In India, not all of us are comfortable cooking non-vegetarian food at home. So, I have been on a quest to identify vegetarian alternatives to essential nutrients in a dog’s diet like for example, chicken. As most people are aware, chicken is a rich source of protein. But just replacing one form of protein with another is not sufficient. We need to delve a little deeper. When we say protein we use the term loosely to refer to several amino acids. The brain converts one such amino acid, tryptophan, into the snooze-chemical, serotonin. It is this chemical that kicks in after that heavy feast and makes us full, happy and sleepy. So if you are looking for your dog to be a bit less hyper and settle into a happy siesta after a meal then you need to replace chicken with ingredients that are rich in tryptophan.
The Channa nut torte is rich in this specific type of protein. Make a few batches of it and store it in the fridge. You can feed your dog some torte half an hour before a meal rich in carbohydrates — raagi or rice. Then sit back and watch your dog drift into blissful slumber.
This recipe makes a dense cake, hence I am calling it a torte. My doggies love it and beg for it even as the tortes are being baked.
INGREDIENTS:
METHOD:
Grind the channa in a mixer adding the oil and eggs slowly. Soften the butter, cube it and add it to the ground channa. Knead well. Fold the nuts, honey and herbs into the mixture. Line a baking dish with butter or oil and then with butter paper. Pour the mixture in, about 3/4 inch deep. Bake at 210 degree C for 35 - 40 mins. Turn off the oven and let the torte rest in the hot oven for 10 minutes. Finally, remove the torte, and let it cool before cutting it into cubes.
SERVING:
Cut the full cake into four big portions; slice each portion in eight cubes. For every four kilo body weight of the dog, serve one cube of torte per day. So if your dog is about 15 kg, then feed around four pieces a day; perhaps two pieces before each meal. If your dog is 20 kg, then feed your dog five cubes a day.
The Channa nut torte is rich in this specific type of protein. Make a few batches of it and store it in the fridge. You can feed your dog some torte half an hour before a meal rich in carbohydrates — raagi or rice. Then sit back and watch your dog drift into blissful slumber.
This recipe makes a dense cake, hence I am calling it a torte. My doggies love it and beg for it even as the tortes are being baked.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 eggs cups tsp til cooked / seasame channa oil
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds, til
- 2 tsp seasame tsp dried dried thyme or basil even a mix of all)
- honey 30 gms to butter taste.
METHOD:
Grind the channa in a mixer adding the oil and eggs slowly. Soften the butter, cube it and add it to the ground channa. Knead well. Fold the nuts, honey and herbs into the mixture. Line a baking dish with butter or oil and then with butter paper. Pour the mixture in, about 3/4 inch deep. Bake at 210 degree C for 35 - 40 mins. Turn off the oven and let the torte rest in the hot oven for 10 minutes. Finally, remove the torte, and let it cool before cutting it into cubes.
SERVING:
Cut the full cake into four big portions; slice each portion in eight cubes. For every four kilo body weight of the dog, serve one cube of torte per day. So if your dog is about 15 kg, then feed around four pieces a day; perhaps two pieces before each meal. If your dog is 20 kg, then feed your dog five cubes a day.
This article was published in Bangalore Mirror; Date: Feb 25, 2014; Section: City; Page: 4
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