Ragi Idli

Makes around 13 to 15 idlis

1 Cup Ragi Flour
1 Cup Rava/semolina ( regular upma rava)
1 Cup Curd
2 tsp Eno Fruit salt
salt to taste

Mix ragi, rava, curd and salt.
Mix well adding 1 cup water. Keep aside
Note: THe amount of water depends on the consistency of the curds. Add watre little by little to get idli batter consistency

Get steamer ready with water to heat , grease idli plates and finally add the Eno and Mix just once in a clockwise direction and add to idli moulds

Steam for 15 minutes.
No longer as idlis may turn hard.
Poke with knife to test and serve.

Yogurt Rice with Pomegranate

Not enough can be said about the goodness of yogurt and its healthy bacteria. Soothing to the stomach, it is a comfort food in South India. Here mixed pomegranates, another health food it is delicious and is a feast to the eyes!

 For 2 servings:

1 cup cooked Rice
2 cups yogurt
1 tsp oil
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Urad dal
1 piece red chilli, deseeded
1 slit green chilli
a sprig of Curry leaves
1/2" piece ginger, grated or diced
salt
pinch of sugar (optional)
Pomegranate berries
Cilantro for garnish.

Take the cooked rice in a wide bowl.
Add the yogurt and salt and mix thoroughly
Heat the oil.
Add the mustard seeds, urad dal and red chilli.
Soon as the urad dal turns reddish brown, add the curry leaves, green chilli and ginger and take off heat.
Add this to the yogurt and rice mix.
add the pomegranate berries to the rice mix and mix well.
Garnish with cilantro leaves and enjoy!

Cucumber Yogurt Raitha

This is a Summer special. Nothing can equal the cooling effect of cucumbers in yogurt, when the weather is hot.

1 Cucumber
2 cups of yogurt
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
salt
a big pinch sugar
Cilantro

Peel and grate the cucumber.
Beat the yogurt with the salt, sugar, cumin and chilli.
Add the grated cucumber. Mix well. Garnish with cilantro

Grated Carrot Salad / Carrot Koshimbir

This is a very tasty and healthy carrot salad ...low low fat, full of vitamin A and C from the lemon juice. If had with the Lemon Rice, it is a feast for the eyes as you fill your plate with the yellow lemon rice and orange carrot salad!

4-5 Carrots, grated
1 medium spice green chilli, slit
1 tsp oil (any, olive or corn)
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1tsp Urad dal ( white colored lentils, available in Indian stores)
1 piece of red chilli, deseeded
Juice of 1/2 a green lime
Salt
Sugar 1/2tsp
Cilantro leaves for garnish
Raisins for garnish

Heat oil.
Add the mustard seeds, Urad dal, and red chilli
Soon as the dal turns reddish and mustard seeds splutter, add the green chilli and grated carrots. Mix and turn in pan till the seasoning is mixed with carrots well.
Take off fire. add the salt, sugar, lime juice and mix.
Garnish with cilantro and raisins.
Enjoy!

Lemon Rice

Lemon rice is a very refreshing vegetarian staple and finds a mention in this blog due to ease of cooking and nutritious brown bag lunch to take to work. It is low in fat, full of vitamin C from the lemon, goodness of Turmeric and green chillies besides being yummy!

For two servings
11/2 cups Basmathi Rice
1 Green Lime
salt
2 1/2 cups water
Corn oil or Olive oil 2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Urad dal 1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts a few
Red Chill 1
Slit Green chilli 1
ginger 1/2" piece
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Cilantro or coriander leaves fro garnishing

Wash the Rice and cook it with 21/2 cups water in a rice cooker.
( If using a microwave, please use 3 cups of water for 15 mins on high)
For Stovetop:
Add 21/4cups of water to a pan and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil.Make sure you cook it in a heavy pot and do not disturb the rice or take a peek while its in the middle of cooking.When it boils, lower the heat, simmer for 12 - 14 minutes before turning off the heat.Remove from heat and stand covered, for another 5-10 minutes.

