Ragi Neer dosa/ Ragi paan polo/ Finger Millet Crepe

It is party time again at Fiesta Friday!This week I am bringing yet another healthy gluten-free crepe to the party.I hope Angie the host of Fiesta Friday and her wonderful co-hosts this week, Indu@ Indu's InternationalKitchen, Selma@ Selma's Table and Hilda@ Along The Grapevine, and all the other fellow party-goers like it!

Paan polo or Neer dosa/ Rice crepe is my go-to when I want to prepare dosas instantly and have not planned for it. This happens if I have not ground the dosa batter a day ahead and left it to ferment because I had a busy week or sometimes just plain forgot! The good thing about Paan polo/ Neer dosa is that the batter does not need fermentation! The rice could be soaked for as less as one hour in hot water. Or even better, just use rice flour! Something interesting happened recently.. I came across a recipe online that used Ragi flour( finger millet) for Paan pole. I was intrigued. I decided to try it and you know what?? It was delicious! The recipe is super easy and with Ragi( finger millet) being a healthier gluten-free grain, it is actually good for the body. I was thrilled!Of course, I tweaked the recipe to my liking. I use Ragi flour periodically with mediocre results but this was fantastic. I have made this several times now and have liked it each time! If you are looking for healthier ways to eat.. This is one of it!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Raagi ( finger millet) flour: 1 cup
Jeera ( cumin seeds): 1/4 tsp( optional)
Water: 3 cups+ 2 cups
Salt: as per taste
Oil: for greasing the skillet/griddle( I use coconut oil). You could use any cooking oil.

Method:

Mix Ragi/finger millet flour with 3 cups water. Keep aside for 15 mins.

After 15 mins, discard the top water and the dark  Raagi husk until you reach the lighter sediment.

Now add 2 more cups of water and salt and blend it for 30 seconds, using a hand blender or using a regular blender. Blending ensures that you get a nice homogenous batter. The batter should be thin and free-flowing.

Add the cumin seeds to the batter. You could skip the cumin seeds if you don't care for the taste of cumin.

Heat a griddle/ skillet on medium heat.Grease the skillet/ griddle liberally with coconut oil. 

When the griddle is hot, take a ladleful of batter and pour it from out to in. This batter cannot be spread. It needs to be poured. Instead of the ladle you could use a small cup or soup ladle to pour the batter.

The batter hisses and spreads like a lace on the griddle. It cooks very quickly. When cooked, fold it into a triangle.

Remove and keep it in a hot box ( something like a tortilla box).

Serve hot with a chutney of your choice.

My kids like it with a dollop of butter and some honey or jaggery syrup:).

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

The trick to making good dosas and the dosas not sticking to your skillet/griddle is by ensuring that it is greased well. Also, for Neer dosa the temperature of the griddle has to be maintained hot throughout.You cannot lower the flame.

Try to use separate griddles/ tawa/skillet for dosa and chapatis. My experience has shown that roasting chapatis on the dosa tawa spoils the seasoning of the tawa and makes it more probable that when you try to make dosas, they stick to the skillet leaving a sticky mess.

Always, always be gentle while cleaning your skillet/ tawa. Do not use harsh scrubs or strong detergents. This again messes up the seasoning of the skillet/griddle/tawa.

Tip for healthy living:

Ragi/ finger millet is a healthy grain that is gluten free and is a great alternative to wheat. For time immemorial, finger millet has been a staple part of the diet of residents of Karnataka, a South Indian state. Karnataka happens to produce 58% of the Ragi grown in India.

Ragi is one of the few grains that does not need to be polished and therefore is minimally processed. Ragi is a great source of protein, calcium and iron, hence very important for vegetarians and vegans. It has the highest percentage of protien when compared to other grains. It naturally is low in fat and high in dietary fiber due to the presence of it's bran. It is great alternative for rice and wheat for diabetics as it has a low glycemic index an therefore maintains the sugar levels stable for a longer period of time. Bottom-line, it is a very good food item that is beneficial for almost everyone!

