Vegetable Uttappam (South Indian griddle cakes)

Uthappams make a great and balanced part of breakfast. It is made with dosa batter. It is quick and easy to make as well with left over dosa batter. More than idlis and dosas kids tend to like uttappam due to the attractive colours which is great since they will get to enjoy fresh veggies :) I had made dosa batter two days ago and had a little bit of it left over this morning. So with a little fresh veggies, we had a yummy and healthy breakfast. Instant Uttappam mixes are available, however, I am not sure what additional ingredients are added to keep them good. I prefer to make my own dosa batter and use it. This way I can make, idlis, dosas and uttappam with the same batter :)

For the dosa batter you will need:
1 cup white rice
1 cup parboiled rice
3/4 cup urad dhal (preferably skinned whole)
salt to taste




For the uttappam (any combination of the following):
sweet peppers chopped fine
carrots grated
cabbage grated/shredded
onion chopped fine
sweet corn
fresh green chillies chopped (for adults)
corriander coarsely chopped

Barley dosai and idlis with green chutney

I am not a health freak. But I am heath conscious. This means that I do not obsess over only eating healthy food. But I moderate unhealthy food and try to mix in as much healthy food in my diet as possible. Looking back at how and when I started being health conscious, I can clearly point out that, I started to eat healthy since the day I realized that I was pregnant. It is the fact that I am now responsible for another life and that it is up to me and Naz to help the child to grow up healthy, happy and become a responsible adult that caused this change in me. One of the changes I have made for healthy diet is to choose food with low glycemic index  whenever possible. This  became more easier once I started to look beyond the usual recipes that call for rice and wheat based products. Introducing other whole grains like, barley and buckwheat has resulted in tasty and healthy food for the whole family. Food with low glycemic index are particularly great for those suffering from diabetes. They are also great for maintaining a healthy energy level through out the day and avoid feelings of low energy and fatigue. Parents of small children, I am sure, will totally appreciate this ;) For more information on Glycemic Index, you can read,

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=32

Kancheepuram Idlis/Kovil Idlis (Iyengar style)

Kancheepuram idlis/Kovil idlis, literally translate to temple idlis. These idlis are a specialty of the Sri Varadharajar temple in Kancheepuram which is also my parents' home town. In a way this is an authentic recipe and it works here as well. At our home in Chennai (& here) we make these on festival days for breakfast. 

You will need: 
PARBOILED RICE (puzhungal arisi)- 1 & 1/2 CUPS 
LONG_GRAIN WHITE RICE (pacharisi) 1/2 CUP 
URAD DHAL 2 CUPS 
BLACK PEPPER 1 TSP
CUMIN SEEDS 1/2 TSP
DRIED GINGER POWDER (sukku podi) 1/2 TSP 
PLAIN YOGURT 1 CUP
SESAME OIL 4 TBLSP 
GHEE/MELTED BUTTER 4 TSP - 8 TSP (4 being the low-calorie idlis)
SALT AS NEEDED.

Rice-lentil Adai with onion-tomato chutney

Adai is one of my childhood favorites. Despite, hailing from Chennai, I never cared much for idlis when I was a child. But I loved Adai. With equal amount of rice and dals (Toor dal and Channa dal) it is very healthy and tasty food for children. Adai is a variety of the South-Indian dosa, but, the batter should be a little thicker than dosa batter. The adai being naturally lower in calorie it is great for the entire family. I used to eat adai with vellam/jaggery. But both Naz & Anjalie prefer a chutney and in particular Anjalie loves the Onion-Tomato chutney. I like to make my Onion-Tomato chutney with slightly more tangy by using canned tomatoes. You can adjust the ingredients according to your taste.
This is great for breakfast. It fills you up and keeps you going until late in the afternoon.
For ADAI

You will need:

Parboiled rice    1 cup
Toor dhal    1/2 cup
Channa dal    1/2 cup
grated ginger 1/2 tsp (optional)

Red chilli    4-5
4 shallots/ 1/2 big onion  finely chopped
asafoedita    1/4 tsp

2 whole fresh green chillies (optional)
curry leaves  5-6 leaves (optional)
salt to taste

1 tbsp coconut powder (optional)
1 tbsp oil for lubricating the skillet/tawa (optional)

Ven Pongal and Gotsu

This combo of Ven Pongal (savory pongal) and gotsu are easy to make and are eaten as part of healthy breakfast in South India. The pongal itself is mild and is a simple combo of rice and lentils. Thus it is suitable even for a 6 months old. There is nothing more comforting on cold winter mornings than a steaming hot plate of pongal and gotsu. This one often appears on our breakfast table during the winter months. Now for the recipe,

Ven Pongal:
Raw rice - 1 cup 
Moong dal - 1/4 cup 
Grated ginger - 1 teaspoon 
Black peppercorns - 1 teaspoon 
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon 
Ghee - 3 tablespoons 
Bunch of curry leaves for seasoning 
Roasted cashew nuts - 12 (optional, skip if cooking for children under 5 yrs old)
Asafoetida - a pinch
Water - 4 cups 
Salt to taste

Trinidadian Pholourie

Pholourie is very popular in the Caribbean and the first time I tasted it I fell in love with it. It is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and pretty much melts in the mouth. I had to learn the recipe immediately. This is one of the recipes I got from my MIL and is a original Trinidadian version. For Anjalie we serve this with ketchup or cucumber raita (see recipe in veggie fritters). We adults tend to enjoy this with tamarind chutney (recipe to follow soon), hot pepper sauce and bun dhaniya (similar to coriander/cilantro).

You will need:
1 cup ground split peas/Besan
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup all-purpose/plain flour/maida
salt and black pepper to taste
1 1/3 cups water (use more or less to make thick batter)
oil for deep frying

Rice, Daal and mild curried chicken or tofu or soya chunks

I am originally from Chennai, India and my husband is from Trinidad in the Caribbean. So rice, daal and curry is an important (& regular) part of our diet. Here is a version that our toddler enjoys very much. This recipe is again very forgiving and you can modify as per your taste. Since this needs a lot of effort, I make a large portion and freeze them in small bowls to use when needed.

You will need:
1 breast of chicken or a packet of firm tofu or soya chunks (1 cup)
1/2 cup cooked rice
1 knob of butter
For Daal I use a mix of yellow pigeon peas, yellow lentils and split peas - 1/4 cup each
Madras curry powder (mild) 1 tbsp (and a 1 tsp  to marinate): Any brand from the grocery will do.
onion 1/4 chopped finely
1 tomato finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic crushed
1 stalk of green onion finely chopped
1 stalk of celery finely chopped
garlic
1/8 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cumin
salt and black pepper to taste.
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil
1tsp coriander leaves chopped finely