Thu_Mar_14_12:01:19_PDT_2019

Think of any occasion where people come together
Throw in a few snacks and appetizers and you have a party on your hands. Here are three apps I made last weekend and all of them passed the taste test, so they made it to the blog. called an omelet, there are no eggs involved and this recipe would work for a vegan diet and for those who don't eat eggs. If you skip the rava/sooji (cream of wheat) in the recipe, they are gluten-free. Besan is good stuff, economical and high in protein, and low in carbs as flours go.

You can go from craving a hot savory breakfast to chomping one of these in about 15 minutes and even less if you have mad chopping skills.

Tomato Omelet

1. In a bowl, mix together

• ³￢ﾁﾄ₄ cup besan (gram flour/chickpea flour)
• ¹￢ﾁﾄ₄ cup rice flour
• 2 tbsp. rava/sooji
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• ¹￢ﾁﾄ₂ tsp. turmeric
• ¹￢ﾁﾄ₂ tsp. red chilli powder
• 2 finely chopped fresh tomatoes (I discard the seeds)
• ¹￢ﾁﾄ₄ cup minced onion
• ¹￢ﾁﾄ₄ cup minced cilantro
• Salt to taste

2. Stir in warm water to make a batter of pouring consistency.

3. Heat a non-stick pan or a well-seasoned cast iron griddle, and use a few drops of oil to make thin pancakes. If you like them crispy, cook them for some extra time on a low flame. Eat 'em while they're hot.

If you like spicy food, add one or two minced fresh jalapeno peppers or green chillies to the batter for a wonderful zing.

I love eating tomato omelets the same way I ate them as a child, with a dollop of butter melting on them, and with ketchup on the side. When I made them this weekend, V enjoyed them with some locally made goat cheese and claimed that the combination tasted divine. I mention this for those of you who love goat cheese; personally, I cannot stand the stuff. But V is a devotee of goat cheese in general and this local brand in particular.

Because besan is made of chickpeas, this entry goes to My Legume Love Affair: The 22nd Edition, hosted at Ruchikacooks.

On The Bookshelf

Here's another great choice if you are looking for something that is an easy read while being a meaningful and engaging story. I picked up Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins the minute I read this great review of the book. I won't tell you much more about it because the review says it all (but does not give anything away, don't worry).