Bok Choy Stir Fry ( A low calorie delight !!)

Why Bok Choy when there are so many varieties of indigenous greens available to us ?? Well, for those who are quite determined to lose that extra flab, it is almost like a god-send vegetable. It falls into that hugely celebrated and much touted category of 'negative calorie' foods, i.e., those wonder foods that actually make your body expend more calories digesting them that what is ingested by means of consuming them.

Bok Choy or Chinese cabbage is one such food that is miraculously low on calories and fat while being fiber and protein dense. Plus, it contains almost all the essential vitamins and minerals. It does have that undercurrent of bitterness but that kind of adds to its taste. And garlic is one ingredient that works wonders with it. I personally love it with some multi-grain rotis and half a cup of plain yogurt for lunch. Read on for this simple stir fry recipe ( done in typical Odia style ) -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 heads of Bok choy
• 1/2 of a small onion
• 7-8 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp oil
• 2 dry red chilis
• salt to taste

Preparation - Remove the outermost leaves and cut off the end/stem (not too much but abt 1 cm ).

Wash with loads of water to rinse off any dirt and insects. Drain and then chop into small bits.

Cut the onion into small pieces and finely chop garlic.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pan. Once hot, throw in the mustard seeds and broken red chili.

Then add the garlic and allow it to brown slightly.

The onion goes in next. And once it turns translucent, add the chopped bok choy.

Season with salt and cook on medium flame till it is cooked yet retains a crunch (the whites).

Remove and serve hot as a side dish with roti/rice.

Avocado Mango Mint Spread

For quite a few folks, when it comes to a sandwich spread, it translates into something buttery with a cheese/mayonnaise/hung curd base. This is perhaps the most important reason why it is one of the first things that goes off the menu when one is on a diet. But imagine a spread that is buttery, packs the same kind of punch and is, hold your breath, vegan to boot !!

That is where the delicious butter fruit or Avocado comes into the picture. With a texture and consistency that resembles butter, it is mildly flavored which makes it a great combination with other veggies and seasoning.

Read on for this low calorie spread made with avocado and some great Indian style flavors -

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 avocado
• 4-5 shallots (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp mint paste
• 2 tsp grated mango
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp honey
• salt to taste

Preparation - Halve the avocado and remove the stone. Scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl.

Add all other ingredients to the same bowl. Mash together with a fork. Let it sit in the fridge for 1 hour for the flavors to come together.

Take it out and use as a sandwich spread or even a dip with pakoras /samosas.

Keep the rest in the fridge. Stay good for 2-3 days when stored with care.

Note - I prefer to add a few drops of EVOO to my spread. Gives a nice flavor.

Ganesh Chaturthi Special Recipes

Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chaturthi falls on 17th September this year (2015). It is celebrated starting from Shukla chaturthi in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada and stretches for 10 days in some parts of the country.

Here is a list of some of the popular prasadams/neivaidyam (offerings) made to the elephant headed God in various parts of India -


Andhra Pradesh (also Telengana)

1. Kudumulu (Modak)
2. Pulihora
3. Undrallu
4. Annam Payasam
5. Chickpeas Sundal

Karnataka (similar to Andhra)

1. Undrallu Payasam
2. Groundnut Sundal


Maharashtra

1. Modak
2. Puranpoli
3. Coconut Laddoo
4. Karanji
5. Patholi


Odisha 

1. Chuda ghasa
2. Chuda Kadamba
2. Rasi laddoo (Sesame seed laddoo)

Broccoli and Chicken Biryani ( Easy Rice cooker method )

By now most of you would have guessed that I am still trying to get my family to embrace Broccoli ( and they keep running away this superfood which they regard as some green headed Hydra). But not one to give up so easily, I tried incorporating it in salads, pasta, stir fry and then finally the crowd favorite 'Biryani'.

