Carrot Chitranna

Carrot Chitranna is a rice dish and it is very easy to prepare.  Chitranna is Lemon rice and lemon is added at the end it gives a little tangy taste. 

Carrot Lemon is a simple rice dish and you can have them for breakfast who likes to have rice dishes in the morning. It can be eaten for brunch who gets up late and miss breakfast and can combine breakfast and lunch and it is said as brunch. It is good for lunch too. Lazy days or holidays when you want to relax and not much of time to spend in kitchen can plan for this rice. It is also ideal for dinner.
Let us see some benefits of eating Lemon in our diet.
Lemon is used for treating indigestion, constipation, dental problems, throat infections, fever, obesity, respiratory disorders, cholera and high blood pressure. It is also good for hair and skin care. Lemon helps to strengthen our immune system, cleanses our stomach. They are considered as a blood purifier. Lemon is used for treating kidney stones, reducing strokes and lowering body temperature. Lemon juice is one of the best refreshing drink. They are filled with vitamins like vitamin C, Vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate and minerals like copper, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus and protein. they are filled with antioxidant properties and it helps in peeventing diabetes, constipation and high blood pressure.
As  I said it is simple, quick and takes very less time to prepare once you cook your rice.
I have used plain rice (Sona Masuri ), lemon, carrots, coconut and green chilly.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Cooked rice : 1 Cup
To Add :
Carrots : 2
Lemon : 1
Coconut : 1 Cup
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
For Seasoning :
Cooking oil : 1 Tablespoon
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Green chilly : 2

Method :

1. Wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves.
2. Wash and peel off the outer layer of carrots and grate it. Keep it aside.
3. Wash and cut lemon and squeeze out the juice. Keep it aside.
4. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and put oil. Put mustard seeds and urid dal.
6. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add cut green chilly and curry leaves.
7. Fry nicely for 10 seconds. Add grated carrots and fry nicely for 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Add cooked rice and mix it well. Add salt, turmeric powder and mix it well.
9. Let it cook on low flame for 1 to 2 minutes. Add grated coconut and put off the fire.
11 Add lemon extract (juice) and mix it again. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee and mix it well.
11. Shift the ready " Carrot Chitranna " to a serving dish.
12. Add cut coriander leaves and serve with a cup of curd.

Note : 

Cook rice and cool it before adding to seasoning. Use of any brand of rice is optional. I have used sona masuri and required water ration is 1: 3 ( 1 cup rice and 3 cups of water). Use of green or red chilly is optional. Use of more /less chilly is optional. Use of ghee adds to the taste. Use of onions or garlic is optional.

Time : 20 Minutes if rice is already cooked. Or 20 more minutes to cook rice.
Serves : 2 to 3.
Type : South Indian ..

Ragi - Apple Haalubai. (Finger Millet Pudding).

Haalubai (in Kannada Langurage) is one one of the traditional sweet dish/desert.  Normally haalubai is prepared using rice and coconut. I have used Ragi/finger millet instead of rice. Here is a recipe of Ragi/Finger Millet and it is a healthy desert and yummy to have it.

Haalu means milk and this particular sweet dish is prepared using coconut milk and jaggery. Use of coconut is a healthy option and we do get benefit from coconut and coconut milk. It is not only adds taste to the dish you prepare, it adds the healthy properties in it.
Let us see some benefits of having Coconut in our diet.
coconut is referred as Kalpavruksha (means provide the needs of human).
Coconut is one of the wonder food on the earth and it provides multiple health benefits. It helps in lowering cholesterol, healing and stabilizing blood sugar in our body. It is a top immune booster, anti fungal, antibiotic, antiviral and antibacterial remedy for thousands of years. Coconut helps to imporve digestion, stabilize glucose levels, ward off wrinkles, build cells, regulate hormones, fight infections and good for weight loss. Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fibre. It has vitamin C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 in it. It has minerals like iron, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous.
 Ragi - Apple Haalubai can be eaten as desert, for kids snack box, breakfast, travelling and kitty parties.
I have used ragi flour, apple, jaggery, cardamom, cinnamon (very little) and some ghee.
Let us see the recipe now.