References:
http://www.supraorganics.com/finger-millets-benefits.php

http://www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/health-benefits-of-ragi.htm

http://www.thehealthsite.com/fitness/did-you-know-these-10-health-benefits-of-ragi-or-nachni/

Food for thought:

A man must not deny his manifest abilities, for that is to evade his obligations. William Feather

Loshne/ Lasun Chutney Powder( Garlic Chutney Powder)

Amongst the dry chutneys or chutney powders as we call them, one of my favorites is Loshne/Lasun/ Garlic Chutney Powder. May be it is spicy and tangy and has the yummy garlic flavor locked in ... or may be it is because I have a lot of childhood memories associated with it... My mother always kept a batch of dry garlic chutney in the pantry. Her chutney will keep you asking for more. Mine does not match up to hers:(( even though my husband likes it :)). I just made a batch recently. This one was unplanned. Every week my husband brings 2 fresh coconuts which I then grate . I use a portion of it to make fresh masala an freeze the rest for later use in masalas and stir-fries. This time one of the coconuts was a little rancid. When I told my mother this, she said " why don't you make Loshne chutney. Just make sure that you fry the coconut well". I decided to just that and ended up with a bottle of fresh, tangy, yummy chutney to be used for the next couple of weeks.You could never tell that it was made from coconut that was a little rancid. Of course, this can be made out of any kind of shredded coconut;fresh, dry,dessicated, any kind as long as it is coconut.But it is also a good way of making use of the slightly rancid coconut which cannot be used as curry bases or sauce.

Servings: makes around 16 oz chutney powder.

Ingredients:

Freshly Shredded coconut: from 1 coconut (around 4 cups)
Garlic: 2 pods ( about 30 garlic cloves)
Red Chilli powder: 1 tbsp ( if using whole red chillies, around 15 chillies)
Amchur (Dry mango) powder: 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt: 1 tbsp

Method:

Dry roast the coconut in a thick-bottom vessel/ pot until golden brown on low flame stirring intermittently . The coconut should dry completely,but be careful not to burn it. If using slightly rancid coconut, the rancid smell should disappear upon drying. When done keep it aside in a bowl to cool down.

Now in the same pan dry roast the garlic until slightly golden and you smell the aroma of garlic. Keep it aside to cool down.

Now dry roast the salt, amchur powder for 3-4 mins on low heat. Add the chilli powder towards the end and dry roast it for 1-2 mins. Make sure not to burn the chilli powder.

In a mixer/ food processor/blender separately powder the coconut into a fine powder. Pour this into a mixing bowl.

Now powder the roasted garlic in the blender as finely as possible.The garlic will be a little sticky. Separate it with a fork/ hand and add it into the mixing bowl.

Using your hand thoroughly mix the garlic and the coconut.

Now add the roasted salt, chilli powder and amchur powder to the mixing bowl. Mix well using a spoon.

The chutney is ready!

Store in a clean, dry, airtight container/ jar. Can be stored at room temperature for upto 2 weeks but for almost a month in the refrigerator.

Serve with dosa/ idli/ rice.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

For the above recipe, instead of dry roasting the fresh grated coconut, you could just use the dry dessicated coconut. If you do use the dry one, you only need to dry roast it just a little bit.

You could use dried tamarind pulp instead of amchur, in which case you will have to grind it with the garlic.Amchur makes life easier :)

Tip for healthy living:

For time immemorial , garlic has been purported to have disease-fighting properties in the human body. Therefore it has been used to fight infectious diseases. Garlic is supposed to have beneficial effects on the cardio-vascular system and useful in conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease and cholesterol. Garlic is also supposed to help prevent certain cancers .Raw garlic is apparently more effective than cooked.

The beneficial properties of garlic majorly are from its sulfur-containing compound called "allicin", which gives garlic it's characteristic smell. Allicin when digested in the body produces sulfenic acid , that reacts with the dangerous free radicals in the body.
References:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/23/garlic-health-benefits.aspx
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/unlocking-the-benefits-of-garlic/
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265853.php

Food for thought:

Choose a job you will love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. Confucius

Meatless Monday Zesty Arugula-Quinoa Salad with Parmesan Cheese

The concept of eating healthy is akin to married men remaining faithful to one woman. Everyone knows that it is the right thing to do but secretly covets another woman. Think about it.. and you will find evidence everywhere..

That's my rant for the day. Let's now  get back to eating healthy. On July 4 th, we went over to my friend's place to watch fireworks from her terrace. I wanted to make a salad for her as she too wants to "eat healthy".
So that afternoon when I went to the farmer's market, I bought some arugula, fresh radish and some fruits. Being that it was Friday, it was laundry day and I had to get that done before leaving to their house. By the time I got that done and gave the kids their dinner , I had just enough time to wash an dry the arugula leaves. Back it went into the fridge. I just packed the washed fruits in a nice little box and took it for her. Guess what we had for dinner??? Chinese!!!! Luckily her thoughtful husband ordered some Chow fun with lots of vegetables for me with some eggplant dish. Funnily, we thoroughly enjoyed the rice noodles!

