Nourishing Indian Food - Cooking the Traditional way

My Vegetable Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:28:00 +0000

I sure had problem reconnecting with blogosphere. Thanks to Roma of Town Square. Hopefully I'll be able to make up for the lost time. Thought some of you might be interested in seeing some of my vegetable garden pictures. Here are some of them.

Ridge Gourd ( Turai, Beerakaya ) lots of male flowers at this point.

Lemon cuke ( dosakaya )

Bottle Gourd ( Kaddu, Anapakaya )

Chile peppers ( Mirchi, mirapakaya )

Ivy gourd plant ( tindora, dondakaya ), just got it from a dear lady in NJ.

Baby Cucumber ( Keera )

Water Melon ( puchakaya )

Okra ( bhindi, bendakaya )

Brinjal( Vankaya )

Got few other vegetables like karela, snake gourd, chikkudukaya, corn, tomatoes, onions, carrots beets, methi etc. will post them once they start producing any fruit.

After a loong hiatus, back with some Soap !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:03:00 +0000

I am back!! I know some of you might have forgotten me, cause its been three years since I blogged. Was working, had a baby and many other things going on. But now I am back. This time with something different to offer. Yeah! I wont let you keep guessing about the title of the post. You read it right! Its about SOAP not food this time. I have kept this secret long enough with me that I finally couldn't contain it anymore and decided to broadcast it :). Yes, I started making soap. Now you may ask, Why in the world I am making soap when such a plethora of soaps are available in the market. Well, that is the irony.The soap that we find in stores is mass produced and contain a whole range of dangerous ingredients. This can include things like petroleum, irritants, detergents and more. This is bad for our skin as well as the environment. It might cost less than natural soap, but it costs more in the long run. So I went ahead and tried purchasing natural products like Burt's Bee products for skin care, Like body wash and lotions. But it costs a fortune to indulge in those. Being a frugal that I am, decided to venture into natural homemade skin care products. It started 2 years ago. I did a lot of research. I dint shy away from trying out new recipes. It was long journey and in the process I added other homemade products like lotions, lip balms to my line of skin care products. Right now I am working on shampoo's and body washes. In my blog I would like to share more of my experiments and recipes and lots of other fun info. So stay tuned. Just take a look at some of my homemade products.

These are few of the skin care products I made. In Anti clockwise direction( for the above picture ) : Whipped Shea Butter in white tin. couple of lip really cool lip balms, Ayurvedic Hair oil for hair falling and dandruff. Lavender soap, actually it was a little lavender in color but looks white in the pic. round green tea soaps ( strong anti aging soap ), Sandalwood-turmeric soap. the soap got its color from combination of turmeric and sandalwood. Shikakai shampoo bar - the one right on top of the white jar of cream. These are the ones I hand on hand for the picture. I usually make a lot of other lotions and soaps.

Milk and Honey Soap( smells divine and pure indulgence )

Sandalwood-turmeric soap( not kidding when I say it improves youthful complexion )

Green Tea Soap ( great for mature skin )

Shikakai shampoo bar ( it has real shikakai and aritha powder and lots of other good for your hair herbs )

Really cool lipbalm ( it is cool and nourishing your lips indeed )

Whipped Shea Butter ( Great for wrinkles, scars, eczema )

The ingredients I use for making my soaps and lotions. Almond oil, apricot kernel oil, olive oil, organic coconut oil, grape seed oil, canola oil, essential oils like lavender oil, tea tree oil, sweet orange oil, peppermint oil, cinnamon oil, witch hazel, rose water, castor oil, vitamin e oil, organic aloe vera juice etc.

These are few of the nutrients or herbs I use to enhance my products. Shea butter, beeswax, Kasturi turmeric, neem powder, vattivelu( not sure about the english name ), hibiscus flower powder.

Most of my products have Indian herbs cause thats what I know about, though I try to used others too. All the skin care products I do are chemical free and almost 100% natural. definitely good for skin. I would like to run posts about the hazards of commercial soaps and creams, the benefits of natural products and uses of different oils and herbs in maintaining a glowing skin.

Untill then...

be Nourished!!

Fats and Oils : Coconut oil, a smart alternative to other oils

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:15:00 +0000

"Coconut oil is the healthiest oil on earth" says Dr. Bruce Fife, a naturopathic doctor and the author of the book The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil. Modern research seems to back up this bold statement. Once wrongly accused of increasing cholesterol levels, coconut oil is now actually being used by doctors in the treatment of a variety of disorders. Clinical studies have shown that coconut oil has anti-microbial and anti-viral properties, and is now even being used in treating AIDS patients. Studies conducted in the Philippines last year showed that coconut oil does indeed reduce the viral load in AIDS patients.

