Broiled Fish

Broiled Fish

Ingredients:

Any Fish Fillets – 5

Turmeric – ¼ teaspoon

Chilli powder or Pepper powder – ½ teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Vinegar – 1 tablespoon

Breadcrumbs or cream of wheat – ½ cup

You can substtute turmeric and chilli powder with pepper and peprika

Method:

• Wash the fillets dry with a paper towel and set aside.
• Mix the ingredients
• Apply to each of the fillets
• Dip each one in the breadcrumbs or cream of wheat and place them in a greased pan
• Preheat oven – Broil 350 degrees
• Broil each side for 15 minutes or less depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Fish cooks very fast

Fish Patties/cutlets

Fish Cutlets/Patties:

Ingredients:

Salmon or Tuna – 1 can

Cabbage finely chopped – 1 cup

Potatoes – 2 (Boiled and mashed)

Onions – 2 (finely chopped and fried into golden brown in 1tbs of olive oil)

Green chillies – 1 or 2 (finely chopped)

Coriander – ½ a bunch finely chopped

Egg – 1 (beaten with a pinch of salt and set aside)

Vinegar – 1tbs

Breadcrumbs– 1 cup

Method:

• Drain the water from the tuna or Salmon and set aside
• Add chopped cabbage to the fried onions and cook with constantly stirring for 6/7 minutes
• Add chopped green chillies and coriander and fry for 2 minutes
• Add the mashed potatoes, tuna or salmon, vinegar, pepper and salt and mix it with your hand. If you feel it is too watery to form cutlets add some bread crumbs
• Form into round or oblong flat cutlets, dip each in the beaten egg and then breadcrumbs ( which should be spread on a plate) and fry on a non-stick pan with little oil till each side becomes medium brown.

Fish Recipes

Prawn Chilli Fry 

Ingredients

Prawns peeled 1 cup

Onions – 3

Tomato paste – 1 can

Chilli powder – ½ or 1 tablespoon

Grated ginger – 1 teaspoon

Oil - 2 or 3 tbs

Apple cider vinegar – 1 ½ tbs

Salt ¾ teaspoon

Method:

• Panfry Prawns for two minutes or till they change colour and set aside.
• In a pan fry the onions cut thin elongated till light brown.
• Add tomato paste, salt, grated ginger and chilli powder and fry for 5 minutes stirring constantly on medium heat.
• Add the prawns and fry for another five minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.
• Eat with rice, nan or brown pita bread.

Prawns with Potatoes:

 Ingredients:

Prawns – ½ Kg

Potatoes – 1 large

Onions – 2

Green Chilli – 1 (you can add more if you prefer hot food)

Pepper – ¼ teaspoon

Salt – ¼ teaspoon

Tomato – 1

Coriander – 1 bunch

Olive oil – 2tbs

Apple cider Vinegar – 1tbs

Method:

·         Peel and wash the prawns with salt and set aside

·         Chop the onions, green chillies, coriander ( ½ bunch) and tomatoes

·         Wash and cut the potato into small cubes and cook them in the microwave for 5 minutes with ½ a cup of water

·         Fry the onions to golden brown in olive oil

·         Add green chillies and tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes

·         Add shelled prawns, pepper, salt and vinegar and cook till the prawns are done. They change colour when they are done.

·         Add potatoes with the water and chopped coriander and bring it to a boil.

·         Taste and add salt if needed.

You can substitute prawns with eggplant skinned and cut in cubes.

Chicken Stir Fry

Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts – 2 washed and cut into thin strips 2” long

Green pepper 1 – cut into thin strips

Red Pepper 1 – cut into thin strips

Green beans ½ cup – cut into strips

Green onion – 2 bunches cut 1” long

Mushrooms ¼ cup

Carrots 2 – cut flat 2`long

Ginger 1” piece finely grated

Green chilli – 1 cut finely

Soya sauce – 1 ½ tbs

Salt or Fried Rice Seasoning ¼ tsp 

Chilli sauce ½ tsp (optional)

