Whole grain Apple Appams and a query

A South Indian delicacy, Appams are these crisp round dumplings ,traditionally prepared with fermented rice flour batter.The sweet variation of these are usually made with combination of wheat and rice flour or simply rice flour.Enriching the appams with fiber rich fruits like apples or bananas makes the appams all the more nutritionally appealing.And I recommend brown rice instead of plain white rice,for all its benefits.



The appams can either be deep fried in oodles of oil or cooked in this special appam pan with just enough oil.This extraordinary pan is sold in most well-stocked Asian Stores and also be bought online. I bought mine during our last visit back home,a keeper for those of us who refrain from deep frying.If you are not lucky enough to find the pan,the recipe can still be used to make good old pancakes.

Recipe : Apple Appams adapted from Sia's Monsoon Spice
makes about a dozen appams

Ingredients
2 medium organic apples*,finely grated.
1 cup whole wheat flour (fine ground)
1/2 cup brown rice or Ragi flour
1/8 teaspoon of ground cardamoms
1/4 cup Jaggery or pure cane sugar
2 tablespoon unsweetened grated coconut
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water or skimmed milk or lite coconut milk

1 tablespoon canola oil for greasing the pan

*Can also use very ripe bananas instead of apples.Or combination of both apples and bananas

Method
In a large mixing bowl mix the flours,ground cardamom and salt.Add the sweetener(sugar or jaggery),coconut,apples in to the flour mixture,pour milk and make a thick batter if using the special appam pan.If you do not have the special appam pan,use the same batter to make pancakes,just add little more water to thin the batter and also mix in 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder in to the batter.

Heat the pan on medium heat,smear little oil in each of the cups in the pan.Use a ladle and pour the batter in to each until 3/4th full.Let cook for 4-5 minutes on each side,until the center is firm, cooked through and the top is crisp and brown.Serve warm for breakfast or evening snack.


The recipe is my entry for this weeks' Weekend Herb Blogging #265,hosted by Haalo from Cook (almost) Anything


A question for my South Indian Audience?

A clear cut difference between the similar sounding, Appams and Aapams?

Thank you for the Response :

TamilSensation. said...

Appams are more like dumplings were are Aapams are like mini dosa,very crisp made with fermented rice flour and coconut milk.

Blogger Swathi said...

Regarding appams they are sweet and usually made with rice and jaggery, banana fried in oil. where as apams are made with rice and coconut milk fermented with yeast or toddy. first one is a snack, second one is a breakfast dish.

Apple Cider Vinegar Tea and Cumin Soy Biscuits

The unstable rise and drop(80F a day and 50F the next!) in spring temperatures can leave some of us miserably sick.Your truly was brought down by a bad episode of aching itchy soar throat followed by exasperating cough,not to mention the fatigue.Thankfully the relief came without visiting the doctor,through some simple home remedies.But beware if the throat ache or persistent cough does not subside in 3-4 days of home treatment or accompanies fever,be sure to get doctor's advice first.Normally the doctor would give antibiotic for bacterial infection but not for the viral,either of the cases,the home remedies can be put to test.There are many to try,but these two in particular are safe and work effectively for me.
1.Herbal teas (like the Ginger honey , Orange spice and Apple cider vinegar,recipe below),a cup every 3-4 hours.Slurping warm soups also is relieving.
2.Vitamin C and zinc lozenges or simply fresh berries or fresh fruits, helps boost immunity.



Apple Cider Vinegar Tea

Apple cider vinegar is a powerful detoxifying and purifying agent made from fermentation of apple cider,contains a potent supply of potassium which can helpful in easing the effects of colds,sore throats and allergies.Cider vinegar is available in most health food and super stores.

Ingredients
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup apple cider

Method
Add the apple cider and apple cider vinegar in a mug,stir in the honey until completely dissolved.Slowly sip away to relaxation.

The tea is tried and tested home remedy for sore throat and is now off to Home remedies 3,hosted this month by Jagruti of Joy of Cooking.



Cumin Soy Biscuits


Along with the soothing tea,a light nourishing snack, with touch of spices,contributed to healing the ailment.The cumin spice is good source of iron,know to strengthen immunity and aid digestion.The soy flour with richness of disease fighting isoflavones,nourishes the biscuits with pleasant moist texture.




