Kosambari with a twist.

The other day I was talking to mom about the no cook event event and was discussing about the recipes I had in mind.Immediately she came up with a list of dishes and this was the first one.Each and every time there is an event going on here,I turn to mom for her suggestions.She is one great inspiration for my blog!Thanks mom!!

Kosambari is a typical Karnataka salad of vegetables and lentils. A very healthy one that not fussy and the one that is served in the wedding and during festivals at home.

Though it requires seasoning, I have modified it so that we really don’t miss the 'left–out' stuff but tastes just as yum!




I used:

Moong dhal-1/4 cup
Cucumber-1 ,small,peeled and chopped
Carrot-1,small,grated
Green chilli-1,deseeded and chopped
Grated ginger-1/4 teaspoon
Cumin powder-1/2 a teaspoon
Salt to taste
Lemon juice to taste
Coriander leaves to garnish

1. Wash moong dhal and soak till it softens but still has a light crunch.
2. Mix together all the ingredients,garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately.




This simple salad is being sent to Sudeshna's Carnival of Salads , Divya's Show me your salad event and to the no cook event hosted here in my blog.

Bon Appetit..

Sambar Saadham | One Pot Meal of Rice, Lentilsand Vegetables

A south Indian meal would be incomplete without this dish.It has in it all the goodness and taste that is hard not to fall in love with it.

A combination of rice ,lentils,vegetables and spices makes this dish a one pot meal.It is that kind of dish where you put all the stuff in a pot and forget about it until you have switch off the stove-A dish that requires no supervision.

I used:

Rice-1 cup
Toor dhal-1/2 a cup
Sambar powder - 2 teaspoons
Mixed vegetables - 2 cups[Brinjal,carrot,potato,beans,peas,cauliflower,cabbage]
Onion-1,chopped
Tomato-1 chopped
Tamarind extract-1 tablespoon,thick
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Jeera-1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves - a few
Oil-2 teaspoons
Salt to taste

1. Wash rice and dhal in several changes of water and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and put in mustard,jeera and curry leaves
3. When they splutter add the onion and saute till soft.
4. Put in tomato and cook for a few seconds.
5. Add all the vegetables and stir .
6. Put in 4 cups of water and bring to a boil..The principle is that we add a little more water to the rice:water ratio you usually use as this dish has to be a little gooey. Sometimes I add more water and when I am not in a mood for a gooey rice, I add the right quantity of water...
7. Put in rice,dhal,sambar powder,salt,tamarind extract and mix well.
8. Cover and pressure cook for 15 minutes or till done.

Stir and serve hot with crispies of your chioce or with a raita.

Bon Appetit!!

Masala Chapathi with Vegetables

Chapathi is one of our favorite dinners and making varieties of them gives me a real pleasure to watch the family munch them happily. With healthy side dish to go with them and you are sure that the family is on the right track to health.

As for Lil angel,this was the first food that introduced to her after idli.On our visit to Mysore last year, my aunt made those super soft and fluffy chapathi and Lil angel fell in love with them immediately. Ever since her love has not dwindled!

Today's recipe is a healthy chapathi variety. It is colorful and has vegetables sneaked into it and of course has a light masala flavoring. This is a dish where picky eaters can’t find out what went into the chapathi yet enjoy the taste of it.Even if they find out that it has veggies,I don’t think they will mind!


I used:

Whole wheat flour-2 cups + ¼ cup for dusting
Grated vegetables like radish,carrot,cabbage
Finely chopped spring onion [greens and white],coriander leaves
Turmeric powder-1/2 a teaspoon
Cumin powder-1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala-1/4 teaspoon
Cumin seeds-1/2 a teaspoon
Salt to taste

1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add water little by little and knead to a smooth but slightly stiff dough.
3. Let it rest for half and hour.Knead again for 5 minutes .
4. Pinch out golf ball sized pieces of dough and roll out into circles.Dust a little flour if required.
5. Heat a griddle and cook the chapathi till golden spots appear on both sides.Drizzle oil if necessary.
6. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Serve with a curry / salad of your choice.

Served here is the Masala chapthi with Carrot salad and Kala channa gravy.

