Fun with Amaranth

Amaranth leaves are found  in abundance in the Tropics and growing up, I loved dal, tamarind stews, and yogurt stews made with them. It was only a few years ago, I started to use Amaranth grain or flour.

Amaranth is not really a grain, but a seed. It is highly nutritious, packed with protein, vitamins and minerals.

Here are some delicious recipes with this seed, flour or leaves that I posted previously:

Amaranth Grain Uttappam

Amaranth Leaves cooked two ways

Amaranth Dosa

Amaranth Orange Cardamon Loaf

Amaranth Pumpkin Loaf

Amaranth Upma

The last few years I have been trying to grow Amaranth and Red Sorrel leaves in my patio garden, and it is challenging as well as highly rewarding!

Links:

Green
Patio Garden: Slow & Steady
Amaranth Plant
Amaranth Grain Nutrition
Health Benefits of Amaranth

Amaranth Dosa

After the hectic summer, things have slowed down finally. With plenty of time this week, I wanted to try something new.

In general, there is a simple straightforward recipe for instant dosa: mix 2-3 flours in water and yogurt and soak for 30 minutes. Add salt to taste, some chopped cilantro and jalapeno and off you go.I have posted a few versions in the past, see Healthy Instant Whole Wheat Dosa, Ragi Dosa, Brown Rice Rava Dosa and Brown Rice Buttermilk Pancakes

This is very similar to the Ragi Dosa I had posted earlier. Instead of Ragi flour, I decided to use Amaranth flour. Also I found, making thin dosas was best, since thicker ones tended to cook fast on the outside while the inside still remained uncooked.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Amaranth flour
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup brown rice flour
2 tbsp soy powder
1 tbsp flax seed
1/2 cup yogurt
a little chopped cilantro
1 green chili chopped
1/2 medium onion chopped (optional)
salt to taste
1-2 tbsp oil or as needed

Mix all the powders, add yogurt and approximately one cup of water to mix the batter. Adjust water to make smooth batter. To make thinner dosas, additional water might be necessary. Add chopped cilantro and green chilli. You can either mix the chopped onion in the batter just before you start making the dosa or sprinkle on the dosa in the griddle. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat the griddle, and grease with some oil so the dosa wont stick. Pour 2-3 tbsp of the batter and spread to make thin dosa. Add some oil and cook on medium low flame until it turns golden brown. Flip the dosa and cook on the other side. Add oil as needed.

Serve warm with chutney. I had mine with the quick Peanut Chutney I had posted before. It was delicious. Perfect for breakfast or brunch for a lazy weekend day.

Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Bread

I decided to go all the way this time and use whole wheat flour and wasn’t disappointed. The final product  was tasty and healthy. And my friends at dinner thought so as well.

This recipe is adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup fresh cranberries
3/4 cup fresh squeeze orange juice
1 tbsp orange rind
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and orange rind. Cut butter into cubes and using your hands mix it into the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together egg, orange juice and vanilla essence. Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients. Stir in cranberries and nuts.

Grease a 9×5 in loaf pan and pour in the dough. Smooth out the top with a spatula. Bake on the center rack for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.

Cook on a rack and serve with refreshing tea.

For a white flour version see also:

Cranberry Orange Bread

Orange Cranberry Scone!

Finally!

I got to make my favorite scone! For a while this used to be my favorite breakfast. Each day as I headed to work I made a stop at the local Starbucks and picked a coffee and scone (typically orange cranberry if they had one). Yummy!

I still had fresh cranberries and oranges left over after the Cranberry Orange Bread I baked last week. The weather was gloomy with overcast skies and periods of rain. After the beautiful, warm fall weather we’ve been having, it was a sharp contrast to have the temperature dip into the 50’s. Time to turn off the air condition and turn on the heater!

It was definitely the perfect day to turn on the oven and do some baking…

As usual I scoured the web for the perfect recipe with the condition that I would try one if I had all the ingredients already in my pantry. So here is my final adapted version:

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup amaranth flour
1 cup fresh cranberries
Orange rind from 1 orange
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Take cold butter and cut into cubes and add to the flour. Put the bowl in the refrigerator. In a separate bowl whisk egg, buttermilk and orange rind. Place the bowl in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare parchment paper or baking dish to bake the scones.

Remove the dry ingredients. Either chop the cranberries or use whole (I used them whole) and add to the dry ingredients. Mix well with a spatula or hand. Add the egg buttermilk mix and mix thoroughly. Prepare the counter top table with some flour. Roll out the mixed dough into a 1 in thick circle. Cut the circle into 8 or 10 wedges. Or use a cookie cutter for more fancy shapes.

Bake on a parchment or baking dish for 13 – 15 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and cool.

Serve warm scones with either orange marmalade or raspberry jam. Or glaze scones with some orange glaze and serve warm with tea or coffee.

Yum!