Spinach and Potato soup with Roasted Oats

Hi Friends! First of all many thanks for all the wishes that were sent to me on my birthday, I am truly blessed with so many cheerful people around me in the blogosphere. I had a great day with S and kids.

This is a very simple soup with the creaminess of potatoes and health benefits of Spinach and Oats. As we know spinach is considered very healthy. Spinach contains an impressive range of active substances which are indispensable to the body.The magnesium contained in spinach helps prevent diabetes; iodine helps treat skin diseases and strengthens the immune system; vitamin K contributes to bone resistance; vitamin B improves cerebral activity, helps in maintaining the firmness of the skin and controls insomnia; potassium stimulates the cardiac muscle; beta-carotene prevents sight problems and sulfur increases hair attractiveness. Alimentary fibers, vitamins and minerals contained make spinach a good depurative and detoxifier. The toxins originating in nourishments that are rich in fat and proteins of animal origin are thus eliminated quickly. At the same time, alimentary fibers prevent constipation and colon cancer. They interact with the absorption of fat and adjust the level of cholesterol in the body. Moreover, spinach can help eliminate intestinal parasites.(source-www.liveand life.com)

The potatoes makes a nice thickening agent and adds to the creamy texture of the soup. The potatoes are a rich source of carbohydrates.They are nutrient-dense, meaning you receive many nutrients for the amount of calories they have. The fiber half soluble, half insoluble, so it helps to keep you regular and helps to lower cholesterol. And slowing down digestion helps to keep you full longer. Phytochemicals in potatoes include flavanoids and a recently identified compound called kukoamine that appears to help lower blood pressure. (source-www.howstuffworks.com)

Oatmeal and oat bran are significant sources of dietary fiber. This fiber contains a mixture of about half soluble and half insoluble fibers. One component of the soluble fiber found in oats is beta-glucans, a soluble fiber which has proven effective in lowering blood cholesterol.

After reading the health benefits of the Spinach, oats and potatoes one can surely say this soup is loaded with good health. Lets read how it’s made..

Ingredients

One onion chopped

2 potatoes peeled and chopped/cubed

25 spinach leaves

1 tbsp pepper corn

7-8 cloves

4 green cardamoms

2 tsp clarified butter/butter

1 tbsp roasted cumin powder

roasted rolled Oats a handful

salt to taste

Method

In a pan heat clarified butter and add cardamoms, peppercorns and cloves. Once they crackle add the onions and saute.

Add the potatoes, some water and bring to a boil, cover and cook till tender.

Then add the spinach leaves and salt to taste, cook for a minute.

Cool and grind to a paste.

Take the spinach-potato paste in a pan and add water to bring to a soup like consistency and put it on flame. Bring it to a boil and add roasted cumin powder. Taste the soup to check for salt and other spices.

Boil for a few minutes, meanwhile roast the rolled oats till nicely crunchy and crisp.

 
Remove the soup in bowl and put a tablespoon of rolled oats just before serving. Serve along with herbed garlic toasts.


Sending this to Sara’s oats feast.

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Minty Jack fruit-Raw banana cutlets

Hi Friends.

Today I am posting an extremely tasty cutlet which is very rich in nutrients and is very healthy to eat. I made these cutlets for my elder one’s  school practical. He was supposed to carry a dish suitable for the health requirements of an adolescent girl.  As I have mentioned in raw Jackfruit Curry  that jackfruit it is a very good digestive, rich in fibers.

The raw banana contain tryptophan, an amino acid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to improved mood. Bananas are relatively high in Iron, which helps the body's hemoglobin function. Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. In addition, diarrhoea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas). They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract. It is a good source of vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates essential for growing children. Green bananas contain indigestible short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are very nutrient to the cells that make up the mucosa of the stomach. These cells, when healthy, absorb calcium much more efficiently.