So there was the arugula sitting in my fridge, which I decided had to be demolished tonight or else it was going to go bad. I hate to waste good food! I sliced up red radish, diced some cucumber, chopped a few apricots,added leftover quinoa, made a lime dressing and topped it with some toasted almonds, cranberries and Parmesan cheese. Voila! A wholesome dinner was ready!

Now the recipe in detail:

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Arugula: 1 small bunch, washed & ,leaves separated.
Cooked Quinoa: 1 cup
Red radish: 3 medium sized, cleaned,sliced thin.
Cucumber: 1 medium, peeled and diced.
Apricots: 4, sliced lengthwise
Lime juice: 3/4tbsp, from one small lime.
Rice vinegar: 1/2 tbsp
Olive oil: 4 tbsp( I used extra virgin)
Sea Salt: 1/8 tsp
Black pepper powder: 1/4 tsp, freshly ground.
Parmesan cheese: 2 tbsp, grated/ powdered.
Almonds: 2 tbsp,toasted and slivered.
Craisins: 2 tbsp.

Method:

In a salad bowl, take arugula leaves, cooked quinoa, diced cucumber, sliced radish and apricots.

In a small jar, take  lime juice, rice vinegar,olive oil, salt & pepper . Close the jar and shake well.Add this to the salad and mix well.

Top it with Parmesan cheese, slivered almonds and cranberries.

Serve immediately.

Cooking made easy:

This salad can be served by layering the ingredients: make a bed of arugula, place the quinoa on top, then the cucumbers and radish , pour the dressing and  top it with apricot, almond, cranberries and Parmesan cheese.

If the marinade is mixed in the salad, it is best to serve the salad immediately for this kind of salads. The other option is to serve the dressing on the side.

You could substitute strawberries for the apricots ,walnuts for the almonds and feta cheese /blue cheese instead of Parmesan cheese.

Tip for healthy living:

Salads are healthy only as long as the dressing is healthy. Eating a salad defeats the purpose if you top it with calorie-rich dressings like ranch, Caesar, blue cheese etc. Opt for a simple low calorie dressing like some kind of vinaigrette or basic lemon juice-olive oil dressing.
References:
http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/food/salad-dressing
http://calorielab.com/brands/salad-dressing/132

Food for thought:

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. Eleanor Roosevelt

Mushti Polo/Dosa ( Gluten-free vegan Indian pancakes)

This post was originally not intended for Fiesta Friday but after reading this week's co-host Sylvia @ Superfoodista.com, I am going to take this dosa/pancake to Fiesta Friday!.This will spread the message of gluten-free eating options that has been always available..

Mushti polo literally translates into "fist dosa" in English. "Mushti" means fist and "polo" means dosa. Why? I don't know? May be because they used their fists for measuring? According to my mother, they put the batter in the center of the griddle/skillet like a fist and let it spread. I, of course, spread it a little as I don't want it too thick!

Anyways, Mushti polo is a common dosa/ pancake made in Gowda Saraswat Brahmin households of South Canara region of India. It is a soft, fluffy and light dosa that melts in your mouth. There are a few variations in the batter with some using grated coconut in it and most using cooking soda ( soda bicarbonate) for fermentation. My mother never used soda bicarbonate in any of her cooking as she always believed that the use of it would cause bloating. I have learnt from her and I too avoid soda bicarbonate in my cooking ( except for cakes and breads). So here is my recipe for "Mushti polo":

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

Raw rice: 3 cups
Urad dal: 1 fistful
Methi seeds( fenugreek seeds): 1 tbsp
Poha( beaten rice): 1 fistful
Salt: 2 tsp
Water: for soaking and grinding

Method:

Soak 4-5 hours or overnight ,3 cups rice with 1 fistful of urad dal, 1tbsp methi seeds.

Next morning grind the above mixture with just enough water to make a batter with fine texture.

Soak 1 fistful of poha/beaten rice in water for 10-15 mins. Add it to the above ground mixture and pulse once or twice.The batter should be thick.

Pour everything in a bowl. Let it ferment for 6-8 hours or overnight.

