Rajgira Halwa | Amaranth seeds halwa | Keerai Vidhai Halwa

Hare Krishna!

A sweet start for this year!

Rajgira - in Marathi means Royal Grain Raj - Royal Gira - grain Rajgira - Marathi English - Amaranth Seeds (Amaranth means immortal) Tamizh - Keerai Vidhai (கீரை விதை) A sathvic Halwa that can get consumed on Ekadashi day by to hose who don't follow complete fasting. Since it is not a whole grain, it is allowed in Ekadashi recipes.

This grain has highest content of calcium, rich in iron, phosphorus, magnesium. This is the only grain that has Vitamin C. Easily digestable. It reduces hunger pangs and is believed to improve eyesight. I used Jaggery. In case if you want to use sugar, then you may use upto 3/4 cup of sugar replacing jaggery.

Video Recipe is here :-

Ingredients :-

• Rajgira flour - 1 cup
• Jaggery - 1 Cup (If sugar, use 3/4 cup)
• Ghee - 1/2 cup (melted)
• Water - 2.5 cups
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Procedure :-

• In a vessel add the jaggery and water. Heat it till the jaggery dissolves.
• Filter for removing impurities.
• Heat a wok
• Add the melted ghee
• Add the flour and roast "ONLY IN LOW FLAME", till golden brown (approx 5 to 7 minutes)
• Add the filtered jaggery water, keep stirring without lumps.
• In medium flame cook, till it thickens and start leaving the sides.
• Switch off gas. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
• Delicious and healthy Rajgira Halwa is ready to be offered or relished.

You may check the video recipe given above.

Hare Krishna!

Thenga Manga Pattani Chundal

Thenga Manga Pattani Chundal is not only a healthy nevedhyam for Navaratri but also a very Popular snack that is available in Chennai's "Marina Beach".

Thenga = Coconut , Manga = Raw Mango, Pattani = Dried Yellow Peas, Chundal = Stir Fry

Thus this makes a Healthy Evening Snack or a Morning Salad which is also a filling one. During Off Season, lemon juice can be used instead of raw mango.

Video Published in Mira's Akshaya Patram : 

You will need :-

1. Dried Yellow Peas - 1 Cup
2. Raw Mango - 4-5 Tbsp
3. Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
4. Green Chillies - 3 -4 Nos. (crushed)
5. Curry Leaves - 13 Nos.
6. Asafoetida Powder - less than 1/4 tsp
7. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil for Tempering - 2-3 Tbsp
10. Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Procedure :-

• Soak dried peas for 10 hours or overnight. Discard the water, fill fresh water, add turmeric powder, Salt and Pressure cook till 5 or 6 Whistles

• Drain and keep it aside.

• Heat a wok, add oil for tempering. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida and then curry leaves.

• Add the pressure cooked peas, crushed green chillies and adjust the seasoning.

• Switch OFF gas and then add grated coconut, raw mango and give it a mix.

• Healthy Khatta Tikha and Yummy Chundal (Stir fry) is ready!

Yaa Devi Sarva Bhutheshu, Lakshmi roopena samasthithaa

Namastasyay, namastasyay, namastasyay namo nama :

Jai Ma Ambe!

Solkadhi and Kokam Curry

Sol Kadhi / Solkadhi is a popular pink drink from the Konkan Region and also famous in the state of Goa.   The kokam curry or Kadhi can be consumed mixing with plain rice or it can be drunk as a digestive aid after a hearty meal. You can also take a sip of it as a health drink like I do :-)

During our visit to Goa, we found that this drink varies at different household.  some add coconut milk and some add buttermilk instead. Some make it plain and call it kokam curry, which I have mentioned with a photo at the end of this post.

Kokam or Kokum is also known as Kodampuli (Malayalam) / Kodai Puli or Pazhaya puli (Tamizh) / Garcinia Indica. / Aamsol (hindi)

It is the oldest known souring agent of our country and is used to replace tamarind in certain dishes. It has lot of medicinal benefits. It has antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, soft on your stomach compared to tamarind, Improves digestion, etc

Fresh Kokam Fruit looks like this (as in the image below) [image courtesy : google search]

When dried but moist it will be slightly pinkish in color  (as seen in the image below) :-

If it is completely dried and not fresh in the market then it will be brown in color (so you may not get the pink color but it is still good for health).

