Microwave Version ~ Creamy Cauliflower Soup

I prepare soups at my home mainly for my husband, who dearly loves them. If I pack a soup alone for his lunch, he wouldn’t mind. That means less work for me and so indirectly I love soups too. J However, I prefer to prepare a wholesome one with beans, vegetables and all that sort of healthy stuff if it is going to be only ‘soup’er lunch. If something else is packed besides the soup, then I would go with lighter ones as this delectable cauliflower soup.

I usually prefer to prepare it in the microwave and the whole process takes less than 15 minutes. The fun part is that you don’t even have to be in the kitchen during most of the process. I prepared it in my usual way but added ginger & chili this time, borrowing the idea from here.

 Ingredients for 2 servings:

1 cup cauliflower florets
2 tsp oil / butter (I added olive oil.)
1 small onion - finely chopped
1 inch ginger piece
1 green chili, slit lengthwise
1 cup milk (fat free or low fat milk will do)
3/4 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

* Cook cauliflower florets adding little water in the microwave, about 4 –5 minutes. Let cool.

* Combine the onions, ginger, chili and oil in another microwave safe bowl and place it in the microwave. Check once or twice in between and cook until the onions slightly brown, about 4 –5 minutes.

* Discard the green chili and ginger. (Or ginger can be used if preferred.)

* Puree the onions and cauliflower using milk as needed. Add extra milk and water to the desired consistency. Heat the pureed soup for a minute more. Season with salt and pepper.

This is on it's way to Lata Raja's MEC - Lunch Box , an event originally started by Srivalli.

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Baked Methi Muthias

Today happens to be Day 7 - the last day of BM#4. And here I am with baked muthias, a guilt free snack for everyone including diabetics.
Traditionally the fist shaped methi muthias are steamed / fried and are served as an evening snack or used in Gujarati style vegetable dishes like undhiyu. However this version I found over Ashwini's blog requires baking and is almost fat free. If you prefer some spicy and non-greasy snacks with your evening coffee /tea, then these are a perfect choice. Though these look like cookies, they do not need the traditional baking ingredients like the flour, butter, sugar or eggs. They are spicy cookies with Indian flavors written all over them. Dried fenugreek leaves, cumin and ginger assert their presence in these whole some cookies made with wheat - chickpea flour combo. Try them and I promise that you would not be disappointed.

And my other posts during this marathon have been
1. Bread Semolina Sandwich
2. Multi Grain - Legume Crepes
3. Quinoa Upma and Who am I
4. Two minute Ragi Drink
5. Panchmel / Panchratan Dal
6. Diabetes Basics

Ingredients to make 6: (I usually double the ingredients)
5 tbsp whole wheat flour
5 tbsp chickpea flour
1 1/2 tbsp dried fenugreek (kasoori methi)
1-2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste (I made a paste with 1 green chilli + 1 inch piece of ginger. Can reduce / omit if serving kids.)
1 tsp cumin, crushed coarsely
1/4 tsp pepper
Asafoetida (a pinch)
1.5 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Note: I have seen the baked version using the fresh fenugreek leaves in other websites but I haven't tried.

Method:
* Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and adding a few Tbsp of water, knead into soft dough.
* Preheat oven to 400°F.
* Divide the dough into six portions. Roll each portion between your palms to a ball and shape into a flat circle.
* Place on a greased baking dish.

 * Bake for about 10 minutes or until the muthias slightly brown on top. Turn over and bake for 4 -5 minutes, if preferred.

Another look at the muthias. They were spicy enough to be served alone along with some bounvita (my favorite drink :)) in the evening.

The other bloggers who are participating in this marathon are
Diabetes Diet/Management: Kamalika, Smitha
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e)
Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani
Seven Days of Cakes:  Priya Vasu
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Srivalli

This goes to Design a Menu - 2nd Edition as an appetizer using whole wheat flour.

