Heart-friendly Recipes

[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.

[minisoji]

Carrot and Tomato Juice

Ingredients:

grated carrot - 1 cup
chopped tomato - 1 cup
honey - 2 tsp
pepper to taste
salt to taste

Method

1. Blend carrot and tomato together.
2. Strain and add rest of the ingredients.
3. Serve chilled.

[minisoji]

Soyabean Dosa

Ingredients:

Soyabean-soaked in water for 8 hours, followed by sprouting which increases their vitamin E content.
Ginger
Salt
Chillies
Rice Flour-1-2 tsp, to increase the spreadability, optional.

Method

1. Grind the soyabeans in a grinder, with ginger, salt and chillies to taste.
2. Add water till the consistency is of idli-atta.
3. Heat the coated pan. Pour soyamixture on the hot pan, about 2 large spoonful. Spread with a spoon. Cover. Cook for 2 min, on medium heat.
4. Invert and cook other side, without cover.

Additions:

Adding Onions, Tomatoes, Grated Carrots, Grated Raddish, Cumin seeds make the dosa more delicious. Oil can be sprayed on pan while cooking, but is not a must.

[minisoji]

Healthful Pomegranate Juice

Ingredients

1 - pomegranate, cleaned
1 - apple diced, cored
1 slice - beetroot, boiled, cooled
1 tbsp - jaggery grated
or 1 tbsp - honey or light molasses (any)
5 to 6 drops - lemon juice
salt taste
pepper to taste

Method

1. Whisk pomegranate with an electric handmixer.
2. The juice will get extracted, but seed should stay intact.
3. Strain and discard seeds.
4. Now put apple and other ingredients in an electric mixer.
5. Run till it forms a smooth puree.
6. Add 450 ml. chilled water.
7. Run again till mixture is smooth and frothy.
8. Strain, serve fresh and frothy in tall glasses.

Making time: 15 minutes
Makes: 2 glasses
Shelflife: 2-3 hours refrigerated

[minisoji]

Stuffed Aubergines (Brinjals)

Ingredients:

4 long firm aubergines
1 tbsp. peanut crushed
1 tbsp. coconut grated
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. dhania (coriander seed) powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. mango powder (amchoor)
1/2 tsp. each ginger & garlic grated
salt to taste
1 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped

Stuffed Aubergines (Brinjals)

Ingredients:
4 long firm aubergines
1 tbsp. peanut crushed
1 tbsp. coconut grated
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. dhania (coriander seed) powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. mango powder (amchoor)
1/2 tsp. each ginger & garlic grated
salt to taste
1 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped

Method

1. Mix all the spices, coconut, peanut and salt together.
2. Wash and slit the aubergines lengthwise.
3. Stuff each one with the masala mixture.
4. Place in a shallow bowl which has a loose lid.
5. Heat the oil, add ginger garlic and pour over aubergines.
6. Cover and microwave on high for 5 minutes or till almost done.
7. Turn once at half time.
8. Allow to stand for 3-4 minutes before serving.
9. Chop into 1"chunks.
10. Garnish with coriander.

Making time: 10 minutes
Makes: 3 servings