Tag Archives: Gluten free recipes

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Palak and peanut stir fry

Quick and Easy Spinach-peanut stir fry

Category:Indian Dietitian Online Tags : 

Spinach or palak is a powerhouse of nutrition and is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate as well as being a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2.

This is a quick and easy recipe that is my go-to when I’m in a hurry or when I’m just feeling too lazy to make an elaborate dish with palak/spinach. I call it my ‘Lazy spinach stir-fry’ which I make often as everyone seems to love it and I never have any leftovers now matter how many bunches of palak I use to make this.

Ingredients for the Easy Spinach and peanut stir-fry:

Spinach/Palak: 2-3 bunches (washed, dried and chopped into small pieces)

Roasted peanuts: 1 big handful (crushed coarsely)

Red chili flakes: 1-2 tsp (or as per heat tolerance)

Olive oil/Ghee/ Coconut oil: 1 tbsp

Garlic: 5-6 cloves (finely chopped)

Salt: to taste

Lime juice: a dash

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a kadai, add the chopped ginger. Then add the red chili flakes and the chopped spinach leaves and saute on high heat till the water evaporates.
  2. Keep stirring and switch off the kadai when the spinach is wilted. Switch off.
  3. Mix the crushed roasted peanuts and salt.
  4. Add a dash of lime and mix.
  5. Serve the easy spinach and peanut stir fry as a side to rice and dal.


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Rice Vermicelli Tawa Pulav (Gluten Free)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online,Lunch Box Recipes Healthy Indian Tags : 

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, triticale and in some cases oats. Gluten is commonly blamed for gut symptoms experienced by people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, recent research suggests that the carbohydrate component in wheat, rye and barley is more likely to be the cause of the problem (part of a group of foods known as FODMAPS.A gluten-free diet allows bowel healing and symptom improvement in people with coeliac disease.

Tawa vermicelli pulav is a recipe using the rice noodles found in the Asian section of the grocery store and the pav bhaji masala. I prefer using rice vermicelli instead of the more commonly used  wheat vermicelli. It’s a tasty and unique dish to take in the lunch box too. The pav bhaji masala gives a very different flavour to the dish.

Rice Vermicelli Tawa Pulav

Ingredients for Rice Vermicelli Tawa Pulav:

  • Rice vermicelli: 500g
  • Mixed vegetables: 1 cup chopped (green beans, carrots, peas, capsicum, etc)
  • Onion: 1 medium(thinly sliced)
  • Cashew nuts: 10 nos.
  • Ginger garlic paste: 2tsp
  • Tomato: 2 big , finely chopped
  • Green chilies: 1 slit lengthwise (optional)
  • Pav bhaji masala: 3 tsp
  • Kashmiri red chili powder: 1/2-1 tsp (as per heat tolerance)
  • Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
  • Jeera: 1tsp
  • Cinnamon: 1″ stick
  • Cardamom: 2nos.
  • Coriander: 3 tbsp( finely chopped) for garnish
  • Lemon juice: 2 tsp
  • Oil/ Butter/Ghee: 1 tbsp
  • Salt: to taste

Method:

  • Heat oil/butter in a kadai and add the cumin/jeera, cinnamon, cardamom, cashews ,slit chili(optional)
  • Then add the turmeric powder, sliced onions and the ginger garlic paste. Saute till the onions start turning brown.
  • Add, the mixed vegetables and stir fry till the vegetables are almost cooked.
  • In the meanwhile, boil some water with a tsp of oil in a saucepan. Once it boils switch off,add the rice noodles/vermicelli(broken into smaller pieces) and let it sit for 2 minutes and then drain and keep aside.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes ,salt and saute until the tomato turn soft and mushy then add the pav bhaji masala, chili powder.
  • Saute until the oil is released from the masala paste.
  • Add the rice noodles/vermicelli and mix well to coat every strand of the vermicelli with the masala.
  • Squeeze some lime juice, mix well and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
  • Serve the Rice vermicelli tawa pulav with raita or as is.

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Mixed Vegetable Pulav with Coconut Milk (Pressure/Rice Cooker)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online,Lunch Box Recipes Healthy Indian Tags : 

Another Gluten free rice pulav recipe. The addition of coconut milk gives a different flavour to the pulav, You can add turmeric if you don’t like the white colour of the pulav-but I don’t add it as it makes the pulav look different.

