Whole-grain Quinoa Adai/Crepe

Are you someone like me who hoards whole grains and other healthy ingredients in your pantry? I often get grains like steel cut oats, wheat bran, wheat berries and quinoa with an enthusiasm to cook healthy wholesome meals. But after using the ingredients in a recipe or two, the bag lies somewhere behind in my pantry, begging to be looked upon again! When I saw this adai recipe, I knew I can use up all those lurking ingredients in my pantry to make up a wholesome adai.

This adai is wholly made of wholesome ingredients and would make a great addition to a diet. It is very filling and can be had for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Ingredients
Recipe Source: Veg Inspirations

Brown Rice - 1/2 cup
Pearl Barley - 1/2 cup
Steel Cut Oats - 1/2 cup (can be replaced by rolled oats)
Quinoa - 1/2 cup
Urad dal(whole black gram dal) - 1/3 cup
Toor dal (split pigeon peas) - 1/3 cup
Mung Dal (Green gram dal) - 1/3 cup

Green chillies - 4
Dry red chillies - 4
Asafoetida/Hing - 1 pinch
Sesame oil / Any vegetable oil - to cook the adai
Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Soak the first seven ingredients in enough water for about 3 to 4 hours. Then drain the water.
2. Grind together the soaked grains with the green chillies, red chillies, asafoetida and salt in a mixie/blender into a smooth batter adding a little water if required. The batter should be in a consistency similar to the regular dosa batter.
3. In a tawa or griddle, pour a ladle full of the batter in the center and slowly spread the batter in circles.
4. Drizzle some oil around the adai and allow it to cook for about 2 minutes until it gets golden brown in color.
5. Flip with the help of a spatula and cook on the other side as well.
6. Serve warm with a chutney or podi of your choice.

Savory Bombay French Toast

I like to have eggs for breakfast. It is healthy and nutritious to have a wholesome and filling breakfast. Eggs are filled with protein and vitamins and make a great start to the day!

I usually make anaheim scramble, desi omelette, veggie egg scramble, egg salsa dosai or egg cheese sandwich. When I saw these spicy bombay toast at Siri's place, I new I had to make it. I made this french toast when I had to make breakfast just for myself. Cooking for one can be monotonous and boring. I made this toast with one slice of bread and one egg and accompanied it with a mug of chamomile tea making it a great start to the day!!

Ingredients
Bread - 1 slice
Egg - 1
Milk - 1 tablespoon
Onion - 1 tablespoon finely chopped
Hot sauce - 1/2 teaspoon
Cilantro/Parsley - 1 teaspoon chopped
Salt to taste

Instructions
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, chopped onions, hot sauce, cilantro and salt.

Also, cut the bread into two halves.

Heat a saucepan and drizzle with some oil. Dip the cut bread into the egg mixture so that it coats well on both sides.

Allow the bread to cook on both sides until it browns evenly.

Serve warm with ketchup or hot sauce or just by itself!

Check out my new hobby and my first project!

Egg Scramble with Vegetables

This is a typical weekday breakfast at my place. I make different versions of egg scrambles at least once a week. It is so easy to make and includes all the necessary nutrients to make a wholesome meal giving a great start to the day! This scramble is one such variation I made using fresh vegetables from the farmers market.

Ingredients (serves 2)
Eggs - 3
Milk - 2 tablespoons
Vegetables - 1 cup (I used asparagus, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms)
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Grated cheese - 1 tablespoon (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a saucepan, heat the oil and add all the chopped vegetables.
2. Saute for about two minutes until the veggies turn tender and crisp.
3. In a bowl, break open the eggs and whisk the yolk and egg whites together with the milk.
4. Once the vegetables are done, remove them from the pan and transfer to a plate.
5. In the same pan, add the eggs and scramble the eggs well. Cook for about two minutes, until the eggs are done. Also add the cheese and mix thoroughly.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Finally add the veggies and give it a quick stir so that everything gets combined.

Serve with toast. We had ours with buttered toast, sliced avocados, potatoes and tea!

Cucumber Sandwich with basil-mint-cilantro chutney

Picnic food would be incomplete without sandwiches. And cold sandwiches to cool you down would be the best. This sandwich is made with cucumbers and smeared with some cream cheese and basil-coriander-mint chutney. It is very simple to make and can be made ahead and left to chill in the refrigerator till you enjoy them. Make these sandwiches along with other delicious and simple to make picnic food like desi omelet, kale chips, 10 minute banana bread, marble cake, falafel-pita sandwich and wash them all down with this gorgeous blueberry lemonade.

