Dahi-batata Chaat Towers(Yogurt and potato Chaat)

Dahi-batata chaat towers

A 'chaat' is a kind of street food that probably combines all the tastes(sweet, spicy, tangy, salty) and all the textures(crunchy, gooey, soft, crispy) that food can be made into. In India,there are different types of chaats-the most popular being bhel puri, pani puri, sev puri and so on and so forth(oh my-just writing about them is making my mouth water). What started as a street food is now also on the menu of most big restaurants,because let's face it-it's something which all Indians love!!!
Besides bhel-puri,my all time favourite chaat is anything which has 'dahi'/yogurt. I love the taste of yogurt when it's mixed with a spicy cilantro chutney and the sweet-n-spicy tamarind and date chutney. I found some Quaker puffed rice cakes (which claims to have 5gms of fiber/cake and is made of whole grain brown rice)at the grocery store and instantly visions of 'chaat' flashed across my mind. I used the rice cakes as a base and built the chaat tower on it. Here's what went onto the rice cakes:
Ingredients:(Serves 2)

• Rice cakes: 4
• Spicy cilantro chutney/Green apple chutney: 4 tbsps
• Boiled potatoes: 2 (coarsely crumbled)
• Onions: 2-3 tbsp finely chopped
• Tomatoes: 3 tbsp finely chopped
  
• Cilantro/coriander leaves: 3 tbsp finely chopped
• Green chillies:1-2 finely chopped(optional)
• Plain yogurt: 3-4 tbsp
  
• Tamarind-date chutney: 3 tbsp
• Sev: 4tsp
• Chaat masala: 2tsp
  

Method:

1. Spread some spicy cilantro chutney/green apple chutney on the rice cake.
2. Layer it with a mixture of boiled potatoes,chopped onions,cilantro,tomatoes and green chillies(optional).
3. Slowly drizzle some yogurt and some tamarind-date chutney over it.
4. Finally sprinkle a teaspoon of sev and some chaat masala over it and your chaat is ready!!

You can even add some sprouts or some tangy fruits to add in some more flavors and textures.
Eating the towers can be a little messy,but it's worth a try!!






Question: What is your favorite street food?

Top 5 ways to beat workout shyness

Are you one of those who keep putting off exercising to ‘tomorrow’? Do you start your New Year’s resolutions with ‘Start exercising daily’ but never seem to be able to ‘start’ or if you do start never are able to do it for more than a couple of weeks? We all know that we should exercise, but some days it's tough to get moving: not enough time, too tired, no energy. Here are some tips to beat workout shyness:
1. The ‘Buddy’ system: get a friend/ relative/spouse/ neighbor to workout with you. Having a partner makes it more difficult to miss the gym when a spell of laziness hits you, and you are likely to work out harder once you are there. The best part of having a workout buddy is that after you complete, you’ll have somebody to cut loose and celebrate with! You’ll also have somebody to continue working out with in order to keep yourself in your best shape possible.
2. Buy a whole year’s package: basically pay up. Money is the ultimate motivator. A whole year’s gym package would probably cost you a bomb and you’ll find yourself being regular just to get your money’s worth (if not anything else).
3. Set a goal: To start with, set small attainable goals like exercising for five days a week for at least 45 minutes each time. Once you attain this, then you could go one step further by either increasing the intensity of training or by increasing the time for exercising, etc.
4. Find a workout that is fun: Exercise need not be limited to working out in a gym. You could find some fun activities like dancing, jazz exercising, aerobics, playing a sport that you love (like tennis, basketball, squash, etc). Sometimes the fun element in these can make you look forward to it rather than detesting the thought of it!
5. Reward yourself: Every time you achieve a goal, reward yourself-it could be going for a movie, meeting up with friends, a facial, a new dress, getting a new hair cut or buying yourself a gift certificate to a spa (go ahead and pamper yourself, you’ve earned it!)

Along with these tips, don’t forget the health benefits of exercising:
• Helps manage your weight,
• Combats diseases like osteoporosis, heart diseases, certain types of cancers and diabetes,
• Improves your mood,
• Promotes better sleep and
• Boosts your energy levels.

So pack a bottle of water, wear a snazzy exercise outfit and hit the gym (or the dance floor/ tennis court, etc) and watch those extra layers of fat melt away. You may even surprise yourself by fitting into the pair of jeans from your college days!

All about Nutrition Supplements

There are dime-a-dozen nutritional supplements available in the market-but how many of us know what they are and who should/need to take them? Here are a few FAQ’s about supplements:
What are Nutrition supplements?
Any product that provides some sort of nutrients (for e.g vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fibre, etc) can be termed as a ‘nutrition/dietary supplement’. They are sold in the form of tablets, powders, gels, syrups, etc. They can be used to supplement your normal diet, but cannot and should not be used as a substitute for a regular diet.

