This breakfast would not be considered traditional. I didn't come across much granola during my travels in India..
Standard Indian breakfasts normally consist of idli, dosa, or paratha (to name a few), all delicious, but not as healthy as what I've prepared here. Though the execution is nontraditional, the distinctive Indian spice comes through with cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, and garam masala.
These dishes are inspired by my last post and my constant craving for Indian cuisine. They are adapted from one of my favorite restaurants in Houston called Pondicheri, where chef/owner Anita Jaisinghani's brilliantly creates innovative dishes with authentic Indian flavors.
Adding saffron to the yogurt results in a beautiful golden color and a subtle saffron flavor. The cardamom granola adds a warmth and spice to an otherwise simple parfait.
Saag paneer is one of my favorite Indian dishes. Paneer is a firm Indian cheese and is combined with pureed spinach, caramelized onions, lots of spice, and yogurt or cream. In this rendition, I add coconut milk and eggs to create a fluffy frittata and finish it off with a refreshing mint chutney.
Chai is black tea that has been infused with Indian spices (I used cinnamon, orange peel, clove, cardamom, and vanilla bean) and finished off with cream. To me, it tastes like Christmas in a cup but is enjoyed all year round. Again, I've substituted my beloved coconut milk for the cream which gives it a guilt free richness.
Recipes
For the granola-
(Note- This quantity makes about 2.5 cups, which is more than enough for 2 people. I save the extra granola in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks and serve with yogurt or treat it as a cereal and serve with almond milk)
2 cups of rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
3 tbs honey
1 tbs of coconut oil
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
greek yogurt
pinch of saffron
1/4 cup of water
honey
berries of choice
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine oats and the next 4 ingredients. Spread onto a baking pan and roast for 20 minutes, stirring half way into cooking time. Remove and add in slivered almonds and pumpkin seeds. Roast for another 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Keep in mind that the granola will get crisp after it has cooled down.
Add a pinch of saffron to 1/4 cup of water and let steep for 15 minutes or until the water is deep, golden yellow. Whisk into yogurt until combined.
Serve the yogurt and granola with fresh berries of choice and honey.
For the Frittata-
(serves 2)
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs of minced ginger
1/2 tsp of garam masala
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp salt
paneer, cut into small cubes
about 4 cups of loosely packed raw spinach
6 eggs
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Sweat onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and ginger and continue to sweat for about 10 minutes or until the pan begins to dry out and the onions begin to brown. Once they have some color, pour in a splash of water to deglaze the pan. This should give the onions a nice caramel color. Add in all of the spice and stir around to toast for about one minute. Add a bit more water to deglaze. Pour onions into a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan, heat a small amount of olive oil and sear the paneer on all sides until well browned. Pour onto a plate covered with a paper towel to remove any extra oil.
In a large saute pan, heat a bit of oil and add in all of the spinach and a pinch of salt. Cover and allow to wilt for about 30 seconds. Open, stir quickly to wilt all of the spinach, and remove from the heat. Pour over a strainer to squeeze out some of the liquid the spinach releases. Chop spinach into small pieces and add to the onion mixture. Heat a stove and oven safe serving dish (or skillet) to medium high heat. Place a spoonful of the mixture into the pan, spread the paneer around and top with more spinach.
Whisk eggs, coconut milk, and salt together and pour over the saag paneer. Stir once to incorporate the eggs, then do not stir again. Allow to sit over the heat until the bottom has set.
Place in oven and bake until the top is browned and the eggs are cooked through, 5-10 minutes. Serve with mint chutney.
Mint Chutney-
1 cup of greek yogurt
1/2 cup of fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp of garam masala
1/4 tsp of cayenne
Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Keep cold until serving.
Chai tea-
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
3 cardamom pods
vanilla bean
1 orange peel
2 black tea bags
coconut milk
raw honey, optional
freshly grated nutmeg, optional
Pour 4 cups of water into a sauce pan or tea kettle. Add the first 5 ingredients and bring to a boil. Allow to steep for 15 minutes. Bring to a boil again and then immediately remove from heat. Add in tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. Serve with coconut milk, raw honey, and freshly grated nutmeg.