Healthy & Filling Barley Khichdi

Khichdi is always a comforting food.When you are in hurry and want to make one pot meal khichdi always comes first in mind.It has nutritional values as well. Traditional khichdi is made of rice,dal (lentils) and vegetables.

 

 Here I substituted rice with barley and gave a whole new dimensions to traditional .khichdi. This way a one more recipe with whole grain which can be included in our diet ,Including whole grain in our diet is anyway is a very good habbit.According to Wiki

Barley contains eight essential amino acids.^[46] According to a 2006 study, eating whole-grain barley can regulate blood sugar (i.e. reduce blood glucose response to a meal) for up to 10 hours after consumption compared to white or even whole-grain wheat, which have similar glycemic indices.^[47] The effect was attributed to colonic fermentation of indigestible carbohydrates.

For more info on this Healthy grain visit the link below-
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=127


Hmmn.. So now comes the recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbsp butter or ghee
¼ tsp cumin seeds
1/8 teaspoon asafetida
2 dry red chili,  Optional
½ onion, minced
1 small tomato, chopped finely
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ cup pearled barley
¼  cup yellow moong dal or toor dal

 cilantro for garnishing

Papad,Pickle,Yogurt to serve along

Method

Soak barley in warm water for at least two hours ,the more the better.soak dal for at least half an hour too.

 Heat ghee in a pressure cooker Add the cumin seeds,  asafetida and  stir for 30 seconds.

 Then add onions. saute on medium heat till the onions are soft .

 Add  tomatoes, and cook till they are soft.

 Add turmeric,soaked and washed barley and moong  dal. Stir for a few seconds. Add 3 cups of water and salt.

 Bring the water to a boil.put lid on the pressure cooker,let two whistle come and Then reduce heat to low,, and let it simmer till the barley is cooked,about  15 minutes.  If you want the barley to be softer, cook it longer.But  add water if needed, 1/2 cup at a time.(check after 15 minutes if you want to further cook  your barley in khichdi)

7. Taste the khichdi and adjust salt if needed. Serve hot with papad ,pickle and yogurt on side.

Cream Cheese spread (dip) with Multigrain Crackers

Munch on these multigrain crackers with delicious cream cheese dip.This is ideal for any party as starter .Actually this cream cheese in a multipurpose dip or spread whatever you call it.Apply it on toast ,bagels ,crackers or serve it as a dip with raw vegetable or chips for a ideal party platter.You can even spread it on flat breads for a on the go snack roll,I always have a jar of this this in my refrigerator.Recently I even served it with Kebabs and they tasted yummy with it.

Now talk about crackers I added different kinds of flour in it but if you want only all purpose flour or wheat flour can be added.I baked them ,alternatively they can be fried too.

Cream Cheese Dip

Ingredients

1 package (8 Ounces) Cream Cheese, Slightly Softened

2 whole Green Onions, Sliced

1/4 whole Large Carrot, Peeled And Finely Diced

1/4 whole Red Bell Pepper(green bell pepper), Finely Diced 

1/4 cup Finely Diced Red Onion

1 Tablespoon Chopped Dill (more To Taste)

1 clove Garlic, Peeled

Black pepper , to taste

Salt ,to taste

Method

Combine the cream cheese with all the other ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture reaches the consistency you want: it can be chunky, with larger pieces of the veggies, or you can keep going until it's very mixed together or smooth as I like mine smooth,that's it.

Transfer the spread to a container and store, or in serving bowl, in the fridge. Serve cold with crackers or chips or bagels or veggies or use in cold vegetable sandwich as spread or serve with any flat breads OH! so many "OR".

             Multigrain Crakers

                                                        Ingredients 

                                            All purpose flour 1/2 cup

                                          wheat flour  1/4 cup

                                          Pearl millet flour 1/4 cup

                                         Maize Flour 1/4 cup

                                         oil 1/4 cup

                                       salt to taste

                                     Hot Water to knead the dough

                                    Italian seasoning 1/2 tbsp (optional)

                                                             Method

Preheat the oven at 350 degree F.

