Category: Healthy Recipes

Learn to make healthy recipes at home using our ancient indigenous traditional food of indian, because we believe food is medicine!

Aval / Poha Kesari

Ingredients

Aval(Poha) – 1/2 cup                                                                                      Ghee – 3 tbsp
Organic jaggery powder – 1/2 cup
Cashews & Raisins – 1 tsp each
Water – 1/2 cup
Saffron – 1/8 tsp(soaked in a tbsp of warm milk)

Method

Rinse poha well and set aside for sometime to dry.Then coarse grind poha in a mixer.Heat a tsp ghee in a pan – fry cashews and raisins will golden brown,set aside. Then in the same pan add poha and roast it for 3mins until nice aroma comes,Set aside.
Boil water , once it starts boiling add poha and let it turn soft.Then add organic jaggery powder.
The organic jaggery will start melting, once it gets dissolved add ghee and keep stirring until it comes as a hole mass without sticking to the pan.Finally add saffron milk, fried cashew raisins and switch off.

Healthy sweet ready to celebrate any occasions

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

Priyadarshini is an Engineering graduate in Electronics and Communication. She used work for Dell, Later shifted to Chennai after marriage and worked in Ericsson as system analyst. I have always been passionate about our tradition and curious to know about our ancient wisdom and practices, which made me join this group.

Aval/Poha Ladoo

Ingredients:

Aval: 200g
Mix of walnuts, cashews and badam: 50g
Brown sugar: 200g
Cardamom powder: 2 tsp
Desi ghee:100 ml

 

Method:

Grind brown Brown sugar separately
Grind the nuts separately
Grind the aval separately
Mix the powders without any lumps… heat the ghee and add to the mixture and make ladoos.

Healthy ladoos ready to give power for the chota bheems of our house….

Black rice aval(Karuppu Kavuni)can be substituted with other Millets and flattened rice like Ragi aval, Bajra Aval/Poha , Diabetic/Arthirites Poha ( Kattuyanam), Normal Aval or Poha

Sweet Dry Fruit Aval/Poha (Traditional Rice Variety)

Ingredients:

Irungu cholam Aval – 100g
Grated Coconut- 25g
Jaggery powder – 50g
Cardamom powder a pinch
Ghee – 2 table spoons
Mix of dry fruits – 2 table spoons

Method:

Was and soak the aval for 5 min…Remove excess water…
In a pan, add one spoon of ghee and add aval, jaggery powder and coconut.. sprinkle a bit of water and toss nicely until the jaggery powder dissolves and mixes well with aval… fry the dry fruits in another vessel in 1 spoon of ghee and add to aval.. add a pinch of cardamom and toss well… the dish is ready…

Note: the coconut and jaggery powder quantities can be increased or decreased as per the like..

Irugu cholam aval/poha can be substituted with other  flattened rice like Ragi aval, Bajra Aval/Poha , Diabetic/Arthirites Poha ( Kattuyanam), Black rice aval(Karuppu Kavuni), Normal Aval or Poha

Instant Aval/Poha Kara Kozhukkatai / Dumplings

Ingredients

1. Black Rice Aval – 2 cups
2. Chana dhal – 2 tsp
3. Urud dhal – 2 tsp
4. curry leaf – 8 to 10
5. Mustard seeds – 1tsp
6. Green chilly slit – 2
7. Red chilly – 1
8. Coconut gratings – 3/4th cup
8. Oil for seasoning

Method

Wash once and soak Aval/ Poha for 15 to 20 mins
Drain water. Add required salt and keep it in a mixing bowl
In a kadai Heat oil and add Mustard once they crackle add Channa dhal, Urud dhal,both chilies and curry leaves and pour the seasoning to the poha. Add the coconut gratings and kneed well.

Now greese your hand with little oil and start making dumplings with your hand.

Mean time grease the idli plates with oil and put it on heat.
Place the dumplings in the idli plates and cook for 10 to 15 mins.

Hot steaming instant healthy dish ready to be served with idli powder or chutney of your choice.

Black rice aval(Karuppu Kavuni)can be substituted with other Millets and flattened rice like Ragi aval, Bajra Aval/Poha , Diabetic/Arthirites Poha ( Kattuyanam), Normal Aval or Poha

Author: Sri Nandhini Hari

I’m Sri Nandhini Hari, a B.Com & M.B.A finance post graduate and have worked in American Express Bank as an Asst. Manager and later with CTS as Financial Analyst. I have a passion towards our own tradition and culture and this has triggered me to share the natural and homemade products to a bigger community for the benefit of all.

