Bottlegourd/ Ghia / Louki Raitha

Ghia otherwise known as bottlegourd is now being acclaimed as a curative for various ailments from urinary problems to a liver cure. It balances the Doshas and is an antiflatulant. Insomnia, baldness and juandice are other ailments that find a cure in this wonder vegetable.
In my adventure of trying out recipes, this is about the best I have picked up. Very healthy, balances the doshas and soothing to the stomach.
Besides this is a totally OIL-FREE dish.
And what's more it goes very well with any parathas or pulaos!

3 cups Grated Bottlegourd/ Louki
1 cup thick yoghurt/Dahi, beaten
1/4 tsp powdered mustard
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp sugar
salt
Cilantro/Coriander for garnishing

• Take the grated vegetable in a pan and add water only to the level of the grated vegetable and boil till tender.
• Cool completely and add the beaten yoghurt, spices and salt and sugar.
• Garnish with coriander/cilantro and enjoy with rice or chapathi
• Or you can eat it as it is instead of a sugar laden fruit yoghurt

Healthy Spinach Wada/ Keerai Vadai

Keerai vadai/Spinach wada and Healthy!? Is that possible? All I can say is...Try This!

You will need a APPAM PAN to make this.... This is a pan with depressions that looks like a muffin pan but can be kept on the stove top.

Recipe:
1 and 1/2 cup Urad dal, soaked for 2 hours
1 bunch Spinach, chopped
green chillies-2 or 3, chopped fine.
Jeera/cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
1" piece ginger
salt to taste
Pinch of baking soda

1. Grind the urad dal with salt and ginger to idli batter consistency.
2. Mix with it the chopped spinach, green chillies and jeera.
3. Add the baking soda and mix well.
4. Heat a greased appam pan and add a tablespoon of the batter into each depression.
5. Add some oil around the batter and close the pan with a domed lid.
6. After a few minutes, remove the lid and slowly turn over each wada
7. Make sure it is well browned on the underside
8. Once again drizzle some oil around the wada and do not close it this time.
9. Let it cook to a golden color on both sides and remove the wadas
10. Enjoy with chutney of your choice and No guilt about a waistline!

Chapathis with Kala Chana Atta

Kala chana is the black chana available at most Indian stores. Also available is the flour made out of this Kala chana or Black chickpeas. It is called kala chana atta and has the fibre content of the black chickpeas and also the protein content. Being both high in protein and fibre, it makes a very ideal diabetic diet.

1 cup Wheat flour
1/2 cup Black chickpea flour or kala chana atta
pinch salt

• Make a dough of the above with warm water. Cover the dough and set aside for a half hour.
• Divide the dough into rounds of required quantity, depending on the size of the chapathi you want to make.
• Roll out the rounds into flat discs with the help of a little wheat flour and put it on a heated griddle.
• When you see a few tiny bubbles on the chapathi, turn it over on the other side on the griddle.
• Once again when you see small bubbles on it, Take the chapathi off the griddle.
• Instantly put it on the open flame with tongs and watch it fluff up like a balloon
• Flip it onto the other side and when light brown spots appear onit, take off fire and have it hot with a curry of your choice.