Moong Tikkis

My final post during third week of BM#21 under "Cooking with Moong" theme is these nutritious, and yummy sprout tikkis. These are one of the sprouts tikkis made regularly at my home. They can be served as an evening snack or they can go even in ragda patties. Depending upon the mood, one can go with garam masala, cumin / coriander powders, ginger / garlic / green chili paste or whatever spice powders or flavors preferred, while making the patties. This time I kept simple, added chili powder and made them real hot and served them with sweet chutney.

Ingredients: (Yield 10 patties)
1 cup moong beans (Green colored) or moong sprouts (I used sprouts.)
1 cup cooked and mashed potatoes
1/2 cup bread crumbs or as needed for binding
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
Salt and chili powder to taste
Oil to shallow fry the tikkis

How I made them:

* Pressure cook moong beans/sprouts and potato chunks together for 2 whistles.
* Drain and let the moong cool a bit. Mash the potatoes.
* Mix well the moong, potatoes, bread crumbs, salt and chili powder.
* Divide the mixture into 10 portions and shape them into patties.
* Place them on a shallow pan or a tawa and shallow fry them until golden brown on both sides.
* Remove them and serve hot with spicy or sweet chutney.

Check what other marathoners are cooking during BM#21.

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Moong Sprouts - Aloo Tikki

I made these patties/tikkis today with some leftover homemade green gram sprouts I had and surprisingly, they turned out to be very addictive. I couldn't stop at 1 or 2 and was craving for more. These spicy patties obviously have a southern touch. They have a crispy exterior and soft interior with sprouts in between that not only add a crunch but make these patties special.

Ingredients for 8 tikkis / patties:
2 potatoes (about 1 cup cooked & mashed potato)
1/2 cup moong sprouts
2 minced green chillies
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp each - minced cilantro & curry leaves
2 Tbsp besan + 1 Tbsp rice flour*
Salt to taste
Oil to pan fry the patties
* I fried half of the batch and realized that I had bread crumbs in freezer and so added about 1/4 cup crumbs to the other half batch. If you don't have the flours, substitute 1/2 cup bread crumbs instead.

Method:
* Mix well all the ingredients with out adding water. Divide the mixture into 8 portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Grease your palms and shape the balls into patties.
* Place them on a shallow pan, add a few tsps of oil and fry them on low flame until golden on both sides.
They are spicy enough to be served on their own or can be served with ketchup. Or else they can be used in ragda patties recipe as well.

Linking this to blogging marathon #12 under "delicious dals" theme. Check out the Blogging Marathon page to find out what other marathoners have been cooking.

My posts so far, under "Delicious Dals" theme are -
Masoor Dal Khichdi (Masoordal)
Dalia - Cilantro Chutney Podi (Dalia & Urad)
Chayote Kootu (Chana dal)
Alasanda - Vankaya Pulusu (Chori beans)
Dry Sweet Pongal (Moong Dal)

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Greengram Sprouts Raita

This is a simple raita you can put together under five minutes. Also the following recipe that I got from M's aunt is pretty basic one.  Feel free to add any other ingredients that you think are a good addition to this raita.

What you do:
Add salt (according to taste) to a cup of yogurt and slightly whisk with a fork to get a uniform consistency. Then add a handful of greengram sprouts and finely chopped tomato to it. Sprinkle some garam masala / chat masala and mix.
Home made or store bought yogurt can be used. Fat free variety will do.

This goes to
1. Susan's MLLA, guest hosted by Ruchika this month.
2. Silpa's Vegetable Marathon - Beans.

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Sprouted Ragi Idly

I gladly admit that an error led to this enjoyable experience and I am more than ready to repeat such mistakes in the future.



