Pineapple Rasam| Rasam Recipes

Pineapple Rasam| Annasipazha Rasam| Kaithachakka Rasam is a different rasam with an unique pineapple flavour. This rasam is generally served in restaurants and weddings. It is healthy and indeed tasty as it includes pineapple and dal. I could say it is a real treat for pineapple lovers and also vegetarians. I just love this rasam as it is flavourful,healthy and satisfying.

This rasam goes well with any Vegetable stir fries(thoran/poriyal)with coconut or (Kootu)without coconut and even with Papad. There is many rasam recipes in my blog Raw Mango Rasam, Lemon rasam, Instant Lemon rasam, Instant rasam, Vepam poo Rasam and Kollu Rasam.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Cuisine: Tamil
Serves: 4-5

INGREDIENTS:
Pineapple- 3 rings
Tomato- 1 big
Toor dal- 1/4 cup
Salt- to taste
Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander leaves- 3 tablespoons

To temper:
Oil-3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 teaspoon
Dry red chilli- 2
Curry leaves- 2 strand
Asafetida- 1/4 teaspoon

To grind:
Garlic-4 big cloves
Peppercorns- 1 teaspoon
Dry Red chillies- 3-4
Jeera- 1 teaspoon

PROCEDURE:

• Pressure cook toor dhal for 5 whistles till soft and mash it and set aside.
• In a blender jar add garlic, peppercorns, dry red chillies and jeera; blend to make a coarsely ground paste/powder without adding water.

• In a deep bowl add the ground paste. In the same jar add one pineapple slice and grind to make a fine paste. Add it to the masala paste inside the bowl. Chop the remaining pineapple into small pieces and add to it.
• Roughly crush the tomato with hand and add with the masala & pineapple mixture.

• Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and the fenugreek seeds. Allow the mustard seeds to splutter and the fenugreek seeds to become brown.
• Now add the dry red chillies and the curry leaves. Add asafetida in the hot oil. 
• Immediately add the pineapple tomato, masala mixture and saute in the same oil for thirty seconds.
• Now add the cooked mashed dal, salt, turmeric powder, coriander leaves and enough water to dilute the rasam.

• Cook the rasam in low flame till frothy layer appears on top.
• Do not allow the rasam to boil (the taste and the flavour of the rasam get lost)

• Note: You could avoid using dhal to prepare this rasam instantly. 

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Vazhaipoo Vadai | Vazha Koombu Vada

Vazhai Poo Vadai | Banana Blossom Fritters is a healthy & tasty evening snack. I did taste these fritters for the first time during school days and it was just awesome. Vazhai poo has a lot of medicinal properties. Banana flowers are rich vitamins like C and E, flavonoids , protein, minerals like potassium,calcium,iron,copper, phosphorous,magnesium and dietary fiber. It is free from sodium.This flower has been used as a traditional medicine to treat bronchitis ,constipation, menstrual cramps and ulcer problems. It boosts mood and reduces the anxiety because the banana flowers have high levels of magnesium. It regulates the blood pressure. The study results of the journal phyto theraphy research shows ,the oral intake of banana flower extract for 30 days may significantly reduce the blood sugar levels in diabetic patients and increase the hemoglobin levels .
Banana flower has an antioxidant, anti microbial and hypo glycemic properties as well.The food science and bio technology recommended the use of banana flowers extracts to make health supplements due to its medicinal properties. Source: Revathi Perumal Samy

Preparation Time: 10 minutes+soaking time
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cuisine: Tamil
Makes: 10-12 nos.
INGREDIENTS:
Chana dal- 1 cup
Banana Flower, chopped- 1/2-3/4 cup (I used two handfulls)
Onion, chopped-1 small
Green chillies, chopped- 3-4
Ginger, finely chopped- 1/2 teaspoons
Curry leaves- 1 strand
Fennel seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Asafetida- 1/4 teaspoon
Salt- to taste
Oil-to deep fry

PROCEDURE:

• Clean the banana flower by removing the centre stiff stick(pistil) and the scale. Chop the flower and soak inside water to prevent browing process if you are not preparing immediately.

• Soak chana dal in water for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile chop onion, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves.
• Drain the water totally and transfer that on a blender jar; add the fennel seeds and jeera.
• Coarsely grind and transfer it on a bowl.
• Now add onion, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, asafetida and salt.
• Add the chopped banana blossom and mix well. 

• Mix well and check for salt. You could add a teaspoon of corn flour to make more crispy vadas.
• Heat oil in a deep pan and deep fry the vadas till crispy.

