Tricolor Quinoa Masala Dosa ( quinoa crepe with stuffing and chutney); Independence Day Special DFT.

Once an Indian, always an Indian. You can take away an Indian away from India, but you cannot take India away from him! No matter where you live on this earth, an Indian will always be an Indian at heart. So says "Me". There are always exceptions to every rule. I am just voicing my opinion.India has changed tremendously in the last decade or so, not everything for the better. I am however proud to be an Indian. I remember India the way it was when I was living there. My India.Every time I hear the Indian national anthem, I still get goosebumps! On 15th August, India is celebrating it's 69th Independence Day. India was ruled by the British for almost 200 years!! Before that there were other invaders who ruled over India. But since 1947, India has been free!!

The Indian flag is tricolor. It is made up of three horizontal bands of equal colors: saffron, white and green with a navy blue wheel with 24 spokes in the center of the middle band.Saffron stands for valor,courage and sacrifice of the Indian people. White stands for truth, peace and purity. Green stands for prosperity, vibrance and life. The wheel which is based on the Ashoka Chakra represents righteousness, progress and perpetuity.It represents motion. The 24 spokes of the wheel represent the 24 hours of the day. To celebrate this occasion, team DFT has put together some very nice diabetes friendly recipes.

Let us celebrate the Independence of India, with some DFT recipes, cheering for the colors of the flag!

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I am bringing in the all time Indian favorite dosa: masala dosa, but with a healthy twist that makes the regular carbohydrate rich masala dosa healthier for diabetics. Masala dosa is nothing but a crispy thin crepe that is stuffed with spicy seasoned potatoes and chutney and therefore is heavy on carbohydrates. You can find the recipe for the regular masala dosa here. I have altered the dosa batter by using a greater proportion of lentils in it and swapped 50% of the rice with quinoa, which is not only a great source of protein but is also a superfood! I have also used 4 different varieties of lentils which increases the nutritional value of the dosa. The usual filling ( masala) for this dosa is made with spicy sautéed potatoes. We all know that potatoes are very starchy. I have swapped the potatoes with sautéed carrots! I have used cilantro chutney instead of the traditional coconut chutney with ginger. I have instead served the coconut chutneys on the side. This is a pretty easy to make, healthy and delicious dosa. Do give it a try. I am bringing this to Angie and all my friends at Fiesta Friday!

Servings: 6-8 ( serving size 1 masala dosa per person)

Ingredients:

For the Dosa (Crepe):

Quinoa: 1/2 cup
Urad dal ( split matpe beans): 1/4 cup
Chana dal ( split chick peas): 1/4 cup
Moong dal ( split mung beans):1/4 cup
Massoor dal ( split orange lentil) : 1/4 cup
Rice: 1/2 cup
Methi ( fenugreek) seeds: 1 tsp
Water: 1 cup, to grind the batter.
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1/2 tsp per dosa for greasing the griddle.

For the Carrot Bhaji ( stuffing):

Carrots: 2 medium sized, diced
Coconut oil: 1 tsp ( any cooking oil can be used)
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Onion: 1 small, chopped fine
Green chilli: 1 medium sized, slit
Cilantro: 1 tsp, chopped for garnish
Salt : to taste

For the Cilantro Chutney: click here for the recipe.

Method:

The Dosa (Crepe):

Soak the lentils, rice, quinoa and methi seeds together in water for 4-5 hours or overnight.

Grind all the ingredients that were soaked to a batter with fine consistency using minimal water .The batter should not be runny. Let it ferment for 4-6 hours or overnight.

Next morning just before making the dosa, add salt to taste. Mix well.

The stuffing ( bhaji):

Heat oil in a sauté pan. Add mustard seeds.

Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves, chopped onion and slit green chilli. Sauté until how onions turn transparent.

Add the chopped carrots and salt. Cover and cook until the carrots are tender, stirring in between.

Turn off the flame. Garnish with cilantro leaves and keep aside.

The Cilantro Coconut Chutney: recipe here.

Putting it all together:

Heat the griddle until hot on medium-high flame.

Sprinkle a little water on the griddle. Add 1/2 cup dosa batter to the center of the griddle and spread it thin in concentric circles from inside to outside of the griddle.

Spread a little oil to the edges of the dosa to make it crisp.

Cook the dosa until the underside begins to turn golden in color.

Place a tablespoonful of carrot bhaji in the center 1/3 of the dosa.

Smear cilantro chutney to the outer 1/3 of the dosa.

Serve immediately with tricolor chutney comprising of garlic chutney, coconut-ginger chutney and cilantro-coconut chutney and sambhar if you wish!

A complete nutritious balanced meal is ready!

Enjoy!!

Cooking made easy:

Masala dosa is always cooked only from one side. It is essential that the flame is maintained high so that the dosa can be crisp.The stuffing can pretty much be of anything. Even though the traditional stuffing comprises of potatoes, you could make it with mushrooms, paneer or mixed vegetables!

Footnotes( tip for healthy living):

All the dals ( lentils) are a great source of proteins and essential amino acids in vegetarians. They are also low in calories. Here are some more specific benefits.Moong dal ( split mung beans) are a great source of potassium as iron. Masoor dal ( split orange lentil) is supposed to improve blood circulation. Urad dal ( split matpe bean) is one of the richest sources of proteins and vitamin B.

Quinoa is a superfood having several health benefits. Quinoa is one of the most-protein rich food that a vegetarian can eat. It has twice as much fiber as most other grains.Quinoa is rich in vitamin B12, manganese, magnesium and contains a large quantity of iron and lysine.

References:
http://nutrition.indobase.com/articles/lentils-nutrition.php
http://www.indiatimes.com/health/healthyliving/is-dal-a-good-protein-source-241099.html
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-eating-rice-daal-together-11619.html
http://www.livescience.com/50400-quinoa-nutrition-facts.html
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-quinoa
http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/274745.php

Disclaimer:I am not a nutritionist or dietitian. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietitian before making any changes to your diet.

Other Independence Day Dishes from Team DFT!

1.1.Sarik's Paneer Tikka