Vegetarian Cuisine
WHEAT FREE CREPES – A great option for those who are wheat or gluten intolerant. These quick crepes are so versatile, delicious for breakfast, a light lunch/dinner or a dessert. Be as creative as you like, fill them with something savoury or sweet and fold them, then top with a savoury sauce or sweet syrup, if desired. Serves 4-6.
1½ cups stirred soy flour
1¾ cups rice flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1 -2 teaspoons honey
2¾ cups water recommended or more
4 tablespoons oil
Oil for frying
Preparation:
1. Combine the soy and rice flours, baking powder and salt.
2. Add the water a little at a time, stirring so batter is smooth and desired consistency reached. Use more water if mixture is too thick or stiff.
3. Gradually beat in the honey and the oil, the batter should be very runny. This makes for a lighter crepe. A thicker batter, if preferred, will give you a pancake type texture.
4. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and brush with oil.
5. Add enough batter to thinly coat base of pan and flatten the mixture with back of a spoon.
6. Fry until the Centre bubbles, turn it over and cook until golden brown.
7. Repeat with remaining batter to make 4-6 thicker/ larger crepes or 10-12 thinner smaller crepes.
8. Serve hot.
For sweet crepes, serve with maple syrup, honey or a berry sauce on top.
For a more lavish crepe, use a fruit filling accompaniment such as fresh strawberries or other berries, or fried or baked banana* or apple. Serve with cream, vanilla ice cream or plain thick yoghurt.
For savoury crepes, suggest filling with a ricotta cheese and sour cream mixture in equal parts and adding sautéed mushrooms. Fold crepe over.
* Baked banana recipe also obtainable in The Yoga Cookbook. Featured in September 2014 Gurugram
This recipe is an edited contribution for the Sivananda Gurugram, sourced from The Yoga Cookbook: Food for Body and Mind – Recipes from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres” 1999.
Meditation and contentment are the secrets of good health and longevity. – Sri Swami Sivananda
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| APRIL 2015
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Glossary
PARASURAMA AVATARA – Rama with the axe, the destroyer of the tyranny of the warrior-caste, the Kshatriya race. The object of Parasurama Avatara was to deliver the country from the oppression of the Kshatriya rulers. Parasurama destroyed the Kshatriya race twenty-one times. Parasurama (Axe-wielding Rama), is the Sixth avatara of Vishnu, and a son of Jamadagni. He is also the first Sovereign Emperor known to man. He received an axe after undertaking a terrible penance to please Shiva, from whom he learned the methods of warfare and other skills.
As the story goes, King Kaartaveerya-arjuna (Sahasrarjuna) and his army visited Jamadagni, Parasurama’s father and a brahmin sage. Jamagagni fed his guest and the whole army with his divine cow, Subarea. The king demanded to have the magical cow but Jamadagni refused because he needed the cow for his religious ceremonies. Later, King Kaartaveerya-arjuna (Sahastrarjuna) sent his soldiers to take the cow. Parasurama stepped in and killed the entire army and the king with his axe. In return, the prince beheaded Jamadagni.
The purpose of the sixth incarnation of Vishnu is considered to relieve the earth’s burden by exterminating the sinful, destructive and irreligious monarchs that pillaged its resources and neglected their duties as kings.
However, unlike all other avatars, Parasurama still lives on earth even today. Secondly, he is an Avesha Avatara, a secondary type of Avatara. In such an Avatara, Vishnu does not directly descend such as that of Rama but instead enters the soul of a man with His form. Accordingly, unlike Rama and Krishna, Parasurama is not worshipped. But in South India, there exists one major temple commemorating Parasurama.
Other notes about Parasurama, the story goes on that Parasurama was struck by remorse at the King’s wanton killings, and offered penance on a mountain top. The sea god Varuna responded, and offered Parasurama land equal to the distance he could throw his axe. Parasurama threw his axe from Gokarnam and it fell at Kanyakumari. As promised the sea gave way to land, thus giving rise to Kerala.
According to one legend, Parasurama also went to visit Siva once but the way was blocked by Ganesha. Parasurama threw the axe at him and Ganesha, knowing it had been given to him by Shiva, allowed it cut off one of his tusks.
Love knows no reward. Love knows no fear. – Sri Swami Sivananda