Multigrain Upma

Yesterday I went home and immediately I started cooking Brown Rice for DD.  I was expecting her to come late so that rice wil be done by then… soooo bad isn’t it? She came but she didn’t want to come home L, she wanted to stay in Arya Anika’s place. So we all stayed in Anika’s place and had food. Only then I came to know Arya Anika’s Grandma is leaving the next day to Seattle and from there she will go back to India. We were planning to invite her for dinner before she leaves, but then she is already leaving. I have no option left out other than inviting the same night.

It is a weekday, totally out of all the vegetables & curd, hardly 3 hours of time for cleaning & cooking. I called DH to get vegetables. It was challenging for me to get things done in such a short period of time. Ok I left Akshaya in Anika’s place and came back home.  Ohhhhh nooooo toys here and there, paper cuttings everywhere, clothes, jackets, what not… I started organizing, parallely thinking of what to do for dinner. For sure no rice for diabetic person. Ok now this is the rough plan

By 7:15 PM finish organizing

By 9 finish cooking the following Menu

MultiGrain(Rolled Oats, Rye, Wheat, Barley) Upma

Walnut Chutney

Aviyal

Rasam

Tofu Poriyal

Brown Rice

Adai when everybody arrives. Glad that I had Adai Batter in the freezer.

Mean time DH came. He helped cutting the onions and Chow Chow(Chayote).

                       

Usually I make just Oats Upma, but this time I tried with Rolled Multigrain Cereal for dinner. DH & our friends enjoyed it soo much. Over and above they appreciated nicely for making healthy dishes. Voowww I felt good about myself. சரி  சரி  போதும் என்னோட சமையல் புராணம்.. ப்ளீஸ் முறைக்காதிங்க ... நிறுத்திட்டேன் .. I'll share the recipe right now.

Ingredients               

Multigrain Cereal ------------> 3 cups

Onions ---------------------> 1 cup

Tomato --------------------> 1 chopped into cubes

Green Chillies --------------> 2 chopped fine

Carrot -----------------------> 1 cup, chopped fine

Cauliflower ------------------> 1 cup small florets

Potato -----------------------> 1/2 cup chopped fine

Cabbage -------------------> 1 cup thinly cut

Turmeric ---------------------> 1 tsp

Chilli Powder -----------------> 1/2 tsp

Salt ---------------------------> A2Y Taste

                       

Seasoning                  

Mustard Seeds --------------->   1 tsp

Curry leaves ----------------->    1 spring

                       

Procedure                   

v  Mix the grain with less water, but make sure it is enough for soaking. At the same time don't add any extra water and drain it later. After 15 minutes the grain will be soft to touch.                   

v  In a sauté pan, do the seasoning followed by Onions, Green Chillies, Tomatoes, Turmeric, Chilli Powder                  

v  After couple of minutes, add Carrot, Potato, Cauliflower                     

v  When it is half cooked add cabbage                

v  Now add the multigrain + Salt and mix well                

v  Close it with the lid and leave it for few minutes.             

  v  Garnish with Cilantro               

v  Serve it with any chutney. I made Walnut chutney     
                       

Ideas:                    

v    Cook the cereal in the microwave if it is not soft enough for you even after soaking.  Close with the lid while cooking; add very little water if needed.          

Aviyal

It is a kind of gravy mixed with Curd, Vegetables with Cocunut- Chilli Paste. Also it is a very easy dish to prepare in short time                   

                       

Ingredients               

Ash Gourd --------------------->  1 cup, thinly cut about 1.5 inch long(Poosani kaai)

Raw green Plantain -----------> 1 cup, thinly cut about 1.5 inch long

Chayote -----------------------> 1 cup, thinly cut about 1.5 inch long

Beans --------------------------> 1 cup, cut into 1.5 inch long

Carrot --------------------------> ½ cup, thinly cut about 1.5 inch long

Green Peas --------------------> 1/2 cup

Drumstick ---------------------> 10 small pieces

Turmeric -----------------------> 1 tsp

Yogurt --------------------------> 1 cup

Salt  ----------------------------> A2Y taste

To Grind

Coconut ------------------------> 3/4 cup

Jeera ---------------------------> 2 tsp

Ginger --------------------------> 1.5 inch, peeled

Green Chillies ------------------> 5

                       