• Note:You could use half a cup of chana dal and half a cup of toor dal if you prefer. 
• You could replace green chillies with dry red chillies and soak them with chana dal and grind them together.

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Palak Poori | Spinach Poori

Palak Poori| Spinach Poori is a healthy twist to the normal pooris. The Poori is a deep fried flat bread served for breakfast. Adding vegetable makes the food little healthy and makes the food more colourful and attractive. The green colour goes well with the yellow Potato masala served with pooris.

Check my other Healthy Palak recipes, Palak Paratha recipe which is a healthier version, Palak Dosa, Palak Paneer Dosa, Palak Dal, Palak Chutney..etc. To check the health benefits of Spinach refer Palak Chutney recipe.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Makes: 6-8 pooris

INGREDIENTS:

Spinach- 1 small bunch (1/2 cup puree)

Whole wheat flour/ Multigrain Atta/ Atta- 1 cup

Semolina/ Sooji- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons
Ajwain/Omam- 1 teaspoon

Oil- 2 teaspoons
Salt- to taste

Oil- for deep frying

PROCEDURE:

• In a mixing bowl add the semolina and drizzle little water  to soak it up for 5 minutes. Drain the water if any stagnating on top after 5 minutes.
• Wash and finely chop the spinach. Keep inside a blender jar and grind to make a fine paste with out adding any water.

• Add the whole wheat flour, oil, ajwain, salt, the ground spinach puree and mix well with hand.
• Knead well to make a dough. As the dough should be soft enough, so add enough spinach puree to make it soft and pliable dough. If the dough is hard, while frying cracks will form and it would taste dry, also the pooris would not be soft.

• Divide the dough into six to eight small balls. Grease it with oil to avoid cracks on the surface.
• Spread the pooris by adding very little flour and spread to make palm sized pooris using the rolling pin.
• Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the pooris on medium flame by carefully sliding the pooris inside the oil.
• Once the pooris try to pop up from the oil slightly press the poori downwards using a slotted spoon to make the poori to puff up completely.

• Flip the pooris and cook the other side too and drain from oil and keep on top kitchen towel to drain excess oil.
• Serve hot with Potato masala/ Channa Masala.
• Notes: You could flavour the pooris with ajwain. You could add two green chillies with a piece of ginger while grinding the spinach if you wish.
• To make perfect pooris refer my Poori post for extra tips to make a perfectly puffed up pooris.
• I have added extra 1/2 tablespoon of semolina for this poori to prevent the pooris getting soft due to the addition of spinach puree. 

Checkout my other Healthy Spinach/ Palak Recipes:

• Palak Paratha 
• Palak Dosa
• Palak Paneer Dosa
• Palak Dal 
• Palak Chutney
• Palak Paneer
• Palak Vadai

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Beetroot Poori| Pink Poori

Beetroot Pooris (or) Pink Pooris/ Puri is a normal poori with a healthy twist on it by using beetroot. This makes the pooris little healthy, more colourful, kid friendly and attractive. I have shared many beetroot recipes in my blog in various categories from starter Beetroot cutlets, Beeting heart Deviled eggs, Beetroot Masal Vadai as a snack, Beetroot Masala Dosa, Beetroot Dosa as a breakfast, Beetroot Chocolate Cake as a dessert, ABC juice as a Health drink and Kerala Beetroot Pachadi  as a side dish for rice. I have some more beet recipes and post when i get time. Stay tuned!

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Makes: 6-8 pooris

INGREDIENTS:

Beetroot- 1 medium (1/2 cup puree)

Whole wheat flour/ Atta- 1 cup

Semolina/ Sooji- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons

Oil- 2 teaspoons

Salt- to taste

Oil- for deep frying

PROCEDURE:

• Peel and finely chop the beetroot. Keep inside a blender jar and grind to make a fine paste with little water (less than 1/4 cup of water).
• In a mixing bowl add the semolina and drizzle little water or beetroot juice to soak it up for 5 minutes. If you use water drain the water, if any stagnates on top after 5 minutes.

• Add the whole wheat flour, oil, salt and the ground beet root puree to mix well with hand.
• Knead well to make a dough. As the dough should be soft enough, so add enough beetroot puree to make it soft and pliable dough. If the dough is hard while frying cracks will form and tastes dry, also the pooris wouldn't be soft enough.
• You could use only beetroot juice(use half a cup of water and grind the beetroot and roughly squeeze using hands to get the juice if some beetroot puree falls also makes any difference. If you need to perfectly extract the juice, use a strainer) to get deep purple coloured pooris.

