Wheat Rava Biriyani

This summer I am in Hyderabad, at my daughter’s place. When you think of Hyderabad the first thing that comes to your mind is the Hyderabadi Biryani, very rich and very delicious.

Not only in Hyderabad , but also across India people are great fans of this dish called Biriyani. Biriyani is most often made during festival time or during wedding reception. Biryani is made using basmathi rice and this dish has lots of vegetables and oil.

Wheat Rava Biryani is specially for those who are diabetic and those who are on diet. This biryani has very less oil and contains lots of vegetables. It is as tasty as any other Biryani.

Here is the recipe for you:

Ingredients

• One cup of wheat rava
• One cup of mixed vegetables ( finely chopped)
• One onion (chopped)
• One tomato(chopped)
• One small piece of ginger
• 2 green chillies
• 3 or 4 flakes of Garlic
• Few coriander leaves
• Few mint leaves
• 1 small piece of cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 1 cardamom
• 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp saunf
• Few bay leaf
• 11/2 tsp cooking oil
• One cup of curd
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Grind ginger, garlic, green chilli, coriander leaves and mint leaves into fine paste
2. Powder all the spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, poppy seeds and saunf)
3. In a heavy bottomed pan, Put 11/2 tsp oil
4. Add the masala powder
5. Add chopped onion,Bay leaf and fry till it becomes soft
6. Add the ground paste and fry till the raw smell disappears
7. Add chopped tomato till it gets cooked
8. Add all the vegetables and fry for 5 minutes
9. Add wheat rava and fry for a while
10. Add enough salt, one cup of curd and one cup of water
11. Pressure cook the mixture ( Allow the whistle to come and sim it for 10 minutes)
12. Serve hot with mixed raitha

Note: Use vegetables like carrot, beans, cauliflower, peas and capsicum.

Sprouted Green Gram Kofta in Palak Gravy

Palak/Spinach contains minerals like calcium, iron, potassium and sodium which are very essential for the body resistence and haemoglobin production. If you are someone who is diabetic or someone who is on diet, then you must include palak quite often in your meal.

Now that it is summer everyone must take saag or spinach for the coolant effect it gives to your body.

In this recipe I use palak or spinach for making the gravy and sprouted green gram for making Koftas.

This dish turned out very well for me. Both my children and husband relished this dish.

Here is the recipe for you:

Ingredients for making Kofta

• One cup of sprouted green gram
• half onion (Chopped)
• 100 gms of Tofu Panner
• One tsp Red chilli powder
• One tsp Jeera powder
• Salt to taste
• Bread crumbs for coating
• Enough oil for frying

Ingredients for making gravy

• One bunch of palak leaves
• One onion
• One tomato
• One small piece of ginger
• 3 or 4 flakes of Garlic
• 2 green chillies
• 1/2 tsp daniya powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• Little kasuri methi
• Salt to taste

For Seasoning

• One tsp cooking oil
• One clove
• One cinnamon
• One cardamom

Method for making sprouted green gram Kofta

• Grind green gram Sprouts without adding water.
• Mix grated Panner, chopped onion, chilli powder, jeera powder, ground sprouts and salt in a bowl and make a thich dough.
• Make oval shaped koftas.

• Coat the Koftas using bread crumbs and keep it aside.

• In a Kadai Heat oil and deep fry the Koftas till they turn brown and crispy.

Now the Kofta is ready.

Method for making gravy

• Cook Palak leaves with enough water in a pan.
• Allow it to cool and make paste using mixer.
• Make onion paste and tomato paste.
• Grind ginger, garlic and green chillies into fine paste.
• In a frying pan put 1 tsp oil.
• Add cinnamon, clove and cardamom and fry for a while.
• Add chopped onion and fry till it becomes soft.
• Add the onion paste and fry till it turns brown..
• Add ginger garlic and green chilli paste and fry till the raw smell disappears.
• Add tomato puree and fry for a while.
• Add daniya powder and garam masala powder and fry till the smell comes.
• Add the palak paste, enough salt, enough water and little kasuri methi and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the kofta in the Palak gravy before serving.
• Serve hot with Phulka/Thepla.

