Pearl Millet(Jowar) Vegetable Stew.And the winners...

Contrary to the dull,bone-chilling and lifeless weather outside, this heartwarming invigorating stew is just what one needs to drive the winter blues away.



Pearl Millet is another hearty whole grains like barley or farro,that is ideal for making wholesome stews that is all-vegan.To get the best of the flavor,the stew needs to be cooked at low heat and vegetables should be added when millet is almost tender,so the vegetables still retain there crunchiness and color.
Recipe: Pearl Millet(Jowar) Vegetable Stew
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
1 cup Pearl Millet
1 large onion,finely chopped
1 plum tomato,finely chopped
1/2 pound of fresh or frozen vegetables,chopped(Carrots,peppers,broccoli and others of choice)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger,finely grated
2 cloves garlic,finely grated
1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder or cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
Fresh herbs for garnish(Parsley,cilantro or baby fenugreek/methi)

Method
Rinse Pearl Millet in cold water and set aside.
Heat the oil on medium heat in a large pot or skillet. Add the onions ,saute for 2 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic,ginger,tomatoes ,turmeric and chili powder.Add the Millet,saute for 3-4 minutes,then add 3 cups of water.Cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes until slightly tender to touch,then add the chopped mushrooms and simmer another 10-15 minutes on low heat vegetables and millet are tender.Serve warm with some fried onions.
You can also use a slow cooker and cook for 2-3 hours or a pressure cooker takes about 25-30 minutes on medium-low heat.Be sure to add vegetables when the millet is almost tender.


The recipe is my entry for this weeks' Weekend Herb Blogging #266,hosted by Cinzia from Cindystar

Dr.Axe's Real Food Diet Cookbook Giveaway

The winners have been chosen:

1.Jennifurla
2.Zanjabil
3.RARA - AVIS

Congratulations !! Please contact me(at YasmeenHealthnut@gmail.com) in next 7 days to receive your free copy.

Barley Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Herb-Ginger Sauce

Savoy Cabbage

It's not fair when a nutritious vegetable like Cabbage gets a bad rap for the stink.Did you know,cooking with aromatic spices and herbs considerably reduces the odor while cooking cabbage?.And most importantly over cooking should be avoided with cabbage.
Cabbage was never a hostile vegetable in my family,in fact the way mom used to cook the vegetables ,enriching with herbs and spices,all the strange odor was pleasantly masked.So if you have been avoiding the vegetable for this reason,try the flavorful way of cooking the cabbage,that might just change your view of the healthy vegetable.



The antioxidant rich member of cruciferous family of vegetables,Savoy cabbage, is the frilly kind of cabbage,its large outer leaves are perfect for the rolls.And the inner core is excellent for the coleslaw.


The mellow stuffing consists of wholesome barley(you could use any other whole grain - freekeh,whole millet,brown rice or broken wheat),bell peppers,onions and spices.The wilted leaves are rolled with the stuffing ,then can be steamed and drizzled with the herb-ginger sauce or cooked with the sauce,which ever method works.I for one,used the former method.

Recipe : Barley Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Herb-Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
12-14 large outer leaves of Green or Savoy Cabbage
1/4 teaspoon salt.

For Stuffing
2 cups barley,cooked
2 cups of bell peppers(red or green or orange or all),sliced
1 medium onion ,sliced
1 teaspoon spice mix(I used ground cumin,coriander,cinnamon and cloves)
1 clove garlic,chopped
1/2 inch ginger root,minced
1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoon canola oil

Method
Wilt the leaves in salted boiling water for a 4-5 minutes.Drain and drop in cold water to stop any further cooking.Drain all the water.

Heat the oil on high and saute the onions and sliced peppers,for 4-5 minutes.Add the garlic,ginger,salt and rest of the spices.Cook for 2-3 minutes.Mix in the barley ,turn off the heat.

Start rolling the leaves,place about a tablespoon of filling on each leaf,roll up firmly,folding in sides to enclose filling.

