Cucumber Raita

‘As cool as a cucumber!!’ I had read this line when I was in school. Today I quote the same when ever I show my little one a cucumber. Cucumber ,watermelon …all these water loaded fruits surely give you the much needed coolness when feeling hot or while having a spicy dish.

Here are the ingredients for the coolest raita:

1 medium sized (long ones) cucumber(peeled and grated)

1 cup low /full fat smooth yoghurt

salt to taste

pinch of dried mint / 4-5 fresh mint leaves chopped(optional)


Procedure:
In a bowl ,mix the grated cucumber and yoghurt.

Add salt to taste and the mint. Mix well

Serve chilled.

Microwave Sabudana Khichdi

This one dish I always prepare using microwave. I have added the healthy kumara to it instead of potato. Kumara is a red flesh sweet potato which can be had on fasting day too.

Ingredients:

1 cup sabudana/sago (medium size)

¼ cup roasted peanut powder

½ cup Kumara chopped

1tsp jeera/cumin seeds

1 tbsp oil

red chilli powder as per taste

salt as per taste

1 tsp sugar

Method:

• Soak the sabudana overnight in water .The water level shouldn’t exceed the sabudana.
• Mix the sabudana, peanut powder, salt and sugar.
• Heat oil in a microwave –safe utensil. Add jeera and chopped kumara .Microwave high for 1 minute putting the lid on.
• Remove and mix. Sprinkle some(1 -2tsp) water and add the red chilli powder and mix gently. Cover and microwave again for a minute.
• Add the sabudana and mix .
• Cover and microwave high for 3 mins removing after every one min and giving a gentle stir.
• Remove and mix gently
• Leave it to cool for 5 mins so that the heat in the sabudana gets properly distributed and the sabudana gets properly and evenly cooked up.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve.


This is Kumara ......

Oats Upma

This is a healthier version of upma. The combination of oats and upma is so good that people who usually hate oats don’t even realise the presence of oats in this upma.

Ingredients :

1 cup rolled oats

½ cup roasted semolina

1 big onion chopped

¼ cup corn kernels

¼ boiled peas

½( medium size) carrot chopped

few curry leaves

2 dry red chillies

2-3 cups of water

salt to taste

a pinch of sugar

3 tbsp of oil

1 tsp lemon juice

chopped coriander for garnishing

Method:

• Heat oil in a heavy bottom kadhai. Add the curry leaves, chopped onion and red chillies.
• Add the corn, peas and carrot.
• Fry till onion becomes transparent.
• Add 2 ¾ cups of water, salt to taste and pinch of sugar. Boil.
• Add the oats and semolina to this boiling mix.
• Keep on stirring so that lumps are not formed .
• Cover and cook for 2-3 mins .
• Add the lemon juice and mix well.
• Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

Green Rice

Green rice was born bcoz my little one loves Spinach(or Palak) but equally hates Coriander(or Dhaniya) and green split Moong dal. So I thought of making Pulao and adding all the green stuff to it and yes….it turned out to be a good dish with hidden goodies.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked rice (I have taken 95% rice and 5% dal)

2-3 tbspn chopped spinach

1-2 tbspn chopped coriander

½ cup green peas

1 bay leaf

1 tspn jeera/cumin seeds

2-3 cloves

2 green elachi/cardamom

¼ inch dalchini / cinnamom

1 onion medium sized chopped finely

1-2 tspn oil

Procedure:

• Heat oil in a vessel. Add the jeera, bay leaf, cloves, elachi (slighty crushed) and the dalchini.
• Add the onions and mix well.
• Add the spinach , peas and then the rice and dal.
• Add 2 ¼ cups of water.
• Add salt to taste and put the lid on.
• When the rice is 80% done , add the coriander and mix gently.
• Add a tspn of ghee and mix slighty before serving.