'Kuzhi Paniyarams' for Breakfast…fortified!..

“What shall I make you for breakfast?”, asks the young bride..

“Hmm... Kuzhippaniyaram and Varamilagai Chutney”, replies her beloved after a pause, pleasantly!..

The girl is perplexed. She confronts with these alien names for the very first time in her life time. Yet, tactfully hides her ignorance, repeatedly mumbles the names, not letting ‘em slip off her brain till she reaches her Ma in law, in the kitchen, downstairs.

The moment Ma hears the names,reaches out for a ‘specialised’ cast-iron griddle(now the girl is pleased-at least the griddle is familiar to her, which resembles the famous unniyappa-chatti of her place), mixes some rice flour to a bowl of Idly batter, seasons and carries on making the ‘alien’ main dish, with much expertise and ease, simultaneously instructing the girl, step by step, how to make the ‘ alien’ side dish!..

Fast forward a few years!..

The girl gets metamorphosed to a good cook(at least to her husband and in laws)…….

And here, she has modified the same main dish to a more healthy and appetising one, not compromising the authentic taste and quality, by adding a medley of minced veggies, preparing them in a non stick griddle which means less oil; gingelly or sesame seed oil.

Vegetable Kuzhi paniyarams

You need:

Idly/Dosa batter-a large cup
Finely minced vegetables of your choice(carrot, cabbage, peas,beans, shallots etc)-1/4 cup
Rice flour- to make the batter, thicker-1-2 tbsp
Sesame seed oil-to drop in the holes of the griddle
Salt-to taste

Method:

Mix rice flour,salt and minced vegetables to the batter.Let it be slightly thicker than the cake batter. Runny batter tends to absorb more oil.

Heat the griddle and drop(4-5 drops) oil into each hole. Fill 3/4th of each one with the batter. Keep the flame steady to low-medium.


Wait till the bottom turns golden brown(will take 2-3 minutes).Turn each upside down, carefully.Trickle a few drops of oil if necessary.Cook for another 2-3 minutes to get them cooked and turn over again if you like them more crispy. Remove and repeat the same with the next batch. Serve warm with chutney of your choice.


Kothamalli Chutney

The dip here is not with varamilagai(dried red chilles) as in the story, but a healthier susbstitute.

You need:

Grated Coconut-1/2 cup
Roasted gram/Pottukkadalai-1/4 cup
Coriander leaves/cilantro-1/2 cup
Green chillies-2-3
Salt-to taste
Water-3/4 cup or as needed

Temper the ground chutney with:

A tsp of refined oil, 1/4 tsp of mustard seeds and urad dal each, 2 pinches of hing powder and a few curry leaves. Do not boil or heat the chutney.Tempering should be done separately and poured over the chutney.


For Suganya who hosts WBB-Healthy Eats :)