Methi Matar Ki Sabzi

Ingredients

• One bunch of fresh methi leaves
• 100 gms of green peas
• One medium sized onion (finely chopped)
• One big tomato (finely chopped)
• 3 or 4 flakes of garlic (finely chopped)
• One green chilli
• One tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• One tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp jeera
• Cooking oil as required
• Salt to taste
• One tsp fresh cream (Optional)

Method

1. Boil green peas with enough salt and water.
2. Clean the methi leaves well and cut into small pieces and add little salt to it so that the bitter taste will disappear.
3. In a frying pan, put enough oil.
4. Add jeera and let it splutter.
5. Add chopped garlic and fry till it turns brown.
6. Add chopped onion and green chilli and fry till the onion becomes soft.
7. Add chopped tomato and fry till it gets cooked.
8. Add the chopped methi leaves, turmeric powder and enough salt.
9. Cook for five minutes.
10. Add the boiled peas and mix well.
11. Add red chilli powder, garam masala powder and fry till the raw smell of masala disappears.
12. Add enough water and make it as a gravy.
13. Garnish with fresh cream and serve hot with phulka.

My Mother’s Favourite Dish – Peas Parantha

This year has been really special for me. After so many years, my mother travelled all the way from Bangalore to stay with me for a couple of months. She is old and weak and I am awed by her mental strength and determination to travel at this age. We get so much time to chit chat about little things and enjoy a hearty meal together.

I must say that it delights me a lot  that I got a chance to make all the healthy and tasty dishes for my mother. My mother is also a diabetic and my dishes worked like magic on her. She is completely moved and impressed with the food I serve her. Out of all the dishes I made, she loved peas parantha the best. She in fact wrote a short, sweet poem and presented it to me. I am deeply touched by her gesture.

This post is dedicated to my mother, Mrs. Savitri. In this post you should find the poem my mother wrote to me and the recipe for peas parantha. Enjoy the poem and of course my peas parantha

My Mother’s Poem to Me

Cherish and Relish – By Mrs. Savitri

Ideal wife, loving mother, sincere daughter, dutiful to inlaws is none but Sharadha who should shine

Sharadha, the lovely angel of the magnificient Shrine

Is the sweetest and the softest bird so very fine

Flies from morn till eve for everyone to dine

The dishes she makes out of many a grains

Sprout no doubt is really cute.

Speciality of the same is immensely tasty to eat.

Marvellous and delicious eatables are prepared

Extra ordinary taste is overspread

Oh, Mother do bless her too

For the best of luck in this sport.

My Mother’s Favourite Dish : Peas parantha

Ingredients for filling

• One cup of green peas
• One medium sized onion(finely chopped)
• One tsp ginger garlic paste
• One tsp red chilli powder
• One tsp jeera powder
• One tsp fennel seeds
• One tsp cooking oil
• Few coriander leaves
• Salt to taste

Ingredients for making dough

• One cup of whole wheat atta
• Quarter cup of oats flour
• Salt to taste
• Enough water for kneading

Method for making the filling

1. Boil peas with enough water and salt.
2. Allow it to cool and grind it in the mixer.
3. In a frying pan, put one tsp oil.
4. Add fennel seeds and allow it to splutter.
5. Add chopped onion and fry till it becomes soft.
6. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears.
7. Add jeera powder and red chilli powder and fry for a while.
8. Add the ground peas and salt(if required) and chopped coriander leaves.
9. Mix well.
10. Now the filling is ready.

Method for making the dough

1. In a large bowl, mix atta, oats flour, salt.
2. Knead well with hand by adding enough water.
3. Knead well by applying little oil in the hand  till it becomes a soft dough.
4. Let it remain for one hour.

Method for making parantha

1. Take a lemon sized portion of the dough and make it round shape using rolling pin.
2. Place one portion of the stuffing in the middle and fold all the edges towards centre tightly.
3. Dust with dry flour using rolling pin,  again make the parantha into big round shape.
4. Heat non stick tawa and place the parantha  andpour oil around it
5. Cook parantha on both sides till it turns golden brown.
6. Serve hot with any gravy sabji or raitha

Rajma (Kidney Beans Sundal)

Kidney beans are rich in soluble fiber and help in reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. They are a good source of folate, potassium, iron, manganese, copper and zinc. Since kidney beans have low glycemic index and fat content, those who are on diet and diabetic patients can include kidney beans in their menu often.