• Divide the dough into six to eight small balls. Grease it with oil to avoid cracks on the surface.
• Spread the pooris by adding very little flour and spread to make palm sized pooris using the rolling pin.
• Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the pooris on medium flame by carefully sliding the pooris inside the oil.
• Once the poori try to pop up from the oil slightly press the poori downwards using a slotted spoon to make the poori to puff them up completely.

• Flip the pooris and cook the other side too and drain from oil and keep on top kitchen towl to drain excess oil.
• Serve hot with Potato masala/ Channa Masala.
• Notes: You could pressure cook the beetroots and make the puree for the pooris. But i prefer to use it as raw to avoid nutrient loss. You could pressure cook with potatoes when you cook potatoes for Poori masala.
• You could flavour the pooris with ajwain. You could add a teaspoon of chilli powder too if you wish.
• To make perfect pooris refer my Poori post for extra tips to make a perfectly puffed up pooris.
• I have added extra 1/2 tablespoon of semolina for this poori to prevent the pooris getting soft due to the addition of beetroot puree.

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Beetroot Masala Vadai

Beetroot Masal Vadai is a crispy tasty evening teatime snack with a twist to normal Masal vadai by adding beetroot init. Which makes the vadai more nutritious and colourful.
Beetroot is a healthy colourful  vegetable the health benefits of beet includes reduces blood pressure by increasing the blood flow and helps to maintain heart health. As it is rich in fibre beets helps to prevent constipation.
Choline is a very important and versatile nutrient in beetroot that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. Choline also helps to maintain the structure of cellular membranes, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses, assists in the absorption of fat and reduces chronic inflammation.
Beetroot juice supplementation has been shown to improve muscle oxygenation during exercise, suggesting that increased dietary nitrate intake has the potential to enhance exercise tolerance during long-term endurance exercise. Source: medicalnewstoday.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes+soaking time
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cuisine: Tamil
Makes: 10-12 nos.

INGREDIENTS:
Chana dal- 1 cup
Beetroot, grated- 3/4 cup (1 medium sized)
Onion, chopped-1 small
Green chillies, chopped- 3-4
Ginger, finely chopped- 1/2 teaspoons
Curry leaves- 1 strand
Fennel seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Asafetida- 1/4 teaspoon
Salt- to taste
Oil-to deep fry

PROCEDURE:

• Soak chana dal in water for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile grate the beetroot and chop onion, green chillies, ginger and curry leaves.
• Drain the water totally and transfer that on a blender jar.(If water is there the vadas wont turn crispy as beetroot has some moisture in it.)

• Coarsely grind and transfer it on a bowl.
• Now fennel seeds, jeera, onion, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, asafetida and salt.
• Add the grated beetroot and mix well. If you feel the mixture has more moisture slightly squeeze out the beetroot juice with hand and add(i have not done that).

• Mix well and check for salt. You could add a teaspoon of corn flour to make more crispy vadas.
• Heat oil in a deep pan and deep fry the vadas till crispy.

• Note:You could use half a cup chana dal and half a cup of toor dal if you prefer. 
• You could replace green chillies with dry red chillies and soak them with chana dal and grind them together.
• You could add the fennel seeds and jeera together with chana dal while grinding too.

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Mushroom Thoran | Mushroom Poriyal

Kalan Poriyal| Koon Thoran |Mushroom Stir fry| MushroomThoran | Mushroom Poriyal is an easy to make tasty stir fry with coconut for rice. The health benefits of mushroom includes,
Cancer: Mushrooms contain just as high an antioxidant capacity as carrots, tomatoes, green and red peppers, pumpkins, green beans, and zucchini.
Selenium is a mineral that is not present in most fruits and vegetables but can be found in mushrooms. It plays a role in liver enzyme function, and helps detoxify some cancer-causing compounds in the body. Additionally, selenium prevents inflammation and also decreases tumor growth rates.
The vitamin D in mushrooms has also been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells by contributing to the regulation of the cell growth cycle. The folate in mushrooms plays an important role in DNA synthesis and repair, thus preventing the formation of cancer cells from mutations in the DNA.
Diabetes: As it is fibre rich the studies have shown that type 1 diabetics who consume high-fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels and type 2 diabetics may have improved blood sugar, lipids and insulin levels.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 21-25 g/day for women and 30-38 g/day for men.
Heart health: The fiber, potassium and vitamin C content in mushrooms all contribute to cardiovascular health. Potassium and sodium work together in the body to help regulate blood pressure. Consuming mushrooms, which are high in potassium and low in sodium helps to lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.
Immunity: Selenium has also been found to improve immune response to infection by stimulating production of killer T-cells. The beta-glucan fibers found in the cell walls of mushrooms stimulate the immune system to fight cancer cells and prevent tumors from forming.
Weight management and satiety: Dietary fiber plays an important role in weight management by functioning as a "bulking agent" in the digestive system. Mushrooms contain two types of dietary fibers in their cell walls: beta-glucans and chitin which increase satiety and reduce appetite, making you feel fuller longer and thereby lowering your overall calorie intake. Source: medicalnewstoday