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BM#4 ~ Diabetes Basics

The first time I came to know about the implications of Diabetes was probably when I was 9 or 10. An acquaintance in the neighborhood had passed away leaving behind his wife and young kids. He had diabetes, but still would sneak away in the evenings to relish on junk food and badly managed his health. As a consequence, he lost the battle to a silent killer. Later I wondered many times that why he chose food over his family. Was he oblivious to the diabetes complications or did he take them lightly or did not his doctor guide him properly? I didn't know the answers for those questions and I never would know but the incident remained etched in my memory since I learnt that day that diabetes can kill if not controlled.
That was more than two decades ago. Then, people had little knowledge about the chronic diseases like diabetes, blood pressure and heart related problems. People thought that those diseases struck only old people or the ones with a family history.
Fast forward, we now live in a stressful and obese world that the chronic diseases have become a 'norm' of the period. Millions are living, diagnosed with chronic diseases worldwide and many more with illness doesn't even know that they have the disease. It is hard to find a person who is not affected by these diseases at some level. They have become so common that we have been seeing that either a loved one in the family or friend circle is coping with a chronic disease. That should compel us to learn more about the diseases to take better care of our healths and ourselves. However unfortunately, many still remain ignorant about these life threatening illnesses.

Srivalli chose one of the themes during this BM#4 as Diabetic management / diet and I chose that one for this week's marathon.
The other bloggers participating are
Diabetes Diet/Management: Kamalika, Smitha
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e)
Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani
Seven Days of Cakes:  Priya Vasu
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Srivalli

I am covering some of the basics of diabetes today.

1. What is diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus or simply diabetes (or 'sugar' disease in layman's term, particularly in India) is actually a group of diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels. This results due to the body's inability to produce and / or use insulin.

2. What is insulin?
Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone secreted by the pancreas. It is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for everyday activities. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose. Glucose happens to be the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. (That means, body cells need sugar for energy and insulin delivers that glucose to the cells.) When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it causes two problems. Cells start starving for energy and overtime damage occurs to other vital organs.

3. What are the risk factors for type 2 diabetes?
1. Obesity
2. Sedentary lifestyle
3. Unhealthy eating habits
4. Family history and Genetics
5. Increased age
6. High blood pressure and high cholesterol
7. History of gestational diabetes
8. Ethnicity (particularly African Americans, Asians, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and Hispanic Americans)

4. What are the symptoms?
Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because either many of its symptoms seem so harmless or there are often no symptoms at all. The early detection of the symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of developing the complications of diabetes.

Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes:
Frequent urination
Unusual thirst
Extreme hunger
Unusual weight
Extreme fatigue and Irritability

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes:
Any of the type 1 symptoms
Frequent infections
Blurred vision
Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal

5.  There are two forms of diabetes.
1. Type 1 diabetes:
It was previously known as juvenile diabetes since it is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. Type 1 diabetes is present from birth and the body does not produce insulin. 5% of diabetics are type 1. Daily injections of insulin are needed.
2. Type 2 diabetes:
It is the most common form of diabetes and is usually developed in adulthood. In these cases, either the body does not produce enough insulin to metabolize the blood glucose or the cells ignore the insulin.
And the other one developed during pregnancy is gestational diabetes:
Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood sugar (glucose) levels during pregnancy are said to have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women. Women who have gestational diabetes are at high risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life.

6. Insulin in case of diabetics:
Inside the pancreas, beta cells make the hormone insulin. With each meal, beta cells release insulin to help the body use or store the blood glucose it gets from food. In people with type 1 diabetes, the pancreas no longer makes insulin. The beta cells have been destroyed and they need insulin shots to use glucose from meals. People with type 2 diabetes make insulin, but their bodies don't respond well to it. Some people with type 2 diabetes need diabetes pills or insulin shots to help their bodies use glucose for energy. Insulin cannot be taken as a pill because it would be broken down during digestion just like the protein in food. It must be injected into the fat under your skin for it to get into your blood.

7.  Blood sugar levels:
Normal blood sugar level - 70 - 110 mg /dL 
The range between 110 - 126 is prediabetic.
And over 126 mg/dL is diabetic.

8. What happens when diabetes is out of control?
Complications from diabetes occur over time and may include heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, nervous system disease and amputation.