Grains[Wheat] when combined with pulses[Kala channa] form the complete protein and hence better utilized by the body.A salad[carrot] with it compliments the meal making it all the more colorful,flavorful and nutritious.

This mildly spiced and nutritious breakfast is being shipped off to to Srivalli's Wholesome breakfast event.Hope her kids enjoy this meal!

Bon appetit...

Kadalai Kuzhambu # 2

There are times when I plan to prepare a dish but end up with a different one. One such dish is the here today. Initially I planned to prepare some mushroom gravy and as I was grinding the masala ,I noticed a closed vessel. One look into it told me to change the menu plans for the day for I had totally forgotten that I has soaked kala channa the previous day.

Not to be deterred, I put back the mushroom and made kala channa gravy with the masala originally intended for the mushroom! I have already posted a kadalai kuzhambu recipe here, but his one is a little different.



I used

Kala channa – 1 cup
Onion-1 ,sliced
Tomato-1 ,chopped
Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Curry leaves a few
Oil-2 teaspoons
Tamarind extract-1 tablespoon, thick
Salt to taste

Grind to a smooth paste with a little water

Coconut-3 tablespoons, grated
Fennel seeds/saunf/ sombu -1 teaspoon
Cinammon-1” piece
Ginger-1” piece, chopped
Garlic-2 cloves, chopped

1. Soak kala channa overnight and pressure cook it with a fresh batch of water the next day. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and put in mustard and curry leaves.
3. When it splutters put in the onion and sauté till transparent.
4. Put in the tomato and cook till soft.
5. Add the tamarind extract,red chilli powder,salt and ground masala. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes.
6. Put in the cooked kala channa and water to get the desired consistency.
7. Simmer for 10 minutes and remove from heat.

Serve with steamed rice / chapathi.



This goes to JFI fennel hosted by Siri ,an event started by Indira

Bon appetit!!!

Kala Channa Sundal

One day out of the blue hubby asked why I don't prepare sundal!Yes, thought,it was a long time since I made it,long in the sense, after Navarathri I hadn't thought about it.So a couple of days later I surprised him with Kala channa sundal as his tea time snack.

I used:

Kala channa - 1/2 a cup,soaked overnight
Coconut grated-2 tablespoons
Mustard- 1 teaspoon
Jeera-1/2 a teaspoon
Channa dhal-1/2 a teaspoon
Red chillies-2
Curry leaves- a few
Salt to taste
Oil- 1 teaspoon

1. Drain the water for the kala channa and add fresh water to it and pressure cook it for 15 minutes or till soft.It should not get mushy.Drain and keep aside
2. Heat oil in a pan and put in mustard,jeera,channa dhal,curry leaves,red chillies and when they splutter and dhal turns brown,put in cooked kala channa,coconut,salt.
3. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes
4. Remove from heat and serve.
   

Other sundal recipes:

Groundnut sundal
Rajma sundal
Gram dhal sundal

Bon Appetit...

A blessing in disguise

Today's post is about these crunchy spring rolls.Feast your eyes on them...


Now to the topic..This post is titled 'A blessing in disguise' but these spring rolls don't have a direct connection with the title though!I will come to that later.

In 'those' days when morning sickness used to comfortably sail through the noon and even extend to the night,I was always curled up in bed and used to leave my room just to throw up! I was so sick that I could hardly drag myself to the kitchen but an understanding hubby helped me with this and that.

But when it came to doing the housework I was lost!I just didn't have the mood to clean or do anything in that category.But my home used to be neat.Who is there to make it dirty?Not me definitely and hubby was away from home most of the day.

Yet there were dishes to be done and cloths to be washed.I used to wallow in self pity and wished mom was here.But as luck would have it I was not supposed to travel and she could not visit me.

Then came the my angel -No,not Lil angel,but the angel who helped me out of my miseries!Let me introduce you to H,my dear maid.

The moment I saw her I fell in love with her cute smile.All I could communicate with her was what work needs to be done.[Those days my Mandarin was not so good.]She took charge of the household immediately and the house was looked better with her around.