Steam the rolls in a bamboo or other kind of steamer until soft 8-10 minutes.Then to serve ,drizzle with the herb-ginger sauce.

If you don't use the steamer.Pour the herb-ginger sauce over the rolls and cook in covered skillet for 8-10 minutes or bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes.


Herb-Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
2 cups of fresh herbs and greens(I used spinach,mint and cilantro)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger,minced
1 medium onion,finely chopped
1 hot pepper(green chilli or jalapeno),seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon spice mix(I used ground cumin,coriander,cinnamon and cloves)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon canola oil

Method
Saute the onions in oil until lightly browned,add the spices,greens and herbs.Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes.Blend for smooth sauce.Use as directed in the above recipe.



The rolls are sent to the CWF - Whole grains : Barley event.And also the real food event,Two for Tuesdays.

In case you missed ,get more recipe ideas of Cabbage and other Cruciferous vegetables.

Flatulence Fixes and Mint Tea

Needless to say,flatulence is not a pleasant topic to discuss,but its normal to pass gas.In general there are many reasons for excess flatulence :
*Poor eating habits like not chewing food properly,eating or drinking rapidly ,eating at odd hours(like late night dinner),or too much in one meal.
*Eating some kind of foods like beans ,cabbage, broccoli,cauliflower and whole grains
*Unbalanced diet ,like high protein or high fat can slow digestion causing gas.
*Stale foods or processed foods
*Intolerance to lactose(present in milk)

As we age the body's digestion becomes less efficient and the foods which once caused no annoying discomfort can become the most avoided.Especially true with milk,beans and some vegetables.To treat excess flatulence one could change the poor eating habits,eating slowly and smaller meals,look for alternatives in case of lactose intolerance,but should you give up heart healthy fiber-rich foods too? Not necessarily.Try simple changes in diet and some home remedies before giving up on the gas causing food :
1.Cook Right
When using beans,remember to soak them thoroughly overnight and discarding all the water before cooking them to remove some of the gas causing raffinose sugars.Eat them fresh(consume the day you prepare them).Cook with fresh ginger and spices like cinnamon,caraway seeds(shah zeera) and carom seeds(Ajwain) than can aid in digestion.Similarly spice up the vegetables that cause more gas than others.

2.Hydrate
Drink good amount of water during the day.About 8-10 glasses.Water helps dissolve fiber.

3Be regular
Constipation can add to the problem.Be regular to keep the digestive tract fully functional.Probiotic yogurt can be very helpful.

4.Exercise
Regular yoga exercises can relax the bowl muscles and improve digestion.Learn a few here.

5.Herbal teas
Mint is my favorite herb that's well known to not just freshen the breath but also reduce flatulence.I use fresh mint for the tea.


To make Fresh Mint Tea : Blend 2 cups of fresh mint leaves with 1/2 cup of warm water until smooth.This is concentrated mint liquid.Mix 2 tablespoon of concentrated mint liquid with a cup of water and drink after a meal.Store the concentrated mint liquid in fridge for up to a week.Dilute and drink when ever needed.


Ginger
Ginger is a great aid in digestion can also relief flatulence.Find the ginger tea recipe here.

Other spices and herbs
Whole Cinnamon,Fennel seeds,Fenugreek(Methi) seeds or leaves and carom seeds can also be brewed for 5-10 minutes and consumed warm 2-3 times a day for an some relief.

If the problem of excess flatulence persists despite the changes then Medical advice is necessary.

I'm submitting the post as part of Home remedies at A2ZVegetarian Cuisine.The above herbal teas are good for people all age groups,also for kids(above age 4).


What's your best tried and worked remedy for flatulence ?

Herbs Barley Lentil Dosa with Almond Sesame Chutney

There are infinite variations to a Dosa.Too bad only one was posted.A poor performing blender kept me from making dosas for long.That changed after buying the Vitamix.Now I can make Dosa at ease in unlimited varieties.

