A juice recipe that gives lots of nutrition

Ingredients:

Carrot - 2 nos

Beetroot - 1 

Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp

Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
       or
Mint Paste - 2tbsp

Salt to taste

Sugar 1 pinch

Cashew - 1 no

Badam - 1 no

Method:

Soak Badam in water for a while and peel the skin. Cut carrot and beetroot into cubes.  Grind carrot, beetroot, cashew and badam in a blender. Add 2 cups of water and strain it. Mix in salt, sugar and the black pepper powder. 

Garnish it with mint leaves and serve chilled. Good to improve the HB count in blood.

Summer cooler Ragi Kanji recipe

Ingredients:

Ragi powder - 1/2 cups (now a days it is readily available in the market)

Sago - 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Butter milk - 2 cups

Green chilly - 1 no

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece

Curry Leaves - 1/4 cup

Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup

Mango - 1/4 (optional)

Water - 2 cups

Method:

Mix Ragi powder in water and bring it to a dosa batter paste consistency. Ensure that no lumps are formed. Soak sago in water for about 30 mins till they are soft. In a hard bottom vessel add 1 cup of water and soaked sago. Stir well and when the water starts boiling add the Ragi batter and keep stirring. Ensure that no lumps is formed. To check whether the ragi is cooked, take a little of the mixture in spoon and touch it with wet hand. If the mixture doesnot stick to hand it is cooked well. Remove from flame. 

Cut mango into thin pieces, dice ginger into fine pieces, cut chilly into half. Cook all of them in 1/4 cup of water and a pinch of salt. When the mango pieces turn soft add it to the ragi mixture. Add the butter milk and the required salt and mix well. Decorate it with curry leaves and coriander leaves. 

If 2 glasses of this is taken in the morning, it is very refreshing and gives a filling feeling. It cools the body too.

Amla Pickle recipe for hair growth

Amla is always very good for hair growth. This pickle recipe helps in increasing the immune system and also helps in increasing the hair volume.

Ingredients:
Amla - 1/2 kg
Fenugreek - 50gms
Red Chillies - 10 to 12
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Groundnut - 2 tbsp
Asafodeita - 1/2 inch piece
Gingely Oil - 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 50 gms
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup
Chilly powder - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt to taste

Method:
Boil water in a pan along with some salt. Remove from flame, add Amla and close it with a lid. Let it cool. When cold remove the seeds from the amlas. Grind the amlas into a fine paste.

Dry roast fenugreek seeds, mustard, groundnut, curry leaves, asafodeita and dry chillies one by one and grind them to a fine powder along with turmeric powder.

Heat the gingely oil in a pan. Add mustard powder, cumin seeds when it splutters add the amla paste and saute it for sometime. Add the grounded powder and mix it well again. Keep sauteing till the oil comes out. Remove from flame and let it cool. Store in an airtight container.

This can be served as a side dish for Idly, Dosa or Chappatti or had with hot rice and ghee before starting every day's lunch.

How to make Diwali Legiyam

Every Diwali it is a must to take Diwali Legiyam as it will ease out the stomach after eating a lot of sweets and savouries. Though now a days it is readily available in the market, it is something very easy to be made at home too.

Ingredients:
Coriander seeds - 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds - 6 tbsp
Sukku (Dried Ginger) - 1 inch piece (or) 2 tbsp of dried ginger powder
Pepper - 6 tbsp
Thippili (available in shops) - 5 gms
Saunf - 4 tbsp
Ginger Juice - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 2 cups
Ghee - 1/2 cup

Method to make Diwali Legiyam
Fry saunf, cumin seeds, pepper and thippili in dry pan one by one and powder them to a fine powder. Soak coriander seeds in water and grind it to a fine paste. Drain the juice alone using a muslin cloth. Mix that coriander juice with ginger juice and ground powder.

In a pan add 1/4 cup of water and jaggery to make jaggery water. Strain jaggery water so that it is free of impurities. Heat the jaggery water again in the same pan and when it comes to a boil add the mixture and keep stirring. It will harden and start to come out from the sides of pan. Add ghee to it and mix well again.

This can be stored in fridge and used for 20 days.

How to make Grape Juice at home

Grape juices made with black grapes are too good to taste and also too good to look at too. 

Ingredients:

Grapes Black - 1 handful

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Method:

Grind grapes in a juicer grinder (specially the grinder which have juicer with strainer). Pour it in a tall glass add sugar to it and mix well. Have it fresh added with one or two ice cubes.

Apple Shake with cinnamon to cure Acidity

Acidity have become very very common ailment in the recent times. People tend to get it more easily due to the current lift style. Apple which keeps the doctor away, definitely keeps acidity away if it is taken with cinnamon.

