BROWN RICE KHICHDI

BROWN RICE KHICHDI

Khichdi is the soul food of the Indians!!! Khichdi is a rice lentil porridge that is usually eaten when you want something light yet nutritious.

Making the Khichdi with Brown Rice, packs the humble khichdi to a different level. Brown rice has high levels of fibre and a low glycemic index and carbohydrates.

Khichdi can be made using any variety of rice, but, brown rice retains its healthy bran and germ throughout processing, allowing it to maintain some of those powerful nutrients that the white rice has lost. This processing also allows brown rice to retain valuable minerals like magnesium, phosphorous, and manganese.

Brown rice also has a delicious nutty flavor and a chewy texture due to the nutritious bran layer.

Brown rice has numerous potential health benefits, including high levels of fibre and the potential to lower blood pressure and can help the body to effectively use insulin, maintain a healthier weight, and increase potassium levels.

In India, khichdi is usually served to people recovering from illness, surgeries as it is light and easy to digest. It’s a one pot meal and can be packed with loads of vegetables as well.

Ingredients (Serves - 4)

Brown rice - 1 ½ cup

Yellow Moong dal – ½ cup

Green chillies - 2

Ginger - ½ inch

Onion - 1

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Coriander Leaves finely chopped – 2 tbsp

Asafoetida (Hing) – A pinch

Cumin seeds – 2 tsp

Peppercorns – 3-4

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp

Salt as per taste

Ghee /Oil - 2 tsp

Method

Wash the rice and Yellow moong dal. Soak it in hot water for about an hour.

Meanwhile, dry roast 1 tsp of the cumin seeds and peppercorns and pound them into a coarse powder.

Pound the Ginger and chillies into a coarse paste, you can alternatively also mince it small or run it in a blender.

Heat ghee/oil in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds. When the seeds start to crackle, add the green chillies and ginger paste, sauté, after about a minute, add in the finally chopped onions, curry leaves, sauté until the onion is cooked. Add a dash of Asafoetida, Himalayan Pink Salt and sauté. Drain the lentils and rice and add to this mix. Mix well, Add the coarsely pounded cumin seeds and pepper powder and mix well.

Now add water, the water ratio is depending on the rice. So, If you are taking 1 cup of rice you need to add 2 cups of water.

But since, you have lentils cooking along as well, you will add 3 cups of water. In my recipe, I have 1.5 cup of rice and ½ cup moong dal, so I have taken 4-4.5 cups water. I pressure cook for up to 4-5 whistles. (If cooking in a pan, cook for about 20 minutes till the lentils are tender and the rice is cooked through). I prefer the pressure cooker as I’m always worried about brown rice not getting cooked well.

Once done, wait for the steam to work its magic on the khichdi.

Open after 15 minutes, mix well, garnish with coriander and serve hot with a dollop of yogurt, pickles and papad.

This is the basic recipe.

Tips

·       Adding a ¼ tsp of Pickle oil takes the paste to the next level. If do not have pickle oil, you can add ¼ tsp of pickle masala for an added flavour.

·       Use Ghee instead of Oil for the additional taste. If instead of ghee you use Oil, this dish can be categorized under Vegan recipes.

·       Vegetables of your choice can be added, usually, carrots(diced), green peas, spinach chopped fine etc. are added.

·       You can add 2 pods of garlic, if you like the taste, pound the garlic, along with the green chillies and ginger and follow the recipe above.

·       You can add a tsp of Garam Masala powder if you like some flavour.

·       You can add a tsp of Kasuri methi (dried methi leaves) while sautéing the onions.

·       You can add a tsp of Tomato Puree if you like.

KEERAI MASIYAL (SPINACH WITH SEASONING)

KEERAI MASIYAL (SPINACH WITH SEASONING)
Keerai Masiyal is the simplest spinach dish ever but tastes awesome especially if the keerai is fresh. The cooking process is not lengthy. It’s fast to cook and very good for health. After moving to Singapore and seeing how the Chinese cook their spinach by sautéing and not using much spices. I had a renewed respect for our very own Keerai Masiyal.

