November 30, 2015

Burnt Garlic Fried Rice using Foxtail Millet ( Thinai ) / Diet - Friendly recipe -1 #100dietrecipes



When it comes to dieting, most of them used to skip their rice and follow only phulka or oats, which actually leads to frustration and increase the craving on food. But there are loads of recipes which satisfies our dieting part and makes us happy too. For the past 7 months, I was following my own diet recipes which helped me to shed a good amount of weight. So thought of sharing my recipes here, which I am following till now...

Am excited too, as I am going to post 100 diet friendly recipes from today as my project #100dietrecipes. Wish me good luck and please do share your comments which motivates my passion, encourage me when I am down and truly it means a lot :)  So, if you are on diet or planning to go for diet and looking for interesting recipes using easily available ingredients, then keep following my blog daily.

My today's recipe is a delicious and healthy fusion rice using Foxtail millet. Foxtail millet, a tiny golden colored rice which is called as Thinai in Tamil, Korralu / Kora in Telugu, Thina in Malayalam, Kang in Gujarati and Navane/ Navane Akki in Kanada. This rice helps to control blood sugar and cholesterol. This health benefited millet can be used in many ways like plain rice along with kuzhambu and curry, dosa, idly etc.

Click the below recipe to view my old posts using Foxtail millet...

Murungai Keerai Adai using Foxtail Millet
Foxtail Millet Chicken Pulao

I will be posting more delicious recipes using this amazing millet, so stay tuned....

Click HERE to view my previous DIET FRIENDLY RECIPES !

In this recipe, garlic pods are burnt directly on a flame along with the skin to enhance the flavor and aroma of the fried rice. Garlic lovers would love this guilt free flavorful fried rice for sure. I have included whole eggs in this recipe which can also be reduced to single or only whites. This goes yummy with any Manchurian gravy or with a simple Tomato or Chilli sauce.


Ingredients :

1/2 Cup Cooked Thinai / Foxtail Millet rice
8  Garlic pods
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Spring onion bulb, chopped
1/2 Tsp Soya sauce
1 Tsp Red chilli sauce
Salt to taste
1 Tsp Crushed pepper 
Few Spring onion leaves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Procedure to cook Foxtail Millet for Fried Rice....

1 Cup Foxtail Millet 
2 Cups Water 
Little salt to taste

Wash the Foxtail millet rice and keep aside.
Boil 2 cups of water and add salt.
Once it starts boiling, add the washed rice, cover and simmer the flame.
Cook it for 15 - 20 mins or till the rice gets cooked.
Once done, close and keep it aside for 5 minutes. 

Method :

Burn the garlic on a direct flame using skewers.

Peel the skin and finely chop the burnt garlic pods.

Heat oil in a pan and add few chopped garlic ( reserve few for final garnishing ) and saute till it turns brown color in a medium flame.

Add the chopped spring onion bulb and saute it for half a minute.

Now add the eggs and scramble them.

Add soya sauce followed by chilli sauce and salt.

Now add the rice and mix well.

Add crushed pepper and few finely chopped spring onion leaves.

Simmer the flame, mix well and cook for couple of minutes.

Garnish with the remaining spring onion leaves and reserved burnt garlic, remove from the flame.

Serve hot.

 
Serving Options :

Serve with Manchurian gravy or Tomato sauce or Chilli sauce.






November 26, 2015

Sweet Corn & Capsicum bansi Rava Kichadi / Healthy Breakfast / Diet - Friendly Recipe

 Tasty and flavorful kichadi prepared using an universal combination of veggies ( corn and capsicum ) and Bansi rava. I had posted few recipes using this healthy rava and also mentioned its benefits too. Check out the following recipes using this nutritious rava...

Watermelon Rind Dosa
Moong Bansi Rava Dosa
Fruit Bansi Rava Kesari 

This can be served for breakfast or dinner along with coconut chutney and sambhar. The same recipe can be prepared using regular roasted bombay rava.


