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.

Millet and Chickpea Flour Crêpes with Spinach

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on January 20, 2015 Quick and easy, these soft thin savory Indian pancakes are made from a hearty millet, spinach and vegetable batter Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup chickpea flour (besan) 1 cup cooked millet or quinoa (1/3 cup dried) generous handful of fresh spinach leaves 1 1/2 tablespoons hemp or flax seeds 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/4 teaspoon asafetida 1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional) 1 teaspoon baking powder juice from 1/2 small lemon (1 tablespoon) 2 cups water 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 shallot, finely chopped 1 to 2 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1 small carrot, finely chopped sesame oil for frying Instructions: In a blender, combine the chickpea flour, millet or quinoa, spinach, hemp seeds, spices and asafetida, nutritional yeast if using, baking powder, lemon juice, water and salt. Blend until you have a smooth batter. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and stir in the shallot, chilies and carrot. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and brush with a bit of oil. When hot, add about 1/2 cup of the batter with a ladle and quickly spread out to a thin 6-inch circle using the back of the ladle. Cook for about 5 minutes until the bottom is golden brown, then flip the crêpe and cook for another 4 minutes or the other side is golden brown. Remove from the pan. Repeat until all of the batter is used, keeping the cooked crêpes warm under foil wrap. Serve hot or warm with accompaniments of your choice. Makes 10 crêpes

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

On the top of the reading stack: Food and Drink Magazine

Audio Accompaniment: 4 Years by Origami Sound

Whole Wheat and Corn Paratha

Indian meals are always a special treat when served with homemade flat breads. One of my favorites are flaky and substantial parathas, a griddle-fried bread often made with whole wheat flour and folded over a few times during the kneading and rolling process to create a layered bread that puffs during frying. They tend to be somewhat rich, especially if you use ghee or butter, as they are brushed several times during rolling and drizzled with butter or oil while cooking. Sometimes they are stuffed with vegetables and chutneys. Whether stuffed or more basic, they are always delicious as a snack or meal accompaniment.

Whole Wheat and Corn Paratha

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on October 22, 2014 Delicious flaky Indian flat breads made with corn and whole wheat flour and seasoned with cumin, ajwain and chilies Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup corn flour 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 teaspoons coconut sugar or brown sugar 2 to 3 fresh green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon ajwain seeds 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 3 tablespoons sesame oil 3/4 to 1 cup warm water flour for dusting 1/2 cup melted ghee, butter or oil Instructions: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, sugar, chilies and ajwain and cumin seeds. Drizzle in the sesame oil and, using your hands, rub it into the dry ingredients until well blended. Gradually add the water until the everything comes together to form a fairly stiff dough. Knead in the bowl for about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a smooth ball, brush with a bit of oil, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and leave to rest for a few hours. Knead the dough a few times and divide into 10 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and transfer to a plate. Cover with a damp kitchen towel so they don't dry out. Flatten a ball of dough into a roughly 2-inch round patty, sprinkle with a bit of flour, and then transfer to a lightly floured board. Roll the dough out into a roughly 5 to 6 inch round, dusting with more flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking. Brush the round with some melted ghee, butter or oil, and then fold in half. Brush the half with a bit more ghee, butter or oil, and then fold into a quarter-circle. Dust with a bit of flour and roll out into a rough 5 to 6 inch triangular shape. Repeat with the rest of the breads, separating each paratha between sheets of parchment or waxed paper. Brush a skillet with a small amount of ghee, butter or oil, and heat over medium heat. When hot, transfer one of the breads to the pan. Fry for about a minute, and then drizzle the edges and top with a bit of ghee, butter or oil. Let cook for another few minutes, until golden brown. Flip the bread, drizzle a bit more ghee, butter or oil around the sides of the bread, and cook for another few minutes, until golden and puffy in spots. Transfer to a plate lined with foil, or a basket lined with clean kitchen towels, and cover. Repeat with the remaining parathas. Note: The dough will keep well for up to 24 hours before baking. Cover the kneaded dough in the bowl with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to use, taking it out an hour or two before frying. Makes 9 to 11 flat breads

Other savory Indian breads to try:
Chickpea Flour (Besan) Crêpes with Spinach
Parathas Stuffed with Sweet Potato and Potato
Mung Dal Chila Paneer Wraps
Fenugreek Chapatis

On the top of the reading stack: Dakshin: Vegetarian Cuisine from South India by Chandra Padmanabhan

Audio Accompaniment: Adam Beyer

Sri Lankan Coconut Roti

There's a new favorite curry accompaniment on the menu. I adore savory Indian breads and crêpes, and while most of the preparations are straightforward, many of the options are somewhat time consuming because of the frying time involved. This recipe comes together in hardly anytime at all and if you shape them into small units, a few will fit on the pan at the same time with only a few minutes required per side to cook the dough and brown them up.

Soft and bready, with coconut adding some richness and natural sweetness, the chilies add a bit of heat to complete the experience. Not only do they go well with legume mains and curried vegetable sides, they also make a fine breakfast alongside some chutney. Do consider doubling the batch — any leftover rotis will keep well for at least another day and can easily be reheated in a 180° oven wrapped in foil.

Sri Lankan Coconut Roti

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Sri Lankan Published on August 14, 2014 Simple, soft and bready Sri Lankan flat breads with a wonderful coconut and chili flavor — perfect for serving with curries or as a snack or breakfast with chutney Print this recipe Ingredients: 2 cups unbleached spelt or all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups fresh grated coconut or unsweetened desiccated coconut 2 to 3 fresh green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1 tablespoon coconut oil or sesame oil 1 teaspoon sea salt 2/3 cup warm water. or as needed Instructions: In a large bowl, combine the flour, coconut, chilies, oil and salt. Using your hands, work the oil into the mixture until well distributed. Gradually add water to the bowl until you have a soft dough that is not too sticky but moist enough to shape into a ball. Knead the dough in the bowl for about 3 minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let sit for 1 hour or longer. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and shape into balls. Using the palms of your hands, press each ball into a small round that is roughly 1/4-inch thick. Keep the uncooked dough covered with the towel while you cook up batches of the roti so the dough doesn't dry out. Brush a cast-iron skillet or heavy non-stick skillet with a scant bit of oil and heat over medium-high heat. When hot, cook the rotis in batches until browned on both sides — about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Take care not to overcook otherwise the roti will be too hard and won't have a nice bready consistency. Keep warm in foil while you cook the remaining rotis. Makes 8 rotis

Other savory flatbreads you may enjoy:
Besan Roti
Chickpea Flour (Besan) Crêpes with Spinach
Indian Lentil and Rice Pancakes
Savory Rice and Urad Dal Pancakes (Dosas)

On the top of the reading stack: the newspaper

Audio Accompaniment: silence