This can be made in a pressure cooker or even in the rice cooker. I normally fry it in a kadai and then transfer it into the rice cooker and add water and let it steam. I know many who even do the frying of the onions and veggies in the rice cooker itself-but I prefer to do it separately.

Mixed Vegetable Pulav with Coconut Milk (Pressure/Rice Cooker)

Ingredients for Mixed vegetable pulav with coconut milk

  • Basmati rice: 1 cup
  • Mixed vegetables(Green beans, carrots, peas): 1 cup
  • Onion: 1 medium (thinly sliced)
  • Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
  • Green Chilis: 1-2 (slit length wise)
  • Cashew nuts: 10-12nos.
  • Jeera: 1 tsp
  • Cardamom: 4nos.
  • Cinnamon: 1″
  • Peppercorns: 8nos.
  • Cloves: 4nos.
  • Bay leaf: 1 no.
  • Coriander leaves: 2-3 tbsp (chopped)
  • Coconut milk: 2 cups
  • Ghee: 2tbsp
  • salt to taste

Method:

  1.  Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes.
  • In the meanwhile , heat 2 tsp of ghee in a kadai /pressure pan and add the whole spices (cumin seeds, pepper, cinnamon, etc) and saute for a few seconds.Then add the green chilies and cashews.
  • Add the sliced onions and saute till the onions start turning golden.
  • Add the mixed veggies and saute for a 1-2 minutes(if using the rice cooker, then make sure to saute it for a little longer till the veggies are half cooked)) .
  • Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
  • Drain the water from the soaked rice and add it to the kadai and fry for a few minutes (if making in a rice cooker, now would be the step to transfer from the kadai to the rice cooker).
  • Add the coconut milk, salt to taste add 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and mix well.
  • Pressure cook for one whistle(if using rice cooker, just switch on and it’ll be ready in 15-20mins)
  • Once the pressure drops, open the lid and gently fluff the pulav.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with a spicy side dish(as this pulav is mostly bland, it’s best served with something spicy)

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Cabbage Zunka/ Junka (Cabbage and Besan/Chickpea flour stir-fry)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online,Recipes- Side Dish Tags : 

Zunka/Junka is a common Maharashtrian dish which is also known as pitle/pitla in some places. The basic dish is made with besan/chickpea flour and water with a tempering of onions, ginger and garlic. This simple and quick dish is mostly eaten with bakhri made from either rice or jowar.

Kobiachi(Cabbage) Zunka is a variation of this dish by first adding cabbage and then the rest of the Zunka ingredients.

Cabbage Zunka/Junka

Ingredients for Cabbage Zunka:

  • Cabbage- 2 cups (finely chopped)
  • Onion- 1 cup (finely chopped)
  • Besan(chickpea flour)- 1/2 to 3/4 cup
  • Garlic pods: 3-4
  • Turmeric- 1/4 tsp
  • Hing/Asafoetida: a pinch (optional)
  • Chili powder- 1-2 tsp(as per your spice tolerance)
  • Garam masala- 1/4 tsp
  • Coriander leaves : 3 -4 tbsp (finely chopped)
  • Oil- 2-3 tbsp

Method:

  1. Heat oil in a kadai and add the smashed garlic and hing(optional). When it turns slightly brown, add the onions and saute till the onions turn translucent.
  2.  Then add turmeric, chili powder, salt and stir fry for a few seconds.
  3. Add the cabbage and mix well such that the spices coat the cabbage evenly.
  4. Cover and cook. The cabbage will go soft and release its own juices after about 7-10 minutes.
  5. Now quickly stir in the besan/chickpea flour and saute gently on medium heat. Make sure there are no lumps of the flour. The besan will absorb the juices and cook.
  6. Cover and cook on low heat for another 4-5 minutes.
  7. Now open the cover, check that everything has been cooked well and mixed. The besan should give out a wonderful cooked aroma.
  8. Garnish with lots of chopped coriander and serve hot with rotis or even hot rice, dal and pickle.