This can be made with different types of greens that are available in whichever place you’ll are located. I made this with Bombay Paalak Spinach which is my favorite. I am lucky to get this here in Singapore at Mustafa. I love the Paalak Spinach as it has a strong green color and taste unmatched to any greens in the world.

My grandma used to always cook this in a kallu chatti –“kallu” means stone in Tamil and “chatti” means a pot. The “kallu”pots are made of soap stone which is a soft stone and hence has to be handled very delicately. My grandma used to mash the keerai with a wooden “maththu” (a wooden churner used to blend and mash). She used to say that this enhances the taste of the keerai. Since getting these vessels has become rare, you can alternatively blend the keerai in a blender, but I don’t like to do that as it gets mashed into a fine paste or you can mash it with your hand(once it cools down) or with a ladle or a big spoon.

Ingredients:

Spinach – 1 Bunch
Asafetida (Hing) - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Split white lentil (Udad dal) – 1 tsp
Red chilly – 2
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Salt as per taste
Coconut Oil – 2 tbsps

Method:
Wash the spinach leaves and cut into small pieces and put them into a thick bottomed vessel. Add,  turmeric powder, asafetida and salt and let it cook. Add very little water into the vessel as the spinach will release its own water. Allow the spinach to cook until its soft. It hardle takes 10-15 minutes for the spinach to get cooked. Now turn off the gas and let the spinach rest for a while. After this mash the spinach well.
Then, starts the tempering process, Take 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or any cooking oil, add the mustard seeds, Udad dal and Red chilly. When the mustard starts to splutter and the udad dal starts to get pink, pour them onto the keerai masiyal and mix well.
The Keerai masiyal is a wonderful side dish and can be eaten with any dish. Keerai masiyal is given as a post partum dish as its good for health and very light on the stomach. It is also usually given to people who are recovering from illnesses.
Kids are given this with their favorite, “Paruppu chaadam” lentil and rice combo.
Try to add more greens to your daily food intake.
Try this simple recipe and enjoy.
Tips
By adding a pinch of Sugar to the green leaves while cooking, you can retain the green color in the dish even after it’s cooked.

DILL LEAVES SAUTÉED / SHEPU CHI BHAAJI

DILL LEAVES / SEED
In India, dill is known as 'Savaa' in Hindi and 'Soa' in Punjabi not related to Soy, In Telugu it is called soya and soya-kura (for herb greens). It is also called 'sapsige soppu' (ಸಪ್ಸಿಗೆ ಸೊಪ್ಪು) in Kannada.


Read more about Dill here

Dill Leaves / Shepu

Dill seeds / Suva

Dill is very rich in minerals, vitamin C and flavonoids, It gives protection Against Free Radicals and Carcinogens, It is considered an Anti-Bacterial Spice and it’s a flavorful way to help prevent bone loss.

Dill is mostly a culinary herb today, but it does have some value in medicine, mostly as a stomach soother and anti-gas remedy.  It is also said to increase mother's milk and help treat breast congestion from nursing. It is mild, and makes a good remedy for colic in babies.

Dill water is used often for relief of the above symptoms.

Dill can also be made into a Tea, and sweetened with honey, or prepared as an infusion by steeping 2 teaspoons of seed in 1 cup of water for 10-15 minutes, then straining.  Take 1-2 cups per day.

Tea made from a tablespoon of dill seed can help cure indigestion and treat hiccups. It has also been used successfully to treat colic (at 1/3 concentration). Save any remainder and soak your fingers in it to help strengthen your nails.

DILL LEAVES SAUTÉED / SHEPU CHI BHAAJI
This time when I had been to India my mother-in-law had made “Shepu chi bhaaji” and it was really yummy. Unfortunately it was not enough for a second helping as usually leafy vegetables when cooked always reduce drastically in quantity. Dill leaves and seeds are available aplenty in Singapore these days compared to a few years back, so I thought why not make the most of it. I have always been boiling dill seeds in water and giving my kids. On Sunday, I went to the supermarket and found a dark green fresh bunch of Dill leaves and I couldn’t resist buying. Here is a simple recipe for you'll to enjoy.

