Nutritious Pidikozhakattai with Jeera Rasam

     The Karnataka version of this is called Nucchinunde. Telugu - Kanduntlu. A traditional South Indian recipe, it is being made less often because it is a little labour intensive. However, with some planning and pre-preparation, this can even make it's way into week-day lunch boxes. It adds valuable protein and fibre to a meal. I've included a snapshot of the magazine article to give a sense of what the finished product looks like.

INGREDIENTS FOR PIDIKOZHAKATTAI:

Whole channa - ½ cup

Green gram – ½ cup

Karamani – ¼ cup

Tuar dal – ½ cup

Whole Urad – 2 tbsp

Cabbage (finely shredded) – ¼ cup

Carrot (grated) – ¼ cup

Onions (finely chopped) – ¼ cup

Curry leaves – finely chopped

Ginger- 1 inch piece

Red chillies – as required (6 for spice)

Salt – to taste

METHOD:

1] Soak all pulses together for 4 hours and then drain excess water completely.

2] Mix in the ginger, red chillies, salt and coarsely grind to a rough, chunky texture. Add in the vegetables and curry leaves and mix by hand. Form oblong rolls with tapered edges roughly 2.5 inches in length and 1.5 inches in thickness. Size them according to your convenience.

3] Place these rolls in idli plates and steam for 15 – 20 mins. Dip a knife into the centre of the roll, if it comes out clean, it’s cooked.

4] Serve hot with Jeera rasam.

Makes:                 18 – 20 nos.                        Cooking Time: 20 mins

INGREDIENTS FOR JEERA RASAM

Rasam powder – 1 tbsp

Tamarind – 1 small lemon sized ball

Small tomatoes (finely chopped) – 2 nos

Salt - to taste

Coriander leaves – for garnishing

Seasoning – Oil / Ghee – 1 tsp, mustard seeds and jeera

FOR THE RASAM POWDER –

Coriander seeds (dhaniya) - 1 tbsp

Pepper corns – 1 tbsp

Jeera -1 tbsp

Tuar dal – 1 tbsp

Red chillies – 3

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Asafoetida – a pinch

Curry Leaves – 2 twigs

METHOD

1] Roast all the rasam powder ingredients together (including curry leaves and roast till dry and slightly aromatic). Grind to a fine powder.

2] Soak the cleaned tamarind in 1 cup (200ml) of water and heat till warm. Set aside. When cool, extract every last bit of juice from the tamarind pulp. Throw the dregs.

3] Heat 2 cups of water in a pan and add the finely chopped tomatoes and bring to a boil. Then add the tamarind water and rasam powder, add 1 more cup of water and boil for 5 more mins. Add salt and wait for a light that foam accumulates on the surface. The flame should be turned off at this point.

4] Heat the oil / ghee in a small pan, add in the mustard and once it splutters, add the rest of the ingredients.

5] Add this seasoning and coriander leaves garnish and serve piping hot with the nutritious pidikozhakattais.

Cooking Time:  15 – 20mins

Nutrition Tips:

• If this is your meal’s main dish, each person will probably need 5 rolls with rasam, prepare another vegetable dish and you can serve everything with red or brown rice. Powder in the pidikozhakattai with the rice, add rasam and enjoy!
• Sprout all the pulses required to add to the nutrient value (however this will go 'off' more quickly so consume it all fresh).
• Experiment with different pulses (tuar and channa are a must) and add different herbs and spices to suit your family’s taste buds.

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    This recipe combo was published in Parent Circle, August, 2012.

Thinai Pongal with Onion Gojju

     An innovation on a South Indian favourite, this dish proves the versatility of millets. My mother-in-Law, Geetha Venkataraman is listed as the co-author since we cooked these recipe ideas up in our kitchen together. The credit for the onion gojju recipe goes to my mother, Mamatha Suresh.

INGREDIENTS FOR PONGAL:

Thinai (foxtail millet) – 1  cup

Split moong dal with skin – ½  cup

Ginger (chopped finely) – 1 tbsp

Pepper corns - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Salt – to taste

Seasoning – Oil / ghee – 1 tsp, mustard, jeera and pepper corns, curry leaves, cashews (5 – 10 nos.)

METHOD

1] Millets as a rule need less water to cook but use a 1:2 ratio to ensure it is sufficiently soft. Thinai with moong dal, turmeric powder and chopped ginger should be placed in a pressure cooker and cooked till done.