Who needs/should take supplements?
Those who eat a balanced diet and are healthy need not worry about supplements in normal circumstances. However, here is a list of reasons why one might require supplementation:
• Illness, hospitalization that interferes with regular food consumption,
• The elderly-who cannot eat regular foods in the recommended amounts,
• Deficiency diseases- like anaemia(iron deficiency), osteoporosis(calcium deficiency), night blindness(Vitamin A), etc.
• Those who live in areas where there is a deficiency of some nutrients for e.g those who live in hilly areas can have iodine deficiency, or those who do not get adequate sunlight (at least 10mins/day) can suffer from Vitamin D deficiency.
• Pregnancy and lactation-are phases that require additional nutrients more than what can be got from the diet alone and hence need to be supplemented(e.g :iron, calcium, folic acid),
• Any medical condition that affects how your body can absorb/excrete certain nutrients(like food intolerance, diseases of the kidney, gallbladder, intestine, etc).

How does one know if nutritional supplements are required and in what quantities?
If you have a doubt, speak to your doctor and/or Dietitian. They are the best people to determine whether you require supplements and the appropriate dosages if required.

Keep in mind that the body absorbs nutrients better in its natural form (from fruits, vegetables), so don’t be tempted to buy nutritional supplements unnecessarily!

Sleep Disorders

Most people consider sleep as the least important activity of the day, but for those who suffer from any kind of sleep disorder, it could affect their entire day. Sleep disorders range from inability to sleep or staying asleep (insomnia), to excessive sleepiness (hypersomnias), or problems sleeping on schedule and sometimes even disruptive behaviour while sleeping(like sleep walking, sleep terrors). Sleep disorders can create problems like decreased work performance, memory lapses, stress and sometimes can also be the cause of some occupational or traffic accidents.
If you suffer from any of these disorders, you should seek help from your doctor before it’s too late. There are a number of diagnosis methods, tests and treatments that you could benefit from.
Ideally one should get around 7-8 hours of sleep every day for the body to feel rested. Here are some tips to help you sleep better:
• Have a comfortable sleeping environment which includes the right type of mattress and pillows,
• Don’t try to sleep immediately after eating dinner(a two hour gap is ideal),
• Try sleeping and waking up at the same time every day,
• Eat healthy and exercise regularly. However, exercising too close to bedtime can sometimes have a negative effect on your sleep. Some foods that are rich in tryptophan (like milk, banana, egg whites, peanuts, sesame/till seeds) can help you sleep well.
• Avoid drinking coffee and other caffeine containing products close to bedtime.
• Avoid resorting to alcohol and/or nicotine to help you fall asleep.
• Try to relax before bedtime-you can listen to some soothing music or read a book or try some meditation techniques.
Keep in mind that sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.

Diet during pregnancy and post-pregnancy

Although good nutrition throughout one’s life is important, for a woman it becomes a cause for more concern when she is pregnant and later when she is lactating. The body undergoes several changes during these two phases of life and thus the nutritional requirements also increase during these periods.

Here are a few tips for a healthy pregnancy and successful lactation period thereafter:
• If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, visit your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe a few prenatal vitamins (like folic acid) and minerals (like iron and calcium). Do not miss your prenatal appointments.
• For women who suffer from nausea and vomiting during the first few months of pregnancy-eating small frequent meals, avoiding fluids along with meals, and eating dry toast or ginger based biscuits first thing in the morning may help.
• Avoid smoking, alcohol and too much caffeine (not more than two cups of coffee/day).
• Do not take any over the counter or herbal medications without asking your doctor.
• Eat a well balanced diet which includes whole grains, pulses/legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, milk and milk products, nuts and plenty of water.
• Avoid binging on junk food, sweets and fried foods-these provide little else than calories and could lead to excessive weight gain during/after pregnancy. Remember, what you eat and drink can affect both you and your baby.
• Moderate exercise* (like walking, yoga) during and after pregnancy can help you sleep better, reduce stress and keep you in better shape during and after delivery. (*Speak to your doctor before starting on any exercise regimen.)
• Get plenty of rest and enjoy these phases in your life.

