Ginger -Coriander Parata

Ginger - Coriander Parata is a full meal and you can have them for breakfast/lunch/dinner.

Adding coriander leaves and ginger adds to the aroma of parata.

I have added coriander leaves, ginger, some spices which are easily available in our kitchen and wheat flour
It is always a question for a women for the next meal. what to cook ? It is not only a few, most of them raise their voice asking their kids, hubby or some friends.
Eating chapatis always is really boring. Not only eating, cooking the same type really makes you more tired. So just think of a twist, using  the same ingredients.
I have tried here " Ginger - Coriander Parata " and you know what is a side dish ? It was carrot chutney. This chutney is a good combination to have the yummy " Ginger - Coriander Parata".

Let us see some benefits of having coriander leaves in our diet.
Coriander leaves in digestion and good to get a relief from stomach upset and indigestion problems. It helps in lowering the blood glucose levels in diabetics.It has good amount of anti inflammatory properties. Coriander helps in lowering the bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol. It contain iron and magnesium and it is full of dietary fiber. It is also good for removal of toxin from our body. It has a anti septic properties and good for mouth ulcers. Coriander helps in stimulate memory in our brain. It also helps in curing anemia. Coriander leaves have antifungal and anti oxidant properties and is good for skin disorders, dryness and fungal infections. It has Vitamin C and Vitamin K in  it.
Let us see the recipe now "
" Ginger - Coriander Parata " is a simple, quick and yummy food that goes well for breakfast/dinner.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed : 

Wheat flour : 2 Cups
Salt : A little
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Turmeric powder : A little
Coriander leaves : I handful ( 1/2 Bundle )
Ginger : An inch
Green Chilly : 1

Method : 

1. Wash coriander leaves, green chilly. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again.

2. Now grind coriander leaves and green chilly with out water. (Dry grind).

3. Take a big bowl, add wheat flour, 1 tablespoon of oil, garam masala, turmeric powder and salt.
4. Mix all the ingredients nicely and add ground coriander mixture.
5. Add required water and prepare dough.
6. Kneed the dough well.

7. Divide the dough into small portion and turn them as small ball shape. Keep some dry wheat flour aside in a bowl.
8. Now take small portioned dough and dip in dry flour.
9. Roll them as chapati in circle shape.

10. Keep a pan on the fire. Heat and clean tava and put rolled parata and cook. Sprinkle little oil.
11. Cook for a minute by pressing the edges. Let the fire be on medium flame.
12. Turn the other side and cook for a minute and remove the done parata from tava.
13. Repeat the same with remaining dough and prepare paratas.

14. Serve Paratas with your choice of side dish and little ghee /butter on the top of hot parata.

Note :

Let the dough be soft and not watery. If it turns watery add little flour and adjust it. Adding ghee while preparing dough is optional. No need to leave the dough for resting. You can use little more oil to while cooking parats. Use of more spice is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves :  2 to 3.

Banana Stem Chutney

Banana stem is one of the healthy stem that can be used in our dishes. In olden days people make sure, that they prepare some dish using banana stem at least once in a month. It is one of the traditional dish and signature dish of Udupi food.

South Canara and Malanadu area bananas are grown even at homes. At least one or two banana plants do grow and the leaves are used for eating food and when banana is grown and it is cut after ripe/unripe the stem is used in cooking. The flowers also will be used as dry curry /majjige huli./chutney and even leha. ( The Home prepared medicine cum energetic dish done to give for lady after the child is born.
This banana stem is given by our neighbour and I did prepared some dal , chutney, kosumbari etc.
I have used banana stem, little roasted urid dal, red chilly and coconut.
Let us see some benefits of eating Banana Stem.
It is said that every part of banana is packed with nutrition and health benefits. Banana stem helps to detoxify our body. It helps to flushing out toxins from our body. It cleanses our body system and helps in digestion. It is full of fiber and good for healthy bowel movement. It also helps in removing the kidney stones. Drinking banana stem juice helps to prevent the formation of kidney stones. It regulates the cholesterol and blood pressure in our body. Banana stem is rich in Vitamin B6, good amount of iron and helps to improve the haemoglobin count. It has good source of potassium. It helps in regulating acidity levels in our body. Drinking banana stem juice ( add lemon also), provides relief from heartburn and discomfort in our tummy.