Ingredients :

1 Cup Bansi Rava
2 Cups Water 
1 Tbsp Olive oil ( any cooking oil )
1 Bay leaf
1 Elachi 
1 Star Anise, broken into pieces 
1 Inch Ginger, Finely chopped
2 Long green chillies, sliced
1 Big Onion, Finely chopped
1 Capsicum, Finely chopped
1/2 Cup Sweet corn kernels
Salt to taste
Less than 1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 
Few of Curry leaves + extra for garnishing

Method :

Heat oil in a pan and add Bay leaf followed by Star anise and Elachi.

Add curry leaves followed by finely chopped ginger and green chillies.

Fry it for half a minute in a minute flame and add the chopped onions.

Saute till the color changes to light brown and add the chopped capsicum and sweet corn kernels.

Add turmeric powder and saute for a minute.

Now add the measured water along with salt and let it boil.

Once it starts boiling, add the Bansi rava and mix it continuously till the water gets absorbed.

Simmer the flame, close it with lid and cook for 5 minutes.

Switch off the flame and keep it aside for 5 more minutes.

Garnish with Curry leaves and serve hot.


Serving Options :

Serve hot with Coconut chutney and Sambhar.











November 21, 2015

Black Chickpea Gravy / Karupu Kondakadalai Gravy / No onion gravy / Pressure cooker Method


Hope you all are doing great. My short Diwali break became a long break due to personal commitments and internet issue. Back to my lovely space with a simple, delicious and one pot gravy using tomatoes and black chickpeas. Onions are not used in this recipe and the thickness of the gravy is because of the ground cooked chickpeas. Easy to prepare and the addition of pav bhajji masala in this recipe gives a yummy flavor and taste.  This goes well with Dosa, Idly, Phulka, Idiyappam, Appam etc...


Ingredients :

1 Cup Black chickpea / Karupu Kondakadalai 
6 Tomatoes, chopped
2 Green chilies, slitted
2 Bay leaves
1 inch Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Ginger & Garlic paste
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp Red chilli powder 
1 Tsp Pav Bhajji Masala powder ( I have used Eastern Masala ) 
Salt to taste
1 1/2 Tbsp Oil 
Coriander leaves, for garnishing 

Method :

Soak the chickpeas overnight, wash and keep aside.

Add the chopped tomatoes in a mixie and grind it coarsely without adding water.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add Bay leaves followed by Cinnamon and green chillies.

Saute and add the ground tomatoes along with ginger & garlic paste.

Saute till the raw smell goes off and add the masala powders ( Turmeric, Chilli and Pav bhajji ).

Mix and cook till the oil separates from the gravy.

Now add the chickpeas followed by salt and 1 1/2 cups of water.

Pressure cook it for 7 - 8 whistles and switch off the flame.

Once the pressure gets released, open and take few cooked chickpeas along with the gravy and grind into fine paste.

Now add the ground paste back to the gravy and add some more water.

Cook it for another couple of minutes and garnish with coriander leaves.

Switch off the flame and serve.

 
Serving Options :

Serve hot with Phulka, Idiyappam, Appam etc.




November 7, 2015

Avocado & Olives Toast


Avocados always brings back our memories of 8 years back old trip to Mettupalayam along with friends. And that's where, I tasted my first Avocado dish, which was creamy and delicious soup and of course, I still remember the taste of it.. From then, Avocados were my favorite and only couple of days back, I realized that my blog has only one Avocado recipe. So stay tuned...will be posting more :)

My Today's recipe is a simple and tasty toast using my favorite ingredient. This recipe is quite easy to prepare for breakfast or snack. The mashed Avocado blends with olives, pomegranate and few more ingredients to make a creamy and yummy spread. In this recipe, I have used one ripe Avocado in which 7 medium toasts can be prepared. To make it more healthy, I have used whole wheat breads which can also be substituted with the regular ones.. The taste of olives and sweetness of pomegranate gives a unique and delicious taste. The same recipe can also be prepared as sandwich, instead of open toast.



Ingredients :

1 Ripe Avocado
7 Black Olives, sliced
1/2 Tsp Chilli flakes
1 1/2 Olive oil
3 Tbsp Pomegranate fresh seeds
Salt to taste
Cheese powder to sprinkle ( optional )
7 Bread slices ( I have used whole wheat bread in this recipe )

Method :

Cut the avocado into half and scoop out the flesh.

