Moong Dal Halwa II

This rich, delicious halwa is served warm and preferred to be eaten as a dessert at the end of the meal, in India.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup moong dal (split skinned green gram) powder
• ½ cup ghee ( clarified butter)
• 2 cups of water
• 1 ½ cup sugar ( modify according to taste)
• 1 tsp powdered cardamoms
• 2 tbsp chopped cashew nuts (fried in ghee)
• 1 tbsp Rose water
• Few strings of Saffron (optional)

Method:

• Heat ghee in a wok on medium heat, add moong dal powder and fry till it becomes light brown.
• Add warm water and stir continuously. When it thickens, add sugar. Keep on stirring until it thickens again. Remove from heat.
• Mix in Cardamom powder, Saffron, Rose water and nuts.
• Garnish with nuts and serve hot.

Note:

• I prefer grinding moong dal at home in dry grinder.
• Before grinding dal to fine powder, rub the moong dal between two folds of kitchen towel to clean it from outside.

Do You Know?

Sweeteners are sugar substitutes added to foods for flavoring. Sweeteners other than sugar are added to keep the food energy (calories) low, or because they have beneficial effects for diabetes mellitus and tooth decay and diarrhea.

Some sugar substitutes are natural and some are synthetic. In the United States, five intensely-sweet sugar substitutes have been approved for use. They are saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, and acesulfame potassium.

Chicken Ka Kheema (Minced Chicken with Peas)

This most easy minced chicken recipe is one of the tastiest. Serve Chicken Ka Kheema with hot Parathas (Pan-fried Indian flatbread).

Ingredients:

• 1 pound minced chicken
• 1 Cup Green Peas
• ½ cup crushed tomato
• 1 tsp ginger grated
• 1 tsp Garlic grated
• 1 medium Onion finely sliced
• 2 Green Chilies finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp shahjeera
• ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• 1 tbsp Chicken curry powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Cooking Oil
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves
• 1 boiled egg

Method:

• Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan and add bay leaf and Caraway Seeds. Fry till they turn slightly darker. Add onion and fry till lightly browned.
• Add ginger, garlic, green chilies, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, chicken curry powder and crushed tomato. Fry till oil separates out.
• Add minced chicken and stir-fry breaking up any lumps if formed.
• Now add peas and salt. Simmer covered on low heat till minced chicken and peas are cooked well. If there is any water left dry it before serving by continuing to fry without any lid.
• Mix lemon juice, garnish with boiled egg and coriander leaves.
• Serve with Paratha (Pan-fried Indian flatbread).

Do You Know?

The fluctuation of leptin hormone (a hormone which regulates energy intake and energy expenditure, including appetite and metabolism.) and ghrelin hormone (a hormone which stimulates hunger) levels results in the motivation of an organism to consume food.

When an organism eats, adipocytes (cells which store fats in them) trigger the release of leptin into the body. Increasing levels of leptin results in a reduction of one's motivation to eat. After hours of non-consumption, leptin levels drop significantly. These low levels of leptin cause the release of secondary hormone, ghrelin, which in turn reinitiates the feeling of hunger.

Some studies have suggested that an increased production of ghrelin may enhance appetite evoked by the sight of food, while an increase in stress may also influence the hormone's production.

These findings may help to explain why hunger can prevail even in stressful situations.

Whole Wheat flour

Whole wheat flour is a powdery substance derived by grinding or mashing the wheat’s whole grain. The word "whole" refers to the fact that all of the grain (bran, germ and endosperm) is used and nothing is lost in the process of making the flour.

The most common type of whole wheat flour in United States is textured brown since it is made from red wheat variety.

In United Kingdom, white whole wheat flour is common which is made from soft white wheat variety.

White whole wheat has almost the same nutrient content as red whole wheat. However, soft white whole wheat has lower gluten content and contains a lower protein content (between 9% and 11%) when compared with harder wheat varieties like red (15%-16% protein content) or golden wheat. Due to higher protein content, red wheat flour needs more water than white wheat flour to prepare dough.

Soft white wheat is lacking in tannins and phenolic acid causing white whole wheat to appear and taste more like refined red wheat; it is whitish in color and does not taste bitter.

In terms of the parts of the grain used in flour, there are three general types of flour:

· Whole wheat flour is made from the whole cereal grains which contain bran, germ and endosperm.

• Refined white flour is made from the refined cereal grains, which contain only endosperm.

• Germ flour is made from the endosperm and germ, excluding the bran.

Benefits of whole wheat flour:

• Whole wheat flour is more nutritious than refined white flour. It contains the macronutrients of the wheat's bran and germ (especially fiber and protein).
• Whole wheat is a good source of calcium, iron, fiber, and other minerals like selenium.

