chow chow chutney

Radish Paratha/Mooli paratha

Radish paratha or Mooli paratha as it is called in hindi is a flat bread that is prepared in winter when radish is available in abundance.

Ingredients:

1 cup - grated radish/mooli

2 cups - wheat flour/atta

1 tsp - turmeric powder/haldi

1 tsp - cumin/jeera powder

1 tsp - chilli flakes

2 tsp - chick pea flour/besan

1/2 cup - coriander leaves

Oil and salt - as required

Masala bread

 I prefer making bread at home as it is fresh from the Owen and is free from preservatives. Today, I made masala bread with Indian flavours. 

Ingredients:

2 cups - all purpose flour/maida

1/2 cup - warm milk

1 tsp - sugar

1 tsp - salt

1 tsp - cumin powder

1 1/2 tsp - instant yeast

1/ cup - chopped coriander leaves

1/4 cup - chopped green chilles

1/4 cup -  butter/oil

Method:

Combine the flour with coriander leaves, green chillies and cumin powder. Add the sugar, salt and yeast to the warm milk. Pour this solution to the flour and mix. Add more water (about 1/2 cup of water) and make a soft sticky dough. Smear the batter with butter. Rest for two hours or more till the dough rises and doubles in size. In the meantime grease a bread tin. After two hours, punch the dough and knead again. Place it in the greased tin. Cover and set aside for one hour or more till it rises again. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 mins at 180 c till done.

Note:

Time taken to bake depends on the size of the oven.

Dry yeast also can be used, but it must be activated. For that add same quantity of dry yeast to warm milk or water to which some sugar is added. Cover and set side for few minutes till it becomes frothy. Add this activated yeast to dough.

Palak Puri

  

 Palak puri is a healthier than normal puri. Spices like carom seeds and cumin  powder used in its making aids in digestion too. As kids would love its flavour and colour, it makes for a good breakfast option.

Ingredients:

1 cup - chopped spinach/palak

1/2 cup - chopped coriander leaves

1 - green chilly

1 tsp - carom seeds/ajwain

2 cups - wheat flour/atta

1 tsp - turmeric powder

1 tsp - cumin powder

salt to taste

Oil as required

Method:

Grind the spinach, coriander leaves and green chilly to a smooth paste in a blender. Combine it with the other ingredients except oil. Mix well. Make a soft dough. Add little water if the dough is very stiff. Rest for ten minutes. Divide the dough and make small balls out of it. Roll each ball into small puri. Deep fry them in medium hot oil. Drain it in an absorbent paper. Serve hot with any side dish of your choice. However, a gravy with green peas and mashed potatoes goes well with this. 

Turmeric Shots

 Turmeric shots is a very palatable drink that can help in increasing immunity. The proportion of ginger and turmeric can be altered according to ones taste. Even, sparkling water can be added instead of coconut water for that extra fizz.

Ingredients: 1 cup - turmeric 1/2 cup - ginger 1 - tender coconut 2 tsp - honey 1 tsp - cumin powder 1 pinch salt

Broken Wheat Pongal

A simple and easy to make diabetic friendly food.

Ingredients:

2 cups - broken wheat/daliya/samba rava

1/2 cup -  green gram/moong dal

6 cups - water

3 tsp - chopped ginger

1 - green chilli slit

1 tsp - cumin/jeera 

1 tsp - black pepper

1 tsp - asafoetida/hing

1 cup - ghee/clarified butter

1/2 cup - cashew nuts

curry leaves - few

salt to taste   

Fenugreek leaves dosa

Ingredients:

2 cups - par-boiled rice/idli rice

1/4 cup - black gram/urad dal

2 cups - fenugreek/methi leaves

1 tsp - cumin/jeera powder

1 tsp - pepper powder

salt and oil as required

Rava Idli

Rava idli can be served anytime. It tastes great with coconut chutney and sambhar. With added vegetables it becomes a  good option for people who are on low GI diet.

Ingredients:

2 cups - rava/semolina

2 cup - curd

1 cup - cold water

1 tsp - asafoetida powder

1tsp - oil

1tsp - roasted mustard

1tsp - roasted black gram

1tsp - finely chopped ginger

1tsp - finely chopped chillies

1tsp - baking powder

1 cup - grated coconut

1 cup - grated carrot

1 cup - chopped coriander

few curry leaves

salt to taste

Cashews for garnishing