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!

Strawberry Banana breakfast shake for school going teenagers

When my daughter was in High School when they so typically do not have the time to eat breakfast...well, more precisely breakfast is just a pick up while going to the door, this is what I used to give her.

5-6 Fresh strawberries (substitute with chikoo or apple or any seasonal fruit)
1 banana
half a cup of any cereal (cooked oats, cooked dalia/buckwheat, cornflakes )
A few almonds(optional) or 1 tbsp vanilla complan or any vanilla protein powder(again optional)
1 cup milk


Blend all the above in a mixer, put in a glass and hand it to your kid on his/her way to the door. With this, you don,t have to worry even if they skip lunch!

Very Tasty Soy Bean Salad/Sundal

Soy bean is very high in protein, therefore good for children,for seniors and for weightloss diets.It is very good for women's health. Soy bean also helps in reduction of menopause symptoms.
Well, Before I made this, I had no clue, this would be this tasty.Perhaps, like most of you I would have baulked at the idea of soy bean sundal!
Anyhow, it was by sheer accident that I came to discover this! My mother was visiting from India and we had been invited for navaratri haldi kumkum. I soaked what looked like dried peas (vatana) and left. We came back about 4 hours later to find that the soaked peas (!) had turned into elongated beans.We were shocked, I had invited 24 ladies in the evening, planning to make this and what was this! It was then that I checked the package, which clearly said "Soya Beans"! Hmmm, it is to my mother's presence of mind and her ingenuity that I owe this recipe that turned out so good, all my guests took some home!
Another coincidence was that soy bean is very good for women's health and it was so suited to this ladies' get together! Unlike vatana, this was very light on the stomach and best of all no bloating or gas forming which is so common with vatana!

1 cup dried soy beans (soaked overnight or for 4-5 hours)
1tbsp canola oil
3 red chillies
1/2tsp mustard seeds
1tsp urad dal
5-6 tbsp fresh coconut or dessicated coconut
2 or 3 green chillies chopped
curry leaves
salt
juice of 1 small lime
coriander leaves

1.Pressure cook the soy bean, drain and rub the beans so the skin comes off. (do remove the skin ..it is very bitter)
2. Heat oil in a wok or karahi, add mustard seeds and urad dal.
3. Break the 3 red chillies into it.
4. When urad dal is reddish brown, add curry leaves and green chillies
5. Next add the soy beans, salt and coconut and mix well.
6. Add the lime juice and Garnish with coriander leaves and serve warm or cold.
Can add more chillies if liked.

This also makes excellent cold snack, picnic food and a healthy lunch addition.