Kothu Phulka/tortilla-a Healthy version of the Kothu Parotta!

 Kothu Phulka-the healthy version of the "Kothu Paratha"

Traditionally in Tamil Nadu, 'Kothu Paratha' is made from 'parotta' or the South Indian 'paratha' which is a layered paratha made with loads of oil and maida. I did try it out once with frozen Kerala Parotta's (available in all Indian stores) and I admit that it is sinfully delicious!
The tasty Kothu Parotta never became a regular feature as obviously I had my reservations of using the frozen 'maida' (refined flour) oily parotta's.

Yesterday, I had 3 leftover phulkas (roti's made whithout oil) from lunch and with it came the idea of the 'healthy version of the Kothu paratha/ parotta'!! This I have renamed as "Kothu Phulka" !
Kothu Paratha's are made by tearing up the cooked paratha and then cooking it in a gravy of either meat, chicken or egg. The kothu phulka that I made is with egg. Vegetarians/vegans can omit the egg and make it with just the onion+tomato gravy or replace the egg with tofu. Here are the ingredients for the 'healthy version of the Kothu Paratha(the Kothu Phulka):
Ingredients: (Serves 2)

• Phulkas/whole wheat tortillas: 3-4 nos. ( broken into 1" pieces)
• Eggs: 3 nos. (can be substituted with 200gms tofu or omitted entirely)
• Red onion: 1 medium or 1/2big (chopped fine)
• Tomatoes: 2 medium (chopped fine)
• Green chillies: 1-2nos. slit in half (use more or less according to your spice tolerance)
• Cilantro/Coriander leaves: 2-3 tbsp (finely chopped)
•  Red chilli powder: 1-2tsp(again according to your spice tolerance)
• Coriander powder: 1tsp
• Salt: to taste

Tempering:

• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Cumin/jeera: 1tsp
• Curry leaves: 8-10nos.
• Turmeric: 1/4th tsp
• Oil: 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the mustard and cumin seeds and when it starts popping add the curry leaves.
2. Then add the turmeric powder,chopped onions, the green chillies and salt and fry till the onions become translucent.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder and the coriander powder and stir till the tomatoes are cooked.
4. Add the eggs/tofu and mix well. Keep stirring on a low flame till the eggs are almost cooked but not too dry. Test for salt.
5. Now add the phulka/tortilla pieces and mix well such that the egg/tofu mixture coats all the phulka pieces.
6. Garnish with lots of cilantro and serve the 'Kothu Phulka' piping hot.

For those who want to avoid the egg/tofu-add the phulka pieces directly after the tomatoes are cooked (point 4).
Enjoy this healthy version of the "kothu Paratha" at lunch/dinner, breakfast or even for a Sunday brunch !
It also makes a good lunch box recipe!

Kothu Phulka- the healthy version of the 'Kothu Paratha'

Back To School-7 Healthy Lunch Box Ideas

 (Japanese Bento box-Image courtesy BBC News )

Getting a child to eat his lunch at school and making sure it's also a healthy meal can be a daily nightmare for most parents. A child's lunch plays an important role in meeting their day to day nutrition needs. To know more about the right foods for your child you can read  Is Your Child Getting the Right Nutrition .
Packing a healthy lunch box for a kid isn't always difficult. Sometimes it may not be always possible to pack a balanced meal into a child's lunch box. Just make sure to avoid packing junk food or processed foods like cookies,chips, jello's and such. Here are 7 Healthy lunch box ideas for your child: 

1.  Parathas+ Yogurt+ Salad/Fruit: when made with less oil can become a healthy and filling lunch box favorite. Avoid the frozen commercially packed varieties (which may be more convenient) as they can be too oily. Alternatively (if time is a constraint)you could roll out the parathas in advance and cook them in the morning. Kids love aloo parathas,methi parathas, gobi parathas, radish parathas and even the most fussy kid will devour a broccoli paratha.
2. Sandwiches/Wraps+ Fruit: (Use 100% whole wheat/ double fiber breads,pita breads or whole wheat tortillas/wraps). Fillings can be with the good ole' P&B(Peanut butter) or other nut butters(almond/sunflower/cashew nut,etc), chutney, guacamole, hummus, tofu spreads. You could add freshly cut fruits like bananas, strawberries, peaches  or vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce to the filling or put it as a side. Avoid adding salt/sugar as this could make the sandwiches soggy.Cold cuts of turkey,tuna, eggs, grilled chicken, or cheese slices could also be a filling option for kids
3. Roti's, tortillas,bagels, English muffins (whole wheat)+ egg/paneer/tofu burji(scrambled), chole/rajma(lentil/pulse/bean) curry + salad/fruit.
4. Rice dishes+ low-fat yogurt/Greek yogurt+ fruit/salad. You could make a mixed vegetable pulav, mint/pudina pulav, palak/spinach rice, peas pulav, curd/ yogut rice, egg/chicken fried rice and such.Try adding some pulse/lentil/paneer/tofu/soy nuggets to add some protein to the rice dish. Avoid dishes like khichdi, bisibele bath which are not palatable when eaten cold.
5. Idli/dosa/dhokla + chutney/nut butters+ salad+ Low-fat milk. You could try out different varieties of dosas like adai, pesarattu, neer dosa and idlis like rava, coin, stuffed vegetable idlis.
6. Mixed vegetable upma + low-fat yogurt+ fruit. The upma can be made from rava/semolina, oats, vermicelli poha or dhalia/broken wheat.
7. Noodles, pasta+ salad+ 100% fruit juice. Try adding some mixed vegetables to the noodles/pasta along with chicken/tofu/paneer/egg to increase the fiber and protein content.

