Tanka Torani with Foxtail Millet (Refreshing Drink - Odisha Fusion style)

 

          Tanka Torani is a rice based refreshing drink from the Indian state of Odisha.  However, I gave a twist to the original recipe by substituting rice with Foxtail Millet. Hence it is diabetic friendly and can be relished guilt free. 

           The recipe of Foxtail Millet Tanka Torani is very simple. The consistency of this pro biotic drink is watery. However, adjust it according to your preference. It is ideal to prepare this drink in large quantities and refrigerate it to be consumed as and when desired to beat the summer heat. It tastes just awesome and so refreshing. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this soul satisfying drink. 

                 Millets in general are very popular these days. This wonder grain is both diabetic and heart friendly. It is a great substitute to rice and has a lot of health benefits and antioxidants. 

                  It helps in reducing blood sugar levels, has healthy carbs, dietary fiber, calcium, iron, etc. So do try this amazing drink this summer and introduce something new to your dear ones. 

• 1 cup cooked Foxtail Millet
• 4-5 cups water or as required
• 2-3 tbsp. yoghurt
• 2-3 kaffir lemon leaves
• 2 green chilies
• 1/2" mango ginger / ginger
• handful of coriander leaves & mint leaves 
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• salt to taste
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• lemon slices, green chilies, Kaffir lime leaves, coriander leaves & a pinch of roasted cumin powder to garnish

          Ferment the cooked millet in plenty of water overnight. Then strain it. Keep aside the water to be used later. 

          In a mixer jar, blend the strained millet along with yoghurt, coriander-mint leave, kaffir lime leaves, green chilies, mango ginger / ginger, salt and roasted cumin powder. 

          Add the strained water and some lime juice to the paste. Mix well. Garnish with slices of lime, green chilies, kaffir lime leaves, coriander leaves and a sprinkle of roasted cumin powder. 

          Pour in small earthen pots or glasses and enjoy. It tastes just awesome and so refreshing. 

Note - 

1.  You can also add a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida to the final product. However, it is purely optional.

                        Ferment the cooked millet in plenty of water overnight. Then strain it. 

                        Keep aside the water to be used later. 

                      Blend the strained millet along with yoghurt, coriander-mint leave, kaffir

                      lime leaves, green chilies, mango ginger, salt & roasted cumin powder. 

                        Add the strained water and some lime juice to the paste. Mix well. 

                        Garnish with slices of lime, green chilies, kaffir lime leaves, coriander 

                         leaves and a sprinkle of roasted cumin powder. 

                  Pour in earthen pots or glasses & enjoy. Tastes just awesome & so refreshing. 

Foxtail Millet Lemon Rice

 

            Looking for a quick meal that is both healthy and nutritious? Then this South Indian recipe of  FOXTAIL MILLET LEMON RICE is just for you, where I substituted rice with millet. Very yummy and easy to prepare, this diabetic friendly dish can be served for breakfast, lunch / dinner, evening snack or as a lunch box meal. So it is a great option to use up any leftover cooked millet. This is my take on this comforting South Indian breakfast. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          Millets in general are very popular these days. This wonder grain is both diabetic and heart friendly. It is a great substitute to rice and has a lot of health benefits and antioxidants. It helps in reducing blood sugar levels, has healthy carbs, dietary fiber, calcium, iron, etc. So do try this amazing and wholesome millet recipe and introduce something new to your dear ones. 

          Easy, hassle free and simple to prepare, it is ideal when you run out off time or when you have those hungry pangs. This recipe can be considered as a wholesome meal. You can serve as it is or with pickle, coconut chutney, chips, papad or fryums.

• 1/2 cup Foxtail Millet, Soaked for 15-20 minutes
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2-3 whole dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp.  asafoetida (hing)
• salt to taste
• juice of half lemon or to taste
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Pressure cook the soaked Foxtail Millet in 1 cup water for 2-3 whistles. Once it has cooled down, then fluff it up with a fork and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a wok / pan and temper with red chili and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add urad dal, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the roasted peanuts, turmeric powder and asafoetida. Mix well. Next add the cooked millet and salt. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes on a medium flame. 

          Switch off the flame and then add the lemon juice and give it a toss. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve just as it is or with papad / chips for a great comfort meal.
     

                       Heat oil & temper with red chilies& mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, 

                       add urad dal, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                              Add roasted peanuts, turmeric powder & asafoetida. Mix well.

                       Add the cooked millet & salt. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes on a medium flame. 

                              Switch off the flame & then add the lemon juice & give it a toss. 

                                  Garnish with coriander leaves.

                             Serve just as it is or with papad / chips for a great comfort meal.
     

Zafrani Chicken

 

           If you wish to give a bit of a Royal touch to your dish, then go ahead and prepare this delicacy which is a must try. It is very delicious, divine and apt to be served on special occasions. The addition of cashew nuts gives a nice creamy texture to the gravy along with the rich aroma coming from the saffron. 

