Oats - Kasthuri Methi - Nuts Upma

Ingredients:

• Rolled oats – 150 g
• Kasthuri methi – 1 Teaspoon
• Roasted peanut – 1 Tablespoon
• Roasted walnut -1 Tablespoon
• Urad dal – 1 Teaspoon
• Green chili - 2
• Ginger paste – ½ Teaspoon
• Water – 100 ml
• Salt as needed
• Oil – 1 Tablespoon
• Coriander leaves

 Method:

• Dry roast oats and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan over medium high heat, add mustard seeds. When they pop, add urad dal, roasted peanut, walnut, green chili, ginger paste, kasthuri methi and fry for few minutes.
• Add water and salt. Bring it to boil, add oats and close lid.
• Cook until water is absorbed.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Peaches and Sour Cream

Ingredients:

• Peach – 1
• Brown sugar – 2 Teaspoon
• Nutmeg powder – ¼ Teaspoon
• Cinnamon powder – ¼ Teaspoon
• Sour cream - 2 Tablespoon

 Method:

• Wash peach, cut into 2 halves and remove seed.
• Place peace halves in a microwave safe bowl.
• Add brown sugar at the centre of each one and sprinkle cinnamon.
• Microwave at high until sugar starts bubbling.
• Remove from microwave, cool and refrigerate for an hour.
• Serve with a scoop of sour cream at the top and sprinkle nutmeg powder over the fruit.
• This is our family’s favorite fruit delight.

Recipe adapted from the book "Joy of Microwaving".

Sago - Mango Kulfi

I got the basic kulfi recipe from the book “Ice creams and frozen desserts” and made some alterations.
Ingredients:

• Sago – 100 g
• Skim milk – (2½ cups) 500 ml
• Milk powder – ¼ cup
• Sweetened condensed milk – ½ cup
• Mango pulp – 1 cup
• Sugar – 50 g

 Method:

• Cook sago, cool and keep aside.
• Heat a non stick - pan, add skim milk, milk powder, condensed milk and sugar.
• Bring it to boil and simmer for 10 mins until the mixture thickens. Cool completely.
• To this add mango pulp and sago.
• Adjust sugar and pour into kulfi moulds.
• Freeze till set for about 6 – 8 hours. Unmould and serve as a dessert.
• Before taking picture, I allowed the kulfi to slightly melt so that we can clearly see sago on kulfi.

Fenugreek Leaves and Black eyed pea Sprouts Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice – 200g
• Fenugreek leaves – 1 cup
• Black eyed pea sprouts – 100 g
• Onion – 1
• Tomato – 1
• Green chili – 2
• Dried red chili powder - ¼ Tea spoon
• Ginger paste – 1 Tea spoon
• Crushed garlic cloves- 10
• Turmeric powder – ¼ Tea spoon
• Coriander powder - ¼ Tea spoon
• Cumin powder - ¼ Tea spoon
• Curry leaves – few
• Coriander leaves
• Oil – 2 Table spoon
• Mustard seeds - ¼ Tea spoon
• Whole garam masala (clove, cinnamon, cardamom) – 2 each

 Method:

• Soak rice in water for 20 mins.
• Heat oil in a pressure pan and add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds pop up, add onion, whole garam masala, and a pinch of salt. Sauté until onion becomes slightly brown.
• Add tomato, green chilis, curry leaves, ginger paste crushed garlic cloves and Sauté them for few seconds.
• Add black eyed pea sprouts, fenugreek leaves turmeric powder, cumin powder, chili powder, coriander powder and Sauté for few seconds.
• Pour 400 ml water and adjust salt.
• When the mixture starts boiling, add soaked rice.
• Close the lid and allow 3 whistles.
• Turn off the stove and open after 20mins.
• While serving, garnish with coriander leaves.

Fenugreek Leaves Soup

Ingredients:

• Fenugreek leaves – handful
• Chopped onion – 50 g
• Chopped tomato – 50 g
• Garlic cloves – 2
• All purpose flour – 1 Table spoon
• Pepper powder – ¼ Tea spoon
• Water – 250 ml
• Skim milk – 70 ml
• Mustard seeds – 1/8 Tea spoon
• Salt as needed
• Curry leaves - few
•  Oil – 1 Table spoon

 Method:

• In a pan heat oil and add mustard seeds, when they pop up add chopped onion, garlic cloves, pinch of salt and chopped tomato. Sauté until they are slightly mashed.
• Add water, sprinkle all purpose flour, pepper powder, and curry leaves. Mix and close the lid. Cook until the mixture turns thick. Stir frequently.
• Add milk and chopped fenugreek leaves. Cook for few minutes in a slow flame by not closing the lid.
• Adjust salt and pepper. Bring it to boil and turn off heat.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Sprouted Pearl millet and Barley Thattai

Ingredients:

• Pearl millet (Kambu) – 2 Table spoon
• Barley – 1 Table spoon
• Rice – 1 Table spoon
• Peanut – 1 Tea spoon
• Roasted channa dal – 1 Tea spoon
• Red chili powder – ½ Tea spoon
• Asafoetida - pinch
• Salt as needed
• Water as needed

 Method:

• Soak pearl millet in water for 8 to 12 hours, drain soaked water, wash with fresh water and cover them with wet cloth. In between rinse them with fresh water twice a day. In 24 hours they start sprouting. On the second day the sprouts will be ready to use, so carefully wash the sprouts with fresh water by not breaking the tiny sprouts. Drain excess water and spread them in a clean plate and dry.
• Dry roast barley, rice, peanut, asafoetida and pearl millet together (add pearl millet sprouts during the last few minutes of roasting. Since they are small in size and roast quickly).
• Grind the roasted items with roasted channa dal, red chili powder and salt.
• Add little water while grinding so that you will get a batter like for making murukku.
• Take a table spoon of batter and by using a butter paper make it into ¼ inch thick patties.
• Shallow fry the patties in a dosa pan with little amount of oil.
• Store them in an air tight container.

Winner in the "Best out of Waste" event Conducted by Nithu Bala

Dear friends,
I am humbled to announce that I won in the "Best Out of Waste" event and received a beautiful cook book from Nithu Bala of  Nithu's Kitchen. Thanks Nithu for conducting such a great event. I would like to share this award with all my blogger friends....without your encouragement and continuous support I would have not achieved this victory. So this award is because of you...my dear friends....Thanks a lot.

Sprouted Horse gram - Fenugreek and Bottle gourd Curry

Ingredients:

• Bottle gourd -1
• Horse gram – 100 g
• Fenugreek seeds – 1 Tea spoon
• Onion – 1
• Tomato – 1
• Garlic cloves – 5
• Sambar powder – ½ Table spoon
• Turmeric powder – ¼ Tea spoon
• Mustard seeds - ¼ Tea spoon
• Salt as needed
• Oil - 1 Table spoon
• Curry leaves – few
• Coriander leaves

 Method:

• Soak horse gram and fenugreek separately in water for 8 to 12 hours, drain soaked water, wash with fresh water and cover them with wet cloth. In between rinse them with fresh water twice a day. In 24 hours they start sprouting. In the second day the sprouts are ready to use, so carefully wash the sprouts with fresh water by not breaking the tiny sprouts. Drain excess water and spread them in a clean plate.
• Cook them with little water and grind to course paste and keep aside..
• Chop bottle gourd, onion and tomato.
• Heat oil in a vessel and add mustard seeds. When they pop up add onion and a pinch of salt. Fry till onion is slightly brown.
• Add bottle gourd, tomato, curry leaves, turmeric powder and sambar powder. Mix and cook them well.
• Now add ground horse gram – fenugreek sprouts, required amount of water for the gravy and crushed garlic cloves. Adjust salt and cook the mixture until it is done (in a slow flame).
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

 Note:

• This is an excellent recipe to reduce weight.
• Since it is summer and horse gram is said to be heat producing…i have used fenugreek to compensate the total heat….the curry was delicious and sure you will like it.

Nutritious Mixed Sprouts and Barley Powder

Ingredients:

• Dried Chick pea (Black) – 1 Table spoon
• Dried Chick pea (White) – 1 Table spoon
• Dried Green pea – 1 Table spoon
• Dried Horse gram – 1 Table spoon
• Dried Green gram – 1 Table spoon
• Dried Red gram – 1 Table spoon
• Dried Black eyed pea – 1 Table spoon
• Dried Pearl millet – 1 Table spoon
• Dried Finger millet – 1 Table spoon
• Sorghum – 1 Table spoon
• Pearl Barley – 1 Table spoon
• Almond – 1 Table spoon
• Cashew – 1 Table spoon
• Cardamom – 3 nos
• Wheat flour with germ - 1 Table spoon

 Method:

