Quick Rasam-No Rasam powder,No dal

 











Ingredients
5 Tomatoes
2 Tbspn grated fresh/frozen coconut
1 tspn jeera/cumin seeds
1 tspn tamarind
2 pinch asafetida
1/2 tspn chilly powder
1/4 tspn jaggery
2 strings curry leaves

tempering

1 tspn ghee
1/2 tspn mustard seeds
1/4 tspn jeera
2 pinch turmeric powder
2  red chilly
pinch of asafetida

Rasam can be made in a lot of ways.This recipe of rasam is easy to make yet very yummy.Came from a vacation ? or just bored of eating heavy meals.Try this simple rasam.

Process
1)Cut tomatoes into halves.Boil them in water for about 6 min.
2)Grind the tomatoes along with coconut+jeera+tamarind+asafetida to a smooth puree
3)Add the grinded puree in a deep vessel,adjust water by adding 2 cups or according to your preference.
4)Add chilly powder,salt,jaggery,curry leaves and boil for 7 min in medium flame
5)Now make tempering and add to rasam :heat ghee ,when hot add mustard seeds,cumin.When mustard seeds pops add red chilly,turmeric,hing.
6)Serve hot with rice and papad!

 

Sprouted beans and pomegranate salad

Ingredients

11/2 cup mung beans sprouted.
1 cup pomegranate seeds.
3 Tbspn fresh or frozen grated coconut.
2 greenchilly
1 Tbspn oil
1/2 tspn mustard seeds.
1/2 tspn lemon juice.
1 Tbspn chopped coriander leaves.
salt to taste

How to sprout beans?
1)Soak the whole mung bean or any other bean in water and let it stay overnight.
2)The next morning,drain out the excess water and wrap cotton cloth around the beans.
3)Cover it and let is stay in a dark place for about 2 days.
4)The length of the sprout depends on climate.In summer I got lengthy sprout for 2 days .In winter I may have to wait for longer time.

Note:You can sprout chickpeas, black chana,matki or any other bean with the same process.I usually wrap the soaked beans in thick variety kitchen towels,muslin cloth or just cotton cloth and keep it inside oven.

Process

1)Combine sprouted mung bean ,pomegranate seeds,grated coconut.
2)Heat oil in a pan,when hot add mustard seeds.When it pops add finely chopped greenchillies and coriander leaves (don't let chilly and greenchilly turn brown,switch off the stove and add it at last)
3)Add lemon juice and mix well.
4)Enjoy the super healthy,raw,lowfat,high protein salad.

I usually make this as side dish for sambar rice .CLICK HERE FOR SAMBAR RECIPE

Palak Paneer-Spinach and Cheese Curry

Palak is 'Spinach' and Paneer is 'Indian cheese'.Palak Paneer is a very popular North Indian dish.It is spinach gravy cooked with flavourful spices along with indian cheese.The bite of cheese coated with spiced spinach uh! I crave for it all the time.

You go to Indian restaurants and order North Indian Thali/Platter,palak panner will be one among them.Also its a fast moving item in the restaurant menu!

We all know that Spinach is super healthy.This nutrient powerhouse is good for immunity,skin,brain,eye,prevents cancer,anemia are a few to note.

Its hard to get B12 supply for vegeterians as most of b12 is in seafood.Paneer contains B12 which makes this recipe more powerful.

Are you pregnant?So u have to eat a lot of green leafy vegetables !.Try this tasty and nutrirtional palak panner and your taste buds and body will love it.

Ingredients

Spinach .......................2 large bunch
Paneer cubes................1.5 cup
Green chillies...............3
Onion...........................2
Garlic pod....................4
Butter...........................1 tspn
Oil................................1 Tbspn
Coriander powder........1/2 tspn
Garam masala..............1 tspn
Fresh cream(optional)
salt to taste

Procedure

1)Heat a pan with 1 cup water,add washed spinach,half lengthwise cut onion,2 minced garlic ,green chilly and boil it for 10 min without covering ,this makes it nice and green.Grind it to a smooth paste.(Don't add a lot of water as you need a medium thick puree).

