Lycopene Rich - Tomato Thokku

Power Foods:

Tomato Pickle. Thakkali Oorugai.

Lycopene:

Ofcourse we all know tomatoes are good for health. It is rich in Vitamin-A(anything colored in yellow-orange & red are vit-A rich), Vitamin-C(something citric in taste are usually rich in this vitamin) and Calcium.

If I want to talk about Vitamins....it may consume this whole blog! Better I keep it simple. Vitamins are trace elements, though its requirements are very less...they happen to be very mandatory!! Our body cannot generate all the vitamins by itself. So we depend upon veggies, fruits and nuts. Most of the vitamins lie close to the skin/on the skin. Since today I am talking about tomatoes here, allow me to will list few tips to procure the best!

Buy Organic, which are free from pesticides. If not organic, try to be locovore! That is buy from Farmer's market...atleast we'll be aware of what pesticides they use actually.

I prefer country tomatoes over the hybrid/roma tomatoes. Yeah, you guessed it right! They have too many seeds in it. Though not so good for juicing purpose. They are good enough for regular cooking. It will not only give the tangy taste to the food, the seeds acts as a roughage.

Do not wash them several times in the running water. Just rinse properly. Avoid scrubbing(go for organic). If not, scrub gently to remove the wax coating! Most of the water-soluble vitamins go away when we over-clean them.

Prefer slicing into huge chunks than dicing and mincing these. Sometimes...iron knife...not only spoils the taste of the food...also corrodes the essential vitamins from it. So keep it simple...cube, chunk, etc. My mommy actullay never uses knives when it comes to tomatoes. She prefers squeezing it gently above the crock pot.

So now talking about this lycopene...these are oil-soluble vitamins. It will be bio-avilable, only when you gently fry tomatoes in the oil. In Indian food, most of the ladies drop the tomatoes in their rasam, sambhar or korma....after cooking. So that the chunks look bright and appetizing!. I am disagreeing with you'll here. Better...start adding your toamtoes soon after seasonning. Let the chunks really wilt and give away their water content. This helps in dissolving the good vitamin in your gravy/curry or whatever.

Ingredients:

Country Tomatoes 8-10 crushed
Garlic 1 whole head grated along with skin
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Mustard 1/4 spoon
Fenugreek 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few chopped
Tamarind paste 1 spoon
Lemon juice few spoons.

To be Toasted and Powdered:

Dry red chilies 1 fistful
Fenugreek 1 spoon
Mustard seeds 1 spoon.

Method:

In a deep wok, heat oil. Splutter seasonning items.

Then followed by garlic...fry real good....maybe till fragrant.

Add tomatoes salt, turmeric and chili powders. Cover and cook.

When all the moisture has left the pan, add powdered spices too.

Finally add tamarind paste and remove from heat.

Place this wok in hot sun for a day or two.

Then add lemon juice to it. Store in a ceramic jar! Serves well with idly, dosa or chappathi.

Mango Dhall:

I like the way punjabis serve their talli. In their dhall...I would always find raw chopped mangoes. Something tangy in dhall will be really special. So thought of making mango-dhall today.

Ingredients:

Kili Mooku Manga( Raw Mango 1 large) chopped along with its thick skin, deseed.
Moong Dal 1 cup
Salt
Turmeric pinch
Green chilies 3 finely chopped
Onion 1 small finely chopped
Garlic 6 clovs fienly chopped
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Asafoetida 1 pinch
Oil few spoons
Cilantro leaves few.

Method:

In a pressure cooker, cook moong dal with salt and pinch of turemric in it.

When they are done soft and tender, set them aside.

In a wide crock pot, heat oil. Add cumin and asafoetida to it. Wait till they crackle up.

Add chilies, garlic and onion. Saute for few minutes. Add salt too.

Now stir-in mangoes and cooked thoor dal to it. Cover and cook on medium heat.

When the veggies are soft and tender, remove from heat.

Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Siru Keerai Adai

Siru Keerai Adai:

Greens Adai. Greens Pancake.

I happen to read this recipe in a local Tamil Magazine....while waiting in Bank(back home). The recipe sounded so nice. I felt like trying it immediately.

Ingredients:

Batter:
Chana dal 1 fistful
Urad dal 4 spoons
Thoor dal 1 fistful
Raw Rice 1 fistful
Garlic 4 beads crushed with skin
Ginger 2" grated
Coconut 4-6 spoons grated
Green chilies 4-6 crushed
Salt
Greens - finely chopped 1-2 cup
Oil for toasting.

