Aval Kesari /Brown rice flakes Kesari

Our simple golu:

Happy Navarathri to all my friends and readers. We started the celebrations today with a simple golu. I prepared peanut sundal and aval kesari for today's puja. We were looking for a different sweet other than the usual kesari or payasam when my hubby suggested this. I like the texture of this kesari very much. It is more of like the traditional vennai puttu sweet made with rice flour.  Here goes the recipe:

Ingredients:
1. Aval, (any kind of rice flakes), 1 cup.
2. Cardamom powder, a pinch.
3. Ghee, 2 tablespoon.
4. Any sweetener of choice, 1/2 cup. (I have used palm sugar here).
5. Saffron, a few strands (orange food color can also be used here).
6. Salt, a pinch.
7. Broken cashews, 1 tablespoon.
8. Raisins, 1 tablespoon.

Preparation:
Add the saffron in 1/2 cup of water and let it sit for 15 minutes. Grind the aval into a coarse powder. Heat a pan with the ghee. Add the cashews and raisins and fry them under low flame until the cashews turn brown and the raisins are plump.  Remove them from the pan and add the powdered aval now. Keep frying under low flame for 2 minutes. This has to be done under low flame to prevent burning of the aval.  Once this is done, remove the aval powder from the pan and add 2 cups of water and let it come to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, add the sweetener, cardamom powder, salt, and the saffron strands along with the soaked water and mix everything well.  Add the aval back in now and mix well. Keep stirring under medium-to-low flame until the kesari thickens and the desired consistency is reached.  Garnish with the roasted cashews and raisins and serve.

Easy Chicken Briyani For Kids - Lunch Box Recipes

This is my kids' favorite rice dish.  Whenever I make this for them, there will be very less fussing during meal time and on days I pack this for school lunch, I will definitely see an empty lunch box at the end of the day. This biryani recipe, was tweaked to suit my kids preferences. They don't like onions and tomatoes in the biryani, so it is just the chicken and rice.  Also I grind all the spices, so that they do not bite on any hard spices. This way it will be easy for the little ones to feed themselves. I usually prep the chicken the previous night and let it marinade along with the ground paste overnight in the fridge and in morning,  all I have to do is to cook this chicken and then add the rice. This saves a lot of time in the morning rush when you are running around getting breakfast ready and feeding the little ones along with packing water bottles and snack boxes.  Do try this version for your little ones once and you will make this often on requests like I do these days. Sending this easy biryani recipe to Lunch Box Recipes conducted by Indusladies.

Ingredients:
1. Boneless skinless chicken, washed and cut into small bite-size pieces, 1 cup.
2.  Basmati rice, 1 cup. (washed and soaked for an hour). I usually soak the rice overnight, so it will be ready for cooking in the morning rush.
3. Lemon juice, a tablespoon.
4. Ghee, a tablespoon.

To Grind:
1. Cinnamon, a small piece.
2. Fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
3. Cardamom, 1.
4. Star anise, a small piece, (half).
5. Green chilies, 1-2 depending upon preferred spice level.
6. Mint leaves, a handful.
7. Garlic, 2 cloves.
8. Ginger, a small piece.
9. Turmeric powder, a pinch,
10. Salt, as needed.

Preparation:
Grind all the ingredients given under the "to grind" list into a smooth paste with a little water. Add this to the chicken along with the lemon juice and mix everything well.  Transfer this to a zip lock bag or any other closed container and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or for a couple of hours.   Slow cooking the chicken is ideal for a good flavor of the biryani. I usually add the chicken in a thick pan with 2 tablespoons of oil, and slow cook the chicken under low flame for 15-25 minutes (closed), so that the chicken is cooked in its own juice.

At this point, if cooking the rice in a rice cooker, transfer the contents to a rice cooker along with 2 cups of water and cook the rice until it is done.

Note: This step is only for pressure cooking: If you are short of time in the mornings, you can pressure cook the chicken with a little water just enough to drown the chicken and pressure cook for 10 minutes for up to 3 whistles. Once the pressure is down,  add the rice with 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 3 more whistles for 10 minutes. The only thing to note is the water level.  The water in the chicken should also be kept in mind when adding water for the rice. I usually drain all the juices from the pressure cooker, pour into a cup, and then add this water along with the water required for the rice.

Alternatively, once the chicken is cooked in the pan, you can add the rice along with 2 cups of water and let it come to a boil. Reduce the flame to a low simmer once it comes to a boil, and cook closed for 10-12 minutes until the rice is done. Mix in the ghee once the rice is cooked and serve with any raita.

Masala Vegetable Pasta

This is my first recipe for Kids Lunch Box Recipes Book Event conducted by Indusladies.  I am always on the look out for easy lunch box recipes for my kids who are picky eaters, especially my son.  The only lunch box food that he is happy about is mac 'n' cheese (daily), which I am not so happy about. The next alternative is pasta. I a try to make is colorful, which they like and I am also happy that I have included some veggies in their lunch and is more balanced that way. Coming on to this recipe, this is one of my kids favorite. This suits our taste buds, which prefers spicy Indian flavors. Sometimes I add some chicken or scrambled egg pieces in the end, to increase the protein content of the dish.  Adding whole grain pasta is also another healthier option.