Try to be as creative as possible with the foods. Children love fun shapes, so use a cookie cutter to cut the salad vegetables/ fruits. Even sandwiches can be made into different fun shapes with the help of different sandwich cutters. Use desserts as an occasional treat for the kids. Don't make it a habit of giving a sweet drink (juice, flavored milk) on a daily basis.
Take a look at these creative Japanese moms: Japan's Amazing lunchboxes

 Bento Box-Image Courtesy BBC News Magazine

The 'Gold Medal Diet' (for Indian athletes).

2012 Olympic Gold Medal

(Image Courtesy of IOC)

With the Olympics just around the corner, here's wishing all the Indian athletes competing in the London Olympics the 'very best of luck' in their endeavor  for the coveted Gold medal!
With the last leg of training still going on, a gentle reminder to eat a well balanced diet, as diet and good nutrition too play an important role in an athletes quest for Gold.
There are numerous stories in the press after each Olympics about the non-serious attitude at the Olympic village by the Indian contingent. Stories of how the Indian teams gorge on the numerous buffets/foods available, the shopping sprees, the visits to the beauty parlor and the night-outs abound. This is in sharp contrast to the athletes of other countries who have their eyes set on the Olympic Gold and try to stay clear of such temptations (some of whom even go to the level of staying in a private hotel on personal expenses to avoid being distracted)!
Since most in the Indian team cannot afford such luxuries,here are some tips on eating and staying healthy at the games village:

• Choose whole grains for your meals: Carbohydrates should come from whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat breads, rolled/steel cut oats (avoid instant), whole wheat rotis instead of maida naan/roomali rotis (Indian food is a local favorite in London,so I won't be surprised if there is a section of Indian delicacies), whole wheat pastas. If the latest press release on the Indian teams food choices is accurate, then please note that fast food (read burgers) by the (in)-famous 'evil clown' chain is NOT A GOOD CHOICE!! 
•  Include high quality proteins every day: chicken,fish, eggs, and for the vegetarians, pulses/beans, soy and soy products(tofu, soy milk), skimmed milk, yogurt must be a part of each meal as exercise/training tends to increase the bodies protein requirement. Avoid eating only protein foods as this can lead to dehydration.
• Avoid fried foods: french fries, fried chicken (or other non-veg foods), chips, burgers,  must be at the minimum as fatty foods takes a long time to digest and also tend to make the body sluggish. The best way to get your fats is to include healthy fats from nut butters (peanut/almond/sunflower seeds and such), various nuts, fish (a good way to get your omega-3's).
• Avoid overeating on desserts: The dessert section is a big temptation to all-leave that for your victory meal (after you win the medal). Moreover these can lead to fluctuations in your blood sugar levels and also create a surge in the insulin in your blood. Stick to eating fruits for dessert as that will ensure that you get your fiber as well as various vitamins and minerals. Fruits like bananas and oranges are great for adding the much needed potassium to your diet.
• Drink plenty of water: keeping yourself hydrated is the key. Avoid soft drinks/aerated /fizzy drinks and alcohol. Sports drinks during your event can be a good alternative to replace the sodium lost through sweat.
•  Avoid caffeine: although there seems to be a controversy on whether caffeine is dehydrating or not, it is best to avoid it at the moment and experiment with it later after you get back home. 
• Get adequate rest and sleep: The late night movies, parties, music bars can be checked out after your events. It is most important to give your body the necessary rest required after the day's training.