(Source-http://bananasweb.com/bananas/Health+Benefits+of+Bananas)

Mint is rich in minerals essentially Iron which is very important to maintain good Hb in our body. It is also known for it’s ability to soothe the digestive tract and to reduce the intensity and length of stomach aches. It has good antifungal properties. It is even thought to have benefits ac an anticancer food. ( source-http://health.learninginfo.org/benefits-mint.htm )

In addition to these three main ingredients I had also added bengal gram/ Chana dal which provided the protein content. Protein as we all know is very important for cell growth and cell division. In growing children a high protein diet is therefore very essential as it’s peak time for them to gain height and body volume. The proteins are also important for healthy functioning of our nervous system.

The cutlet is extremely succulent and just melts in mouth. The blend of all the ingredients provides it a delectable taste that I am sure every one will like. One must ensure while making these cutlets that all ingredients are partly coarse and not  completely ground to a  paste, this ensures that you can taste the ingredients and it also adds to the softness of the cutlets. The binding agent is normally not required but if it’s required add bread crumbs just enough that the cutlets can be shaped and do not break apart while cooking. Adding extra crumbs  will take away the succulence and softness of the cutlets.

I have shaped my cutlets into a heart shape, one can make any shape or just flatten to a  round shape. These can be served with sauce or green chutney . For other variations you can stuff them inside the bread to make a more wholesome meal. One can make rolls using the same mixture, in that case make oblong cutlets and stuff them in a roti along with some chutney and grated veggies.

Ingredients

Makes about 25

250-300 gm raw jackfruit cubed (approx)

2 raw bananas peeled and cubed

1 cup soaked bengal gram/ chana dal

1-1/2 cups fresh mint leaves

1 onion chopped finely

4-5 tbsp cilantro

1 inch piece ginger

4-5 garlic pods

7-8 green chilies

2 tbsp lemon juice

4-5 tbsp bread crumbs (if required)

salt to taste

oil for shallow frying

Spices

2 tbsp Chaat masala

2 tbsp cumin pwd

3-4 tbsp coriander pwd

1/2 tsp garam masala

Method

Drain out the water from the soaked bengal gram. Pressure cook the jackfruit, raw bananas and bengal gram together. Ensure that it gets steam cooked and no water enters the utensil  in which all the three are kept (cover the utensil ). Two whistles in a pressure cooker are enough.

Cool it and put it in a food processor’s blender. Add all the other ingredients (except oil) and spices, mix and grind coarsely.

At this stage if you find that it has excessive moisture and can not be molded  properly being  excessively sticky, then only add the bread crumbs.
Take the mix in your palm and make cutlets. Shape them as per your liking.

Take a non stick pan and smear it with a tbsp of oil and shallow fry the cutlets 3-4 at a time. They have to be handled very delicately. Once one side is done and nicely golden brown turn the cutlets and shallow fry on the other side. These do not need much cooking as most of the ingredients used are already cooked.

Serve them with tomato sauce or green chutney.

These can be served for breakfast or lunch with bread or as a roll or with tea as a snack.
Sending this to EC’s WYF- Tea time snack

and to Yasmeen’s  Heath Nut Challenge 3- Healing foods
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Indian Cooking Challenge- Chegodelu/Chekodelu

For this month’s ICC challenge we were asked to make a savory from Andhrapradesh ‘THE CHEGODELU’. I wanted to make this in the beginning of the month, but I was advised to stay away from frying and fumes because of severe congestion in the chest which ultimately got diagnosed as Pneumonia. Gladly I could just squeeze in today, the last day of ICC when I am supposed to post, to make these cuties.

We were given two recipes, I used the first one.I had read the recipe when it was announced and did not find it too complicated to try.. as now I have a better hand in making the ‘Ukad’ with rice flour i.e to make a dough by steam cooking method. The chegodelu’s are  a little time consuming but worth all the effort. They are nicely crispy and tasty too. As a type this post I have already laid my hand on these and finished a few, I hope I can keep a few for everyone to try…

Recipe by Srivalli
Ingredients Needed:
Rice Flour - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Split Yellow Moong dal - 2 tblsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame Seeds - 1 tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Ghee or oil - 1 tblsp, Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method to prepare the Chegodelu
Making the dough
Soak moong dal in water for half hour to 1 hour.

