Varagu Arisi (Kodo Millet) Ven Pongal

Millets are becoming so famous these days due to its nutritional value. So making a ven pongal using such millets is equally tasty and healthier. Rich in fiber, lowers cholesterol and blood sugar, rich in anti-oxidants, gluten free and contains essential vitamins and minerals, this is a tasty breakfast consumed with coconut chutney or sambar in south India.

Check out some more recipes on my blog like

Brown rice idli

Vegetable corn dalia upma

Ragi idly upma

Prep  time	Cooking time	Serves
10  mins	5 mins	2 persons

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Course: Tamil Nadu Cuisine

Ingredients Kodo millet (varagu arisi) -  1 cup Split moong dal – ¼  cup Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp Milk -1 cup Water -3 cups Salt – taste Seasonings Ghee – 5 tbsp. Broken cashews – few Hing - pinch Cumin seeds – 1 ½ tsp Whole black pepper – 1  tsp Ginger – 1” piece Green chillies – 2 no’s Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Method

1. Keep the measurement of rice and dal aside.

2. wash the kodo millet two times in water and soak in water for 15 minutes and then drain the water and keep it aside.

3. Pressure cook Varagu rice moong dhal along with turmeric powder,milk and water to 3 whistles on high flame.

4. Let the pressure settle itself. After the pressure reduces, mash with a ladle and keep aside.

5. In the seasoning pan add cumin seeds and pepper, allow it to splutters. (Don’t over fry the pepper and cumin seeds it will destroy the whole taste of Pongal).

6. Next add minced ginger, green chili, hing and curry leaves fry for a minute.

7. Add 2 spoons ghee in a kadai when it is heated add cashew and fry till it become golden brown then pour in to the Pongal and gently mix well the kodo millet ven Pongal. 

8. Tasty Varagu Venpongal is ready.

Serving suggestions

Coconut chutney

Sambar

Gothsu

Notes

• You can also use crushed black pepper and cumin seeds.
• The kodo millet ven Pongal should be served hot.
• It tastes even better than Raw rice Pongal as we do usually.

Veg Mayo Open Sandwich

Veg Mayonnaise is a healthy option for sandwich lovers. It is easy to make and very healthy and tasty to eat. All the vegetables are rich in vitamin. This taste is very good. It comes up with so many flavors and eggless version of mayonnaise also available. 

Kids are super and hyper-active, so this will be easily digestible. Its creamy and slightly sour taste makes it an ideal base for dressings, roti's, dips and sauces. Mayonnaise has a high and healthy fat content, so  i have mixed up with my veg stuffing. You can happily pack this as your kid’s lunch box or for your breakfast.

Check out some more recipes on my blog like

Karamani ( Cow peas sweet sundal)

Vegetable omelette

Ragi idly upma

Prep  time	Cooking time	Serves
15  mins	10 mins	2 persons

Recipe Type: Breakfast, Snacks

Course: Indian Cuisine

Ingredients White bread slices – 8 no’s Cheese slices – 4 no’s Cumin seeds – 1 tsp Garlic pods -3 cloves Chopped Green chili – 4 no’s Onion -1 no Chopped carrot – ¼ cup Chopped cabbage – ¼ cup Chopped capsicum – ¼ cup Chopped cucumber – ¼ cup Oregano – 1 tbsp. turmeric powder - 1 tsp Black pepper – 2 tsp Salt – 1 tbsp. Veg mayonnaise spread – 3 tbsp. Butter - 4 tbsp.

VIDEO LINK :

Method

1. First of all, take the bread that you like. Heat a kadai and add cumin seeds, garlic and onions.

2. Now add green chiilies and saute till the colour changes.

3. Then insert some veggies and the spice masalas for the taste and favour.

4. In a bowl add the cooked veggies with mayonnaise and mix well.

5. Now take a slice of bread and apply the paste of mayo spread and add just a dash of tomato sauce.

6. Now brush butter and place cheese slices on the other bread and carefully close it without any leakage of mayo outside the bread.Similarly, make all the sandwiches you have to make. Now place this sandwich on a plate. 

7. Cook on a low flame on the tawa and flip on both sides.Carefully take out from the tawa using tongs or flat spatula.

8. Your veg mayonnaise sandwich is ready. 

Serving suggestion

Tomato ketchup

Notes

• You can use any variety of breads. [I used milk bread variety here]
• Add less salt for making sandwich stuffing as your cheese slices or mayonnaise has salt in it.
• Cut into desired shapes and serve immediately. 
• Now cut the corners of the bread with the help of a knife.Make triangles by cutting them (optional)

Coffee Banana Smoothie

Kick start your morning with this easy smoothie made with bananas and Instant Coffee. It's the perfect indulgence whenever you need a quick pick-me-up. Adjust the sweetness and coffee vibe as desired. They are usually chock full of cream and sugar. While adding frozen banana to a smoothie sounds strange, I can promise that it is completely undetectable in both taste and smell. Frozen banana is my go to ingredient for almost all smoothies. It helps to thicken smoothies as well as adding natural sweetness. I like using almond milk because of its mild taste and lightness. 

Chilled coffee adds the perfect kick of favour. Mix and match your ingredients to get a super-sweet protein smoothie or a darker roast coffee blend. I add a splash of vanilla just to top off the flavor. Sometimes the smoothie gets hot in the blender. But a few ice cubes will quickly take care of that Transform your favorite frozen blended coffee drink into a thick and creamy protein smoothie. This healthy breakfast recipe is naturally gluten free and full of nutrients. 

