Heart-friendly Recipes

[minisoji]

Sardines-Greens Stew

Ingredients:

Oil for frying (palm oil is most authentic, but any vegetable oil will do)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1-2 ripe tomatoes, chopped (or canned tomatoes, or tomato sauce or paste)
1-2 pounds of spinach, cleaned, stems removed -- or -- cassava leaves (Feuilles de Manioc), kale, collards, or turnip greens or similar, cleaned, stems removed and parboiled (or some combination of these)
Salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper or red pepper (to taste)
Canned sardines (two or three cans is good, but one can will do if you're on a tight budget)

Method

1. If using dried or salted fish: Soak fish in water for a few hours, rinse and remove any skin or bones, and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
2. Heat a few spoonfuls of oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion and garlic for a few minutes.
3. Add the spinach (or greens) and fry them at high heat for a few minutes, stirring continually. (just a few minutes for spinach, but a few minutes more for other greens).
4. Stir in the tomatoes (or canned tomatoes with their juice, or tomato sauce or paste), the salt and pepper, and a cup of water.
5. Reduce heat, cover, and allow to simmer for twenty minutes or until the greens are nearly tender.
6. Add the sardines (or other preserved fish) and continue to simmer until the greens are ready to eat.
7. Serve with Baton de Manioc / Chikwangue, or Fufu, or Plantains, or Rice.

[minisoji]

Ulliporakala Pulusu (Spring Onions in Gravy)

Ingredients:

3 Bunches Spring Onions
1/2 Cup Tamarind Juice
3 Green Chillies
2 tbsp. Besan (Chickpea Flour)
1/4 tsp. Mustard
1/4 tsp. Jeera (Cumin)
Salt to Taste
1/2 tsp. Chilli Powder (Optional)
1/4 tsp. Haldi (Turmeric) powder
1 tbs. Oil
1/4 cup Water
2 tbsp. Sugar

Method

1. Cut the green part Spring Onions into small pieces. Also chop the white part separately.
2. Heat a saucepan and add oil. When oil is hot add mustard and jeera. When seasoning starts to splutter, add chopped white part of the onions.
3. After the onions are sauted add haldi and stir for few seconds.
4. Add the green part of the onions and cook for about 5 minutes or till they loose they raw flavour.
5. Add tamaring juice and salt. If you want spicy add chilli powder and cook for few minutes.
6. Mix besan in 1/4 cup water till no lumps are left. Add this besan mixture to the onions and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add sugar and stir for few minutes and remove from flame.
8. Serve this hot with Rice or Chapattis. Also tastes great when cold.

[minisoji]

Hot and Sour Pumpkin

Ingredients:

500 g - pumpkin
4 cm ball - tamarind
3 tbsp - oil
4 to 6 - dry red chilies
1 tbsp - coriander seeds
2 tsp - cumin seeds
½ tsp - fenugreek seeds
½ tsp - black pepper corns
1 tsp - mustard
few curry leaves
salt to taste

Method

1. Peel the pumpkin and cut into 2 cm cubes.
2. Soak tamarind in ½ cup of warm water and extract the juice.
3. Heat 2 tsp of oil and roast red chilies, coriander, cumin and fenugreek seeds and pepper. Cool and powder coarsely.
4. Heat the remaining oil in a kadai.
5. Add mustard. When it splutters, add curry leaves.
6. Add pumpkin and salt. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp of water.
7. Cover and cook on low heat till pumpkin is soft, but not mushy.
8. Add the tamarind juice and the masala powder.
9. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
10. Serve hot with steamed rice and dal.

[minisoji]

Yoghurt Cucumber

Ingredients:

2 - cucumber (diced)
100 ml - curd
3 g - crushed black pepper
salt to taste

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients and check the seasoning.

[minisoji]

Healthy Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

4 to 5 - huge tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup - moong dal
1 - onion, chopped
1/2 cup - low fat milk [ reduced fat /1% fat/ 2% or fortiefied with vit a and d all work ]
2 tbsp - cornflour
1 tsp - olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Cook tomatoes and moong dal in 3-4 cups of water till the dal is cooked.
2. Saute the onions with Olive oil or can use PAM spray.
3. Now add the onions along with the cooked tomato dal mixture, cool it for a while and blend till smooth. Strain it with a strainer.
4. The result is creamier soup.
5. Boil it again and add milk, salt and pepper as per taste.
6. If you want more thicker consistency add cornflour to some water, make a paste and add it to the soup.
7. Serve it hot with Croutons.

[minisoji]

Wholewheat-Sprouts-Soyabean Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup soft wholewheat, soaked overnight
1/2 cup soyabeans, soaked overnight
1/2 cup beansprouts or assorted sprouts
1 tbsp. fenugreek seeds sprouts
1 onions finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1 sprig spring onions with greens, finely chopped
1 small cucumber finely chopped 8-10 mint leaves finely chopped or 1/4 tsp. mint powdered 1 flake garlic, peeled
2 stuffed olives, drained, finely chopped (optional)
2 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar ground
1/4 tsp.cumin seeds, crushed
1/4 tsp. pepper, crushed
1 tsp. olive oil

For garnishing:
2-3 sprigs of fresh mint leaves
1 tsp. chopped coriander
2 olives sliced thinly or halved

Method

1. Pressure cook both soyabeans and wholewheat till tender (6-7 whistles).
2. Remove, drain out all excess water, pour over a clean kitchen towel.
3. Allow to cool completely, and dab dry.
4. Smash garlic flake, rub all over inside of bowl to be used for making salad.
5. Pour wheat and beans into this bowl.
6. Add onions, tomatoes, cucumber, chopped olives, mint.
7. In a small bottle with fitting lid, pour olive oil.
8. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, sugar, cumin, vinegar.
9. Also add the rubbed leftover garlic flake.
10. Close bottle and shake well till ingredients are well blended and milky.
11. Discard garlic flake, pour dressing over salad.
12. Toss well, and blend flavours.
13. Garnish with mint leaves, coriander and sliced olives.
14. Serve cold.

Making time: 30 minutes (except cooling time)
Makes: 3-4 servings
Shelflife: Best fresh after assembling

[minisoji]

Tomato Paranthas

Ingredients:

350 gm - wheat flour
2 - medium size tomotao (ripe and juicy)
1 to 2 - green chillies
1/2 inch piece - ginger
salt - 1 tsp
coriander power - 1 tsp
a few sprigs - fresh coriander

Method

1. Blend tomatoes, ginger, chillies in to a smooth paste in an electric mixer.
2. Add salt and coriander power to it.
3. Mix this paste to the wheat flour in a large bowl.
4. Add finely chopped fresh coriander leaves to it and knead with your hands or in a food processor until the dough is soft and pliable.
5. Add water accordingly if the dough is too hard.
6. Cover the dough with a moist cloth and keep aside for atleast 30 minutes.
7. Take a walnut size portion of the dough and roll in to a disc of about 6 inch diameter.
8. Cook the parantha on an iron griddle or a frying pan over medium heat using little oil.
9. It can be served with plain yogurt or mint chutney.