Crunchy Aloo Gobhi for Vrat ( Potato-cauliflower stir fry)

This post was meant to be posted on Friday, 3rd October.That was my last day of fasting and after work, we rushed to the temple for Saraswathi pooja for the kids, came back home, did the laundry and when I actually sat to post this, I fell asleep on the laptop!!! Well, I did not want to not post this. So here it is!

Today is Vijaydashami. Vijaydashami marks the end of Navrathri. Vijay means victory and Dashami means ten. This day is also known as Dusshera. Dasha Hara is a Sanskrit word which means removal of ten bad qualities within you.These being:
Kama vasana (Lust)
Krodha (Anger)
Moha (Attachment)
Lobha (Greed)
Mada (Over Pride)
Matsara (Jealousy)
Swartha (Selfishness)
Anyaaya (Injustice)
Amanavta (Cruelty)
Ahankara (Ego)

 So on the 10th day of Navrathri, we end the fasting and celebrate the victory of good over evil. We have cleansed ourselves physically with the fasting and mentally by praying.

On this auspicious day, I present to you a nice, tasty easy to make cauliflower-potato stir fry that can be eaten when fasting ( vrat) as it does not have onions and garlic. For me, this is a perfect marriage between cauliflower and potatoes. Also I can achieve several objectives with just one dish. It is not to spicy so the kids are happy( of course, you can make it spicy if you wish to!). My husband loves the potatoes and I love cauliflower. I give all the potatoes to him and take mainly the cauliflower for myself. I love the roasted cauliflowers in this dish!Mmmm

I am bringing this dish to Fiesta Friday to Angie, Selma and Elaine who are co-hosting this week and all the wonderful gals out there.  I am sure they will love it!

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Cauliflower florets: 3 cups
Potatoes: 2 medium, peeled and sliced into thin wedges.
Coconut oil: 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Haldi ( turmeric powder): 1/2 tsp
Red chilli  powder: 1/2 tsp ( adjust based on your spice level).
Garam masala powder: a pinch ( optional)
Salt: to taste

Method:

In a saut� pan or frying pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds, saut� for 10 seconds.

Add haldi,coriander  and chilli powder.

Now add the cauliflower florets and saut� on medium heat until three-quarters tender. It should turn slightly brown and crisp. 

Now add the potato slices , salt and saut� for a minute. Cover and cook on low until the potatoes are tender. 

Add a pinch of garam masala powder, mix well.

Serve hot with steamed rice/ flat bread/bread.

Here is is served with corn tortilla and kale chips.

Yummy!!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

If you are in a rush and want the cauliflowers to be cooked quickly, just put it in an oven-safe bowl and cook it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes before saut�ing it in the pan. This significantly reduces the cooking time.

Tip for healthy living:

If you have an insect bite, make a paste of cornstarch with water, apply it to the area for 1 hour. The bite should feel significantly better.

Food for thought:

Romance is everything. Gertrude Stein

Kulitha Idli ( Steamed Horse Gram Lentil Rice cakes)

This is one recipe that screams "healthy". I have been meaning to try this for the longest now. Kulith means horse gram. We make a myriad of dishes with it. We make kulitha koddel, kulitha saaru upkari and kulitha upkari. The nomenclature is because this grain was fed to horses and cattle.Horse gram is extremely nutritious. My mother used to state that eating horse-gram would give one the strength of a horse! It is also one of the few lentils/ beans that are apparently not gassy and does not create bloating. Combine this great healthy grain with urad dal( matpe bean lentil) and rice and make idlis ( steamed rice lentil cakes) with this and you have bonus nutrition. The regular idlis just have the matpe bean lentil and rice, this has the additional nutrients. The down side is that the idlis don't look very pretty. They look like they have flax-meal in them! Taste wise, awesome! I love it!

So without further ado let me share the recipe with you.

