Meatless Monday Cornmeal Upma/Savory Cornmeal ( Cornmeal cooked with vegetables)

Upma with vegetables is one of my favorite breakfast choices. But since I have been avoiding gluten for almost 18 months now, I don't eat this anymore because Upma is made with cream of wheat or wheat semolina. I do make it for my family though. One day I decided to try it with cornmeal.I made it with white cornmeal.

It was a success! My husband liked the taste too. In fact there is not much difference in the taste between the two! So now I regularly make cornmeal upma or savory cornmeal with nuts and vegetables. It makes for a wholesome complete breakfast and is quick and easy to make.Today I have made this dish using yellow cornmeal.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Cornmeal : 1 cup ( I used yellow cornmeal, you can use white too).

Earthbound farm frozen peas : 1/4 cup
Earthbound farm frozen corn: 1/8 cup
Earthbound farm frozen green beans:1/8 cup
Carrots: 1/4 cup,diced and cooked.
Ghee( clarified butter): 2 tbsp
Cooking oil: 2tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Urad dal( split black lentil):1/2 tsp
Chana dal( split chick-pea): 1/2 tsp
Cashew halves:1 tbsp( optional)
Earthbound farm Onion: 1 medium, diced small
Earthbound farm tomato:1 small, diced
Green chillies: 2, slit lengthwise
Ginger-garlic paste: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder(haldi): 1/4 tsp( optional). I did not use today as I was using yellow cornmeal.
Sugar: 1/4 tsp
Salt: to taste
Water: 2 cups
Cilantro leaves: 1 tbsp( for garnishing)
Freshly grated coconut: 1 tbsp for garnishing.

Method:

Boil 2 cups water in a saucepan/ kettle.

Cook all the frozen vegetables as per  the instruction on the package and keep aside.

Dry roast the cornmeal in a saut� pan on low heat until fragrant( around 5-8 minutes) Put it in a plate/ bowl and keep aside.

In the same saute pan, now heat oil and ghee . Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the urad dal,chana dal and cashew halves. Saut� for few seconds.

Add the split green chillies, curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste and chopped onions. Saut� until onions turn transparent.

 Add the turmeric powder and  tomatoes and saute until it wilts a little.

Add the cooked peas, carrots, corn and beans.

Now add the roasted cornmeal and mix well, salt, sugar and 2 cups hot water.

Add the water little by little, mixing well in between. The cornmeal quickly absorbs the water.

Cover and cook on very low flame for 3-4 mins, stirring in between. 

You know the upma is done when it easily leaves the pan upon stirring.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.You can also garnish with freshly grated coconut as well.

Serve hot. Like any cornmeal dish, it does not taste good cold.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

You could use different combinations of vegetables for this dish or even mixed vegetables. You could use only peas, peas and carrots or even baby Lima beans or soy beans( endamame).

Tip for healthy living:

Eating healthy is very essential for our well-being.Breakfast kick-starts the metabolism and keeps you from being hungry during the day and from binge eating. A wholesome breakfast would be the perfect way to start the day.
References:
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/most-important-meal
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/many-benefits-breakfast
http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/healthy_eating/breakfast.html

Food for thought:

The greatest gift in life is to be remembered. Ken Venturi

Undi ( Steamed cream of rice balls)

Undi is a traditional Konkani breakfast item. When I say Konkani, I mean South Canara Konkani people. I am sure other people living in the Konkan region also make it.Undi is also known as "pundi" in Tulu and "mootli" by Catholic konkanis. "Mootli" means fistful, as fistful of batter is taken and shaped into balls which are then steamed.Traditionally in the Hindu households it is served with jaggery syrup. Others eat with with spicy curries like fish curry& egg curry. I like it with a little butter/ ghee filled in the little hole/ indentation and spicy dry chutney like lasun ( garlic) chutney sprinkled over it! :) yum!

Coincidentally, this is also the first dish that I cooked all by myself as a little girl in my "play kitchen". I must have been 8 or 9 years old at the time. I had miniature pots and pans which also included a miniature idli steamer! If a little kid can cook it, it has to be a easy dish to make!:)

Servings: 2-4

Ingredients:

Rice rava( idli rava or cream of rice): 1 cup
Coconut oil:1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Urad dal: 1/2tsp
Methi seeds( fenugreek seeds): 1/8
tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Freshly grated coconut: 1/4 cup
Water: 1 1/2 cups
Salt: to taste
Sugar/ jaggery: 1/2 tsp 

Method:

Wash idli rava thoroughly and keep aside.