Lemon juice 1tbs

Olive oil 1tbs

Corn flour – 1 flat tsp

Method

• Marinate the chicken strips in soya sauce, chilli sauce and salt and set aside
• Heat the olive oil in a wok and fry the grated ginger and green chilli
• Add the marinated chicken and stir fry till the chicken is tender on medium heat
• Add the vegetables – first carrots, after a minutes green beans and then the rest of the vegetables
• Don`t overcook the vegetables. When they are still crisp add corn flour and stir quickly for a minute
• Turn off heat, mix the everything and take the wok off the stove
• Eat with white rice or a slice of multigrain bread

Chicken Recipes

Butter Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken – 500 gms

Butter - 3 tbsp

Ginger/garlic paste – 1 ½ tbsp

Cinnamon powder –  ¼  teaspoon

Chilly Powder – 1 teaspoon

Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp

Ground Cashew or almonds – 3 tbsp

Turmeric Powder – ¼ teaspoon

Tomato paste – 2 tbsp

2% yogurt – ½ cup

Method:

• Wash and cut the chicken into small cubes mix it with the ginger garlic paste and set aside
• Melt the butter in a large pan and fry the onions to golden brown on medium heat
• Add powdered spices and continue to fry for another minute
• Add the chicken and cook stirring constantly till the chicken turns white
• Mix the tomato paste and ground cashew or almonds and mix thoroughly
• Cook on medium to low heat for 30/35 minutes
• Add stirred yogurt and mix well
• Turn off heat
• Eat with plain basmati rice or nan

Crispy Healthy Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken – boneless, skinless cut in strips

Wheat thins - 1 ½ cups finely crushed

Chilly powder ¼ teaspoon

Mustard – ½ teaspoon

Milk – ½ cup

Salt – ½ teaspoon

Method:

• Preheat oven @ 300º
• Line baking sheet with oiled foil
• Mix milk with mustard, salt and chilly powder
• Place wheat thin crumbs in another plate or shallow dish
• Dip each chicken strip first in the milk mixture and then in the cracker crumbs and bake for 15 minutes on either side or till medium brown

Dip: Mix 1 cup of 3% yogurt with ½ a lemon juice and a pinch of salt, pepper and paprika

Simple and Healthy recipes

Lean beef/chicken/ burgers:

Ingredients

Lean ground beef/chicken/veal – 1 Kg

Onion – 1 finely chopped

Coriander – ½ cup finely chopped

Ginger/garlic paste – 1 tablespoon

Egg – 1 beaten

Bread crumbs – ¼ cup

Method:

·         Mix all ingredients in a large bowl

·         Form into burgers

·         Bake in the oven for 30 minutes each side 

 Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

1 medium Chicken

Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Vinegar – 1 tbsp

Chilli powder – ½ teaspoon (optional)

Crushed garlic & ginger – 1 tbsp

Paprika – 1 teaspoon

Pepper powder – ½ teaspoon

Salt ¼ teaspoon

Potatoes – 2, Carrots - 2 Mushrooms - 1 cup

Method:

• Peal and cut the Potatoes, mushrooms and carrots and set aside.
• Wash, put cuts on the chicken and marinate it with the above spices and salt for 1 hr
• Place the chicken in the centre of the baking dish. Spread the vegetables around and bake for 30 minutes on each side in the preheated oven (350 degrees). Eat with brown or multigrain bead and salad for a simple and healthy meal

More Non-Veg Recipes

Chicken or Mutton Biriyani:

• Prepare the green chicken or mutton curry with not more than 2 cups of gravy. Remember to cook mutton 25 minutes longer than chicken.
• Wash and boil 1 ½ cups of rice with lots of water till it is half done and then drain the water.
• Pour the chicken or mutton curry into an ovenware pan (12” x 8”). Slightly larger or smaller dimensions will not harm
• Spread the drained rice evenly on the top of the curry and bake in the preheated oven (350º) for 15 minutes
• Eat it with Raita
• If you want vegetable biryani, use cauliflower, peas, potatoes and cashew nuts instead of chicken or mutton

Eat this with Raita (Yogurt Salad)

Chicken Wrap

Boneless Chicken breasts – 4 (cut into strips)

Paprika powder – ¼ teaspoon

Ginger garlic paste – 1 ½ teaspoon

Salt – ¼ teaspoon

Olive oil – 1 teaspoon

• Marinate the chicken strips with the above ingredients for ½ an hour and bake in a pre-heated oven (350º) for 20 minutes.
• Eat it with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, pickle, grated cheese and hot peppers (optional), wrapped in a whole wheat chapatti or tortilla

