MADIPHALA RASAYANAM

A ayurvedic medicine. I still remember my childhood days when my Mom and Grand mother used to prepare this in large quantity. With all the citrus goodness from fruits, this is a perfect immunity booster in kids. More over this increases the appetite in fussy kids too. It helps  indigestion problems in older persons.  Also this is a perfect medicine for morning sickness in pregnant women. It helps relieve nausea,vomiting. I still remember the taste of the recipe which my Mom used to make. I searched for the recipe everywhere online, but couldn't find the way which I ate as a child. I am sharing the recipe with all of you......... Use it to keep the allergies at bay, increase the appetite or simply enjoy the taste. 

INGREDIENTS

• Oranges                       6
• Limes                          6
• Lemons                       6
• Pomegranate               2
• Tangerines                  6
• Grape fruit                   4
• Sugar/ honey               as required
• Ginger                         50 grams
• Jeera                            50 grams
• Coriander seeds          50 grams

PROCEDURE

Extract the juice from all the fruits. 

Measure the juice and take 1/4th  quantity of the sugar.

I skipped the sugar and used only honey.

Soak the jeera and coriander seeds for 2 hours.

Grind the soaked jeera, coriander seeds, ginger with some water. 

Strain and extract the liquid.

Now if you are using sugar in the recipe:

In a thick bottom pan, (preferably non stick pan or stainless steel and not the iron one because you are using citrus juice and iron will react with citrus juice.) add the fruit juice, sugar, extracted ginger, jeera, coriander juice. 

Mix well and switch on the stove.

Bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the flame to medium-low. 

Let the mixture thicken just like the honey.

It takes about 40 to 45 minutes depending on the amount of fruit juice.

Store it in a clean glass jar. 

You can increase the sugar depending on your taste.

The important point to remember is, Vitamin c doesn't destroy at boiling point, so you can be sure to retain the vitamin c even after this elaborate cooking. The Melting point of vitamin c is 190 degree centigrade.

If you are using honey in the recipe:

Boil the fruit juice, extracted ginger-jeera-coriander juice.

Simmer and let reduce to 1/4th of the quantity.

Now cool and finally add the same amount of honey. Heating of honey will destroy its nutrients so be sure to cool off the juice before mixing honey.

Store in a clean glass jar. 

The consistency will be as a liquid, but don't worry......this is good than the above traditional version.

SESAME-WALNUT LADOO

 For all those who cannot resist sweet tooth even on a strict diet……….the healthy goodness of walnuts, calcium rich sesame, iron rich jaggery makes a very good alternative. Have it in the morning, have it with afternoon tea or have it after your dinner……without guilt.
INGREDIENTS

• Walnuts                   2 cups
• Sesame seeds          1 cup
• Jaggery                   1+1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder 1 tsp 
• Ghee                        5-6 Tsp

PROCEDURE

On a slow flame dry roast sesame seeds. When they pop up set it aside.

Now dry roast the walnuts for 10 to 15 minutes on a very low flame. They should become crunchy without changing color.

Grate the jaggery or if the jaggery is hard make it into small pieces and add to the blender and make to powder.

Now grind the walnuts and sesame seeds to a coarse powder.

Add the powder to the jaggery. Add the cardamom powder and the ghee.

Make into round balls.

Enjoy. 

HOME MADE LOW FAT CONDENSED MILK

Now you can enjoy your favorite recipes with condensed milk without any guilt. Low fat home made condensed milk is a sure alternative you can add in any recipes which demands condensed milk. Weather it is kheer or carrot halwa or shahi tukada enjoy it in your way.

INGREDIENTS

• Low fat milk(1% organic milk is good)              1 litre
• Sugar                                                                  1/4 cup
• Butter                                                                 4-5 Tsp

PROCEDURE

Choose a very thick bottom and deep vessel for this recipe.

I usually use the pressure cooker without the lid.

If you have microwave first heat the entire milk to a boiling point and the transfer it to the vessel or pressure cooker.( Once the milk is boiling it doesn't stick to the bottom of the vessel. The milk burning from the bottom happens only when it is heating. So, to avoid this, heat the milk in the microwave and then transfer to the vessel.)

Let the milk boil and keep stirring the milk. You do not want any creamy layer forming on the milk. 

You will need a lot of patience. 

Keep the flame on medium and wait until you are left with 1/4th of the milk by stirring continuously. 

It takes about 30 to 35 minutes.