Heat a tawa/ griddle, smear oil, spread out a ladleful of batter thickly. Cover and cook on very low flame until done.Do not flip the dosa. This dosa needs to be cooked only from one side.

Serve hot with chutney of your choice.In the picture below I have served the dosa with wet ridge-gourd peel chutney ( ghosale sheere chutney) and dry garlic chutney powder ( lasun/loshne chutney)

My kids love it with butter and a dash of honey!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

If using non-stick saut� pans, skillet and griddle for cooking, use only wooden spoons/ spatulas on it. Using metal spoon/ spatula can scrape of the non-stick coating of the pan.

Use lukewarm water to wash non-stick cookware.While washing non-stick pans, use soft, non-abrasive sponge. Coarse fibers/ scrub can again damage and scrape off the non-stick coating.

Tip for healthy living:

Try and avoid the use of non-stick cookware in your kitchen.The non-stick cookware is coated with Teflon. The chemical name for Teflon is Polytetrafluorethylene(PTFE).The possible problems that arise are mainly from another chemical used in making Teflon,Perflurooctanoic acid ( PFOA) that has been linked with possibly causing cancer, hypothyroidism and reduced fertility. Do not heat empty cookware and never at very high-temperatures.The Teflon when heated to high temperature can release toxic fumes that are harmful to the body and can cause flu-like symptoms.

Discard any non-stick cookware that has it's coating scraped off or worn off.
References:

http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=4491

http://www.ewg.org/research/healthy-home-tips/tip-6-skip-non-stick-avoid-dangers-teflon

Food for thought: 

Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute. Josh Billings

Veggie Fried Rice

It is Friday & it is 4th of July! Today is doubly special! It is  the  American Independence day and Fiesta Friday!  I am going to celebrate by taking a colorful healthy vegetarian fried rice to Fiesta Friday# 23!  I hope Angie @ the Novice Gardner who hosts Fiesta Friday,  Co-hosts  Margie @ La Petite Casserole and Sylvia @ Superfoodista and all the fellow bloggers like it.

I have always enjoyed Chinese cuisine. Who doesn't like Chilli Chicken, Chicken Manchurian, Hot and Sour Chicken and the ubiquitous Chinese fried rice ?Who doesn't wish that they could re-create the restaurant style dishes at home with the same taste?? I have tried and succeeded too! For this I have to thank Ashita didi who introduced me to the basics of authentic Chinese cooking. The trick is to cook in an authentic iron wok on high flame.Not the wok that you get in Ikea.

Also the vegetables should be crisp and not overcooked. If you have all the ingredients ready and in front of you, cooking Chinese style is pretty quick & easy. Now I can have restaurant style fried rice and noodles at home any time of the day or night. For us,my fried rice is filled with crisp colorful vegetables and is a one-pot dish that can be eaten by itself. This is how I make my fried rice:

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Leftover cooked rice: 4 cups
Onion: 1 medium, sliced lengthwise
Garlic: 4-6cloves, chopped fine( I like extra garlic)
Ginger: 1 inch, chopped fine.
Green chillies: 2-3( depending on the spice level), chopped fine.
Carrot: 1 medium, peeled and cut julienne.
Green beans: 10, cut diagonally into 1 inch length.
Cabbage: 1/2 cup, sliced lengthwise.
Green bell pepper: 1/4,chopped julienne
Red bell pepper: 1/4, chopped julienne
Spring onion: 2, chopped fine.
Soy sauce: 4 tbsp
Vinegar: 1 tbsp
Cooking oil: 2-3 tbsp( I use olive oil)
Black pepper powder: 1/4 tsp
Sugar:1/2 tsp
Salt: to taste

Method:

Mix soy sauce  and a little salt with the cold rice and keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok on high flame. Now add the garlic,saut� for few seconds, add the chopped ginger, saut� for few seconds, add the green chillies and the onions in and saut� until the onion starts to turn transparent. Add the vegetables one after the other, saut�ing for a minute in between, depending on the time it requires to cook, beginning with the one that takes the most time.  In my case, I threw in the green beans first, then the carrots , cabbage, and lastly the peppers. Add in the sugar and black pepper and mix well. 

Add the rice in and toss until it is nicely mixed and warm. Add the vinegar and toss again. Garnish with finely chopped spring onions.

Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

Fried rice is a perfect way to get rid of  leftover rice. In fact, if made with freshly made rice it turns mushy.:)

Any combination of vegetables listed above can be used depending on what you have available in your fridge and pantry. You could skip bell peppers if you don't like them. You could add as much or as little as you wish and the fried rice will come out good.