7 Tips for Beautiful Skin and Shiny Hair

Everyone dreams of having a glowing complexion with shiny, glossy hair. People spend lakhs of rupees every year on skin and hair care products without realizing that what you put inside your body matters more than what you put on your skin and hair. A healthy lifestyle with the right kind of food and regular exercise could actually be the answer to all your skin and hair problems.
Here are a few skin and hair care tips that you should be aware of:
• Protect your skin and hair from harsh sunlight-use umbrellas, caps/hats, sunscreens.
• Use a soap/shampoo suited to your skin/hair type.
• Eat healthy-include plenty of fresh fruits, salads, whole grains, pulses, nuts and dark green vegetables in your diet. Avoid fried foods, sweets and junk foods.
• Keep yourself hydrated-drink at least 10-12 glasses of water/day.
• Exercise daily-it can increase the delivery and circulation of nutrients in the body and sweating tends to unclog the pores of the skin. Regular exercise can also control the amount of male hormones (testosterone) produced by the body and help curb male pattern baldness in some.
• Reduce/manage stress, stop smoking and get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every day.
• Avoid crash dieting-most crash/fad diets do not provide your body with all the essential nutrients and you could end up having some kind of nutrient deficiency and/or hair loss after a couple of months.

Keep in mind that there are no ‘miracle’ products or a ‘fountain of youth’, its how you take care of your body that will determine how good you look and feel.

(Contact your doctor or dermatologist if you notice a sudden loss of hair or have severe adult-acne or other skin problems, as these may be the signs of underlying health problems).

Insulin in a bubblegum-definitely a boon for Diabetics!

I've never been a big fan of bubblegum,but the idea of chewing a bubblegum instead of an insulin jab is most welcome.
A research team led by Tejal Desai at the University of California is busy working on a way to deliver insulin orally rather than through injections. Insulin being a hormone, cannot be administered orally as it get's destroyed by the acids in the stomach.
The researchers are working on a process of shielding the insulin in some kind of a protective microscopic coating so that it can be delivered into the bloodstream.
Though the research is still in it's infancy and needs to be tested on humans-it'll be a big boon to the millions of diabetics who have to endure the injections everyday.
Way to go professor and here's hoping that the "bubble(gum) doesn't break"!!
Read more:
1)Telegraph: Chew this once a day: medical bubblegum could replace daily jabs.
2)Medical News Today: Enhancing Drug Delivery in Gut Using Nano Bubble Gum.

Pumpkin and Okra Sambar(Palakkad style)

Pumpkin and okra sambar

We had this awesome sambar at a friends place during the Diwali weekend. It was made by my friend's mother and she had used pumpkin and ladiesfinger/okra for the sambar. The family has it's roots in Palakkad,a town on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Being Palakkad Iyers their cuisine is a unique blend of the cooking styles from both the states (Kerala and Tamil Nadu).
I've always used the popular ready-made sambar powder to date and had never made the sambar from scratch(roasting and grinding the masalas). I had to get the recipe and it turned out so well that I've decided to make sambar the 'hard-way' instead of taking the 'easy way' out henceforth.
This sambar is typically made with any two of these seasonal vegetables: ladiesfinger/okra, arabi/taro root, pumpkin, capsicum and drumstick.
Here's the recipe as given by Ms Sarda Ramakrishnan:
Ingredients: (Serves 8)

• Coriander seeds: 2tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds:1 tbsp
• Channa dal: 1 tbsp
• Dry red chillies: 5
• Tamarind pulp: walnut sized (soak in water and squeeze out the pulp),
• Tur dal: 2 cups (finely mashed)
• Fresh coconut: 1/2 cup grated
• Pumpkin: 1 cup (cut into 1 and 1/2" pieces)
• Ladiesfinger/Okra: 1 cup (cut into 1 and 1/2" pieces)
• Hing/asafoetida: 1/2tsp
• Salt: to taste

For the tempering:

• Mustard seeds: 1tsp
• Curry leaves:5-6 nos.
• Oil: 2tsp

Mehod:

1. Roast the coriander seeds,fenugreek seeds,channa dal and the red chillies in a pan till the fenugreek and channa dal start turning red.
2. Let it cool and then grind to a fine paste along with the grated coconut.
3. Cook the pumkin and okra pieces in the tamarind pulp along with salt and enough water till the vegetables are half cooked.
4. Add the cooked tur dal and the ground masala paste to the vegetables. Add enough water to bring it to a sambar consistency.
5. Bring the sambar to a boil and add the hing powder.
6. In a separate pan,heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When it starts to sputter,add the curry leaves.
7. Pour this tempering over the sambar.
8. Serve hot with rice.

Question: What is your favorite pumpkin recipe?
Note:
Don't throw away the pumpkin seeds- you can wash, dry and then roast them. The roasted pumpkin seeds are considered a snack food and are loaded with zinc.

