MORINGA KHICHDI, how to make a healthy khichdi with drumstick leaves

 MORINGA LEAVES!!!!!

It contains no harmful cholesterol, is loaded with several Vitamins, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorous...

It protects and nourishes skin and hair....

Treats Edema...

Protects Liver...

Prevents and treats Cancer...

Handles stomach upset in a beautiful way...

Fights food borne bacterial infections...

Prevents rheumatoid arthritis...

Is great in treating the mood and nervous system disorders...

Protects the Cardiovascular system...

Treats diabetes...

Treats asthma...

Prevents kidney stones...

Reduces High blood pressure...

Improves eye health

Treats anemia and sickle cell disease...

I have already posted various recipes with Moringa leaves...

Moringa Rava  dosa

Drumstick leaves dosa

Drumstick leaves powder

Moringa adais

Moringa koottu

Moringa curry

This Khichdi recipe is protein loaded too, with the goodness of Tur and Moong dhals. It turned out to be very tasty too.

Ingredients

Moringa leaves - 2 - 3 cups

Rice - 1/2 cup

Moong dhal - 1/4 cup

Tur dhal - 1/4 cup

Water - 4 cups( it’s better to add 3 while cooking, then add according to the consistency)

Sambar powder - 1 tsp

Small onions - 1 cup

Garlic - 4 - 5 pods

Tomatoes - 3, chopped fine

Salt to taste

To season

Cooking oil - 2 tsps

Ghee - 2 tsps

Hing powder - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Coarsely powdered pepper

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Broken red chillies - 2 to 3

Recipe Cuisine: Indian; Category: Lunch/Dinner

Prep time: 20 - 25 mts; Cooking time: 20 mts

Serves 2 - 3

Take Rice, Tur and Moong dhals, wash well

Soak in hot water for 30 to 45 minutes

Drumstick leaves cleaned, washed and drained

Take a pressure cooker, heat with oil and ghee, season hing and turmeric powders, mustard, jeera, methi and pepper powder

After the mustard seeds splutter, add the red chillies too, so that they won't turn blackish

Now add the onions and garlic pods, they can be chopped too….. flames on the lowest, saute well

Now add the chopped tomatoes, continue sauteeing

Add sambar powder

Add the moringa leaves too and …..

Now add the washed and soaked rice and dhals

Salt to taste

Add 4 cups of hot water, cover the lid, and after 1 whistle, keep the flames on the lowest and leave for 8 - 10 minutes. Let the pressure release by itself,.

This is how it looks after opening, the whole house wafting with the mixed flavors!!

If need be, pour 1/2 cup hot water (I didn't have to) and mash well. Like Venpongal, this too proved to be  a real delicacy, so soothing and comforting for the throat!

Serve this power-packed Khichdi with chips, papad, raita or khadi!!! 

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

NARTHAMPAZHA SAADHAM, how to make healthy Green Citron rice

 Narthangai/Narthampazham......

Belongs to Citrus Family, Like the Lemons....but quite expensive!!! Probably because, it's a store house of several nutrients and health benefits!!! Ideal to be a neivedhyam too!

We all know, dry, salted narthangai is being used in most of the families during nausea, vomitting and fever.

It is a good source of Vitamin C, boosts Immunity.

Promotes digestion, Good for Gut Health.

Prevents Cancer, Lowers Blood pressure

Ingredients

Narthangai - 1, sliced and juice extracted

Rice - 1 cup, cooked and let to cool down

Salt to taste

To season

Cooking oil - 2-3 tsps

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Hing powder - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Split urad dhal - 1 tsp

Channa dhal - 1 tsp

Chopped green chillies - 2-3

Curry leaves - a few

Raw peanuts - 1/8 cup 

Recipe cuisine: South Indian; Category: Lunch

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time : 30 - 40 mts

Serves 3

Juice extracted from Narthampazham

Cooked rice cooling down

Heat a pan, add oil, add hing and turmeric powders, mustard seeds, urad and channa dhal

Keep on slow fire, and before the dhals turn golden, add peanuts too, all these will get perfect roasting

Now add curry leaves and green chillies. Red chillies are optional, but green chillies go well with the aroma and taste of the Citrons

Add the seasonings to the rice

Salt to taste

Add the Narthampazha juice as per taste. For 1 cup rice, I had to add 3 tbsps juice, it isn't so sour like lemon juice, very subtle in taste

Mix well

With some Sundal and some Vadams, isn't it a perfect meal!??

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

MINT BELL PEPPER RICE, how to make a flavorful Mint & Bell pepper rice

 

This is a Saatvik, No Onion-No Garlic rice, but loaded with flavors, so good for health!!!

And the flavor of  MINT is not diminished by any other strong spices or flavors....

This can be made as a Neivedhyam too...

Please check my Other Rice Varieties

Ingredients

Fresh mint leaves, cleaned and washed - 1 bunch ( roughly 2 handfuls)

Red bell pepper, medium sized - 1, chopped

Yellow bell pepper - medium sized - 1, chopped

Ginger - a small piece

Raw or Sona Masuri rice - 1 cup, cooked

Green chillies - 4

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

To season

Cooking oil - 2 tsps

Ghee - 2 tsps

Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Recipe cuisine: Indian; Category: Lunch/Dinner

Prep time: 10 mts; Cooking time: 15 mts

Serves 3

Mint leaves and Bell peppers

Mint, ginger and green chillies loaded into the blender jar

and ground to a smooth paste

Rice cooked and spread to cool.

Pan heated with oil and ghee, Cumin seeds seasoned

Then the bell peppers added and sauteed

after bell peppers get cooked a bit, add the ground paste and salt to taste

Saute well on slow fire, till the mixture becomes dry, all the water content in the mint mixture gets evaporated

Add it to the rice

Lemon juice added, and mixed gently

Serve this yummy rice with raita of your choice. Check my Raita varieties

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

* If it is not for any neivedhyam, you can add onions too. 

* Also 2 pods of garlic can be ground along.

* Can be made in Pressure pan too, sautéing everything, the ground masala, onion, bell peppers etc, then adding the soaked and drained rice, can be cooked for 2 whistles.

* Basmati rice can be used too.

* Also, some chopped paneer pieces add to the taste

How to Pressure cook Rice and dhal in pressure cooker, for pongals

Earlier I used to keep an inner vessel in Pressure Cooker, and cook for pongals.
recently I have found out a very very easy fail proof method....
Nothing sticks to the cooker....
Nothing oozes out of the Cooker....
Similar way, we can cook for dhals too.

                                                         Ven Pongal & Chakkarai Pongal 

Here is the easy, quick way. After cooking the rice and dhal this way, you can proceed to make which ever pongal you want to.

METHOD

Soak the rice and dhal in hot water, for minimum 30 minutes, measurement is Rice - 1 cup; Moong dhal - 1/4 cup; Water - 4 cups(11/4x3=33/4 +1/4 cup)

Keep it on stove, let it come to a boil.

Immediately, flames to the lowest, put the weight on

Set your timer for 10 minutes. 2 whistles might come.

Switch off, let the pressure release by itself, taking its time, then open, this is how it will look

See! Nothing sticking to the bottom! Nothing burnt!

Add milk and hot water to the required consistency, mashing the rice-dhal mixture nicely.

Thats it!

Make pongal the simplest way, and enjoy!!!

For dhal fry, or any other dhal too, you can cook the same way!

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com