For the blogging marathon, I was paired with Harini and I had to make something from her blog based on the picnic theme. I chose this basil-mint-cilantro chutney and made simple cucumber sandwiches with the chutney. The chutney paired the cucumbers really well and made a great evening snack. This can also be packed as lunches for kids. I made the chutney with my homegrown basil and cilantro harvested fresh from my garden!

Ingredients for the Chutney

Recipe Source: Tamalapaku

Basil - 1 cup

Mint - 1/2 cup

Cilantro/Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Tamarind paste - 1 teaspoon

Green chillies - 2

Oil - 1 teaspoon

For the seasoning - Mustard seeds(1 tspn), urad dal(1 tspn), channa dal(1 tspn), red chillies(1), hing(1 pinch)

Salt to taste

Directions

In a small pan heat the oil and do the seasoning with the mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, red chillies and hing. Once the dal turns brown in color, add the basil, cilantro and mint. Saute for a minute until the leaves wilt.

Allow it to cool and blend it together with the tamarind paste, green chillies and salt without adding any water.

To assemble the sandwiches

Cut the edges of the bread and slice them into triangles. Smear some cream cheese/butter on both sides, followed by 1/2 a teaspoon of the prepared chutney on each slice. Place 3 or 4 sliced cucumber rounds and place another slice of bread on top to make a sandwich.

Enjoy!
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#6

Sending these sandwiches to Sandwich Mela and to the Giveaway by Ruchika Cooks

Desi Omelette

Anyone who has travelled by trains in India, must have come across this omelette made with onions and tastes great even if it is not that warm. they are great during trips and picnics. They taste great all by themselves or wrapped between toast and served as a sandwich. Makes a filling and nutritious breakfast or even as a quick snack. The omelette can be tweaked several ways by adding your favorite veggies, herbs and cheese. I kept it simple this time and just added onions and green chillies. This is exactly not a recipe and the quantities if the ingredients can be varied according to ones likings.

Ingredients (serves 1)
Eggs - 2
Milk - 1 teaspoon
Onion - 3 tablespoons finely chopped
Green chilly - 1 finely sliced
Butter/oil - 1 teaspoon
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a bowl, break the eggs and add the milk. Using a whisk or a fork, beat the eggs and milk until it turns frothy.

Heat a skillet, add the butter or drizzle some oil.

Add the chopped onions and green chillies. Saute for a minute until it turns soft. Spread the onion-chilli mixture evenly on the skillet.

 Now pour the egg-milk mixture into the skillet. Take the skillet in your hand and give a quick swirl, so that the egg forms a nice round omelette.

Cook for about a minute and flip the omelette using a spatula. Cook the other side for one more minute and season with salt and pepper.

Serve warm. if you are planning to pack this for a picnic, wrap the omelette immediately using aluminum foil and serve with some bread as a sandwich. You could also spice up the omelette sandwich with some ketchup or hot sauce.

Variations: Various vegetables like mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, bell peppers, tomatoes, chopped ginger, chopped cilantro, dill, thyme, oregano, grated cheese etc.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#6

Also sending this to Quick and Easy Recipe Mela.

Eggless banana walnut muffin and a product review

Bananas and walnuts make a great combination. They taste great when baked together. I always look out for quick bread recipes to have along with our evening tea and this recipe from Raks definitely suited my needs. It tasted delicious and it is eggless! The muffins turned out soft and moist with a bite and crunch from the walnuts.

I received a pack of Xylitol for a product review and I substituted xylitol instead of sugar in the recipe and we loved the taste. We definitely did not miss the sugar. Dont get fooled by the name Xylitol. It is NOT a chemical based sweetener. It is a 100% natural sweetener. It is an all natural sugarless sweetener from birch trees. It has the same sweetness and consistency as sugar. However it has 40% fewer calories, 75% fewer carbs, and is safe for diabetics. It is a perfect alternative to artificial sweeteners while avoiding regular sugar as well.

Now on to the recipe..