No Onion or No Garlic is used in this " Banana Stem Chutney".
It is an easy, simple and healthy chutney goes well with almost all main dishes.
Let us see the reciep now :

Things Needed :

To fry :
Coconut/any brand cooking oil : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Tablespoon
Pepper pods : 4 to 5
Methi seeds : 1/4 Tsp
Red chilly (Byadagi chilly) : 5 to 6
Curry leaves : 1 Handful
Ingh : A little
To grind : 
Coconut : 1 Cup
Tamarind : 1/2 of one marble size
Cut banana stem pieces : 1 Bowl
Salt : As required
Fried Ingredients.
To Season :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh : A little.

Method :

1. Wash and remove the inner part of the stem.
2. Cut it as circle and remove the thread form of fiber. ( Roll on the thread around the finger).

3. Cut the circle pieces of banana stem into small pieces after that.
4. Put it in a big bowl of water and let it be there till you grind.

5. Grate coconut and keep it aside
6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and urid dal, methi seeds and pepper pods. Fry till they turn golden brown.
7. Add red chilly and fry for a minute. ( On low flame).

8. Add curry leaves and ingh and put off the fire.
9. Put it in a big bowl or tray, so that the fried ingredients cool down.

10. Take a mixi jar and put cooled fried urid dal mixture,
11. Add grated coconut, cut banana stem pieces and add little salt , tamarind and grind it with very little water.

12. Grind till all the ingredients mixes well and your desired consistency. ( Some like it smooth and others bit coarse)

12. Shift the chutney to a serving dish.

 13.  Add mustard seeds, ingh, curry leaves seasoning and mix it well.
14.  Banana Stem Chutney is ready to serve.

13. Serve with a main dish you have prepared.
14. We normally have this Banana Stem Chutney with Plain Rice and little ghee /coconut oil.

Note :

No need to cook the pieces. Just grind it along with coconut. You can soak banana stem pieces in butter milk also. (Optional). Adding more/less chilly is optional. It taste better if it is bit spicy. Take care of urid dal while frying/roasting. It should not get burnt or raw. Use of onions or garlic optional. Taste may differ.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.

Mixed Leaves Spicy Dal

Mixed Leaves spicy Dal is one of the side dish that goes well with almost all the main dishes. It is prepared using 2 to 3 or more types of leaves and dals, like toor/moong/masoor/chana etc. 

I have used the leaves which we got from our home garden (grown in pots) and toor dal. I have added green tamarind chutney/tokku which I got from Dharwad. ( Our daughter in law Vidya's Home town).

Tamarind chutney/tokku is home prepared, using unripe tamarind, green chilly, roasted methi seeds and salt. Tokku taste so yummy and it goes well with hot rice and ghee, or adding to any dal preparation even I have tried Tamarind Tokku vegetable rice.    

Let us see some benefits of eating  tamarind in our diet.

Tamarind helps to reduce inflammation in our body. It helps to improve eye health, boost respiratory health and helps to heal skin conditions. It is good for digestive system. It relieve pains and strengthen our immune system. It helps to lower the cholesterol and good for kids since it fight against the worms in kids stomach. Tamarind is rich source of dietary fiber. It helps in easing constipation problems. It is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorous, Potassium, Manganese. It is rich in antioxidants and anti inflammatory properties.

As I said I have used our home grown Palk, Dil Leaves and very little basale /Malabar Leaves.

No Onion OR No Garlic is used in this " Mixed Leaves Spicy Dal".