 Ingredients

• One cup of rajma
• One tsp of cooking oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• One red chilli
• Few curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• Few coriander leaves

For Grinding

1. One tsp daniya
2. One small piece of coconut
3. Two red chillies
4. 1/2 tsp asafoetida

Method

1. Soak rajma overnight and clean well with water.
2. In  a pressure cooker, boil rajma with enough salt and water till it gets cooked.
3. Drain the excess water and keep it aside.
4. Grind daniya, coconut, red chillies and asafoetida coarsely.
5. In a frying pan, put one tsp oil.
6. Add mustard and red chilli and let it splutter.
7. Add curry leaves and cooked rajma and fry for a while.
8. Add the ground masala to the cooked rajma and fry for five minutes.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot as an  evening snack.

Mixed Vegetable Oats Upma

Ingredients

• One cup of oats (200 gms)
• One onion (finely chopped)
• One tomato (finely chopped)
• 1/4 cup of mixed vegetables (peas, carrot, beans, capsicum and cabbage)
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp urad dal
• 1/2 tsp channa dal
• 1 or 2 red chillies
• Few curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• 2 tsp cooking oil
• Salt as required

Method

1. In a kadai, boil beans, carrot, cabbage and capsicum with enough salt and water.
2. Fry oats for 2 minutes and keep it aside.
3. In a frying pan, put 2 tsp oil.
4. Add mustard, urad dal, channa dal and red chillies and fry till the dals turn brown.
5. Add chopped onion, curry leaves and asafoetida and fry till the onion becomes soft.
6. Add chopped tomato and fry till it gets cooked.
7. Add one and quarter cup of water and enough salt.
8. When water starts boiling, add the cooked vegetables and fried oats and stir well.
9. Lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid allowing it to get completely cooked and all the water is dried.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot along with coconut, coriander chutney.

Mushroom Basil Soup

 

Are you  a vegeterian and think mushrooms are non-vegeterian?

or

Are you a non-vegeterian and eat mushrooms only because they taste like chicken or mutton?

Either ways, here are some more reasons why you must go for mushrooms or go all the more for mushrooms.

Button mushrooms are :

1. Vegeterian
2. Good for diabetics and to control high blood pressure
3. A good source of minerals and high in antioxidants
4. Low in calories
5. Are widely available through out the year in most super markets

So what are you waiting for?

Go to the supermarket now and grab your packet of mushrooms and some basil leaves and make this yummy soup

Ingredients

• Four medium sized button mushroom
• One medium sized onion
• 3 or 4 flakes of garlic
• One tsp dried basil
• One tsp cooking oil
• Half tsp ghee
• Half cup of toned milk
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Cut onion into small pieces.
2. Peel off the skin from the garlic.
3. Wash and clean two mushrooms well and cut into small pieces.
4. In a frying pan put some oil.
5. Add onion, garlic and mushroom pieces and fry for five minutes.
6. Add enough water and salt and cook till the mushrooms become soft.
7. Allow them to cool and grind them in the mixi into a fine paste.
8. Add enough water and milk to make a smooth mixture.
9. Add dried basil and pepper powder to the mushroom mixture and boil for five minutes.
10. Chop two more mushrooms into fine pieces and keep it aside.
11. In another frying pan, put ghee and add the chopped mushroom pieces.
12. Fry till it turns golden brown.
13. Add the fried mushroom to the soup.
14. Serve hot with whole wheat bread or sandwiches.

Mint Leaves Chappathi

 

Ingredients

• One small bunch of mint leaves
• One green chilli
• One tsp ghee
• One cup of whole wheat atta
• Salt to taste
• Cooking oil for making chappathi

Method for making the dough

 

• Wash mint leaves well and cut into small pieces.
• Grind green chilli into fine paste.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix atta, green chilli paste, one tsp ghee, chopped mint leaves and enough salt.
• Knead it with hand by adding water.
• Knead well till it becomes a soft pliable dough.
• Let it remain for one hour.

Method for making chappathi

• Take a lemon sized portion of the dough and roll out a nice,  round shape with a rolling pin.
• Pour some oil around it and cook on both the sides till it turns golden brown.
• Serve hot with spicy dal, or any gravy sabji.

