I always stock up dates in my refrigerator. I eat them just like that or sprinkle them on my cereal, couscous and often make my favorite dates cake in caramel sauce, the yummiest cake of all. So, this time I wanted to try something different with my dates and I did. I was reminded of tempuras and so tried making dates tempura. The dates were coated with the batter and gave them a deep fry, it came out perfectly crispy and yummy. Dates itself is sweet and soft, when deep fried it got a caramelized taste which enhanced the taste of the dates remarkably. In no time you get to enjoy dates tempura and this is going to be the favorite snack of everyone from here onward.

Dates Tempura

Ingredients:

• Dates- 20 no’s
• All-purpose flour or Maida- 6 tbsp
• Baking soda- 2 pinches
• Salt- a pinch
• Sugar- 1 1/2 tbsp
• Water- 2-3 tbsp, just enough to make a thick batter
• Vegetable oil- for frying

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan.
• Combine all purpose flour, baking soda, salt and sugar in a bowl.

• Add water to the flour mix and make into a thick batter.

• Put the dates into the batter, coat it evenly with the batter.
• Fry the dates coated in batter until both sides turn golden in color.

• Transfer the dates tempura on to a paper towel.
• Just like me, you will also be tempted to taste it while it’s hot.

Tips:

• If the batter is watery, add more of the all purpose flour and make it thick, you want the dates to be covered with the batter.
• If you want you could also add 1 egg to the batter.

I tricked my brain and made a healthy breakfast from scratch this morning in less than 15 minutes…

My hubby was surprised to see steaming hot breakfast made from scratch and beautifully served on the table. I’ve mentioned before that I always depend on cereal, whole grain bread, fruits or instant oats for breakfast. More than being lazy, my brain acts weird in the morning. By the time my brain figures out what to make for breakfast it would be time to make lunch. Surprisingly, I woke up this morning with a healthy breakfast idea in my mind. Before my brain got active and stopped me from entering into the kitchen, I rushed into the kitchen and in under 15 minutes I came out with a healthy breakfast. My hubby who was expecting cereal was blown away to see steaming hot breakfast in front of him. The way he devoured it made me feel extreme happiness. Before he could say it would be nice to have this kind of breakfast everyday, I made this statement: “Honey, don’t expect this every morning”  Lol…

This is good for breakfast and could be served as an evening snack as well. Kids will love this as dates in this gives it a sweet taste, so don’t skip the dates.

I loved this so much, the taste and the ease with which I can make this, that I made a second batch for today’s lunch. It seems I will end up making this for dinner too: P

Healthy Steamed Oats with Dates and Coconut

Serves- 2 people

Ingredients:

• Instant Oats, (I used Quaker oats)- 1 cup
• Water- 3 tbsp
• Salt- a pinch
• Chopped dates- 1/2 cup
• Coconut shredded- 1/4 cup

Preparation:

• In a bowl, combine oats and salt.
• Add water little by little to the oats and mix it with your hand breaking any lumps that form.

• Combine it until you can make balls out of the oats, but neither watery nor dry and keep aside.
• Fill 1/4 of the pressure cooker with water and place it in medium heat with its lid closed.
• In a puttu maker, layer the oats, dates and coconut.
• First, add 1 tbsp of coconut into the puttu maker, then add 2 tsp chopped dates and on top of that 1 handful of oats.

• Repeat this and make 2 layers, on the top should be dates and coconut.

• Close the puttu maker with its lid.
• When steam starts to come out of the pressure cooker through the whistle hole, place the puttu maker on to the whistle hole.

• Steam cook for 4-5 minutes or until steam comes out of all the holes on the puttu maker.
• Remove from the pressure cooker and invert the puttu maker on a platter, oats in round shape will fall onto the platter.
• Serve this while it’s steaming hot, oats will be soft and the dates in it gives this dish a sweet taste.
• You could also substitute oats with rice flour, wheat flour or Semolina ( Sooji).

Tips:

• Don’t add too much water to the oats, it should be slightly wet at the same time not too dry.
  
• You could make this with just the oats and coconut, but dates enhances the taste of the oats greatly.
• This should be served hot, it will dry out when it turns cold.
• You could even add almonds along with dates.

Notes:

• Puttu maker is sold in some Indian stores and can also be bought online.
• Traditional puttu maker has 2 parts, a bottom vessel for filling the water and a long cylindrical rod with a lid for layering the rice flour or oats or wheat flour or your choice of flour with coconut.
• Puttu maker I have is a simplified and easy to carry version which can be placed on pressure cooker.