28 June 2013

Cocktail Juice

Fresh juices are the most direct way of getting all the nutrients and vitamins into our body without any compromise. How many of us are regular on juices?? I think not much of a percentage. Juice(s) are energy and healthy drink.  Also for working men/women and children, taking juice during mid-day at work/school, keeps them energized and fresh for a longer time.
Juice can be either a Fruit Juice, or a Vegetable Juice or a Mixed Juice (both fruits and vegetables).  Preparing mixed juice gives the benefits of both fruits and vegetables to your body. So try to accommodate this more into your routine.

Health Benefits of Drinking Fresh Juices:

1. Juicing is a tremendous aid in detoxifying and cleansing your body.
2. Your body absorbs more than 80% of the nutrients when you juice fruits/vegetables fresh and consume them.
3. Juicing is easiest way to accommodate more quantity of vegetables/fruits in your diet
4. Juices reduce the amount of work your digestive organs have to do and have been shown to increase the health of the liver and kidney etc.
5. Helps in weight loss.
6. Energizer and keeps you attentive for longer period.
7. Above all, it is very easy to prepare a quick juice than cutting various vegetables/fruits for your diet.
To reap the best benefits of the fresh juice, drink it immediately after its preparation while it is fresh, otherwise refrigerate it and consume within an hour or two. The earlier it is consumed, the more nutritive it is. 

Ingredients:

Tomato - 1/2
Carrot - 1/2
Cucumber - 1/2
Grapes - 1/2
Plums - 1/2
Guava - 1/2
Orange - 1/2
Apple - 1/2
Coriander leaves - few leaves
Ginger - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
Lime Juice from 1/2 lime squeezed
Water- 2 Glass
Note: The choice of vegetable and fruits are up to you, mix any combination of fruit/vegetable of your choice.


Method:

1. Blend all together in a mixie/blender and refrigerate for an hour and then drink.

27 June 2013

Coconut - Small Onion Chutney

Coconut chutney preparation has many varieties. This is a simple and easy to make coconut chutney variant with small onions. This recipe needs no frying and can be quickly grounded with raw ingredients and just seasoned. This goes well with idly and dosa.
 
Ingredients:
 
1. Coconut – 1 Cup
2. Small onions (Shallots) – 4 or 5
3. Green Chillies – 3 or 4 (depending on your spice preference)
4. Salt – 1 to 1 ½ tsp
5. Seasoning Ingredient: Oil – 1 tsp, mustard seeds – 1 tsp, broken urud dhal – 1 tsp, curry leaves – 4/6, hing – ½ tsp
 
 
 
 
Method:
 
1. Raw grind all the ingredients from 1 to 4, adding required water. Grind to a smooth paste (this chutney need not be very watery, little thickness in consistency is good).
 
2. Season as given and pour onto the chutney and serve.
 
 
 
Tips:
 
The mild spice from the raw onions combined with green chillies spice gives a mild hot taste to this chuntey, if you find this spice little too much for you, pour a teaspoon of gingly oil on this chutney and consume, that will lessen the spice effect.
 

25 June 2013

Gun Powder (Milagai Podi)

Gun powder (or) Chutney Powder is a most suited side dish for idlies and dosa’s.  This is a dry powder made with couple of dhals and spicy ingredients which can be mixed with any oil and consumed as an accompaniment for idlies and dosas. It is famously known as Milagai podi in south india (milagai refers to its spiceness due to red chillies, podi is tamil name for powder). Most of the restaurants in Tamil Nadu, can be seen serving this podi for a plate of idli/dosa. It is also commonly called as Idly podi, Idly milagai podi etc.

This podi is a savior in my kitchen, because many times when there is lack of time for cooking a side-dish, this powder always comes to my immediate rescue. I don’t restrict this podi as a side-dish for just idlies and dosas, but also sometimes extend to semia upma, rava upma, adai etc. Right from children to adults, there is hardly anyone who may not like this podi, as it is so tasty. There is always extra appetite to accommodate one or two extra idlies/dosas , if this podi is kept as a side-dish at home. This milagai podi is prepared according to the method followed by my mother-in-law.

The preparation of the milagai podi needs a little patience as it is bit time-consuming, but this is just a onetime effort, once the podi is prepared in a reasonable quantity, it can ease your work for many days/weeks and even months. 

