Palak(Spinach),Beetroot,Carrot Chapati

      Chapati can be made more delicious and nutritious by adding some vegetables to it. Here is a chapati recipe where I used spinach, beetroot and carrot. You can substitute it with vegetables of your choice and can serve this with any veg/nonveg curries. Kids will find it attractive.

      Spinach is a powerhouse of health among leafy green vegetables. Spinach offers twice as much fiber as other greens. So when you want a salad that's going to fill you up, go for the spinach variety. Spinach is a nutrition superstar, even a fairly good source of iron. It's loaded with vitamins and minerals, some of which are hard to find in other foods. Spinach leaves can either be flat or slightly crinkled. Spinach can be purchased fresh, canned or frozen. Spinach is also often available as baby spinach (often used in salads). To know more about spinach click here.

      Carrot is an excellent vegetable as it has both nutritional and medicinal values which are essential for our optimum health. Carrot is a vegetable grown for its edible root. Raw carrots are eaten in salads and are mixed with some viands. Carrot contain carotene, a chemical that is converted into vitamin A by the body, it helps prevent night blindness. Have a look at the health benefits  of carrots.

      Then finally  beetroot  is delicious raw or cooked, hot or cold; the stalks and leaves are as full of nutrition as its dark red root. The beetroot’s green leaves and stems contain beta-carotene and plant pigments known as carotenoids, which have antioxidant properties. The leaves too are tasty and we usually make thoran and aviyal with them. They are a good substitute for red cheera like the red swiss chard. The importance of beetroot in our diet is in this ‌link.

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Ingredients

1. Wheat flour – 2 cup

2. Spinach – 3 cup washed and cleaned or Carrots – 2 or Beet root – 1 large

3. water – 1/2 cup

4. Green chillies – 3 (optional)

5. Garlic – 2

6. Salt – to taste

Method

1. Boil the 1/2 cup water in a vessel and add the spinach leaves as such. Within a few mts the leaves will be soft,tender and deep green. Then remove the vessel from the heat and let it cool (for palak chapati). For beetroot and carrot, peel it, cut into small pieces and microwave or cook it with enough water. The vegetables must be half cooked.

 

2. Grind the spinach leaves with the water (in which it is cooked), green chillies and garlic into a fine paste (Same for beetroot and carrot) .

3. Add salt to the wheat flour and mix well.

4. Gently add spinach paste to wheat flour and knead it to get a soft dough.

 

 

5. Cover it with a damp cloth and keep aside for at least half an hour.

6. Make small balls out of the dough and roll them out with a chapati roller into round shapes.

7.Heat a pan and fry the chapaties. Serve hot.

 

 

 

Vendakka/Okra Masala Fry

 

       The world's most beautiful women, Cleopatra of Egypt and Yang Guifei of China loved to eat okra according to the history record :)   Okra is low in calories at about 25 for 1/2 cup sliced cooked okra.  It is also a good source of vitamins A and C  and valuable nutrients such as folic acids, iron, fiber and calcium. Click here to read more health benefits of okra.

 

    Ingredients

 

1.  Okra - 15 - 20 cut into halves

2.  Chilli powder - 1/2 - 1 tsp

3.  Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

4.  Coriander powder - 1-1.5 tsp

5.  Cumin powder - A pinch

6. Garam masala - 1/2 - 1 tsp

7.  Salt - To taste

 

 

Method

1.   Heat oil in a non-stick pan.  Add the okra and stir-fry for a few minutes at medium heat.  Now add chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt.  Continue stir-frying sprinkling water in between.

 

 

2.  When the okra is cooked add garam masala and a pinch of cumin powder.  Check for salt. Stir-fry for a few  more minutes and switch off. Serve hot with rice/chappathi.