2] After the pressure is released, remove the mixture and add salt.

3] Heat the oil / ghee in a small pan, add in the mustard and once it splutters, add the rest of the ingredients. Pour this seasoning onto the pongal and mix well.

4] Serve hot with the onion gojju.

Serves:                 4                              Cooking Time:  40 mins

INGREDIENTS FOR ONION GOJJU:

Onions (finely chopped) – 3, medium

Rasam powder – 2 tsp

Coconut (grated) – 2 tbsp

Tamarind -1 lemon size ball

Jaggery – 1 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Seasoning – Oil- 1tsp, mustard seeds and jeera.

METHOD

1] Extract the tamarind water as given in the rasam recipe.

2] Grind the coconut, rasam powder, salt and jaggery with 2 tbsp of water.

3] Pour this mixture onto the chopped onions, add in the tamarind water and stir till the liquid portion is homogeneous. If the consistency is too thick, add a little more water to make it light. There should be enough liquid to cover three quarters of the volume of the onion.

4] Pour the seasoning onto the gojju and mix well.

5] This makes a good side dish in any meal.

Preparation Time: 15 – 20 mins

Nutrition tips:

• Add plenty of vegetables to the thinai –dal mixture before pressure cooking – this enhances the taste and colour of the dish.
• If you want a more flowy texture (some people like it watery), add a little more water before pressure cooking.
• If you want to increase the viscosity and add a traditional flavour - use finely grated fresh coconut after the cooking is done - this adds some calories from fat however.
• This gojju recipe can be used with any raw or lightly steamed veggies or even sprouts – try it with cucumber as well.
• Other millets such as varagu (kodo millet), Kamb (bajra), samai (little millet), kudiravaali (barnyard millet) can be used instead of rice as well as thinai.

This recipe was published in Parent Circle, September, 2012

Ragi Roti with Bell Pepper Chutney

     As promised, starting off the whole grain recipes with a simple, traditional recipe. I've included a picture of the article in the magazine in which it was published.

INGREDIENTS FOR RAGI ROTI:

Ragi flour – 2  cups

Onion (finely chopped)– 1, medium

Green chilli – 1 no.

Coriander leaves(chopped)– ¼  cup

Jeera – 1 tsp

Ginger (grated) – 1 tbsp

Salt – to taste

METHOD

1] Mix all the ingredients together in to a dough softer than that of chapathi. It has to be slightly wet in texture as well. Divide into 4 sections – gently mould each into a ball shape.

2] On a large enough piece of banana leaf (a thick plastic cover works too), pat the dough balls into flat rotis – about a quarter of an inch thick.

3] On a heated tava (you can use the onion trick again), holding the roti on banana leaf over it, gently prise the ragi roti onto the tava (in the manner of making poli).

4] Drag a spoon dipped in oil around the edge of the roti, smear a little oil on the surface of the roti as well to prevent it becoming dry and brittle. Cover and cook till done.

5] Serve hot with bell pepper chutney.

Serves: 2     (a moderate breakfast)                       Cooking Time: 30 mins

INGREDIENTS FOR BELL PEPPER CHUTNEY:

Bell peppers  – 2 large

Tomato – 1 medium

Channa dal – 1 tbsp

Urad dal – 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Red chillies – 3 to 6 nos.

Oil – ½ tsp

Salt – to taste

METHOD

1] Roast the dry ingredients together in a half teaspoon of oil and grind to a coarse powder.

2] Roast the bell peppers and tomato together, add this to the coarse dal powder and grind.

3] Cool to room temperature and place in the fridge. Serve this chutney cold with hot ragi rotis.

Cooking Time: 15mins

Nutrition Tips:

• Add grated carrot and tomatoes into the roti dough but be prepared for more moisture – less water is needed.
• You can use a blend of flours instead of plain ragi to add variety.
• Use an oil canister to spray oil – this way far less oil is needed to cook.
• In any of these recipes – remove a portion of batter / dough before adding in the chillies if you’re cooking for young children.

    This recipe was published in Parent Circle, September, 2012

Cardio isn't just for the Heart

     Get up off of that couch! Inertia KILLS.....are you hearing more and more about people dying younger and younger? Well the reason is INACTIVITY. When the proof of not only the benefits of regular exercise on health is in front of you daily but also the disastrous consequences of not exercising, you’ve got to wake up and DO SOMETHING.