Ingredients:

1. Whole urud dhal (white) – 2 Cups
2. Channa Dhal – ¾ Cup
3. Seasame seeds (black) – ¼ Cup
4. Red Chillies – 15 to 25 (depending on your spice taste)
5. Salt – 1 ½ to 2 tsp
6. Curry leaves (with stem) – 2 full leaves stem
7. Hing – 1 tsp
8. Garlic pods (with skin) – 2 or 3 (optional)
9. Oil – 3 tsp


Method:

1. Take a broad kadai/non-stick pan and fry as per the given order separately.

a. Dry fry sesame seeds until it splutter nicely and remove and spread on Plate1.


b. Dry fry the channa dhal until it turns light brown and remove and spread on Plate2.



c. Dry fry the curry leaves, until it becomes crispy and remove and spread on Plate2.


d. Dry roast the hing for just 3-4 seconds, the heat in the tava will burn it otherwise,  don’t   keep beyond 5 seconds max & remove and spread on Plate2.


e. In a teaspoon of oil, add the urud dhal and fry until it becomes light brown and remove and spread on Plate2.


f. Add a teaspoon of oil, add the red chillies and fry until they start turning light black and remove and spread on Plate3.


Plate(s) with Ingredients:

Plate1: Fried Sesame seeds.
Plate2: Fried Urud dhal, channa dhal, hing, curry leaves.
Plate3: Fried Red chillies.



2. Cool all the above ingredients and take them to a mixer and grind to dry powder in the following order.

a. Grind first the contents in Plate3.

 
b. Add the contents of Plate2 and add required quantity of salt (iodized salt) to the above and grind until the dhals become coarse.


c. Add the contents of Plate1 and allow grinding for just a minute, until the sesame seeds get powdered. Grinding the sesame seeds for too long will leave out oil.



d. Finally add the raw garlic pods with skin and allow a quick grind so that the garlic breaks fine and mixes well with the powder.  


3. Remove the Milagai podi prepared from the above method and store in an air-tight container.


4. While serving, add required amount of this milagai podi and add oil to it and mix well and eat as a side-dish for any preferred main dish.


Tips:

1. Instead of hing powder , use rock asafetida, if rock asafetida is used, dry fry it until it becomes dry and use for powdering.

2. Instead of iodised salt, use table salt. If table salt is used, fry the table salt until it becomes dry and use for powdering.

3. If you choose not to use garlic, you can avoid it in your preparation.

4. If you choose not to use sesame seeds, you can skip that step and proceed with the rest.

5. Milagai podi taste best when used with gingely oil (Nallennai) compared to other oils.

24 June 2013

Yellow Pumpkin Sambar

Yellow pumpkin is a vegetable that is very rich in vital antioxidants and minerals. There is both yellow and orange pumpkin available. Almost everything about pumpkin is edible and good for health, right from the fruit, seeds, leaves etc. There are multiple ways this yellow vegetable is fitted into our Indian homes, like curries, dhals, sweets, payasam, kootu etc.

English Name : Yellow Pumpkin / Tamil Name : Parangikai / Hindi Name : Kaddu / Telugu Name : Gummadi Kayi / Kannada : Kumbala

How to cut Yellow Pumpkin:

Peel the skin of the pumpkin using a peeler and remove the fibers and seeds that you see in the middle and then slice them into medium cubes. Cut the pumpkin as little big cubes, as pumpkin cooks very fast and becomes too soft quickly. If pumpkin cubes are small, it may mash completely and loose its shape.

Health Benefits of Yellow Pumpkin:

1. It is a very low calorie vegetable. 100gms gives just around 26 to 30 calories and contains no saturated fat or cholesterol.
2. It is the storehouse for many anti-oxidants likes Vitamin-A, C and E.
3. It is an excellent source of carotenes which converts into Vitamin A into the body.
4. It is rich in minerals like copper, calcium, potassium and phosphorous.
5. Pumpkin seeds are excellent source of dietary fiber. Further the pumpkin seeds are rich in an amino acid called tryptophan, which is converted into GABA in the brain, enhances brain functioning.


Ingredients:

Yellow Pumpkin (Cubed) – 1 cup
Tamarind extracted water – 1 cup
Toor Dhal – 1 Cup
Small onion – ½ Cup
Tomato – 1 , chopped
Sambar Powder – 2 ½ tsp

Seasoning Ingredients: Oil – 2 tsp, mustard seeds – 1 tsp, broken urud dhal – 1 tsp, channa dhal – 1 tsp, hing – ½ tsp, curry leaves – 10


Pre-requisite:

Pressure cook toor dhal for 3-4 whistles. Cool it and open. Mash the cooked dhal very well and add to it the sambar powder (as it is) and mix very well & keep ready.


