With the explosion of internet there has been proliferation of many things. Social media - which sometimes can be good like connect you with a long last friend while also connecting you to that unwanted nosy person whom you met only once in your kid's friend's birthday party a few years ago.
And then there is the food scene. Globalization of food is happening at a rate unheard of before. It probably took a few decades for the Indian palate to get used to the hot chilies brought in by the Portuguese traders. But these days thanks to the internet and also advanced logistics and flawed populist agricultural policies like subsidizing grain production in many countries who can afford to and also in many countries who cannot afford to but still go ahead with it any way since the others are doing it. When I go to a supermarket in India I see Kiwis, Washington apples and fruits from New Zealand. But Neralehannu or Jamoons are they are now fashionable called are now delegated to the street corner vendor who will charge you an arm and a leg for 100 grams. Same is the fate of Sibekayi/ Gauva, Yelachikayi, Barekayi and Karehannu my favorite a small waxy sweet fruit that used to grow in wild bushes. It has been so long that I had trouble remembering the name of the fruit.
Along with new products in the market comes new fad diets as well. No wonder all the giant agri-businesses out there happens to have deep pockets. Media is friendly to them counting on their advertisement budgets, governments are friendly to them counting on political contributions. They are on committees that set the benchmark for healthy diets, conflict of interest may go to hell. So what do ordinary consumers end up with? Well we end up eating fat free egg substitutes cooked in 'olive oil' spray and oats with a tablespoon of sugar instead of something that is 'stomach happy'.
I discovered that 'stomach happy' feeling back in the days when we were exploring different cuisines.
It would happen after so many a meals that though I enjoyed the food while it lasted, I would not feel that my stomach was really happy or to put it this way, my palate enjoyed the food but the minute the food went past the palate, there was absolutely no happiness. This feeling was very typical when I used to eat in a regular American style sit down restaurant for that matter even MacDs. That was my clue to stop eating such meals. Well I do not eat in such places any more. But the story is that stomach happens to be our sixth sense. If we are mindful about how our stomach is 'feeling' while we eat, we do not really bother much about the latest diet.
Some of the diets are absolutely appalling. No grains in some of them , no carbohydrates in some of them, animal protein heavy , fat free foods. It makes no sense to me at all. Human population historically increased only because of carbohydrates. Generations of humans ate grains and starch in various forms, but just that they were not refined or deep fried the way normal American restaurants serve their carbohydrates. I also find that diet irresponsible. Earth would become Mars very soon if all the inhabitants of earth to follow such a diet. Where are we to get the resources needed to feed such a giant population such resource intensive animal protein. The worst of it all is the replacement of something healthy with something really harmful- like cornflakes or oats instead of say Idli, uppittu etc. It is true that physically we are not as active as our ancestors were. Do we need to need to eliminate fats to reduce the calorific intake? or do we eliminate carbohydrate to achieve the same effect? well how about eat mindfully, slowly and chewing our food well? If we pick up our sixth sense that is the 'stomach sense' we probably will not have to follow any such fads after all.
Breakfast is an important meal in my family. We all prefer to have something very heavy. Of course a breakfast which makes my stomach happy keeps me happy for the rest of the day. I do enjoy eating oats, cornflakes, bread but they don't seem to make my stomach happy at all. I will be craving for something to eat though not hungry an hour after eating these things. While if I eat two-three Idlies i can go on till lunch with out any craving and then I will be really hungry for my next meal. I hate this grey area where I am craving for something though my stomach is still not hungry. Turns of out that our stomach has a variety of receptors (many discovered, many yet to be!!!) -like ones for volume of food. I am sure there is one for nurturing value of foods consumed which is yet to be discovered. :)
Coming back to breakfast, hardy the breakfast the better it is. So here it is one giant Jola -Rawa dosa that can keep me going well past lunch time. Also Millets are earth friendly and also good for us. Give it a try.
We will need,
Jowar flour 1/2 cup
Chiroti Rawa 1/2 cup
Maida 1 tbsp (optional , see notes)
Onion 1 medium finally chopped
Curry leaves a handful chopped
Green Chillies depending on taste minced
Fresh Coriander chopped a handul
Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp crushed
Salt to taste
Peanut oil as required
Very hot water as required
This is my Lodge Cast Iron rectangular Tawa that actually sits on two burners and makes a good sized Dosa. I use this for my breakfast because it is faster to feed my family one giant dosa instead of two small ones. More on Cast Iron in another post.
Method:
1.If not using Maida/All purpose flour, prepare the batter as per the first step above and run the hand blender in it for a few minutes to combine the mixture and get the gluten working. Continue with the rest of the steps. Though for convenience, I end up using Maida.
