Cabbage Soup

An easy to soup with Italian flavoring, I tried it out recently with great results. There was this unused cabbage lying in the fridge for a week and nobody wanted to eat any cabbage curry. I had used a bit of it in a veg noodles recipe that I had made for my kid. With Maggie going off the shelf, I buy these big chowmein packets and cook it with lots of veggies. It is not only much more healthier but also works out to be cheaper. Coming back to the soup, I was confused about the kind of flavoring that I should use. With opinions divided between an Indian version and a Russian one, I somehow ended up with the classic Italian seasoning of EVOO, garlic and chili flakes.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 cups chopped cabbage (tightly packed)
• 3 tbsp chopped onions
• 2 cloves
• 1/2 inch cinnamon (optional)
• 10-12 peppercorns
• 2-3 garlic flakes
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp EVOO
• 1 tsp Pomace olive oil
• salt to taste
• freshly ground pepper

Cooking - Heat the olive oil in a pressure cooker. Add the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves and onions. Fry for a minute before adding the cabbage.  Fry for 2-3 mins.

Add 3 cups water and salt to taste. Close lid and cook for 3-4 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Open lid and use a hand blender to puree the contents of the pressure cooker.

Take the EVOO in a pan. Add the crushed garlic and fry till it is golden. Add the chili flakes and fry for 20 seconds before pouring it over the cabbage soup.

Pour out into bowls, garnish with fresh pepper and serve immediately.

Masoor Dal ka shorba (Red Lentil Soup)

Lentil soups are much more filling and nutritious (protein rich) as compared to the vegetable variants. Hence, they are indispensable when one is trying to lose weight or maintain proper blood sugar levels as in the case of diabetics. One can use the regular dals like moong dal, toor dal and masoor dal for preparing a wholesome and richly flavored soup.

But Masoor dal ka shorba happens to be the current favorite. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins


Ingredients -

• 4 tbsp Masoor dal (red lentil)
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 large tomato
• 2 dry red chilis
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 7-8 black pepper
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• a pinch of turmeric

Preparation - Wash and soak the dal for 2-3 hours.

Chop the onion and tomato into medium sized pieces.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Throw in the broken chilis and spices. Fry till fragrant.

Add the onions and tomatoes. Stir fry for 3-4 mins.

Add the dal along with 3 cups water and turmeric . Close lid and cook for 4-5 whistles.

Keep aside till steam escapes. Open the lid and use a hand blender to churn up the contents of the pressure cooker. (Be careful as the hot liquid might spill and burn one's hands)

Strain into a saucepan. Adjust the consistency and add salt. Bring to boil and let it simmer for 2-3 mins.

Pour into soup bowls and serve immediately.

The 15 Minute Meal Series - Post 3

Continuing the 15 Minute Meal series that enables you to enjoy fresh home cooked food, I have put together another really easy to prepare meal consisting of flavoured rice (using brown rice), soya and kala channa subzi, karela ka bharta and a papad chura/salad .

How to do this in 15 mins -

1. Overnight preparation -  Soak the kala channa for 8 hours minimum. Wash and cook with salt, turmeric and just enough water for 3-4 whistles.

Open the cooker once steam escapes. Transfer into a food grade plastic container and refrigerate overnight.

Take one bitter gourd and 2 medium sized potatoes. Wash and cook together in a pressure cooker with just enough water for 3 whistles.

Open the cooker once steam escapes. Transfer into a food grade plastic container and refrigerate overnight.

Additionally, one can also peel the garlic and chop the onions, cilantro and green chilis.

Soak the brown rice overnight.

2. Making the kala channa and soya subzi - Put the soya chunks into boiling water for 5 mins.

Heat 1-2 tsp oil in a wok. Add jeera and green chili tempering. Add chopped onions followed by GG paste. Fry for 2 mins.

Drain the soya chunks and wash 2-3 times with fresh water. Squeeze out water before adding to the wok. Fry for 2 mins

Add chopped tomato, red chili powder, garam masala and cook for another 2-3 mins. Add the boiled channa along with the boiled potato (peeled and cubed). Cook for 2 mins.

Transfer to a pressure cooker along with 1 1/2 cups hot water. Adjust salt. Close lid and cook for 2 whistles on high.

3. Cooking rice - Heat a oil in a cooker. Add 1-2 green chilis, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds and 2 garlic cloves. After 30 secs, add about 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander stems and saute for a min or two. Add the washed brown rice and water. Sprinkle some grated mango ginger on top. Close lid and cook for 2 whistles.