Cool the rice and fluff with a fork.
While rice is cooling,
Heat the oil. when it is hot, add the mustard seed, urad dal, cashewnuts and red chilli.
When the mustard seeds pop and the urad dal and cashew turn reddish , add the slit green chili and ginger.
Next add the turmeric in the oil and immediately add the rice, salt curry leaves and switch off the heat source.
Squeeze the juice of the green lime  all over the rice and mix very well.
A lovely pale yellow Lemon rice is now ready for you.
Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.
This is great brown bag lunch and picnic food as it can be had cold, too.

Methi Roti with Kala Chana Atta ( Fenugreek Roti with Black chick pea flour)

Kala Chana is  dark brown chick peas with a hard brown skin . It is full of nutrition as it can be
sprouted and when soaked has enough nutrition to grow into a plant! The hard skin is full of fibre, too.
This chana, that looks like a dark brown version of chick pea is made into flour and this is sold as
Kala chana atta in the Indian grocery stores. This flour has high amount of fibre and more protein than whole wheat

Methi is Fenugreek leaves has all the goodness of any greens besides being therapeutic in many ways. It is known to be a blood purifier , besides many other benefits.

Recipe:
1 bunch Fenugreek leaves.
2 tsps olive oil
Salt as required
Whole wheat flour ( Chapathi Atta) 2 cups
Black chick pea flour ( kala chana atta) 1/2 cup
Olive oil for the Roti

For the paste:
Yogurt 1/2 cup
1 green chilli
 1" piece of ginger
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
1 clove garlic(optional)

1.  Fenugreek leaves need to be cleaned thoroughly as they are picked from the roots and are muddy. Clean in plenty of running water until clear.
2. Chop the leaves finely.
3. Heat oil.
4. Add the chopped leaves and saute for a few minutes and keep aside.
5. In the blender, make a paste of the yogurt. green chilli, turmeric ginger and garlic.
6.  In a large bowl, combine the fenugreek leaves, paste, flours and salt.  Make a soft dough.
7. Heat a griddle.
8. Take out a portion of the dough and roll it into a disc.
9. Pat it on the griddle. Soon as bubbles appear on the surface, turn over
10. and apply a spoon of olive on it. Turn over and apply olive oil on the other side too. Cook on both sides till brown spots appear on the roti on both sides.
11. Enjoy with Cucumber Raitha or Pumpkin Raitha

Fettuccine Alfredo ... with a difference

I love pasta especially Fettuccine Alfredo but have always wished it had a little more kick to it than
the bland taste. Here is what I tried.....

1 Packet Fettuccine (I got the Garden Delight)
1 pack of Low fat Cream Cheese (8oz)
2 cups1% Milk
1 Tablespoon Butter
salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Chilli Powder 1/2 teaspoon
Grated Ginger 1 tablespoon
Mixed Vegetables  cut in long pieces(carrots, Green and Red Peppers, Onions)
2 Tablespoons snipped Parsley
1 Tablespoon snipped Dill
2-3 cloves Garlic

• Boil Water and boil the pasta aldente.
•  Steam the vegetables
• Blend the cream cheese and milk together.
• Heat the butter in a large pan.
• When melted, add the crushed garlic and cook for a minute.
• Add the cream cheese/milk mixture and stir till the cream cheese is melted.
• Once the sauce is thickened slightly, add the ginger, chilli powder, pepper, salt, dill and parsley.
• Finally stir in the pasta and the vegetables.
• Enjoy Warm with Garlic Bread or Salad

Mixed Fruit Jam........With a Twist!

I had an assortment of fruit, sorely abandoned by the family! I hated to throw them away and they were overripe. Then I hit upon the tedious job of making Mixed Fruit Jam. There is a twist to this jam as it is not wholly sweet! but has a tang and a twinge that makes it interesting!


Here is what I used.....

MIXED FRUIT JAM Ingredients used:

A sandwich bag full of Red Grapes
12 Strawberries
2 large Peaches
2 medium Apples
1 big Banana
4 Cups Sugar
2" piece Ginger (grated and the juice squeezed into a cup)
5-6 Cloves( powdered well)
1 Packet Real Fruit pectin
1 tbsp bottled lemon juice

• Mash all the fruit in the food processor.
• In a large pot, mix the sugar and fruit and boil.
• Keep stirring often and continue boiling the mixture.
• When slightly thickened, add the lemon juice and ginger juice.
• Add the clove powder and continue boiling till thick.
• Once thickened check consistency by putting a little jam on a cold plate.
• After cooling, the jam should be set, not runny.
• Take off fire and put them while still hot into sterilized glass container

Healthy Delicious Thai noodles

I had Tofu which I had to use and some avocado and bits and pieces of other veg and decided
to make a dish. Here is the outcome. The measurements are not exact, Please use your discretion and
experience in measuring the ingredients.

