MIXED VEGETABLES AND SPROUTS KICHADI DIET SERIES #3

This is another lentil and whole grain combination I made for lunch one weekend. Since it was a Sunday, we wanted to have something spicy and filling and at the same time pertaining to our diet regimen. For me, kichadi is the best diet dish, very filling and tasty as well. This time I tried it make to healthier by substituting mung bean sprouts instead of lentils, and added lots of vegetables, and reducing the rice to one cup. I prepared chicken fry to go with this for me and for my husband I prepared oven-baked cauliflowers in tandoori style. This was a very comforting lunch for us.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Brown rice, 1 cup.
2. Mung bean sprouts, ½ cup.
3. Small onions, 2.
4. Mixed vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, and green beans all coming around 1 cup when chopped.
5. Peas, fresh or frozen, a handful
6. Cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon.
7. Cinnamon, 1 small stick.
8. Bay leaf, 1.
9. Cardamom, 2 cloves.
10. Cloves, 2.
11. Salt as per taste.
12. Curry leaves, a sprig.
123. Chopped cilantro, ½ cup.

PREPARATION:
Wash the rice well and soak it for 1 hour. Dice the onions and vegetables into small pieces. Dice the onion finely. Heat a pan or a pressure cooker pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the spices and fry everything for one minute until good aroma comes from the spices. Add the onions now and sauté for a few minutes until they turn tender. Drain the water from the rice and add it to the pan. Add 3 cups of water, salt, chopped vegetables, sprouts, curry leaves and mix everything and cook everything until rice and dhal are cooked. A rice cooker also can also be used here. I used a pressure cooker for up to 3 whistles and cooked the rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with any spicy side dish.

Do check out some of my whole grains recipes, low in carb and calorie, which are ideal for dieting:

Oats sambar sadam

Oats pongal

Oats bisebelebath

Oats thayir sadam

Oats and cracked wheat rava idli

Cracked wheat rava pongal

Cracked wheat mint pulav

Quinoa pulav

Tomato soup with barley and pasta

Spinach and barley soup