Flaked Rice Vegetable Salad

This fat free cool salad can be enjoyed as a packed lunch or as snack in the evening because it is wholesome. The other ingredients supply the important nutrients.Here the flaked rice or chiwda or attukulu or poha, as it is known in India has been soaked in thick buttermilk to give it a tang. If you do not want to use buttermilk, thick tamarind juice can be used and give it a chaat taste, by adding all the chaat items.

Serves two or three.

Ingredients	Quantity
Flaked Rice (Chiwda/Attukulu/Poha)	1 cup
Thick Curd (or Buttermilk)	1 cup
Chopped Onions	1 tbsp
Shedded Cabbage	2 tbsps
Chopped Tomatoes	2 tbsps
Chopped Green Chillies	1 tbsp
Chopped Cucumber	2 tbsps
Chopped Cilantro/Coriander	2 tbsps
Chopped Capsicum (all 3 colours if possible)	2 tbsps
Sprouts (Optional)	2 tbsps
Lime Juice	1 tsp
Pepper Powder	1 tsp
Salt	to taste
Crispy Sev (Snack)	to garnish

Method

1. Wash the chidwa and soak it in thick buttermilk in a bowl and cover it.


2. Take a big mixing bowl and add the ingredients except for a teaspoon of coriander leaves and sev one by one and the soaked flaked rice and mix them gently so that all the them are mixed well.If it is given to kids a teaspoon of olive oil can be added.


3. After mixing chill this salad in the fridge for ten to fifteen minutes.


4. Serve it individually or in a big bowl,garnished with crispy sev and coriander leaves.


5. If you think it is a little dry, more beaten curds can be added.


6. Nowadays powdered Flax seeds (Linseed) is becoming popular because they contain natural ω-3 fatty acids and others, which is very nutritious. This powder is tasteless, so it can be sprinkled on the salad too.

Sev:- Thin broken string-like fried snack preparation made out of gram flour. Available in specialty Indian stores.

(Yellow thin Fidelini or Capelli d'angelo pasta like material in above picture.)

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Almond Cookies: Gluten Free

The other day I came across this gluten free recipe for cookies, so I made them and thought this is a good substitute for the normal cookies. Try it and find the difference!

These are made with common ingredients found in the kitchen. This recipe makes about ten medium sized cookies.

Ingredients	Quantity
Margarine (Vegetable Fat)	8 tbsps or 85 gms
Powdered Sugar	¼ cup or 20 gms
Rice Flour	⅜ cup or 70 gms
Gram Flour (Besan)	1½ tbsps or 20 gms
Ground Almonds	1 tbsp
Almond Essence)	¼ tsp

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.Lay a parchment paper on the baking tray or flour the tray.


2. Take a pan and add the margarine and sugar and heat it gently until the margarine melted and sugar dissolved. Bring it to boil and then simmer for four to five minutes until the mixture has become slightly caramelized and becomes syrupy.


3. Sift the flours in a large mixing bowl.Pour the sugar syrup mixture into this and also add the almond powder and stir thoroughly.


4. Take one tablespoon of the mixture and put it on the baking tray and press the cookies with the back of the spoon and bake them for 10 to 12 minutes or till light brown in colour. Cool them and serve them with tea.


5. Instead of almonds other nuts or a mixture of nuts like almonds,walnuts and cashew nuts can be used.

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Corn Discs

Corn discs are a fried snack made with corn flour (makki ka atta or mokka jonna flour) which is easily available in the market, rice and plain flour or maida. These are easy to prepare and are nutritious but they are fried. These discs after frying can be used as tortilla chips as a base to serve any filling on them. They can be served with salsa also.

Makes a big bowl of corn discs.