Things needed :

Ragi flour : 2 Cups
Jaggery : 3/4 Cup or little more
Apple : 1 (big size)
Ghee : 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Cinnamon : Very small pieces.( 1/3 of an inch)
Cardamom : 6 to 8 Pods
Salt : A pinch
Coconut : 1 Cup

Method :

1. Grate coconut and grind it nicely with cinnamon and cardamom seeds. (Remove the seeds from the pods and then use it). Let it be paste consistency.

2. Dry roast ragi flour for 2 to 3 minutes on low flame and let it cool.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put jaggery and 1 glass of water. Let jaggery melt completely and starts to boil. Remove from the pan and sieve it.

4. Wash and remove outer peel of an apple. Remove the seeds and hard portion. Cut them into very small pieces.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and add sieved jaggery and ground coconut mixture.
6. Add roasted ragi flour to jaggery mixture and slowly stir. Let it mix well.

7. Keep on stirring till it turn slightly thick. Add a tablespoon of ghee and keep stirring the pudding.

8. Add little ghee in between and stir the haalubai on low flame. It starts to leave the edges of the pan.
9. Add cut apple pieces and let it mix it with ragi coconut mixture nicely. Add little ghee.

10. Stir for another 5 to 8 minutes and pour the dough to a ghee greased tray or plate.

11 Spread it evenly on the plate. Cut it once it is cooled.

12. Serve or eat whenever you want to. Add little ghee on the top of Ragi - Apple Haalubai just before serving.

Note;

You can add grated apple instead of pieces. I have added the pieces so that you get a piece while eating haalubai. Adding more ghee is optional. (Remember it does not take much ghee). Use of oil instead of ghee is optional. Taste differ and ghee taste better. Adding any other flavour instead of cinnamon and cardamom is optional. Adding more jaggery is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 25 to 30 pieces. (According to size and shape).
Type : Desert/Sweet/Indian.

Carrot Chutney Millet Dosa

You might laugh at the heading but believe me and try this " Carrot chutney millet dosa" and let me know your expression. This is what I do some time. I prepared carrot chutney and mixed with Millet/Sorghum/Jowar flour and prepared crispy dosa. It turned to be crispy and yummy.

I have used carrot chutney, millet flour, rava/semolina, coriander leaves.
Carrot chutney is prepared using sauteed carrots and chilly and fresh grated coconut.
Let us see some benefits of having "Tamarind" in our diet.
Tamarind is a delicious, sweet and sour fruit which is widely used for medicinal and culinary purpose. They help to reduce inflammation in our body. They help to improve vision, boost respiratory healthy. Good for healing the skin conditions and improve our digestive system. Tamarind helps in relieving the pain and boost our immune system. It helps to lower the cholesterol and protects against parasites and worms. They are rich in vitamin C, E and B, calcium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, manganese and dietary fiber. They have good source of antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties.
Let us see the recipe now:
No Onion or No Garlic recipe...

Ingredients :

Carrot Chutney : 1 Small Bowl ( 3 to 4 Tablespoons)
Millet/Jola/sorgham/Jowar Flour : 2 Cups
Rava/Semolina : 1/2 Cup
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Water : 2 to 3 Cups or as required
Cooking Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and cut coriander leaves and keep it aside.
2. Put carrot chutney in a big bowl. Add little water and make it more liquid.
3. Add millet/jowar/sorghum flour and mix it a little.

4. Add 1/2 cup of rava and mix it nicely. Add cut coriander leaves.

5. Add little salt and required water. ( 2 to 3 Cups of water ).
6. Let the dough be like rava dosa consistency.

7. Keep tava/pan on the fire and heat. Add a teaspoon of oil. Spread it around the pan. (Rava dosa type).
8. Let the flame be medium. Take a  ladle full  of the dough and just slowly spread it on the tava.

9. Pour the dough  like rava dosa.
If you can not pour the dough evenly do this : Hold the tava handle and turn it slowly. So the dough spreads it slowly to all the side. Keep back the tava/pan on the fire. Put 1/2 teaspoon of oil on the top and around the dosa. Cover and cook.

10. Let it cook on low and medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes. At the beginning it should be low.Then cook on medium heat for a minute. Do not turn the high flame. It might get burnt.

