Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS

Carrot chopped  -  2 tbsp
Cabbage chopped  -  2 tbsp
Onion chopped  -  2 tbsp
Beans chopped  -  2 tbsp
Celery stalks chopped  -  2 tbsp
Capsicum chopped  -  2 tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped  -  2 tbsp
Garlic chopped  -  2 cloves
Pepper powder  -  1/2 tsp
Oregano  -  1/4 tsp
Olive oil
Salt
Water

METHOD

Heat olive oil in a pan and add chopped garlic and onion and saute well.
Then add all the other vegetables and saute well.
Add required amount of water and allow it to come to a boil.
Simmer it for 10 minutes.
Then add required salt, pepper powder and oregano and mix well.
Serve hot with brown bread toast.

Couscous Upma

Couscous is a dish of semolina (granules of durum wheat). It is used as a substitute for rice.
1 cup serving of couscous is only 176 calories.Its a source of thiamine and niacin and an excellent source of antioxidant mineral selenium and it is also fat free.

INGREDIENTS

Couscous   -  2 cups
Onion chopped  -  1 nos
Green chillies chopped  - 2 nos
Carrot chopped  -  2 tbsp
Beans chopped -  2 tbsp
Capsicum chopped  -  2 tbsp
Mustard seeds  -  1 tsp
Channa dal   -  1 tsp
Coriander leaves chopped  -  1 tbsp
Salt
Oil
Water


METHOD

Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, channa dal.
Then add chopped onion and green chillies and fry till onions becomes transparent.
Then add the vegetables and saute well for about 5 mins.
Add 3 cups of water and salt and allow it to boil.
Then add couscous slowly and mix well.
Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot.

Quinoa Dosa

INGREDIENTS

Quinoa  -  2 cups
Water
Salt

METHOD

Soak quinoa for 1 hour.
Blend the quinoa with little water to dosa batter consistency.

Mix it with enough salt and ferment it for about 2-3 hours.
Heat dosa tawa and make dosa.

Serve hot with chutney or sambhar.

Oats Cutlet

INGREDIENTS

Oats  -  1 cup
Onion chopped  -  1 nos
Carrot chopped  -  1 nos
Green chillies chopped  -  2 nos
Potato boiled and mashed  -  2 nos
Coriander leaves chopped  -  1 tbsp
Red chilli powder -  1 tsp
Garam masala  -  1/2 tsp
Chaat masala  -  1/2 tsp
Oil
Salt

METHOD

Dry roast the oats and keep it aside.
Heat little oil in a pan, add chopped green chillies, onion and carrot.
Add required salt and saute well.
Then add red chilli powder, garam masala and chaat masala and toss well.
Then add the mashed potatoes and fry for about 5 minutes.
Then add roasted oats and chopped coriander leaves and mix well.
Remove from fire and allow it to cool for some time.
Make it into small ball of equal size and make it round flat shaped cutlets or any of your desired shape.
Heat a pan with 1/2 tsp oil and place the cutlets.
When the bottom turns golden brown, flip to the other side.
Remove when both the sides become golden brown.
Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Soya Chunks Biriyani

INGREDIENTS

Basmati Rice  -  1 cup
Soya chunks  -  1/4 cup
Onion  -  2 nos
Green chilli  -  2 nos
Ginger garlic paste  -  1 tsp
Coconut milk  -  1/2 cup
Mint leaves  -  1 tbsp
Coriander leaves  -  1 tbsp
Fennel seeds  -  1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder  -  1 tsp
Garam masala  -  1 tsp
Turmeric powder  -  1 pinch
Cinnamon  -  1" piece
Bay leaf  -  1 nos
Cardamom  -2 nos
Salt
Water
Oil


METHOD

In a pan, add 2 cups water and when it boils add the soya chunks.
Let it boil for 2 minutes, then drain it and squeeze out extra water from the soya chunks.
Wash the rice and keep it aside.
In a blender add 1 onion chopped, mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chilli, ginger garlic paste and fennel seeds and make a fine paste by adding water.
Heat oil in pressure cooker and then add cinnamon, bay leaf and cardamom, after it splutters, add 1 finely chopped onion.
Saute well until the onions become golden brown.
Then add the ground masala and saute well in medium flame.
Then add the soya chunks and mix well.
Then add red chilli powder, garam masala and turmeric powder and mix well.
Then add rice and fry for a minute.
Add 1/2 cup coconut milk and 1 cup water and add required salt.
Close the pressure cooker and cook till one whistle.
Once the pressure is released mix it up with a spoon.
Serve hot with raitha.