Ingredients
Banana - 2 ripe ones
Maida/All purpose flour - 3/4 cup
Walnut - 1/4 cup chopped
Xyitol or Sugar - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1/4 cup
Baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon
Baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Vanilla essence - 1/2 teaspoon

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
• Peel and mash the bananas well into a smooth paste. Add all the oil, vanilla essence and the xylitol/sugar and mix well.
• In another bowl, mix together the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda and baking powder.
• Slowly add in the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix just until blended. Do not overmix, this might make the muffins hard and dense.
• Add the walnuts and stir them in to the batter.
• Line the muffin pan with muffin liners and grease them with non-stick spray if desired.
• Pour the batter to 3/4th the level. The batter rises and yields a good muffin top. Top off with a few walnut pieces.
• Bake at 350 degree F for about 28 to 30 minutes.
• Serve warm with butter or just by itself! Also makes a quick breakfast!

Sending this to Show me Your Muffin hosted here at Dil Se..

Superfood Smoothie - A perfect quick breakfast!

No time for breakfast?

Even if you are rushed in the morning to get to work or school, you still got time to refuel yourselves and break your fast with this quick smoothie. Breakfast eaters think and perform better. if you are someone who does not have time for breakfast, or are just lazy to make a hearty breakfast, go for this smoothie. It has the heartiness of acai berry juice which is called a superfood, bananas, oatmeal, antioxidant rich berries and yogurt.

The recipe for this smoothie is very forgiving. I picked up the acai berry juice at Costco and found this recipe in the bottle. The juice can be replaced with any other fruit juices like orange juice, apple juice etc. Any type of berries - blueberries, strawberries, raspberries can be added. I just added low fat strawberry yogurt since that is what I had in hand. It can be substituted with any greek yogurt or just plain buttermilk.

It does not take more than two minutes to make this super healthy smoothie. Just add all ingredients in your blender. Give a few pulses, pour into a tall glass and enjoy!

Ingredients (Makes 2 servings)
Acai berry juice - 1 cup
Frozen berries - 1/2 cup
Banana - 1
Any yogurt variety - 1/2 cup
Flax seeds - 1 tablespoon
Quick cooking oats - 1 cup

Directions
Add all the above ingredients in the blender. If not using frozen berries, you could add a couple of ice cubes if you like your smoothie to be cold. Pulse for about 30 seconds. If you find the smoothie very thick, add a little water.

Pour into a glass and enjoy a hearty and filling breakfast!

Sending this chilled smoothie to Fun n Sun event

Brown Rice Adai

After reading about all the benefits of brown rice lately, I picked a pack of brown rice during one of our weekly grocery shopping. As usual it was ignored in my kitchen. I have hoarded a lots of stuff similar to this - oat bran, wheat bran, steel cut oats, flax seed, flax seed meal, almond butter, chia seeds are some of them. I get all these healthy ingredients when I read all the health benefits, try them in any one recipe and then just hoard them. I was trying to clean my kitchen, fridge and freezer and I was just amazed to look at the huge list of ingredients I have stashed in there. In an attempt to finish up all those ingredients, I started with this brown rice adai. Any suggestions for dishes made with the above ingredients are welcome!!

The brown rice adai sure turned out delicious and it made a great weeknight meal. I soaked the pulses and rice in the afternoon and the adais were whipped up in a matter of minutes. I used sprouted moong dal which I had on hand. This can be replaced with regular moong dal or any other beans. There is no need to ferment the batter. The adai can be made immediately after grinding. I served them along with some onion chutney.

Ingredients
Brown rice - 1 cup
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Sprouted moong - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves
Asafoetida/Hing - 1/2 teaspoon
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Dried red chillies - 2
Few curry leaves
Salt to taste

Directions
Soak the pulses and the brown rice together for atleast 2-3 hours.

Drain the water. Combine together all the ingredients in a blender and grind to a smooth batter. Add little water if required. the batter should be of pourable consistency.

To make the adai, heat a dosa pan, and add a ladle of batter in the center and then spread in circles with the help of the back of the ladle as you would make dosas.

Drizzle a teaspoon of oil. After a minute, flip the adai and allow the other side to cook. Remove from the pan and serve the crispy adais with a chutney of your choice.

Sending this to WWC Brown rice for Dinner hosted by Siri.