The many benefits of coconut oil are finally reaching the mainstream.

Benefits like:

* Promoting your heart health
* Promoting weight loss when and if you need it
* Supporting your immune system health
* Supporting a healthy metabolism
* Providing you with an immediate energy source
* Helping to keep your skin and hair healthy and youthful looking
* Supporting the proper functioning of your thyroid gland

Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid(MCFA) which is abundant in coconut oil, and considered responsible for many of its health benefits. Coconut oil is about 50% lauric acid. The only other abundant source found in nature is in mothers milk.The medium-chain fats in coconut oil are similar to fats in mother's milk and have similar nutriceutical effects. MCFAs are smaller. They permeate cell membranes easily, and do not require lipoproteins or special enzymes to be utilized effectively by your body. MCFAs are easily digested, thus putting less strain on your
digestive system. This is especially important for those of you with digestive or metabolic concerns. MCFAs are sent directly to your liver, where they are immediately converted into energy rather than being stored as fat. MCFAs in coconut oil can actually help stimulate your body's metabolism, leading to weight loss.

There are number of good sources of organic coconut oil available online. I personally use, tropical traditions coconut oil. I liberally use the oil, in cooking, frying, salads etc. No guilt. No cholesterol. No trans-fats. No downside. Only your peace of mind.

Be Nourished!!!

Fats and Oils : Rethinking our FAT phobia

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 04:16:00 +0000

I have taken a break from my Whole Grains series for a while to start another series, another favorite subject of mine...Fats and Oils. Politically Correct nutrition is based on the assumption that we should reduce out intake of fats,particularly saturated fats from meats, whole milk, butter, ghee, coconut oil,... So we started using skimmed milk, lean or no meats, and polyunsaturated oils like vegetable oils, margarine, dalda. But statistics show that, we are facing coronary heart diseases, diabetes,and many degenerative diseases more than any other time in the history of mankind. Clearly something is wrong with the theories we are being told.

The diet gurus tell us that polyunsaturated oils are good for us and that saturated fats cause cancer, heart diseases and weight gain.Suppose you were forced to live on a diet of red meat and whole milk. A diet that, all told, was at least 60 percent fat -- about half of it saturated. If your first thoughts are of statins and stents, you may want to consider the curious case of the Masai, a nomadic tribe in Kenya and Tanzania.

In the 1960s, a Vanderbilt University scientist named George Mann, M.D., found that Masai men consumed this very diet (supplemented with blood from the cattle they herded). Yet these nomads, who were also very lean, had some of the lowest levels of cholesterol ever measured and were virtually free of heart disease. Scientists, confused by the finding, argued that the tribe must have certain genetic protections against developing high cholesterol. But when British researchers monitored a group of Masai men who moved to Nairobi and began consuming a more modern diet, they discovered that the men's cholesterol subsequently skyrocketed. Similar observations were made of the Samburu -- another Kenyan tribe -- as well as the Fulani of Nigeria.Or even close to home the Pathans of high mountains and plateau districts of northern India and Tibet, Whose diet depends largely upon butter made from milk of the yak and sheep. These Pathans are probably the most physically perfect ..very tall and free of tooth decay-- Weston Price..While the findings from these cultures seem to contradict the fact that eating saturated fat leads to heart disease, it may surprise you to know that this "fact" isn't a fact at all. It is, more accurately, a hypothesis from the 1950s that's never been proved.

The first scientific indictment of saturated fat came in 1953. A researcher named Ancel Keys proposed a theory - called the Lipid hypothesis - that there is a direct relationship between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet and the incidence of coronary heart diseases. Numerous researchers pointed out the flaws in his data and conclusions. Nevertheless, Keys recieved far more publicity than those presenting alternative views. The vegetable oil and food processing industries, the main beneficiaries of any research that could be used to demonize traditional foods, worked behind the scenes to promote further research that would support the lipid hypothesis.

Most of the fat in our bodies and in the food we eat is in the form of triglycerides. Elevated triglycerides in the blood have been positively linked to proneness to heart diseases, but these triglycerides do NOT come directly from dietary fats;they are made in the liver from any excess sugars that have not been used for energy.your body makes fat from carbohydrates. It works like this: The carbs you eat (particularly starches and sugar) are absorbed into your bloodstream as sugar. As your carb intake rises, so does your blood sugar. This causes your body to release the hormone insulin. Insulin's job is to return your blood sugar to normal, but it also signals your body to store fat. As a result, your liver starts converting excess blood sugar to triglycerides, or fat. The source of these excess sugars is any food containing carbohydrates, particularly refined sugar and white flour. Triglyceride levels increase with increasing intake of refined sugars, refined starches, sedentary lifestyle, and hard, non-essential fats. According to researcher John Yudkin, sugar consumption is one of the quickest ways to increase triglycerides because the body turns sugar into fats to protect itself from the toxic effects of excess sugar. Sugar increases oxidation damage, inhibits immune functions and interferes with the transport of vitamin C...all leading to dardiovascular and other degenerative diseases.