9. Prediabetes:
Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have "prediabetes" condition. It is during which their blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.  Research has shown that some long-term damage to the body occurs during prediabetes. 

10. Prevention:
The onset of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by maintaining a healthy life style, healthy diet (comprising of low fat, healthy carbs and fibre rich food), increasing physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight.
Staying healthier longer can reduce the risk of diabetes.

Disclaimer:
This is the information gathered from web sources and personal experiences. I am not related to medical field and hence this info should not be considered as an alternative to professional help.
Info source: http://www.diabetes.org/

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BM#4 ~ Panchmel Dal / Panchratan Dal

Panchmel / Panchratan dal comes from Rajasthan, the colorful Western state of India known for its legacy of warrior kings and gorgeous forts. Panch mel dal literally means a (cooked) mélange of five dried beans while panch ratan means five jewels. The both names are interchangeably used for the nutritious dal (bean stew) prepared using five different dried lentils that can be commonly found in any Indian kitchen. While the green gram (sabut moong) and the red lentils (sabut masoor) are used in their whole forms, the urad dal (black gram), toordal (pigeon peas) and chana dal (Bengal gram) are used in their skinned, split forms. The infusion of spices in the form of tempering adds new layers of flavors making the dal medley more delectable. This protein packed, healthy dal makes a perfect accompaniment to rotis / rice. And an apt one for my diabetic theme during this marathon.

Recipe courtesy: Sanjeev Kapoor

This dal is a typical example of simple, delightful Rajasthani cuisine. The Rajasthani cooking could not always use fresh ingredients because of the arid weather and hence the absence of onion - garlic in most of the traditional dishes. Asafoetida is usually used as a substitute for garlic. However onion and garlic can be freely incorporated in the following recipe. Don't get exasperated by the long list of ingredients presented here. Most of them go in tempering.

Ingredients for 4 - 6 servings:
1/4 cup chana dal (Split Bengal gram)
1/4 cup moong dal (whole, green mung beans)
1/4 cup urad dal (skinned black gram)
1/4 cup masoor dal (whole ones but I used the skinned, split ones)
1/4 cup toor dal
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
Asafoetida (a pinch)
1 tsp ginger - green chili paste (I used grated ginger and green chillies)
2 tomatoes
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
Chili powder (to taste)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
Minced cilantro for garnish

Method:
* Soak dals in hot water for about an hour. Drain and pressure cook them adding water as needed and turmeric powder till done. Alternatively, they can be cooked on stovetop until soft.
* Heat oil in a pan and add ginger. When it starts to brown, add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and green chillies. Sauté for few seconds. Add cumin powder, coriander powder and red chilli powder.
* Then add the tomatoes and cook until mushy.
* Now add the cooked dals and salt. Add water if required to reach the desired consistency. Stir well and simmer for a few minutes for all the flavors to mingle.
* Add garam masala powder at the end and mix well.
* Garnish with minced cilantro and serve hot.



Check what the other bloggers are cooking on Day 5 during
this BM#4.
Diabetes Diet/Management: Kamalika, Smitha
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e)
Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani
Seven Days of Cakes:  Priya Vasu
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Srivalli

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Healthy Breakfast in 2 minutes ~ Ragi Drink for BM#4

Srivalli asked the bloggers why they chose to join the blogging marathon and today's post is one of the reasons. Not the post but posting today on my blog, I mean. Let me be clear. If not for BM#4, there would have been no post today here. As I told during marathon 2, I post leisurely at my pace, probably 2 - 3 recipes per week. There have been times when I did not post at all for months. I cook everyday, I read everyday but blogging everyday seems like a big chore and in fact it is one. A single post approximately takes 1 - 2 hours of my time including cooking, capturing the dish and publishing the recipe. And lazy me don't like to invest that much of energy and time on recording recipes, each day. I am in really awe watching people posting recipes each day as if they are on a mission. :) Just kidding. I really admire their passion, commitment and patience.
You join like-minded people during a marathon and fellow bloggers inspire you to cook and post each day during the marathon. It makes you think and plan since you go by a particular theme. I feel the rush and like the spirit and even the stress behind it. Last week, I had to sit and type after 11 pm for a post and ditto today. Why, because of the marathon and I have to go by the rules of the game. I was busy from the morning, had to go out in the evening and am sitting now in front of the computer. If not for the marathon, I would have been asleep by now. :)

And though I was planning to post something else, I am going with this healthy and nutritious ragi drink on the fourth day of this marathon. I chose this one just because I could draft it in less time since the recipe is so ridiculously simple one.

