Regal waffles

After Queen Elizabeth II gifted Archie, her great grandson, a waffle maker for his birthday, three city chefs suggest unusual recipes for the gadget

Chicken and bacon stuffed waffle pizza

Ingredients
For the pizza batter:
>> 1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
>> 1/2 cup almond flour
>> 2 whole eggs
>> ? tsp salt
>> 1/4 tsp baking powder
>> Optional add-ins: 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp pepper flakes
>> 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
>> Warm water (depending on the consistency of the batter)

Additions
>> 100 gm chicken and bacon
>> 1/2 cup or more thinly sliced mushrooms
>> 1/2 cup other thinly sliced vegetables of your choice (optional)
>> 3/4 cup pizza sauce (with no sugar)
>> 1/2 cup mozzarella
>> 1 tsp red pepper flakes

For toppings
>> 1/2 a cup rocket leaves
>> A handful of basil leaves
>> Balsamic vinegar (a teaspoon)
>> Low-fat feta crumble (hand full)
>> Sunflower seeds (as per liking)

Method
Make the pizza batter first — add all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add in the extra virgin olive oil and add warm water little by little; mix until the mixture is like a pancake batter. Meanwhile you can chop up the chicken, bacon and vegetables and gather the other additions. To make the waffles, heat your waffle iron and add a few drops of oil. Add a spoonful of the pizza batter and spread it around — you want a thin layer. Add a small spoonful of the pizza sauce at every corner, not too much. Top this with your chicken, bacon, sliced mushrooms and shredded mozzarella. Add another layer of the pizza batter on top, there’s no need to cover the entire surface. Close the waffle iron. Let the waffle cook until it’s golden brown on both sides; flip the waffle if it’s not browning evenly and cook for a few more minutes. Repeat for all the waffles, transfer the prepared waffles onto a rack so that they don’t get soggy. Add rocket leaves and basil. Add some feta and drizzle with Balsamic vinegar and sunflower seeds (optional). Serve immediately.
- Maya Pereira Sawant, founder of Lean Kitchen By Maya, Khar

Moong daal waffles

Ingredients
>> 1 cup moong daal
>> 1-2 long chillies (as per your preference)
>> A handful of methi leaves
>> 2 tbsp besan atta 
>> Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
>> 1/4th tsp fruit salt or Eno
>> Oil for greasing
>> Ginger and garlic paste
>> Salt to taste
>> Garnish of your choice

Method
Soak moong daal for a minimum of three hours. Add methi leaves, ginger-garlic paste, chilli and blend well. Add besan atta, fruit salt and salt. Mix all the ingredients well. Grease the waffle iron with oil. Pour the batter and close the lid. Let it cook for five minutes. Serve hot with a garnish of your choice; we used chopped tomatoes, onions, mint green chutney and coriander.
- Bhairav Panchal, chef-owner of Sumac Haute Cuisine, Thane West

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Pics/AFP

Tips for making waffles
Chef Bhairav Panchal has the following advice for getting the dish perfectly right:
>> The batter must be at room temperature for better results.
>> Make sure the temperature of the waffle iron is till 165 degrees C.
>> Always grease the waffle iron.
>> It’s better to use a spoon or tongs made of wood or silicon, and not steel, to avoid scraping the coating of the machine.
>> Make sure the batter is of pouring consistency and not too watery.

Queen Elizabeth II

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