The Kokam, gives this recipe a slightly tangy taste and that lovely pink color.  It is consumed in various forms viz., suppliment for tamarind in cooking, kokum syrup is readily available in the market as a health drink, it can be consumed with buttermilk or coconut milk as Solkadhi.

Before we get into the recipe, let us know the possible variations in taste and flavour.

• Solkadhi can be prepared in two ways. It can be prepared with coconut milk thus becomes very good for stomach and rich in taste or we can replace coconut milk with buttermilk to make it more subtle yet yummy.

• Again, you can control the flavour as per your preference. Chopping the ingredients and adding them to the kadhi will keeps it light as only when you bite on the chillie pieces or the coriander leaves, you get the strong taste and flavour. The other option is to grind them together and filter. This method will  give a differnt color (little dark) and strong flavour to the kadhi.

• There is another simple preparation of kokam called kokam curry.  One of my friend said that it is also called "Tivli" where to the kokam water, just salt and chopped green chillies are added and served along with a meal.

• When you feel little lethargic to cook, this becomes the best accompaniment for rice eaters.

• Soaking is required. Thus it makes this recipe a no-cooking recipe. However, if you forget to soak it, you can boil  the kokam till it becomes soft and then use it in the recipe.

You will need :- (Serves 2)

1. Kokum petals - 6 nos.
2. Green Chilli - 2 nos.
3. Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
4. Buttermilk - 1.5 cup 
5. Water - 1/2 cup
6. Salt to taste

Procedure :-

• Soak Kokam for  2 hours. This will ensure that kokam becomes soft and also infuses its taste, flavour and specially the color to the water.
• Finely chop the green chillies and coriander leaves. 
• After soaking squeeze and extract water (just like you do with tamarind) and filter it.
• Add finely chopped green chillies, finely chopped coriander leaves to it.
• Add Salt to taste, buttermilk  and water to it. 
• Mix well and serve.

Variations:- 

1. Coconut milk: In the above recipe, if you intend to make using coconut milk, then add 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 cup water (dilute as per your preference)
2. Grinding : If you want to infuse strong flavour and color to the recipe, then grind the kokam, green chillies and 2 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves with little water and filter it and use in the recipe either with buttermilk or coconut milk.

Enjoy the delicious drink or add it as a curry to plain rice and enjoy the simple yet delicious meal!

Ash Gourd Soup / Elavan soup / vellai poosani soup

Glad to meet you all so soon. Since my resting days are over, now I am trying to get myself engaged completely like before and that made me make and share this wonderful soup of today the 'Ash gourd Soup'

Ash gourd or Winter Melon (English) /  Safed Bhopla (Marathi) / Elavan (Malayalam) / Vellai Poosani (Tamizh) /

This vegetable is low in calorie and fats. More of watery type. Hence when cooked adding salt, they tend to leave water. They have Carbs, Protein, Fiber, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorous, Thiamin, Vitamin C etc.  The vegetable also help in weightloss.

They are used in cooking as a vegetable and also used in making a sweet called Petha  (Agra Petha).

The soup can be spiced up using green chilli or Black Pepper corn as per your preference.

To make the soup, you need:- [Serves : 2 ]

• Ash Gourd - 1/4 kg
• Green Chilli - 1 No. (or  few black peppercorn as per your preference)
• Curry Leaves - 3 Nos.
• Sugar - less than 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Water

For Garnishing :-

• Coconut oil - less than 1/4 tsp
• Milk - 1 tbsp

• In a pressure cooker put the diced the Ash gourd along with other ingredients and pressure cook for 3 whistles. 
• Once the pressure settles down, let it cool and then blend in a mixer
• Heat it
• Mix in the garnishing ingredients and then serve hot.

A simple and Humble soup to satisfy the soul!

Important to note :-

1. Those who have lactose intolerance, can avoid milk and can supplement it with coconut milk (which is also good for stomach). 
2. Coconut oil adds a nice flavour to the soup. (do not add any other cooking oil. If you don't like flavour of coconut oil, just omit it from the ingredients list while you make).
3. If you are adding black peppercorn, add it while serving.
4. Diabetics can avoid adding sugar and Milk and enjoy the soup with rest of the ingredients.

Chickpea Salad

With interesting ingredients and salad dressing, a simple salad can turn out tasty.  Sharing with you a simple  salad using chickpeas.