Mixed dal dosa/ Adai (Mixed lentils and rice crêpe)

Mixed dal Dosa/ Adai

What does one call a 'dosa' in English-is it a crêpe or a pancake? Oh but wait a minute-'crêpe ' is actually French in origin,so does that make the English translation of the 'dosa' a 'pancake'? Can't I just call it a 'Dosa', or hasn't Indian cuisine (or to be more precise-South Indian cuisine) gained enough popularity for foodies world over to know what a 'dosa' is? Well,as Shakespeare would have put it: "What is in a name, that which we call a 'dosa', by any other name would taste as great" ;-)!!
I was craving for some crispy dosas as I hadn't made them in a long time. But,with the weather no longer conducive for fermenting the batter, I had to think of something which didn't need fermenting. That's when my mom suggested the mixed dal dosa-or "Adai" as it's called in Tamil Nadu. Mom suggested soaking equal quantities of all the dals/split lentils that I had at home along with equal amounts of rice. There are so many different recipes for this mixed dal dosa/ Adai,but here's how I made it(with whatever ingredients were available at home last night):

Ingredients for Mixed Dal Dosa/Adai: (Serves 4)

• Raw rice: 1/2 cup
• Channa dal: 1/2 cup
• Urad dal(split black matpe beans): 1/2 cup
• Mung dal: 1/2 cup
• Masoor dal(pink lentil): 1/2 cup
• Tur dal (split pigeon peas)
• Cooked rice OR beaten rice(poha): 1/2 cup
• Ginger: 1" piece
• Dry red chillies: 4-5 (or to taste)
• Salt: to taste
• Water: 1 cup

Method:

1. Soak all the dals and the raw rice for at least 4-6 hours.
2. Grind all the ingredients together with a cup of water till you get a fine paste ( pancake batter consistency). If using beaten rice/poha-soak it for 15 minutes before grinding.
3. Pour a ladle of the batter on a hot 'tawa' or non-stick pan,and spread into a thin dosa.
4. Cover for a minute,then carefully flip it over to cook the other side.
5. Serve the mixed dal dosa/ Adai piping hot with chutney and/or sambar.

Mixed Dal Dosa or Adai

Question: What is the difference between a 'pancake' and a 'crêpe ' and what is the more befitting translation for the 'dosa' ?

Microwave Condensed milk peda

I was looking for some quick and easy recipes for Indian sweets to make for Diwali and I came across this microwave recipe for "Condensed milk halwa" on Veggie Platter. This was not just quick and easy,but quite surprisingly needed just three ingredients-a tin of condensed milk (400gm),three tablespoons of yogurt and a teaspoon of ghee. All you need to do is mix the ingredients and put it in the microwave on high for a total of 12 minutes. The only thing is that you need to take it out every 2 minutes and mix it well(Suma of Veggie Platter had mentioned to mix it every 3 minutes-I guess it differs in different microwaves).
Once it's done,you can decorate it some dry fruits and nuts of your choice.
Try it out when you have to make a sweet in a hurry!!

The Gym

One of my friends had sent this in an email and I thought it was worth sharing with all instead of forwarding it to a selected few:

The Gym
-----------------------------------
Bulging belly, sagging chest
The misery Nature does manifest
Those cravings you used to give in
Were never short of committing a sin

But as you enter the local gym
Conjure up images of a torso - trim
You venture inside with a positive mind
Only to find…its more than a grind

The instructor guides you in and out
Every part of your body seems to shout
If only you could resist those treats
You wouldn't be sweating to his beats

You ask him "How much time would it take??"
The extra cheese you have to forsake !!
He glances at you with half a smile & sympathy
You guess his reply as though - Its telepathy

Workout's Finished… You praise the Lord
Your sadistic mentor had hung a sword
Raising up your tee…you glance at your belly
Its still the same – hairy, stinky and swelly

Packing stuff..you tread back home
Don't wanna rest till you flatten your dome
Something inside haunts you in despair
"PREVENTION is always better than REPAIR"

Moong dal Kosumbari(Cucumber and mung dal salad)

Cucumber and mung dal kosumbari

"Kosumbari" is the term for salad in the Kannada language(called 'koshimbir' in Marathi). Kosumbari/koshimbir is one of the easiest salads and it always reminds me of the traditional foods made during festivals and weddings. A kosumbari is different from the rest of the salads as it incorporates soaked split yellow mung beans and a tempering which adds a nice flavor and aroma.
Ingredients for the kosumbari/koshimbir:

• Cucumber: 1 cup (finely chopped)
• Mung dal: 1/4th cup (washed and soaked for at least an hour)
• Green chillies: 1 slit lengthwise (optional)
• Coconut: 2-3 tsp (freshly grated/frozen)
• Cilantro/coriander leaves: 2 tsp (finely chopped for garnish)
• Lime juice: 1-2 tsp
• Salt: to taste

For the tempering (optional):

• Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Cumin: 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal (split black matpe beans): 1 tsp
• Curry leaves: 2-3 nos.
• Oil: 1tsp

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the mustard seeds,cumin seeds and the urad dal.
3. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves.
4. Pour the tempering over the cucumber and mung dal kosumbari/ koshimbir(salad) and mix well.