Dill Leaves Sauteed / Shepuchi bhaji

Ingredients

Dill (shepu) leaves – 1 bunch

Asafetida – A pinch

Onions – 1 (optional)

Garlic - 2 cloves

Green chilies - 2

Salt as per taste

Method

De-stem the Dill leaves. Wash them well in a colander by running water through it.  Drain and chop the leaves. Peel and slit the garlic into slivers. Break the green chillies into two.

In a wok, add a teaspoon of oil, once its hot, add a pinch of asafetida, add in the garlic slivers and green chillies, add in the onions for extra flavour(if you want) sauté till the garlic is orange in color. Don’t burn it. After this add in the chopped dill leaves, salt and sauté. You will see that it shrinks in size. Saute until the water is completely gone and until you see that the dill leaves look a bit fried. Serve hot wih fulkas/chappatis, Jowar/bajra rotis. Enjoy this flavorful healthy curry (sabji).

AGATHI KEERAI THUVARAN / PORIYAL

AGATHI KEERAI THUVARAN / PORIYAL

Agathi Keerai is classified under the green leafy vegetables category. For those who are not familiar with this green, Agathi Keerai is also known as;

Hummingbird Tree Leaves or West Indian pea tree.

Botanical Name: Sesbania grandiflora

Agathi keerai is used in cooking in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam , mainly in the South east Asia pacific regions wherein its widely grown and eaten.

There are two kinds of West Indian Pea tree - one with red flowers and the other with white flowers. It’s the white flower West Indian Pea Tree that’s suitable for cooking.

My grandma used to say that Agathi keerai which is also known as “Aathu keerai” at my home has cooling properties and she used to insist on eating our greens without making a fuss when we were kids.

Eating Agathi keerai has a lot of benefits -

It is a tonic

It is cooling

It helps in digestion

It will cure ulcers in the stomach

It is a laxative

It balances pitta and kapha

It is an antidote for poisons

It is good for fever

It cures insanity

It is a very satvic food

Crushed leaves are applied to sprains and bruises of all kinds.

A tea made from the leaves is believed to have antibiotic, anti-thelmintic(a medication capable of causing the evacuation of parasitic intestinal worms), antitumour and contraceptive properties.

The principal medicinal effects are due to the trees’ astringency, hence it is used against inflammation, venom and other poisons, bacterial infections and tumors.

The bark is considered as a tonic and an antipyretic, a remedy for gastric troubles, colic with diarrhoea and dysentery.

A bark decoction is taken orally to treat fever and diabetes.

Juice of flowers put in the eyes is said to relieve dimness of vision.

The leaves also have medicinal value and are reported to cure night blindness in cattle.

In India, all plant parts are reputed to cure night blindness.

The root is a well-known medicine for malaria.

Root juices are used for poultices and the leaves are applied for rheumatism, swellings, bruises and itching.

For systemic disorders, decoctions are taken internally.

Root resin, mixed with honey, is taken orally for phlegm and root juices are taken as an expectorant.

Sinus congestion is reduced by taking a flower decoction.

Agathi keerai is very good when mixed with milk and boiled and then made into curd and that made into buttermilk if taken twice a day all female related problems like white discharge, vaginal discharge with odour, over heat etc.can be solved.

This is not advised during medication, since it will reduce the power of medicine.

You can read more about the benefits by clicking on the link below.

http://www.medindia.net/alternativemedicine/ayurvedaanddiet/Herbal-Plants/Hummingbird-Tree-Leaves.asp

Although its bitter in taste, don’t you think we need to eat this occasionally considering the health benefits associated with it.

Here is a wonderful Kerala recipe of the

“Aathu Keerai” / “Agathi Keerai”

Ingredients

Agathi Keerai – 1 bunch

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Udad dal - 1 tsp

Green chillies – 2-3

Red chillies – 1 broken into 2 halves

Turmeric -1/4 tsp

Asafetida (Hing) - a small pinch

Cooked Toor dal – 2 tbsps

Freshly grated Coconut – 1-2 tbsps

Cooking oil - 1 tbsp (Prefer coconut oil)

Salt as per taste.