Method:

Soak first 4 ingredients in water. Maybe for about an hour or two. Wet grind coarsely.

Toss the remaining ingredients to it except oil. Mix well like a heavy batter.

Heat up a griddle. Smear oil. Make a thick adai over it. Slow cook! Maintaint he stove over medium heat for a long time. Repeat the same turning it to the other side too. Run oil on the sides as well. Let it come crisp and slighly golden color.

Serve warm as a breakfast meal. Chutney and sambar will make it more delectable.

Raagi Inippu Adai:(Country Style)

Ingredients:

Raagi flour 1 cup(finger millet/kezhvaragu)
Ripe Bananas 2 large
Jaggery grated 1 cup
Coconut grated 4-6 spoons
Cardamon powder 1/4 spoon
Ginger powder 1/4 spoon
Egg whites 1-2
Ghee for toasting.

Method:

Mix all the above said ingredients except ghee. Add limited water....bring this to dough. Make equal parts out of it.

In an inverted vessel(round bottomed one) place a clean cheese cloth. Soak this cloth wet.

Now each time to make Sweet adai, place a roundel abovet his cloth and using wet-hands knead them to thick adais.

Heat up a griddle/tawa. Smear ghee...toast the adai. Toast them using a low-medium heat for a long time on ach side. As you know raagi takes long time to get cooked!

Aval Laadu:

Kaaparisi Aval Laadu. Red Rice Flakes Laddu. Pohe Laddu.

Red Rice flakes are least processed form of rice, got after the husk from the paddy is been removed. It is packed with lots of fibre, B-complex, Vitamin-E(since it is not polished) and many more minerals like selenium and manganese. So may be that is why it is a filling snack and healthy snack!

It can boost ones immune system, lower cholesterol(complex carb' right!) and even reduce the frequency of migraine attacks!

To my knowledge it helps to control cravings, keep the blood glucose level steady and thereby keeping our weight down! Ha ha!

It also said to have promising preventive agent against bladder, oesophageal, liver, colon and blood cancers.

Ingredients:

Red Rice Flakes 1 cup
Ghee few spoons
Milk few spoons
Cashew nuts few chopped
Dates chopped 4-6 spoons
Coconut grated 4-6 spoons
Cardamon powder 1/4 spoon.

Method:

Wash rice flakes quickly in water. Squeeze and remove excess water.

Toss all the other ingredients to it. Make small laddus out of it. Yeah thats it. Don't kick me if you don't like the idea!!!

Kaaju Mutton Curry:

Cashew Mutton Curry.

Ingredients:

Mutton 1/4 kilo(boneless & cubed)
Green chilies 3 slitted
Curry leaves few
Onion 1 large - grated
Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon
Tomato puree 1 cup
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Coriander powder(optional....i didnt use any)
Cashew nuts 10-15 - paste
Fresh cream 1-2 spoons
Cashew nuts 10-15 fried for garnishing
Oil/ghee few spoons.

Method:

Cook mutton till tender in apressure cooker using limited water(with/without salt). Set aside.

In a wok, heat oil add chilies, curry leaves and onion paste. Fry till onion's raw odour is gone.

Now add ginger-garlic paste...fry till the raw odour leaves the pan.

Followed by tomato puree. When oil shws up on sides....add salt, turmeric and chili powders.

Now add cooked meat as well. Cover and cook. Maybe till all the spices get well-incorporated and the gravy thickens.

Now add cashew paste plus heavy cream to it. Bring this to heavy gravy and let the oil show up on sides.

Remove fro heat....add fried cashe nuts too as garnishing. Its totally optional. As you know it will be more of calories. So better reconsider before garnishing. Or just like that celebrate it with friends!!!

Drumstick Stem Rasam

Murungai Eerkku Rasam:(Country Style)

Leg pain, Joints ache.....simple home-remedy could be this rasam!

Ingredients:

Moringha stems 4-6 thin/thick ones gently tapped
Dry red chilies 5
Garlic 1 whole head with skin crushed
Tamarind water 1 cup
Tomatoes 1(optional)
Salt
Turmric powder 1/4 spoon
Rasam powder 1 spoon
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Peppercorns 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Oil few spoons.

Method:

Heat oil. Add mustard, pepper, cumin, asafoetida, red chilies, garlic and curry leaves to it. Wait till they splutter up.

Add salt, turmeric and rasam powder. Further add tamarind water, moringha stems and toamtoes as well.