Seasoning                  

Mustard Seeds -----------------> 2 tsp

Red Chillies --------------------> 2

Curry Leaves ------------------> 1 sprig

Coconut oil ---------------------> 4 tsp

                       

Procedure                  

v  Pressure cook the vegetables with Green Chillies & Salt (I pressure cooked drumsticks separately for 4 or 5 whistles since it is frozen)                   

v  Pressure cook Green Peas with Salt                

v  Meantime, make smooth paste with the items in "To Grind “Section. While grinding add water if needed.   

v  In a Sauce pan, mix vegetables, peas & coconut paste, Turmeric; check for salt(No need to drain the water from the vegetables)              

v  After few minutes, add curd and mix well.                  

v  Leave it in medium and once u see the first bubbles coming up remove it; otherwise the yogurt will curdle.                       

v  Do the seasoning and pour over the Aviyal                 

v  Serve it with Adai                    

                       

It goes very well with any spicy gravies like Puli Kuzhambhu, vatha Kuzhambhu, Theeyal, Rasam, Sambhar. Cocunut oil gives nice aroma and taste, so please try not to subsitute any other oil.            

                       

Ideas:            

ü  No need to add water to the vegetables while pressure cooking. Just little salt will do the trick.       

ü  Other vegetables like Karunai kizhangu(Elephant Yam), Mango, Snake Gourd can also be added.      

ü  Do not overcook the veggies              

                       

Kids Special - Veggie Chappati

My DD likes eating chappati as a roll dipping in Yogurt (like Bread stick & sauce). So this time I decided to make a different version of chappati with little vegetables. This will prevent me from worrying about missing vegetables with chappati.                     

                       

Ingredients:                

Whole Wheat Flour -------> 1.5 cup

Potato ---------------------> 1 cooked

Carrot ---------------------> ½ cup shredded

Zucchini -------------------> 1/2 cup shredded

Salt ------------------------> A2Y taste

                       

Procedure                  

v  Mix the flour with hot water, little oil & other ingredients listed above. Better to add very less water since the vegatables also relase water               

v  Knead the dough for few minutes and leave it for some time.                       

v  Then make chappatis in the tawa until golden brown.            

v  Potato keeps the chappati sof for longer time. So I sent chappatis for her lunch.                  

Yieepee! Her Lunch box was empty next day to my surprise.
                       

Ideas:             

ü  Adding shredded Cabbage to the flour is also another option.                       

                       

                       

Zucchini - Turnip - Kohlrabi Gravy

Yesterday's dinner was chappati and I wanted to try something different with all the veggies I had. I had Broccoli, two kinds of Zucchini (one is long, dark green & other is short, light green), Turnip, Kohlrabi, Purple Cabbage. I got all those veggies from local Farm stand.             

                       

Ingredients:              

Onion ---------------------> 1 cup Chopped fine

Tomato -------------------> 1 cup chopped fine

Green Chillies ------------> 2 chopped fine

Ginger Garlic Paste ------> 1 tsp

Broccoli ------------------> 1 crown into small florets

Bell Pepper --------------> 1, chopped into cubes

Zucchini ------------------> 1 Chopped into cubes

Turnip --------------------> 1 Chopped into cubes

Kohlrabi ------------------> 1 Chopped into cubes

Carrot --------------------> 1 Chopped into cubes

Purple Cabbage ---------> ½ cup sliced thin

Chilli powder -------------> 2 tsp

Dhania Powder ----------> 3 tsp

Turmeric -----------------> 1 tsp

Salt -----------------------> A2Y taste

                       

Seasoning                  

Mustard seeds ------------> 1 tsp

Jeera ----------------------> 2 tsp

                       

                       

Procedure                  

v  In a Sauce Pan, do the seasoning with 5 tsp. oil                     

v  Add Ginger Garlic Paste, Onions, Tomato, Green Chillies and fry until the oil comes out. Because of Ginger garlic paste, the mixture will be sticky at the bottom and easily burnt.

v  Add the veggies - Carrot, Turnip, Kohlrabi , Turnip & bell Pepper                    

v  Add Chilli powder, Coriander Powder & Salt. Mix well.              

v  Once it start boiling then add Broccoli, Zucchini, & Cabbage               

v  Close it with the lid; leave it in medium until the veggies are cooked            

v  Garnish with cilantro               

v  Ready to serve with Chappati.             