     EVERYBODY NEEDS TO EXERCISE – whether you’re 2, 20 or 100 years old and that’s a proven fact. Don't just start yourself, encourage your parents, children and spouse to do the same. Make sure your kids spend less time in front of the idiot box and more time outdoors or playing sports.

     Cardiovascular exercise or cardio as it is affectionately known by it’s practitioners (including yours truly) is extremely simple to incorporate into your daily routine and may be the answer you were looking for. It is defined as any form of vigorous physical activity which raises the heart rate to around 60 to 85 percent of the heart's maximum heart rate for an extended period of time, usually twenty minutes or longer. 

     It is named thus because it gets the heart (‘kardia’ in Greek) pumping more efficiently, improves blood flow throughout the body supplying more oxygen to each and every cell and bringing back waste products to be disposed of. 

     Cardio or aerobic exercise increases elasticity of blood vessels, keeping them working efficiently and even enhances muscular performance. Around twenty minutes is the basal time that it takes to start fat burning (before that you’re using up stored glucose,) so if you carve out at least 30 - 45 minutes in your day (especially if you have weight or health issues), then here’s what cardio starts doing for you:

• Improves your quality of life and experience of health within the very first week!
• Mobilizes abdominal and other body fat, revs up your metabolism and makes the body burn fat for energy even when not exercising.
• Keeps your heart and entire circulatory system young, clean and healthy, lowering your risk of heart disease.
• Impels the body to utilise glucose more efficiently leading to lowered risk of Diabetes.
• Defends DNA against damage, minimizing your risk of developing cancer especially of the colon and breast.
• Increases stamina and vitality.
• Strengthens your immune system –you fall ill much less frequently.
• Lengthens your life span and enhances your quality of life even in your golden years!
• Causes your body to produce endorphins giving you a positive outlook, boosts mood, reduces stress, enhances self esteem and to a large extent, protects from depression.

     Some people prefer working out indoors. Some forms of Cardio that would work for them are jumping rope and aerobics (step aerobics too). Equipment based exercises such as treadmill, exercise cycle, elliptical or a rowing machine are effective options - commit to using them regularly for the purpose they were designed instead of just to hang laundry. Dancing is also an aerobic exercise provided it is vigorous enough - Freestyle or doing your own thing is fun, exhilarating and a great stress buster. Dancing along with the kids or your spouse is even better for bonding! Learning dance from a professional is great because you burn more calories and are taught how to warm up, cool down, stretch, etc. 

     Exercising outdoors gives you the advantage of fresh air and greenery. Nothing beats walking! If you've never exercised before, this is the safest way to build stamina. Sauntering, wandering, talking to your companion, being occupied with your surroundings or thoughts is not effective - you need to focus on putting one foot in front of the other at a very brisk pace for it to be useful for your health. I find this is easier when I'm counting the number of steps I am taking.

     When you’ve been walking for a week or two, you can include a minute of jogging or running for every ten minutes of walking – incorporating bursts of high intensity exercise during a moderately vigorous routine even if it’s running, swimming, cycling or skipping improves heart efficiency and enhances fat burning. 

     Jogging and running are only differentiated by pace and slight modification of posture and stance. Both are effective but if you're overweight by more than 10 - 15 kilos, get a doctor's approval before you attempt them. There's a lot of debate as to whether to land on the ball of the foot, the middle or the heel. Experts say, do what feels natural to you.

     Playing a sport especially a racquet sport keeps your heart fit. Athletics and kick-boxing too. Unfortunately table tennis (I played for my school team), chess and billiards don't count.....

     Swimming regularly does wonders for all your muscles involved in movement – it is a whole body strength and CARDIO workout and is great for people with arthritis or injuries. Even if you do it once a week, apart from your other regular physical activity, you can reap the benefits.

So dust off that bicycle in your garage, buy some swimming trunks or track pants and good running shoes and START!

Wait......Some ground rules:

• Consult your doctor- especially if you have any medical conditions.
• Be safe - get advice on posture, when to stop, and what not to do from experts (the internet is a good resource but there's nothing as good as personal coaching).
• Find something that you can fit into your daily routine – start slowly and gradually increase your pace / speed and intensity.
• Keep yourself motivated and be committed – exercise is a lifelong activity though it’s forms may vary.
• Be adventurous - try different activities

This article was published in 'Life in Adyar', July 14th, 2012.

