Multi Grain Paratha with Spinach and Yellow Moong Dal ~ Diabetes Diet Food!

This posted waited pretty long to get finally published! I was procrastinating every time I think this should be next. Well here I am finally with this wonderful paratha that Athamma made for herself. It is very healthy as the parathas are made with Multi grain flour.

The flour has Ragi, Wheat, Soya, Bajra etc. And with added effect of spinach and Yellow moong dal. This new Multi grain flour is our new discovery and I mostly make this for Athamma as she prefers this. Even when we grind the wheat flour at home, we add some soya, bajra to make it more fibrous and healthy.

Multi Grain Paratha with Spinach and yellow moong dal for a healthy and light dinner!

Ingredients Needed

Multi grain flour - 1 cup
Spinach - handful
Yellow Moong dal - 3 tsp
Salt to taste
Green Chilis - 1 medium
Oil for frying.


Method to prepare:

Wash and finely chop the spinach. soak the yellow moong dal for 10 - 15 mins.

In a bowl, take the flour along with salt. Squeeze out the water from spinach and yellow moong dal. Add to the flour. Mix well.

Slowly add enough water to made a soft dough. Divide into balls. Roll out as paratha and cook on a hot tawa on both sides.


===================================================================
Earlier on Diabetes:

General Notes on Diabetes
Introduction to Diabetes ~ What Is Diabetes?
Why Early Diagnosis Is Important?
Diagnosing Diabetes ~ Different Types Of Diabetes
Dietary aspects in the management of diabetes

Diabetes Diet:

Appey or Paniyaram with Jowar Four
Healthly Snack with Chickpea Salad
Gooseberry Rice
Guava ~ the Wonder Fruit
=================================================================

Kara Sev - Indian Cooking Challenge for June ~ Step By Step Recipe!

For Indian Cooking Challenge this month it was yet another savory called the Kara Sev. One can't resist the temptation this yields to one. We never used to buy savories from shop but this was one such traditional Indian Savory that we end up buying from Shop. I have seen Amma making this couple of times. And I am sharing two of her versions that she shared. Its been a while since she made these but remembers that it came out really well.

For the lack of the ladle that is used for making this, prevented her from making this again. But Lataji who tried this recipe said she didn't really find the need to have that special ladle to press this down. Using the murukku achchu she was able to get the effect.

We also didn't have the Kara Sev ladle, so made it with the regular press that had a wider hole. The result was very tasty one but I felt it wasn't as soft as what we get at shops. The difference between Murukus and Kara Sev is that the latter is not as crispy as the former.

Kara Sev - Indian Cooking Challenge for June

In a bowl, sieve the flours together.

one after the other.

Get the masala all ready in place.

Add one by one to the bowl with flour.

Ghee goes next.

Followed by garlic water.

Mix everything together like this

You should get a crumble like this.

Finally gather together like this.

After this it is same as regular muruku. I will post on detail with the actual sev ladle and post pictures on that.

Kara Sev Recipe 1

Ingredients needed:

Gram Flour (Besan)-  2 1/2 cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper coarsely powdered - 1 tsp
Ghee -  2 1/2 tsp
Cooking soda pinch (optional)
Salt to taste.
Crushed garlic (optional) 2 pods
Oil to deep fry.

Method:

1. Sieve both Gram flour and Rice flour together in a bowl and make a pit.
2. Add chilli powder, Pepper powder, Salt, Crushed garlic, Ghee, Cooking soda.
3. Mix thoroughly with hands. It should look like bread crumbs. Divide the dough into 4 portions.
4. Take One portion of this mixture, sprinkle water, knead like Puri dough.
5. Heat oil in a kadai, Use a ladle with lot of holes (Kara Sevai ladle) or Sev maker. Put some dough on that and rub directly into oil.
6. It will be like split string. Deep fry in oil , drain excess oil.
7. After cooling this off, Store this in an airtight container.

Kara Sev Recipe 2

Besan - 2 ½ cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Soda - 2 pinches
Salt
Oil - to deep fry

Grind fine with water:
Red chillies - 6
Pepper - 1 tsp
Garlic - 7, 8 flakes ( optional)

Method to prepare:

1. Sieve both flours together.
2. In a big plate cream ghee & soda very well till the paste looks white.
3. To this add flours & salt.
4. Strain the chilli paste & add, mixing everything well.
5. Add enough water to get a soft yet stiff dough.
6. Heat oil & keep the ‘karasev jalli karandi” ( a special holed ladle used for this) above the oil.
7. Rub the dough on it so that long strands will fall into the oil.
8. Fry well & remove to a kitchen tissue.
9. Wash the “ jalli karandi” ( ladle) with water every time after use, so that the rubbing will be easy.

Notes to read:

• By dividing the dough into smaller portions before pressing down, will keep the dough fresh and also it consumes less oil while frying.
• The dough has to be really stiff, if it little runny, add more desan to get the right consistency.
• If you are using the kara sev ladle, rub it down directly on the oil.
  If you  are not comfortable pressing directly in the oil, you may press on a slightly oiled sheet or plate and transfer the bits into the oil.
  If you do not own a murukku press, try to roll thin cylindrical shapes using fingers, just about 2" long and deep fry.
• Please ensure you are very careful while pressing down on the oil, it will be very hot, this is really not safe to have kids around.
• This normally stays crispy for a month when stored in an air tight container.  

To all my ICC members, please link your Kara Sev post to Mr. Linky.

Pappu Annam | Dal Rice for Kids | Kid's Lunch Box

For growing kids, lentil provides the much needed protein energy. Pappu Annam or Rice mashed with cooked dal and ghee is the most common food fed to toddlers. With Konda having a great fondness towards Curd Rice, I managed her three years with that during our trips. Then her lunch used to be this Dal Rice.

Dal Rice and Curd are those very important dishes that you can relay on when traveling with small kids. After Peddu and Chinnu started school, I found this Dal rice to be a boon. I make it everyday for them. Sometimes with Potatoes and other vegetables mashed in it.

Cook rice as you normally do.

Then having the cooked dal ready will be a great help. Make the Rasam and have it ready. Since Rasam takes about 5 minutes to get done, soak and cook the rice first.

Since I used the same vessel as for making the rasam, the vessels are very much strained. I wanted it to be as natural as it was.

To make this Dal Rice, you need to have a strainer on hand.

Have the Rasam ready

In the pan, add 2 tsp ghee and the cooked dal

Saute well and add little water to dissolve the dal. Cook for 2 minutes.

In a bowl, scoop out the amount of rice you want to pack. I normally have the same vessel and use the same ladle for measurement.

The dal is all ready to be mixed in rice.

Transfer the cooked dal to the rice

Using the back of the ladle, mash the rice really well.

Next use a strainer and pour the Rasam through it as to sieve all the spices, tomatoes etc. You will use just the water.

Now again mix well.

Pour as much rasam as required for the rice to be soft and not solidified. Adjust salt, as it will less after adding the dal.

Notes: You can add any vegetable to this rice provided your kid eats. I add potatoes, carrots and beans at times. But ensure it is really mashed well. My boys are now 3 years, but there was a time when they refused to eat anything with this rice.