Punukulu

Today i was wondering what to do for lunch today,i didnt want to eat the regular stuff that i usually eat like chapathis or rice.So i opened the fridge and started searching ......n i happend to see this dosa batter which was sitting in my fridge for quite a long time...So then i got the idea of makeing these punukulu from the leftover dosa batter...

The weather was also cold outside so enjoyed my hot punukulu very welll with tomatoe pickle and a glass of nice lassi after it.






Ingredients

2 cups of left over dosa batter(the thick one which we have before makeing the dosa's)
1/2 medium onion chopped
3 green chillies chopped fine
1 inch ginger grated/chopped fine
1 tsp jeera
few sprigs of cilantro chopped
1 tbsp sooji(upma rava)
pinch of bakeing soda/powder


Method:

• Heat some oil for deep frying on medium heat.
• Next take the dosa batter,to this add all the chopped onions,chillies,ginger,cilantro,jeera.
• Now add the salt,sooji and bakeing soda/powder.Then mix the batter with a spoon
• Once the oil is hot,then keep droppping a tablespoon of batter into the oil...but dont crowd the pan.
• Once golden on oneside turn each of it ,Once its fully golden on both sides remove onto a tissue.
• Serve hot with any chutney like coconut/peanut or even pickle of ur choice like tomatoe or mangoe pickle or even tomatoe ketchup

This is a nice snack for a rainy day with a nice cup of hot tea.These punukulu have a crunchy texture because of the sooji we put into the batter.

Broccoli Soup

Broccoli belongs to the cabbage family,it has a lots of nutritional value.Broccoli's noteworthy nutrients include vitamin C, vitamin A (mostly as beta-carotene), folic acid, calcium, and fiber. While the calcium content of one serving doesn't equal that of a glass of milk, broccoli is an important calcium source for those who don't consume dairy products.

Calcium does more than build strong bones. Research shows that this mineral may play a role in the control of high blood pressure, and it may work to prevent colon cancer. Beta-carotene and vitamin C are important antioxidants that have been linked to a reduced risk of numerous conditions, including cataracts, heart disease, and several cancers.

Broccoli is a fiber find. Not only is it a rich source, but half of its fiber is insoluble and half is soluble, helping to meet your needs for both types of fiber. But the story doesn't end with broccoli's rich array of nutrients. Broccoli provides a health bonus in the form of protective substances that may shield you from disease.

U can steam the broccoli florets and eat it with ranch,or u can even marinate the florets with some olive oil,salt,pepper and balsamic vinegar and grill it,u can even toss it into any salad.But for those people who dont like to eat broccoli as a whole,u can eat it in a soup form.

I usually like the Broccoli and cheddar soup that we get in panera bread,but this one is a healtier version of broccoli soup minus the cheese and cream....

Ingredients:

2 cups broccoli florets

1 medium potatoe peeled n chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tsp peppercorns

1 small onion chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 stick celery(optional)

salt

Method:

• Heat some oil on medium heat.
• Add the bay leaf n peppercorns.Be sure not to burn them
• Then add the chopped garlic , onions,celery and saute until the onions turn transparent
• Next add the broccoli florets and potatoes and let them cook for sometime.
• Then add 2 cups water,salt and let it come to a boil
• Once u notice the potatoes turned soft switch off the stove and let it cool
• Then remove the bayleaf from the liquid .
• Strain the water(this is the broth) and reserve the water and pulp seperately.
• Grind the pulp with bit of water that we reserved.
• U will get a thick mixture ,Now in this mixture mix the remaining water until u get ur desired thickness
• Now let this come to a boil again.Serve Hot with fresh bread or croutons .

Note : I usually put in some herbs into the soup like dill/parsely/thyme which give it a lot of flavour.Once done instead of serving with fresh cream or cheddar cheese,u can just add 1 tsp of half n half or milk for one bowl of soup.

Spinach and Moong Dal Stir Fry

Once in a while i prefer to make these simple and easy meals which are pakced with a lot of nutrients and one of them is this dish which my mom used to make.It has all the good nutrients from the spinach n the lentils(moong dal),another good thing is it needs very less amount of oil.

Ingredients:

1 box of Birds Eye chopped frozen spinach/1 bunch of fresh spinach

1/2 cup soaked moong dal/pesarapappu

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp jeera

1 tsp urad dal

1/2 tsp chana dal

4 dry red chillies broken into half

4 cloves of garlic (each cut into 2 halfs)

4 green chillies cut lengthwise

few curry leaves

salt

Method:

• Soak the moong dal for 30 mins and then drain away the water
• If useing frozen spinach just put it in the microwave for 4 mins or u can let it to defrost at room temperature as well.But if ur useing fresh spinach wash it thoroughly and chop it very finely.
• Heat some oil in a pan on medium heat.
• To this add the urad dal,channa dal when they turn light brown add the mustard,jeera,garlic,green chillies,dry red chillies and few curry leaves.
• Once they are fried a bit add the spinach,add some salt
• Keep mixing it so that it doesnt stick to the pan,once the raw smell of the spinach goes of
• Then add the drained moong dal,keep mixing it .If u think it is sticking to the pan then add the few tbsp of water

Note:- I always prefer birds eye frozen spinach for this type of dish,as i can skip the process of cleaning n cutting the spinach finely .I did not use any onions for the dish but alternatively u can add chopped onions before adding the spinach and let it fry for some time and then add the spinach.If u dont prefer the moong dal u can avoid it but i personally feel that it gives a nice crunch to the dish.

It goes very well with rice.