4. Kareley ka Bharta - Take the bitter gourd, remove the seeds and mash it. Add the boiled potato to it, add chopped green chili, salt, a bit of mustard oil and cilantro. Mash together.

Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a tadka pan. Add some pancha phutana (panch phoran) and 1 broken red chili. Once it gets spluttering, add some chopped onion and crushed garlic. Fry for 1 minute before pouring it over the mashed bittergourd and potato. Mix together.

5. Papad ka chura - Roast a papad on flame. Crumble and add some amchur, red chili powder, chopped onion and cilantro. Toss together. If you like, add some thinly sliced cucumber and tomato to it.


Chef's Tip - Start with the rice and the kala channa and soya subzi. Once the rice cooking is underway and the tomatoes are still being cooked, utilize this time to prepare the bharta. By the time the subzi goes into the cooker, the rice will be done and you can prepare the tempering for the bharta. Roast the papad just before serving the meal.

Food Review : Tandurust ( Delivering Healthy Food in Bangalore)

When I first moved to Bangalore, the thing that stuck me was the levels of health consciousness among the folks of this IT hub. Every other person was running a marathon, riding a cycle to office, playing tennis, swimming and trekking over the weekends, stuff that would have been unthinkable in Hyderabad. And the differences between the two cities turn even more stark when one looks at the food. It is not uncommon to find folks who carry health food in their lunch box. A brown rice pulao paired with raita, a wholesome sprouts salad with one or two slices of brown bread, quinoa upma, oats upma, and sometimes even plain oats steeped in boiling water. Stuff that made me feel positively uncomfortable about the post pregnancy weight I carried.

But cooking and carrying healthy food from home may not be an option for bachelors, families where both spouses are working and  in quite a few cases where the awareness about healthy eating is low. This is where Tandurust steps in. It strives to provide 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) to working/housebound individuals in the vicinity of Bellandur, Marathahalli, Sarjapura,Mahadevpura, electronic city, ITPL and Koramangla in Bangalore.

According to their website and the discussions that I have had with Sudhanshu Sharma, who is the brains behind this concept, they use a combination of good quality ingredients coupled with the right cooking methods. This is what the website claims -

"We use healthy and nutritious ingredients like whole grains, legumes & pulses, green vegetables and flax seeds among others to prepare our food. We practice healthy cooking in order to retain nutrients. Our three meals plan (breakfast-lunch-snacks) meets 50-80% of the daily nutrition requirement of a person. Our food is packed with essential macro and micro nutrients like complex carbs, protein, omega 3 fatty acids and other PUFAs & MUFAs, high dietary fiber content and micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals)."

Please visit their website HERE  for more information and subscribing to their plans. 

Coming to one of the meals I have tried, it came neatly packaged in a plastic tray with a spoon and an extra sachet of salt. It included 3 multi grain rotis, a serving of brown rice, palak tofu, whole masoor dal, raita fortified with flax seeds, and salad. Wholesome, filling and with the right mix of carbs and proteins.

Pluses - 

• Hygienic packaging
• fresh and good quality ingredients
• low of fat and high on fiber
• Suitable for everyone including diabetics and women trying to lose weight post pregnancy 

Minus -

• Taste is a little on the bland side which might be a concern for those with South Indian taste buds.
• Personally I felt that price is also on the higher side. But for folks who depend on meal substitutes, this might work out to be a reasonable option.
• Limited area of delivery

Overall, it is a good option for lunch/dinner for folks who are inclined to eat and live healthy. They are constantly experimenting and improving their fare and one can expect a better menu in the coming months.

The 15 Minute Meal Series - Post 2

Continuing the 15 Minute Meal series that enables you to enjoy fresh home cooked food, I have put together another simple meal consisting of rice, toor dal, aloo palak, bitter gourd - raw banana tikkis and peanut vada . While the peanut vada was made as I was feeling indulgent, I would ideally substitute it with a kachumbar or a tomato-cucumber salad.

Read on how this can be done in 15 mins -

1. Overnight preparation -  Take one bitter gourd, a raw banana and 2 medium sized potatoes. Wash and cook together in a pressure cooker with just enough water for 3 whistles.

Open the cooker once steam escapes. Transfer into a food grade plastic container and refrigerate overnight.