Method

Remove the Agathi leaves from its stem. There’s one easy way to do this. Hold the stem between your thumb and index finger and slide down de-stemming the leaves. Rinse well under running water in a colander. Chop the leaves into small pieces. Keep aside

In a Kadhai (wok), Add 1 tbsp of coconut oil, when it is hot, Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, Add udad dal and the red chillies, when the udad dal becomes slightly pink, add the green chillies and fry well, Add the chopped Agathi keerai leaves. Add turmeric, asafetida and salt, stir and close with lid and cook on low flame till it is cooked. Once it’s cooked add in the 2 tbsps of cooked tuvar dal, stir well, wait until the water drains completely and then add in the freshly grated coconut and stir fry till everything is mixed well.

Serve hot with Rice and Rasam.

I would like to send this dish to SWC-Cooking with greens event hosted by my blogger friend Sowmya.

POST PARTUM NUTRITION

POST PARTUM NUTRITION
A woman’s diet after delivery is just as important as how you ate during your pregnancy. A mother's body has undergone many changes during pregnancy, as well as with the birth of her baby. She needs to heal and recover from pregnancy and childbirth. In addition to rest, all mothers need to maintain a healthy diet to promote healing and recovery. A good and healthy diet helps in reducing common postpartum nutritional problems like constipation, fatigue, and anemia.
In the days and weeks after the birth of your baby getting the proper nutrition is especially important. Apart from recovering the tremendous stress of delivering your baby, you will need energy to face all of your new parental duties.
The weight gained in pregnancy helps build stores for your recovery and for breastfeeding. After delivery, all mothers need continued nutrition so that they can be healthy and active and able to care for their baby.
Whether they breastfeed or formula feed, all mothers need to eat a healthy and balanced diet. Most lactation experts recommend that breastfeeding mothers should eat when they are hungry. But many mothers may be so tired or busy that food gets forgotten. So, it is essential to plan simple and healthy meals.

Turn Back The Clock
If you turn back the clock, we will realize that in the past our grandmothers and great grandmothers, gave birth to half a dozen children, sometimes even more than that, worked hard at home, drawing several buckets of water from the well, grinding powders, masalas and batters using grinding stones, they worked hard for their livelihood without a prolapsed uterus, nagging back pain or bleeding and hysterectomies or an incisional hernea were never heard of.
In the yesteryears our grandmothers and great grandmothers insisted on a post poartum diet also known as “Pathyam”. Certain foods are not eaten during this period, especially foods that are difficult to digest and heavily spiced or deep fried food. The food served to the lady is usually prepared with less spices. Eating very strong and spicy food can also affect the baby’s system as what we eat gets passed on through the breast milk to our babies and the baby’s system is not strong enough to digest these and in turn the baby’s health can be affected. Nowadays, the young mothers, want to eat food of their liking within a few days of delivery, quite ignorant of their body system's helplessness and its effect on the fragile system of the baby, not realizing that “what you eat is what your baby gets”. Many may consider this old fashioned and wonder how relevant are these good old pieces of advice today.

