Friday 31 August 2012

TANGY CORN SALAD

Reading through loads of material on the right foods to combine for maximum absorption of nutrients, I got inspired to create this colorful salad.

And then, looking for something snazzy to serve it in, so that a bite is a big mouthful especially for the small-mouthed men in my family who dare to try to prove a point to the women-folk-  a crinkly-eyed, devilish and creative me wracked my brain till I came up with my beetroot canape`s.

Oh! The power of a woman home-cook.

I could imagine the fun my daughter and I would have at their expense.



tangy corn salad in beetroot canape`s
Well, so as I created beetroot canape`s to serve my corn salad in, I got more and more excited about them. They were nutritious and had that fun element (recipe to follow). They also added the required amount of oil to the greens for absorption of vitamin K present in them. I have talked about this in my previous post Spinached broccoli, okra and bell pepper.

Food combining is a very important aspect of healthy eating. Proteins take the longest to be digested while fruits remain for the shortest duration in our guts. They require different enzymes, acids etc. for digestion.

Keeping together similar foods is sensible, but not always possible. I tried my best to combine the right foods but gave in to the taste buds and added a little wheat flour in the form of the canape`s. It adds texture and taste.
You can serve it on corn crisps instead.
Serve this salad in canape`s at a cocktail party or as a starter at a dinner party or just munch at it while watching your favourite TV show.


tangy corn salad in spinach and beetroot canape`s.



Yellow corn contains high concentrations of the antioxidant carotenoids especially zeaxanthin and lutein.
Corn is a good source of fiber with insoluble fibre more than the soluble fiber thereby needing more chewing. Corn can support the growth of friendly bacteria in our large intestines which transforms it into SCFAs which are short chain fatty acids. This process helps in supplying energy to the intestinal lining cells and keeps them healthy.

TANGY CORN SALAD

Ingredients:
.Corn kernels.............................1 cup
.Water.......................................1 cup
.Salt...........................................1 tsp.

.Lettuce.....................................1/4th cup, finely shredded
.Coriander leaves.......................2 Tbsp., tightly packed, finely chopped
.Mint leaves...............................1 Tbsp., tightly packed, finely chopped
.Chinese celery leaves................2 Tbsp., lightly packed, finely chopped
.Carrot......................................2 Tbsp., finely chopped
.Celery stick..............................2 Tbsp., finely chopped
.Red bell pepper........................2 Tbsp., finely chopped
.Yellow bell pepper....................1 Tbsp., finely chopped
.Onion.......................................1/4th cup, finely chopped
.Cucumber.................................2 Tbsp., finely chopped
.Beetroot....................................2 Tbsp. boiled and finely chopped
.Fresh red chili............................1/4th tsp. very finely chopped
.Yogurt(optional)........................1/4th cup. well beaten

For the dressing:
.Spicy coriander dip....................1 Tbsp.
.Honey(optional).........................1 tsp.
.Lemon juice...............................2 tsp.
.Black salt...................................1 pinch
.Roasted cumin seed powder.......1 tsp.
.Black pepper powder.................1/8th tsp.

tangy corn salad

.Salt.............................................to taste

Method:
.Boil together corn, water and salt.
.Drain and rinse. Drain thoroughly.
.In a bowl add the corn and all the chopped vegetables and leaves.
.Mix well.

For the dressing:
.Mix together all the ingredients. Add honey if liked.

How to proceed:
.Add the dressing to the salad mixture and serve as is.

 OR

.Serve in beetroot canapes layered with well-beaten yogurt.

Note:
.If serving in canape`s, put them in just before serving or else the
 canape`s will get soggy.
.I have used bird's eye chili for this recipe which makes it tangy but addition of yogurt cools the heat
 down. You can use a milder red chili to suit your tastebuds.
 Read more about chili in my post Sago Crusted Stuffed Chili Croquettes.


Monday 13 August 2012

SPINACHED BROCCOLI, OKRA AND BELL PEPPER

Green with Envy? A wasted emotion!
Green with Chlorophyll? A requirement!

I would rather put all the green in my food.
And that is just what I did for my Raksha-Bandhan lunch party that I have been talking about.
I put all the goodness in a bowl for my family on this festive occasion celebrating the brother-sister bond.
Just like chlorophyll energises a plant, meeting up often with family and friends energises the framilial bond.

spinached broccoli, okra and bell pepper

All green foods contain chlorophyll, the life giver in plants.
It is an extremely useful component of our meal as it contains high concentrations of magnesium that is required for keeping our bones and muscles strong.
It also helps in maintaining a normal blood pressure by helping the blood in the blood vessels to flow properly.

Chlorophyll works as an antioxidant and interferes in the absorption during digestion of hydrocarbons, such as those produced by smoking tobacco.
Green leafy vegetables give us a good supply of vitamin K1 that helps in blood clotting.

Vitamin K1 like all K vitamins are fat soluble and require some dietary fat in the guts at the same time to enhance its absorption, so when eating salads it is a good idea to add some nuts or a dressing that contains a little olive oil.