Firm Tofu, I packet
Angel Hair Pasta (For 4 servings)
4 Carrots cut into sticks
Cabbage chopped long strips
1 avocado chopped to cubed
1 Green pepper cut to strips
Cherry tomatoes (10-15)
handful Mint leaves, chopped fine
Handful Cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped fine
Juice of 1 big lime
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
chilli powder
salt
Sesame oil 1 tablespoon.

For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 garlic pod
crushed red pepper or chilli powder
1" piece of ginger
2 teaspoons soy sauce
salt
Blend all this together with 1/3 cup of water. Taste it and add any of the above ingredients according
to taste. Sauce should be neither too thick nor too watery.

1. Boil the pasta al dente
2. Cut the tofu into slabs and grill on a ridged griddle with oil. Once browned, cut to pieces
(Remember to weight down the tofu to extract all water/liquid)
3. Heat the sesame oi.
4. Add sesame seeds.
5. Add the vegetables and saute on high flame till crunchily cooked.
6. Add all the other ingredients.
7. Add the pasta. Mix well
8. Add the salt, peanut sauce, lime juice, cilantro and mint and mix well.
ENJOY!

Peanut and Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney

 This Chutney is full of goodness in every way...especially fibre.
Using the  peels/skin of the veg. gives a whole lot of fibre
The peanuts adds protein and fibre
Sesame seeds add calcium and fibre again
While Olive oil has all the goodness to reduce cholesterol

1 Ridge gourd (Turai, Dodka)
Handful Peanuts
4 green chillies
1 red chilli
1 tsp Urad dal
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
Hing (asafoetida)
1 tsp Sesame seeds (Til)
handful Coriander leaves
1 sprig curry leaves
small piece of tamarind
1 tsp Jaggery
1 tbsp Olive oil
salt to taste

Peel and throw away only the hard ridges of the gourd.
Now the gourd is ready for peeling.... peel the vegetable thoroughly and collect all the peels.
You can make dal, or curry with the vegetable.

Chop the  peels and keep ready.
Heat the oil in a pan and when heated, add mustard seeds, red chilli  and urad dal.
Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the peanuts and sesame seeds
Fry for a minute and add the curry leaves and hing.
Next add the green chillies and vegetable peels.
Cook till the peels are slightly softened. ( do not make it mushy)
Let this cool and grind in a food processor along with the coriander, jaggery,  tamarind and salt.
Grind it to a rough texture.

This can be had ....
With hot rice
Bread and chutney sandwich
Apply it over a hot chapathi
Mix with yoghurt/dahi and have after a meal

Organizing Tip Of The Day

Don't throw torn, old cotton socks. When polishing/cleaning stair rails or any such surface, wear gloves, slip on the thick cotton socks. Spray cleaning agent or wood polish on the socks and run your hand on the stair rail....cleaning is a breeze!

Daliya/Buckwheat Pulao

Buck wheat, daliya, broken wheat...by whatever name you know this versatile, nutritious protein packed cereal, it is a tasty alternative to a Rice pulao!

A diet of daliya substituting rice is known to help diabetics reign in their sugar levels! In fact, while working at a doctor's office, I have known a patient who reversed her diabetes by a diet of daliya replacing rice. Of course, she also exercised and took long walks.

Daliya is also high in fibre and is a great source of protein for all vegeterians. Here is the recipe.
Cooking this pulao in a pressure cooker is faster.

Ingredients:
1 cup Daliya
3 cups water
1/2 to 3/4 cup of mixed diced vegetables (carrot, peas, unskinned red potatoes, beans, green peppers)
1 onion diced
1 clove garlic(optional)
2 tsps oil
1 tsp ghee( clarified butter)
1" cinnamon
4-5 cloves
3-4 cardamoms
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 red chillies
chilli powder to your taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
salt

• Dry roast the daliya in a pan for a few minutes.
• Cool and wash the daliya in cold water, drain and keep aside
• Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker, add cumin and all the spices and red chillies and bay leaf.
  