Following a recipe of M's SIL, I had sprouted some ragi. I sprouted ragi longer than intended and could not use it in her recipe and also was not in a mood to use it in a salad because of the size of the sprouts.
Trashing them seemed like a sin since I carried ragi all the way from India during my previous visit. Again a talk with her led to the idea of using them in dosa/idly batter and here I am with sprouted ragi idlies.
They were no different from the regular idlies and were very soft, fluffy and yummy. Drown them in a bowl of sambhar or chutney, you have melt in your mouth beauties.

Ingredients needed to make around 25 - 28 idlies:
1 cup uraddal
1 cup ragi sprouts
1 cup idly rava
1 Tbsp salt

Preparing Batter:

• Wash separately uraddal and idly rava with two exchanges of water. Then soak them separately, for a minimum of 3 - 4 hours.
• Grind uraddal and ragi sprouts individually into smooth batters using a grinder/mixer/blender. Use only as much water as needed. Do not add more water and make the batter runny. Runny batters ruin idly preparation. It is important not to mix the uraddal and ragi while grinding since ragi does not grind properly with uraddal.
• Drain the water from the idly rava completely. Using your hand, squeeze out any water left in the rava. There is no need to grind the rava.
• Then combine the ground batters of uraddal & ragi sprouts and rava. Add salt and mix well.
• Place the batter container in a warm place, overnight to ferment.

Making Idlies:

• Next morning, pour the fermented batter into greased idly mounds. Place the idly stand and steam in an idly cooker or a pressure cooker with out the whistle / weight on. (I know some novice cooks doing this. :)). Cook for five minutes on high and when the steam begins to escape, lower the heat and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
• Drizzle a tsp of ghee over the idlies and serve with chutney / sambhar.

                Ragi idlies served with sambhar and chutney.

Tips from my kitchen:

• Ragi can be substituted for ragi sprouts. If using ragi, wash and soak it in water and grind separately.
•  Idly rice can be substituted for idly rava. Idly rice also needs to be soaked separately. It can be ground into a smooth batter  together with uraddal.
• For batters to ferment well, put the batter in the oven, with the light on. If that doesn't work, preheat the conventional oven and turn it off. Then place the batter container, with the light on. I always had well fermented batters even during Chicago winters.
• Here is a way to check whether the idlies are done. Carefully remove the lid. Wet your fingertips and touch the idlis. If they don't stick, the idlies are done. Do this with out getting into the way of the hot steam. :)
• Use a container with enough room for the batter to rise. Put a large plate or aluminium foil sheet under the container to catch any drips after the fermentation. Yeah, it happens sometimes. The batter rises more than you expected and you may end up with a messy oven.
• Idlies can be refrigerated or frozen. If frozen, you may need to thaw them. If you refrigerate them, you can put the idlies in a container and place it in a pressure cooker with out the weight on and steam for 5-10 minutes. They will be piping hot as the freshly made ones. Or sprinkle a few drops of water and place it in a microwave safe bowl covered, for 1 - 2 minutes depending upon the quantity.

This goes exclusively to my Jihva - Breakfasts,  Indira being the creator of the event.

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Greengram Sprouts Salad

Here is a simple salad which can be be part of a meal or can be eaten as a snack. I have given the measurements just as a guideline and they can be altered according to one's need.

What you would need for 2-3 servings:
1 cup greengram sprouts
1 small sized onion
1 small sized tomato
Salt to taste
Juice extracted from half of a lime / lemon
Chat masala / Garam masala / Ground pepper to taste 

Finely chop the onion and tomato and add them to the sprouts.  Sprinkle salt and chat masala / the spice of your choice. Squeeze the lemon juice. Mix well and serve.
Chat masala and garam masala, the warming spice mix from Northern India are sold in Indian grocery shops.

This is going to be a part of
My legume love affair guest hosted by Rachel and the event creator is Susan.
No cook event hosted by Padmajha and
Show me your salad hosted by Divya.

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Kala Chana Sprouts Salad

• A tadka of mustard seeds, chanadal, curry leaves and red & green chillies.
• Addition of a cup of kala chana sprouts, a finely chopped tomato & onion each, a grated carrot and salt to taste.
• Mixing & sauteing the ingredients for a couple of minutes.
• Adding a tbs of lemon juice or accordingly.

