Vegan Wood Apple (Bael) Panna Cotta

Mangoes rules the roost when it comes to the plethora of fruits that hit the markets every summer. But when you are in Odisha, you await the arrival of the 'Bael' fruit with as much fervor as the rest of India prays for the king of fruits to put in an appearance. Also known as 'Kaitha' in Hindi, it is an amazing though unsung fruit. Though it lacks the visual appeal of the mangoes, it is loaded with multiple health benefits. It is highly recommended for patients suffering from diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol, apart from benefiting those suffering from ailments of the stomach. But another reason why the Bael is so popular in Odisha is the fact that it is such amazing cooling properties. So, while the Southern states of India swear by their buttermilk and the Northern states place their bet on Shikanji, the Odia folks cant do without their 'Bela Panna' aka 'Bael ka sherbat'.

Just like mangoes, the 'Bael' fruit comes in different varieties. There are the small ones which have a deep orange colored pulp that is ridden with fiber, small seeds and has a hint of astringency, medium sized ones which have a faint mango like flavour and also big ones with a pale yellow pulp that could rival the 'shrikhand' . Luckily, the 'Bael' tree growing in my childhood home belonged to the last group. So apart from relishing the sherbat, I used to break the 'Bael' , sprinkle a bit of sugar over the halves and dig into the pulp straight from the shell. It was a part of my daily routine during the summer vacations. The medicinal properties of the pulp also prevented the stomach cramps that came from biting into too many green mangoes slices loaded with salt and red chili powder.

Since one does not find 'Bael' in Bangalore, I have one of my relatives bring some for me every summer. And given that the pulp keeps really well in the fridge, I get to consume my favorite 'Bela Panna' atleast a dozen times. Even though it turns darker when stored in the fridge, the flavor remains intact for upto a month's duration. Luckily, I had quite a bit of it remaining when I decided to experiment with a vegan version of the 'Panna Cotta'.

I am still hung-ho about the vegan phenomena that has taken social media by storm. And I keep tying out various recipes to find substitutes for my favorites. My first attempts at a Vegan Panna Cotta were not quite upto the mark as I had just replaced milk and cream with almond milk which is somewhat thinner. That is when I got the idea of adding some of the 'Bael' pulp to thicken it and also to give it a nice flavor. The recipe was an instant hit and I could happily dig into some guilt free dessert even if it is for a month or two. So, that was one of my 'foodventures' with 'Uncommon foods'. Yep, they are the ingredients that have not captured mainstream imagination yet. No wonder it came up as this fortnight's theme for a culinary adventured hosted by the Masterchef Vikas Khanna and food cum travel writer Vir Sanghvi !

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins ( plus more for setting the panna cotta )

Ingredients -

• 1 cup thick almond milk
• 2/3 cup Bael pulp ( with seeds and fibers removed )
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 tsp agar agar powder
• 1/3 cup sugar ( substitute with sugarfree powder if daibetic )
• 2 pinch cardamom powder
• 1 tsp rose essence

Preparation - Soak the agar agar in water water for 10-15 mins.

Cooking - Take the almond milk and the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to low boil on medium heat.

At the same time, boil the agar agar and water mixture. Keep whisking it till all the agar agar dissolves.

Switch off both the burners and add the agar agar solution into the almond milk. Whisk at a furious pace to bring everything together.

Wait for another 5-10 mins for the mix to cool down slightly before stirring in the 'Bael pulp'. Sprinkle the cardamom powder and rose essence. Whisk it again to mix everything uniformly.

Pour into the molds or bowls and close them. Let them stand till warm. then pop into the fridge for 5-6 hours to set the 'Panna Cotta'.

Once set, remove from the fridge and serve immediately.

Any guesses what the two maestros are cooking up ?







Wow. Vir's Sushi on Fire sounds almost orgasmic !!







And Vikas has picked up the unheard of 'Shankalu' for his dish !!


Check out these amazing videos and take some inspiration. The Masterchef says that 'the new world belongs to the explorers' ! Already cooked up a storm. Share it HERE.

Will be looking forward to your comments !!

Garlic Ragi Mathri ( With Fortune Vivo Dia-Care Oil )

Incessant snacking has always been an integral part of the long summer days. But between a fussy kid and a diabetic MIL, I am always running short of options. And it was yet another dreary summer afternoon when I sat scratching my head for striking the right balance between health and taste when the doorbell rang shattering my concentration. I opened the door to find the delivery boy standing with a huge 5 L canister of Fortune Vivo Diabetes Care Oil. The Blogadda guys had indeed send me a generous sample for the review. They have been thoughtful enough to provide a two month's supply of the oil. That is more than enough time to test the efficiency of the oil on any diabetic patient.