• Add the onions and garlic and saute till transparent
• Add the mixed vegetables. salt, chilli powder and turmeric
• Saute vegetables for a few moments
• Add the washed daliya, the 3 cups of water and garam masala.
• Stir well and close the pressure cooker, with the weight on and cook.
• Serve hot with fresh made yoghurt.
  

Apple Curry/ Apple Sabji

Well, I don't know how but we landed up with a lot of apples in the house with no takers! My husband has raw apple allergy so he's excused and my daughter just decided not to eat them and that left poor me to finish all the apples. There was no way I could finish them; so then, I came up with this idea of an apple sabji!

Strangely my husband does not have the allergy for cooked apples! Anyhow, this curry is made with no onions and as such with slight variations can be adapted for eating during Fasting and Vrat.

This recipe qualifies for this blog as " An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away" and apples combined with all the good spices like cumin , turmeric, coriander and ginger!

Ingredients:

6 ripe apples
1 green chilli, slit
1/4 " piece of grated ginger
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 chilli powder
Salt to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon/lime
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

• Core and dice the apples. Peel them if you prefer. I peeled the apples.
• Heat oil in the pan.
• Once oil is heated, add the cumin seeds.
• As the seeds splutter, add the green chillies, ginger and apple pieces.
• When apples are half cooked, add all the spices.
• Cook till apples are soft. Add salt.
  
• Finally add the lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves

Apples absorb flavors very well, be careful when adding chillies or chilli powder.

KHICHDI with chilke mung dal( split green mung beans)

Enough cannot be said about the benefits of eating legumes and with its skin, there is the added benefit of vitaminized fibre. Khichdi is a 'comfort food' akin to 'chicken soup' of the western diet.
'Comfort Food' -- as it is soothing and inviting to have this after a long journey ;after or during a sickness and recovery. After any stressful period, there is nothing as nutritious and comforting as hot khichdi and dahi and it guarantees a restful sleep. It is also a acclaimed 'winter food', that can prevent winter ailments.
A slightly soggy khichdi, had with fresh yoghurt is a complete meal and filling too!


Split green mung dal with skin -- 1 cup
(This is called Chilke Mung ki dal)
Basmathi or any Long Grain Rice -- 1 cup
1 large carrot, chopped to small cubes
A handful of Green Peas, fresh or frozen
1" piece ginger
1 tejpatta or bay leaf
2-3 cloves
1" piece cinammon
1 tsp cumin seeds, slightly crushed
1 tsp peppercorns, slightly crushed
1/2 tsp hing(asafoetida)
1/2 tsp haldi
salt to taste
1 tsp oil
2 tsp ghee
6 cups water

Method:
Heat oil in the pressure cooker.
Add the spices, bayleaf, cloves, cinammon, jeeraand pepper.
Add the carrot and peas, saute for 2 minutes.
Wash the rice and mung dal and add to the cooker.
Saute for a few minutes.
Add the salt and haldi
Saute for a few minutes.
Add the water, close the cooker and cook along with the pressure on.
After it is done top it with the ghee.
Enjoy this steaming hot khichdi with fresh dahi.

Benefits:

• All spices have antioxident and anti cancer properties.
• Cumin and pepper help digestion.
• Haldi is known for its prevention of Alzheimers
• Ghee is an anti-oxident.
• The bean is popular as the perfect food for reducing weight. It is recommended as a food replacement in many slimming programs, as it has a very low fat content. It is a rich source of protein and fiber, which helps one to lower the high cholesterol level in the blood system.
• The high fiber content of mung beans yields complex carbohydrates, which aid digestion. Complex carbs are also effective in stabilizing blood sugar
  
  and prevent its rapid rise after meal consumption, apart from keeping body’s energy at a balanced level. Those who suffer from diabetes or high cholesterol are recommended frequent consumption of mung bean.

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.

Tasty and Healthy Mixed Peppers Curry

What an oxymoron that sounds! Tasty and healthy! Can anything healthy be tasty? I am sure a lot of us think that way....well! here's a surprise.
Research always recommends we eat colorful vegetables and fruits to stay protected from diseases, to stay healthy. My next post is a recipe for a colorful vegetable dish.

