Cabbage Poriyal

Hi Folks, Cabbage is one of the cheapest and healthiest veggies. Helps for the people with the weight loss diet. But if you have thyroid, it's better to stay away from this veggie. Cabbage poriyal is one of my favorites. In my childhood, I never liked to eat cabbage, due to its mushy texture after cooking. Later, my dad learned from a local cook about how to chop and cook cabbages without becoming mushy. From that time it became my favorites.
Okie, Let's see how to make cabbage poriyal today. Any vegetable has its own flavor, so I usually don't add many spices to all the veggies. Tip to remember while cooking CabbageThis veggie itself has lots of water in it. we don't have to add extra water to cook this. Just need to cover the pan with lid and cook.

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 1 lb
green chili -1 no.
salt- as per taste
shredded coconut - 1/4 cup

to temper:
oil - 2 tsp
mustard seed- 1tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
curry leaves - a few

Preparation:

1. Cut cabbage thin and lengthwise.
2. In a pan, heat oil and add the items mentioned in "to temper".
3. Add the thinly sliced cabbage and mix well.
4. Add salt to taste.
5.Cover with lid and cook over medium heat. Make sure to open the lid and stir often.
6. Once the veggie is cooked soft and tender, add coconut and turn off the stove.

Notes:
1. If the veggie starts to catch in the bottom, add a little oil or sprinkle little water to cook.
2.I use induction stove so the heat will be there even after turning off the stove, So I used to turn it off and add coconut once the veggie is cooked 80%.
3.My kids don't prefer spicy food, so I have added only one chili, you can add according to your taste.

Pineapple Delight

Hello Everyone. Hope all had a good start to New Year 2018. Easy and Simple Foods wishes everyone a very happy new year with good health and peace. I am really happy to write my blog after really long time. Hope to continue my writing in future too. I wanted to start the new year with a simple yet delicious Dessert item. Let's see how to make it. I have tasted this dish at my friend's place and fell in love with it. My friend learned this recipe from some FB group, and I had knowledge transfer from her. Thank you to that unknown FB group and the member for such a delicious and easy recipe.  I have changed the proposition based on my preference a little.

Ingredients:

Pineapple chunks - 2 cans
Pineapple crushed-1 can
condensed milk - 1/2 can
Whipped cream - 8 oz

Procedure:

1.Drain the pineapple from can and keep them aside.

2. In a bowl, mix whipped cream and condensed milk.

3. Now add the drained pineapple chunks and crushed pineapple to the mix.

4. Cover and freeze the mix for 2 hours, then refrigerate until served.

Note:
You can add toppings like chocolate syrup or crunchy Nuts.

Very simple to make right. Yet it tastes so good and suits well for potlucks and special occasions.

Nuts Pulao

Today I am gonna share another easy and healthy lunchbox recipe. This recipe gives hand when I am running out of veggies. Nuts are essential for the growing children and everyone in the family. Taking them regularly will satisfy our daily protein requirement. As it is mild spicy, kids will like it for sure.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 2 cups (soak for 30 mins)
Nuts - 3/4cup - 1 cup(Cashews, Badam, Pista, Dry Grapes)
Saffron strands - 3-4(soak them in a tbsp of warm water)
Onion - 1/2 of a small onion. (sliced lengthwise)
Green Chilies - 2-3
ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Butter - 1/2tbsp
Mint & coriander leaves - a few

Dry garam masala:
cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch
cloves - 2
Elachi -2
Bay leaf - 1
fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Anistar - 1

Preparation:

1. Soak Rice for 30 mins, drain and keep ready.
2. In Rice cooker heat 2 tsps of oil and add the dry garam masala listed above.
3.Add Nuts to it and give a saute. (Just fry them until the cashews turn golden brown)
4. Now add chopped onions, green chilies and saute well.
5. When the onions are translucent add ginger garlic paste and saute well.
6. Once the raw smell of ginger garlic paste leaves, Add chopped mint leaves and give a gentle mix.
7. Add rice, soaked saffron strands(with water) and stir gently without breaking rice grains.
8.Measure the required water to cook the rice.(for the rice variety I cooked, used 1:1 ratio)
9.When the rice cooked 80%, cut and spread the butter pieces on top of it and close the lid.
10. Once the rice cooked let it rest for 10 mins and then mix it with a fork.
11.Spread some chopped coriander leaves and serve with Raitha, and curry of your choice or just with chips.

Note:
1.I cooked using electric rice cooker. If you use pressure cooker, you may bring the water to boil and add the butter cubes before closing the lid. leave it for one whistle.
2. I used the nuts as it is. If you like you can chop them into pieces and add.
3.If you like, instead of soaking, you can just crush the saffron strands and add while sauteing nuts.
4.You can reduce the nut quantity to 1/2 a cup if you feel the quantity I used is too much for you.
5.do not miss / add too much of dry grapes. they give a mild sweet and tangy taste.

Carrot Rice with Tangy Twist

Hello folks,
Its been really a long time since I have write a post. Happy to connect with you again. Today I am gonna share the lunch box recipe which I prepared few days back. On Friday I was not having enough time to prepare the box, as well as dint have any veggies in fridge except few carrots and a piece of mango. So I thought I would make carrot rice and I can manage to send it for lunch along with chips. Unfortunately I woke up a bit late and no time for roasting the ingredients and cooling it off and grinding. So thought of making it in simpler way. So just kept  rice in cooker, by the time it got ready, I have grated carrots and mango ready(and of course the breakfast was getting ready simultaneously). This is the first time I combine carrots and mango together, But the results were  amazing and got positive feedback from my family;)))

Lets see how to prepare a simple carrot rice with tangy twist.:)

Ingredients:

Carrot - 1 cup(grated and tightly packed)
Cooked Rice -3 cups
Mango - 1/4 cup (grated and tightly packed)
Sambar powder - 1tsp
garam masala powder - a pinch
Green chilies - 4-5
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tbsp
cashew/peanuts - 1 tbsp (optional)
Oil- as needed
salt - as per taste
curry leaves- 1 sprig
coriander leaves - a few


Preparation:

1. Cook rice and keep aside.
2. Grate carrots and mango and keep aside.
3. Heat about a tbsp of oil and add Channa dal, mustard seeds, urad dal, Cashew nuts,green chilies and curry leaves one by one.
4.Then add the grated carrot and mango and saute for a while, until the raw smell leaves.
5.Now add salt, sambar powder, garam masala powder, and a little oil and saute until the smell of masala leaves.
6.Now add the cooked rice and mix gently and let it cook for 2 mins.

Now the Rice is ready to be served.

Notes:
1. Increase the mango quantity if you wish.
2. Adding ghee at last will give a nice flavour.
3. Use a heavy bottomed vessel to avoid burning.
4.Make sure the raw smell of veggies as well as masala leaves before you add rice.
5. Can be prepared with Sona masoori, Basmati or Ponni rice.
6. Adjust Green chilies and sambar powder according to your taste.