 


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Sukha Bhel (Gluten-free vegan snack)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online Tags : 

Healthy (and Tasty) Snack-Sukha Bhel

It’s 5pm and i feel like having something ‘chatpata’. Hmmm,so what is quick,tasty and chatpata-Sukha bhel!!
If you are wondering why I’ve added “and tasty” in the title,it’s because my husband strongly feels that if I just put it as ‘Healthy Snack’ nobody will want to try it as everyone assumes that anything healthy is not tasty. Not true. You don’t have to pour oodles of ghee/oil/butter to make something tasty. Try out this simple and easy snack,and you’ll know!!
Sukha Bhel-Tossed puffed rice salad (Serves 2)
Ingredients:

  • Puffed rice-2 cups
  • Tomato-1 chopped
  • Onion-1 small (finely chopped)
  • Carrot-1/2 (Grated)
  • Cucumber-1/2(finely chopped)
  • Coriander(cilantro) leaves-a handful,finely chopped
  • Green Chilly-1 finely chopped or 1tsp red chilly powder
  • Chaat masala-1/2 teaspoon
  • Raw mango(optional)-1/2(finely chopped)
  • Salt-to taste

Method:

  1. Put all the ingredients into a big bowl.
  2. Toss well and serve immediately.

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Kimchi Fried Rice (Korean Style Fried Rice)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online Tags : 

Kimchi also called the ‘Korean Superfood’ and is a must have side dish for all Koreans. It is made from fermented vegetables (most often cabbage) and has a unique salty and spicy flavour. It is rich in probiotic strains (including Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis) and hence scientists give it equal status to yogurt when it comes to probiotic foods. It is also packed with antioxidants and contains vitamins A, B, C and K. It is also loaded with vital minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium.

Kimchi being a fermented food has loads of health benefits. To read more about the benefits of fermented foods and for a list of Indian Fermented foods read my article: Benefits of Fermented foods

My Indian Dietitian

Kimchi

I bought Kimchi in bulk from Costco, and since I have a lot-have been experimenting with some Korean dishes that incorporate kimchi. Try out this Indo-Korean style ‘Kimchi Uttapam‘ which is my twist on the traditional Korean Kimchi Pancakes.

Kimchi Fried rice is a quick and easy dish made mostle with leftover rice. You could add any meat/chicken/seafood/ mushroom to it if you wish.

Ingredients for Quick and easy Kimchi Fried Rice: Serves 4

  • Kimchi: 1 cup (finely diced)
  • Kimchi juice/liquid: 1/4 cup
  • Leftover rice –3 cups (if it is freshly cooked, spread it in a tray to cool or put it in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour)
  • Eggs: 4 , (cooked sunny side up for garnish)
  • Garlic: 1/2 tsp minced
  • Sesame Oil: 1/2 Tbsp
  • 1/2 Tbsp cooking oil
  • Oil: 1/2 tbsp
  • Spring onion: 1-2 finely chopped(optional for garnish)

Method:

  1. On medium high heat preheat a pan/wok and once heated and add the garlic, stir it fast for about 10 seconds. (if you want to add any meat/chicken/seafood-add it now and stir-fry till it is cooked).
  2. Add the Kimchi and stir-fry till almost cooked.
  3. Add the rice and the kimchi juice. Mix together till all the rice gets coated with the kimchi juice.Add the sesame oil and mix them well. Remove from the heat.
  4. Serve hot garnished with the egg and spring onions.

Also try:

Kimchi Uttapam (an Indo-Korean fusion dish)

Bon Appetite or as they say in Korean Mashike Mogo 🙂

Sweta Uchil-Purohit

Online Indian Dietitian


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Malabar Spinach Tambuli (Basale Soppu Tambli)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online Tags : 

Tambli/tambuli is a curd based dish typically made in Udupi/ Mangalore kitchens. It can be made with different green leafy vegetables (palak, curry leaves, etc) or even garlic. Since rice is the predominant grain in the traditional south Indian homes, this is served as a side to rice along with vegetables.

Basella or vine spinach is a popular tropical leafy-green vegetable, commonly grown as backyard herb in most home gardens in Mangalore. Fresh leaves are rich sources of several anti-oxidants such as ß-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin.
Its thick, fleshy leaves are an excellent source of non-starch polysaccharide, mucilage.

Basale Soppu/ Poi

Malabar spinach is rich in soluble fibre, Vitamins A & C,  iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium.This tambli made with Basale soppu/Malabar spinach is also believed to cure mouth ulcers.

