Sorry friends, I was not able to post new topics since the last few days. Actually I was out of station, so was not able to post. But now I am back. Today, I am going to devote time for the vegetarians in my blog. It may seem from my blog that I have been neglecting them all along, because I have probably posted very few completely vegetarian foods. But it’s not like that, because myself is a complete vegetarian. I have left eating non-vegetarian items since the last 5 years. Being a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian completely depends on the individual and there should not be any hard and bound rule for that. I have left eating non-veg items for the rest of my life but I still love to cook non-veg items for my family. Every person should be allowed to freely make his or her own choice.
Vegetarianism is without doubt a very healthy option, but before making this decision of converting to complete vegetarianism, one should ensure that our food intake is well-balanced and we have all the essential ingredients, needed for sound health and a disease free body. The vegetarian diets can be classified into 4 types:
Ovo-vegetarian: eats eggs, but no meat
Lacto-ovo vegetarian: eats dairy products and eggs but no meat
Lacto vegetarian: eats dairy products, but no eggs or meat
Vegan: eats only food from the plant sources.
Offering young children and adults a diet filled with a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains helps them to learn healthy eating habits that may last for a lifetime. And a diet rich in fruits and veggies will be high in fiber and low in fat, factors known to improve cardiovascular health by reducing blood cholesterol and maintaining a healthy weight.
However, persons on a vegetarian diet may need to be careful that they get an adequate amount of certain vitamins and minerals. Here are nutrients that vegetarians should make sure they get:
Vitamin B12: dairy products, eggs, and vitamin-fortified products such as cereals,
Vegetarianism is without doubt a very healthy option, but before making this decision of converting to complete vegetarianism, one should ensure that our food intake is well-balanced and we have all the essential ingredients, needed for sound health and a disease free body. The vegetarian diets can be classified into 4 types:
Ovo-vegetarian: eats eggs, but no meat
Lacto-ovo vegetarian: eats dairy products and eggs but no meat
Lacto vegetarian: eats dairy products, but no eggs or meat
Vegan: eats only food from the plant sources.
Offering young children and adults a diet filled with a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains helps them to learn healthy eating habits that may last for a lifetime. And a diet rich in fruits and veggies will be high in fiber and low in fat, factors known to improve cardiovascular health by reducing blood cholesterol and maintaining a healthy weight.
However, persons on a vegetarian diet may need to be careful that they get an adequate amount of certain vitamins and minerals. Here are nutrients that vegetarians should make sure they get:
Vitamin B12: dairy products, eggs, and vitamin-fortified products such as cereals,
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breads and soy and rice drinks
Vitamin D: dairy products, calcium-fortified orange juice, and vitamin- fortified products
Calcium: dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, chickpeas and
calcium-fortified products including orange juice, soy and rice drinks
and cereals
Protein: dairy products, eggs, tofu, dried beans and nuts
Iron: eggs, dried beans, dried fruits, whole grains, leafy green vegetables and
iron-fortified cereals and bread
Zinc: wheat germ, nuts, fortified cereals and legumes.
A vegetarian diet can be a healthy choice for anyone, as long as it is properly planned and adequate nutrients are eaten. The principles of planning a vegetarian diet are the same as planning any healthy diet – provide a variety of foods and include foods from all of the food groups.
Well for today’s recipes, I have brought two vegetarian dishes but I hope they will be liked by all – vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians, all alike. They are: Bottle Gourd Yakni (a Kashmiri Dish) and Gobi Mussallum (a Mughlai item). So learn how to prepare them and try out at home and enjoy eating!
Vitamin D: dairy products, calcium-fortified orange juice, and vitamin- fortified products
Calcium: dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, chickpeas and
calcium-fortified products including orange juice, soy and rice drinks
and cereals
Protein: dairy products, eggs, tofu, dried beans and nuts
Iron: eggs, dried beans, dried fruits, whole grains, leafy green vegetables and
iron-fortified cereals and bread
Zinc: wheat germ, nuts, fortified cereals and legumes.
A vegetarian diet can be a healthy choice for anyone, as long as it is properly planned and adequate nutrients are eaten. The principles of planning a vegetarian diet are the same as planning any healthy diet – provide a variety of foods and include foods from all of the food groups.
Well for today’s recipes, I have brought two vegetarian dishes but I hope they will be liked by all – vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians, all alike. They are: Bottle Gourd Yakni (a Kashmiri Dish) and Gobi Mussallum (a Mughlai item). So learn how to prepare them and try out at home and enjoy eating!
- BOTTLE GOURD YAKNI
Ingredients:
· Bottle Gourd 500 gms.