SPINACHED BROCCOLI, OKRA AND BELL PEPPER


Ingredients:
serves 4
.Broccoli............................1 cup, tightly packed, cut in 1 inch pieces
.Green bell pepper.............1 cup, tightly packed, 1 inch dices
.Okra..................................1 cup, tightly packed, 1 inch pieces
.Spinach.............................2 cups, tightly packed, finely chopped
.Onion(optional)*..............1/2 cup, tightly packed, roughly chopped
.Ginger...............................1/2 tsp., grated
.Garlic................................1/2 tsp., finely chopped
.Green chili........................1/2 tsp., finely chopped
.Cumin seeds......................1/2 tsp.
.Fennel seed powder..........1 tsp.
.Red chili powder..............1/4th tsp.
.Tava fry masala*...............1 tsp.
.Coriander seed powder.....1 1/2 tsp.
.Salt....................................to taste(approximately1/2 tsp.)
.Lime juice..........................1 tsp.
.Oil......................................1 tsp.


spinached broccoli, okra and bell peppers

Method:
.Wash all vegetables thoroughly before cutting.
.Wash and wipe dry okra before trimming and cutting.
.Cut into required size pieces and set aside.
.Heat oil in a pan.
.Add cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds.
.Add ginger and garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
.Add onion and saute till translucent.
.Add the broccoli and okra and stir fry on high heat for 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
.Add the bell pepper and green chili and saute for 1 minute.
.Add fennel seed powder, coriander seed powder, tava fry masala, red chili powder and salt to taste.
.Mix well.
.Add chopped spinach leaves and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until all vegetables are cooked yet crunchy.
.Add lime juice.
.Serve hot.

Tava fry masala:
Ingredients:
.Coriander powder.....................1 tsp.
.Dry mango powder....................1/2 tsp.
.Cumin seed powder...................1/2 tsp.
.Black salt...................................1/4th tsp.
.Red chili powder.......................1/2 tsp.
.Mustard seeds............................1/8th tsp.
.Fenugreek seed powder.............1/8th tsp.,
.Garam masala powder................1/2 tsp.
.Dry ginger powder......................1/4th tsp.
.Fennel seeds...............................1/2 tsp., coarsely powdered
.Black pepper powder.................1/4th tsp.
.Kasoori methi leaves..................1/2 tsp., dry roasted and crushed
.Salt..............................................to taste

Method:
.Mix together all the ingredients and store in a glass jar.


Note:
*I skip the onions when feeling lazy, though onion in the recipe does add its lovely sweet flavour and
 crunch.
*Tava fry masala is a combination of spices. It can be easily combined at home and stored
 in an airtight jar or you can buy it off the shelf at Indian grocery stores.
.Tava fry masala works well in a variety of preparations, as you will find in this blog.
.Cooking in induction pans helps cook the food quickly and evenly.

Friday 10 August 2012

HERBED POTATO MEDLEY

Potatoes!!
Yes, potatoes are one single most popular vegetable all over the world. They are eaten by the rich, the poor, the young and the old, the famous, the infamous, by people living in the northern, southern, eastern and the western hemispheres of the world. May it be any race, any culture potatoes are loved by one and all.
It is a world-staple.
Some love potatoes so much that they even turn themselves into potatoes- couch potatoes.
Oh! that was surely a lame joke but I know I turn into just that everytime I open a bag of potato chips or fry some freshly cut potatoes, or make a spicy version of mashed potatoes. I plonk myself on the sofa with my legs up on its arm, and head nestled in the comfortable corner, propped up on pillows, the potatoes on my lap and the tv remote in my hand. Blissful!!

I always have a long list of things, for family, friends and foes alike, to buy for me when they travel.
This time it was purple potatoes.

Wanting the purple colour to be very prominent in my preparation I made this very simple dish for my lunch party to celebrate Raksha Bandhan, an Indian festival to celebrate a brother-sister love and commitment towards each other.


herbed potato medley
Purple potatoes contain Anthocyanin, an antioxidant, apart from all the other goodness.
Red-skinned potatoes are rich in minerals such as copper, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium and have smaller amounts of calcium, iron, sodium, zinc and selenium.
They are rich in  vitamins B6, folate, niacin, thiamin, vitamin C, and contain trace amounts of vitamin K, riboflavin and pantothenic acid.

I have talked more about the nutrition in potatoes in my earlier post Zingy Potato Upma.
However, I would like to talk about green potatoes and why they should not be consumed.

Green potatoes contain toxic substances called glycoalkaloids.
28mg/kg of body weight is considered harmful to human body. They affect the nervous system causing weakness and confusion.
These toxins are present in high concentrations in the leaves, stems, sprouts and the fruits. When exposed to light, or physical damage, or when aged this toxin content increases within the potato.
Bitter taste or burning in mouth and throat on eating the tuber raw is an indication that this toxin is present.

HERBED POTATO MEDLEY
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
.Baby purple potatoes............................10
.Baby red potatoes.................................10
.Ginger...................................................1 tsp., grated
.Garlic...................................................1 tsp., finely chopped
.Green chili............................................1 tsp., finely chopped
.Cumin seeds.........................................1 tsp.
.Black pepper powder...........................1/2 tsp., freshly milled
.Salt.......................................................to taste
.Mint leaves...........................................1/4th cup, finely chopped
.Coriander leaves..................................1 Tbsp., finely chopped
.Lime juice.............................................1 tsp.
.Olive oil................................................1/2 Tbsp.
.Butter.....................................................1/2 Tbsp.
.Red chili flakes(optional)......................1/4th tsp.


herbed potato medley

Method:
.Wash and boil potatoes with skin, taking care not to break the skin.
.Cut into halves lengthwise and set aside.
.Heat olive oil and butter in a wide pan.
.Add cumin seeds. When toasted add ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute for 30-40 seconds.
.Add the mint and coriander leaves and saute further for 2 minutes on medium heat.
.Add the halved potatoes cut-side down.
.Add salt and pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes or until they start to crisp and colour lightly.
.Gently flip each piece and cook further for 2-3 minutes.
.Sprinkle lime juice and toss.
.Serve hot as a side dish or as a starter.

Note:
.The herbs should be crisp and crunchy.