Idli With Rasam and Peanut Chutney

This combination for Idli is my all time favourite. There was a lady right in front of my college who used have a little fast food corner in her house. She used to sell idli sambhar chutney, wada sambhar, masala dosa. During recess her house used to literally overflow with the college kids.

Her food was delicious and she was a real kind hearted lady, she would welcome us in her house anytime. Her idli sambhar chutney is my inspiration for this recipe. Her sambhar though delicious used to taste a lot like rasam to me. After I moved to US I had the craving to eat aunties idli sambhar so I made it adding some variations. I used rasam instead of sambhar and instead of coconut chutney I add Peanut Chutney to it and the final result is YUMMOOOOO

Method

Make your regular rasam. For seasoning when you add mustard seeds to the rasam add some jeera also, add this to the rasam and mix well.

For Peanut Chutney

Raw Peanuts - 1/2 cup

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp

Garlic - 1 pod

Green Chillies - 3-4 ( add as per taste)

Small piece Tamarind

Take little oil in a pan. Add all the above ingredients and fry till raw smell has gone. Cool and grind to a fine paste. Add mustard and urad dal seasoning to this and mix well.

TO SERVE

Take idlis in a bowl. Pour rasam on top. Add some chutney and serve.

Sabudana khichdi

It is amazing how music brings back memories of the past. Whenever I listen to old hindi songs I remember my school days. There used to be a cycle repair shop right next to our school which happened to be right outside the window next to my desk. Everyday 11 to 12 they used to play old songs in the radio which used to be on in full blast. Even today whenever I listen to any old songs and just close my eyes I feel I am back in the classroom.

Just like music brings back memories of the past, sometimes food brings back memories too. Same is the case with sabudana khichdi. There is a street in Pune called Tulsi Bagh. It is a street where we can get anything and everything at a good price. Of course this place is always crowded. There is this vendor who had these huge aluminium boxes of goodies. He had Sabudana khichdi, Kanda poha, Batata wada and sabudana wada. He didn't have a proper shop, he would just be at a corner of the road and sell these goodies, of course he was bhaiya to all young and old. You have to be lucky to have these dishes because they would be over soon, it is just luck if you are there when he opens the boxes. It is also amazing how all these dishes tasted the same everytime. Even now whenever I visit india I do go there just to taste these goodies.

The key to making good sabudana Khichdi is adding the right amount of water to soak it. If you add too much water the khichdi turns sticky and if you add too little it turns hard. It will take a couple of tries but it is possible to master it.

Ingredients

Sabudana - 1 cup

Peanuts - 1/2 cup (roasted and ground coarsely)

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Curry leaves few

Cilantro

Green Chillies - 3

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut for garnish

salt and lemon

Method

Wash the sabudana and drain the water leaving only enough water to immerse all the sabudana and leave it overnight. The next morning all the water is soaked up and the sabudhana are soft and white. Add the peanut powder, salt and 1/2 tsp sugar to the sabudana and mix well.

Take ghee in a pan. Add Cumin seeds when it changes color add curry leaves and green chillies. Saute and then add the sabudana and mix well. Keep stirring in medium flame till the sabudana looks transperant. Add the cilantro and coconut. Squeeze Lemon juice and mix well.
Serve hot.

Kanda pohe

This is a very popular maharastrian dish served as breakfast or snack. This is also a main dish for the poha programme. It is a dish that is served when a boy of marriageable comes with his family to see a girl during arranged marriages. It is one of the dishes that is very easy to make and there is no way u can go wrong.

Ingredients

3 cups - Jad pohe (thick Aval)

1 large onion finely chopped

3-4 green chillies (adjust as per taste)

mustard seed - 1/2 tsp

peanuts - 1 tbsp

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

turmeric - 1/2 tsp

curry leaves

cilantro, grated coconut

Few slices lemon

salt, oil

Method

Wash pohe drain all the water and keep aside. Take oil in a pan. Add mustard seed and jeera. When it splutters add green chillies, curry leaves and peanuts. Cook for a couple of minutes then add onions. Fry till onions are translucent. Add turmeric and salt and reduce the flame. Now add pohe and mix well add some cilantro, mix and cover. Cook on low flame. While serving garnish with cilantro, grated coconut and serve with a slice of lemon.

Carrot Chutney

My cousin requested me to post some dishes using few ingredients and easy to make. I guess this chutney will surely win a lot of hearts. It is very versatile. It can be a side dish for Idli, Dosa, Rotis, Rice or just as a spread for bread. So S this one is for you.

Ingredients

Carrots - 3 Large

Urad dal - 2 tbsp

Red chillies - 3(adjust as per taste)

Tamarind - small piece

Mustard seeds, Hing, curry leaves,urad dal

Method

Wash and cut the carrots. Take oil in a pan add the urad dal and fry till it turns brown. Add red chillies and fry some more. Add carrots, tamarind and salt and keep stirring till carrots are cooked. You can sprinkle some water on top if needed but do not add more water. Let it cool, then grind it to a fine paste. Take a tsp oil in a pan add mustard when it splutters add hing, urad dal when it turns brown add curry leaves. Pour this on the chutney and mix well. Enjoy

Variation : Use cabbage instead of carrot for cabbage chutney.

Healthy Mango Shake

I just hate milk, but with all the importance given to Calcium intake for women I just know I have to do something about it.

Osteoporosis affects 9 million women, adequate daily calcium is essential in maintaining bone strength. Calcium helps build stronger bones, and vitamin D helps the body better use calcium.