I at last had someone around the house to chase away my boredom even it was for a few hours a day.Her strength and capacity truly impressed me.Even when I went home in the later stages,she had maintained the house without supervision!No work needs to be repeated twice and I can find no fault with her work.To top it all she is the most punctual person I have ever seen! [But on the other side,I have gotten more lazy :)!!]

Not only has she impressed me but also Lil angel.Everyday Lil angel she runs out of the room calling 'Aunt H' when she opens the door and both of them bask in each others presence for a few minutes before she starts off with her work and often lil angel tells me that H is her friend!!!

H is here with me for the past 2 years and is truly a blessing in disguise.Now you know what I meant in the title.But what has it got to do with spring rolls,you ask,don't you?

I am coming to that.A couple of weeks ago H came home with a box of spring rolls,ready to be fried and savored.

I looked into the box ,first taken in by their beauty-so neat and even sized and next wondered what the filling was!Understanding my predicament she said in Mandarin, 'Its just some greens and tofu.I know you don't eat non vegetarian food so I didn't even add eggs too..'.So sweet of her!!

It was almost lunch time and instead of rice we[Lil angel and me] feasted on these yummy spring rolls and just saved 2 for hubby..



Take a closer look at these delicious crisp goodies...



The filling, she told me, was to saute lightly chopped- spinach and tofu with soy sauce.It was delicious and needless to say I want to try it out too.

Confessions of a 'sore thumb'

It was that of the time of my life when I was being pampered and cared upon.Anything I asked for would be granted.People, known or unknown, would look at me and smile knowingly.Well,that was a nice phase actually.

I am definitely not talking about my toddler-hood but a stage in adult-hood where you are made to feel special in spite of all the morning sickness,unusual cravings,persistent hunger, bloated body and the tell-tale sign-a pot belly!You caught the point rite!!

The pampering felt so good and I would ask mom each and everyday to prepare one or the other of my favorite dishes and she too would prepare it with much care and love in spite of the fact that she had to attend office everyday.

One such day,I blurted out-'Mom I want Bisi bele hulu anna'.I think she was stunned.Bisi bele huli anna is to Karnataka as sambar sadham is to Tamil nadu.Though we are from Karnataka and people from that state love this dish ,I somehow don't like it and try to avoid it given a chance.Even at weddings or during festive times at my grandparents home,I would blurt out 'no thanks' when it was being served.Even if mom prepares it at home,I would but have a bite to taste.

Right from my great grandma,[who lived to a ripe old age of 90+],my grandma and mom,all are known for their delicious bisi bele huli anna.There would be recipe requests by the guests.Such was their fame.But hailing from this family was a sore thumb-Me!!Neither did I like it nor was I inclined to learn it!Sometimes I even wondered if I had a gene or two missing!!

Now you see why mom would have been stunned by my request.This must have been the result of one of those unusual craving I was telling you earlier.

Anyways,she did prepared it for me .We had a couple of banana trees in our backyard and I love to eat on those banana leaves at each meal.She had prepared another two of my favorite along with the other dishes for lunch-Carrot raita and pappad.

So when mom started serving I suddenly remembered that I had to click a pic and dashed out to get my cam.I was in no mood to 'arrange' the dishes and click coz the aroma was so tempting.A quick click and I sat for lunch.

That's when I realized how tasty her Bisi bele huli anna was and how much I had missed it all those years!I wished I had asked for this earlier.Well as they say-Better late than never!

While taking down the recipe she recollected how her grandma used to prepare it for festivals and functions and how she still remembered that taste.So this was her recipe actually.

After this incident I started savoring every bite of this tasty dish and now I am not the 'sore thumb' I used to be.Finally the gene that was probably in hiding has shown itself !!!

All these days I had only asked mom to prepare it for me and never ventured to try it in my kitchen for the fact that I wasn't sure if would taste as good as hers but Jaya's Repost event
was too tempting to let go.So here I am with the same recipe that I posted exactly 2 years ago for her event.

Jaya,if not for your event,I would never had tried it on my own even though many times I felt the need for a better click.As you rightly said some of our initial posts are precious and needless to say bring out a lot of memories.

Now to the recipe...