This combination Dosa with Barley,lentils and Herbs like Methi and Spinach, no fermentation required ,is the one I'm making more often for weekend brunches.

Recipe : Herbs Barley Lentil Dosa
Makes a dozen large dosas
Ingredients
1 cup Barley ,hulled
1/2 cup Yellow Mung dal(lentil)
1/2 cup white Urad dal(lentil)
1 inch ginger root ,peeled and chopped
1/2 cup fresh Methi(fenugreek) leaves
1 cup Spinach
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoon Canola Oil

Method
Soak barley and the lentils in water over night.
Drain all the water.Transfer in a wet grinder ,add the greens,salt and ginger.Add 1/2 cup of water and grind it smooth.Add another cup of water through the grinding process until the batter is little runny,as the pancake batter.
Heat the non stick pan on medium high. Pour one ladle of batter right in the middle. Spread by making circles. let cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip and let cook for another minute.Sprinkle some finely chopped onions and serve warm with chutney.

Brown Sesame Almond Parsley Chutney\Spread

Same with the chutneys,since Vitamix has made the job simpler,I'm on chutney spree.
Brown sesame seeds need to rinsed and toasted before grinding for best results of smoother spread\chutney .

Recipe : Almond Sesame Chutney
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients
3/4 cup Brown sesame seeds
1/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup fresh Parsley(or used cilantro or mint)
Freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 a lemon
2-4 dried red chillies(or use any kind of hot chili peppers dry or fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold water
Method
Using a fine mesh strainer,rinse the sesame seeds under cold running water.Drain all water.Let sit for about 30 minutes.
Heat a pan on medium.Toast the seeds until all dry and toasted,add the almonds and chillies in to the pan during last 2 minutes.
Transfer in a grinder,cover and run the machine until coarsely ground.Then add the water,greens,lemon juice and salt,and grind until smooth.Store in clean air tight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.Perfect on sandwiches,burgers , dosa or with Brown rice.
The chutney is my entry for Priya's Cooking with Seeds: Sesame

Berry Green Smoothie and meet our new love.

Swindled in bargain,I have had it with the "Ordinary",none were dependable for more than a year.Say Hello to the ,Robust, Capable, Reliable,befitting a health nut's cautious diet,just the companion I was looking for.A dream kitchen machine ,that can juice,cook,freeze ,blend and grind,with endless possibilities of whipping up good food fast,its the Vita-mix. The machine was in my wish list for long since I reviewed the Ice dream Cookbook,that mentions the amazing power of Vita mix to create a fresh and healthy home made Ice creams.Then Bharti's impressive review added to the desire while confirming the capabilities of the machine.And an equally impressive demo of the machine at Costco,also got someone keenly interested,Mr.Health nut.Glad we shared the same desire,brought the beauty home.Its been working wonders so far.The smoothies are the easiest ,just about any kind of fruit and vegetable can be blended to a tasty concoction.



The Berry Green Smoothie
Green is always associated with good health.All the green foods are the best nutritionally ,although not always favorable taste-wise.That's were the Vita mix makes the difference by perfectly blending the greens with the fruits,for an irresistible smoothie each time.Following is just one sample of green mixed with fruits and vegetable,one can use any combination of greens(like kale,chard,collards) with ripe fruits. A smoothie like such with fruits,greens and vegetables all in one,can deliciously fulfill the body daily need of vital nutrients.

Ingredients
Serves 3
1 Ripe Avocado,cored and peeled
2 cups baby spinach(can also use 4-5 leaves of Kale or collards)
1 cup frozen berries( I used cranberries)
1 Organic Apples,cored and diced
1 teaspoon ginger,freshly grated
few sprigs of parsley
1 cup cold water

Method
Rinse the greens in cold water.For Organic fruits just rinse under tap water.The guide in Vitamix recommends washing the fruits and veggies with specially formulated soap to wash away all the pesticides.
Cut as needed and blend all the ingredients together in the Vita mix from low to high speed until smooth,takes about a minute.