Ingredients	Quantity
Corn Flour (Makki ka Atta)	1 cup
Rice Flour	½ cup
Plain Flour (Maida)	¼ cup
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Hot Oil or Hot Ghee	2 tbsps
Red Chilly Powder	1 tsp or more
Celery Seeds (Ajwain)	1 ½ tsp
Oil	for deep frying

Method

1. Take a bowl and add all the three flours,salt,red chilly powder,turmeric powder, ajwain seeds and mix well.


2. Heat two tablespoons of oil or ghee and add it to the flour mixture.



3. Add enough water and make a pliable dough.



4. Divide the dough into equal balls.



5. Roll out each ball into flat thin chappatis or circles and cut small circles or triangles with a cutter or with a sharp lid.When all the dough has been cut into circles,keep them aside.



6. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.Add these corn discs a few at a time slowly and fry them till golden brown and crisp.Drain them on a kitchen towel to remove the excess oil.



7. Serve hot or cold as a snack.It can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.



8. To make it gluten free,you can use rajghira powder{amaranth flour} instead of plain flour or maida.

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Sweet Potato Sago Payasam

This dessert, I thought, is innovative and good as a gluten free recipe. If one wants to make it casein free which means without milk, either rice milk, almond milk or more of coconut milk can be used. Sweet potato and sago, as you all know, is good for health. In India we make a variety of porridges(kheer or payasam) for any auspicious or happy occasion. The sweet potato makes the payasam thick, it lends consistency. This dish is especially nutritious as jaggery (unrefined whole cane sugar) is used instead of white sugar, and it is rich in iron. You can try it.

This recipe serves six to eight people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Mashed Sweet Potato	½ cup
Cooked Sago	¼ cup
Powdered Jaggery	¾ cup
Coconut Milk	½ cup
Crushed Cardamom	1 tsp
Saffron soaked in Milk	1 tbsp
Fried cashewnuts and Raisins	2 tbsps

Method

1. Take a big pan and add the milk.Boil it till it thickens.


2. Add the cooked sago and cook it.Then add the mashed sweet potato,coconut milk and mix well and boil it together.


3. Cut off the heat and add the jaggery so that the milk does not curdle and melt it by stirring.


4. Then slowly reheat the mixture and once it is boiled well, add the saffron and cardamom powder.


5. Remove from heat and serve it hot or cold in a serving bowl garnished with fried cashew nuts and raisin on the top.

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Cauliflower And Sprouts Curry In Cocount Milk

Normally cauliflower is made as a fry or with masala or plain sauteed curry. Here a trial has been made to combine it with healthy sprouts and coconut milk to make a delicious curry. This can be eaten with hot rice or chappatis and it is gluten free too. Children can also eat it if made less spicy.

Serves six people. Let me know how this creation turned out for you!

Ingredients	Quantity
Small Cauliflower Florets	2 cups
Green Gram Sprouts (or any other sprouts)	½ cup
Coconut Milk	1 cup
Sliced Onions	½ cup
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tsp
Cumin Seeds	½ tsp
Pepper Powder/Green Chilly Paste	1 tsp
Cashewnut - Almond Paste (Optional)	1 tbsp
Chopped Cilantro/Coriander Leaves	1 tbsp
Water	¼ cup
Oil	2 tbsps
Salt	to taste

Method

1. Take a pan and add the oil and heat it.Fry the cauliflower florets a few at a time in this oil but see that they do not become brown.


2. When all the cauliflower florets have been fried, keep them aside.


3. In the same oil add the cumin seeds and fry.


4. Then add the ginger garlic paste and onions and fry them till they are transparent.Add the cashewnut,almond paste, and fry.


5. Add the sprouts and add the water and cover. Cook them till they are three fourths cooked.Add the cauliflower florets and cook.


6. Add the coconut milk,salt and pepper powder and cook.Instead of pepper powder,green chilly paste can be used.


7. When all the ingredients are mixed well,remove from heat and serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

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Gooseberry Rice

Indian gooseberry or Amla in Hindi and Usirikaya in Telugu, is associated with many health benefits. First of all, it is very low in saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium, but high in dietary fibre, Vitamin C, A, potassium and manganese. It has been used extensively in Indian medicine - Ayurveda - to make herbal medicines that maintain good health.

Amla has about 500mgms of Vitamin C which is even more than oranges which have a high content of Vitamin C.

