This morning I was struck with an epiphany of sorts; it may or may not be an original recipe, but its certainly the first I’ve ever heard of it.  I’m a big fan of ‘Halava’ , a tasty,  sweet Indian dessert made from semolina grains, and usually mixed fruits and/or nuts.  I’m not necessarily a huge fan of sweets all the time and wondered what else could I do with this lonely bag of sooji (semolina grains), other than making Halava or cream-of-wheat…So, I did what I usually do when I need inspiration and I went to Google and put “savory sooji recipes”, since it was savory I wanted, not sweet.  I discovered an Indian preparation called ‘chillo’, which turns out is a sort of pancake made from sooji and plain yogurt, and usually mixed with grated vegetables and seasoned with a bit of turmeric, salt, pepper and other spices.  Once again, though, I found myself wanting more.  So, here’s what I came up with; a savory version and a tasty, lightly sweetened version.  Hope you enjoy!

The Savory Stuff
Ingredients

1 cup semolina grains
1 cup plain yogurt

Mix thoroughly and rest for about 10-15 minutes. 

Prep the following while this batter rests:

1 medium zucchini, finely grated
1/2 onion, finely chopped/minced
1/8 cup tomato, finely diced
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp chili powder
A dash of turmeric
1/2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
Water *see below

Mix the above into the semolina & yogurt mixture.  *You’ll need to add a bit of water to this mixture because the batter needs to be pourable; think pancake batter consistency.

Using a non-stick frying pan, put about a teaspoon of light-tasting oil, like canola or vegetable, and bring to medium-high heat.  Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the heated pan and cook about 3 minutes each side, or until golden and firm.  Serve immediately.  Makes about 6-8 medium-sized pancakes.

The Sweet Stuff
Ingredients

1 cup semolina grains
1 cup fruit-flavored yogurt (I like Dannon® All Natural because it’s made with pectin instead of gelatin!)
1 Tsp sugar or equivalent preferred sweetener
Water *see below

Mix thoroughly, let rest about 10-15 minutes.  *Add a bit of water and mix thoroughly to thin out batter to pourable consistency. 

Using a non-stick frying pan, put about a teaspoon of light-tasting oil, like canola or vegetable, and bring to medium-high heat.  Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the heated pan and cook about 3 minutes each side, or until golden and firm.  Serve immediately; may top with honey, preferred syrup, or fruit topping.  Makes about 6-8 medium-sized pancakes.