Note:

• For diabetics and those on diet use microwave oven for making koftas. Do not deep fry.
• Add koftas in the palak gravy before serving. Otherwise the koftas will get soggy.

Some Quick Tips for the Diabetic

Hello All,

In addition to the Diet Chart I have published in my blog, I have some tips for the diabetics to help them control their sugar levels.

So here are the tips:

• Eat breakfast around 8:30 am
• Do not overeat during breakfast. For example do not have more than 3 Wheat Rava Idlis or more than 2 Sprouted Green Gram Dosa
• Drink buttermilk or any diabetic friendly juice around 11 am
• Eat lunch around 1pm
• Dinner should be light. Try having soup or porridge with diabetic friendly fruits or 2 slices of whole wheat bread
• Oily food items or fried stuff can be taken once a month
• Try having half of fruits like pappaya, apple, pear, guava and check your sugar level after 2 1/2 hours of eating the fruit. If these fruits suit you, one fruit can be taken every alternate day
• Finish your dinner before 7 30 pm
• Black tea with lemon or green tea does not raise your blood sugar level
• Regular drinking of bitter gourd juice daily on empty stomach helps in controlling the blood sugar level in course of time
• Adding fenugreek seeds in the diabetic friendly dishes is good as it contains high fiber
• Use very minimum ordinary cooking oil and add 1 to 11/2 teaspoon Olive Oil to the dishes as frequently as possible
• To control your sugar level without any medication, avoid rice and wheat totally and include sprouts and vegetables in your diet
• Walk briskly for 1 hour
• Have dishes like Sprouted Green Gram Vada, Sprouted Green Gram and Palak Kadi once a month
• Do not skip breakfast, lunch or dinner

My husband who is a chronic diabetic was dependent on insulin and was under medication for 15 years. Our family friend who is a doctor suggested he stops rice and wheat and eat only sprouts and vegetables. He has stopped insulin and has reduced the dosage of tablets and has been following my Diet Chart and all the tips I have given here. He has been able to successfully control his sugar levels and maintain it well within the bench marked level by just being on a healthy diet.

Hope you find the Diet Chart and tips useful too.

Please send me your queries, suggestions or comments.

Methi Thepla

Thepla is a kind of roti which Gujaratis make out of wheat flour and methi leaves. It is very easy to cook and nice to eat. People usually carry thepla when they travel because this is one dish that doesn’t get spoilt even when you keep it for 3 days outside.

Here is the recipe for you:

Ingredients

• One cup of whole wheat atta
• One tsp turmeric powder
• One tsp red chilli powder
• One tsp daniya powder
• One tsp Jeera powder
• One tsp salt
• One table spoon gram flour
• Two table spoon Kasuri methi
• Enough butter milk for kneading

Note: For information on measurement, click here.

Method for Making the Dough

1. Soak Kasuri methi in butter milk and leave it for 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl mix atta, gram flour, all the masala powders, salt and buttermilk with kasuri methi.
3. Knead well till it becomes a soft pliable dough.
4. Let it remain for 1 hour.

Method

1. Take a lemon sized portion of the dough and roll them with a rolling pin into a round shape.
2. Heat a tawa and place the thepla on it.
3. Pour some oil over it and cook on both the sides till it turns golden brown.
4. Serve hot with pickle and curd.

Note: Instead of Kasuri methi, fresh methi leaves can be used for making Thepla.

Jhiva for Ingredients Entry : Bell Pepper and Baby Corn in Tomato Gravy

This is my entry to Jhiva for Ingredients for the month of May. The ingredient this month is Bell Pepper and I thank Pooja for hosting this month.

I make it a point to add Bell Pepper in many dishes that I make. It enhances the flavour of the dish. I add Bell Pepper even in Lemon Rice which makes the dish really tasty. I also add Bell Pepper in Wheat Rava Kichdi.

So Bell Pepper has always been my favorite ingredient and it is my honor that I get to post a recipe on this ingredient.