Gooseberries also help in weight reduction and acts as body coolant and flushes out the toxins from the body. We are very familiar with amla murabba and chutney and pickles made with Gooseberry. Here I have made Gooseberry rice which is nutritious, tasty, very good for diabetics and is gluten free. Gooseberries can be consumed everday to maintain one's health.

This recipe serves four people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Cooked Rice (any variety)	2 cups
Gooseberries	2 cups
Lime Juice	2 tbsps
Peanuts	1 tbsps
Channa Dal (Bengal Gram Dal)	1 tbsp
Urad Dal (Black Gram Dal)	1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Chopped Green Chilli	1 tbsp
Red Chillies	2 or 3
Asafoetida (Hing)	a pinch
Fried Cashewnuts	10
Curry Leaves (Karivepakku or Kari Patta)	a few
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	2 tbsps

Method

1. Deseed the washed goosebrries and put them in the electric grinder and grind them finely.


2. Take oil in a pan and heat it. Add the channa dhal, urad dhal, mustard seeds, peanuts, red chillies and hing and fry till light brown.


3. Add the chopped green chillies,curry leaves,tumeric powder and a few fried cashewnuts and mix.


4. Then add the ground gooseberries snd saute them till cooked.


5. Remove from the heat and add salt,lime juice and hot cooked rice and mix well.


6. Serve hot garnished with the rest of the fried cashewnuts.

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Stuffed Snake Gourd

Snake gourd is a vegetable native to sub-tropical and tropical regions of South Asia, South-East Asia and Australasia and features in cuisines of the region. It belongs to the cucumber family. Hence, it has a very high content of water and many vitamins. It is low in calories and so good for health especially good for heart patients, diabetics and also helps in reducing fever. It is also said to have hepatoprotective attributes.

A varietiy of curries are made from this, especially in South India. It is also used in making raita - a dish which uses curds or yoghurt. Here I have made a fancy variety which can be served as party dish too.

This recipe serves four to five people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Snake Gourd Pieces (2 to 3 inches long)	6
Mashed Potato	½ cup
Boiled Carrot Pieces	2 tbsps
Boiled Beans Pieces	2 tbsps
Chopped Coriander (Cilantro) Leaves	1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder	1 tsp
Cumin (Jeera) Powder	1 tsp
Coriander (Dhania) Powder	1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder	1 tsp
Gram Flour (Besan)	½ cup
Water	Enough to boil Snake Gourd and make batter
Salt	to taste
Oil	for deep frying

Method

1. Boil the snake gourd pieces with seeds removed in salt water in a pan till cooked but not very soft.


2. Remove the pieces from the water and let the water drain well on a kitchen towel.


3. The cooked water can be used later onfor making the batter.


4. Take mashed potato in a bowl and add the carrots, beans, salt, chopped coriander leaves, red chilly powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, gram masala powder and mix well. This is the stuffing.


5. Stuff each snake gourd piece with the potato stuffing.


6. Make a thick batter with gram flour, salt, red chilly powder and water. Heat the oil for deep frying.


7. Dip each of these stuffed snake gourd in this gram flour batter and drop it in the hot oil and fry on medium heat till all the sides are fried and is golden brown in colour.


8. Serve hot as a snack or with chappatis or rice.

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Protein Rich Fried Rice Garden

This vibrant rice dish owes its name from the different coloured capsicums, mint leaves, saffron and proteins from the black eyed peas (lobhia), cottage cheese/tofu used. Not many spices have been used but the flavour of all the ingredients appeals to the palate so much that you will make it very often!

Serves four people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Basmati Rice	1 cup
Saffron, soaked in warm milk	1 tbsp
Boiled Black Eyed Peas (Lobhia)	½ cup
Fried Cottage Cheese Cubes (Paneer or Tofu)	½ cup
Sliced Capsicum (Green,Red and Yellow Bell Peppers)	¾ cup
Sliced Onions	¼ cup
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tsp
Slit Green Chillies (optional)	2 or 3
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Bay Leaf	1
Mint Leaves	½ cup
Cumin Seed Powder	1 tsp
Black Pepper Powder	1 tsp
Butter	1 tbsp
Salt	to taste
Water	to cook rice

Method

1. Wash the rice and drain the water and keep it aside for atleast half an hour. Cook it with enough water so that it is not very soft. Keep it aside.
   