Given my habit of checking out the nutritional information for every single item that I purchase, I promptly turned the can to check out the constituents of this oil. Turned out that it is a blend of rice bran and sesame oil (in a 80-20 ratio). Now that had me impressed for both oils have known diabetes controlling properties. Especially sesame oil, which has been in the limelight recently due to its proven ability to control high blood sugar levels and improves the effectiveness of the prescribed medication.

Initially, that is before I started cooking with it, I was a bit skeptical about the taste. Since it has that mild smell of sesame oil, I was worried if my fussy kid would pick it out. But thankfully, the smell goes off completely once I use it for cooking. With such a healthy cooking medium at my disposal, I could now try out almost any recipe without fear of compromising on taste/health.

Now my MIL and my kid are big fans of fried snacks. And 'Mathri' happens to be one of their favorites. To make it extra healthy, I added some ragi flour to the whole wheat flour that I normally use. And a touch of garlic for extra zing. Used Fortune Vivo Oil both for kneading the dough and deep frying the it. The 'Mathris' turned out to be delicious and for once I was not worried about serving fried stuff to my diabetic MIL. Given the win-win scenario and buoyed by the success of my first trial, I extended the use of this oil to every dish that I prepare. And every time, it lived up to my expectations.

So, this us a short review of Fortune Vivo Dia-Care Oil -

Pro's 

1. Contains health benefits like tocotrienol and Oryzanol.
2. Contains sesame oil which has proven properties to regulate blood sugar levels.
3. Priced economically at Rs 675/- for 5 liters. 
4. Taste is neutral.
5. Easily available.
6. Less absorbed while frying.


Con's

1. Smells lightly of sesame oil. But it goes off during cooking.

Overall, it is one great choice not only for diabetics but for everyone looking to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

And this is the fabulously yummy and healthy 'Garlic Ragi Mathri' recipe. Read on -

Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup ragi flour
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• salt to taste
• 5 tsp oil for kneading + sufficient for deep frying ( I used Fortune Vivo Dia-Care Oil )

Preparation - Take the wheat flour, ragi flour, grated garlic, chili powder, baking powder, salt and 5 tsp oil in a mixing bowl. Mix well. 

Sprinkle water little by little and knead into a tight dough. Smear it with a little oil and keep aside for 1-2 hours.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok.

Roll out the dough into a thick circle ( about 2 mm thickness ). Take the cap of a bottle and cut out small circles ( abt 3 cm in diameter ). Pierce holes into the circles with a fork.

Add 4-5 circles to the hot oil and fry till brown on both sides. Take out and place on paper napkins.

Repeat for the remaining dough.

Once the mathri had cooled down completely, store it in airtight containers.

Note - Both Ragi and garlic are beneficial for Diabetic patients. And combined with the health benefits of the Fortune Vivo Dia-Care oil, they makes for a great addition to a diabetic menu.

***Important - “I’m creating a dish using Fortune Vivo Diabetes-Care Oil for the #MakeIndiaDiabetesFree activity at BlogAdda.”

Dal and Palak Soup

Heart warming and healthy, soups are the way to go whether you are following a weight loss regimen or suffering from any malady. Sometimes, it can be just the balmy weather conditions that attract one to a glorious bowlful. And this is one of the easiest soups that I have ever come across.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins


Ingredients -

• a fistful of yellow lentils / toor dal
• 1/2 cup shredded baby spinach
• 2-3 tsp carrot juliennes (optional)
• 1 tsp ginger juliennes
• a dash of pepper
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash the baby spinach, drain and keep aside.

Cooking - Wash the lentil and transfer to a pressure cooker with 1 1/2 cup water and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Slightly mash the lentils. Transfer the contents into a saucepan. Add some more warm water to bring it to the desired consistency. Bring to a boil and adjust the salt.

Add the shredded spinach and carrot. Boil for 2-3 mins.

Sprinkle ground pepper and ginger juliennes just before turning off the flame.

Serve hot.

Cracked wheat (daliya) and Vegetable Soup

I am still continuing the healthy diet/weight loss recipes series this week. Trying to discover new ways to cut those excess calories from a meal while still providing finger-licking nourishment has been challenging. This week I came up with a delicious soup with the goodness of carrots, sweet potato, tomatoes and cracked wheat. Blame it on the balmy weather of Bangalore but I am craving for loads of soup these days !

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 tbsp cracked wheat / daliya
• 1 small carrot
• 2 medium sized tomatoes
• 1 small sweet potato
• 1/2 tsp sugar or honey (optional)
• salt to taste
• a dash of pepper

Preparation - Lightly roast the cracked wheat.

Peel and dice the carrot and sweet potato.

