Chickpea & Coconut Flour Zucchini Pancakes

Last of the home-garden zucchini was waiting to be used. It felt like a pancake kind of day. Not the boring old flour-and-eggs kind served with butter and syrup. But, the loaded-with-veggies savory kind that I've passed off as "pancakes" since kids' infancy.

For the longest time, both kids rejected the traditional pancakes; and, when offered at friends' place the morning after her first sleepover, the then 6 year old came home and wondered why the pancake she was offered was so buttery, soggy, and sweet.

No surprise, as the title says it all, these are griddle pan cakes made with a mix of chickpea flour and coconut flour that has been infused with a generous amount of grated zucchini.

Since the batter is easy to make, I did not measure it out with any precision. Just a bit more of chickpea flour than coconut flour, salt, turmeric, chili powder, plus grated zucchini, and enough water to make the batter thick.

Served with spicy herb green dip and sweet-sour red dip, plus a dollop of thick plain Greek yogurt, these zucchini pancakes get polished off quickly, much like... hot (pan) cakes.

Cassava Stuffed Tamales and Dolmas

I must admit, cassava is not a favorite at home, so, I don't go looking for it at the market and I don't  cook it often. Every once in a while (perhaps once a year), when it seems available at a reasonable price, I do give it a try to see if our tastes have changed. No such luck this year, we still seem to not be able to accept it without reservations.

Anyway, to keep things interesting, some of the cassava got incorporated into a rather unconventional filling for tamales and dolmas.

A bag of corn husks were handy in the pantry. The fresh green grape leaves were hanging off their vines in the backyard. A bag of coconut flour was waiting to be used up. And the cassava made a plea to be accepted with open arms.

Mushed cooked cassava, plus a few tablespoons of coconut flour just enough to make a cohesive filling is all there is to the stuffing. Some herbs and flavoring as the mood calls for, of course. I went with some annatto/achiote seasoning. Some chopped up broccoli, onions, and peppers for extra texture.

Simply wrap up the filling and steam for about 30 minutes. Lightly saute the dolma before serving, if preferred.

Japanese Yam, Green Papaya, Cauliflower Spicy Coconut Flour Kofta Balls

Unlike the supersweet sweet potatoes with orangish insides sold as "yams" in some grocery stores, the Japanese yam is mildly sweet with whitish insides, and has a flaky texture that somehow embodies both delicate and wholesome.

Kofta balls floating in spicy korma curries are quite a treat, especially with rice or naan. But, this time, I served these balls as an appetizer/snack with tomato chutney and cilantro-mint chutney.

Also, typically koftas are fried, but, these delicious goodies are baked.

One of my favorites to incorporate these days is the coconut flour, so, sure enough these kofta balls have coconut flour as well.

Ingredients
1½ cups combined, of grated Japanese yam, green papaya, cauliflower
2 chipote in adobo sauce chopped finely
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ cup chickpea flour
salt to taste
1 tablespoon sesame oil
vegetable oil for spraying

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 430 ° F
2. Combine the grated Japanese yams, green papaya, and cauliflower, and all the other ingredients and knead to a moist dough that can be shaped into balls. (Since grated veggies have enough water, I don't usually add water unless the dough gets too stiff)
3. Spray a roasting pan with oil, arrange the balls, spray oil on top as well and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes till outsides are crispy and insides are moist and well done, not too raw and doughy
4. Serve with dips and chutneys. Or, throw it in simmering pot of curry and serve immediately.

Sweet Potato and Coconut Flour Flax Meal Roti Flatbreads

Considering the amazing properties of sweet potato, it is hard not to incorporate it more in our diets.

While roast sweet potatoes in dessert-ish form is relished by kids, I wanted to leverage its natural sweetness to make everyday foods a bit more colorful and appealing.

Coconut flour is another ingredient that adds a bit of sweetness and flavor to everyday items.

Since fusion cuisine is my forte, my signature of sorts, this dish came about quite naturally one day.

Sweet potatoes, coconut flour, chickpea flour, and all purpose flour come together with chipotle in adobo sauce, and fenugreek leaves to make this incredibly orange and incredibly tasty rotis -- flatbreads cooked on the griddle pan. I'd have preferred to use whole wheat instead of all purpose flour, but I was all out, so, maybe next time...

Ingredients
1 average sweet potato, cooked and peeled

⅓ cup coconut flour

⅓ cup chickpea flour (aka besan)

1⅓ cup all purpose flour (more or less)
2 Tablespoon flax meal

salt to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 Tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
2 chipotle in adobo sauce, chopped finely

a few tablespoons of oil for griddle-cooking the rotis

Preparation

1. Since sweet potato is cooked to mush, not much water is needed at first. Simply combine all the ingredients and knead to a smooth elastic dough, adding the all purpose flour a little at a time as needed. 
2. Divide the dough into golf-ball-sized balls; roll each ball flat to about 2 millimeters thick rotis
3. Heat a griddle much like for pancake, and cook the rotis till done 
4. Serve with any of the curries or chutneys. here I serve it with my favorite carrot salad.

Carrot Salad: Grate carrots, finely slice celery, finely chop green chilies, finely chop cilantro, combine it all with a splash of lemon juice and a sprinkling of salt, serve fresh.