This one is a simple low-calorie and high fiber version that I cooked in that magical appliance called the rice cooker. I have a Panasonic one and it is a life saver when BESCOM is not playing truant. Have to pick up the kid or run down to the nearest kirana for something (yes, I still do that in the age of apps like BigBasket, Grofers and Zopnow coz I am a human and very much susceptible to short term memory outages when compiling those mile long grocery lists) ? No probs. It switches off automatically when the rice /curry is done. Only catch is that, since it does not employ artificial intelligence, the 'done' thing is determined by the water content. So, if you put less water, it switches off rather than burning down the contents of the cooking pan.

Ok. Getting back to my recipe, it is just comprises of throwing in everything (except rice) into one big marinating bowl and then cooking it in the rice cooker. Saves time and effort. And it save Calories too. (I know I am being lazy but I have a stack of books that I badly want to complete)

Read on -

Preparation Time - 25 mins (plus 1 hr for marination)

Ingredients -

• 1 cup chicken pieces (medium sized)
• 1 1/2 cup Broccoli pieces
• 1 1/2 cup Basmati rice
• 1 medium sized onion (chopped into thin long pieces)
• 1 1/2 tsp GG paste
• 1/2 tsp Garlic paste
• 1/4 cup thick yogurt
• 1 medium tomato (finely chopped)
• 4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 coriander powder
• 2 pinch turmeric
• whole spices ( 1 inch cinnamon, 1 green cardamom, 2 cloves, 1 bay leaves, a small piece of mace )
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 tsp ghee
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash and cut the broccoli into medium sized florets. Put them under running water to wash away any insects and eggs. Then soak in warm water to which some turmeric has been added.

Wash the chicken pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the broccoli and all the remaining ingredients except rice, ghee and oil. Keep aside for 1 hour.

Cooking - Switch on the rice cooker. Add the oil and wait for it to heat up. Add the whole spices.

Once they release their fragrance, add the marinated chicken and broccoli. Cook uncovered till the chicken is half done.

Wash the rice and add to the rice cooker. Add 2 cups water. Adjust salt and ghee.

Close the lid. The rice cooker will automatically switch off when it is done.

Quick Fix Pasta ( and some womanly gyaan on PMS blues )

Most women would agree with me when I say that we all could do without those crazy PMS symptoms. While a few lucky ones get away with minor mood swings, some of us end up becoming quite crabby and downright depressed. Personally speaking, those hormones make me take up the broom/mop/duster or whatever cleaning aid that I have at hand and go on a cleaning spree. But some of my friends suffer from worse predicament like bloating (damn..do I need to buy another pair of jeans just for those few days?) or they feel the need to keep munching/snacking constantly.

Now, while it is not possible to completely alleviate the symptoms, following a few simple rules makes it manageable. For example -

1. Reduce salt intake and increase the fiber intake - Most fried snacks are high on salt so they need to go off the menu. Also, it is a better idea to replace rice with daliya or pasta which are higher in fiber content.

2. Drink loads of warm water - It flushes out the system and reduces bloating.

3. Include herbs like garlic, ginger and basil in your diet .

4. EVOO works like a magic potion. Do try adding some to your salads and pasta.

5. Citrus fragrance is one great mood lifter plus the juice works as a detox agent. Go leverage both.

6. Exercise or even better, try yoga.

Ok. So, we are done with the gyaan. Lets move on to this simple recipe that actually uses some of the ingredients I have listed above -

Preapartion Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 100 gm Delmonte spaghetti
• 1 cup broccoli floret
• 3-4 fat garlic flakes
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 6-7 Italian basil leaves
• rind of 1 lemon
• salt 

Preparation - Wash broccoli florets under a tap. Then dunk into warm water for 5 mins. Any remaining insects or larvae will float up to the surface.

Cooking - Take water in a large saucepan. Get it to the bubbling point. Add salt.

Throw in the broccoli florets. Remove after a min and put into cold water.

Add the spaghetti to the same water. Cook till al-dente. Tip the saucepan contents into a colander and give it a gentle shake.

Put a wok on the burner. When it is warm to touch, add EVOO . Also add the chopped garlic and chili flakes. Just when the garlic starts to change color, add broccoli florets and spaghetti.

