Out Of The Garden

a parade of flour: stone-ground yellow cornmeal, atta, besan flour in back,
moong, ragi and rice flour in middle,
urad flour in front.

Oh, I was so excited when Santhi announced Jihva for Flour! I had visions of mysterious, magical mixtures…

Bajis, chillas, dosas galore… perhaps I’d try my hand at Indira’s ponganalu
or Inji Pennu’s unniappam, did I mention the dosas??? Oh, the things I could make, all emerging light and crispy from my dreams — OOPS — I mean my oven or skillet or tavva… or maybe that new aebleskiver pan I’ve had my eye on… ah, but no funds earmarked for that pan as yet…

“Let me just hold that thought a few days”, said I, “until the busy first week of July is over”. Ha!

Next thing I knew, vacation, summer camp and college orientation for kids, work, work, and more work; the whole month of July is gone.
But I didn’t want to miss Jihva.

So here is the result of my last-minute mania – a Yorkshire Pudding. Traditionally, a Yorkshire Pudding is made with eggs, milk, and unbleached wheat flour, all baked in the drippings from a beef roast at Christmas. Since I am eating less and less meat, I prefer this one; rich from the flavor of spice and ghee, yet moister and lighter than the usual version with vegetables and the lovely moong flour.

Yorkshire Pudding with Indian Flavor

For veggies:

1 tsp oil or ghee
8-10 oz fresh spinach, washed
1 medium onion, quartered, blanched, and cooled
1 healthy tsp garlic paste (optional)

For batter:

1 c moong flour
1/2 c atta
2 whole eggs, or you may use 3 egg whites
1 1/2 c milk
2 tsp melted ghee (if you substitute oil here, taste will not be the same)
1/4 tsp methi powder
1 tsp chili powder, or to taste
1 tsp salt

For topping:

1 tsp oil or ghee
1 TB masoor dal
1 tsp ajwain seeds
pinch salt

In medium saucepan, heat 1 tsp oil or ghee, warm garlic paste if using, and wilt the spinach in just the water that clings to it after washing – remove to a bowl to cool.

In cold oven, place your pan of choice. You may use any pan with an edge to hold the batter inside — at least 1/4 inch high. I used an old, well seasoned broiler pan and a special pudding pan. A cast iron skillet will work well, too.
Set oven to 350 F. Drop a teaspoon of ghee into your pan, place in the oven and allow the ghee to melt while the oven heats.

Meanwhile, blend wilted spinach, blanched onion, and garlic if using to a fine paste in food processor or other mixer. Add eggs or egg whites, milk, melted ghee, methi powder, chili powder, and salt. Mix this a minute or two and then add moong flour and atta, about 1/2 cup at a time, blending well between additions.

pudding batter ready for oven

When the oven is heated, open the door and pull out the rack with the prepared pan on it. Carefully pour the batter into the melted ghee in the pan. It should spread fairly well, but you can help it by tipping the pan back and forth a little. It need not reach the edges. If you’re using a pudding pan with individual spaces, pour by ladlefuls into each impression. Ghee is not needed, obviously, for a non-stick pan, but a little will add to the flavor.

puddings in their pans

Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes.

While pudding is baking, heat last teaspoon of ghee in a small pan. Add salt and masoor dal, saute a few minutes. Add ajwain seeds and saute a few minutes more. After 15 minutes is up, open the oven and spoon the tempering over top of pudding.

Raise heat to 400 F and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, checking after 5. The pudding is ready when it is slightly puffy in the center and browning around the edges. Remove and allow to cool slightly. Cut into squares and serve hot. Unlike regular Yorkshire Pudding, this is tasty at room temperature too. Try it cut into fingers as a snack for kids of all ages.

large pudding hot out of the oven

small puddings after camera battery died 😉

Thank you, Santhi, for hosting this month’s Jihva!