Raw papaya, mung dal sabzi

Raw papaya has antioxidants, is diuretic in nature and rich in fibre with minimum calories. It can also help you lose weight as it burns fat, and help in detoxification.

Ingredients:

1 small raw papaya

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsps mung dal

¾  cup water

A small ball of tamarind soaked in water

To grind:

½ cup grated coconut

½ tsp cumin seeds

1 onion cut fine

1 small green chilli

To season:

1 tbsp oil

¼  tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp cut onion

1 red chilli broken to pieces

Some curry leaves

Instruction:

-          Remove the skin and seeds of the papaya and cut into small cubes. Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder,  salt and mix well. Keep aside for ten minutes.

-          Wash the mung dal, add this and water to the papaya and pressure cook for five minutes. Cool, open and lightly mash the papaya pieces.

-          Grind the ingredients, add this and tamarind pulp to the cooked papaya (add more water if needed) and simmer for five minutes.

-          Heat oil in a pan with mustard seeds. When they splutter, add broken red chilli pieces, cut onion and curry leaves. When the onion browns, pour this over the sabzi.

-          Serve hot with steamed rice.

Rajgira (Amaranth grain) Upma

                                                         Rajgira upma and chana chat

Rajgira or Ramdana, as it is popularly known in Northern India is a power house of nutrients. The English word is amaranth grain. The origin of the word amaranth is Sanskrit, it means, 'deathless'. It is easy to buy rajgira in grain form and flour form.

Amaranth is high in protein and has an abundance of nutrients like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Also, this is the only grain to have vitamin C. It also has lysine, an amino acid that helps to absorb calcium. Since it contains two times more calcium than milk, it can reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The grain has bioactive compounds which make it anti-allergic. Plus, it is suitable for diabetics because it helps in reducing hyperglycemia.

My husband brought rajgira home and after searching for the recipe on the net, I made upma. It was a disaster the first time. I used it straightway like the sooji and I had to keep on adding water and cooking for almost half hour, and it was not so tasty! Second time I soaked it overnight and pressure cooked for 4 minutes. The water quantity was more and we didn’t relish it. The third time I reduced the water quantity and it turned out delicious! So, here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup Rajgira grain

¼ cup water

1 tbsp oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp cashew nuts

1 onion cut fine

1 green chilli cut

Some curry leaves

Salt to taste

Instruction:

-Soak rajgira overnight. Since the grains are so small and float in the water, you have to drain using a sieve.

                                                        Rajgira in water, soaked overnight

- Heat oil in the pressure cooker, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add cumin seeds, then cut onion, green chilli and curry leaves. Stir, add cashew nuts, when the onion turns transparent, add rajgira, salt and water.

Pressure cook for 4 minutes. Cool and open, serve hot.