Ingredients :  (serves : 1)

1. Boiled Chickpea - 1/2 cup
2. Yellow Bell pepper - 2 tbsp
3. Red Bell Pepper - 2 tbsp
4. Green bell pepper - 2 tbsp
5. Onion - 1No. sliced
6. Coriander leaves - 1 tsp
7. Olive oil - 1 tsp
8. Garlic finely chopped - 1 tbsp
9. Lemon juice -  1 tsp
10. Salt to taste
11. Pepper powder - a pinch
12. Ice berg lettuce leaf  (optional)

 Procedure :-

• Soak & cook chickpea adding salt, till tender

• Dice the bell peppers

• Slice the onion thinly

• Finely chop coriander leaves

• Heat oil in a wok, add finely chopped garlic and fry it for 30 seconds in low flame.

• add the cubed bell peppers, boiled chick pea and toss it for a minute in medium flame. switch off the flame.

• Add onion slices, lemon juice, pepper powder, salt. Mix well

• Place a iceberg lettu leaf on serving bowl / plate

• Transfer the chickpea mixture to the lettuce leaf, sprinkle coriander leaves on top and serve.

Pal Kanji

Now a days i am much into my nostalgic childhood days and this post is an outcome of one such memorable drink I had. I used to eagerly wait to see amma mix in some milk and sugar into the kanji and give me in a pithala tumbler (Brass tumbler). It is an interesting thing to watch all the brass vessels of those days being used in the kitchen. One such interesting & amazing kitchen is in my aunt's house. 

Pal Kanji - a sweet & light combo of the healthy water drained from red rice (boiled variety) with milk makes a good diluted porridge

In joint families, a big brass pot is used for cooking rice daily to feed all the members. The pot is then gently kept for draining the water once the rice is cooked. the kanji is then extracted and used to make the pal kanji which every children in the household enjoyed drinking well before lunch is served. The mild aroma of the rice and milk makes it interesting & tasty to drink.

Traditionally boiled red rice (Matta Rice) is cooked in our home using draining method wherein the water (kanji) is collected in a vessel. When we add little sugar and milk to it, the warm / hot kanji makes an excellent quick tummy soother for a hungry stomach. Later on the red rice got replaced with white rice but still red rice is used for some feasts vi.,  Onam, Vishu or as n when we wish for.

You may use any variety of rice you use for this. Since red rice is comparitively healthy variety, it was and is used in the traditional cooking.

I used red boiled rice (matta rice) which is full of nutrients and fibre.

You just need 3 simple ingredients  :-

1. Rice Kanji (Water drained from rice) - 1 Cup
2.  Boiled Milk - 1/4 cup
3. Sugar - 2 tsp

Procedure is very simple. To the hot kanji, add the boiled milk and sugar, mix well and serve!



Sit back, bring near your nostril, feel the mild aroma and enjoy it sip by sip! I enjoy it every day!

Bajra Ragi Idli - Kezhvaragu kambu idli

Idli - is considered to be an healthy breakfast which supplies the required energy to start a day in the form of carbohydrates.   

Adding native grains of our country make an oridinary idli into an elated Healthy Idli. Native grains have their own health benefit. our traditional food consisted of this. But after the white rice entered our cuisine, the native grains which are compeltely filled with goodness from mother nature has been pushed to a corner which is noticed only by few. Those few are trying to bring them to the lime light through their innovative recipes.

Sharing with you a one such recipe which includes Ragi and Bajra into this healthy idli making.

Ingredients :-

1. Bajra / Pearl Millet - 1 cup
2. Ragi - 1 cup
3. Parboiled rice - 3 cup (idli rice)
4. Whole Urad / Bengal Gram - 1 cup
5. Sago - 2 tbsp
6. Fenugreek seeds - 1.5 tsp

Procedure :-

• Wash and Soak Bajra, Ragi and rice for 10 hours  along with sago and fenugreek seeds

• Wash and Soak urad for one hour

• Drain water from soaked urad

• First in a wet grinder, put the Urad and grind it for 20 to 30 minutes by adding water little by little till it becomes nice & fluffy like butter.

• Transfer the batter to a vessel.

• Now Add the soaked rice+ragi+sago+bajra+fenugreek and grind it to paste by adding water little by little as and when required so that you can easily transfer it to the vessel without dropping.