Now add the sugar and keep on stirring for another 15 minutes.

When the milk coats the spoon you can switch off the flame and let the milk cool. 

Be sure to stir every 2 minutes even after switching off the flame to avoid the layer forming on the milk.

Now  blend the milk, butter with a  hand blender by placing the vessel in ice cubes so that the milk turns creamy and cools quickly.

Store it in a clean glass jar. 

You can refrigerate for upto a week.

VEGGIE-OATS CUTLET

A healthy cutlet for those foodie lovers like me and who are on a strict diet. Not to tell you these are good for any one. As oats contain high fiber and is an energy booster, these are good for your kids too.

INGREDIENTS

• Oats powder                        1 cup
• Potato                                  1(boiled, mashed)
• Green peas                          1/4 cup(boiled, mashed)
• Onion                                  1/2 cup(finely chopped)
• Chopped chilies                  2
• Chopped coriander             2 Spoons
• Chopped ginger                  1 tsp
• Salt                                     to taste
• Jeera powder                     1 tsp
• Oil                                     to shallow fry 

PROCEDURE

Dry roast the oats powder on a very slow flame for 2-3 minutes.

Let cool and then add the remaining ingredients except the oil.

Mix well so that you can make small patties.

Shallow fry with oil on a hot tawa on a slow flame on both sides.

Serve hot with sauce.

Can use bread crumbs to enhance taste or if you are not able to make the patties.

CRACKED WHEAT PULAO

A delicious treat for those who are on a strict diet. Cracked wheat(or bulgur wheat) pulao is made the same way as the normal rice pulao. Check my procedure and never think you are on a diet. I made this both with cracked wheat and bulgur wheat and the pulao with bulgur wheat is more tastier and somewhat similar to rice pulao. Give it a try.

INGREDIENTS
Bulgur wheat                          1 cup
Water                                      3 cups
Veggies                                  1/2 cup(your choice)
Whole gram masala                cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, shahjeera, bay leaf
Oil                                          2 Tsp
Onions                                    1/4 cup chopped
Salt                                          to taste
Green chilies                           2-3

PROCEDURE
I prefer a rice cooker for making the pulao as the bulgur wheat takes longer time to cook on open flame.
First of all heat the oil in a pan and add the whole gram masala, onion.
Cook the onions for a minute and then add the finely chopped veggies. Add the salt, cover and cook for a minute.
Transfer the whole thing into a electric rice cooker pan. Add the bulgur wheat and water.
Cook till it is done.
Serve with any raita.

LOW CALORIE CARROT HALWA

Carrot halwa is a favorite dish for most of the dessert lovers. Lots of ghee and khoya keeps many of us away from this delicacy. Here I found a healthy way of making the carrot halwa. It is low in calorie but high in taste. Check it out.

INGREDIENTS

Grated carrot              3 cups
Fat free milk               3 cups
ghee                            2 Tsp
Sugar                          1 cup(you can replace it with Splenda)
Nuts                            badam, kaju.
Fat free milk powder   3 Tsp

PROCEDURE

Heat the ghee and fry the grated carrot on a very low flame for about 15 minutes.
The carrot should loose its raw flavor. This is a very key step for tasty halwa.
Now add the milk, cook till every thing forms into a thick lump. It may take up to 20 minutes on medium flame.
Now add the sugar. You can replace sugar with no calorie sugar substitute.
Cook till the halwa thickens. Finally add the milk powder and chopped nuts.
Serve with any savory.

MIXED VEGGIE AND METHI CURRY

One of the most healthy green leafy vegetable used widely all over India is Methi. Used in seed and leafy form this is packed with full of nutrition. The leaves are bitter, but when cooked with other ingredients in the right way tastes awesome. Kasuri methi, which is the dried methi leaves powder is commonly used in many dishes. But recipes with fresh methi leaves are limited. Today I am going to present a very delicious and tasty recipe with methi and mixed vegetables.

INGREDIENTS

• Methi leaves                         1 cup(packed)
• Mixed vegetables                 2 cups
• Ginger garlic paste               1 Tsp.
• Jeera                                     1 tsp.
• Onion                                   1 large
• Tomato                                 1 large
• Salt                                       to taste
• Chilly powder                       1 Tsp.
• Sugar                                    1 tsp.
• Oil                                        3 Tsp.
• Curd                                     1/2 cup
• Garam masala powder         1 Tsp.

PROCEDURE

Chop the onion, tomato and make a paste.