• Soak chick peas, green peas, horse gram, green gram, red gram, black eyed peas and millets in water for 8 to 12 hours, drain soaked water, wash with fresh water and cover them with wet cloth. In between rinse them with fresh water twice a day. In 24 hours they start sprouting. In the second day the sprouts will be ready to use, so carefully wash the sprouts with fresh water by not breaking the tiny sprouts. Drain excess water and spread them in a clean plate and dry.
• In between soak sorghum and pearl barley together for about 4 to 5 hours, drain soaked water, wash with fresh water and dry.
• Dry roast mixed sprouts, sorghum, wheat flour with germ and barley together and keep aside.
• Dry roast almond, cashew and cardamom seeds together.
• Care should be taken while roasting because high heat may burn the grains and spoil the aroma.
• Grind the above roasted items into a fine powder.
• This nutritious powder can be either used with hot milk or water as a healthy drink.
• We can also add sugar for taste.

Black eyed pea sprouts Opputtu

Ingredients:

• Black eyed peas - 150 g
• Split channa dal – 150 g
• Jaggery – 150–200 g
• Grated coconut – 100 g
• Cardamom – 8 nos
• All purpose flour – 200 g
• Water
• Turmeric powder – ½ Tea spoon
• Salt
• Oil or ghee

Method:

• Soak black eyed peas in water for about 6 to 12 hours, drain water, wash with fresh water and cover them with wet cloth. In between rinse them with fresh water twice a day. In 24 hours they start sprouting. In the second day the sprouts will be ready to use, so carefully wash the sprouts with fresh water by not breaking the tiny sprouts. Drain excess water and spread them in a clean plate and keep aside.
• Soak split channa dal for about an hour and cook (do not mash) those with sprouted black eyed peas by using little amount of water.
• Discard cooked water (or can be used for making rasam) and grind with jaggery into coarse in a wet grinder. Keep aside.
• Dry roast grated coconut.
• Mix the ground mixture, roasted coconut, pinch of salt and cardamom seeds.
• Then make them into small lemon sized balls. Keep aside.
• Mix all-purpose flour, pinch of salt, turmeric powder and water. This mixture should be of bajji or bonda batter consistency.
• Make that lemon sized small balls (dal, sprouts and jaggery mixture) into patties (or like vada), dip in all-purpose flour batter and place over heated dosa tava. Pour a tea spoon of oil or ghee and cook both the sides until they are done. Cook one or two at a time.

Barley and Masala Beetroot

Ingredients:

• Pearl Barley – 100 g
• Beetroot – 1
• Yellow onion – 1
• Tomato – 1
• Garlic cloves – 2
• Red chili powder – ½ Table spoon
• Fennel seeds – ½ Tea spoon
• Grated coconut – 1 Table spoon
• Salt as needed
• Oil – 1 Table spoon
• Mustard seeds – ¼ Tea spoon
• Split channa dal – ¼ Tea spoon
• Turmeric powder – ¼ Teaspoon
• Curry leaves – few

 Method:

• Soak barley in water for about 4 to 5 hours. Drain soaked water and wash with fresh water. Pressure cook for about 4 to 5 whistles.
• Coarsely grind fennel seeds with coconut and keep aside.
•  Chop beetroot, onion, garlic cloves and tomato into small pieces.
• In a pan heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they pop up add split channa dal and fry for few seconds.
• Add onion and a pinch of salt. Fry until onion becomes slightly brown.
• Add curry leaves, beetroot, tomato, red chili power and turmeric powder. Toss them well.
• Add ground mixture, adjust salt and close the lid. Cook until it is done.
• To this add cooked barley, toss and simmer for few minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Fenugreek - Barley Payasam

Ingredients:

• Fenugreek seeds – 1 Teaspoon
• Pearl Barley – 2 Teaspoon
• Tapioca pearls – 1 Tablespoon
• Palm sugar (Panang kalkandu) – 70 g
• Cardamom seeds - ¼ Teaspoon
• Skim Milk – 70 ml
• Dry ginger (Sukku) – small piece
• Water – 50 ml
• Salt – pinch

 Method:

• Dry roast barley and fenugreek seeds; grind together into a fine powder and keep aside. Make sure that not to over heat while roasting.
• Bring water to boil in a bowl and add tapioca pearls. When they are half cooked, add ground mixture, dry ginger and milk. Cook till they are done.
• Add palm sugar, salt and crushed cardamom seeds.
• Mix them well and simmer for few minutes.
• If you like little bit watery and sweet add little more water and sugar according to your taste.
• Serve chill or warm.