Drawbacks of whole wheat flour:

• Whole wheat flour has a shorter shelf life than white flour, as the higher oil content leads to rancidification. It is also more expensive.
• Whole wheat flour adds a certain "heaviness" in baking items like bread etc. which prevents them from rising, as good as white flours, requiring more flour to obtain the same volume. It also needs more water to prepare dough due to bran, germ and higher gluten content.

Important to note:

It is important to note that any products made with flour can have the same effect on blood sugar, whether the flour is produced from whole grains or not. For example, whole-grain wheat bread and white bread can have the same glycemic index. Grinding grains into flour increases the surface area upon which enzymes work more quickly to convert starch into glucose.

Meethi Seviyan (Sweet Vermicelli)

Stir-fried Vermicelli is cooked in flavored sugar syrup.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Vermicelli (Bambino)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar granulated
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 whole green cardamom
• 1 clove
• 1 tsp crushed green cardamom
• Fried nuts
• Pinch of saffron
• Pinch of yellow food color
• ½ tsp rose water

Method:

• In a saucepan take 2 cups of water. Add 1 cup of sugar, stir and boil for 2 minutes. Now add pinch of yellow color, saffron and cardamom powder. Keep aside.
• Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, add clove and green cardamom; fry for a minute until fragrant. Add vermicelli and fry, stirring continuously, until golden brown in color uniformly.
• Pour the sugar syrup over the fried vermicelli in pan and cook covered on low heat till it is done. Add rose water and switch off the gas. Cool to room temperature.
• Fluff it up with a fork. Garnish with fried nuts and serve.

Note:

• You can add 2 tbsp khoya powder to make it richer.
• I used Bambino vermicelli in this recipe which is available in Indian Grocery Stores. Remember that amount of water required to cook vermicelli depends on the type of vermicelli used.

Do You Know?

Glycemic index is a useful meal-planning tool, especially when individuals monitor their own individual responses to foods.

Low glycemic food is especially helpful in assisting those who want to lose weight.Low glycemic index foods will increase the sugar levels in the body to sustain energy levels for longer periods of time. This means an individual, who wants to lose weight, will feel less inclined to eat because energy is being slowly released into their bloodstream. Health experts encourage using the glycemic index in conjunction with other meal programs to assist in managing diabetes and/or controlling weight.

The examples of low glycemic index foods are: few fruits and vegetables, grainy breads, pasta, legumes, milk, fish, brown rice etc.

Bitter gourd Kadhi

Serve this nutritious dish with piping hot plain boiled rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp besan ( Gram flour)
• 2 cups sour yogurt churned to get smooth paste
• 1 bitter gourd (karela) sliced
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 5-6 green chilies longitudinally sliced
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp panch phoran
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 whole dried red chilies
• ¼ tsp asafetida powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup of fresh finely chopped coriander
• 1 cup Boondi ( It is a small pea shaped savory available in Indian Grocery Stores)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp ghee

Method:

• Mix yogurt, 8 cups of water, Bengal gram flour, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Whisk to ensure there are no lumps.
• In a deep pan heat oil. Add asafetida powder and panch phoran seeds. When they stop spluttering, add garlic and whole red chilies.
• Now add besan yogurt mixture to it and stir continuously. First cook on a high flame till the mixture boils. Simmer then and allow cooking slowly.
• Add sliced bitter gourd, sliced onion and green chilies.
• Boil for 8-10 minutes. Add water if necessary.
• Add Boondi and chopped coriander leaves (keep few for garnishing). Take out in a serving dish. Adjust sourness by adding lemon juice.
• Tempering: To make ‘tadaka’, heat ghee in a small pan, add pinch of asafetida and ½ tsp red chili powder, pour immediately over kadhi before chili powder gets burned.
• Garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with plain boiled rice or Roti and sabji of your choice.

Do You Know?

Fenugreek seeds contain a high percentage of mucilage - a natural gummy substance present in the coatings of many seeds. Although it does not dissolve in water, mucilage forms a thick, gooey mass when exposed to fluids. This soft mass is not absorbed by the body, but instead passes through the intestines and triggers intestinal muscle contractions. Both actions promote the emptying of intestinal contents. Therefore, fenugreek is a mild but effective laxative.