Mix all flours along with salt and seasoning ,mix well.

Now add oil and rub with hand so that the flour mixture absorb oil evenly.

Now add water slowly and knead it into a tight dough,keep aside for at least 15 minutes.

Roll the dough about 1/2 inch thick with the help of rolling pin and cut lengthwise or in  desired shape.

Place on greased cookie sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes or untill it becomes little red and looks done. Let them cool for 10 minutes and enjoy.

   

Baked Yogurt (Bhapa Doi)

This baked yogurt or Bhapa doi needs no introduction ,specially in Bengali households.You can call it Bengali cheesecake.It is same in texture like cheesecake.Very tasty and very easy to put together too. Traditionally this recipe is a cake which is made by steaming sweetened thick yogurt.But in our modern kitchen to simplify the process we bake the yogurt in water to give the same taste and texture to this delicious dessert.

For the traditionally  baked yogurt they use earthen pots to serve it .In our kitchen we can use any ovenproof dish or ramekins to make single serve portions.Since i did not have ramekins and wanted to make mine in single serve portions ,I made these single serve aluminium foil cups.We Indians are always good in 'JUGAAD'.Although I was very much skeptical before using my foil cups but they really worked well and solved my purpose.

Ingredients

500 gms  Yogurt (hung yogurt or Greek yogurt)

 1 can or 394gms Condensed Milk

4 Green Cardamons (powdered)

Few strands of Saffron

1 -2 tbsp milk 

few pistachios and chirongi nuts to garnish

Method

• Preheat the oven to 190 C or 350 degree F.
• Soak saffron strands in warm milk and keep aside.
• Meantime, mix yogurt and condensed milk in a bowl and mix well with a whisk until smooth.
• Add cardamon powder in yogurt mixture along with saffron infused milk.
• Pour this yogurt mixture into 6 ramekins or an oven safe dish.I used my foil cups.
• In a big baking tray, place these ramekins and fill it with hot water until 2/3 of the ramekins are inserted in the water.
• Carefully place the baking tray with the ramekins in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes in a preheated oven.
• Bake it until the toothpick or knife inserted comes out clean.  Mine took 18  minutes,   Once done remove them from the oven.
• Let the Bhapa doi cool for 10 – 15 minutes.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.  This dessert  should be chilled before serving.Garnish it with nuts when ready to serve.

Sweet & Salty Carom seed Cookies (Ajwain biscuits)

These sweet and salty cookies are melt in mouth.I love these because these are both sweet and salty in taste.There are so many sweet childhood memories are associated with these .These are very common in Indian Bakeries and known as ajwain cookies.The whole house smells divine while these are in oven,the smell of butter with carom seeds oh; so good.

Ingredients

All purpose Flour - 2 cup

Butter -  ½ cup

 Powdered sugar - ¼ cup

 Milk - ¼ cup

Carom seeds - 1 tsp

Salt - ½ tsp

Method

Preheat the oven at 350 degree f.(180 degree c).Place the baking rack at the middle of the oven.

Take all purpose flour,sugar,carom seeds,salt and melted butter in a big bowl and mix . Add 2-3 tbsp milk and mix well. If dough remains dry then add 1-2 tbsp more milk and keep binding the dough.

 Cover the dough and keep it aside for 20 minutes (For better result or can be make immediately too)

Spread some dry flour on the rolling board place the dough on top of the board, roll and flatten with hands,With help of rolling pin roll the dough in ½ cm thick  and cut with  cookies cutter.

 Cut cookies from entire sheet and place them on baking tray at some distance.

 Place the baking tray in oven and bake cookies for 10-12 minutes. Check after 10 minutes. If cookies are light brown in color, bake for 2-5 more minutes.

Let them cool for 10-15 minutes after baking and enjoy.