gram frittata with carrots, cauliflower and kale
Serves 2
Prep time: 20 mins
I never liked egg omelettes that much. The principle was great, but whenever I ate one I always felt they were just too eggy. That’s the trouble with eggs, isn’t it? They’re all very well and good as long as you don’t think about what they actually are. Gram frittatas, on the other hand, are the best. They tick all the boxes of the traditional omelette but without those icky conceptual difficulties.
The first ones I made came out rather dry and dense and I wondered what all the fuss was about. Then I discovered the trick of adding baking powder and – wow! – they are now one of my favourite speedy lunches. They’ve got it all: they’re cheap, they’re quick, they’re versatile, they’re healthy, kids love them and they taste great. They are an excellent finger food for babies and you can sneak all sorts of veg into them.
You could up the amount of spice if you wanted to but I kept this recipe simple and kiddie-friendly. You could probably reduce the oil, but I just love those crispy bits, don’t you?
Ingredients
Olive oil, 4 tbsp
Gram flour, 1 1/2 cups
Water, 1 cup
Baking powder, 1 heaped tsp
Pinch of ground cumin
Pinch of ground coriander
Garlic, one clove, crushed
Two spring onions, finely chopped
2 cups mixed vegetables, finely diced (I used equal parts carrot, cauliflower, kale and mushrooms)
Salt and pepper
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in an ovenproof cast iron frying pan and add the carrot and cauliflower. Cover the pan with a lid and let the veg gently fry/steam for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn your grill on high and set the shelf so the frying pan can sit close to the heat.
Add the garlic, spring onions, kale and mushrooms to the pan and fry for a further 4 minutes.
In a large bowl mix the gram flour, water, baking powder, spices and salt and pepper. When the vegetables are cooked add them to the bowl as well.
Pour 2 tbsp of olive oil into the hot pan (reserving the last tbsp). Pour in the gram flour mixture and give it a shake so it forms an even layer. Let it fry over a medium-low heat for 7 minutes.
When it starts to smell tasty and you can see the edges are set, drizzle the top with the last tbsp of oil and put the pan under the grill. Let it cook until the top is nicely browned and the frittata has come away from the sides of the pan.
Serve in wedges with vegan mayonnaise and a big salad.