Ingredients:
Apple - 2 nos
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Milk - 2 cups (chilled milk)
Cinnamon Powder - 1 tsp
Ice cubes - 4 nos

Method to make:
Peel and dice apples to cubes and grind it in a blender to a fine puree along with milk and 1/2 cup of milk. Add the cinnamon powder and the remaining milk and whip it well. Serve with 1 or 2 ice cubes.

This makes 4 glasses of milk shake. Can be served with small cubes of apple on top.

Health Benefits of Cinnamon Powder.

Date - Carrot Salad Healthy recipe for pregnant women

Salads are always a healthy recipe to have during pregnancy. They can be had as a whole meal or as a midmeal snack.

Ingredients:
Dates - 6 to 8 nos
Carrot - 2 nos
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Salt - a pinch
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tbsp (optional)
Honey - 2 tbsp

Method to make Healthy Salad:
Grate the carrots and dates. Sprinkle salt and toss the vessel to have the salt spread evenly. Add the pepper powder and mix well. Add lemon juice and mix well again.

Chill the salad; before serving add honey.

Appy Magic - A healthy recipe for Pregnant Women and kids

An apple a day keeps doctor away. A pregnant woman needs lots of nourishment during her entire period of pregnancy. Some women due to their morning sickness will not eat a lot. For them, this drink is a great boon and this can be had immediatly after preparing.

Ingredients:
Apples - ripe and unsour - 4 medium sized
Sugar - 1/2 tbsp (better substitute with Honey)
Lime Juice - 1 tbsp
Ice cubes - 1 or 2 (optional)

How to make Appy Magic:
In a juicer blender, grind the apples (if the juicer have its own filter the better, if not the juice have to be strained using a muslin cloth). Blend it till it is smooth and a fine paste. Add the lemon juice, sugar or honey and mix well. Serve with the ice cubes.

This juice is to be made immediatly after cutting the apples so as the nutritional value in it is not lost. The dash of lime juice will help in getting releived from morning sickness. Honey will help in increased strength(as it have iron content in it). Ice cubes also help in reducing morning sickness.

Too good for kids and Pregnant women. It will help a lot during the first trimester, if the women sips the juice slowly.

Adai| Adai Dosai| 3 Gram Dosa - A recipe for all times

Adai or Adai Dosai, is one of the most favourite recipe in our house hold. It can be made soft, it can be made crispy, add it with coconut, can be had without any side dish. Most favourite dish of my brother and my daughter, I make this dish whenever my brother and his family come to visit us even though I had made it just the previous day. My daughter likes it much better with Jaggery

Ingredients to make Adai:
Raw Rice - 1 cup
Boiled Rice - 1 cup
Bengal Gram - 1 cup
Urad Dal - 1 cup
Thuvar Dal - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 2 nos
Red Chillies - 6 nos
Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Hing - 2 to 4 pinches
Salt to taste
Oil - to use to cook (1/4 cup)

How to make Adai Batter:
Soak all the dals and both the rice together after washing them thoroughly. Let them soak for about 4 hours. Grind them in a mixie coarsely along with green chillies,  red chillies, coriander leaves, curry leaves, hing and salt.

How to make Adai:
Heat a tawa and when hot simmer the flame and pour the batter on to the hot tawa and spread it like a dosa. If a thin and crispy adai is needed then use less batter and spread it thinly. If you want it thick use more batter and spread it very less. Make 5 holes in the batter and add oil all around the dosa and also in the holes made. After a min and when the you are able to take the dosa from the tawa, then remove it slowly without damaging it and turn it around. If you are health conscious and you are using a non-stick tawa donot add oil on the second side. Ensure both the sides are cooked (if you are making it thick, then the second side is to be kept in the tawa for more than a min). Serve hot with Aviyal, or Jaggery or Honey or even Rasam.

Variations to Adai:
Add  1 cup grated coconut to the batter and if the batter is not so spicy can add 1/2 spoon of red chilly powder.

Add thinly sliced onions to the batter to make Onion Adai.

Dried Ginger with Jaggery Sukku Vellam for better digestion

Though we make this on special occassions, I generally give this to my kids whenever they feel heavy after a good, nice meal. This helps in easy digestion. But care should be taken as to not to have too much

Ingredients:
Dried Ginger (Sukku) Powder - 1 tbsp
Jaggery Grated - 4 tbsp
Ghee - 1 drop
Cardamom Powder - a pinch

How to prepare Sukku Vellam:
Mix all the ingredients slowly in a cup and ensure that no lumps are formed. Make small balls the size of Small Gooseberries.