 

 

 

Spinach –Toor Dal Thoran

Ingredients

 

1. Spinach - 1 bowl chopped 
2. Toor dal - 1/2 cup cooked
3. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Green Chillies - 4
5. Garlic - 3
6. Coconut - 1/4 cup grated
7. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

 

     8.  Oil - 1 tsp

    9. Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

    9.   Dry red chillies - 1-2

   10.  Salt - to taste

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter the mustard seeds and add the dry red chillies.
2. Add the chopped spinach leaves with salt and turmeric in a low flame. Close it with a lid.
3. Cook it for a few minutes and add the cooked dal (be careful not to overcook the dal).

   4. Close and cook it again for a few minutes. Meanwhile grind the green chillies, cumin seeds, garlic and coconut (just crush it).

   5. Add the crushed coconut mixture and  sauté for a few mts , check for salt.

   6. Serve with rice.

Bread Pizza

 

     This is a great snack for the kids and adults alike. Whenever the pizza craving hits you and you are in no mood to buy take out you can make this in a jiffy. You just need a couple of bread slices, ketchup, cheese and a few veggies.

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

1. Bread Slices  -  5
2. Tomato ketchup -  2-3 tbsp
3. Chicken breast - 1 diced
4. Mushroom - 1/2 cup
5. Onion, bell pepper (red and green), pineapple tidbits - 1/2 cup
6. Pepper powder - 1/2 - 1 tsp
7. Garlic salt/salt  - To taste

 

Method

 

1. Heat vegetable oil in a pan.  Add the chicken pieces.  Season with  garlic salt and pepper powder and saute until they turn white and half-cooked.

2.  Now add mushroom slices and saute well.  When the chicken pieces and mushroom are cooked add the onion and  bell peppers.  Saute for a minute or two.  Switch off.

 

3. Smear the bread slices with a layer of  tomato ketchup.  Now spread the chicken -vegetable mixture on top of the bread.  I added some canned pineapple tidbits too. 

 

4. Top with grated cheese.  Bake it at 375 F for around 10 mts or until the cheese melts and the bread turn slightly crispy (You can slice the bread if you wish.)

 

 

 

Tips:

 

1)  Add more toppings on the bread and fat free cheese to make it more healthy.  Instead of ketchup you can use any pizza sauce.

 

2)  Vegetable bread pizza can also be made in the same way. You can try veggies of your choice.  I made it with onion, bell peppers and mushroom.  I usually add more toppings on the bread and less cheese to make it more healthy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kerala Style Kothu Porotta/Paratha

             Porottas are one of the easily available things in the Indian store in freezer section. This kothu porotta is a South Indian dish which can be easily prepared, and is a perfect brunch for weekends:). You can also serve it as a snack. Here is the recipe for kothu porotta.

 

Ingredients

 

1. Porotta – 4-5  cut  into bite sized pieces
2. Onion – 1 medium diced
3. Ginger – 1 tsp chopped
4. Garlic – 1  tsp chopped
5. Green chillies – 5-6 chopped
6. Tomato – 1 medium chopped
7. Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
8. Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
9. Turmeric  powder – 1/4 tsp
10. Tomato ketchup – 2 tsp
11. Egg – 2
12. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
13. Oil – 2-3 tsp
14. Curry leaves – 1 sprig
15. Coriander leaves – to garnish
16. Salt – to taste

 

 

 

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter the mustard seeds.

2. Add onion and salt. Saute onion untill translucent. Then add ginger, garlic, curry leaves and green chillies.

 

3. Add the tomatoes, cook until soft.

4. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and mix well.

5. Add the porotta pieces and stir fry it for a few minutes. Now add the tomato ketchup and mix well.

 

6. Beat the eggs with little salt. Now pour it into the porottas gently and scramble it.

7. Garnish with the coriander leaves. Remove from the heat.

8. Serve hot.

Tips:

1. You can use chappathi/plain nan instead of porotta.

2. You can also add minced chicken/any meat.

3. The porottas can also be deep fried.

4.  Vegetarians can avoid eggs.

 

Chilli Mushroom

 