Bring this to boil...just once! Remove from heat.

Serve warm to go with plain steamed rice.

Nanju Kondran Greens Masiyal

Nanchu-Kondraan Masiyal:

Tamil Names of this greens: Nanju-kondraan/ Nachu-Kondraan/ Nanchankondaan in a colloquial way! Well I searched all over the web....I could trace its Botanical or even common name in any other language. If someone know about this greens.....please write to me!!!

So from the name itself...you would have got the point! Nachchu - Poison , Kondraan -Killer. The meaning says it kills/removes the poison!

This is an ornamental tree now. The leaves are bright and broad. Its a short tree and grows fast! Whoever had this tree for decoration in their house....were not aware of its medicinal use! When I was a kid....I remember Mommy making 'Masiyal' out of it! My next door neighbours were teasing my mother....saying 'you should not try any leaves for making masiyal'. Probably at that time...they were not aware of its taste and medicinal value. After Mommy explained them.....they started cooking it too! Infact.....when I visited my home town, nearly after 8-9 years. They still have the tree! Both myself and my neighbours made masiyal and poriyal out of this greens several times. I have to tell you...both masiyal and poriyal were too good! So don't hold back!!!

Ingredients:

Broad Nachu-Kondraan leaves 6 or 7
Onion 1 small roughly chopped
Garlic 5 beads
Tomato 1 small chopped
Green chilies 3-5 chopped
Tamarind paste 1/2 spoon
Cooked thoor dal 1 cup(optional)
Salt
Sesame oil few spoons.

For Seasonings:

Thalippu Vadagam 1 spoon
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Chana dal 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Dry red chilies 3 - slitted
Curry leaves few
Sesame oil few spoons.

Method:

Wash and clean the leaves. Remove the thick stem and veins. Chop coarsely.

In a wok, heat few spoons of oil. Add chilies, garlic, onion and tomato and saute for few minutes.

Then add greens, salt and tamarind to it. Cover and cook....till they wilt.

Now grind them coarsely using mann-chatti/kal-chatti.

In a separate pan, heat oil. Add the seasoning items one by one, wait till they pop and splutter. Now run this seasoning over the masiyal made above.

Serve warm to go with plain rice. Adding steamed rice to the mann-chatti and make a earthen pot meal - tastes better this way too!

Vepampoo Thuvaiyal:

Fresh Neem Flower Thuvaiyal/Chutney.

Ingedients:

Fresh Neem Flowers (4-7 inflorescence)
Coconut grated 1 cup
Urad dal 1 fistful
Ginger 1"
Garlic 4 beads
Peppercorns 4
Cumin 1/4 spoon
Dry red chilies 5-6
Curry leaves few
Salt
Oil.

Method:

Carefully whither the flowers alone. Wash and set aside.

In a wok, heat oil. Add pepper, cumin, chilies and curry leaves. Fry for aout 2 minutes.

Then followed by ginger and garlic.

Add urad dal and fry real good. Maybe till it turns to golden color.

Now add coconut and fry for another 2 minutes.

Add neem flowers finally and fry till they wilt.

Remove from heat. Bring this to room temperature and wet-grind coarsely using very limited water.

Serve to go with plain steamed rice. Running a spoon ful of ghee would make it less bitter!

Mutton Kofta Omlette

Mutton Kofta Omlette:

Mutton Kola Urundai. Mutton Kolaurundai. Mutton Kofta.

I happen to taste this recipe in Narmada Rasoi(a small Restaurant - Hyderabad). It was good! They topped 3-4 koftas on the omlette. So felt like trying it today!

Ingredients:

For Kofta:

Minced Mutton 100 grams
Ginger-garlic paste
Coriander leaves
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds powder 1/4 spoon
Coriander powder 1/2 spoon
Oil for frying.

For Omlette:

What else! Eggs!!!

Method:

Mix all the above said ingredients(for kofta) except oil. Now blend them to a fine paste.

Now heat up the oil. Fry them as teeny meeny koftas. Set aside over kitchen tissues.

Heat the griddle, smear few spoons of oil. Now break 3-4 eggs carefully. Top them with fried koftas. Fold the omlette gently to one side.

Serve warm as an evenning snack.

Bombay Chutny:

This is quick fix dip in most of the house. Just for a change!

Ingredients:

Bengal gram flour 1 small cup
Green chilies slitted
Curry leaves
Onion 1 chopped
Tomato 1 chopped
Salt
Turmeric 1 pinch
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Oil fw spoons.

