Sunday, February 23, 2014

Brown Rice Bisibele Bhat (Rice Khichdi)

Brown rice (Jaddakki in Kannada language) with dal, vegetables and spices cooked together to prepare this Bisi bele Bhat. Bhat means normally a rice item. This is also a quick and easy and tasty dish. Normally Bisibele bhat is prepared with white rice and I haveused brown rice.

The name bisi bele bhat, which literally means Hot lentil rice in Kannada. Bisi means hot, bele means lentil and bhat means a dish made of rice. It is also known as Bisi bele huliyanna which means hot lentil sour rice. The traditional way of preparation of this dish is elaborate and the perticular spices are used. The dish has a unique flavour and taste. It should be served Hot and eaten with chips or papad.

Brown Rice is more nutritious and it contain essential nutrients such as B vitamins, phosphorus, manganese, potassium and magnesiu. The high content of dietary fibre contribute to a healthy colon and digestive system. Brown rice is an excellent source of soluble fibre and it helps to lower lthe levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. It helps to maintain a healthy body weight. It also controls the blood sugar level.

Toor Dal or pigeon pea provide an excellent source of fiber, protein and sodium. They are also low in fat content and it is an ideal food for heart healthy diets.

Vegetables are low in fat and contain good amount of minerals and vitamins. They are rich source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron,Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin A. Vegetables are antioxidants

Here is a recipe of quick Bisibele bhat, very easy to prepare and I am sure the whole family of all age group will enjoy having this bhat. We can have this bisibele bhat for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Things Needed :

Carrots : 1
Beans :  1/2 Cup  (10 to 12 beans)
Capsicum : 2
Brown Rice : 1 Cup
Toor Dal : 3/4
Tamrind Pulp : 2 Table spoons
Chutney Powder : 2 Table spoon (MTR)
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tea spoon
Rasam Powder : 1 Table spoon
Cloves : 2 to 3
Cinnemon : small piece
Coconut : 1/2 Cup (3 Table spoons)
Salt : required
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Tea spoon
Urd Dal : 1 Tea spoon
Ingh (Asafoetida) : a pinch
Turmeric Powder : a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and cook Rice and Dal separately. (You can presssure cook also).













2. Wash and cut vegetables and cook carrots and beans. Keep the capsicum pieces aside.


3. Grate coconut and grind with rasam powder, chutney powder and garam masala. (Use required      water).
4. Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp after 5 minutes. Keep the pulp aside.
5. Now keep a big pan on the fire and put cooked rice, dal and vegetables.


6. Add tamarind pulp. Add salt. Mix it well.
7. Add required water and let it boil nicely.
8. Now add ground coconut spice mixture.

9. Mix it well and let it boil on low flame. Stir inbetween.
10. Keep a small pan and put oil. Heat and put mustard seeds and urd dal.
11. Let the mustard seeds spurt, add ingh and curry leaves.

12. Add this mustard spurt mixture to bath mixture. Mix it well.
13. Keep a pan and put one tea spoon of oil. Add cloves, cinnemon.
14. Add capsicum pieces to the pan and fry capsicum along with cloves and cinnemon. Add this capsicum fry to the bath mixture.
Ready Bisibele Bhat 
15. Shift this mixture to a serving bowl.
Bisibele Bhat in the Serving Bowl
16. Serve bisibele bhat with a cup of curd and papad or as you like.
Ready to serve Bisibele Bhat

Note:

Do not over cook rice. You can also add cut onions along with capsicum while frying. You can add more oil or ghee if you wish. You must use good quality of rasam powder, chutney powder and garam masala. Make sure that chutney powder contain roasted channadal and urid dal. I have used  MTR powders. You can also add chilly powder if you like more chilly taste. Using Ghee with Bisibele Bhat adds to the taste. I have tried this dish with mixing chutney powder, rasam powder and garam masala. You can also use bisibele bhat powder of any good company or even you can prepare the powder.
Time : 40 minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4

Organic Brown Rice

Friday, February 21, 2014

Oats - Rava Idli with Ground Nut Chutney

Oats Rava idli is a main course dish and it is prepared using Oats, Rave (Semolina) and curd. Rava idli is a variation of the popular South Indian breakfast item "idli". Idli is prepared with medium size rava normally.