And then there is the food scene. Globalization of food is happening at a rate unheard of before. It probably took a few decades for the Indian palate to get used to the hot chilies brought in by the Portuguese traders. But these days thanks to the internet and also advanced logistics and flawed populist agricultural policies like subsidizing grain production in many countries who can afford to and also in many countries who cannot afford to but still go ahead with it any way since the others are doing it. When I go to a supermarket in India I see Kiwis, Washington apples and fruits from New Zealand. But Neralehannu or Jamoons are they are now fashionable called are now delegated to the street corner vendor who will charge you an arm and a leg for 100 grams. Same is the fate of Sibekayi/ Gauva, Yelachikayi, Barekayi and Karehannu my favorite a small waxy sweet fruit that used to grow in wild bushes. It has been so long that I had trouble remembering the name of the fruit.
Along with new products in the market comes new fad diets as well. No wonder all the giant agri-businesses out there happens to have deep pockets. Media is friendly to them counting on their advertisement budgets, governments are friendly to them counting on political contributions. They are on committees that set the benchmark for healthy diets, conflict of interest may go to hell. So what do ordinary consumers end up with? Well we end up eating fat free egg substitutes cooked in 'olive oil' spray and oats with a tablespoon of sugar instead of something that is 'stomach happy'.
I discovered that 'stomach happy' feeling back in the days when we were exploring different cuisines.
It would happen after so many a meals that though I enjoyed the food while it lasted, I would not feel that my stomach was really happy or to put it this way, my palate enjoyed the food but the minute the food went past the palate, there was absolutely no happiness. This feeling was very typical when I used to eat in a regular American style sit down restaurant for that matter even MacDs. That was my clue to stop eating such meals. Well I do not eat in such places any more. But the story is that stomach happens to be our sixth sense. If we are mindful about how our stomach is 'feeling' while we eat, we do not really bother much about the latest diet.
Some of the diets are absolutely appalling. No grains in some of them , no carbohydrates in some of them, animal protein heavy , fat free foods. It makes no sense to me at all. Human population historically increased only because of carbohydrates. Generations of humans ate grains and starch in various forms, but just that they were not refined or deep fried the way normal American restaurants serve their carbohydrates. I also find that diet irresponsible. Earth would become Mars very soon if all the inhabitants of earth to follow such a diet. Where are we to get the resources needed to feed such a giant population such resource intensive animal protein. The worst of it all is the replacement of something healthy with something really harmful- like cornflakes or oats instead of say Idli, uppittu etc. It is true that physically we are not as active as our ancestors were. Do we need to need to eliminate fats to reduce the calorific intake? or do we eliminate carbohydrate to achieve the same effect? well how about eat mindfully, slowly and chewing our food well? If we pick up our sixth sense that is the 'stomach sense' we probably will not have to follow any such fads after all.
Breakfast is an important meal in my family. We all prefer to have something very heavy. Of course a breakfast which makes my stomach happy keeps me happy for the rest of the day. I do enjoy eating oats, cornflakes, bread but they don't seem to make my stomach happy at all. I will be craving for something to eat though not hungry an hour after eating these things. While if I eat two-three Idlies i can go on till lunch with out any craving and then I will be really hungry for my next meal. I hate this grey area where I am craving for something though my stomach is still not hungry. Turns of out that our stomach has a variety of receptors (many discovered, many yet to be!!!) -like ones for volume of food. I am sure there is one for nurturing value of foods consumed which is yet to be discovered. :)
Coming back to breakfast, hardy the breakfast the better it is. So here it is one giant Jola -Rawa dosa that can keep me going well past lunch time. Also Millets are earth friendly and also good for us. Give it a try.
We will need,
Jowar flour 1/2 cup
Chiroti Rawa 1/2 cup
Maida 1 tbsp (optional , see notes)
Onion 1 medium finally chopped
Curry leaves a handful chopped
Green Chillies depending on taste minced
Fresh Coriander chopped a handul
Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp crushed
Salt to taste
Peanut oil as required
Very hot water as required
Method:
- Dump all the ingredients except onions, water and oil in a mixing bowl. Add about a cup of boiling water and stir. It should make a mixture as thin as buttermilk. If not , add more hot water stir. Set it aside for about 5-10 minutes. The batter would have become thicker. Add some more water and ensure a butter milk like consistency
- Preheat your Tawa on medium heat. For best results use an old fashioned cast iron Tawa. Once the tawa is hot - hot enough to hiss when sprinkled with a few drops of water, grease it with some oil and throw the chopped onions. Spread the onions around.
- Using a ladle throw the batter on the onions to cover the Tawa. It is more of a sprinkling action than throwing itself. But that is just to say ensure a thin layer of batter all over the hot parts of tawa. Pour a few drops of oil randomly.
- Cook the dose till it starts leaving the sides. Using a steel spatula, gently lift the Dose and fold it as desired. Since my Tawa is good sized , I fold it into three and serve it immediately with a chutney of choice.
1.If not using Maida/All purpose flour, prepare the batter as per the first step above and run the hand blender in it for a few minutes to combine the mixture and get the gluten working. Continue with the rest of the steps. Though for convenience, I end up using Maida.
