BEETROOT PURI

INDIAN FLATBREAD WITH BEETROOT

( suitable for vegans)

Feeding vegetables to children is always a problem. I have experienced with my grandchildren that they are not interested in any vegetables, though nutrients and the vitamins in all vegetables are important for the overall growth of children. I have tried many times to chop the vegetables into very small pieces but even then, as soon as they see some green or red colour in their food, they will say I don't like it.

Beetroot is considered to be a good source of Iron, potassium, magnesium and many vitamins like A and B. According to Ayurveda, beetroots are very good for children because it increases energy in kids, reduces lethargy and is a blood purifier.

I feel this recipe is a good idea to introduce the taste, flavor and colour of beetroot to kids. The colour of these puris can attract kids and they can easily show interest to try some of them.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg brown wheat flour/atta/ brown bread flour
• 600 grams beetroot (3 big sizes).
• Salt to taste.
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder (optional).
• 2 teaspoon cumin seeds.
• oil for frying.

METHOD

•  After cutting the stems and leaves, wash the beetroot thoroughly.
• Boil the beetroot in a pressure cooker for 5 minutes after the whistle.
• Remove the water and leave it to cool, keep the water aside (in case we need more water in the dough).
• When cold, chop in few pieces and make a paste in a food processor adding very little water which was left when boiling.( If needed)
• Now prepare the dough, take brown flour in a bowl, add salt, chilli powder, cumin seeds and mix well.
• Add beetroot paste/puree and prepare a hard dough. If you need some extra water sprinkle the leftover red water (from step 3). The dough should be on the harder side. Take some oil in your palms and glaze the dough.
• Heat the oil on a medium flame in a wok or fry pan.
• Pinch a small amount of dough, make small balls and flatten them. Repeat this for all the dough.
• Roll them with the rolling pin in small sizes, bit larger than a cookie, should not be very thin or thick. Some oil can be used for rolling to avoid sticking.
• Fry on a medium flame till crispy.

Can make around 25-30 puries depending on the size.

This can be served hot or warm, either with or without yogurt, pickle or chutney. This is great for kids to carry in the lunch boxes.

I am sending this recipe as my blog entry for Kids Delight event, and also to January Family Foodie, and for Meatless Monday event., and for Hearth and Soul event,and for Weekend party.

I am also sending this recipe for no waste food challenge, because in this recipe we can use few old beetroot from the fridge, and with Tuesday table.                                                                                      

                                                                         

                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                             

   

   

CHRISTMAS SALAD (KALE AND GRAPE TOMATO SALAD)

CHRISTMAS SALAD (KALE AND GRAPE TOMATO SALAD)

(suitable for vegans)

Kale leaves have drawn my attention only in Canada when I have seen them available throughout the year and in plenty. When I have shown interest in Kale I realized it is a very good vegetable, with lots of health benefits because it has a lot of minerals and vitamins. These days I am using kale in many dishes. In my family, all are salad fans and almost every day we eat salad in some form.

When I was in Botswana, kale was not available there. Some other vegetables and fruits were also difficult to get there partly because they were not grown locally and also because there was a low demand for those vegetables. Most of the vegetables which were available were imported from South Africa or other neighbouring countries.

Sometimes during holidays, we visited South Africa, and in our return journey, we were buying vegetables. My problem is that once I am in a specialized fruit and veg shop, I am tempted to buy many of them. That is the reason sometimes we had to declare these items at the border post, the officers were laughing and asking us “why are you buying the veggies and fruits from other countries”. Our simple answer was that they are not available in Botswana and being vegetarians we need them.

