Shutterbug's Blog

Living with Multiple Myeloma in Hyderabad , India . Random musings .

Category Archives: Recipes


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A rainy evening in Hyd .

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Reached home after work and was in the mood to cook something different for my son who came home very hungry, from college.

There was some dosa batter in the refrigerator.  Immediately I recalled watching a Youtube Video on Pizza Dosa.

I had capsicum, tomatoes and cheese in the Refrigerator. Chopped them all into small pieces. Chopped up an onion too.

Need some red spicy sauce . Took some red chilly powder and added some ghee and salt. My Red Spicy Sauce was ready.

I spread the batter on the pan . Smeared the chilly sauce and placed the chopped veggies all over the Dosa. I had Amul Cheese slices which I cut up roughly with my hands and placed on the veggies.

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I then smeared some Ghee on the edges and let the Dosa cook . Made sure that the Flame is low to medium. Once the Cheese started to melt I flipped the edges one over the other and let it cook for a minute on each side and the Dosa turned  a nice golden brown colour.

yummy Pizza Dossa is ready to eat. You don’t need any other chutney/sauce. 

You can also sprinkle some Pizza Seasoning or whatever Italian herbs you may have at home…a sprinkling of dried Oregano or Basil or  Thyme or garlic powder should give the final twist 🙂 . Tastes Yummy even without any seasoning.

Enjoy !!

 


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Amla Rice , Usirikaya Pulihora , Vanabhojanaalu and Health !!

Amla is Indian Gooseberry. This fruit is one of the richest sources of Vitamin C. This Vitamin increases immunity in the body, thereby protecting the body from infections. There are several medicinal properties of Amla.

I always knew this fact but didn’t know how to incorporate fresh/raw Amla in my diet.

The only knew that people usually ate Amla is in the form of Amla pickle and Amla candy. These two recipes ensure that Amla can be preserved and hence can be relished throughout the year. Amla is a major ingredient in Chyawanprash.

The trees bear fruits during  October, November and December months in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in India. Most vegetable stores would be selling them during these three months. I always came across these but never gave them a second look.

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Amla pickle is usually made at home or can also be bought at Indian grocery stores . I don’t prefer eating Amla pickle as it has a lot of oil and salt . I like Amla Candy and always keep a stock . But I was bored of eating the candy .

One day at the Organic grocery store , that I visit regularly, I saw these fresh , round , light green Amla’s.  I was tempted to  buy . I wanted to make my own candy but was not confident about the recipe. I thought lemme try eating them raw. But a raw berry has a typical taste and not very appealing. It  is soury – astringent with a sweet aftertaste .

I picked a few in my hand and asked the store keeper ‘what can I do with these ?’ and she immediately answered ‘Usirikaya pulihora ‘ (Amla rice ) . I asked her for the recipe and she immediately recited the recipe.

I was like wowww and felt so happy :)) . I usually make lemon, tamarind and mango rice but this was news to me… I was so excited that I tried it the next morning and it was yummilicious.

Since then I have made this dish  several times. I now buy these whenever I see them. I have seen these recently and learnt that they are brought from Tamil Nadu where they yield fruit during February/March.

The Gooseberry tree is revered by Hindus. There was a time , long ago, when I found it silly that my mom was worshipping  a branch of this tree during ‘vanabhojanaalu’ in the park adjacent to Gandipet lake.

‘Vanabhojanalu’ is a get together/community lunch held under the trees/park/forest along with some fun activities.

It was much later that I learnt about the potency of this fruit and then realised why the tree is worshipped.

During the month of Karthika (Telugu calendar) , people meet for Vanabhojanaalu. This is a popular event in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. ‘Vana’ is forest and ‘Bhojanalu’ is lunch.  Karthika usually occurs in the months of Oct-Nov . This tree begins to bear fruit during these months. Vanabhojanalu is associated with this tree , when people form groups , cook and have lunch in a farm/nursery/forest where a Gooseberry tree is usually found. If there is no Gooseberry tree in the vicinity , a small branch of this tree is placed nearby and worshipped , followed by lunch.This is an event for get togethers along with some fun. The branches of this tree are sold in markets during Kaarthika month .