Black Rive Aval/Poha Upma

Ingredients:

Black rice aval: 1 cup
Lemon juice : 1/2 cup
Onion : 1/2 cup
Green chillies: 1 or 2
Roasted groundnuts : handful
Cold-pressed groundnutOil : 1spoon
Mustard n urad dal : 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves : 5 to 6 leaves
Coriander leaves : to garnish

Method:

Soak the aval for 15-20mins.
Take a pan
Add oil. Once it is hot, add mustard seeds n urad dal and allow it to splutter.
Add curry leaves, onion, green chillies, roasted groundnuts n stir for few minutes.
Next, add the aval and mix well with the tempered ingredients.
Switch off the flame, add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with cocunut chutney.

Black rice aval(Karuppu Kavuni)can be substituted with other Millets and flattened rice like Ragi aval, Bajra Aval/Poha , Diabetic/Arthirites Poha ( Kattuyanam), Normal Aval or Poha

Note:
Once the aval gets socked, the quantity doubles, just take half of the quantity than what is required.

 

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

Priyadarshini is an Engineering graduate in Electronics and Communication. She used work for Dell, Later shifted to Chennai after marriage and worked in Ericsson as system analyst. I have always been passionate about our tradition and curious to know about our ancient wisdom and practices, which made me join this group.

Kodo millet (Varagu) curd rice

Ingredients:
Kodo millet: 1 cup
Water: 3 cups
Milk: 1/4 cup
Curd: 4 tbls
Curry leaf: 7_8
Mustard seed: 1tsp
Cumin: 1tsp
Ginger: 1 inch(finely chopped)
Green chilly: 2(finely chopped)
Red chilly: 1
Cahew nut: 4(sliced)

Method:
Wash and soak the millet for 15-20 mins.
Cook the millet with 3 times of water(1:3).
Leave 3 whistles simmer it for 5 mins.
Allow it to get cool and mash it lightly.
Add milk blend it, then add curd.
Add required salt.
Heat the pan add mustardseeds, when they crackle, add cumin,ginger,chilles,cashew nuts and curry leaf.
Pour it to the cooked millet and blend well.

Now kodo millet curd rice is ready for the lunch box.

Tip:

  • Just to avoid the sourness after 3-4 hrs we are adding milk.
    If you want to eat immediately after cooking, reduce the quantity of milk and increase the quantity of curd.
  • You can also add Butter for Rich taste

Author: Seetha Lakshmi

I'm a homemaker and a mother of 7yrs old son.I strongly believe in Thirumoolar's word"Food is medicine". My quest regarding ancient food recipes started a year back. I'm very happy to share and learn through this initiative from Swarna prashana.

Thinai sweet pongal (Foxtail millet)

Ingredients:

Foxtail millet -1 cup
Greengram dal -1/4 cup
Jaggery -1 1/2 cup
Salt
Cardamon powder-2 tsp
Ghee-3 to 4 tbls
Cashew nut-25grms
Dry grapes-25grms

Method:

Wash the foxtail millet and dal.
Soak it in water for 10mins
Add three times of water to it(1:3) and pressure cook.
Leave 3 whistles and simmer it for 5 mins.
Then take Jaggery in a kadai and pour little water just to melt it and filter it to remove the impurities.
Then again heat the filtered jaggery ,avoid stirring it.
Remove once it turns to light syrup consistency.
Fry few cahew nuts and dry grapes in ghee.
Add jaggery syrup to cooked millet n dal and blend it.
Then add cardomom powder, fried cashew n dry grapes .Blend it well.
Now sweet thinai pongal is ready.
Tip:
After shifting to the serving bowl ,spread a tbls of ghee over it .so that it won’t get dry.

Author: Seetha Lakshmi

I'm a homemaker and a mother of 7yrs old son.I strongly believe in Thirumoolar's word"Food is medicine". My quest regarding ancient food recipes started a year back. I'm very happy to share and learn through this initiative from Swarna prashana.