Recipe for a simple and easy home made Lemonade

Lemonade Syrup comes handy if it is there at home when guests come. It is also a refreshing drink and whenever one feels slightly dehydrated, this syrup can be added with a pinch of salt and luke warm water.

Ingredients:
Fresh Lemon Juice - 2 cups
Grated Lemon Rind - 2 tbsp (option
Sugar - 2 cups
Water - 1 1/2 cup

How to make instant Lemonade Syrup:
Mix sugar and juice (and also the rind). Stir constantly until dissolved. Add water and cover tightly. Keep the mixture in an air tight container and keep it in fridge untill it is time for serving. (Can be prepared in the morning if the party is in the evening) 

How to make lemonade out of the instant lemonade syrup:
Add 1/2 cup of the lemonade syrup in a large glass. Add 1/2 cup of water and 2 or 3 ice cubes.

How to serve this lemonade in a party:
Place a thin rind of lemon on one side of glass. Place one or two mint leaves on the top of the glass. Add a decorative party straw. Add the ice cubes just before serving.

Tomato Shorba or Tomato Soup - Recipe for pregnant women

Felt very bored and bugged up after undergoing a minor procedure. Wanted to have something hot, spicy but healthy. Was wondering what to do and just was rummaging through the fridge and kitchen and took some Tomatoes, Onions and Carrots and made this Tomato Shorba in a jiffy and had it hot with 2 slices of toasted bread.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes - 4 or 5 depending upon the size
Onion - 1 big
Carrot - 1 medium sized
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Garlic Pods - 6 nos
Black Pepper - To taste
Salt - To taste
Corn Flour - 1 tbsp
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Cream - 2 tbsp(optional, I didnot have it so used Amul Butter)

Method:
Cut carrots into cubes, tomatoes into 4 pieces and onion into strips. In a vessel add tomatoes, onion, carrot, cinnamon sticks, garlic pods, salt, 1/4 cup of coriander leaves and 1 cup of water and pressure cook it. Grind all the ingredients along with one more cup of water. Seive the mixture thoroughly.

In a flat bottom pan add the seived mixture. Simmer the flame. Add 2 tbsp of water to the cornflour and make it a paste and add it to the soup and bring it to boil. Remove from flame and add pepper powder and cream (or Amul Butter). Add the remaining coriander leaves and serve hot.

How to make Pathiya Rasam - Post Pregnancy Rasam

This rasam is good for lactating mothers. When it is given to Lactating mothers tomatoes should not be added. But this rasam can be had by all and when it is had by all, tomatoes can be added.

Ingredients:
Tamrind Paste - 1 tbsp
Salt - To taste
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup
Pathiya Rasam Powder -  2 tbsp

  For tempering
    Ghee - 1 tbsp
    Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp
    Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Method:
Mix tamrind paste in 2 cups of water. Add salt, Rasam powder and rbing it to boil. When boiling add curry leaves and coriander leaves. When it bubbles, remove from flame and temper.

Horse gram Porridge - Healthy recipe for women

This is a summer drink, which helps in easy digestion and keeps the body cool. Those who want to diet also can add horse gram in their daily routine which will help in reduction of extra fat.

Ingredients
Horse Gram - 1/4 cup
Boiled Rice - 3/4 cup
Water - 3 cups
Salt to taste
Butter milk - 2 cups

Method
Fry the horse gram in a dry pan and grind it coarsely. Fry the boiled rice also and grind it coarsely. Pressure cook horse gram powder and boiled rice using 2 cups of water.

When cooked mash it using a laddle. Add salt, remaining cup of water and butter milk to it.

This serves two people.

Note: Ginger, coriander, curry leaves can be ground into a fine paste and added to this porridge to give a different taste.

This powder can be made in larger quantities and stored. It can be used whenever needed.

Pregnant Women, can have it as a breakfast especially in the end of 2nd trimester and the whole of 3rd trimester as it gives a lot of energy.

Lactating Women can have this to reduce weight after delivery. But this have to be taken after a month of delivery or when they start exercising as per the doctor's advice.

Yellow Milk (Milk with Turmeric Powder and Pepper)

Son was coughing a bit and he also had a bit of cold. As per doctor's advice gave him honey and warm water. Still, when giving him milk in the night, thought of giving him this yellow milk which is sure to reduce the cold. I christined this milk Yellow Milk because of the yellow colour the turmeric powder gives to it.

Ingredients:
Milk - 1 cup
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Pepper -1/2 tsp (crushed)
Panam Kalkandu - (Palm sugar) - 1 tbsp

Method to make this Yellow Milk:
Boil milk and add pepper corns and turmeric powder when it is hot. Mix well till both dissolves. Add the panam kalkandu and when warm or when in drinkable temperature serve it.

