Paal (Milk) Payasam - Navratri Day 9

Rice cooked in simmered milk, sugar and cardamom powder

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Milk - 5 cups
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Rice - 2 tbsp
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Chopped pistachio - 1 tbsp

Method

• In a heavy bottomed vessel add milk and heat it
• Once the milk starts boiling add washed rice
• Cook the rice in a medium flame and stir occasionally
• Rice should cook completely in the milk
• Slightly mash the rice and stir occasionally to avoid overflow of milk
• When the milk reduces to half, add sugar and cardamom powder
• Allow the payasam to cook in a low flame for 10 to 15 minutes
• Add chopped pistachio to the payasam
• Serve paal payasam hot or cold

Nutritional Information

• Milk is rich in calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and protein which are all essential for bone health
• Per serving = 270 calories approximately

Black Chickpeas Sundal - Navratri Day 8

 Cooked black chickpeas sauteed with flavourful spices and grated coconut

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Black chickpeas - 1 cup
• Red chillies - 2 nos
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves few
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• Asafoetida pinch
• Cilantro / coriander leaves few
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Soak the black chickpeas for 8 to 10 hours and pressure cook it for 3 whistles
• Heat the pan with oil and add mustard seeds when it pops add curry leaves, red chillies, asafoetida and turmeric powder
• Now add cooked black chickpeas, coriander powder and salt
• Cook for few minutes and add grated coconut
• Garnish with coriander leaves
• Serve hot

Nutritional Information

• Black chickpeas is a good source of protein, minerals, fiber and folic acid
• Per serving = 110 calories approximately

Sweet Karamani / Cowpea Sundal Navratri Day 7

Cooked cowpea blended in jaggery and cardamom powder is a luscious sweet for navratri

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Cowpea - 1 cup
• Jaggery - 1/2 cup (I used light brown sugar)
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Grated coconut - 1 tbsp

Method

• Heat the pan and fry cowpea for 3 to 5 minutes
• Add water and pressure cook for 2 whistles or until soft
• Heat the pan add jaggery and 1/4 cup water
• When jaggery starts to melt, strain it to remove the dirt
• Again pour the jaggery to the pan allow it to boil and make a thick syrup
• Add cooked cowpea, grated coconut and cardamom powder
• Keep the flame low and mix well until the jaggery blends with cowpea
• Sweet cowpea is ready to serve

Nutritional Information

• Cowpea is a good source of fibre, folate and iron
• High fibre content plays an important role in controlling diabetes
• Per serving = 175 calories approximately

Green Gram Dhal Sundal - Navratri Day 6

 Green gram dhal is nutritious and easy to digest. Green gram dhal seasoned with spices and grated coconut enhances the flavour

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Green gram dhal - 1 cup
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Red chilies - 2 nos
• Asafoetida pinch
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves few
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Soak the green gram dhal for 8 to 10 hours and pressure cook it for 2 whistles
• Heat the pan with oil and add mustard seeds when it pops add curry leaves, asafoetida and red chilies
• Now add the cooked dhal, grated coconut and salt
• Mix well and serve hot

Nutritional Information

• Green gram dhal is rich in protein, folate, fibre, vitamin B1and is easy to digest
•  Per serving = 125 calories approximately 

Bengal Gram Dhal Sundal - Navratri Day 5

Cooked bengal gram dhal seasoned with Indian spices

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Bengal gram dhal - 1 cup
• Grated coconut - 2 tbs
• Green chilies - 2 nos
• Curry leaves few
• Asafoetida pinch
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste 

Method

• Pressure cook the bengal gram dhal for 2 to 3 whistles (it should be cooked but not mushy)
• Heat the pan with oil and add mustard seeds when it pops add curry leaves, asafoetida and chillies
• Add cooked dhal, salt and grated coconut
• Mix well and serve hot

 

Nutritional Information

• Bengal gram dhal is low in fat & cholesterol, high in dietary fiber and rich in protein
• Per serving = 150 calories approximately



Oats Appam - Navratri Day 4

Crispy on the edges and soft in the inside this is a delectable dish made with jaggery during festive time

Ingredients - Yields 16

• Oats - 3/4 cup
• Wheat flour - 1/4 cup
• Rice flour - 1 tbsp
• Jaggery - 1/2 cup
• Banana - 1 no
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• Oil or ghee - 2 tbsp

Method

• Dry roast the oats until the colour changes slightly and powder it using a spice grinder or mixer
• In a big bowl mix oats flour, wheat flour, rice flour, cardamom, mashed banana, jaggery, baking soda and grated coconut together by adding water
• Mix the batter well and heat the kuzhi paniyaram pan in medium heat
• Add few drops of oil in each kuzhi
• Pour laddleful batter in each kuzhi and cook for few minutes
• Flip it to the other side using spoon or paniyaram stick
• Cook for another 2 minutes until it turns golden brown
• Serve hot

Nutritional Information

• Oats is a good source of vitamins B & E, thiamin, riboflavin, B6 and folate
• Oats is low in sodium and can help reduce cholesterol
• Oats is rich in soluble fibre and can reduce hypertension
• Per serving = 85 calories approximately

Aval / Poha Sweet Puttu - Navratri Day 3

Sweet puttu is usually prepared in rice as a healthier version I tried with aval and is incredibly tasty!!!!

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Aval / poha - 1 cup
• Jaggery - 1/2 cup (I used brown sugar)
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cashew nuts - 10 nos
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp

Method

• Dry roast the aval in a pan till brown in colour, allow it to cool and grind into a coarse powder
• Sprinkle little warm water to the grounded coarse flour in a bowl and cover it for 15 minutes
• If you hold the flour it should be like a ball and when you put it back it should fall loosely
• Heat the pan with jaggery and add 1/4 cup of water
• Bring it to boil, the syrup should not be too thick
• Add grated coconut and cardamom powder
• Slowly stir in the aval flour and switch off the stove
• In a separate pan heat the ghee and fry cashew nuts to golden brown and add to the puttu and mix well

Nutritional Information

• Poha is low in sodium, fat and cholesterol. It is easily digestible
• Poha controls blood pressure and lowers the risk of heart diseases
• Per serving = 240 calories approximately

Chickpea / Chana Sundal - Navratri Day 2

Chickpea cooked and seasoned with spices and grated coconut

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Chickpea - 1 cup
• Green chilies - 2 nos
• Curry leaves few
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• Asafoetida pinch
• Cilantro / coriander leaves few
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Soak the chickpea for 8 to 10 hours and pressure cook it for 3 whistles
• Grind green chilies and coconut together in a mixer
• Heat the pan with oil and add mustard seeds when it pops add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder
• Now add cooked chickpea and salt
• Mix well and add grounded coconut
• Mix and cook it for 5 minutes
• Garnish with coriander leaves

Nutritional Information

• Chickpea is a very good source of protein, minerals, fiber and folic acid
• Per serving = 120 calories approximately

Moong Dhal Sundal - Navratri Day 1

Sundal is prepared during navratri and is distributed to friends, relatives and neighbours.

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Moong dhal - 1 cup
• Green chilies - 2 nos 
• Curry leaves few
• Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida pinch
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Boil water in a vessel and add moong dhal
• Cook the moong dhal till soft not mushy and add required salt
• Heat the pan with oil and add mustard seeds when it pops add curry leaves, asafoetida & green chilies
• Now add the cooked dhal and mix with the spices
• Add grated coconut and mix well
• Ready to serve

Nutritional Information

• Moong dhal is an excellent source of fibre and protein
• Moong dhal lowers cholesterol as they are rich in fibre
• Moong dhal is also rich in Vitamin B1 and B6
• Per serving =110 calories approximately