Thinai khichadi/ pongal (Foxtail millet)

Ingredients:

Foxtail millet : 1/4 cup
Moong dal : 2 table spoon
Shallots : 3 nos
Tomato : half ripe
Carrot : few diced pieces
Green peas: few nos
Jeera : half tsp
Pepper : 2 or 3 nos
Garlic : 2 pods
Dry chilli : tiny piece
Desi ghee 1 spoon
Salt as per taste

Method:

Soak moong dal n foxtail millet for half an hour.
Keep onion n tomatoes ready.
Cut the carrot into small dices.You can add any vegetables of your choice.
Add ghee to the cooker, once hot add jeera, pepper n allow it to splutter.
Add onion and fry for a min.
Add tomatoes n garlic fry for a min.
Add carrot n green peas n fry in low flame for a minute.
Finally add the soaked n rinsed millet n dal mixture..
Add water accordingly to the consistency you desire.
For kids, if it is a bit watery it is good else it will turn hard before you complete the task of feeding😬
Close the cooker and allow 5-6 whistles..
Yummy khichadi is ready.

Foxtail millet  can be substituted with other Millets.

Author: Priyadarshini Somasundar

Priyadarshini is an Engineering graduate in Electronics and Communication. She used work for Dell, Later shifted to Chennai after marriage and worked in Ericsson as system analyst. I have always been passionate about our tradition and curious to know about our ancient wisdom and practices, which made me join this group.

Homemade Healthy KinderJoy (Natural Choco balls / cakes)

 

Ingredients:

Scrapped Coconut : 1 cup
Organic Jaggery : 1.25 cup
Elaichi powder : a pinch
Fried cashew Optional
Desi cows ghee 2 tbl spoon

Method:

Spread the powdered jaggery in a vessel and add water till it is covered and heat till the jaggery is mixed well. Strain the mixture to remove impurities.

Now keep the jaggery mixture in a pan and heat till 1 string consistency.
Once it is arrived add the grated coconut and mix well. After 2 mins add the half of the ghee, elaichi powder and roasted cashew and combine everything.

Now add few drops of ghee to the plate and spread well.
Add the left out ghee to the jaggery coconut mixture. Once you find white bubbles in the sides, start blending it continuously. Just before it comes together as a mass, pour the mixture to the greased plate and allow it to cool.

Take the mixture and form into desired shapes. I had made into balls and squares.If you feel the mixture is sticky jus roll it in rice flour once.

I was about to name this dish as Chocolate balls as it was brown in colour, but to my daughter it looked and tasted like Kinderjoy choco ball.I was overwhelmed that i was able to satisfy my little angel’s urge for sugar candies which are chemical based through this homemade healthy Kinder joy!!! Do try this natural candy and share your feedback.

 

Author: Sri Nandhini Hari

I’m Sri Nandhini Hari, a B.Com & M.B.A finance post graduate and have worked in American Express Bank as an Asst. Manager and later with CTS as Financial Analyst. I have a passion towards our own tradition and culture and this has triggered me to share the natural and homemade products to a bigger community for the benefit of all.

Bajra Aval/Poha Veg Cutlet (Kambu Cutlet)

Ingredients:

Bajra/Kambu Aval/Poha – 2 cups
Peanuts – Handful
Boiled Potato – 2
Grated carrot – 1
Onion – 1
Pudina – 10 leaves
Ginger – 1 inch
Green chilly – 2
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking

Method:

Wash once and Soak Bajra Aval/Poha for 15 min.
Finely chop onion,ginger,green chilly and pudina leaves.
After 15 mins squeze the water from bajra poha and add it to mixing bowl.
(This excess squeezed water can be used for making some other dish)
Now add boiled mashed potato, grated carrot, onion, ginger, green chilly and pudina leaves and mix all the ingredients together.

Spread little oil in your palm and make small flat dumplings out of the mixture.
Heat a iron Tawa and pour few drops of oil.
Once its hot place these dumpling in the tawa and cook till golden brown by turning each cutlet now and then.
Put few drops of oil if necessary.

A Healthy lip smacking evening snack ready to be tasted!!!

Bajra Aval/Poha can be substituted with other Millets and flattened rice like Ragi aval, Black rice aval(Karuppu Kavuni), Diabetic/Arthirites Poha ( Kattuyanam), Normal Aval or Poha

Author: Sri Nandhini Hari

I’m Sri Nandhini Hari, a B.Com & M.B.A finance post graduate and have worked in American Express Bank as an Asst. Manager and later with CTS as Financial Analyst. I have a passion towards our own tradition and culture and this has triggered me to share the natural and homemade products to a bigger community for the benefit of all.