Cabbage Waran

Chopped Cabbage (qty. as needed)
3/4 or 1 cup mung dal
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1tsp urad dal
2 red chiilies
dash of asafoetida
2 green chillies
sprig of pinched curry leaves
water to boil mung dal
salt as needed
Dessicated coconut for garnish
coriander leaves for garnish
1 tsp oil

• Wash mung dal and keep for boiling with 1 1/2 cups water ( a little above the mung dal) and turmeric
• Heat oil, add mustard seeds, udad dal and red chillies, broken in two and asafoetida
• When seeds splutter and urad dal turns golden, add the green chillies, curry leaves and cabbage
• Add salt and cook till half done. In the meanwhile, the mung dal will also be half done.
• Add mung dal to cabbage mixture , add some water, cover and cook till done
• garnish with dessicated coconut and coriander leaves

Have with cooked rice and yoghurt and or with chapathis.
This can also be cooked dry till all water has gone. Can also add any bhaji powder or sambar powder for additional spice.

Quick Healthy Wholesome Weeknight Dinners

In most families these days, it has become imperative that the dinner is a quick cooking meal and wholesome too. In addition, for many it serves as lunch the next day so it being healthy and wholesome becomes more necessary. Here are some recipes for healthy weeknight dinners. They are mostly one dish that includes vegetables and lentils (translate vitamins and protein) that accompanies rice or chapathi (carbohydrate) and and yoghurt (Calcium) to complete the meal.

Cabbage Waran
Spinach/ Methi Dal and Pumpkin Raitha
Pumpkin Ambat bhaji
Quick Sambar Bhath
Mixed peppers with crushed Peanuts

"Keep Off" the Colds and Flu with CUMIN TEA

While in an earlier blog, I have given a very potent household remedy for colds and cough, here is something to prevent the cold and flu.
It has been snowing in New Jersey and all along the east coast. And these are the times, I give my family preventive care to keep off the cold. It is very simple,can be done by the busiest person.

CUMIN TEA: Take a few glasses of water in a saucepan , add a tablespoon of cumin to it and boil it for a few minutes. Take off fire, cool just a little bit and drink it hot especially after coming in after cleaning the snow off your car, or back home on wintry evenings. Give it to children when they are back from school, make it a family thing so the kids look forward to the comfort of the hot cumin tea after a cold day and get protected from sore throats, cold and coughs.
Try it and let me hear from you all!