The Sooji Omelette

Here's a recipe I invented for Pranav who does not eat eggs. 

"He don't eat no eggs? What do you mean he don't eat no eggs? Oh, that's okay. I make you omelette."

I decided to make uttapam one morning. Well, any South Indian chef worth a salt knows that the batter for a good uttapam should be prepared the night before. Clearly I am not South Indian, nor is my sodium high enough to be worth anything. I quickly searched my brain, and reached the very borders of my imagination to find a substitute. The solution: sooji, or semolina as my friends in the West call it. I threw in a little yoghurt and water, and thus the sooji omelette was born. 

At least, that's how MY version of the sooji omelette was born.  I have since discovered another version called the "semolina pancake" by Tarla Dalal. Her recipe can be found here. I think mine is better; not just because it's mine, but because it's spicier, doesn't include corn, and I put the fresh coriander right where in belongs - in the dish. Mr. Raj and I enjoy sooji omelettes at least twice a month and usually in the morning, but they make a good afternoon snack as well. The ingredients are many but don't worry. This dish is actually very simple, and remarkably difficult to mess up. Today, they are my brunch.

Sooji Omelettes (serves 2-3)

• 1 cup of sooji
• 3 tbsp yoghurt of any kind
• 2/3 cup water (+/- a bit)
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 medium tomato chopped
• 1 green or red chili chopped (remove the seeds if you don't want all the kick)
• a hanfdul of fresh coriander chopped
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 coriander powder
• salt to taste

You will need a non-stick pan or skillet, and a silicon spatula. In addition, a little ghee for brushing on the non-stick pan, and on top of the omelets can make life easier. 

First thing's first: wash whatever needs to be washed, and chop whatever needs to be chopped. This is a no-stress dish, so don't be too concerned if your onions are chunky, or whether the tomatoes aren't firm.  It's all getting mixed up, and in any order that you like. I tend to mix the sooji, yoghurt and water first, but I've also put my chopped ingredients in a bowl and added everything else on top. It really doesn't matter, but what you should end up with is a medium thick batter that slides of the spoon, and doesn't splash. After adding all the ingredients and thoroughly combining them, let the batter sit for about 5 minutes. 

In the meanwhile you can heat up your pan on medium, and brush a little ghee into the centre - emphasis on little. The ghee is just to help brown the bottom of your omelette. It's not a major contributor to the taste of texture of this dish. When the pan is ready, add the batter. My omelets are round, and usually comprise 3 tablespoons of batter, but you can make them any size and shape you like. I have been known to make them in Mickey Mouse format for my nieces. 

Cook each side for about a minute. You'll know it's ready when it can slide around the pan but still hold its shape, and when you can easily flip it over (either with the help of the spatula, or a good hand toss.) Some parts of the omelette should look brown for example, pieces of onion or tomato. Sometimes the edges get nice and crispy. This is a good sign. You can enjoy these on their own, with ketchup, yoghurt, or any chutney that you love. 

Variations for Health and Taste 

Sometimes when I make these, I substitute jeera for the black mustard seeds, and chopped curry leaves for the fresh coriander.  In South Indian cooking, the mustard seeds and curry leaves belong together, but I've mixed them up in different combinations, and come to the conclusion that whatever I have at home is what's going into the dish. The greatest benefit of cumin seeds is iron. Not only is iron an integral component of hemoglobin, it's essential to keeping your immune system healthy. Besides that, these tiny unassuming seeds pack a mean punch when it comes to flavour. On the other hand, curry leaves serve to strengthen the digestive system. Their mineral contents are calcium, phosphorous, vitamin C and, you guessed it, iron. Finally, if you're super health conscious, brush the pan and omelets with olive oil and forget the ghee. Good eats amigos!

A Fresh Summer Salad

For this recipe, you will require an unlikely combination of very few ingredients that I guarantee to leave your taste buds wanting more. I have recently discovered, and come to appreciate, the marriage of sweet and salt. If done well, it reveals limitless possibilities.

