Indian Dal-Dalma(Lentils with Vegetables)

Lentils are pack with protein and are very good for growing kids.This simple dal is inspired by the recipe Dalma from Odisha.It contains vegetables and is cooked in very little oil.Dalma tastes best when served hot with plain steamed rice.
Ingredients
Yellow Pigeon peas(Toor dal)-1/2 cup
Radish-1/2
Eggplant-1
Yellow Pumpkin-5- 6small cubes
Yam-3-4 small cubes
Drumsticks-2
French beans-3-4
Raw banana-1
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
For Tempering
Oil/Ghee-2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds-1/4 teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1/4 teaspoon
Dried Red Chilli-2
Carom seeds-a pinch
Aniseed-a pinch
For the Powder
Cumin seeds-4 table spoons
Dry Red chillies-4-5
How to make the powder
-Dry roast the dried red chillies and cumin seeds and let it cool
-Coarsely grind in a pestle to make powder.
How to Cook the Dalma
-Soak the toor dal in 2-3 cups of water for atleast 1 hour.
-Cut all the vegetables into small or medium size.
-Take a pressure cooker and add the washed toor dal and the cut vegetables.
-Add salt and turmeric powder and 5 cups of water.
-Let it cook for 3-4 whistles.Allow it to cool.
-Heat oil/ghee in a pan and add mustard chilli,cumin seeds,red chilli and allow it to splutter.
-Now add the cooked vegetables and dal and cook for another4 -3minutes .
-Turn off the flame and add the roasted and  powdered cumin seeds and red chilli.
-Serve hot with plain steamed rice.

Besan Ki Roti with Spinach and Fenugreek(Indian Flat Bread)

This roti is basically made from gram flour.You can also make it with whole wheat flour and even multigrain flour.I have used fresh spinach and fenugreek leaves.This roti goes well with plain yogurt and pickle with some healthy salads.You can also serve it with fresh coriander chutney.Pack in in your kids lunch box or serve it for breakfast or dinner.
Ingredients
Gram flour(besan)-1/2 cups
Whole wheat flour-1 cup
 Onion -1/2
Ginger-1 small piece
Green chiiles-1,finely chopped
Sesame seeds-2 teaspoons
Carom seeds(ajwain) -1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder-1/2 teaspoon
Spinach leaves-a handful, finely chopped
Fenugreek leaves-a handful, finely chopped
Salt-1.5 teaspoon
Yogurt-2 tablespoons
Oil/Ghee-2 tablespoons
Water-1/4 cups,to knead the dough

Method
-Make a paste with onions and ginger.
-Take a big container and put all the above ingredients except oil and water and mix well.
-Add the ginger-onion paste and slowly add water and make a nice soft dough.
- Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.
-Take some whole wheat in a small bowl.
-Divide the dough into 3-4 small portions and make rounds and flatten each dough ball.
-Roll each flattened dough by dusting some whole wheat flour to make small round rotis.
-Heat a flat pan and put the rotis .Cook each roti by turning it on both sides.
-Make sure the rotis is cooked on both sides properly  before smearing oil or ghee.
-Smear a little oil or ghee and serve hot!
-Serve with green chutney or plain yogurt.
  
My Note-You can also add grated carrots to make it more healthy.

Fresh Homemade Chapati with Millets and whole Grains

 Multigrain food usually contains more than one grain.They may include whole grain ingredients like oats,cracked wheat,Finger millet (Ragi),soya flour or some other grains.

You can also add other millets like Pearl millet(Bajra) and Sorghum(jowar) according to the season.Like Finger millet during monsoon and other seasons while jowar is good to consume during summer and bajra in winter.These are neutral millets and are gluten free and have immense nutritional values.

For more recipes with millets please check the following links:

Bajra(Pearl millet) Roti

https://mamasview.blogspot.com/2012/11/bajra-and-aloo-roti-gluten-free-indian.html

https://mamasview.blogspot.com/2013/03/bajra-lauki-paratha-indian-flat-bread.html

To make this very healthy chapati, i purchase the whole grains and make fresh flour from them at home.You can take small quantities of each of the whole grain and make a flour and store it in an air tight container for atleast a week.This flour is fresh as it is home-made and is much better than the multigrain flours available at the super markets.It also provides the essential benefits of a multigrain food as the grains in the food are all whole grains.I have also added sesame seeds and grated carrots to make it more nutritious.

