Gluten free quiche baked with Indian flavors | cornmeal, cauliflowers and green peas quiche with sour cream..


A quiche with Indian flavors sounds like an oxymoron, even more so if I say it is gluten free. Trust me it is as yummy as it looks.  A cornmeal crust, fresh, in season cauliflowers, green peas and home made sour cream, imagine how would it be.

I had baked this quiche on a whim one day as I wanted a fancier version of a paratha for a kid who was bored with everyday pararthas her mom used to make for her. This cornmeal and vegetables quiche was loved by the kid and she had requested me to teach her mom how to bake this. Her mom and I were both smiling, as we had baked it together talking about the kid's taste preferences.

Anything that is baked in attractive bake and serve ware and is served with a little pomp, makes a child feel special. Breaking the routine also works really well. This quiche will be a nice break from parathas we north Indian enjoy so much in winters. A healthy bake with seasonal flavors, one of those things that I developed for a picky kid and ended up baking for ourselves quite frequently.

I know it will become a favorite in your home as well. The vegetables can be changed slightly depending on the texture that they have after cooking. You would like mushrooms, boiled potatoes, broccoli, sweet corn or sliced baby corn etc in this quiche. Just make sure to parboil the vegetables before mixing them up for baking. Adding some boiled and shredded chicken or cooked and rinsed soy nuggets would be good too.



ingredients for the crust...
cornmeal (makki ka atta) 1 cup
sour cream 1/2 cup
ajwain seeds 1 tsp
salt to taste
ingredients for the filling...
cauliflower florets cut into small pieces 1.5 cups
fresh green peas 1 cup
chopped coriander greens 1/2 cup
finely chopped ginger and garlic 1 tbsp each
eggs 2
sour cream 1/4 cup


salt n pepper
red chilly powder 1/2 tsp or more

whipped sour cream to serve


procedure...

Mix the crust ingredients together and test by making a ball out of the flour mix. It should bind lightly.

Spread the mixture in a greased pie or quiche pan and press to make a uniform covering of the mixture, raising some of the mixture on the walls as well. Press well all around.

Bake at 200 C for about 10 minutes or till a golden brownish colour appears.


In the meanwhile, steam the cauliflower florets and green peas till half cooked. I just microwaved them together for 3 minutes. Cool them down before proceeding.

Mix all the other ingredients of the filling, including the eggs that have to be lightly beaten before being added. Pour the mixture into the baked crust and bake again till the filling is set and the top starts getting  golden brown. Took me 30 minutes on 180 C.

Serve with whipped sour cream.


Just run a knife around the quiche and it will slice and come off easily. Quite form and crumbly, perfectly crisp on the outside. The cauliflower florets retain a bit of crunch and the peas are also firm yet soft and sweet, they way they taste in season.

Sour cream is home made in this case. You can always make your own sour cream by culturing fresh cream or homemade malai that we get even in pasteurized milk here in India. Just add some buttermilk to heavy cream or home made malai and let it get set. Whip and use as required.


You can whip it lightly or till firm, it will be yummy both ways..especially with a quiche like this or a whole wheat cake.

Good fats are never to be avoided, yes you need some refrain in quantity when you are on a weight loss regime. But then if you have it for one meal and have a light meal later in the day, it all balances out.


One thing to note is, that you have to consume the quiche right away if you are using these vegetables. As the leftovers are not as appetizing as a fresh warm quiche. The crust doesn't stay crisp when reheated and the vegetables loose freshness. If you use chicken, minced meat or bacon, it is still better. So bake it when you have to serve it.

You would agree baking is almost synonymous with flour butter and sugar for many of us. There are so many savory bakes that use cheese, eggs meats and many other ingredients that are healthy but we somehow are more attracted towards a sugar rush when it comes to celebrations and formal dining. I admire sugar craft as an art but could never love sugary bakes even when I was a young kid. Savory bakes were more my type although they all used white flour in some or the other way. The only healthy baked treat was my mom's Handvo (a savory Gujrati snack) which she used to bake very occasionally but in large quantities. I haven't yet posted a decent Handvo here, I promise I would not make you wait too long now. I know I keep recommending many of you to have Handvo as a snack or mini meal and keep promising to post the recipe as well, I promise I will do that this winters. We still love Handvo.

I promise you would love this quiche too. Try it once and tweak the filling according to your taste. Add some boiled chicken or bacon if you like, or just some crumbled paneer if you are a vegetarian.

Let me know if you bake this. Gluten free bakes are much better than the plain flour ones, having more texture and more taste. I know you agree if you are a regular visitor here.

Cheers...wishing you all a happy new year.

Comments

  1. Love the use of cornmeal for the crust. would want to try this soon. I enjoy reading up on your recipes and trying them at home. Happy new year Sangeeta> xoxo

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Anita. Please let me know how this one is received at you place.

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  2. Hi Sangeeta!!
    Loved this one...in fact it is winner with me and my 11 year old....I think it is a good alternative to the pizza.. a healthy one..Served it with aloo-gobhi-matar and loads of cheese for the kiddo..
    Next time will exchange the toppings for the popular garden veg pizza ones!!!
    Keep posting..:)
    Sunita Damodar

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    Replies
    1. This is great to know Sunita. I am so glad your kid liked it.
      with cauliflowers and cheese this is another level altogether.

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