Fats have more than twice as many calories as carbohydrates, foods such as sugar, wheat, potatoes and fruits. Conventional wisdom says that reducing fats in the diet is essential for people who want to lose weigth. That sounds logical doesn't it? But its not true. In real life , eating fats helps you lose weight--but only if you make a deep cut in carbohydrates you eat Fats have more calories but fats satisfy your hunger four or five times as much as carbohydrates. Thats one of the several reasons why eating fats help people lose weight.

According to Udo Erasmus: 1. Fats are digested slowly and prevent hunger from recurring quickly. Protein and carbohydrates are digested in half as much time so overeating is encouraged. 2. EFAs increase metabolic rate and help mobilize and burn excess saturated fats. 3. The body loses the craving for food when its need for EFAs is satisfied. 4. A poor diet lacking essential substances fails to still hunger, leading to overeating and weight gain. 5. Contrary to popular opinion, not all fats make a body fat.Healthy fats can halt and even reverse many degenerative diseases such as: atherosclerosis, hypertension, allergies, cancer, skin conditions, yeast conditions, aging, arthritis, diabetes, asthma, obesity, and some addictions.Bad fats and sugar are responsible for most of the conditions listed above.

On contrary, today most of the fats in our diets are polyunsaurated, primarily from vegetable oils derived from soy, corn, safflower and canola. Modern diets contain as much as 30 % of calories as polyunsaturated oils, but this amount is far too hight. Excess consumption of these oils cause many health problems like : immune system dysfunction, damage to the liver, reproductive organs and lungs, digestive disorders etc.

Hopefully these facts and finding help you in making a better choice for you and your percious family.

Be Nourished!!!

Whole Grains : 4 - Sprouted Grain Puttu

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:53:00 +0000

I know the name sounds like a combination of latest health fad and traditional favorite. It sounds so because it is so :)) Anyways, this is my mom's recipe. The procedure seems long but its not tedious. But if you make enough of it, should last a while. Well, I don't mind waiting long time if it is so good for health. Especially, if its four different grains which are sprouted should be healthy for your body.
The four different grains she used in this recipe are : Ragi, Jowar, Bajra, Wheat. All the four grains are taken in equal proportions soaked overnight and sprouted till the shoots show off but not long enough. In India there is enough of sunshine to dry off the sprouted grains, But here, I usually use a dehydrator to dry or spread the grains on cookie sheets and place them in a oven and set at its lowest temperature. It would normally be 170 f or 200 f . Keep stirring once in a while to prevent the grain from burning on one side. It might take around 12 hrs, But don't worry it doesn't use up a lot of electricity. Once the grains are dry, you can store them in a air tight container and just run enough grains in a mixer or blender to make puttu every time you do it or you can make flour all at one time and freeze the flour or else it might get rancid quickly. My mom made this primarily as my son's weaning food, last year. But we eventually ended up using for all of us , because it is so healthy.

4 - Sprouted Grain Puttu with coconut and Rapadura

You can use this 4 sprouted grain flour to make a thin porridge like Ragi Malt by Indira of Mahanandi or into Puttu by Priya of Priya's Kitchen. Also you can add or omit any grain and use any proportions. Just use your imagination to make different combinations of grains. I one time used spelt and rye instead of wheat. I usually make a lot of flour ahead and freeze it in ziploc bags. Then I just use the flour straight from the freezer. Also I never tried eating puttu with kadala curry, the way Keralites eat. But while growing up, I was used to the sweet version of puttu with jagery and coconut. Now I add Rapadura by Rapunzel , which is nothing but jagery in powder form but organic. My husband usually likes to eat it with milk like a cereal, but me and my tot like to eat it just like that with little ghee.

Be Nourished!!!

Whole grains : Blender Barley Oat pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:17:00 +0000

Clockwise : pearled barley, steel cut oat groats, hulless barley, rolled oats

In this post I would like to share my favorite 'heart healthy' pancakes.The recipe doesn't use the conventional flours of these grains, but a blender method is used to get the goodness and full benefits of whole grains. I came across this recipe from a cookbook from our local library long time ago and it has been our family favorite since. Using barley makes you full quickly, so it is a good diet food.

Barley is one of the oldest cereal grains, used traditionally for making beer and also made into
bread and gruels. It was the main food of the Greeks, who valued barley's ability to give physical strength and mental alertness. Barley water, is said to be easy to digest and a tonic to the liver. Pearled barley lacks most of nutrients, because the thick outer layer is removed. Look for Hulless barley.And it is important to soak them.