 
Tip
Whenever you buy multigrain foods from the supermarkets,make sure the product contains the 'whole' grains.Check the food labels and buy multigrain products with whole grains only.

Ingredients
 Millet flour(Ragi)-1/4 cups
Oats flour-1/4 cups
Soya flour-1/4 cups
Whole wheat flour-1/2 cups
Grated carrot-1
Finely chopped onions-1/2
Finely chopped garlic-2 teaspoons
Finely chopped green chillies-1
Red chilli powder-1/4 teaspoon
Sesame seeds-4 teaspoons
water-to make dough
Salt -1 teaspoon
Oil/Ghee-2 teaspoons
Method
-Take a pan and dry roast the oats for 4-5 minutes and crush it in blender to make a fine powder.
-Similarly,dry roast the millet and make a powder from it too.
-I have used soya nuggets to make the soya flour.You can also use soya flour available in the market.
-Take a big vessel and add all the ingredients and only 1 teaspoon oil and mix them well with your hands.
-Take another pan and warm 6 table spoons of water.
-Add the warm water to the flour mix slowly and gently knead to make a nice soft dough.
-Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
-Divide the dough into 4-5 portions by making small balls and press the ball and make it flat.
-Dust whole wheat flour and roll to make  round chapatis.
-Heat a flat pan and cook the chapatis.
- Turn them to cook on both sides.
-You can add oil or ghee.
-Serve hot with plain yogurt or green dhania chutney.

 My Notes
You can also make nice crispy crackers from this dough.Add little water to the flour mix and knead a tight and dry dough for making crackers.Roll the dough by dusting flour using a roll pin and cut it into thin strips using a knife.You can cook it on a flat pan or even bake it.

Nutritious Vegetable-Pulses Curry

This recipe contains some of the important rich in vitamin A and other minerals and some protein rich pulses.You can serve it with rice or chapati.It also makes an excellent lunch box recipe.
Ingredients
Chickpeas-3 teaspoons(soaked and boiled)
Horse gram-3 tablespoons(soaked and boiled)
Bengal gram-2 tablespoons(soaked and boiled)
Drumsticks-1
Eggplant-1 medium
Potato-1 medium
Radish-1/2
Pumpkin(yellow) -6-7 pieces,diced
Tomatoes-1 big,diced
 For the Paste
Onions-1/2
Garlic-5-6 cloves
Ginger-small piece
For Tempering
Cumin seeds-2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds-1/4 teaspoon
Dried red chillies-2
Fenugreek seeds-a pinch
Turmeric-1/2 teaspoon
Bay Leaves-2
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil-3 teaspoons
Method
 -Soak the pulses over night or atleast for 8-10 hours in water.
-Dry roast 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and 1 dry red chilli and grind it coarsely using a pestle.
-Make a paste with ginger,garlic and onions.
-Chop the vegetables into medium or small pieces.
-In a pressure cooker add all the vegetables and pulses except tomatoes and add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric,salt and 2 bay leaves and pressure cook till 2 whistles.
-Drain the water from the vegetables and allow it to cool.
-Heat oil in a pan and add the spices for tempering.
-When the spices begin to splutter add the onion-ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2-3 minutes.
-Now add the diced tomatoes and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
-Add salt,turmeric,and the boiled  pulses and vegetables and mix well.
-Cook for 2-3 minutes and sprinkle the roasted red chilli-cumin powder on top.

Smoked Eggplant(Baingan ka Bharta)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The smoky flavor of the roasted eggplant seasoned with green chillies and onions gives a distinct flavor and taste to this dish.There are several ways to make this healthy and tasty bharta but I usually make it in two diffenent ways.In one recipe I simply add the onions,chillies and add mustard oil and mash it.This is a quick way to make the bharta.In the other recipe i cook the roasted eggplant along with the onions and chilles.Both the dishes can be had with plain chapati.
Quick Eggplant Bharta
Ingredients
Eggplants(Big size)-2
Finely chopped onions-1/2
Finely chopped green chillies-2(you can add more or less chillies as per your taste)
Ginger-1/4 teaspoon,finely chopped
Mustard oil/Ghee/Olive oil-2 teaspoons
Salt to taste
How to Roast the Eggplant
-Wash the eggplant properly and prick it at several places using a fork.
-Slit the eggplant but don't cut it into two halves.
-Put the eggplant on the gas flame and cook till it's skin is completely charred.
-Turn the flame off and let the eggplant cool completely.