Think twice before you gorge on the wrong food- you have trained for years to be selected for the Olympics, so why give up your dream?
Nothing is IMPOSSIBLE, for the word itself says "I'M POSSIBLE" !!! So, on your marks, get set and GO....get the Gold Medal!

Stuffed Green Pepper (with Chilly Tofu) Microwave Low-fat version

Low-fat Microwave Stuffed Capsicum(with Chilly tofu)

I had first seen the recipe of Stuffed Green Bell Pepper (or "Capsicum" and "Shimla Mirchi"as it is popularly known as in India) when I was a kid and was skimming through one of my mother's magazines (I think it was either "Femina" or "Savvy") and came across this awesome looking photo of a stuffed capsicum(I wasn't into cooking then,so I can hardly remember what it was stuffed with, but I'm guessing it had potatoes).
I was so enamored with that photo that I bugged and begged my mom to make it and she finally relented and agreed to make it.So,the next day, off we went,my mom and little me in tow to the bazaar/market and bought a couple of the freshest,greenest and biggest looking capsicums for the recipe(the rest of the stuff which we bought has been deleted from my memory-I happen to have a limited memory space and I tend to save only the most important stuff). Anyway,we got home and my mom got busy in the kitchen with me doing the most important part-opening the magazine to the page where the recipe was and keeping it where my mother could refer to it.That done,I left my mom to do the cooking(she was the expert afterall)and I guess I must have whiled away the time till dinner.
When it was ready,we were called to the dinner table and I ran excitedly(again please note that I was never a good eater as a child and nothing other than chocolates got me excited) to take my place at the dinner table. That was when I saw what my mom had made and I burst into tears,and no-it was not tears of joy,but that of bitter disappointment!
It didn't resemble the dish in the book at all,infact it didn't even look like she had made the same dish.I ran into the kitchen and got the book and pointed it out to her(just incase she had made the NEXT recipe by mistake)-the photo was of a nice green bell pepper,with a perfectly green skin,no blemishes,filled with the yummiest looking stuff with a little firm cap on it.What actually sat on the table was a soggy, greenish brown mass barely able to hold the stuffing!! My mother and the rest of the family tried to explain that in the photo the bell pepper was not subjected to any cooking and was just to get(what I now understand is called) an "awesome shot".
The recipe called for the pepper to be fried,which made it change in colour and texture and hence the soggy mass sitting on our dining table. Whatever she made must have probably tasted great because she did make it a couple of times after that and even experimented with different stuffing's,but I really couldn't care. It was NOT what was in the book!!!

Low-fat Microwave Stuffed Capsicum(the cooked version)

I've always loved the stuffed capsicum served at restaurants, but have found it way too oily to make on a regular basis. Looking for a healthier version I got the idea of "Microwave Stuffed Capsicum".  I had some tofu that I had bought to make "Chilly Tofu"(the recipe for which I have posted earlier). Since it was for a stuffing, the only change I made was to crumble the tofu instead of cutting them into cubes,and yes,I took a snap of the dish before and after cooking the bell pepper!!
Check out the recipe and ingredients for the "Quick Chilly Tofu" here.
To make this dish you will also need about 4 bell peppers (you can choose whatever colour you fancy).
Method:

1. Cut the bell peppers carefully at the top,and remove the seeds.
2. Apply a little oil to the outer side of the capsicum and microwave on high for 3-8 minutes (depending on the microwave)
3. Once they are ready,stuff it carefully with the "chilly tofu" (recipe given here) and serve.
4. You can even stuff it with paneer/ tofu/ egg burji (scrambled eggs). 

Low-fat Microwave Stuffed Capsicum

P.S:

• Since I've microwaved the peppers, it doesn't look anything like the fried version that is imprinted in my memory.
• You could even 

Question: Have you ever followed a recipe to the T only to end up with a dish that didn't quite look like that shown in the book/magazine?

Chilly Tofu

Chilly Tofu

This is an 'quickie' dish.Takes just about 10-15 minutes.I was inspired by Nita Mehta's 'Chilli Paneer' recipe.I just substituted the firm tofu for the paneer and omitted the ajinomoto(MSG).
Ingredients:

• Firm tofu-200gms (cut into 1" cubes)
• Garlic- 6-7 flakes (chopped fine)
• Green chillies-2 nos.(chopped fine)
• Tomato sauce- 3 tbsp
• Chilly sauce-1-2 tsp
• Soy sauce- 2 tsp
• Coriander/Cilantro -2 tbsp(chopped fine)
  
• Oil-1 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Pepper: 1/4th tsp
• Sugar:1/4th tsp

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan.Add the chopped garlic and chillies.
2. Fry for a minute or two(take care not to burn it),reduce heat and add the salt,pepper and sugar.
3. Add the tomato sauce,soy sauce and the chilly sauce,mix well.Add about 2tbsp water.
   