These simple steps would result in a protein rich snack / meal.

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Subzis For Siri: Sprouted Peas - Potato Subzi

My sister recently asked me whether I could post some recipes for subzis which go well with rotis. She was bored with the monotony of cooking the same subzis over and over. She thinks that I have a little more gyan than her in the cooking area since I own a blog and have been cooking longer than her. I think anyone who cooks on a daily basis for about a dozen years obviously becomes knowledgable to some extent ( sticking to cooking). :)) Like most of the women in India, she doesn't go looking for recipes over the web or in a book. Who does anyway when family members / friends are nearby? She therefore thought it would be easier for her to look for recipes here instead of googling. I am sure she would appreciate this easy and simple subzi recipe. I have paired nutritious sprouts with yummy potatoes. Sprouted green peas can be replaced by dry green peas. Soak them for a minimum of 4 hours and pressure cook them. You can see how to sprout here and here. Ingredients needed to serve 4 : 1 cup sprouted green peas 2 of each - potato, onion, tomato - chopped into cubes 2 tsp salt or according to taste 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1-2 tsp sugar (Optional) For tadka: 1 Tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, cumin seeds The cooking part: Heat oil in a kadai / sauce pan and add mustard & cumin seeds to it. When they start to sizzle, add onion and fry till it turns translucent. Then add tomato and fry for a couple of minutes more. Then add potato cubes, sprouted peas, turmeric powder, salt and 2 & 1/2 cups of water and cook on high heat till potatoes are done. Add a little more water if needed. Now in goes coriander powder, chili powder and sugar. Simmer for another five minutes and turn off the stove. Serve hot with rotis. Related Posts here: Ghuguni This goes to FIC - Yellow hosted by Sunshinemom. Post a Comment

Kala Chana Sprouts Subzi With Cabbage~Carrot

I frequently sprouts beans at my home and if you are new to sprouting, I will assure you that sprouting is not a daunting task as many consider. It is a lot easier to grow sprouts than chopping vegetables to cook. Sprouts are nutritious, healthy, easily digestible and taste excellent. You can add them to any soups, salads, stews or subzis. I had earlier posted how to sprout by this method . Here is one more easy way to sprout. All you need is some beans / seeds (or the ingredient) which you need to sprout and a loosely woven / breathable cotton cloth (like a very thin towel). Soak the seeds for a day or overnight with plenty of water. If sprouting dried beans, use a container bigger than needed as beans swell and double in their size and soak for 24 hours. Then throw away the water and place those beans in a cotton cloth, loosely covered. Keep moistening the towel 2 or 3 times per day or whenever it is dry. Sprouts would be ready in a couple of days. I usually stop when the sprouted root's length is almost same as the soaked seed. Placing the beans bundle in a colander helps to drain any excess water. To speed up the process, leave the beans bundle in an oven with the light on. I sprouted a handful of kala chana and had a cup of sprouts. I added them to this cabbage carrot subzi which was a palate pleasing experience. We liked it very much and I got a thumbs up even from my husband who hates kala chana. What you need: 2 Onions, finely chopped 1 Cup kala chana sprouts 2 Cups grated / finely chopped green cabbage 1 carrot, grated 3 Serrano peppers, finely chopped Salt For tadka: 2 tbsp oil, 1 tsp each of mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, a pinch of asafoetida Cooking: Heat oil in a pan and add all the tadka ingredients in the order mentioned. When the dals slightly turn to reddish brown, add the green chillies & onions. Keep frying on low flame till the onions turn translucent. Next add the grated cabbage, carrot, sprouts and enough salt and stir once. Cover the pan and keep stirring in between till the cabbage is cooked. Turn off the heat. It goes well with rotis or rice. This goes to JIHVA - Sprouts hosted by Dee of Ammulu's Kitchen. Post a comment Other related posts here: Red chori bean sprouts usli Greengram sprouts subzi

Greengram Sprouts Subzi

Here is a simple yet nutritious sprouts subzi which can be prepared in a jiffy. Just for a change, I added sambhar powder to the dish and ended up with a new, delightful flavor. Serve this healthy side dish with rotis / pooris / tortillas.