Ingredients:
1. Pasta, smaller variety, so it will be easy for the kids to pick up with a fork, 1 cup. (whole wheat or wholegrain)
2. Onion, medium-size, 1, diced finely.
3. Tomatoes, 2, medium-size, chopped.
4. Green chili, 1, (optional).
5. Vegetables like carrots, green beans, cabbage, mushrooms, green peas etc. all coming around to a cup when chopped.
6. Ginger-garlic, paste, 1 teaspoon.
7. Turmeric powder, a pinch.
8. Chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
9. Garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon.
10. Salt as per taste.
11. Parmesan cheese, a little.

Preparation:
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions and keep aside. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes until transparent. Then add the chopped tomatoes, green chili, and ginger-garlic paste and keep sautéing until everything is blended.  Add the turmeric powder, chili powder, garam masala, and salt and mix everything. Add the chopped veggies along with 1/4 cup of water, mix everything well. Cook under medium-low flame for 5-8 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and all the water is absorbed. Add the cooked pasta now, along with a little parmesan cheese, mix well, and serve.

Kollu Kanji/ Horse Gram And Brown Rice Porridge

Horse gram is one of the healthiest legumes, ideal for weight loss. I usually made a simple dhal fry kind of dish with this legume. This recipe was suggested my mother-in-law over the phone as I jotted it down quickly. We were discussing about weight loss recipes and she suggested that we have this porridge for breakfast. Still wondering about the taste, I made this porridge for us for dinner that day. The truth was that this simple porridge had a high satiety factor and did not make us feel like we were eating any diet food. I paired it up with a spicy side dish since the porridge is not spicy and very mild to taste, ideal for little ones too. The recipe is a very simple one and is a one pot dish ideal for a slow cooker too.

Here are some side dishes from my blog, which go very well with this porridge:
Meen Kuzhambu/spicy fish curry
Mushroom Pepper Fry
Paruppu thogayal
Tandoori Fish
Tandoori chicken

Ingredients:
1. Horse gram, 1/2 cup. Washed and soaked for 3-4 hours.
2. Rice, 1 cup, washed well. Brown rice or red rice also works perfect here.
3. Grated coconut, 1-2 tablespoons. (optional)
4. Salt as per taste.
5. Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.

Preparation:
Add the washed rice and horse gram in a pressure cooker or  a pressure pan along with 3-1/2 cups of water and some salt. Cook for 15-20 minutes for up to 4-5 whistles until the legumes and the rice is cooked. Fry the cumin seeds in a little bit of oil and pour it over the porridge once the pressure is released. Add the grated coconut and some more water if needed. Serve with any spicy side dish.

Mixed Vegetable Soup

This is a favorite soup in my house loved by all. This makes a healthy and filling lunch or dinner when paired with a grilled cheese sandwich. I usually use crusty wholegrain bread for the sandwich, so that it doesn't get too soggy when the sandwich is dipped in the soup. To change the taste a little bit, I also sometimes add a  little fennel powder since my kids love this taste. This also a good way to use up all the leftover vegetables and also make the kids eat more veggies.

Variation: Instead of a sandwich you also add some pasta and let it cook along with the soup for a complete meal.  I even mix it rice (brown rice also works great here) for the kids sometimes and serve it along with some potato chips.

Ingredients:
1. Onion, medium size, 1, diced.
2. Tomatoes, 2, with the skin peeled and diced. ( To peel the skin of the tomatoes, make a X mark on the back of the tomatoes and drop them in boiling hot water for 10 seconds. Remove them from the hot water and drop them immediately in a ice bath to prevent the tomatoes from cooking. The skin will come off easily now).
3. Garlic, 2 cloves, crushed. (1/2 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste can also be used).
4. Any soup seasoning mix, 1/2 teaspoon along with a pinch of dried herbs of choice. I have used dried parsley here.
5. Any preferred vegetables, chopped, 1 cup. I have used cabbage, carrots, green beans, cauliflower and peas here.
6. Salt, as per taste.
7. Fennel powder, 1/4 teaspoon (optional).
9. Grated parmesan cheese 1/4 cup.

Preparation:
Heat a pot with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil turns hot, add the diced onions and sauté for a few minutes until tender. Then add the crushed garlic and chopped tomatoes and keep sautéing under low flame until everything is blended. Add the seasoning mix, dry herbs. salt, and the vegetables and add 3 cups of water.  Cook closed for 7-8 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.  Mix in the cheese now and serve hot with any crusty breads or grilled cheese sandwich or over rice.

Little Millet / Samai Pongal

Samai pongal served with gothsu


Millets, the less known grain, has been gaining popularity these days, especially in India. Apart from the various health benefits and rich protein content, millets are a smart carb choice with low sugar content, thus making this an ideal choice for diabetics.  They are the perfect rice substitute and there is not much significant difference in taste.  We loved the taste and texture of this millet pongal recipe along with the satisfaction of eating something healthy for weekend breakfast as well.

Ingredients:
1. Little millet or any other millet variety, 1 cup.
2. Moong Dhal, 1/2 cup.
3. Grated ginger, 1/2 teaspoon.
4. Broken cashews, 1 tablespoon.
5. Peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon. ( Can be substituted with 1/4 teaspoon of pepper powder).
6. Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
7. Curry leaves, a sprig.
8. Salt, as per taste.
9. Hing, a pinch.
10. Ghee, a little bit.