Chettinad Thakkali Kuzhambu / Chettinad tomato curry

I still remember amma serving hot, hot dosas along with freshly made coconut chutney and this spicy, tangy tomato curry for breakfast even on busy weekdays, when all three of us were running around getting ready to school. Gone are those days when we used to have a proper South Indian breakfast every morning. Those breakfasts have been replaced by quick cereals, oatmeal and toasts. Though we have quick and healthy options for breakfast now, I still crave for these delicious South Indian breakfasts and make it a point to make them once in a while. I made this last weekend along with crispy dosas. They taste great along with idlies and also with rice when made in a thicker consistency. You can also check out my other version of thakkali kuzhambu - here

Chettinad cuisine is one of the spiciest and the most aromatic in India. Chettinad cuisine is famous for its use of a variety of spices. The dishes are hot and pungent with fresh ground masalas. They also use a variety of sun dried meats and salted vegetables, reflecting the dry environment of the region. This chettinad thakkali kuzhambu is one such curry made with ripe tomatoes with a hint of coconut.

Ingredients
Ripe, medium sized tomatoes - 4
Medium sized onions - 2
Green Chillies -  4
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Tarmarind Extract - 1/4 cup
Turmeric Powder - 1 teaspoon
Pepper Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Jaggary / Brown sugar - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
Oil - 2 spoons

Ingredients to be ground into a coarse paste:
Grated fresh coconut - 2 tablespoons
Khus khus/Poppy Seeds - 2 teaspoons
Dried Red chillies - 4
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon


Directions
In a kadai/saucepan, add one spoon of oil and add all the ingredients to be ground. Saute on medium heat. Take care it doesn't burn. Grind it into a coarse paste.

Blanch the tomatoes and remove the skin. You could do this using a microwave.

Chop the onions lengthwise. Slit the green chillies vertically.

In a saucepan, add the remaining oil and saute the onions, green chillies and curry leaves until the onions turn translucent. Add the ground masala and fry for about two minutes until the raw flavor goes away.

Add the blanched and peeled tomatoes. Cook for two more minutes until the tomatoes get well cooked. Add the tamarind extract, salt and jaggary if using and bring it to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes until it reaches the required consistency.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with idlies or dosas.

Rajma Paratha

Love stuffed parathas? Then you should definitely try this out. Stuffed Parathas get featured in our menu often and aloo paratha is our favorite. I found this version of Rajma Paratha from DK's website and I had bookmarked it long ago. After one of our busy weekends when we were out of veggies, I was thinking of something to make for dinner. I had soaked some rajma/kidney beans to make some rajma kurma. But instead, I made these delicious rajma parathas and it was a great hit at out place. I skipped the paneer in the original recipe and it was soft and filling! I served it with some curd/yogurt and pickle. It also tastes great with yogurt and ketchup!

Ingredients
Rajma/Kidney beans (cooked/canned) - 1 cup
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon (or) finely sliced green chillies
Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves/ Cilantro finely chopped - 1 spoon
Salt to taste

For the dough
Atta/Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Water for kneading the dough
Salt to taste

Directions 

Soak the rajma/kidney beans overnight if using fresh ones.

Add enough water to the atta/whole wheat flour and salt and knead into a soft, pliable dough. Cover and allow it to rest for atleast half and hour.

Meanwhile prepare the rajma filling. Pressure cook the overnight soaked rajma/kidney beans for atleast 15 minutes until soft and cooked well. Alternatively you could use canned kidney beans. Drain the water in the canned variety.

In a bowl, using the back of a spoon or a potato masher, mash the rajma well to get a smooth mashed mixture. To this mashed rajma, add all the other ingredients listed and mix well.

To make the parathas, take a small lemon sized ball from the kneaded dough. Roll it slightly with the help of a rolling pin. Take a small ball from the prepared mashed rajma mixture and place it in the center of the dough. Cover the dough over the rajma from all centers and pinch the dough together.  Slightly press using the palm of your hand. Dip the entire ball in flour and knead carefully with the rolling pin into a flat disc. Take care that the filling doesnt come outside. Use more flour while kneading if needed.

Heat a tawa/pan and cook the rolled out paratha. Drizzle some oil on the sides. Flip over and cook on the other side alternating on each side for a total of about two minutes. Remove when it gets completely cooked and golden brown on both sides.

Serve with your choice of yogurt/curd and pickle/ketchup!

Sending this to MLLA:28 hosted here at DilSe.. and initially started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook

Also sending this to Tried and Tasted hosted by Priya and started by Lakshmi

Oats and Wheat Bran Instant Idly

This is the healthiest idlies can get. This idly needs no fermentation and can be made instantly. I made this by modifying the recipes here and here. The normal idly is made healthier by the addition of oats, what bran and flax seeds. The recipe can be modified according to the ingredients available. The best part is that the mix can be prepared and stored in the fridge and can be made into idlies just by making the batter with the addition of yogurt. The idlies turned out really soft and nutty.