Recipe
Ingredients
Makes about 8-10 biscuits
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup organic soy flour
1 cup fine ground whole wheat flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup apple or orange juice
2 tablespoon agave syrup or honey
2 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder,cumin seeds and salt. Add the oil and combine.Stir in enough apple juice to form dough firm enough to roll.
Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.Divide in 2 portions.Sprinkle some all purpose flour on the work surface.Roll out one portion of the dough using a rolling pin,about 1/4 inch thick.Cut using a 3 inch cookie cutter.Lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet; spacing 2 inches apart.Finish making the biscuits with rest of the dough. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Serve warm with tea.



I'm sending the biscuits over to Priya's Cooking with seeds Event ,the seeds in spotlight this month are Cumin

Viewer question
What remedy works best for your sore throat ?

Berry Green Smoothie and meet our new love.

Swindled in bargain,I have had it with the "Ordinary",none were dependable for more than a year.Say Hello to the ,Robust, Capable, Reliable,befitting a health nut's cautious diet,just the companion I was looking for.A dream kitchen machine ,that can juice,cook,freeze ,blend and grind,with endless possibilities of whipping up good food fast,its the Vita-mix. The machine was in my wish list for long since I reviewed the Ice dream Cookbook,that mentions the amazing power of Vita mix to create a fresh and healthy home made Ice creams.Then Bharti's impressive review added to the desire while confirming the capabilities of the machine.And an equally impressive demo of the machine at Costco,also got someone keenly interested,Mr.Health nut.Glad we shared the same desire,brought the beauty home.Its been working wonders so far.The smoothies are the easiest ,just about any kind of fruit and vegetable can be blended to a tasty concoction.



The Berry Green Smoothie
Green is always associated with good health.All the green foods are the best nutritionally ,although not always favorable taste-wise.That's were the Vita mix makes the difference by perfectly blending the greens with the fruits,for an irresistible smoothie each time.Following is just one sample of green mixed with fruits and vegetable,one can use any combination of greens(like kale,chard,collards) with ripe fruits. A smoothie like such with fruits,greens and vegetables all in one,can deliciously fulfill the body daily need of vital nutrients.

Ingredients
Serves 3
1 Ripe Avocado,cored and peeled
2 cups baby spinach(can also use 4-5 leaves of Kale or collards)
1 cup frozen berries( I used cranberries)
1 Organic Apples,cored and diced
1 teaspoon ginger,freshly grated
few sprigs of parsley
1 cup cold water

Method
Rinse the greens in cold water.For Organic fruits just rinse under tap water.The guide in Vitamix recommends washing the fruits and veggies with specially formulated soap to wash away all the pesticides.
Cut as needed and blend all the ingredients together in the Vita mix from low to high speed until smooth,takes about a minute.



The smoothie is my entry for 5 star make over : smoothies and shakes

Dare to Bake - Low Fat Apple Strudel from scratch?

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.
Not as tough as it may seem after the first time,I baked the Strudel 3 times already and each time my friends and family simply loved it.If you can master the subtle rolling and stretching of the dough to a tissue-thin transparency then making this Classic Austrian Pastry can be as easy as baking a pie.Make sure you have ample workspace ,watch professionals roll the pastry here and here . The filling can be varied ,the juicy tart apples ,dried fruits and nuts is the original stuffing of these pastries, make it savory with spicy vegetables.I added Cocoa to the filling for a hint of chocolate flavor.The amount of fat can also be adjusted ,I experimented with brushing both oil or butter.The Olive oil thankfully worked well,one more reason to make this dessert more often.


Use Granny Smith apples for best tasting Apple strudels.
Recipe
Ingredients
For Strudel dough
1 1/3 cups unbleached All Purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

For Green Apple Cocoa Strudel Filling
2 medium Granny Smith Apples,Cored,peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons raisins or dried cranberries or cherries
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cocoa powder(optional)
1 tablespoon Brown sugar
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 cup Walnuts.coarsely chopped

3 tablespoon Olive oil for brushing over the dough

Method
Prepare the Dough
Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour and make a soft dough and knead for 2 minutes. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).
Prepare the Filling
Mix the raisins,cinnamon ,apple ,walnuts and sugar in a bowl.Heat a tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.
Roll the Dough tissue-thin
Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

Brush about 2 tablespoons of the oil over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the dough with the bread crumbs. Spread apple mixture about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip.

Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining oil.
Bake
Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature with any fruit sauce. It is best on the day it is baked.Store in refrigerator for up to a week,if desired warm at 300F oven for about 10 minutes before serving.

To make Raspberry sauce
Cook 1 cup of fresh or frozen berries with 1/2 cup of water until soft,blend to a smooth sauce,I like the crunch from seeds and didn't filter the seeds.Pour over the strudel slice after plating it.

