Thali Peethzza

What do you do when you want to sneak in those grains and legumes and beans in your little one's tummy, but all she wants is the Italian food all the time? You take your desi recipes and give them an Italian makeover!!;-) You rename it as "Italian Thali Peethzza" served with Marinara sauce. Your little one enjoys this version and name!!;-)


Thali Peethzza
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Thalipeeth Bhajni
1 tbsp flax seeds powder
1 small onion, minced
1 carrot, peeled & grated
1/4 cup cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup spinach, shredded
salt to taste
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning


1 tbsp part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
Oil for shallow frying


Accompaniment
Marinara Sauce (Warm)


Method
1. Mix all the ingredients till Italian seasoning.

2. Add water and knead to a dough.

3. Make 8 or so equal sized balls.

4. Heat a griddle or frying pan.

5. Pat the ball directly on the griddle or place within folded plastic sheets and pat to a disc & then put on the pan.

6. With the help of the back of the spoon, make a 5 holes on the pancake.

7. Add a drop of oil in each of those five holes.

8. Place a spoonful of cheese on the pancake. Cover and let it cook on a low flame.

9. Flip and cook on the other side.

10. Serve hot with warm marinara sauce.


Notes -

1. Sometimes I also add chopped garlic and basil in the dough.

2. Poking holes on the pancake is the traditional method used in making Maharashtrian Thalipeeth. This method saves oil but still gives necessary oil for the pancake to cook evenly.

Per Mansi's rules, I need to state why I think this entry is healthy -

1. Thalipeeth Bhajni is a multi-grain, multi-legume flour that provides a generous serving of fiber, complex carbohydrates and proteins.

2. I add flax seeds in most of my cooking to get the Omega-3 benefits. I find flax seeds very neutral in taste. So they do not interfere with the taste of the dish that I am making.

3. This dish also includes some benefits from spinach, carrots, cabbage etc. It's very important to eat your veggies.

4. Part-skim cheese gives some protein and taste as well.

5. As mentioned above, poking those holes to add few drops of oil, limits the oil for making this pancake but still cooks it evenly.

This Thalipeethzza ( or my Italian makeover of humble Thalipeeth!) is my entry to Mansi Desai's Healthy Cooking Event.