4. Add the tofu cubes and the chopped coriander/cilantro leaves.
5. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on reduced heat.
6. Serve hot.

Palak Tofu Sabzi(Tofu in Spicy Spinach Gravy)

I experimented with this dish two weeks ago and found it to be just as yummy(if not better)than the now-famous original North Indian dish called 'Palak Paneer'. Paneer is the Indian cottage cheese,which for this recipe is cut into cubes and cooked in a gravy of pureed spinach(with of course all the spices that go into traditional Indian cooking). I used the silken tofu and soon realized my folly as it was too soft and would not hold it's shape-nevertheless,the end result was simply nutritious! Spinach is a very good source of iron*, folate,vitamins A and K,and fiber while tofu is a complete protein and hence this dish is ideal for vegetarians and vegans.
Palak Tofu(Tofu in Spicy Spinach Gravy):Serves 4
Ingredients:

• Palak/Spinach:1/2kg(500 gms)
• Firm Tofu: 250gms,cut into 1/2' cubes
  
• Onion: 2 medium(finely chopped)
• Tomatoes: 2 large
• Green chillies: 2-3
  
• Ginger+garlic paste: 2 teaspoon
• Garam Masala: 2 teaspoon
  
• Turmeric powder: 1/4th teaspoon
• Coriander/Dhania powder: 1 teaspoon
• Cumin/Jeera powder: 1 teaspoon
• Oil:1 teaspoon
  
• Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Wash and clean the spinach leaves.
2. Steam the leaves along with the green chillies.
3. Once it has cooled down,blend it along with the tomatoes to a fine puree.
4. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a non-stick pan.
5. Add the chopped onions and salt. Stir for about 5 minutes,then add the ginger+garlic paste and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Add the spinach+tomato puree,the garam masala,cumin,turmeric and coriander powder and mix well.
7. Cook for about 5 minutes,then add the tofu cubes.
   
8. Keep stirring,add a little water. Then cook covered on medium flame for another 15-20 minutes.
9. When the gravy thickens,taste to check if the spinach has lost it's raw taste.If it has, then the dish is ready.
10. Serve hot with phulkas/whole wheat tortillas(Do not add ghee/clarified butter)
    

NOTE: *Since the iron in the spinach is non-heme(i.e from a plant source),it needs Vitamin C for it's absorption.So,you could add a dash of lime to the dish when serving or end your meal with a fruit rich in Vitamin C(eg:Orange,kiwifruit,guava,etc).

Tofu Bhurji (Scrambled tofu)

Soya or Soy is originally from East Asia, but has recently gained popularity all over the world ever since it's health benefits were discovered. Recently though, it has been getting some negative reports,but I personally feel that soy in moderation is fine.
The protein in soy is complete(equal to meat) and hence is better than other beans and legumes. There are many products that are made from soy,like soy flour,roasted soy nuts,soy milk, tofu,soy nuggets,etc.
This recipe is from Ms.Meghana Ghatpande(Rohini's mom and Meghana aunty to the rest of us).
Tofu is just like paneer to see and taste, but more nutritious and healthier as it's a plant product and made by coagulating soy milk. This makes a good side dish with phulkas and can also be used as a filling inside a sandwich/wrap. It's basically a protein packed dish,and the mustard,cumin and coriander make this dish oh-so Indian!!

Tofu Bhurji(Scrambled Tofu): Serves 4
Ingredients:

• Firm tofu*: 350 gms, cut into small squares or crumbled
  
• Onion: 1 medium, finely sliced
  
• Tomato: 2 big,finely chopped
  
• Mustard seeds:1/2 teaspoon
• Jeera/Cumin seeds:1/2 teaspoon
• Dhaniya/Coriander seeds powder: 1teaspoon
• Turmeric powder:1/4 teaspoon
  
• Green chilli: 1 no. (slit length wise)
  
• Oil:1 teaspoon
• Coriander leaves/Cilantro:a handful(finely chopped for the garnish)
  
• Salt:to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick kadai/pan.
2. Add the mustard and cumin seeds.
3. When it starts to crackle and pop,add the sliced onions,salt and saute till it becomes translucent.
4. Add the turmeric, cumin powder,slit green chilli,tomato pieces and saute till it gets cooked.
5. Add the tofu,stir for a couple of minutes.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with phulkas.

*While buying the tofu for this dish,pick up the firm tofu if possible(as the silken/soft tofu are more suited for making dips).