Method:

In a bowl, add gram flour. By adding luke water water to this....make a thick runny consistency batter. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok, add mustard, curry leaves and chilies. Wait till they splutter up.

Add onions and fry real good. Add salt, turmeric to it.

Now add toamtoes and fry for a while.

Add gram flour batter to this. Keep stirring. Once the bubbling sttles and the chutney consolidates...remove from heat.

Serve to go with idlies or dosas.

Murungai Poo Soup:

Ingredients:

Moringha flowers 1 small cup
Ginger 1 inch chopped
Peppercorns 1/4 spoon
Cumin 1 pinch
Salt to taste
Olive oil 1 spoon.

Method:

Heat oil, add pepper and cumin....let it splutter well.

Add ginger, fowers and a cup of water. Bring this to boil.

Remove from heat. Serve warm.

Fish Sambal

Fried Fish Curry: (Restaurant Style)

Meen Sambal Recipe. Machchili Sambal. Chapalu Sambal. Srilanka, Malaysia and Kerala style Sambal Recipe.

Ingredients:

For Fry:

King Fish/ Varal Fish 1/4 kilo(cubed & without bones would be a good idea)
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Lemon juice from a fruit
Egg whites 1
Oil for Shallow frying.

For Curry:

Green chilis 3 slitted
Onion 1 large grated
Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon
Tomatoes 4 - puree
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Cashew nuts 10 (soaked and made into paste)
Curry leaves to garnish
Sesmae oil few spoons.

Method:

Marinate fish with all the above said items(for fry) except oil.

Shallow fry them till crisp.

Set them aside over kitchen tissues.

Meanwhile....heat oil in a wok. Add chilies, let it sputter well.

Followed by onion paste. Sprinkle salt now and fry real good....until onion turns to golden color.

Now add ginger-garlic paste and fry real good. Followed by tomato puree.

Add turmeric, chili powder and cashew paste too. Bring this to gravy stage.

Finaaly add fried fish to it....wait till they get well soaked into the gravy. Cook for just 2 minutes and remove from heat.

Thi curry goes well with Naan, Chappathi items.

Vellam Idly:

Sweetened Idlies. Sweet Idly.

I happen to taste this idly.....when I was a little kid....at my aunt's house. She prepared this with leftover batter....to go with her picknick menu. Besides puliyodarai, lemon rice, toamto and curd rice.....this was a big hit that day! I think its a clever idea....to make kids eat! Hope...this recipe might help some mothers out there!

Ingredients:

Idly batter 1 cup
Jaggery 1/4 cup grated
Cardamom pods 3-6 crushed
Coconut grated 6-8 spoons
Salt pinch
Soda 1 pinch
Pacha Karpooram 1 pinch(raw camphor)
Ghee few spoons
Cahewnuts chopped coarsely (optional)

Method:

Mix all the above said ingredients to the batter(except ghee).

Now smear ghee to the idly laddles. Fill up the laddles carefully with limited batter.

Steam these idlies for about 10-12 minutes over medium flame/heat.

Serve warm as evenning snack.

Country Chicken Biriyani:(Chettinad Style)

These days Biriyani has become 'Kudisai Thozhil' in Tamil Nadu. Anyone who has a 'Deksha'.....can start up a business. Biriyani eating population also has significantly raised. It was not the same scenario few years ago.....we used to wait for that authentic Biriyani(Ramzaan / Bakrid). Sometimes....during family get-to gathers and Birthday's Pappa used to bring specialist to make Nawabi Biriyani at home. It used to be really fun and memorable occasion. Now eating biriyani is like day to day activities.

When I visited Vellore(vacation).....my family friend invited me for Dhaawat. As her son was leaving for Ajmeer(its the occassion)! She prepared a huge pot of biriyani and sweets. Most of the friends were not so excited to have same Nawabhi Biriyani....since they had had enough already. When I told my brother that aunty has sent you some Biriyani...he wasnt excited either. He was teasing her in fact. "Better....see one day Farah's mommy is going to knock the door on Id(Ramadhan) and give us 'Vatha Kuzhambu and Sutta Appalam'. Since everyone has opted Biriyani....she would switch to this!" Ha ha ha....hilarious but makes sense!

I know its same old Biriyani....then please admit it....will you be skipping it this week? Ha ha....there you are! So for a variation try this chettinad Biriyani! No great difference...but they used country chicken here. Also used curry leaves for garnishing. Their marination is peculiar, they used coconut oil for marination. Although I don't know the significance.....I used it in the same way today.