While Oats are first discovered growing wildly in barley fields in Russia, northern Africa and the near East. Oats are rich in B vitamins and in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. They contain more oil than any other grain. Oats are low in gluten but contain more phytates than almost any other grain. Thus, it is very important to soak oats before preparation.

Barley & oats both contain beta-glucans and other viscous soluble fiber components which reduce absorption of fats and cholesterol. Also, the fiber tends to bind to bile acids, which are removed from the body rather than recycled, thus requiring the conversion of more cholesterol to bile acids. Thus both grains are very good in lowering blood cholesterol.Also barley helps reduce the blood glucose levels, thus it is good for diabetic people.

Blender Barley oat pancakes:

Oat groats - 1/3 cup (3/4cup if rolled oats)
Hulless Barley - 1/3 cup
Water - 1/2 cup( for soaking)
Whole eggs - 2
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Honey - 1tbsp
Whole milk - 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Butter for greasing.

Pancakes stacked on the plate

Method :

Soak the oat groats and barley overnight. In the morning add eggs, salt, honey. Blend till smooth. Add gradually - milk, baking powder and blend. Let the batter stand for 20 to 30 min. Heat a cast iron pan and grease with butter. Pour a small laddleful of batter and when bubbles start forming on the cake and edges start getting hard, flip it to the other side. Finally flip them to a plate when done and stack them to keep warm. I usually make a few extra and freeze them for a quick snack to my tot. The frozen pancake can be popped into a toaster to reheat and it comes out nice and crispy.

Be Nourished!!!

The less celebrated : Amaranth or Rajgara paratha

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:08:00 +0000

Amaranth or Rajgara

With my constant desire to do a unique post which is healthy and yet different, I stumbled on amaranth. Amaranth is not a true cereal grain. The plant is an annual herb.It is a multi-purpose crop. The tender leaves of the amaranth plant are relished as a green leafy vegetables.And the grain is used to make parathas, poori's, pakoras, cutlets , kadhi etc.There are approximately 60 species of amaranth and there is no definite distinction between amaranth grown for the leaf (vegetable), and the seed (grain).Amaranth seed is high in protein (15-18 percent) and lysine and methionine, two essential amino acids that are not commonly found in grains.It is high in fibre and contains calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and vitamins A and C.Amaranth also contains tocotrienols (a form of vitamin E) which have cholesterol-lowering activity in humans. Amaranth consists of 6-10% oil, mostly in the germ. The oil is predominantly unsaturated and
high in linoleic acid important in human nutrition. The amaranth leaf is equally nutritous as well. Containing higher calcium, iron and phosphorous levels.

Western science considers amaranth as a Nu-world grain from Mexico and other parts of South America. But amaranth has been an ancient grain in India. Nobody knows, how it came to India or may be it was taken to South America. But our ancestors were nourished by this wonderful grain. Rajgara meaning 'royal grain'.I came across an article which said, it is possible to sprout amaranth. So, I might try sowing amaranth seeds next spring to see if I can get amaranth plants for the leaves.

Amaranth or Rajgara parathas:

Rajgara flour or freshly ground grain - 2 cups
salt according to taste.
Ginger, grated - 1 inch piece
Sesame seeds (til) - 1 tsp
Green chillies, - 2 ,finely chopped
Potatoes - 2 , boiled and mashed
Yogurt - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp + for applying on parathas
Fresh coriander leaves -2 tbsp ,chopped

Amaranth or Rajgara parathas

Method:

Place ragjara flour in a bowl, I was not sure about the freshness of store bought flour, so made my own flour in a blender. The grain looks like a poppy seed. flour smelled like amaranth leaves. Mix in salt, ginger, sesame seeds and green chillies. Add mashed potatoes, yogurt, one tablespoon of ghee and coriander leaves. Knead into a semi-soft dough using water. Cover and keep the dough aside for an hour. Divide into small portions. Roll into balls. Dust with flour and pat into a round diskette on a dusted surface. Heat a tawa. Shallow fry the parathas on both sides applying ghee as required. Serve hot with yogurt. Amaranth or rajgara parathas with yogurt was our lunch today.It was a tastey and wholesome lunch :).You can also substitue yams
for potatoes in this recipe.

Be Nourished!!!

Fats and Oils : Almost pure desi ghee!?