I used:

Rice – 1 cup
Toor dhal -3/4 cup
Tamarind – lemon size [enough to make ¾ cup extract]
Turmeric powder
Salt – to taste


Fry with a little oil and grind to a smooth paste

Coriander seeds– 3 teaspoons
Channa Dhal - 2 teaspoons
Fenugreek seeds -1/4th teaspoon
Red chillies- 5
Asafetida – a pinch
Fresh grated coconut – 5 teaspoons


Seasoning

Sesame seed oil – 5 teaspoons
Curry leaves – a few sprigs
Cloves - 5
Groundnut – 1 tablespoon
Mustard and jeera-1/2 a teaspoon each

1. Pressure cook dhal, rice and turmeric for 15 minutes [or till cooked], adding 4 cups of water. [The point is to add a little extra water than what you normally use to cook rice.].Don’t worry if it turns out mushy.
2. In a heavy bottom pan, smear oil and add tamarind extract. Bring to a boil.
3. Simmer and add salt and the ground paste. Stir.
4. To this add the cooked rice mixture and simmer. Stir so that it does not stick to the bottom and char.
5. Cook till the liquid is almost absorbed but still kinda ‘gooey’
6. Remove from heat and keep aside
7. In a small pan, heat oil and put in the seasonings.
8. When the groundnut turns brown pour over rice mixture and stir well.

Serve hot .

Bisi bele huli anna served with rice crispies and salad.

Note:

If you feel the mixture is too dry at any point of cooking add water and cook till you get the desired consistency.

I made this for lunch today and was a little hesitant while serving it .Mil was happy with the result and enjoyed the meal. Hubby had it for dinner and wondered why I had never prepared it before! So now that make me all the more confident to make this often!

I am glad that I won’t stick out like a sore thumb after this and I will now carry with me this recipe to pass it on to Lil angel when she takes her interest in cooking.And that day she will know that this recipe goes way back in the family tree!

Bon Appetit!!!

Garlic Dhal

Dhal is my personal favorite for chapathis.I always prepare this simple dhal as a side dish but a couple of days ago I felt the dhal would taste better if it has a pronounced garlicky flavor.It sure was a hit at dinner!!

I used:

Moong dhal - 1 cup
Tomato-1 ,chopped
Onion-1,chopped
Garlic-6 cloves,thinly sliced
Jeera-1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder-1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves- a few
Oil-2 teaspoons
Salt to taste

1. Pressure cook the moong dhal + turmeric powder with enough water for 15 minutes or till cooked.It's okay if it turns out mushy.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan and put in onion and saute till transparent
3. Next in goes the tomato and cook till mushy.
4. Put in the cooked moong dhal[mashed lightly],red chilli powder,salt and mix well.Add water to get the desired consistency.
5. When it comes to a rolling boil,lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.Remove from heat and pour into a serving dish.
6. Heat the remaining oil in a small pan and put in jeera,curry leaves and garlic slices.
7. Saute till garlic turns golden brown.Pour over dhal.

Mix well before you serve.



Bon Appetit!!!

Chocolatey Banana Tofu Smoothie

I am becoming a huge fan of Tofu!Every time I visit the farmer's market,I buy a block of tofu and try to create something with it.Usually it goes into the side dish but yesterday I made this smoothie!

I used:

Silken Tofu - 3 tablespoons
Banana-1,small,roughly chopped
Chocolate flavored condensed milk-2 tablespoons
Soy milk-100 ml[Adjust to your prefered consistency.I like mine thick]

Blend all the ingredients till smooth and serve.[I like it a little chunky so I added a couple of chopped bananas into the smoothie.]


This goes to the No-cook event hosted here.

Here are some recipes with tofu

Garlic chives beancurd stir-fry
Tofu bhurji
Fried tofu fingers with black magic dip

Bon Appetit!!

Vendaikkai pulikuzhambu

One of hubby's friend left this place for good and when he home came to say 'good bye' he brought with him a bag of goodies.Not the 'chocolate-biscuits-cake' kinda goody bag but a bag of Indian spices,dhals and spice mixes!

In that bag was a pack of dried ladies finger[vendakkai vatral] that caught our immediate attention and hubby gave a wicked smile!He loves pulikuzhambu[sour stew] and I was sure he was thinking about it then and there!