Wash the palak/spinach and chop it into medium sized pieces. Saute with a little oil, some chopped onion, 2-3 garlic flakes and 1-2 green chilis for 3-4 mins. Grind into a smooth paste once it cools down. Store overnight (can stay fresh upto 4-5 days).

Wash and soak the peanuts overnight.

Additionally, one can also peel the garlic and chop the onions, cilantro and green chilis.


2. Cooking rice and dal - One can cook the rice and dal together in the same pressure using a separator to save time or use two separate cookers. Additionally add some chopped onion, crushed garlic, a small piece of ginger, green chili, finely chopped tomato, 1-2 cloves, salt and turmeric to the dal while cooking.

Take the bitter gourd, remove the seeds and mash it. Add one of the boiled potatoes (peeled ofcourse) to it, add chopped green chili, onion, salt, a bit of mustard oil and cilantro. Mash together and shape into tikkis (flat discs) .

Strain the peanuts and transfer to a mixer jar. Add some chopped onion, 2-3 garlic flakes, coriander stems, green chili and salt. Buzz till you get a mixture that is coarse but can be molded.  Shape into flat discs.

3. Take a large skillet. Drizzle with oil. Place the bitter gourd-raw banana tikkis on one side and the peanut vadas on the other side. Cook for 2-3 mins till small brown spots appear. Flip over and cook the other side as well. Cooking everything together saves time.

At the same time, heat another wok. Add some oil followed by broken red chili, cumin and mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering add some of the peeled and diced potato. Sprinkle salt and red chili powder. Saute for 1-2 mins. Throw in some onion which has been cut into big chunks. Saute till translucent. Add the spinach paste along with 3-4 tbsp water, a pinch of garam masala and just a little bit of butter. Cook for 2-3 mins more.

Your delicious and healthy meal is ready !!



If you looking for any specific recipe, please leave a comment on my blog or FB page and I will be happy to respond :) !

Methi Daliya Pulao

Day 5 of the Daliya challenge !! So, finally we have reached the last day and I am feeling quite exhilarated. I can see a visible difference and I am keen to take up this challenge next week too ( coz it is tough to keep temptation at bay during the weekends ).

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/3 cup daliya
• 1/2 cup methi leaves (tightly packed)
• 1 small onion
• 1 small potato
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• a pinch of fennel seeds
• a pinch of coriander powder
• 1-2 tbsp tomato puree (optional)
• a pinch of garam masala
• 1-2 green chili
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash and drain the fenugreek leaves to remove excess water. Roughly chop it up. 

Wash and peel the potato. Chop into small bits.

Dry roast the daliya to a light brown and till it gives off a fragrance.

Cooking -  Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the green chili along with cumin and fennel seeds.

Once they stop spluttering, add the onion. Fry till translucent.

Add the fenugreek leaves and potato pieces and fry for 2 mins. Add the coriander powder and garam masala. Fry for 1 min.

Add the washed daliya along with 1 cup water and salt to taste. Cook for 3-4 whistles.

Keep aside till steam escapes. Open the lid and give a gentle mix.

Serve hot with raita.

Channa/Choley Masala ( Oil Free Recipe )

Last weekend was one of festivities and the feasting that goes with it, so there is little wonder that many among us would be still reeling with the fallout !! Today's recipe is just what the doctor prescribed for those suffering tummies and bloated waistlines. Yes, it is a recipe that is oil free (yippee) and very low on spices. Combine it with rotis made from multigrain atta and some delicious Nimbu Pani or Shikanji.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup kabuli channa/garbanzo beans
• 1/3 cup pumpkin cubes (small ones) (this is optional)
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 inch ginger
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1 dry red chili
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2-3 cloves
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 tsp Choley masala of your choice
• 1/2 tsp anardana powder
• 2 pinch turmeric
• salt to taste

For the garnishing -

• freshly chopped cilantro
• ginger juliennes
• freshly squeezed lime juice

Preparation - Wash and soak the kabuli channa overnight .

Roughly chop the onion, ginger and garlic. Cut each tomato into 4 halves.

Cooking - Transfer the soaked kabuli channa into a pressure cooker along with 1 cup water, turmeric and salt to taste. Cook for 3 whistles or till it is cooked through but not mushy.

Heat a wok. Add the red chili, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves. Dry roast till they give off a smell. Remove and keep aside.

To the same wok, add the chopped onions, ginger and garlic. Dry roast till the onions leave water and turn red. Add the tomato at this point.and stir fry till the tomatoes are mushy.

