Sprouted Chana Daal (Bengal Gram)

Just like sprouted moong daal dish, I make this dish more for breakfast or as an evening snack. It takes a little longer than moong daal to sprout. 

Ingredients:
1 cup whole Chana Daal
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp split black gram
2-3 dried red chillies split into halves (per taste)
2 tbsp fresh grated coconut or dry coconut powder
A sprig of curry leaves (preferable) OR 2 tsp chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)
1 tsp oil (vegetable or olive oil)
salt to taste
1 tsp lemon juice or to taste - optional (I prefer with it)

To make Sprouted Gram:


Soak 1 cup Chana (Belgal gram) overnight (about 10-12 hours). Then drain and tie them up in a cloth or just keep them in a covered container (this works just fine for me) for one full day for them to sprout.

Cook sprouted Chana (Either in a pan or pressure cooker) for 10 min with 1/4 cup water.

Method:
Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds .
When they start spluttering add the split gram and red chillies.
Once they start browning, add the coconut and saute for a minute (no need to brown it) or if using dry coconut powder toss it along with sprouts.
Add the sprouts, lemon juice and toss with salt until properly mixed or for a minute. Switch off the stove.
Serve warm.

Sprouted Moong Daal (Green gram)

It is a very healthy dish. Also, the recipe is simple, takes very less cooking time and ingredients.
I make this dish more for breakfast or as an evening snack rather than as a festival or occasional dish. It works great, needs just some planning and no time to prepare. It takes full 36 hours to sprout this daal properly. So if I need the dish on Monday morning, I soak them on Sat.

To make Sprouted Beans:

Soak Moong daal (green gram) overnight (about 10-12 hours). Then drain and  tie them up in a cloth or  keep them in a covered container (I do it this way and it works well) for 12-14 hrs for them to sprout.

Ingredients:

2 cups Sprouted Moong Daal
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp split black gram
2-3 dried red chillies split into halves (per taste)
2-3 tbsp fresh grated coconut - optional
2 tsp chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves) - optional
1 tsp oil (olive oil to make it healthier)
salt to taste
1 tsp lemon juice or to your taste - (this is optional but I prefer with it)


Method:

Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds .
When they start spluttering add the split gram and red chillies.
Once they start browning, add the coconut and saute for a minute (no need to brown or over do it).
Switch off the stove, add the sprouts and toss with salt and lemon juice until properly mixed.

Optional - Steam the sprouts for couple of minutes before tossing them with the garnish.

Variations:

My household is not a huge fan of coconut so I make this dish without coconut, a variation from the traditional method.

A variation which I love and make most often is with carrots when I have them in my fridge. I use 1/4th cup grated carrots to the above recipe, toss in grated carrots and sprouts together; it tastes yummy and needless to say healthier as well.

As another variation, I tried adding tiny celery pieces (1/4th cup Celery to 2 cups sprouts); it was delicious too (to my taste buds since I love celery) and I received good comments from family!!

I sometimes sprinkle chopped onions and / or tamoatos, it also tastes good to me but I don't prefer it. The idea is to eat healthy sprouts and not make the dish and process complicated.

Adai (Dosa from Tamilnadu)

Healthy and yuuuumy breakfast item made with 3 different kinds of lentils.

Ingredients:

2 cups Toor Daal
1 cup chana daal
1 cup moong daal
1 cup rice flour
green chillies to taste - try 2 for medium spicy
1/2 inch piece of ginger
2 tsp cumin
Pinch of Asafoetida (hing)

Method:

1. Soak all 3 kinds of daals together overnight.
2. Grind them together with rice flour in a grinder to the cosistency needed (to pour over the pan)
3. Add rest of the ingredients and grind again
4. Pour big spoon full on a heated pan, spread evenly as much as you can until thin
5. When it is golden brown on the bottom and starts to come out of pan easily, flip it and fry on other side

Serve hot dosas with coconut chutney

Eggless Tofu-Spinach Quiche

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. I played around with it adding different seasonings and vegetables. Original recipe without the pie crust works well for us.

Ingredients:
8 oz. package tofu
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup diced onion
2/3 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup shredded swiss
9" unbaked frozen pie crust, thawed (Optional, I don't use it)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Process tofu and milk in a blender or food processor, until smooth. Blend in salt and pepper.
3. In a bowl, mix spinach, garlic, onion, cheeses, and tofu mixture. Mix well and pour into pie crust.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until set, and golden-brown.
5. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Cheese and Spinach Quiche - 1

I tried a few recipes from online for spinach quiche and here are my favorites. These are altered versions of my own. I basically wanted a variety without pie base, since its high in calories. Most of the times we eat quiche for breakfast.

