August 6, 2007

JHATPAT FRITTATA!:)

Shaheen of "Malluspice" blog has just launched a brand new monthly event called "Express Cooking Event". She asks us bloggers to come up with a nutritious and quick meal under 30 mins which would help us all at the end of a tiring day.Sounds good to me! Here is mine, a Jhatpat Frittata with a salad!Thanks for the idea Shaheen!:)



Jhatpat Frittata?!
Yes, it is!! For non-Indians,Jhatpat in Hindi means quick!! When you've had a hectic day at home or come home tired from work and the kids are driving you crazy,let my Jhatpat Frittata come to your rescue! These dishes can be made literally in mins and nutritious as well.Vegetarians,you could use a cup of Besan/Chickpea flour+ few tbsp of Plain flour or Cornstarch to bind instead of Eggs or can use Egg replacer too!!
As much as I love cooking,I would hate to hang around the kitchen unless I have to and not a minute more than necessary!! I chopped these veggies in 5mins flat and it took about 10 mins for the Frittata to cook and 1-2 minutes to grill!For salad, it took less than 5 mins to prepare and Voila!! Grab a fork and dig in!!:)

Have a quick 22 mins or less Brunch,lunch or dinner; Delicious Frittata with refreshing Tomato salad on a bed of Lettuce! :)
If you follow my steps as I tell you here, you will have that Frittata dinner on your table in less than 22mins!This serves 3-4 people!:)



You need these for quick 5 mins of slicing,dicing and whisking!

Look at those Bell peppers,you will see more of those at FH next week!:)
Spray oil or little butter in a 10-12" non-stick pan,put it on medium heat.Now slice 1/2 of each 4 bell peppers thinly,1/2 a red Onion, 2 small plum tomatoes,1 green chilli pepper,4 Green onions cut into rounds,3 tbsp of dill,some cilantro.(other veggies you can add are Green peas,Spinach ,grated Carrots etc, anything that cooks quickly or doesn't need much cooking!)

Hot pan and cool veggies to stir-fry!!

Add all these except half the dill and cilantro to the pan and spread around in one layer,let it cook.Meanwhile, in a big bowl beat 7 Eggs with 2 tbsp half and half or milk,salt,rest of the dill and cilantro.Give the veggies a stir gently so they cook evenly.No need to cook until soft,bell peppers should be little crisp to bite.

Now pour in the Eggelicious herby mix!

Now add the beaten eggs on the veggies starting from outside to inside in circles.DO NOT stir! Sprinkle any Mrs.Dash spice seasoning if you like or just some pepper,let it get firm around the edges ie about 10-12mins. Turn on the grill/broiler!
Now start preparing the salad as given below and put in the fridge to chill while the Frittata cooks.

Oops!! Forgot to take the grilling picture.Oh well, have a look at the golden top there!:D

As soon as the edges starts to curl and the center is still somewhat soft but not runny,sprinkle about 3 tbsp of Parmesan cheese or any cheese on top evenly.Take the pan carefully and hold it under the broiler for 2 mins making sure all the sides are getting slightly golden spots.Take it out,shake the pan gently to loosen the bottom and slide it on a plate.

Refreshing salad with my homegrown Pear Tomatoes splashed with Italian dressing!

Cut into 8 slices for 4 people and serve with a cool salad on a bed of crisp Lettuce.Sounds great or what?! Now sit down,eat and chat with your family while having a nutritious and quick meal.(Washing the dishes is not included in 22 mins! Sorry!!:D)

Here is how to prepare the salad(Same salad is coming at FH too on Wednesday!):


Gather and wash Pear or Cherry Tomatoes,wipe them dry,slice into halves.Sprinkle some salt,spice seasoning or Italian dressing,pepper if you like and toss.I like Cilantro in everything,I added some too. That's it.Keep it in the fridge until you are ready for dinner!



Have a great week gals!:)

60 comments:

Sia said...

besan in place of eggs is a gr8 tip ashakka. i cook frittatta for krish as i cant stand strong smell of eggs. now i got to try besan version:)

Arts said...