Ragi / Finger millet / Nachni is a millet grain that has been cultivated in India from ancient times. It is a gluten free, diabetic friendly grain and is rich in calcium, iron, protein and some rare nutrients such as methionine. The readily available factor, the cheap price, the versatility and the nutrition makes it a popular grain, especially among the rural / poor class in South India.
Here, I have used the huri hittu (popped ragi powder), bursting with flavors enjoyed by kids and adults alike. And you don't even have to cook it like ragi flour.

Ingredients for 2 servings:
1 cup fat free or 1/% milk
4 - 5 Tbsp ragi huri hittu
Splenda / sugar / any sweetener to taste
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 Tbsp chopped walnuts & almonds (Optional. Even raisins, chopped dates or any dried fruits may be added, especially for kids.)

Preparation:
1. Warm the milk in microwave for about 90 seconds. (If using unpasteurized milk, boil it on stovetop.)
2. Add ragi huri hittu, cardamom powder and the sweetener to the milk. Mix well with out any lumps.
3. Garnish with nuts and dried fruits, if using and serve.

Bloggers who are participating in this marathon are
Diabetes Diet/Management: Me, Kamalika, Smitha
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e)
Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani
Seven Days of Cakes:  Priya Vasu
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Srivalli

Linking this to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.

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Quinoa - Mixed Vegetable Upma & Who am I

Today marks the third day of BM#4 and I am here with a mixed vegetable upma, prepared with rediscovered, protein rich, super 'quinoa'. I have been in love with this pseudo grain for some time now and keep cooking it in all the ways I can think of and this is one of them.

Bloggers who are participating in this marathon are
Diabetes Diet/Management: Me, Kamalika, Smitha
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e)
Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani
Seven Days of Cakes:  Priya Vasu
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Srivalli

Ingredients for 3 servings:
1 cup quinoa
1 & 3/4 cups water
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup mixed veggies, chopped fine 
Salt to taste
2 Green chillies (I used Serrano Peppers. Adjust the spiciness to taste)
For tadka: 3 - 4 tsp oil, 1 tsp each - chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds & cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and few curry leaves

Note: I have used carrots, peas & potatoes in this recipe. These can be substituted with other vegetables like beans, capsicum and tomatoes when serving diabetics.

Making upma:
* Lightly toast quinoa and keep it aside.
* Heat the oil in a deep pan or a kadai. Add the tadka ingredients and toast until the dals start turning reddish. Then add the chillies, saute for a few seconds and then add the onions and vegetables of your choice. Stir once and cook covered until the vegetables are tender.
* Next add water and salt to the pan. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
* Lower the heat now and add quinoa. Stir well and cook again covered until quinoa is done, about 15 - 20 minutes. When cooking is complete, the quinoa seeds should become translucent and the white germ has partially detached itself, appearing like a tail.
Squeeze some lemon juice while serving, if desired. Or serve with yogurt.

Regarding the discussions during BM#4:
Now 'behind the scenes' of this marathon. The marathoners keep discussing various issues thru emails during the marathon session and everyone gets to learn a thing or two in the process. Srivalli who is organizing this blogging marathon has posed us some questions like why do we blog, what do we look for in other blogs & so on and also asked us to introduce ourselves so that the fellow marathoners get acquainted with each other. This particular exercise is proving helpful since I get to know more about the fellow bloggers. Though it is not required to post about it on the blog, I thought of doing so.

To start with, I think people who follow this blog already are familiar about my recipes and me but nevertheless here we go.