So here you go:

Ingredients

• One medium sized onion ( finely chopped)

• One medium sized capsicum ( finely chopped)

• 5 or 6 baby corn ( cut into small pieces)

• 1/2 tsp daniya powder

• 1 tsp garam masala powder

• 5o gms of panner(optional)

• 1/2 tsp kasuri methi

• Salt to taste

• One table spoon cooking oil

For making gravy

• 5 medium sized tomatoes

• One small piece of ginger

• 3 or 4 flakes of garlic

• 2 green chillies

• 2 red chillies

For Garnishing

• 1tsp grated paneer

Method

1. Cook baby corn with enough salt in a pressure cooker ( allow the whistle to come and sim it for 5 minutes).
2. In a frying pan, put 1tsp oil and saute onion and capsicum till they become soft.
3. Add daniya powder and garam masala powder and fry for a while.
4. Keep it aside.
5. Grind tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chillies and red chillies into a fine paste.
6. In a kadai, put one tsp oil.
7. Add the tomato mixture and fry till the raw smell disappears.
8. Add the onion and capsicum fry, cooked baby corn and boil for 5 minutes.
9. Add paneer cubes, salt and enough water.
10. Add Kasuri methi and cook for 5 minutes.
11. Garnish with grated panner and serve hot with phulka.

Note: Instead of milk paneer, tofu paneer can be used for people who are diabetic or those who are on diet.

Sprouted Green Gram and Palak Kadi

In Punjabi cuisine and in North India Kadi is a very famous dish. It is made out of butter milk and gram flour.It goes well with both rice and chappathi.

I tried this kadi with sprouted green gram and palak which is good for both diabetic patients and normal people. It is considered to be a healthy diet as sprouts are rich in protein and fiber.

Here is the recipe for you.

Ingredients

• One cup of curd

• 3 table spoon gram flour

• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

• 1/2 tsp asafoetida

• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

• 1/2 tsp ginger paste

• 1/2 tsp green chilli paste

• 1/2 tsp daniya powder

• One Onion ( finely chopped)

• One table spoon cooking oil

• Salt as required

Ingredient for making pakoras

• One cup of sprouted green gram

• 1/4 cup of shredded palak leaves

• 1/4 cup of chopped onion

• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

• 1/2 tsp jeera powder

• 2 tsp gram flour

• Salt to taste

• Cooking oil for frying

For the tadka

• 1/2 tsp mustard

• 1/2 tsp jeera

• 1/2 tsp methi

• 1 red chilli

• Few curry leaves

For Garnishing

• Finely chopped Cilantro

Method for Making Pakoras

1. Grind green gram sprouts coarsely in a mixer.
2. Mix gram flour, all the masala powders, palak, cut onion and make it a very thick batter.
3. Make any random shape or balls.
4. Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry them till they turn brown and crispy.
5. Take them out on a tissue paper so that the paper soaks all the extra oil.
6. Keep them aside.

Method for Making Kadi

1. Beat curd and mix gram flour in it.
2. Blend thoroughly so as to ensure that there are no lumps.
3. Add turmeric powder, salt, asafoetida, red chilli powder, and enough water.
4. In a frying pan, Put one table spoon oil
5. Add mustard, jeera, methi, red chilli and curry leaves. Let it splutter
6. Add onion and fry till it becomes translucent.
7. Add ginger and green chilli paste and fry for a while.
8. Add daniya powder and fry till the smell comes.
9. Add the gram flour mixture and boil till it becomes thick ( It should not be too thick nor too dilute).
10. Add the pakoras to the kadi mixture and boil for 5 minutes.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Bottle Gourd Kootu

Kootu is a tamil dish common in both Tamil Nadu and South India. It is a combination of vegetable and dal and is semi solid in form. Rice with Kootu is a common and simple Tamil meal. In Tamil cuisine, Kootu is considered to be a good substitute for both Sambar and curry.

I prepared this bottle gourd kootu avoiding coconut and masala specially for diabetic patients. It is very simple and easy to make. I used yellow moong dal to go with the vegetable. It turned out to be very delicious not as hot as sambar, but very fragrant and tasty.

Both my daughter and her friends relished this dish.

Here is the recipe for you.

