Mixed Vegetable Curry

'Mixed Vegetable Curry' - A nicer way to eat 3-4 vegetables in one curry. The vegetables blend well and gives an unique taste. It's easy to make and tastes good.

Ingredients:
Brinjals (long) - 1-2
Potatoes(medium)- 2
Red Bellpepper- 1
Green Bellpepper-1
Bhat powder- 2 tsp
Coconut grated- 2tbsp
Sugar- 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice- 1tbsp
Salt to taste

For Seasoning:
Oil- 2 tbsp
Mustard seed- 1 tsp
Urad dal- 1 tsp
Red chilli- 1-2
Turneric powder- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- 3-4

Method:
Wash and cut the vegetables longitude ( 1 inch long). Keep each vegetables separately. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. After it splutters, add urad dal, red chilli, curry leaves, turmeric. Now add cut brinjals and saute until it turns soft. Remove in a plate and keep it aside. Cook each vegetable separately. Now add all the cooked vegetables in the pan. Add sugar, salt, coconut gratings, bhat powder and mix well and close the lid and keep on low flame for 5 minutes. Now add lemon juice and coriander and mix well. Serve it hot with Rice or chapati.

P.S.  You can also add carrots and peas to this curry.

If you don't have Bhat powder, you can use sambar powder and add little of clove and cinnamon powder to it.

You can mix rice with this curry and you have mixed vegetable bhat.

Amla juice

 This is my Mom's recipe. She makes Amla juice every summer and stores the concentrated Amla juice for a long time in the refrigerator and makes the guests happy in summer with this healthy and refreshing drink.

Ingredients:
Amla - 500gms
(I have used frozen amla)
Ginger grated- 2 tbsp
Lemon juice- 1/2 cup
Sugar- 1 cup

Method:
Boil the amla until soft (You can also pressure cook). Let it cool down. Now it's easy to remove the seeds. In a mixer grind cooked amla pieces and grated ginger. In a pan make sugar syrup. Add the ground amla and ginger. Add lemon juice and bring it to boil. This is the concentrated amla juice. You can store it in a refrigerator. Take 2-3 tbs of this concentrate, add water and amla juice is ready to enjoy.

P.S. Before serving the juice try adding honey and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Averakai Akki tari Uppittu

'Uppittu' is a traditional Karnataka breakfast item. Usually, you use uppit rava/bansi rava to make it. But when there is Averekai season during December-January Akki tari averekai uppittu is a speciality and tastes divine.

Ingredients:
1 cup Rice rava
(I usually use Swad/Deep Idly rava)
1 cup Avarekai/surti papdi lilva
3-4 tbsp shredded fresh coconut
Salt to taste
Sugar- 1tsp
Lemon juice- 1tsp
Cilantro chopped- 1 tbsp
Water- 3 cups

For seasoning: 
Oil- 3-4 tbsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Jeera-1 tsp
Hing- a pinch
Green chillies- 5-6
Ginger grated- 1 tsp
Black peppercorn grounded- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- 5-6
Urad dal- 1tsp
Chana dal- 1tsp
Red chilli- 2-3

Method:
Pressure cook avarekai/surti papdi lilva (4-5 whistles). Keep it aside.
Roast the rice rava with a drop of ghee until golden color or until you get a nice aroma. Keep it aside.
Take a pan with a thick bottom, add oil and add the seasoning ingredients one by one- mustard seeds,jeera,urad dal,chana dal,red chilli, green chillies,ginger, black peppercorns, hing, curry leaf.
Now add the boiled averekai/surti papdi lilva to the seasonings. Add water and bring it to boil. Add coconut gratings, salt and sugar.
Now slowly add the roasted rice rava to the water and keep on stirring. Cover it with a lid and it has to cook for 15-20 mins on low heat. After it is cooked well add lemon juice and cilantro chopped. Mix well and serve it with a dollop of ghee. You can also serve curd and pickle on the side.

Quinoa salad

Quinoa is a grain high in protein, gluten free and flavorful. Quinoa salads are healthy, easy to prepare and tastes yummy.