Preparation:
Wash the millet thoroughly to remove the husk and keep aside. Wash the moong dhal and cook them until soft. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the peppercorns and cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds.  Add 3 cups of water along with the cooked dhal, millets, grated ginger, salt, hing, curry leaves and mix everything well. Cook under low flame for 10-12 minutes until the pongal reaches the desired consistency. Heat the ghee and fry the cashews and garnish the pongal with this. Serve hot with sambar and chutney.

Alternatively, the pongal can be cooked in a pressure cooker. Add all the ingredients including the fried seasoning's and pressure for 15 minutes for up to 3 whistles. If cooking in  a rice cooker, cook the dhal separately first and then add the rest of the ingredients and cook until done.

Quinoa Breakfast Porridge

 

This is one of the easiest and healthiest breakfast recipes that we love. If you are bored with oatmeal and looking for a breakfast porridge with a different texture, quinoa is the ideal choice. The cooking time is also less, especially during the morning rush. Sometimes I even mix in half cup of oats with quinoa or any hot porridge blend with quinoa.   I also change the toppings to fresh fruits like apples and raisins one day to chopped nuts and dry fruits the next day. Add a pinch of cardamom powder also gives a nice flavor to these porridges.


Ingredients:
1. Quinoa, 1 cup.
2. Milk, 1/2 cup, can be low fat or full fat or any vegan milk like soy or almond.
3. Natural sweeteners like honey or palm sugar or maple syrup, 2 tablespoons.
4. Nuts and dry fruits of choice, 1/4 cup.
5. Salt, a pinch.
6. Cinnamon, a pinch.

Preparation:
Wash the quinoa thoroughly a couple of times. Add the quinoa to a deep bottomed pot and add 2 cups of water. Let it come to a boil and reduce to a low simmer. The quinoa should be cooked in 10 minutes. Once the quinoa is cooked, add the milk, sweetener, and salt and let it cook for 2 more minutes until the porridge attains the desired consistency.  Garnish with the cinnamon, chopped nuts and fruits before serving.

Methi Dhal / Vendhaya Keerai Kootu

This is a recipe request from one of my readers, who always leaves a comment or query about my recipes  through mail. There have been a couple of recipe requests from this particular reader, who always makes my day with a nice mail or a word of encouragement over these last 2 years. Coming on to the recipe, methi is one of our favorite greens, which I include almost every week in our meals either in the form of dhal, or variety rice or aloo methi. I started cooking these greens after reading about its blood sugar lowering properties but over the years we started liking the taste of this greens as well. Here goes the recipe for one of my favorite dhal dish.

Ingredients:
1. Toor dhal or moong dhal or masoor dhal, 1/2cup.
2. Methi (fenugreek) leaves, 1 bunch, cleaned and chopped finely.
3. Garlic 2 cloves or ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon.
4. Turmeric, a pinch.
5. Chili powder or Sambar powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
6. Hing, a pinch.
7. Onion, medium size, 1, diced.
8. Tomatoes, medium size, 2, chopped.
9. Green chilies, 2, slit into 2.
10. Salt, as per taste.
11. Cumin seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
12. Thalipu vadagam, 1/4 teaspoon, (optional).

Preparation:
Wash the dhal and cook it in a pressure cooker or on stove top until it is mushy.  Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds once the oil is hot. Add the diced onions now and saute for a few minutes until transparent.  Then add the crushed garlic cloves and tomatoes and  keep sautéing until everything is blended. Now add the chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and mix everything well. Add the greens now and sauté for 2 minutes until the greens are wilted. Finally add the cooked dhal, hing, and a cup of water; mix everything well, and cook for 5 more minutes and switch off the stove. This can be served with rice, idli, dosais, or chapathis.

Variation: This dhal can also be made entirely in a pressure cooker like a one pot dish. This method is quicker and easier without the sautéing or precooking the dhal. Just add everything into the cooker and cook for 15 minutes upto 3 whistles and then once the pressure is off, add the seasonings.

Nei Appam

I made this for Puja during Ganesh Chadhurti but couldn't post it until now. This is my kids favorite too. I usually make this for breakfast for packing for school or sometimes as an evening snack. I mostly add palm sugar instead of jaggery since we like the mild taste of palm sugar rather than jaggery.  Any other preferred sweeteners can also be added here to make these appams sugar-free. The pan that I used for these appams is a puff pastry pan, which is almost similar to our paniyaram pans and works great for recipes like these.

Ingredients: (yields around 10-12 appams)
1. Whole wheat flour, 1 cup.
2. Rice flour, 1 tablespoon.
3. Banana, 1.
4. Cardamom powder, a pinch.
5. Baking soda, a pinch.
6. Jaggery or palm sugar or any other sweetener of choice, 1/2 cup.
7. Salt, a pinch.
8. Ghee or oil for pouring over the pan.