Transfer the whole spices ( after they have cooled down) to a grinder jar. Buzz to a fine powder. Add the roasted onion, ginger, garlic and tomatoes to the same jar. Blitz everything together to obtain a fine paste.

Add the choley powder (dissolved in 2 tbsp water) to a heated wok and fry for a minute. Add the pumpkin pieces and fry for 2-3 mins. Pour in the masala paste and the boiled kabuli channa into the same wok. Mix everything together and bring to a boil. Add some boiling water if it see,s too dry. Add the anardana powder and simmer for a while. Remove from flame once the curry reaches a semi-dry consistency.

Serve with a generous garnishing of fresh cilanto, lemon juice and ginger juliennes.

Note - One can also add some amchur for that extra tang.

Fish Curry

I love fish curry...the tantalizing red color, the aroma that tingles the nose, the heat bombs that explode on the tongue, the warm feeling that leave one guessing about the complexity of spices, everything about it is ambrosia to me. And that is why I keep trying out different varieties from different states of India..spicy, tangy, sweet, thick gravy, thin gravy...just about anything that catches my eye.

But of late I was feeling a bit confused about which one to cook, so I just threw in a bit of this and a bit of that and ended up with a lip-smacking curry. Some mustard paste, a little onion-ginger-garlic-masala paste, some yogurt, about half a cup of finely chopped tomatoes and of course the lightly fried fish are the core ingredients that go into this dish. With so many ingredients, it becomes important to get the proportions right especially as this curry needs to be a light one (with a thin-gravy).

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 6 pieces Rohu fish 
• 2 tsp (heaped) onion-masala paste
• 3-4 tsp mustard masala paste
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup boiled potato cubes
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/5 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• (Oil for shallow frying fish)
• coriander leaves for garnishing

Preparation - Marinate the fish with a pinch of turmeric and some salt. Shallow fry on both sides to a golden brown. Remove and keep aside on a tissue paper to absorb excess oil.

Beat the yogurt to break any lumps.

Cooking - Heat 4 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onion masala paste and fry lightly for 3 mins.

Add the mustard masala paste and fry for 1 minute (do not overdo).

Add the chopped tomatoes along with chili powder, turmeric and garam masala. Cover with a lid for 1-2 mins to allow tomatoes to soften. Fry for another minute.

Add about 4 cups boiling water. Adjust the salt and allow the curry to come to a rolling boil.

Let it boil for 2-3 mins before adding the fish and the boiled potatoes. Cover with a lid and let simmer for a while till you get the desired consistency.

Finally stir in the yogurt along with a little salt. Let it boil for 2-3 mins before adding the coriander leaves and removing the curry from the flame,

For onion masala paste - 1 large onion, 8-10 garlic flakes, 2 inch ginger, 2 dry red chilis, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 1/2 inch cinnamon stick, 2-3 green cardamoms. Grind everything together into a smooth paste.

For mustard masala paste - 3 tsp mustard seeds, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 7-8 garlic flakes, 1-2 green chili. Grind everything together into a smooth paste.

Pani Santula

Pani Santula or boiled veggies in a soupy base is one of the healthiest side dish that one can have with rotis. Most people in Odisha consider it as a must-have component of their dinner as it contains a heavy does of fiber and nutrients while being light on the stomach. It uses minimum spicing and one can also make it without adding any onion or garlic.

While I have used quite a few veggies as stocked in my fridge, one can also add more or skip a few as per convenience. Some veggies like cauliflower, carrot, drumstick add a lot of flavor to this dish. Read on for my version -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup red pumpkin
• 1/2 cup raw papaya
• 1/2 cup raw banana
• 1/2 cup yam (mati alu)
• 1/2 cup taro (saru)
• 2-3 pointed gourd (potolo)
• 1 small eggplant
• 1 cup chopped yard long beans (jhudunga/barbati)
• 1/3 cup beans
• 1 medium potato
• 1-2 tomatoes
• 1 large onion (roughly chopped)
• 3-4 crushed garlic flakes
• 1 tsp pancha phutana
• 2-3 dry red chili
• 1/2-1 tsp roasted cumin-chilli powder (jeera lanka gunda)
• salt to taste
• turmeric (optional...but I have used it)
• 2 tsp oil/ghee for tempering

Cooking - Boil 2 cups water along with a little turmeric and salt to taste.

Add the pumpkin, papaya, raw banana, yam, taro and potato. After 3-4 mins, add the remaining veggies except tomato. Cover and boil till they are cooked but not mushy.