Ingredients

• One medium sized bottle gourd
• One Onion
• 3 or 4 green chillies
• One cup of split yellow moong dal
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• Salt to taste
• One cup of toned milk (Boiled)

For seasoning

• One tsp ghee
• 1 tsp Mustard
• 1 tsp Jeera
• Few curry leaves

For Garnishing

• Finely chopped coriander leaves

Method

1. Peel and cut the bottle gourd in to cubes.
2. Chop onion into small pieces.
3. Slit green chillies.
4. In a frying pan fry moong dal till the smell comes ( It should not turn red).
5. Cook bottle gourd, onion, green chillies, yellow moong dal, salt, turmeric powder and asafoetida in a pressure cooker with enough water ( Allow the whistle to come and sim it for 5 minutes).
6. Add milk to the contents in the cooker and boil for 2 minutes.
7. Heat ghee and season mustard, jeera and curry leaves.
8. Pour it on cooked bottle gourd mixture.
9. Mix well.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note: For Seasoning instead of mustard and jeera Panch Phoran can be used to enhance the flavour.

As I have already mentioned in my previous recipe, Panch phoran is a mixture of five spices: mustard, jeera, fennel seeds, methi and kala jeera mixed in equal quantity,

Some Quick Tips

While cooking the vegetable and dal in a pressure cooker, allow the whistle to come and sim it for 5 minutes. If you keep more than 5 minutes the vegetable and dal will get smashed and the dish will not be tasty.

Even you can use snake gourd, cucumber, ChowChow for making this recipe.

Ragi Sevai

Ragi Sevai is something you will love to have for breakfast. Since this dish is made by just steaming it is easily digestible. Ragi is highly nutritious and rich in iron,calcium and protein. It is good for diabetes and obesity.

I include this low fat delicacy in my husband’s breakfast once in 15 days.

Here comes the recipe for you:

Ingredients

• One cup of sprouted ragi flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• One onion (finely chopped)
• 3 flakes of garlic (finely chopped)
• 3 green chillies (finely chopped)
• Few curry leaves
• Few coriander leaves
• Half lemon
• One tsp grated coconut
• 1 tsp cooking oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp urad dal
• 1/2 tsp channa dal
• 1/2 tsp hing ( asafoetida)

Method

• Mix ragiflour with enough salt and water.
• The consistency of the batter should be like dosa batter.
• Pour the batter into the Idli moulds and steam it for 8 to 10 minutes as shown below:

• Put the idlis in the sevai press and make fine strands using the sevai press as shown below:

• Allow it to cool.
• Apply oil in the hand and scramble them and keep it aside.

Now the ragi sevai is ready as shown below:

• In a frying pan put one tsp oil.
• Add mustard, urad dal and channa dal. Let it splutter as shown below:

• Add onion, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves.
• Add hing and little salt.
• Fry till the onion becomes soft as shown below:

• Add the ragi sevai,salt (if needed) and lemon juice. Mix well.
• Garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves.

Ragi Sevai is now ready to be served as shown below:

Some Quick Tips

• While making the batter make sure the consistency is right i.e. neither too thick nor too dilute. If the consistency is not right, the sevai is sure to get messed up
• Make sure you put the steamed ragi idlis directly into the sevai press without allowing them to cool

Summer Treat for the Diabetic

It is really hot this summer. A common sight this time is: hoards and hoards of melons and mangoes in the marketplace, vendors selling cold lemonade and butter milk on the streets and people pouring into ice cream parlors and juice corners. You just walk out and you will find lots of things to keep you cool.

When my husband is back home from a stroll, all he needs is a refreshing glass of drink. He is a diabetic and cannot have the usual stuff.

So I make him a quick healthy juice that is not only refreshing but also very healthy.

I am sure many other diabetics would want to know what they can drink to beat the heat.

So here is a list of juices that a diabetic can have.