Chicken recipes

Chicken Dishes

Chicken in Yogurt:

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 Kg

Garlic Ginger Paste – 2 tbs

Paprika – 1 tbs

Olive oil – 1 tbs

Onion - 1

Lemon - 1

Salt to taste

Yogurt 2 or 3% 1 cup

Cardamom – 2

Cloves – 3

Cinnamon stick – 2” long

Ginger Garlic Paste

Grind 1 cup of peeled garlic, 1 cup of ginger (scraped and cut into cubs) and 6 green

chillies in apple cider vinegar (enough for the blender to work). Store it in a bottle in the

fridge and use it when necessary. It is good for months.  

Method:

• Skin the chicken. If it is a whole chicken skin and cut
• Put 1” cuts on the pieces, squeeze the lemon on it and set aside
• Cut and fry the onion in olive oil till it turns light brown
• Add cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and fry for another 2 minutes
• Put the chicken in the same pot and fry on medium heat for 5 minutes
• Add the 2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, paprika and salt and let it cook for about 25 minutes stirring often on medium heat for 25 minutes or till the chicken is done
• Lower the heat to minimum and add three spoons of yogurt. Mix well, taste, add salt if needed. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
• Eat with Basmati rice or nan

  

Green Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

Chicken – 1 Kg

Potatoes – 2 medium

Coriander – 1 bunch

Onions – 2 large

Cinnamon – 1” long

Cardamoms – 2

Olive oil – 2 tbs

Cloves – 3

Green chillies – 4 (medium spicy)

Lemon juice of I lemon

Salt to taste

Method:

• Skin the chicken. If it is whole, skin and cut it into medium pieces. Put 1” cuts on each piece, mix the lemon juice and set aside
• Cut and fry the onions till golden brown and grind it with the coriander, chillies and 1 cardamom, 1 clove and half of the cinnamon stick.
•  Heat the oil and fry the remaining cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick for 2 minutes on medium heat. Mix the chicken, potatoes, salt and the ground spices and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Lower the heat add water ( ¼ or ½ cup) according to your desired consistency and cook for another 20 minutes. Add water only if necessary, taste and add salt if needed.
• Enjoy with Basmati rice or nan
• The same recipe can be used for goat meat. However, the goat meat needs to be cooked 25 minutes on medium heat and 30 minutes on low heat

Non-Veg Salads

Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts - 2 skinless-boneless

Lettuce – 1 head

Bread croutons – 1 cup

Use the Vinegar/olive oil/honey/pepper dressing (1 Tablespoon of each and 2 pinches of pepper)

Salt/pepper/lemon juice of ½ juicy lemon

Walnuts ½ cup

Method:

• Marinate chicken breast with salt, pepper and lemon for twenty minutes and bake in a preheated oven (350◦) for 20 minutes on either side
• Cut the chicken into pieces (2” x ½”)
• Shred the lettuce and mix it with chicken, walnuts and salad dressing.
• Ready to serve

Tuna or Salmon Salad

Ingredients

Tuna/Salmon– 1 can

Pickle – 1

Celery – I cup

Apple cider vinegar – 1 tbs

Olive oil – ¾ tbs

Green chilli – 1 finely chopped (optional)

Red onion – ½ finely chopped

Salt (only if needed, as there is salt in the pickle and tuna)

Method:

• Mix the green chilli and onion in vinegar and let it stand for 15 minutes.
• Drain the water from tuna and flake it
• Mix all the ingredients  

Non Vegetarian Recipes - Soups

Non Vegetarian Dishes

Soups:

If you want broth, boil 4 chicken thighs and legs in a large skillet of water with a piece of

crushed ginger, two finely cut onions and 5 to 7 cloves of crushed garlic for about 45

minutes. Once the water boils turn the heat to medium. Strain the liquid and store in the

freezer.  Instead of chicken, you can use lean veal or mutton. Once you have the base,

half your work is done. You can shred the chicken into the soup and freeze some of the 

broth in the freezer. Add the vegetables you like to this broth and some whole grain pasta if

you wish and you have a good sumptuous soup.

 Lentil and Sausage soup.