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:35:00 +0000

My attempt to this post is not to do the same monotonous 'making of ghee', But I would like to bring to your attention a different dimension of that aspect. In India, two types of butter are commonly known : 'sweet cream butter' made from cream in the milk, the regular butter we get in the stores and 'Makkhan' or 'vennapusa' made from churning the yogurt where regional/local favored cultures of lactobacillus, streptococcus etc are inoculated.You realize that sweet cream butter extracted from fresh cream would have fewer of these compounds.So here makkhan is nothing but 'cultured cream'.The yogurt is churned with much effort ,so much so that the sweet cream butter is called 'anaayaasa' in classical Sanskrit, meaning 'without effort'. To make ghee, the butter is melted down and heated to a point where the moisture evaporates and the milk solids get caramelized. Ghee made from cultured butter is far more superior in taste and health to ghee made from sweet cream butter.For us who live out of India, pure desi ghee can be approximated, not replicated, with European-style cultured butter.

I had used different methods to make ghee after coming to US, I tried the store bought type which I can tell is adulterated. Having access to fresh raw cream, I made ghee the way we do it in India. The results are very satisfying but its hard to keep up with that. I had used organic sweet cream butter, but i was not satisfied with the result until I found a better alternative. I have been using Organic Valley Cultured Butter to make ghee at home. I am very satisfied by the result and highly recommend using cultured butter instead of sweet cream butter. It is a few bucks more than regular butter but far less than store bought ghee and far more superior in quality.

I just want to add a few points on my research regarding ghee to convince you to use ghee liberally.Ghee contains butyric acid, a fatty acid with antiviral and anti-cancer properties. It also is said to aid digestion and nutrient assimilation. Daily intake of ghee sharpens the intellect, and promotes a clear complexion and voice. It is also said to have anti-aging properties and most of all it doesn't have the free radicals like other hydrogenated oils, which cause heart diseases.People allergic to milk protein can safely cook with pure ghee as the offending proteins are removed during the clarifying process.

Making ghee:

organic valley cultured butter

Organic Cultured Butter - 1 pound

Heat the butter quarts in a steel vessel at low. Initially the butter melts.Initially there is a first
effervescence along with a crackling sound but the intensity of effervescence decreases with decrease in moisture content in the liquid medium.Color changes from a cloudy yellow to clear golden color.The final stage of ghee preparation is indicated by the appearance of second effervescence, which is less pronounced than the first one along with browning of curd particles. This stage is further confirmed by appearance of characteristic ghee flavor. Pour through a fine sieve or through several layers of cheesecloth into a clean, dry glass storage jar.In ancient days, betel leaves and curry leaves were usually added to the butter during the clarification process. But it is now recognized that these substances indeed possess antioxidant properties, which will not only improve the shelf life and taste of the product but also they are safe to consume. The resultant ghee has a wonderful aroma and grainy texture. Ghee implies a certain flavor profile, that continues to develop as it is stored for more than a year. So do not refrigerate ghee.

Almost pure desi ghee

Be Nourished!!!

Whole Grains : Bajra Khichidi

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:41:00 +0000

Bajra

Bajra - Pearl millet, bajri, sajje,cumbu(Tamil),Sajjalu(Telugu)

Bajra is grown in India since prehistoric times. It is the basic staple for households among the poorest people. Bajra is comparatively high in protein and has a good amino acid balance. Bajra is a reasonably good source of thiamine (Vitamin B1). It is also a better source of iron than other grains.Bajra Khichidi is a traditional Rajasthani recipe. With wholesome bajra, whole moong dal and ghee in it, it becomes a meal by itself. Comfort food yet nourishing.

Bajra Kichidi :

Bajra Kichidi with a dollop of ghee

Whole bajra - 2 cups soaked over night
Green moong dal - 1/2 cup soaked over night
Peppercorns - 5
Cloves (laung) - 3 to 4
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
Turmeric powder (haldi) - 1/4 teaspoon
Pure ghee - 1 teaspoon ( I mean it when I say pure. check out my next post on pure ghee)
Salt to taste
Water - 5 cups

Grind the bajra into a coarse mixure. Wash the dal thoroughly. Heat the ghee in a vessel and add the peppercorns, cloves and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds crackle, add the asafoetida, add the turmeric powder, salt and water . Add dal & bajra. Cook it on a medium flame. When the mixture begins to boil start stirring so that the khichdi does not stick to the bottom of the vessel. Cook until the bajra is soft. You may add more water if you feel that the consistency of the khichdi is not right. Serve hot with ghee or yogurt or pickles and papad. Bajra Kichidi with ghee was our breakfast today.

Be Nourished!!!

Real Junnu & custard

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:37:00 +0000

Sumptuous Junnu.