• when rice is ground, add the already ground Urad & required salt & grind them together for 10 minutes (no need to add water now) so that they get mixed well.

• Transfer it to a bigger vessel and let it ferment for 6 hours or till the batter raise well. If you are leaving it overnight on a hot day, do keep a big eating plate (thali) under the vessel so that in case any spillage happens during fermentation, it will fall into the plate.

• To make idli, to the fermented batter, add required water (slightly more than dropping consistency) and mix well.

• Grease the idli mould, Put the steamer on the stove and let the water inside it boil.

• Now pour a laddle of batter into moulds and steam it for 10 minutes.

• Insert a knife. if it comes out clean, the idli is done!

Enjoy the healthy idli with a healthy coconut or onion chutney or go as per what your taste bud suggest!

Eat Healthy, Live Healthy!

 

3 treasure Rasam / Thrikaduga rasam / Medicinal Rasam

Number 'three' always has a special place. 3 Gods (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva) and 3 Goddesses (shakti, Lakshmi, Saraswathi) are considered supreme as per hinduism.  Three steps of Lord Vishnu in vamana avatar, Three eyes of lord shiva, trisul of lord shiva and shakti, 3 charachteristics (satva, rajas, tamas gunas), 3 parts of time (past, present, future), the sacred ash worn as three lines by shiva devotees, three humors of the body (vata, pita, kapa), 3 top medicines (sukku, milagu tippili i.e. Dry gigner, Black peppercorns and Long pepper  known as tirikadugam in tamil) etc....

With the goodness of the three making my post this year a "3 Treasure Rasam". I mentioned treasure becuase the 3 of the ingridients used in this rasam has excellent medicinal power viz., Dry ginger, Black peppercorn and Long Pepper.

Dry ginger = Sukku (tamizh), Sunth (hindi)
Black peppercorn = Milagu (tamizh), Kali mirch or kali miri (in hindi)
Long pepper = Thippili (tamizh) , Pippili (hindi).

Dry ginger and black peppercorn is available in any grocery shop in India. But the Long pepper is availble mostly with the shop selling indian medicines known as 'naatu marundu kadai' or 'Jadi boothi dhukan'

Buy them and store in fridge for it to stay fresh and longer period without the worry of the insect raid. Always make the mix fresh when using in recipes for medicinal purposes. Long pepper used here is called 'arisi tippili' which is a fruit of a tree and is used for cold and respiratory diseases.. Kandathippili is root and is used to cure digestive problems.
 

This is a Rasam recipe which comes handy when one is ill. Specially during cold and flu time. Quick and easy.  I used kokam (kodampuli / kodai puli) as it is the native tamarind of our land which is very good for health at all times. The term old tamarind refers only to this and not the old stock of regular tamarind. In medicinal world the regular tamarind is called 'new tamarind' - pudu puli  (tamizh) and pazhaya puli (old tamarind) means Kokam.

Arisi tippili /

To make the rasam delicious, I am adding other regular ingredients. Lets get on to the yummy rasam making.

Ingredients  :-

1. Dry ginger - 1/4" piece
2. Black peppercorn - 10 nos
3. Long pepper - 3 to 4 Nos. 
4. Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
5. Curry leaves - 5 nos.
6. Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp
7. Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
8. Asafoetida - a pinch or less than 1/4 tsp
9. Turmeric Powder - 2 pinches
10. Kokam - 3 pieces
11. Water - 2.5 cups
12. Salt to taste
13. Jaggery shredded - 1/4 tsp
14. Ghee - 2 tsp
15. Mustar seeds - 1 tsp

Procedure :-

• Dry roast Dry ginger, Black peppercorn, Long pepper, Cumin seeds, Curry leaves, Fenugreek seeds and Coriander seeds.

• Powder the dry roasted ingredients

•  Heat  Ghee in a pot, add the mustard seeds. After it splutters add water.

• Now add the ground powder, turmeric powder, asafotida powder, kokam, salt, jaggery. 

•  Bring to boil. Lower the flame and let it boil for 2 minutes.

•  Switch off the flame.

•  Our 3 treasure Rasam is ready to be consumed as a soup or with plain hot white rice.

Generally when one is sick, always provide them with easily digestible food. The combo of dry ginger, pepper and long pepper is advised to be administered commonly for any ailment.

