Beetroot Curd Rice

 

            There is nothing like having a bowl of this humble Beetroot curd rice for a simple lunch when time is a constraint. It is not only wholesome, colorful and soothing to your tummy, but it also tastes yummy with any pickle of your choice, papad or chips. A little bit of curry leaves podi or any gun powder sprinkled over it does wonders to this lovely dish. It is simply divine. In fact I can have it everyday and this happens to be one of my comfort food and it tops the list. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing one-pot meal.

• 1 cup cooked rice, mashed
• 3 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 whole dry red chilies
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. urad dal 
• 1 tbsp. tuvar dal / chana dal
• 1/2 tsp. whole peppercorns
• pinch of asafoetida
• 2 tbsp. beetroot, grated
• 1 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Mix the rice with the yoghurt, salt and water. Set aside.

          Heat oil in a tadka pan and temper with whole dry red chilies, mustard seeds, urad dal, tuvar dal, green chilies, curry leaves, asafoertida and peppercorns. Sauté till the mustard seeds stops crackling.

          Then add the ginger and beetroot. Sauté for a few more seconds.  

          Pour this tempering over the beetroot curd rice. Mix well.

          Add the roasted peanuts and chopped coriander leaves. Give it a stir. 

          Serve as it is or with papad, chips or pickle for a wholesome and a heathy one-pot meal / breakfast. 

                  Mix the rice with the yoghurt, salt

                 and water. Set aside.

Heat oil in a tadka pan & temper with whole dry red chilies, mustard seeds, urad dal, tuvar dal, green chilies, curry leaves, asafoertida & peppercorns. Sauté till the mustard seeds stops crackling.

                   Then add the ginger 

                 and beetroot. Sauté for a few more seconds.  

                   Pour this tempering over the beetroot curd rice. 

                         Mix well.

 Add the roasted peanuts & chopped coriander leaves. Give it a stir. 

Serve as it is or with papad, chips or pickles for a wholesome & a heathy one-pot meal / breakfast. 

Lauki Paratha (Bottlegourd Paratha / Indian Flat Bread)

 

          Lauki Paratha with some pickle or yoghurt is a very good combination for a weekend breakfast. Healthy and nutritious, it is also a perfect snack recipe and an ideal lunch box meal for young and old alike. It tastes absolutely yummy with rich creamy yoghurt or any type of pickle you fancy, homemade or store bought. Do not forget to serve with few sliced onion and green chilies for that extra kick and as it goes well with this sumptuous paratha. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

          This version of Lauki Paratha is an easier method as the grated lauki is directly mixed with whole wheat flour and rest of the ingredients and kneaded into a dough. There is another method where the grated lauki is stuffed into the dough and then rolled into parathas. You can choose whichever is best suited. 

• 2 cups lauki (bottlegourd), grated
• 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. carom seeds
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• oil to shallow fry

          In a mixing bowl, add all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil to shallow fry) and give it a nice mix. 

          Add water, if needed and knead it into a soft dough. Smear a tsp. of oil over it and keep aside, covered, for 10-15 minutes. 

          Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll out each portion into a paratha by dusting some flour. 

          Heat a tawa and roast the parathas, one at a time, on both sides. Then apply some oil and fry till golden brown. 

          Fry the remaining parathas in the similar way. Serve hot with pickle or yoghurt for a wholesome meal. 

In a mixing bowl, add all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil to shallow fry) and give it a nice mix. 

Add water, if needed  knead it into a soft dough. Smear a tsp. of oil over it & keep aside, covered, for 10-15 minutes. 

Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll out each portion into a paratha by dusting some flour. 

            Heat a tawa & roast the parathas, one at a time, on both sides. 

                Then apply some oil and fry till golden brown. 

                   Fry the remaining parathas in the similar way. 

               Serve hot with pickle or yoghurt for a wholesome meal. 

Kanda Poha (Flattened Rice Pulao / Pilaf - Maharashtrian Breakfast Recipe)

 

            Poha is a traditional Maharashtrian breakfast, very common in almost every household. Very light and nutritious, it can be relished as an evening tea-time snack or as a lunch box meal. It tastes awesome with a drizzle of some pickle oil or green chutney as an accompaniment.

          It is also a very easy and a quick recipe. For a more healthier version, red poha or brown poha are recommended. So check out this easy and simple step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish.

• 2 cups brown / white poha, washed and drained
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

              Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida.  After it stops spluttering, add the onion, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, salt and turmeric powder. Sauté till the onions turns light brown.

             Now add the poha and roasted peanuts. Sprinkle some water and sauté for 2-3  minutes on a low to medium flame. 

             When done, add chopped coriander leaves and lime juice. Give it a toss and serve as a wholesome and a healthy breakfast.

                                  Washed & drained poha.

                   Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds & asafoetida. 

                            Then add onion, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, salt 

                           turmeric powder. Sauté till the onions turns light brown.

                     Now add the poha &roasted peanuts. Sprinkle some water &

                     sauté for 2-3  minutes on a low to medium flame. 

                       When done, add coriander leaves & lime juice. Give it a toss.

                               Serve as a wholesome and a healthy breakfast.

Foxtail Millet Curd Rice

 

             You must've heard of curd rice. However, check out this diabetic friendly FOXTAIL MILLET CURD RICE, where I simply replaced the rice. There is nothing like having a bowl of this humble dish for a simple comforting lunch when time is a constraint. 

             This amazing dish is not only wholesome and soothing to your tummy, but it also tastes yummy with some pickle of your choice, fried curd chilies and fryums / papad. You can also add some roasted peanuts / cashew nuts for some crunch. A little bit of gun powder (idli podi) sprinkled over it does wonders to this lovely dish. It is simply divine. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this comforting dish. 

• 1/3 cup foxtail millet, soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1-2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp, ginger, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. split black gram lentil (urad dal)
• salt to taste
• 1-2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Wash the soaked millet twice and drain well. Add 1 & 1/4 cup water and salt to taste. Cook for 5-6 whistles and keep aside to cool. Then mash well with the back of the spoon.

           Now add yoghurt and give it a mix. Add the roasted peanuts to it and keep aside. 

           Heat oil in a kadai / pan and temper with whole dry red chilies and mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

          Now add the curry leaves, urad dal and ginger. Sauté for a few seconds and switch off the flame. 

          Pour this tempering over the foxtail millet-curd mix and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with pickle, fried curd chilies and fryums / papad.

                                 Add soaked millet, 1 & 1/4 cup water & salt to taste. 

                                 Cook for 5-6 whistles & keep aside to cool.

                                 Then mash well with the back of the spoon.

                                 Now add yoghurt.

                                 Give it a mix. 

                                 Add the roasted peanuts to it and keep aside. 

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

                            Add curry leaves, urad dal, asafoetida & ginger. Sauté for a few

                            seconds and switch off the flame. 

                                Pour this tempering over the foxtail millet-curd mix.

                          Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with pickle, fried curd chilies 

                          and fryums / papad.