Kids Healthy Mixed Lentils

Ingredients 

Black Eyed Peas: 1/2 Cup
Split Redgram:1/2 Cup
Split Bengalgram:1/2 Cup
Red Kidney Beans:1/2 Cup
White Kidney Beans: 1/2 Cup
Whole Blackgram: 1/2 Cup
Split Peas:1/2 Cup
Onions: 2
Tomatoes: 2
Cumin Seeds: 1Teaspoon
Coriander Powder: 1 Teaspoon
Garam Masala: 1 Teaspoon
Ginger: 1/2 Teaspoon
Garlic:1/2 Teaspoon
Green Chillies: 2
Red chili Powder: 1/2 Teaspoon
Water to boil
Salt to taste
Sugar: 1/8th Teaspoon
Coriander Leaves: 1-2 Teaspoons 

Method

• Put all the lentils in a pressure cooker and pour water and boil until soft. Add the chopped onions, shredded ginger, garlic, and green chilies to the pan. When the onions turn golden brown, add the chopped tomatoes and add the salt, garam masala, coriander powder, chili powder, and sugar. Allow to boil for 5-8 minutes and serve hot with Roti/Rice/Pulka.

* If you don't have a pressure cooker, boil it in a big pan with a lot of water till it becomes soft

* You can soak all the lentils overnight and can boil it in the morning if you want to or can just boil it before you are preparing.

Tomato Curry

Ingredients

Tomatoes : 4 Medium Sized 
Onions : 1 Medium Sized 
Coriander powder : 1 Teaspoon
Cumin Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Garam masala : 1 Teaspoon
Sugar : 1/8th Teaspoon
Redchillies powder : 1 Teaspoon
Green chillies : 2
Salt to taste
Water : 1/2 Cup
Cumin seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Oil : 2 Teaspoons

Method

• Put a pan on stove and add in oil and add cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds start to splutter add in onions.
• Once the onions turn golden brown add tomatoes, salt, redchillie powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, sugar, water and mix well and close it with a lid.
• Cook for 10minutes or untill the tomatoes are well cooked.
• Transfer to a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice/ roti/ chapati.

Note

* You can add some seasoning of split bengalgram, mustard seeds, redchillies, curryleaves and coriander leaves at the end.

Puffed Rice/ Flattened Rice Mixture (Pidatha Kindha Pappu)

This is my most favorite snack of all, I grew up eating this almost every day after school and high school, and graduation, I never heard anyone saying I don't like PKP, everyone will just love it and get addicted to it.

Ingredients

Roasted Flattened Rice / Roasted Puffed Rice: 2 Cups
Onions: 1
Tomatoes: 1 
Green Chillies: 2
Fried groundnuts: 1-1/2 Teaspoon
Red chili powder: 1 Teaspoon
Coriander Powder: 1 Teaspoon
Chaat Masala: 1 Teaspoon
Finely chopped cilantro: 3 Teaspoons 
Salt to taste
Lemon: 1 small one

Method

• Take a deep wide bowl and add in all the ingredients except groundnuts and cilantro.

• Here comes the important task, mix all of them thoroughly many times till it becomes a little soft

• (Use hand to mix it for perfect taste)

• Now garnish with fried peanuts/groundnuts and cilantro.

Note

You can add some roasted cornflakes on top if you want.

Lemon and Redgram Lentil (Nimmakaya Pappu)

Ingredients

Split Red Gram: 1 Cup
Lemon : 1/2
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
Cumin Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
Fenugreek Seeds: 1/8th Teaspoon
Garlic: 4
Curry Leaves : 4-5 Leaves
Asafoetida : 1/2 Teaspoon
Redchillies : 1
Green Chillies: 1
Turmeric : 1/2 Teaspoon
Water: 2 Cups
Salt to taste.
Pinch of sugar.

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange color.)

Method

Put split red gram, green chillies and add water in a pressure cooker and close it with the cooker lid.

Keep the whistle on the lid and wait till 3 or 4 whistles and switch off the stove.

After it gets cool remove the whistle and add salt, turmeric, lemon juice and pinch of sugar to the boiled redgram.

Now take a pan add oil and let it get hot and now add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, redchillies, fenugreek seeds, garlic cloves, curry leaves and once they start to splutter turn off the stove and add in asafoetida.

Season the tempering on the cooked redgram dal and serve hot with rice/roti/chapati.

Note: 

Whatever you cook in the pressure cooker you should add some little water in the cooker first and then place any bowl/vessel.If you are cooking directly in the pressure cooker itself,then no need to add extra water to the cooker.

Adding asafoetida after turning off the heat gives you nice aroma of it to the food.

Cluster Beans Curry ( Goruchikkudikaya Koora)

Ingredeints


Cluster Beans : 2 Cups
Water: 1 Cup
Grated Coconut: 1/2 Cup
Oil: 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon.
Split Black Gram: 1/2 Teaspoon
Redchillis: 2
Turmeric: 1/2 Teaspoon
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 3-4 Leaves
Salt to Taste.