Preparation:
Mash the bananas until it is a pulp. Add the wheat and rice flour along with the salt, cardamom powder, palm sugar, baking soda and mix everything well with a little water. The batter consistency should be that of a dosa batter consistency. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile heat the puff pastry pan or the paniyaram pan and pour a little ghee or oil into holes (around 1/2 teaspoon of oil). Pour a little of the batter into the holes and let the appams cook on low flame for 2-5 minutes. Flip them over with skewers and let the other side cook. Make sure that both the sides of the appams are brown and crispy. Nei appams are ready to be enjoyed.

Channa Dhal Pulao (Brown Rice)

This is a recreation of a channa dhal pulao recipe, which wee had at a nearby Indian restaurant.  Since we liked this so much, I wanted to give it a try with brown rice. This version also turned out good. This pulao can be had with raitas and any spicy sides. Cooking time and the method is also very easy.

Ingredients:
1. Brown rice, 1 cup, washed and soaked for an hour.
2. Channa dhal 1/2, washed and soaked for an hour.
3. Fresh or dried peas, 1/2 cup. If dried peas are used, soak them overnight and cook them until tender.
4. Onion, 1 medium sized, diced.
5. Tomato, 1 small, diced.
6. Diced carrots, 1 cup.
7. Peppercorns, 1 teaspoon.
8. Cumin seeds,  1 teaspoon.
9. Bay leaf, 2.
10. Cinnamon, a small stick.
11. Ginger-garlic paste.
12. Salt as per taste.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil turns hot, add the peppercorns, cumin seeds, bay leaves, and cinnamon and fry for a few seconds. Then add the diced onions and sauté for a few seconds until the onions are translucent. Add the ginger-garlic paste and the diced tomatoes now and sauté for a few more minutes until the tomatoes are cooked. Add the rice, channa dhal, peas, diced carrots along with the sautéed mixture and some salt and add 2 cups of water in a rice cooker and cook until the rice is done. This can also be cooked in a pressure cooker or on stove top.

Vepampoo Kuhzambu /Neem Flowers Gravy

Over the course of my 5 years of blogging, I have met many wonderful friends  along the way. It is always nice to talk to someone who shares the same interests and passion. Recently I was talking about some homemade powders and remedies to a friend who is also a popular food blogger and a sweet person. She surprised me by sending a package with a sweet handwritten note the very next week.  Just happy and thankful for friends like these :) She also sent me some neem flowers in the package. Since then I have been trying out dishes with neem flowers every week.  This is one such dish.  Apart from the medicinal values of neem flowers, the flavor of this particular kuzhambu is great and satisfying.

Ingredients (Yields about a cup of thick gravy):
1. Small onions, 2 cup (peeled and cut into half).
2. Garlic, 4-5 cloves. If the cloves are big, slice them thinly.
3. Tamarind, a small lime ball size.
4. Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
5. Coriander powder, 2 teaspoons.
6. Sambar powder or kuhzambu thool, 1 teaspoon. (optional).
7. Salt, as per taste.
8. Turmeric powder, a pinch.
9. Hing, a pinch.
10 Dry Neem flowers, 1/2 teaspoon.
11. Mustard seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
12. Cumin seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
13. Curry leaves, a handful.

Preparation:
Roast the neem flowers for a couple of seconds under low flame and crush them. Extract thick juice from the tamarind and keep aside. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. Now add the small onions  and saute for a few minutes until they turn brown. Then add the garlic and curry leaves and saute for a few more seconds. Add the chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, sambar powder, hing, and salt and mix everything well and fry them for a 2-3 minutes until the spices lose their raw smell. Some more oil can be added at this stage.  Now add 3 cups of water along with the tamarind juice and the gravy boil for 10 minutes until it starts to thicken. After switching off the stove, add the neem flowers and mix everything once. This can be served with rice, idlis, dosas, or chapathis.

Kids and Todller Recipes - Chicken Noodle Soup

This is my version of chicken noodle soup, which is a regular soup and my kids favorite. I usually make this whenever the kids are down with cold and sniffles.  A very easy and simple soup recipe, I usually do not add chicken broth but it can be added if preferred.  This soup makes for a comforting dinner on cold days.


Ingredients:
1. Boneless chicken pieces, cut into bite size pieces, 1 cup.
2. Onion, medium size, 1, diced.
3. Carrots, cut into small bite size cubes, 1 cup.
4. Celery, cut into half-moon shapes, 1/2 cup,
5. Garlic pods, 2 crushed.
6. Bay leaf, 2.
7. Any seasoning mix like Italian seasoning or any other soup mix, 1/2 teaspoon.
8. Dried herbs like thyme and parsley, a pinch.
9. Any pasta or noodle variety, 1 cup. If cooking for kids, smaller varieties of pasta or egg noodles can be used.
10. Salt, as per taste.

Preparation:
Heat a pot with a tablespoon of oil and sauté the onions until they are translucent. Then add the crushed garlic along with the dried herbs and seasonings and mix everything well. Add 3 cups of water along with salt and let it come to a boil.  Add the chicken pieces and the bay leaves now and let it simmer for 10 minutes until the chicken is done. Once the chicken is done, add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 more minutes. Finally add the pasta and let the soup simmer until the pasta is cooked. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Wheat Pidi Kozukattais

This is like an almost instant kozukatti recipe, which does not require soaking or grinding, and definitely comes in handy when you are running short of time. I love the texture and taste of these better than the regular ones with rice.

