Bajra/pearl millet flour steamed canapes with black eyed peas mash, baked tofu and raw green chilli-mint-fried bengal gram chutney
Make this to feel like a Chef!
This Canapé has five layers including the base!
A canapé is a type of starter, a small, prepared, and often decorative food, consisting of a small piece of bread (sometimes toasted) or cracker, wrapped or topped with some savoury food, held in the fingers and often eaten in one bite.
If you are restarting your food blog journey like me then you know how the thoughts of making the most of the ingredients at hand, trying different recipes, recreating tried and tested recipes around the world, taking inspiration from fellow food bloggers, having imposter syndrome, the urge to create something unique that only your blog has all run through your mind like road rage.
While my initial thought is to have different elements to this dish, I was cut short by the word ‘responsible consumption.’ Hence the unconventional steamed canape base is birthed. These Canapes are so wholesome that they can be enjoyed as a meal!
Have you ever had crackers made entirely of wheat? Do you feel satisfied because, despite their outward thinness, they nonetheless satisfy your hunger?
That’s how this canape is!
Layer Breakdown:
- Bajra Flour Base:
Soft dough made with bajra flour, water, salt, and refined sunflower oil, shaped into balls, flattened, sprinkled with toasted black sesame seeds, and steamed.
2. Black Eyed Pea Mash:
Cooked black eyed peas mashed into a smooth consistency (well, almost!)
3. Purple Cabbage and Carrot Slaw:
Stir-fried purple cabbage and carrot seasoned with salt.
4. Baked Tofu:
Tofu marinated in curd, besan, kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masala, salt, and turmeric powder, then baked.
5. Green Chili-Mint-Fried Bengal Gram Chutney:
Raw chutney made with mint leaves, green chili, roasted bengal gram, salt, and water.
Health Benefits of the Bajra Flour Canape
Rich in fiber: Bajra flour, black eyed peas, and purple cabbage are excellent sources of dietary fiber, aiding digestion and promoting gut health.
Protein-packed: Black eyed peas and tofu provide a good amount of plant-based protein, essential for muscle repair and growth.
Low in saturated fat: The use of refined sunflower oil and tofu contributes to a lower saturated fat content.
Vitamins and minerals: The recipe includes a variety of vegetables and legumes, offering a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Gluten-free: The use of bajra flour makes this recipe suitable for individuals with gluten intolerance but they are not dairy free.
Low glycemic index: Bajra has a low glycemic index, making it beneficial for blood sugar control.
Hydrating: The high water content in the chutney and vegetables contributes to hydration.
Bajra/pearl millet flour steamed canapes with black eyed peas mash, baked tofu and raw green chilli-mint-fried bengal gram chutney
RECIPE
1. Steamed Bajra/ Pearl millet flour canape base – Ingredients
Bajra flour/ Pearl Millet Flour – 74g
Water – 74g (measure and then boil)
Salt – 1/8 teaspoon
Refined Sunflower oil – 1/4 teaspoon
Toasted black sesame seeds – 1 Tablespoon (optional)
Steamed Bajra/ Pearl millet flour canape base – Recipe Instructions
1. Boil the water. In a bowl, add bajra flour/ pearl millet flour, salt, oil and boiled water. Form a dough. This dough will be sticky. Cover and rest them for 30 minutes.
2. Roll the dough into 8g balls, you will get 16 balls. Flatten them with a plate into an 1/4 inch thick discs or with between your palms.
3. Arrange them into a plate, sprinkle sesame seeds on top and press gently so the seeds would stick to the discs.
4. Steam for 15 minutes.
2. Black eyed peas mash – Ingredients
Dried Black eyed peas – 40g
Tablesalt – desired amount
Water – desired amount
Black eyed peas mash – Recipe Instructions
1. Wash and soak the dried black eyes peas for 8 hours or overnight. Cook them as you would. Soaked black eyes peas was pressure cooked (Indian pressure cooker method) for two whistles on medium flame.
2. Blend them with little water and desired salt to form a mash. The amount of water depends on how smooth you want the mash to be. This recipe used coarse mash black eyes peas. Spread is ready.
3. Stir fried vegetables – Ingredients
Red/Purple cabbage – 47g
Carrot (peeled and green part removed) – 30g
Refined sunflower oil – 1 teaspoon
Tablesalt – 1/8 teaspoon
Stir fried vegetables – Recipe Instructions
1. Wash and chop the vegetables finely as you could.
2. In a dry wok, add oil after it gets hot. Add the carrot and cabbage, salt and stir. Cover the wok with a lid and cook for 5 minutes on low flame. Keep an eye on it to avoid burnt vegetables.
3. Done.
4. Baked Tofu – Ingredients
Tofu block – 115g
Curd – 26g
Besan/Gram flour – 8g
Kashmiri red chilli powder – 1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala – 1/8 teaspoon
salt – 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 1/8 teaspoon
4. Baked Tofu – Recipe Instructions
1. In a bowl, add all the ingredients and marinate the tofu for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven for 10 minutes at 180C.
3. Arranged the marinated tofu on a parchments paper evenly and bake for 30 minutes.
Note: The amount of Tofu for this recipe is double the required. Please excuse me. These things happen during experiments. You can always enjoy leftover tofu as a snack too!
5. The chutney – Ingredients
Mint leaves (tightly packed) – 1/8 cup
Indian green chilli – 6g
salt – 1/4 teaspoon
Roasted bengal gram – 1/8 cup
water – 1/4 cup
The chutney – Recipe Instructions
- Wash mint leaves and chilli. In a blender, add all the listed ingredients and blend until smooth.
MAIN RECIPE
All you need is to layer them to form a canape!
- Steamed Bajra/pearl millet flour discs.
- Spread the black eyes peas mash on top of the disc with a spoon.
- Arrange the stir fried vegetables on top.
- Place the baked tofu on it.
- Drizzle the chutney on top.
Done!
Not all of my recipes has this many layers. Haha. Find out if it’s true!
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Bye!