The smoothie is my entry for 5 star make over : smoothies and shakes

Orange Ginger Drink

Berries are gone,Oranges seem like the only vitamin C rich fruit that survives through the frigid season.Orange is often recommended while recovering from a seasonal sickness for its richness in antioxidants

Not just when sick,the Orange Ginger Drink is a rejuvenating anytime drink ,that might even drive away the winter blues.Blending the Orange with the pulp adds fiber.And ginger gives a zing besides enhancing the nutrition.


Orange peel

Don't dispose the peel of the oranges,it has many good uses.I use the peel in the drink,which in some studies have shown to lower cholesterol.

Recipe: Orange Ginger Drink
Serves 3
Ingredients
3 Oranges
Peel of 1/2 an orange without the white rind (or about 1 teaspoon orange zest)
1 teaspoon ginger,freshly grated
1/2 cup fruit puree(I used peach puree)

Method
Rinse the oranges in warm water to get rid of any pesticides.Dry with kitchen towel.To peel the Orange,use a sharp knife to thinly cut through the skin without any white pith.Too much peel can make the drink bitter,so just use a little in the beginning and add more as per your taste.
Halve the oranges.Keep one halve on the cutting board and cut the top and then the sides along the white rind.Repeat same with all of the oranges.Cut in quarters and blend them together with rest of the ingredients in a powerful blender until smooth.I prefer the drink at room temperature during the cold season and chilled in summers.


Health nut Challenge 3 :Healing foods - please share your creations.Rules of the event.

Mini Gingerbread House

Daring Bakers's Project Gingerbread House ,was it a success?Pretty much.I did aim for a bigger gingerbread house that collapsed to my utter disappointment;reason - the glue wasn't strong enough.Raw Eggs Royal Icing wasn't an option for me.Looking for suitable alternatives I choose the Simple syrup(melted sugar). Though the hot melted sugar couldn't hold the big house but worked perfectly with the mini counterparts.Simple syrup is really hot,take utmost care when using it.If that sounds risky then go for the much safer and decadent,melted dark chocolate glue.Be sure to freeze ,as you glue each pieces together,it has to work with the mini houses(I haven't tried with bigger size though).
And don't be afraid to mix in some whole grains in your edible abodes and remember only fresh ginger,not canned or powdered.The fresh ginger combined with the cinnamon in the dough,gives the best aroma on baking.And lastly use Organic where ever possible.

The December 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes.



Recipe Wholegrain Mini gingerbread house
Makes 5-6 Mini gingerbread houses(Approx. dimensions 2x2 inches).
Ingredients
2 cups Whole grain pastry flour
1/2 cup Organic Butter,softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
1 teaspoon spice mix(I used ground cinnamon and cloves)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup warm water.

Method
Prepare the dough
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the ginger and spice mix.In another bigger bowl,mix dough,spice mix and soda.Add the warm water to the dough and make a stiff dough. If necessary add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Chill for an hour.

Cut out the Templates
You don't have to be an architect to design a template.Draw the intended size of the pieces on a poster board or card board.Requires 2 front pieces,2 for the sides and 2 for the roof.Cut out along the patterns ,don't forget to include the door and windows.

Cut and Bake
Roll the dough and cut along the cut out patterns .Place on a large baking sheet.Any scraps saved, re roll at the end.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cookie dough feels firm. After baking, again place the pattern on top of the gingerbread and trim the shapes, cutting the edges with a straight-edged knife. Leave to cool on the baking sheet.