Ingredients:

Lentils – ½  cup

Onion – 1 large chopped

Carrots – 2 cleaned and grated

Green beans – ½ cup chopped

Tomato – 1 finely chopped

Celery – 2 cups finely chopped

Coriander – Handful washed and chopped finely

Garlic – 6 pods finely chopped

Green Chilly – 1 finely chopped

Hot Italian Sausages – 5

Apple cider vinegar – 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Method:

• Boil Sausages in water till they all float on the top of the pot. Turn off the heat and let it cool. 
• Cut them into 1” long pieces and set aside.
• Soak lentils overnight. Wash in the morning and add fresh water (about 6 to 7 cups)
• Boil the lentils for 15 minutes on medium heat with enough water, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes before you add the vegetables, except coriander. Let the vegetables cook to the consistency you desire. (Some like them tender and some crisp)
• Add the sausages and coriander and give it a boil. Add water as per your desired consistency.
• Add the vinegar and salt to taste

A bowl of this soup with a multigrain slice of bread is a good meal. . 

Sweet corn, chicken and Egg Soup

Ingredients:

Sweet corn cans – 2 (buy the one with the least sodium

Egg – 1 well beaten

Apple cider vinegar - 1 teaspoon

Breast of chicken – 1 boneless and skinless cut into tiny pieces.

Green onion – ¼ cup finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Empty the cans of sweet corn in a pot with a cup of water and let it come to a boil add the chicken and let it cook on medium heat. Don’t forget to stir often 
• when the soup is boiling, add the beaten egg and stir lightly till you see the strings of egg in the soup
• Add vinegar and finely chopped green onions.
• Switch the stove off. Add salt if required.  

It is always a good idea to use less salt in your food.

More Veggie Dishes

Potato patties with yogurt

Ingredients:

Potato patties – 1 packet small

Yogurt - plain 2% 500gm

Paprika – dash

Pepper – dash

Salt – 1/8 teaspoon

Brown sugar – 1 tablespoon

Method:

• Make the yogurt mixture by mixing yogurt with salt and sugar and set aside
• Bake the potato patties in the oven @ 350 º till they are golden brown and crisp
• Arrange them on a semi flat bowl cover with foil and keep them warm in the oven at minimum heat
• Just before serving, pour the yogurt mixture evenly on the patties
• Garnish with a dash of paprika and pepper ( chopped coriander is optional)

Vegetable Patties:

Ingredients:

2 boiled and mashed potatoes

I carrot grated

A piece of cabbage finely chopped

½ cup green peas

½ cup finely chopped green beans

1 onion finely chopped

½ bunch of coriander finely chopped

2 long green chillies finely chopped

1 egg

1 cup of breadcrumbs or cream of wheat

Olive oil 4 tablespoons

Lemon Juice – 1tablespoon

Method:

• In a pan fry all the onion and green chillies till the onions are light brown
• Add the rest of the vegetables except coriander and mashed potatoes
• Stir fry till the vegetables are almost cooked
• Add the coriander and fry for another minute or two
• Switch off the stove and add the mashed potatoes and wait for the mixture to cool
• When warm enough to handle, shape them into patties and set aside
• Beat an egg with a pinch of salt
• Apply egg mixture to each patty and then roll it in the breadcrumbs
• Place carefully on the non-stick pan which should be ready on the stove.
• Turn Patties after 6 - 8 minutes on medium temperatureor till the isde is light brown 
• Turn the sides and fry for another eight minutes
• The patties are ready to eat.

Vegetable Dishes

Spinach and Cheese (Paneer) - You get Paneer in any Indian grocery store

Ingredients:

Frozen cut spinach packets – 2

Paneer – slab

Ginger – grated – 1 tablespoon

Tomatoes – skinned and chopped finely 2

Cumin Seed – roasted and crushed – 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste – ¼ teaspoon

Olive oil 2 tablespoons

Half a lemon

Method:

• Boil the frozen spinach in its own water for 10 minutes - low or medium heat with salt
• Grind it in the blender and set aside
• In a pan heat oil and fry the ginger and cumin powder for 5 minutes on low heat
• Add chopped tomatoes and continue to fry till the mixture becomes homogenous
• Add the ground spinach and lemon and bring it to a boil on medium heat and set aside
• Cut the paneer into rectangular pieces (2”x1”x1”)
• Fry them to golden brown on low heat on a non-stick pan with minimum oil
• Add the paneer to the spinach. Add more salt if necessary

