Baked Quinoa Croquettes – Guest Post from Anupama

Its guest post day, and today we have Anupama from Easy bites Online. Social media is playing a great role in finding new people, I happened to see Anupama’s post in a FB group and started visiting her space. I am a big fan of her healthy recipes. I  apporached her to do a guest post for Toddler friendly recipes, she instantly agreed and here is her healthy snacks.

Anupama says,

Quinoa, although less known, this super grain is making a definite way into our lives, rightly so if you ask me. Packed with all the eight essential amino acids (and thereby a complete protein), fiber, magnesium, phosphorous and iron, quinoa has made its way for sure into my kitchen.

Nearly every meal of ours entails either rice or wheat, our habitual grains. I am aware that to bring in quinoa can be tricky especially with picky toddlers!

When Vidya Srinivasan, from Traditionally Modern Food, asked me for a toddler-friendly guest post on her blog, I could not refuse; not because I find it hard to say ‘No’ to anyone, but because being such a professional, enthusiastic blogger, lovely and a thoughtful person that she is, I simply could not bring myself to say no. I feel this has opened up another channel to know Vidya and her wonderful blog better. Do visit her blog for numerous delicious, healthy recipes.

I decided this would be another opportunity to bring in quinoa and make it toddler-friendly!

An eye-catching finger food presented to hungry kids after school is sure to entice them to dig in. As anticipated, the array of Baked Quinoa Croquettes sitting at the table with some ketchup, drew my kids to it. They simply grabbed one each, dug into the dip and ‘puff’ it was gone.

These are baked, however, can be deep-fried too.

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Ingredients:

cooked quinoa – 1/2 cup

cooked mashed or cooked grated potato – 3/4 cup

paneer – 1/4 cup (Indian cottage cheese)

finely chopped onion – 1/2 cup

finely chopped green bell pepper – 1/4 cup

garlic – 1 clove chopped fine

ginger – 1 tsp grated fine

fresh mint leaves – 6-8 roughly chopped

fresh coriander chopped fine – 2 tbsp

raisins, roughly chopped cashews – couple of tbsp as stuffing (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

lemon juice – 2 tsp (or to taste)

corn slurry prepared using a tbsp of corn flour mixed in 1 tbsp of water

bread crumbs prepared using brown bread powdered in a blender

olive oil – few tsp to drizzle over and to grease the tray

Method:

– First cook quinoa as per the instructions on the pack.

– Add this 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa to a bowl, add the rest of the ingredients.

– Mix everything well. it should come together nicely like a dough.

– Now take small portions of the mixture of the size of a golf ball.

– Flatten it over your palm using your fingers.

– Place a couple of raisins and cashew pieces (if preferred). cover this up by bringing together the mixture all around and over the stuffing. make a ball shaped croquette.

– Now, dip this in cornflour slurry, then roll over bread crumbs to cover all over. Pat gently all over to allow bread crumbs to stick well.

– Place this on a plate or tray. Repeat the same with the rest of the mixture.

– Pre-heat the oven to 190 deg C.

– Allow these balls to sit for 10-15 min. this will allow the corn flour to harden a bit. This will ensure that the balls do not open up when deep-fried. It retains its shape well too when baked.

-Now drizzle over or brush gently some olive oil over each of the balls.

-Place them on a lined, greased baking tray.

-Bake them for 22-25 min or until nicely browned up.

-Serve with ketchup.

Notes:

Since this is meant for kids, green chili has not been used. but if tolerated, can be used.

If preferred, the cornflour slurry can also be seasoned with salt and pepper powder.

The finer you chop the vegetables, the easier it will be to prepare balls.

Stuffing with raisins, nuts is optional. if stuffing is not preferred, make smaller balls.

Keep an eye on the bake.

Allow it to cool slightly before you attempt to remove from the tray. Use a flat plastic ladle to gently dislodge it from the tray.

Rava Ladoo

Sometimes easy recipes stand out in the crowd, and according me, Rava ladoo is definately one among them. Back in India, people used to grind rava in mill for smooth texture. Here in US since thats not possible, I got a fine rava and grinded in mixie. Though texture differs slightly i still loved it this way too.

Ingredients

Fine Rava – 1 cup

Confectionary Sugar – 3/4 cup + 2 tsp (Adjust according to your sweetness)

Melted Ghee – 1/4 cup + 1 tsp

Cardamom powder – pinch

Cashew nuts – 3 tbsp

Method:

• Add 1 tbsp of ghee and saute cashew nuts till they are golden brown. Keep it aside. In the same pan roast the rava in medium flame for 2-3 minutes without changing the color or burning it. Allow it to cool, and powder the rava. Grind this well and transfer into a wide bowl containing cashew nuts

• Add confectionary sugar and cardamom powder to the rava and cashew nut and mix well. Melt the ghee and keep it near rava sugar mixture

• Add ghee little by little in small portion and make small balls

My Notes:

• If you are using regular sugar grind it along with rava for making powdered sugar
• If you are using cardamom pods instead of cardamom powder grind it along with rava
• This can be stored in a air tight box for 4-5 days in room temperature
• If you want to make it with less ghee you can add half of ghee and half of milk but in that case shell life is less. Need to be consumed within a day

Verkadalai Urundai

Kadalai mittai (Chikki) or kadalai Urundai is something I can’t say no any day. My Amma prepared Paruppu Thengai (Cone shaped Peanut jaggery sweet) for my son’s first birthday. At that time, after filling the cone she made some Urundai as I love them. Since karthigai deepam is nearing, I thought of posting this recipe.

