Sprouted Horsegram Rice using RoseMatta Rice (Mulai kattina Kollu Sadham) (Instant pot & Pressure cooker method)

Category:  Lunch / Rice
Preparation Time: 10 mins + Soaking & Sprouting time
Cooking Time: 15-20 mins
Servings: 2-3 Servings

Sprouted Horsegram Rice (Rosematta Rice)

Horse gram is one of the most protein-rich lentil but it is also one of the lentil that's been under rated & under utilized. Horse gram (Kollu) can help with a number of health problems as it contains a good and rich amount of vitamins, proteins, and iron. In addition to weight loss, it helps in reduction of extra fat from the body. Horse gram is rich in B-complex vitamin and proteins. It helps in purifying menstruation and cures and prevents arthritis. The presence of a good amount of dietary fiber in the gram helps balance sugar glucose and blood pressure levels. As long as caution is exercised in not consuming excessive quantities of this legume, it is highly recommended to include horse gram in your regular diet.

Sprouting process increases the nutritional value of the horsegram and also sprouts can be easily digested. Its very good to include sprouted grains and legumes in our regular diet practice.

I tried this rice in the similar way as our favourite Kongu special Arisi paruppu sadam with some modifications and it turned out to be great! I used Rosematta rice here and we can use any of our regular cooking rice, brown rice or even with millets. I usually cook it in the Instant pot and I also had given the steps for making it in the pressure cooker.

While making for kids, we can avoid the green chillies and reduce the spice level. Also adding ghee enhances the taste and flavour, drizzle a tsp of ghee over the rice while serving for the kids :)

Ingredients: 

• Rice - 3/4 cup (I used RoseMatta rice)
• Sprouted Horse gram - 1 cup 
• Small Onions - 10 nos, peeled and halved or 1 big onion, chopped
• Tomato, chopped - 1 no
• Green chilly - 2-3 slitted (Optional and adjust as per spice level)
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sambar powder - 1/2 Tbsp
• Sesame Oil / Any cooking oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt - to taste
• Water - 2 cups (adjust as per the type of rice)

To coarsely grind:

Mixed Vegetable Paratha / Mixed Veggies Whole wheat Flatbread

Category: Chapathi / Paratha   
Preparation Time: 15 mins    
Cooking Time: 20 mins    
Servings: 3 - 4 servings

Mixed Vegetable Paratha

Mixed vegetable paratha is an easy breakfast recipe for toddlers and kids. This can also be packed in kids lunch box along with some raita or simple yogurt. This is a great way to include veggies in our kids diet :)

This is very simple, just steam cook the available veggies, mash them, knead it with the dough and make parathas. This is not a stuffed paratha so it s perfect for busy mornings too.

Choice of veggies is up to us, but adding sweet potato or potato will yield softer paratha  so try to include one of them. 

Also we can include greens along with the veggies. We can add finely chopped spinach, methi leaves, coriander leaves or even spring onions. No need to cook the greens, we can just add them while making the dough. If needed we can steam cook the spinach for couple of mins and mash it along with the veggies.

Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat flour / Atta -2 to 3 cups (use as required)

• Mixed vegetables* -About 3 cups (I used 1 medium sized sweet potato, 1 carrot, 1/2 cup frozen green peas, 10 green beans)

• Ginger, grated - 1/2 Tbsp

• Ajwain / Omam - 1/2 tsp

• Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup, finely chopped 

• Garam Masala ** - 1/2 to 1 tsp

• Red chilly powder -  to taste

• Salt- to taste

• Oil / Ghee - as required

* We can use the following vegetables for making this paratha 

• Sweet Potato

Chow Chow Poricha Kootu (Chayote Lentil Stew)

Category: Kootu / Lunch
Preparation Time: 15 mins 
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Servings: 3 servings

Chow Chow Poricha Kootu

Chow Chow Kootu is made with Chayote Squash / Chow Chow, Moong dal and freshly roasted & ground spices. Adding handful of cooked channa gives nice texture to the kootu and also gives a protein boost :) 

Chow Chow Kootu tastes best with hot rice along with spicy Vathakuzhambu and appalam!

Ingredients:

• Chow Chow / Chayote - 1 big sized or 2 small sized, cubed
• Moong Dhal - 1/4 cup
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Water - as needed
• Cooked Brown Channa - handful (Optional)

To Roast & Grind:

• Coconut oil - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Black pepper - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Red chillies - 1-3 (Adjust as per spiciness)
• Fresh Coconut - 1/4 cup

For Tempering:

• Coconut Oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Split Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Asafoetida - a generous pinch

Method:

• Wash and peel the chow chow, remove the seed and chop into bite sized cubes

2 in 1 Pongal - Sweet Pongal & Ven Pongal (Instant Pot version)

Category: Pongal Recipes / Festive Recipes
Preparation Time: 10 mins  
Cooking Time: 30 mins  

Servings - About 4-5 servings

2 in 1 Pongal

During festivals we would be making different types of pongals, especially Sweet Sakkarai Pongal, Kalkandu Pongal and Spicy Venpongal. 

