Category: healthy cooking

Pepper Cream Chicken

Pepper Cream Chicken

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I am not a big meat eater and I like curries that are mild and not very meaty tasting. This curry I developed according to my taste and it is creamy and smooth and quite mild. It has a great flavour thanks to the onions and cashew nuts.

Ingredients

Boneless chicken 500 g

Yoghurt 1 cup

Pepper 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves a few sprigs

Cream 1 tbsp

Cashew nuts 10-15

Onions 2 large plus 1 small

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Green chillies 2, sliced plus 2

Ginger 1” piece plus a smaller piece

Garlic 5 cloves

Coconut oil 2 tbsps

Method

Marinate the chicken pieces in yoghurt with salt and pepper.

Add 1 tbsp of oil to a heavy-bottomed pan and fry two large onions, roughly chopped. When the onions turn translucent, add the smaller piece of ginger and cashew nuts.

Switch off the heat when the cashew nuts turn golden and wait for the mixture to cool. Grind to a fine paste.

Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan and add the cumin seeds.

When the cumin seeds stop sputtering, add one small onion finely sliced.

Crush the ginger, garlic and two green chillies roughly.

Add it to the onions with curry leaves.

Add the marinated chicken and mix well.

Add a cup of water and mix well.

Add the ground paste and mix.

Reduce the heat and cover and cook till the chicken pieces are cooked. Add the cream and stir it in. Do not cook too long after addding the cream. This makes the gravy very smooth.

Serve hot, garnished with sliced green chillies. it can be had with rice or naan bread.

Soya and Mango Curry

Soya and Mango Curry

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

It is good to incorporate more soyabean into our dishes as it is a healthy option. And tasty too. But I got bored with the usual way I cooked it and tried this one using raw mango. It came out delicious with a slightly tangy taste.

Ingredients

Soya chunks 1 cup

Onions 2 small, one sliced and one chopped

Sprig of curry leaves

Green chillies 2 medium, chopped

Ginger 1” piece, crushed

Raw mango 1, chopped with skin

Coconut milk 100 ml

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp

Turmeric 1 tsp

Red chilli powder 2 tbsps

Coriander powder 2 tsps

Coconut oil 3 tbsps

Salt to taste

Method

Soak the soya chunks in hot water for 30 minutes.

Squeeze out all the water and transfer to a bowl.

Add 2 tbsps of coconut oil, sliced onions, curry leaves and chopped green chillies to a wok. Add the crushed ginger and mix them well using your fingers.

Add the chopped mango and the spices and mix well.

Add two cups of water and 3 tbsps of coconut milk and put it to boil.

Add the soaked soya chunks and simmer till the mango pieces are completely cooked. It does not take long. If you want the soy chunks less chewy, add them only after the mango pieces are cooked.

Once the mango pieces are cooked, add the rest of the coconut milk. When it starts to boil, switch off the heat.

Heat the remaining coconut oil in a frying pan and add the mustard and fenugreek seeds. Add the chopped onions and fry till they turn brown.

Add the fried onions to the curry.

Serve hot with bread or rice.

Millet (Bajra) Dosa

Millet (Bajra) Dosa

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Cooking can sometimes feel like a chore at the end of a busy day. It’s often tempting to throw a ready meal in the oven or call for take out. And now with doctors and nutritionists asking us to incorporate healthy alternatives such as millets into our meals, it can seem even more daunting. But preparing a simple and healthy family meal doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming. Here’s how to make millet dosa using bajra or pearl millets.

Ingredients

Bajra or pearl millet 1 1/2 cups

Mung dal whole 1/2 cup

Urad dal 1/2 cup

Idli rice 1 cup

Salt to taste

Oil to apply on griddle

Method

Soak the bajra or pearl millets for 8-10 hours. I usually soak this around 11 am and then soak the other ingredients at the end of the day around 10 pm.

The next morning, grind all the ingredients. Start with the bajra or pearl millets first.then add the dals. Lastly add the rice. Grind to a smooth batter, adding as much water as needed. Add salt according to taste.

Leave to ferment till the evening.

Heat an iron griddle and oil it. Make thin and round dosas.

Have it with coconut chutney.

Soy Bean and Tomato Curry

Soy Bean and Tomato Curry

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This curry made of soy chunks and puréed tomatoes is not only extremely tasty, it is also a dish increasingly relevant in the current pandemic. One of the food groups that has become more important among the global population is protein. It is what you should have more of if you want to lose weight, of course. It will also help you regain your energy and strength if you have been unfortunate to contract Covid-19. And soy is a huge source of protein. Most important, it is delicious.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

Soy chunks 1 cup

Tomatoes 3 large, puréed

Onion 1 large, sliced

Ginger 1” piece

Garlic 4 cloves

Yoghurt 1 cup, whipped lightly with a fork

Cream 2 tbsps

Coriander powder 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder 2 tsps

Cumin powder 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Biryani masala 1/2 tsp

Vegetable oil 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method

Soak the soy chunks in boiling water for 5 minutes and drain.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed wok and fry the onions till they become translucent.

Crush the ginger and garlic in a pestle and add to the wok.

Fry till the raw smell of garlic disappears. It will take about 2 minutes.

Add the puréed tomatoes to the wok. Fry till oil leaves the sides of the wok.

Add the spice powders and salt. Add the yoghurt.

Add the soy chunks.

Add 1 cup of water and cook till the gravy thickens. Cover and cook for 30 minutes on medium heat.

Serve with rice, chapatti, or naan.

Soya Chaap (Soya Chops in Tomato Gravy)

Soya Chaap (Soya Chops in Tomato Gravy)

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 1 Comment

Ingredients

Soya chops, frozen or freshly made 200 g

Tomatoes 3 large

Onion 1 large

Garlic 5 cloves

Ginger 1” piece

Green chillies 2, sliced on a slant

Coriander leaves for garnish

Turmeric 1 tsp

Red chilli powder 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Vegetable oil 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

Method

If using frozen, boil in water for 10 minutes. Drain. If using fresh, follow this recipe.

Grind the tomatoes, onion, ginger and garlic in a blender.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the cumin seeds. When they stop sputtering, add the ground paste.

Fry till oil leaves the sides of the pan.

Add the chilli powder and turmeric.

Add the drained chops. Add salt to taste.

Add 2 cups of water. Cover and cook till the gravy thickens.

Garnish with green chillies and coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice or bread.