2. Take a big pan and add the butter and heat it. When it melts add the cumin seeds and bay leaf and fry.


3. Add the onions and ginger garlic paste and fry till the onions are light brown.


4. Next, add the cashewnuts,capsicum, a few mint leaves and black pepper powder and fry them lightly. Remove a few different coloured capsicum and keep it aside for garnishing.


5. Then add the boiled black eyed peas, cumin powder, salt, cottage cheese/tofu cubes, saffron and cooked rice and mix well. Fry it till the mixed rice is really hot to serve.


6. Serve it in a serving bowl decorated with the coloured capsicum and few mint leaves and sliced green chillies.

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Puffed Rice and Peanut Balls

Puffed rice is available in the stores and is widely used in India. It is also called "murmur" or in Telugu,"maramarallu". This recipe is an old one very commonly made in Indian houses espicially for children. It is fat free and gluten free too!

Maramarallu are made with only puffed rice and jaggery, or puffed rice with peanuts, roasted Bengal gram dhal{Channa dhal} and jaggery. This is a healthy snack to munch and gives energy and provides iron from jaggery.

This recipe makes about 25 balls or more.

Ingredients	Quantity
Puffed Rice	3 to 4 cups
Shredded Jaggery	¼ cup
Roasted Peanuts	½ cup
Roasted Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)	½ cup
Sesame Seeds	3 tbsps
Liquid Glucose (Optional)	2 tbsps
Cardamom Powder	½ tsp
Water	½ cup

Method

1. Take water in a thick bottomed pan or a nonstick pan and heat it.Add the jaggery and stir it.


2. Cook the jaggery till it dissolves and bubbles.


3. Add the liquid glucose which gives a sort of shine and crispness.


4. Add the puffed rice,peanuts,channa,sesame seeds and mix well.If more puffed rice is required ,it can be added because no syrup should be left over.


5. Remove from the heat and cool it for a minute and make balls with wet hands. Even if the mixture becomes hard while making the balls do not panic. You can always heat the mixture on low heat for half or one minute and resume making the balls.


6. These puffed rice balls can be stored in an air tight tin for many days.

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Jackfruit Rasam/Soup

Jack fruit has an unique taste and flavour and is available in India at the end of Summer espcially in the South. These ripe fruits are like segments and have seeds which are also used in various curries or just boiled with salt and eaten like peanuts!The raw fruit is also eaten all over India. Rasam is a very popular side dish in the South which has pepper and cumin mostly and is invigorating.Usually tomatoes and drumsticks are added to the rasam to enhance the flavour but in this recipe, jackfruit has been used.This rasam can be had as a soup too if you wish.Makes about four to five cups.

Ingredients	Quantity
Ripe Jackfruit Segments	7 to 8
Tamarind	1 lemon sized ball
Rasam Powder	1 ½ tsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)	1 tbsp
Curry Leaves	a few
Jaggery (optional)	1 tbsp
Salt	to taste
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Asafoetida	a pinch
Clarified Butter (Ghee)	1 tsp
Water	6 cups

Method

1. Soak tamarind in one cup of water for 15 to 20 mins and extract the juice and keep it aside.


2. Take a pan and add the ripe jack fruit pieces,tamarind extract,salt and tumeric powder and boil it. Add the rest of the water and boil.


3. When the jack fruit pieces are cooked,add the rasam powder and jaggery and boil for some more time.If rasam powder is not available,add powdered pepper and cumin seeds.


4. Take it off from the heat and place a small pan for tempering.Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds,curry leaves and asafoetida to the clarified butter or ghee and heat it till the mustard seeds crackle.