Ingredients (yields around 16-18 idlies)
Old fashioned oats - 2 cups
Sooji/Semolina/Rava - 1 cup
Oat bran / Wheat bran - 1/2 cup
Flax seeds - 2 teaspoons (optional)
Plain yogurt - 3 cups
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1 teaspoon
Channa dal - 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Cashews - 5-6 broken into small pieces
Ginger - 1/2 inch finely chopped
Green chillies - 1 finely chopped
Baking soda - 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves - 2 spoons finely chopped
Salt to taste

Note: Always keep the oats:sooji ratio 2:1. The oat bran or wheat bran is optional. You could replace it with sooji if you do not have them. The flax seeds can also be replaced with flax seed meal and can also be skipped.
Directions
In a saucepan, dry roast the old fashioned oats on medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes until it gets nicely toasted and turns slightly brown in color. Take care it does not burn by stirring it.

Remove the oats to a plate and allow it to cool down. Powder it into a coarse mixture by pulsing it a few times in a blender/mixer. Do not make it into a fine powder. It needs to be in the same texture as the sooji.

In the same saucepan, add the oil and do the tempering with the cashews, mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves.

Add the sooji/semolina and roast it for about 2 to 3 minutes on low heat until it gets toasted. Take care it doesnt burn. Add the flax seeds,salt and wheat/oats bran and toast it for a minute.
At this point the prepared mixture can be combined with the powdered oats and stored in an airtight container once cooled. This mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and can be made into idlies later.
To make the idlies:
Add the baking soda and the yogurt to the required amount of the mixture and make a thick batter. Pour into greased idli molds and steam for about 8 minutes.
Leave it in the molds for a minute and remove with a spoon.

Serve warm with any chutney or idly-podi.

Since I made use of oats and wheat bran which sat in my pantry for days I am sending this to BB4: What's lurking in the kitchen hosted by Nupur.

Idly - A typical South Indian Breakfast

I was browsing through the recipes in my blog and found that I had very less South Indian breakfast recipes! Hailing from South India, Idlies are a staple at every home. Idlies reserved their position in the breakfast menu atleast once a week. The only big chore is preparing the batter and the rest is a breeze. You have breakfast ready in minutes - just pour the batter in moulds and steam it. The batter could be used in the following days to make dosas after a little more fermentation. These idlies also found its place in lunch boxes occasionally with spiced powder.

Every South Indian makes sure during their first trip to the US that they bring the grinder along with them. It is available in the US these days though. I however prepare my batter in the mixer in the largest jar and it equally turns of great. The key to making idlies is the fermentation process, which results soft, fluffy idlies.

Now onto the recipe...

Ingredients
Par Boiled rice/ Idly Rice - 3 cups
Urad dal (Skinned black gram/lentils) - 1 cup
Cooked rice/ Poha - 2 tablespoons (optional)
Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste

The parboiled rice and the urad dal should be used in the 3:1 ratio. You could double the quantity for more batter.

Directions
Soak the urad dal and rice seperately along with the fenugreek seeds for atleast 4 to 5 hours.

Strain the water and grind the rice, fenugreek seeds, cooked rice together and the urad dhal separately to a smooth consistency adding water if needed. Add very little water while grinding the urad dhal.

Combine everything together along with the required amount of salt and with your hands incorporate the batter well. it is very important to use your hands for mixing the batter as it is believed that the body heat aids in better fermentation of the batter.

Allow the batter to ferment overnight or at least for 12 hours. The batter rises well. So pour batter in a vessel only 3/4 the height of the vessel. It might overflow otherwise.

Tips for fermenting the batter during cold weather:
Preheat the oven to about 150F and then switch it off. the oven should be slightly warm by this time. Place the batter inside the oven overnight and the slight heat helps the fermentation process. I usually place a plate below the vessel containing the batter just in case the batter overflows and spoils the oven. Reduces the cleaning process!

To make the idlies:
Equipment needed
Pressure cooker
Idly moulds

Grease the idly moulds with little ghee/oil or non-stick cooking spray (PAM) and pour a ladle of batter in each mould. The batter rise a little. So take care to not pour too much of batter.

Take a little water in the pressure cooker about half an inch. Place the idly mould in the cooker and steam for about 15 minutes without the weights. Allow it to sit for five minutes and remove the idlies with a spoon. You can check if the idlies are done using a toothpick . The idlies are done if an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Serve warm with any accompaniment of your choice. Goes well with any variety of chutnies, sambar, thakkali kuzhambu or the humble spice powder!