Toss for 2 mins before adding the grated lemon rind and shredded (by hand) basil.

Remove from burner and serve.

Loving Foodz ? Then Try Living Foodz !!

Just as the average Indian has discovered the joys of travelling and acquired an experimental palate, the time is ripe to reinvent the way one looks at food. From being a basic necessity in the league of 'roti, kapda aur makaan', food is now a trending entity that fuels the imagination of a million plus Indians. Hence the need for a foodtainment channel that caters to the ever growing need of amalgamating food with changing lifestyles but still retaining that very fabric of Indian-ness. And thankfully, the search has to an end.

Food Nirvana. A holistic approach to food. Food as the very extension of lifestyle. Food that is fun, vibrant and very very hip. If you have been looking for all that, then it's got to be 'Living Foodz', the latest foodtainment and lifestyle channel that will have you hooked from day one. Well, din't someone say travelling and fooding around go hand in hand ? Never mind if you have never heard of it !

The 'Living Foodz' channel is about to revamp our outlook towards food and entertainment. Food now goes beyond the kitchens and touches upon local cultures and traditions as well. Yep, sounds like a complete package and a lot more fun too. And there are loads and loads of health and wellness related tips and recipes for keeping you in great shape even as you learn to cook some sumptuous food.

Take a adventurous road trip with Gautam Mehrishi on 'Chef on wheels' as he explores divine food in the unknown reaches of India's interiors. If farm fresh produce excites you to no end and the mystery of the open kitchens of rural India mesmerize you, then this is a must watch for you. This is one series that has left me all nostalgic about the childhood trips to my grandmother's village even by looking at the promos.

But if you happen to be more inclined towards city hopping, join the dashing Ranveer Brar as he explores the 'gallis' and 'nukkads' of India on 'The Great Indian Rasoi 2'. Whether it is drooling over the sinful kebab's at Kareem's or grabbing a mouthful of tantalizing Aloo tikki chaat in Delhi, or sampling the Hyderabadi Dum Biryani and Shawrama rolls in Hyderabad, this bubbly anchor sure gives you an eyeful !

And if that does not satisfy the food and travel enthusiast in you, go globe trotting without a passport with the inimitable Vicky Ratnani as he takes you on a gastronomic world tour right from the confines of his kitchen on 'Vickypedia' or 'taste ka encyclopedia' as he puts it.

Did I just forget the raucous twosome of Rocky and Mayur ? Well, they continue to stir up food and fun, both in equal measures, on 'Food Express', an all new show.

All this and much more is waiting for you when 'Living Foodz' goes live on 11th September. Be sure to save the reminders and wait for the fun as it unfolds the foodie way. You can also check their Facebook and Twitter pages for regular updates !!

Stay tuned for 'Living Foodz' where food is all about fun and more !!

Ulli Sambar ( Spicy lentil cooked with Shallots )

Shallots or the tiny onions have a sweet and mild flavour. They Southern states of India, especially Kerala and Tamil Nadu employ a lot of shallots in their cooking while it is eaten mostly raw in the Eastern State of Odisha, mainly as an accompaniment for the watery rice dish of Pakhala.

Since, I bought a large lot of shallots for Onam, I was left with more than a handful even after I had finished with the Sadya which involved some marathon cooking. After making rasam the other day, I felt like having some delicious Ulli Sambar for lunch yesterday. It is just like any other sambar but no other vegetables should be added as the shallots have a very mild flavour. However I do add some carrots and a bit of a tomato .

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 25-30 mins

Ingredients -

• a fistful of toor dal
• 1/2 cup peeled shallots
• 1/4 cup diced carrots
• 1 medium sized tomato
• a lemon sized ball of tamarind
• 1 tsp sambar masala
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 green chilis
• 1//2 tsp mustard seeds
• a large pinch of asafoetida
• a small pinch of fenugreek seeds
• salt to taste
• 4 tsp oil

Preparation - Soak the tamarind with 1 cup hot water for 10 mins. Squeeze out the juice and discard pulp.

