A couple of posts back I did this story on food scarcity and how stingy we have become in appreciating the food on our plate. And here we are facing this unprecedented challenge of COViD-19 compelling us to be grateful for every morsel on our plate. We have not run out of food, only it’s convenient access has being challenged for a little while. Yet, there is this mad rush to hoard food. We will need to be mindful of our consumption, plan frugal with our meals and use the leftovers well. Honestly, disguising leftovers into moreish snacks is something we have done for generations. Rice is one of our favourite leftovers to work with. We love making pakoras, puda, shekla (thepla) with it. They not just blend very well in Muthiya and Handva but also give it that soft crumb that simply melts in the mouth. Last week while prepping fried rice for twin’s lunchbox I was left with some surplus plain rice. The rice I had used was Indrayani heritage rice. In South Gujarat, this variety is also known as desi-basmati. Musky and earthy these rice grains were white and little plump than the regular basmati available in the markets. I used the leftover Indrayani rice into the Bhaat na Puda/leftover rice pancakes I cooked up for the family that evening. A simple meal made by mixing leftover rice with some besan, atta, spices and yoghurt. Yes, the can dinner be ginger Chai and Puda with some luscious Carrot chutney and Badook Badook pickle.
Bhaat na Puda - Leftover Rice Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup leftover rice, gooey, mushy and sticky
- 2 tablespoons besan/ chickpea flour
- 2 tablespoons atta/whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons ginger+ green chilli, minced
- 1/4 cup coriander, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon haldi/turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon marchu/red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon til/sesame seedsa pinch of sugar
- beaten sour yogurt enough to turn the mix into a thick batter
- salt to taste
- oil to shallow fry the puda, I always use cold pressed peanut oil for cooking Gujarati and other traditional foods
Instructions
Take the leftover rice In a mixing bowl.
It it is sticky and mushy, loosen it up using your finger tips.
Add the chickpea flour and atta.
Mix well.
Now add the ginger+green chillies, coriander, haldi, mirchi, sesame seeds, sugar and salt and mix well.
Add the beaten sour yogurt, spoonful at a time to turn the mixture into a thick batter. The batter shouldn't be very runny.
Allow the batter to rest for 10-15 minutes.
Take a skillet, place it on a medium heat it, grease it with some oil.
Place a ladle full of batter at the centre of the skillet and spread it a little, like you would spread a pancake or chilla.
Do not spread them thin.
Drop some oil on the sides.
Let it turn golden brown on one side.
Flip, drop some oil on the sides again to let it fry on the other side.
Remove from skillet once it has turned nice golden brown on both the sides.
Serve immediately or place them on a wire-rack so that the steam escapes from the pudas.
Serve hot with chutney, pickle of your choice.
Carrot Chutney
Ingredients
1/2 cup carrots, washed, cleaned and cubed
1 tablespoon raw peanuts, roasted and skinned
1/4 teaspoon sugar, avoid if carrots are very sweet
1 teaspoon green chili, minced
1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, more or less to balance the sweetness of carrots
salt to taste
Method
Steam the carrots.
Allow them to cool down to room temperature.
Take all the ingredients in a chutney jar of an Indian mixer-grinder.
Grind it to a smooth paste.
The moisture of carrots and lemon juice will help it grind to a fine paste.
Transfer the chutney to a serving bowl.
Serve with Bhaat na Puda.
I kept the chutney very thick and that it the reason I could shape it like hummus. After shaping it I sprinkled it with some methia masala.
2 Comments
Bhakti A Doshi
June 9, 2020 at 5:20 amLovely presentation of food!! I am a vegan can I make this without yogurt. Any substitute I can use like like juice?
Sheetal
June 9, 2020 at 2:15 pmthank you Bhakti. Avoid yogurt. Add water. Juice doesn’t work in this recipe. Just add lemon juice to balance the flavours. Thank you.