In a deep bottom pan, boil water, then add salt, ghee and moong dal. Bring it to boil, simmer and slowly add the rice flour. Using a rolling pin or the ladle, mix the flour with water by stirring it well. When the flour is mixed and done, turn off the heat immediately. Cover with lid and keep aside for 10 to 15 mins. It’s always better to have a little less water while making the dough than having excess water.

Once the dough is cool, add chili powder, sesame seeds, cumin seeds and mix well. Knead till you get a smooth dough. Adjust the salt and spice depending on your preference. I needed to add a little water to make a smooth dough. The best way is to take small portions and knead them well, if required use water.

Grease your fingers and pinch out a  small ball (size of a large marble) and roll it on flat, clean  surface to  a rope of about 2-1/2 – 3 inches length.

Bring the two ends to together and press to form a rope. Ensure the ends are firmly pressed as not to give out during frying. Continue with the rest of the dough until you are done with the entire batch. You can either cover it with a plate or a cloth to prevent the dough from getting dried.

Frying the Chekodelu

Heat a pan with oil, enough to fry 7-8 at a time (I have tried to save my time).  The temperature should not be smoking hot.Check if the oil is in the correct temperature, by dropping a tiny bit into the oil. Then gently slide the rings or the chekodelus  in batches of 7-8. The flame has to be on high until the chekodelus come up to the surface, then lower the flame to medium and cook till you get a golden colour on the chekodelus.

When the chekodelus are golden all over, using a slotted ladle, remove to a kitchen towel and cool. Store in an air tight container for longer shelf life.

Notes: Remember to turn the heat to medium to high and high to medium for getting the chekodelus to golden colour and also to be cooked evenly. Only this way you get crispy chekodelus. These should not be cooked on low flame as they will absorb more oil and can turn soggy also at times.

Variation:   Instead of Cumin and Sesame seeds, 1 tsp of Ajwain or Omam can be used along with chili powder.

I added a little asafetida to mine.

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Poori and Sagu..a delectable combo preparation from Karnataka

Hi Friends.

I am posting yet another famous preparation from Karnataka, the Sagu. The sagu is normally served with hot pooris. It’s also served as a filling for masala dosa instead of the normal potato subzi (sagu-masala dosa). It is also served with Set Dosa. This preparation is very commonly seen in Kannadigaa weddings. It can be made with or without onions. I make it without onions and is perfect for Jain people too. This recipe again I have learnt  from my dear MIL. It is a simple preparation to make with mixed vegetables. If the vegetables are chopped, this takes no time to prepare. Inspite of the simplicity of the preparation this is very tasty and delectable.

The most important thing which I feel about the preparation of this curry is, it’s very healthy as you eat a mix of vegetables and it can be cooked with very less oil as the poppy and coconut used in the preparation also release oil. It is a beautiful blend of mild flavours and spices. It has a nice creamy texture because of the coconut and poppy seeds. It has spiciness because of green chilies and cloves.

I had cooked this on weekend on S’s demand as it makes a good brunch/lunch item and is quite filling. He liked it a lot and was happy and satiated after this heart filling lunch . So here we go…

Ingredients
a handful of spinach chopped
a potato peeled and cubed
a small carrot peeled and cubed
half cup peas
a Kohlrabi/Knol kohl/ Navalkol peeled and chopped
a Turnip/Shalgam peeled and chopped
4-5 large florets of cauliflower chopped
8-10 french beans chopped
Salt to taste…
To grind together
half freshly scraped coconut
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp poppy seeds
4-5 tbsp roasted chana daal
2 inch cinnamon stick
4 cloves
8-10 green chilies
To temper
oil
mustard seeds
a few curry leaves

Method for making Sagu
Chop all the vegetables and keep them ready.
 
Boil these vegetables in a pressure cooker for one whistle. One must cook the vegetables and not overcook.

Grind together all the items under the heading ‘to grind’ to a fine paste.

Heat a little oil and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Put the ground paste and mix properly.

Add in the cooked vegetables and the salt.
 