To make Chocolate sauce
Melt 2 ounce of Dark chocolate chopped or chips with 2 tablespoon of whole milk in a double broiler,stir often until smooth and completely melted.Drizzle the warm sauce over the strudel.

Spiced Apple and Pomegranate Pie

This was the easiest fruit pie I ever baked without any pie dish. The crumbly partly whole wheat short crust pastry is wrapped around a spiced mixture of apples and holy fruit pomegranate to make an attractive rough parcel with an open top.
Aparna from my diverse kitchen is celebrating her one year of wonderful blogging.It was my pleasure to make this pie to join in her anniversary celebration.

Ingredients
For the pastry
2/3 cup All purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground Spices(cinnamon and cloves)
4 tablespoon cold butter,cubed
1 Organic egg yolk
1 teaspoon raw sugar for sprinkling on pastry

For the Filling
2 medium apples,peel and sliced
1/2 cup POM Wonderful fresh pomegranate arils
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg white,lightly beaten

Method
Make the pastry dough
Sift the flours and spice in to a mixing bowl.Rub in the butter using a fork until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk with 1/4 cup cold water and add to the flour.Mix to form a soft dough,add few more drops of water if needed.Gather dough in to a small ball;cover and keep in fridge for at least 30 minutes
Roll and bake the pastry
Preheat Oven to 375F.Combine sugar and cinnamon ,reserve some for sprinkling and mix the rest with the sliced apples and pomegranate arils.
Roll the dough on baking sheet to make a round about 10 inches round and brush all over with some of the egg white.
Pile the fruit mixture in the middle of the pastry,the draw the edges up over the fruits,leaving the center open.Brush the center with some more of the egg white and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar.Sprinkle the raw sugar on the pastry.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender.

Warm out of the oven

Slice and serve with dollop of strawberry yogurt,if liked.

I am sending this pie made with Fresh POM wonderful pomegranate to POM Wonderful Featured Blogger Contest and Special POM Wonderful contest for Foodie Blogroll Members.Do check the contests and send in your POM recipes for some exciting prizes.

This pie is also in Cooking Club Challenge hosted by Cheri of Fabulous foods.

Whole Wheat Biscuits With Apple Butter

Indulge in the great taste of biscuits made from combination of whole wheat flour,for heartiness and fiber, and all-purpose flour, that keeps the dough light and airy. Top them with home-made fruit butter like apple butter(No dairy butter in apple butter)
(recipe is an adaptation from Mayo clinic Williams-Sonoma Cookbook)
Ingredients needed for Whole Wheat Biscuits
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon of Pure Honey or Maple syrup
1 tablespoon of baking powder
2 tablespoon cold unsalted butter,cut in small pieces
3/4 cup low fat milk.

Method
Preheat Oven to 425F. To keep the biscuit bottoms from getting too dark,line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
In to a bowl,sift together the whole wheat flour,all purpose flour,sugar,baking powder and salt. Add the butter and using a fork blend it in to the ingredients. Add the milk and stir briskly. Do not over mix, the dough should be a little sticky.Turn the dough onto a floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold the dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet . Repeat the same with remaining dough.
Bake until lightly brown and risen to twice their unbaked height,12-14 minutes. Serve warm with some home made fruit butter


Fruit Butter
Fruit butters are made by gently simmering fruits purees until much of their water content evaporates resulting in intensely flavored spreads that are almost as thick and smooth as softened dairy butter,but with none of its fat.
Fruits butters can be made from apples,pears and peaches.

Ingredients for Apple Butter
4 medium apples(any kind)
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of salt

Method
Wash and chop the apples. Transfer them to a pot with about 2 cups of water and drop the whole spices. Allow to simmer for about an hour till the mixture is thick. Fish out the whole spices. Process the apple mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour through a sieve in to a clean Sterilized Jar. Stores in fridge for a month.
These biscuits are my entry for WBB combi Breakfast hosted by Latha.

The Fruit Butter is my entry for Roma's Long live the Shelf

Fruity Veggie Bread

My Fruity Veggie Bread has the goodness of both fruits and vegetables.

Ingredients you'll need is
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup toasted Wheat Germ
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large shredded Apple
1 cup finely chopped Broccoli
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter or Clarified Butter(Ghee)
3/4 cup Brown sugar
2 large Organic eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


To make the Bread
Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix the dry ingredients in a big bowl. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, sugar , oil ,butter ,shred apple and chopped broccoli . Combine mix with dry and spread on a baking pan lightly greased with butter.

Bake for about 45minutes.

Lay the bread on rack to cool before slicing.

Slice and serve with drizzle of pure honey.