Method:

1. In a Kadai/non-stick pan, season as given and add the small onions and yellow pumpkin and cook until onions turn translucent.

2. Add the tamarind extracted water, add some salt and turmeric powder now and boil for 3-4 minutes.


3. Add the chopped tomato and let it boil along with the tamarind water until the tamarind raw smell leaves and reduces to half its original quantity and the tomato turns mushy.


4. Add the cooked dhal mixed with sambar powder & mix well. Once this dhal is added no need to cook for too long, just 2-3 minutes of boiling is enough.


5. Season as given and mix it with the above and give a stir for a minute or two and then remove.
 



Yellow Pumpkin Vatha kozhambu

Yellow pumpkin is a vegetable that is very rich in vital antioxidants and minerals. There is both yellow and orange pumpkin available. Almost everything about pumpkin is edible and good for health, right from the fruit, seeds, leaves etc. There are multiple ways this yellow vegetable is fitted into our Indian homes, like curries, dhals, sweets, payasam, kootu etc.

This is a simple and easy to make kozhambu version of the yellow pumpkin. Yellow pumpkin vatha kozhambu is similar to onion vatha kozhambu. The method is the same, only the ingredient (vegetable) is different.

English Name : Yellow Pumpkin / Tamil Name : Parangikai / Hindi Name : Kaddu / Telugu Name : Gummadi Kayi / Kannada : Kumbala

How to cut Yellow Pumpkin:

Peel the skin of the pumpkin using a peeler and remove the fibers and seeds that you see in the middle and then slice them into medium cubes. Cut the pumpkin as little big cubes, as pumpkin cooks very fast and becomes too soft quickly. If pumpkin cubes are small, it may mash completely and loose its shape.

Health Benefits of Yellow Pumpkin:

1. It is a very low calorie vegetable. 100gms gives just around 26 to 30 calories and contains no saturated fat or cholesterol.
2. It is the storehouse for many anti-oxidants likes Vitamin-A, C and E.
3. It is an excellent source of carotenes which converts into Vitamin A into the body.
4. It is rich in minerals like copper, calcium, potassium and phosphorous.
5. Pumpkin seeds are excellent source of dietary fibre. Further the pumpkin seeds are rich in an amino acid called tryptophan, which is converted into GABA in the brain, enhances brain functioning.


Ingredients:

Yellow Pumpkin (Cubed) -  1 cup
Tamarind extracted water – 2 cups
Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
Sambar powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ¾ tsp
Seasoning Ingredients: oil – 2 tsp, mustard seeds – 1 tsp, broken urud dhal – 1 tsp, channa dhal – 1 tsp, fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp, curry leaves – 10




Method:

1. In a kadai/non-stick pan, add oil and add the cubed yellow pumpkin and fry for a minute or two & then add enough water to immerse it and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the pumpkins are 70% cooked.


2. Add red chilly powder, sambar powder and turmeric powder and mix well.


3. Add the tamarind extracted water and required salt & allow it to boil until the tamarind water reduces to half its original quantity and becomes thick.



4. Season as given and remove.

 
 
Tips:

If the tamarind water is not too thick, take a teaspoon of rice powder and mix it will little water and add this rice water to the kozhambu, this acts as a thickening agent.

 

20 June 2013

Coriander Seeds - Onion Chutney

Corainder seeds – Onion Chutney is a variation from the usual onion chutneys we consume. It is very simple to make and different to taste.
 
This chutney can be a good accompaniment for all kinds of idlies and dosas and even chapathis.
 
Ingredients:
 
Big Onions -  4 (chopped to medium size)
Coriander seeds – ¾ tsp
Whole Urud Dhal (white) – ½ tsp
Channa Dhal – ½ tsp
Garlic pods – 2
Red Chillies – 2 or 3 (depending on your spice)
Oil – 2 tsp
Seasoning ingredients: Oil – 1 tsp, mustard seeds – 1 tsp, broken urud dhal – 1 tsp, hing – ½ tsp, curry leaves – 8

 
 
Method:
 
1. In one teaspoon of oil, first fry the coriander seeds, channa dhal and urud dhal together until the coriander seeds emanates nice aroma and the dhals turn light brown (don’t burn them by overcooking) and then remove.