Healthy & Balanced diet
The composition of certain micronutrients in breast milk is strongly dependant on maternal dietary intake and hence is needed in greater amounts during breast feeding.
For example:
Eating Whole-grain foods, which include oatmeal, whole-wheat flour, brown rice. These provide carbohydrate. Carbohydrates supply energy to the body in the form of glucose, which is the only energy source for red blood cells and the preferred energy source for the brain and central nervous system. They are high in fibre content which helps in relieving constipation. Studies suggest that dietary fiber from whole grains such as wheat and oats increases stool weight. Because fibre holds water, that and the partial fermentation of fiber and oligosaccharides, increases the amount of beneficial bacteria in stool. The large intestine responds to the larger and softer mass of residue produced by a higher fiber diet by contracting, which speeds the movement of the bowel contents towards excretion. The effect of promoting normal intestinal regularity makes whole- and high-fiber grain products integral components of diet plans to help alleviate constipation.
Prevention and treatment of iron deficiency anemia is possible by including green leafy vegetables in your diet as they are rich in iron and vitamin C.
Dried beans, legumes, nuts, dried fruits, whole grain cereals are also good sources of iron and also provide protein.
Food rich in calcium like milk, yogurt and cheese. Milk and milk products contain calcium and vitamin D, both important ingredients in building and maintaining bone tissue.
These foods are important in the healing process of your incision and general well-being.
Continue taking your prenatal vitamins and any iron supplements ordered by your health care provider.
Drinking orange juice with your iron will enhance its absorption. Drink enough fluids to satisfy your thirst.
Any fruit or 100 percent fruit juice counts as part of the fruit group. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed.
Know the limits on fats, sugars, and salt (sodium). Make most of your fat sources from nuts and vegetable oils. Limit solid fats like butter, stick margarine, shortening, as well as foods that contain these.
Along with balanced meals, breastfeeding mothers should increase fluids. Many mothers find they become very thirsty while the baby is nursing. Water, milk, and fruit juices are excellent choices. It is helpful to keep a pitcher of water and even some healthy snacks beside your bed or breastfeeding chair.
Although most mothers want to lose their pregnancy weight, extreme dieting and rapid weight loss can be hazardous to your health and to your baby's if you are breastfeeding. It can take several months for a mother to lose the weight she gained during pregnancy. This can be accomplished by cutting out high-fat snacks and concentrating on a diet with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, balanced with proteins and carbohydrates. Exercise also helps burn calories and tone muscles and limbs.

Herbs and Home remedies for a better life
Our lifestyle has changed a lot and certain things don’t hold good anymore, but I don’t see any harm any consuming plant based concoctions which are natural and have been followed by generation’s together or using spices and herbs which are found easily in your own home to help you give that extra boost in your life. I believe that Ayurveda is not only a branch of medicine but a way of life. Man is now realizing the hazards of modernization and the price that we are paying with our own health. He is now wanting to revert to traditional methods, home remedies instead of grabbing the bottle of medicine or antibiotics from the neighborhood health practitioner.

This section of my blog is dedicated to Confinement recipes for postpartum nutrition and Indian medicines made at home to be eaten post partum for building health, energy and generating more breast milk and for the well being of mother and baby.

SHATAVARI KALPA

SHATAVARI KALPA
Shatavari Kalpa is one of the most important herb in Ayurvedic medicine for women. Shatavari roots have been recognised in Ayurveda as a drug acting on all tissues as a powerful anabolic. Shatavari Kalpa is administered to mothers after delivery. It helps in increasing milk secretion. ‘Shatavari Kalpa’ is available in the market as flavored granules readily soluble in milk. 2 tablespoon full of this powder should be taken twice a day with milk.
Apart from increasing milk secretion, shatavari is also good for eyes, muscles, reproductive organs and helps to regain vigour and vitality. Shatavari is useful for infertility, decreased libido, threatened miscarriage, menopause, leucorrhea and has the ability to balance pH in the cervical area. Dry membranes, such as those on the vaginal wall, are also brought into balance through the herbs’ demulcent action. It is very useful for weak, debilitated, anaemic and convalescent persons to regain strength.
Men may benefit from the herb as well in the treatment of impotence and general sexual debility. In addition to it's applications for reproductive organs, Shatavari is also quite effective for stomach ulcers, hyperacidity and diarrhea. Dry and irritated membranes in the upper respiratory tract are soothed by this herb making it useful in cases of bronchitis and chronic fevers. It is believed to bring into balance all of the body's fluids.

PRASAVA PODI/ POST PARTUM HERBAL POWDER

PRASAVA POWDER
Prasava powder is made with ingredients which are very good to be had after delivery. Consumption of this powder helps in building health, healing and aids in digestion. You can mix this powder with hot rice and ghee and eat. Or simply eat one spoon of this powder every morning or add it to half a cup of hot water and drink it.