About me:
1. My name is Suma and I blog at this space known as Veggie Platter. As the name indicates, the blog emphasizes on vegetarian, home style meals and is predominantly Indian. Whatever you see on this blog is solely my creativity and my responsibility. I am the one who is cooking, writing and taking pictures for this blog for the past 4 + years.
2. I have a degree in teaching and worked for a while as a High school math teacher in India. I do have immense patience when dealing with kids and I do love teaching. Right now for personal reasons, I choose to stay at home.
3. I have been happily married to a wonderful guy for over 15 years now. We have a son who is going to be a teenager later this year and a 9 year old daughter.  
4. I have lived most of my life (more than two decades) in Bangalore, India and have been in USA for the past 13 years.
5. I try to find joy and peace even in everyday, mundane things. I am usually a very calm, stress-free person.
* I do prefer books over people or for that matter, even cooking. I can read anything and everything as long as it is interesting / informative.
* I used to watch TV shows when kids were younger and now I totally avoid it when they are around. Now, I watch news and reality shows like amazing race. Our princess would be glued to cartoon network while our son to sports shows and we adults have no control over remote. 
And any day, I would prefer home & garden television to the food network. I can't stand chefs ooh-aah ing over some dead animal and there are barely shows that fit my style.
* And regarding movies, I can enjoy any decent one in English, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu and Tamil. I can fluently speak, read and write in the first four languages and understand about 60 - 70 percent of Tamil. BTW, I like to read or watch thrillers.
* I do like visiting new places but hate the part of travelling since I have a serious motion sickness problem. I hate riding in a car / bus.

6. Why do I blog?
I have already posted it here.

7. What do I see in other blogs?
I recently started following my favorite blogs. Some I do for being informative, some for the writing style and a few for recipes. However, when I visit a food blog, I do read from the beginning to the end; how uninteresting the post may be. That's the least I can do to appreciate a fellow blogger's investment of time and efforts. I usually consider it lousy just saying 'yummy or delicious' though sometimes I do, not knowing what else to say.
8. I prefer a blog with simple layout and neat presentation. When it comes to writing, I think that even a plain introduction with out spelling/grammatical mistakes and reiteration would please any visitor.

9. Food Photography
My husband keeps telling me to do a photography course at a community college and I keep refusing. :) I am not an expert in photography but try to present a dish appealingly. I prefer natural light to take pictures and do not attempt food photography on cloudy days. I am not interested in artificial light setting. I therefore plan according to the weather forecast since I happen to live in Midwest where half the year, it would be gloomy. It is working for me since I have a privilege of staying at home. I pay more attention to the texture of the dish than the props. In fact I pay no attention at all to props and I think this should change. :)
I cook and take pictures leisurely in the morning when everyone is out. If I have to take pictures on a weekend, then I dish out a portion. And then I picture leisurely so that the entire family enjoys the meal with out waiting for my photography session to end. However everyone at home has developed the etiquette to ask about my pictures before eating. :) 

 Family Support:
 10. My husband is very proud of my work and is my super supporter, more than myself I should say. He is a very jovial person and he is rarely seen with out a smile on his face. I am the opposite and the serious kind. I don't make friends easily and feel awkward talking to strangers. And so it must have been amusing to my husband watching me blog on a public platform and making "all these strangers" friends. He has subscribed himself to my blog, reads each post of mine and keeps offering suggestions to better my blog. I never talk about my blog with my friends but my husband and some of his colleagues who have enjoyed my food do canvass about my blog. When non blogging readers send appreciative emails after trying my recipes, I am overwhelmed with joy and sometimes even pride.
11. My husband and son enjoy food and primarily are the sources of inspiration for my cooking and blogging. I don't hesitate to try new vegetarian dishes at home because of them.
12. And most important of all, I should thank my son who happens to be a gifted child. Touch wood. He learnt HTML when he was 8 to help me around with this blog. He is the one who deals with any technical difficulties that arise during the blogging process. 

Hopefully I covered all the topics that were discussed during this marathon.

Linking this post to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.

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BM#4 ~ Multi Grain - Legume Crepes with Spicy Onion Chutney

Erra karam dosas with blueberry - banana milkshake

Here are some nutritious, multi legume - grain crepes on the second day of this BM#4.