Ingredients:

  • Malabar spinach or basale soppu: A big handful (washed and coarsely chopped)
  • Yogurt/curd: 1 cup fresh (not too sour)
  • Grated coconut: 1/2 cup (fresh/frozen)
  • Green chili: 1-2 nos. (optional)
  • Cumin seeds/Jeera: 1/2 tsp

For the tempering:

  • Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
  • Urad dal: 1/4 tsp
  • Red chili: 1/2
  • Curry leaves: a few
  • Oil/ghee: 1 tbsp

Method:

  1. Heat some oil in a frying pan and add the cumin seeds and green chili. When the cumin starts sizzling add the Malabar spinach leaves and saute till they are wilted. Keep aside to cool.
  2. Once cool, grind to a paste along with the coconut and  just enough water to make a paste in a blender/mixie.
  3. Transfer the paste to a bowl and add the yogurt and mix well. The consistency of the tambli should be thinner than chutney. So add enough water if it is too thick.
  4. Heat a little oil in a tadka pan, add the mustard seeds , urad dal and when it starts to pop add the dry red chili and curry leaves.
  5. Add this to the tambli and serve along with hot rice and vegetables.

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Benefits of Fermented foods (Fluffy Idli Recipe)

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Naturally fermented foods may help strengthen your gut microbiome which are basically the beneficial bacteria and microorganisms that live in your digestive tract. Gut microbes are now believed to be key to many aspects of human health including obesity, immune, metabolic and neuro-behavioural traits. Reseraches believe that fermented and probiotic foods are seen to improve immunity, aid in better digestion, prevention of allergies and also treating diarrhea.

One such naturally fermented food that is commonly made in most South Indian homes regularly are idlis and dosas. Who knew eating the humble idli (in moderation) could actually benefit your health?

Besides idli/dosa batter here are some of the other Indian foods that are fermented:

  • Curds/dahi/yogurt– a part of of a traditional meal in most Indian families, this contains live cultures.
  • Pickles
  • Gajar/Beetroot Kanji (North India): a drink made with fermented carrots/beetroot
  • Traditional Dhoklas (Gujrat) that are fermented and not instant
  • Traditional Handvo (Gujrat)-where the batter is let to ferment overnight
  • Fermented rice– called panta or poita bath(Assam, West Bengal,Tripura),  pazhaiya choru(Kerala), pazhaya saadam (Tamil Nadu) is basically the extra cooked rice soaked in water overnight during which it ferments, and is eaten in the morning with buttermilk and garnish of onions, green chilies etc.
  • Gundruk (Himalyan areas, Darjeeling, Sikkim): Fermented greens
  • Sinki (Himalyan areas, Uttarkhand, Sikkim): Fermented radish
  • Iromba( Manipur):  A dish made with fermented fish

Besides these there are many drinks/dishes that incorporate curds/buttermilk like kadhi, Rajasthani rabdi, Ragi ambli (Karnataka) and yeast fermented products like traditional naan and parottas.

Coming back to the humble idli,  what exactly happens when you ferment the idli batter?How does it become more nutritious?

During the fermentation process the carbohydrates get converted into simpler sugars that are easier to digest. This is one of main reasons that it is given to babies and those who are sick. It also increases the bioavailablity of many vitamins and minerals  such as iron, potassium and calcium and also increases the vitamin B content. It was seen that after 12 hours of fermentation of 100 grams of rice, the availability of iron changed from 3.4 mg to 73.91mg .

Unlike other fermented foods which still have the live cultures, the steaming process will kill the live cultures but it still makes the idli more nutritious than plain rice and dal.

Try making your own batter instead of buying store made ones. It’s easy, just follow this recipe:

Ingredients for Idli:

  • Idli (Par boiled) rice: 2 cups
  • Urad dal (skinless) : 1/2 cup 
  • Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp 
  • Beaten rice (poha) – 1/3 cup
  • Salt : to taste

Method:

  1. Wash and soak  the urad dal (without skin), idli rice and fenugreek seeds in water for 6-7 hours. Soak poha for 1/2 hour before grinding.
  2. Grind the urad dal with enough cold water to make a smooth, fluffy paste. Keep aside.
  3. Grind the idli rice along with the poha with enough water till you get a smooth paste.
  4. Now mix the rice batter with the urad dal batter. Add salt (if the weather is cold, avoid adding salt if the weather is hot) and mix it well to aerate the batter with enough air to aid in fermentation.
  5. Let it ferment overnight (if it’s cold, you can keep it inside the oven with the light of the oven switched on).
  6. In the morning, mix the fermented batter well and grease the idli moulds.
  7. Boil water in a steamer, once water starts boiling,  pour the batter into the greased moulds.
  8. Steam for 10-12 minutes or until it is cooked.
  9. Serve with sambar and chutney.

