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Besan nudges cheese out of baked dish

Updated on: 29 December,2009 07:31 AM IST  | 
Aviva Dharmaraj |

Tarla Dalal's latest cookbook scores high on packaging and innovation, but is sometimes short on practicality

Besan nudges cheese out of baked dish

Tarla Dalal's latest cookbook scores high on packaging and innovation, but is sometimes short on practicality

Cookbook queen Tarla Dalal is out with her latest title: 100 Calorie Snacks, ostensibly to provide the weight-conscious with vegetarian snacking options that are healthier than cookies and tastier than servings of raw veggies.



There are 30 recipes to choose from under categories including Chatpata Chaat, Dry Snacks, and Wraps & Kebabs, besides basic recipes for low-fat yoghurt and paneer. Choices range from Tomato and Oregano Waffles to Rava Corn Dhoklas, and even a Veg Corn Bake that uses a Bengal gram flour (besan) paste instead of cheese.

The instructions are easy to follow and the most elaborate ingredient is probably the zucchini used in the Pineapple Stir-Fry. The glossy food images provide adequate visual stimulus and the book does give a different spin to snack staples dhokla, puris (baked not fried), and kebabs. There's also a recipe for waffles (Jhatpat Waffles) made with dosa batter.

On the downside, Dalal's trademark long, ingredient lists can be daunting for the first-time kitchen venturer. Also, given that the book is pegged on healthy, low-calorie snacks, Dalal and her team would have done well to lay more emphasis on ones that can be easily rustled up in under 20 minutes. Most of us are unlikely to want to spend 30 minutes or more preparing an elaborate snack that we can anyway eat only a small portion of. So, those looking for a more throw-things-together approach to cooking and snacking are likely to find few alternatives.u00a0

But if you have a functional kitchen, someone to help with the chopping, cutting and grinding, and a leisurely afternoon to look forward to, then 100 Calorie Snacks provides some interesting options.


100 Calorie Snacks by Tarla Dalal is priced at Rs 99. Available at all leading bookstores.

Cut-and-keep recipe >> MUSHROOM PANCAKES
Enjoy yummy, low-cal mushrooms and spring onions -- a must on every weight-watcher's grocery list -- in a delicious filling for pancakes or wholewheat chapatis.


Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time 20 minutes
Makes 4 pancakes
Suggested serving size for 100 calories: 1 pancake

For the pancakes
3 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp plain flour (maida)
2 tbsp low-fat milk
1 tsp melted low-fat butter
a pinch of salt
1 tsp oil for cooking

For the stir-fried mushrooms
2 tsp oil
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
u00c2u00bd cup sliced spring onion whites
3 cups sliced mushrooms
u00c2u00bd cup sliced spring onion greens
2 tsp soya sauce
salt to taste

For the pancakes
1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, add 2 tbsp water and mix well to make a smooth batter of pouring consistency.
2. Divide the batter into four equal portions and set aside.
3. Heat a non-stick pan, pour a portion of the batter and tilt the pan around quickly to make a 125 mm (5") diameter thin circle.
4. Cook using u00c2u00bc tsp of oil till both sides turn brown in colour.
5. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 3 more pancakes and set aside.

For the stir-fried mushrooms
1. Heat the oil in a non-stick kadhai or wok, add the garlic and sautu00c3u00a9 on high flame for a minute.
2. Add the spring onion whites and sautu00c3u00a9 on a high flame for 2 to 3 more
minutes. Sprinkle a little water to avoid the onions from burning.
3. Add the mushrooms and sautu00c3u00a9 on a high flame for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring continuously till all the water evaporates.
4. Add the spring onion greens, soya sauce and salt and toss gently.
5. Divide it into four equal portions and keep aside.

How to proceed
1. Place a pancake on a clean, dry surface and spread one portion of the stir-fried mushrooms in a row at one corner and roll it up tightly.
2. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more stir-fried mushroom pancakes. Serve immediately.


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