Ingredients:
1. Wheat flour, 1-1/2 cup.
2.  Jaggery or brown sugar or any other sweetener of choice, 1/2 cup. I have used palm sugar here.
3. Cardamom powder, a pinch.
4. Salt, a pinch.
5. Ghee, a little bit.
6. Chopped coconut pieces or grated coconut, 2 tablespoons.

Preparation:
Dry roast the wheat flour until a good aroma comes from the flour. Heat a pan with 3/4 cup of water. Once the water comes to a boil, add the sugar and dissolve it. Now gently add in the flour and the coconut and keep mixing it until the flour turns to one big lump. Turn off the stove at this stage. Once the mixture is a little easy to handle, rub your hands with a little ghee and make the dough into the desired kozukattai shapes.  Then steam the kozukattais for 10-12 minutes. I used an idli cooker for this.

Arisi Kanji /Rice Porridge With Brown Rice

This is a traditional porridge recipe made during festive occasions. My grandma usually makes this during Bhogi.   It had been a long time since I tasted this porridge and I had to make it after an interesting conversation with my MIL. We usually make ragi koozh along with non vegetarian dishes on the third week of Aadi Masam and I was discussing with her on the phone saying that it was only me who eats ragi koozh and no one would even taste it (hubby will take a teaspoon just for my sake). She suggested that I prepare this kanji instead of the ragi koozh and I made it exactly according to her instructions.  Surprisingly this was a crowd pleaser as well. We had some friends coming over as well and I served this kanji along with some non vegetarian sides, tomato rice, sambar, white rice, and kozukattais.  Overall it was a good day.

This kanji is slightly different from the traditional porridge recipe and no milk is added here. This is usually served with yogurt. The preparation is also very simple and easy. This can be made with any variety of rice. I tried with brown rice and this tasted really good and there was no difference in the taste.

Ingredients:
1. Rice, 1 cup. I have used brown rice here.
2. Moong dhal, 1/4 cup.
3. Grated coconut, 2 tablespoons.
4. Salt as per taste.

Preparation:
Wash the rice and dhal separately. Grind the rice in the mixie or blender for just 1- 2 pulses so that it is broken a little bit but not too mushy.  Add the rice and dhal along with the salt, grated coconut, and 3 cups of water and cook for 10 minutes for up to 3 whistles. You can adjust the consistency by adding some more water if you want the porridge to be a little thin.

Serving Suggestions: This porridge can be served along with any spicy side dishes or pickle. Any non vegetarian sides will go perfect with this. This porridge can also mixed with some yogurt for some added taste.

Drumstick leaves (Moringa oleifera) soup

Drumstick leaves is something I have been missing or craving for ever since we moved to US. We get drumsticks though in regular Indian grocery stores. When I found a small drumstick plant at a nearby Chinese grocery store, I got very excited and got the plant right away. I also had to  immediately call my mom and mother-in-law to brag about it as well :) This recipe was suggested by my mother-in-law. She asked me to make  this very healthy soup for the kids at least once week. She suggested that I serve this with rice and ghee for the kids. We also had this soup as a starter for our lunch that day. The plant has been thriving well and I have been using the leaves on a regular basis these days.

My drumstick plant:

She also wanted to pose for a picture :)

Ingredients:
1. Drum stick leaves, 1 cup, washed.
2. Small onions, 1.2 cup, peeled.
3. Tomato, small, 1.
4. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
5. Turmeric powder, a pinch.
6. Chili powder, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon depending on preferred spice level.
7. Fennel powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
8. Hing (asafetida), a pinch.
9. Salt, as per taste.
10. Ghee, as preferred, to be added as a topping (optional).

Preparation:
Add all the ingredients in a pressure cooker with just enough water to cover them and cook for a whistle for 5 minutes. This is the easiest and fastest way to cook them. The soup can also be prepared on stove top with enough water until everything is cooked. Alternatively you can also sauté the onions and tomato with a little bit of oil and then the other ingredients can be added and cooked the usual way. This gives the soup a richer taste.

Serving suggestion: This soup can be served as a starter. For kids, this soup can be mixed with mashed rice and ghee and served for lunch.

Variation: You can try the same soup with spinach or any other greens as well.

Quinoa Sweet Pongal

I wanted to try this pongal recipe for quite sometime and finally made during this festive season. The combination of quinoa with the lentil works out very well, which was one of my main concerns while making this dish. I have used coconut palm sugar here which imparts a light flavor and color to the dish. You can use regular jaggery or any other preferred sweetener here.  This is ideal for slow cooker cooking but not so much for pressure cooker since the quinoa can get stuck in the vent.

Ingredients:
1. Quinoa, 1 cup, washed thoroughly.
2. Moong dhal, 1/2 cup, washed.
3.  Cardamom powder, a pinch.
4. Cashews, 1 tablespoon.
5. Raisins, 1 tablespoon.
6. Ghee, 1 tablespoon. (Optional, roasted cashews and raisins can be added directly in the end)
7. Jaggery or any preferred sweetener, 1/2 cup.
8. Salt, a pinch.

