Chickpea Flour (Besan) Crêpes with Spinach

A genuine feast can easily enough be an elegant combination of humble ingredients that come together to satisfy not only your palate but also an eager rumbling tummy. My frequent experiments with Indian shallow-fried flat breads certainly illustrates the truth of my impressions here, and if you don't think these lovely, fragrant and lightly spiced chickpea flour crêpes served with a refreshing homemade cashew chutney would qualify as a fine dining experience any time of day, then just give these little beauties a try and see if you don't change your mind. Serve them along with a bed of hot steaming basmati rice and, if enjoying for lunch or dinner, a nice spicy dal.

I was especially delighted and surprised with the dense, chewy and egg-like consistency and texture of these crêpes despite the fact that they contain no dairy whatsoever. An extra bonus is these Indian pancakes are also gluten-free. The uncooked salted spinach, once fried as a "topping" for the crêpe, adds a further crispy component to this array of culinary layers. The alchemy was going well in the kitchen the day I made up a batch and I couldn't even wait until the frying was done before I started nibbling on the first one just warm and fragrant out of the pan. Oh well, I was home alone at the time.

These make for a great breakfast too, and because they are so easy to prepare — especially if you use two skillets to cut down on the time spent in front of the stove — you can also treat yourself to a midweek breakfast that, despite the ease of preparation, is rather a lot fancier than what we are often accustomed to when we sit down to a midweek breakfast.

Not a must, but recommended for inclusion in the crêpe batter is a teaspoon or so of what I affectionately term "fire paste" or, if you prefer, red chili and vinegar paste. I always have some on hand in the refrigerator as it keeps for a good few weeks. It's perfect for adding to soups, sauces and so many other delights made up on your range if you want some extra kick. Just take care to taste your particular batch before incorporating into your creations as you don't want to overpower the other flavors present. If you don't happen to have fire paste on hand when the craving hits, then sprinkle in some of your favorite spices that are included in the blend, such as turmeric, chili powder, ground cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne or whatever else strikes your fancy from the list. Explore your spice blends and pastes and come up with a multitude of chickpea flour crêpes to stimulate and satisfy your palate.

Warning: these are highly addictive, so feel free to double or triple the batch. Any leftovers wrapped in foil wrap and heated in the oven the next day at a low temperature are just as appealing as the day they hatched from the skillet — of course, that is assuming you have any leftovers once your eager diners are invited to the table for the experience. You may also wish to keep a batch of these a closely guarded secret when you anticipate you will be eating alone.

More Indian breads and pancakes from Lisa's Vegetarian kitchen to keep your obsessive palate happy:

Fenugreek Roti

Indian Lentil and Rice Pancakes

Paratha Stuffed with Sweet Potato and Potato

Makki Di Roti (Griddle Cooked Corn Bread)

Mung Bean Pancakes (Chila)

My obsession with savory Indian pancakes for breakfast with some spicy chutney or a dollop of yogurt maintains. I make up a first rate sized batch to remaining my husband and I a terrific few days ? They may be reheated in foil wrap if made in advance of time as they maintain their as a substitute delicate texture and slightly spicy, healthful flavor for days. Or, needless to say, they can be genuinely served up right away, warm from the skillet. I by no means do mind room temperature food either myself, and if I am certainly hungry, I just plop any leftovers on the plate right from the refrigerator. When starvation hits, you might not be status in the front of an open fridge door for lengthy if you recognise those nourishing delights are looking ahead to you.

They are of direction a perfect and sizable accompaniment to any Indian meal, any time of day, or simply as a snack. Consider rolling these ones up with a vegetable curry, or perhaps a paneer curry, served with a few rice on the facet. The possibilities are limitless, and when you experience the pride of making those on your own kitchen there's no turning again from Indian flatbreads and you'll be exploring many different versions. They virtually are clean to put together ? The only time ingesting factor is frying up every pancake, even though the system can be streamlined via the usage of two pans or a large electric skillet.

More Indian breads you're sure to experience from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Home-Style Chila

Besan Roti

Rice Flour Pancakes

Fenugreek Roti

Mung Dal Chila Paneer Wraps

There is some thing so very comforting about comfortable wraps of goodness. Most of the cuisines I am familiar with have conventional wrapped up delights and the cooks creativeness adds more flair to the plate. I went with an Indian topic for this meal as I regularly do, and made some Indian cr?Pes to serve with a quick and clean highly spiced paneer scramble.

I think this may be classified as "street food" however I've also loved bites like this, mainly while it comes from my kitchen. In fact, I made this meal, served in conjunction with a few spinach rice, for my first-rate buddy Basil's birthday.