Thats real quick and yummy...
I have become a bit busy n lazy after coming back frm a vacation.. hope to get back to regular blogging soon!

Sharmi said...

oh what a lovely salad that too fresh from Garden!! somehow I don't like the smell of dill. frittata looks very nice and jhatpat!!

Priyanka said...

Hey Asha, really yummm frittatas... but i have a question-will the besan (as opposed to the eggs)set in firmly and not break when i make the frittatas?

FH said...

Sia,besan version is called Pudas,tastes great with Tomatoes added.Try it!:)
Have you tried Egg replacers you get these days? Tastes like Eggs but without the smell and eggy stuff!

Arts,you have had so much fun with wonderful holiday girl,I envy you!:))
Take your time,we will be here when you are ready!

Unknown said...

Thats really delicious and quick like fatafat :)

FH said...

Sharmi,I am getting so many Tomatoes this year,I am getting little tired of them!:)
I know Dill and Fennel seeds are aquired taste,not many people like it.You can skip it,still be good!:)

Priyanka, you have to add lot less Besan like dosa batter ,can't make thick like this Egg Frittata and also add some plain flour (Few tbsps)or Cornstarch just to bind the Besan.Great question,I will add this there!:)

J said...

Omelettes on all days and tomato omelettes( besan ka puda) for veggie days - that's what the fritatas are about, isn't it? :) Took really long to get in here !!

Anonymous said...

thats fast and easy.looking yummy..... i will try this as frittata is in my wish list from a very long time.salad is mouth watering too.

bee said...

i love frittata. we make ours with eggwhites. it's always quick and yummy. thanks for reminding me to make this.

Roopa said...

wow thats a quick one! but egg badalige besan hakkidre will texture be same?? well try madbeku i never likes besan dosa taste may be we need to add some soda/baking poweder? will try out sometime. firatta always liked by the look but hesitated with the eggy taste. :)

Mishmash ! said...

ohh...those pear tomatoes look so pretty ....!!! You make even the simplest dish look so appetizing !!

Shn

Saju said...

wow Asha, love those yellow tomatoes! Frittata so full of vegies looks excellent.

Laavanya said...

That's a great looking frittata! so colorful and i love the golden top. The pear-shaped tomatoes look so cute. Are those bell peppers home-grown too? Great, jhatpat entry.

FH said...

Fatafat indeed Cinnamon, quicker than Jhatpat!:D

Hi J,traffic days girl!:))
Puda is prefect veggie Frittatas too,yummy.I make it sometime,takes a little longer than this Egg Frittata.

Ramya,I didn't have any leftovers for dinner on Sunday,so I made this quickly.Kids love it.You get less than 2 eggs for each portion,so not bad!:)

Sig said...

ooh looks yummy Asha, good to see another non-veg dish from you ;) ... and the tomato salad looks great.... you are always showing off stuff from your garden :D

FH said...

You are welcome Bee.Egg whites makes it low Cholesterol, fluffy and white! Sounds great! Enjoy:)

Roopa, besan puda is always heavier than Egg mix. So you have to use less besan and make it thinner like dosa, doesn't taste exactly like Frittata.Do you get Egg replacer there? Try with that sometimes.Must be good!:)

shn,those Pear ones are so pretty to look at and very sweet too.I have one single plant and it's giving tons!:)
Chicken dishes are coming at FH,you will love it!:)

FH said...

Thanks Saju and this is such a quick dish to make in a hurry,I loved it!:)

No Lavanya.I grew some green Capsicums this year, but next year I will see if I can grow some colorful ones.I haven't seen plants or seeds for these. Tomatoes,you get plenty of varieties!:)

Sig,I am making a whole post about the veggie patch at FH for GBP in 2 weeks,watch out!!:D
Chicken recipes are coming out at FH this Wednesday,you will love both them.Compared to those,Frittata is a sissy!Hahaha!

Tee said...

I love Jhatpat dishes especially for weekends ;) Frittatas look great and filling!

FH said...

Tee,Shaheen came up with a great event! am loving all the express dishes too for Sunday dinners.I usually make many dishes for Sunday lunch,but nothing for dinner!:)

Jyothi said...