 Servings: 20 idlis

Ingredients:

Kulith ( Horse Gram): 1/2 cup
Urad dal: 1/2 cup
Idli rava ( rice rava): 1 cup
Cooked rice/ poha: 1/4 cup
Water: 1 to 1 1/2 cups to grind urad dal and horse gram
Salt to taste ( approximately 3/4 tsp)

Method:

Soak kulith ( horse gram) and urad dal for 5-6 hours.

Wash idli rava/ rice rava thoroughly and keep aside.

Blend kulith and urad dal in a blender adding water little at a time until it rises to 2 times the volume you started with. Make sure you give the motor of the blender some rest in between. The consistency of the ground batter should be fluffy  and light ,not runny.

Pour the batter  in a big bowl/ container.

Now mix the washed idli rava with the  horsegram-urad dal , add salt,cover and let it ferment overnight ( 5-6 hours if in hot weather).If living in a cold region, you can keep it in the cold oven/ microwave overnight with the equipment turned off.

Next  morning you  can steam the idlis.

Grease the idli mold with ghee/ butter/ Pam, fill it with batter until 2/3 full and steam in the idli steamer / pressure cooker ( without using the weight) for 10 minutes on medium- high flame.

Turn off the heat and let it cool down in the steamer for another 10 minutes before taking them out of the mold.

Serve hot with sambar/ chutney or both.

Cooking made easy:

Well fermented batter results in soft, light and fluffy idlis. You can know this when the batter has risen a little in the container. Inadequte fermentation leads to poor quality idlis that are hard,dense and has a doughy texture.

If the batter is too thick, add a little water. The consistency of the batter should be slightly thick ( thicker than dosa batter).

The addition of little bit of poha/cooked rice helps ferment the idlis better making it soft an fluffy.

This idli can also be made with sprouted horse gram as I have made in the pictures below. Sprouting also helps with fermentation especially during winter.

Tip for healthy living:

Horse gram is extremely nutritious.

Food for thought:

The only way to predict the future is to have power to shape the future.
Eric Hoffer

Meatless Monday Sambar( spicy vegetable- lentil stew ) : perfect for vrat/ fasting

Do you find it hard to believe that sambar can be eaten while fasting?? Of course it can be! In fact it is a perfect fasting food as it is so nutritious and wholesome with both the goodness of protein from the dal ( lentil) and the all-roundedness provided by the medley of vegetables. Yes, sambar can be made without onions and it tastes absolutely delicious! I could eat just a big bowl of sambar and call it a day!

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Toor dal ( split Pegion-peas): 1/2 cup
Potato: 1 medium, peeled and diced medium.
Raw cooking banana: 1 medium, peeled and diced small.
Carrots: 1 small, peeled and chopped.
Cauliflower florets : 1 cup
Sambar powder: 1 tbsp
Tamarind paste: 1/4 tsp
Jaggery or brown sugar: 1 tsp
Asofoetida( hing): pinch
Water:  1 1/2 cups + 3 1/2cups + 1/2 cup
Cilantro: 1 tbsp, chopped

For tempering:

Coconut oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Method:

Cook tur dal  thoroughly with 1 1/2 cups water in the pressure cooker and keep aside. When cooled, whip it lightly so that it becomes homogenous.

Boil 4 cups water in a pot and cook the vegetables until tender adding the ones requiring the longest cooking time first and the least last.

In the mean time take 1/2 cup warm water and make a tamarind solution. Add sambar powder,  jaggery and mix well.

To the cooked vegetables, add the tur dal. Mix well.

Now add the tamarind & sambar powder mixture and let it come to a boil. Turn off the flame.

Tempering:

In a small frying pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds . Once the mustard seeds splutter, turn off the flame.Add curry leaves. Add it to the sambar.

Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro/ coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice/ idlis/ dosa.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

Any combination of vegetables can be used for sambar. There is no set rule. Making sambar is a great way to clean up the refrigerator!

Tip for healthy living:

If you have a cold/ sore throat/ cough, add extra black pepper powder and 1 tsp turmeric powder to the above sambar. Eat a bowl of hot steaming sambar and your sinuses will be cleared due to the black pepper while the anti-inflammatory properties of the turmeric powder will aid healing.