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method

   Wash the cluster beans thoroughly  and add water, now close with a lid and place it in a pressure cooker, or you can directly cook it on stove in low flame or also directly put the beans in pressure cooker and wait for 2 whistles and turn off the stove.

   Put a pan on the stove and addin some oil and add mustard seeds, redchillies and black gram, and cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves

   After they start to splutter add the boiled cluster beans, salt, turmeric and grated coconut.
  
    Serve hot with rice/roti/chapati.

Note: Whatever you cook in the pressure cooker you should add some little water in the cooker first and then place any bowl/vessel.If you are cooking directly in the pressure cooker itself,then no need to add extra water to the cooker.

Amaranthus Curry ( Thotakuura Allam-Pachimirchi Curry)

Ingredients

Amaranthus: 1 Bunch
Fresh ginger and green Chillies paste : 2-3 Teaspoons.
Split Bengalgram: 2 Teaspoons
Split Blackgram : 2 Teaspoons
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chillies: 2
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil : 3 Teaspoons
Salt to taste

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method 

Wash the amaranthus leaves thoroughly to so that if any dirt is there that will be washed away.

Put a pan on the stove and add some oil and add in mustard seeds, split bengal gram, split blackgram and red chillies to the oil and once the mustard seeds starts to splutter add chopped amaranthus and saute well.

Now add salt and cover it and cook on low medium heat for a few minutes until the chopped leaves become soft.

Once the leaves are cooked well, add fresh ginger-greenchillies paste and mix well and cook for 5 more minutes and turn of the stove.

Serve hot with rice / roti/ chapati.

Note

For ginger and green chillies paste, take a gooseberry sized ginger and 4-5 green chillies depending upon your spice level.

The protein in amaranth is more digestible than other seeds and grains and has been compared to the digestibility of milk protein.

Amaranthus has a good amount of lysine which helps the body absorb calcium, build muscle, and produce.

Cheese Quesadilla / Cheese Paratha

Quesadillas are generally prepared with Tortilla(Almost similar to Indian Roti) stuffed with grated cheese, Tortillas can be made with either all purpose flour or whole wheat flour, i always prefer whole wheat tortilla's as they are rich in fiber. 

Ingredients 

Whole Wheat Flour : 1 Cup
Water : 1 1/2 Cup
Salt : 1/8th Teaspoon
Grated Cheese : 1/4th Cup

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method

Whisk the flour and salt in a bowl, add water and mix well untill the dough becomes soft and elastic

Make the dough into 2 equal balls and with a rolling pin roll the dough balls to a thin tortilla, repeat the same process for the second dough ball.

Now place it on a hot skillet and cook till one side becomes light golden brown, now flip and let the other side also turn golden brown, at this point lower the heat and sprinkle some grated cheese on 1 half of the tortilla and fold the tortillas in half over the cheese to make a half-moon. 

Cook for 2 more minutes or till the cheese is all gooey.

Transfer it to a plate and serve with a ketchup or can eat directly without any dip.

Note: 

You can use grated tofu or grated paneer instead of cheese, can also brush some oil or butter to cook the tortilla if you want.

Roasted Edamame Seeds

Ingredients

Edamame Seeds * : 1cup Frozen / Fresh pack

Olive Oil : 1 Teaspoon

Salt and Pepper to taste.

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method

Put a pan on stove and add olive oil and once the oil gets hot add the seeds.

Now let the seeds roast till they get nice coat of brown texture and then sprinkle in some salt and pepper and turn of the flame.

Serve it as a snack or pack it in the lunch box for your kids and you can munch some too ;-)

Note : 

Edamame seeds contain good amounts of  protein, fiber, iron.

You can even dry roast the seeds without adding any oil or can replace oil with clarified butter.

If you didn't find edamame seeds in your place, substitute with any kind of beans like soaked kidney beans, soaked peas, soaked black eyed peas.

Coconut Chutney for Rice (Kobbari Pachadi)

                                                        

Ingredients

Coconut Pieces : 1 Cup ( Pieces cut from one coconut)
Split black Gram: 1 Teaspoon
Fenugreek Seeds : 1/8th Teaspoon
GreenChillies: 2
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
RedChillies: 2
Turmeric: 1/2 Teaspoon
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Turmeric : 1/4th Teaspoon
Tamarind : 1 Gooseberry Size 
Jaggery : 1 TeaspoonAsafoetida / Hing : 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves: 3-4 Leaves
Coriander Leaves/ Cilantro : 1 Stem
Oil: 1 Teaspoon
Salt to Taste

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method

First put a pan on the stove and dry roast the mustard seeds and put them aside and in the same pan put some oil and add split blackgram, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, redchillies and fry them till they turn golden brown and turn of the flame and add the green chillies and the curry leaves at this point.

Now take a blender/mixie jar and put the cut coconut pieces, tamarind, jaggery, roasted mustard seeds, salt, turmeric and green chillies and blend these to a coarse paste and transfer it into a serving bowl.

Now season the coconut chutney with the split blackgram, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, redchillies, and cilantro/coriander leaves.

Note

* Adding dry mustard seeds is an option in this recipe.