Hi Asha! such a delightful recipe. Just love it. Beautiful photos and a great entry. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha
the egg frittata's are looking delicious but would surely like to try this out with besan.

Shalini

KellytheCulinarian said...

Looks delicious. I like to make mini frittatas with little tiny muffins tins. Then everyone get their own and I can hold certain ingredients to satisfy the vegetarians in the group.

Meeta K. Wolff said...

what an awesome entry Asha! Love the multi colors of the frittata and the tomato salad looks lovely.

Anonymous said...

Photos are inviting...and frittata looks great as well.........Salad straight from the garden you are one lucky person

Anonymous said...

That sure is an elegant looking quick meal. Though I do not eat eggs, it sure is pleasure to see the pictures.

Richa said...

I like fritata & make an eggless version. Looks YUM, ready to dig in :)
I need to get that ready-to-grate parmesan u pictured, must taste fresher than the grated stuff, right?

Roopa (KitchenAromas) said...

Frittata with Besan! What a newat idea. I'll try that! Thanks A!

FH said...

Hi Jyoti,thanks girl.I am loving the summer veggies!:)

Shaini,thanks.Besan puda will not taste the same but for pure vegetarians,that would be the choice.Try Egg replacer too:)

Kelly,great idea too.They almost sound mini Quiches,yum!:)

FH said...

Thank you Meeta!:)
I am glad I planted that Pear tomato plant.They are so pretty,enjoying them to the fullest!

Bha,it's so bloody hot here in NC this summer,you can't believe how fast those tomatoes are ripening!:D

Hi Hima,thanks girl.Have you tried that Egg replacer? It looks like beaten Eggs but they are not.Give it try!:)

FH said...

YUP!! Richa, freshly grated Parmesan is the best but can be little expensive than the already grated package and should use it quickly.Try and get it,it's worth it!:)

You are welcome Roopa.Don't expect the Besan Puda to be fluffy like Eggs but will be tasty with loads veggies and spices!:)

Bong Mom said...

You are super quick Asha. And besan instead of eggs is asplendid idea

sra said...

Those pear tomatoes look glorious!

FH said...

Thank you,thank you very much(Elvis style!), Sandeepa! :D
It is super quick,I don't think I took even 22 mins to make this but better be safe than sorry!:)

They are indeed sra! This is the first time I found those kind of Tomatoes and they are sweet too.Great combo!:)

Neelam said...

Asha this is a lovely quick meal. You know my father in law used to make this in India for us. And I really miss eating it here. Thanks for sharing.

FH said...

I know! We call it veg or Tomato Omelette, don't we Neelam? It somehow tastes better in India than here!I think it's naturally fed Chicken eggs!:)

SeeC said...

Jhatpat indeed.
This is something new to me. Just love the way you have presented it.

Pooja V said...

hi..i luv fritta and salad is simply mouth watering. It must be fun eating home grown tomatoes. As a child i hv eaten lot of home grown veggies.

FH said...

Seec,this is almost like a Omelette but not flipped, lot thicker,fluffier and grilled with cheese on top.Hope you try!You can add any quick cooking vegetables into this!:)

Pooja,that is true.We get so many varieties of homegrown veggies in India.Here in NC, luckily we do have 5mnts of sunshine,so we can grow some veggies .From Sept,no more veggies until next summer!:D
Enjoy the Frttata.

Shah cooks said...

jhatpat entry! thanks a lot. have u tried making the eggs in a cast iron skillet? and i love the addition of the 3 colored peppers. haven't tried the besan version though.

Anonymous said...

Lovely Salad Ashaji and a gr8 tip for making eggless Frittatta. Both look yummy!!

Coffee said...

When i saw the name frittata, I cringed my face thinking of eggs!! But thats for that tip of besan and white flour! I shall try it this weekend. :)

Viji said...

Lovely entries Asha. The tomatoes are so cute. Viji

FH said...

