APPLE RABDI | SAFARCHAND RABDI | SEB RABDI (PUDDING )

Today is navratri .I was wondering what sweet to be made for navaidya ( offerings to goddess durga) .The first immediate thing was to make sevaiya-verimicelli-kheer. But then I thought of making something different for prasad & hence tried this apple rabdi which turned out to be delicious.
Delicious and crunchy apple fruit is one of the most popular fruit favored by health conscious, fitness freaks who believe in “health is wealth”. This wonderful fruit jam-packed with rich phyto-nutrients that in the true sense are indispensable for optimal health. The antioxidants in apple have many health promoting and disease prevention properties; thus justifying the adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”.

Health benefits of apple

• Apples are low in calories; 100 g of fresh fruit slices provide only 50 calories. They are however contain no saturated fats or cholesterol; but rich in dietary fiber which helps prevent absorption of dietary LDL cholesterol in the gut. The dietary fibers also help protect the mucous membrane of the colon from exposure to toxic substances by binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon.
• Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-C and beta carotene. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
• Apples are rich in antioxidant phyto-nutrients flavonoids and polyphenols. The total measured anti-oxidant strength (ORAC value) of 100 g apple fruit is 5900 TE. The important flavonoids in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2. Apples are also good in tartaric acid that gives tart flavor to them. These compounds help body protect from deleterious effects of free radicals.
• In addition, apple fruit is a good source of B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Together these vitamins help as co-factors for enzymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body.
• Apple also contains small amount of minerals like potassium, phosphorus and calcium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus counters the bad influences of sodium.

 

INGREDIENTS

2 Apple

2 cups milk

 6 tsp sugar

4 tsp milkpowder

1 stick dalchini (cinamom)

1tsp  roasted dryfruits

METHOD

1. Boil 1 cup water in a pan / kadhai .When the water starts to boil add cinamom stick & 3 tsp sugar to it.
2. Wash apples & peel the skin of apple with the help of a peeler . Cut the apple into small pieces. Apply 1 tsp lemon juice to apple to prevent it from turning brown .

3. Next add apples to water & let the apples cook fully  for 10 minutes.When the water is completely absorbed switch off the gas.Remove the cinamom stick. Now we will prepare rabdi

4.In a non stick pan pour milk & let it boil.

5. Mix 4 tsp milk powder in a bowl with 2 tsp cold mik & mix it properly to form a paste.

6. Once the milk boils add the milk powder paste prepared in step 5 to boiling milk & mix well .

7. Next add reamining 3 tsp sugar to milk & let it boil till it reduces to 1 cup & thickens to form a rabdi.

8. Keep on stirring the milk in between .

9. Switch off the gas once the milk thickens to form rabdi let it coool

10. Dry roast the dryfruits in a pan.

11. Pour the rabdi on the apple pieces prepared in step 3.

12. Garnish with roasted dry fruits of your choice & refrigerate.

13. Serve cool

  

  

  

KABULI CHANA SALAD | KALA CHANA CHAT | CHICKPEA SALAD

Kabuli chana (chickpeas) salad / Brown chana chaat can be used as a side dish or even as a healthy evening snack.The best thing is it is oil free

Chickpeas are a helpful source of zinc, folate and protein. They are also very high in dietary fiber and hence a healthy source of carbohydrates for persons with insulin sensitivity or diabetes. Chickpeas are low in fat and most of this is polyunsaturated.

 The major well known varieties are white chickpeas also known as kabuli chana or garbanzo beans, brown or black chickpeas known as kala chana and green chickpeas also know as hara chana.

 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups boiled kabuli chana (white chick peas)[ You can even use brown chickpeas (kala chana)]
1 boiled potato, cut into pieces
1 tomato deseeded & finely chopped
1 onion chopped finely
1 capsicum / cucumber chopped  (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice
1-2 finely chopped green chillies (Use as per your taste)
1 pinch red chilli powder
1 pinch pepper powder
1 pinch jeera (cumin) powder
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania /kothmir/cilantro)
salt to taste

METHOD

1.Wash & soak chana overnight .
2.Pressure cook till soft or tender salt .Take care not to overcook the chickpeas .
3.Add all the above ingredients and mix well.Garnish with coriander leaves,sprinkle some chaat masala and serve .
4.Chill thoroughly and serve.
5.You can make this salad early and store it in the fridge.
6.Serve the chat with hollowed tomatoes or onion slices for great presentation.