Eggless Gluing options
1.Hot melted sugar(WARNING : Not safe for working with kids):Melt about 2 tablespoon of brown or white sugar in a small saucepan until dark and bubbly(single thread stage) about 5-6 minutes on medium heat.Very carefully dip and coat the sides of the baked pieces of the house and attach together,use a can for support until the sugar sets.Begin with front and side piece,followed by the back and the other side.Then finally the roof.Work promptly before the sugar solidifies,you can the sugar warm on low heat until finished using it.
For the pretzel decor,coat the sides of pretzels with the melted sugar and place over the roof or sides.


2.Melted Dark chocolate : Chop and melt about 3 ounces of dark chocolate,in a microwave or double broiler.Stir to melt completely.Brush the melted chocolate over the edges of the baked pieces of the house.Glue 2 pieces of the base first, transfer in freezer to chill for 3-4 minutes until chocolate sets.Next join the other 2 pieces of the base,chill and finally join the pieces of roof over the base and chill again until set.
For Sprinkling any chopped nuts ,brush some melted chocolate and sprinkle the nuts over the roof.For the chocolate bricks,glue the chopped pieces of the dark chocolate with melted chocolate along the sides of the house.
Any remaining chopped nuts and melted chocolate can be mixed together ,transfer on parchment paper and chill for 2-3 minutes,place around the house.


Peek in other creative edible abodes at daring bakers blog roll.

Gingerbread Pancakes with Pomegranate Syrup

Fresh Ginger is an essential ingredient in almost all of my everyday savory dishes.As fabulous as its health benefits are ,ginger is superb in variety of cooking,even in desserts.Gingerbread Cookies with hint of fresh ginger are adored favorites.
These fascinating pancakes with peppery and lemony flavors of fresh ginger and drizzle of light pomegranate syrup,would make any breakfast a treat.Ideally served with pure maple syrup,is also perfect with the pomegranate syrup.Besides ginger,the molasses is the next unique component in these pancakes.

Molasses,the healthy Sweetener


A byproduct of sugar processing,the molasses is rich in iron and calcium ,its another healthy sweetener that works fantastically in baked goodies.Substitute molasses for sugar. One cup of molasses equals 3/4 cup of sugar.



Adapted from Kevin's Original recipe
Makes about 6-8 medium pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour(fine ground)
1 teaspoon baking powder(alum free)
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup skimmed milk
1 Organic egg
2 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon Organic butter,melted

Method
Sift together the flour, baking powder,cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl.In another bowl,whisk egg along with milk ,molasses,brown sugar and ginger . Mix both wet and dry mixtures.
Heat non stick pan on medium flame. Grease it lightly with oil . Ladle about 3 tablespoon of the batter onto pan for each pancake. Cook until the top is bubbly and bottom is dark brown, flip, and continue cooking for about 30 seconds.Repeat the same for the rest of the batter.serve with pure maple syrup or light Pomegranate syrup.


Light Pomegranate Syrup
Bring 2 cups of good quality pomegranate juice to a slow boil with 2 tablespoon of light brown sugar or 1 tablespoon of Agave nectar.Now stir in a teaspoon of Organic corn starch in a 2 teaspoon of water and pour it in the cooking pomegranate mixture while stirring constantly.Cook for a minute and turn off the heat.Serve the syrup with pancakes .




The recipe is my entry for Tried and Tasted,the featured blog of the month is Kevin's Closet cooking and the host is Hema of Salt 2 Taste

South Indian Style Spicy Pumpkin Chutney. Hosting WHB # 206

The hot chutney is reminiscent of the Spicy South Indian cuisine.The intense flavors from the chili peppers and the fresh spices gives the bland pumpkins a whole new makeover.Adjust the quantity of spices and make it milder or hotter.With the abundance of fresh autumn pumpkins the chutney turned out to be one of the absolute tasty eats of the season.
Recipeadapted from Anudivya's Roasted Pie-Pumpkin chutney
Ingredients
2 cups fresh Pumpkin Puree
1 small plum tomato,finely hopped (optional)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 green chillies or any other hot pepper
1 clove garlic,minced
1/2 inch ginger root,minced
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala (blend of cumin,coriander,cloves,cinnamon,bay leaf and cardamom)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon Extra virgin olive oil or Canola oil

