Zucchini is a very versatile vegetable, sorry a fruit (it is ideally meant as a summer squash), which is actually cooked/grilled like a vegetable. This resembles a cucumber with lots of seeds inside. It normally comes in light/dark green or yellow colour.
This vegetable may be found easily in America and other countries, but in the Indian market (especially the South), Zucchini is not so well known and popular as other vegetables.
Zucchini can be taken raw or cooked, depending on your preference. If cooked, it can be cooked to suite both north indian and south indian cuisine. It can be made in variety of ways from a sabzi to kootu to curry to salads etc.
Almost all the parts of the zucchini are edible, including the flesh, seeds and even the skin. However in this recipe, the skin in peeled and cooked. If you wish you retain the skin portion, you can do so and just wash and chop the vegetable to your desired size and use it in your cooking.
Health Benefits of Zucchini:
1. Extremely low on Calories, roughly 100 gms has about 17 to 19 Calories only. So you can enjoy this as a low-calorie meal, if you're on your weight loss journey.
2. It is very good for your heart, as it contains good amount of potassium. Potassium can help control blood pressure because it lessens the harmful effects of salt in your body.
3. It is a very good source of antioxidant Vitamin C.
4. 95% of Zucchini is water and regular consumption of zucchini aids in weight loss.
Here is a simple easy to cook recipe of Zucchini which goes ideally well as a gravy side dish for chapathi's or phulka's.
Ingredients:
1. Zucchini - 4 (Skin peeled and chopped to 1 inch size)
2. Big Onion - 1, chopped finely
3. Big Tomato - 1, chopped finely
4. Garlic pods - 4 or 5, chopped to small pieces
5. Ginger - 1 inch, chopped to small pieces
6. Red chilly powder - 3/4 tsp
7. Corainder powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Salt - 1 or 2 tsp, accordingly to your taste
10. Green chillies - 2 or 3, slit lengthwise
11. Coriander Leaves - A handful for garnishing
12. Seasoning Ingredient: Oil - 1 or 2 tsp, Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
13. Ghee - 1 tsp
14. Water - 3/4 or 1 Tumbler
Method:
1. In a pressure cooker, add the seasoning ingredients and when the oil becomes hot, add cumin seeds and once it starts spluttering, add the ginger and garlic pieces and green chillies and then saute until it emanates nice aroma.
2. Now add the chopped onions and fry for a minute or two.
3. Add all the powders namely - red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, required salt and fry until the powders coat well on the onions.
4. Add the chopped Tomatoes and fry until they are mashed well.
5. Add the chopped zucchini and enough water to immerse the vegetable in it. Stir to mix well and then close the cooker and when steam comes, add the weight and allow maximum 2 or 3 whistles and then switch off.
6. Cool and open, garnish with coriander leaves and change to a serving bowl. Optionally, just before serving add a teaspoon of ghee and mix once and then serve for added flavor.
Tips:
1) Adding chopped ginger and garlic is to bring out a nice aroma for the dish, if you don't want, you can omit both.
2) Adding ghee at the end is optional only. You can choose to avoid if you are health conscious.
A healthy Zucchini Sabzi is ready for Carrot Chapathi !!
This vegetable may be found easily in America and other countries, but in the Indian market (especially the South), Zucchini is not so well known and popular as other vegetables.
Zucchini can be taken raw or cooked, depending on your preference. If cooked, it can be cooked to suite both north indian and south indian cuisine. It can be made in variety of ways from a sabzi to kootu to curry to salads etc.
Almost all the parts of the zucchini are edible, including the flesh, seeds and even the skin. However in this recipe, the skin in peeled and cooked. If you wish you retain the skin portion, you can do so and just wash and chop the vegetable to your desired size and use it in your cooking.
Health Benefits of Zucchini:
1. Extremely low on Calories, roughly 100 gms has about 17 to 19 Calories only. So you can enjoy this as a low-calorie meal, if you're on your weight loss journey.
2. It is very good for your heart, as it contains good amount of potassium. Potassium can help control blood pressure because it lessens the harmful effects of salt in your body.
3. It is a very good source of antioxidant Vitamin C.
4. 95% of Zucchini is water and regular consumption of zucchini aids in weight loss.
Here is a simple easy to cook recipe of Zucchini which goes ideally well as a gravy side dish for chapathi's or phulka's.
Ingredients:
1. Zucchini - 4 (Skin peeled and chopped to 1 inch size)
2. Big Onion - 1, chopped finely
3. Big Tomato - 1, chopped finely
4. Garlic pods - 4 or 5, chopped to small pieces
5. Ginger - 1 inch, chopped to small pieces
6. Red chilly powder - 3/4 tsp
7. Corainder powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Salt - 1 or 2 tsp, accordingly to your taste
10. Green chillies - 2 or 3, slit lengthwise
11. Coriander Leaves - A handful for garnishing
12. Seasoning Ingredient: Oil - 1 or 2 tsp, Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
13. Ghee - 1 tsp
14. Water - 3/4 or 1 Tumbler
Method:
1. In a pressure cooker, add the seasoning ingredients and when the oil becomes hot, add cumin seeds and once it starts spluttering, add the ginger and garlic pieces and green chillies and then saute until it emanates nice aroma.
2. Now add the chopped onions and fry for a minute or two.
3. Add all the powders namely - red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, required salt and fry until the powders coat well on the onions.
4. Add the chopped Tomatoes and fry until they are mashed well.
5. Add the chopped zucchini and enough water to immerse the vegetable in it. Stir to mix well and then close the cooker and when steam comes, add the weight and allow maximum 2 or 3 whistles and then switch off.
6. Cool and open, garnish with coriander leaves and change to a serving bowl. Optionally, just before serving add a teaspoon of ghee and mix once and then serve for added flavor.
Tips:
1) Adding chopped ginger and garlic is to bring out a nice aroma for the dish, if you don't want, you can omit both.
2) Adding ghee at the end is optional only. You can choose to avoid if you are health conscious.
A healthy Zucchini Sabzi is ready for Carrot Chapathi !!
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