This recipe is what I learnt from MIL and mom's version is a lot different[and tastier ;)].We usually use fresh vegetables but this time wanted to prepare it with this with the vatral.

We don't get ladies finger[not to mention loads of other 'Indian' vegetables like small onions,drumstick,mint, beetroot,ridgegourd,baby potatoes etc],hence everyone at home were eager to sample this dish!

That's the final dish posing with the vatral by its side

Now to the recipe

I used:

Vendakkai vatral-2 fistful
Coconut-1/4 grated
Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder- 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
Tamarind extract-1/2 a cup,thick
Onion-1 ,chopped
Garlic-3 pods,chopped
Tomato -1 chopped
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Curry leaves a few
Sesame seed oil-3 tablespoons[It's a lot I know,but its tasty and we gona prepare this once in a while and not so often!]

1. Make a thick paste of coconut,coriander powder,chilli powder and turmeric.Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and put in the vatral and fry till they crisp.Keep sauteing it and take care not to char them.Remove them from the oil and keep aside.
   
3. In the same oil,put in mustard and curry leaves.
4. When it splutters add the onion and garlic and fry till the onion is soft.
5. Put in tomato and cook till mushy.
6. Put in the tamarind extract,coconut paste,salt and enough water.Check taste and adjust.You may need to add more water it its too tangy.
   
7. Let it come to a roaring boil ,simmer and cook till oil separates.
8. Put in the vartal and cook till it is soft.

Serve hot with warm steamed rice.


Note:

• Sesame oil brings out the flavor of this dish but you can also use any other other cooking oil
• Similarly you can reduce the quantity of oil used.
• Can use fresh vegetables too.In that case skip step 2 and saute vegetables in step 6 before adding the tamarind extract.
• It tastes all the more delicious when savored the next day!
  

Happy cooking...

Tangy Aval Upma - My 'Life-saver'!

As if having 2 blogs to write[one about food and the other on my travels] is not enough I have another blog with yet another theme coming up!Well what can I say, I really am obsessed!

Noon is the time I really get to sit 'undisturbed' in from of the PC [becoz that's when Lil angel takes a nap].Its not that I don't touch my PC at other times of the day,I do but its kinda hurried and just a few glances of other blogs I like to read or a few hurried notes about the recipe I am going to write and so on.I can sense a sort of sibling rivalry between lil angel and the PC.Maybe she feels that I give more importance to the computer than play with her.Hence I have considerably cut down the time I spend on the blog when she is awake.She is a happy girl now!

So when I sit down to write peacefully its already 3.30pm!And when I start writing ,sometimes I forget the world around me.That's the time I really have to be careful.Many a times I have forgotten that I have to go shopping to buy some important ingredient that needs to go into the dinner menu or that I have to prepare something for hubby when he comes home from work.[These are just a few examples for I am scared to elaborate the other stuffs!]

Suddenly,it would strike me that's its 5.30 pm already and there would be a knock on the door anytime now.So off I would run to the kitchen to see if I can prepare anything in a jiffy .Then my eyes would fall on the treasured pack of Aval [Pressed rice] and I would smile to myself.

Rinse and soak the pressed rice and again sit in front of the PC and after a few minutes can go back to the kitchen and do the seasoning.This is why I cal lit a 'life-saver' !No need to spend too much time in the kitchen yet you get a tasty and nutritious dish.[Pressed rice is rich in Iron you know!]

When hubby comes home,I serve it to him like a 'good girl' who is always keen on satisfying the hunger pangs of the bread winner of the family!!Not to mention that it will also make me look like I have been thinking about nothing but what I was planning to cook for him and spent most of the day in the kitchen!!

Anyways,if you are wondering why I call the pack of Aval 'treasure',its because I can't find it around here and have to make do with the one large pack I got from India.If its all used up then I have to wait till I get back and bring back another one.

Now to the recipe..

