Why Khichadi is so special!

Whenever asked about Khichadi we all say that it is a perfect COMFORT FOOD! (At times, we call it as patient’s food too!) And why a comfort food ?  Because this simple blend of rice-lentil is very healthy it is less spicy, less in oil/ghee, easy to eat and digest, nourishing  and also satisfying when not so hungry. But actual reason why we call it as a comfort food is- it is a CLEANSING FOOD or you may also call it as a DETOX FOOD.

So let’s find Why is Khichadi a COMFORT FOOD!

Traditionally this simple dish is made using Rice, Lentil especially Green or Yellow Split Gram (Moong Dal) with some spices and vegetables in it.

RICE helps to

·       improve metabolism as it is enriched with Vitamins that provide the foundation for body’s metabolism.

·        Reduce digestion problems

·       Gluten free

·       restore normal bowel function and provides energy for someone recovering from diarrhea

·       Rarely causes food allergy, that is why it is an important component of packed baby foods.

YELLOW OR GREEN SPLIT GRAM (MOONG DAL)

·       Contains high protein and low in fat  as compared to any other plant-derived food

·       Enriched with B-complex vitamins, iron, potassium, zinc

·       Perfect for diabetic diet

·       Yellow Split gram is good for digestion .

·       Unlike other Lentils it never cause bloating or intestinal gas

.

Rice and Yellow Split Gram when combined makes a complete protein and also maintains blood sugar level. Easy for Digestion, low in fat and do not cause gastric problems. All these things together makes it a perfect comfort food as it helps to cleanse your digestive system and thus is called as A DETOX FOOD. (it is a Detox food only when we use less oil or ghee.)

So let’s make this ultimate satisfying, healthy, nourishing, tasty, simple…..( one can use infinite adjectives to describe this mouthwatering and stomach friendly dish)
FOR RECIPE CLICK THE LINK-
MOONG MATAR KHICHADI
https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/2017/11/moong-matar-khichadi.html

You can even watch this recipe video tutorial-

Hey Folks! If you like my blogs kindly post your comment below the post and do share your response. Looking forward for some new innovative recipes. Thanks for reading. HAPPY COOKING ! :)

Festival of "Falahar"-NAVARATRI

Navratri-A festival of nine divine nights, a festival of energy, a festival to worship goddess Durga and above all festival of “FALAHAR”. People pray and fast for nine days. Some follow those strict fasting (vrat) rules and some enjoy relishing variety of Vrat special delicacies. Fasting is always imagined to eat less. But most of us gain weight by indulging into wrong eating habits. So keeping the same in our mind here are some quick, easy fasting recipes which will help to reduce your time in kitchen and above all perfect to detoxify your body & mind.
Also there are few tips which you can follow to make fasting healthy. Here is the-
https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/p/tips-for-healthy-fasting.html

Click the link below for detailed recipe-

1.  Sabudana Chat

http://grannysreflection.blogspot.com/2017/09/sabudana-chat.html

2.  Sabudana-Paneer Bombs

https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/2017/09/paneer-bombs.html

3.  Sama Chawal or Mordhan Khichadi

https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/2017/09/sama-chawalmordhan-khichadi.html

4.  Falahari Kadhi

https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/2017/09/falahari-kadhi.html

5.  Falahari Khandvi

https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/2017/09/falahari-khandvi.html

6.  Paneer Bhurji

https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/2017/09/paneer-bhurji-vrat-special.html

7.  Potato sabji
https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/2017/09/chutney-green-dahi-chutney.html

8.  Fruit Raita
https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/2017/09/fruit-raita.html

9.  Falahari Paratha

https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/2017/09/singhara-paratha.html

10. Steamed Milk Cake

https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/2017/09/steam-milk-cake.html

11. Chutney- Green & Dahi

https://grannysreflection.blogspot.in/2017/09/chutney-green-dahi-chutney.html

Hey Folks! If you like my blogs kindly post your comment below the post and do share your response. Looking forward for some new innovative recipes. Thanks for reading. HAPPY COOKING ! :)

KITCHEN HACKS

Every kitchen has a room for improvement. That is why we’ve put together some easy kitchen tricks you wish you knew. These genius hacks will minimize your time in kitchen and it’ll help you to cook delicious food within no time.

You need to check out these tricks which will make your life little easy!

1. EGGS

Most of the time we fail while buying and preparing eggs. Follow these simple hacks-

·       How to check whether eggs are fresh or not?

Place eggs in a bowl of water, if it floats to the top throw it away as it has become rotten. If it sinks to the bottom it is fresh.

·       How to boil eggs

In a pot pour water add eggs keep it on high flame-

Ø For soft yolk boil for 5 minutes

Ø For semi-solid yolk boil for 8 minutes

Ø For little dry yolk boil for 10 minutes

Ø For hard dry yolk boil for 12 minutes

 Thus how you can perfectly boil eggs.

·       How to cook egg perfectly

Ø For perfect FRIED EGG, fry egg for 2- 3 minutes.