It's pure comfort food, and actually rather clean to make up, though frying up the chila does take a bit of staying power, despite the fact that they are honest to prepare.

More paneer delights you are positive to experience:

Paneer Mushroom Masala

Mung Bean Paneer

Paneer Tikka Pizza on Naan Bread

Spicy Carrot Soup with Ginger and Paneer Cubes

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Fenugreek Chapatis

Most cooks and diners with even a rudimentary information of Indian cuisine are familiar with chapatis, a smooth whole wheat, barely puffy unleavened flatbread this is pan fried in a dry skillet or griddle. A staple for plenty meals served in the course of the day in Indian households, chapatis pretty a lot go along with any type of Indian ? Or non-conventional Indian for that count ? Meal that you can believe. I adore them ? The accompaniment possibilities are infinite and they are a great manner to fill out and dress up your food. Here I actually have spiced up the simple batter with some fenugreek and seasoning for a few greater flair.

Needless to say, those chapatis go well with any soup or dal curry, may be served a good deal the identical way you will a corn or wheat tortilla stuffed along with your desire of fillings, are great for scooping up your favored dips and chutneys, and are an awesome desire as a mini flatbread to showcase a mouthwatering array of toppings.

You may additionally desire to mix in a few yogurt to update a number of the water for a barely softer bread and, if you want, brush the cooked breads with some melted ghee, butter or oil. I currently enjoyed those with some avocado chickpea hummus, then the leftovers with tarka dal. They do preserve for some days if well-sealed and wrapped, so make up a bigger batch due to the fact they also freeze properly in case you discover yourself with some too many, even though I did not have that trouble. There is a motive that these delightful breads are a staple on so many tables and I'm tempted to make some other batch, just now, as I am approximately to submit this recipe.

More prized Indian flatbreads recommended from Lisa's Kitchen:

Besan Roti

Paratha Stuffed with Sweet Potato and Potato

Rice Flour Pancakes

Savory Rice and Urad Dal Pancakes

Mixed Lentil and Rice Indian Pancakes

Adored is a real understatement for me when it comes to Indian savory pancakes. Breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack or dinner accompaniment quite lots covers the range of my preferred approaches to serve up delights like these smooth and fragrant Indian-spiced griddle-fried flatbreads. Very smooth to make too, even though they do take a piece of time to cook dinner up, one by one. It's extra than well worth it, even though, and when you have breads leftover, they keep nicely inside the refrigerator for some days and can be reheated in foil with maximum gratifying outcomes. I served them up with a chickpea curry and a corpulent cashew-tamarind chutney. Lots of legume goodness in that meal.

More Indian savory breads you're sure to enjoy from my kitchen:

Besan Roti

Fenugreek Roti

Chickpea Flour Cr?Pes

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Audio Accompaniment: Biosphere

Sweet Potato Roti

Indian flatbreads regularly make their look on my dinner table and simply I could eat them everyday, whenever of day. They are perfect for breakfast or brunch with some chutney and they're an ideal accompaniment to curries ? As I consume a variety of dal and vegetable curries, it is no surprise I crave savory breads along with those roti as often as I do. In this situation, I desired a wrap for some highly spiced jerk chickpeas and with the sweet potato filling in these flatbreads, the aggregate changed into best. Rotis are not simplest loved in India and in the course of Asia, however are also popular within the Caribbean. To my pleasure, the roti rolled up flawlessly without breaking apart. Feel loose to add greater spice to the breads in case you want to heat matters up further.

As with most unleavened savory Indian cr?Pes and flatbreads, these are definitely easy to make however the system is extra seamless when you have a helper in the kitchen even as frying up the breads. The rotis didn't take long in any respect to brown up and by the point I were given every other rolled out and geared up for the pan, I could have been strolling a quick marathon in the kitchen to preserve up the tempo. But a helper isn't always necessary, as you can roll out some in advance of time or take away the pan from the heat in short if you start to fall in the back of. Do maintain the dough and any rolled out rounds blanketed with a clean kitchen towel so that they do not dry out.

Other Indian flatbreads you're sure to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:

Besan Roti

Fenugreek Dosa

Fenugreek Chapatis

Paratha Stuffed with Sweet Potato and Potato

Quick and Easy Rice Dosa

I adore Indian flatbreads and this easy dosa recipe goes so properly with any highly spiced legume dish or maybe just some chutney for a light lunch. Unlike many dosa recipes, this one does no longer need a great deal fermenting time and little or no time in the skillet. The texture is mild and fluffy, and they may be simply heavenly. They do keep properly for some days if kept within the fridge and all you need to do is gently reheat them.

