Daliya ka Upma

Want to munch some tasty stuff but can't afford to spend much of the time for cooking? Don't worry, here is a mouth-watering recipe that will help you eat healthy and will not take much of your time.

           
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup broken wheat (dalia)   
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
• 2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger (adrak)
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1/4 cup chopped carrots
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp oil
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander  (for garnishing)

Method:

1. Clean the broken wheat and wash it thoroughly.
2. Boil the broken wheat in 2 cups of water for 3 to 4 minutes. Once it is half-cooked, drain it and  keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in pressure cooker and add mustard seeds.
4. Once the seeds crackle, add green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for a few  seconds.
5. Add the onions and ginger, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Add the green peas and carrots, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Add the boiled broken wheat, salt and 1¼ cups of water, mix well and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
8. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
9. Mix a spoon of ghee to enhance the taste of upma, and serve it garnished with coriander.

Cucumber Pancakes

A healthy breakfast is a must for working energetically throughout the day. Having a bite of sandwich may fill your tummy but it may lack the required nutrition. Here is a quick and easy recipe to prepare a salubrious diet to start your day with. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup semolina (rava)
• 2 cups grated cucumber
• 2 tbsp grated jaggery (gur)
• 1 green chilli , chopped
• 1/4 cup low fat curds (dahi)
• salt to taste
• oil for cooking

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients, except the oil, and make a batter of dropping consistency by   adding some water.
   Note: Don't add excess water, because grated cucumber also leaves some water after adding salt to it. 
2. Heat a non-stick pan and grease it lightly with oil.                   
3. Spread a ladleful of batter and spread it.
4. Cook one side over a slow flame until the base is golden brown in color. Turn over to cook the other side.
5. Remove the pancake and repeat with the remaining batter.
6. Serve hot with chutney or pickle.

Badam ka Halwa (Almond Pudding)

Winter is here. In winters, you need warmth and energy to stay healthy, fit and strong. What more can be a good remedy than eating some delicacy to improve your immune :).

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup blanched almonds              
• 1/3 cup milk
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
• a few saffron (kesar) strands
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 2-3 badam (for garnishing)

To blanch almonds, add almonds to hot water and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and discard the skin and use as required.

Method:

1. In blender, purée the blanched almonds in a blender along with 2 tablespoons of milk to a smooth paste.
2. Heat the ghee in non-stick kadhai (pan), add almond purée and stir continuously on medium flame till it turns golden brown.
3. Rub the saffron in 1 teaspoon of warm water and keep aside.
4. Boil the milk and add it to the cooking almond mixture and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add the sugar, cardamom powder and cook till the sugar has dissolved while stirring continuously. Add kesar to it.
6. Serve hot, garnished with the sliced almonds.

Besan ka Cheela

Quick yet healthy recipes are must to be known to the working professionals so that they can satiate themselves and gain enough energy to start the day afresh.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup besan (bengal gram flour)
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1 finely chopped green chilli
• 1 bunch leaves finely chopped coriander 
• 1 tsp ajwain
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 
• 1 tsp chat masala 
• water to make batter 
• oil for cooking 
• salt to taste 

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients, except oil and water, in a big bowl.
2. Add enough water to make a smooth batter and ensure it has dropping consistency.
3. Heat a non-stick- tawa and turn the heat on medium.
4. Put little oil on tawa and spread a ladleful of batter evenly on it.
5. Let one side of the pancake turn golden brown. Then turn it.
6. Let it be brown & crispy from both sides.
7. Repeat the same with rest of the batter.
8. Serve it hot with chutney or sauce.
   Note: To enhance the taste, you can grate some cheese on the cheela.

Rice Pancakes

Is any rice left-over from last night? Don't panic. You don't just need to fry it and have rice dish in the morning. You can make some luscious dish out of it.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups leftover cooked rice
• 3/4 cup besan (Bengal gram flour)
• 1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
• 1/4 cup rice flour (chawal ka atta)
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander (dhania)
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• salt to taste
• oil for cooking

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients, except oil, in a large bowl and add enough water to make a thick batter.
   Note: For making a fine batter, put these ingredients in food processor and mix it.
2. Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and pour a ladleful of the batter onto it.
3. Cook on both sides using a little oil.
4. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 14 more pancakes.
5. Serve it with some chutney or butter.

Healthy Vegetable Upma

Adding some carrots, capsicums along with onions and potatoes make the usual upma more delicious.
In winters, you can can pep up your platter with a veritable colourful course as a variety of vegetables are available to you. So you can add more veggies like carrots, capsicums along with potatoes and onions to make your upma tastier.

Ingredients:

• Suji - 200 gms
• Onion- 1
• Potato- 1
• Capsicum- 1
• Tomato - 1 (optional)
• Carrot- 1
• Salt- to taste
• Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 4-5 leaves
• Green chilies- 4-5
• Ginger - very small piece
• Red chilies(whole) - 2-3
• Oil- 50-100ml
• Chana dal-12/tsp
• Urad dal-1/2tsp

Method:

1. Take the oil in a pan and once the oil is hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chopped green chilies, chopped ginger, whole red chilies, chana dal and urad dal.
2. Add curry leaves and stir the mixture. Add chopped onions, diced potato, diced tomato, diced carrot and capsicum pieces to it and stir well.
3. Add salt to taste followed by 250ml of water.
4. Put a lid on it and allow the vegetables to cook.
5. Roast the suji for two minutes. Once the vegetables are cooked, see if you need more water. If you feel a little bit of water would be required, then add some water to the vegetable gravy and bring it to near boil. Then add the roasted suji.
   Important: Do not pour the suji at one go. Just keep on adding little quantities and simultaneously stir the contents so that the rawa or the suji mixes evenly.
6. Let the rawa cook for five minutes on a low flame.
7. After that, transfer the contents onto a bowl and serve it hot.