5. Add this to the rasam taken in a serving bowl and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.


6. Serve it hot as a side dish with hot rice or drink it like a soup.

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Six Beans and Lentils Delight

Lentils and beans are often called "wonder" foods because they are low in fat and rich in proteins.Also when cooked, they absorb the flavours of the spices and herbs added-makes them tasty and nutritious to eat.This delicious recipe has six types of beans and lentils besides addition of peanuts and spinach leaves which enhances the nutritive value. Serves six people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Rajma (Kidney Beans)	1 tbsp
Kabuli Chana (Chick Peas)	1 tbsp
Black Chana (Black Chick Peas)	1 tbsp
Lobia (Blackeyed Beans)	1 tbsp
Brown Lobia (Brown Blackeyed Beans)	1 tbsp
Moth Beans (Dew Gram or Aconite Beans)	2 tbsps
Peanuts	1 tbsp
Blanched Chopped Spinach	1 cup
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tsp
Onion Paste	3 tbsps
Tomato Puree	4 tbsps
Fresh Cream (Optional)	2 tbsps
Cashew-Almond Paste	2 tbsps
Red Chilly Powder	1 tsp
Coriander Powder (Dhania)	1 tsp
Cumin Powder (Jeera)	1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder	1 tsp
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Bay Leaf	2
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	2 tbsps
Water	½ cup

Method

1. Soak all the beans and lentils along with peanuts in water overnight.Wash them and cook them in a pressure cooker till they are soft but not very soft.


2. Take oil in a pan and add bay leaf and cumin seeds and fry.


3. Add ginger garlic paste and onion paste and fry till golden brown.


4. Add the blanched and chopped spinach and fry for half a minute.


5. Add tomato puree,salt,tumeric powder and fry till the oil seperates.


6. Then add the cashew/almond paste,red chilly powder,coriander powder,cumin seed powder,garam masala powder and stir fry for a minute.


7. Add the beans and lentils and half a cup of water and cook till it is all mixed and hot.


8. Add fresh cream and mix.


9. Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves and cream with chappatis or rice.

Note Lobia in Telugu is "alchandalu" ,chick peas is "sanagalu".

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Drumstick Pepper Dhal

Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) is a kind of vegetable that is shaped like a drumstick and so this name! This vegetable is rich in vitamins and minerals,especially the leaves that are very rich in nutrients. Moringa oleifera is commonly found in South of India which is mainly used in sambar ,sometimes made into a pickle because of its special and unique flavour.

This recipe is an old recipe which my mother used to prepare and has very little oil and is spicy because of black pepper corns. It can be made less spicy too. It is prepared in combination with dhal/lentils to make it more nutritious.

Following recipe is adequate for four or five people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Drumsticks	3
Tuvar Dhal	½ cup
Red Chillies	2
Black Pepper Corns	1 tsp
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Black Gram/Urad Dhal	1 tsp
Asafoetida/Hing	a pinch
Curry Leaves	a few
Water	3 to 4 cups
Oil	1 tsp
Salt	to taste

Method

1. Wash the drumsticks and chop them into three inch pieces and steam them in the microwave or boil them with water seperately and keep them aside.


2. Roast the tuvar dhal in a pan till light brown and add cuminseeds, pepper corns and one red chilly and fry. Cool this.


3. Grind this dhal mixture in a grinder with water to a fine paste.It can be liquidy.


4. Add salt and mix it.


5. Take a pan and add the steamed drumsticks and dhal paste and add some more water and heat it on slow fire till the dhal is cooked. More water can be added as this absorbs a lot of water.


6. Remove the pan from the heat and put it in a serving bowl.


7. Take oil in a small pan and add the seasonings like the urad dhal,mustard seeds hing and last curry leaves and fry till the mustard seeds crackle.


