Oat and Millet (Bajra) Sweet and Savoury Pancakes

Aha! The return of the Oat and Millet combo:) Well what can I say, this is a hero combo in terms of its nutrition factor. Millet in itself has so many nutritional benefits. Having this as a breakfast meal has many advantages as well. I have heard many people complain about migraines early in the morning. Well did you you know that Millet contains Magnesium that helps reduce the effects of migraines and even heart attacks. It is also alkaline which means that it is easily digested and you know what great wonders that does to your digestive system in the morning:)

Well not to get too scientific but let's not leave out our all too common oat bran which most of you already know is a "healthy-heart" cholestrol lowering food. I find that people with lactose intolerance normally avoid consuming cereals in the morning, simply because it becomes difficult for them to have cereals without milk. These oat bran recipes resulted since that realisation. It is important to have a high fiber meal in the morning as our body is able to digest it well then.

I had two of my usual diners, my hubby and my daughter when I whipped up this meal. So, naturally the Sweet is for my Sweetheart daughter and Savoury my darling hubster. Needless to say, both of them enjoyed their simple breakfast meal.

Savoury Pancake

Sweet pancakes

You need:

For both the sweet and savoury pancakes:

• 2 cups of oat bran (powdered)
• 1 cup of millet flour
• 2 tsp of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of milk (optional)/1 cup of filtered water
• 1 tbsp of cooking oil
• 2 tsp baking powder

For the sweet pancakes:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder

For the savoury pancakes:

• 1 medium sized onion, finely diced
• 2 green chilies, diced

The condiments:

• For the savoury, you can serve it as is or with coconut chutney
• For the sweet one, you can serve it with maple syrup, honey, chocolate syrup and chocolate chips, fresh fruits or nuts.

The make:
Makes 6 savoury pancakes, 3 sweet pancakes | Cooking Time :30 mins | Preparation Time: 15 mins

1. Combine all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl for the sweet and savoury pancakes combined.

2. Next whisk in the eggs, milk/water and oil and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.

3. Divide the batter into 3/4 for the savoury and 1/4 for the  sweet pancakes in a separate bowl. I did this considering my little one's appetite. You can choose either way.

4. For the savoury, add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

5. For the sweet, add the remaining ingredients and mix well in the separate bowl.

6. Meanwhile, preheat two iron skillets or non-stick skillets on high. Grease the pans, using a paper kitchen towel dipped in cooking oil. Repeat this between pancakes until the batter is used up.

Cooking the pancake on one side

7.  Lower the heat on both pans to medium-low and pour 1/4 cup of batter quantity using a ladle and pour in the center of the pan and spread the batter in clockwise fashion to a medium sized circle.

8. For the savoury, owing to the chilies and the onions, you make not be able to spread it out as much as it would lead to gaps and would not evenly spread the onion/chilies on one half or the other. You may need to either fill in the gaps or pour the batter evenly without the clockwise spreading technique.

9. Cook the pancake for 2 minutes on each side or until cooked and lightly browned.

10. Continue this process until all the batter is used.

If the alternating between sweet and savoury pans is too much, you can also do it one at a time. My mornings are usually a lot of juggle and multitasking so this technique works well for me.

11. Serve with the condiments of your choice or the suggested ones in this recipe.

Cooking on the second side

Sweet pancakes served up with honey drizzle

Hope your family and you enjoy this breakfast treat. Bon Appetit!