Rava idli is a speciality of the state of Karnataka in India and mainly popular dish in Udupi restaurants. The story behind the invention of Rave Idli is very interesting. One of Bengalooru's famous hotels, Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR) claims to have invented this Rava Idli. According to Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, during World War 2, when rice, which is the main ingredient used in idli was scarce, these hotels used semolina instead of rice and that was a great success. Even now Mavalli Tiffin Rooms Rava Idli is very famous and maintains the same good standard.

Rava is a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine and popular in Western Cusine too. Semolina is made from durum wheat and its high gluten content. It is digested slowly and helps us from over eating.
Some of the benefits of Rava are that

  • Rava contains potassium and improves kidney function. 
  • Semolina is a good source of two vitamins (E and B). 
  • Semolina helps us to lead an active lifestyle. 
  • Semolina is a quick and nourshing source of enegry. 
  • Semolina contain phosphorus, zinc and magnesium are beneficial for the bones and nervous system.

Oats are source of dietary fiber - A few important points about Oats are

  • This fiber contains a mixture of about half soluble and half insoluble fibers. 
  • Soluble fiber helps in lowering the blood cholesterol. 
  • Oats also contain iron, magnesium and vitamin B1. 
  • Oats enhance immune response to infection. It stabilizes the blood sugar.


Here is a recipe of Oats Rava idly 
Oats adds softness to rava idly and in this way we can use oats and get the benefits from it. Oats Rava idli is soft and tasty. It can be prepared for breakfast, as snack or even for dinner too. You can have Oats Rava idli with Sambar or Sagu (thick vegetable curry with spices), or any kind of chutney, chutney powder or even pickle.

I am sure all age groups will definitely enjoy eating this idli.

Ingredients :

Rava (Semolina) : 2 Cups
Oats : 2 Cups
Curd : 1 Cup
Salt : to taste
Eno Salt: 1 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 1 handful
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Table spoons
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urid dal : 1 Tea spoon
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Green chilly : 1
Water : Required
Coconut:  2 Table spoons (optional)
Carrot : 1


Method

  1. Wash and cut green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Grate carrot.
  1. Dry roast Oats for 3 to 4 minutes and allow it to cool and dry grind it.

  1. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat.
  2. Add oil, mustard seeds and urid dal.Add curry leaves and green chilly.
  3. Add rava and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Put all the ingredients (green chilly, coriander leaves, carrot, curry leaves) together and add salt.

5. Add ground oats, roasted rava and salt, mix it well.



6.  Add Curd or Butter milk 




7.  Wash and apply oil to all the idly plates.
8.  Keep a pressure cooker or Idly cooker on the fire and put 2 glasses of water. 

9  Now add a tea spoon of Eno to the rava idly dough and mix it nicely. 



10. Put a spoon of idli batter to all the idly plate immediately and cook idli for 8 to10 minutes.
 


Serve hot idli with the favorite Chutney or Sambar you have prepared.

Put a spoon ghee on HOT OATS-RAVA IDLI before serving (optional).

Note :

Must roast the rava till the raw smell disappear. Roast on medium flame and be careful not to burn the rava. The curd should be savour to get the best result. Do not use lot of water to dilute the curd. You can also use coconut, grated carrots and peas. Mix it at the end and put the batter to the plate.Do not keep the batter after adding Eno salt. (Idli turns hard).

Serves :  4 to 5
Time : 20 minutes

  Ground Nut Chutney :

Roast 2 to 3 table spoons of ground nuts and green chillies and leave it for cooling. Grate coconut (1 cup) and mix roasted ground nuts, green chilly, a small marble size tamarind and 2 green chilly. Use little water and grind it nicely till paste. Shift the chutney to a serving bowl. You can also add spurt mustard and curry leaves to the chutney.
Note : Do not remove the outer skin of ground nut after roasting. Adding more chilly is your option.
Adding coconut is also left to the option. You can also use coriander leaves and curry leaves while grinding.

Time : 5 minutes.
Serving : 4 to 5 

Roasted Ground Nuts and Green Chilly

Fresh Coconut and tamarind

Ready to Serve Chutney

Here are some of the other recipes for Chutneys 

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author
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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