Source: cooks.com
Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten (replacing with equivalent egg whites works well)
1 c. warm milk
1 lb. shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2 cups)
1 pkg. chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 c. flour (I use Bisquick)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 stick butter (or vegetable oil)
1 cooked and sliced potato (optional, my own addition)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp Black pepper (optional)

Method:
Mix eggs, milk, flour, salt and baking powder. Add cheese and spinach. Melt butter in pie pan. Pour into mixture. Pour mixture into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Pesarattu

Ingredients:
Whole green gram or split washed Moong Dal - 1 cup
Raw rice – ¼ cup or Rice flour – ½ cup
Green chillies - 2-3
Ginger - 1 cm
Salt - to taste
Soak gram and rice together for 6-8 Hrs. Grind with rest of the ingredients to a smooth, thick batter.

Method:

Heat a thick flat griddle, preferably non stick, till few drops of water, sprinkled on it sizzle and evaporate quickly
Lower the flame,Pour about 1 ½ cup of batter on it and spread quickly with the back of a laddle, as thin as possible. ( It will be slightly thicker than standard dosa)
Drizzle some oil all round and on top.
Cook on medium heat till the under side is well browned.
Sprinkle some filling on the dosa and fold the other to cover the filling.

Serve hot with a chutney.

Rava Idli

Ingredients:
Rava/Sooji (White) - 1 1/2 cup
Mustard - 1 tsp
Green Coriander chopped - 1 tbsp
Green chillies Chopped - 4
Ginger grated - 1/2 inch
Curry leaves chopped - 10-12 leaves
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Curds - 2 cups
Cashew pieces - a few (optional)

Method:
Take oil in a pan and heat it. Add Mustard seeds and cashew pieces and fry for a minute.
Add rava and fry on medium flame for 3 minutes then cool it on a plate.
Take a mixing bowl and mix rava, chillies, coriander, curry leaves and ginger. Add salt.
Heat water in a pressure cooker.
Mix curds just before preparing idlies. Check for salt. Add baking soda and mix the dough lightly. You can see the bubbles coming from the dough. If the mixture is too thick you can add water.
Steam this mixture in idli moulds without putting weight to the pressure cooker. Cook on medium flame for about 12 minutes.
Let the idli stay in the cooker for a minute and then remove it.

Serve hot with ghee and coconut chutney.

Upma

Ingredients:
Cream of wheat (Hindi: Sooji)
1 cupThinly Chopped or shredded vegetables (Cabbage, Carrot, Capsicum and Onions)
1 cup Green Chilies 2 nos (1 for mild spice)
Ginger, minced – 1 teaspoon (optional, it gives good flavor that goes well with all other ingredients used)
Curry Leaves 1 sprigCoriander (cilantro) leaves to garnish
Salt to taste (about 1 tea spoon)
Sugar 1/2 tsp (optional)
Tomatoes chopped 2 nos (optional)
Water 2 cups
Oil 4tsps.Mustard 1 tsp.Channa dal (split garganzo beans) 1 tsp
Cashews or Groundnuts/Peanuts 1/4th cup (Eliminate this if you have allergy to nuts)

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when it cracks add channa dal and nuts, when done (golden brown) add chopped green chilies, minced ginger and curry leaves. Add the vegetables
and onions. Add salt and sugar and cook the vegetables till done (about 5 min) on a low flame. (Don’t overcook or brown them)Add chopped tomatoes and cook till soft. Add water and bring it to a boil. Lower the flame and to the boiling water slowly stir the cream of wheat in and cook. (to avoid lump formation, add cream of wheat to the boling water very slowly from a cup while stirring the water constantly with a spoon). When the water content begins to reduce lower the flame and cook under cover for 5 minutes. Before serving garnish with coriander leaves.

Servings : 2
Cooking time: 15-30 Min

Upma can be made in different variations, according to the availability of vegetables. All the variations are tasty and have their own different taste. · Use just onions, without any other vegetables or tomatoes (this is just Upma)· Use Onions and Tomatoes (this is called Tomato Upma)· Those who don’t like onions can avoid onions and use combination of other vegetables. You can experiment with the mix of your favorite vegetables (well may be not Broccoli). Curry leaves is the key ingredient to get authentic flavor but Upma still tastes good without