Boil all the veggies and set aside. I have used potatoes, carrots, beans, peas, corn.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the jeera, ginger garlic paste. Add the onion- tomato paste. 

Add a pinch of salt. Mix well, cover and cook till the paste looses its raw flavor and oil oozes out.

Now add the finely chopped methi leaves. 

Cook till you feel a nice aroma from the methi leaves. 

Cover and cook for 5 more minutes.(low flame only)

Add the boiled veggies. Add salt, sugar, chilly powder.

Add enough water, cook for another 10 minutes.

Finally add the well beaten curds, gram masala.

Serve with any pulav or roti or naan.

DATES HALWA

A healthy and nutritious sweet which can be made with very little ghee and sugar is dates halwa. The very healthy dates are combined with good amount of milk and cooked till the great tasting yummy halwa is formed. As the naturally sweet dates are used very little amount of sugar is used. You can also skip the ghee which I have used in my recipe. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS

• Pitted Dates            1 cup
• Milk                         2 cups
• Sugar                      1/4 cup 
• Ghee                        2 Tsp
• Nuts                        of your choice
• Cardamom             a pinch

PROCEDURE
Soak the dates in one cup of milk for an hour.
Grind the dates to a fine paste.
In a non stick pan add the milk, dates paste, sugar.
Keep the flame high and let the mixture cook. Keep on stirring.  
When the mixture tends to become thick(in about 15 minutes) reduce the flame and add the ghee.
Keep stirring till the halwa leaves the edges of the pan.
Finally add the ghee fried nuts and the cardamom. Serve hot or cold.
TIPS

• Can use honey instead of sugar.
• You can also reduce the ghee or even skip the ghee totally.
• Initially the mixture will be light in color, at the final stage the halwa becomes dark.

HEALTHY POHA MIXTURE

South India is famous for many tea time snacks. Mixture is one of the such snack which is loved by every one. A sweet along with the mixture and coffee is the best snack combination, served to guests in South India. Although the snack is simple, many don’t prefer it as basen is the base and moreover deep fried. For such people Poha chivda or mixture is the best alternative. Today I made the poha mixture even more healthier by skipping the deep frying of the poha. I have rather baked the poha until crisp and golden, mixed it with other ingredients. Give it a try.  
INGREDIENTS

• Poha                           2 cups
• Ghee                           1 Tsp
• Peanuts                     2 Tsp
• Roasted chana         2 Tsp
• Curry leaves             a few
• Salt                             to taste
• Red chilly powder    to taste

PROCEDURE
I have used the thin variety of poha. Thick poha needs extra baking time
Pre heat the oven to 400 ^O F.  Layer the poha on the baking tray. Make sure the poha forms a thin layer.
Bake the poha for 20 minutes. Mix the poha for every 5 minutes so that there is a even baking.
When the poha turns golden brown remove and set aside.
 In a pan heat the ghee and fry the peanuts, roasted chana(putnalu), curry leaves. Mix them to the poha.
Also mix the salt and chilly powder.
Combine them well and enjoy.
You can use cashew nuts also.

OATS CHAPATI

Chapathi- Indian bread is the staple food for many. With the growing number of health concerns with rice many are switching to chapathi as the main diet. No doubt chapathi is low in calories, rich in fiber. The goodness of the chapathi can be enjoyed only with the whole wheat flour(husk or barn included) and not the refined flour that every one uses. Well, we rarely find the whole wheat flour, especially in India. Oats form the best alternative- oats do not undergo any refining process and hence retains the goodness and nutrition of whole grains. More over they contain more soluble fiber and lowers cholesterol, increases the digestion process. Some people face the constipation problem with the normal wheat chapathi. Oats chapathi is a best alterative for such persons. Also if you are on a diet control plan, including oats in most of your diet recipes can bring you quicker results.
Many of you might have heard of oats chapathi and many of you might have been using a couple of spoon of oats powder while making the chapathi. But today I give a recipe which has more of the oats powder and less of wheat flour. My recipe turned out a hit and believe me, no one can identify that the chapathies are made with oats flour. I have used olive oil for making the chapathi, this not only increases the taste, but also helps in getting smooth chapathies.  
INGREDIENTS

• Oats powder           1 cup
• Wheat flour             3/4 cup
• Salt                           to taste
• Water                       to make the dough
• Oil                             for dough, for frying chapathi