Oh!! what a delight to eat real junnu here in US. Yes the pic you see is not a immitation of junnu made from eggs or china grass. But it is real 24k junnu!! Well, I am blessed to live close by an Amish farmer who sells raw milk. I usually get my milk from him(i don't use the store brought kind). I asked him if he could sell me colostrum, the first milk after a calf is born.... The lady at the farm stopped me the other day to check if i would want some junnu milk. Did I say yes? oh I was delighted to say, ofcourse why not!The colostrum, is rich with antibodies and immune factors. One of my friend who is an American is a Natural health practitioner. I one time saw some tablets at her place called 'Transfer Factor' made from colostrum of a cow, to increase immunity. I ended up using that for my family when ever we were sick. Then I realized that , what we call as a dessert made from Junnu palu back in India is actually a healthy and nutritious food. As I was enjoying the melt in mouth junnu, I felt big and strong with my immunity levels racing :-), no guilt what so ever. I would encourage you to check if you have any farmer close by your place for your dairy needs. Who knows, you may end up making junnu one day.The recipe here is a rough measurement from my mom.

Junnu -kadambu paal in tamil, cheek in hindi, kharwas in marathi ...

Junnu or custard:

junnu milk - 1 cup
plain milk - 1 cup
jaggery to your taste (I added 1/2 cup powdered jaggery)
pepper corns - 1 tsp
dry ginger( sonti) - 1 tsp
Elaichi or cardamom - 3

Take the dry items in a blender and grind them into coarse powder. Mix all the ingredients, Pour the mixture into individual custard bowls or a baking dish and place it in a pan of hot water and set the pan in a 325 F oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until set. you can also do it on stove top but i prefer it this way. A knife inserted comes out clean. Cool slightly and serve warm or chilled.

I am also giving a recipe for custard with eggs

Basic Baked Custard:

eggs - 4
honey - 1/4 cup
milk - 3 cups
salt - 1/8 tsp
vanilla - 1/2 tsp
pinch nutmeg

Beat eggs. Beat in honey, milk, salt & vanilla. pour the mixture into an ungreased glass 1 quart baking dish and sprinkle nutmeg. place it in a pan of hot water and set the pan in a 325 F oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until set. A knife inserted comes out clean. Cool slightly and serve warm or chilled with granola or just plain.

Be Nourished!!!

Whole Grains : Jowar vada

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:40:00 +0000

Treasure Hunt - Pearls in a Jewelery box !! nope, Wholesome Jowar

Yet another important whole grain. Jowar is considered fourth most important cereal grain in the world. We always use Jowar flour to make Jowar roti ,but I am posting a recipe for vadas using whole jowar. For a novice like me, Making vadas is much easier than trying a hand on much complicated Jowar roti. This is my mom's recipe. Hope You will like it too.

Jowar Vada (or) Jonna Garelu:

Whole Jowar - 2 cups soaked overnight.
Onions - 1 medium finely chopped
Green chillies - 3 finely chopped
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying, preferably peanut oil.

Jowar Vada ready to munch on...

Soak the jowar overnight or 7-8 hrs. I usually soak it in the Blender or Mixer Jar. Next day drain the remaining water and grind it after adding salt. It does not become into a smooth dough or may be I am not patient enough!!!. Now add onions, green chillies, cumin and mix it with the dough by hand. Heat sufficient oil, take small lemon sized balls and press on a greased, thick plastic paper and deep fry until done. You can eat them like that or with a pickle or any chutney of your choice. Wholesome goodness of Jowar in tastey vadas was our breakfast today.

Be Nourished!!

Whole Grains : Popcorn Laddu

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 19:40:00 +0000

Popcorn Laddu a.k.a, Pelala Laddu in Telugu. I was looking for a recipe with corn and came across a recipe on the popcorn kernels packet which said 'Popcorn balls' and i decided to Indianise it by adding Jaggery instead of Maple Syrup. I vaguely remember that it is also made in rural parts of telangana with Jonna pelalu, called as Jonna Pelala Laddu. So i decided to give it a try. I followed Borugula (Murmura) laddu recipe of Indira of Mahanandi. Here's the experiment from my kitchen to yours.

Pelala Laddu:

Popping the corn:

1)A pan with a lid and handle to hold (or) a popcorn popper
2)Oil - 3tbsp
3)Corn - 1/2 cup

I don't recommend a Microwave to pop the kernels as it is harmful to your health. I would be posting more on that later. Preheat oil on high heat in the popper or pan for approximately 1 minute. Add kernels to the pan and cover. As the corn starts popping, Lower heat slightly. Agitate popper or pan until the popcorn ceases to pop. Pour popcorn into a bowl. Now grind the popcorn coarsely. make up to 6 cups of coarse popcorn.

Jaggery syrup:

1)Jaggery - 1 cup(powdered)
2)water - 1 cup
3)Cardamom - 2 (seeds powdered)
4)popcorn- 6 cups
Keep a small bowl with cold water ready.

