Quick Rice Pancakes

Right now, around Pune, the paddy fields are full of water, having had a generous dose of rain. They are covered with the young and delicate, light green shoots of transplanted rice. The monsoon, which sometimes plays hide and seek , is out in the open, displaying its sound and fury on several dramatic occasions. It is the time for switching on the lights during daytime, for brewing cups of hot masala tea , for taking shelter from the rain in kindly places, for sharing snacks and long chats with friends.

Almost a meal,the only reason these rice pancakes have been classified as a snack is that they can be produced, at short notice , for people who drop by and are hungry for more than a bite.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 cup sour curd/ yogurt
• A pinch of hing/ asafoetida
• A pinch of haldi/ turmeric
• 2 green chillies
• 1'" piece of ginger
• 4 tbsp oil.

Mix the rice flour, curds, salt, hing and haldi powder. Make the chillies and ginger into a paste in a blender or with a mortar and pestle. Add to the flour/ curd mixture. Add 1 tablespoon oil and mix well together. It should make a batter of  a pouring consistency.

Heat a frying pan or tava. Add two teaspoons of the oil and pour batter with a big ladle. Turn heat low . Wet your hand and lightly spread the batter on the tava or with the back of a round spoon.Cover the frying pan.

After a few minutes take off the lid and flip the pancake over.With a teaspoon spread a little oil on the tava around the edges of the pancake. Leave uncovered.Remove from fire after a few minutes.

Eat hot with a green dhania / coriander chutney or any pickle to the soft drumming of  rain on the soundtrack of your day.