TIP
1.You can even use sprouted chickpeas to prepare this salad which will increase the nutritional value further.
2. You can add a more tangy taste to above salad by adding 1-2 tsp of date tamarind chutney to above salad & then garnish it with yellow shev & coriander

KURKURIT KARLYACHI (KARLI) BHAJI |CRISPY STIRFRY BITTERGOURD SABJI

 

I hardly liked karli /bittergourd /karela since childhood.But this version of kurkurit (crispy) karli prepared by mom the one which I managed to eat & started to like it.

 

Health benefits of Bitter gourd

• Very low in calories provides only 17 cal per 100g. The pods are rich in phytonutrients like dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants. 
• Bitter melon notably contains phyto-nutrient, polypeptide-P; a plant insulin known to lower blood sugar levels. In addition it also contain hypoglycemic agent called charantin. . Together, these compounds are thought to be responsible for reduction of blood sugar levels in the treatment of type-2 diabetes.
• Fresh pods are an excellent source of folates;   Folate helps reduce incidence of neural tube defects in pregnant mothers when taken during early pregnancy.
• Fresh bitter melon is an excellent source of vitamin-C (100g of raw pod provides about 140% of RDI). Vitamin-C, one of the powerful natural antioxidant, helps body scavenge deleterious free radicals one of the reasons for cancers development.
• The vegetable also an excellent source of health benefiting flavonoids such as b-carotene, a- carotene, lutein, zeaxanthins. It also contains good amount of vitamin A. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging, cancers and various disease processes.
• Bitter melon stimulates digestion and peristalsis which can be helpful in relieving indigestion and constipation problems.
• The vegetable is also good source of Niacin (vitamin B-3), Pantothenic acid (vit.B-5), Pyridoxine (vit.B-6) and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, manganese and magnesium.
• 
  
  Early laboratory tests suggest that compounds in bitter melon might be effective for treating HIV infection.

  

INGREDIENTS
2-3 medium bittergourd (karli)

1 chopped onion

1tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp jaggery (gul)

1 tspn amchur/ tamarind (chinch)

salt as per taste

TEMPERING
Oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 pinch asafoetida

4-5 curry leaves

METHOD

1. Wash & Cut each bittergourd into 2 pieces and remove its seed by using spoon or small knife.
2. Cut into thin slices. Rub salt & turmeric to these pieces & keep them aside for atleast one hour.

 
4. Soak tamarind in a cup of water; add finely cut jaggery into it.
5. wash the slices thoroughly water & drain water completely
6. Heat oil in kadhai, When oil becomes hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, turmeric powder,red chilli powder,cumin coriander powder, curry leaves,chopped onion.
7. Now add  bittergourd pieces into it . Now fry till it becomes golden brown for 10-15 minutes. Now add tamarind jaggery water,salt into it and stir finely for another 5 minutes.

TIP
 

 1.Once the bitter gourd becomes brown sprinkle 1-2 tsp of rice flour on the bhaji & mix it well for crispy bitter gourd.

 2.Also don't use water while preparing this bhaji as it will add to bitterness

3.Adjust the quantity of tamarind jaggery according to bitterness of bittergourd.

4. Cook this bhaji uncovered on a low flame so that it becomes crispy

VEGETABLE IDLI |TRICOLOUR MASALA IDLI | SOUTH INDIAN IDLI

Sounds interesting right. My mom used to  give this in my tiffin .Presenting her recipe. Only variation made here is adding chopped vegetables in the batter, which will enhance the taste of normal Idli.

The vegetables I have used are uncooked.  Further, chutney ingredients like ginger-garlic paste, mint leaves etc. could also be added to make it more spicy. This is a good option for kids tiffin as normally kids are a bit to eat these vegetables in the sabji form. A good option for mummys to try out for theie kids tiffin

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups  idli batter .Pls click here for soft-fluffy-idli-recipe

2 cups of finely chopped mix vegetables

(Carrot, green peas, capsicum,corn,beans )

1 tablespoon chopped coriander (kothmir/cilantro)

1- 2 finely chopped green chillies

1 tsp red chilli powder

Oil for greasing

Salt to taste

METHOD :

1. Take idli batter in a bowl
2. Add finely chopped vegetables (I have used green peas & carrot) coriander, green chillies and  salt to the mixture.
3. Sprinkle pinch of red chilli powder & twig of coriander
4. Grease idli mould (Idli patra) with oil and pour the mixture into it.
5. Pour 2-3 glass of water in a presure cooker.Place idli stand in cooker .
6. Steam the idlies for fifteen to twenty minutes in pressure cooker remove the whistle while steaming.
7. Once the Idlies are cooked, keep the mould aside for few minutes to cool down.
8. Gently take out the idlis from the mould with help of spoon
9. Serve hot with chutney