Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Vegan Feast Kitchen/ 23rd Century Table

These are the Uttapam that I made from Kathy's recipe.

Note from Bryanna: If you are going to have uttapam for breakfast the next morning, soak them in the morning of the the day before. And if you are going to have the uttapam for breakfast the next morning, blend and leave in the IP to ferment, as directed in the recipe below, before you go to bed.)


UTTAPAM 
Note: I didn't make the Cilantro Coconut Chutney which went with this recipe  because we're not big cilantro fans. 
(From Kathy Hester's new book, "The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for Your Instant Pot")

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup (151 g) urad dal (which is skinned split black urad dal)
1 cup (190 g) brown rice (I used brown jasmine rice; BCG)
1 cup (119 g) millet
1 cup (170 g) quinoa, washed well to remove the seed coating (Many brands of quinoa are already pre-washed when you buy them now, so check the package info; BCG)
5 cups (1.2 L) water
Spray oil (optional)

TOPPINGS:
Grated carrots
Grated summer squash
Chopped cilantro
Peas
Shredded vegan cheese
Leftover curries

INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix the urad dal, rice, millet, quinoa and water in a large bowl. Cover and let soak to soften for 8 hours.

Next, puree the mixture in your blender in batches and add to your Instant Pot liner. Place the liner in your Instant Pot, cover and press the yogurt setting. Leave it at the default 8 hours for it to ferment.

You can store the fermented mixture in your fridge for up to 1 week or you can cook up all the pancakes at once and freeze them to heat for later.

Coat a large skillet with nonstick spray (if using) and place over medium heat. Once hot, add ½ cup (120 ml) of the batter per pancake and shape into a circle. (I use a small ladle to pour the batter and use the bottom of the ladle in a circular motion to form the circle shape. BCG) Cook until bubbles begin to form. (I use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or griddle.  I rub the pan with a bit of oil on a paper towel before cooking each uttapam. In India they often use a halved potato or onion to rub a bit of oil on the pan. BCG)

Sprinkle the topping you choose (I used sliced green onion this time; BCG) over the top of the pancake and press in a little with your spatula. Flip the pancake and cook until both sides are browned.

Place on a plate and cook the next one. You could also have more than one skillet going at a time. (I keep them warm in the oven at low heat while I cook them all. BCG)

Note from Bryanna: I served these with soy yogurt and chutney this time.




Enjoy!

Leave it to Kathy Hester to come up with a book full of easy-peasy, healthful, inspired vegan recipes for time-challenged cooks!  Kathy is the author of four previous books and blogs at healthyslowcooking.com This new book contains 80 recipes that are full of healthful ingredients (lots of beans-- a plus, in my opinion!) and many inspired by cuisines of other cultures.  She has a chapter of "Make-Ahead Staples", which is really handy, and everything from Soups, Stews, Pasta, Stir-fries, and other Mains, followed by more recipes for easy Sandwich Fillings and Spreads, Sides, and of course, Desserts and Drinks. The recipes are low-oil and there are many GF and soy-free recipes and options, as well.


I had a hard time selecting the recipe to try for this post on Kathy's blog tour, but I'm so glad I chose this soup recipe.  We had our vegan Canadian Thanksgiving feast (12 of us) last night and over-ate, of course. This easy, light and delectable soup (and I love corn so much!) is the perfect simple-but-delectable day-after-feasting meal. The chopped mushrooms in the broth give it wonderful flavor.

Congratulations on another winner, Kathy!



KATHY HESTER'S ASIAN CORN CABBAGE SOUP (From "The Easy Vegan Cookbook", with permission from Page Street Publishing)
• gluten-free option** • oil-free option* • soy-free option**
This soup isn’t the prettiest, but the taste is bold and delicious. This recipe is my favorite way to use up the extra cabbage from my CSA.
SERVES 4

½ small onion, minced
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil (*or sauté in water)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups (105 g) minced mushrooms
Pinch of salt
2 to 3 teaspoons (10-15 g) minced ginger
4 cups (356 g) chopped cabbage
2 cups (282 g) corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
4 cups (946 ml) water
1 tablespoon (5 g) nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vegetable bouillon
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ to 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
1 teaspoon light soy sauce (**or use coconut aminos)

STOVE-TOP METHOD (This is the method I used.)
Sauté the onion in oil (*or water) until it’s translucent, then add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the mushrooms have cooked down and released their liquid, about 10 minutes. Add everything except sesame, sriracha and soy sauce (**or coconut aminos) to the pot and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Before serving, add sesame, sriracha and soy sauce (**or coconut aminos). Adjust seasonings if needed. (NOTE from Bryanna: I used 3 teaspoons of vegan broth paste [Better Than Bouillon No-Chicken vegan Broth Paste] and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce.)

SLOW COOKER METHOD
To prep the night before, sauté the onion in oil (*or water) until it’s translucent, then add the garlic and cook one more minute. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the mushrooms have cooked down and released their liquid. Store the cooked mixture with cut cabbage and corn in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, add everything except sesame, sriracha and soy sauce (**or coconut aminos) to your 4-quart (4-L) slow cooker. Cook 7 to 9 hours on low. Before serving, add sesame, sriracha and soy sauce (**or coconut aminos). Adjust seasonings if needed.

Per serving with oil: Calories 156.8, protein 5.5 g, total fat 5.8 g, carbohydrates 22.4 g, sodium 41.8 mg, fiber 4.9 g

TIP: Cheater Slow Cooker Shortcut: Skip the onion sauté and use ½ teaspoon of onion powder instead. Then add the raw mushrooms into the slow cooker for a throw-it-all-in-and-go meal!

Enjoy!

I used a silicone spatula to press the mixture into the mesh to get the most liquid out of it that I could. I had this much pulp left after the first straining :


I decided to strain it once again through a small tea strainer-- the only thing I had that was a finer mesh than the strainers I'd used before.  It took a few minutes, because the strainer is so small, but I ended up with a nice smooth "cream".  (And I will be looking for a larger fine strainer!)