I used:

Aval/Pressed rice/Poha - 1 cup
Onion-1/2 finely chopped
Red chillies- 3
Curry leaves - a few
Mustard-1 teaspoon
Jeera-1/2 a teaspoon
Channa dhal-1 teaspoon
Coarsely crushed peanut-1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste
Oil- 2 teaspoons

1. Wash the pressed rice in a couple of runs of water and drain.
2. Cover and keep aside till it is soft to touch.In this stage you will notice that it can be mashed when pressed between the fingers and also the grains are separate.If you add too much of water,it turns soggy.
3. Heat oil in a pan and put in the mustard,jeera,channa dhal,red chillies,curry leaves and when it crackles and dhal turns brown, add the onion and saute till soft.
4. Add a pinch of turmeric,pressed rice,salt and mix well.
5. Remove from the pan and mix in the lemon juice.
6. Serve warm garnished with crushes peanut.

There you go tangy aval upma in a jiffy!!!This can be served as such but if you like you can also serve with plain yogurt[my favorite] / pickle / chutney of your choice.

Note:

There are two varieties of Pressed rice - the thick and thin varieties.

If you are using the thin variety, wash the Pressed rice in a colander and use immediately.If you let it stand too long,it will get soggy.

If using the thick variety,wash it and put in a vessel.Sprinkle a little water,cover and let it stand for 10 minutes or till it is soft.Then use it in the recipe.

You might also like to to try out these varieties with pressed rice

Sweet Poha - A healthy and sweet dish that kids will adore
Kande pohe - A dish straight from Maharastra
Aval upma - The regular method
Curd aval - Delicious and cooling pressed rice in seasoned yogurt.

By the way,would you like to travel with me to Qingdao and watch a dolphin show?,then hop right over....

Happy cooking...

Announcing the ‘no cook’ event

There are times when I can cook 10 dishes a day for the blog or when we have guests. But when it comes to cooking for me and me alone , I would rather prefer something that needs little or no cooking. Perhaps a milkshake or an easy salad will get more preference than cooking something elaborate.

There has always been an interest in collecting recipes that require no cooking. It has some advantages you know, like you can pamper the lazy you on certain days when you don’t feel like lighting the stove.

Have you ever faced such situations? If yes, then you can share with me some ‘no cook’ recipes. If you have never faced felt lazy to cook for yourself then it is time to ‘imagine’ you are lazy and whip up some dishes that needs no cooking.

Apart from this there are a few more reasons behind this event.

We can create a collection of 'easy breezy' no cook dishes!In case you run out of gas supply and have a sudden power cut[I know the chances of this happening is one in a million,but yet...],then we can use some dishes from our collection!

And yes,there are our bachelor [and bachelorette [;)] friends who come home tired after a days work and are in no mood to cook or go out for dinner but would like to whip up something at home that involves very few steps.Our event could help them too!

So ,here is what you we are [not] going to do…..

• No use of microwave, stove top, hot plate or any other means for cooking
• Can’t use left over ‘cooked’ dishes like rice / chapathi etc
• Use of processed foods that just to need to add hot water and eat are not allowed.
  

We can of course do/use these

• Sundry
• Ice cream maker
• Refrigerate / chill
• Blender / Mixer /Juicer

Some ideas to get started

• Smoothies / shakes / juices / Fruit punch
• Salads – Vegetables and fruits
• Spreads / Salad dressings
• Ice creams
• Cold soups
• Sun dried veggies or other goodies,pickles
• I guess we can include sandwiches too.

If you can prepare a no cook breakfast/lunch,then you sure are creative!!!

Ready for the challenge ? Let’s get innovative and cook a ‘no cook’ meal!!!


1. Prepare and post a vegan / vegetarian recipe that does not require any sort of cooking.

2. Mail me the following details to seduceurtastebuds@gmail.com with 'no cook event' in the subject line...

• Your name
• Blog name
• Recipe name and category[starters , beverages, breakfast/ lunch/ dinner menus, desserts, salads etc]
• Recipe url
• Picture of your creation.

3. Be sure to add the link to this event so that many more can join our fun.

4. Do you have a dish ready in your blog that meets these criteria? Great! Then don’t hesitate to send them to me. Just re-post it with a link to the announcement.

5. No limit to the number of recipes that you can send.

6. The deadline is Feb 28th 2010.

If you have any doubts/questions please feel free to send me a mail.

