Daal Methi

Dal Methi Ingredients

Tuvar dal or  yellow lentils - 1/2 cup

Masoor dal or orange lentils - 1/2 cup

Methi leaves or fenugreek leaves - 1 cup

Ginger -1 inch sliced into Julienne (Read Ayurveda Uses Benefits of Ginger) 

Onion - 2 medium size finely chopped (optional)

Garlic - 5 -6 cloves crushed (optional)

Tomatoes - 3 puried

Curry leaves -10

Jeera or cumin seeds -1 tea spoon

Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon

Red chilli - 2

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Green chilli - 1slit

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Amchoor powder - 1 tea spoon

Ghee - 4 tsp

Cooking Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste.

Wash and Soak both lentils for 30 minutes. Transfer lentils to a cooker add 3 cups of water, turmeric, salt and a tea spoon of ghee. Cook for 2 whistle . 

Heat a pan . Add oil and 1 tea spoon of ghee. When it is hot add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies. Add ginger , garlic and saute. Add onion and fry till it leaves oil. Add green chilli. Add tomato puree and cook well till oil separates. Add turmeric, chilli powder, amchoor powder , coriander powder and cumin powder. Mix well. Add finely chopped methi leaves mix well cover and cook for 10 mins.

Add cooked dal and adjust salt according to taste. Bring it to boil and remove from flame.

Heat a ladle, add remaining ghee and a tea spoon of red chilli powder.  Pour this seasoning on dal. Enjoy with roti , chapati, jeera rice or plain rice

Methi baingan Sabzi- Egg plant / Brinjal with fenugreek

Methi baingan sabzi recipe is an Indian recipe. This was taught to me by my daughter in law Deepa Burli. Here goes the method to prepare this delicious subzi.

Ingredients:

1.       Egg plant or Baingan or Brinjal – larger variety (the one used for bartha) – 1 Diced in  2 cms cubes and soaked in water

2.       Fresh Methi leaves or  fenugreek leaves –  1  cup - finely chopped

3.       Onion – 1 large – thinly sliced

4.       2 green chillies – slit

5.       Cooking oil – 2 tea spoon

6.       Salt to taste

Heat a non stick wok or kadahi . Pour oil in it. When oil is sufficiently heated add green chillies . When green chillies crackle add onion and fry them till they become transparent.  Transfer diced egg plant or baingan to wok and mix it well with onion. Add salt and simmer the flame. Cover a lid on wok and allow it to get cooked in low heat. When egg plant is half cooked add fresh fenugreek leaves and mix well. Cover the lid once again and leave it on low flame for 5 minutes. Serve this hot with chapathis.

Health facts of ingredients

Onion: Onion helps to rejuvenate liver, normalize digestion, relieve constipation and increase appetite. Hence it is very beneficial in piles (hemorrhoids) , constipation, jaundice and indigestion. White onions are recommended in bleeding disorders to reduce bleeding. Hence it is used in conditions like bleeding piles and bleeding through nose. Onions are used in home remedies to reduce cough. Onion and its seeds are known to help in erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and male infertility. It helps to increase libido, quality and quantity of semen. It is a very good vajikara herb. It helps to reduce itching on skin.

Egg palnt or Brinjal or Baingan: It has high fiber content and helps in easy bowel movement. The anti oxidants present in this vegetable help to prevent cancer and coronary heart disease. It has good potassium content, hence helps to control blood pressure and maintain water electrolyte balance.

Fenugreek leaves : This green leafy vegetable is store house of iron. Hence this can be liberally used in anemia. It has good fiber content which helps in digestion and relieves constipation. Fenugreek leaves have property of controlling fluctuating blood sugar level and is recommended for diabetic patients.It contains protein and Vitamin K. Regular use of fenugreek leaves help in good growth of hair.

This article is copyrighted. Author Dr.Savitha Suri  at blog http://aahara-arogya.blogspot.in/ .

Quick Capsicum (green bell pepper) Subzi :

Capsicum is also known as “shimla mirch” in India. This vegetable is widely used in Mexican, Chinese, and Indian cuisines. Here is a quick capsicum dish which goes good with rotis and chapatis.