Bloggers who are participating in this marathon are
Diabetes Diet/Management: Me, Kamalika, Smitha
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e)
Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani
Seven Days of Cakes:  Priya Vasu
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Srivalli

Of all the dosa / crepe batters I prepare, I would label this particular one the healthiest. Basically, all grains and legumes found in any Indian kitchen can be sneaked in here. The recipe can be altered depending upon one's preference and the availability of the ingredients. I got hold of this recipe from M's aunt, who had taken the trouble to write all the recipes she knows, neatly categorizing them for her daughters. Usually, folks in our family who are interested get copies of it.
You can use each ingredient in their whole form and get them ground in a flourmill, if you are fortunate enough to have one near by. A large quantity of flour can be ground and stored in this way. Or else grind them at home in a mixer / blender in small quantities.

Ingredients in the original recipe:
1 kg wheat berries
100 grams barley
50 grams soya flour
1/2 kilogram (All combined)- Toordal, urad dal, moong bean (whole, green colored), chanadal, jowar, millet, rice, ragi, peanuts and sabudana (tapioca)

My adaptation:
I used the flours I had and ground the remaining ingredients. Additionally I added red chori beans, green lentils, quinoa and flax seed meal.

Ingredients (Make 5 cups):
2 & 1/2 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup barley
2 Tbsp each - brown rice, ragi, millet, quinoa, soya flour, toordal, besan/chanadal, urad dal, moong dal, red chori beans, green lentils,  peanuts, sabudana, flax seed meal



Grinding the flour:
Combine the flours in a mixing bowl. Finely grind the remaining grains and lentils in a blender / mixer. Sieve if needed and add them as well to the bowl. Mix all the flours well and store in an air tight container.

Making dosa batter:
Add water (or even butter milk may be added) to the flour as needed to form a batter of pourable consistency like dosas. Mix in salt as per taste and your dosa batter would be ready.

Making dosas:
Heat a tawa / griddle. To check whether the griddle is ready, sprinkle a few drops of water on it. The water should sizzle and evaporate. Pour a ladle full of batter on the griddle and spread it into a thin circle with the help of the backside of the ladle. Take 1/4 tsp of oil and spread around the edges of the dosa. Cook until the lower side starts to brown. Flip the dosa, spread some oil around the dosa again and cook for a few seconds. Repeat the process with the remaining batter.

It can be served with any chutney or sambhar. Our dosas were done erra karam style - spicy onion chutney was applied while making dosas and no side dish was needed.



For erra karam recipe and how to apply them on dosas, check
1. Erra karam dosas
2. Erra karam masala dosas
This goes to
1. Krithis's Breakfast Club - Pancakes, an event originally started by Helen.
2.  Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.

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BM#4 ~ Bread - Semolina Sandwich

My both kids love to read books and especially the little one has a 'mini library' (as she calls it) of her own in her room, basically the books we have collected over years. Few of them are her favorites and she keeps reading them over and over again. One of them happens to be a book about a grumpy kid whose day turns out terrible when nothing goes right for him from his point of view. I couldn't stop but chuckle every time I read that. The story is aptly titled "Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good and very bad day". That title itself is a mouthful, isn't it?
Right now, I am in the same state of mind as Alexander's as nothing is going right from yesterday morning. First I dropped my camera and broke it. I woke up to see snow covered grass in the middle of April with a chilly 30 deg F weather. Just now I saw mouthwatering strawberry ice cream on someone's blog only to recall that 10 oz of them are costing 4$ right now here. And when I am at it, let me also tell you that the greedy grocery chain store in our area sells milk around 5$ per gallon while the gas is going around $4.30. Can you believe that? Additionally, we are the highest sales tax paying county in the country.
And most important of all (of course after the camera thing,) I am not ready with my marathon posts as usual. :) Yes, you read it right. My grumpiness aside, I am joining the third group as well after my last week marathon blogging.