Method
Heat the oil in deep pan or kadai on medium heat.Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds,after a minute when seeds starts to splutter,add the chillies,minced ginger and garlic,saute for a minute or two then add the tomatoes and rest of the spices.Cover and Cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy 4-5 minutes.Now mix in the pumpkin puree ,let cook for another 5-6 minutes.Blend in processor for smoother texture,this is optional I did not blend mine.Serve with plain brown rice ,flat bread ,mix in pasta,Dosa,Idli or spread on sandwiches.The chutney can be stored in clean air tight container in refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.


I'll be hosting the Weekend Herb Blogging for the week.Share your unusual delicious foods.Talk about the one unique ingredient used and please keep the entries exclusive(cannot be sent to other food events).For more rules check here and send your entries to YasmeenHealthnut AT gmail DOT com.

Pineapple Ginger Chutney

Except for the peeling part I totally enjoy pineapples.The last one we bought was so fully ripened and had to be used in a day.Why not make a tongue tickling chutney for a change?.The spice from Ginger and chili peppers balances the sweetness from the fruit,and lime juice adds a nice tang to sweet and spicy concoction.The experiment turned out to be a toothsome condiment,the Vitamin loaded chutney is relishing with chips and crackers,spread on sandwiches or mixed with rice.


Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 a fresh pineapple,peeled and cubed
1 inch piece fresh ginger root,minced
1 hot or medium hot chili peppers,seeded and chopped(I used habanero)
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoon sugar(optional,I didn't use any)
Pinch of salt


Method

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan ,avoid reactive metallic containers like aluminum or cast iron,preferably use stainless steel.Bring the contents to a slow boil,simmer until completely soft and mushy for 25-30 minutes,stir occasionally.check the seasonings, add more lemon juice if needed.Remove the cinnamon stick.For a more smooth chutney ,grind to a finer paste,then return to the saucepan.Mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with equal quantity of water.Stir in the chutney and simmer another 5-10 minutes.Cool and store in an sterilized air tight jar for over 2-3 months.



The chutney is off to Weekend wokking,the ingredients of the month is Ginger and the host is MomGateway

Beet Greens Sambar

It was ridiculously naive of me to have discarded the beautiful Beet greens in the past.Well ,not any more,I've become very fond of this antioxidant rich wonder green.Isn't it strange earlier people ate exclusively the beet greens and not the roots.It's quite the opposite today,many know only the roots as the edible part.

While talking to mom the other day ,She asked me "what's cooking?".I said "Beet greens in dal" and asked her "Ammi does the subzi-wala(Vegetable Vendor) at your place sell beets with or without leaves on?" I was surprised to hear the answer as NO.Listen up subzi walas and others who carelessly throw away the beet greens in trash,you need some enlightenment about these Beet greens.Its next only to spinach,kale and chard in its nutritional value.No fair beet greens don't get just as much promotion as spinach.Beet greens can be used in cooking just as any of your favorite green.It can be sauteed or pureed ,to make a healthy addition to a meal.


Thanks to sweta of Bonne Nutrition,I borrowed her brilliant idea of using the beet greens in my everyday sambar.Sambar is the South Indian spicy lentil soup that goes great with rice.The beet greens should be just as good in any kind of lentil\vegetable stew\soup.Beet Greens Sambar is part of my Beet full meal ideas series.Pleased to be sending this over to Weekend Herb Blogging,hosted this week by Ivy of Kopiaste ...to greek hospitality.

