Thinai is a great replacement for rice and like other millets , thinai is healthy, gluten-free and vegan. Foxtail millet helps control Blood sugar levels when consumed on regular. The millet produced a “significant fall (70%) in blood glucose. We need to include these healthy millets regularly in our diet.

Thinai pongal is a easy and yummy dish. Thinai pongal is made using the same procedure as the conventional pongal. We can also make this pongal using other millets like varagu(kodo millet), saamai(little millet) or kuthiraivaali(barnyard millet).

Note: People with thyroid problems may wish to avoid eating millets on daily basis as it is believed to contain some goitrogen properties.

You can try the same recipe with other millets like kodo millet (varagu), pearl millet (kambu), little millet (saamai), barnyard millet (kuthirai vaali).

INGREDIENTS :

1 cup thinai (foxtail millet)

1 cup moong dhal

1 teaspoon whole black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

4 to 5 cashew nuts

a pinch of hing

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon black pepper powder

2 teaspoon ghee+2 teaspoon oil

Few curry leaves

Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat a pan, add moong dal and fry it till it becomes golden brown color and then roast the thinai for 2 min. Take the roasted moong dal and thinai in a vessel and rinse the thinai and moongdal in water for 2 to 3 times. In a pressure cooker add thinai,dhal and 3.5 cups of water, salt and pressure cook it allow it for 5-6 whistles. Allow the pressure to release on its own and then mash the cooked thinai and dhal well. To this add black pepper powder.

Heat ghee and oil in a pan, add cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds starts to sputter, add whole black pepper and fry for some time. Add hing, cashews,grated ginger and curry leaves and fry till the cashews turn into golden brown color.

Add this seasoned mix to mashed thinai and mix well. Delicious and healthy thinai pongal is ready to be served.

Serve hot with chutney & sambar and enjoy !!!

Avocado is a healthy and nutrition rich fruit, which is a very good option for vegetarians and vegans. Try to add it to your regular meal, if you are on diet. Avocado milk shake is a mild, creamy and smooth chocolate coloured refreshing drink. This milk shake is a simple drink, only few ingredients- perfect for those hot afternoons.

INGREDIENTS:

1 avocado

1 ripe banana

4 tablespoons sweet condensed milk

1½  tablespoons cocoa powder

2 glass low fat milk

INSTRUCTIONS :

Mix all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Serve in chilled glasses topped with vanilla ice cream or with your favorite toppings.

Crunchy and tasty , perfect golden fried baby corn fritters is definitely a star recipe of Indian vegetarian cooking. Though it takes time to prepare , everyone would enjoy it as a starter or as a evening snacks served along with mayonnaise

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons pizza seasoning

5 to 6 baby corn blanched

Bread crumbs ( required )

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon vinegar

2 potatoes ( boiled & mashed )

3 tablespoons cornflour

1 tablespoon rice flour

Coriander leaves

2 teaspoons garlic paste

1 teaspoon red chilly powder

Crushed chilly

Salt required

INSTRUCTIONS :

Boil the baby corns for 2 to 3 min and give it a ice bath immediately. Chop the corns into two or finger sized.

Marinate the corns with the paste made out of pizza seasoning, red chilly powder, garlic paste, vinegar, olive oil and salt. keep it aside for 20 min and dry roast it in a kadai.

Add the rice flour, corn flour, crushed chilly, coriander leaves and salt with mashed potato and mix well.

Take a small ball sized potato mash and flatten it as shown in the figure. If the mash sticks to your hand , add more corn flour and adjust the consistency.

Place a baby corn piece in the center of the mashing and cover it up and roll it properly. Remove the extra mashing from the edges. In this way , prepare all your baby corn sticks.

Role the sticks in bread crumbs and fry in hot and medium flamed oil, until it turns golden brown. Remove from oil.

Serve hot with mayonnaise and enjoy !!!

Paneer is always a star ingredient of Indian vegetarian cooking. Paneer kheer is a lip smacking dessert and by garnishing with nuts, it is a complete protein package. Serve this kheer at parties and be a star cook !

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup grated paneer

¼ cup grated carrot

2½ cups low fat milk

½ cup condensed milk (adjust )

1 teaspoon cardamom powder

1 teaspoon cornflour

Cashew nuts

Salt required

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a pressure cooker, add milk, condensed milk, paneer and carrots. Pressure cook it for 1 whistle and switch off the flame. Allow it to cool down naturally.

Once the pressure is released, place the cooker in flame and continue to stir. Then add in cornflour (dissolved in 2 teaspoons of water ) and stir continously until the water gets evaporated. Then add cardamom powder , salt and ghee fried nuts.

Garnish with nuts.

Serve chilled or warm and enjoy !!!

Mushroom rice is a classic ,flavorful and  satisfying main dish which goes perfect with onion raita. With the minimal ingredients ,you can cook this rice in less than 20 min.