You could turn it into egg fried rice by frying an egg at the beginning, scrambling it and then adding the other ingredients.

If you wish to add chicken and make it chicken fried rice, add bite size chicken pieces after the onions and saut� until the chicken is cooked. You can then add the other vegetables ( lesser quantities) or skip it all together.

I tend to fry egg/ chicken separately and keep it separately and use it as a topping at the table as per individual personal preference.

You can also add less soy sauce, green chillies( if there are little kids eating)if need be as these condiments can be added later at the table again as per individual preference.

Tip for healthy living:

Use vegetables to bulk up your meals. Veggies when chopped fine or cut small and mixed in one-pot dishes like fried rice hold more appeal and flavor for both children and adults than when served separately. Even when you make chicken or egg fried rice, try to ensure that you throw in at least 2-3 kinds of vegetables as well in there. This not only makes it look pretty and adds volume to your dish; it makes it balanced, nutritious, giving you at least 2-3 servings of your daily vegetable requirement.

Food for thought:

I am always more interested in what I am about to do than in what I have already done. Rachel Carson

Broiled Vs Pan-grilled Salmon

Salmon is one fish that I make often. Reason: simple; me and my husband both like it. Apart from that it tastes good, is good for you and most importantly does not smell up the house.My husband and I just cannot stand the residual smell lingering in the house.Being said that, I am very partial to fish. Given a choice between chicken and fish, I will always go for the fish. Most often though, I go for what I call the "non-smelly" fish. Salmon again is one of them. I mostly get Salmon fillets but this time I got two pieces of salmon steak from our local fish market to cook for dinner. My Salmon adventures are relatively new. Up until I moved to the US, I didn't even know what Salmon was. My initial encounter with Salmon was a one that left a bad aftertaste. I had eaten smoked Salmon. I don't care for uncooked/ half-cooked fish/ meat. Hence, I always shied away from Salmon. Then a Filipino colleague of mine re-introduced me to the wonderful Salmon! Since then, Salmon has been a regular at my home.

Most of the time I steam it or pan-fry it and serve it with saut�ed mushrooms. This time I decided to experiment and see which tastes better: broiling it or grilling it in a grill pan over the stove-top. I used the same marination for both of them; just the cooking method was different. Here is how I made it:

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Salmon steak: 2
Sea Salt : 1 tsp ( approximately)
Black pepper: 1 tsp, freshly ground
Lemon juice: from 1 medium lemon
Turmeric powder:1/8 tsp
Garlic powder: 1/4 tsp
Mixed dry Italian herbs: 1/2 tsp
Fresh basil: 1 tbsp, chopped
Olive oil for greasing and brushing.

Method:

Clean the salmon and marinate with all the above ingredients except fresh basil. Keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Broiling:

Preheat the oven on broil.

Place one marinated fish steak on a greased baking sheet. Brush the top with olive oil. You could spray the oil too if you have a sprayer. Sprinkle half of the chopped fresh basil on top. Broil for 8-10 minutes on each side. Make sure you checkin between to see if it is done. ( It is done when it is no longer pink inside).You don't want it to be overdone( which will make it dry)or burnt.

Grilling in a grill-pan over the stove-top:

Grease the grill pan and heat it on high over the stove. Place the fish in it and leave the flame high for 5 mins to sear the bottom. Now flip it and do the same for the other side. Reduce the flame to medium and cook it until done. May be another 6-8 minutes. It is done when the inside is no longer pink.

Serve hot with some steamed vegetable. I served mine with some mushroom bruschetta and cilantro dip.

Enjoy!

Verdict:

The broiled salmon tasted much better than the one done in the grill-pan over the stove-top.

Cooking made easy:

Whenever you cook anything in the oven, line the baking tray or pan with aluminum foil and then grease the foil. This ways when you are done, you can just remove the aluminum foil and trash it. You won't have to spend a lot of time scrubbing and cleaning the baking dish/pan/tray. Cleaning-up becomes a breeze! :)

Tip for healthy living:

While cooking try to use minimal oil that the recipe calls for. Use healthy oils like olive oil or coconut oil which have heart-healthy fats. Look for alternative healthier ways of cooking the same food. Broiling is better than frying. You still get the same taste. Baking/steaming is also a great alternative method to cooking fish.

Food for thought:

Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Kurt Vonnegut.