You could also try adding some grated carrots and grated raw mango to the cucumber and mung dal kosumbari/ koshimbir to give it some colour and make it tangy.

Question: What dish reminds you of a festive spread?

Dry bhindi sabzi (Dry Okra curry with potatoes)

Okra or 'Ladies finger' as it is known in India has always been a favorite vegetable. I bought some fresh okra the other day to try out something new-'gumbo'. I had only heard about this dish and finally managed to taste it from a can!! I checked for some gumbo recipes and found so many-I had no clue which was the right one. Finally I chickened out and turned the okra into my tried and tested version. This recipe should actually have more okra than potatoes,but since I picked up just a handful (for the gumbo),I had to add in more potatoes to increase the quantity of the 'sabzi'.
Ingredients:

• Okra/ladiesfinger: 500 gms
• Potato: 1 small diced
• Green chillies: 1 or 2(slit lengthwise)
• Onion: 1/2 medium (finely chopped)
• Tamarind paste: 1 tsp
• Ginger: 1/2 "(finely chopped)
• Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper powder: 1 tsp(freshly ground)
• Garam masala: 1 tsp
• Salt:to taste

For the tempering(optional):

• Mustard seeds: 1tsp
• Cumin seeds/Zeera : 1/2 tsp
• Sesame seeds: 1tsp
• Curry leaves: 2-3 nos.
• Oil: 3tsp

Method:

1. Wash and pat dry the okra before cutting them.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add the mustard seeds,sesame seeds and cumin seeds.
3. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves, turmeric powder and the chopped ginger.
4. Fry till the ginger turns golden brown,then add the chopped onions and fry till it browns.
5. Then add the diced potatoes and the green chillies and fry for about 5 mins,stirring constantly.
6. Add the chopped okra, the tamarind paste,the garam masala, pepper powder and stir-fry on a medium flame, till the okra and potatoes are cooked.
7. Add the salt and mix well.
8. Serve with some hot chapathis/phulkas(whole wheat tortillas) or as a side dish with a plate of rice and dal.

I'm still on the lookout for a great gumbo recipe and I'd really appreciate if someone has a tried-and tested recipe which I could try out.

Question: What is your favorite okra dish?

How much sugar do you take in a day?

Have you ever given a thought to how many teaspoons of sugar you consume in a day?
This would mean all the sugar that you added in your tea,coffee,porridge and also that which was already present in the cakes,desserts,soft drinks, cookies and not to forget the ice creams that you had today!
The count could easily go upto 20-25 teaspoons (yes,just think of it: a can of cola has around 10 teaspoons of sugar in it). In other words,the amount of sugar you eat in a day would probably provide the calories equivalent to one meal for some!!
Till now there were no solid guidelines as far as sugar consumption was concerned,but now the American Heart Association has put out guidelines for sugar consumption for men and women. According to them a women should not consume more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar and for men it should not be more than 9 teaspoons per day.
Sugar by itself does not increase the risk of heart disease,it is known to increase the risk factors like high levels of triglycerides, obesity and diabetes among others.
Although the number of teaspoons mentioned is just a rough estimate, you could calculate the amount required for each individual by using the USDA's website (this can also be used by parents who are interested in calculating the sugar allowance for their kids).
For those interested in learning more,check out:

• CNNhealth.com: Heart group urges daily limit on sugar
• USDA's website: MyPyramid Plan
• American Heart Association: Association recommends reduced intake of added sugars.
  
• Rebecca's website Chow and Chatter: Cutting Excess From Your Diet
  

Question: How many teaspoons of sugar did you take today?

Misal Pav ( Moth bean curry with traditional Indian bread)