What are you waiting for! Run to the kitchen and whip up a dish that needs no cooking and send them to me…

Happy ‘no’ cooking….

Noodle Soup For The 'Bored' Soul

Does the title of the post give you a feel that I was bored to cook and made this dish instead.Sorry folk,you are entirely mistaken!

This weekend did prepare an elaborate lunch but when I finished cooking I realized that I was too bored to eat them!I wanted something spicy and filling and a soup!Then I realized I had could prepare spicy noodles with soup!And thus was born this recipe.

I used:

Noodles- 1 pack with the seasoning
Finely chopped veggies-2 fistfuls [carrot,broccoli,cauliflower,peas,tomato,potato,beans,mushroom,greens]
Salt to taste

In a large microwave proof dish put in all the ingredients , add enough water and microwave on high for 12 minutes or till done.

Serve hot!


I can't even call this a recipe but I was happy with the result.A slurp and a bite-a yummy lunch!!!This soup did make me full and also has those nutrients!I was glad I didn't opt for the dishes from the lunch menu :).Good that I was 'bored'[Now you get my meaning of 'bored',rite?']

Sending this to Usha's Healthy inspiration events- soups

Awashanzhai # 2

This weekend when we were wondering where to dine,I suggested Awashanzhai coz it a long time since we went there plus I needed some pics of the decor and other recipes that I had forgotten to click the previous time we had been there.

After a long walk and surprised by the short sudden hailstone rain,we reached the restaurant at 8pm.It was almost empty as their closing time is 9pm!

The menu cards were handed to us by a waitress who patiently answered my choices for vegetarian food.The menu card now sports a new look with a lot of colorful photos of the Miao and Tujia people.

The menu card is full of colorful photos of the dish as well.[The earlier menu card had just the pics of the dishes.]

This time I ordered two new dishes.In the mean time another waitress set our plates,cups , bowls and chopsticks and filled our cups with hot green tea.Sipping them on a cold day really brightened my spirit!

Once both of them left the table I began clicking! Here are a few decors and the view of a section of the restaurant.


The restaurant was practically empty with just another couple seated at the other end.

My dishes arrived...

Hot and sour potato shreds[RMB 8].Looking at the amount of redchillies I was initially shocked but it tasted a little spicy and really sour!!The potato shreds were cooked but still had the crunch.I loved it.


This one is the cold noodles[RMB 10]-Cold buckwheat noodles to be precise-my favorite.Just look at the sauce surrounding the noodles!!Looks fiery rite?Yes,its spicy and very tangy,not to mention quite oily but equally delicious!!It has some greens and shredded carrots to give a crunch,sesame seeds for the nutty flavor,of course red chillies for spice.

When I had almost finished my dinner,we ordered some noodles.

What you see here is the noodles.Broad thick ones that go very well with the spicy sauce from the noodles.There are around 10 'strips' of these noodles with a couple of bok choy leaves.These noodles are a little chewy and I love them with that fiery sauce!I could just have half the noodles from the bowl and hubby helped me finish the rest.

Wondering what I had the previous time I went there?Click here to read more...

Omega -3 fatty acids

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids[which cannot be manufactured by the body].They are also referred to as n-3 fatty acids.

There are three main omega 3 fatty acids that are nutritionally important

• Alpha linolenic acid [AHA]
• Eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]
• Docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]

These 3 are poly unsaturated fats and are immensely beneficial to the body.

When a group of researchers were conducting a study on the Greenland Inuits,they found that these groups of people had lower triglycerides, heart rate, blood pressure, and atherosclerosis. This was attributed to the fact that these people consumed high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids through their diet.

Thus the interest in this group of fatty acids sprung up and there are several studies outlining the possible health benefits.

Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include extreme tiredness (fatigue), poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation.

