Many of you have heard of dosa by now - a fermented South Indian ground rice-lentil crepe that has become widely popular. But, do you know about the North Indian pooda (also spelled poora)? It's a wonderfully easy crepe to make - no fermenting needed, high in protein & fiber and gluten-free as well. I introduced them in my third cookbook, Vegan Indian Cooking, on page 79. What's different in this recipe? Just you wait ...
I've been juicing every morning and as I showcased my concoctions on my Facebook page, you've asked me what to do with the pulp? I decided to try adding it to this crepe ... and Oh.M.G. It adds a ton of flavor and the batter still comes out silky smooth if you use a high-powered blender. I also cut the chickpea flour's taste and texture a bit by adding some quinoa flour - this slight change makes the crepes slightly lighter and crispier. Feel free to try other flours as well - millet, bulger, oat - whatever you like and have on hand.
1 3/4 cups besan (chickpea flour)
1/4 cup quinoa flour
3 1/2 cups water, divided
1 cup leftover veggie pulp or grated/chopped veggies
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chile powder or cayenne
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1. In a high-powered blender like a Vita-Mix, blend chickpea & quinoa flours and 1 1/2 cups water until completely smooth.
2. Add veggie pulp, 2 cups water, and spices. Blend until smooth and slightly frothy.
3. Cook on a hot skillet as you would pancakes. Heat pan, spray with a little oil and dole out about 1/4 cup of batter at a time. Use the back of your spoon to make a crepe working from the inside in counterclockwise circles until the batter is thin and round.
4. Work fast and sprinkle any additional veggies. I like to use chopped onion and Thai chiles or thinly sliced jalapeno. You may be tempted to add these to the batter - you can, but then know when you dole the batter onto the pan it won't be smooth and perfectly round.
5. Cook on one side until the edges bubble. I use a lid to help it cook through. Cook 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Flip and cook the other side the same way until cooked through. Finish making the batter and/or refrigerate or freeze any remaining batter.
These crepes are wonderful with a little Indian pickle or achaar. You can also use these fiber-filled beauties as wraps. Add some avocado, spinach, or other chopped veggie or lentil and make a lunch out of it.
If you cannot find chickpea flour but have a high powered blender? Buy some black chickpeas and grind them down one cup at a time yourself. Take a look at my Facebook page (Indian As Apple Pie) for a video on exactly how to do that.
If you do make these, write to me and tell me how they turned out.
Comments will be approved before showing up.