 
2. In the same oil, add the garlic pods and red chilly powder and fry them for a minute.

 
3. Add another teaspoon of oil and sauté the onions until translucent.

 
4. Cool all the above and grind together all except the onions. Once they are grounded, add the onion and required water and salt and grind to a coarse paste.


 
5. Season as given and pour onto the chutney and mix well. 

 

19 June 2013

Potato Roast

Potato Roast (Aloo Roast) is a widely popular curry in the south-indian especially Tamil Nadu cuisine. This roast goes very well with all types of sambar/kozhambu/rasam and even with just plain curd rice. Potato roast can be made in couple of ways. Potato can be directly roasted with or without boiling it prior to the roasting process. When the potato is directly used for roasting, it consumes little extra oil than the other method. When the potatoes are pressure cooked, they are mostly cooked and then roasted, hence the oil consumption is little less in this method. I roast potatoes either ways and both are equally tasty and palatable and always a instant hit at home. Children especially would love these kinds of roast items.

When potato roast is made directly without cooking the potatoes, it is most ideal to cut the potatoes to small pieces and cook them, owing to their small size, the potatoes cooks faster and gets more crispier as it gets roasted.

Ingredients:

Chopped Potatos -  2 Cups
Red chilly powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Oil – 6-8 tbsp
Seasoning ingredients: Oil – 2 tsp, mustard seeds – 1 tsp, broken urud dhal – 1 tsp, channa dhal – 1 tsp, curry leaves – 10, hing – ½ tsp

Method:

1. In a non-stick pan/kadai, add the oil and when it gets heated up, add the chopped potatoes and turmeric powder and mix well. Also add ½ tsp salt and mix well.



2. Close the pan/kadai with a lid and sim the flame to minimum and allow the potato to get cooked. Periodically open the lid and toss the potatoes lightly to evenly roast it and close the lid.


3. When the potato is 50% cooked, add the red chilly powder and remaining salt and cook covered until the potato gets roasted well. If needed add another 2 tablespoon of oil during the cooking process.



4. When the potatoes are well roasted (they should be brown crust layers coated on the potatoes and shouldn’t turn very black), season as given and pour the seasoning onto the cooked potatoes and mix well and then remove.




Tips:

1. Using Gingly oil (Nallennai) for this dry roast, add ups more flavor to the curry.


2. Cooking the potatoes covered, helps in faster cooking.


3. Seasoning at the end, ensures the dhals don’t get burnt during the cooking process and enhances the flavor from the lightly roasted hing from the seasoning.
 

4. Optionally, adding equal proportions of sambar powder and red chilly powder instead of just chilly powder, gives a variation in the taste for the curry.

5. Adding and mixing 3/4th teaspoon cumin powder (fresh raw cumin seeds dry powdered as it is), just 2-3 minutes before removing the curry, adds up the flavor for the curry.

18 June 2013

Bitter Gourd Curry

Bitter gourd is one of the healthiest but a very bitter vegetable that gives us enormous health benefits. Many especially children don’t prefer this vegetable due to its strong bitter taste, but for a good health point of view, “Bitter is Better”.  Generally, our tolerance for bitterness is very less. We need to nurture the habit of having bitter foods once in a while for our own betterment, for that, bitter gourd is the good choice.

Bitter gourd can be made in numerous ways, this is a curry version of the vegetable, which can be a suitable side dish for any sambar/ kozhambu/ rasam/ or even simple curd rice. If too much bitter taste is not preferred in the curry, we can reduce the bitterness of the vegetable through any of the methods below and then start cooking it.

Health Benefits of Bitter Gourd:

1. It contains a hypoglycemic compound which is highly beneficial in lowering blood sugar levels in blood and urine and hence a very diabetic-friendly dish.
2. The high beta-carotene & other properties in this vegetable help alleviate eye problems and improve eye sight.
3. Used in the treatment of hangover owing to its alcohol intoxication properties.
4. Immune booster.
5. Helps in weight loss.
6. Reduces hypertension.

Tips for removing Bitter Gourd Bitterness:

1. Soak or boil the bitter gourd in tamarind water for 15-20 minutes & strain the water and wash the vegetable thoroughly in running water and then use it for cooking.
2. Soak the bitter gourd in rice-washed water (Whey water) for 30 minutes and strain the water and wash the vegetable thoroughly in running water and then use it for cooking.
3. Sprinkle 1-2 tsp of salt on the chopped bitter gourd and mix with hand well and allow it to rest for 30 minutess and then squeeze the water out of the vegetable & wash it once and then use it for cooking.
4. Don’t use the bitter gourd with bright red seeds, it could be bitterer. Use the ones that have white seeds inside for less bitterness.