8. Add this seasoning into the dhal and serve hot with hot rice or chappatis.

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Mango Rice

Yet another recipe with mangoes which is used in a different way.Grated mango is mixed with rice like lime rice or tamarind rice.This is very easy to make and tasty too as it has the mango flavour. This dish is rich in Viamin C. This is for three to four people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Grated Raw Mango	½ cup
Cooked Rice	1 tbsp
Chopped Green Chillies	1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Cashewnuts	6 or 7
Peanuts	1 tbsp
Bengal Gram Dhal (Channa Dhal)	1 tbsp
Black Gram Dhal (Urad Dhal)	1 tsp
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Asafoetida	a pinch
Red Chillies	2
Curry Leaves	1 tbsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	2 tbsps
Pappads	6

Method

1. Take a pan, add the oil and heat it.


2. Add the channa dhal,urad dhal,mustard seeds,asfoetida,red chillies and peanuts and fry till light brown in colour. Add the cashewnuts and fry them too.


3. Add the green chillies and curry leaves.


4. Add the tuimeric powder and grated mango and saute it for a few minutes.


5. Add salt and the cooked rice and mix well so that it is hot and well blended. Remove from the heat.If the mango is ver sour ou may need more rice or less of the grated mango.


6. Serve the mango rice garnished with curry leaves and pappad.

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Potato Mint Leaves Curry

Mint leaves gives you a feeling of freshness and is good for health. It is better to incorporate it into as many dishes as possible.It has a very specific and fresh flavour too. Try this recipe with potatoes. This is for for to five people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Boiled Potatoes	4
Fresh Mint Leaves	2½ cups
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tsp
Coriander Powder	1 tsp
Cumin Powder	1 tsp
Red Chilly Powder	1 tsp
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Garam Masala Powder	1 tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	3 tbsps

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and dice them into cubes and keep them aside.


2. Chop the mint leaves corsely.Leave a few mint leaves for garnishing.


3. Take oil in a pan and heat it. Add the cumin seeds and fry.Add the ginger garlic paste and fry.


4. Add the chopped mint leaves and stir fry them.


5. Add salt,turmeric powder,chilly powder,coriander powder,cumin powder,garam masala powder and mix.


6. Add the potato cubes and fry all together so that the potatoes are brown in colour.


7. Serve this in a bowl garnished with a mint leaves with chappatis or hot rice.

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Chakli or Janthikalu

Chakli or Janthikalu in Telugu is a very common crispy snack made in South and Western parts of India.Its made with rice flour and lentil or pulse flours in a variety of ways. Different combinations are used and spices are used according to one's taste.A special mettalic device with moulds is used to make these. Its called a chakli mould. One kind somewhat looks like an icing gun. Here I have used roasted bengal gram dhal or chutney dhal or putnala pappu powder with rice flour.

Ingredients	Quantity
Rice Flour	4 cups
Roasted Bengal Gram Dhal Powder	1 cup
Butter	1½ tbsps
Asafoetida (Hing - Optional)	a pinch
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Celery Seeds (Ajwain)	½ tsp
Red Chilly Powder	1½ tsps
Turmeric Powder	¼ tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	for deep frying
Water	to make dough

Method

1. Sieve the rice flour and roasted gram powder in a bowl.


2. Add to this mixture,salt, asofoetida,red chilly powder,cumin seeds,celery seeds,turmeric powder and mix them throughly.


3. Then add the butter(brought to room temperature) and mix.Add enough water to make a soft and pliable dough. Do not make it too soft. It will absorb more oil.


4. Heat oil for deep frying in a pan.Take the mould to make these chaklis and place a ball of this dough and press this down into the hot oil to make circles or just pieces and fry them till they are golden brown.


5. These can be stored for a long time in an airtight jar or tin. Children will love them!

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Baked Quinoa

Tis is another variation of making quinoa.Here also the grain is first cooked and then used.This is more of Italian because it is baked with toamato pizza sauce and plenty of cheese.Tomato sauce can be made at home or can be store bought.

