GO NUTS!!! A WAR WITH RAW for ENFF event ~ GROUNDNUT JUICE

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Confused with the title of the post? Yes, I am right when I have written WAR with RAW.  My blog has always had a war with raw food. This is a war of love for your body, your health and your life. Today I am going to share my thoughts, my experience with the raw food and few excerpts from GURUJI SHRI RISHI PRABHAKARJI's talks which are published in the book 'NUTRITION PACKED AMRUT AAHAR', "a cook book of uncooked food" by SHEHNAZ A THANAWALA.

Again confused?

Let me start it again. I came in contact with SSY(SIDDHA SAMADHI YOGA) course around 15 years back. And that changed my life. The way of thinking towards everything on this Earth changed, I started thinking positive. My stage fear disappeared. I became more friendly with everyone. It was a new life for me. I don't want to talk more about myself as we are here to talk about food.

The main thing changed was the food habit. I realised the importance of RAW food.

As the years went,though it was not possible for me to follow it 100%, but I always preferred having raw food everyday and whenever possible. Once a year, I stay on raw food for continuous 13 days which helps me to reduce my weight and cleanse the body.

{Now, whatever I am writing below are the answers from Pujya Guruji:

1.What is RAW food?

• Any natural food item which is not cooked or processed by heat can be called raw(or uncooked) food.

2.Is it difficult to digest RAW food?

• Not at all, actually it is easier to digest raw food (takes only 13 hours to digest) than cooked food which takes 24 hours to digest and Non Veg which takes about 72 hours.

3.Are all the raw foods are good to eat?

• NO, not necessarily so, It is the amount again how much we take and how we take it.

4.How much quantity of raw food one should eat?

• Normally  healthy people should have about 50% to 70% of their total daily food as raw food. But, for someone who wants to start newly, has to increase the quantity slowly from 20%.

One can do a 'raw food fasting; once a month where you can have 100% raw food or juices on that day.

5.Will the RAW food make me weak?

• No, in fact you can be strong and healthy. Initially people may have a diarrhoea or constipation as the body needs time to get adjusted.

6.Can one cure the ailments and diseased by having this Amrut Ahar or RAW food?

• Yes, many have succeeded. Chronic diseases can be effectively controlled by proper diet.

But, take care to consult proper teachers before you start it as a regular intake, considering your food allergies, the diseases you have.}

*****While I am typing this, I got the sad news that  Pujya Guruji Rishi Prabhakar has left for his heavenly abode leaving us to spread his worldly message.******

I don't know what inspired me to write about him in today's post or how it came in my mind that I should write about the raw food and him. May his soul rest in peace. I am sure that he is always there for us in our heart.

This post is dedicated to him.

Coming back to today's post,

Yes, I am following this diet with the Pranayam and the meditation I learnt during the course and It has helped me to overcome many diseases, mentally and physically.

I agree that it was not possible for me to follow it 100% as I take non vegetarian food and normal cooked food on daily basis, but YES, the RAW FOOD has always helped me to keep my health under control.

I have already posted many raw food recipes in my blog. You can click salad parade  to get the recipes and few more in my archived posts.

           Today's recipe is a unique one which I have taken from the same book. I always enjoy this juice which is very healthy and can have at breakfast.

Its groundnut juice. Surprised? Groundnut and juice?

I will come to the nutrition facts about peanuts.

It is full of proteins. Actually contains more protein than meat, about tow and a half times more than eggs and far more than any other vegetable food except Soya bean and yeast. BUT, its best to eat ground nut after it has been SOAKED OVERNIGHT.

Peanuts or groundnuts are rich in proteins and packed with essential nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, iron, and dietary fibres. Peanuts provide optimum health benefits and are excellent energy boosters. 
click the LINK for more details.