Ø For SCRAMBLED EGG, beat eggs and pour it on hot pan , stir in continuously for 2 minutes

Ø For POACHED EGG, add vinegar in water and boil it for a minute. Now crack egg directly in water and cook for 2 minutes and remove it immediately.

·       How to remove egg shells

Add ½ tsp baking soda to boiling eggs. The egg shells will slide right off.

2. PRESERVE FRESH HERBS

In an ice tray add herbs, pour olive oil and freeze it. Thus how you can preserve fresh herbs easily.

3. HOW TO KEEP STRAWBERRIES FRESH

To keep strawberries fresh and fungus free wash them in solution of white vinegar & water.

4. PEEL GARLIC EASILY

Peeling garlic is the most boring task in kitchen. Try this simple hack. Remove the garlic cloves and keep it in a bowl of water for 5 minutes now gently rub the skin of garlic with your hands.

 Thus how you can easy peel the skin off with in few minutes.

5. KEEP BANANAS FRESH

To keep bananas fresh wrap aluminum foil on stem. This will stop the ripening process and thus help to keep bananas fresh for a long time.

6.  REHEAT PIZZA OR GARLIC BREAD

Place pizza or garlic bread with a glass of water and microwave for 2-3 minutes.

This will help the cheese melt and will also avoid burning of pizza.

 7.BAKING POWDER

One of the most vital ingredient for baking is baking powder. We at times fail to bake things if baking powder is not working. To check if it is active- Add ½ cup boiling water in ½ tsp baking powder, if it starts bubbling it is active if it does not then discard it immediately.

If baking powder is lying in cupboard for many days check it before using it.

8. TO GET BUTTER ON ROOM TEMPERATURE

Usually we require room temperature butter while baking. So try this simple trick- Pour boiling water in a glass throw away the water and turn the glass upside down over the butter stick for 4-5 minutes. This will bring butter on room temperature but will not melt.

9. PREVENT APPLE SLICES FROM BROWNING

We often face this problem of browning of apple slices. So to prevent this cut apple and sprinkle a tbsp of lemon juice over it. The citric acid and vit.C present in lemon will slow down the oxidation process and it will avoid discoloring.

10. PREVENT BOILING OVER

To prevent pot from boiling over (especially milk) just keep a wooden ladle across the pot.

As wood is bad conductor of heat it will avoid the liquid from boiling over.

So folks! Try these time saving hacks and have a hassle free cooking.

Keep reading for more such genius hacks. Looking forward to hear from you. Please drop in your comments!

Hey Folks! If you like my blogs kindly post your comment below the post and do share your response. Looking forward for some new innovative recipes. Thanks for reading. HAPPY COOKING ! :)

FOOD THAT IS HEALTHY AND HARMFUL (4) -MAIZE/ CORN

MAIZE/CORN

Corn, grilled corn, boiled corn, sweet corn, steamed corn, popcorn is one of the simplest purest pleasure. We use maize in very different form such as corn meal, corn starch, corn syrup, animal feed etc. It is the most abundant grain crop worldwide and is exceeded only by wheat as a cereal grain. However not all of this maize is consumed by humans. There are majorly six types of corn-

      

       1.     Dent corn

(It is grown in U.S and Canada field. Mostly used to make animal feed or processed into flour to make cereals.)

       2.    Flint corn

(Considered better than Dent corn and is used to make corn meal.)

       3.    Pod corn

(It is a wild variety of maize)

       4.    Pop corn

(It is small corn cob which expands and puffs when heated. It is a very popular snack food.)

       5.    Flour corn

(These corns has soft, starchy kernels that can be easily grounded into flour. We can make Indian flat bread or tortillas and many more.)

       6.    Sweet corn

(It is used in vegetable form. Consumed- grilled, boiled, steamed or even can be served fresh, frozen or canned.)

 Like every food let’s check out what corn has-

BENEFITS:-

·       Rich source of calories, vitamins and minerals. (contains folate, thiamine)

·       Good source of lutein. ( a powerful antioxidant)

·       Reduces cholesterol absorption in the body

·       Increases bone strength

·       Air-popped popcorn (without oil/butter) is low in calories

·       High in fiber.

DRAWBACKS-

·       Causes intestinal irritation.

·       Sweet corns may cause tooth decay as it contains good amount of sugar.

·       Causes bloating and flatulence.

·   It lacks two essential amino acids which are necessary to make it a complete protein.

HOW TO BUY:-

Easily available in market all over the world. Prefer to consume fresh corn however frozen corn can also be used.

·       Feel the kernels through the husk.

·       Make sure the husks are not dried. The husks should be green.

·       The corn that is full must have golden silks coming out from top. These silks are actually signal of how many kernels are there in the cob. More the silk more are the kernels.

STORAGE TIP:-

To preserve fresh corn you may store fresh kernels in air-tight containers.

We can consume corn in many forms- vegetable, salad, soup, bread, snacks and many more. Check out one such recipe made using corn and cheese-“CORN CHEESE BALLS”. 