The amount of calcium that a woman should get per day ranges from 1000mg-1500mg, depending her age group, and hormonal state.

a) Ages 11-24 (adolescents and young adults): 1200-1500 mg

b) Ages 25-50: 1000 mg

c) Pregnant and nursing: 1200-1500 mg

d) Older than 50 (postmenopausal): on estrogens: 1000 mg , not on estrogens: 1500 mg

e) Older than 65: 1500 mg

So if you are anything like me who likes milk only in coffee/tea, then this shake is for you.

This is a favorite with my kids too. I have used splenda instead of sugar and also Carnation Instant Breakfast Mix. This mix has 2 times the protein of an egg and 2 times the calcium of yogurt. Adding this mix to Milk almost doubles the amout of calcium and protein. This instant breakfast comes in 3 flavors Chocolate, Strawberry and Classic French Vanilla. I have used Classic French Vanilla for this recipe

Carnation instant breakfast was recommended to me by my daughters pediatrition. Now not only my kids but the whole family enjoys this shake.

Ingredients

Milk 2% - 1 Glass

Splenda/ Sugar - 1 and 1/2 tsp (adjust as per taste)

Mango Pulp - 3 tbsp (adjust as per taste)

Carnation instant breakfast(Vanilla) - 1/2 packet

In a tall glass add all the ingredients and mix well. Serve Cold

16 Bean Gravy

The inspiration for this recipe is from a dish called Sundal Rasam by Mallika Badrinath. I have made a few variations to the recipe, like increased or decreased the quantity of Masala and instead of using peas in the recipe I used 16 Bean Soup Mix.


























This is available in most grocery stores and has all the beans in one pack. It is a very colorful mixture of different types of beans. I generally find it in the Goya Foods / Pasta aisle. Pick a packet of 16 Bean mix for a little over a dollar and enjoy a healthy and nutritious meal.








Ingredients

16 Beans mix - 1/2 pound (soak overnight)
Garlic - 3 flakes(chopped)
Onion - 2 medium(chopped)
Tamarind Paste - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery a small piece (about 1/2 tsp)
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies - 2
Asafoetida- a pinch
Curry Leaves, Cilantro for Garnishing
Salt, Oil for seasoning



Grind together

Coriander Seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
Cumin - 1 1/2 tsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Red Chillies - 4
Black gram dal & Bengal gram dal - 1 tsp

Fry the above until golden brown, add 2 tbsp of coconut and grind to paste.



Method:

Heat oil in a pressure pan. Add mustard seeds, when it splutters add asafoetida, 2 broken red chillies, curry leaves, onions and garlic. Fry till onions are brown add turmeric, and the ground paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the soaked 16 Beans, salt and enough water and pressure cook till done.


Allow this to cool. Open lid add tamarind, jaggery and salt if needed and boil for 2 minutes. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with Puris/Roti/Jeera Rice











This Yummy, Spicy Gravy is my entry to Tasty Palettes: Announcing MLLA, Sixth Helping - Hot & Spicy hosted by Suganya started by Susan @The Well-Seasoned Cook: My Legume Love Affair - The Host Lineup

Drumstick Leaves Majige Huli / Mor Kolumbu

Drumstick tree is the most nutrient tree in the world, its root,bark,leaves,flowers and pods can cure more than 300 diseases (according to Ayurveda) . "Drumstick" tree (moringa oleifera) is an "all-natural multi-vitamin” and a natural energy booster and its leaves contain high amounts of Vitamin A (four times more than carrots), Vitamin C (seven times more than oranges), protein (twice that of milk), iron(three times the iron of spinach) calcium (four times more than milk) and potassium (triple the amount in bananas) and are low in fat and carbohydrates.The leaves and pods are highly effective in preventing/reversing vision related problems and respiratory ailments, especially in children.

The juice from the moringa leaves is believed to stabilize blood pressure, the flowers are used to cure inflammations, the pods are used for joint pain, the roots are used to treat rheumatism, and the bark can be chewed as a digestive and the gum that exudes from the stem is used to treat headaches

Drumstick info courtesy http://indiacuisine.blogspot.com/2006/02/whb-moringa-tree-drumstick-leaves-soup.html

Drumstick leaves do bring some fond memories back. Growing up it was not available where I lived but used to enjoy it whenever i visited my grandparents. My in-laws had a tree in their backyard too. Strange to say I have never seen anyone selling these leaves, when ever these leaves were needed it was available fresh in the backyard. My mother - in - law saw these leaves in chinese store here and she got it home. Since it had a different name we were still not sure if they were the right kind of leaves but we still braved it and were very happy to have finally found the leaves in the US. The classic way of eating this is to top them over Adai. After reading the nutritious facts of the leaves I felt the need to use it regularly but running out of recipes thought of trying them in Majige Huli. Not bad...Not bad at all

Ingredients

Drumstick leaves - 3 cups

Buttermilk - 2 cups

Toor Dal - 1 tsp

Channa Dal - 1 tsp

Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dhania - 1 tsp

Ginger 1/2 inch

Green Chillies - 2 (adjust as per taste)

Grated coconut 2 tsp

Turmeric and salt

Method

Soak Toor dal, Channa dal and methi seeds for an hour or till they become soft. Take 1/2 tsp oil in a pan fry channa dal, toor dal, methi seeds, dhania, ginger and green chillies till the raw smell has gone. Add coconut to this mixture and grind to a fine paste. Mix this paste to butter milk, mix well without lumps. Now take oil in a pan add the drumstick leaves add little water and cook for about 2-3 minutes till the leaves cook. Add the buttermilk, turmeric and salt mix well. Keep stirring this mixture and cook it in medium/low flame for a few more minutes. Serve hot with Rice and your favorite vegetable.