Ingredients:

Capsicum: - 4 (longitudinally sliced)

Whole cumin seeds (jeera) – 1 tea spoon

Cumin seeds (jeera) powder – 2 tea spoons

Dhaniya powder (coriander seeds powder) – 2 tea spoons

Turmeric - ¼ teaspoon

Red chilly powder – 1 tea spoon

Fresh finely chopped coriander leaves – 2 tea spoons

Oil – 1 table spoon

Salt to taste

Method:

Place a frying pan on stove. Pour oil into the pan. Add jeeraor cumin seeds to heated oil. When seeds crackle add cut capsicum, turmeric, chilly powder, dhaniya powder (coriander powder), cumin seeds powder and salt.  Turn everything well and cover the lid. Allow it to cook in simmered flame till capsicum becomes tender. (It hardly takes 8-10 minutes to get cooked). Take it off the stove and transfer the subzi to a serving bowl and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve it hot with rotis, prathas and spiced curds or raita.

Medicinal properties of Capsicum:

Researchers have found that capsicum has immense medicinal qualities. Capsicum contains a powerful compound called capsaicin which makes capsicum hot and spicy. According to scientists capsicum can be more beneficial if used carefully. It helps in physiological disorders like indigestion, migraine, increased blood cholesterol and diabetes. It boosts body immunity and increases blood circulation. It reduces pain and acts as an anti oxidant.

The capsicum ingredient capsaicin is currently used in topical ointments to relieve the pain and also in peripheral neuropathy caused by herpes virus. It may also be used as a cream for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains of muscles and joints linked to arthritis, simple backache, strains and sprains. Capsaicin is also available in large adhesive bandages that can be applied to the back.

Soya - Baby Corn Masala

Ingredients:
Soya chunks – 1 cup
Baby corn – 6-8 ( roundly cut)
Grated coconut (raw) - 1 cup
Cream – ½ cup
Cashew nuts – ¼ cup
Onion medium size – 2 (finely chopped)
Garlic – 2 cloves
Ginger – 1” grated
Green chillies – 2 (finely chopped)
Cumin seeds (jeera) – ½ tea spoon
Cumin seed (jeera) powder – 1 tea spoon
Coriander seed (dhania) powder – 1 tea spoon
Garam masala – 1 tea spoon
Finely chopped Coriander leaves – ¼ cup
Water – quantity required
Oil – 1 ½ table spoon
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak soy in water for 15 minutes.

Soak cashew nuts for 1 hour and grind it to make paste.

Grind grated coconut with little water in a blender and squeeze the milk. This process has to be repeated twice or thrice to extract milk completely from coconut. (Do not waste coconut residue. This can be kept in freezer and reused for sambar or chutney )

Grind chopped onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic into smooth paste.

Heat a pressure pan and put oil into it. Put cumin seeds (jeera) into heated oil. When the cumin seeds splutter pour ground onion, garlic, ginger and chilly paste to it. Fry this onion, garlic, ginger and chillypaste till it turns golden brown. Now squeeze soya chunks and add to it. Add baby corns too. Turn this well and leave this on low heat for five minutes. Add 1 cup of water and close the lid. Pressure cook this for 1 whistle. When cooker cools take out the lid add coconut milk, cream and cashew paste. Stir well and bring it to boil. Add salt when it starts boiling. Transfer this to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve with, rotis, nans or pulavs.

Soya bean is a good source of protein. It is considered as complete protein. It is popular among vegetarians, vegans and people who want to reduce meat. Soya bean is rich in fiber, calcium, and magnesium. It has high biological value as it contains all essential amino acids. But soy has to be cooked in warm water to make it suitable for human consumption.

Baby Corn is a good source of folate and vitamin B. It is rich in several other nutrients such as potassium, vitamin B6, riboflavin, vitamin C and fiber.

Milk contains nutrients like protein, fat, mineral matter, water and lactose. It is rich in calcium and vitamins. It is the natural food of all young mammals. Milk is a reservoir of nutrients and forms an important ingredient of a balanced diet. As it is rich in calcium it makes our bones and teeth strong. It helps to nourish the body with high quality proteins and vitamins.

Coconuts are rich in lauric acid. Lauric acid is known for its antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Coconuts help to boost immune system. Coconuts and coconut oil help to lose weight and reduce risk of heart diseases. It helps to lower cholesterol and help in chronic fatigue. The health condition of persons who suffer from diabetes improve with the use of coconut. The coconut oil helps to rejuvenate skin and prevents wrinkles.