Thursday, 1 August 2013

You and Healthy Recipes For Weight Loss

Healthy recipes for weight loss are an important thing to consider when you are trying to lose weight. Working out and eating correctly will help promote a healthy and steady loss of weight. It is important to make sure that you are getting all of the nutrients that you need and especially drinking plenty of fluids.
If you are unsure of the daily servings of everything that you are supposed to have then you should refer to the Food Pyramid Guide. This will help you determine what the acceptable and recommended amount of grains, fruits, and vegetables you should be receiving. 

Taking the time to learn about the different foods that promote healthy weight loss and coupling them with ideas for recipes; you will be able to create a full menu for the week that will guarantee results for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7586927




Wednesday, 17 July 2013

Akki Rotti | Rice Roti

Akki rotti is a very famous dish in Karnataka. Akki means rice in Kannada. There are many different ways to make akki rotti. Here is a very easy way of it. One can add methi leaves or dill leaves to it, which gives its own aroma to the roti.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4 rottis

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups Rice Flour
  • 1 small finely chopped Onion
  • 1 small grated Carrot
  • A small piece finely chopped Ginger
  • 1 table spoon Cumin Seeds(Jeera)
  • 1 strand Bay Leaf
  • 1 or 2 finely chopped Green Chilies
  • ½ cup grated Coconut
  • A small bunch Coriander Leaves finely chopped
  • 1 table spoon Sugar
  • Salt as per taste 
  • 1 full Banana leaf


Method:
  • Take all the above ingredients in one vessel.
  • Mix thoroughly with hand by adding required amount of water.
  • The consistency of the batter should be as shown in picture.
  • Cut banana leaf into pieces, of size as shown in picture.
  • Place a handful of rotti dough on the banana leaf in center and press it gently with hands and spread into a thin layer by rotating the banana leaf. By immersing the hand in a bowl of water, in between spreading the batter, helps in patting the dough evenly and smoothly. Make it as thin as possible. Do not bother if small gaps are there,that makes the rotti even crispier. I have done 4 holes intentionally in the roti, which makes the rotti more crispy.
  • Now place this banana leaf on the hot tawa on medium flame as shown in picture.
  • Let it cook for 2 mins.
  • Keep an eye on it to check in between whether it is done or not.
  • Once you see the banana leaf getting roasted properly, rotate the banana leaf and let the rotti cook on the tawa directly. Remove the banana leaf as shown in picture.
  • Now turn the rotti and cook on the other side as well.



PS:  I have used banana leaf for making the rotti, which gives a traditional Authentic taste and aroma to the rotti. If there is no banana leaf available, then this rotti can be cooked directly on the tawa.





Thursday, 4 July 2013

Stuffed Capsicum Masala | Punjabi Style Bharvan Shimla Mirch Recipe - A Side Dish For Chapathi Or Roti


Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
  • 7 - 8 small Capsicums
  • 1 cup Besan (Gram flour)
  • 2 big Onions finely chopped
  • 1 big Tomato finely chopped
  • 1 tea spoon Garam masala
  • 1 tea spoon Chilli powder
  • 1/4th tea spoon Turmeric powder
  • Salt as per taste
  • 1/4th cup Curd
  • 1/4th cup Cumin powder
  • 1/4th cup Coriander powder
  • Oil  for seasoning

 Method:
  • Cut capsicums as shown in picture and keep it aside.
  • Take the upper part of capsicum, and chop it very finely and keep it aside.
  • Dry roast besan to avoid raw taste and keep it aside.
  • Heat oil in a kadai, add finely chopped onion.
  • Fry till it becomes light brown.
  • Now add finely chopped tomatoes.
  • Fry till it becomes soft.
  • Now add garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder.
  • Add roasted besan, put little water and let it cook for 5 minutes. The stuffing is ready.

  • Now stuff the capsicums as shown in picture.
  • Heat oil in a separate kadai, fry finely chopped capsicum and then add 2 table spoon of stuffing. Mix it well. Add curd and little water.Let it cook for 2 minutes. 
  • Then keep the stuffed capsicum one by one. Close the lid and let it cook for 10-12 minutes.
  • Add more water to kadai if needed.
  • Stuffed capsicum is ready with roti.


PS: You can as well add Cooked potatoes instead of besan while preparing the stuffing, which gives different taste.

