Carrot-Cabbage-Whole Moong Stir Fry

Happy New Year, all of you!! Here is a protein rich stir fry, so easy to make. Let's start out the new year healthy and simple!

Cabbage- 1 cup sliced/chopped
Whole moong -1/2 cup dry (soaked and cooked yields around 1 cup)
Carrot - 1, medium, grated
Green chillies/serranos - 3, sliced, (adjust the number depending on spiciness)
Coconut - 3 - 4 tbsp, fresh grated, optional
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp, optional
Dry red chillies  -  2 nos
Curry leaves - a few, optional
Oil - 1 tbsp (you can use even lesser, if using a non-stick)

Note: Veggies or whole moong doesn't have to be exact measurements! I eyeball them mostly.

Start with pan on medium heat, adding a tablespoon of oil. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds and let them splutter, now throw in the dry red chillies (Skip this step, if you are not using mustard and red chillies). Add cabbage, carrots, and chillies along with salt, let them cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Make sure the heat is medium or medium low and not to burn the veggies. Once they are cooked, stir in the whole moong and coconut along with curry leaves, check the salt. Switch off the heat once everything is well combined. Best served hot.
Enjoy with rice!

Cheers,
Anjana

Carrot Puttu

Greetings everyone!
 As a hard core "puttu fan", I love all sorts of puttu. But, eating carrots for breakfast? Was not my thing.Trust me, once you eat this, you will never look at the carrots the same way.

This makes 2 puttus, as in the pictures below.

Ingredients:
Carrots, fine grated, - 3/4 cup
Finer rava (Semolina) - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Fresh/frozen grated coconut

Roast rava in a pan until it is just heated up. switch off the stove and let it cool, make sure you take the pan away from the hot stove. Once cooled down mix in the grated carrot and salt, this should look like the picture below.

Make sure it is well combined, as we are not using any water to moist the mixture, unlike the traditional puttu. Cover and keep it aside for 10 minutes. Prepare the puttu-steamer, add grated coconut and fill the puttu container and top it off with coconut.

Steam for 10 minutes. Cooking time is  higher than the traditional one, because semolina needs more cooking time.

Once done, flip it into a plate and serve hot with black chana curry/any curry you like or plantains/banana. Repeat the process for rest of the semolina-carrot mixture.

This is a very good way to incorporate carrot into your daily food. Its mildly sweet, I like to combine with sugar or plantain. Black chana curry is also a very good combination for this puttu.

Eat healthy,
Anjana

Stir Fry with Turnips

Turnips are nice looking bulbs, but I never used them before. I am not a big fan of turnip greens either. So I used to wonder what would I do with turnips, if I get them. Then one fine day, I got this idea of making stir fry with turnips. So here I am, trying to cook south Indian style with turnips!

This is a super simple recipe. Turnips have a mild flavor on its own, and I tried to dress it up little bit with garlic along with a little turmeric powder.

Recipe source : myself

Ingredients:
Turnips -  cubed (8-10 nos)
Garlic - 1 clove. chopped fine
Onion - 1 tablespoon, chopped fine
Turmeric powder - couple generous pinch
Cayenne pepper powder or red hot chilli powder (from Indian store) - 1/4 teaspoon (totally avoid it, if don't like it)
Parsley - small handful.
Salt -  to taste
Oil - 1 teaspoon (I tried to use minimum)

Cut up the turnips into small cubes. Heat oil in a pan, add the chopped garlic and onion. Fry on medium heat and add turmeric and cayenne pepper. Put the turnip cubes in to the pan and add salt. Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes. Then open cook with stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle chopped parsley (it is very good for you!) and mix well, switching off the heat. Adjust the salt if needed.

This taste slightly similar to Chinese potato or koorkka. But not starchy, however, more fibrous, I guess.

Enjoy,
Anjana

Spaghetti Squash Pasta A.K.A Carb-less pasta !

First of all, let me tell ya'll, no pasta is like the real pasta. But, let me tell you this as well, no pasta is like carb-less pasta !! Who doesn't love some guilt free treats?? I know I do. I always looked spaghetti squash sitting at the grocery store, and never bothered to pick that up. And then one fine day, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and here I am. I have to say, I really loved this pasta. So buckle up people, today we are gonna make some spaghetti, from a squash!

Ingredients:

Spaghetti squash - 1/2 of medium size

Ground beef -  1 cup (not pictured in this post), if you don't like beef, go for any lean meat.

Parsley - 1/4 cup, chopped

Garlic - 1 big clove, fine chopped

Red onion  - 2-3 tablespoon, chopped

Pasta sauce - 1 and 1/2 cup

Fresh Mozzarella cheese - 4-5 slices

Grated Parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup

Salt -  to taste

Oil - 1 tablespoon

First, cut your squash in half and scoop out the seeds and strings. Make small slits on the skin of the squash.

Rub the inside with some salt, pepper and oil. Preheat the oven to 400 degree Farenheit, and bake the squash keeping it upside down. This would take anywhere from 45 mins to 1 hour. Meanwhile fine chop garlic, onion and parsley and keep it aside. Once the squash is ready, scoop out the flesh, it will come out in strings just like spaghetti, or angel hair pasta. 

Heat a pan and add oil. Once it is hot, add garlic and onions to fry until translucent. Add the ground beef and cook. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Once beef is cooked well, add spaghetti and pasta sauce. Mix well. Transfer to a baking dish, top it with grated Parmesan and fresh Mozzarella cheese. This can be cooked with out cheese, but I wouldn't recommend without Parmesan. Anyway, I love me some cheese, always. And if you like more cheese, add in some Romano as well. Bake for 15 mins or until cheese is melted. Serve hot. 

Enjoy,

Anjana