Carrot Fry|Carrot Poriyal

Carrot Poriyal is a great healthy side dish for any rice varieties. I have not used coconut in this recipe but you can also garnish this poriyal with fresh grated coconut.

Increased intake of antioxidant-rich foods like carrots reduce cancer and cardiovascular disease risks. Carrots may also help with blood sugar regulation, delay the effects of aging and improve immune function.

Carrot Poriyal

Ingredients

• Grated carrot - 2 cups
• Onion - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Salt - To taste

     For the seasoning

• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
• Red chillies - 1, broken into half
• Curry leaves - Few

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
2. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add urad dal and channa dal. Fry until they turn light brown.
3. Add red chillies and curry leaves and saute for few seconds.
4. Add chopped onion and little salt. Cook until it turns soft.
5. Then add grated carrot and salt. Sprinkle some water and cook covered until it gets cooked.
6. Adjust salt to taste and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

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Vermicelli Upma|Semiya Upma|சேமியா உப்புமா

Vermicelli upma/Semiya upma is the popular South Indian breakfast item which can be done in minutes. This nutritious and healthy dish can be eaten for breakfast or dinner or as an evening snack.

Ingredients

• Vermicelli/Semiya - 1 cup
• Grated carrot - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1, medium sized
• Green chillies - 1
• Water - 3 cups
• Salt - To taste
• Ghee - 2 tsp

     For the seasoning

• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Channa dal/Kadalai paruppu/கடலை பருப்பு - 1 tsp
• Urad dal/Ulundu/உளுந்து - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - Few

Method

1. Roast vermicelli with ghee in a pan and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
3. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add channa dal and urad dal. Fry till they turn light brown.
4. Add curry leaves and fry for few seconds.
5. Add chopped onions,green chillies and little salt. Saute till transparent.
6. Add grated carrot and mix well, cook for 3 minutes in medium heat. Sprinkle some water when required.
7. Add 3 cups of water and allow it to boil. Adjust salt to taste.
8. Simmer the stove and add roasted vermicelli little by little to avoid formation of lumps.
9. Keep stirring in low-medium heat until it reaches the consistency you desire.
10. Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

Tips

- You can also substitute chopped carrots and beans for grated carrot.

- You can sprinkle some ghee roasted dry fruits few seconds before turning off the stove.

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Vegetable Biryani

Vegetable Biryani is a healthy and colorful rice dish prepared with spices and vegetables. This nutrient rich recipe contains soya chunks and vegetables chiefly carrots and green beans. Protein-rich soya chunks provides similar taste of meat and is good for women health to maintain healthy bones and overcome menopausal symptoms.

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Carrot - 1/2 cup, chopped
• Green beans - 1/4 cup, cut into 1 inch pieces
• Potato - 1/2 cup, peeled and cubed
• Soya chunks - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1, medium sized
• Tomatoes - 2, large sized
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Biryani masala - 2 tbsp
• Garam masala - 1 tbsp
• Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
• Cinnamon/பட்டை - 1 inch
• Cloves/கிராம்பு - 2
• Fennel seeds/சோம்பு - 1 tsp
• Marathi mokku/மராத்தி மொக்கு - 2
• Star anise/Annachi mokku/அன்னாச்சி மொக்கு - 2
• Bay leaf - 1
• Salt - To taste
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Soak the basmati rice for half an hour. Drain the water and keep aside.
2. Boil water in a pan and turn off the stove. Add soy chunks and let it sit for 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water and squeeze the water. Keep aside.
3. Heat ghee and oil in a cooker and add cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds and bay leaf. Saute till it leaves a nice aroma.
4. Add chopped onions and little salt. Saute till golden brown.
5. Add ginger garlic paste and tomatoes. Cook till mashed.
6. Add coriander leaves and mint leaves & cook till wilted.
7. Add chilli powder, biryani masala and garam masala & mix well.
8. Then add chopped vegetables and soy chunks to the cooker and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Now add well drained rice and mix well.
10. Add 3 cups of water and adjust salt to taste.
11. Close the lid and cook for 1 whistle. Then simmer the stove for 5 minutes and turn it off.
12. After the pressure is released gently mix the rice.
13. Serve hot with raita.

Tips

- You can add or omit vegetables like potatoes, green peas, cauliflower, capsicum and beetroot.
- You can also sprinkle some ghee roasted dry fruits over the rice before serving.

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Veg Sandwich

Veg Sandwich is a healthy breakfast item and can be made quick if you have already prepared the mint paste. It can also be eaten as a snack in the evening with tea. This is both a low calorie food and a filling one.

Ingredients

• Bread - 6 slices
• Grated carrot - 1/2 cup
• Mint leaves/Pudhina - 1/2 cup, tightly packed
• Green chillies - 2
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Butter - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Grind mint leaves, green chillies and salt together into a smooth paste adding little water.
2. Butter on both sides for all the bread slices.
3. Apply 2 tsp of ground mint paste on one side of the bread and spread 2 tbsp of grated carrot evenly. Close with the other bread slice and press slightly.
4. Heat a pan and grease with little butter. Toast on both sides in low-medium heat until crispy and golden brown.
5. Repeat for the remaining slices. 
6. Cut diagonally and serve hot.

Tips

- I used brown bread in this recipe. You can also use white bread.

- You can pick veggies of your choice for making a healthy sandwich. Shredded cabbage, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, lettuce and so on.

- You can make the mint paste in bulk and store in the refrigerator.

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Vegetable Vada

Vegetable vada is a tasty, healthy snack which is easy to make. It is made by deep frying mixture of urad dal batter and vegetables. You can add vegetables of your choice. 

Ingredients

• Urad dal - 2 cups
• Carrot - 1
• Cabbage - 1/2 cup, chopped
• Potatoes - 2 (small size)
• Onion - 1
• Ginger - 1 inch
• Green chillies - 2
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - For frying
• Curry leaves - Few
• Coriander leaves - Few

Method

1. Soak the Urad dal for at least 2 hours.
2. Add little water and grind the dal in mixie along with boiled potatoes, ginger and salt. Sprinkle water when needed.
3. When batter becomes soft paste, pour it in a bowl.
4. Grate the carrot using grater and chop the onion, cabbage, green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves finely.
5. Add all the above to the batter and mix well.
6. Deep fry the vadas in the oil until it turns golden brown.
7. Serve hot with any chutney or sauce.

Tips

- Try to incorporate the potatoes as they make the vada crispy and enriches the taste.

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Vegetable Kurma

Vegetable kurma is a healthy coconut based gravy mixed with vegetables and Indian spices. It is a great side dish for poori, chapathi or paratha.

Ingredients

• Carrot - 1 cup, chopped
• Green Beans - 1/2 cup, chopped
• Cauliflower - 5 to 6 florets
• Potato - 1, large size
• Green peas - 1/4 cup
• Onion - 1, medium sized
• Tomato - 1, large sized
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
• Garam masala - 1 tbsp
• Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Roasted gram/பொட்டுகடலை - 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon/பட்டை - 1 inch (2 pieces)
• Cloves/லவங்கம் - 2
• Cardamom/ஏலக்காய் - 1
• Fennel seeds/சோம்பு - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves - To garnish
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cinnamon.
2. Add finely chopped onions and saute until soft.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for few seconds.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until it gets mashed.
5. Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala & salt and mix well till the raw smell goes.
6. Add all the vegetables and add water.
7. Meanwhile, grind grated coconut, roasted gram, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and fennel seeds into a smooth paste.
8. Add this into the boiling gravy. Adjust the salt to taste and close the lid. Cook for one whistle.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

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