Spinach pakora(pakoda)

Spinach is a great and a wonderful leafy vegetable.spinach is available all year round.It is well known for its nutritional qualities and has always been regarded as aplant with remarkable abilities to restore energy,increase vitality and improve the quality of blood. There are sound reasons  why spinach would produce such results,primarily the fact that is rich in iron.Iron plays a central role in the function of red blood cells which help in transporting oxygen around the  body,in energy production and DNA Synthesis.Spinach is also an excellent source of vitamink,Vitamin c and folic acid as well as being good source of magnesium and iron  and vitamin B2.

Today im posting this recipe which is rich in iron and kids would love it and enjoy as evening snack.Im posting this recipe in BM#41 under the theme" KIDS IRON RICH RECIPES"

Ingredients:

• Spinach leaves  2 cups
• Besan or sanaga pindi (chickpeas flour)2 cups
• Rice flour 1 cup
• Crushed Daniya 1 to 2 tbspns
• Crushed pepper 1 Tspn
• Ajwain or vamu 1 Tspn
• Grounded or crushed chilli flakes 1tspn
• Turmeric powder 1/4 Tspn
• Salt to taste.
• water.
• Oil for deep fry.

Procedure:

• Wash spinach leaves and drain the water,and chop it finely(Discard the stem from spinach) 

• Mix all above mentioned ingredients in a bowl ,slowly add water to make it as a paste.Mix well so that you don't see any lumps in it.Now you may add more water to make into a thick batter.
• Now add the Chopped palak leaves to the bowl and mix it well.
• Heat oil in a kadai ,when the oil is hot  drop the roughly shaped balls into the oil.(I do it in a medium flame)
• Fry until Pakodas are golden brown.
• Enjoy the hot crispy palak Pakodas.(you can have it with any sauce or just like that.

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Also sending this recipe to srivalli's kids delight theme under rich iron recipes hosted by kalyani

Poha Moong dal cutlet

Poha is  rice that has been parboiled, rolled, flattened and then dried to produce flake.Poha, made from flattened rice, is an easy-to-cook, nutritious snack. It is often eaten for breakfast as well as brunch sometimes. Beaten rice is a lactose-free, fat-free and heart-friendly food.It is a good source of 11 essential vitamins and minerals including iron. As the flakes are usually pounded using an iron mortar and pestle, the process boosts the iron content. 
                         Split Moong Dal is a type of Lentil ,specially used in India with rice or roti. Split Moong dal is prepared from mung beans only. The outer skin is removed and splited. It makes this lentil yellow in color.Split Mung Beans are a traditional ingredient of Indian cooking, often used in curries. It cooks  fast as in 1-2 whistle in a pressure cooker.

                                          
                                                   I tried this recipe first time as it is rich in iron .Im posting this recipe in BM# 41  under the theme "kids iron rich recipes".My husband liked it very much and so did my kids.Thought of posting it in my blog. Here goes below the details on my healthy dish.

Ingredients

• Poha 2 cups(beaten rice)
• Moong dal 1/4 cup(split yellow gram)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped methi leaves(you may use spinach )
• 1 tbspn of finely chopped coriander
• 3 to 4 green chillies
• Ginger 3 to 4 small pieces
• 1/4 Tspn of sugar
• 2 Tspn of lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 3 to 4 Tspn of oil

Procedure

• Soak the moong dal in water for at least an hour.Then drain it and keep aside.
• Soak rice flakes in water for just 2 to 5 mins ,drain the water from it completely.After drain i take out extra water (I used thick rice flakes)
• Mix all ingredients i.e green chilies,moong dal, ginger,rice flakes in a bowl.Grind into coarse paste (I prefer grinding moong dal first,then add poha and  other ingredients).
• Transfer the mixture into another bowl add methi leaves( u can use spinach instead of methi) chopped coriander,sugar,salt,lemon juice and mix well.
• Now divide the dough into equal portions and shape into round balls,and flatten it between your palms.
• Heat a non stick pan,use 1 or2 spn s of oil and cook 4 To 5 cutlets,till they turn golden colour both sides .
• Repeat the process to make another batch.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup or  any chutney of your choice.