Misal Pav

"Misal" is a traditional Maharastrian (from the state of Maharashtra) dish and actually means "mixture". It's made of sprouted Moth beans called 'matki' in Marathi. It's one of my husbands favourite Marathi dishes and though I grew up in the state of Maharashtra, I ate it for the first time when I visited hubby's hometown in Belgaum, Karnataka (which is situated very close to Maharastra).Till then I had only eaten it's counterpart and the more famous dish called "Pav Bhaji". Pav in Marathi means bread and seems to have originated from the Portuguese term for bread-"pao".
Today happens to be hubby's birthday and like always,I wanted to cook up something special. I was looking for ideas and had even asked a couple of friends for something new to make. The usual suggestions of "biryani,paneer butter masala, kofta" was politely turned down (cause I've been making similar stuff for the past b'day's) and then my friend Shilpa came up with this brilliant idea of making 'Misal Pav',and I thought "why not-it's his favorite,and I've never made it before"!!
This was sometime last week,so I spent a good amount of time surfing a couple of blogs for the right recipe as I've eaten it only once before and that too in a restaurant,four years ago. I finally zeroed it down to two recipes,that I felt must be the authentic way of making it.
The soaking and sprouting of the beans takes two days, so I had to do some 'back-calculation' as I like to call it,which went like this: Birthday-Wednesday,so soak beans on Monday night, Tuesday rinse beans and tie in muslin cloth and keep it in some place warm,and hope that it has sprouted on D-day!!
Since I haven't made any changes to the original recipes I saw in the two blogs,I'm just going to give a link to them. So,you can check out the recipes here(this one gives the recipes to make the masala as well) and here.
Shilpa had given me the all important masala which her MIL had made called "Goda Masala/Kala Masala" which gives this dish it's distinct flavour, so thankfully I didn't have to make any.
The 'misal' once ready, is eaten after mixing it with freshly chopped onions, coriander/cilantro, green chillies(optional), a little "farsan/Chiwda/Bombay mix" to give it a crunchy texture and a dash of lime. I substituted 'Potato rolls' for the pav and the end result was "simply superb" to quote hubby dear!!

Tulsi (Holy Basil)

"Tulsi" (Ocimum tenuiflorum) also known as 'Holy Basil' in English (not the same as 'Basil' found here in the US), is a very sacred plant to the Hindus. I remember we would have at least 5-6 plants of the two varieties of tulsi in our balcony back in Bombay,where I grew up. One variety had purplish-green leaves,which my grand mom said was called "Krishna" tulsi and the other had light green leaves and was referred to as the "Laksmi" tulsi. Both varieties have medicinal properties,but my grandmother believed that the "Krishna" tulsi was superior in it's healing properties.
It's generally believed that eating the leaves first thing in the morning is good for general well-being.We never used the leaves for any recipes as such, but it was used as a home remedy for coughs and colds. I still remember being given some sea salt and black pepper corn,wrapped inside a couple of tulsi leaves whenever I caught a cold/ sore throat (and how I hated chewing on it). Well,I wasn't much of a believer in natural remedies at that age, and popping a pill seemed like a more 'civilized' thing to little me! There was also a concoction of the leaves which was known as 'tulsi tea' with some honey and lime juice.
Ayurveda refers to tulsi as an "elixir of life" and believes it can promote longevity. It's used in a number of ayurvedic remedies including inflammation and malaria.
I've seen basil (Ocimum basilicum) here in the US (which is also supposed to have some anti-bacterial properties),but haven't really used it. In the past couple of days 'tulsi' has been popping up in conversations/emails .I even read about it in an article in the Times Of India's online edition.
India seems to be in the grip of swine flu and the author of the article(who happens to be a firm believer in natural and alternative remedies) lists 'tulsi' as one of the 10 home remedies to strengthen the immune system.
Right now strengthening the immune system to prevent getting infected from the swine flu sounds like the best option. I don't pooh-pooh the idea of natural remedies anymore(though I still would love to see studies to support the theory) and would not think twice about eating the leaves,if it means that I would be taking one less medication!

Question: Do you think plants have the ability to cure/prevent an ailment or do you feel that when it comes to curing, only 'modern' medicines do the trick?

Curd Rice (Yogurt Rice)

With the temperature oscillating between 103F-113F (40C-45C) the whole of last month,the thought of cooking and even eating food has been putting off. We've survived on all the "cooling foods" like ragi(finger millet) porridge, buttermilk, curd rice and loads of fruits,salads,juices and of course the family favorite-ICE CREAMS!!
Curd rice or yogurt rice is a "must have" in almost all South Indian homes. This is mostly the last course and is believed to be cooling. The everyday curd rice is just the addition of curd/yogurt and salt to rice and is eaten with pickles or some vegetable curry. When it's made as a separate dish, the "tempering" or "tadka"is added to it,which adds a distinct flavour and aroma to the dish. What you'll need:
Ingredients: (Serves 2)

• Cooked (and cooled) rice: 2 cups
• Curd/Plain yogurt: 1 1/2-2 cups
• Salt: to taste
• Fresh pomegranates/grapes: 1/2 cup (optional)
• Coriander leaves/cilantro: 1 tbsp chopped (for the garnish)

For the tempering:

• Oil: 1 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
• Urad dal (split black matpe beans): 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves : 4-5 nos.
• Cashew nuts: 1 tbsp
• Green chillies: 1-2 nos.(chopped).