Recipe :Beet Greens Sambar.
Ingredients
1/2 cup Yellow Split Lentil(Toor Dal)
1 cup beet greens with stems,washed and chopped
1 Medium sized Carrot sliced
1 medium Plum Tomato chopped
1 cup green pumpkin or squash or zucchini cut in cubes
1/2 onion or 2 shallots
1 big Clove of Garlic
1/2 inch Ginger root or use 1/2 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste.
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Red chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon each of Cumin and coriander powder or use 1 teaspoon sambar powder
1 tablespoon of tamarind paste in 11/2 cups of water
1 sprig of Curry leaves
1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds(Methi)
1 teaspoon Salt

Method
Cook the Lentils
Wash and Soak lentil for 10minutes.
Wash and soak the lentil for 5-10 minutes. Drain the water,transfer in a pressure cooker or small saucepan with lid.Add 1 cups of water ,season with salt,1/4 tsp each of turmeric and chilli powder.Add the greens, cover and let cook on medium-high heat for about 10-12 minutes in pressure cooker and 45-50 minutes in the saucepan until soft.When cooked mash or blend it to smooth paste.
Cook the veggies and mix in the mashed Lentils
Heat oil in a saucepan on medium high .Slice the onion and saute for a minute along with cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add minced ginger and garlic saute for another minute before adding rest of the spices ,vegetables and tamarind juice. Simmer till vegetables are tender,about 15 minutes, then mix in the cooked mashed lentils. Simmer for another 5 minutes.Serve warm with rice.

Beet Health Fact
Unfortunately beets are not for people with kidney or gall bladder problems because of the concentration of oxalates in beets.

Ven Pongal and Gosthu :South Indian comfort food

Warm and Velvety rice-lentils(Ven Pongal) served with hot spiced-up lentils veggie gravy(Gosthu)is Classic taste of South Indian comfort food.Folks down south ,love their food spicy and hot;rice and lentils are consumed almost 3 meals a days.The piquant sambar powder is well-stocked spice in every household,used to flavor the tangy tamarind and lentil based soups like Sambar and Rasam.With heavy duty grinder missing in my kitchen I use the store-bought sambhar powder,but nothing beats the taste amd aroma of fresh home made sambar powder.
Suganya's Ven Pongal with Gosthu is typically served for breakfast or brunch.This is my third delectable recipe tried and tasted from Tasty Palettes.Glad to be sending this over to the host of T&T this month,sweatha of Tasty curry leaf.

Ven Pongal

(serves 2)
Ingredients
1/2 cup White Rice
1/2 cup Yellow Mung dal
1 teaspoon fresh ginger,finely chopped
1 teaspoon Peppercorns
1/2 a teaspoon each of cumin and mustard seeds
2-3 dry red chillies
6-8 curry leaves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt.

Method
Wash and soak the rice & lentil for 5-10 minutes. Drain the water,transfer in a pressure cooker or small saucepan with lid.Add 3 cups of water ,season with salt and Cover,let cook on medium-high heat for about 10-12 minutes in pressure cooker and 45-50 minutes in the saucepan until soft and mushy.
Prepare the tempering by heating the oil in a small pan,add the chillies,seeds,curry leaves ,ginger and pepper corns.saute for a minute,then mix in the cooked rice-lentil mixture.add a little hot water if needed.Serve hot with gosthu or any chutney

Gosthu

Ingredients
(serves 2)
1/4 cup Yellow Mung Dal
2 cups Mixed vegetables Eggplants,carrot,cauliflower,squash or any other you like,cut in chunks
1/2 a medium Onion, sliced
1 medium plum Tomato ,chopped
1 cup tamarind water,soak about a tablespoon of tamarind in warm water for few minutes,strain out the pulp. or use 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste and mix in a cup of water.
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 a teaspoon each of cumin and mustard seeds
2 tablespoon Cilantro,chopped
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil or Extra virgin Olive oil
1/2 a teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Sambar powder(roasted and ground coriander seeds,red chillies and Chana lentil)
Method
Wash and soak the lentil for 5-10 minutes. Drain the water,transfer in a pressure cooker or small saucepan with lid.Add 1 cups of water ,season with salt and Cover,let cook on medium-high heat for about 10-12 minutes in pressure cooker and 45-50 minutes in the saucepan until soft.When cooked mash or blend it to smooth paste.
To prepare the gravy heat oil on medium heat in a medium saucepan ,add the mustard seeds,onions and curry leaves. saute for 2-3 minutes,then add the tomatoes and turmeric.Cook another 2 minutes before stirring in the tamarind water and sambar powder and vegetables.cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until veggies are tender.Finally add the cooked lentil paste and simmer 5 more minutes before turning off the heat. Serve hot with rice ,idli,dosa or gosthu.

