Beat the heat with Dahi-pakodiyan

All of us know how effective yoghurt is in fighting the summer heat.  And as we move towards summers I’d like to share a recipe that will help you beat the summer heat to some extent with ingredients such as mint and fresh coriander – a combination that is sure to help you protect yourself and your loved ones from heat wave.

Ingredients :

20 gms                 Pakodiyan (or boondi as it is called in some regions)

125 ml                  Yoghurt (dahi)

Salt (according to test)

1 pinch                 Red chilli powder

¼ Tsp.                   Mint powder

¼ Tsp.                   Cumin powder

10 gms                 Fresh Coriander (finely chopped)

Water

Procedure:

Take yoghurt and beat it into a thin mix.  Add a little water.

Add salt, red chilli powder and mint powder.  Mix.

Add pakodis and mix.

Add cumin powder and mix.

Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander.

Serve as a side-dish with pulao, puris or chappatis. 

Pakodis are made of besan (chickpea flour) and are quite nutritious.

Some of my favourite meals

Just wanted to share the photographs of some of my favourite meals:

Poha

Mixed vegetables, rice and dum aaloo

Rajma, chawal (rice) and Raita

Rice with mixed vegetables

Rice with Bharta

 Rice with cabbage-potatoes

Khichadi

Wadi-chawal

Daal waalaa paraantha with potatoes and tomato chutney

 

Sambar, Rasam and Upama

Red cabbage and pureed potatoes

Of course, I'll share these recipes on my blog but couldn't help giving you a sneak preview of things to come on this blog...

Mixed Vegetable Special

Ingredients:

1 Tb. Sp.                Sunflower Oil
2                             Green cardamoms  (use just seeds)

2-3                         Cloves
1 Tsp.                    Kasoori methi

2-3                         Bay leaves (Tej patta)

1 Tsp.                    Kalonji
1 Tb. Sp.               Cumin (jeera)

1 Tb. Sp.               Coriander seeds (dhaniya)

4-5                         Dried red chillies

Salt (according to taste)
1 pinch                 Red chilli powder (according to taste)
½ Tsp.                   Turmeric powder
2 cloves               Garlic (paste/ crushed)

1 Tsp.                    Ginger paste

1 pinch                 Asafoetida (hing)
1 big                     Onion cut along the length (big pieces)

200 ml                  Tomato puree

2 medium            Potatoes (peeled and cut into small cubes)



1 medium            Capsicum (Shimla mirch) (cut in big squares)

150 gms               Maize grains (I used a can)

100 gms               Tofu or Paneer (cut in big cubes)
1 Tsp.                    Garam masala
Water
25 gms                 Green coriander, finely chopped.
5-6 drops            Lemon juice (optional)

Procedure:

1.                   Heat oil in a pan.
2.                   Add kalonji, cumin and coriander seeds.
3.                   When the seeds start sputtering add red chillies.  Stir fry till they are golden brown.
4.                   Add asafoetida, bay leaves and kasoori methi.

5.                   Garlic and ginger paste.
6.                   Once it turns golden brown, add onions.

7.                   When the onions are well done, add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and
                mix well.
8.                   Add potatoes and capsicum.  Mix well.
















9.                   Cover and let it cook at low flame for 15 minutes.
10.               Add tomato puree and mix.
11.               Let it cook for another 10 minutes.  Keep stirring from time to time.
12.               Add tofu (or paneer) and mix well.
13.               Cover and let it cook.
14.               Add maize seeds and mix well.  Keep at low flame for another 5 minutes.
















15.               Add garam masala and mix well.  Leave it on fire for another 5 minutes.
16.               Take off the heat and garnish with green coriander, mix.

I love to add a few drops of lemon juice.  When serving to guests, it is a good idea to put a piece of lemon as a garnish. 

I love to have it as side-dish with rice, poories, chapattis and parontheys.  It’s up to you to choose your favourite way to have it.

Feel free to add carrots or other vegetables.

Tomato Rasam

A quick and yummy recipe, especially for summers.   One of the basics and essentials of south-Indian cuisines that is much loved by north-Indians as well.  Today, I’m sharing the recipe of one type of rassam because contrarily to the way we, north-Indians, look at it Rassam is not just one dish.  There are several types of rassams…

Ingredients:

2-3 medium       Tomatoes (cut into big cubes)

25 gms.               Toor/ arhar dal

1 pinch                      Asafoetida

20 gms.               Tamarind (pulp, without seeds)              

Salt (according to taste)

Water

3-4                         Green chillies

10-15                    Curry leaves

50 gms.                Green coriander, finely chopped.

1 Tb. Sp.               Sunflower Oil

1 Tsp.                    Mustard seeds 

1 pinch                 Asafoetida powder (Hing)

1 Tb. Sp.              Coriander powder

1 Tb. Sp.              Sambar powder

Procedure:

1.                   Boil toor daal with 1 pinch of  Asafoetida and keep it aside.

2.                   Take tamarind pulp / raw tamarind, boil it in 200 ml water.  Crush and filter it and add more water to it.

3.                   Add 1 table spoon coriander powder, Sambar Powder and start heating the liquid at small flame.

4.                   Add asafoetida.

5.                   Add salt.

6.                   Add cut Tomatoes, half cut green chilli ( 2-4 pieces max), onions and curry leaves(only a few).

7.                   Boil at a higher flame till the tomatoes are cooked.

8.                   Add toor dal to the above and Letit boil for another 5-6 minutes.

9.                   Switch off the gas and add green coriander (sufficient amount) to the hot rasam.

10.               Heat oil in a pan.

11.               Add mustard seeds.

13.              When the mustard seeds start spluttering add dal and tomato mix to this.

14.               Add dal and tomato mix to this.

15.               Take off the heat and garnish with green coriander, mix.

16.               Serve in a bowl as an appetizer or with rice.

I hope that you enjoyed this soup-style dish.  It is good especially if you suffer from constipation but must be avoided if you have cough and cold or stomach upset.

Mung Beans (Lentils): Sabut moong ki daal

Ever since we were kids, we have been told how good moong daal is for our health… and probably started hating it for this reason.  I fell in love with it only when I started living alone and realised how easy it is to cook and how little time it takes.

Ingredients:

100 gms               Whole Moong daal (mung bean)

Water
1 pinch                 Asafoetida (Hing)
Salt (according to taste)
1 pinch                  Red chilli powder (according to taste)
½ Tsp.                   Turmeric powder
1 Tb. Sp.               Sunflower Oil
1 Tsp.                    Cumin (jeera) 
1 medium            Ginger (cut in fine cubes)

1                             Green chilli (optional)

½ medium sized  Onion finely chopped (optional)
1 small                  Tomato (finely chopped)
20 gms                  Coriander (finely chopped)

Procedure:

1.                   Look through the moong daal to check that there are no stones.  Then wash it 2-3 times.
2.                   Put it in pressure cooker and cover it well with water.
3.                   Add asafoetida , salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well.
4.                   Let it boil in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes.

5.                   Heat oil in a pan.
6.                   Add cumin seeds.
7.                   When the seeds start sputtering add ginger and green chillies.

8.                   When ginger becomes somewhat brownish add finely chopped onion and stir fry till
                it’s a bit golden.

9.                   Add finely chopped tomatoes.

10.               Add boiled lentils.

11.               Mix well.
12.               Take off the heat and garnish with green coriander.

Serve with rice and chapattis in the main course.  Hope you enjoyed this simple yet healthy meal!

Did you know whole mung bean is an excellent ayurvedic remedy for constipation?