Other Indian flatbreads to experience:

Besan Roti

Fenugreek Leaf Pancake (Methi Dosa)

Mixed Lentil and Rice Indian Pancakes

Sri Lankan Coconut Roti

There's a new favorite curry accompaniment at the menu. I adore savory Indian breads and cr?Pes, and at the same time as maximum of the preparations are honest, a number of the options are particularly time ingesting due to the frying time worried. This recipe comes together in infrequently whenever in any respect and if you shape them into small units, some will fit at the pan on the same time with only some mins required per side to cook dinner the dough and brown them up.

Soft and bready, with coconut adding some richness and herbal sweetness, the chilies upload a chunk of warmth to finish the revel in. Not handiest do they move nicely with legume mains and curried vegetable aspects, in addition they make a best breakfast along a few chutney. Do don't forget doubling the batch ? Any leftover rotis will hold well for at least another day and may without problems be reheated in a one hundred eighty? Oven wrapped in foil.

Other savory flatbreads you may enjoy:

Besan Roti

Chickpea Flour (Besan) Cr?Pes with Spinach

Indian Lentil and Rice Pancakes

Savory Rice and Urad Dal Pancakes (Dosas)

Whole Wheat and Corn Paratha

Indian meals are constantly a unique treat when served with homemade flat breads. One of my favorites are flaky and widespread parathas, a griddle-fried bread often made with whole wheat flour and folded over some times in the course of the kneading and rolling method to create a layered bread that puffs at some point of frying. They have a tendency to be incredibly rich, specially in case you use ghee or butter, as they are brushed several instances all through rolling and drizzled with butter or oil at the same time as cooking. Sometimes they're stuffed with veggies and chutneys. Whether crammed or greater simple, they may be always scrumptious as a snack or meal accompaniment.

Other savory Indian breads to attempt:

Chickpea Flour (Besan) Cr?Pes with Spinach

Parathas Stuffed with Sweet Potato and Potato

Mung Dal Chila Paneer Wraps

Fenugreek Chapatis

Millet and Chickpea Flour Crêpes with Spinach

I've often noted that millet is an under-appreciated grain. And that's strange, because it has a unique and nutty texture that is a bit lighter than rice and a fine accompaniment to any meal requiring a grain side. In addition, it works well as part of a main entrée too.

A substantial meal accompaniment, chickpea flour, spinach, carrot and spice shine along with the millet in these Indian crêpes.

I served them up with a mushroom curry for dinner.

Other Indian quick breads you may enjoy:

Fenugreek Leaf Dosa

Sri Lankan Coconut Roti

Makki Di Roti (Griddle Cooked Corn Bread)

Indian Rice Flour Pancakes

Savory Fenugreek and Coriander Pancakes

I am obsessed on savory Indian flatbreads. They are a super accompaniment to curries and are easy to make too. They do require a bit of patience however due to the fact generally best one may be cooked in the skillet at a time. No rely. The effort is nicely well worth it, and in this example the bread requires no kneading.

These pancakes characteristic sparkling fenugreek leaves, an annual herb that I became lucky enough to get my arms on. It is typically utilized in Indian cooking and that includes the seed and floor powder from the seed. Slightly candy, with a hint of bitterness, it's miles properly worth using the sparkling herb, however if you cannot locate it ? And this is from time to time a task ? Alternative about three/four cup dried fenugreek ? Additionally known as "methi" ? As a substitute. Most Asian and Indian grocers bring the dried leaves, seeds and powder, and regularly the fresh leaves. These grocers may also convey chickpea flour and chapati (or "atta") flour, but for half cup of chapati flour you may replacement 1/three cup sifted whole wheat flour and integrate with enough pastry flour to make half cup.

Other savory Indian breads to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Besan Roti

Fenugreek Roti

Chickpea Flour Pancakes (Pudla) with Crushed Peas, Ginger, Chilies and Cilantro

Mixed Lentil and Rice Indian Pancakes

Indian-Style Egg-Free Masala French Toast

North Americans have grow to be an increasing number of acquainted with the virtues of chickpea flour during the last numerous years, and with exact reasons starting from fitness to its top notch versatility. Made from finely milled dried chickpeas ? Or roasted black chickpeas inside the case of Indian "besan" ? The flour has fewer carbohydrates however extra protein than regular wheat flour. Like wheat flour, chickpea flour can be used for baking, frying or thickening. It's also an choice for people with gluten sensitivity or intolerance.

But the most thrilling factor approximately chickpea flour from the factor of view of vegans is its dense binding texture that ? While blended with liquid ? Makes it excellent alternative for baked items that use each flour and eggs or instead for eggs entirely in breakfast dishes. I've already made scrumptious vegan pancakes, cr?Pes, omelettes and breakfast scrambles the usage of chickpea flour in preference to eggs or flour and eggs.