Instead of making it separately and also to save time, we can just cook the rice and dal in instant pot/ pressure cooker and use it up to make two different pongal.

Sakkarai Pongal

This also helps when we plan for making ven pongal but kids want sweet pongal :) Or when we want variety for a special day.

Ven Pongal

This is not a recipe as such, just an idea to make easy & save time :)

Ingredients:

• Raw rice - 1 and 1/2 cups (Ponni rice / Sona masoori rice)
• Yellow Moong dal - 1/2 cup (can use upto 1 cup)
• Water - 6 cups 

For Sweet / Sakkarai Pongal:

• Jaggery - 1 cup
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Ghee - 3-4 Tbsp
• Cashews, broken - 10-15 nos
• Raisins - 2 Tbsp

For Ven pongal:

• Ghee - 3-4 Tbsp
• Cumin - 1 tsp
• Black pepper - 1 tsp

Oatmeal Nutella Smoothie (using home made Nutella)

Category: Breakfast/ Oats 
Preparation Time: 5 mins  
Cooking Time: 5 mins  
Servings: 1-2 servings

Oatmeal Nutella Smoothie

Oatmeal Nutella smoothie is a quick and easy on the go breakfast / after school snack for the kids. 

Store-brought Nutella is loaded with refined sugars and palm oil, so I never buy it. This is made with home made Nutella and you can find the recipe here: Home made Nutella.

Home made Nutella with Almonds

Ingredients:

• Oatmeal (Quick cooking or old-fashioned) - 1/2 cup
• Milk / Non-dairy milk -  1 and 1/2 cups (Use as needed)
• Home made Nutella - 1-2 Tbsp (Use as needed)

Optional Add-ins:

• Dates 
• Soaked Chia seeds
• Apple 

Methi leaves Pulao (Vendhaya Keerai Pulao)

Category: Rice Varieties
Preparation Time: 10 mins 
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Servings: 3-4 servings

Methi Leaves Pulao with Green peas

This is an easy pulao recipe using Methi leaves or Vendhaya keerai. There will be slight bitterness in these leaves  so while making for kids, I prefer to add other vegetables like green peas, carrots or potatoes along with it. 

Methi leaves Pulao

This is a quick recipe and goes well with any raita or plain curd.

Ingredients:

• Rice - 1 cup (I used Sona masoori rice)
• Methi leaves / Vendhaya keerai - 1 cup, tightly packed
• Oil / Ghee - 2 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
• Cloves - 3 
• Green Cardamom - 1
• Star anise - 1 
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Onion - 1, thinly sliced
• Green chillies - 2 (adjust to taste)
• Ginger-Garlic paste - 1/2 Tbsp  or Finely chopped garlic - 1/2 Tbsp
• Frozen green peas - 3/4 cup (Optional - Can substitute with 1 small carrot or potato)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

How to cook Quinoa in Instant pot & stovetop?

Category: Kitchen Basics
Preparation Time: 5 mins  
Cooking Time: 15 mins

What is Quinoa?
Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is one of the world’s most popular health foods.

                                             

Quinoa is gluten-free, high in protein and one of the few plant foods that contain sufficient amounts of all nine essential amino acids. It is also high in fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E and various beneficial antioxidants. 

Surprisingly, there are over 120 different varieties of quinoa as defined by the Whole Grains Council. Though the grain itself can manifest in a wide variety of colors (including purple!), the most common quinoa colors found across American grocers are white (also considered ivory or yellow quinoa), red, and black.

Interestingly enough, all three of these quinoa types cook and taste differently. While white quinoa has a fluffy post-cook texture, red and black quinoa are known to keep more of their shape and color after cooking. Red quinoa also has a heartier taste and chewier texture than the muted, bitter taste of white quinoa, while black quinoa tastes somewhat crunchy and slightly sweeter than either red or white.

Why to rinse Quinoa before cooking?

Quinoa is a healthy grain that we can incorporate into a variety of different dishes. There is a coating on quinoa seeds that can give it a bitter and nutty taste. By using a fine mesh strainer or a sieve, we can avoid this bitter taste by thoroughly rinsing your quinoa first. Many pre-packed quinoa are pre-washed but it's better to rinse it again.

Cooking Quinoa in Stovetop:

Ingredients:

• Quinoa, washed -1 cup
• Water -  2 cups
• Salt - a pinch (optional)