Sunday, June 12, 2022

Karkidaka Kanji

 In Kerala parboiled rice is the staple food. It is also known as matta rice, Rose matta rice, Kerala red rice, Red parboiled rice and Palakkadan matta rice, as locally it is sourced from the Palakkad region of Kerala. It takes longer time to cook as compared to polished white rice. What I usually do is, soak rice in water overnight, pressure cook with four times water for 5 to 6 minutes, cool and drain.

Karkidaka Kanji is made during the Malayalam month of Karkidakam when it rains heavily, which can cause ill health. It has been part of the traditional monsoon food regimen in Kerala for long as it gives our system the immunity boost it needs at the time. It also helps in detoxification, aids digestion, reduces cholesterol, and improves bowel movement.


Ingredients

1 cup or 100 gms of Red rice (for two people)

1 tsp Fenugreek seeds

4 cups water

½ tsp Dried ginger powder

½ tsp Crushed pepper

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp Turmeric powder

3 flakes of Garlic peeled and chopped

Salt to taste

Coconut milk – 1/2 cup

Instruction

-          Wash the rice, fenugreek seeds  and soak  them together overnight or at least for 3-4 hours

-          Pressure cook all the ingredients together, except coconut milk for 8 minues.

-          Cool, open the pressure cooker, add the coconut milk and simmer for two minutes.

-          Serve with boiled and seasoned green gram or coconut chammanthi (chutney).

Sunday, May 15, 2022

Banana stem, Mung Dal Kootu Curry

Ingredients

1 ½ cups banana stem cut to small pieces  CLICK HERE for the video how to remove fibre from the stem

¾ cup skinned, split green gram (mung dal), soak for ten minutes

2 cups water

1/3 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

To grind

¾ cup grated coconut

3 flakes of garlic

1/3 tsp cumin seeds

1 green chilli

To season

1 tbsp oil

¼ tsp mustard seeds

1 red chilli broken to pieces

A few curry leaves

Instruction

-          Keep the cut banana stem with half cup water, salt and turmeric powder on medium fire to cook. Check in between if more water needs to be added. In about ten minutes, it will be cooked.


-          Meanwhile, keep the soaked mung dal with salt and 1 ½ cups of water on medium flame. When it boils, reduce the flame and let it cook for ten minutes.

-          Grind the grated coconut with all spices, add this to the cooked banana stem kept on low fire. Also mix in the cooked dal.


-          Let it simmer for five minutes and season it.

-          Serve with steamed rice or chapatis. 

Banana stem, mung dal kootu curry served with jowar rotis, cucumber slices, and mango pulp.

Banana stem (Vazha pindi) Thoran

Banana stem is packed with nutrients and fibres.  It prevents kidney stones, anaemia, helps in weight loss, cures constipation, keeps diabetes under control, checks hyperacidity and helps in detoxification. Since it is fibrous and contains threads, you should know the preparation of the stem and cutting. We Malayalis love this preparation.

Method of removing fibre and cutting




Ingredients

2 cups finely cut banana stem

1 medium sized onion finely cut

Salt to taste

½ cup water

To grind

¾ cup grated coconut

1/3 tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp cumin seeds

3 flakes of garlic

To season

1 tbsp oil

¼  tsp mustard seeds

1 red chilli broken to pieces

A few curry leaves

Instruction

-          Cook the finely cut banana stem and onion with salt and water for about 10 minutes till it is tender.

-          Meanwhile, roughly grind grated coconut with all the spices.

-          Add this to the cooked banana stem kept on low flame. Keep it covered for two minutes and then season it.

-          Serve with steamed rice and dal. 

                                     Here it is served with steamed rice and mango pulissery.


Sunday, November 28, 2021

Eat Your Dals without Bloating and Belching

 Being trained in the allopathic system, I was always uncomfortable with the fact that allopathy doesn’t address the cause of a disease and correct it, instead,  symptomatic treatment is given. This type of treatment maintains the diseased state, and brings in side effects of the medicines that have to be taken for long time.

