Rava Pongal

Venn Pongal, a tamilian cuisine is a rice and dal based spicy, nutritious breakfast. Pongal comes in both spicy and sweet versions. The one below is the spicy version. Just to give a healthy twist to the original venn pongal, I have replaced rice with rava/sooji.

Whole Wheat Veggie Momos

Momos,are a type of dumplings that are native to Nepal. It is normally steamed and very healthy. There are deep and pan fried versions also. The fillings can be both veg as well as non-veg. The momos are mildly spiced so they are always served with tomato- chilli sauce or chutneys. They are usually made with white flour/maida, but I decided to give it a healthy twist so used whole wheat flour with a chinese stir fry filling. My family feasts on these and I make it very often. Hence decided to document this recipe on my blog. I hope you all like it too. 

Mango Vanilla Pudding With Mango Rosettes

A dessert with the King Of Fruits is always welcome and with last few lots of this season mangoes coming in, something special had to be made. Just then my dear friend Jayshri Baleri  Queen of Bakes And Desserts as we call her came up with an post of mango vanilla pudding with mango rossetes. The entire dish was so attractive that it went viral in our food group. The viral caught on to me too and i decided to bid farewell to mangoes with this simple and yummillicious  dessert. My kids just loved it and the glasses were polished in no time!! Please follow the link given in the Notes section for a demo on how to make mango rosettes.

Udida Ghari (Crunchy Urad Dal Vadas)

Born a Konkani Brahmin, everybody expected the first dish on my blog to be a konkani delicacy. But i wanted to wait and make something special. Today is a very special day. A day dedicated to that special person because of whom i am in this world today...My father, My hero,My guiding light. He has always been a pillar of strength, believed in me and made me what I am today. So I start my array of Konkani delicacies with one of his favourite, Udida (Urad Dal) Ghari (small vadas). These are teatime snacks prepared in most of the konkani househols and are also made as prasad for a few religious occasions. A spicy, crunchy and a lipsmacking dish. Thanks to my Dear Ushakka for giving a step by step explanation of ths recipe. This recipe was adapted from here.

Happy Father's Day Bappa...You Are the Best!!

Urad dal (White lentil ) is the richest source of protien and Vitamin B. It is very good for women as it contains iron, folic acid ,calcium and magnesium. Unlike other dals this is rich in fibre so easy to digest.It boosts energy in the body and improves immunity.

Microwave Masala Peanuts

Peanuts especially the deep fried masala ones have always been a favourite in our family. But I rarely used to buy them because of their high calorie content. Microwave masala peanuts is a healthier version of the deep fried ones that you normally get at the bakers and grocers. Since its made in microwave with absolutely zero oil, its less in calories too. This was introduced to me by my Dear Mom in Law. An expert cook especially in Konkani dishes and snacks. I have a learnt a lot from her. Her determination and dedication is what I admire the most. It gives me immense pleasure to share another innovative recipe of hers. 

Peanuts are said to be rich in mono unsaturated fats, the type of fats that is said to be Heart - Healthy. Peanuts are also said to be rich in nutrients like Vitamin E, Folate and Protein. Since its high in calories care should be taken to eat them in moderation.

Gobi Keema Masala

The word "Keema" originally stands for "minced meat". Here it is used for minced gobi (cauliflower). This mildly spiced,delicious recipe was introduced to me by my friends Priya and Shobana Rao. It was an instant hit at our home. Kids just loved it. Since then it has been a regular dish, especially for our dinners as an accompaniment with rotis. It goes well with plain jeera rice as well. The addition of mutter/peas adds to its nutritional value and taste. I added half a spoon of lemon juice which is not there in the original recipe, just to give it a tangy flavour. 

Cauliflower is rich in vitamin B1, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin K. It serves as a good source of protein, phosphorous and potassium. It acts as an antioxidant and also said to help in detoxification. Peas is considered to be the powerhouse of nutrients and very low in calories. It is a good source of protein and fiber.