How to make the Quick Bharta
-Take the charred skin of the eggplant out completely and wash it under running water once.
-Take a container and put the eggplant and add salt and mash it properly.
-Now add all the above ingredients including ghee/mustard oil and mash again.
-Baingan Bharta goes well with chapatis.

Masala Eggplant Bharta
Ingredients
Eggplants(Big size)-2
Finely chopped onions-1/2
Diced tomatoes-1/2
Finely chopped green chillies-2(you can add more or less chillies as per your taste)
Ginger-1/4 teaspoon,finely chopped
Cumin seeds- 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder-a pinch
Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves-3-4 teaspoons

Vegatableoil/Olive oil/Ghee-2 teaspoons
Salt to taste
Method
-Follow the above steps to roast the eggplants.
-Heat a pan and add the cumin seeds.Let it splutter.
-Add the chopped green chilies,turmeric powder and onions and saute till the onions become translucent.
-Now add the diced tomatoes and cook for 2- minutes.
-Put the mashed eggplant and mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
-Turn the flame off and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Poha Mixture(Flattened Rice Flakes)

Poha mixture is yet another easy to make recipe.It is made by roasting the flattened rice flakes.You can store the mixture in an air tight container for at least a week.It's tasty and healthy too.This is a great tea-time snacks and kids will love it.
Ingredients
Flattened rice flakes(Thin variety)-2 cups
Roasted Peanuts-A handful
Roasted chana dal-3-4 teaspoons
Cashew nuts-7-8 fried
Boondi-4-5 teaspoons
Sev bhujia-1 small packet
Green chillies-2,finely chopped
Curry leaves-4-5
Salt to taste
Oil-2 teaspoons

Method
-Add a teaspoon of oil in a pan and roast the poha on medium flame by stirring ocassionally.
-Take the roasted poha out on a plate.
-In the same pan now add 1 teaspoon of oil and curry leaves and green chillies.
-Fry the chillies and the curry leaves till they turn crispy.
-Now add the fried cashew nuts and the roasted chana dal.
-Add the roasted poha back to the pan and turn the flame off.
-Add the boondi,sev bhujia and mix well with a spoon.
-Store in an air tight container.

Quick Poha(Flattened Rice Flakes) for Breakfast

Poha, a snack made of flattened rice. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Poha or flattened rice flakes is an easily digestible form of raw rice.There are several recipes made from poha.It is a quick-to-make and very nutritious food.
Poha with Onions and Potatoes
Ingredients
Poha-thin/thick variety 2 cups
Onion-1 medium size
Potato-1 medium size
Ginger-1 small piece
Green chillies-2
Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
Roasted peanuts-a hand
Mustard seeds-1/4 teaspoon
Lime juice-3 teaspoon
Curry leaves-5-6
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves-for garnishing
Vegetable Oil- 3 tablespoons
Method
-Wash the poha and drain the water using a strainer.Let it soak some water for 5-6 minutes.
-Cut the onions and potatoes into small pieces.
-Make a paste with ginger and chillies.
-Take the skin out of the peanuts by rubbing them with both hands and blowing off the skin.
-Heat and pan and add 3 table spoons of oil to it.
-Add the curry leaves and mustard seeds and let it splutter.
-Now put the cut potatoes and turmeric powder and cook for 3-4 minutes.
-Add the chopped onions and a pinch of salt and cook it along the potatoes.
-Put the roasted peanuts and the ginger and green chilli paste.
-Take a handful of soaked poha and add to the pan.
-Add salt according to your taste and mix well.
-Turn the flame off and add lime juice and mix well.
-Now slowly add the rest of the poha,taking a handful at a time.
-Serve hot with green chutney.
-Garnish coriander leaves on top.