Most of the customs and traditions of Hindus are in some way connected to health , hygiene , discipline and also have a philosophical touch . They are not superstitions as they are made out to be.

The ignorant may not be able to appreciate the benefits of this fruit and hence these customs were incorporated.

Here is the recipe for Amla Rice !!

Ingredients (for 3 servings) –

Mustard seeds – half tsp

Jeera – half tsp

Urad Dal – 1 tbsp

Chana dal – 1tbsp

Cashews – 3tbsp

Asafoetida – one pinch



Curry leaves -2 sprigs

Coriander leaves – 2 sprigs

One cup raw rice . Boil the rice and keep it aside. Make sure it is not mushy. Spead the cooked rice in a wide pan so it cools and it would be easier to mix all the ingredients.

 

Ground nut oil – 3tbsp

turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

salt – as per your taste


Amla – 5

Green chillies -3

Juice of one Lemon

 

Prepare Amla for the recipe by cutting them into pieces (throw away the seed) and grind it coarsely.

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For Tadka :

 

Add oil in a pan . Add mustard, jeera and wait till they splutter. Add urad dal, chana dal , groundnuts and cashew nuts . 


Stir till they turn golden brown and then add turmeric 

Add  the slit green chillies, curry leaves and Amla paste and stir for a minute.

 

Add the above mixture to the boiled rice and mix all the ingredients slowly and thoroughly..Add the salt too.

Add lemon juice at the end and stir well.

Amla Rice is ready to be served !!

 

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I started googling for other Amla recipes and found recipes for chutneys , sweet , rasam and juices.

Everyone should incorporate Amla in their diet , in whatever form they prefer , for a healthier body.

Thank you Mother Nature !!


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Vegetable Kichdi , my style !!

I go on a 24 hour fast once a week and end my fast by eating a bowl of hot Vegetable Kichdi.This is light on the tummy.A fast should never end with heavy food. This dish is made with Rice, Moong dal ,Veggies and is easily digested . I look forward to this treat at the end of the day. Here is the simple recipe.

Ingredients for one serving :

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Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp

Cumin 1/4 tsp

Urad dal 1/4 tsp

Black pepper as per the spiciness that you can bear 🙂

It is OK if one of the above is missing in your spice rack. But pepper is a must.

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Rice : 2 tbsp

Quinoa (optional): 2 tbsp

Moong Dal ( Split Green gram ): 2 tbsp

Wash and soak Rice and Quinoa in water and keep aside.

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Ginger :  1 inch piece chopped into small pieces

Curry leaves : one or two sprigs

Veggies : you can use capsicum,  carrot, beans, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, corn or any other veggies. Any two veggies are good enough. I am using Capsicum and Carrot today.

One chilli

Ghee 1 tsp

Asafoetida : a small pinch

Salt : As per your taste

Water : 4 times the volume of rice , quinoa and moong Dal.

Place all of them in a bowl. You will need water 4 times this volume.

Preparation : Use a pressure cooker

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Roast the moong dal in the dry pan till you smell the flavour of nicely fried moong dal. It should change into a very light brown colour. Empty the moong dal into another bowl.

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Add oil in the same pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin, urad dal and black pepper to the oil. Let them splutter.

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Add ginger pieces , chilli and curry leaves. Fry for 30 secs . Add all the cut veggies and stir for a minute.

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Now , drain the soaked rice, quinoa and add  to the pan. Also add moong dal . Add water. Add salt . Close the pan with the lid and put the pressure weight. Let it cook on medium heat till you hear 5 to 6 whistles. Let the pressure reduce before you open the cooker.