Sending this to MLLA: 23rd helping hosted by Susan.

Idiyappam/ Sevai / Rice Noodles

Idiyappam is a south-indian breakfast. It takes a while to prepare this using the idiyappam press and requires some energy to make this ;) This is one of the authentic methods to prepare Idiyappam. Rice flour is prepared and dried and then made into a dough which is then steamed.

However nowadays, it is generally prepared using a press which is easier to squeeze out the flour and also using ready-made rice flour, or ready-made idiyappam.

I used store bought rice flour to prepare this idiyappam. This idiyappam tastes great with any type of stew and also with grated coconut and sugar :)

Ingredients
Rice flour - 2 cups
Warm water
Salt - 1 teaspoon

Directions

• Add the salt to the flour and mix well.
• Slowly add the warm water and knead to make a smooth dough.
• Grease the idly plates for steaming. Take some dough in the idiyappam press and slowly squeze little by little on the idly plates.
• Steam for about 7 to 8 minutes.

Serve warm with some grated coconut or sugar.
Makes a light and delicious breakfast.

Some other variations using the idiyappam/rice noodles in my blog
Ragi idiyapaam/sevai
Tomato sevai

Bulgur Khichdi

I am always looking for recipes with whole grains. This is a simple, quick and easy breakfast recipe made with bulgur/dahlia. I usually make a simple upma with bulgur, but this time I decided to make a khichdi using some lentils. Next time I am planning to try the recipe by adding some vegetables. This gets done in less than 15 minutes and tastes great on its own or along with some chutney.
Ingredients (Makes 2 servings)
Bulgur/Dahlia/Broken wheat - 1 cup
Split yellow gram (Yellow moong dal) - 1/2 cup (soaked in water for atleast 5-10 minutes)
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - few
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Green chilly - 1 slit lengthwise
Ginger-garlic paste - 1/4 teaspoon
Onion - 1/4 cup chopped
Green peas - 1/4 cup

Directions
In a saucepan, heat the oil and do the tempering with mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and asafoeida. Add the ginger-garlic paste ad green chillies and fry for a minute. Add the chopped onions and saute till translucent.

Add the soaked yellow moong dal and the green peas and saute for a minute. Add 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add the bulgur and cover and cook for 2 minutes on a medium flame.

Remove from heat, mix well and serve warm. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with chutney..

Sending this to Twenty-20 event..

Kothamalli Thuvayal/ Coriander(Cilantro) Chutney

This is amma's version of coriander chutney. It is slightly different from the normal version because the urad dal is initially roasted along with the coriander to give a nice smoky flavor to the chutney. This thuvayal is versatile and goes well with rice, idlies, dosas and even as a spread in sandwiches and burgers.
Ingredients
Coriander/Cilantro leaves - 1 bunch
Urad dal - 2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Red chillies - 3 or 4
Garlic - 1 clove
Tamarind extract - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 spoon

Directions
Seperate the leaves from the coriander stem and wash them thoroughly.
Heat half a spoon of oil in a saucepan and add 1 teaspoon of the urad dhal. Once it turns golden brown and gives a nice aroma, add the red chillies and chopped coriander leaves.
Saute for about five minutes on a medium flame, until the leaves wilt and slightly change color. you should be getting a nice fresh aroma by this time.
Switch off the flame and cool this thoroughly and blend using a mixer/food processor along with the garlic clove and tamarind extract. Also add the salt at this point.
Meanwhile do the tempering with the remaining oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal and pour on top of the blended chutney. Add little water to get the desired consistency.
Stays fresh in the refrigerator for atleast 3 to 4 days.

Check out my other chutneys and dips here.

Green Monster for Breakfast

I know this title sounds like something fishy! Yes, it is called Green Monster in the blogosphere!
It is another great breakfast I discovered recently. This is a slight variation of the spinach- banana smoothie which most of you guessed correctly. I made this with swiss chard which I recently grabbed from the farmers market. It was my first trip to the farmers market near our new home and I was thrilled to see all the fresh vegetables and fruits fresh straight out of the farms. I did all the vegetable and fruit shopping for the week and above all they are all organic without all those pesticides and wax!!