This morning, I thought how can I make a salad with only Kale as the main ingredient, next question came to my mind was that, what type of dressing can I use in it. Then I thought of making some white dressing, which can go with the dark green colour of kale, so I went to my pantry looked around for some white ingredients, which should not only be tasty but healthy and this is the result. The final product is in front of you, which the whole family has really enjoyed.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 250 grams kale leaves
• 100 grams grape (cherry) tomatoes
• 10 grams dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoon roasted sunflower seeds
• 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

For Dressing

• 200 grams onion (one large)
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 50 grams sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 2 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 tablespoon castor sugar
• Salt and black pepper powder to taste

METHOD

FOR DRESSING:-

• In a frying pan dry roast the sesame seeds and leave it to cool.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and roast garlic and onion together. When it is lightly brown switch off the gas and leave it to cool.
• Take roasted garlic and onion, add sesame seeds, vinegar and castor sugar, salt, add a little water and pulse all the material together in a food processor for 2-3 minutes till it looks like a liquid paste. Take it out in a container.
• Rinse kale 3-5 times in running water, remove the hard stem and chop the leaves into small pieces. Spread it in a wide open salad bowl.
• Sprinkle the washed and half cut grape tomatoes on top together with cranberries.
• Sprinkle black pepper powder and sunflower seeds
• Decorate on top with the dressing (white paste) and serve.
• It can be served cold as a salad to 4-5 people.

This recipe I am sending as my blog entry for the event.
Also as my blog entry for the event., with Food year link up, and with Wonderful Wednesday and with Real Food Friday, and Food and Fitness Friday,

Also as my blog entry for the event here and here., and also on The Hearth and Soul Hop event,and also with Extra Veg February, and with Creative Spark Link party, and with What'd you do this 
weekend, and with Healthy living link party,

   

    

FIG HALWA

FIG HALWA

Fig is not a very common fruit like apple or pear which is available throughout the year. The fresh fig is available here for a short time, but the dried fig is available throughout the year. Fig is called anjeer in the Hindi language. Figs are famous for its nutritional value, I have seen a very big list of its health benefits in Ayurvedic treatment which is an ancient Hindu art of healing with natural fruits, herbs and spices.

I have tried and tasted fresh fig, but was not a big fan of it. But I really like cooking with fig and have several recipes which use fig, like this halwa. So even though I am not eating this fruit but getting the benefit of all the nutrients in it by eating other dishes made with it. Most of the time in my recipes I have used dried fig because fresh fig was not easily available in Africa where I lived for many years. The other reason I started using these dried figs in my recipes is that they were always there in my pantry, because my husband always buys them, as it is my husband's favourite fruit.

In July Hindus fast from grain on Mondays of sharavan month. According to Hindu Calendar, shravan month falls in July and August. This Fig halwa is suitable for those fasting Mondays and other Hindu fasting days, like Ekadashi and Navratri too (when they fast from grains but are allowed to eat fruits). This halwa is very nutritious and healthy.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 200 grams dried fig
• 100 gram sugar
• 100 grams finely grated mava (khoya)
• 50 grams ghee
• 50 grams sliced almonds
• 1tsp cardamom powder
• 1- 1/2 cup water

METHOD

• Wash and remove the top stem if it is hard and soak dried figs overnight in around one and half cup of water.
• Next day morning make a paste in a food processor.
• Heat the ghee in a wok or fry pan, add the paste and saute till water evaporates and it is changing the colour.
• Add sugar and stir for 5-10 minutes more so that water from the sugar evaporates.
• Leave it to cool, when cold, add grated mava and cardamom powder.
• Garnish with sliced almonds.

This halwa can be kept in the fridge for 8-10 days. It can be served hot or cold. Can be served as a sweet dish to 6-8 people. It can also be kept in a deep fridge for few months, and when required can be heated in the microwave.

I am sending this recipe as my blog entry for the event, and for Foodie Friday., and with Real Food Friday., and My two fav things on Thursday., and with Fiesta Friday, and with way wow link party,

I am also sending this recipe as my blog entry for cook blog share event, and cooking with herbs event, and with Totally Talented Tuesday.,and with Weekend recipe link up party, and Friday frenzy party, and with Creative Spark Link party, and with C.Kids Tasty Tuesday.