Ingredients:

Peanut – 1 cup + 1/2 cup (I used Unsalted, roasted peanuts)

Jaggery – 3/4 cup

Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp

Rice flour / Ghee – to grease (I used Rice flour)

Method: 

•  Add jaggery and 1/2 cup of water. After the jaggery melts in water switch off and strain when it comes to room temperature, to remove impurities
• Take a little water in a small bowl. This is to check the consistency of the jaggery. Just add a few drops of  boiling jaggery into the water. If you could make it a hard ball, then switch off the flame. Otherwise allow it to boil till that consistency is reached

• Keep the peanuts in a wide bowl and pour the jaggery to it. Mix it nicely with a ladle

• Take some rice flour in a bowl and rub them in hands, and make some balls when it is warm. Do not leave for longtime as it will be difficult to handle if left for a longtime

My Notes:

• If peanut and jaggery become sticky and difficult to handle, heat it in low flame for few seconds and the jaggery will melt and can make balls easily
• Can add dry ginger while melting jaggery
• If you are using unroasted peanuts, dry Roast the peanuts and use it. If using the peanuts with skin, dry roast and rub the skin off
• Can be stored in air tight containers and kept in room temperature
• Avoid using excess Rice flour for greasing hand as it may leave a white layer. Ghee can also be used instead of rice flour

Aval Pidi Kozhukattai

Kozhukattai is a traditional recipe prepared with broken rice.  Previously i have posted a Kozhukattai recipe  with cracked wheat and oats.  Couple of days ago tried with flattened rice and liked the taste. It tasted similar to the traditional Kozhukattai prepared with Rice

Aval Pidi kozhukattai:

Preparation Time : 5  mins | Standing time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 25 mins | Serves : 4

Recipe Category: Breakfast

Ingredients:

Flattened Rice/Aval  – 2 cup

Scraped Coconut – ¼ cup

Salt – as needed

Curd – 1 tbsp (Optional)

Water – 2 cups + 3 tbsp

For tempering

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Red Chilli – 3

Green Chilli – 1 (Adjust according to your taste)

Urad Dal – 1/2 tsp

Channa Dal – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Asafoetida – a generous pinch

Method

• Pulse the Aval coarsely in a blender and Transfer to a plate
• Add oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, red chilli, green chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida. After it splutters, add 2 cups of water, coconut and salt. Bring to boil. Once the water starts boiling add curd and  pulsed Aval

 

• Stir till all the moisture evaporates and Aval is half cooked. Sprinkle some water if required. Switch off the heat

• Form kozhukattai with it when they are not too hot to handle

• Steam them in a steamer or idly stand for 8 to 10 minutes.

My Notes:

• I have used Thin Flattened Rice and pulsed them fine grain, instead Thick flattened rice can also be used and pulsed to coarse texture

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Post after a longtime! Felt good while drafting this:-) Thank you all for stopping by, and noticing my absence and asking me. I feel blessed to have such sweet people around me:-)

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu is a traditional dish prepared with lentils.  Whenever we get bored of sambar, vatha kuzhambu, moor kuzhambu, milagu kuzhambu etc., my mom prepares this. Takes little extra time when compared to other Kuzhambu, but after tasting the dish we won’t mind spending the extra time. Yet another recipe from my Amma’s cookbook.

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Preparation Time : 10 minutes | Soaking time – 2 hours | Cooking Time : 30 mins | Serves : 4

Ingredients:

For lentil Balls:

Toor dal – 1/2 cup

Channa dal  – 1/4 cup

Fennel Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Red Chilli – 2 (Adjust according to your taste)

Ginger – 1/4 tsp

Kuzhambu (Gravy):

Onion – 1

Garlic – 3 pods, finely chopped

Tomato – 1

Tamarind – 1 lemon sized ball

Coconut grated (optional) – 3 tbsp

Sambar powder/ chilli powder – 1 tsp ( I used Sambar powder)

Salt – to taste

To temper:

Sesame Oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek – 1/8 tsp

Method:

• Soak the dal and red chilli for 2 hours and strain the water. Add ginger and fennel seeds to the dal, and grind them into coarse mixture without adding water. Add onion and required salt to the mixture and combine well. Make marble sized balls out of it and keep aside.

• Soak tamarind in 1 cup of luke warm water and keep aside for 5 – 10 minutes, and extract the juice
• Add oil to the pan. When oil is hot add ‘to temper’ ingredients and let them splutter. Add garlic and onion and sauté till the onion is translucent. Add tomato and cook till becomes mushy

• Add sambar powder and give a quick stir. Add the tamrind juice, 2 cup of water, salt  and cook till the raw smell goes off

• From the side, gently add the lentil balls one by one and cover with lid. Lentil balls initially sink, and float after cooking

• Avoid sauting till the lentil balls are cooked, to prevent them from breaking. Add grated coconut and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes and switch off

My Notes:

• While lentil balls are cooking avoid sauting, as the  balls may get mushy
• Can grind and add coconut
• Instead of cooking lentil balls directly in gravy, can also steam them and add it to the gravy
• Gravy thickens overtime, so switch off before it comes to gravy consistency
• Can also saute and grind (onion and tomatoes) instead of adding directly
• Can also grind lentil into fine paste