World in a Pancake- Korean mung bean pancakes

This is a street food in the farmer's market in Pittsburgh. You can see throngs of people drawn by the aroma of these delicious pancakes. I like to make them at home 'coz they are quite rich in protein and less oily than the street vendor's is. This recipe is an adaptation of the original version that has eggs and kimchi.

1 cup of dried mung beans, soaked overnight
2-3 cloves garlic
a handful of mung bean sprouts
1/2 cup of coarsely chopped napa cabbage or bokchoy
4-5 scallions, minced fine
salt, pepper

Grind the beans and garlic cloves with some water in a blender until smooth. You can also finely chop the garlic and add to the batter, instead. If the batter is thick, mix in a beaten egg or some water.

Just before you want to make the pancakes, mix in salt,pepper, scallions, bean sprouts and bok choy. Heat a griddle, add a tsp of oil to it and make usual size pancakes using a ladleful of batter. These pancakes are quite thick and cooked in a lot of oil. I prefer to just use 1/2 tsp or so for each pancake.

The authentic version has chopped ham and kimchi, which will make meat lovers quite happy.

Serve with Sriracha or Thai chili sauce.

Nutella hot chocolate

What a yummy concoction! I was initiated only recently to this blissful experience. Though hot chocolate is never popular in summer, this year I am indulging myself with a cup of hot chocolate on weekends as some sort of a late-night snack. It is my new favorite along with the new (I spotted it only a month back) Nestle After Eight Cocoa mix.

All you need is 3 Tablespoon nutella and about 10 oz of milk. Put Nutella and 1/3 cup milk in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until blended. Add remaining milk, increase heat to medium-high, and whisk until hot and frothy. It is almost as satisfying as an ice cream.

I am the cook next door!

Another meme- this time the Cook next door meme, started by Nicky and Oliver of Delicious Days.

Tanvi of From the pantry, has tagged me to be her cook next door. The game is really a lot of fun for foodies like me.

What's your first memory of baking/cooking on your own?
I did not know anything about cooking until around my wedding day. It was literally a scene from 'Bend it like Beckham', a cooking boot camp of sorts. I never used to go anywhere near the kitchen before that point. I was a task master though, handing out clipped magazine recipes for my mom to cook and pestering her to make this and that.

Who had the most influence on your cooking?
My mom and grandma. I still believe my mom's cooking is not as good as my grandma's. And mine is no way near my mom's. My mom-in-law has a big part of the way I cook too. I have sort of branched out from Indian cooking and thanks to Food network for that.

Do you have an old photo as "evidence" of an early exposure to the culinary world?
None, whatsoever.

Mageiricophobia - do you suffer from any cooking phobia, a dish that makes your palms sweat?
Homemade ravioli (even though only with potsticker wrappers) and dosas.

What are your most valued or used kitchen gadgets and/or what was the biggest letdown?
My blender/mixer from India (called mixie) is really great. Can do everything from grinding, blending and whipping. A pressure cooker is also indispensable in an Indian kitchen. My biggest disappointment is with my espresso/cappuchino maker. Nothing like Starbucks.

Biggest disappointment?
That would be a flan. Echh... For drinks, I really don't understand what is the deal with wine.

Name some funny or weird food combinations/dishes you really like - and probably no one else does.
The world is full of crazy eaters. My newest craze has been a peanut butter tomato sandwich but apparently there are several fans for it.

What are the three edibles or dishes you simply don't want to live without?
Rice, yogurt and salt. I am really a simple person.

Here are the questions added by Tanvi:

Your favorite ice-cream.
Haagen daaz dulche de leche, a chocolate raspberry truffle ice cream from our local creamery.

You will definitely never eat...
beef, fish, flan!

Your own signature dish...
I'm all over the place cooking-wise. My tiramisu is pretty popular though.

Any question you missed in this meme that you would have loved to answer? Well then, feel free to add one!

Chocolates/candies that you grew up on???
Cadbury's Fruit and nut, loved it and cadbury's nutties. Cadbury's was the only chocolate available in India, 25 years back. Now there are a million kinds, unbelievable.

I would love to know the cook in Nupur of One hot stove.