* Why we dry roast the mustard seeds separately is for the strong taste and the aroma which we will feel when we eat this chutney, if we fry it along with the other spices we don't get that taste.

* If you don't use tamarind you can substitute it with 1 teaspoon of leamon juice.

Red Sorrel Leaves Dal (Gongoora Pappu)

Ingredients

Red Sorrel Leaves :  1Bunch
Split Red Gram: 1 Cup
Water: 2 Cups
GreenChillies: 2
Oil: 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
Fenugreek Seeds: 1/4 Teaspoon
RedChillies: 2
Turmeric: 1/2 Teaspoon
Redchillie Powder: 1/2 Teaspoon
Garlic: 4-5 Cloves
Hing: 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt to Taste

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method
Wash the Red Sorrel Leaves thoroughly, now take a vessel and put split redgram and add water to it and also add the cut Red Sorrel Leaves to the split redgram and place in a pressure cooker.*

Put the whistle and wait for 4 to 5 whistles and switch it off, let it cool and remove the whistle.

Now put a pan and add some oil and put mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, redchillies, Garlic Cloves, asafoetida and when they stop spluttering add the dal to it and add turmeric, salt and redchillie powder.

Serve with rice/chapati/pulka./naan 

* If you don't have pressure cooker you can cook directly on stove.

Idli

Ingredients

Idli Moulds : 2

Idli Batter * : As required

Water : 2 cups

Idli Steamer / Pressure Cooker or any Deep pan with a lid

Clarified Butter / Ghee : 2 teaspoons

Salt to taste

Method

Add salt in the batter and pour the idli batter in the moulds and steam them in a steamer/pressure cooker ( do not put the whistle) or any deep pan with a lid, whatever you use to prepare the idli's make sure you add enough water for steaming in that before placing the moulds.


Now steam it for 12-15 minutes, if the idlis are not done yet, steam little more till they are done.


In a plate, put the idlis by gently removing them from the moulds with a spoon.


Serve the hot idlis with your desired chutney or spice powder or sambar and ghee.(Clarified Butter)


Recipe of Sambar (http://tasteebuds.blogspot.com/2013/09/sambar.html )

Recipe of  Idli Batter (http://tasteebuds.blogspot.com/2016/08/idli-batter-preparation_60.html)
 

Idli Batter Preparation

Ingredients

Split/Whole Blackgram : 2 cups 

Idli Ravva : 4cups

Poha/Flattened Rice:1/2 cup

Water for soaking the Blackgram and Idli Ravva ( Available in any Indian store.)

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method

Wash the split/whole blackgram and add flattened rice to it and soak it overnight.

Take another bowl and add 4 cups of idli ravva(Available in Indian stores with the same name) and add enough water to soak it, you can either soak it overnight or can soak it before grinding the blackgram th next day.

Now the next morning grind the blackgram which is soaked along with flattened rice to a very smooth paste by adding 1 cup of water little by little.

After grinding the paste transfer it into a big deeper bowl and add the idli ravva by squeezing out the water and add to the paste, now mix both of them in such a way that it should turn into a nice and smooth batter without any lumps of  the idli ravva.

Now close it with a lid and leave it at least for 8 hours during the day time and most importantly mix the batter once or twice vigorously so that it ferments very nicely and rises up to almost double the quantity.

At this point you can keep it in the refrigerator for later use or add salt and prepare soft and spongy idlis.

Note:

*If you are using whole black gram, i suggest you to just soak along with the black layer on it as its very healthy and  is one of the richest sources of proteins and Vitamin B. Blackgram is also good for women as it has iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, potassium which makes it a healthy pulse.

*I add cracked rice to give idlis nice color and also for extra softness incase for any reason your batter didnt ferment nicely and didnt rise up.

*You can add oats instead of cracked rice or quinoa for more extra health benefits.

Tomato Dal (Tomato Pappu)

Ingredients
Tomatoes:  2
Split Red Gram: 1 Cup
Water: 2 Cups
GreenChillies: 2
Oil: 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
Fenugreek Seeds: 1/4 Teaspoon
RedChillies: 2
Turmeric: 1/2 Teaspoon
Redchillie Powder: 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves: 1 Stem of Leaves
Hing: 1/4 Teaspoon
Lemon Juice / Tamarind Juice : 3-4 teaspoons (If required)
Salt to Taste

(Check Fudtionary for meanings if you have doubt with the words in orange colour.)

Method
Wash the tomatoes thoroughly, now take a vessel and put split redgram and add water to it and also add the cut tomatoes to the split redgram and place in a pressure cooker.*

Put the whistle and wait for 4 to 5 whistles and switch it off, let it cool and remove the whistle.

Now put a pan and add some oil and put mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, redchillies, hing and when they stop sputtering add the dal to it and add turmeric, salt and redchillie powder.

Serve with rice/chapati/pulka./naan

If you don't have pressure cooker you can cook directly on stove.

Note: Whatever you cook in the pressure cooker you should add some little water in the cooker first and then place any bowl/vessel.If you are cooking directly in the pressure cooker itself,then no need to add extra water to the cooker.