2)Heat oil and butter in a pan,add remaining  finely chopped onion ,2 minced garlic.Once onions are transparent add the spinach puree,coriander powder,garam masala,salt.Cook it for 8 min in medium heat.

3)Add the paneer cubes and fresh cream and let it cook with spinach gravy for 2 min.

4) Perfect side dish for roti/chapatti/naan or any breads.I love it with rice and onion!Enjoy your meal:-). 

Peanut Usal-Navratri recipe

                              

Navratri around the corner and it's time to pray Goddess Durga for Shakti ie,power.Navratri-Nine nights of festival is celebrated allover India.

In North India,people restrict their food to only specific items when they perform 'vrat' .
Peanut usal/usali is one of the North Indian Navratri fast recipe as it meets the fast criteria.
Whereas in South India they don't have any special restriction.Each region celebrates it differently.

All the nine evenings you offer Prasad to Goddess and usually call the kiddos and serve them.

Peanut usal is a perfect recipe for navratri.Rich in protein and delicious.Moreover kids will love the soft texture of peanut.

Common lets give it a try for this NAVRATRI.

Ingredient
2 cups peanut
4 string curry leaves
3 greenchilly slit into haves
3 Tbspn grated fresh/frozen coconut
2 Tbspn oil
1 tspn mustard seeds
2 pinch hing/asafetida
salt to taste

Procedure
1)Soak the red skin peanut for 3 hours.
2)Pressure cook it with salt for 3 whistles(some cookers may take only 2) or until completely cooked.
3)Heat oil in a pan,add mustard seeds and  allow it to pop.Add hing, curry leaves,greenchillies.
4)Drain the water from boiled peanuts.Add the peanuts ,coconut and fry for 3 min.
5)Ready to serve.






 

Taco

Taco is a traditional Mexican dish where corn,wheat or plain flour shells are wrapped around filling and topped with guacamole,salsa,onions,tomato,lettuce etc.

Tacos can be made with lot of variations to suite your tastebuds.The shells can be crispy or soft.The filling can be vegetarian,non-vegeterian with your favourite combination.

Taco is gaining popularity all over the world.They are one of the popular food chains in US.

A quick filling grab and go meal.Forgot to mention,kids love it!

I made tomato soup ,healthy vegetarian tacos and some besan ladoos from my refridgerator for dinner tonight.Its nice to have something different than usual.

Filling
11/2 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup black eye peas
1/4 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup  finely chopped tomato
1/4 cup lengthwise cut capsicum
1 Tbspn cilantro(coriander leaves)
1 Tbspn lemon juice
1/4 tspn chilly powder
1/4 tspn pepper powder
(1/4 tspn garam masala,1/2 tspn chat masala for indian taste)
4 Tbspn Guacamole-click here for guacamole recipe
1 tspn sour cream(optional)
grated cheese or i prefer paneer
salt to taste

1)Soak black eye peas overnight and cook it with salt, till soft but not mushy.
2)Mix cooked rice with cilantro and lemon,salt.
3)Mix the cilantro rice,boiled beans, capsicum,carrot,pepper,spices,
3)Microwave the tacos for 30 sec just to make it crisp.
4)Fill the prepared mixture,top it with Tbspn of guacamole and grate some cheese or paneer.
5)Enjoy these delicious tacos :-).

Make these with some soup for a delicious unique meal .

Check out the restaurant style tomato soup recipe -click here

Make these when kids come back from school and enjoy these as snack or make it for your healthy breakfast! avacados,beans,vegetables...super nutritious!An energetic day ahead for sure:)

Sending it to Healthy Breakfast event at nandoo's Kitchen

Channa Masala(Chole Masala) with rich gravy

Channa masala/Chole is very popular among Indian vegetarian dishes.Basically from Northern part of India and has gained its popularity all over.

Chole masala is chickpeas( also called garbanzo) curry cooked with tomato,onion,spices and simmered to get a perfect tasty side dish.