And Jaggery  is loaded with nutrients such as calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium and phosphorous. Jaggery is often known as a cleansing agent because it helps to get rid of unwanted particles from the respiratory tract, lungs, food pipe, stomach and intestines. Extremely rich in iron, jaggery is advised to all those who have a low level of haemoglobin in their blood and are anaemic.

click the LINK  for more details.

Try to have it once or twice a week. As for every thing, even this has little side effect which is negligible.It is allergic to many.

If you are having first time, then may be you will get acidity, but don't worry if its not severe. 

To make one glass of juice:

Ingredients:

Groundnuts -20 soaked overnight

Banana or Chikoo or apple or dates or any two or one(choice is your)-1/2 cup

Jaggery to taste or 1 tbsp

Powdered cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Blend all in a mixer till smooth paste.

Add the water to bring it to the consistency of a milk.

Serve immediately.

Linking it to Eat Nutritious, Feel fabulous 

Keep Smiling,

O(pen)ATS SESAME, GINGER BARFI for PPCS

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

So how are you all?Girls from POTLUCK PARTY CYBER STYLE ! Are you all ready with the recipe from your partner's blog?

I am here with Nayana's recipe. Actually, she has posted Coffee n White Chocolate Panna Cotta  for the party . But,  sorry dear, my family is allergic to Gelatin and agar agar. I did not wanted to take a chance by preparing your dish. But I will make it some other day when I will be having guests at home.
And to get agar agar is a big problem in my city. I need to search a lot. China grass is available. I have used to many times in making custard but it has not set properly and don't want to spoil the dish. 

I checked her recipe index and most of her Western desserts are with Agar agar.  Then I thought of making some Indian sweets. At first I chose mysore-paak, but when I saw this recipe, I was happy because it has til and ginger which are my elder daughter's favorite and it has oats which makes it healthy. 

Please do visit her page for wonderful recipes.

The link for this recipe in her blog is HERE. 

Coming to MY recipe,

I have reduced the quantity as I had only 1/3 cup(80ml) of til. Still I got 10 medium size barfi.

And my barfi turned out white as the jaggery I used is white one. 

Ingredients :

Sesame Seeds - 1/3 cup

Oats - 1/3 cup 

Jaggery - 1/3 cup

Fresh Ginger grated - 1 1/2" or 2"

Ghee - 1 tbsp(I thought of pampering my barfis little bit)

Method 

Dry roast the sesame seeds till they splutter 

and oats separately for 10 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Grind the ginger for few seconds in a mixi. Add both the sesame seeds and oats. Churn to make course paste.

Grease a small plate with ghee and keep it ready.

Heat ghee in a thick bottomed kadai. 

Add the jaggery and bring it to a boil. 

Check the consistency  by taking a drop and putting it in a cold water bowl. If it hardens immediately then the syrup is done. 

Add the ready paste(or mixture). Mix well. 

Spread it on a greased plate. 

Allow it to cool. Cut into desired shapes.

Your healthy sesame seeds, oats and ginger barfi is ready to serve. 

My daughter and my hubby both enjoyed these barfis,

Thanks Nayana for such an easy and wonderful sweet recipe.

Sending this to Jagruti's event 

Potluck party, Cyber style! - Fun and the Challeng...

Keep Smiling, 

RICE AND JAGGERY PAYASAM

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

A quick and very easy dessert. Healthy for people who are sick(suffering with normal fever or cold). The day doctor suggests that you can give jaggery to your baby, this is the best food(minus the coconut milk). No need to buy anything extra for it. You will usually have all these at home. Its quick dessert for unexpected guests. Believe me, it looks bland but the taste is really very good.

Coming to the recipe,

Ingredients:

Rice flour  - 1/2 cup

Jaggery - 1/2 cup or less (grated or powdered)

Water - 1 cup

Milk - 1/2 cup

Coconut milk powder - 2 tbsp or freshly  coconut milk - 1/4 cup

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Almonds and cashew nuts - 1 or 2 tbsp, crushed or cut into small bits

Ghee to fry the dry nuts

Method:

Keep water to boil in thick bottomed pan.