In a kadai, heat oil, add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the urad dal, methi seeds, curry leaves and saut� for few seconds until the urad dal starts turning golden.

Now add the washed  rice rava, grated coconut, hot water, sugar & salt. 

Cover and cook on low flame until all the water evaporates and the rava mixture starts to easily leave the kadai( about 7-10 minutes). 

You know it is done if when you touch with your finger, nothing sticks to your finger. Turn off the flame.

Let it cool down a little. With damp hands take small portion ( fist full) of the batter and shape it into a ball. Indent the center of the ball with your index finger. Make such balls until all the batter has been used. Keep it aside.

Fill the idli steamer with little water and bring it to boil. Place the steamer plate in it.

Arrange all the balls on the plate and steam for 10 minutes on medium flame. You can also use the pressure cooker/ pan for this but without the whistle.

Photo credit: Shailaja Rao

Photo credit: Shailaja Rao

Serve hot with butter/ghee and chutney of your choice or with jaggery syrup or honey or with some spicy gravy dish like prawn curry or fish curry.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

You could make efficient use of your time and save energy( gas) by utilizing your resources to the fullest. When you are cooking rice in the cooker, also place the dal( lentil) or beans that you will be using to make another side-dish for lunch of dinner.

Another good example is the above dish. When you are steaming Undi or Idlis, you could steam/ cook another vegetable that is required for your lunch / dinner in the bottom half of the steamer. Of course, this depends on the size of your steamer/cooker.

Tip for healthy living:

Aerobic exercises are essential for the well being of the cardiovascular system. Aerobic exercises includes activities like walking, jogging, biking, running and swimming. An activity is considered aerobic only if it is done for at least 20-30 minutes. At least 45 minutes of aerobic activity is required before stored body fat  is utilized as a source of energy. At least 30 minutes of daily aerobic activity is recommended for a healthy cardiovascular system. 

References:
http://www.exrx.net/Aerobic/AerobicComponents.html
http://acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/news-releases/2011/08/01/acsm-issues-new-recommendations-on-quantity-and-quality-of-exercise
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/583553_7
http://quizlet.com/4507792/exercise-prescription-for-aerobic-fitness-flash-cards/

Food for thought:

Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom. Hannah Arendt

Classic Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Chocolate-chip cookies is the one thing that I could make over and over and rest assured that they will disappear in no time! :) My kids just love it! My sister-in-law and her kids are visiting us and I figured what better than home-made chocolate chip cookies. I made huge batch, one big container of big ones and one cookie jar of small ones for my little one. My son the minute he saw the little jar, he goes.. "Cookies".. "Mommy cookies, baby cookies!" ; Referring to the big and small cookies!The cookie jar was half-empty by that night and within 2 days of making them, they were all gone and become a part of history:)! Here is the classic chocolate chip recipe from Nestl�:

Servings: makes about 60 cookies

Ingredients:

Flour: 2 1/4 cups
Baking soda:1 tsp
Salt: 1 tsp
Butter: 1 cup, at room temperature.
Brown sugar: 1 1/2 cups
Vanilla essence: 1 tsp
Eggs: 2 large, beaten.
Chocolate chips: 1 cup

Method:

In a bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, using an electric mixer, mix together the butter, sugar and vanilla essence until creamy.

Add the beaten eggs and mix well.

Slowly add in the flour mixture little by little. Mix well.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Cover the batter with cling film and freeze it for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 deg F.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Using a ice cream scoop, drop spoonful of dough onto the cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Place the cookie sheet on the center rack of the oven and bake for 9-11 minutes depending on your oven.

Check for doneness using the toothpick test. When the toothpick is inserted into the center of the cookie and it comes out clean, then the cookie is done!

Let the cookies cool on the cooling rack for 5-10 minutes.

Once completely cooled,store the cookies in an airtight container.

Enjoy with a cold glass of milk or just like that! :)

Cooking made easy:

Freezing the cookie dough makes for cookies with desired thickness. The dough balls when placed on the cookie sheet tend to spread out making the cookie large but thinner. Freezing the dough minimizes this phenomenon.