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Also linking this recipe to Srivalli's kids delight theme under Iron rich recipes which is hosted by Kalyani

Dates nuts burfi

Dates are a good source of dietary fiber. Wonderfully delicious, dates are one of the most popular fruits packed with an impressive list of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are required for normal growth development and overall well being. Dates are an excellent source of iron. Iron is a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells, determines the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Dry fruit Burfi is an easy sweet recipe that is sugar-free, fat-free, healthy, and works great as a snack for both kids and us. We can also wrap these small burfis with foil and give them as chocolates for kids. I am posting this recipe in BM#41 under the theme Kids iron-rich recipes. My Kids liked this recipe very much. I prepared this recipe when I went on a vacation to my sister's place. She liked it too. Here goes my yummy recipe.

Ingredients

• Dates  2 cups
• Cashew nuts 1/2 cup
• walnuts 1/2 cup( optional)
• Almonds 1/2  cup
• Pistachio 1/2 cup
• Poppy seeds 1 tbsp
• Green cardamom 1/4 tsp
• Ghee 2 tbsn

Procedure:

• To prepare this burfi first-chop cashews, walnut, almonds, pistachios into small pieces using a chopper or blender. You can use a food processor but becomes a little powder. You may use anything use per your convenience
• Remove the seed from the dates and chop into pieces if the dates little hard..No need to chop they are soft.
• Heat a pan, add 1 tbsp ghee, and add chopped nuts ( almonds, pistachios, cashews) roast just 5 to 7 mins in medium flame and keep aside.
• In the same pan add 2 tbsp of ghee add poppy seeds fry 2 mins then mix roasted nuts and dates, cardamom powder, Mix and fry for 3 to 5 mins in medium flame. Turn off the flame and shift to another plate, so that it cools quickly
• Pick up the mixture and roll it as a log or cylindrical(apply little ghee to your hands) on an aluminum foil. ( spread few chopped pistachios on the foil then roll the log-shaped mixture on top.
• Tighten or seal the foil on both sides and keep in the refrigerator for better shape for an hour.
• After an hr in the refrigerator or 15 mins in the freezer take out and cut them into the desired shape.
• Now Enjoy the healthy and tasty sweet😋

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Also sending this recipe to Srivalli's Kids delight theme- Iron rich recipes, which is being hosted by Kalyani
     

Radish(Mullangi) Methi(fenugreek) fry

 Radish is one of the nutritious root-vegetables featured in both salads as well as in main recipes. Because of their high vitamin c content and natural cleansing effets regular consumption of radishes can help prevent viral infections.With a high water content and lots of vitamin c as well as phosphrus and zinc,radishes are a nourishing food for the tissues and can help keep your body hydrated and your skin looking fresh all summer along.

The innumerable health benefits of fenugreek made it to be counted among the healthiest foods. Fenugreek or methi leaves are very rich in vitamins and minerals and they get easily absorbed by the body. Some major ingredients include calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and dietary fiber in its naturally occurring form as in other vegetables.Here goes my simple recipe radish and methi or fenugreek leaves  fry..

Ingredients:

• Radish( Muli or mullangi)1 count (big one)
•  Methi leaves 1 bunch
• Red chillies 3 count
• garlic pods 3 count
• onion 1 count(small or medium)
• jeera 1/2 Tspn
• mustard 1/2 Tspn
• urad dal 1/2 Tspn 
• oil  
• salt
• turmeric 1/4 Tspn

Procedure:: 

•  Wash ,chop methi leaves and keep aside.Cut Muli or radish into small pieces.
• Heat oil in  a pan.When it is hot add jeera,mustard,urad dal.when mustard starts spluttering add onions  ,red chillies,garlic.
• Fry well until onions turn golden brown.
• Now add chopped Muli pieces to the pan.Fry for 3 to 4 mins well.
• Then add chopped methi leaves to the pan.Add turmeric and salt.Cover few mins around 3 to 4 mins and remove the lid and fry until Muli and methi well cooked.You can have with rice and roti.

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Egg plant dried yellow pea(vatana) curry

Dried peas are the perfect choice that are available in any time of the year.Dried peas, a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family, are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only can dried peas help lower cholesterol, they are also of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal.Dried peas also provide good to excellent amounts of five important minerals, three B-vitamins, and protein.They are a good source of potassium which may decrease the growth and development of blood vessel plaques and is also good for lowering high blood pressure.