Take a thick-bottomed vessel, add water and jaggery. Cook on medium-high heat. Jaggery melts and begins to concentrate. When it starts foaming , it reached the consistency we want for this recipe. To test, add few drops of Jaggery syrup to the cold water. When pushed with fingers, if the syrup can be rolled to a round without melting in spite of tilting the plate to different directions, it is done and the syrup is ready. This whole process takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
Constantly stirring, add popcorn. Also sprinkle in cardamom powder. Within one or two minutes, popcorn starts to soak up the syrup and comes together in to dry mass. Turn off the heat. Remove the pot from the stove top to counter top.Wait for about 5 minutes for popcorn-jaggery mixture to cool down and then start making laddus. Take a spoonful of mixture into hands and press gently into round shape.

Be Nourished!!

Whole Grains : Bulgur (NOT Cracked Wheat) Upma

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:44:00 +0000

Cracked Wheat and Bulgur

Confusing title! Ain't it? Well I guess Its not confusing if I say that ' Bulgur and cracked wheat are as different as me and my husband!!' Now I don't wanna grab 'poor' hubby dear in between while he has no clue, But I just want to emphasize the point that Bulgur is different from cracked wheat. Both are made from whole wheat, but the key attribute of traditional bulgur production is that the grain is parboiled (soaking, steaming,drying(usually by spreading in the sun) like the parboiled rice and then de-branned. On contrary to cracked wheat, which is made from crushed wheat grains which have NOT been parboiled. So why am I using Bulgur for cracked wheat in my upma recipe? Well its just a matter of choice...But may I propose to you a concept called 'phytic acid and gluten'. This is not some lecture on chemistry but a simple but important fact for us to know. All grains contain phytic acid(an organic acid in which phosphorus is bound)in the outer layer or bran. Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract and block their absorption. This is why diet high in whole grains may lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss.The modern misguided practice of consuming large amounts of unprocessed bran often improves colon transit time at first but may lead to irritable bowel syndrome and, in long term many other adverse effects.On the other hand refined flours and grain products are devoid of nutrition.There is a fix again! so what to do? As always look back to the old ways. Our ancestors soaked, fermented, sprouted there grains. Like in idli, the rice & dal are soaked all day and fermented overnight. For pesarattu, the mung beans are soaked over night. For haleem, the cracked wheat and dals are soaked over night. And there are many more examples to follow. Soaking, fermenting, sprouting allows enzymes, lactobacilli and other helpful organisms to break down and neutralize phytic acid and encourages the production of numerous beneficial enzymes. The action of these enzymes also increase the amounts of many vitamins, especially B vitamins.Now what is gluten? Gluten is a protein in grains, very difficult to digest. Grains fall into two general categories. Those containing gluten such as oats, rye, barley and especially wheat, should not be consumed unless they have been soaked or fermented. Buckwheat rice and millet do not contain gluten and are easily digestible.So soaking, fermenting, sprouting will help break the gluten for the grains.
So now you see why I am preferring Bulgur for cracked wheat in my upma recipe. Bulgur is already soaked.Well you can use cracked wheat too, provided it is soaked overnight or for 7-8hrs. Now my patient readers might start fretting ;-) about the process involved in cooking. But let me assure you that all it takes is planning ahead of time. The world has become so fast paced that we eat on the go.But it is better if we slow down and ponder on whats going inside of us, because it does make a world of difference.

Bulgur or Cracked Wheat Upma:

Bulgur - 2 cups
(or)
Cracked Wheat - 2 cups soaked 7-8 hrs
Water - 4 cups
Onions - 1 medium
Green chillis - 2
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
For popu or tadka - 1 tsp each : urad dal, chana dal, cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves
pinch of asafoetida.
coconut oil - 2 tbsp s (using coconut oil is a whole new article in itself. I would be covering that soon)
cilantro - 2 tsp finely chopped
lemon juice if needed for some tangy taste.

Bulgur upma

Because of the large size of the grain, roasting is not necessary.Take the oil in a pan, add popu ingredients in the order mentioned above.When mustard seeds start sputtering add onions, Green chilies.Saute them till tender and add ginger garlic paste.Add the water and bring it to boil. Now add bulgur and if adding soaked cracked wheat, then drain the water and add.Be careful not to wash it as the wheat is soaked, it makes it difficult to handle.Cook until water is evaporated. Keep stirring once in a while. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm with some lemon juice or a pickle.It has a nutty flavor with chewy texture. It was our Breakfast today.Bulgur is more costlier than cracked wheat. So I use bulgur when I am not planned and had to fix a quick meal, otherwise I soak cracked wheat for this recipe.