PROCEDURE
If you are having the oats as is, make the powder in a mixie.
Now combine both the flours, salt. Add a couple of teaspoons of  oil and mix well. Now using water little at a time make a soft dough. Add one more spoon of oil to the dough and knead it well for 5 minutes.
Rest the dough for at least 2- 3 hours.
Take a small amount of the dough and roll it into a circle.
Smear some oil onto it and fold it into half and again fold it into half so that a triangle is formed.
Now roll the triangle into 1/4 inch thick chapathi.
Fry the chapathi on a tawa with some oil.
For detailed recipe of chapathi click here
TIPS

• Resting the dough for more time yield softer chapathi.
• You can skip oil while making the dough, but use oil while rolling the chapathi. This makes the chapathi puff-up while frying.
• You can also make the regular roti or pulka with the same dough.
• Use the refined wheat flour in this recipe. This way you can get much softer chapathi.

HEALTHY VEGETABLE MANCHURIA

Manchuria, this very famous Chinese became so popular in India that every party or function menu is incomplete without it. Every restaurant, or even a road side chaat hut has this in its menu. The deep fried vegetable dumplings are cooked in a spicy sauce. As the dumplings are deep fried many hesitate to take this when ever they like. Here I come with a healthy version of vegetable manchuria which can be had as many time as you like. Although this is made healthy, the taste remains the same. Give it a try. The dumplings for the recipe are baked in the oven, so make sure you start the preparation an hour before.
INGREDIENTS
for the dumplings

• Cabbage             finely shredded 1/2 cup
• Carrots               finely grated      1/2 cup
• Boiled potato     1 large
• Cauliflower          very finely chopped 1/2 cup
• Green peas          1/2 cup boiled
• Salt                      to taste
• Pepper powder   1 tsp
• Tasting salt         a pinch(optional)
• Green chilies       1 finely chopped
• Corn flour            1 Tsp
• Oil                        1 Tsp

for the gravy

• Onion              1 large finely chopped
• Tomatoes        1 small finely chopped
• capsicum        1 Small finely chopped
• Tomato sauce  1 Tsp
• Soy sauce         1/2 tsp
• Garlic cloves     3 finely chopped
• Ginger              1/2 inch finely chopped
• Green chilies    1 finely chopped
• Oil                     2 Tsp
• Salt                   to taste
• Sugar                1 tsp
• Tasting salt       a pinch
• Corn flour         1 tsp

PROCEDURE
Pre heat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
Take the finely shredded cabbage, cauliflower, grated carrots in a large pan. Add a cup of water and cook for five minutes, until the veggies turn soft.
squeeze out the water from the veggies. Keep the water and use it in the gravy. The veggies should not contain any moisture. This is an important step.
As the veggie balls are baked in the oven, very little corn flour is used, so if the veggies contain more moisture it will be difficult to roll the balls.
You can even spread the veggies on a kitchen towel to remove any moisture.
Now smash the boiled peas and potato. Add the veggies to the peas and  potato mixture.
Mix well. Now add the remaining ingredients for the dumplings(salt, pepper, chilies, corn flour, tasting salt.)
Mix well and make small balls with this mixture.
Spray the baking tray with oil, place the dumplings on it and brush them with some more oil.
Bake for about 30 minutes. Now increase the temperature and bake for another 15 minutes till the dumplings turn deep brown.
To make the gravy add a couple of spoons of oil in a pan. Heat the oil and add the finely chopped ginger and garlic. When they turn brown add the finely chopped onions.
When the onions turn brown, add the finely chopped tomatoes and the capsicum.
Add enough salt, sugar, tasting salt, green chilies.
Cover and cook for 10 minutes till the tomatoes are very soft.
Now add the tomato sauce, soy sauce, corn flour and a cup of water( Use the squeezed out water from the veggies).
Cook till the gravy is soft and thick.
Add the baked dumplings. Coat them with the gravy and remove them into a serving dish.
Serve with roti or naan or any fried rice.
TIPS

• Do not use more of the corn flour for the dumplings. I used potato(generally not used for veg manchuria) as a binding agent instead of maida.
• Soft veggies can easily be made into balls.
• If you cannot make the balls add a couple of spoons of bread crumbs and not the corn flour or maida.
• Adding too much of corn flour make the dumplings hard. So make sure that the veggies do not contain any moisture.
• To make the veggies soft you can skip boiling and try this: add a couple of spoons of water to the veggies and microwave for 2 minutes.
• This procedure is best suited only for the gravy version of the manchuria.
• You can skip the capsicum if you do not like.
• Different ovens have different temperatures so be cautions while baking.  

