Thursday, November 21, 2013

Capsicum-Goose Berry Chitranna

Capsicum Contain vitamin A, which is good for eyes and helps to prevent eye diseases. Eating capsicum helps in keeping the skin clear and prevents rashes and pimples.  Eating capsicum speeds up the metabolism and helps to burn more calories. Capsicum prevents indigestion, works as a cardiovascular stimulant, regulates the blood pressure and lowers cholesterol. Capsicum helps to prevent the blood clotting. Capsicum believed to prevent cancer and it is an antioxidant property.
Goose berry has many good qualities like, drinking goose berry juice is good for improving eye sight, It is also a good hair tonic, it helps to reduce the blood sugar in diabetic patients and keep their body balanced and healthy. They are rich in antioxidants , improve gastrointestinal health and lower the blood cholesterol and has lots of cosmetic benifits.
I have used capsicum and gooseberry to prepare Chitranna and it is a rice item. Chitranna is normally served in the beginning of the feast or festival. We can have this Capsicum- goose berry chitranna for breakfast, lunch, or as evening snack and even dinner too. This Chitranna will be liked by all age group I am sure.

Things needed :
 Capsicum : 2 to 3
Gooseberry : 5 to 6
Cooked rice : 2 cups
Green chilly : 3 to 4
Curry leaves : 2 Table spoons ( about 10 leaves )
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Ghee : 2 Table spoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Tea spoon
Urd dal : 1 Tea spoon
Salt : to taste
Ginger : 1 Tea spoon (grated)
Coconut : 1 Cup
Lemon : 1/2 rind


Method :
1. Wash and cook rice and keep it aside to cool.
2. Cut capsicums , green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Grate goose berry, coconut and ginger and keep it aside.
3. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and mustard seeds and urd dal. Let the mustard seeds spurt. Add curry leaves and cut green chilly.
Fry them nicely.
4. Add capsicum and fry till they are soft. Add grated ginger.
5. Add cooked and cooled rice and mix it nicely. Add turmeric and salt. Mix the mixture nicely but slowly. Add ghee to chitranna.
6. Add coconut and lemon juice and mix it again. Now add coriander leaves and grated goose berry and mix it nicely.
7. Put the ready chitranna in a big serving bowl.
8. Serve Hot Nellikai - Capsicum with a cup of curd.

Note : Do not over cook rice. You can also use cashew nuts or ground nuts. Add them when the mustard spurt and fry them. You can also add onions to chitranna. ( fry them separately and then add it) but the taste differ. Do not cook gooseberry using raw is well benifited than cooking them.
Serves :4 to 5
Time : 20 Minutes. ( with already cooked rice).

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Beetroot Cutlets

Beetroot helps to reduce the blood pressure and reduces the bad cholestrerol.  It contain large amounts of soluble fibres. Beetroot has an amazing quality, has an abundant supply of folic acid which is important for the pregnant mums and unborn babies. It is full of minerals like silica and calcium. It keeps diabetes under check. It is fat free and low in calories. Beetroot contains lots of iron and it treats who are suffering from anaemia. Beetroot prevents the cancer and it is a good remedy for constipation. Beetroot boosts the brain power.
Here is beetroot cutlet recipe, easy and tasty and all age group can enjoy eating beetroot cutlets. You can have them for snack or even for dinner since it contains less oil and more nutrients. You can even keep these cutlets inbetween the bread or buns and have them with vegetables. You also can keep beetroot cutlet in the chapati and prepare yemmy chapati rolls.
Ingredients :
Beetroot :  2 to 3
Potatoes : 2 (Medium sized)
Oats : 2 Table spoons.
Bread slices : 3 to 4
Garam Masala Powder : 1 Tea spoon
Chilly Powder : 1/2 Tea spoon
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Green chilly : 2
Ginger : 1 Tea spoon (fresh and grated)
Salt : to taste.
Coriander leaves : 3 Table spoons
Samolina ( small size : chiroti rava : 1 Cup

Ready to serve Cutlets
Method :
1. Grate beetroot, ginger and cut coriander leaves and green chilly and keep it aside,
2. Boil potatoes in pressure cooker for 8 to 10 minutes and remove the skin after it is cooled and keep it aside.
3. Roast Oats for 1 to 2 minutes on low flame and keep it aside. Powder the bread and keep it aside.
4. Now take a pan and keep it on the fire and heat. Put jeera and fry for 1 minutes. Add cut green chilly and grated beetroot. Mix it well and cook on low flame till the water disappear. Add garam masala, chilly powder and salt to the mixture. Cook on medium flame. Stir in between.
5. Now add potatoes (smash before adding), oats and powdered bread. Let it cook nicely. Add coriander leaves and mix it well.
6. Now allow the mixture to be little cool.
7. Put rava on a plate. Keep a tava on the fire. Keep the oil at the side of the tava.
8. Now mix the beetroot mixture nicely and divide in to small portions. Take a portion of the dough and give your desired shape.
9. Dip this flat mixture on the rava. (both sides should be dipped). Keep a pan on the fire and put a spoon of oil on the tava and spread.
10 Now keep at least 5 cutlets at time on the tava amd sprinkle oil on the top and cook until both sides turn roasted and crispy. Now remove the cutlets from the tava and serve Hot Cutlets with ketch up or any other chutney your prepared.

11. Repeat the same to cook the rest of the mixture.
Note : Boil Potato nicely till soft but do not over cook, so that the vegetables stick together. You can add any other vegetables like carrots, beans or capsicum, cut into small pieces and cook along with beetroot. You can also use bread crums or rusk powder instead of rava. Rava serves the purpose well. You can also add cashew nuts or ground nuts but the taste differ. You can add onions and garlic  to the beetroot mixture while frying the beetroot.
Time : 40 minutes
Serves :4 to 5
Cutlet mixture after mixing 














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My name is Nalini Somayaji. Teaching is my profession. Cooking is my passion. Reading, travelling, visiting new places, having fun with kids are some of the hobbies I can say. My recipes are Healthy, quick, easy and simple. Grown up being a traditional family member I love and respect Indian culture and traditions. Love classical dance and music.
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