'Simplicity' is the key Ingredient

Sometimes, we crave for delicious, home-cooked, complete and a filling meal, like the simmering pot of chicken curry from our grandma's kitchen. But there are times, when we want simple and 'on the go' breakfast. As simple as bread, butter and sugar! Here is one such recipe. Bake the pancake and toss in few vegetables and there you go, healthy and a simple breakfast.

 
BAKED VEGETABLE PANCAKES
Recipe Courtesy : tasteofhome magazine.

For the Pancake
All purpose flour - 1 cup
Eggs - 1 beaten
Milk - 1/2 cup
Baking Powder - 1/4 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp
Butter - 1tsp
Salt - 1/4tsp

Or, for a quicker breakfast, use a store bought Bisquick Pancake mix!

For the Topping
You can use any vegetables you prefer, but here is what I used.

Broccoli florets - 1/2 cup
Green Bell Pepper - 1/4 cup
Onions - 1 Sliced lengthwise
Tomato - 1 Chopped
Mushroom - 1/4 cup (Optional)
Frozen Corns - 1 tbsp
Jalapenos - 1 tsp Chopped (Optional)
Carrot and peas - 1/2 cup
Salt- 1/2tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Ground Pepper or Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Cheese - Shredded 1/2 Cup (Mozzarella or Cheddar)

Place the un-melted butter in a pie-pan, and place it in the oven, pre-heated at 450°F, and heat until the butter is melted.Carefully, tilt the butter to coat the pan.

In a separate bowl, mix the ingredients for the pancake until smooth. Pour into the pie-pan and bake for 12-16 minutes or until brown.

While the pancake is baking, heat oil in a skillet, add the onion and fry for few minutes, add the vegetables and fry for few minutes in a high flame, till tender and crisp. Add salt and chili powder.

P.S.Cooking the vegetables can be skipped, if you prefer raw-vegetables.

Once the pancake is done, remove the pan carefully, sprinkle the cheese and top it with the cooked vegetables. Return the pie-pan to the oven and bake for another few 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

P.S. Instead of vegetables, you can top it with berries, powdered sugar and whipped topping for a sweet treat!

 

Sending this recipe to Sunday Snacks-Healthy Snacks event, Jihva for Ingredients event hosted as Jhiva-Breakfast event.  Sending the photo to the DMBLGIT event hosted by Susan of the The well seasoned cook

From Mom's Kitchen

Gone are those days
Memories remain, close in many ways
Cooking and Photographing, tired she lays
Thinking about, Mom's salad days!

Got too emotional, I guess..never mind! My favorite evening-munch. Coming back from school, I would right-away indulge in the salad, never bothering to change my uniforms. Its the 'only' healthy food I loved those days:).
Coming to the recipe, I always prefer my mom's way, with no optional ingredients listed. But you can always try adding some onions & tomatoes, and I guess the kids would love it with fresh grated coconut.

CHICK PEAS SALAD
Garbanzo Chickpeas - 1 Can Or [1 Cup Soaked Overnight and Cooked]
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Mint Leaves - 8 to 10 leaves
Green Chili - 1 small
Lemon - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Onion - 1/4 onion Chopped finely (Optional)
Tomato - 1/4 tomato Chopped finely(Optional)
Coconut grated - 1/4 cup (Optional)

If using canned peas, remove the peas from the can, transfer to a vessel and wash in fresh water 2 to 3 times. Set aside.

Grind together coriander, mint and green chili to a coarse paste.

In a non-stick pan, heat oil over low heat, add the paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add the chick peas and salt and fry for few minute until well coated.

Add lemon juice and adjust salt. Sprinkle with onions and tomatoes or coconut (if preferred). Serve hot!

Sending this recipe to Show me your Salad and Carnival of Salads events. Also sending this recipe to My Legume Love Affair (MLLA) Edition 21 event and Family Favorite event.

Mr.Shan Mix & Chicken Briyani

When its comes to cooking biryani..its always been a nightmare for me! Every time I end-up calling my mom to ask silly questions. How much coriander powder? how many cloves..cardamoms etc..etc.? And I always end-up adding more cloves & cinnamon, and the result, over-flavored Biryani. Poor me!

And then, there came my dear 'Mr.Mix' to the rescue. While hunting though the shelves in nearby Indian grocers, 'Mr.Mix' caught my attention and followed me home.

Typically, one can very well follow the instructions at the back of the box. But for me, nah.. I tried a different variation, a blend of South-Indian based rice, Shan-mix based gravy and final touch with the help of Oven. Touch-wood!

 

CHICKEN BIRYANI 

For the Rice

• Basmati Rice - 1 cup
• Coconut Milk - 1 cup
• Pepper corns - 3 to 5
• Green chili - 1(slit lengthwise)
• Black Cumin(Shahi Jeera) - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Coriander Leaves - a small bunch.
• Water - 1 cup

Soak the rice for 10-15 minutes. Take a pan, heat oil over medium heat, add cumin seeds, green chili and pepper corns, fry for a minute and add the coriander powder. Fry for a minute in low heat. Do not burn the coriander powder. Make sure enough oil is there to fry the coriander powder.

Add water and coconut milk carefully, without spilling over and mix thoroughly. Once the water starts to boil, add the rice and coriander leaves.

After adding rice, you can cook the rice in three methods.

Rice Cooker - transfer the rice & water and cook accordingly.

Pressure Cooker - transfer the rice & cook for 1 whistle or as required.

Stove Top - Cook till the water evaporates, and then close tightly with a lid and simmer till the rice is cooked.

Choose whichever method suits you better, and make sure the rice remains as individual strands after cooking. Cook the rice and set aside.

Gravy - With Mr.Mix

• Chicken - 0.7 Pounds (Preferably thighs or drumsticks -4 to 5 pieces )
• Onion - 2
• Tomato -1
• Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp
• Shan or National Chicken Briyani Mix : 4 tbsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
• Green chili - 2
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Yogurt - 2tbsp
• Oil - 2tbsp
• Coriander leaves - from 3 to 4 stalks
• Mint leaves - 6 to 8
• Fried Onion - 1/2 cup [or use 1- finely sliced onion and deep fry until golden brown]

In a thick-bottomed pan, heat the oil, splutter the cumin seeds, add green chili and ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes. Add onion and fry till brown.

Add the coriander powder and chicken masala and fry for another minute. Add the tomato and cook till done.

Add the chicken pieces, reduce to low heat, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is soft and tender. Stir in the yogurt, mint and coriander leaves and fry for another minute over medium heat till the oil separates.

Arranging & Baking

Pre-heat the oven to 325F. In a baking-dish, add the gravy in the bottom layer, sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves(optional) and then layer the rice on the top. Sprinkle with fried onions, coriander leaves and butter. Tightly close with the foil and bake for about 20 minutes.

Sending this recipe to APS Rice event hosted by Anitha of Anitha's Kitchen.