     There are many health benefits to eating mushroom.  Apart from adding a wonderful taste and meaty texture to food, mushroom also contain essential nutrients. They are a great source of phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and selenium, nutrients that are often lacking in highly processed food-diets.  Also mushrooms contain virtually no fat or cholesterol, are low in sodium and are also a good source of fibre.  Here’s a mushroom recipe that is easy to prepare and tasty too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Ingredients

1. Button Mushroom - Around 1 cup cleaned and sliced
2. Onion - 1/2 diced
3. Bell pepper(green and red) - 1/2 cup diced
4. Green chilli - 2 sliced
5. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Ginger - 1 tsp finely chopped
7. Garlic - 1 tsp finely chopped
8. Chilli-garlic sauce or chilli sauce - 1 tbsp (I used chilli-garlic sauce and garlic salt since I didn’t have garlic to add)
9. Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp
10. Soy sauce - 1 tsp
11. Vinegar -  1/2 - 1 tsp
12. Salt - To taste

 

      Method

 

1.  Heat oil in a pan. Add the sliced  mushroom and salt.  Saute and cook it at medium heat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  In another pan heat oil, add onion, green chillies, garlic and ginger.  When the onion is transparent add the bell peppers and saute for a few minutes.  Now add the pepper powder, soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup and chilli garlic sauce.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Finally add the cooked mushroom.  Mix well, saute for 2-3 mts.  You can add  cornflour (1 tsp) in warm water, boil and simmer a few minutes for gravy. Garnish with coriander leaves.  Switch off.  Serve hot with fried rice/chappathi.

 

 

Gulab Jamun

   Gulab Jamun, soft sweet balls with a nice aroma  and  a pleasant taste are  liked by almost every one. Diwali without gulab jamun seems imperfect. These lip-smacking balls are easy to prepare from easily available ingredients like milk powder, all purpose flour and milk. You can serve warm gulab jamuns with ice cream.

Ingredients

1. Milk powder – 1 cup
2. All purpose flour – 1/2 cup
3. Baking soda – 1/2 tsp
4. Unsalted Butter melted/ghee – 3tsp
5. Sugar – 1 cup
6. Water – 2 cup
7. Whole milk - As required, to make the dough
8. Cardamom  – 1 tsp  crushed
9. Rose water – 1tsp, or 1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
10. Lime juice – 1 tsp
11. Oil – to fry the balls

Method

To make the sugar syrup

1. To make the syrup mix sugar and water in a wide vessel and keep in a low flame.
2. Once the sugar is completely melted add the cardamom powder, rose water,  lime juice and keep in very low flame.
3. Stir the syrup in between. Care must be taken so that the sugar may not caramelize, keep the syrup warm.

 

To make the Balls

 

1. Mix milk powder, all purpose flour and baking soda.  Make a dough by gradually adding milk(whole milk). Knead properly to get a smooth dough.

 

 

 

2. Cover it with a damp cloth and keep for 15 mts.

 

3. Grease your hands with little ghee and make small lemon sized balls from the dough. The ball must be small since it will double in size while frying.  Avoid any cracks on the balls.

 

 

   4. Heat oil in a pan first at high heat and then reduce to medium. Fry the balls in the oil, the balls will sink to the bottom and then will start floating. Move the pan gently or stir the oil continuously so that the balls will get brown evenly. Never fry the balls in high heat,  since they will not get cooked inside. At right temperature, the ball will rest in the bottom for 5 mts and slowly will rise up. This way, the balls will be completely cooked from inside and outside.

  

 

 

 

5.  When the balls turn brown, transfer them directly into the warm sugar syrup. Close it with a lid.

 

6.  Remove the  sugar syrup from the heat and leave the gulab jamun balls in the sugar syrup overnight for better results.

 

 

Tips:

1. Instead of all purpose flour you can use any pancake mix.
2. Adding saffron to the sugar syrup will give additional color and flavor to the jamuns.
3. Never fry the balls in high heat.
4. You can also use 1/4 cup soaked sooji rava ( Soak it in warm water for about 5 - 10 minutes. Remember to drain the water completely before mixing it with milk powder.) and 1/4 cup all purpose flour instead of 1/2 cup all purpose flour.