Namaste

Namaste and a warm welcome to all.

As you can see my blog is about food and recipes. I love eating and trying out new recipes all the time.

Very often we mum's think of healthy and interesting food options that we can make for our kids especially when they are back from school knowing that their lunch boxes never come back home empty. Hence I always feel its important to give them a healthy and wholesome snack once they are home. When my kid comes home from school I always try and give him some source of carbohydrate combined with proteins along with this, a fruit and milk, or puddings made from milk. Kids normally can't eat too much at one time, so the portions can be small but giving them a little from each of these food group ensures a balanced meal.

I have some interesting ideas that I'd like to share with you all. You might find some of my recipes very basic but I am hoping that my blog is helpful not only for Indians but for people all around the world! Indian food is quite popular and enjoyed by most, so hopefully you can attempt recipes from here and make it yourself now, in your kitchen. Please do go through my recipes and give it a shot at trying them. Let me know how things turned out and if you enjoyed your experience of cooking.... Feel free to get in touch, share your experience, leave a comment or ask any questions you may have. Thank you for stopping by and taking a look! I do hope its helpful.

Happy cooking!

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Tofu & Mushrooms

This recipe can be made in Indian style or even the Chinese way. The following detailed one is the Indian recipe with Indian spices used in it. However if you like to try the Chinese recipe follow the same steps except replace the dry spices (red chilly powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder and turmeric powder) with 1/2 tbsp of kikkoman soy sauce or the same quantity of any light soy sauce and be careful when you add salt as the soy sauce is salty hence you may need no salt or only very little. If you make it the Chinese way then serve with hot steamed rice and its delicious. The mushrooms can be replaced with broccoli for those who don't like mushrooms....Below is the Indian Recipe....

Ingredients:
1 Packet of button mushrooms.

1 Packet of firm tofu.
1-2 tbsp of chopped onions.
1 clove finely chopped garlic.
1-2 chopped green chilles.

Handful of chopped spring onions (use only the green stalks).

1/2 tsp red chilly powder.
1/2 tsp coriander powder.
1/2 tsp dry mango powder.
1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
Salt as per taste.
1 tbsp of oil.

Method:
Take a non stick pan and add a few drops of oil. Once the pan becomes hot, slide the tofu into the pan as shown below:

Flip onto the other side and cook on a medium flame till the tofu becomes slightly brown.

Press the tofu against the sides of the pan so that the sides are cooked as well.

Basically cook all sides of the tofu well and keep aside.

Now heat oil in a wok.

Once the oil becomes hot, add the garlic and onions.

Saute the onions and garlic for 10-15 seconds on a medium flame and then add chopped mushrooms.

Add salt and green chillies, stir well and continue to cook on a medium flame.

Cut the tofu into squares and add gently.

Add the chopped green stalks of the spring onions and stir just once. Do not over stir as the tofu will break.

Add all the dry spices now: red chilly powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder and finally turmeric powder and stir gently once so the spices blend in.

Its ready (you can garnish with freshly chopped coriander if you like).

Serve hot with chapati/paratha or even Rice.



NUTRITIP:
The health benefits of mushroom include relief from high cholesterol levels, breast cancer, prostrate cancer, and diabetes. It also helps in weight loss, increasing immunity.
Mushrooms are the only vegetable and the second known source (after cod liver oil) to contain vitamin-D in edible form. They are rich in calcium (good for bones), iron (benefits in anemia), potassium (very good for lowering blood pressure), copper (anti bacterial) and selenium (very good for health of bones, teeth, nails, hair and as an anti oxidant). The best source of selenium is animal proteins. So, mushrooms can be the best choice for vegetarians to obtain selenium.