Masoor Dal Kebabs

It is great snack dish for whole family

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Masoor dal / Red Lentil
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
• ½ cup dry roasted besan (Gram flour)
• 1 medium boiled mashed potato
• ¼ cup semolina or breadcrumb
• Cooking oil for deep frying

Method:

• Soak Masoor dal in water for 2 hours. Put soaked moistened Dal in a blender, or a processor with minimum possible water. Grind it coarsely. It should be grainy not a fine paste. Another way is to cook the soaked dal in pressure cooker till soft in two cups of water (just enough to cook the dal).
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan. Add garlic paste and the coarsely ground dal and sauté over medium heat to get rid of moisture.
• When the mixture starts drying out add boiled mashed potato, roasted gram flour (besan), garam masala, red chili powder, chopped onion, chopped green chili, grated ginger, chopped coriander leaves, yogurt, salt to taste. The sautéed ground dal should be damp not wet. It should be firm like roti dough. Switch off the gas and keep aside to cool.
• Knead the dal dough well till smooth and soft.
• Divide the dough into equal parts. Roll each part into small balls, and then flatten them to look like little cylinders.
• Roll each cylindrical cutlet in semolina or breadcrumb and refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes.
• Heat oil and deep fry on medium heat till crispy brown.
• Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

Note: Semolina does not absorb the oil while frying so kebabs are dry and crispy from outside. It gives different appearance also.

Do You Know?

Lentils (Dals) and Beans are a huge part of the Indian diet. Not only are Dals delicious to eat and versatile, they are really good for health too.

Lentils are rich in protein. They lack only one protein, methionine. Adding grains, eggs, nuts, seeds, meat, dairy products, or egg will provide a complete protein.

Just one cup of cooked Daal can give you as much as 62 per cent of your daily dietary fibre requirement. Soluble fiber in lentils acts as a scrub brush, cleaning the digestive system. This type of fiber also decreases serum glucose and cholesterol, and decreases insulin requirements for people with diabetes.

What are culinary nuts?

Nut is a general term for the large, dry, oily seeds or fruits of some plants.

According to the botanical definition, nuts are a type of dry one-seeded fruits that are indehiscent i.e. they do not split apart along a single seam once they have reached maturity. The pericarp (fruit wall) becomes hard at maturity. Examples are Acorns (in oaks), Chestnuts, Hickory and Hazelnuts etc.

In culinary terms, however, the word nut is used more broadly to include fruits, and even seeds, that are not botanically qualified as nuts, but those have a similar appearance and culinary role. Any large, oily kernel found within a shell and used in food may be regarded as a nut. The term nut is also used to refer to various hard-shelled fruits or seeds.

Thus both botanical (true) nuts and non botanical nuts (various hard-shelled fruits and seeds) are included in the list of culinary nuts.

Culinary nuts are:

• True nuts (dry indehiscent single seeded fruits): Acorns, Chestnuts, Hickory and Hazelnuts
• Seeds of Drupe fruit (fleshy fruit with a single stone or pit) also called as Drupaceous nuts: Cashew nuts, Brazil nuts, Coconut, Walnuts, Pecans, Almond, Pistachio nuts
• Seeds of Legumes (Dry dehiscent fruits): Peanuts
• Follicle (Dry unilocular dehiscent fruit): Macadamia
• Seeds of Gymnosperm: Pine nuts

Cashew nut is the seed of the drupe fruit which is kidney or boxing-glove shaped and grows at the end of the pseudo fruit.

The fruit (Capsule) of Brazil nuts has a hard woody shell, and inside contains 8–24 triangular seeds 4–5 centimeters long, packed like the segments of an orange; it is not a true nut in the botanical sense.

The Coconut is considered a dry fibrous drupe with a green, waterproof outer layer (exocarp), a thick, buoyant, fibrous husk (mesocarp) and a hard, woody, inner layer (endocarp) surrounding the large seed. The actual seed embryo is embedded in the coconut meat (endosperm).

Walnuts and Pecans are not true nuts but technically drupes, called drupaceous nuts. The husks are produced from the exocarp tissue of the flower while the part known as the nut develops from the endocarp.

Almond is the seed of the drupe fruit. The outer covering or exocarp of the fruit is a leathery grey-green coating (called the hull), which contains inside a hard shell, and the edible seed, commonly called a nut in culinary terms.

The Pistachio nut is the seed of thin walled drupe. The fruit has a hard, whitish exterior shell. The seed has a mauvish skin and light green flesh. The characteristic feature of the pistachio fruit is the semi-opening of the shell after maturity.

Peanuts are the seeds of the Legumes that are dry dehiscent fruits.

The fruit of Macadamia is a very hard woody globose follicle with a pointed apex, containing one or two seeds, dehiscing by the ventral suture in order to release seeds

Pine nuts are edible seeds of Pines which develop on the surface of cone scales, exposed to the environment.