Foxtail Millet Cranberry Rice - South Indian style

 

           Looking for a quick meal that is both healthy and nutritious? Then this South Indian recipe of  FOXTAIL MILLET CRANBERRY 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. Enjoy just as it is or with pickle or papad for a comforting meal.

         This dish is a spicy and tangy millet recipe using cranberries that are naturally sour in taste. At times you can use lemon juice or tamarind pulp for more tanginess. It is also a perfect picnic meal that can be served with any chips or pickle. It is also a quick dish if you already have some cooked millet sitting in the refrigerator. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this wholesome one pot dish. 

          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, chips, papad or fryums.

          Cranberry, on the other hand, has a lot of healthy benefits. It is a rich source of vitamin E and C. It also prevents urinary problems, is good for the heart, lowers blood pressure, reduces inflammation, improves cholesterol, etc. 

• 1/2 cup Foxtail Millet, Soaked for 1-2 hours
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed & drained
• 1-2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1/2 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split green gram)
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal Gram)
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. roasted cashew nuts 
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the soaked Foxtail Millet in 1 cup water for 3-4 whistles. Once it has cooled down, then fluff it up with a fork and keep aside.

           Add the cranberries to a pan along with 1/4 cup water, a pinch of salt and 1 tsp. oil. 

          Simmer on a low to medium flame till all the water has evaporated. It should turn soft and mushy. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. 

          After it stops spluttering, add the dry red chili, peppercorns, urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the cooked millet, cranberry paste, salt to taste and cashew nuts. Mix everything well and sauté for 2 minutes.

          When done, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with papad, chips or fryums for a nice comforting breakfast / meal.

Add the cranberries to a pan along with 1/4 cup water, a pinch of salt & 1 tsp. oil. 

Simmer on a low to medium flame till all the water has evaporated. It should turn soft and mushy. Keep aside. 

         Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. 

After it stops spluttering, add the dry red chili, peppercorns, urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the cooked millet, cranberry paste, salt to taste & cashew nuts. Mix everything well & sauté for 2 minutes.

 When done, switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves. 

Serve with papad, chips or fryums for a nice comforting breakfast / meal.

Biuli Daler Borar Jhol (Urad Dal Pakoras in Gravy - Bong style)

 

           This is a traditional Bengali recipe where pakoras / fritters are made of soaked & ground urad dal and then made into a gravy. Typically, split urad dal is used. But I made use of urad dal with skin for additional fibre. The pakoras can also be prepared  of chana or masoor dal. This is a great comfort food and comes in handy when you run out of any veggies. 

          Besides eggplants, potatoes, ridge gourd, pointed gourd or bottle gourd can also be added to the gravy. This simple delicacy is usually relished with hot steamed rice. However, it can also be had with chapattis. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish. 

Pakora-

• 1/4 cup urad dal (black gram lentil with skin)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• pinch of baking soda
• oil to shallow / deep fry 

Gravy - 

• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 long eggplant, cut into 2" pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 small onion
• 1 tomato
• 1" ginger
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 2 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Soak the lentils for an hour. Wash, rinse and grind, using very little water into a smooth paste. 

          Blend together onion, ginger, garlic and tomato into a smooth paste and set aside.

          In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients listed under pakora (except oil) into a thick batter. 

          For the Pakoras - Heat oil in a pan and drop in small balls into the hot oil. Fry till light golden in color. Drain and keep aside. 

          For the gravy - Heat oil in a pan and sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder till they turn slightly brown. Keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and salt to taste. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add 2 cups water and bring it to a boil. Then add in the fried pakoras, fried eggplants and green chilies. 

          Cover and simmer on a low to medium flame for 4-5 minutes. (Let there be enough gravy as eventually the fritters will soak in most of it).

          When done, add the garam masala, ghee and coriander leaves. Give it a stir and serve with steamed rice or any flat Indian bread.

                      Soak the lentils for an hour. 

       Wash, rinse & grind, using very little water into a smooth paste. 

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under pakora (except oil) into a thick batter. 

                   Heat oil & drop in small balls into the hot oil. 

                    Fry till light golden in color. Drain & keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan & sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder till they turn slightly brown. Set aside. 

Temper the same oil with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the onion paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder & salt to taste. Sauté till the oil separates.

                    Add 2 cups water & bring it to a boil. 

Add in the fried pakoras, fried eggplants & green chilies. Cover & simmer on a low to medium flame for 4-5 minutes. (Let there be enough gravy as eventually the fritters will soak in most of it).

When done, add the garam masala, ghee & coriander leaves. Give it a stir.

                       Serve with steamed rice or any flat Indian bread.