Fenugreek Sprouts Chutney

Ingredients:

• Dried Fenugreek seeds – 2 Table spoon
• Tamarind – 1 Table spoon
• Black gram seeds – 1 Tea spoon
• Split channa dal - 1 Tea spoon
• Dried red chilies – 2
• Ginger – small piece
• Curry leaves – few
• Salt

 Method:

• Soak fenugreek seeds in water for about 6 to 12 hours, drain water, wash with fresh water and cover them with wet cloth. In between rinse them with fresh water twice a day. In 24 hours they start sprouting. In the second day the sprouts will be ready to use, so carefully wash the sprouts with fresh water by not breaking the tiny sprouts. Drain excess water and spread them in a clean plate and keep aside.
• Dry roast black gram seeds, split channa dal, curry leaves, and red chili. Fry till they are slightly brown in low flame. Turn off heat.
• To this add fenugreek sprouts; toss till they are slightly heated. Allow this to cool.
• Grind them with ginger, tamarind paste and salt.
• Serve with rice or idly or dosa.

Note:

• Since i have added tamarind and red chilis, this chutney had a good taste without that much bitterness. For kids we can add butter or ghee, my little one enjoyed this chutney with plain rice and unsalted butter.

Barley Mango Pudding

Ingredients:

• Pearl barley – 2 Table spoon
• Mango (medium size) – 1
• Sugar – 3 Table spoon
• Water – 50 ml
• Salt – pinch

 Method:

• Soak barley for about an hour and pressure cook with 50 ml of water for about 5-6 whistles.
• Allow barley to cool and keep aside.
• Wash mango and peel outer skin and chop the pulp into pieces.
• Puree mango pulp together with cooked barley, sugar and salt.
• Keep the ground puree in refrigerator for an hour and serve chill.

Kaaya Vadai

Ingredients:

• Rice – 200 g
• Grated coconut – 30 g
• Cumin seeds – 1 Tea spoon
• Turmeric – ¼ Tea spoon
• Salt as needed
• Oil for deep frying

 Method:

• Soak rice for an hour and grind together with coconut, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and salt  into a fine paste without adding water.
• Make the ground mixture into small balls.
• Smear little oil in a parchment paper and shape the balls into ¼ inch thickness patties and deep fry in oil.
• While frying, they will puff up automatically. Fish those out and drain oil in a paper towel.
• After they are completely cool store them in an air tight container.

Cardamom shell flavoured Green Tea

Ingredients:

• Green tea bag - 1
• Water - 200 ml
• Green cardamom shell - 6
• Sugar (optional)

Method:

• Boil water along with cardamom shell.
• Once it starts boiling turn off heat.
• Add tea bag and wait for three to four minutes.
• Remove tea bag and cardamom shell.
• Add sugar and serve warm.

Note:

• While using cardamom usually we discard the outer shell. But it has a superior cardamom flavour. Here i have used these shells to flavour green tea.

Pumpkin seed - Peanut Masala Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice – 100 g
• Water – 200 ml
• Pumpkin seeds – 2 Table spoon
• Split channa dal – 1 Table spoon
• Black gram seeds - 1 Table spoon
• Cumin seeds – 1 Table spoon
• Coriander seeds – ½ Table spoon
• Fenugreek seeds – ¼ Tea spoon
• Sesame seeds – ¼ Tea spoon
• Dried Red chili – 2
• Peanut – 1 Table spoon
• Mustard seeds - ¼ Tea spoon
• Oil – 3 Table spoon
• Asafoetida - Pinch
• Curry leaves – few
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves
• Roasted pumpkin seeds and peanuts – 2 Table spoon

 Method:

• Soak rice in water for about 20 mins. Cook rice with 200ml water and keep it aside.
• Dry roast pumpkin seeds, split channa dal, black gram seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, sesame seeds, peanut, asafoetida and red chili together.
• Grind them into course powder.
• In a vessel, heat oil. When the oil is in medium heat add mustard seeds. When they pop up add curry leaves, ground mixture and toss them well.
• Add cooked rice and mix thoroughly by not breaking rice.
• Adjust salt and sprinkle roasted pumpkin seeds and peanuts.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note:

• Normally, while cooking pumpkins we discard the seeds , but pumpkin seeds have good nutritional property. Here I have used those seeds in masala rice. After removing seeds from pumpkin, wash them with water, pat dry with paper towel, leave it to overnight, roast in a pan or bake for abour 8 - 10 mins at 350 degree F. You will get crispy pumpkin seeds with excellent aroma.