This time, I am going with the Diabetic Diet / Management theme and the other bloggers who are going to be a part of this BM#4 are
Diabetes Diet/Management: Kamalika, Smitha
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e)
Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani
Seven Days of Cakes:  Priya Vasu
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Srivalli

And I am beginning this part of the marathon with one of the healthiest and nutritious sandwiches that work as breakfast / snack for anyone, including diabetics.
While bread is a 'convenience' to me, it is nothing but an 'annoyance' to the other adult at home, especially if it is store bought one. I am therefore on a look out for interesting sandwich ideas to please the family. Naturally, my interest piqued when I received two captivating sandwich entries while hosting Jihva Breakfast. Though Priya Mitharwal called it 'Bread & Sooji ka Pizza' and Cooking Foodie named it 'Rava / Rock Toast', they both were on the similar lines. They were healthy, wholesome sandwiches for the entire family and this recipe was the first thing I tried among that colorful array of dishes even before I published the round up. Now, it is one of our favorite sandwiches and no one is complaining even if they have to eat them once or twice a week. :)

Ingredients:
10 whole wheat bread slices
1 cup fine cracked wheat (godhuma rava) / semolina
1 cup finely chopped, mixed veggies (I used green and red capsicum, tomato, onion and grated carrot)
1 cup fat free yogurt (or substitute half the quantity with water)
Salt and chili powder to taste
(Olive) oil / butter to toast

Method:
Combine the rava, salt and chili powder in a mixing bowl. Then add the vegetables and mix. Gradually add the yogurt and make a paste of spreadable consistency. 



Take a bread slice and spread the semolina - veggie paste on one side.



Heat a tawa or griddle and spread about 1/2 tsp oil or butter at the center. Place the bread slice with paste side down on the griddle and toast it on low - medium flame until golden brown. Flip and toast the other side too. Use another 1/2 tsp oil if needed. Repeat the process with the remaining slices.
Serve them plain or with some ketchup.

Linking this to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.

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Ragi Huri Hittu and Unde for Blogging Marathon 4

In Kannada, ragi huri hittu literally means the flour made using popped ragi and unde are the balls / laddus.

I chose 'kid friendly' theme for the Marathon 4 and the recipes I blogged so far are
1. Fruity Yogurt Rice
2. Apple Basundi
3. Oats - Lauki Tikkis
4. Kheer
5. Vattayappam
6. Methi Parathas with Carrot Stuffing

Our mother worked hard in the kitchen to serve the entire family healthy, balanced meals each day. When I reflect back and think about the food we ate, I marvel at my mother's patience and smartness. I can label most of our childhood meals including our snacks as low fat and nutritious. Deep frying was never a preferred thing in my mother's kitchen. Our usual evening snacks would be guggillu (salads with chick peas or moong or dried peas), steamed sweet potatoes, corn, boiled peanuts, veggie upmas and so on. Of all those, this ragi huri hittu has been my most favorite snack item. I don't know how many kilos of this flour I have consumed over the years. :) Plain, old ragi flour is no match to the huri hittu in the flavor department. 
Ragi huri hittu has been on my 'to do list' ever since I started to cook on my own. However, it has been impossible just because I don't get ragi here. The whole ragi grain I mean and not the ragi flour. My last year's India trip was not an appropriate one for shopping but when I visited India three years back; I remembered particularly to buy ragi. I bought it in one of those large departmental chain stores that have recently become popular in India. Mistake, mistake. I bought that from that store for the sole reason of being sold in a packet. When I brought it here and tried to pop, it just got burnt and did not pop at all. I later learnt that a good quality ragi alone pops.



I should have opted for those single owner operated, little grocery stores that are ubiquitous through out the thousands of towns / cities across India. The stores are not even half the size of a single aisle of these giant departmental stores of America but they carry all the ingredients that an Indian housewife needs for her cooking besides the toiletries. One of the advantages with these kind of small stores is that the shop would be right around the corner and you walk a few steps to reach there. No wastage of fuel and some exercise for your body. :) You buy only what you need since you are not lured by the strategic placing of the ingredients. And also you can buy only that amount you need instead of pre packed stuff that are usually more than you require. The only disadvantage is that the guy is going to pack your stuff in a old newspaper but no need to complain since he is not charging you for packing expenses. 