Mixed Peppers and vegetable Side Dish (Serves 6)

2 Green peppers
2 Red peppers
2 yellow peppers
2-3 carrots
1 medium red potato
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp oil
2 dried chillies
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt as requires
1/2 to 1 tsp chilli powder
21/2 tsp coriander powder
One handful peanuts , roasted and coarsely powdered.

1. Chop all the vegetables into longish pieces.
2. Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds and the 2 dried chillies.
3. Next add the chopped vegetables, salt and turmeric and cook till the vegetables are just soft. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables!
4. Add the coriander powder and chilli powder midway, while cooking the vegetables.'
5. Now add the coarsely pounded peanuts. Mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Have this with rotis /chapathis and a cup of curds/yoghurt for a complete meal. Chapathis made with KALA CHANNA ATTA makes this a high protein, high fibre and a low carb meal that is even good as a low fat diet

Pasta Sauce

There is no doubt that a bottle of pasta sauce picked off the shelf is so much more convenient to use. But most of us used to spicy food do find 'something' missing in a regular pasta sauce. I saw my daughter load her pasta with crushed peppers and evolved this pasta sauce..make it bland or spicy, it is worth the effort. Moreover, all those vegetables added make it so much tastier and nutritious!
Bottle it in the very same pasta sauce bottles and you can fool your kids into eating a lot of vegetables.

Anyway here it goes...

1 can Tuttorosa Crushed tomatoes with basil
(If you want to go the healthy way, I recommend no-sodium Eden crushed tomatoes with basil
or for those to whom these are not available, any carton of tomato sauce will do)

Method:
2 green peppers (capsicum) diced
4-5 carrots diced
3 onions diced
2 yellow peppers diced(opt)
Green peas a handful, if liked
Mushrooms, again if liked
any other pasta friendly vegetables!
2 cloves garlic
Fresh or dried Basil
Dried Oregano
Cilantro, a small bunch chopped
chilli powder, as per taste
salt
Crushed black pepper, 1 tsp (reduce if cannot take too much spice)
Olive oil 1 tbsp

whole red chillies 2
2 fresh tomatoes chopped
1/2 tsp sugar

• Heat the olive oil and add the whole red chillies and crushed garlic.
• Sauté for a minute till garlic looks roasted
• Next add the onions and all the vegetables and sauté till fairly cooked
• Do not cook to a pasty texture, stop while the vegetables still hold up shape.
• Add the pepper, chilli powder and salt and the tomatoes, cook for a minute or two
• Next add the crushed tomatoes from the can and the sugar
• Bring it up to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes
• Finally, add the basil and oregano.

Your pasta sauce is now ready to use. Chop the vegetables to longish pieces for an added vegetable flavor to the dish.

Mango Ice Cream

Here is a recipe for yummy mango ice cream, I made yesterday. More than being particularly inclined to make ice creams was the necessity to use up that carton of fresh cream that stared at me from my refrigerator every time I opened it! I have used heavy cream and where heavy cream is not available, you can substitute with this... For 1 cup heavy cream, melt 1/3 cup butter and add 3/4 cup milk to it. Mix very well.
This recipe qualified for this 'healthy options' blogsite when I took a look at all the ingredients on any ice cream carton...there were at least 22 to 25 ingredients if not more. Chemicals to preserve, to keep fresh and whatever other reasons! My next attempt will be to bake my own bread rather than use the 'chemicalized' versions at supermarkets!
So here's to good wholesome ice cream that contains fresh fruit and good old cream and milk and NO chemicals!

You will need..
1 Ripe Mango
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Cup Whole Milk
About 3/4 cup sugar (adjust this according to sweetness of mango)

Peel and chop or crush mango to make puree. Blend with all the above ingredients in a blender.
Now you can make this ice cream in a churner or continue to whip for a few minutes then
Freeze icecream till softly frozen
Remove and whip again in the blender and freeze again.
Repeat this a couple more times till you get soft fluffy and light textured ice cream
Freeze and enjoy!

Can make this with any fresh fruit, chikoo, strawberries, figs ...your choice