11. Serve hot and spicy dosa with jaggery/honey/or the side dish you have prepared.
12. We had it with organic Joni Bella which I got from Shobha Somayaji from Sagar.

Time : 15 Minutes. (If the chutney is already done Or another 10 minutes for preparing chutney).

Note :

Chutney contain coconut, green chilly, coconut, ingh/asafoetida in it. Do not use stale chutney. It might affect your health. I have used the chutney done in the afternoon. We had this dosa for dinner.
Jola/Jowar/Sorghum flour adds to the crispness in dosa. Rava helps to hold the dough nicely. You can also use chiroti rava instead of medium size rava. Adding more chilly is optional. I wanted the dosa to be mild. Use of coconut helps to add aroma to dosa.

Preparation of Carrot chutney:

Put a teaspoon of coconut oil to the pan and heat. Add ingh, curry leaves and washed and cut carrots. Fry nicely for 2 to 3 minutes and then grind it with a cup of coconut, tamarind and salt. ( Use only required water to grind. Remove the chutney from the mixi jar and serve. (It good to have with plain rice with ghee, dosa, chapati etc.

Time : 10 minutes.
Indian recipe

Pigeon Peas & Cluster Beans Dry Curry

Its the time to get Pigeon peas. Pigeon Peas is winter's crop and it is tender, filled with loads of vitamins and minerals and more than that it is fresh. I have used this pigeon pea, cluster beans and prepared simple dry curry.

One should make use  and eat the seasonal vegetables and pulses during their seasons.

It does provide good effect on our body since they do contain loads of minerals and vitamins. 

Dry curry is one of the side dish and we can prepare with many vegetables and is good to eat with little ghee and hot rice/chapatis/rotis etc.

I have used pigeon peas, cluster beans, coconut and some simple spices.

Let us see some benefits of eating pigeon peas in our diet.

Pigeon peas helps to stimulate growth. They helps to prevent anemia and boost heart health. They also helps to improve digestion and strengthen our immune system. They boost energy and eleminate inflammation. They have good source of potassium and helps in regulating blood pressure in our body. They are filled with proteins and good for people who are suffering from anemia. Pigeon pea is loaded with nutrients and they have some amount of calories and very low in saturated fats and cholesterol. It is filled with dietary fiber. They have Vitamin B, Vitamin C and Carbohydrates. Dietary fibers in them helps to balance cholesterol level in our body. It also magnesium, phosphorus, copper and manganese in it.

Let us see the recipe Now :

No Onion or No Garlic is used in this recipe and it is very simple and easy to prepare. 

Things Needed :

To Cook :

Pigeon Peas : 1 Cup 

Cluster Beans : 1 Cup ( 150 gr).

To Add :

Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Green chilly : 1 to 3

Ginger : 1 Teaspoon

Methi seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon

Salt : As required

Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons

To Season : 

Coconut oil : 1 Tablespoon

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Urid dal: 1/2 Teaspoon

Jeera / Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Curry Leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1. Remove pods and wash it. Wash and cut the edges of cluster beans and cut into small.

2. Grate coconut, wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves and curry leaves.

3. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add coconut oil, mustard seeds and urid dal.

5. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add jeera, slit chilly and curry leaves.

6. Add pigeon peas and mix it well. Add cut cluster beans and mix it again. 

7. Add a pinch of turmeric powder, methi seeds and 1/2 cup of water. Let it cook on medium flame.    

I have used pressure cooker to cook pigeon peas and cluster beans.

8. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes and put off the gas. Let it cool.

9. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked pigeon peas & cluster beans. 

10. Add salt, grated ginger and mix it nicely. Let all the moisture disappear.

11. Add grated coconut and cut coriander leaves. Mix it well and shift the ready curry to a serving dish. 

12. Pigeon Peas & Cluster Beans Dry Curry is ready to serve. We had it with lunch as one of the side dish.

Note:

It is better to use pressure cooker to cook pigeon peas. Or it takes longer time to cook and the pea pod turns a bit hard. Use of red chilly powder is optional. Use of garlic or onion is optional. Use of roasted methi seeds powder is optional. ( Dry roast methi seeds and powder it. Keep this powder in a air tight bottle/box. Use it for curries and any type of chitranna or masala rice.

Time : 15 Minutes.

Serves : 2  to 3.