Mini Chillas for BFB

Her family is going to March for Babies (formerly WalkAmerica) this year in honor of her 2nd son who is making it great, after fighting for his young life due to a certain rare pre-natal condition. Here is Cole, who is the ambassador for this event



The sad situation in my country:

India is still a country where even educated people do not want a girl child (I learnt this a few days back from someone who was not 'pleased as a punch' with the arrival of her first grandchild just because the stork landed a baby girl!), where unmarried mothers still abandon their new borns in gutters, in garbage dumps, outside orphanages for fear of rejection from society! Apart from this Unicef declares that in India out of every 1000 infants born, 63 infants die before the age of one due to malnutrition, lack of proper medical facilities etc.

Here is what you have to do to participate in this event:
(Please visit Holly's site for exact details - I am reproducing the text from her page)
Create something small. Anything you want, as long as it is miniature or small sized (individual portions count too). Remember, you can post as many times as you want as long as each entry is posted individually and mentions the event and links back to the event notice for the fundraiser.

Please do not forget to include this paragraph to make others aware of the "Little Wonders March" for babies team:
Direct Link:
FUNDRAISER PARAGRAPH:

Want to know more about Little Wonders March for Babies Team? Fantastic!! Here is the Team Page. Any amount that you can sponsor is extremely appreciated. Please, please help spread the word and sponsor Little Wonders if you can! Thank you!
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But when I think of children, helplessness and child related problems there is only one incident that rings in my mind. The happy stories, of which there are lots will come in bits every now and then - but this is the incident that remains close to my heart;

My girl was about 2yrs old when I got transferred to 'Andheri' - a suburb on the Western line in Mumbai. I reside at one end of the Central Line, and the time I took to commute to office was about 2hrs. considering the endless traffic signal delays and the trains not being on time!!

Nearly every day I took the same train and met the same people, all busy with their routine - and then I would notice a boy(about 10yrs.), carrying a baby (About 2yrs.). He would make the child walk around and beg. Many passengers would pass chocolates, sweets and change. I noticed that the child would mostly not get anything out of all this - the boy would grab it from him and eat up whatever was given. If the child whimpered or protested he would pinch or hit!! A child trafficker in the making! I tried reasoning and it didn't work!! I had no clue what I should do! I would remember my daughter each time I saw the kid, which was at least once or twice a week, and sometimes I even thought of picking up the child and running away or something equally dynamic & foolish but all I could really do was sob silently. The beggars racket is a twisted, crooked and highly organised crime in India especially in Mumbai, and you do not have much power as a common man!! Many a time you cringe at the thought of what would happen to your own children if they get lost!!

It was these fears and selfishness that stopped me - the fact that the crime is rampant - like an infestation, and I am still at a loss as to what I can do about it!! All I did once later was catching hold of one such lady trafficker in a train, and she too got away by jumping out of the train and onto the platform even as it was running!! It is a sad fact, and I only want to protect my own children from it - if not all. I do take all the peripheral opportunities I get to help but I know I never can totally eliminate this debauched crime!!

This is the only reason for this entry - if it gives some child somewhere an opportunity to live, to grow healthy and well nourished, to live against odds - I would like to have a hand in it and as I am writing my eyes grow clouded and all I can do is give the recipe, no fancy introductions and no stories but cruel cold facts: (I hope you garner a large number of entries, Holly & I hope this makes a difference!)

Ingredients:

Chana dal /Bengal gram - 1 cup (Soaked overnight, drained and ground next morning)
Cheese slices/tomato roundels/boiled potato roundels etc. - 2 cheese slice squares quartered (Optional)
Coriander - 1tsp.
Chilli powder - optional
Salt - to taste
Oil - to roast
Grated cheese - 1 tbsp.
Sev (Indian fried gram flour noodle like crispies) - for garnishing (Optional)
ketchup - optional

Method:

Grind the chana dal adding salt to taste. Add coriander, chilli powder, a tsp. of hot oil and whisk the batter till blended.

Heat a non stick pan. Pour a teaspoon full of batter and spread into cookie sized circles. Make as many as you can fit in your pan.


Pour a few drops of oil over the mini dosas/pancakes.

Sprinkle a little grated cheese on each mini dosa, and flip over to roast the other side.


Remove and sandwich two dosas with cheese slice, tomato or potato roundels or just go wild with your imagination. Serve with tomato sauce or jaggery or honey. Top with sev if you like. It tastes lovely.

This is my entry for the blogging for babies event hosted by Holly of Phenomenon. I hope you enjoy it as much as my kids do. Holly a big XOXO to your kids and God Bless!!