Preparation:
Cook the moong dhal until it is soft and mushy and keep aside.  Heat a pan with a tablespoon of ghee. Add the cashews and raisins and fry for a few seconds until the cashews turn golden brown and the raisins are plump. Add 3 cups of water along with the quinoa, cooked moong dhal, cardamom powder and salt and cook under low-to-medium flame until the quinoa is cooked and the mixture starts to thicken. Mix in the sugar and let it cook for 2 more minutes and switch off the stove. Quinoa sweet pongal is ready!

Cabbage and black chickpeas poriyal/stir fry

This is one of my favorite filling and balanced side dishes. This goes well with rotis,  any spicy gravies with rice or just with rasam and rice.  White chickpeas can also be used but we love black chickpeas and also it gives a unique taste and flavor to the stir fry.  Side dishes like this come in handy when you are trying to cut down your rice intake and increase your vegetable and protein intake. These types of well balanced sides reduces the feeling of being deprived and gives the satisfaction of eating something filling for me especially during lunch when the hunger pangs are high and when I tend to overeat.

Ingredients:
1. Cabbage, finely cut, 1 cup.
2. Boiled black chickpeas, 1 cup.
3. Onion, medium size, 1, diced.
4. Green chilies, 2, slit into 2. This can be substituted with 2 broken dried red chilies or 1/2  teaspoon of chili powder.
5. Curry leaves, a handful.
6. Ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon.
7. Turmeric powder, a pinch.
8. Salt, as per taste.
9. Mustard seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
10. Urad dhal, 1/2 teaspoon.
11. Channa dhal, 1/2 teaspoon.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot enough, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the urad dhal and channa dhal and fry for a few seconds. Then add the diced onions and curry leaves and sauté for a few minutes until they are translucent. Add the turmeric powder, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, shredded cabbage, and salt and mix everything. Lower the flame and cook closed under low flame until the cabbage is cooked.  A little bit of water can be sprinkled at this to prevent burning. Once the cabbage is done, add the boiled chickpeas and cook for 2 more minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with rice or chapathis.

Cream of mushroom soup

This soup recipe is a regular at home since its my hubby's favorite soup. Usually tomatoes are not added to this soup but sometimes I add some tomato puree to give a different taste to the soup. I have made a low-fat version here with just milk and corn starch instead of heavy cream that is usually used in these kinds of soups. It is a very easy preparation and can be done in a jiffy when you are looking for something filling and light.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
1. Button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced, 1 cup.
2. Diced onions, 1/2 cup.
3. Tomato puree, 1/4 cup. This can be substituted with 1 diced tomato. (Optional)
4.  Celery, thinly sliced, 1/2 cup.
5. Milk, whole or low fat, 1/2 cup.
6. Corn starch, 1/2 tablespoon, mixed with 1/4 cup of water.
7. Garlic, 2 cloves, crushed.
8. Any preferred seasoning mix, 1/2 teaspoon.
9. Salt, as per taste.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the diced onions and garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes until the onions are translucent. Then add the sliced mushrooms along with the seasoning, celery, and salt and sauté for one more minute. Add the corn starch mixture along with 2 cups of water, milk, and tomato puree. Cook under low-to-medium flame for 10 minutes until the soup reaches the desired consistency. Serve hot with bread or croutons.

Wheat rawa /cracked wheat lemon bhath

I have been wanting to try this lemon bhath for quite sometime after seeing this recipe at Malar's space a few weeks back. She had made this with broken rice. This cracked wheat version turned out great and was very tasty. We had it as a light evening meal with tomato chutney.

Ingredients:
1. Wheat rawa or cracked wheat (smaller variety), 1 cup.
2. Lemon juice, 1/4 cup.
3. Green chilies, slit into 2, 2. This can be substituted with 1-2 broken dried red chilies and added along with the seasoning.
3. Finely chopped ginger, 1/4 teaspoon.
4. Curry leaves, a handful.
5. Chopped cilantro for garnishing.
6. Mustard seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
7. Urad dhal, 1/4 teaspoon.
8. Channa dhal, 1/4 teaspoon.
9. Broken cashews, 1/2 tablespoon.
10. Salt as per taste.
11. Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon.


Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil.  Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter once the oil turns hot. Then add the urad dhal, channa dhal, broken cashews,  and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds. Lower the flame now to a low to medium simmer and add 2 cups of water along with the lemon juice, turmeric powder, green chilies, chopped ginger,  and salt and let it come to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, add the cracked wheat and mix everything well. Let it cook on a low flame until all the water is absorbed. Garnish with chopped cilantro and switch off the stove. This dish tastes better if it is let it rest for sometime, for all the flavors to absorb, say for an hour.

Barley and Lentils Vegetable Soup

We are again in a low-carb or no carb dinner mode. I typically make these kinds of soups for dinner since they are satisfying and filling as well. This particular soup is very easy to make and is also fat-free. This soup is also a whole meal by itself and does not require any bread or croutons on side.  When making lentil soups, I usually add cumin and coriander powder.   We like mild flavors of these spices in our soups. You can also try using sambar powder or bisibelebath powder to this soup for a different taste. I usually serve this soup sprinkled with some potato chips for additional taste. This is also an ideal slow cooker recipe. All you require is assembling if you have the chopped veggies on hand.