                       

Turnip & Kohlrabi really enhanced the flavor of the curry and it tasted yum yum yummy. When I went to India last month, I got home made Chilli Powder & Coriander Powder. I guess that is also another reason for the delicious taste.                       

                       

Ideas:            

ü  The Chappatis made with mashed Potato & Wheat flour are so soft and this gravy was exact combo.                      

Kids Special - Brown Rice & Veggies mix

Though we bought the Organic Sona Masuri from Indian store, I am not satisfied cooking it every day.  It is fully polished white rice with starch & Carbohydrates thereby increasing the chance of diabetes. Also the level of nutrition is reduced considerably.            

Brown rice on the other hand is healthier because the outer bran (husk) is still intact. It has more fiber and other minerals (magnesium, manganese, zinc) than white rice. With that said, at least twice a week I cook brown rice and it goes well with all our Indian dishes & curry.               

I made Brown Rice & Veggies mix for DD’s lunch.                  

                       

Ingredients:              

Carrot ---------------------> ½ cup chopped fine

Broccoli -------------------> ½ cup florets

Zucchini -------------------> ½ cup chopped fine

Brussel Sprouts ----------> ¼ cup chopped really fine

Purple Cabbage -----------> ¼ cup thinly sliced

Shallot --------------------> ½ cup chopped fine

                       

Procedure:                 

v  Do the seasoning with mustard seeds in olive oil, followed by Onion             

v  Once it is translucent, add carrots fry for a minute                 

v  Then Broccoli, after a minute Zucchini, Brussel Sprouts & Purple Cabbage, salt;                    

v  Close it and leave it in medium for 5-6 minutes.                    

v  Now add Pepper-Jeera Powder and mix well.                          

v  Pressure Cook Brown rice with 3 cups of water for each cup of rice.                                      

v  Mix Veggie curry & Brown rice with Ghee.                   

v  Ready to serve with Sambhar             

She liked the nutty flavor & chewy texture of Brown Rice.

Brussel Sprouts Poriyal

There were lots of vegetables new for me when I came to US. One among them is this baby Cabbages. I was wondering how to eat this vegetable and then I decided to make poriyal with it.      

Remove the outer two or three layers of Brussel Sprouts to make sure you don't see and black spots or yellow layers. Wash them & cut it into two halves and then slice it thinly.              

Ingredients:

Brussel Sprouts ---------------------> ½ lbs, Chopped thinly

Black eye beans --------------------> 1 cup, cooked; no need to soak, just pressure cook

Onions ------------------------------> 1 cup chopped

Salt ----------------------------------> A2Y taste

To Grind                      

Coconut -----------------------------> 1 cup

Green Chillies -----------------------> 4

Cilantro ------------------------------> 3 sprigs

Make a coarse mixture without water             

Preparation:              

v  Do the seasoning with Mustard seeds, followed by Onions                 

v  Once it is translucent, add brussels sprouts               

v  When it is cooked, add the cooked beans + Salt,   coconut mixture and fry for few minutes.                       

But yesterday I was out of Green Chilles, so I tried with the mixture of Red Chillies, Coconut & Jeera.  This version also turned out good and in fact it was very tasty with Snake Gourd Porichakuzhambhu.  

Ideas:            

ü  I cook Brussel Sprouts in the microwave by covering with lid and just add it directly to the seasoning. It saves lots of time.                

ü  Slowly I switched from Green Cabbage to purple cabbage. So I made the curry with Purple Cabbage also which is another variation of the curry.

ü  I'll either use red chillies or green chillies according to the gravy I have. Definitely for Pulikuzhambhu, Sambhar, Theeyal, Rasam Green Chillies will go fine; for Kootu, Porichakuzhambhu,  Morekuzhambhu(which is less spicier) Red chillies will be tasty.                     

ü  Adding few roasted split channa dhal(pottukadalai) in the grounded mixture makes the curry even more yummier. But it should be grounded into powder first. Then add the remaining items for grinding.