Poha | A perfect breakfast with flavorsome moistened rice flakes

I cannot compromise with food and its tastes. It has to be utterly good. Even the simplest of recipes get a twist in my kitchen and undergo a complete overhauling.Aaah!! That's me! Food is sacred! Its taste has to be nothing else but BEST!

Healthy food sounds so boring, isn't it? Yes they do, but its up-to to us to make them taste good, look attractive and at the same time maintain the health quotient. Pohas, a dish from Maharashtra is a much-favorite perennial breakfast recipe at my home. Light, healthy and totally yummy to the core.

 

The ingredients are very basic and easily available and the dish gets ready in less than 20 minutes. So for a hurried married working woman (which i am :P ), this dish comes out as a saviour. Saves time and at the same time pleases my Mr.P as well. Oh! He seems to have fallen in love with my Poha recipe now. And its only on his request that i make this at my place, which has become so often now. 

The fluffiness of moist poha and the burst of flavors - spiciness, tanginess and sweetness at the same time, take my version of poha to a different level all together.

Try it and you will for sure start making this often too.

Ingredients:-

2 cups - Rice Flakes (Chivda)

1 finely chopped onion

1 big sized potato (cut in cubes, blanched)

1/3 cup green peas (blanched)

5 tbsp - Peanuts 

1 green chilli (finely chopped)

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Turmeric

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala

Salt to taste

Pinch of Sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Oil for cooking

Sprig of curry leaves (chop the curry leaves, if needed)

Chopped coriander, for garnish

Steps to follow:- 

1. Thoroughly wash the rice flakes in a colander under running water and let it rest for sometime, till the excess water drains out.

2. Heat a wok and add some oil in it.

3. Throw in the black mustard seeds and curry leaves in the oil and let them crackle.

4. Add onions and green chilli and saute for 2-3 mins.

5. Now add chopped potatoes and blanched peas and let them cook for a min or two.

6. Add turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder and mix well.

7. Now mix in the moistened rice flakes and mix vigorously.

8. Add salt and garam masala.

NOTE: Poha should not be dry so incase you feel it is, add in some oil.

9. Lid for 2-3 minutes and simmer the flame.

10. In a separate wok, add 1 tsp oil, and add the peanuts.

11. Shallow fry the peanuts until light brown in color. 

12. Once done, unlid the pan and throw in the peanuts as well along with some chopped coriander.

13. Add some sugar and finally squeeze in the lemon juice. Mix well.

14. Lid the pan again and turn off the flame.

15. Serve after 5 mins topped with Haldiram's Aloo bhujia or besan sev.

 Poha makes a simple yet delicious breakfast accompanied with a hot ginger tea, especially in winter months. A light and healthy meal packed with nutrition from rice flakes and peanuts.

Tomato & Beetroot Soup...a healthy, zero cornflour version

Winter is officially here. It's the season of long nights and short days, of reflection and looking inward, and of thinking of ways to keep warm: scarves, gloves, fireplaces, cuddling... and warm food. Winter brings with it some icy, snowy, and gray days.  

At this point, you don’t want to do anything but stay in and curl up in a blanket with a nice bowl of warm food. Temperatures are dropping, which means that it’s the perfect time to heat things up with a warm bowl of soup. A piping hot bowl of soup is the ultimate comfort food during the winter months. Soup doesn’t have to be rich and creamy to be satisfying, though.

When I want to remedy that "cold to the bone" wintertime feeling, a delicious steaming bowl of soup before any meal often comes to my mind. Aaah! Soup...

Today i finally welcomed the approaching Winters in my home with my homemade winter warmth.This light, healthy broth has an absolute fuss-free recipe and is loaded with goodness of nutritious veggies! The sweet earthiness of the beet grounds the subtle notes of the tomatoes and carrots, adding depth without overpowering the flavor but renders a lovely valentine red color to the soup.

If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it with my version of "good-for-you" soup. This soup is brimming with beautiful colors and flavors that boost your immunities through the cold and flu season. 

A hearty bowl of warm soup on a cold day makes winter seem worth it, Isn't it?

Ingredients:-

For the Broth
5-6 Ripe tomatoes (cut in halves)
1 beet root (cut in halves)
4-5 Carrots (peeled and cut in halves)
1 inch peeled ginger knob (1 piece)
5-6 garlic cloves (big in size - peeled and whole)
1 Bay leaf
4-5 pepper corns
3-4 clove
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp sugar

For Tempering
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
Chopped coriander (very finely chopped)

Steps to follow:-

1. Pressure cook all the items under 'For the Broth' with two cups of water up to 3 whistles (Simmer the flame to low after 1st whistle)
2. Pass the mixture through a seive and remove the bay leaf

NOTE: Do not throw away the water. You will need it in the last stage of cooking the soup.

3. Let the sieved vegetables cool down for sometime and then blend in a mixer. 
4. Strain this through a metal strainer to remove the seeds and any tomato skin left. 
5.  Add slight water if needed

NOTE: Use the same water which was sieved initially.

6. Heat a wok and add butter to it.
7. Throw in some cumin seeds and let it splutter
8. Pour in the soup and some coriander leaves and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. Boil until water and soup do not appear as separated in the mix.
9. Season generously with black pepper, adjust salt and add sugar.
10. Stir and give a final boil and transfer in individual soup mugs.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve piping hot!

Savor this warm thin, light soup while snuggled under layers of cozy blankets. 
Have a comfortable winter night!
Good night. :)

Chivda Namkeen

The onset of monsoon calls for delicious savories along with a hot cuppa! I love it. Don't You?

For me, a yummy accompaniment with my tea is such a necessity!!! Especially with a lovely weather around. So when i want it to be easy & quick (occasionally healthy too ;) ), i go for something that can be created fast and at the same time something that can tickle my taste buds as well!! So here it is Dry chivda mix, for those days when you wish to enjoy the downpour outside and not spend too much time cooking. 

Rice Flakes are a good source of Iron & peanuts give intake of protein. Undoubtedly, a perfect nosh with so much nutritive value. 

Goes without saying, this will be a big Hit!

Ingredients:-

Thin rice flakes (Chivda/Poha) - 250 gms

Peanut - 1 tbsp

Roasted Chana - 1 tbsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tbsp

Raisins - 10 - 15 pcs

Curry Leaves - 10 leaves

Dry red chillies - 2 (cut into halves)

Rock salt - as per taste

Amchoor/Dry Mango Powder - 1 tbsp

Powdered sugar - as per taste (to balance out salt-sour flavor)

Oil - 2 tbsp

Asafoetida - 2 pinch

Steps to follow:-

1. Dry roast rice flakes in a thick pan on a medium flame.

2. Keep stirring the rice flakes till they are crispy. Ensure they do not over cook.

3. In another pan, pour some Oil and add curry leaves, roasted chana, peanuts, raisins, asafoetida, turmeric and rock salt.

4. Once all are sauteed well add amchoor and sugar.

5. Add the curry leave mixture to the roasted chivda and mix thoroughly, ensuring that all flakes turn yellow in colour.

6. Remove the chivda from the pan and let it cool.

7. Store it in a dry Jar.

Wooah! Such a Delectable relish ready to be devoured in no time! Eat & Enjoy! Happy Monsoons.. :)