The Biological doshas

The ancient science of Ayurveda recognised the existence of three doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) that determine the process of life, growth, and decay. Each dosha is derived from a different natural element. Vata corresponds to air, Pitta to fire, and Kapha to water. These Doshas are the three primary life forces in the human body, and every deficiency, disease, or disorder is primarily caused due to a shift in the optimum levels of these Doshas.

Vata dosha

Vata is the air or wind Dosha. It is responsible for movement in the human body, making it a very important Dosha since the other two Doshas are found to be incapable without the presence of movement. So in effect, it regulates the functions of Pitta and Kapha as well.

Common vata disorders include flatulence, tics, twitches, aching joints, dry skin and hair, nerve disorders, constipation, and mental confusion. The Vata Dosha is manifest primarily in the abdominal cavity below the navel – colon, pelvis, pelvic organs, as well as the thighs, skin, ears and brain.

Lentils and stomach problems

Consumption of  pulses, like beans, lentils, and peas can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, such as bloating, gas, and stomach cramps. That's because pulses contain large amounts of indigestible carbohydrates (fibers) that are fermented in the GI tract resulting in the formation of gas.

It is better to consume dals during daytime , but moong dal is light and easily digestible, so it is okay to have it at night. Actually moong dal helps balance the digestion process. Soaking or spouting the lentils  make them much easier on the digestive system. Soak them overnight or at least for 4 hours. Throw away the water in which it is soaked and give the beans/lentils a good rinse before cooking to wash away those gas-producing carbohydrates.

While cooking

When using the pressure cooker, do not close the cooker straightaway. Put the water and beans/lentils in the cooker, put on flame and let it boil. You will see the surface being filled with froth. 

Remove this froth with a ladle.

 Then you can add salt and other condiments, close it and pressure cook.

Apart from alleviating the stomach discomfort on eating the preparation, I have even found an improvement in the taste.

Friday, October 15, 2021

Bengal Gram (Chana Dal) Halwa

This is an awesome sweet dish which is very easy to make.

Ingredients

1 cup Bengal gram (chana dal)

1 cup water

¾ cup sugar OR jaggery

½ cup grated coconut

½ tsp cardamom powder

1 tbsp cashew nuts

1 tbsp Kismis (raisins)

1 tsp ghee

Instruction

- Wash and soak chana dal for about 6 hours. Pressure cook with 1 cup water for 8 minutes. Cool and open.

- Heat a thick bottomed pan, put the cooked chana dal and sugar. It becomes watery now. Keep stirring on low flame.

- When it becomes thick, add grated coconut, cardamom powder, cashew nuts and kismis. Mix thoroughly and remove from fire.

- Smear a plate with ghee and pat down the halwa. When it cools down slightly, cut into pieces.

- Can be served immediately, or after refrigeration.   

Monday, October 11, 2021

Dosa with sago

 This has an awesome flavour and texture that I just love.

Ingredients

2 cups rice ( for 10 dosas)

1/3  cup beaten rice

2 tbsps sago

2 tsps fenugreek seeds

Salt to taste

Instruction

-          Wash and soak all the ingredients except salt, for about 6 hours. Grind to a thick batter and allow it to ferment overnight

-          Add salt, mix well and make dosas. If the batter has not risen well after fermentation, add a pinch of baking soda to the batter.

-          Serve with coconut chutney.

Friday, October 8, 2021

Banana Bread

 This bread is easy to make; it is soft, with nice aroma, heavy and quite filling. You can have it with fresh cream, butter, or jam.

Ingredients

1 cup refined flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ cup oil

1 egg

1 banana mashed

¼ cup milk

2 tbsps jaggery

1 tbsp melon seeds (optional)

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional)

Instruction

-          Sieve the refined flour with baking powder and keep aside.

-          Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

-          Beat the egg, add the mashed banana and oil, beat again.

-          Add the jaggery, milk, and mix well. Finally add the refined flour with baking powder, the melon seeds and mix.

-          Pour into a baking box lined with baking sheet, spread pumpkin seeds on the surface.

-          Put inside the pre heated oven and bake for about 40 minutes, till a tooth pick when inserted, comes out clean.