This story is part of On Repeat, a series in which we ask top chefs, cookbook authors, and other famous foodies about the dishes they just can’t quit.
When Sapna Punjabi describes the savory rice-flour pancakes called akki roti that she first fell for at a friend’s house, it’s clear that the author of the new Dal Chawal cookbook is onto something. The gluten-free flapjacks from, Karnataka a state in southwestern India, take almost no advanced prep. And, though her version uses spring onion, ginger, and green chile, the cakes are also an awesome vehicle for whatever leftover veg might be lurking in the crisper drawer.
Ever since that first taste, Punjabi’s been making them On Repeat. “This becomes a beautiful canvas, where you can color it the way you want,” says the author and cooking teacher, whose debut compendium of 85 recipes is all about working with pulses and rice.
Why I love it
“This makes a great breakfast—in Indian tradition, breakfasts are usually savory rather than sweet. But it also makes a great lunch, or after-school snack. It can be any time of the day. And you can make smaller ones and serve them as an appetizer for a party.
“What first stuck to me was the dill weed. [My friend] put fresh dill and spring onions, and the aroma just created a core memory for me. I love dill, and I thought, ‘How interesting to use it within a pancake, for morning.’ The dill complements any vegetables really beautifully, and it just looks so pretty.
“I feel like the ingredients pair really well, because from an Ayurveda standpoint rice has a sweeter taste and a more earthy element, so balancing that with some pungency from the spring onion, the ginger, and the green chile, it’s a nice balance.”
What I’ve changed
“I love to take traditional recipes and learn the foundation, and then you can just expand it and put your own signature to it. If you don’t like dill, if you don’t like spring onions, you can put whatever your heart desires: grated zucchini, grated squash, whatever. You can even use frozen vegetables, you know, that are finely chopped.
“I would say every Indian will agree to this: Our moms—I’m sure other cultures too—are always focused on recycling, reusing, and trying to eliminate waste. So if I have half a bag of salad greens, or a small sprig of herb, and half a carrot—whatever you have—you can chop it up.”
What else I’m into right now
- Unearthing pantry products. I love to grocery shop; that’s like my therapy. But we all end up with things that are in the back of the pantry and we go, ‘Oh, I’m going to come to it next week.’ Then it becomes expired, or it becomes stale, and you have to throw it away. I think we all struggle with that. So I go to my pantry and I pick out something that I see, like an exotic flour or a specialty pasta. I bring it out and keep it on my countertop, and I stare at it. That becomes my inspiration, like, ‘I have to use this.’ So that is my goal, to use it either that day or in the next couple of days.
- Bulk bins. For my grains and my staples—not my Indian ones, but my other ones, like chia seeds—there are big bags in Costco and [I would think], ‘Oh, it’s on sale. Let me get that.’ But it may take months, if not years, to finish that big bag. So I am now going to purchase them from the bulk bins in my grocery store, and I will buy only a cup of it or a few tablespoons if I need some, and not that whole big bag.
- Using up rice. I am not a big proponent of having too many leftovers, but if I made rice for dinner, I can transform it in the next 24 hours into a fun little lunch for me, or an afternoon snack when my kid comes from school. There is unlimited potential to transform your leftover rice. I have ideas in my book like lemon rice or tamarind rice, or I will just add a drizzle of cumin.
This article originally appeared in the
Cool Beans newsletter.
Read the whole story here.