Note:
I use this just as a home remedy, but I also consult a doctor especially when it comes to kids. 

Recipe for Poondu Kanji

A special Kanji which is to be taken once in a month to solve gastric troubles. This is a dish from Tirunelveli District.

Ingredients:
Boiled Rice - 1 cup
Garlic - 3 to 4 depending upon the size
Methi seeds - 1 tsp
Saarana root powder - 2 tsps
(This you can get it from siddha or naatu marunthu stores. Blend it in a mixer and store in freezer. If you dont get this powder, you can leave it too)
Raw milk - 1/2 cup
Water - 3 cups
Murungai leaves - handful (optional)

Method:
In a pressure cooker, take rice, garlic and methi seeds. In a muslin cloth take the Saranaa powder, make it a bag and add it to the rice in cooker. Add 3 cups of water and cook it for 2 whistles. In a separate vessel, pressure cook the murungai leaves too. When cool remove the bag and mash the rice well.

Add the cooked murungai leaves (dont throw away the water, but add it too to the rice). Add milk and cook for 5 mins in low flame. This can be served with Coconut Thuvaiyal.
 
Note: The whole day after taking this Kanji, tamrind is to be avoided and if at all needed, tomato is to be added.

Recipe for Garlic Chilly Powder

This is another powder, that can be had both as a side dish and can also be mixed in rice.


Ingredients:
Garlic - 1 whole
Coconut Grated - 1/4 cup
Red Chillies - 10 to 12 nos
Salt to taste

Method:
Fry garlic, red chilly in 1/2 tsp of oil. When cold grind all the ingredients together. Store in an airtight container in fridge.


Note: This powder can be added to hot rice along with ghee.

Recipe for Puzhungalarisi Kanji - Boiled rice Rawa Porridge

When ever some one falls ill and runs high temperature, the first diet elders advice to give them is Puzhungalarisi Noi Kanji.

This is also a good first food for infants.

Ingredients:
Boiled rice - 4 cups
Pottu Kadalai or processed bengal gram - 1 cup
Moong Dal - 1 cup
Jeera - 1/4 cup

Method:
Soak Boiled rice in water after washing it for about 2 hours. Drain the water thoroughly and dry it inside the house (better not do it outside). Let all the wetness go off. Fry all the ingredients including the dried boiled rice in a dry pan till they become brown (should be done carefully and not over do it). This can be ground in flour mill and grind coarsely. (Or it could be ground in mixer also one by one and then mix well)

If the powder is prepared for infants, make little at a time, take 1 cup of boiled rice and the remaining as per the ratio and grind it in mixie and sieve it thoroughly until a fine powder. Mix one tbspn of this powder to warm water and mix it thoroughly without lumps. Keep it in flame and bring it to boil. This could be given to kids either with a pinch of salt or sugar. (Better give it with salt).

When the kids grow, the coarseness of the powder can be increased. This makes a great morning breakfast, if given to the kids in semi solid form. They can eat it with spoon. This will sustain hunger till it is time for them to have lunch at school. (Daughter's experience).

Ingaya Podi recipe

Whenever there is a stomach upset, then this powder helps.

Ingredients:
Sundaikai Vathal - 200 gms
Veppam poo (Neem flower) - 2 spoons
Dry ginger (Sukku) - 1 spoon powdered
Pepper - 2 spoons
Solid Hing - a small piece
Rock salt - a little

Method:
Dry roast each ingredient one by one, including the salt. Grind it coarsely.

This powder can be had in hot rice with a spoon of ghee.

Recipe for Kosumalli / Kosambari

This is a dish which is my all time favourite. When ever I feel like eating Salad, I just prepare this and eat it and it is really yummy. I make the simplest version of the below given recipe. I dont add carrots, or grated coconut when I want to make it in a jiffy.

Ingredients:
1 small cup Moong dal - soak in water for 1/2 an hour and drain the water and completely
1 medium size cucumber (check whether it is not bitter)
1 carrot - grated
2 - 4 green chilly - finely chopped
1 sp lemon juice or grated or finely chopped mango
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
1/2 sp mustard seeds
1 sp oil
Salt

Method:
In a bowl take the drained moong dal and add the carrot, cucumber, green chilly and salt and mix well. If you are adding mango leave the lemon juice. Add the mango along with the carrot and cucumber. In a pan add oil and add the mustard seeds. When it is ready pour it on the mixture. After mixing it well, add the grated coconut.

If you are adding lemon juice add it after you do the seasoning and not before that.

If you are so concerned about your health, avoid the grated coconut.