Heat the oil/ghee in a pan. Add the broken chili and pancha phutana followed by the onion and garlic.

Once the onion turns translucent, add the chopped tomato. Allow the tomato to turn soft before pouring the tempering over the boiled veggies. Sprinkle cumin-chili powder and boil on high for 20-30 seconds.

Remove from flame and serve immediately with hot rotis.

Baked Dahi Vada

I am off for a month long vacation starting from Monday. In the excitement and craziness of planning the trip and doing the packing, I have not done much cooking for the last few days. Since I have a few things planned ( plus a few in the pipeline ) for the next year as well, it only makes sense to do some homework during the remaining year. One of the plans has been to push for a healthier lifestyle which starts with a healthier menu. I have been trying out low calorie versions of quite a few traditional recipes and will soon post them on my blog.

One of the first trials was my husband's favorite street food aka 'Dahi Vada'. Instead of deep frying the vadas, I have opted to cook them in a traditional appam pan using just an oil spray. The first 2-3 trails did not turn out good but then I found just the way to get them soft and spongy. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time : 20-25 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Urad dal 
• 2 tbsp Semolina (suji)
• 1 1/2 cup curd
• 7-8 peppercorns (coarsely crushed)
• 2-3 green chili
• 1 red chili
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/3 tsp baking powder
• black salt( kala namak )
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• oil spray
• 1/2 tsp oil for tempering
• salt

Preparation: Soak urad dal for 3-4 hours. Grind into a smooth paste ( when you touch the batter, it should not stick to your hands). Add semolina. Mix and allow to stand overnight.

Just before cooking, add the crushed peppercorn, finely chopped green chili, baking powder and salt. Mix well.

Cooking: Spray some oil onto an appam pan and put it on the flame. Make small balls out of the batter and put into the pan. Fry till the bottom part turns light brown ( cover with a lid for faster cooking). Flip it over and cook on the other side for another 2-3 mins.

Remove the balls and put them in water to which salt and very little curd has been added. Allow to soak for 2 hours.

Beat the rest of the curd in a mixing bowl with salt, water, cumin powder, black salt and chilli powder. Keep the consistency thin.

Remove the soaked vadas from the curd water and transfer to a plate. Add the beaten curd over it.

Heat the oil in a tempering pan. Add the cumin, broken red chili and curry leaves. Fry for 20-30 secs. Pour over the dahi vadas.

Serve immediately.

Spicy Vegetable Daliya

A simple and healthy daliya recipe with South indian flavours !! Yep... have spiced it up with sambhar powder and a typically Southern tempering. The tang from the tomatoes also adds another dimension to this fiber rich preparation.

Read on for the yummilicious recipe -

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup daliya or cracked wheat ( used Patanjali brand )
• 1/4 cup split moong dal
• 1 1/2 cup assorted vegetables ( carrot, cauliflower, french beans, peppers, sweet corn, beetroot, potato )
• 1 small onion
• 1 big + 1 small tomato
• 1/5 tsp red chili powder
• 1/6 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp Sambar masala
• a pinch of turmeric
• a pinch of fenugreek seeds
• a pinch of mustard seeds
• a pinch of asafoetida
• 4-5 curry leaves (optional)
• 1 green chili
• 1/2 tsp ghee (Patanjali brand)
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• coriander for garnishing

Preparation - Heat a frying pan. Add 1 tsp ghee followed by the daliya. Roast for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Remove and keep aside.

Chop the onion and tomato into small pieces. ( do peel the outer skin of the tomato )

All the vegetables should also be chopped into tiny pieces.

Cooking - Take the roasted daliya and moong dal in a cooker. Add 4  cups warm water and salt to taste. Close lid and cook for 3-4 whistles. Remove from flame and keep aside till steam escapes.

Add the vegetables (including the green chili, tomato and onion) along with salt, turmeric, chilli powder, Sambhar power and coriander powder to the content of the cooker. Cook for 1 whistle on medium flame. Keep aside .

Heat the oil in a tempering pan. Add the mustard and fenugreek seeds. Once they start popping, add the asafoetida and curry leaves. After 5 seconds, remove from flame and pour over the contents of the cooker.

Allow to cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes more so that the flavors are properly assimilated into the daliya. Remove from flame and serve hot.