Potatoes/Cauliflower/Peas

Ingredients:

Cauliflower – 1 small

Potatoes – 2 medium

Peas – 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Cumin powder – ¼ teaspoon

Coriander powder – ½ teaspoon

Chilly powder – ¼ teaspoon

Turmeric powder – 1/8 teaspoon

Onion – 1 (chopped finely)

Tomatoes – 2 (skinned and chopped finely)

Fresh coriander – ½ cup finely chopped

Method:

• Wash and cut the potatoes, and cauliflower into pieces (size of potato salad)
• Boil the potatoes in half a cup of water on low heat (covered)till the potatoes are almost boiled (add more water if needed)
• Add cauliflower and peas and cook for another 6/7 minutes
• In a pan heat oil and fry the chopped onions till they are light brown
• Add the powdered spices and fry for 2 more minutes
• Add chopped tomatoes and fry for 5 more minutes

 Add the boiled vegetables, bring it to a boil and garnish with chopped coriander

More Vegetarian Recipes

Dahl or Lentils  And Vegetable Dishes

(Tur Dahl, Masoor Dahl, Moong Dahl, Chana Dahl, Udath Dahl)

You can get them at the Indian grocery stores. You can use one type or have a mixture of two or more

Udath Dhal– 1 cup

Onion – 1 finely chopped

Lemon – 1

Garlic – 4 cloves – finely chopped

Ginger – Grated 1 teaspoon

Green chillies – 2 cut vertically into two

Tomato – 1 finely chopped

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Olive oil - 2 spoons

Coriander – ½ cup chopped finely

Salt – ½ teaspoon

Method:

·         Wash and soak dhal overnight

·         Wash it three times with clean water the next morning and cook it with 3 cups of water, salt and turmeric(high till the water boils and then on low and covered till the dhal is cooked)

·         Mash the dhal with a ladle and set aside

·         Fry the onion, garlic, ginger and green chillies in olive oil for 10 minutes on medium to low heat.

·         Add tomatoes and fry for another 10 minutes

·         Add the dhal and lemon juice and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly so that the dhal does not stick to the bottom

·         Garnish with chopped coriander

·         Eat it with plain basmati rice or chapatti

P.S.: You may add green peppers, cauliflower or spinach to make it more wholesome.  Pan fried sweet

Potato, egg plant and Green or red pepper with chickpea flour

Ingredients:

Any of the vegetables – 2

Chickpea flour 1 cup

Water ½ cup

Chilly powder ¼ teaspoon

Salt ¼ teaspoon

Olive oil - enough to grease the non-stick pan

Method:

• Wash and peel the skin off of the vegetables
• Cut them into slices of about ½ to ¾ centimetre and set aside
• Mix the chickpea flour, salt, chilly powder and water to make a thick paste, rather messy (It has to be too thick to dip the vegetables in it, if you want them crisp)
• Apply the paste on both sides of the sliced vegetables and place them on a heated non-stick pan. Fry both sides on medium heat till crisp and light brown. eat one and see)

Left over Rice Bajias:

Left over rice – 1 cup

Coriander – ¼ cup finely chopped

Green chilly – 1 finely chopped

Onion – 1 finely chopped

Salt 1/8 teaspoon

Method:

• Wash your hands well and mix all the above ingredients till the mixture becomes sticky and messy. The water from the onions, coriander and green chillies will be enough for the mixture.
• Clean your hands off the mixture with a spoon.
• Wash your hands and form flat rounds from the mixture with wet hands and set them aside on a foil
• You will have to wet your hands often, so that the mixture does not stick to your hands
• Fry them on a non-stick pan till both sides are done (Medium to low heat)
• Use these as starters or eat with your rice and dhal

Healthy Salads

Raita: Yogurt Salad

Ingredients:

Plain yogurt 2% - 2 cups

Cucumber – 1 large

Salt – ½ tbs

Paprika – a pinch

Pepper – a pinch

Coriander – ¼ cup finely chopped

Green chilly – 1 finely chopped

Brown sugar – ½ a teaspoon

·         Wash, peel and grate the cucumber, mix it with salt and set aside for 5 minutes.