Cooking - Wash and cook the dal with 2 cups water in a pressure cooker. Also add the carrots and tomato to the pressure cooker. Remove from flame after 2-3 whistles.

Keep aside till steam escapes. Open the lid and mash the dal.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan. Add the green chilis, half of the curry leaves and the shallots. Fry for 3-4 mins.

Add the fried shallots to the mashed dal along with the tamarind water and the sambar masala.

Let it boil for 10-15 mins till the shallots are tender and the raw smell of tamarind goes away.

Heat the remaining oil . Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and dry red chilis. Fry for 30 secs before pouring it over the dal.

Serve hot with white rice , curd and some appalam.

Gopalkala (Janmashtami Special)

"Haathi Ghora Palki, Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki" - A very Happy Janmashtami to all my readers !!


Today's recipe is a simple yet delicious dish that is usually offered to Lord Krishna on his birthday. Most of you would be aware that milk products are the Lord's weakness and so most of his offering incorporate atleast one type of milk derivative. This one for example makes use of curd and buttermilk, but some folks do substitute the latter with some milk. The other major ingredient is 'poha' or chuda which is symbolic of his friendship with the poor Sudama.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup poha /chuda/rice flakes
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
• 4-5 tbsp buttermilk
• 4-5 tbsp curd
• 1/2 tsp chopped ginger
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 2-3 chopped green chilis
• 1 tbsp ghee
• salt to taste
• a sprig of curry leaves
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)

Preparation - Wash and soak poha for 2-3 mins. Drain for another 5 mins.

Take it in a mixing bowl and add chopped chilis, coconut, buttermilk and curd. Season with salt. Mix well.

Heat ghee for tempering. Add curry leaves and cumin seeds. Pour this spluttering mix over the contents of the mixing bowl.

Mix well and serve.

Broccoli Stir Fry ( Doing it the Odia way!!)

When it comes to exotic veggies, the culinary experts almost always advice folks to stick to the native method of cooking with a little tweak here or there. Subtle flavours, they say, get masked by the heavy use of spices which dominate Indian cooking.

But in the process, they render the veggies almost unpalatable. And this is especially true when it comes to the older generation. Try serenading your MIL with a zucchini boat or a broccoli soup. Chances are that they would blanch at the very mention of such a dish. 

However some of these veggies are quite loaded with mineral. For example, Broccoli scores quite a few points over cauliflower when it comes to the count of vitamins and minerals. So, I was in no mood to forgo the nutrition provided by this superfood. 

This is one great yet simple recipe where I have cooked Broccoli using a typically Odia method of preparation. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins (Broccoli takes a little less time to cook as compared to cauliflower)

Ingredients -

• 1 medium sized Broccoli
• 1 medium sized potato
• 1 large tomato
• 2 small onions
• 2 dry red chillis
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/3 tsp garam masala
• a pinch of cumin seeds
• a pinch of turmeric
• salt
• 3 tsp rice bran oil

Ingredients - Cut the broccoli into medium sized bits. Dice the potato into 8 parts.

The onion should be cut into thin long strips. Chop the tomato into fine bits.

Cooking - Heat a wok. Add 2 tsp oil. Add the broccoli florets along with salt and turmeric. Stir fry for 7-8 mins on medium to high flame or till the florets are almost cooked. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Heat a wok. Pour the remaining oil into it. Add the cumin seeds and red 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 chopped tomato. Sprinkle red chilli powder and a little salt. Cover with a lid and cook till the tomatoes soften.

Add the fried broccoli and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Cook for a few mins while taking care that the broccoli is not overcooked.

Add the garam masala and mix well. Remove from the flame.

Serve hot with rotis or white rice.

Click here to read the original recipe using cauliflower.

Guda Khiri / Gur Payesh (Rice pudding with Jaggery)

Kheer. Kheeri. Payesh. Payasam. Each corner of the country has its own name and version(s) for the delectable rice pudding. While sugar is the sweetening agent of choice for most folks, there is a tribe that swears by the rich flavor that can only be imparted by 'Gur/Guda/Jaggery'.