Tomato Juice (Serves 1)

Ingredients

• One ripe tomato
• 1/2 tsp sugar free powder
• 1/4 tsp black salt
• 1/4 tsp chat masala

Method

• Wash tomato in a clean water
• Grind it in a mixer with all ingredeints
• Strain the juice by passing through sieve
• Serve chilled

Jaljira Pani (Serves 1)

Ingredients

• One tsp of mint paste
• One tsp of coriander paste
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp sugar free powder
• 3/4 tsp of jaljira powder ( here i used everest brand)

Method

• Mix all the ingredients in enough water
• Strain the mixture by passing through sieve
• Serve chilled

Plantain Stem Juice ( Serves 1)

Ingredients

• One piece of plantain stem
• 1/4 cup fresh curd
• 1/2 tsp roasted jeera powder
• Salt to taste

Method

• Cut plantain stem into small pieces by removing the thread like fibre
• Put it in a bowl containing 1 table spoon butter milk to retain the colour of the stem
• Remove the pieces from the butter milk
• Grind it in the mixi with curd, salt and enough water
• Strain the mixture by passing through sieve
• Add jeera powder
• Serve chilled

P.s. You can add few drops of lemon juice to give your juice a sour taste

Cucumber Juice (Serves 1)

Ingredients

• Half cucumber
• 1/4 tsp hing
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp pepper powder
• Mint leaves for garnishing

Method

• Peel off the skin of the cucumber and cut it into small Pieces
• Grind it in a mixer with enough water
• Strain the mixture by passing through sieve
• Add hing, salt, lemon juice and pepper powder
• Garnish with mint leaves and serve chilled

Amla Juice (Serves 1)

Ingredients

• Half cup of butter milk
• Half amla
• 1/2 tsp chat masala
• Salt to taste

Method

• Grind amla in the mixi to a smooth paste
• Add butter milk, salt and chat masala to the ground paste
• Add enough water and strain the mixture by passing through sieve
• Serve chilled

Spicy Masala Butter Milk( Serves 1)

Ingredients

• Half cup of fresh curd
• Half cup of water
• A small piece of green chilli
• A small piece of ginger
• 1/2 tsp hing
• 1/2 tsp roasted jeera powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• Few curry leaves
• Few coriander leaves

Method

• Grind green chilly, ginger, salt, hing and curd in a mixer
• Add enough water and jeera powder
• stir well
• Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves
• Serve chilled

Plantain Stem and Sprouted Green Gram Usili Curry

Plantain stem or vazhanthandu ( tamil equivalent) is widely used in Indian cooking. Plantain stem taken in any form is very healthy. Plaintain stem is a good source of dietary fibre. It is an ideal vegetable to be taken by obese people, diabetics and people with kideney stone and ulcer complaints.

Tender stems are the best and tasty. I prepared this dish with a combination of sprouted green gram and plantain stem which enhances the taste of the dish.

Here is the recipe for you,

Ingredients

• One medium sized plantain stem
• One Onion
• 3/4 cup of sprouted green gram
• 1 teaspoon channa dal
• 1 teaspoon toor dal
• 3or 4 red chillies
• 1/2 teaspoon hing(asafoetida)
• 1/2 teaspoon saunf (fennel seeds)
• Few curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
• 2 to 3 teaspoon cooking oil
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Chop onion into small pieces.
2. Cut plantain stem into small pieces by removing the thread like fibre.
3. Add the pieces in a bowl of water containing 1 tablespoon of butter milk to retain the colour of the stem.
4. Take out the pieces from the butter milk and cook them with little salt and turmeric powder till they become soft.
5. Remove the cooked pieces from the frying pan and keep it aside.
6. Soak channa dal and toor dal for half an hour.
7. Grind the dals, sprouted green gram, red chillies, hing, saunf and little salt.
8. Grease the idly plate and place the ground mixture and steam it for 5 minutes.
9. Allow it to cool and scramble the steamed sprouts using hand or spatula. Now the sprouted green gram usili is ready.
10. In a kadai add 2 teaspoons of oil.
11. Add mustard and urad dal.
12. When mustard starts popping, add chopped onionand curry leaves.
13. Fry till the onion becomes soft.
14. Add the scrambled sprouted green gram usili and fry for a while.
15. Add the cooked plantain stem and fry till it gets completely mixed with sprout usli.
16. Add Salt if it is required.
17. Serve hot with rice or chappathi.