After the mishap, my sister remembered to send me some ready made ragi huri hittu packets when my parents were visiting. And added bonus, she sent me some packets that were labeled 'Special'. Already the flavorful, special ingredients like copra, nuts, cardamom and the sweetener mixed. How sweet!! Thank you sis. I was able to introduce this healthy, delicious snack to my kids.
If any one is interested, ready made packets are sold in stores around Bangalore though I am not sure about the other regions in Karnataka. 

How to pop the ragi / finger millet:
I haven't popped ragi until date but here are the guidelines if you would like to give it a try.
Mix about 1/2 cup ragi and 2 Tbsp buttermilk (churned yogurt). Spread them on a kitchen towel and allow them to air dry for about 30 minutes or so. Or just wash the ragi, drain and air dry.
Then dry roast them on medium flame until they puff up. Let cool the popped ragi and grind it into a fine powder. Store it in an airtight container.



One of the ways to enjoy hurihittu is making these delectable unde from them.
Ingredients for 4 balls:
1 cup ragi huri hittu (I used the one with nuts, copra, sugar, cardamom all ready added)
1 tsp ghee
Few Tbsp milk

Mix everything and shape into lime sized balls. Add milk as needed.
If using the plain ragi huri hittu, then add to it the fresh shredded coconut, jaggery and cardamom powder as needed. Form lime sized balls from the mixture gradually adding milk. A little ghee can also be added for the yummy flavor. 

My fellow marathoners are - 
Diabetes Diet/Management:PJ  
Kid Friendly Recipes:Me, Priya Suresh, Divya
Seven Days of Soup:Ila, Smita P 
Seven Days of Indian Bread:Monika
Seven Days of Cakes: Bhagyashri
30 Minutes Meals:Archana  
Seven days of Condiment:Kamalika, Srivalli

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Fenugreek Greens / Methi Parathas with Carrot Stuffing for Blogging Marathon 4

One of my daughter's favorite lunch box item happens to be mixed veggie rotis. I try to keep them appealing and colorful to her by trying out new combinations. Sometimes I stuff the subzi (any dry side dish), make parathas and then cut them into wedges before packing so that she can have a mess free lunch. In this particular recipe, I have added fresh fenugreek / methi leaves to the dough and used carrot subzi for the stuffing. Or else, methi and grated carrot can be directly added to the flour while making the dough. The dough and the subzi can be prepared the previous night and refrigerated so that it would be easier in the morning rush. Just place the refrigerated dough covered, for 20 - 30 seconds in the microwave and it would be ready to roll.
If the subzi is spicy, no side dish is needed. They can be eaten with some pickle / yogurt combo and I served ours with some spicy raita.

Ingredients to make a dozen parathas:
2.5 cups wheat flour
2 cups washed and roughly chopped methi leaves
4 carrots (2.5 cups grated)
For tadka: 2 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
Chili powder to taste
Oil to toast the parathas

Making the paratha dough:
Combine the flour, a pinch of salt and methi leaves in a mixing bowl. Add water / milk gradually and make firm dough. (I added about a cup of water.) Check this post for a pictorial description.

Preparing the stuffing:
Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When mustard seeds start to splutter, add the grated carrot and salt. Stir once and cook covered on low flame till the carrot softens. Then add the chili powder and stir once more. Cook for a couple of minutes more and turn off the stove. Let cool.

Making parathas:
* Pinch a lime sized portion of the dough and roll into a circle of about 4 inches diameter. Place about 2 Tbsp of carrot filling in the center. Bring the ends of the rolled disc together and cover the filling. Roll it carefully into a thin circle taking care that the stuffing does not spill out.
* Heat a tawa (Indian style iron griddle) or a shallow pan. Place the rolled paratha and toast it until it turns golden brown both sides, using a tsp of oil.

My fellow marathoners in this Marathon 4 are
Diabetes Diet/Management:PJ  
Kid Friendly Recipes:Me, Priya Suresh, Divya
Seven Days of Soup:Ila, Smita P 
Seven Days of Indian Bread:Monika
Seven Days of Cakes: Bhagyashri
30 Minutes Meals:Archana  
Seven days of Condiment:Kamalika, Srivalli

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