Ingredients:

For Meat Marination:

Country Chicken(Bone-in, Fat-on) 1/4 kilo
Sea Salt
Turmeric Powder pinch
Coconut oil
Chili powder.

To be Grated for Masala:

Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon(freshly prepared)
Green chili 2 minced
Scallion 1 grated
Country Tomato 1 grated
Mint 6-8 leaves bruised
Cilantro leaves bruised few
Lemon 1 fruit freshly squeezed
Rock Salt
Chili Powder 1/4 spoon
Yogurts 1/4 cup.

For Biriyani:

Short Grained Rice 2 cups
Green chilies 6 slitted
Onions 2 sliced
Tomatoes 6 chopped
Salt
Chili powder (optional...its not used generally)
Mint 10 leaves
Cilantro few leaves
Ghee 1 cup.

Spices:

Cloves 3
Cinnamon 2 sticks
Cardamom 6 crushed
Bay leaves 3 crumbled
Star anise 2
Marati Mokku 3
Rose petal few(dried)
Birinji flower 1
Saffron few strands - tapped

For Garnishing:

Green chilies sliced 4-6
Curry leaves few
Coconut oil for frying.

Method:

In a wide crock pot, heat ghee. Throw in all the spices. Let them crackle up.

Then add chilies, wait till it splutters and turns white.

Followed by onions...fry real good till golden. Maybe add salt o hasten your process.

Now tomatoes....cover and cook. When tomatoes turn pulpy, add chili powder.

Stir-in marinated meat + ground masala. Cover and cook till meat is tender. It takes really...........long time!

When the meat is tender and oil shows up on top, make sure there is no extra moisture. Then stir-in rice.

Let the rice get well fried for brief period. Then measure your water and add the same.

Cover and cook in a least possible heat. I always slow cook under sim, the no-1 knob here. Again it takes 1- 11/2 on stove top. Well one could set these in oven over 350 degrees for 3 whole hours. Choice is yours!

Finally garnish with fried curry leaves and chili.

Murungai Keerai Adai:

Greens Adai. Raagi Adai.

Today's Special : Raagi (Finger Millet)

Our brain's primary fuel is Glucose and its a glutton for it! It uses up to 25% of the body's total resources. So if you rigorously diet(or over exercise) as your muscles get fatigued....and so does the brain too! Only thing is muscle is capable of breaking up fat cells for energy. Whereas Brain needs only fresh glucose...in a steady supply for normal function. When glucose wanes away from brain - results will be mental irritability, stress, fatigues and giddiness.

Diet Tips for Steady Glucose Supply to the Brain:

Avoid refined foods, such as Sieved Atta, Polished Rice, Sooji, All purpose flour....As these convert to simple sugars that are burnt by the body too quickly, resulting in performance and energy swings.

So select complex carbohydrates like whole grains, Rose matta arisi, Fibre rich Atta, Unpolished Rice, Whole Raagi Flour...etc. These burn slowly and provide a steady supply of fuel. Moreover barn and unpolished grains have more B-complex than the polished and refined ones. So try to fix brown rice whenever possible.

Well...today I chose drumstick's leaves to go with this raagi flour. The Botanical name of this tree is 'Moringa oleifera'! Both Leaves and pods are edible here. The leaves are rich in Iron.


Ingredients:

Raagi flour 1 cup
Drumstick leaves 1 cup
Curry leaves chopped 1/4 cup
Green chilies 6-8 finely chopped
Red onions finely chopped
Salt
Oil 1 cup

Method:

In a pan...heat few spoons of oil. Add green chilies, onion and drumstick leaves. Fry them for a while.

Add this fried items to the flour. Mix them evenly. Add salt to this. By adding water little by little....make a thick dough.

Take a clean cloth and mount it over an inverted flat bowl. Sprinkle water over this cloth. Make the cloth wet at the same time not dripping.

Make equal parts out of dough...probably small balls.

Place this ball over the wet cloth and using wet hand Pat them into flat adais.

Heat a skillet or tawa. Add few spoons of oil. Maintain the stove over medium flame. Place the adai over this hot tawa. Let it get cooked. Turn to the other side. Sprinkle oil...or run oil along the sides. Cook over medium flame for long time....as raagi takes time to get cooked.

Serve hot as an evening tiffin. Its healthy diet.

Methi Paratha - Fenugreek Greens Flat Bread

Methi Roti:

Frenugreek Greens in Indian Bread. Menthilu Rotiya'nh. Venthiya Keerai Chappathi.

