SESAME-FLAXSEED POWDER

With the health consciousness increasing day by day in every one, consuming healthy foods is also increasing at the same pace. Who says healthy is not tasty. Right ways of cooking makes every thing taste best. This is the same case with the healthy flaxseeds.  Flaxseeds are full of nutrients, fiber, omega 3, protein. For many who would like to take flaxseeds,  but cannot take it due to its nutty  taste, this recipe is a must try. This can be had with any Indian breakfast recipe, idly dosa vada....... or with plain rice. 

INGREDIENTS

• Flax seeds                1 cup
• Sesame seeds           1 cup
• Jeera                        1 Tsp
• Salt                          to taste
• Red chilies              10-15

PROCEDURE

Dry roast the flax seeds on a very slow flame. Same way dry roast the sesame seeds and the red chilies. 

Cool them

Take the flaxseeds, jeera, red chilies, salt in a mixer and grind to a fine powder.

Now add the sesame seeds and grind well till the powder is well done.

Serve with idly or dosa or rice.

This can be stored for up to 1 month.

MIXED DAL LADDU

A touch of more protein to the already healthy sunnundalu........ Chana dal, moong dal and urad dal  along with jaggery and dried nuts makes these tasty and healthy laddus. For all those fussy and picky little  eaters, these laddus does wonders. Give them one each day and they will be out of their nutritional imbalance.

INGREDIENTS

• Urad dal                   1 cup
• Chana dal                 3/4 cup
• Moong dal                3/4 cup
• Jaggery                     1 cup
• Sugar                        1 cup
• Cardamom                6
• Nuts                           cashes almonds walnuts      
• Ghee                         1+1/2 cups

PROCEDURE

On a slow flame dry roast the dals individually. The dal must be fried from the inside but should not get burnt from outside.

Grate the jaggery or make a fine powder if the jaggery is hard.

Powder the sugar too along with cardamom.

Now grind the dals to fine powder.

Now you can dry roast the nuts and powder them too.

Mix in the dal powder, sugar powder and jaggery powder. 

Add the nuts powder and mix well

Add melted ghee little by little and make laddus.

FRIED GOBI AND VEGGIE FRIED RICE

Yet another fried rice recipe. This time a touch of Manchuria taste. I fried gobi and added it to the fried rice. I added all the sauce ingredients of Manchuria to the veggie and rice mixture along with fried cauliflower. Give the recipe a sure try.

INGREDIENTS

• Cooked rice                             4 cups
• Finely chopped veggies          2 cups(carrots, beans, capsicum, peas, green onions)
• Gobi                                        1 cup( half cooked florets)
• Maida                                      2 Tsp
• Corn flour                                1 Tsp
• Pepper powder                        1/2 Tsp
• Salt                                          to taste
• Ginger-garlic paste                 1 tsp
• Garlic                                      1 Tsp chopped
• Soy sauce                                1 Tsp
• Tomato sauce                          2 Tsp(I skipped it, as I am out of it in my pantry)
• Chilli sauce                             1 tsp
• Sugar                                       1 Tsp
• Oil                                           for deep frying+2 Tsp

PROCEDURE

First fry the cauliflower florets. 

In a large mixing bowl add the cauliflower florets, maida, corn flour, salt, ginger garlic paste.

Add enough water to coat the florets.

Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the cauliflower pieces. The florets do not change the color too much because you are using maida.

Keep the fried cauliflower aside.

Heat 2 Tsp of oil in a large non stick pan and add the chopped garlic. Now add the chopped veggies.

Sauté till the veggies become soft, but don't loose the crunch. 

Reduce the flame.

Now add the fried cauliflower florets, pepper powder, salt, sugar, soy sauce, tomato sauce, chili sauce.

Give a quick mix and add the rice.

Serve hot.

SENAGALAVADA-KALACHANA VADA

Call it vada or fritters or kababs, these are authentic South Indian snacks made with black chickpeas( dark brown) and filled with protein, nutrients. These are commonly deep fried, but if you are a calorie freak you can also pan fry on a slow flame with little oil.  

INGREDIENTS

• Kalachana                    1 cup
• Salt                               to taste
• Green chilies                3
• Curry leaves                 2 sprigs
• Ginger                          1 inch piece
• Jeera                             1 Tsp
• Oil                                to deep fry
• Onions                          1/4 cup chopped

PROCEDURE

Soak the chana over night with 1:3 water

Throughly wash the chana.

In a mixie add the green chilies, ginger, jeera. 

Grind to a paste. Now add the Chana and grind to a coarse consistency. 

Don't add too much water. 

It should be a thick batter to make vada.

Take the whole vada batter into a bowl, add the salt, onions, curry leaves.

Heat oil in a large pan. 

Take small amount of the batter, make vada and gently drop it into hot oil.

Make 4-5 vadas, a batch. 

Fry on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes.

Serve hot with any chutney.