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

PASTA BRIYANI AND MASALA BREAD

Dear friends,
I am happy to announce that my peanut chikki recipe has been published in the BetterBody Foods and Nutrition website. Check out my recipe at here.


Coming on to today's post,



I make masala pasta or pasta briyani when I am tired of making Chinese style noodles or with any tomato sauce. We prefer spicier versions of pasta like this than adding pasta sauce or cheese. This is also an excellent lunch box menu and also an ideal evening snack for us. I have not used whole garam masala here except the fennel seeds since they tend to break the pasta. I have used some whole grain pasta, which we brought from Ikea recently. These are real cuties and they seem to absorb the masala well.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Whole grain pasta, 1 packet.
2. Ripe Roma tomatoes, medium-size, 3.
3. Red onions, medium-size, 3.
4. Ginger-garlic paste, 1teaspoon.
5. Green chilies, 1-2.
6. Chili powder, ½ teaspoon.
7. Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon.
8. Turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon.
9. Garam masala, 1 teaspoon.
10. Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon.
11. Curry leaves and cilantro for garnishing.
12. Salt as per taste.
13. Fresh or frozen peas, 1/4 cup.

PREPARATION:
Cook the pasta according to package instructions and let it cool. Dice the onion and tomatoes and slit the green chilies into 2. Heat a pan with 2 teaspoons of oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the fennel seeds and fry for 2 seconds. Add the curry leaves and onions and sauté for a few minutes until the onions turn translucent. Now add the ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, peas, and green chilies and sauté for a few more minutes until everything is blended. Add the chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and salt and mix well. Cook closed under low flame for 5 minutes until the raw smell of the spices goes and the mixture turns into a saucy texture. Now add chopped cilantro and pasta and mix everything. Let is sit for 5 minutes and serve hot.





With the same recipe, substitute the pasta with any leftover crusty bread and you have spicy masala bread, an idea evening tiffin with tea.

MUSHROOM AND PEAS MASALA GRAVY

MUSHROOM AND PEAS MASALA / GRAVY

Mushroom and peas masala is a simple gravy I make to go as a side dish for chapathis or idlis and dosas. The flavor builds up slowly as the ingredients are added by one slowly and gets cooked. To add some thickness to the gravy I usually add some ground small onions along with a few spices. A very spicy and tasty gravy ideal for weekend meals.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Onion, medium size, 1.
2. Roma tomatoes, 2.
3. Button mushrooms, 1 small packet.
4. Fresh or frozen peas, ½ cup.
5. Curry leaves, a few.
6. Cilantro, for garnishing.
7. Salt, as per taste.
8. Garam masala, ½ teaspoon.
9. Turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon.
10. Chili powder, 1-1/2 teaspoons.
11. Coriander powder, 2 teaspoons.
12. Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon.

To grind:
1. Small onions, 2.
2. Ginger, a small piece.
3. Garlic 3 cloves.

PREPARATION:
Grind the required ingredients into a smooth paste and keep aside. Dice the onion and tomatoes into small pieces. The mushrooms can be thinly sliced or quartered. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the fennel seeds and fry for a few seconds. Then add the diced onions and curry leaves and sauté for a few minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the turmeric powder and diced tomatoes and keep sautéing until everything is blended. Add the ground paste now and keep frying until oil oozes out from the mixture. (Note that the ground paste must completely lose its raw flavor at this point). At this stage, add the chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala along with the salt and keep frying everything under medium flame for 2 minutes until the spices lose their raw smell. Another teaspoon of oil can be added to fry the spices more quickly. Add the sliced mushrooms and peas and add enough water to cover everything, and let it simmer for 10 minutes until the mushrooms and peas are cooked. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with rice, chapathis, idlis, or dosas.