Cooking - Cook all the vegetables along with 1 cup water in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Strain the vegetables and puree them. Use the vegetable stock to cook the cracked wheat in the same pressure cooker for 3 whistles. Keep aside for steam to escape

Pour the puree into the pressure cooker. Add 1/2 cup warm water, sugar/honey and salt. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 2-3 mins.

Serve with a dash of coarsely ground pepper.

Khatta Meetha Karela ( Sweet and Sour Bitter gourd crispies )

Karela or bitter gourd is touted as one of the healthiest vegetables for diabetics. Whether taken in the raw form (juice) or eaten boiled and mashed, it is an integral part of their menu. But consuming it in the same avatar day in and day out tends to get tedious after a while. Hence, this simple and easy to do bitter gourd recipe that requires very less oil.

It is a variation of the crispy karela recipes that one can find in the Northern states of India.
Read on for recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup thinly sliced bitter gourd
• 1 big onion ( thinly sliced )
• a pinch of amchur
• a pinch of turmeric
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp grated mango ginger
• 1 tsp powdered jaggery
• salt to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp oil

Cooking - Heat the oil in a large thick bottomed skillet. Add the bitter gourd slices along with salt and turmeric. Stir fry on low heattill the bitter gourd loses most of its water content and starts getting crisp.

Add the onion slices along with a pinch of salt. Stir fry on low flame till onion turns brown.

Add amchur, chili powder, mango ginger and jaggery. Fry for 2 mins or till the spices coat the bittergourd and the onions.

Remove from flame.

Serve as it is or as a side along with white rice, dal and a curry.

Note - One can also add some grated coconut when adding the mango ginger.

Pesto Daliya Upma

Yes, I am on a 5 day 'Daliya' challenge this week. And it calls for trying out a new recipe each time that is simple and low on calories. This is a really easy and tasty recipe that I created using some boiled daliya, homemade pesto sauce, lime juice and a bit of tempering.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/2 cup daliya
• 2 tsp pesto sauce
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/5 tsp mustard seeds
• a pinch of asafoetida
• 1 dry red chili
• 1/2 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp lime juice

Preparation - Dry roast the daliya or cracked wheat till it gives off a sweet smell.

Cooking - Cook the daliya with 1 cup water and salt in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds followed by the asafoetida, curry leaves and dry red chili.

Pour this tempering over the cooked daliya. Add pesto sauce and lime juice. Mix well.

Serve immediately.

Gobi Kasuri

A simple preparation of cauliflower with dried fenugreek leaves, the bitter but aromatic flavors of this herb lift the dish out of mediocrity and catapult it into another league. Unlike the Punjabi version which has an overdose of Kasuri methi, I have aligned it more with the Odiya cauliflower stir-fry 'Phulakobi Santula but with distinct notes of the latter herb . Cauliflower like its other cruciferous cousins ( say broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts ) is very low on GI and loaded with cancer preventing antioxidants. However, given the propensity of Indians for deep frying or steeping this vegetable in heavy gravies, much of the benefits are lost. This vegetable tastes best when blanched for few minutes and then sauteed with less oil. A very low calorie dish, this one is especially recommended for those who suffer from diabetes and other heart ailments.

It goes very well with rotis but tastes equally good when paired up with white rice. Since it is quite dry it makes for a good lunchbox recipe. Read on -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients:
Cauliflower ( 1 no, medium )
tomato ( 1 large )
onion ( 2 nos, medium )
red/green chilli ( 1-2 nos )
red chilli powder ( 1 tsp )
ginger garlic paste ( 1 tsp )
turmeric (1/3 tsp)
kasuri methi ( 1/2 cup)
pancha phutana ( 1/2 tsp)
garam masala ( 1/3 tsp)
oil ( 2-3 tsp) (I used Pomace olive oil for this recipe and t came out good)
salt to taste


Preparation: Dice the cauliflower into large sized florets . Cut the onion into thin long slices. Cut the tomato into long slices along its length and remove the seeds.

Soak the kasuri methi leaves in warm water.

Cooking: Bring water to boil in a large saucepan. Add salt and turmeric, followed by the cauliflower florets. Boil for 5-6 mins. Drain excess water and keep aside.

Heat a wok. Pour the oil into it. Add the pancha phutana and green chilli followed by the onions. Stir fry till the onions turn golden.

Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 3-4 mins till the raw smell goes off.

Add the tomato slices. Sprinkle red chilli powder and a little salt. Cover with a lid and cook till the tomatoes soften and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Oil should start separating by this time.

Add the cauliflower florets along with the kasuri methi leaves. Stir fry on high flame for 3-4 mins. Cook covered on low flame for another few minutes till the cauliflower florets imbibe the flavors of the kasuri methi.

Add the garam masala and mix well. Remove from the stove. Serve with rice, rotis or parathas.

Note - One can also skip the tomatoes and add amchur instead.