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Add the ghee and mix it well so all the contents get mashed up and the flavors combine well. Hot and yummy Vegetable Kichdi is ready !! You can eat with a little pickle or chutney on the side, if you wish. Your tummy will thank you 🙂


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Turmeric infused drinks , Milk shakes and coffee’s !!

Came across this article on Turmeric. My eyes and ears open wide ,whenever I come across any writeup on Turmeric. I am obsessed with Turmeric. Why not !!?  When its healing properties are being acknowledged all over the world ! And when my life is dependent on Turmeric , the Golden Spice !!

http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/Sunshine-in-a-spoon/article16931587.ece

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Turmeric Latte ,

Turmeric Almond Milk ,

Turmeric Smoothie ,

Turmeric Tea  , Turmeric Lemonade  etc !!

Good to know that Turmeric is slowly penetrating the food industry in a different avatar.These kind of drinks will appeal to urban folks who enjoy milk shakes and varieties of coffee’s.

The benefits from consuming Turmeric are many.The antioxidant properties of curcuminoids present in Turmeric, help in preventing almost all chronic illnesses like Arthritis , Alzeimers, Diabetes, Cancer etc

Hopefully more and more people will start incorporating more turmeric in their diet and thereby eradicate these illnesses from the world.

There are lots n lots of recipes on the Internet . Check them out !!

 


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Health , Nutrition and South Indian Recipes with Korralu (Foxtail Millets)

Rice is a staple food of a majority of South Indians. Most of us cannot imagine life without rice . Craving for rice begins after 24 hours of not eating rice:)) . I too belong to South India 🙂 and a major part of my diet used to comprise of rice. Rice is an ingredient in our Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The kind of rice that is usually available in most stores is highly polished and hence deprived of nutrients and is left with carbs. After learning about how cancer cells feed on sugars and carbs , I started my research on ways to minimize consumption of rice . Rice is an ingredient in several traditional South Indian dishes like Dosa , Idli , pongal , pulihora etc. Plain rice is eaten with other ‘curries’.

I came across ‘millets’ a couple of years ago and gradually started incorporating these in my diet.

Millets are a group of food grains grown in semi arid areas. These are ancient grains which have not undergone selective breeding.There are several varieties of Milliets. Pearl, Foxtail, Finger, Sorghum etc. Millets are gluten free, they are alkaline, have low GI and are anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is the major cause of a lot of chronic diseases. Millets are usually not attacked by pests and hence are relatively free of pesticides. Millets have higher amounts of minerals and fiber than wheat and rice. Good for putting a check on Diabetes, cholesterol etc

I will be focussing on Foxtail Millets in this post. They are called ‘Korralu’ in Telugu.
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These are a very close substitute to rice and can be used in the preparation of a variety of traditional South Indian dishes.

Korralu (whole grain) can be cooked just the way we cook rice. Replace rice with korralu , for rice preparations like Pulihora, Kichdi, Sweet pongal etc.
Batter for idli and dosa is prepared by substituting rice with foxtail millets. Brown rice, foxtail millets and Urad Dal  can be added in equal proportions to make a batter for Idli and dosa.

Korralu ravva is also available in a few supermarkets and organic stores. Idli and Upma can be made using this ravva.

You might have to experiment a bit with the quantities. The taste , colour , texture might differ slightly from what you are normally used to . The idlis may be harder than the usual stuff  when you make them for the first time . The texture of dosas  too might vary. Think of the nutrition rather than the look , feel and taste. With experience you will be able to do a better job 🙂

Add cooked Foxtail millets to your favourite salad . You can include foxtail millets in moong dal dosa. Get creative and adventurous !!

Lots of recipes are available on youtube. Check them out !

~~ You are what you Eat !! ~~

 

 


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Salad dressings

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I have started incorporating salads in my diet. I do not know a lot of ways to prepare a salad. All i know is to cut a few veggies like cabbage , red cabbage , tomatoes, cucumber, sprouts , baby corn, carrots, lettuce  and then add a wee bit of salt , pepper powder , olive oil , lime juice and mix .