Ingredients:
Quinoa (cooked)- 1 cup
Black beans-1/2 cup
Carrots grated- 3-4 tbsp
Spinach chopped- 3-4 tbsp
Onions-1/2 cut into thin slices
Red Bell peppers- 1/2 cup thinly cut
Olive oil- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
Green chilies chopped (optional)- 2
Grounded black pepper(optional)- a pinch

Method:
Rinse quinoa 4-5 times and cook in a pot for 10-15 mins with water. Allow it to cool. Mix in a bowl - black beans, grated carrots,chopped spinach,onions,bell peppers,green chilies/black pepper and lemon juice. Now add cooked quinoa,salt,olive oil. Mix well and serve.

Steamed Spicy Broccoli

'Broccoli' is touted as the miracle vegetable with rich nutrients and tons of health benefits. Steamed spicy broccolis are easy to cook and can be enjoyed as a snack with a glass of wine.

Ingredients:
Broccoli florets- 2 cups
Olive oil- 1 tbsp
Minced green chillies- 2 nos
Powdered black pepper- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice- 1 tsp

Method:
Rinse the broccoli florets. In a saucepan add 2-3 cups of water, add broccoli florets and allow it to boil for 5-8 mins. Don't overcook. Broccolis should be crisp-tender. Drain the water.
Take a pan. Add olive oil, minced green chillies,powdered black pepper. Add steamed broccolis, toss it a few times.Add salt and lemon juice. Toss it again and its ready to serve.

Avalakki Bisibelebhat

Ingredients:

Thick Avalakki- 2cups

Moong Dal- 1.5 cups

Cut Cabbage- 1 cup

Tomato cut- 1/2 cup

Tamarind juice- 1/2 cup

Jaggery- 1 inch piece

Bisibele bhat powder/ Sambar powder- 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Coconut grating- 1/4 cup

For Seasoning:

Oil- 2-3 tbsp oil

Mustard seeds- 1tsp

Curry leaf- 10 nos

Turmeric- 1 tsp

Hing- a pinch

Red chilies- 3-4

Method:

Wash and soak the thick avalakki with little water and keep it aside. Pressure cook the moong dal with 3 cups of water.Grind coconut gratings and Bisibelebhat powder.

Take a pan/vessel. Add oil. Add mustard seeds and other seasoning ingredients one by one. To this add cut cabbage, pour a cup of water and let it cook for 6-8 mins until it gets soft. Now add cooked dal, tamarind juice, soaked avalakki and ground coconut and bisibele bhat powder. Mix well. Add salt and jaggery. Add a  little water if needed.Add cut tomatoes. Allow it to boil on medium flame for 15-20 mins.

Serve hot with a dollop of ghee and boondi mixture.

If you are using sambar powder, add a pinch of clove powder,nutmeg powder and cinnamon powder to the seasoning.

You can add other vegetables like beans, carrot,peas also.

Green Smoothie

 Green smoothies are refreshingly delicious, flavorful  healthy blend of fruits, veggies and greens. This can be a breakfast substitution drink. These smoothies are very creamy and  loaded with nutrition and tastes great. Got into the habit of making these smoothies after reading the book 'Eat to Live' by Dr. Joel Furhman. In fact, you don't need a powerful blending machine to blend this as I use the juicer jar of the 'Preethi Platinum Mixie'.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup- pomegranates,blueberries,strawberries,cherries
(Antioxidant blend available at Costco)
1/2 cup- Mangoes,papayas,pineapple
(Festival blend from Costco)
2 inch piece of banana
1/2 Avocado
2-3 Broccoli stalks
2-3 baby carrots
1 celery stalk
2 dates
1 tbsp-freshly grounded flax seeds
1/2-1 cup- kale leaves chopped
1/2 cup- Mustard leaves,Collard greens chopped
2 cups baby spinach
1 scoop of power max protein powder
1 large cup of cold water
1 tsp- Chia seeds

Method:
Except Chia seeds blend all the ingredients in the juicer jar with water for 1-2 minutes and puree until smooth. Pour into glasses and top it with Chia seed. Mix Chia seed with a spoon and eat/drink away your fresh green, crunchy smoothie.

P.S. If you blend chia seeds in your smoothie it becomes gelatinous.