Low Fat Microwave Potato Wafers

A serious foodie on a serious diet is good news to the rest of the weight-watching foodie clan. Now tell me you don't agree with me!! At the cost of being repetitive, we foodies gotta eat good grub, even on a diet. I for one can never remember a time when I have felt like not eating, save just a couple of times(thankfully!!) when I was carrying my son. I want to shamelessly tell you that my appetite remains normal even when I am angry or sad. Or unwell.  Really!! As a kid I remember asking my Mom to prepare Pudina Raitha, Huli Nucchu( a kind of porridge) etc whenever I was unwell. But eat well, I surely would:-). I dread times when I fall sick when I am not in my kingdom, my home. People tend to automatically assume that since I am not well, I may not have a normal appetite. When the truth is I feel like eating more than I would normally eat - raised BMR due to higher body temperature or something. Sad situation now, isn't it?? 

When I was a kid, if my Dad sensed I was angry, he would first ask me if I had eaten. If the answer was negative, he would insist that I first eat and then we talk about whatever was my grouse. Now hubby follows suit and it works. Well, most of the times:-)). Point to be noted, a hungry me - not a pleasant person to live with. Me on a pleasantly full tummy- hey can take on the world!! 

I have knocked off about 6 kgs recently and have another 4-5 kgs to go before I end the last weight-loss programme in my life ever. (Hope I don't ever say this in another post anytime in the future). If you have been on a diet, you would know, its quite difficult to sustain the motivation to resist eating junk for prolonged periods. And low fat /zero fat versions like these Low Fat Microwave Potato Wafers can be real saviors when the craving for potato chips hits!!

If you think that these wafers will taste exactly like deep-fried potato chips, let me tell you, of course these won't!! They are two different things which are not really comparable. But these do taste great on their own with added spices or plain eaten with salsa or green chutney. If you have not tried this earlier, do try at least once before you dismiss this as boring low fat food. 

And I must tell you, this was one of the quickest dishes I have prepared and this post is one of the lengthiest I have written..

Adapted from Tarla Dalal's Microwave Snacks And Desserts

Ingredients:

Potatoes, peeled, washed  - 3 large, preferably approximately even sized

Oil- 1 teaspoon(optional, You could also use oil-spray or skip the fat altogether)

Chilli Powder -1/2 teaspoon ( You could use oregano, pepper powder/dried mint, chilli flakes, garlic powder instead)

Salt to taste

Procedure 

Slice the potatoes with a slicer, about 2-3 mm thickness. Pat the potato slices dry with a clean kitchen towel. Mix the oil, salt and chilli powder in a wide bowl, toss the potato slices in it. Mix gently with your hands, ensuring the slices get an even coating of the mixture.

Lightly grease a microwave safe plate. Choose even sized slices and arrange them around the circumference of the plate. Do not keep any in the middle of the plate. Food kept in the middle of the plate gets cooked faster, and may cause it to burn by the time the rest of the slices are done. If you would be doing this kind of thing for the first time, this badly taken picture of the slices arranged on the microwave plate will give you a better idea. You could of course use that cool thing which can hold and make many more chips at one go. Yeah, I don't have one like that:-(

  Microwave on HIGH for 4-5 minutes. The time will depend on the thickness of the slices, the power of your microwave and sigh! the voltage at that point of time. Stay close to the microwave and watch closely for the first couple of batches. You don't want burnt wafers when you are craving for good ones, do you. The wafers are done when they are crisp(yes, you can open the door to check when nearing 4 minutes) and change color to around a golden brown. If in doubt, turn off the timer, allow a standing time of 30 seconds and check one wafer. It should be crisp. The center should be crisp when cool to be precise. If not crisp, microwave for 5 seconds more. Too much browning will give an unpleasant taste.

Choose even sized slices for each batch, allow a standing time of 30 seconds when each batch is done. Remove the wafers from the plate, slide a knife beneath if needed. You can cheat by spraying or brushing a litt..tle oil,  remember , just a little. Cool for about 5 minutes and allow to crisp fully. Store in an air tight container.

 

How to eat:   Tempting as it may be, don't eat these standing near the microwave:-). Make your cuppa, take a small portion of the wafers along, sit on the couch, savor each bite, slowly... I promise, this will help keep the chips-craving away for some time.