I was beginning to get bored of the same ingredients and googled for some variety.

Found this great compilation.

http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2014/11/17/homemade-salad-dressings/

I am enlightened after reading the article and will now be incorporating additional ingredients like honey, chopped almonds/peanuts/dates/walnuts, crushed sesame seeds, raisins , finely chopped mint/coriander/parsley/celery/basil, avocado , fruits .Not all but a few of these ingredients can be added depending on what is available at home.

These days we do get avocado , celery , lettuce , basil in the supermarkets in Hyderabad.


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Stir fried Bell peppers, Leeks and Brussels sprouts

My experiments with some of the exotic vegetables, that are not usually grown in India, continues.

I had ordered Leeks via Bigbasket.com . Leeks are not grown commercially in India. The temperature here is too high for them to sustain.

These plants belong to the Onion and Garlic family. They don’t have a bulb but their shoots are very much similar to Onion and Garlic but much more thicker. The have a mild oniony smell and taste.

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The white part of Leeks are tender and can be used for cooking. The lower light green part of the leeks can also be used if they are tender.

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This part can be chopped into various sizes as per your choice.

Time to prepare another variation of stir fired veggies using Leeks , Red Bell peppers and Brussels sprouts.

Recipe : ( serves two)

Ingredients :

Leeks – 100 gm

Red Bell Pepper – 1

Brussels Sprouts – 100 gm

Salt and Pepper as per your taste

Lemon Juice – one tsp  ( or Balsamic Vinegar – 1 or 2 tsp)

Olive oil – 1 tbsp

garlic – 3-4 pods

Procedure :

1. Chop one Red bell pepper into one inch size pieces . Cut Brussels sprouts  into half or quarter them if they are very big.

Cut Leeks into one inch size pieces.

2. Boil all of them in water to which salt (1/4 tsp) is added , for a couple of minutes.

3. Strain and keep aside.

4. Add 2 tsp of olive oil into a pan and add the veggies.

5. Add salt and pepper as per your taste and stir once in a while for 5-6 minutes or more, until they caramelize.

6. Add chopped garlic and stir for a minute.

7. Switch off the stove and add lemon juice or Balsamic vinegar and serve.

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You can replace Leeks with Onions by cutting them into one inch size pieces.

You can also replace red bell pepper with yellow or green peppers but Red ones would make the dish colorful and appetizing.

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Stir fried Brussels sprouts

One of my favorite pastime is watching Food channels on TV and YouTube.
I was always fascinated and curious about Brussels sprouts which look like mini cabbages and were used in some of the recipes

Brussels sprouts are not yet commercially grown in India. Most Indians wouldn’t have heard or seen them.

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I always had a desire to prepare and eat stir fried Brussels sprouts and learnt recipes from YouTube. However, these were not available, to be bought,  in the vicinity.

While shopping on Bigbasket.com (online grocery store) , I was surprised to see Brussels sprouts listed in the ‘Fruits and vegetables’ section. I immediately added this to the shopping cart.
Rest of the day was spent watching the recipes again on YouTube and eagerly looking forward to the delivery truck which was scheduled to deliver between 7.30 pm to 9 pm slot. The mini truck arrived at 9.30 pm. I was so excited to see them , feel them, smell them , wash them , cut them (halves) , stir fry them and eat them. I was very hungry and this would be part of dinner.

Recipe : I first boiled the cut n washed Brussels sprouts in salt water for 2 minutes. Strained the water , took them out and then tossed them in olive oil for 5 minutes till they started caramelizing. Sprinkled salt and pepper. Added 3 cloves (chopped) at the end and tossed for another minute before switching off the stove. Added a few drops of lemon.

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I didn’t expect them to taste so good. Feeling very happy with the achievement 🙂

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Brussels sprouts are storehouses of nutrition. Here is a good article .

http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/6-reasons-why-you-should-eat-more-brussels-sprouts.html