Take half the milk in a bowl and mix the rice flour in it to remove lumps. 

In other half milk add the coconut milk powder and mix well to avoid lumps. (skip this step if you are using fresh coconut milk) 

Once the water start boiling add the jaggery and allow to melt. If you see any dirt in it please sieve and keep again to boil. 

Now add the rice flour and milk. Mix well to avoid lumps. Boil on a medium flame for few minutes. Add the coconut milk cardamom powder. Boil till the rice flour is cooked. The color will change and you will get the nice aroma of the cooked rice flour. Remove and keep it aside. Heat ghee in another small pan, fry the nuts.

Add it to the ready payasam.

Isn't it easy? And its really delicious, the coconut flavour is really a blessing in this dessert.

Keep Smiling,

PEA NUT POLI(ಶೇಂಗಾ ಹೋಳಿಗೆ)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

North Karnataka is famous for Poli or stuffed sweet rolls or ಹೋಳಿಗೆ (Holige). We stuff any possible edible and make it into poli. But the special thing is each festival has its must stuffing.. For Diwali we make with chana or toor daal, for Sankrathi we stuff the poli with semolina and jaggery, for special full moon days like Sheegi hunnive we make this Pea nut poli.

This can be kept for 15 days without getting spoiled. Its very tasty, good while travelling.

Here comes the recipe:

Ingredients:

Pea nut - 250 gm

Jaggery - same qty as of pea nut powder

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Milk - few drops if the mix becomes too dry

Salt a pinch

Wheat flour or Maida - 1 cup

Salt a pinch

Oil - 1 tbsp

Water to make soft dough

Oil -1 tsp for each poli

Procedure:

Take the wheat flour or Maida. Add salt and oil. Keep on adding water to make a soft dough. Keep it aside for one hour at least.

Roast the peanut well. Remove the skin and the seed(???) in the middle.. Yes, there is a seed like thing at the end. Mom says its not good for stomach.

Grind into almost soft powder(neither coarse nor smooth) 

Measure the pea nut powder and take the same qty of grated or powdered jaggery. 

Mix the jaggery, salt and cardamom powder well. 

Add the peanut powder and mix well. Check the consistency. You should be able to make a ball out of it. If not add few drops of milk and mix it well.

Divide it into equal portion to make small ball(shown below)

Divide the ready dough in to small balls. 

Take one ball, roll into small thick disc. Stuff the pea nut ball carefully.

Press it slowly in the palm. Roll into medium size poli.

Heat the tawa. 

Roast it on both the sides with little oil. 

Repeat with the remaining dough and the balls.

I got 20 poli.

Keep in open for an hour.

Store it in air tight box.

It tastes good with ghee.

Sending this to Reshmi's event which is started by  Kiran.

Announcing Cooking with Whole Foods - Peanut

I really enjoyed writing this post after long time. I feel I am back home.. 

Keep Smiling,

Sweet Potato and Bengal gram Payasa

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Sweets!!!!!!!Sweets!!!!!I love sweets :-)

I always think and try to remove at least one sweet from my favorite list. But no way!! I love everything. I always get scared that what happens to me if I get diabetes!! There is 100% chance as it is hereditary, but that is not stopping me from eating sweets :-)

Here is one more sweet which I love to eat (I should  find new word for this!!!!) The twist in this is adding sweet potato.

We call it Genasina huggi(Genasu=Sweet potato) in Kannada.

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato - 2 big

Chana dal - 1/2 cup

Jaggery - 1/4 cup

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt a pinch

Poppy seeds - 1 tsp, roasted(optional)

Water to boil the chana and potato

Method:

Wash the sweet potato. Boil sweet potatoes and chana till soft. I kept both in different vessels in the cooker and gave 2 whistles. allow it to cool.

Grate the jaggery and keep it aside.

Mash the sweet potatoes and chana. Add the grated jaggery, ghee and salt.