Ingredients:
1. Barley, 1/2 cup.
2. Lentils, any preferred type, I have used masoor dhal here, washed, 1/2 cup.
3. Onion, medium size, 1, diced.
4. Tomatoes, medium size, 2, chopped.
5. Diced carrots, 1/2 cup.
6. Green peas, 1/2 cup.
7. Crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon.
8. Any soup seasoning powder or any other seasoning of choice, 1/2 teaspoon.
9. Salt, as per taste.
10. Cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
11. Coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
13. Chopped cilantro for garnishing.

Preparation:
Add all the ingredients to a pressure cooker or a slow cooker or a pot and let it cook.  If using a pressure cooker, just add enough water to cover, and pressure cook for 10 minutes for up to 2 whistles.  For slow cooker, add around 3 cups of water, turn it on and let it do its thing! When cooking in a pot, add 3 cups of water, bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and cook the soup at low-to-medium heat for 20 minutes until the barley and lentils are cooked and the soup reaches the desired consistency.

Buckwheat Kichidi

 

 

 

Kichidi is slowly turning into one of our ultimate comfort foods these days. I love having this for dinner with some pickles and chips.  Recently I have been using different kinds of grains and my recent try was with buckwheat.  I have this a try after reading about its health benefits.  This was a hit at my house.  Here I have prepared this like a dry kichidi since we like this taste better than the regular one.  You can add an extra cup of water if you want a thinner consistency.

Buckwheat, which is also known as buckwheat groats or kasha are grain-like seeds and have various health benefits. It is known to reduce cholesterol and also helps in lowering the blood sugars and is a good source of protein. It has a chewy texture similar to that of cracked wheat.  This is available in most of the grocery stores or specialty stores or health stores.


Ingredients:
1. Buckwheat, 1 cup.
2. Moong dhal, 1/2 cup, washed and parboiled until it is cooked just enough and still has a bite.
3. Onion, medium size, diced.
4. Tomatoes, medium size, 2,chopped.
5. Green chilies, 2, slit into 2.
6. Ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon.
7. Turmeric powder, a pinch.
8. Sambar powder or chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
9. Hing, a pinch.
10. Salt, as per taste.
11. Mustard seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
12. Cumin seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
13. Chopped vegetables like carrots, beans, green peas etc, 1 cup.

Preparation:
Roast the buckwheat, with a teaspoon of oil under low flame for 5 minutes and keep aside.  Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. Add the diced onions and sauté for a few minutes until the onions are tender. Then add the chopped tomatoes, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes until everything is well blended. Add the turmeric powder, chili powder, and hing along with the salt,  chopped vegetables and the moong dhal and mix everything well.  Add 2-1/2 cups of water now, mix everything and let it come to a boil. Add the buckwheat and cook closed under low-to-medium flame until the buckwheat is cooked and the dish turns a little dry. Serve hot with pickle and pappads.

Brocoli and cheese soup

Soup mania has been going around in my house again.   I have been preparing different soups for the last couple of days/weeks almost everyday and I am always on the lookout for different soup recipes. This particular soup is my daughter's favorite since she loves the cheese flavor in this soup. I tried to make a healthier version of this soup by skipping the cream and using low-fat cheeses. No one noticed the difference and there was also no difference in the taste.  Including a toasted whole grain crusty bread like sourdough bread or a baguette makes this a hearty and complete meal.

Ingredients:
1. Onion, medium size, 1, diced finely.
2. Broccoli, 1 large head, chopped finely along with the stalks.
3. Garlic, 3 cloves, crushed.
4. Any kind of seasoning mixture, 1/2 teaspoon.
5. Vegetable bouillon cube or powder, 1/2 teaspoon, (optional), I have a organic, MSG-free powder here.
6. Skim milk or almond milk, 1 cup.
7. Corn starch, dissolved in 1/2 cup of water, 1-1/2 tablespoons.
5. Water, or chicken or vegetable broth, 4 cups.
6. Salt, as per taste.
7. Pepper powder, a pinch.
8. Grated parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon.
9. Grated cheddar cheese, preferably low fat, 2 tablespoons.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and sauté them for a couple of minutes until the onions are tender. Then add the crushed garlic, chopped broccoli, seasoning mixture, and vegetable bouillon powder; mix everything and sauté for a minute. Add the water, milk, corn starch and let the soup cook for 5-10 minutes until the soup thickens to the desirable consistency and the broccoli is cooked.  Add salt and pepper as per taste now and stir in the cheese and let it melt.  Garnish the soup and serve hot with any type of breads.

Whole Wheat blue berry banana muffins

Dear friends, Wishing you all a Happy Mother's Day. This Mother's Day went on very well with surprise gifts from my kids and my hubby. My little ones gave me cards that they decorated in school and hand-painted flower pots. I could not take pictures of the flower pots since I have strict orders from Krithikha not to take any until we plant something in them. Hubby also surprised me with some flowering plants and we had a kind of a mini-vacation to Los Angeles.  Though going for trips like these are a little tiring for me these days with the prepping and planning, in the end it all worth it, when we saw the happy faces of the little ones, especially when we took them to the zoo.

Coming on to the recipe, banana bread is one of favorite and I tend to bake them more often based on requests or if I have any leftover overripe bananas. These muffins are very kids-friendly and ideal for snack boxes or for breakfasts for kids when you are looking for a diversion. I sometimes add jaggery instead of sugar-free sweeteners when I making these only for the kids.