Chickpeas has a good amount of protein and hence good for everybody-kids,pregnants and all of us.

Goes well with poori,roti or even tastes great with rice .

I always like my side dish if it has rich gravy .So common lets make it for dinner tonight!A tasty warm chickpeas curry with a rich gravy...hmm yummm!

 

Gravy
2 Big Onions
3 Tomatoes
2 inch cinnamon
3 cloves
2 clove star anise
1 Tbspn Cashew
1/2 tspn poppy seeds
1 tspn sesame seeds(optional)
1/2 inch ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbspn oil.

1)Heat oil in a non stick pan,add clove,cinnamon,star anise.Immediately add  roughly chopped onion.Fry for 2-3 min.Now add  roughly chopped tomatoes and fry till its done.Don't overcook.Keep stirring and add few drops of oil if required.

2)Lets grind the mixture with cashews,sesame seeds,poppyseeds,ginger,garlic
 to a very very smooth paste.You can add 2 Tbspn water to grind.

Chole Masala
11/2 cup chickpeas soaked in water overnight
1 small onion(finely chopped)
1 tomato(finely chopped)
1 bay leaf
2 Tbspn oil
2 pinch turmeric
1 Tbspn chole masala
1/2 tspn chilly powder
1 Tbspn kasuri methi(dry fenugreek leaves)
1 Tbspn milk(optional)

1)Pressure cook soaked chickpeas till completely cooked and very soft.
2)Heat oil in a pan,add bay leaf,onion,turmeric.After 2 min add tomato and cook it.
3)Add the prepared gravy+chole masala,chilly powder+kasuri methi.Bring it to boil.
4)Add boiled chickpeas along with water,adjust the water if u are not using that water.
5)Keep in medium-low and cook for 20 min.
6)Add 1 Tbspn milk cook for 2 more min.

Serving Tip:Serve warm with rice and cucumber,onion,tomato salad.

 Note:If u don't have chole masala.You can substitute with garam masala and pav bhaji masala or just garam masala.You can increase the quantity to make it more spicy!

Ganesh Chaturthi festival Celebration-banana leaf lunch!

GANESH CHATURTHI  festival is celebrated on the birthday of Lord Ganesha also called Vinayaka Chaturthi. Its widely celebrated by Indians all over the world.During Indian war of Independence,Lokamanya Bala Gangadhar Tilak started celebrating this domestic festival as Public event.From then,Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated as a grand public event.

You get to celebrate both in home as well as in your community streets,neighbourhood streets.Uh!you can enjoy this festival weeks together.

Market will be filled with variety of  clay Ganesh idols like standing,sitting,dancing Ganesh!on the peacock,operating computer and much much more variety of themed lord Ganesha.You not only get the one's with painted but also eco-friendly one's.Some people don't get the clay ganesh idols.They pray idol made with silver,brass,gold and other precious metals.In that case,people donate it to priest or keep it their mandir and worship next year.

Its really nice to roam around in markets during this festival.I am a Banglorean,as a child or even after that this is one of my favourite festival.It can be any corner of Bangalore,all the main streets of each and every area will have this public event.Gigantic idols of Lord Ganesha,Creative decorations,shamiyana,smells of exotic flowers like shamanthige/sevanti,various patre(leaves).They even  plan cultural activities like orchestra,dance,drama from kids as well as adults.Everything to make Lord Ganesha happy:-).....

Checkout eco-friendly ganesha festival we celebrated here in US.

 

Managed to get most of the things this time including variety of leaves,sugar cane and ya!this is the first time I got fresh banana leaf...Everytime I used to get frozen.Let me tell you what was in the menu.

Upper part starting from right:Starts with salt,instant mango pickle,chana dal kosambir,moon dal kosambir,green beans dry fry-palya,chayote squash fry-seeme badanekai palya,pineapple gojju,ambode(dal vada).

Bottom part starting from right:tamarind rice,rice-dal,sweet.Since it was ganesha habba I made karjikai otherwise its usually kheer.

Will post the detail recipe for the banana leaf thali (bale yele oota)soon.