictures of preparation as my hubby is hurry for going to office...I served this with Tomato Garlic Chutney, which I will share it in my next post..As a change from making normal idlis, do try to make this easy and healthy idlis..Impress your hubby and kids..Lets go the recipe.

                                                        Recipe Courtesy: here 

      Ingredients:

• Instant Oats - 1 cup

• Semolina (rava) - 1/2 cup 

• Yogurt - 1/2 cup

• Baking Soda / Eno Fruit Salt -  a pinch ( baking soda) / 1/2 tsp ( fruit salt)

• Salt - to taste

• Any vegetables of your choice, finely chopped - 1 cup ( I used carrot,capsicum and beans)

• Finely chopped green chillies - 2 no.s

• Finely chopped ginger - 1 tsp

• Finely chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp

• Lemon juice - 1 1/2 tsp

• Water - 1/2 cup ( depends)

     To temper:

• Oil - 1 tbsp

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

• Urad dal (uzhunnu paripp) - 1/2 tsp

• Curry leaves, finely chopped  - 1 sprig

• Asafoetida ( kayam podi) - 1/4 tsp

    Method: 

• Roast Oats in a pan at medium heat till colour changes slightly..Set aside to cool and grind into coarse powder..

• In same pan, add oil, when it heats and add mustard seeds..

• When it splutters, add urad dal,when it becomes light brown, add chopped curry leaves..

•  Add asafoetida and saute well..

• Then add the chopped ginger,green chilies and coriander leaves and saute well. 

• Add finely chopped vegetables and saute at a high flame for one second .Be careful, don't burn it..

• Then reduce the flame to medium, add semolina to it and roast it..( If you are using roasted semolina,ignore this step)

• Off the flame and transfer these into large bowl..

• Add grounded roast oats,yogurt,salt,water and mix well and make into thick batter like normal idlis..

• Add baking soda / Eno fruit salt and mix well..Can add little water if your batter is too thick..

• Heat the idli vessel / idli cooker with little water..Don't add too much water, otherwise water will get into idlis while steaming...

• Grease the idli mold holes with little oil and pour one tablespoon of batter in each holes.

• Place these molds in a vessel and steam cook for 10 to 12 mins till done.

• To check whether idli is done, insert a fork or toothpick in the centre of idlis..If it comes out clean, its done..

• Off the flame, and take out the idli molds and set aside to cool..

• When it cools down, take the idlis with spoon and serve it on a plate with bottom facing upwards as shown in above picture...

• Serve warm with any chutneys of your choice..

      Notes:

• It is necessary to use either baking soda or fruit salt while preparing this idli..Otherwise you will not get soft idlis..

• Eno fruit salt is mostly used in making this idli..It makes more soft and porous than baking soda..I don't have Eno fruit salt, so I used baking soda...

• You can add any desired vegetables of your choice..But make sure, veggies should be very finely chopped otherwise it takes time to cook...

• You can adjust the yogurt and water quantity  i.e you had more curd, add little water and vice versa..

Pesarattu or cherupayar dosa ( Green gram rice crepes)

Are you tired of eating normal dosas often?.Do you like to make changes of usual dosa ?..
Well,whatever may be , I am going to introduce a special dosa called ' Pesarattu' or Green gram (cherupayar/moong dal) dosa. Its a typical Andhra cuisine.Green Gram is the main highlight of this dosa, hence its green in colour. Unlike other dosa, it doesn't use urad dal ( uzhunnu paripp),so no fermentation is required. .You can prepare dosas immediately after grinding the batter. Its a healthy dosa.It can be served either as a breakfast or dinner . Green gram contains protein. Its good for diabetic patient and kids too.Do try it and impress your household:) :)

Making of pesarattu 

Ingredients:

• Moong dal/ cherupayar / Green Gram - 1 cup
• Raw rice - 1/2 cup
• Shallots( cheriya ulli) - 5 to 6 no.s  OR  Onion - 1/2 slice
• Sliced Ginger - 1 tsp
• Green Chillies - 2 no.s 
• Coriander leaves,chopped - 1 tbsp
• Asafoeda/hing/ kayam podi -  a pinch
• Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
• Water - 1 or 1 1/2 cup for grinding ( adjust accordingly)
• Salt - to taste

Method:

• Soak Green Gram and rice together in a water for 5 to 6 hrs. OR  For faster softening, soak both in boiling hot water in a hot casserole or flask  and close the lid .Soak for 1 hr.Wash these in a few couplets of water.

• Blend all the ingredients thoroughly and make the batter into semi-thick consistency, just like  normal dosa batter .

• Pour this batter in a large bowl. Can add salt if required. Dilute it by adding little water,depending how thick or thin batter you prefer.( I prefer thin and crispy dosa)

• Heat a non-stick fry pan or tawa. Make sure your pan must be hot. Add one laddleful of batter on the pan,smoothen and make it into concentric circle by back side of laddle.Just like how you prepare a normal dosa. ( See the pic above)

• Drizzle few drops of oil here and there. When turn brown on sides, flip the dosa and cook on other side.Fold and serve on a plate or casserole. Repeat the process till batter is used up.

• Serve it with chutney or your favourite curry of your choice. Serve warm.

Tips:

• Left over batter can be refrigerated for later use.

• If you don't have time to grind the batter in morning, you can grind it on previous day and refrigerate, prepare dosas on next day.