                                         Eggplant or Brinjal, is a very low calorie vegetable and has healthy nutrition profile; good news for weight watchers! 

 I cook all types of eggplant,mostly I go for the small purple ones. I usually  cook dried peas once in a month  with variations  potatoes or sometimes brinjal or just like that.This recipe most popular in east India as they eat dried peas cooked with some spices as evening snack.Most of my recipes I learnt from my Husband who is a fabulous cook.This Is one of  our favorite among vegetarian..Here my recipe dried peas with eggplant or brinjal.

Ingredients:

• Egg plant or brinjal 4(small purple brinjal if it is longer one take 2)
• Vatana or batani 1 cup
• one big onion
• Mustard seeds 1/2 tspn
• Jeera 1/2 tspn
• green chillies 3 to 4
• red chilli powder 1 tspn
• ginger garlic crushed 2 tspns
• turmeric 1/2 tspn
• garam masala 1 tspn
• salt to taste.

Procedure:

• Soak vatana 7 to 8 hrs in water preferably over night.Next day put them in pressure cooker atleast for 2 whistles.(You can check it if it not,cooked well wait for 2 more whistles,remember it shouldnt be mashed)Drain it and keep aside
• Heat oil in a pan then add mustard seeds,jeera,chopped onions,green chilli,fry well until onions are transparent.Then add crushed ginger garlic,fry few mins.
• Add chopped brinjal pieces ,turmeric,salt fry cover the lid fry well.
• When the brinjal is almost 70% cooked add cooked vatana,redchilli powder to the pan and fry few more mins.
• Add little water around 1 or 2 cups(I added  water which is left after cooking vatana in cooker) for the gravy and cover it cook few more mins (5 to 6 mins)
• Lastly add Garam masala(this is very important to get very good taste,I added my home made garam masala.You can add store bought too) and cook 1 or 2 mins.
• Now switch off the stove and sprinkle some coriander leaves on top of it.Enjoy with rice or roti or dosa.
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Capsicum sesame gravy

Bell pepper, also known as sweet pepper or a pepper (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) and capsicum (in India, Australia and New Zealand),  including red, yellow, orange, green, chocolate/brown, vanilla/white, and purple. Bell peppers are sometimes grouped with less pungent pepper varieties as "sweet peppers.Capsicum peppers are rich sources of antioxidants and vitamin C. Compared to green peppers, red peppers have more vitamins and nutrients and contain the antioxidant lycopene.^[1] The level of carotene, like lycopene, is nine times higher in red peppers. Red peppers have twice the vitamin C content of green peppers.^[1]Red and green bell peppers are high in para-coumaric acid. 

Bell pepper  gives a very good taste when added to any recipe.Here i prepared bell pepper as main ingredient and mixed with sesame seeds and coconut.Addition of sesame seeds enhances the taste.

                                                                                                                                                           

Ingredients

• Bell pepper 2
• one medium onion
• ginger garlic paste 1 tspn
• jeera 1/2 tspn
• chilli powder 1 tspn

for masala paste

• 2 tbspn of grated coconut( fresh or frozen)
• 2 tspns of sesame seeds
• 2 red chillies
• 2 tspns of coriander seeds

Procedure:

• Dry roast coriander seeds,grated coconut,dry redchillies and seesame seeds in a pan in a low flame until nice aroma. transfer them into another bowl and let it cool down for few mins.Grind them into fine paste
• Heat 2 tspn of oil and saute capsicum few mins until it is 80% done.Transfer capsicum into another plate.
• Heat  oil in the same pan for the curry preparation,when it is hot add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.Add finely chopped onions fry well until they are trasparent.
• Now add ginger garlic paste fry well until raw smell goes off.Add salt, turmeric powder,chilli powder.,mix and cook well
• Now add  coconut sesame masala paste.Cook  in a medium flame until all ingredients cook well.
• Its time to add 1 or 2 cups of water depends upon our preference for the gravy.Let it cook few mins.
• Add capsicum to the pan and cook few more mins until  masala is well absorbed by the capsicum and the gravy becomes a bit thick.This takes around 5 to 8 mins.Serve hot with rice or roti

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