Be nourished!!

Whole Grains : Exotic Rice Blend

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:51:00 +0000

Clock wise: Brown rice, Wild rice, Parboiled rice, Red rice

Rice is the staple food for more than half of the humanity. Many cultures and civilizations are associated with rice. So significant of a grain, but is it nourishing our bodies? Coming from a state called as 'rice bowl of India', I grew up eating sona masoori rice my entire life. But recently ,If not late, I found an interesting fact about the rice I eat......It is just 'empty calories'. No nutrition whatsoever from that rice. I was surprised by the fact and did my research, I came up with some interesting facts:

1)Dehusked, unpolished rice grains(brown rice) are covered by the nutrient-rich bran and aleurone layers. Because these layers are rich in lipids they oxidizes rapidly when exposed to air, hence the grains turn rancid and untasty during storage.
2) Polishing, on the other hand, produces rice grains(white rice) devoid of the nutrients contained in the outer layers but not susceptible to changes in color, odor and taste.

Now this is a real fix!! If brown rice goes rancid and white rice is devoid of nutrition.......What is the the best alternative ? Shall we stop eating rice? I guess that is not an answer. Well there sets in the knowledge of our ancestors who knew it all and found an alternative ...Parboiled rice. Yes!! I am not kidding. What is parboiled rice? The three steps of parboiling – soaking, steaming and drying are generally achieved by soaking paddy in cold water for typically 24–48 h until the kernels are saturated. The soaked paddy is then boiled at c. 100 C for typically 1 h to obtain 80% gelatinized starch (Priestley, 1976a). The boiled paddy is sun-dried until the moisture content is reduced to c. 14%. Finally the dried grain is then milled.Parboiling rice drives nutrients, especially thiamine, from the bran into the grain, so that parboiled white rice is nutritionally similar to brown rice . Because of this, parboiling was adopted by North American rice growers in the early 20th century.The starches in parboiled rice become gelatinized, making it harder and glassier than other rice. Parboiled rice takes less time to cook, and the cooked rice is firmer and less sticky.
Now is there something like Indians (especially south Indians) over eating rice ? Well the answer is relative. There is always a factor called over indulgence. It would be beneficial if we include different grains in our diet.Try to eat different rice like red rice, brown rice, wild rice( not really rice) etc. often and replace white rice with parboiled rice.A research shows that Asians have larger pancreas and salivary glands in proportion to body weight than westerners, and these traits make us ideally suited to a grain-based diet.

Parboiled Rice - Usna chawal, Puzhungal arisi,Uppudu biyyam,Kusubalakki, Puzhangalari, Ubla hua chawal, Sidda chowl, Ukra chawl.

Exotic Rice Blend:

Exotic rice blend : Brown rice, Wild rice, Red rice
Ingredients:

Long grain brown rice - 1/2 cup
Bhutanese red rice - 1/2 cup
Wild rice - 1/2 cup
water - 4 and 1/2 cups
a pinch of salt to taste.

Wash the rice, add water, cover and cook. It goes well with any curry. We just had it with ghee and vellulli karam for lunch today. Be Nourished!!!

Cooked Parboiled rice, Exotic rice blend

Whole Grains : 'Staff of Life' for human survival

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:47:00 +0000

Yes! you guessed it right. Whole grains are my all time favorite food. I love anything prepared from whole grains. So I am pretty excited about my first post on whole grains. I am going to start a series on whole grains. Here you will see me going through different whole grains ~ recipes , method of preparation , nutrition facts etc.
What are whole grains ? Whole grains also called as cereal grains retain the bran and germ as well as the endosperm , in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. Whole grains are rich in fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, trace minerals etc. So we are losing all this valuable nutrition in refined grains and flours. Apart from that there are lots of downsides on refined grains and flours. So I encourage all of you to include whole grains in your diets as much as possible.

Welcome to Nourishing Indian Food blog!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Swaroopa) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:29:00 +0000

Welcome to my blog...............Nourishing Indian Food - Cooking the Traditional way.

My blog is a humble attempt to share my experience in exploring and experimenting with the Traditional........age old way of Indian cooking( also involves some extent of other cuisines too). After reading and researching to some extent I came to a conclusion that " Old ways are the best ways". I truly believe that in this so called 'modern world', we have drifted away from the way our older generations nourished themselves. And the result is compromised health and vitality.
This blog is not necessarily a food blog with recipes but i would like to share information on different aspects of healthy eating. Join with me in this journey of healthy eating. You will notice a difference in my cooking techniques and the ingredients for the same old recipes. But the result is much healthier food with taste not compromising. I would also like to share different tips and home remedies. Feel free to leave a comment or suggestion. You can contact me at : nourishingif@gmail.com.