  

SPINACH CARROT SOUP

A great appetizer with all the flavors and  healthy goodness of the vegetables, is soup. What else can anyone think of other than a bowl full of a hot soup on  a cold rainy day. Also a bowlful of hot and sour soup is a good remedy for sore throat or fever. These can be made easily with simple ingredients. Any one or two vegetables or a combination of different vegetables are sautéed, pureed and strained and the the puree is combined with the thickening agent, seasoned with pepper and salt. This is the basic version of soup. There after different tasting agents such as butter, milk, cream, cheese, noodles, different lentils, lemon juice or zest of orange etc are added to enhance the taste. Cream soups, clear soups, whole vegetable soups are the basic varieties in soups. A soup is named by the vegetable used in it along with the taste enhancer used. The taste of the soup decides the name of the soup. Tomato soup, mixed veggie soup, carrot soup, sweet corn soup, Cream of tomato soup, cream of potato soup, Cream of broccoli soup, mixed veggie dal soup, bean soup, coriander clear soup, veggie clear soup, clear noodle soup and the list goes on and on…….
Although there are many different types of ready made soup powders available in the market, the one that is prepared with the freshest vegetables right from the scratch gives us the best cooking experience and moreover best healthy taste. Here I gave a simple version of the spinach carrot soup which is simple to make but very delicious to drink.      
INGREDIENTS

• Spinach                    1 bunch
• Carrots                     3
• Onion                       1 small
• Butter                      1 Tsp
• Maida                       1/2 Tsp
• Salt                           to taste
• Pepper powder         to taste
• Cream                       1 Tsp

PROCEDURE
Roughly chop the carrots and the spinach. Now cook the carrots and the spinach on a slow flame till they are very soft. You can also pressure cook the two.  Now by adding water blend the two into a fine puree. Strain the puree. In a pan heat the butter and add the very finely chopped onion. Sautee the onion till transparent, add the flour and mix well. Now when the flour is fried add the palak, carrot puree. Adjust the water according to the thickness required. Let the soup come to a boil, simmer and cook for five minutes or till the raw flavor is removed. Add the salt and pepper. Serve this healthy soup hot. 

OATS DOSA

Oats Dosa

When it comes to cooking, it is said that tasty is not healthy. Lots and lots of oil or ghee or fat items makes the best tasting dishes…………this is not true. Tasty is also healthy is all that I want to say by giving this recipe. Oats, this is the popular word you hear among the dieting foods. Oats oats helps in reducing cholesterol level, stabilizes blood sugar level, reduces the cardiovascular diseases and many more health benefits.Low fat, high fiber oats are good for persons who are desperate in reducing their weight.
A bowlful of steamy oats porridge is a perfect way to start the day with. But unless you have strong  determination of eating healthy, you cant eat tasteless oats as it is. Many try to make the tasteless oats tasty by adding fruits, nuts, honey and many more. Oats dosa, oats upma, oats lassi etc are the recipes which are not only healthy but also tasty. Try out my healthy made tasty recipes and enjoy healthy eating without sacrificing your love for tasty foods. Having these yummy recipes once in a while keeps you fit and healthy.
INGREDIENTS

• Oats                         2 cups
• Salt                          to taste
• Red chilly powder    1 tsp
• Jeera                       1 tsp
• Rice flour                 2 Tsp
• Maida                       1 Tsp
• Oil                            to make dosas
• Curd                         1/2 cup(optional)
• Water                       3 cups

PROCEDURE
Grind the oats in a mixture to a fine powder. In the same mixie jar add the remaining ingredients except oil and jeera. Blend every thing to a fine liquid consistency. Adjust the water to make the batter like the dosa batter. Now take the batter in a bowl and add the jeera. Set aside the batter for about 20 minutes. Now heat the dosa pan and smear a little bit of oil. Pour a ladle full of batter on the pan and spread it into a circle just like the regular dosas. Add the oil to cook the dosas. When the dosa turns golden brown flip the dosa and cook the other side. Remove the dosa and serve hot.
TIPS

• Blending all the ingredients make the batter smooth without lumps.
• Any filling that is used for the regular dosa can be used for these dosas also. Use the finely chopped onions as the stuffing and the dosas tastes best.
• Any chutney can be used as an accomplishment.