Friday, 28 June 2013

Authentic Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani


Here is very delicious and simplified version of hyderabadi chicken biryani

Preparation Time:  1 and 1/2 hrs

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
  • 1 ½ cups Basmathi rice
  • 500 gms Chicken with bones cleanly washed and drained
  • 5 to 6 spoon oil
  • 6 elaichi/cardamom
  • 1″ cinnamon stick
  • 6 cloves
  • chakke
  • 2 large Onions
  • 1 spoon Ginger Garlic paste
  • 2 spoon Coriander powder
  • 1 spoon Turmeric powder
  • 2 spoon Black pepper powder
  • 5 to 6 big spoon Curds
  • ¼ spoon Saffron strands
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 spoon Butter
  • Handful Coriander leaves chopped
  • Handful Mint leaves chopped
  • 2 strand Bay leaves
  • ½ Lemon juice
  • Salt as per taste


Method:
  • Soak the saffron strands in 3 tbsps of luke warm milk and keep it aside.
  • Soak the basmathi rice in water for around 30 minutes, drain and set it aside.
  • Boil the rice in water mixed with 2 cardamoms, 2 cloves, mint leaves and salt until half cooked. Drain water and keep rice aside.  
  • Now take a thick bottomed vessel heat oil and fry the remaining cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick. Then fry sliced onions until golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a while.
  • Now add coriander power, turmeric powder, coriander leaves, bay leaves and black pepper and salt one by one. Add a little water and let it cook a minute.
  • Now add chicken, butter and curd to it. Add 1 ½ cup water, close the vessel with a lid and let it cook for 10 – 15 minutes.
  • Spread half the quantity of rice, followed by 1/2 the quantity of fried onion. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, lemon juice,and pour about half cup of saffron milk over the rice. You can add 1/2 cup water just to make sure the rice is completely cooked.
  • Over this layer, spread the remaining rice. Finally sprinkle a tbsp of coriander leaves and pour remaining saffron milk over the rice.
  • Turn off heat and do not remove lid for 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes, remove lid, combine gently and serve hot with raita and curry of your choice.

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Indian Sweets : Bottle Gourd Sweet | Bottle Gourd Burfi | Konkani Style Gardudde Khadi Recipe


Preparation Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups grated Bottle gourd
  • 1 ½  cup Sugar
  • 4-5 Cardmom
  • Ghee

 Method:

  • In a thick bottomed pan, cook grated bottle gourd and sugar.
  • Keep on stirring this mixture on a very low flame, till all the water gets absorbed. Thickness of the mixture should be as shown in picture.
  • Finally add cardamom powder, just before taking out the pan from stove.
  • Now apply ghee on plate, and spread the mixture with the help of Banana leaf as shown in picture. Apply little ghee to banana leaf as well.
  • Let the mixture cool for some time, till it becomes easy to cut.
  • Now cut it as shown in picture.
  • Healthy burfi is ready.

Wednesday, 8 May 2013

Punjabi Chole Masala | Chana Masala For Batura,Puri & Roti | Chickpeas Curry | Poori Chola


Preparation Time: 60 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups White Chickpeas | White Chana | Chole
  • 1 big Potato
  • 2 Onions finely chopped
  • 2 Tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1 table spoon Cumin seeds
  • 1 table spoon Chole masala
  • 1 table spoon Red chilly powder
  • ½ table spoon Chaat masala
  • ¼ table spoon Turmeric powder
  • A bunch of chopped coriander leaves
  • Salt as per taste

 Method:
  • Clean, wash and soak chole (chick peas) for over night or atleast 5 to 6 hours in water.
  • Wash , peal and cut the potatoes into small cubes as shown in picture. 
  • In a pressure cooker,add the soaked chana,enough water to cook it at medium pressure for 4-5 whistles.
  • Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add cumin seeds.
  • When it starts spluttering, add finely chopped onion. Fry it till it turns brownish.
  • Now add ginger garlic paste and stir it for a second.
  • Add finely chopped tomatoes and sauté till it becomes soft.
  • When oil starts separating from tomato mixture, add all the dry masala one by one.
  • Add Chole masala, Red chilli powder, Chaat masala, Turmeric powder, salt and sauté for 5 minutes on low flame.
  • Now add the drained chole(Keep the access water aside), little reserved water and mix well. Let it cook on low flame for 2 minutes.
  • Add more reserved water to get the required consistency and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Add salt if needed.
  • Switch off the flame when the gravy is a bit thickish.The chana will keep absorbing the gravy as it cools down.
  • Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.
  • Chana Masala / Chole Masala is ready to serve with puri or batura or Roti.