Chifferi Rigate in two-tomato sauce

[Pasta facts - Did you know that Durum wheat has a yellow endosperm, which is what gives pasta its distinctive color ?? Also, Durum is a high protein but low gluten variety of wheat which makes it a healthier option as compared to other wheat variants.]

As the name suggest this is an easy sauce which has the smoky flavour of roasted tomato and the juicy tang of the fresh one. With some garlic and basil thrown in for adding more flavour, one can choose to omit the heat ( but i prefer chili flakes too along with the usual freshly ground pepper in mine).

Read on for the easy recipe -

Preparation Time - 12-15 mins


Ingredients -

• 2/3 cup chifferi rigate pasta
• 2 medium sized ripe tomatoes
• 3-4 garlic flakes
• 5-6 Italian basil leaves
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes
• a dash of freshly ground pepper
• salt for the pasta water

Cooking - Boil 6-7 cups water in a large saucepan. Once it gets to bubble, add enough salt. As you put the pasta water to boil, start roasting one of the tomatoes on a low flame. It should be done by the time your pasta is ready.

Add the pasta next and cook it till al-dente. (that is it should be cooked yet firm)

Drain the pasta while reserving 1 cup of the pasta water for adding to the sauce.

Skin the roasted tomato, dice and add to a food processor jar. Dice the fresh one and drop into the same jar. Add olive oil, chili flakes, basil leaves and a few teaspoons of the pasta water. Buzz for a second or two so that you get a numbly/coarse sauce.

Toss the pasta along with the tomato sauce adding a little more pasta water if required.

Dig in.

Overnight Oats and Sago (No cooking required)

How many times have you skipped eating breakfast at home just because felt lazy to cook someting in the mornings ? Quite a few of us would have done so. But in most cases it makes us hungry and we end up gorging on something unhealthy by noon. Which is a double whammy when you are trying to lose weight !!

Overnight oats is just what the doctor prescribed for such days. Easy breezy recipe that requires no cooking. One just needs to take the trouble of measuring out the oats into a bowl and covering it with milk before popping it into the fridge for the night.

I decided to add some sago to the oats as I am very fond of soaked sago. It is quite popular in Odisha to soak the sago and then eat it milk, yogurt, sugar/jaggery, fruits or sweetened boondi on fasting 'vrat' days.But I sometimes have it on regular days too. Read on for more info on this interesting dish -

Preparation time - 5 mins

Ingredients -

• 2/3 cup rolled/instant oats
• 1/3 cup fine sago (subudana)
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1 small banana/ half of an apple/ 1 kiwi
• few dried cranberries
• 7-8 almonds
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp honey

Preparation - Take the oats and sago in a bowl. Add sugar and 1 cup milk to the same bowl. It should be sufficient to cover the oats and sago. Keep it in the fridge for the night.

Also soak the almonds separately in a cup of water. Peel and chop them in the morning.

Take out the bowl in the morning. Add the cut fruit of you choice along with the yogurt, cranberries and almonds.

Drizzle with honey.

Dig in.

Note - One can omit the sago if one doe not like/prefer it.

Daliya-Green Moong Khichidi

Doing a healthy twist on a classic recipe is always tough as the USP of the latter has to be kept intact. Muga Khichudi is a popular recipe during fasting days (in Odisha). A medley of fragrant rice, whole green moong, a hint of sugar, fresh coconut and spices, it is a combo of health and taste.

But since I am on a daliya (read High Fiber) eating spree these days, I could not resist replacing the rice with the former. Also, reduced the coconut (read High Cholesterol) content to keep it still healthy. It turned out to be good and both me and my son enjoyed having it for lunch. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30-35 mins

Ingredients -

1/2 cup daliya/cracked wheat
1/2 cup green moong dal (whole)
1 cup mixed veggies (carrot/potato/french beans/cauliflower/chopped into small pieces)
a pinch of turmeric
1-2 dry red chilis
1 green chili
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1-2 green cardamoms
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sugar (avoid for diabetics)
1 1/2 tsp ghee
1 tsp oil
1-2 tsp grated coconut
a dash of freshly cracked pepper
salt to taste


Cooking - Soak the green moong dal for 2-3 hours.

Heat half of the ghee and oil in a pressure cooker. Add the daliya and roast till it changes to slightly red color. Add the moong dal to the same cooker along with 3 cups water, salt and turmeric.

Close the lid. Cook for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside for steam to escape.

Add the veggies and green chili to the same cooker and mix in. Close lid and cook for another whistle. Keep aside for steam to escape.