Vitamin-K:

Dark green, leafy vegetables are rich in Vitamin-K. This vitamin is needed to make clot-building compounds in the blood. Thus reduces loss of blood by promoting clotting effect (in wounded/inflammatory area). Greens like fenugreek and spinach are rich in this vitamin.

It is rich in calcium, iron and phosphorous. It reduces one's body heat. So that's why in tropical area/during summer....people generally mix this greens to go with their animal protein(chicken). As chicken's heat is usually balanced with this greens. I don't know how it works but most of the bitter greens are always told to have this property, to ward away intestinal worms! So the side(good)effect of this could be an excellent ' appetizer'! This greens are even used has herbal hair wash(to clean the scalp from dandruff) besides it also promotes soft and silky hair.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour 1 bowl
Salt
Cooking soda 1/4 spoon
Warm water 1 cup
Ghee/clear butter

Ingredients:

Fenugreek Greens 2-4 bunches
Salt Cumin seeds 2 spoons
Garam masala powder 1/4 spoon
Cumin powder 1 spoon
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Coriander powder 1 spoon(dhanya powder)
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Green chili 1 finely chopped
Onions finely chopped 1 cup
Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon
Coriander leaves 1 cup finely chopped
Dry wheat flour and ghee for making parathas.

Method:

1. Trim the roots and carefully plunk only the leaves. Wash several times using sedimentation method. Like soak the leaves for 1 whole minute in a bowl full of water. Sieve off the leaves alone carefully. SO that the clay and fine sands settles beneath. Repeat the same process until you get a clear water.

2. In a pan heat oil/ghee and add cumin seeds and fry till golden brown.

3.Then add green chilies, onions and ginger -garlic paste. Fry them till all water evaporates from them. Add salt, turmeric powder, chili power, coriander powder, garam masala powder and cumin seeds powder. Toss them well until all powders get well mixed and as well as lost their raw smell.

4. Now add leaves to the above masala either removing from the stove or still maintaining on the low flame.

5. Mix them well by further adding coriander leaves. Set this aside.

6. In a large bowl add wheat flour.

7. Add warm water add salt + soda.

8. Now toss the above greens masala to the flour and mix it well.

9. Add ghee for smooth finish of dough. Leave it in for 2 hours with proper covering. One can leave it even in fridge...but should be left outside at least a hour before preparing parathas.

10. Knead wheat dough roundels into small thin chapatis.

11. Now place the parathas in hot tawa and toss them both the sides till it is cooked. Add either ghee/butter....even mustard oil will do.

12.Serve hot with punjabi gravy.

Meat - Lemon Soup:

To Boost Calcium in the Diet:

I always liked the idea of vinegar and tomato based soups at Chinese Restaurants(Hot and Sour Chicken Soup). The acid in this Soup dissolves maximum bone's calcium into the broth.

When in comes to Home-made Soup....I try to pop-in more tomatoes. For a change...I chose Vitamin-C rich Lemons today. Pairing this acidic broth with bone-in meat ribs/chicken breast could boost more calcium content in the soup, than a non-acidic one!

Ingredients:

Goats Rib Bones 200 grams
Thoor dal 1 table spoon
Green chilies 3 sliced
Curry leaves few
Ginger 2" peeled, grated & minced
Garlic 5 pods peeled, grated & minced
Onion 1 head finely chopped
Tomatoes 2 chopped
Salt
Turmeric
Lemon juice from a fruit
Peppercorns few
Cumin seeds few
Sesame oil few spoons
Cilantro leaves few.

Method:

Pressure cook ribs + toor dal....using enough water in a cooker. Maybe about 6-8 whistles will do. Set aside.

In a crock pot, heat oil. Crackle pepper, cumin, chilies and curry leaves. Stir-in ginger, garlic and onion. Saute for 2 minutes or until onions turn to golden color.

Now add tomatoes and fry real good. Add salt and turmeric too.

When tomatoes loose water content and oil shows up on sides...start adding your bones + dal along with its water(broth actually).

Continue cooking.

Finally squeeze lemon juice and remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro leaves too.

As I told you....more calcium from the bones seep into the broth when you add something acidic. So add at least 2 tomatoes. Add lemon finally and make it to sit for a while off the stove. As you know...lemon flavour turns to bitter taste, when they are cooked for a long time. Try not to throw away the bones...tearing and chewing them strengthens your gums and teeth. Depending upon soups will also make you have less craving for junk foods.