For Tomato Sauce

Ingredients	Quantity
Blanched Tomatoes	2
Chopped Garlic	1 tbsp
Chopped Onions	1 tbsp
Bay Leaf	1
Chopped Capsicum	1 tbsp
Pepper Powder	1½ tsp
Tomato Ketchup	2 tbsp
Sugar	1 tsp
Dried Oregano	1 tsp
Tomato Puree (optional)	¼ cup
Salt	to taste
Olive Oil	1 tsp

Method

1. Blanch the tomatoes in hot water and remove the skins.Chop the tomatoes into small pieces.


2. Take a pan and add the oil and heat it.Add the bay leaf and onions, chopped garlic and capsicum and fry.


3. Add the tomato pieces,tomato puree,sugar,pepper powder and salt and cook till the quatity becomes less.


4. Lastly add the oregano and remove from the heat.


5. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce.Keep it aside until use.

For Baked Quinoa

Ingredients	Quantity
Quinoa	½ cup
Water	½ cup
Grated Cheddar Cheese	¾ cup
Grated Parmesan Cheese	1 tbsp
Tomato Sauce (as made above)	1½ cup

Method

1. Cook the quinoa either in the pressure cooker or outside in a pan with more water. and keep it aside.


2. Take a baking dish and spread evenly half of the tomato sauce at the bottom.


3. Next spread the cooked quinoa evenly and then the remaining tomato sauce.


4. On the top spread the grated cheddar cheese and sprinkle parmesan cheese over it and bake it in a preheated oven at 250 to 300degrees centigrade first covered with aluminium foil for 15mins and remove the foil and bake it till the cheese melts and turns light brown in colour.


5. Serve it hot with garlic bread and steamed vegetables.

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Quinoa Pulav

Quinoa (pronounced as ("keen-wah") is a grain used mostly in South American cuisine. It is not available in India. It is rich in protein unlike other grains. It's light and cooks fluffy and can be used as a main dish or in soups, stirfries or in breakfast, like rice with vegetables or meat. This recipe is especially for Indians who live in places where this grain is easily available. When I was in the U.S, I tried out these two recipes which were well received. The quantity used becomes nearly double when the quinoa is cooked. It is gluten free and good for kids, old people and pregnant women. Try it and enjoy it!

Ingredients	Quantity
Quinoa	1 cup
Water	1 cup
Sliced Bellpepper (Capsicum)	2 tbsps
Grated Carrot	3 tbsps
Sliced French Beans	2 tbsps
French Green Peas	3 tbsps
Chopped Onions	3 tbsps
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tsp
Chopped Cilantro (Coriander) Leaves	1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder	¼ tsp
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Bay Leaf	1
Garam Masala Powder	1 tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	1 tbsp
Fried Cashewnuts	6

Method

1. Cook the quinoa with water in a pressure cooker till done like rice. If you do not want to use the cooker it can be cooked in a pan with more water. If you need it softer more water can be added.


2. Take oil in a pan and heat it. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf and fry.


3. Add the onions and ginger garlic paste and fry till light brown.


4. Add the finely chopped vegetables and stir fry till they are cooked.


5. Add the tumeric powder, garam masala powder and salt and mix.


6. Lastly add the cooked quinoa and mix it with the vegetables and cook it till it is hot.


7. Serve hot, decorated with fried cashewnuts and chopped cilantro.This can also be prepared like South Indian Upma too.

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Steamed Rice Balls

Steamed rice balls are fat free and easily digestable. These are made particularly in South India on Ganesh Puja day. It is gluten and casein free and nutritive too.The dhal used can be substituted with green gram dhal and grated vegetables can be included too.

Ingredients	Quantity
Rice	¾ cup
Bengal Gram Dhal (Channa Dhal)	1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Grated Coconut (Optional)	2 tbsp
Salt	to taste
Water	3 cups

Method

1. Grind rice coarsely so that it is broken and resembles semolina or suji.Wash it and drain the water and keep it aside.


2. Heat two cups of water in a big pan and add cumin seeds and washed bengal gram dhal and cook.


3. Cook the dhal till it is half cooked.


4. Add the rest of the water and add salt,grated coconut and rice and mix.Cover it and lower the heat.


5. Cook the mixture till it is threefourths cooked and there is no water.


6. Remove from he heat and cool it.


7. Make about twenty medium sized balls and place them in an idly steamer and steam them for seven minutes.


8. Remove the rice balls carefully and serve it hot with coconut chutney or vegetable kurma.

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Thai Vegetarian Red Curry

This is an attempt to give a recipe which is liked by many people nowadays and has a different flavour. Various vegetables are used in this recipe. One can make it with eggplants or brinjals also. Tofu and nuts like fried cashewnuts and almonds can be added to enhance the protein content. The recipe for Thai red curry paste recipe has been taken from Darlene Schmidt and adapted.