Food for thought:

The mind is everything. What you think, you become. Buddha

Chatpate Aloo ( Potatoes saut�ed in a tangy spice mix): great for fasting.

Here is a quick dish that can be made in less than 30 minutes! Perfect for a weeknight dinner. Makes for a great side or you could eat it just like that! My husband likes spicy food whereas I have a medium spice level, while the kids have very little tolerance for spicy food. I have to therefore often try to strike a balance between the three. Hence often I make one side dish that is low in spice and another that is spicy! That ways everybody is happy! My husband loves potatoes and this is my go-to on a weeknight. I make a batch of this and he is a happy camper for two days! This recipe is super simple and easy! I am bringing this to all the girls at Angie's Fiesta Friday! Prudy and Naina are the co-hosts this week. Being that it is the second day of Navrathri fasting, this dish is perfect for fasting too.. goes great with some gluten free flat-breads.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Potatoes: 4 large, boiled until just done, peeled and cut into medium cubes.
Coconut oil: 1 tbsp ( any cooking oil can be used)
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
Haldi ( turmeric powder): 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder: 1 tsp( you can adjust according to your spice level)
Amchur ( dry mango) powder: 1 tsp
Black pepper powder: 1/8 tsp
Garam masala: a pinch
Cilantro( for garnishing): 2 tbsp chopped.

Method:

Heat coconut oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add mustard seeds. 

Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves,turmeric powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, amchur powder, chilli powder. Saute for a minute.

Add in the cooked potato cubes. Add salt.Saut� for few minutes until all the potato pieces are nicely coated with the spices. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes . 

Add in the garam masala powder. Mix once more.

Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve hot with steamed rice and dal or flat bread.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

This dish is very versatile. You can play around with what spices you want to add depending on what you have in your pantry. You could skip the garam masala powder. You could add cumin powder as well. You could use just salt, turmeric and black pepper powder or salt, turmeric and just chilli powder. If you want to try a more exotic taste, you could add fennel seed powder. See... the permutations and combinations are endless!

Tip for healthy living:

Today is Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Mesothelioma is a rare and preventable cancer caused only by exposure to asbestos. 

Today marks the 10th anniversary of Mesothelioma Awareness Day, and has been the driving force behind the movement to bring more attention and funding to this cancer. There is no more innocent victim than a person with mesothelioma, they are sick as a direct result of a product that is NOT banned in the U.S. This disease has a life expectancy of just 18 months after diagnosis, and symptoms may not be evident until 20-35 years after initial exposure to asbestos.

For more information go to the links below:

http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/
http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather/bio.htm

Food for thought:

The heart forgets its sorrow and ache. James Russell Lowell

Eggless, butter- less Oatmeal-Flaxmeal Banana-Raisin Bread

While I have made some eggless cakes, they have been made using tried and tested recipes from my other blogger friends. But I can never confidently tell someone what is the perfect, fool-proof substitute for egg. I have read up tons of stuff regarding what could be substituted for eggs. Reading and doing is two different things! I had overripe bananas lying around. I had also recently got a bag of Flaxmeal which I use with my oatmeal. I decided to try substituting Flaxmeal for eggs. Banana bread would be a safe bet as there would be little that could go wrong. So I set about experimenting, switching oatmeal for flour and Flaxmeal for eggs and butter. I didn't want to take too big a chance, so I added 1/4 cup olive oil. The result was a resounding success! The bread was moist and delicious! The only difference when compared to the regular banana bread is that the loaf is not as big. It is 3/4 it's size.You can find my original banana bread recipe here.

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

Oat flour: 2 cups
Flaxmeal: 3 tbsp+ 3/4 cup
Water: 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp
 Baking soda: 1 tsp
 Salt:1/4 tsp
 Ground cinnamon: � tsp
 Ground nutmeg: � tsp
 Vanilla extract:1 tsp
 Brown sugar:3/4 cup
Olive oil: 1/4 cup
Overripe bananas: 2 cups( 4 bananas),mashed
 Walnuts:� cup,chopped(optional)
Raisins: 1/4 cup ( optional)

Method:

In a mixing bowl mix together 3 tbsp Flaxmeal with 1/2 cup and 1 tbsp water and keep aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and keep aside.

