"Sweet Treats"- Besan Nankatai/ Besan Cookies

 There was a BIG pack of 'besan'/ Gram flour lying around in the pantry...and a friend had reminded about 'Besan Nankatai's" just last week. My 'Teeny Tiny" A'...is on a High calorie diet..and I am always looking for foods..that are high calorie, rich in nutrients and relatively healthy for her. These 'Nankatai's....are sure a winner in this category!!! I had baked All purpose flour nankatai's before...and are still my most favorite..
http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2010/04/sweet-treats-nankatai-indian-sugar.html

It is kind of hard to cater 3 different diets in the family. 'M' and I need low calorie diet.......because guess what......nobody is getting any thinner :(   Little 'E' needs to eat normal diet...as he needs all the fat,nutrients and calories for his growing body. And then there is little tiny 'A'..she has been low on the weigh scale and the doctor asked us to give her a 'High Calorie' diet!! So..here I am ..the Master Personal Chef of 'Thetes'....catering an array of diets at home!

Ingredients:
Recipe Guidance from:
http://www.cinnamonnchillies.com/2011/03/besan-cookieschickpea-flour-cookies.html
1 stick unsalted room temperature butter
1 Cup Besan/ Gram flour
1 Cup powdered sugar
1/2tsp Baking powder
1tsp Vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
Chopped nuts for garnish

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 300 F/ 150C.
2) Lightly butter a cookie sheet
3) Cream together the butter, vanilla and sugar till light and fluffy with a hand mixer.
4) Sieve the Besan, baking powder,salt.Add to the cream butter sugar mixture.
5) Knead into soft dough.Make little 'Pedha' like balls.Press them a little.
6) Place on cookie sheet and press chopped nuts on top.Or make 'Tic tac toe like pattern"

7) Bake at 300 F for 12-15 mins ..until slight brown on bottom.Cool the cookies.

**My First attempt at Besan Nankatai ---Verdict
The cookies looked excellent....they tasted good too....they had the 'hole' in them too....But..they were a little bit 'chewy'...not the texture of the typical nankatai...

"Appetizers"- Suralichi Vaadi/ Khandvi

I know what you are thinking...how did she find the time and patience to make THAT??? Yes, with little 'E' and even 'littiler' ( is that a word even?) 'A', days are rough, busy, and crazy. But you know, your mouth still waters..isn't it?
 You still crave stuff...resulting into me making yum yum food like this...
This is my moms recipe( and YES!!! she is here for 3 months now!).

Ingredients:
1 cup Besan/ Gram flour
3/4th cup Buttermilk
2tsp all purpose flour
2 cups water
Salt ,turmeric, chili powder to taste
For Tadka- 1 tbsp oil, mustard seeds, sesame seeds
For Garnishing- Fresh coconut, cilantro

Method:
1) Mix besan, all purpose flour,buttermilk,water, salt,chili powder,turmeric etc into thin paste.No lumps in the batter.
2) Cook the paste in a non stick pan on medium heat and stir continuously

3) When the paste looks shiny/glossy and cooked (10mins) or so, taste and confirm that it is cooked.Taste to check if the batter is cooked or spread some on a flat cookie sheet, let it cool and see if it forms a layer that can be peeled easily.If not cooked the rolls won't come out good.
4) Spread the paste on flat cookie sheet.DO NOT oil the cookie sheet. You will need 3-4 baking trays/ thalis etc so keep those handy.The batter has to be spread fast into thin layer.Will a spatula or a steel 'vati'/bowl.

5) When cooled, with a knife draw vertical lines on the cooled batter.Roll into Vadis/ Khandvis

6) Heat oil, add mustard seeds, sesame seeds and pour on the vadis.

 7) Garnish with grated coconut, cilantro etc

                                     Enjoy the soft texture with slight sour-spicy taste of the vadis!

"Everyday Cooking'- Kobi chi vadi/ Steamed cabbage and gram flour rolls

Ever wonder what to do with that BIG cabbage head you buy at the grocery store? It lies in my refrigerator for an awfull amount of time.Last week after buying the cabbage.....I used the cabbage to make 'Bhaji' , then in chinese type stir fry, in fried rice, in mix veg soup....but still some was left. I remembered the 'Kobi chi vadi' my mom used to make. It is nothing but cabbage, gram flour mixed together....kneaded into rolls, steamed.....cut into discs...and shallow fried. It doesn't feel that there is 'cabbage' in there and is a sure winner for those 'Cabbage dislikers' out there.
Couple months ago I tried a different version of this, but this time decided to stick with the 'known simple' version of it. They came out really good.....I was snacking on those all day long!!!

Ingredients:
1 cup cabbage finely chopped
1 and 1/2 cups Gram flour/ Besan
1tbsp corn flour
1tsp garlic ginger paste
1/4 cup roasted sesame seeds
1tsp tamarind extract+ 1tbsp jaggery mixed in little water
1/2tsp turmeric
1tsp chili powder
1/2tsp cumin seeds
salt
oil

Method:
1) Mix together cabbage, Gram flour, corn flour, turmeric, cumin, chili powder,sesame seeds, ginger garlic paste,salt etc. Knead with the tamarind-jaggery water. The dough is very sticky.Add only as much water as necessary to make semi soft dough. If dough is too hard, vadis will be hard and dry.If too soft, it will be hard to make into logs.
2) With oiled hands, roll the dough into log shape.
3) Place the logs into oiled vessels.
4) Steam in pressure cooker without whistle for 20-25 mins.Let them cool.

5) Cut out thin slices/ discs from the cooled roll.
6) Shallow fry in oil untill golden brown and crisp .
7) Garnish with roasted sesame seeds and serve warm with ketchup.