Deferred Gratification.......Implementation

Continuing to look at DG from a health perspective.....     

     Let’s say you’re out for a movie and you consume the popcorn, nachos, cola and muffins available. You’re also missing your workout for the day since the movie timing clashes with it. This is ‘right now’ behaviour where the objective is the food. Instead, make the movie the reward, not the food. By planning in advance (because 99% of food available outside is unhealthy) –maybe pack salad veggies, oil-free khakras, homemade low fat popcorn and some fruits – you have not only prepared healthy snacks but by eating several low calorie and healthy snacks, you don’t feel like you’re ‘sacrificing’ or ‘missing out’. Finish your work out earlier, even if it’s for half the duration, so that you walk into the theatre knowing you earned it. This is one example of how delayed gratification can be implemented.

     What if you’ve just been diagnosed with Diabetes and you have a “sweet tooth” (there is no such thing really – it’s just an addiction to the sweet taste). Staying away from sugary foods, watching your carbohydrate intake, cutting out the rest of the junk because you have a higher tendency to develop heart disease too and exercising to lose that excess flab around your midriff – are some of the things it will take to live a healthy life with minimal if not nil medication.

     Here’s where context becomes all important. I said earlier ‘These kids held the bigger reward to be more important than immediate gratification’ – What does being healthy for life really look like? Limitless energy, being productive and accomplishing what you want and need to on a daily basis? No hospital stays and therefore having more money available (since you’re not spending on meds or doctor consultations)? Having more of those ‘Kodak moments’ with your family and smiling a lot because you feel confident, strong and powerful? Wearing whatever clothes you like without having to hide aspects of your physique that you’re not happy with? Being happy in your own skin, knowing that you are truly ‘healthy’? Find a compelling ‘reason’ to commit to the long haul and keep reminding yourself of it.

     Coming back to your children, start giving them tests of patience. Give them regular pocket money and create a game around saving up to buy something they really want. Important: don’t forbid / restrict / ban anything – they’ll end up wanting it more. Also, never (notice I just banned it – does that make you want to do it?) use food or treats as bribes or rewards– ever! Educate them on why it’s not good to have unhealthy food often – let them know that they definitely will get a treat once in a fortnight or a month and have them wait for it. This takes time and patience on your part as well.

     Here’s the good news. If you or your child hasn’t fully developed the ability to defer gratification, you can always start practising it anytime. Whatever age you start, you can still be a master at this skill and your world view will start to shift. Science says habits are so difficult to break because doing something repeatedly develops response pathways in the brain so that you become efficient at it. Changing these neural pathways is tough but you can override them and create new pathways. Simply put, you can train your brain to delay gratification. Here are some exercises to do:

1] Take one area of life daily where you can practise this – a clue would be to see where you lose your patience easily.

2] Observe your children – you can perform your own version of the ‘marshmallow test’ if they’re young. Research this topic online and see how you can instil discipline and patience in them.

3] Observe how you react to your impulses - take a deep breath and ask yourself whether it is a 'want' or an actual need. If it is just a wish, examine the probable consequences and determine whether giving in is really worth it.

4] Set clear long term and short term goals that really matter to you.

5] In accordance with these, create hourly or daily to-do lists. After accomplishing each item – acknowledge yourself. Appreciating and accepting yourself positively reinforces this practice.

6] Visualize clearly the benefits and positive experiences that come from accomplishing these goals.

7] Keep a journal / diary and track your progress – it can capture your to-do lists as well as capture your successes that day.

8] Meditate – observe your own inner dialogue and how it sometimes is your inner enemy.

     Having said all this, I feel the need to define what deferred gratification IS NOT. It is not depriving yourself of the simple joys of life to the extent you are too watchful, cautious or defer every pleasure or experience for later. That extreme is called ‘stress’. That vacation or family time together is required – work for it. It is not sacrificing anything. Take the time to smell the roses and give in to the odd harmless impulse.  It is also definitely not a reason to procrastinate or delay taking action to accomplish something that needs to be done now. You’ve got to strike a balance between living in the moment, enjoying your life, taking decisive action right now, and still positively planning for the future.