Transfer into a small bowl and mash it using fork.

Now add the chopped olives, chilli flakes, Pomegranate seeds, salt and  olive oil.

Blend well and keep aside.

Heat tawa or grill pan and toast the bread for a minute on both the sides.

Spread the mashed Avocado on top of the bread and sprinkle cheese powder.

Toast it for couple of minutes in a low flame or until the bread turns crispy and remove from the flame.

Repeat the process for the remaining bread slices.

Serve hot.

  
Serving Options :

Serve hot with Tomato sauce.





November 6, 2015

Tomato & Peas Rice / One Pot Meal / Thakali & Pattani Satham / Pressure cooker method


Tomato & Peas pulao is a flavorful and easy one pot meal prepared using pav bhajji masala. This recipe is unlike the regular Tomato rice. The chopped onions are made into paste by adding all masalas and sauteed in a oil to bring out the flavor. This is an excellent option for kids who picks onions and greens ( mint / coriander leaves ) from pulao. Onion raita and potato chips goes well with this delicious rice.


Ingredients :

1 1/2 Cups Rice
5 Tomatoes, chopped
2 Onions, chopped
1 Cup Peas
Handful of Mint leaves
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
1 Tsp Chilli powder
1 Tsp Pav bhajji masala ( I have used Eastern Masala )
1 Tbsp Ginger garlic paste
3 Cups Water
Salt to taste
Mint leaves, for garnishing

Method :

Wash and soak the rice before starting the cooking process.

Grind the chopped onions along with Mint leaves, Turmeric powder, Chilli powder and Pav bhajji masala into fine paste. Keep aside.

Add the chopped tomatoes in the same mixie jar and grind into fine paste. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a cooker and add the ground onion masala and saute it for a minute.

Add ginger and garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes off.

Add tomato paste and mix well.

Add fresh or frozen peas to the mixture and cook till the oil gets separated from the masala.

Now add salt and the measured water and let it boil.

Drain the water from the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water.

Close the lid and pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles.

Switch off the flame and wait till the pressure gets released.

Once done, open and garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Serve hot.


Serving Options :

Serve hot with Onion raita and Potato chips.





November 4, 2015

Cherry Tomato & Olive Focaccia


Focaccia is an oven baked Italian bread prepared using All purpose flour and yeast. Lots of variations can be used for the toppings and in this recipe, I have used cherry tomatoes, basil and olives as toppings. The thickness of focaccia is depends upon the choice. The more the thickness, focaccia sandwich can be made with delicious stuffing.


Ingredients :

3 3/4 Cups All purpose flour / Maida
1 Tbsp Active dry yeast
1 Cup Lukewarm water
2 Tsp Sugar
2 Tsp Salt 
1 Tbsp Rosemary, dried
2 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil + extra for brushing
Handful of Black Olives, sliced
Handful of Cherry tomatoes, sliced
Handful of fresh Basil leaves, chopped
Coarse salt, to sprinkle on top of bread

Method :

Take sugar and yeast in a bowl and pour 1/2 half cup of lukewarm water.

Leave it aside to forth for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the all purpose flour and salt in a food processor or large bowl and knead it for a moment to combine.

Now add the frothy yeast little by little to the flour and knead well.

Add the remaining lukewarm water to the mixture and knead again for 5 minutes.

Now add the olive oil and knead again to form a dough.

Grease a bowl with little oil and place the dough to rise for about 40 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.

Lightly dust the work area using flour and knead the dough again for 5 - 10 minutes.

Place a baking sheet on a tin or tray and place the dough on it and flatten with the help of greased hands.


In this recipe, I have divided the dough into 2 equal balls and further divided into 2 small balls to prepare small sized focaccia using 1 ball.


Make dimples in the bread by pressing your thumb in the flattened dough.

Place cherry tomatoes, olives, rosemary and basil on it and sprinkle little coarse salt on top of it.

Drizzle a little olive oil on top and prove it again for about 20 minutes.

Bake in a 200 degree C oven for about 20 - 30 minutes or until it turns golden brown.

Remove from the oven, cool it for 5 mins and serve warm.


Serving Options :

Serve with any dip or soup.