Keep it to boil on low flame till the jaggery gets mixed.

Once its mixed, add the cardamom powder and cook for one more minute.

Add roasted poppy seeds, cook for a minute and remove from the fire.

Serve hot..

Sending it to 

 MY event which is guest hosted by 

Raks of RAKS KITCHEN

Keep Smiling,

Til Ladoo(Sesame Seeds ladoo)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

As I said in earlier post, many recipes are common in whole India. Ladoo is one more recipe which is prepared everywhere. This til ladoo is the must food to make during Nagapanchami in North Karnataka. 

Gujarat menu also has til ladoo in sweet section so here is my recipe for the same.

Til or Sesame seeds - 500 gm

Roast the sesame seeds on a low heat. Allow it cool and keep aside.

To make jaggery syrup, we need

Jaggery - same as Til(Measure  in a cup, and take the same amount of jaggery)

Salt  - a pinch

Water -1/4 cup or less

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Click Here to make the Jaggery syrup. But boil the syrup for few more minutes to make the syrup more thick.

Other ingredients:

Dalia powder - 1/4 cup

Dry coconut - 1/4 cup, grated

Nutmeg and cardamom powder 1 tsp

Take the sesame seeds  in a big and wide plate. 

Add  dry coconut, Nut Meg  powder and dalia powder to it. Mix it well and keep it ready.

Now you should be quick:

Put this syrup to the Sesame seeds plate. Spread it slowly so that the the sesame seeds gets the syrup evenly. 

Now take a small quantity and make balls by mildly pressing with both the palms to give proper ball shape.

This will make around 30 ladoos.

Keep it to cool for sometime. Store it in a jar or box.

Sending these to

Announcing the Celebrate Sweets Event 

focusing on "Gujarati Sweets"

                                                             (Which is started by ME)

Keep Smiling,

Sweet Potato Puran Poli

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

The Shravan Month has started and the sweets are here:-), I love sweets.. 

One more delicious sweet from Gujarat. As per my knowledge, puranpoli is very common in all the parts of India. But when I was browsing for Gujarati sweets, I saw this sweet in all the sites I visited. Then I thought of making the puran poli with sweet potatoes. And they were yumm.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

For Stuffing

Sweet potatoes - 3 to 4

Jaggery - as per the quantity you get from mashed potatoes

Salt a pinch

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

For the cover or poli

Wheat flour - 1/2 cup

Maida or APF - 1/4 cup

Oil  - 1 tbsp

Salt - a pinch

Water to make the dough

Oil to shallow fry the poli.

Method:

Take the flours, oil and salt in a plate or a bowl. Add water to make soft dough. Keep it aside for half an hour.

Boil the sweet potatoes and allow to cool.

Grate the jaggery and keep.

Mash the boiled potatoes. Add the jaggery, salt and cardamom powder. Mix well. Divide into equal small size balls.

Take the ready dough, divide it into tiny balls.(half the size of normal small lemon)

Take dough ball and roll into a small puri.

Take the potato ball and keep in the middle. Cover it and make the stuffed ball ready.

Use oil to roll into small puran poli.

Heat tawa and roast the poli on both the sides till golden color.

Serve hot with ghee, pickle and fried dry stuffed chillies...

sending it to..

Announcing the Celebrate Sweets Event 

focusing on "Gujarati Sweets"

                                                             (Which is started by ME)

Keep Smiling,

Kansar(Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Being a South Indian, trying new recipes from other part of India is always a fun. But I have always seen that most of the recipes are very similar with a little alteration and a different name. 

The sweet I am posting today also comes in the same category. We South Indians( mainly North Karnataka) people make this sweet often for the puja or on new moon day. I have already posted the recipe with the name Broken wheat(or thick rava) and jaggery Halwa.

But again thought of making it the Gujarati way and post it here.

After browsing many sites, I have taken the recipe from here which is easy to make.

Please click the link for the recipe.