Tomato Dates Pickle

This pickle comes from my mother's kitchen. We used to discuss everyday about new recipes, most of th recipes that I try comes from my mother.
This pickle recipe was given by her and I prepared it for onam sadya.

INGREDIENTS

Ripe tomatoes  -  10 nos
Dates chopped  -  10 nos
Ginger chopped   -  1 tbsp
Chilli powder  -  1 tbsp (as per your tolerance)
Turmeric powder  -  1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds  -  1/2 tsp
Vinegar  - 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds  -  1 tsp
Sesame oil
Salt


METHOD

Place a pot of water to boil.
Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water for bout 10 minutes.
Remove the tomatoes from the water after, you can see the skin begins to peel.
Remove the skin and chop the tomatoes.
Heat little oil in a pan and add the chopped tomatoes.
Add salt and turmeric powder and cook well, so that extra water gets evaporated and tomato turns mushy.
Remove from fire and keep it aside.
In a blender add chopped dates, chopped ginger, cumin seeds and chilli powder.
Make it a paste by adding vinegar. (Do not use water)
In another pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds.
Then add the dates ginger paste and saute well, until oil separates from it.
Then add the cooked tomatoes and mix well.
Adjust salt and chilli powder at this stage.
Cook well until oil separates.
Allow it to cool and then store it in an airtight container and store it in fridge.

5 Taste Uthappam

INGREDIENTS

Dosa batter
Onion chopped  -  1 nos
Carrot chopped  -  1 nos
Tomato chopped  -  1 nos
Idli-dosa podi  -  1 tbsp
Mint leaves chopped  -  1 tbsp
Oil


METHOD

Heat dosa tawa and grease with oil.
Pour mini uthappams,it should be thick.
Top each uthappam with onion, tomato, carrot, idli-dosa podi and mint leaves. Or top it up your favourite toppings.
Drizzle some oil over the toppings and around the dosa.
Flip to the other side when the bottom turns golden brown and cook for about 2 minutes.
Serve hot with chutney or sambhar.

Spicy Tangy Green Mango Juice

INGREDIENTS

Green Mango (Raw Mango)  -  2 nos
Green chilli  -  1 nos
Ginger  -  1" piece
Sugar  -  As per taste
Water  -  As required

METHOD

Peel the skin and cut the mangoes.
Put then in a blender along with green chilli, ginger, sugar and water.
Blend it till smooth.
Strain it.
Serve chilled.

Dates Kozhukattai

Wanted to make something different for Vinayaga Chathurthi. Instead of making the usual kozhukattai with sesame seeds, I thought of making it with dates.

INGREDIENTS

Dates chopped  - 10 nos
Rice flour  -  2 cup
Grated coconut  -  1/2 cup
Sugar or Jaggery  -  As per sweetness
Salt  -  2 pinch
Oil  -  1 tsp

METHOD

Boil 2 1/2 cup of water along with oil and salt.
When the water starts boiling, reduce the heat and add rice flour and stir continuously till it becomes a thick dough.
Allow the dough to cool.
Put the chopped dates in pan, add grated coconut and sugar or jaggery as per sweetness.
Mix well, until all the ingredients is combined well.
Take a small ball of dough and shape it into a cup.
Place little of dates mixture in it, cover it and keep it aside.
Arrange the kozhukattai in a greased plate and steam cook for 10 minutes.
Serve.

Quinoa with Vegetables

Its been a long time that I was thinking to make something out of Quinoa. Not sure what this is called in Malayalam or Tamil, but it is a superstar food.
Quinoa is a good source of protein and complex carbohydrates.Its contains twice the protein of regular cereal grains.It contains no gluten, making it ideal for those with weight loss diets free of gluten.
An ideal food for vegetarians.