Beat together the flaxmeal+water mixture, oil, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg  in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the banana,  beating until smooth. Add oat flour and 3/4 cup flaxmeal, raisins and nuts, stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and let it rest at room temperature, uncovered for 10 minutes.

Bake the bread for 45 minutes. Lay a piece of foil gently across the top and bake until a cake tester (like a toothpick) inserted into the center comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes more..

Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before turning it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.

 Slice and serve with a cup of tea or coffee.

Enjoy! I am bringing this to all the wonderful gals at Angie's Fiesta Friday. This week's co-hosts are the very talented and capable Selma @Selma's table and Elaine@Foodbod.

Cooking made easy:

Oat flour can be easily made at home by grinding oatmeal to a fine powder using a regular blender/ mixie.

Flaxmeal can also be made at home by grinding flax seeds in a blender/ mixie.

Tip for healthy living:

Flaxseeds are extremely healthy. They are not only rich in omega-3 fatty acids,but are also great source of dietary fiber. Flaxmeal is a great way of incorporating flax seeds into our daily diet. You could just mix it into your regular shakes/ smithies, oatmeal etc.

References:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/flaxseed/faq-20058354
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed
http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/victoria-maizes-md/benefits-flax

Food for thought:

A thing well done is worth doing. Hugh Leonard

Cucumber Kosumbari (Cucumber-Moong bean lentil salad)

Kosumbari in Kannada/Konkani are basically salads. These are dishes whose ingredients are raw and are seasoned with lemon juice, green chillies & salt.Cucumber Kosumbari is a relatively common one and is  a nice combination of vegetable with a little protein  hidden in it in the form of moong- bean lentil. It is quick and easy to make, healthy and tasty to eat.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Cucumber: 1 medium, peeled and finely diced.
Moong Dal(Moong- bean lentil): 1 tbsp
Green chilli: 1 small, finely chopped
Lemon juice: from one small lemon
Salt: to taste
Cilantro: 1 tbsp, chopped
Freshly grated coconut: 1 tbsp for garnishing.

For tempering:

Coconut Oil:1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves: 2-3 leaves
Hing( asofoetida): a pinch

Method:

Soak the moong-bean lentil for 30 mins in water. Drain and keep aside.

In a bowl mix together the moong-dal lentil, chopped cucumber, green chillies, salt, cilantro, lemon juice and freshly grated coconut.

Heat coconut oil in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, switch off the flame, add the curry leaves and a pinch of hing( asofoetida). Add it to the bowl.

Keep it refrigerated until ready to be served.

Enjoy.

Cooking made easy:

For those of us who don't have access to fresh curry leaves, here is a nice method to store large quantities of curry leaves for longer times. Wash and clean the leaves thoroughly and dry them in a single layer only until they are wilted ( not completely dry and brittle). Now store them in ziplock bags or in airtight container. Lasts for months together. I get my stock from India and it lasts for more than one year. You could use it just the way we regularly use. It becomes fresh when put in curries. You cannot tell the difference whether fresh or dried ones were used!

Tip for healthy living:

Studies have found a positive co-relation between gum disease and heart health. People who have gum disease are more prone to heart problems. Hence maintaining good oral hygiene is essential. This could be achieved by regular brushing, flossing and the use of antibacterial oral rinses. This should ideally be done after every meal.