·         Squeeze the water from the cucumber one fist at a time and mix it well with yogurt and the rest of the ingredients

·         You may add chopped tomato and carrot if you so desire

You can use Raita with any kind of rice or just as a salad

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

Chickpeas – 1 can

Onions – 2

Green chillies – 1 or 2

Coriander – ½ bunch

Apple cider vinegar – 1 tablespoon

Olive oil – 1 tablespoon

Method:

• Chop onions and green chillies finely and soak them in vinegar for 20 minutes
• Wash and drain the chickpeas and mix them with the rest of the ingredients. No salt is necessary as the chickpeas already have salt.

You can mix it with finely cut celery, carrots and boiled peas. Improvise your salad according to what is in your fridge.

Salads

Salads

Healthy Salad

Lettuce – 1/2 a  head - shredded

Chick peas – ½ cup

Orange wedges – 1 can

Apples – 2 peeled and sliced

Walnuts – ½ cup

Cucumber – 1/2 peeled and sliced

Tomato – 1/2 (cut into 8 pieces)

Broccoli – 1 cup (cut into medium size pieces)

Dressing:

• Mix 2 ½ spoons of olive oil, 2 spoons of balsamic vinegar, a dash of pepper and 1 tablespoon of honey and mix well
• Pour the dressing on the salad mix and serve

Couscous Salad with vegetables and Almonds

Ingredients:

¼ pound blanched roasted almonds

¾ cup olive oil

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 cup mixed vegetables boiled (not too soft)

1tbsp chopped thyme

1 ½ cup couscous

1 ¼ cup water

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

Method:

• Mix thyme, salt, pepper, vinegar and oil and set aside
• Bring the water to a boil and add the couscous and stir well
• Remove the pan from the fire and let it stand for 5 minutes
• Cook mixed vegetables with ¼ cup water on a low to medium heat till they are almost done, close the lid and set aside for 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl mix the couscous, vegetables (without water), almonds and the dressing

Healthy and Yummy Rice Dishes

Dill and Parsley Rice – Irani Style

Ingredients

Basmati Rice – 1.5 cup

Water – 2 cups

Dill  - 1 bunch cleaned without stems and finely chopped

Parsley – ½ a bunch cleaned without stems and finely chopped

Potatoes – 2 washed and sliced

Cloves  - 3           Cardamom – 2

Cinnamon sticks – 2 (inch long)

Frozen Lima beans – 1 cup

Olive Oil – 4 tbsp     Salt to taste.

Less water is added because you do not want the rice to cook completely

Method:

• Wash the rice thoroughly.
• Heat olive oil in a non stick pot on medium heat. Add cinnamon sticks, cardamom and cloves and fry for two minutes or till you get the aroma.
• Add rice and stir for two minutes. Add water and salt.
• Stir and wait for the water to come to a boil.
• close the pot with a lid and lower the heat to minimum.
• Cook for 11 to 13 minutes. Set the rice aside.
• In another non stick pot, heat the other 2 tbsp of oil.
• Place the sliced potatoes at the bottom.
• Then place one layer of rice, one layer of chopped dill and parsley and some frozen lima beans.
• Repeat this till all the rice, herbs and lima beans are over.
• Close the lid and cook this for 45 to 50 minutes on a medium to low heat.
• The potatoes at the bottom will be crisp when the rice is done. 
• Empty the whole pot of rice on a platter
• The potatoes at the bottom will become nice and crispy. Arrange the crispy potato slices on the side

Khichdi – (Rice with Dals and vegetables)

Ingredients

Basmati rice washed and soaked in water – 2 cups

Water - 4 cups

Washed and soaked moong dal – ¼ cup

Washed and soaked masur dal – ¼ cup

Chopped onions – 4

Peas – 1 cup

Minced garlic ½ tbsp

Minced ginger – ½  tbsp

Green chilly chopped - 1

Turmeric powder – ½ tbsp

Garam Masala – 1tbsp

Chilly Powder – ½ tsp

Chopped coriander – ½ cup

Olive oil – 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Lemon juice of 1 lemon