Sweet Potato Pie with Caramalized Nuts topping

I reserve decadent pies just for potlucks or parties,if I happen to bake one just for ourselves,my hubby's(with exceptional sense of smell and aversion for solid fats) first query would be "Did you add butter in it?!",yes obviously, who ever heard of a pie without butter or shortening?,then he would just eat a miserly little piece,and the rest is for me.I have a very small appetite for desserts,can't eat the small kind for a fortnight.Hence to be on safer side I bake the full-size pies just for festive or special gatherings.So I took this wholesome pie for a potluck ,though its missing my favorite element in a dessert,that is chocolate,but with sweetness from potatoes,spices and caramelized nut topping this pie was just as delicious. Omitting eggs and using cornstarch is an option too,like I did in my Eggless Chocolate Pumpkin pie.

(Adapted from Elise's Original recipe).


Ingredients
For Crust
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup Whole wheat flour
4 tablespoon(1/2 a stick) Organic butter, cold and cut in small cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground spices mix,I used cinnamon and cloves.
1/2 cup ice cold water


For Filling
2 1/2 cups Sweet potato puree(see how to cook sweet potatoes?)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder or 1/8th of a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon or Pumpkin Spice(mixture of ground nutmeg,cloves and cinnamon)
2 large Organic eggs


For Caramelized Nut topping
3/4 cup mix of roasted nuts,roughly chopped [I used pecans,almonds and pistachios)
1 tablespoon Organic butter,use the light kind if desired
2 tablespoon brown or white sugar

Method

Prepare the dough
Sift the flours,salt and cinnamon in bowl. Mix in the butter,using a food processor pulse while adding the cold water ,until just combined in to a crumbly mixture. Or use 2 fork and break the butter in to flour and mix it up while adding the cold water.Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and allow to refrigerate for 30 minutes

Bake the Crust
Preheat Oven to 350F
Unwrap the dough. Spread some all purpose flour on work surface and using a rolling pin, roll out the dough in to size just bigger that your pan size(9 inches).Transfer the rolled dough to the pie or tart pan.Press gently to smooth it out and poke some holes using fork to prevent it from rising.
Bake the crust for in the middle rack of the oven for about 15-20 minutes until the crust is lightly crisp.
Bake the pie
Mix all the filling ingredients,crack the eggs in mixing bowl,stir in the puree ,sugar and spices. Pour it on the baked crust and spread evenly using a spatula. Bake about 40-45 minutes until the filling is firm.Cool completely before spreading the nut topping,at least an hour.

Prepare and Spread the topping
Melt the butter in a pan at medium heat,add the sugar and stir.after about 2 minutes when the sugar get slightly bubbly and brown, add in the nuts and stir to combine.Turn off the heat ,allow the mixture to slightly cool about 1 minute.Then spread over cooled pie ,serve when topping is set.


The Sweet Potato Pie is my last entry(besides the 1,2,3 entries)for Sunshinemom's Food In Colors event,the color of the month is Orange and host is Aparna of My diverse Kitchen.

Speaking about Nuts,If you are nuts about them just as much as I am,stay tuned with the Let Go Nuts food event at Served with Love blog,the nuts in focus this month are Walnuts and Pecans.This pie along with the Mushroom Walnut Soup,Vegan Banana Walnut Bread and Cherry Nut Crescents are my entries for the event.