References:
http://www.perio.org/consumer/heart_disease
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/20/gum-disease-heart-disease_n_5352922.html
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/periodontal-disease-heart-health
http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/oralhealth/Topics/HeartDisease/
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/your-guide-gum-disease
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/healthy-teeth-healthy-heart

Food for thought:

In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different. Coco Chanel

Back to School Special: Charmuri Chikki ( Rice Crispy Squares)

It is that time of the year when we are busy sending our kids back to school! My daughter started Kindergarten today. This according to me is the official beginning of the formal education for my child... I guess for me too.. as this is my first advent with the public school system in the United States. I was educated in India mainly, and the instructional method is completely different from here. To make it even more complicated, my child is in the gifted and talented program, which means that it is a lot of work and learning for her and for me!! It is very hard to be a working mom. I had to take the day off yesterday so that I would be a part of this big milestone of my baby. I am the one dreading her schooling as it only adds to my work load! She was unperturbed, all excited! I wonder if I will have any time to spend blogging... Ok ok I guess I am getting carried away now.. Many moms before me have done this and survived, and I guess I will too..

Coming back to today's special, I figured "back to school" would be a perfect theme for this Fiesta Friday as all parents strive to provide their children with healthy snacks whether they are in kindergarten or in college! We always worry if our kids are eating enough and if it is nutritious enough! Today I am bringing to you a healthy, nutritious, natural, gluten-free, nut-free, easy to make snack. I came up with this recipe when I was making charmuri laddoos ( rice crispy balls) for Ganesh Chathurthi . It was quite out of necessity and desperation. To make the laddoos, you have to mix in the rice puffs in piping hot jaggery syrup and then shape them into balls while the mixture is still hot! If it cools down, you can no longer shape the mixture into balls. I figured that if I were to pour it into a tray and then cut it into squares it would save me a whole lot of time, not to mention the burning of my hand! Without further ado let me share the recipe. I love going to Angie's Fiesta Friday. Hilda@Along The Grapevine is co-hosting this week.

Servings: makes one 9x13 inch tray

Ingredients:

Jaggery: 2 cups
Puffed Rice : 8 cups ( you can also use rice crispies)
Cardamom powder: 1/4tsp
Water: 1/2cup

Method:

Dry roast the puffed rice until crispy, around 5-10 mins and keep aside in an airtight container.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper or wax paper and keep aside.

Heat jaggery and water in a pot until the jaggery is completely melted and liquid. Now turn off the heat, let it settle for  5 mins. Gently pour the molten jaggery into a thick-bottomed  pot, leaving behind any sandy residue.

Heat the molten jaggery on medium flame until it thickens and is sticky and stringy when attempting to pick to pour from a spoon. Turn off the flame.

Now mix in the cardamom powder and the toasted puffed rice a cup at a time. Mix well  and thoroughly  after the addition of each cup so that the jaggery coats each and every individual puffed rice grain and you have a nice golden mixture.If you feel that the jaggery is not coating the puffed rice or the mixture is more white than golden, then stop adding anymore puffed rice.

Pour the hot mixture into the prepared baking tray. Using a spatula gently press down to make it compact and even on top.

Cut into squares while still warm but don't remove it out. Once cooled down, separate the squares and store it in an air-tight container.

Stays fresh at room-temperature for upto a month.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

If you don't have wax paper or parchment paper, just grease the tray with ghee or butter. Grease the sides too.

If you don't have a baking tray, put it in any regular metal square / rectangular tray.

Puffed rice softens and looses it's crispness when left in open air, hence it is essential to both dry roast it and then store it in an airtight container until it is ready to be used.

Tip for healthy living:

Traditionally jaggery has been used as a sweetener for several centuries now. It is also used in most Indian desserts and also in coffee and tea. Jaggery is a great alternative to white sugar. Both are made from sugar cane juice, the only difference being that jaggery is less processed and is more natural as opposed to white sugar. Simply put jaggery is nothing but sugarcane juice that has been boiled down until it solidifies.It can be used anywhere that sugar is used. Jaggery is also a good source of iron.

References:
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/other/jaggery-and-sugar.html
https://www.reliancegeneral.co.in/insurance/articles/year-2012/September/Say-No-to-Sugar-Opt-for-Jaggery.aspx
http://ayurveda.md/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=42&Itemid=1
http://www.thehealthsite.com/fitness/6-healthy-substitutes-for-white-sugar/

Food for thought:

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. Robert Louis Stevenson