While the 'guda kheeri' has been on my list for sometime, I was waiting to lay my hands on some good quality 'palm jaggery', which is the best among all varieties of jaggery that one finds in the market. And I was lucky to come by it last weekend.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 liter milk
• a fistful of jeera rice/basmati rice
• 3-4 tbsp condensed milk
• palm jaggery (as per taste)
• assorted nuts
• 1 tsp ghee

Preparation - Bring the milk to a boil.

Wash and add the rice to the boiling milk along with the ghee. Once the rice is cooked, add the condensed milk and nuts. Let it boil for 5-6 mins more.

Finally dissolve the jaggery in some milk to check if it curdles the milk. If not, then add the jaggery in small quantities and keep stirring till you get the desired sweetness.

Remove from the flame.

Allow to cool before serving.

Onasadya Series (Part 3)

The final part of the Onasadya series ...

Onam is synonymous with the 'Pookalam' or elaborate flower arrangements in every household . Big floral carpets are made with a variety of flowers in different colors. Most 'pookalams' are artistic ones and there are even competitions to pick out the best among them.

Today I am making a spicy curry with shallots ( this theeyal is among my favorites ), a coconut milk based mild curry and a simple mix veg stir fry !!

Ulli Theeyal

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 pinch fenugreek seeds
• 2 pinch cumin seeds
• 2 pinch black pepper seeds
• 2 pinch coriander seeds
• 3-4 tsp grated coconut
• 2 dry red chili
• pinch of turmeric
• 3 tsp oil 
• 14-15 shallots (peeled)
• 1 dry red chili
• 2 pinch fenugreek seed
• a sprig of curry leaves
• 2 tsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp jaggery
• pinch of asafoetida
• 2 garlic flakes (crushed) (I prefer to omit it)
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Heat 3 tsp oil in a pan. Add the fenugreek, cumin, pepper, mace, clove, cinnamon and coriander. Roast till they give off a fragrance. Then add coconut and fry it to a brown color. Finally add red chili and turmeric and remove from flame after a few seconds.

Grind into a mixture once the spices have cooled down a bit.

Cooking - Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add red chili and mustard seeds. Add the curry leaves and shallots and fry for a minute.

Add the ground pasta and tamarind pasta along with 3-4 tbsp water.

After 2 mins, add jaggery, garlic, asafoetida and salt.

Cook for a few mins and then remove from the flame.

Serve once cool. 

Olan

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 cups ash gourd
• a handful of beans (use any variety)
• 2-3 green chilis
• 2-3 chopped shallots (optional)
• 1/2 tsp chopped ginger (optional)
• a pinch of mustard seeds (optional)
• a sprig of curry leaves
• 1 cup thick coconut milk
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp oil

Preparation - Wash and soak the beans overnight.

Cooking - Cook the beans with a little salt in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add curry leaves, ginger, mustard seeds and green chilis. Follow this with the shallots. Fry till translucent.

Add the ash gourd pieces along with salt and a little water. Cook covered till soft.

Add the cooked beans along with thick coconut milk. Cook for 5 mins more.

Remove from the flame and serve warm.

Note - I added some red chili to the tempering and that caused the milky white olan to get this yellowish tinge. Most people just cook the olan without any tempering (a few green chili and curry leaves are boiled with the ash gourd) and drizzle the coconut oil right at the end.

Thoran

Preparation Time - 15 mins


Ingredients -

• 3 cups finely chopped cabbage
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped beans
• 5-6 finely chopped shallots
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1-2 chopped green chili
• 2 pinch turmeric
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 dry red chili
• a pinch of asafoetida
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• salt to taste

Preparation - Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except for oil, salt, red chili, asafoetida and mustard seeds.

Let it sit for 20 mins.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok . Add mustard seeds, asafoetida and red chili. Once seeds start spluttering, add the vegetables . Sprinkle salt.

Mix well and cook covered for 10 mins or till done. Remember to give a quick stir every 3-4 mins.

Remove from wok and serve.