Ingredients:
Green gram sprouts - 1 cup
One big onion & one tomato, chopped
Sambhar powder - 1 tsp
Chili powder - 3/4 to 1 tsp
Salt
Oil - 1 or 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds & cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp each

Cooking:
Heat oil in a small wok / pan and add mustard and cumin seeds. When mustard seeds start to pop, add onions and fry it till turns translucent and then add tomatoes. Fry till the tomatoes turn into a mush.
Mean while, add a little water to the green gram sprouts and cook them in a MW for a minute or two. Add this cooked sprouts, salt, sambhar & chili powders and a little water to the above tomato - onion mixture. Simmer this mixture on a low to medium flame for a couple of minutes. Turn off the stove. (If you have not cooked sprouts in the MW earlier, cook for somemore time till the sprouts are well cooked).

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Red Chori Bean Sprouts Usli

Usli, a protein rich snack is usually prepared using soaked and cooked dry beans or sprouts. My mom used to make usli / guggillu with various beans for a quick evening snack. Based on that, I made a nutritious, sprouted red chori bean usli which you can put together in around 5 minutes (if you have sprouts ready).

Red chori bean sprouts

You need:
Red chori beans sprouts - 1 cup
Fresh grated coconut / frozen coconut, thawed - 1/4 cup
Medium sized green chillies, finely chopped - 2
Oil - 2 tsp
Chanadal - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Few curry leaves
Salt
Juice from half a lime / lemon (optional)

Red chori bean usli

Preparation:
Heat oil in a small pan, add chanadal and mustard seeds. When chanadal turn red, add chillies and curry leaves and stir them for a few seconds.
Next add sprouts, coconut and salt to the pan, stir the whole mixture and saute them for a couple of minutes before turning off the stove.
Drizzle with lemon juice, if using.
Serve hot.

This goes to RCI-Karnataka hosted by Asha of Foodie's hope.

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Sprouting In The Dark

Sprouting is a way of increasing the nutrient value and digestability of beans, seeds and nuts. Sprouts are the most nutrient dense food on earth. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins and phytochemicals, as these are necessary for a germinating plant to grow. They are also rich in nutrients essential for human health. On wikipedia, there is a long list of seeds, beans and nuts, which can be sprouted. Kidney bean sprouts however are toxic and so, should be avoided.(source: wiki)

I have been following the method of sprouting in the dark, from the past few years and enjoy the crunchy sprouts all through the year. I usually sprout green gram (mung beans), garbanzo beans (chana), red chori beans, which are my favorites.

For 1/4 cup of green gram soaked, you will have about a cup of sprouts. Here is (an example of) how I do the sprouting.

• Sunday night: Before you go to sleep, soak the mung beans in plenty of water in a bowl.
• Monday morning: Throw away the water used to soak the beans. Sprouting would have already started. Wash the beans with fresh water twice or thrice without rubbing the beans much. Drain all the water and cover the bowl and keep it in a dark, warm place such as an oven (turned off).

Soaked green gram by morning. Sprouting already started.

• Monday night: Take out the bowl from the oven and add water to the beans and drain it. Again cover the bowl and put it back in the dark place.
• Tuesday morning: Your sprouts would be ready.

Sprouted green gram

Note: For red chori beans, follow the above process but it will take a few hours more. So on tuesday morning, add water, drain and again put them back in the oven (or a dark place). You will have your sprouts ready by evening. Also the broiler burner we have may be playing an active part in the sprouting process.

Refrigerate the sprouts and use as required.

Sprouted red chori beans

Recipes with sprouts will be posted soon.

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