Ragi Semiya Adai

Ingredients

• One cup of ragi semiya (150 gms)
• 1/2 cup of fresh curd
• 2to 3 table spoon rice flour
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• One green chilli(finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• One Onion (finely chopped)
• Half capsicum (finely chopped)
• Half carrot (grated)
• Few coriander leaves
• Few curry leaves
• Cooking oil for making adai
• Salt to taste

Method

1. In a bowl, put ragi semiya, rice flour,  1/2 cup of curd, chopped onion,chopped capsicum, grated carrot,  green chilli,asafoetida, red chilli powder,jeera, and enough salt.
2. Mix well.
3. Let it remain for one hour.
4. After one hour, add enough water to make smooth batter.
5. The batter should be little thicker than the dosa batter.
6. Heat a non stick tawa and pour a ladle full of batter and spread it like a round shape.
7. Pour oil on all sides.
8. When it is cooked on one side, flip it on other side and cook till it turns brown.
9. Serve hot with chutney or sambar.

Healthy Summer Drink : Barley with Lime

It is summer time and you need something really refreshing to beat the heat. In case you are a diabetic, I am sure you want a drink  that is not only refreshing but very healthy too.

Barley with lime is an excellent combination and makes for a healthy summer drink.

Did you know that barley is a good choice for type 2 diabetes ?

Well yes, barley contains essential vitamins, minerals and is an excellent source of dietary fiber, particularly beta-glucan soluble fiber. It reduces cholesterol and so it also works very well for people on diet.

So make sure you include barley in your diet every now and then.

Ingredients (Serves one)

• One  table spoon of barley
• One tsp lemon juice
• One drop of lemon essence (optional)
• One tsp sugar free powder
• 1/4 tsp fennel seed powder

Method

1. Boil barley with enough water for 15 minutes.
2. Allow it to cool.
3. Drain the barley water by passing through sieve.
4. Add lemon juice, lemon essence, sugar free powder and fennel seed powder.
5. Stir well.
6. Serve chilled.

Fig Lassi

Lassi is a perfect drink to beat the summer heat in India.  Plain lassi is made of yoghurt and sugar. I tried using dried figs, low fat curd and sugar free powder to make a healthy drink.

Here are a few nutritional facts about Fig.

Figs are good to eat and rich in fiber. The type of fiber in figs  reduce the risk of developing adult onset diabetes. The polyphenols in dried figs offer a protective effect against heart disease and cancer.

Figs are effective when it comes to solving weight gain problems. Figs also protect your heart, lower cholesterol, combat cancer and control blood pressure.

Ingredients

• One cup of low fat curd
• Four dried figs
• One tsp sugar free powder
• 3 or 4 ice cubes

Method

1. Cut two dried figs  into small pieces and keep it aside.
2. Soak two dried figs in water for half an hour.
3. In a mixer,  grind the soaked figs into fine paste.
4. Add low fat curd, sugar free powder and enough water.
5. Blend it into smooth mixture.
6. Add ice cubes.
7. Pour the mixture in a glass and serve chilled with fig  pieces on the top.

Brinjal and Chickpeas Curry

I tried making curry using chickpeas and brinjal and it came out really well. Chickpeas are highly nutritious and have maximum of 25% protein. Chickpeas have  low glycemic index values and therefore suit well  for diabetics and people who want to overcome weight gain problems.

So here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 250 gms of violet brinjal
• 100 gms of white chickpeas (Kabuli channa)
• One medium sized onion
• One tomato
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp daniya powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• Salt as required
• 1 tsp oil
• Few coriander leaves

Method

1. Wash and soak kabuli channa over night.
2. Put channa in a pressure cooker with enough salt and water and cook till it becomes soft.
3. Cut brinjal and onion into thin strips.
4. Cut tomatoes into small pieces.
5. In a non stick frying pan, put one tsp oil.
6. Add jeera and  let it splutter.
7. Add chopped onion and fry till it becomes soft.
8. Add chopped brinjal, turmeric powder, asafoetida and enough salt.
9. Fry till the brinjal gets cooked.
10. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are well  blended with brinjal.
11. Add red chilli powder and daniya powder and fry for a while.
12. Add the cooked channa and fry till it gets mixed with brinjal.
13. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with phulka rotis.