The swiss chard can be replaced by any kind of spinach or greens.. I guarantee you will never get the weird raw spinach taste. It is masked well by the sweetness of the fruit you add. It has all the goodness of fruits and veggies and I added some cereal to it and it made a great breakfast.

In the mix:
Swiss chard - 1 cup packed
Banana - 1
Milk - 1 cup
Peanut Butter - 1 tablespoon
Any cereal - 1/2 cup (Oats, wheat bran, oat bran, corn flakes, wheat flakes or any regular cereal)
I used Bob's Red Mill 7 grain cereal
Flax seeds - 1 teaspoon (optional)

Wash the spinach/greens thoroughly to remove all the sand particles. Chop roughly. Add all the ingredients to the blender and blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute in order to get a smooth smoothie. If you want more sweetness add a teaspoon of honey to keep it all natural!

Keep the ratio of spianch:banana 1:1 in order to balance the taste of the smoothie.

Makes a great nutritious and power-packed smoothie!!
Sending this to Healing Foods:Spinach started by Siri and being hosted by me,
JFI: Breakfast started by Indira and hosted this month at Veggie Platter and also to Serve me some Juices, Shakes, Smoothies

You have a left to send in your entries for the following events:
Tried and Tasted
Healing Foods
Sunday Snacks -Healthy Snacks

A peek into my breakfast!

I wanted to post something today, but I had nothing in my drafts. So I just wanted everyone to have a peek into what I have for most of my breakfasts. Apart from the bread toasts, regular cereals and the authentic Indian breakfasts (reserved for weekends!) this humble oatmeal has been a regular one in my breakfast menu these days.

Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper ~ Adelle Davis

Though the oatmeal sounds bland and tasteless, I recently discovered that there are fun ways to pep up a normal oatmeal and make it exciting.

The following is one such oatmeal I prepared for my breakfast today. The picture does not show any of the ingredients. But read ahead to see what is hidden in my yummy oatmeal!

In the mix!

Old fashioned oats - 1/2 cup (I used Quaker old fashioned oats)
Water - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1/3 cup
Banana - 1/2
Flax seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Any granola - 1 tablespoon (I used Mango fruit Passion Granola from Trader Joes)
Peanut butter - 1/2 teaspoon (I used Trader Joes unsalted PB)

Directions
In a saucepan/pot, bring the milk and water together. Add the oatmeal and bring it to a boil. Simmer and add sliced or smashed banana. Stir continuously so that the oatmeal does not stick.
The oatmeal should be done in two minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the granola. At this point you can add in toppings you like. I then sprinkled some flax seeds on top.
Before you are about to enjoy the oatmeal stir in half a teaspoon of peanut butter so that it melts in the warmth of the oatmeal.

Serve warm!! Makes a great wholesome and exciting breakfast!!

I know this post might seem weird with all the strange ingredients in the oatmeal. I was skeptical in the beginning to add stuff like banana and peanut butter in my oatmeal. But now I absolutely love this breakfast!

Do try this and let me know. It has the goodness of bananas, flaxseed, oats and the protein from peanut butter!
Sending this to JFI:Breakfast hosted at Veggie Platter and started by Indira.
Looks out for more exciting ways to prepare oatmeal!!

How do you like your oatmeal??

Tomato Sevai/Idiyappam

This is one quick and delicious South Indian breakfast made with rice noodles. I got the readymade sevai/idiyappam from the stores. So this can be made in a jiffy. I usually like to have my idiyappam with coconut and sugar, but this savory tomato sevai has become a new favorite.


Ingredients (makes 1 serving)
Rice sevai/idiyappam - 1/2 packet
Tomato - 1
Green chilly - 1
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - for garnish

Directions
Cook the sevai/idiyappam as per the instructions in the packet. Usually it requires adding the readymade sevai to boiling water and then draining the water after a minute.
In a pan, heat the oil and do the tadka with urad dal , mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the finely chopped tomatoes, green chillies and salt and cook till the tomatoes turn mushy.
At this point you could add any cooked vegetables like carrots and peas if you like. I did not add any.
Remove from heat and stir in the cooked idiyappam and mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves and roasted cashews if you like.
Serve warm as it is or with any chutney.

Sending this to Semi-homemade cooking-Indian hosted at Lazzat.

Also sending the following soup recipes to Healthy Inspirations Event - Soups
Wheatberry kidney bean Soup
Creamy Zucchini Soup
Pumpkin Zucchini Spaghetti Soup
Creamy Broccoli Soup with mint and thyme