INGREDIENTS :

1 cup button mushrooms

2 onions ( medium sized )

5 green chillies

5 garlic cloves

½ lemon sized ginger

½ cup coriander leaves

½ cup mint leaves

1 cup basmati rice

1 bay leaf

1 cardamom

1 clove

cinnamon ( small piece )

INSTRUCTIONS :

Soak the basmati rice in water for ½hr. Grind green chilly, mint, coriander, ginger, garlic and make paste out of it.

Pre heat the pressure cooker and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon,clove and saute it. Then add sliced onion and saute it until it becomes translucent. Then add the paste and saute it until the raw smell goes off. Then add in the mushroom and saute for 5 min.

Add the water required for the rice (usually 1½ cup water for 1 cup rice ). When the water begins to boil, add the rice, required salt and cover the pan. Pressure cook it for 2 whistles and reduce the flame to low for 5 min and switch off the flame.

Serve hot with raita and enjoy !!!

Urad dhal is extensively utilized in various culinary preparations in Tamilnadu. This dhal is one of the richest sources of proteins and Vitamin B. Lets see a simple and healthy pancake recipe which fulfill your daily nutrition requirement.

INGREDIENTS :

1½ cups Urad dhal

1 Onion ( cut into small pieces )

1 Large egg

2 Green chillies ( slit )

3 tablespoon Rice flour

Few Curry leaves

Salt required

INSTRUCTIONS :

Soak the Urad dhal in water for 2 hrs. Drain the water and grind the dhal to fine paste.

Add rice flour, egg, chilly, onion, curry leaves and salt and mix well. Set the batter like dosai consistency by adding required amount of water.

Preheat the pan and add 2 teaspoons of oil. When it is heated enough, pour the batter and spread it little. Cover the pan and cook in medium flame. When one side becomes brown, flip to another side and cook until it becomes brown.

Remove from pan and serve hot with chutney or sambar.

Mutton Chukka is an another delicious Chettinadu recipe. Chukka means Dry and mutton chukka is well known for its spiciness. It pairs well with Biryani and Roti varities.

INGREDIENTS:

TO PRESSURE COOK:

½ kg Mutton

1 Onion ( cut into pieces )

2 Tomatoes ( medium sized )

2 Green chillies

1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste

1 tablespoon Coriander powder

1 teaspoon Cumin powder

½ teaspoon Turmeric powder

1 teaspoon Red chilly powder

Salt required

FOR SAUTEING :

1 Onion ( Cut into small pieces )

1 tablespoon Black Pepper powder

1 tablespoon Garam masala

Few Curry leaves

Salt required

INSTRUCTIONS :

In a Pressure cooker, add all the ingredients given in “To pressure cook” ,mix well everything and close the cooker and cook for about 5 whistles. Then reduce the flame for 5 minutes  and switch off the flame. Let it cool down naturally.

Heat 3 tablespoon of oil in a sauce pan, When it is heated enough, add Onion and saute till it turns to translucent. Add in all the items which we pressure cooked before. Keep stirring it, till most of the water  gets evaporated.

Stir the remaining and add in the Curry leaves, Garam masala and Pepper powder. Saute it till becomes dry and remove from heat.

Serve hot & Enjoy !!

Kattu Soru literally means “Packed Rice”. In olden days, people used to follow this method to preserve the food for their long journies. Strong Turmeric flavour and tamarind keeps the food fresh and aromatic for days. It lasts for 2 to 3 days(if coconut milk not added). Mutton chukka, Naattu kozhi varuval, Boiled eggs, Potato chips are the  excellent combination for this rice. Try this and enjoy…

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cooked rice

1½ cups First coconut milk

1 cup Second coconut milk

1 cup Tamarind pulp

1 tablespoon Refined oil

1 teaspoon Mustard seeds

1 teaspoon Urad dhal

¾ tablespoon Turmeric powder

5 Dry Red chilly

Few curry leaves

½ teaspoon Asafoetida

¼ cup Roasted groundnuts (optional)

Salt to taste.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and urad dhal.

Add curry leaves, red chillies, turmeric powder, asafoetida, groundnuts and saute well.

Add second coconut milk and tamarind pulp and bring it to boil.

Add the first coconut milk and salt. Before it boils well, turn the flame off.

Add this kuzhambu to cooked rice, mix well and keep the rice in dum for 10 min or until the rice the absorbs the kuzhambu well.

Serve hot with mutton chukka and enjoy !!!

A delicious, fluffy and easy pancake recipe that is fast to get on the table and surely you’ve got all the ingredients on hand.

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cup organic all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 ripe banana

2 large eggs

1 ¼ cup milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder.

Salt required

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mash the banana well. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl and mix well with mashed banana.

Once they are mixed well, add the eggs, melted butter, milk and stir constantly with a whisk to blend, until no lumps appear. The batter should look like a little lumpy. If it seems too thick, add a bit more milk.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and coat it with little butter. Drop the batter from a large spoon and cook until the first side is brown or until the top surface bubbles and is dotted with holes. Flip and cook until other side is brown. This happens in just 30 seconds, so watch carefully. Adjust the heating if necessary.

Serve hot with lashings of maple syrup, banana slices and butter. Also with Ice-cream if you like!!!