Heat the remaining ghee/oil in a tempering pan. Add the broken red chili, fennel seeds and cumin seeds. Once they start to crackle, add the remaining spices. Fry for 10 seconds and then pour over the contents of the pressure cooker. Also add the pepper, sugar and grated coconut. Mix all ingredients nicely.

Check for the salt and also adjust the khichidi consistency. ( Add some hot water and simmer for 2-3 minutes if it is too thick. Do not worry if it seems to be very watery as it thickens considerably on cooling.)

Note - If you are making it for your kids, go easy on the spice content (green chili/red chili/pepper) and use just one among the three. I would suggest going for pepper especially during the monsoon/winter seasons.

Daliya-Moong dal Kichidi

Time for something light and healthy !! After eating out on the weekends and cooking up some high calorie stuff in the last few days, I thought to make up the abuse that I have put my system through. So, it was a very healthy lunch for my and kiddo, comprising of daliya khichidi, home made curd and a few slices of mango. Loaded with the goodness of fiber (from daliya) and pro-biotic bacteria ( from curd ), it is designed to get digested easily while also removing the toxins from the system. Great option for people suffering from diabetes or those trying to lose some weight.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

1/2 cup daliya/cracked wheat
1/3 cup split moong dal
1 small onion (finely sliced)
1/2 cup carrot (chopped into small pieces)
1/4 cup potato (chopped into small pieces)
1/2 cup cauliflower florets (chopped into small pieces)
a pinch of turmeric
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/5 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 red chili
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp oil
salt to taste


Cooking - Dry roast the moong dal in a pan till it gives a fragrance. Keep aside

Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the daliya and roast till it changes to slightly red color. Add the roasted moong dal to the same cooker along with 2 1/2 cups water, salt and turmeric.

Close the lid. Cook for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside for steam to escape.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the cumin seeds with broken red chili. As the cumin turns brown, add the onion and saute till translucent.

Add all the vegetables and masalas. Mix well. Cover with a lid for 3-4 mins.

Add the boiled daliya-moong dal to the wok along with 1/2 - 1 cup water. Boil for 4-5 minutes before removing from flame.

Serve hot with a drizzle of ghee and coriander leaves.

Tomato Rasam

Adding another one to my growing repertoire of rasams. Tomato rasam is my current favorite and well received by everyone in the family.

Anyone well versed with the benefits of this fruit cum vegetable would be aware that cooked ripe tomatoes are the best source of Lycopene, an antioxidant which helps ward off a variety of cancers. In addition to being low in calories and high on water content, it is great for your skin and waistline. (Lycopene is also the one that also gives tomatoes their luscious red color.)

Read on for the recipe :

Preparation Time - 12-15 mins

Ingredients - 3 medium tomatoes (ripe juicy ones), 1 lemon sized ball of tamarind, 2 tsp rasam powder, salt to taste, pinch of turmeric, coriander for garnishing.

To be ground in a coarse paste - 5-6 shallots or 1/2  of a small onion, 1 inch long ginger, 3-4 garlic cloves, 3 tsp chopped corainder roots, 1 sprig curry leaves.

For tempering - 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 sprig curry leaves, 1-2 broken red chillis, 2 generous pinches of asafoetida, 2 tsp oil.

Preparation - Take all the ingredients to be ground in a mortar and pestle. Crush everything together so that they give off a lovely aroma.

Tear/chop the tomatoes and put in a mixing bowl. Add the ground paste and rasam powder. Mix with hands and crush the tomato pieces slightly.

Soak the tamarind in a bowl of warm water. Crush it with hands and separate all the pulp. Repeat with another 1/2 cup water. Throw away the remaining solids.

Cooking - Take the tamarind extract along with 4 cups water in a large saucepan. Add salt and turmeric. Boil for 5-6 minutes till theraw taste goes away.

Add the tomato mixture and boil fr another 5-6 minutes. Adjust salt if required.

Heat the oil in a tempering pan. Add the broken red chillis, cumin and mustard seeds to the hot oil. Once spluttering starts, add asafoetida and curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds.

Pour the tempering over the contents of the saucepan. Boil for 1 minute and then remove from flame.

Serve hot with rice, ghee and papad.

Note - This can also be served as a soup to the kids. Just strain the liquid and discard the solids. Add 1 tsp sugar and a dash of tomato ketchup to each bowl and mix it. ( I prefer adding less rasam powder if I am planning to use it as a soup.)