INGREDIENTS

Quinoa  -  1 cup
Chopped onion  -  1 nos
Chopped carrot  -  1 nos
Chopped beans  -  1/4 cup
Chopped broccoli  -  1/4 cup
Chopped mint leaves  -  1/4 tsp
Garlic cloves  -  2 nos
Red chilli flakes  -  1/4 tsp
Pepper powder  -  1/4 tsp
Olive oil  -  1 tbsp
Salt  -  to taste

METHOD

Rinse quinoa well with water.
Cook quinoa in 2 cups of water, cook over reduced heat and simmer until quinoa absorbs all the water.
Heat olive oil in a pan.
Add chopped garlic and onion and saute well.
Then add all the other veggies and chopped mint leaves and fry for about 5 minutes.
Then add salt, red chilli flakes and pepper powder.
Saute until vegetables are tender and golden color.
Then in a bowl mix together the vegetables and quinoa.
Serve hot.

Moong Sprouts Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

Brown bread  -  4 slices
Moong Sprouts  -  1 cup
Chopped onion  -  1 nos
Chopped carrot  -  1 nos
Chopped capsicum  -  1/2 nos
Chopped tomato  -  1 nos
Chilli powder  -  1 tsp
Coriander powder  -  1 tsp
Chaat masala  -  1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves chopped  -  1/2 ts
Salt  -  to taste
Olive oil  -  as required.


METHOD

Heat a pan with olive oil.
Add chopped onion and saute well till translucent.
Then add all the other veggies and saute well for about 3 minutes.
Then add the moong sprouts and fry for about 2 minutes.
Then add salt, chilli powder, coriander powder and chaat masala and mix well.
Sprinkle little water and cook well till the raw smell of the powders goes off and masala is blended well.
Now take one slice of brown bread and place the moong sprouts masala on top of it.
Close it with another slice.
Toast it.
Serve hot with sauce.

Malabar Kaipola (Steamed Plantain Cake)

Kaipola is a tea time snack with main ingredient as banana.This is an authentic Malabar dish which is often served as an evening snack. This is a sweet dish and it is a mixture of ripe bananas and eggs.
This is usually prepared during Ramadan days.

INGREDIENTS

Nendrapazham (Ripe Banana)  -  2 nos
Eggs  -  3nos
Cashew nuts  -  1 tbsp
Almonds  -  1 tbsp
Raisins  -  1 tbsp
Sugar  -  8 tbsp
Cardamom powder  -  1 tsp
Coconut oil  -  as required.


METHOD

Heat a pan with coconut oil and fry cashew nuts,almonds and raisins till golden brown.Keep it aside
Cut the banana into cubes and fry them in the same oil.
Mix the fried banana and nuts together
Beat the eggs, add sugar and cardamom powder and again until frothy.
Now add the banana and nuts mixture to the beaten eggs and mix well.
Heat a non stick pan and add little coconut oil.
Now add the banana mixture into the pan and close the lid.
Cook for about 10 minutes, flip and then cook again for 5 minutes.
Remove and cut it into pieces.
Serve hot with tea.

Chickpea Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

Bread of your choice  -  4 nos
Cooked chickpea  -  1/2 cup
Chopped onion  -  1 nos
Chopped tomato  -  1 nos
Chopped capsicum  -  1 nos
Lemon juice  -  1 tsp
Pepper powder  -  1/2 tsp
Olive oil  -  1 tsp
Salt  -  to taste


METHOD

Put the cooked chickpea a bowl and mash it with a spoon.
Add little salt, pepper powder, lemon juice and olive oil to it and mix well.
Then add the chopped onion, tomato and capsicum in it and mix well.
Spread the above chickpea on the bread and toast it.
Serve with any salad or soup.

Vegetable Chappati Roll

INGREDIENTS

Chappathi  -  4 nos
Carrot chopped  -  1 nos
Cabbage chopped  -  1/2 cup
Onion chopped  -  1/2 cup
Capsicum chopped  -  1 nos
Cumin seeds  -  1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder  -  1/4 tsp
Chilli powder  -  1/2 tsp
Coriander powder  -  1/2 tsp
Garam masala  -  1/4 tsp
Chaat masala  -  1/2 tsp
Coriander chopped  -  1 tbsp
Salt  -  to taste
Oil


METHOD

Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.
Then add chopped onion and saute well.
Then add all the vegetables and all the powders and salt and saute well.
Fry for 5 minutes  and cover and cook for another 3 minutes.
Add chopped coriander and mix well.
Keep the chappati on a plate and put the stuffing in the middle of the chappati.
Roll them.
Serve hot.