Method

• Fry the chopped onions in olive oil till they are light brown on medium heat
• Add ginger, garlic, green chilly and continue to fry for another 3 minutes on low heat
• Add Garam Masala, chilly powder, turmeric powder and fry for another minute
• Drain the dals and add them to the mixture and fry for another 2 minutes
• Add 4 cups of water bring the mixture to a boil and let the dals cook for 10 minutes on low heat
• Add rice and another half cup of water, coriander, lemon juice and salt and bring it to a boil.
• As soon as the mixture boils, stir the mixture and lower the heat to minimum, cover the pot and let it cook for 10 - 12 minutes
• Open the lid, fluff the rice and serve with yogurt or cudy

 Cudy – Ingredients

Chickpea flour – 2 tbsp

Water - 2 cups

Yogurt plain stirred- 1 cup

Green chilly sliced into half - 1

Ginger finely sliced – 1” piece

Lemon juice – 2 tbsp

Brown sugar - heaped tbsp

Salt – to taste

Turmeric – ¼ tsp

Oil – 2 tablspoons

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Curry Leaves – 1tsp

Dry Red chilly - 1

Method

·         Mix the chickpea flour in 3 tbsp of water to form a thick paste without any granules

·         Add the rest of the water, turmeric powder, green chilly, lemon juice and ginger and cook on medium heat stirring constantly for about 10 to 15 minutes.

·         Turn the heat to low and add yogurt, salt and sugar and bring it gradually to a boil, switch off the heat and put it aside

·         Heat the oil on medium heat and when it is hot, put the cumin seed in it. Cover the pan and wait till the sound stops add the red chilly and pour it on the cudy

·         Garnish with chopped fresh coriander

Khichdi and cudy are eaten the day after a very heavy meal (eg. after a party, wedding etc.)

Rice Dishes

Rice Dishes

Plain Basmati Rice:

Basmati rice – 1 cup

Water – 2 cups

Olive oil or butter – 1 tbs      

Lemon juice of ½ a lemon

Salt - ½ teaspoon

Cardamom - 2

Cinnamon stick – 1” long

Method:

• Wash rice at least three times and drain
• Heat the oil or butter in a pot and fry the cinnamon and cardamom for 1 or 2 minutes on medium heat
• Add drained rice and fry for another two minutes
• Add water, salt and lemon juice and raise the heat to high and wait till the water boils.
• Lower the heat to minimum, close the pot and let it cook for 10 to 12 minutes
• Shut of the heat, let it stand for 5 minutes and fluff the rice with a fork

Cabbage and Carrot rice with almonds

Ingredients;

Cabbage finely chopped – 1 cup

Carrots grated – 1 cup

Almonds cut without skin – ¼ cup

Cinnamon stick – 1” long

Cardamoms – 2

Cloves – 3

Salt – ¾ teaspoon

A pinch of turmeric powder for colour

Butter or olive oil 2 tbs

Lemon juice of I lemon

Water – 4 ½ cups 

Method:

• Wash the rice at least three times and drain
• Fry the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves in oil or butter on medium heat for two minutes
• Add the almonds and fry them for another 2 minutes – light brown
• Add the cabbage and carrots and fry for 5 minutes stirring regularly
• Add the rice and lemon juice and continue to fry for 3 minutes 
• Add water and salt, turn the heat to high and wait till it boils
• Turn the heat to minimum, close the pot and let it cook for 12 minutes
• Switch the stove off and let it stand for 5 more minutes and fluff it with a fork
• You can replace cabbage and carrots with mixed vegetables

Coriander Rice:

Ingredients:

Rice – 2 cups

Water – 4 cups

Salt – ½ teaspoon

Butter or Olive oil– 1 tbsp

Cloves – 2

Cinnamon stick – 2” long

Cardamoms – 2

Coriander – 1 cup very finely chopped

Lemon juice of 1 lemon

Method:

• Wash and drain the rice and set aside
• Melt butter or Olive oil in a pot and add cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves and stir on low heat for 5  minutes
• Add rice and stir for 5 minutes
• Add coriander, salt, lemon juice and water and bring it to a boil.
• Turn the heat on low and cook for 12 minutes
• Switch the stove off and let stand for 5 more minutes
• Open the pot and fluff the rice wit a fork
• Eat as a side dish

If you don't like the smell of Coriander or Cilantro substitute with the herb you like