Simply delicious

The other day I bought some precooked frozen vegetables.  These had been advertised as Chinese wok-style vegetables and were so tasteless that I didn't know what to do.  I didn't want to throw it all.  And I was actually considering that when I had an idea and as it turned out this simple idea saved the day for me. 

The vegetables were finely cut and I think that they hadn't added anything.  I guess some supermarket giants think that we vegetarians will eat anything.  Please note that this is not the case and we do deserve well cooked food.  And if you are like me and can't eat anything that's bland and tasteless, here's what I did to make it eatable.

Ingredients:

1 cup   Precooked frozen vegetables (finely chopped)

1 Tsp   Mustard seeds

2          Whole red chillies

Curry leaves

Oil

Salt (according to taste, please taste the precooked vegetables and adjust accordingly)

4 Tsp   Grated Coconut

Procedure

Heat oil in a pan.

Add mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves. 

Add Salt and mix.

Add Grated coconut and mix.  Lower the flame.

Add precooked frozen vegetables, mix.  Cover and leave for 2-3 minutes.

Serve with rice and lentils.

It took me 5-6 minutes and I didn't have to throw the whole thing out and had a delicious meal.  I hope that you'll enjoy this recipe. 

McDonald's for Vegetarians in France and Germany

Those vegetarians who live in Europe are often confronted with the problem of what to eat, where to eat and especially what should they do when their friends eat at fast-food joints.  Earlier whenever I went to McDonald's, it was because I had no choice but to accompany my friends.  All I found was a small portion of salad or had to be content with French Fries or Deluxe Potatoes.  And this was the reason why I avoided it as long as I could.  Recently, I had a pleasant surprise when I went to McDonald's the other day. 

McDonald's in France has introduced a 'McWrap Chèvre' which is just the thing for us when we want to go out to McDonald's with friends.  The filling is cheese made of goat's milk.  It is wrapped in corn-flour and egg is used as a binding agent.  The wrap contains two small pieces of fried cheese, salad leaves, tomatoes, fried onions and a sauce made of cheese made of goat's milk.  At 4.70 Euros it's good value for money.  You can also have it as part of a Best of menu with French Fries and a drink for 6.90 Euros or a Menu Maxi Best of Meu for 7.40 Euros.   I love cheese.  Though I avoid eggs as far as I can, I tried and I loved it.

And if you live or happen to be in Germany, you are in for a pleasant surprise, too.  You can get a McVeggie Burger now.  I've tried it and I loved it though it is not really filling.  I can eat at least two of these.  But then I don't diet, have never and can never diet.  Priced at 1.49 Euros, it is excellent value for money.  The filling is a vegetable patty along with cheese, salad leaf, tomatoes.

If you don't mind the fact that eggs are used as binding agent then the next time all your friends want to go to McDonald's, you don't need to try all those reasons to avoid accompanying them. 

Personally, I'd prefer that they find a substitute for eggs.  Why can't McDonald's in the other parts of world learn from those in India?  McDonald's in India have a much better range for vegetarians.  I hope that things will change in the rest of the world as well.

But in the meanwhile, we'll have to take what we get... maybe fewer visits but then we can still feel free and enjoy!

Beating winters simply

Winter means cold weather and often people fall prey to diseases like flu.  But there are some simple ways to beat cold and I'm going to share one of them with you today.  It's called Besan ki barfi or simply Besan. 

Ingredients:

250 Gms Besan (chickpea flour)

250 Gms Ghee (clarified butter)

Single string Chashni (Sugar syrup made in such a manner that it forms a single string when it flows)

Powdered khus-khus (poppy seeds)

Almonds (whole or crushed)

Procedure:

Heat ghee in a wok.  Add besan to heated ghee and heat till the fragrance of besan fills the house.  Take it off the flame.  Add powdered poppy seeds and almonds and mix well.  Add sugar syrup to it and continue mixing.  It should be semi-liquid.

Take a metal plate with rim and butter it.  Pour the mixture in it and let it lie for 7-8 hours.  It will become solid.

After that cut it into small square pieces with a knife and take it out carefully and store.

You can store it for some time if you manage not to finish it that is :-)

It is easy to make and the most crucial part is making the chashni or the sugar syrup.  If you are unable to make perfect sugar syrup you may end up with either too soft or too hard barfi or it may be too sweet or not sweet enough. 

Benefits:

It helps reinforce immunity during winters and is considered a good remedy for cold.  Besan is very rich in proteins and is good for health.

Welcome to the World of Healthy Vegetarianism!

Well, like many Indians I am a lacto-vegetarian which is probably the oldest form of vegetarianism in the world.  Every time I tell someone that I'm vegetarian, people ask me all types of questions:  Isn't it difficult?  Do you get all necessary nutrients?  What about proteins? 

Often, people think that I should eat more than others to compensate for the fact that I am vegetarian.  Please note that being vegetarian doesn't mean that I need to eat more but what is required is to have a balanced meal and it is possible even if you are vegetarian.  The fact that we have survived till date implies that we get all nutrients that we need and this in spite of the fact that we are vegetarian. 

So this blog is an answer to all such queries and a place where you'll find vegetarian recipes as well as information about vegetarian food joints and restaurants all over the world.

In addition to this, you'll also be able to read about various qualities of food items that are used commonly in Indian homes in order to help cure ailments.  If you are a vegetarian and looking for such information then you are at the right place.  And if there is a good vegetarian recipe and/ or restaurant and/ or food joint about which you'd like to add information then please feel free to write to me and I'll do the same.

Welcome to the world of healthy vegetarianism! :-)