For recipe click the link given below:-

https://cookpad.com/in/recipes/661914-cheese-corn-balls

FOOD THAT IS HEALTHY AND HARMFUL(3)-PEANUTS

PEANUTS

Peanuts aka the Groundnuts (mungfali) are widely used not only in Indian Kitchen but also in various cuisines around the world. Though it has 'nuts' in its name but it is not actually a nut. It is a pulse and comes from legume family. It is grown in tropical and subtropical regions. Groundnut is the major oil seed crop in India. Next to China India is the second largest producer of Peanuts in Asia. It not only has crunchy, nutty taste but also have a number of health benefits. So lets check out what peanut has-

BENEFITS:-

·         They are rich in energy. 

(because it contains potassium, minerals, vitamins, zinc, magnesium, anti-oxidants etc.)

·          Calorie content-approx.576 calories per 100 grams.

·         It is a good source of monosaturated fats (MUFA).

·         Lowers bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol.

·         Some poly-phenolic anti-oxidants are present in peanuts which fights against diseases like- Heart diseases, nervous diseases, Alzheimer's diseases and Infections.

·         It makes the skin smooth. ( helps to look young!)

DRAWBACKS:-

·         Can cause allergic reactions.

·         highly susceptible to contamination. ( never leave it open especially in humid areas. Molds can contaminate it.)

HOW TO BUY:-

·         If buying unshelled then look for off-white color, compact and healthy looking shell.

·         It should be uniform in size and should feel heavy in hand.

·         Always buy unsalted peanuts.

STORAGE TIP:-

Store it in air-tight container and place it in cool dry place.

PREPARATION AND SERVING:-

·         It can be consumed rather I'd say can be enjoyed boiled, salted, sweetened or even roasted.

·         In India we use it in various dishes. ( In vegetables, dal , for garnishing or also for stuffing).

·         Peanut Butter made from peanuts is widely used as spreads for sandwich or we have it with crepe's.

Lets check out how can we use peanuts to cook vegetables.  Peanuts not only will give a nice crunch but also it will enhance the taste of vegetables. We can use it in many stuff vegetables. Here's a recipe of Stuff Ivy Gourd aka Kundru/Tondli in which we used peanuts for its stuffing. 

For recipe click the link given below and do not forget to try it. 

https://cookpad.com/in/recipes/2623979-stuff-tondlikundruivy-gourd

FOOD THAT IS HEALTHY AND HARMFUL (2)

Hello! Lets continue our healthy and safe eating drive. So in this blog you will get to know some interesting information about BREAD.

BREAD 

It is a staple food in every society since pre-historic times.This simple food require only flour and water. Over the years each society discovered its own unique type of bread. There is a huge variety of bread available all over the world like made using different flours-different shape-different baking techniques.Bread section probably is the most popular section in super-markets.We often get confused by reading those fancy and eye-catching labels--Multi-Grain bread, Whole-wheat bread, High Fiber bread, Organic Bread etc etc.So lets try solve this confusion.

BENEFITS:-

• It is a good source of carbohydrates.
• Wheat and flour contains Folate, which is needed for the formation of healthy Red Blood Cells.
• High in Riboflavin.
• High in Fiber, ( especially whole- grain breads )
• Some kinds of bread provides good amount of Iron.

Some other benefits--It is versatile. You can have it in breakfast, main course, snacks anything. Mainly it is cost effective. 

DRAWBACKS:-

• Increases bad cholesterol.
• Dangerous for patients of Celiac. As they cannot tolerate the Gluten present in it.
• High in Sodium.
• Causes Constipation and obesity.( specially white bread).
• Have high glycemic index.(increases blood sugar)
• contains a large amount of a protein called gluten.
• lacks essential as vitamins A,B12,C and D.

[GLUTEN:-This protein has glue-like properties (hence the name glu-ten) responsible for dough’s elastic properties.]

NUTRITIONAL VALUE:-

• One slice of regular sized bread contains 70-80 cal.(approx)
• Breads with nuts and seeds are higher in fat.

HEALTHY AND UNHEALTHY BREAD:-

In India we have a variety of flat breads.Made using different grains (wheat,maize flour,pearl millet, sorghum etc) and all of them are full of good nutrients except breads made from All-Purpose flour. Likewise White Bread which is made from refined flour is the most unhealthiest bread. It is said"Whiter the bread, sooner you are dead". It contains high amount of sodium, increases blood sugar level, because of high carbs content it is difficult to digest and thus causes constipation.

TIPS FOR BUYING A BREAD:-

Never go on those fancy names pick the one which have correct nutrients.

• Look for "Whole-wheat bread" or "100% Whole- grain bread".
• First ingredient listed in label should be- Whole Wheat Grain.
• check the sodium. (each slice contains approx.200 milligrams of sodium.

Recommended once in a week. But you can consume Indian flat bread-Chapatti daily without any fear.

Here is a Healthy bread recipe for all Bread lover's. Check this out:-

https://cookpad.com/in/recipes/1055788-herbed-wheat-bread