Teff Crepes...Tamarind Leaf Chutney

Teff Savoury Crepes

I had heard of this super wonder grain for a while and got lucky when a friend sent me a generous amount of teff flour straight from Addis. Teff is the staple there and is primarily used to make Injera (fermented flat bread). It's like the Indian dosa except that it has a pronounced sour taste. I made a slightly indian version of injera, more like crepes or simply put, dosa. I enjoyed it with another healthy and offbeat chutney made out of fresh hand plucked tamarind leaves. It was indeed a healthy, filling and tasty breakfast. 

But before I reveal a little more about teff, let me tell you that it's the most well behaved flour. I have used a variety of Indian flours and this one's amazing. The crepes are so easy to handle. You just can't go wrong with it. Teff boasts of a few nutritional advantages that aren’t found in a lot of other grains. 

It’s worth asking why teff is all of a sudden surfacing as a healthy option. Teff’s mother country, Ethiopia, is famous for its long-distance runners. Some attribute the health of these runners to teff. Ethiopians get about two-thirds of their protein from this tiny grain. In 150 g serving of teff flour, our bodies can access 25% of our daily value for protein. It's also a good source of dietary fiber including resistant starch, a  class of fiber that helps manage blood sugar, weight, and colon health. 

This one is something special about teff. Most grains don’t boast of vitamin C content. But teff is a good source of the vitamin which is so crucial to our immune system, body tissues, and skeletal system.

Ingredients

Teff flour – 1 cup

Salt – ½ tsp

Water – 1 cup

Baking powder – ¼ tsp

Method

Soak flour in water

Keep in warm place overnight to ferment

Add salt and baking powder in the morning

Smear a non-stick pan with little oil

Pour a spoonful of the batter and rotate the pan to spread it

Cover and cook on one side

Flip it over and cook the other side

Serve hot with any chutney or dip of your choice

Tamarind Leaf Chutney

Ingredients

Tamarind leaves – 1 cup

Onion – 1 (medium)

Red Chilies – 10

Coriander seeds (roasted) - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds (roasted) – 1 tsp

Coconut flakes (dried) – 1 tbsp (heaped)

Turmeric – ¼ tsp

Tamarind pulp – 1 tbsp

Jaggery – 1 tbsp

Curry leaves – 8

Mustard seeds – ¾ tsp

Oil – 2 tsp

Method

Dry roast tamarind leaves for 2 minutes

Chop onion roughly and place in a grinder along with coriander and cumin seeds, chopped red chilies, sesame seeds and coconut

Add 2 tsp oil and turmeric to it and sauté on low heat

Add salt and cook for a minute

Cool and transfer to the grinder

Add tamarind pulp and jaggery and grind to a coarse paste using little water, only if required

Transfer to a bowl

Seasoning

Heat oil

Add mustard seeds

When it splutters, add curry leaves and the remaining red chilies (chopped)

Add this to the chutney and mix well

Health Benefits of Teff 

Gluten-free
Treats Anemia 

Helps Lose Weight 

Boosts Energy Levels

Promotes Digestion

Relieves PMS Symptoms

Boosts Immunity

Supports Bone Health

Promotes Healthy Heart

Helps in Diabetes Management

Health Benefits of Tamarind Leaf 

Anti-inflammatory

Heart health

Oral health 

Cornflakes Biscuits

Cornflakes Biscuits

I'm at it again, going through my cupboards to check on all the unfinished stock. And there was a small packet of cornflakes unopened. I googled a few recipes online and mixed and matched a couple to come up with this quick and easy biscuit recipe. It's really nice and crunchy especially when freshly baked and straight out of the oven. Makes for a great snack with a cup of tea or coffee. You can even have this for a quick breakfast on the go. The only slightly sinful bit here is the butter but it's comparatively still less compared to the normal. So go on and bake some today.

Ingredients

Cornflakes (non-sweetened variety) – ¾ cup

Whole wheat flour – 1 cup

Oats – ¼ cup

Jaggery powder – ½ to ¾ cup (depending on sweet requirement)

Butter (frozen) – 2 tbsp

Baking powder – ½ tsp

Baking soda – ½ tsp

Milk – 2 tbsp (or more to bind)

Butterscotch chips – ¼ cup

Method

Crush the cornflakes into smaller pieces and keep aside

Beat 1 tbsp butter well

Add jaggery powder and blend well

Add the remaining butter to oats and mix to form a crumbly mixture

Add this to the jaggery mixture and mix well

Mix baking powder, soda and wheat flour and add to the above mixture

Add milk and form stiff dough

Divide the dough into equal pieces (about 8) and flatten

Coat both sides of the biscuits with the crushed cornflakes

Bake in an oven preheated to 160 degrees C for about 15 to 20 minutes

Enjoy

World's Healthiest Pudding .... Ragi Pudding

Ragi Pudding

This is easily the world's healthiest pudding! And my childhood favourite too. I remember this used to be a treat breakfast during the summers. Ragi is very cooling. This awesome sweet is loaded with nutrients - ragi, jaggery, coconut milk, cardamom and poppy seeds. It felt very nostalgic to prepare it and especially when it tasted almost as good as my mother's. So please try out this no-frills, nutritious health food  

Ingredients

Ragi flour – 1 cup

Rice flour – 1 tbsp

Cornstarch – 1/4 tsp

Arrowroot powder – 1/4 tsp

Coconut milk – 1 cup (slightly thick)

Water – 400 ml (as required to get a free flowing mix)

Jaggery powder – 1 cup

salt – pinch

Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Ghee – ½ tsp

Poppy seeds – 1 tsp

Method

Mix the first four ingredients in water using a whisk

Add jaggery powder and coconut milk and whisk well. There should be no lumps

Add salt and cardamom powder and mix well again

Using a non-stick pan, keep stirring the mixture on slow flame till it thickens

Spread on a greased plate (preferably lined with a banana leaf greased with little pure ghee)

Add half tsp ghee and flatten it well

Sprinkle poppy seeds on it

Cool in the frig for at least 2 hours

Enjoy it cold

Health Benefits

Ragi

Appetite suppressant

Increases bone strength

Reduces cholesterol

Prevents skin aging

Coconut Milk

Contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which researchers have linked with weight loss. MCTs stimulate energy through a process called thermogenesis, or heat production

Heart health

Boosts immune system

Jaggery

Boosts immunity 

Iron rich, prevents anemia

Prevents constipation and enhances the production of digestive enzymes

Helps in preventing joint pain

Detoxifies the body

Generates heat in the body