Check out some more smoothie recipes on my blog like

Aam ka panna

Rose Milkshake

Lychee coconut drink

Prep  time	Blending time	Serves
10  mins	5 mins	2 persons

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Course: American Cuisine

Ingredients Frozen banana – 2 large Instant coffee powder - 1 tbsp. Almonds - 5 nos Granulated sugar– 2 tbsp. Vanilla extract – ½ tsp Ice cubes – ¼ cup Dates syrup – 1 tbsp. Flax seeds powder -2 tbsp Milk – 1 cup

Method

1. Brew a batch of coffee, let cool, and store in the refrigerator to chill. Now keep the frozen bananas and other ingredients aside and start the process.

2. In a high-speed blender, combine the cold coffee, almonds, sugar vanilla, flax seed powder and dates syrup, mix on a high speed until smooth.

3. Add in more milk to thin out the smoothie if it is too thick. 

4. If the smoothie gets hot, then blend in a handful of ice cubes.Enjoy right away or store in the refrigerator for up to 24-36 hours. 

5. Pour smoothie into a tall glass and enjoy immediately.

6. Store in freezer-safe containers, about a handful per container.

Notes

Start with ½ cup ice and keep adding more until you’ve reached desired thickness level. Agave nectar to a drizzle or two, or omit altogether. Dates to just a few pieces, or omit them.

Mushroom Cashew Gravy

This is a vegetarian Indian curry of cashew based mushrooms. This delicious, easy to make mushroom curry is naturally gluten-free and full of the most gratifying flavors. This mushroom curry is easy to customize to your preferred levels of spiciness. Make it saucier by adding more water or cream. It is a wonderfully slow meal to sit, savor and enjoy. Button mushrooms are also called white mushrooms or table mushrooms. It is one of the most widely cultivated mushrooms in the world, inexpensive, and is available year-round.

Check out more gravy recipes on my blog like

Sprouted moth bean curry

Soyachunks Aloo kurma

Mushroom kurma

Prep  time	Cooking time	Serves
15  mins	10 mins	3 persons

Recipe Type: Side dish for roti

Course: Indian Cuisine

Ingredients Button  mushrooms – 250 gms Ghee – 1 tbsp. Chopped onion – 1 cup Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp. Tomato puree – ½ cup Red chili powder - 1 tsp Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp Garam masala – 1 tsp Kasturi methi  - 2 tsp Fresh coriander leaves – 1 tbsp. Water – ¼ cup Cashew nut paste Cumin seeds – 2 tsp Cashews – 50 gms Onions -1 cup Poppy seeds -1 tbsp. Water – ¼ cup

Tomato puree preparation:

Take fresh tomatoes and wash it.

Cut the tomatoes and grind it without water

Method

1. Wash, clean, and chop the mushrooms. Set aside.

2. In a pan add ghee, When it is heated add bay leaf, chopped onion and fry till it becomes golden brown.Next add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.

3. Add tomato puree and fry until oil become separated and add all the spices.

4. Sauté the masala till it starts leaving the sides of the pot. Stir at regular intervals for even cooking

5. Then add mushroom and cover with lid for 10 to 15 sec at low flame. 

6. After sometimes add 1/4 cup water, and stir to combine in the masala.

7. Then add cashew nut paste and allow it to boil

8. Add some more water to the sedired consistency.

9. Finally add Kasthuri methi leaves. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

10. Serve hot and enjoy.

Health Benefits of Mushrooms:

Many mushrooms are also good sources of selenium, an antioxidant mineral. 

Mushrooms will help to Increase your vitamin D

Mushrooms are low in calories, cholesterol-free, fat-free and very low in sodium

Serving suggestions 

Naan, Chapati

Jeera rice or steamed basmati rice

Notes

We can also add fresh cream for this Indian mushroom gravy recipe at the final stage for increasing the taste.

Uddina Bele Gojju - North Karnataka Style

The taste and aroma of uddina bele gojju is very much delightful that you will finish off your meal with whole heartedly. The spice in the green chilies and curry leaves enhances the favour and taste. This is usually eaten along with dried green chilies which is called as Mor milgai in Tamil and Sendige Menasu in Kannada.It is a curd based gojju and is very tasty and very popular across Udupi-Mangalore region of Karnataka and goes very well with rice. This recipe hardly takes five minutes...but it tastes too good. It aids digestion, boosts energy and improves the skin health.

Check out  some other side dish recipes from my blog like 

Curry leaves Idli podi 

Mint and coriander chutney

Prep  time	Cooking time	Serves
10  mins	5 mins	2 persons

Recipe Type: Side dish

Course: North Karnataka Cuisine

Ingredients Split urad dal- 2 tbsp. Water – ½ cup Curd – ¾ cup Green chilies -4 nod Coriander leaves – ¼ cup Salt – 1 tsp Seasonings Coconut oil – 1 tbsp. Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp Hang – 1 tsp Dry red chilies-  3 nos

Method

1. Prepare all the items and make sure its ready before the process.

2. Take urad dal and soak for 1.5 hours. 

3. Now grind it into a fine paste consistency and keep it aside.

4. Add in whisked curd to the urad dal paste and mix it well. 

5. Add salt, asafoetica and coconut oil to the bowl. Make sure no lumps are left out. Now you will come across a thick consistency. Dilute the urad dal mixture by adding little water you can also substitute a part of curd with water. Add in salt and mix it well again.

6.Temper it with oil, mustard seeds, asafetida, curry leaves and red chillies. 

7. Now add in green chillies in the same oil and pour it to the gojju mixture.

8. Serve it with hot steaming rice and enjoy.

Serving Suggestions

Dosa or idli

Hot rice

Notes

• Coconut oil is preferred for better taste.
• Green chilies can be used more or less according to the preference of the spice level.
• Curd or buttermilk should not be sour.