English Name: Bitter Gourd / Tamil Name : Pavarkai / Hindi Name : Karela

Pre-requisite:

Pressure cook toor dhal for 1 to 2 whistle only, until they are 70% cooked (no need to completely cook it), the dhals should be little separate to look at.

Method:

1. In a kadai/non-stick pan, season as given. When the dhal start spluttering and the cumin seeds starts turning light brown, add the red chilly powder and immediately quick stir for few seconds.



2. Add the chopped onion and mix well, until the onions are coated with the chilly powder well. Cook for a min or two.



3. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for3-4 minutes until they soften.



4. Add the chopped bitter gourd and mix well. At this stage add required salt too. Add ½ to ¾ glass of water and cook the vegetable until it is cooked and the water is completely evaporated. (If required, add little more water and cook further).



5. Once the bitter gourd turns soft, add the cooked toor dhal and mix well.



6. Add the coconut and give a good mix and remove.



Relish this bitter gourd curry goes very well with any sambar or kozhambu. 


Rajma Masala

Rajma Masala (Kidney Beans Masala) is a very popular North-Indian gravy made with Kidney Beans and spices. This recipe originates from Punjab and goes very well with any Pulav/Biryani and Chapathi/Paratha. Kidney Beans is a very versatile legume , as the cooked beans, on its own, can be used in numerous ways like gravies, rice, salads, stew, soups etc. The already well know nutritive fact about Kidney beans is that it is high Protein-rich supplement to your body. The protein quotient in kidney beans matches to the protein quotient found in meat. If you realise how much other health benefits kidney beans offers, you will not miss using this healthy bean regularly in your diet.

Health Benefits of Kidney Beans:

1. As its shape symbolises, kidney beans contribute to your kidney health. Kidney beans provides magnesium and potassium, which, if deficiet, can increase the risk of kidney stones.
2. It helps in cancer prevention. Vitamin K in Kidney beans protects cells from oxidative stress, thus reducing the chances of cancer. Also Vitamin K increases the brain and nervous system.
3. The soluable fiber in Kidney beans reduces the blood sugar levels from rapidly spiking after a meal. Also the soluable fiber helps in lowering cholestrol.
4. The calcium and manganese found in the bean, strengthens the bones.
5. It is a energy booster, as this beans are higher in iron which helps in metabolism and energy production and helps to move the oxygen throughout the body.

Kidney beans take longer time to cook compared to any other legumes. So, for softer rajma, it is better to soak the rajma for minimum 12-14 hours and then use it for cooking.

Ingredients:

Rajma - 1 Cup
Onion (Big) - 1, Chopped
Tomato (Big) - 1
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Dry Mango powder (Amchur powder) - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves - a bunch
Kasoori methi (crushed) - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 4-6 tsp



Pre-requisites:

1. Soak rajma for 12-14 hours and then pressure cook and allow atleast 6-8 Whistles. Once rajma is cooked, strain the water and preserve it for cooking purpose.
2. Make tomato paste : Grind one tomato adding very little water to a very fine paste.

Method:


1. In a non-stick pan, add 2 teaspoon of oil and add the cumin seeds, when it splutters, add the ginger-garlic paste and fry until nice aroma emanates.



2. Add the chopped onion and saute till onions turn translucent.



3. Add the tomato paste and boil for 3 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup of rajma water which is preserved and mix well. Let onion-tomato mixture boil for another 5 minutes on low flame. If needed, add another 2 teaspoon of oil now. Cook Covered.



4. Open the lid, you will see oil oozing out from the corners of this boiling mixture. Now add the red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.



5. Now add the cooked rajma and mix well. Add the garam masala powder and dry mango powder now. Add little more water if the mixture is thick (use rajma water preferrably) and allow boiling for 5 minutes.



6. Now add Kasoori methi and mix well and switch off after 2 minutes.




7. Add coriander leaves for garnishing.




Tips:

1. Soak Rajma in plenty of water and use a very broad container to soak the bean. The more space it has, the more water it absorbs.


2. To get the best taste of Rajma masala, cook on complete low flame. This may take little more time to finish the cooking, but guarantees good taste.
 

3. From Step 3 onwards, cook covered. In between open the lid and mix contents regularly. This retains the aroma of the spices.
 

4. Use Rajma water instead of plain water during cooking.