· Tomatoes, chopped 1 no. (medium sized)
· Cumin seeds 2 tsp.
· Red Chillies 2 nos.
· Beaten Curd 2 cups
· Asafoetida ½ tsp.
· Dry Ginger Powder (Sounth) ½ tsp.
· Aniseed Powder (Powdered Saunf) 1 tsp.
· Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp.
· Salt to taste
· Sugar 1 tsp.
· Cloves 3-4 nos.
· Green Cardamoms 2 nos.
· Oil 6-7 tbsp.
Method:
1. First of all, peel up the bottle gourd and cut into roundels and then wash them thoroughly in water. Then pat them dry with a cloth.
2. Heat about 4-5 tbsp. of refined vegetable oil in a pan and deep fry the bottle gourd roundels till they are slightly brown. Take them out onto a plate.
3. Now make a fine paste of the red chillies and the chopped tomatoes, keep aside.
4. Take another pan and heat about 3 tbsp. of oil, add the cloves, green cardamoms, asafoetida and the cumin seeds and fry for some time on medium flame till the cumin seeds are a shade darker.
5. Now add the deep fried bottle gourd roundels, aniseed powder, dry ginger powder, red chilli and tomato paste, salt (to taste) and stirring nicely fry for a minute.
6. Then add 2 cups of water and bring to boil on high flame. When it begins to boil, lower the flame and cook till the bottle gourd become tender. This will take about 4-5 minutes.
7. Now add the beaten curd , 1 tsp of sugar and mixing and stirring continuously, cook for another 5 minutes over low flame, till it begins to boil, so that the curd nicely blends with the gravy masala.
8. Add the garam masala powder, mix nicely and keep over fire for another minute and then remove from the fire.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with plain cooked rice.
- MUGHLAI GOBI MUSSALLUM
(WHOLE CAULIFLOWER IN MASALA GRAVY)
Ingredients:
· Whole Cauliflowers 2 nos. (small sized)
· Onions, finely sliced 2 nos. (large sized)
· Green Chillies, finely chopped 2 nos.
· Ginger, finely chopped 1 tbsp.
· Garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp.
· Tomato Puree 1 cup
· Cumin seeds 1 tsp.
· Coriander seeds 2 tsp.
· Turmeric Powder 1 tsp.
· Red Chilli Powder 1 tsp.
· Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp.
· Green Cardamoms 4 nos.
· Cinnamon stick 1” long, broken 1 no.
· Cashew nuts 8-10 nos.
· Milk 4 tbsp.
· Grated Paneer (Cottage Cheese) 3 tbsp.
· Fresh Cream 3 tbsp.
· Salt to taste
· Sugar ½ tsp.
· Refined vegetable oil 5-6 tbsp.
· Fresh Coriander Leaves, finely chopped 2 tbsp.
Method:
1. In a pan, dry roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, broken cinnamon stick, green cardamoms and cashew nuts till a nice aroma comes from them. Take them out to a plate and keep aside.
2. In the same pan, heat about 1 tbsp. of oil and fry the sliced onions till brown over medium flame and take them out to a plate and let them cool.
3. Now grind together the browned onions, dry roasted spices, chopped green chillies and the chopped garlic and ginger to a fine paste, adding a little water. Keep aside.
4. In another pan, bring to boil 2-3 cups of water, adding some salt. Place the cleaned cauliflowers in hot water for about 10 minutes. Then remove them from the water, wash them and dap dry them, keep aside on a plate.
5. In a kadhai (wok), heat half of the oil till hot, and then add the cauliflowers (flower side in oil). Cover with a lid and cook for some time over low-medium flame, till the cauliflowers are cooked and become light brown. When brown, take them out onto a plate and keep aside.
6. Now add the remaining oil to the kadhai (wok) and heat it. Add the prepared paste (roasted spices, fried onions, green chillies, garlic and ginger) and fry till the oil separates from the gravy.
7. Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder and mixing nicely, fry for a few seconds.
8. Add the tomato puree, sugar,1cup of water and salt (to taste), and stirring continuously, cook for 2 more minutes.
9. Lower the flame of the burner and add the milk while stirring to get a thick gravy. Add the fresh cream also and mix nicely.
10. Take out some of the gravy from the kadhai and stuff in between the cauliflower florets and stems, kept on the plate.
11. To the remaining gravy, add some water to get the desired consistency, add some of the finely chopped coriander leaves, grated paneer and simmer for 5 minutes.
12. Now on a plate, place the fried cauliflowers (stuffed with the gravy some time before), and pour the remaining gravy all over them and heat them in a pre-heated oven for about 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, garnish with the remaining coriander leaves and fresh cream and
serve hot with Jeera Rice (Cumin Rice).