Health benefits :

It is generally believed that Omega 3 fatty acid can reduce the triglyceride levels and increase the HDL levels. It is also considered to work as an anti coagulant [prevent blood clots]

1. Cholesterol levels – It is said to lower cholesterol and triglyceride in individuals with high lipid profile.
2. High blood pressure –It can reduce the blood pressure in hypertensive individuals
3. Heart disease – Prevention of heart disease and stroke is possible if the diet is rich in omega three fatty acid and low in saturated and trans fats. Similarly in people who are undergoing treatment for heart disease the risk of death is reduced.
4. Diabetic individuals generally have a high triglyceride and low HDL levels. Omega 3 fatty acids can help lower the triglyceride levels and increase the HDL levels. Apoprotein which is a marker of diabetes is also reduced.
5. Weight maintenance – Diabetics who are over weight and obese individuals can reduce and maintain weight with regular exercise and a diet rich in Omega fatty acid from fish and also a low fat diet.
6. Asthma – Omega 3 fatty acid is said to increase the lung function and decrease inflammation in asthmatic adults.
7. Wound healing- Omega 3 fatty acid hastens wound healing in patients with burns injury
8. Macular degeneration – It is a serious age related condition which can lead to blindness. In a study, they found that individuals who took more Omega 3 fatty acid were less likely to be affected by macular degeneration.
9. It has loads of benefits for women – protection against breast cancer, prevents hot flushes during menstruation, improves fertility, begetting healthy babies, low chances of post partum depression, minimizes menopausal symptoms, and prevents osteoporosis.
10. Reduces inflammatory diseases like arthritis, migraine,


Food sources of Omega 3 fatty acids

Vegetarian sources

• Cooking oil like Flax oil, canola oil, soybean oil ,olive oil
• Nuts like pine nuts, walnut, almonds, flax seeds ,pumpkin seeds , hemp seeds, chia
• Green leafy vegetables like spinach
• Soy and tofu
• Vegetables - squashes, broccoli, green beans, lettuce, collard greens
• Fruits-Certain berries like raspberries & strawberry, kiwi fruit
• Oat germ
• Legumes like kidney beans, navy beans, peanuts.

Non vegetarian sources

All fish contain Omega 3 fatty acid but the important ones are

• Mackerel
• Herring
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Lake trout

It is advised that pregnant women, nursing mothers, young children, and women who might become pregnant not eat several types of fish, including swordfish, shark, and king mackerel as there may be chances of Mercury contamination.

Caution:

With so many health benefits, one will automatically feel the need to take them as supplements but it is advisable not to take supplements of Omega 3 fatty acids when you are on

• Cholesterol lowering drugs
• Blood thinning medication
• Diabetic medication
• Cyclosporine
• NSAID’s
• Topical steroids

Even if you don’t suffer from deficiency symptoms, it is always better to consult your physician before going in for supplements or still better select foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids to fit into your diet.

Sukku Malli Kashayam

When I was thinking what to write for Home Remedies event hosted at A 2 Z Vegetarian cuisine, I remembered the Sukku Malli kashayam that MIL used to prepare.[She is a person who trusts home remedies to medicine.]


Kashayam is a concoction that makes use of herbs / spices used to ease out sickness.Kashayams were used long ago but nowadays youngsters prefer to run to the doctor for every tiny sickness that peeps up!I must say that these kashayams are definitely more effective than medicines and they have no side effects!

This kashayam can be had sipped you have an upset Dizziness/upset tummy / nausea /indigestion / lack of appetite.



You need:

Sukku [Dried ginger] - 1 teaspoon
Malli [Coriander seeds]- 1 1/2 tablespoons,crushed
Panam kalkandu[Palm sugar]- to sweeten
Water-5 cups

1. Boil water in a pot ,put in the sukku and malli and simmer till it reduces to 3/4 the quantity.
2. Strain,add panam kalkandu to sweeten and sip.

You can take 1/4 -1/2 a cup at a time.Repeat once an hour depending on how better you feel.


Note:

• If ginger powder is not available,use 1 " piece chopped ginger .
• Brown sugar can be used instead of palm sugar.
• You will not be able to drink the whole kashayam at one go.So,this can be stored for a day at room temperature and heated gently and consumed.
  

Last but not the least,this is not a medical advice.Please consult your medical practitioner before you use this remedy in case you have stomach related problems / any other illness/ taking medicines.

Also sending these herbal home remedies...



Jeeraga kashayam

Ginger tea with brown sugar

Nutmeg-Grandma's remedy

Healthy living,