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Crispy Chicken Cutlets-Indian Style (Low Carb, High Protein Recipe, Gluten free)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online Tags : 

Here’s a High Protein, Low-carb recipe of Chicken cutlets with no potatoes. To make it crispy and still keep it low-carb, I have used Psyllium husk to coat the cutlets before frying.

Now psyllium husk is a commonly known as Isabgol in India. It has been used for ages to treat constipation. It is now becoming popular as a low carb addition to foods.

Ingredients for Crispy Chicken Cutlets:

  • Chicken mince: 400gms
  • Onions: 1 medium (finely diced)
  • Green chilies: 2 (finely chopped)
  • Coriander leaves: 5 tbsp (finely chopped)
  • Mint leaves: 8-10(finely chopped)
  • Ginger+Garlic Paste: 1.5 tsp
  • Mashed cauliflower: 1/2 cup
  • Roasted gram flour(Besan): 2-3  tbsp
  • Melted butter/ghee: 1 tbsp
  • Psyllium husk(Isabgol): 1/2-1  cup for coating
  • Salt: to taste
  • Oil: for pan frying

Method:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together well and keep it in the fridge for 1/2-1hr.
  2. Heat a little oil in a pan, make a ball of the mixture, then flatten it into a patti shape.
  3. Roll it in the psyllium husk and place in the pan one by one.
  4. Turn them over and let them cook till the outside becomes golden brown in colour.
  5. Take them out and serve hot with coriander chutney.

Note: 

These can also be frozen after frying and can be used later as such or as a filling inside wraps/ sandwiches/burgers.

 

 

 

 

 


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Appe with Mixed vegetables(Paddu/ Guliyappa/ Paniyaram/Gundponglu)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online Tags : 

Appe is a common breakfast dish in Mangalore. It’s also popular in the other Southern states and is called Paadu/Guliyappa in Karnataka, Paniyaram in Tamil Nadu, Gundponglu in AP and Telengana. And called ‘dosa in a ball’ by my daughter!

It’s made with the dosa batter in a special ‘appe pan’ which has 5-7 or more round holes. The batter is poured into these holes and the resulting appe is almost round like a ball.

Appe, Paddu, Paniyaram pan

Here’s a healthier version of the recipe in which I have added sauteed mixed veggies into the batter to make it more nutritious and can be packed and taken for lunch :

Ingredients for the Batter:
  • Idly Rice: 3/4 cup
  •  Raw Rice: 1/4 cup
  • Urad Dal: 1/2 cup
  • Fenugreek seeds: 1/2 tsp

Other Ingredients: 

  • Carrots: 1 medium (finely diced)
  • Green Beans: 1/2 cup
  • Peas: 1/2 cup
  • Green Chilli: 1 finely chopped (optional)
  • Curry leaves: 10-15 nos., finely chopped
  • Onion: 1 medium, finely chopped
  •  Salt: to taste
  • Coriander leaves: 3 tbsp, finely chopped
  • Oil/ghee/butter
Method:
  1. Wash the idly rice, raw rice, fenugreek seeds and whole urad dal then soak for 6-8 hours.
  2. Grind the soaked mixture with enough water to get a smooth batter.
  3. Transfer the ground batter to a clean vessel and cover it and let it ferment in a warm place overnight.
  4. Heat oil in a pan and add the curry leaves, onions green chili(optional) .
  5. Saute till the onions are soft. Add the chopped veggies and the coriander leaves and sautee till the veggies are cooked. Add the salt. Remove from heat and set aside to cool
  6. Add this mixture when cool to the batter and mix well.
  7. Heat the appe pan till its really hot(test by sprinkling water-it should sizzle). Add a little oil/ butter/ ghee into each mold. Drop the batter to fill the mold. Cover and cook for a minute. Then turn and cook on the other side till its golden in colour.
  8. The appe should be crispy and golden on both sides.
  9. Serve hot with chutney.