Ingredients:
1. Whole wheat flour, 1-1/2 cup.
2. Egg, 1.
3. Banana, medium-size, 3.
4. Blue berries, 1 cup.
5. Vanilla essence, 1 teaspoon.
6. Baking soda, 1 teaspoon.
7. Salt, a pinch.
8. Melted butter or any light oil like canola oil, saffola oil, or light olive oil, 1/2 cup.
9. Any sugar-free sweetener or brown sugar, or palm sugar, 1 cup.

Preparation:
Mash the bananas into a paste with a fork in a big bowl. Break in the egg into the same bowl. Add the oil, vanilla essence, salt, and sweetener and beat everything until the mixture is frothy, using a fork or an egg beater. Meanwhile sift the baking soda with the flour and add it slowly to the wet mixture. Mix everything just enough until there are no lumps in the mixture.  Add the blue berries and mix everything and pour the cake mixture into a greased muffin pan or a regular baking pan. Bake them at 350 degrees in a preheated oven  for 10-12 minutes until the muffins are done. To check for doneness prick a fork into one of the muffins and if the fork comes out clean, it means the muffins are done.

Note:  It may take a little longer if a baking dish is used instead of a muffin pan.

Variation: Chopped walnuts or almonds can also be added into the batter.


Hubby's Mother's Day gift :)

Methi, carrot, and moong dhal stir fry/ poriyal

Every time I take a break from blogging for just a couple of days, it usually ends up for more than a week. Things have been pretty busy and interesting in the home front. The kids have started going to a new Montessori school nearby and I am still getting adjusted to their new routine, which is waking up early and packing up lunch boxes and snack boxes as well. We also had a wildfire, which was pretty close to our community with nearly 1000 acres getting destroyed and forcing more than 1000 evacuations. It was very close that we were able to see the fire and smoke in the mountains as soon as we got to the streets. The smoke stench was a very bad one and forced us to stay indoors for a day. With a couple of earthquakes that we have experienced over the last 2 years, life in California has definitely been interesting.

Coming on to the recipe, this is a  side dish that my mom makes routinely during the weekdays. This time I just added some methi leaves from my patio garden. I like the complex flavors for the stir fry. This goes very well as a side dish for rice and any kind of gravies and also with chapathis. If you want to spice up things a bit, use it as a tortilla or pita wrap filling  with a drizzle of ketchup and sprinkled cheddar cheese and some diced onions and green chilies. 


Ingredients:
1. Methi leaves, 1 small bunch, cleaned, washed, and cut into finely.
2. Carrot, 2 large ones, peeled and diced into small pieces (can also be grated).
3. Onion, 1, medium size, diced finely.
4. Moong dhal, 1/4 cup, washed and parboiled and still has a little crunch in. This can be done using a microwave or cooked over stove top.
5. Ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon.
6. Green chili, 1-2, slit into 2.
7. Chili powder or sambar powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
8. Turmeric powder, a pinch.
9. Hing, a pinch.
10. Mustard seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
11. Cumin seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
12. Curry leaves and chopped cilantro for garnishing.
13. Salt as per taste.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter once the oil turns hot. Then add the cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. Add the diced onions now and sauté for a few minutes until the onions turn tender. Add the green chilies and ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute. Add the diced carrots, turmeric powder, chili powder, salt, and mix everything well. Sprinkle some water and cook closed under very low flame for 5-7 minutes until the carrots are cooked. Once the carrots are done, add the methi leaves, cooked moong dhal, and hing and mix everything well. Let it sit under low flame for 2 more minutes until the leaves are wilted. Garnish with curry leaves and chopped cilantro and serve as a side dish for rice or chapathis.

Brown Rice Usili

 

Dishes like these always reminds me of my grandma. Growing up, usili used to be a frequent lunch box menu for us. Usili is a kind of a dry pongal and I like this better than the original mushed up pongal.  The seasonings used here are just cumin seeds, peppercorns, and dried red chilies. My grandma usually makes this with moong dhal and my mom makes this with toor dhal. I like both the versions. If you want to try a different pongal, you can try this with toor dhal. The side dish for this usili is usually coconut chutney and sambar. Also any tamarind-based coconut chutney will work out great with this  usili in particular. 

Ingredients:
1. Brown rice or white rice, washed 1 cup.
2. Moong dhal, 1/2 cup, washed and soaked for an hour.
3. Peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon.
4. Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
5. Dried red chilies, 2.
6. Salt, as per taste.
7. Curry leaves, a handful.

Preparation:
This preparation works out great when cooked in a rice cooker. The dhal does not turn very mushy in the rice cooker. Alternate method is to cook the rice and the dhal separately and add the seasonings and salt and mix the usili gently under low temperature until all the flavors are absorbed in the dish.

Rice cooker version:
Add 2-1/4 cups of water to the rice and dhal along with salt and cook them in a regular way. Meanwhile, heat a small pan with a tablespoon of oil. When the oil turns hot, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. Then add the curry leaves and broken red chilies and fry for a second and turn off the heat. Pour the seasonings over the usili, mix everything , and serve hot.