Baby Spinach and Goat Cheese Salad (serves 2)

2 packed cups of baby spinach leaves

1 medium red bell pepper (capsicum) thinly sliced

1 mandarin peeled and pieces separated

1 medium red onion thinly sliced into strips

50g goat cheese (maybe a little more, if you so desire)

a dusting of all-purpose flour (optional)

3 tbsp vegetable oil (optional)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (totally NOT optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Thoroughly wash and dry the baby spinach leaves and keep them aside. Remove the skin from the pieces of mandarin and keep them aside. Break up the goat cheese into chunks and keep it aside. Lightly coat the slices of onion in vegetable oil, and toss them together with a dusting of all-purpose flour so that they are slightly battered. Fry the flour covered onion in the remaining vegetable oil until the strips are curled and crispy. Strain them and keep them aside on a plate covered with a napkin to absorb any oil. Now, combine the baby spinach, mandarin pieces, red pepper slices and goat cheese in a large salad bowl. Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, and drizzle this over the salad. Give it a toss if it needs one. Finally, garnish the salad with the fried onion strips.

Variations for Health and Taste:

If you’re not a fan of baby spinach, any combination of greens should work well. Try 1 head of radicchio combined with 1 bunch of arugula. Even lettuce of any kind should do the trick if the suggested greens are unavailable, or if you enjoy your salad on the conservative side. Also, any colour of bell pepper will do, as they are all an excellent source of dietary fibre, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. If you can’t get your paws on mandarin, then any citrus should work just as well. However, I highly discourage you from using lemon and lime - stick to orange and tangerine. As for the onion, it need not be battered and fried. If you’re on a low-carb diet, then feel free to simply caramelize the onion. It is also perfectly acceptable to garnish the salad with slices of fresh red onion as well (white doesn’t make for the best fresh garnish.) Finally, roasted goat cheese will give added character to this salad, or even a sprinkle of roasted pine nuts. Buon Appetito!

Eggless Cheesecake - Equally Satisfying!

Hello All! It's been too long since my last post, but I've been rather busy of late. Nevertheless, I take this time and opportunity to share a fun little recipe with you - an eggless cheesecake that I made for Pranav's birthday last weekend. You don't need too much, and it wont take you more than an hour to finish the job. Here we go!

Eggless Cheesecake (serves 6-8)

• 16 arrowroot buscuits
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 1/3 melted butter
• a dash of cinnamon
• 8 ounces of softened cream cheese
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 3/4 cup of sour cream 
• 8 ounces of whipped cream

Start by taking out the day's frustrations and mash the arrowroot biscuits to pieces. Put the crumbs in a bowl and soften them with the milk and butter. Add the cinnamon for an unexpected hint of spice in the crust. The biscuits will take on a doughy texture - they should be soft, but not too mushy. Press the doughy crust into a 9-inch dish and bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. Next, combine the remaining items in a large bowl, and keep beating, stirring and mixing until the filling is silky smooth. When the crust is cool, pour in the filling and put your cake into the fridge to chill. A no-bake cheesecake requires at least 10 hours to set, so I recommend doing this at night and sleeping through the temptation to stick your pinky in for a sample. Your cake will be ready to enjoy the next day.  If you like toppings on your cheesecake, here's the recipe for a quick glaze.

Strawberry Glaze Topping (to cover the cheesecake)

• 2 cups of fresh strawberries - chopped
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar

Keep the strawberries separate while you mix the cornstarch, lime juice and water in a bowl. The cornstarch will completely dissolve, and you should now add this mixture to the strawberries in a saucepan to cook on medium-low heat. When it thickens and becomes translucent, add the sugar. Keep tasting until you're satisfied with the sweetness. For a more tart glaze, don't add all the sugar. Pour this topping over the cheesecake when it cools, or serve it on the side. Bon Apetit!