This is a vegan French toast recipe that makes fantastic use of bread that has misplaced its freshness. Very just like the famous "bread pakora" snack meals in India, slices of bread are dipped into a chickpea flour "egg" batter pro with onion, chilies, cilantro and spices after which fried to a golden brown crispy exterior and a gentle delicious inner. It's a really perfect breakfast it is clean to make and may not have you missing eggs in any respect. It may be making many greater appearances at my weekend breakfast desk.

Chickpea flour is commonly observed in natural meals shops or bulk grocers, and might continually be determined in Indian grocers. You could make your own too with the aid of processing dried chickpeas for your meals processor or excessive strength blender until finely milled and sifting the effects.

More French toast recipes from Lisa's Kitchen:

Eggnog & Rum French Toast

Blueberry-Stuffed French Toast with Blueberry-Orange Sauce

Baked Strawberry Ricotta French Toast

Blueberry French Toast

Baked Cherry-Stuffed French Toast with Cherry-Orange Sauce

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Skillet-Fried Flatbread with Lentils and Fenugreek (Dal Methi Paratha)

Breads in specific shapes and forms can be observed as part of a meal in many cultures around the sector, from baguettes in France to ciabatta in Italy, biscuits within the United States, tortillas in Mexico, and teff flour injera in Ethiopia. In India, flatbreads are an especially indispensable part of meals, and these are made with a huge variety of strategies and elements ? Which includes cooked lentils or rice in addition to wheat, rice and bean flours ? And are frequently pro with the Indian herbs and spices for which the delicacies is so famous. From chapatis, rotis, dosas, naans, parathas and extra, Indian flatbreads deserve their places at the table and the eye of any prepare dinner who wants to make an genuine Indian meal.

Parathas are one of the most famous breads in India, and feature a light, flaky texture from layering the dough over numerous instances before frying in oil. A accurate paratha may be tough to discover in Indian eating places, but with a touch endurance for rolling and shaping, they may be clean to make at domestic. These parathas are a little more considerable than undeniable entire wheat parathas as cooked lentils are incorporated into the dough, and they may be pro with ginger, chilies and dried fenugreek leaves. Best of all, they may be much much less oily than the ones you'll commonly find at restaurants.

Other Indian flatbreads to revel in from Lisa's Kitchen:

Whole Wheat and Corn Paratha

Quick and Easy Rice Dosa

Sri Lankan Coconut Roti

Parathas Stuffed with Vegetables and Spices

Fenugreek Chapatis

Chickpea Flour Pancakes with Crispy Paneer and Lime Pickle

My discovery of Indian food many years ago had an enormous effect on my kitchen, transforming the way I cook and the way I eat. The variety of ingredients — pulses, vegetables, spices and seeds — is without doubt nutritionally beneficial to vegetarians, but it was the array of flavors and techniques in Indian cuisine that really captured my imagination.

Among my favorite Indian foods — and something I always order on the rare occasion when eating out at an Indian restaurant — are savory flatbreads, paneer cheese, and Indian pickles. Indian cooks are wonderfully creative when it comes to flatbreads, using a variety of different flours and seasonings to come up with countless textures — light or substantial — and flavors. Paneer cheese is creamy and delectable, holds its shape when cooked or fried, and absorbs the flavors of the spices or seasonings in which it's cooked — I always keep a few blocks in the freezer for when the temptation strikes.

But it's the mustard-cured pickles that might have been the greatest revelation. Completely unlike pickles in North American or European traditions, Indian pickles brined in mustard oil with a pungent blend of mustard seeds, spices, salt and vinegar — known as "achar" — are unbelievably vibrant and bursting with sour and spicy flavor. If you've never tried them, you must the next chance you get at an Indian restaurant or when shopping at an Indian grocer where they are always available in jars — mangoes, chilies, limes and mixed are the most commonly found. But be careful not to eat too big a mouthful on your first try — they are very potent and do take a bit of getting used to for many. After a little while, you might find it an essential way to finish off an Indian meal.

This recipe combines the best of all of these worlds — spicy chickpea flour pancakes are covered with cubes of paneer cheese that are fried in Indian lime pickles and garnished with chopped fresh cilantro and dill. It's a very simple dish to make, and has all the flavor that a devotee of Indian food could wish for. It makes for a great lunch or light dinner at any time of year, and you'll want to make it again and again.

Other Indian pancakes to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:

Chickpea Flour (Besan) Crêpes with Spinach

Chickpea Flour Pancakes (Pudla) with Crushed Peas, Ginger, Chilies and Cilantro

Savory Fenugreek and Coriander Pancakes

Sri Lankan Coconut Roti

Audio accompaniment: Palace Brothers - Riding