Ingredients
Coriander seeds - 1/2 cup
Pepper – 2 tsps
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Thippili – 1 tbsp
Jathipatri – 1 tbsp
Nannari – 1tbsp
Dry red chillies - 4
Dried Neem flowers -a handful
Dried ginger – a small piece
Sundakkai - 10-12 (u can use the vattal available in the market(which is already salted) and fry it)
Manathakkali - 10-12 (u can use the vattal available in the market(which is already salted) and fry it)
Asafetida -1 big lump
Curry leaves - 1/2 cup
Salt as per taste

Method
Dry roast the dried neem flowers to a dark red colour in a pan without oil. Keep aside.
In a pan, fry asafetida and curry leaves to a reddish brown color. Roast all the other ingredients also to a reddish brown color. Heat salt till it splutters vigorously and remove when fried lightly. Don’t fry until it becomes black. so you can use less salt and still get the full flavor. Put all the ingredients in a dry blender and make a very smooth powder.

SUNDAKKAI / MANATHAKKALI VATHAL RICE

Sundakkai /Manathakkali Vathal Rice
Sundakkai and Manathakkali Vathal are available in South Indian shops. They are already dried and salted. The vathals have to be simply fried, once fried, coarsely powder them in a mixie and you can mix this powder with rice and ghee or gingelly oil. As these vathals are usually heavily salted you don’t need to add salt.
The bigger balls are the fried Sundakkai and the smaller balls are the fried Manathakkali vathals.

Below are the close up photos of both the salted and fried vathals .

SUNDAKKAI CURRY

SUNDAKKAI CURRY
Sundakkai has excellent healing properties, due to this, it is excellent for the post partum period. My grandmother used to say that it can heal internal wounds and works well for children who are suffering from worms in the stomach. This curry doesn’t have many spices. Do try this recipe.

Ingredients
Fresh Sundakkai - 250 grams (Refer to photo on your right for a picture of Fresh sundakkais)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Udad dal - 1 tsp
Green chillies – 1-2 broken into 2 halves
Turmeric -1/4 tsp
Asafetida (Hing) - a small pinch
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste.

Method
Pluck our the sundakkais from the stem, so that u get only the sundakkai balls. Wash the sundakkai balls well.
In a Kadhai (wok), Add oil, when it is hot, Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, Add the udad dal, wait till udad dal is light pink in colour, then add the green chillies. When the green chillies are slightly fried, Add the sundakkais. Now add turmeric, asafetida and salt. Mix well and cover the kadhai with a lid. Don’t add water, let it cook in its own juices. Keep the gas on a low flame. Sundakkai has a tendency to cook very fast. To check if it done. Remove one sundakkai and press lightly, if it gets squashed, u will know that it done, let all the juices be totally evaporated and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with Rasam and Rice.

MILAGU MANATHAKKALI VATHAL KUZHAMBU

MILAGU MANATHAKKALI VATHAL KUZHAMBU
This Kuzhambu is very good during the period after delivery as it is good for the digestive system. This recipe does not use much Toor Dal which cause gases and is generally avoided during the post partum period. Manathakkali has excellent healing properties.

Ingredients
Coriander seeds - 2 tbsps
Toor dal - 2 tbsps
Black peppercorns - 2 tsps
Red Chillies – 1-2 (as per taste)
Asafetida – a pinch
Tamarind – a lemon size ball soaked in water
Manathakkali Vathal – 2 tbsps fried
Salt as per taste
Curry leaves –a sprig
Oil – 1 tbsp

Method
Fry the Manathakkali vathals separately and keep aside. Fry the Coriander seeds, toor dal, red chillies and peppercorns in a little amount of oil and grind it in a mixie. In a pan, put in the grounded paste, add tamarind juice, add the fried Manathakkali vathals, curry leaves, a pinch of asafetida and salt as per taste. Add some water. Let it boil. Cook until the raw smell is gone. Simmer for a few more minutes and serve hot with Rice and ghee.
Paruppu Thogayal made with Moong dal tastes good with rice and this kuzhambu.