Method:

1. Mix the curd/yogurt and salt with the rice (add a little water if needed). Keep aside.
2. Heat a small saucepan and add the oil,mustard seeds, urad dal,cumin seeds.
3. When the mustard seeds start to sputter, add the cashew nuts, curry leaves and chopped green chillies. Fry for a minute or two.
4. Pour the tempering over the curd rice and mix well.
5. Garnish with chopped cilantro and the pomegranates/grapes(optional)
6. Serve with any vegetable curry or with an Indian pickle or even a chutney.

P.S: I've been on a "blogging-break/vacation" for exactly a month now. I'd like to blame the weather (ever tried touching the laptop when it's 104F??), my family (who've accused me of becoming "addicted to the internet and blogging") and also the fact that I just wasn't able to think of new dishes/articles to share.
In the meanwhile I've been showered with loads of awards-thank you all SO much!! Will do a collective post for the awards next.

Question: What is your favorite dish when the temperatures start to soar?

Ever tried any of these??

I'm really curious..........about what?? Has anybody out there ever eaten or even seen any of these:

• Fifth Third Burger-at Fifth Third baseball park (Comstock Park,Michigan)
• Mega Mel Burger- at Mel's Country Cafe (Texas)
• 7-pound burrito- at Jack n Grills (Denver)
• Fried Banana Split- at the Texas State Fair
• Shack Stack- at Shake Shack (New York)

What's so great about these,and why am I so curious about some burgers/burritos/banana split??
I was just browsing through an article on WebMD,and it lists them as 5 of the most fattening food!! How fattening can they be? Here are the numbers (and yes,please keep in mind that most of us require less than 2,000 calories per day).

• Fifth Third Burger :4,800 calories
• Mega Mel Burger :4,556 calories
• 7-pound burrito : 3,764 calories
• Fried Banana Split : 2,000 calories
• Shack Stack : 1,500 calories

4,800 calories in one burger!!!! That's like the amount of calories your body would require in, say, two and a half days! Imagine getting 2 days worth of calories in one meal (that probably is their USP!). Seriously-I need to see these. Are they really large burgers(like the one's Jughead would order at Pop Tate's in the Archie comics I grew up reading)? Can a person really eat it in one go-or do they share it with someone or rather some people? If someone does eat it-do they feel hungry at the next meal or are they stuffed enough to skip the next meal/meals??
Source: WebMD: Extreme Eating: 5 Most Fattening Foods Ever!

Eating out always has it's downside-the cost,the hidden calories. So,what does one do? Stop eating out-well,not really. If you choose wisely you could end up with good healthy foods that are also "pocket friendly". Check out these cool slide show : Healthy Eating at Restaurants.

Question: Do you think it would be a good idea to put the calorie content next to the dish in the menu?

Masala Dosa( Savoury Crepes with Potato filling)

Where's the potato?

I've never been a potato fan,and no it has nothing to do with the fact that I happen to be a dietitian(I've always had people saying "oh-is it because you're a dietitian?". I still don't see the connection).To set the record straight ,I hated it even as a kid, when I had no idea 'what' or 'who' a "Dietitian" was!!
Anyway,later on I had a colleague who hated peas,and we made a happy pair since 'alu mutter sabzi' or simply put 'Potatoes peas curry' is a very popular combo in India. At work,with no parents around,we would happily pick and dump what we disliked into each others plate (me the alu/potatoes and she the mutter/peas). There are only two ways that I'd happily eat the potaoes-in the 'masala dosa' or as 'chips'.
Wondering why I'm delving into my love-hate relationship with potatoes-because it happens to be the BSI (Blogger's Secret Ingredient) for this week chosen by Christo at 'Chez What?'. I had to really make up my mind as to which dish to send-the one's which I make and 'have' to eat as the hubby likes it OR the one's that I can 'happily' eat but are too cumbersome to make,well at least for me it is(but I can picture my mom laughing at this point),and I chose the latter!
I've never made and never will make chips at home-so that was out of the question.That left me with the masala dosa,and I set about the task of making it first thing Tuesday morning(yes,now you know why I call it cumbersome).So,I stuck a blue post-it on the fridge on Monday night saying "soak rice+dal for the dosa first thing in the morning". Did the needful on Tuesday morning,then in the evening went about grinding the soaked stuff to a fine paste. Kept it overnight, hoping (with fingers crossed) that the weather will be warm enough for it to ferment and woke up this morning to a nicely fermented batter(fingers uncrossed)!!
Ingredients (for the potato filling):

