Spinach - Peas Palav

Spinach - Peas Palav is full of Spinach.Spinach is full of Iron. Spinach Peas Palav is prepared with Methi, Dil leaves with peas and Basmati rice and some spices. Mint chutney and mint tambuli adds taste to Spinach Palav. Palav is popular rice dish in India and all over the world.

Palav is called, Pulau -Hindi, Sanskrit pulaka and the name must be a Dravidian orgin. Due to the vast spread of the dish, it is called in different names in many languages, like, palou, palov, pilav, polu, polaao (Bengali), pulao/pulv (Hindi-Urdu) etc.

Palav is a rice dish, cooked with seasoned vegetables and a good variety of rice. Especially Basmathi rice go well with Palav. It is easy to prepare, can be done quickly and its one of the favourite dish of many.

Dil weed is a unique perennial herbal plant. This herb contains no cholesterol and low in calories. It contain many anti-oxidants, vitamins and dietary fibers and helps to control cholesterol levels. Fresh dil herb is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin C. Dil weed is a good source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium. ,amganese, iron and magnesium.

Methi leaf is highly beneficial for treating poor liver functions. It is also helpful in treating gastic problems and other intestinal issues. Methi Leaf cut down the cholesterol and helps in preventing and treating of type 2 diabetes.

Here is a recipe of Spinach(Methi + Dil) Peas Palav with Mint chutney and Mint Raitha.  This dishes are very good healthy Combo and I am sure every one in the family will surely enjoy eating this Spinach dishes. You can have this palav for lunch or dinner.

Things Needed :

Spinach Palav 

Basmati Rice : 2 Cups
Dil Leaves : 1 Bundle
Methi Leaves : 1 Bundle
Peas : 1 Cup
Green chilly :2
Ginger : 1 Table spoon (Grated)
Clove :2 to 3
Cinnemon : small Piece
Palav Leaf : 1
Cardamom : 2 pods
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tea spoon
Coriander seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Coconut : 3 Table spoons
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Ghee : 2 Table spoons
Salt : to taste
Water : 4 Cups

Method :

1. Wash and cut dil leaves and methi leaves and keep it aside.

2. Wash and keep rice aside.
3. Grate coconut and ginger and wash and cut coriander leaves.
4. Dry grind coconut, cloves, cinnemon, coriander seeds and cardamom and keep it aside.
5. Now keep a big pan on the fire and put oil. Put ginger and peas.

6. Fry nicely for1 minute.
7. Add cut leaves and fry it nicely for 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Add ground coconut mixture and washed basmati rice and fry for 3 minutes.

9. Now add salt and mix again and put this fried mixture in the rice cooker or pressure cooker and cook.

10. Add ghee and mix when the Palav is done.

Note : 

You can use any cooking rice remember to add water according the quality of rice. (Sona Masuri 1 = 3, Basmati rice 1 cup rice = 2 cup water. You can add vegetables if you like. You can also use more chilly for spicy taste. Adding ghee increase the taste of the Palav.

Time : 40 minutes
Servings : 5 to 6

Mint Leaves - Coconut Chutney:

Grate coconut and wash and add 1 cup of mint leaves, tamarind, 2 green chilly and salt.

Grind this coconut + mint mixture til paste and shift it to the serving bowl.
Chutney is ready to serve

Mint leaves Raitha.

Fry cleaned and washed mint leaves and 4 to 6 pepper popds in 1/2 tea spoon of ghee nicely.
Add salt and allow it to cool. Grind with little water till paste and put it in a serving bowl. Add a cup of curd and mix it well. Mint Raitha is ready to serve.

Chutney and Raitha
Note :  You must roast mint leaves on low flame. Adding onions with Mint Raitha will adds to the taste. 
Time  : 10 minutes
Serves : 4 to 6

Banana - Figs Halwa

Banana - Figs Halwa is a sweet dish. Banana Halwa is very famous in South Canara.(Dakshina Kannada). It can be munched at any time of the day.

Figs (anjura in Kannada), are very low in calories. They contain healthy soluble dietary fiber. They are full of vitamins and anti oxidants. Dried figs sources of energy. Figs helps control the sugar levels and glucose levels in diabetes. They also contain good level of B - complex group of vitamins. Dried figs are an excellent sources of minerals like calcium, copper, potassium, manganese, iron and zinc.

Banana fruit is one of the high calorie tropical fruits. It contains good amounts of health benefits. It is full of anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins. The fruit contains a good amount of soluble dietary fiber that helps normal bowel movements. It helps to reduce the constipation problems. Banana contain vitamin C and vitamin B-6. Fresh bananas provide the good amount levels of minerals like copper, magnesium and manganese. Fresh banana is a very rich source of potassium. It helps to control heart rate and blood pressure.

Here is a recipe of Banana figs Halva. I have used ripe banana, sugar, figs, ghee and cardamom. It is tasty halva and all age group people will surely like this Halwa.

Things needed :

Ripe Bananas : 6
Figs : 1 Cup
Sugar :1 1/2  Cups.
Ghee : 3/4 cup
Cardamom : 4 to6 pods

Method :

1.Wash figs and cut it into small pieces. Soak in warm water.(1/4 cup water/milk) for 1/2 an hour).
2. Powder cardamom
3. Remove the skin of banana and smash it in hand or liquidizer.

4. Now grind figs with same soaked water. for 10 to 15 seconds.
5. Keep a big pan on the fire. Heat and put 1 spoon of ghee.
6. Add smashed banana, ground figs and sugar.

7. Stir nicely till it starts to leave the sides of the pan. Add ghee in between the stirring .

8. You must stir continuously till it leaves ghee. Add cardamom and mix it well.

9. Shift this halwa to a ghee applied plate or tray.

10. Cut the halwa according to your wish when it is warm.

Note : 

The whole process should be on low flame. Nuts can be added but the taste differ. You can add more sugar if you want. I have not added. Adding sugar thickens the halwa fast. You can add more ghee if you wish. Must cut the Halwa when it is warm or you may not get the correct shape when it is too hot or it is hard to make pieces when it completely cools down.
Time : 40 minutes

20 to 25 pieces