Hi Shaheen,glad I made it on time!:)
I tried once with iron skillet, baked in the oven but I think iron slilet was not seasoned well,so it didn't slide out easy!
When you can use Eggs to make Frittata,why use Besan?!;D

Thanks Lakshmi.Besan will not be as fluffy as Eggs but will taste great too like thick dosa.Try it!:)

FH said...

Coffee,you are Ms.pucca vegetarian!!;D
Yeah,Besan will work too like Pudas.Do you get Egg replacer there? You should try with that.It's not Egg at all but like Egg without the smell or anything.You can bake cakes too.Try and find it:)

Thank you Viji!:)
Tomatoes are getting lesser and lesser on the plants now a days.One more month, and everything will be over in the veggie patch.Right now,I am enjoying it!

Suma Gandlur said...

Asha,that's a great one. Using besan in place of eggs is a wonderful idea for people like me.
Seems you are making good use of home grown capsicums. Waiting to see what you are going to come up with them on FH.

Suganya said...

O o this looking excellent... YUM!....frittata is my fav...

Prema Sundar said...

Asha those tomatoes look cuteeee.
Thanks for the veggetarian version of making with besan .. will try it.

FH said...

Hi Suma,I really love those peppers.I made a great dish,you will see tomorrow at FH!:)
Try with Besan,tastes good but have to make somewhat thiner.

Enjoy Sukanya.Nothing tastes better than a fluffy Egg Frittata full of vegs!:)

You are welcome Prema.Besan pudas tastes great too, hope you try!:))

Latha said...

Oh my that looks too good Asha! I should try this fritata for dinner sometime, it sounds yumm! The best part, I'm sure its pretty low in cals and high in protein!
And i love the look of u're salad. I love tomatoes especially the grape tomato. Never seen these pear ones. i'm sure i'll find them at whole foods or something!
I had sald for lunch and i'm already hungry thanks to u're pics.

FH said...

Haha!! Salad for lunch,you poor thing but you are succeeding in your goal.That's great.Yeah,Frittata is great for dinner.Once or twice a week ,Egges are great for health.Try it.
Pear tomatoes,I found some plants this year,I haven't seen it the grocery though.They are sweet too!:))
Enjoy Latha.I loved the Rajasthani spread!:))

Seema Bhat said...

Nice Ashakka,
I am sure gonna need more recipes for my cherry tomatoes as well. So much and don't know what to do out of them. Frittata looks very colorful and yummy. With besan would be perfect for us.Hope you are doing fine buddy.

FH said...

Yes madam Seema,I am doing well.It's too hot and I have too many Tomatoes too here.Cherry tomatoes are the best for salad since they are little tangy.Check the Gazpacho post here,add them Uppittu,chitranna etc.
I made Rasam too and I am throwing them in every dish I make!:D
Enjoy!One more month,they will all be gone and you will miss them!:))

USHA said...

Hi Ashaji,
Safely reached India///but stilll have my jetlog.Wow!!!this Jhatpat Frittata looks colourful and tempting....but i think can only try and come back to other cuisine after a month...now here purely Indian items only:))))Catch u later

Kajal said...

Jhatpat Jhatpat.....great Ahsa......Looks very fresh with red, yellow and green color......Refreshing salad with pear tomatoes looks delicious.....Great entry.:)

FH said...

Hi Usha,good to know you have reached India safely and enjoying it!:)
Yeah, don't cook anything,enjoy mom's cooking!:D
Kashmir is India too girl,they have Indian passports as well just like the rest of us:)

Kajal,thank you!:)
I have so many Tomatoes right now on my kitchen counter,I am using them in practically everything these days!:D

Raaga said...

I should book mark this page... or I'll just bookmark Shaheen's roundup. That is one even which will ensure we never go hungry because we didn't have the time.

:-)

FH said...

You are right and it's nutritious with all the protein and veggies you need in one meal too! Enjoy.Thanks Raaga!:))

Namratha said...

Frittata looks delicious!! I'm surely gonna try it sometime this week :)My hubby loved the look of the salad so that's on my menu for the week too. Lovely recipes Asha dear.

FH said...

Thank you darling Nammu!:))
Enjoy. Those Pear tomatoes are so sweet unlike tangy Cherry tomatoes.Beautiful.