All these food shows on TV show some version of crusts being used on different ingredients. What has been stopping people to use different things to make the crust – other than Bread crumbs.
To be fair this was not the first thought that came to me :P. I was out of bread crumbs and was too lazy to make fresh one. So I googled “Crust without breadcrumbs”; all the results were telling me was “How to make breadcrumbs”. So I thought lets atleast read a recipe and then decide how to tweak it.
First thought for the base came to me was salted peanuts. Second thought was blanched almonds. Third was rolled oats – coarsely chopped. And I promise the final one was Wheat/oat bran. So I used the bran for this recipe because there was a box that was just lying around :P. I have been using this bran in chapatis and parathas but since husband didnt really like it, I use it only for mine.
Let us get to making this gorgeous paneer. 🙂
You shall need: [ serves 1]
75 gms paneer [2 chunks/slices of the size that you like]
4 tbsp oat bran
3 tbsp chopped fresh herbs [ I used corriander, Basil and mint]
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp red chilly flakes
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup milk
Oil
Shallow non stick pan
Spatula
Two small plates/shallow bowls
Method:
Mix the bran, herbs, lemon juice, flakes and salt in one plate.
Pour the milk in another plate.
Cut the paneer in the slab of the size that you like.
Dip the paneer in milk, on both side.
Move it to the bran herb mix.
Cover it generously and press some mix on it lightly ,as well.
Heat the pan on a medium low heat until it is nice and hot.
Add few drops of oil. Once it is hot enough, lower the paneer in the pan and let it stand there for a few min. Do not move it to check.
Once you can see brown edges, add a few drops of oil on the uncooked side and flip it gently.
Press it gently to make sure the crust cooks well on the other side as well.
Transfer on serving dish and serve with a lemon.
I ate it with a methi roti and added a tsp of cheese spread on it, turning the paneer and roti into a burrito-ish.
Notes-
Next time I will like to add a few nuts to the bran as well.
In case you do not have fresh herbs, go ahead and use the dried ones- but fresh ones are more preferred. 🙂
Adding more oil is not necessary, trust me. Your pan needs to be good, though.
Adding a few drops of milk on the crust [while adding the crust on top of the paneer] will make sure it sticks well.
What a party in my mouth this one was ❤ This healthy salad has very less oil and is gorgeous to serve and even travels well [pack the vinaigrette separate]. 🙂
You shall need: [serves 1]
100 gms Salad leaves of your choice [Personally I love a mix but yesterday I had only iceburg] – tear it up
1/4 cup Pomegranate Seeds
1 medium size pear [peel and chopped]
Juice of 1 Sweet lime/Mausambi
1 tsp Lemon juice
1/4 tsp Red chilly flakes
1/2 tsp Olive oil
1 tsp Fennel seeds
Salt to taste
Method:
In a small bottle, add the sweet lime juice, lemon juice, flakes, salt and fennel seeds.
Shake it well and keep in the fridge – This one can stay for upto 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container
On a bowl, put the salad leaves, pear and pomegranate. Sprinkle dressing as need be and devour with love.
So you are sitting in the living room and staring at the gorgeous stuff that people that people click with their magical little boxes called camera. While you can sit there and feel about you not having the patience to do the same or you can work your magic in creating something you are proud of you.
I am of the latter kind. While I feel terrible at times for not paying enough attention to these details like presentation and story telling. So is it the ingredient that keeps me going, YES. I am a loyalist when it comes to food habits. I have always been a fan of the broken wheat/bulgur. My healthy eating days are here to stay so I have been giving this gorgeous ingredient a spin of all kinds.
You shall need: [Makes about 20 small balls]
1/2 cup broken wheat
3 cup water
1/4 cup chopped fresh corriander leaves
2 tbsp bajra/jowar/ragi/besan/while wheat flour [I used Bajra Flour]
Salt and red chilly powder
juice of half a lemon
Oil
Peniyaram pan/non stick pan
fork
bowl
Spoon
kitchen towel
Sieve
Method:
Wash the broken wheat 2-3 times.
Soak it in 1 cup water for 20-30 min.
Bring 2 cup water to a simmer and add the broken wheat [minus the soaking water]
Reduce the flame to medium and stir using a fork occasionally.
Once it cooks, it will be double in volume and the water will almost be gone. – say 12-15 min or so
Put the wheat in a strainer to get rid of extra moisture.
Cover the strainer with a tea towel. Stir it with fork a few times till this cools.
Move the wheat to a bowl once it is cool to touch.
Add the flour, salt, corriander, lemon juice and red chilly powder. Taste to adjust the spice.
Heat the pan and add a drop of oil in each slot.
Using a spoon, scoop the mix and make tiny balls of it.
Put these in the pan and let them brown well on all sides.
The frantic rush to fix a breakfast gets to me sometimes. But then missing ingredients also has the same effect. I wanted to eat rava dosa but there was no rice flour 😦
Hence look around and find what all is available, do a quick calculation in the head and voila breakfast is ready.
So why should we eat ragi? Here are top 5 reasons:
Controls Blood sugar
Assists in weight loss
Relaxes muscles
Fights Anemia
Great source for Proteins
And why should we eat Oats? Here are top 5 reasons:
Enhances Immune response
Acts as a natural laxative
Reduces risk of cardio vascular disease
Controls Blood pressure
Lowers Bad cholesterol
You shall need: [Feeds 4]
3/4 cup Ragi Flour
1/3 cup Whole wheat flour
1/3 cup Fine bulgar/daliya
1/2 cup oats – measure first then whiz them in a mixer to make a powder.
1 medium onion chopped finely
2 green chillies finely shopped
2 cup buttermilk [I used about 100 ml of Amul spiced butter milk as well] – mix 4-5 tbsp of curd with 1.5 cups of water
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil
Non stick pan
Whisk
bowl
Spatula
Method:
In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.
Mix using the whisk.
Add the onions and green chilly.
Pour the butter milk in the mix. We want a runny mix, like that of the rava dosa/crepe.
Keep it aside for 5-10 minutes.
In case the mix looks thick, add little water to get it to the consistency we want.
Heat a non stick pan and put 2-3 drops of oil on it.
Pour a ladle-ful of the mix on it. Flatten it well.
Thou Shalt Cook!! 