3 cheers!

wish you all a Prosperous, Happy and Healthy 2014.

Ivy Gourd Buttermilk / கோவை மோர்

Buttermilk is always an excellent body cooler and thirst quencher. Along with its good properties added the goodness of ivry gourd to make it a stomach cooler too.

Ivy Gourd (english), Tondli (Marathi), Kovai Kaai (Tamizh)

  

The plant as a whole is used for medicinal purposes in Indian Medicine. Ivy gourd is good in controlling sugar level, cures mouth ulcer, stomach ulcer when used in raw form. This humble vegetable which grows in abundance in the wild and on fences can also control heavy bleeding in woman during the monthly cycle. It also controls the intestinal worms.  

Let's get  into the Kovai Express! The preparation is very simple and easy. To make one serving you will need :-

1. Buttermilk - 1 Glass
2. Ivry Gourd - 4 Nos
3. Curry Leaves - 3 Nos
4. Black salt to taste 

• Wash and clean ivy gourd. chop into cubes.
• In a blender throw the cut cubes, curry leaves, black salt and little buttermilk and blend into a nice paste.
• Mix in remaining buttermilk and pour into a serving glass
• Black salt is good for medicinal purposes. You may use instead, normal table salt.
•  Yummy summer cooler - Ivy Gourd Buttermilk is ready to be relished! 

Tulsi Tea (organic india)

Which is the first item that gets into your shopping cart?

Mine usually starts with Oil or Dal. The supermarket I visit starts with cosmetics from the entrace and gradually proceeds with bath requirements, clothes, accessories,..... last comes the oil, dal, veg & bakery sections. So I start from Oil / Dal section and go ahead...... by the time my shopping is over, i will be near billing section.

Orgnaic India's Tulsi tea caught my attention and swooooooooosh!...... it went inside my shopping cart. I prefer tea leaves over tea bags. Tea leaves gives a quality taste compared to tea bags.

The tulsi tea is a combination of Rama Tulsi, Krishna Tulsi and Vana Tulsi. Their other tea leaves viz., jasmine, chamomile, ginger, lemon etc have a mix of these three tulsi leaves in the ingredient list.  I went for this one. I can always squeeze in few drops of lemon or crush a piece of ginger to get the variation in taste & flavour.

The steeping process is same as the ginger honey lemon tea.

I just added few drops of honey as a very light sweetner. What a soothing tea it is!

The mix flavour is taking me... into ..... a blissful state...............................

c u with another cup of freshly brewed health tea!

bye

Ginger Honey Lemon tea

Natural Tea are rich in anti-oxidant. A cup of tea after a meal aids in digestion, dissolves cholestrol, help in weightloss along with exercise & controlled diet.  

 

Tea when brewed at right temperature, without milk & sugar, infuse good health. They taste best when they are just hot enough to sip unlike the regular milk teas.

Opt for tea leaves instead of tea bags as they make your tea taste best.

These teas help you relax, boost your health.

These tea leaves can be reused twice or thrice though the concentration may become lighter.

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Ginger Honey Lemon Tea (servings : 2 nos)

You will need :-

1. Ginger - 1" piece
2. Lemon - half a lemon
3. Honey - 2 tsp
4. Water - 2 cups

 Procedure :-

• wash, peel the ginger.

• CAUTION :- Ginger should never be used with peel. You have to remove the outerskin as the skin has the property of nullifying all the good qualities of a ginger. For any use, never forget to peel a ginger.

•  Grate the ginger and put it into a tea pot or a vessel or a thermoflask

•  Boil 2 cups water. Switch off and leave it for two minutes for the temperature to come down. Pour this water into the pot / vessel / flask and cover it with lid and allow it to steep for 4 minutes.

• Now in the serving glass squeeze in few drops of lemon juice

• Add 1tsp honey in each serving glass

•  Using a sieve filter the steeped tea into the glass. mix well.

• Enjoy your cup of healthy tea!

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BENEFITS :-

• This soothing combination aids in weightloss, boost immune system. Best during cold & flu.
• The antioxidant vitamin C from lemon prevent formation of free radicals. Good to fight cold.
• Ginger is used in therapies to control nausea, vomitting. It also helps in sweating thus assists detoxification process in the body
• Honey a natural cough suppressant, boosts immunity and a natural sweetner which makes your tea more interesting.