Let us see the recipe Now : 

Ingredients : 

To Cook :

Dil Leaves : 1 Small Bundle

Palak : 1 Small Bundle

Malabar Leaves/Basale Leaves : One Handful 

Toor Dal : 1/Cup 

To Add :

Dry ginger powder : 1/2 Teaspoon

Tamarind Chutney /Tokku : 1 Teaspoon

Crushed pepper pods : 4 to 5 

Salt : As Required 

Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons

Butter/Ghee : 1 Teaspoon (Optional).

To Season : 

Cooking Oil : 1 Teaspoon

Mustard Seeds : 1 Teaspoon

Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon

Green chilly : 2 to 3 

Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 or little more

Ingh/Asafoetida : A little 

Method : 

1. Clean and Wash all the leaves nicely and cut into small pieces.

2. Pressure cook it for 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Wash dal and pressure cook separately.

4. Wash and slit green chilly and cut coriander leaves.

5. Keep a big pan and put cooked leaves and dal together.

6. Add turmeric powder and salt.

7. Add dry ginger powder and pepper pods.

8. Add tamarind chutney/tokku. Stir slowly and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Keep a pan and prepared mustard, jeera seasoning. Add slit green chilly and fry it nicely.

10. Add ingh and curry leaves to seasoning and add this seasoning to Mixed Leaves Spicy Dal.

11. Boil it for another 3 to 4 minutes. Shift it to the serving bowl.

12. Serve with your choice of main dish.

Note :

Cooking leaves in pressure cooker helps them to be soft. It can be cooked without using pressure cooker. (Optional). Use of onions and garlic is optional. ( I have not used). You can use tamarind pulp instead of tamarind chutney/tokku. Taste differs. Adding a teaspoon of butter/ghee to Mixed Spicy Dal taste better. (Optional). Use of more/less chilly is optional. 

Time : 30 Minutes.

Serves : 3 to 4.

Corn Poha Mixture

Celebration includes Sweets and Savoury/Namkeens. The varieties of sweets and salty dishes do add colours to festivals. I think every one agree with me. My feeling is that the preparations should be short and quick and not that heavy to munch.  Thinking of this I have prepared " Corn Poha Mixture", which is very easy to prepare and love to munch whenever you feel like. 

Corn Poha is prepared using Sweet Corn. Poha fluffs up when You fry. It has a crunchy feel. So here we go with one more crunchy munching " Corn Poha Mixture.

It is as simple as always. A very few ingredients are used . Corn Poha Groundnuts, salt and chilly Powders is the basic Ingredients.

You can add what ever you wish to. Example Sev/Om Pudi and  Puffed rice/Mandakki etc, etc.

Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Corn Poha : 2 Cups.

Oil : 1 Cup

Ground Nuts : 1/2 Cup

Salt : As required 

Chilly Powder : 1/2 or less than 1/2 Teaspoon

Curry leaves : 1 Handful. 

Method :

1. Wash and dry curry leaves. ( Moisture should be disappeared). 

2. Keep corn poha in a plate.

3.  Keep a frying pan on the fire and put oil to it.

3. Let it get hot. Take a small quantity of corn poha and leave it slowly in hot oil.

4. Let the flame be medium. Corn Poha starts to fluff up. 

5. Once it fluffs up remove done corn poha from oil. Put it on kitchen tissue.

6. Repeat the same procedure and fry all the corn poha.

7. The flame should be adjusted according to heat.

8. Now fry groundnuts and curry leaves till golden brown. Remove and put it on a kitchen tissue.

9. Put fried corn poha and groundnuts to a big bowl.

10. Add required salt and chilly powder mix it well. 

11. Now " Corn Poha Mixture " is ready to serve.

12. I have added little Puffed Rice/Mandakki/Puri to it. 

Note :

Take care of the flame while frying Corn Poha. You can use a big siever to fry corn poha. Put little corn poha to a siever and dip that siever in hot oil. It is easy to fry with siever. 

Use of more /less ground is optional. Any other spice like garam masala, chat masala can be added instead of chilly powder.(Optional).

Time : 20 Minutes.

Serves : As you wish.