Oats Dosa

Ingredients:

2 cups Oats (old fashioned)

1 cup Rava/Sooji

1/2 cup Whole wheat flour

3/4 cup Zucchini (grated)

1tsp Cumin seeds

2 green Chilli (chopped)

1/2tsp Ginger (minced)

4-5 Curry leaves

1tbsp Yogurt (plain)

3 1/2 cups Water

Salt

2tsp Oil

How to:

• Dry roast the oats and rava for 4-5 mins each separately and let it cool.

• Grind the cooled oats into a fine powder. (As fine as possible)

• Now, in a bowl mix together the ground oats, rava and whole wheat flour.

• Then add yogurt followed by water and mix well with your hands resulting, a lump-free batter.

• Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, green chilli, ginger and curry leaves.

• Add the hot mixture into the batter, mix well and let rest for 20-25 mins.

• Finally add grated zucchini and salt, mix well and the batter is ready.

• Heat griddle/tawa, pour a ladle full of batter and spread evenly, making a round shape. 

• Pour drops of oil at the sides and cook for 2-3 mins, flip it and cook for another 3 mins or until brown.
• Remove and serve hot with milaga podi/chutney.

Tip:

• Unlike the dosa prepared with rice & urad dal, this dosa won't be crispy. You can still get browner dosa by cooking couple of mins more in the hot griddle.
• You can also use other grated vegetables like carrot, cucumber, beets along with chopped onions.

Zucchini-Bell Pepper Rice

I would also call it as 'The Green Rice'.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup White Basmati rice 

1/4 cup Brown Basmati Rice

1 cup Zucchini (grated)

1/2 Green Bell Pepper (thinly sliced)

2 Green onions (chopped)

1/2 Yellow onion (diced)

1/2tsp Garam masala powder

2tsp Sambal Chilli sauce (optional)

1tsp Cumin seeds

1 Bay leaf

1 piece Cinnamon

2 Dry Red chilli (broken)

1 Black Cardamom

1 1/2 cups Water

1tbsp + 1tsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• Soak the basmati rice for 30 mins, pressure cook along with water, salt and 1tsp oil, fluff with a fork and keep aside.

• Heat remaining oil in a skillet, add cumin seeds through cardamom.

• Add onions along with salt and saute until tender.

• Then add bell pepper and half of the chopped green onions, saute for a couple of mins.

• When the onions turn slightly brown, add zucchini and saute well for 4-5 mins.

• Then add garam masala powder and cook for a min.

• Add chilli sauce and cook for another min.

• Now toss the cooked rice into the skillet and mix gently.

• Check salt for taste and cook in low flame for a min. (You can also add freshly ground black pepper.)

• Switch off and garnish with remaining green onions and chopped cilantro.

Serve with hot sauce and raita.

Quinoa Upma

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Quinoa (pre-rinsed)

1/2 Yellow onion (chopped)

1 long green chilli (slit)

4-5 Curry leaves

1tsp Ginger (grated)

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

1tbsp Oil

1 cup Water

Salt

How to:

• Pressure cook the quinoa along with water and salt. (Just like white rice.)
• Remove and fluff it with a fork and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dal.

• Then add onions along with salt and saute until tender.

• Add green chilli, ginger and curry leaves and saute for 3-4 mins.

• Then add the fluffed quinoa, mix well and cook for a couple of mins in a medium-low flame.

• Check salt for taste and switch off.

Serve warm with hot sauce/pickle/sugar.

Cauliflower Chops

Ingredients:

1 medium Cauliflower (florets separated)

1 Yellow onion (chopped)

2 Roma tomatoes (chopped)

1 long green Chilli (chopped)

2tbsp grated Coconut (frozen & thawed)

1tsp minced Ginger

3 Garlic pods (minced)

1tsp Paprika

2tsp Chilli powder

3/4tsp Garam masala powder

4-5 Curry leaves

1tsp Poppy seeds

1tsp Cumin seeds

1tbsp Oil

2 cups Water

Salt

How to:

• Wash and rinse the cauliflower florets and immerse in hot salt-water for 3-4 mins. (Make sure to chop'em into small bite-size pieces.)
• Grind together the coconut and poppy seeds into a fine paste along with 1tbsp water and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a skillet, add cumin seeds, followed by garlic and ginger.

• Then add onions along with salt and saute until tender.

• Now add green chilli and curry leaves, saute for a couple of mins or until onions are slightly brown.

• Add tomatoes and paprika and cook until completely mashed up.

• Then add cauliflower, mix well and pour the water along with salt.

• When it starts boiling, add the ground coconut mixture and cook for couple of mins.

• Then add chilli powder and garam masala powder and cook with lid closed for 6 mins or until the florets are tender.

• Remove the lid, cook in a medium-low flame until right gravy consistency. Check salt for taste.

• Switch off and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve hot over steamed rice or as a a side for chapathi.

Tip:

You can increase the gravy amount by adding 1/2 cup coconut milk and also grind split roasted chana dal (dalia) along with grated coconut and poppy seeds, accordingly adjust the seasonings.