Ingredients	Quantity
Thai Red Curry Paste	3 tbsps
Lemon Grass	2 tbsps
Lime Leaves	2
Basil Leaves	a few
Carrot	1
Cauliflower Flowerlets	6
French Beans	6
Small Purple Onions	a few
Green Bell Pepper (Capsicum)	1
Spring Onions	1 stalk
Coconut Milk)	1 ½ cups
Tofu	a few pieces
Fried Cashewnuts and Almonds	a few
Salt	to taste
Cooked Basmati Rice	1 ½ cups

To make Thai Red Curry Paste

Ingredients	Quantity
Purple Onion	1
Lemon Grass	1 stalk
Red Chillies	3 (as per required spiciness)
Garlic	3 cloves
Ginger	1 inch piece
Black Pepper	½ tsp
Chilly Powder	2 tbsps
Coriander Seeds Powder	1 tbsp
Soy Sauce	1 tsp
Brown Sugar	1 tsp
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Coconut Milk	½ cup

Method for Paste

Put all these ingredients in a mixie and grind it into a fine paste.Ater using it if left over, you can store it in the freezer.

Method for Dish

1. Chop the carrots and capsicum to big pieces and slice the beans and spring onions.


2. Take one tablespoon of oil in large pan and add garlic in it and fry a little.


3. Add all the vegetables and a pinch of salt and stir fry.


4. Remove from the heat and place them in a bowl.


5. In the same pan add two tablespoons of oil and heat it.


6. Add three tablespoons of the Thai red curry paste and fry a little.


7. Then add the coconut milk and cook.


8. Add the stir fried vegetables,tofu pieces and mix well and cook for two or three minutes.


9. If more salt is required, it can be added.


10. Serve this spicy vegetable curry in a serving plate with hot cooked rice and garnish it with basil or coriander leaves and fried cashewnuts and almonds.

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Sweet Potato Gulab Jamuns

Gulab jamun is a favourite dish with most. But there are a few who cannot tolerate/digest casein or milk protein and gluten present in traditional Gulab Jamuns. Why should these people be deprived of this delicious dessert? So this recipe came to my mind, which is made with sweet potato and rajgira flour. Sweet potato is easily available and the same with rajgira flour.

Rajgira flour is made from the seeds of Amaranth or Amaranthus. This contains no gluten and is used in baking cakes and breads and for making pastas. Somebody called it 'pseudo grain flour'. When I made it, my granddaughter loved it and wanted more. That made my day! So you can try it too!

Ingredients	Quantity
Sweet Potato (Boiled and Mashed)	1 ½ cups
Rajgira Flour (Amaranth Seed Flour)	3 tbsps
Sugar	2 cups
Water	1 ¾ cups
Cardamom Powder (Elaichi)	1 tsp
Saffron (Kesar)	few strings
Rose Water	a few drops
Pistachios	a few
Oil	for deep frying

Method

1. Take a bowl and combine boiled and mashed sweet potatoes and ragira flour to make a dough.It should not be very soft but firm. If soft a little more of rajgira flour can be added but not too much. The gulab jamuns may become too hard if too much rajgira flour is added.


2. Make about thirty to thirty two balls with the mixture and keep it aside.


3. Make a syrup with sugar and water by boiling it together.Add saffron and cardamom powder to it and remove from the heat. But keep the syrup warm.


4. Take oil for deep frying in a pan and fry these gulab jamuns four or five at a time on low heat till they are golden brown and not dark brown.


5. Put these balls directly into the warm syrup and let them soak for ten minutes.


6. Sprinkle a few drops of rose water and finely chopped pistachios and serve.

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