I have tasted this Mushroom Thoran in Hilton, Chennai at this vacation. They made without fennel powder and pepper powder. I felt addition of these both powders makes the dish even more tasty and i felt i was right after preparing and tasting the dish.

INGREDIENTS:
Mushroom- 1 packet(250 gms)
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Onion, chopped-2 small
Green chillies, chopped- 2
Garlic, finely chopped-2 big cloves
Curry leaves- 2 strands
Salt- to taste
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Pepper powder- 1/2 teaspoon(increase according to your spice level)
Fennel powder/ Sombu podi- 1/2-1 teaspoon
Coconut, grated- 1/4 cup

PROCEDURE:

• Wash the mushroom and remove any black colour dirts sticking to it.
• Chop them finely as shown in the picture (like criss- cross cut).

• Heat oil in a pan and mustard seeds, once it splutters add the onion, green chillies, garlic, curry leaves with a pinch of salt.
• Allow to cook till it starts to become soft and then slightly golden for a minute or two. 

• Now add the chopped mushroom and mix well with some salt. Allow to cook well, now water from the mushrooms oozes out so take a wide pan and cook in high flame so that the water drains out fast once you cook in high flame.

• Now add the turmeric powder, pepper powder, fennel powder and mix well and cook for fifteen minutes.

• Now add the grated coconut and mix well and cook for further fifteen to thirty seconds on low flame and switch off the flame.
• Serve with steamed rice and rasam or dhal combination.
• Notes: You could replace pepper powder with red chilli powder if you wish.

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Chocolate Beetroot Cake

Chocolate Beetroot cake is an absolutely tasty chocolaty cake which is also high in nutrients. The added beet makes the cake super soft and moist and wait, also healthy. It is simple cake which could be consumed as such or could be iced with any frosting like Whipped cream frosting  or Cream cheese frosting.

I decided to prepare this cake as it is my blog's Second Anniversary. I am happy that i have been able to hang on to the blogging world for two straight years. I pray that God keeps me going for the years to come as well. Posting recipes starting from finalizing/deciding recipes, purchasing ingredients, preping, cooking, styling the cooked food, clicking and editing pictures, Typing in the recipes and posting. Each and every step in blogging is quite exciting and interesting as it does involve a lot of time and hard work . Hope your (reader) support continues for the coming years too.

INGREDIENTS:
*All purpose Flour/ Self raising flour- 3/4 cup
Cocoa powder- 4 tablespoons
*Baking Powder- 1 teaspoon
*Baking Soda- 1/2 teaspoon
Oil- 1/2 cup
Eggs-2 (or) Yogurt- 1/2 cup( for vegetarians)
Sugar- 1 cup
Vanilla essence- 1 teaspoon
Beetroot Puree- approximately 1 cup (I had used 1 medium beetroot)
Icing sugar- for dusting (optional)
* Do not use Baking powder and Baking Soda if you use Self raising flour.

PROCEDURE:

• Prepare the cake tin by lining with butter/wax paper (or) grease with butter or oil and dust with flour.
• Pressure cook the beetroot for 4 whistles; peel and chop it and blend to make a fine puree. Make sure there no unground pieces remain.
  

• In  a deep bowl keep the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and mix well with (use a whisk) to combine well (or) Sieve together to uniformly mix well.
• In a deep bowl add oil, eggs/yogurt and sugar and beat using a hand held electric mixer or normal whisk till frothy.
• Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

•  Now add the beetroot puree and beat well to combine. Now add the all purpose flour and cocoa mixture and fold the mixture using spatula (or) run the electric mixture in low speed.

• Pour the batter on the prepared cake tin, you could add some nuts or raisins on top of the cake if you wish.
• Preheat the oven to 180 degree for 10 minutes and bake the cake for 30 minutes or the skewer inserted comes out clean.

• Notes: You could use 1 cup flour and make the same cake without cocoa powder too. You could cut the cake into tow thin layers and ice with Whipped cream frosting  or Cream cheese frosting for any other event.

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