           This particular recipe is cooked in a milk-saffron based gravy and is relished with steamed rice, plain biryani, naan or tandoori roti. So check out a quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this exotic Mughlai dish.

 

• 500 gms. Chicken with bones, curry cut
• 3-4 tbsp. ghee
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 large cardamom
• 4 cloves
• 2 whole dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, sliced
• 8-10 cashew nuts
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 turmeric powder salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. roasted kasuri methi, crushed
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp. saffron
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves

                    In a small small, mix together ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices (except garam masala powder and kasuri methi). Keep aside. Soak the saffron in the milk. Keep aside. 

                    Heat 1 tsp. ghee in a pan / kadai and sauté the onion till light brown. Keep aside to cool. Then grind along with the cashew nuts and 1/4 cup water into a smooth paste. Keep aside.

                    Heat remaining ghee and temper with the bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon, both the cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                    Now add the chicken and fry till light brown. Add the spice paste and continue to stir fry for 1-2 minutes. 

                     Then add the onion-cashew paste and sauté on a low to medium flame for a couple of minutes. 

                     Add the saffron milk and cook, covered till the chicken is cooked and the oil separates. 

                     Now add the garam masala and kasuri methi. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice, plain biryani, pulao, naan, tandoori roti, paratha or phulka. 

Maharashtrian Garlic Chutney

 

            This hot and spicy 'Garlic Chutney' in the Maharashtrian style is a must have with Vada Pav. They compliment each other very well, without which, it simply tastes insipid. It is sprinkled between the pav halves along with the vada, green chutney and tamarind sweet chutney. 

          This yummy dry chutney can be prepared  in large quantities and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for a couple of days. I sometimes use it to garnish my curries, dal or simply have it with hot steamed rice and ghee. It simply tastes divine. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 2-3 tbsp. garlic, chopped 
• 1 tsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut 
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1-2 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder 
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. dry mango powder

          Dry roast the sesame seeds and fresh coconut separately for a minute. Keep aside to cool.

  

          Heat 1 tsp. oil and sauté the chopped garlic till light brown. Keep aside to cool. Now grind the fried garlic, dry roasted coconut, roasted peanuts and dry roasted sesame seeds into a coarse powder. 

          Then add red chili powder, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder and amchur powder. Mix everything well and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week to ten days. 

          This chutney is a good accompaniment for vada pav. They can also be used for curries and dal. It tastes divine if had with hot steamed rice and ghee.

                                  Dry roast the sesame seeds 

                                 and fresh coconut separately for a minute. Keep aside to cool.

                          Heat 1 tsp. oil & sauté the garlic till light brown. Keep aside to cool. 

                          Grind the fried garlic, dry roasted coconut, roasted peanuts & dry 

                          roasted sesame seeds .....

                                  into a coarse powder. 

                       Add red chili powder, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder & amchur 

                       powder.

                       Mix well & store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week 

                       to ten days. 

                                  This chutney is a good accompaniment for vada pav. 

  They can also be used for curries & dal. It tastes divine if had with hot 

steamed rice and ghee.

Til Ki Chutney (Sesame Seeds Chutney - South Indian style)

 

          This yummy South Indian style chutney made of white sesame seeds is very easy and quick to prepare. It comes along with a tempering of few basic ingredients like whole red chili, mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and split black gram lentil. This elevates the chutney to a next level. 

          You can relish this nutty and creamy chutney or dip as a substitute to coconut chutney with any South Indian breakfast, such as, idli, dosa, vada, upma or pongal. It also goes well with paratha, bhajias, pakoras, kebabs or any other appetizers. So check out a quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1/2 cup sesame seeds (Til)
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• salt to taste 

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida

          Dry roast the sesame seeds for a few seconds. Keep aside to cool. Then grind along with the rest of the ingredients and some water (according to the consistency desired) into a fine paste. Transfer to a serving dish. 

         For the tempering - Heat oil in a pan and temper with red chili and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add rest of the ingredients and sauté for a few seconds. 

         Switch off the flame and pour this tempering on the prepared Til Ki Chutney. Serve with idli, dosa, upma, pongal, paratha, bhajias, pakoras, kebabs or any other appetizers.  

                     Dry roast the sesame seeds for a few seconds. Keep aside to cool. 

                  Grind with the rest of the ingredients & some water (according to the consistency                            desired) into a fine paste. Transfer to a serving dish. 

                    Heat oil & temper with red chili & mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

                     Add rest of the ingredients and sauté for a few seconds. 

                    Pour this tempering on the prepared Til Ki Chutney. 

                                  Serve with idli, dosa, upma, pongal, paratha, bhajias, pakoras, 

                                  kebabs or any other appetizers.