I generally tend to make a huge batch of batter ( like above) and freeze half of it for future use. This way I have fresh cookies any time the kids desire!

Tip for healthy living:

Limit the amount of sugar in your daily diet. Use natural sugars like palm sugar, jaggery, honey, molasses,coconut sugar whenever possible. It is much healthier.
References:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristin-kirkpatrick-ms-rd-ld/dangers-of-sugar_b_3658061.html
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/health-effects-of-sugar
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-dangers.aspx
http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/weird-effects-sugars-having-your-body

Food for thought:

Be mindful when it comes to your words. A string of some that don't mean much to you, may stick with someone else for a lifetime. Rachel Wolchin

Cauliflower Bhajias ( Fried Cauliflower)

It is traditional in India to have a snack with the evening tea. Guess the British left behind the concept of drinking evening tea. A cup of evening tea is generally had in most Indian homes between 4 pm and 6pm. The tea is generally accompanied by some finger food or snacks, which are usually savory in nature. One such popular evening snack are Bhajias and pakoras. Bhajias can loosely be compared to the fried onion rings while pakoras are akin to the fritters that are available  in the western countries.Bhajias can be made with a lot of vegetables. The basic concept is to make a thick batter using chick-pea flour, red chilli powder, jeera or ajwain and salt. In this batter the chosen vegetable is dipped and then deep-fried. Simple right? The most commonly used vegetables for Bhajias are cauliflower, eggplant slices, potato slices, yam slices, yuca slices, jackfruit, breadfruit, bell-pepper, chilli pepper &plantains.

Today, I am sharing the recipe for the much popular cauliflower bhajias. As a rule, I don't make fried stuff. I call them indulgences, which are to be indulged in occasionally and in moderation.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Cauliflower: 16-20 florets from a small head of cauliflower.
Chick-pea flour( besan): 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder: 1/4 tsp( you can use lesser depending on your spice level)
Jeera ( cumin seeds, crushed) or ajwain: 1/8 tsp
Salt: to taste
Water:2 cups( for soaking) + 1/4 cup ( enough to make a thick batter)
Oil: for frying( I use coconut oil)

Method:

Boil 2 cups water with a pinch of salt . Turn off the flame, soak the cauliflower florets in this water for 5 mins. Drain and keep aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the chickpea flour, red chilli powder, jeera or ajwain, salt and water and make a thick batter that can coat the cauliflower easily and does not drip off!

Heat oil in a kadai/ frying pan to 400 deg F. You could also use a deep fryer if you have one.

Dip each cauliflower in the above batter until it is completely coated and drop it gently into the hot oil. Drop just enough florets that fit the frying pan in a single layer. 

Do not overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding results in poor quality of the end product. Fry until well done on both sides, about 2-3 minutes each side on medium flame.

Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels so as to soak the excess oil.

Serve hot with some chutney/ ketchup or as is! Goes well with a cup of chai, as an appetizer or as a side-dish for lunch/dinner.

Enjoy while I take this dish to Angie's for Fiesta Friday # 27. While Angie is out on vacation, we have two very capable hostesses this time to entertain us:the Aussie duo:Dame Madge and Dame Saucy. Do join the fun!

Cooking made easy:

How can you tell if the oil is hot enough and ready for frying? One method is to see the beginning of little fumes on top of the oil. But a better way is drop a drop of batter into the oil. If the batter floats immediately to the surface, the oil is ready for frying. If the batter sinks, then the oil is not hot enough for frying. Frying in oil that is not hot enough result in soggy, oily end product. When the oil is of the right temperature, the end product is crispy without excess oil dripping from it.

Tip to healthy living:

Ajwain and jeera (cumin)are both known for their ability to prevent bloating.  Inclusion of either of these seeds aids in better digestion of the food , thereby preventing indigestion.People with regular bloating issues may benefit from drinking water that has ajwain soaked in it.

References:

http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/top-10-health-benefits-of-ajwain/

http://www.gyanunlimited.com/health/top-10-health-and-medicinal-benefits-of-ajwain/1122/

http://naturalhomeremedies.co/Carom.html

Food for thought:

Every man must decide for himself whether he shall master his world it be mastered by it. James Cash Penney