Tag: healthy eating

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

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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.

Broccoli Soup

Broccoli Soup

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This is a light but filling soup, just right for winter. The cream and the puréed broccoli stems makes this ideal for a one-dish meal.

Ingredients

Broccoli florets 3 cups, blanched

Broccoli stems 2 cups, peeled, steamed and puréed

Onion 1, chopped

Fresh cream 200 ml

Milk 1 cup

All-purpose flour 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

Pepper powder 2 tsps

Garlic 12 cloves, minced

Olive oil 2 tbsps

Butter 30 g

Water 2 cups

Coriander leaves for garnish

Method

Add the olive oil and butter in that order to a heated pan. I use a wide and deep pan in which I can reheat the soup if needed. In this case, I used a pressure cooker as I was making this at a friend’s holiday home in the mountains and it tends to hold temperatures better.

Add the chopped onion and garlic and fry till they turn a light brown.

Add the broccoli florets and fry for a minute.

Add the flour and fry to a few seconds till the raw smell goes away. Add milk, stirring all the time. Add the puréed broccoli stems and water. Boil for four minutes.

Add the cream and let the bubbles appear. Keep stirring. Switch off the heat.

Serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Kerala Peanut Snack

Kerala Peanut Snack

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The best place on earth to enjoy the monsoons is Kerala at the tip of the Indian peninsula. And there’s is no better snack during those rainy days than peanuts roasted with curry leaves and coconut oil. And I make it in the microwave making it an extremely healthy option as I use just 1 teaspoon of oil for a cup of peanuts.

Ingredients

(Serves 3)

Raw peanuts with skin 1 cup

Fresh curry leaves, a few sprigs

Coconut oil 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Method

Wash the curry leaves and dry it with a kitchen towel. Transfer to a microwave safe dish.

Add the peanuts to the dish.

Add the oil and mix well.

Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir. Microwave for another 2 minutes. Stir. Microwave for 1 minute.

Add the red chilli powder and salt. Mix well. Use your fingers to crush the curry leaves, which will be crisp by now.

Cool and store in an airtight container.

Mango, tomato, onion salsa

Mango, tomato, onion salsa

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I consider this summer in a bowl. It is a very welcome dish in the hot months and works well as a starter with nachos or chips and a side dish with pasta or biryani.

Ingredients

Mango 1 large, ripe

Onion 1 small, chopped

Tomato 1 medium, chopped

Green chilli 1, minced

Chilli flakes 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

I use a mango that is firm. It should be ripe, but not squishy. Peel the mango and chop it into small cubes.

Add the chopped mango, onion, tomato and green chilli to a bowl.

Add the salt and red chilli flakes and toss it till everything is mixed well.

Let it rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Serve with nachos or chips.

Atta Biscuits (Whole wheat flour biscuits)

Atta Biscuits (Whole wheat flour biscuits)

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 2 Comments

These biscuits are very similar to those that I had as a child. My dad would take ghee or clarified butter, atta or whole wheat flour, and sugar to the local bakery and they would turn the ingredients into the most delicious biscuits. Through these biscuits nostalgia meets taste.

Ingredients

Atta or whole wheat flour 1 cup

Ghee or clarified butter 1/2 cup

Sugar 1/2 cup

Milk 3 tbsps

Method

Mix the atta, ghee and sugar till they resemble bread crumbs.

Add the milk a tablespoon at a time and make a soft dough.

Flatten it using the heel of your palm to a 1/4” thickness disc and using a cookie cutter, cut out the biscuits. I used a cake scraper to make a light pattern on the biscuits.

Arrange them on a greased baking tray. Bake in a 170 degree C oven for 20 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight jar.

Cheesy Sausage and Vegetable Stew

Cheesy Sausage and Vegetable Stew

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This dish is cooked in a slow cooker for about five hours so that the flavour of the sauce and the meat permeates the vegetables, making a hearty meal by itself. A great dish for family dinners, especially in winter.

Ingredients

(Serves 10)

Sausages 10-15, diced

Potatoes 2 large, peeled and diced

Capsicum 2, diced

Carrots 3 large, peeled and diced

Spring onions 8, diced

Milk 1 1/2 cups

Water 2 cups

Fresh cream 1 cup

Salt to taste

Italian herbs 2 tbsps

Cayenne pepper 1 tsp

Pepper powder 1 tsp

Tomato pasta sauce 4 tbsps

Cheddar cheese 250 g, duced

Coriander leaves, a large bunch, roughly chopped

Method

Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook for 4-5 hours till the potatoes are cooked.

Serve hot with Rustic country loaf, bacon and tomato bread, focaccia bread or Brazilian corn bread.

Tomato Rice

Tomato Rice

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This dish was created by my mom as a healthy packed lunch for my sister when she started working. Made from cooked rice, this is easy to assemble and make. It is a delicious lunch option.

Ingredients

(Serves 5 persons)

Rice 2 cups, cooked

Tomatoes 2 large, sliced

Onions 2 medium, sliced

Coconut oil 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Sambar powder 5 tbsps

Salt to taste

Curry leaves for garnish

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed wok and add the mustard seeds.

When the seeds stop sputtering, add the onions. Sauté till they turn a light brown.

Add the tomatoes and curry leaves. Cook on medium heat till they soften.

Add the sambar powder and sauté for two minutes.

Add the rice and salt and mix well till the masala coats the rice grains completely

Serve hot.

Banana Oat Loaf

Banana Oat Loaf

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This is a great loaf for breakfast. It is healthy and tasty and can be made the night before or even early in the morning if you prefer a warm slice.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

Bananas 2, mashed

Oat flour 1 1/2 cups

Butter 50 g

Condensed milk 1/2 cup

Yoghurt 1/2 cup

Baking soda 1/2 tsp

Baking powder 1 tsp

Walnuts 1/2 cup, chopped

Method

Cream the butter and condensed milk together using an electric whisk.

Add the yoghurt and whisk at high speed.

Add the mashed bananas and whisk for a minute.

Mix the oats flour, baking soda, baking powder and walnuts in a separate bowl.

Add it to the liquid mixture using a cut-and-fold motion.

Grease a bread loaf pan and pour in the batter. It will be thick, but that is ok.

Bake in a 170 degree oven for 40 minutes. Let it cool in the pan. Slice and serve.

Bread Upma

Bread Upma

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This is my mom’s recipe and makes a delicious dish in minutes. She made this for our school lunches and it is comfort food for me.

Ingredients

(Serves 2)

White bread 4 slices

Potatoes 2 medium, boiled and peeled

Tomatoes 2 medium, chopped

Tomato ketchup 5 tbsps

Oil 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

Slice the bread into 1/2” squares. Chop the potatoes into small cubes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the mustard seeds and let it sputter.

Add the potatoes and sauté till they turn golden.

Add the tomatoes and fry for a minute. Add salt.

Add the ketchup and mix well. It will caramelise a bit.

Switch off the heat and serve hot.