Mix properly, add some water to adjust the consistency to get a thick gravy after having finished cooking.

Cook for about 10 mins so that all flavors are nicely imbibed by the veggies and then serve the curry with hot pooris.

Ingredients for Poori
3 cups of Whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
water to knead
oil for frying

Method to make Pooris
Mix wheat flour and salt and make a tight dough using water.
Make lemon sized balls and flatten them. Put some oil on them.
Roll out pooris about 4 inch in diameter. These should be rolled a little thick unlike the rotis, else they become very hard and chewy.
Deep fry them in oil to a golden colour. These should puff nicely.


 
Sending this to RV and Sunita’s  Think Spice- Think Poppy Seeds .

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Raw Jackfruit Curry Version I and reposts

Hi everyone.

Jackfruit is a very fibrous fruit  and very good for digestion. It is native to Asia and belongs to the Mulberry family.  It is eaten both in raw and ripe form. It’s fun to work with raw Jackfruit as it absorbs flavors easily. During my recent vegetable shopping I got hold of raw Jackfruit this time. In my part of the town it’s not seen that frequently, so I did not leave the opportunity to grab this wonderful fruit which I was planning to use  for my curry. I make lot of versions with this, so this is the first version.

This particular curry is a personal favorite of mine. In this version I marinate the Jackfruit and then cook it in the spices. It’s a curry full of flavors and goes well with both rice and roti. I personally like eating this with a paratha or with hot steaming rice.

For vegetarians this  fruit is a good substitute to meat in their cooking, in fact when I served this to my younger one he asked me several times this is not non-veg no? He does not trust any one when it comes to non-veg..(knowing that we are vegetarians). I remember a few years back when we stayed in Goa, it was his first exposure to people eating non-veg. He thought, now that we are in Goa every body will eat non-veg..I had cooked chick peas and he fought with me that I had served him crab eyes …LOL. Difficult convincing the kids some times!!!

Some health facts about Jack fruit

• Being rich in potassium, jackfruit helps in the lowering of the blood pressure.
• The extract of Jackfruit root is believed to help cure fever as well as diarrhoea.
• Jackfruit contains phyto nutrients, with health benefits ranging from anti-cancer to antihypertensive.
• Jackfruit root has been found to be beneficial for those suffering from asthma.
• The root of jackfruit is said to be good for the treatment of a number of skin problems.
• Jackfruit has been found to have anti-ageing, antioxidant and anti-ulcer properties.

Ingredients
about 500 gm cut Jackfruit
3 large onions
3 tomatoes
6 large garlic pods
an inch of ginger
3 green chilies
oil for cooking
salt to taste
a cup of yogurt
1/4 tsp turmeric
Spices
3/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
2-3 tsp red chili pwd
3-4 tbsp coriander pwd
1/2 tbsp cumin pwd
3-4 bay leaves

Method
1. Oil your hands and the knife before cutting the Jackfruit as it releases sticky sap.
Marinate it with yogurt, salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric for an hour.

2. Grind the onions and tomatoes separately and coarsely.
3. Crush together the ginger garlic and chilies. 
4. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and put the bay leaves.

5. Put the ground onion and saute it.
 
6. Add in the crushed ginger garlic and green chilies, saute it till the raw smell disappears.

7.  Add the ground tomatoes and mix properly and cook properly till the oil separates.

  
8. Add in the spices and salt and saute again till a nice aroma fills in the kitchen. This indicates that the masala is nicely roasted.

9.  Add the marinated jackfruit to the masala and mix properly. Let the jack fruit release it’s juices. Now add about 2 cups of water and give a final stir and pressure cook it for 2 whistles.

 

10. Once cooked, tip in some chopped cilantro and serve hot. This curry tastes best the next day surely.

Sending this curry to Sanghi’s FIL- Fruits.

I am reposting a few recipes for ongoing events.
Semolina kheer for JFI_ Saffron hosted by DK and is the brain child of Indira.


and  Stuffed Oats and Wheat pancakes for Sara’s oats feast.

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