A very quick, easy and tasty and healthy (too) sweet for everyone. This is very good for kids.

Sending this to two events:

Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday (Volume 52) event of Aipi and Priya

and

Announcing the Celebrate Sweets Event 

focusing on "Gujarati Sweets"

                                                             (Which is started by ME)

Keep Smiling,

Sukhdi(Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Gujarat is famous for its clothes, diamonds and sweets. I love Gujju food. And the sweets plays major role in their food. 

Here, I have taken the recipe for Sukhdi from my closest friend Jagruti. She describes it as Sukh means Happiness. She has prepared it many times without any much preparation or planning.

When I prepared this, even I realized that its the easiest, quickest sweet to enjoy(Weight Watchers!Sorry, its not for you)

Coming to the recipe, (Click  Sinful Sukhdi (Jaggary Fudge) for original recipe)

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1/2 cup(Grated)

Ghee - 3/4 cup

Cashew nuts - few(Finely chopped)

Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp(Jagruti has not used)

Method :

• In a heavy bottom pan heat ghee. 
• Keep on low heat and add flour.  
• Roast on a low heat till golden brown, do not allow it to burn.
• When the mixture comes together add the grated Jaggery and Cardamom and mix very well.  
• Take off from the heat and spread the mixture evenly in a greased tray.  Sprinkle some cashew nuts and Roll it to make even surface.
• Cut in to a diamond shape while it's warm. 
• Allow it to cool and serve(otherwise, you will burn your tongue :-)

My younger daughter never likes sweets, but she had half the quantity of what I made:-), even the elder one loved it very much, planning to make again, but afraid of the quantity of ghee in it :-)

My daughters did not allow me to click the proper photos

This is my first entry to the event which is ON in Minaji's blog:

Announcing the Celebrate Sweets Event 

focusing on "Gujarati Sweets"

                                               (Which is started by ME)

Keep Smiling,

Jaggery and Semolina Poli (ಸಜ್ಜಕದ ಹೋಳಿಗೆ)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I am posting North Karnataka recipe after a long time. Its very common sweet which is prepared on full moon day or any other puja at home. I have already given the recipe for Broken wheat(or thick rava) and jaggery Halwa.

Now I am giving the recipe for making poli with it but in this I have used the normal semolina or Bansi rava. And there are two ways to make it. Either you can use sugar or Jaggery for the sweetness. I have used the jaggery to get that authentic taste.

Ingredients:

For covering,

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Salt a pinch

Oil - 1 tsp

Water to make soft dough.

Usually Maida or All Purpose Flour is used to make the dough but I avoid using APF where ever I can.

Make the dough ready and keep aside for half an hour.

For the stuffing,

Normal Semolina - 1 cup

(Even the fine semolina can be used)

Jaggery(grated or powdered) - 1 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Salt a pinch

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Ghee - 1tsp

Water - 1 to 1 1/2 cup

Oil to fry the polis.

Method :

• Take thick bottomed pan and fry the semolina with 1 tsp ghee till you get aroma.
• In another vessel keep 1 cup water to boil, when it starts boiling add the rawa and cook till its 3/4 done. It may take 6 to 8 minutes. Now add the jaggery and mix well. Cook for a minute. Add the salt,turmeric powder and cardamom powder. Keep on stirring  till its done, the semolina will start leaving the sides. Remove it from fire and allow it to cool. Divide into equal lime size balls. 
• Divide the ready dough into small lemon size balls. Take one ball, roll into puri size. Take the semolina ball and keep in the middle. Cover it and make sure to seal it properly.

• Roll into thin poli.
• Heat tawa and roast the poli on both the sides.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and the semolina balls.
• Serve it with lot of ghee!! Yes, it tastes great with ghee.... and pickle.

Sending it to

 MY event which is guest hosted by Akila of  Learning-to-cook

 Announcement: Celebrate Sweets - Stuffed Sweets

Keep Smiling,