Rohit K.P, a popular food blogger (‘Chef Macha’), shares three comfort food recipes

Rohit

Apple Pancakes

(4 servings)

Ingredients

• • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 apple (cut into pieces)
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1-2 tbsp jaggery or honey (optional)

• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• Few drops of vanilla essence
• A pinch of salt
• Ghee or butter

Preparation guide

• Blend in a mixer apple pieces, egg, cinnamon powder, jaggery, and vanilla essence.
• Grind it into a smooth paste. Pour the mix into a bowl.
• Place a strainer above the bowl, add wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Mix well to form a smooth lump-free batter by adding milk. Ensure batter is slightly thicker than dosa batter.
• Heat a pan and grease it with a little ghee or butter.
• Pour a ladle of batter and cook on medium flame until golden on both sides.
• Serve warm with honey or fruit slices.

Health benefits

Whole wheat flour provides fibre for digestion, apples are rich in vitamins A and C, boosting immunity, and eggs are protein-rich. Cinnamon and cardamom aid digestion and jaggery provides iron.

Nutty lemon rice

(4 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice (cooled)
• 1 lemon juice
• 1 tbsp ghee
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp chana dal
• 1 tbsp urad dal
• 2 tbsp cashewnuts
• 2 big onions
• 2 chopped green chilies
• Curry leaves
• 2-3 red chilies
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of hing
• 1 tsp sugar or jaggery
• 3-4 tbsp grated coconut
• Coriander leaves for garnishing
• 100 gm roasted peanuts

Preparation guide

• Heat ghee in a pan, add mustard seeds.
• Once they splutter, add chana dal, urad dal, and saute for 2 minutes.
• Fry until golden, add green chilies and fry until the raw smell dissipates.
• Add sliced onions and fry until they turn translucent.
• Add curry leaves and red chilies.
• Saute for 4 minutes, add turmeric, hing, sugar, and salt.
• Add cooked rice into the pan and mix well.
• Coarsely crush roasted peanuts and add to the pan together with finely chopped coriander and grated coconut.
• Turn off the flame and add lemon juice.
• Mix well and serve hot.

Health benefits

Rice provides energy-giving carbohydrates and fibre to aid digestion. Peanuts offer protein and healthy fats, onions and coconut provide antioxidants to boost immunity and  lemon juice is rich in vitamin C. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory.

Hotel-style tomato chutney

(4 servings)

Ingredients

• 3-4 ripe chopped tomatoes
• 1 chopped onion
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 ginger piece
• 1 green chilli
• Curry leaves
• Pinch of hing
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 1 tbsp oil

For tempering

• 1 tsp oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds

Preparation guide

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add chana dal and urad dal.
• Saute for 2 minutes. Add finely sliced onions.
• Add chopped ginger, garlic, and green chilies. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes and curry leaves along with hing, salt and turmeric powder.
• Once tomatoes turn mushy, switch off the flame. Set aside to cool.
• Grind to a smooth chutney.
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, let them splutter. Pour over chutney.

Health benefits

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and vitamin C, boosting immunity and heart health. Onions and garlic provide antioxidants to fight infections and dals protein and fibre, aiding digestion.