• Potatoes: 4 nos. (boiled and coarsely mashed/cut)
• Green chillies: 1-2 nos. (slit length-wise)
• Onions: 1 large or 2 medium (cut lengthwise-and then cut into half)
• Ginger: 1/2" piece(chopped fine)
  
• Turmeric:1/2 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

For the tempering:

• Oil: 1 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves: 2-3 nos.
• Channa dal/split black chickpeas/Myles: 1 teaspoon
• Cashew nuts: 4-5 nos(chopped)

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan,then add the mustard, cumin and the channa dal.
2. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves and the cashew nuts and stir till the cashew nuts are brown.
3. Add the ginger and fry till it turns a golden brown.
4. Add the slit green chillies,the chopped onions,turmeric powder,salt and saute till the onions turn translucent.
5. Add the coarsely mashed potatoes and mix well. Add 1/2 cup water and cook stirring continuously for 5-6 minutes. Set aside.

Ingredients (for the dosa):

• Rice: 2 cups
• Urad dal/ Split blackmatpe beans: 1 cup
• Cooked rice: 1 cup (or 1 cup flattened rice/poha)
• Fenugreek seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: to taste

Method:

• Wash, then soak the raw rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds in water for at least 4-6 hours.
• Drain the water used for soaking.Add the cooked rice (if using flattened rice-wash,drain and let it stand for at least 10-15 mins), and about a cup of water and grind to a fine paste (should be as thick as the pancake batter).
• Let it ferment overnight (or for 10-12 hours) in a big bowl(the batter will rise if the weather is warm enough).
• Once it has fermented,add salt and mix. Then pour a ladleful of the batter onto a HOT pan and spread the batter with the ladle in a circular motion(going from the centre of the pan to the outside).
• Add a little ghee/butter/oil to the edges of the dosa and let it cook till you notice it getting golden brown from underneath.
• At this stage, place the yellow potato filling at the centre of the dosa and fold from both sides (like a wrap) or you could also fold it from three sides(the resulting dosa would looks like a triangle).
• Remove from the pan.Serve hot with a little cilantro chutney and sambar .
  

There's the potato!!

That's my "fireman" son eating his 'triangle dosa' with non-spicy potato filling (I have to make it separately with no green chillies)!! Phew,what a lot of work,but the result is worth every minute I spent on it! Thanks Christo for choosing the spud as the BSI for this week.
Note:

• Warm weather is crucial for the batter to ferment.
• The pan needs to be really HOT before you start making the dosas.
• The dosas can be made without the potato filling too- then it would be known as 'Plain Dosa' (not as much fun as eating the 'masala' variety).

Question: What is your favourite potato dish?

Spicy, "Garlicky" Peanut Chutney Powder

This is one of my husband's favourite chutney's and he just cannot stop sprinkling it over everything and anything! I had never tasted it (forget even making it) before I got married and had only heard about it from him(my MIL apparently would always have a batch of it in the house).
My family used more of coconut(milk/paste,etc) for our cooking as we are originally from a small coastal town in South India (Mangalore to be specific, for those who are familiar with India and Indian towns), whereas my hubby's family is more familiar to using peanuts in their cooking.
He sort of knew what ingredients his mom used for making it and asked me to try it. I tried making it a couple of times and every time he found something wrong with it-it was either not "garlicky enough"(even when I had added 10 garlic cloves!!) or "too pasty". Finally, fed-up with these comments,I decided to call up my MIL(why didn't I ever think of it before???? Silly me!!) and ask her how she makes it-that's when she told me my mistakes:

• use about 3-4 raw garlic cloves (I used to saute them in a little oil) to get the "garlicky" taste,
  
• and use a handful of roasted bengal gram dal(roasted and puffed split chickpeas) which not only adds to the taste but also absorbs the oil from the peanuts (and the moisture from the raw garlic) and hence the result is a "powder"chutney and not a "pasty" chutney!

Over the years,I've not only perfected the art of making this chutney powder,but also added my own "healthy" ingredient-flaxseeds!
Ingredients:

• Roasted peanuts: 1 cup(skinned)
• Roasted gram dal: 1/2 cup
• Garlic: 2-3 cloves
• Flax seed : 1 tablespoon (optional)
  
• Turmeric: 1/4th teaspoon
• Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon(add more if you want it spicier)
• Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Powder all the ingredients together to get a coarse chutney.
2. Transfer to an air-tight container and store in the fridge(should keep for about 2 weeks or maybe even more).

You can use it as a chutney or sprinkle a little on noodles/fried rice/salads or mix it with a little yogurt and use as a dip or as a filling inside sandwiches.

Question: Do you try and stick to a given recipe OR do you like to experiment by throwing in some other ingredients?