Cranberry Dal (Vakkaya Pappu - Andhra style)

 

          Cranberry Dal or Vakkaya Pappu is a traditional Andhra delicacy prepared with tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil) and cranberries. It is a very healthy recipe as cranberries are full of antioxidants, rich in vitamin C, proteins, improves cholesterol, lowers blood pressure and prevents urinary tract infection among other benefits.  

          It is a very easy and a quick recipe. This tangy and spicy lentil curry goes best with hot steamed rice, a drizzle of some ghee and accompanied with papad. It can also be relished with Indian flat breads. It is pure divine and a great comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional comfort dish.

• 1/2 cup tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil)
• 1/3 cup cranberries, washed and rinsed
• 1-2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 green chilies
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 5-6 garlic cloves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Soak the dal for 30 minutes. Wash and rinse well. Then pressure cook the soaked dal and the cranberries along with green chilies, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt to taste in 2 cups water for 3-4 whistles or till soft. Mash well and keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan. Temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the dry red chilies, curry leaves, garlic and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the boiled dal and simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. Adjust the consistency by adding more water. 

          When done, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice and accompanied with papad for a divine comfort meal.

  

  

Soak the dal for 30 minutes. Wash & rinse well. Pressure cook the dal along with the cranberries, green chilies, turmeric powder, red chili powder & salt in 2 cups water for 3-4 whistles or till soft. 

                      Mash well and keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan. Temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds & fenugreek seeds.

After it stops spluttering, add the dry red chilies, curry leaves, garlic & asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the boiled dal & simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. Adjust the consistency by adding more water. 

                   When done, garnish with coriander leaves.

  

Serve with rice & accompanied with papad for a divine comfort meal.

Veg. Maki Sushi Rolls - Japanese style

 

          Japanese Cuisine is full of surprises and are basically simple and healthy. So check out these yummy and visually appealing Japanese Maki Sushi Rolls. Kids will enjoy if they are involved in making them. In fact, it is a best way to serve fussy kids with their favorite dips. They can be packed in their lunch box with their favorite stuffing. They will be a sure hit with them.

          These Maki Sushi Rolls are made with Sushi rice. Very few ingredients goes into making them. They can also be relished as appetizers, snacks or main course with soya sauce. For a change, I sprinkled some red chili flakes and pepper powder over the boiled rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of these yummy Veggie Maki Sushi Rolls. 

            

          Cooked sushi rice which is sticky and seaweeds are the two main ingredients in this recipe. However, in the absence of the former, I used Egyptian rice. They came out perfect. 

          Seaweed is widely used by the Japanese and the Chinese as well. It contains a lot of minerals, nutrients, iodine, calcium, is low in calories and helps in purifying the blood. So it is highly recommended for a well balanced diet. You can make various dishes with it. 

          

• 1 cup Sushi / Egyptian rice
• 1 & 1/4 cup water
• 3 nori sheets
• mixed veggies (capsicum, spring onion, cucumber, carrot, red & yellow bell pepper), juliennes
• 2 tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• mayonnaise as required
• tomato sauce as required
• pinch of pepper powder
• pinch of red chili flakes
• soya sauce to serve

          Wash the soaked rice 3-4 times or until the water comes out clean. Then soak in fresh water for 30 minutes. Drain well and keep aside.

          In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the drained rice and simmer, covered on a low flame for 12-15 minutes. Set aside and let it sit covered for 10 minutes. 

          In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar and salt. Add this mixture to the cooked rice and combine well. Keep it covered. 

          Take a sushi (bamboo) mat and place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands and spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. 

          Sprinkle some red chili flakes / pepper powder over it. Then add some mayonnaise / tomato sauce place, followed by some of the stuffing.

          Now with the help of the sushi mat roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

          Once done, transfer to a chopping board and cut them into equal size portions by cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

          Serve immediately with soya sauce and tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course. 

Mixed veggies (capsicum, spring onion, cucumber, carrot, red & yellow bell pepper), juliennes.

Wash the soaked rice 3-4 times or until the water comes out clean. Then soak in fresh water for 30 minutes. Drain well & keep aside. In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, sugar & salt. Add this mixture to the cooked rice & combine well. Keep it covered. 

Take a sushi (bamboo) mat & place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands & spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. Sprinkle some red chili flakes over it. Then add some mayonnaise,

                     followed by some of the stuffing.

Now with the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

Take a sushi (bamboo) mat & place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands & spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. Sprinkle some pepper powder over it. Then add some tomato sauce,

                    followed by some of the stuffing.

With the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

Transfer to a chopping board & cut them into equal size portions by cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

Serve immediately with soya sauce & tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course.