Oats Veggie Puttu ~ Kerala's own favorite breakfast served healthy

Ingredients:-

1. Oats/Old Fashioned Oats - 2 Cups
2. Grated Carrot ~ 1/2 Cup
3. Onion chopped fine - 1 medium
4. Green chilly chopped fine - 2(optional, avoid if making for small kids)
5. Coriander leaves chopped fine - 3 tbsp
6. Grated Coconut as needed
7. Salt - 1/2 tsp(to taste)
8. Water - 1/2 tsp

Preparation Method:-

• Add oats to a wide pan bowl and crumble it as much with clean hands
• Add the grated carrot, onion, green chilies, coriander leaves and salt and mix well with hands.
• Carrot's and onion's moisture should be enough to make the oats moist enough when you mix. If you feel it too dry, sprinkle water little by little and mix till you get a moist lightly crumbled mixture.
• In the puttu maker fill in the grated coconut and oats mix alternately.
• Steam it till done. Serve hot as it is or with stew or curry of your choice

Broccoli Rabe(Rapini) Thoran/Broccoli Rabe Stir Fry

Winter is winding up and Spring blossom is here. Our local food market have loads of fresh green goodness, some of which I do not even know the names. This Brocolli Rabe Rapini was in demo in a near by store and my hubby liked the simply stir fry the Vendor provided flavored with garlic and dashes of lemon juice. Vendor said it is bit bitter but adding lemon juice will reduce them. I brought it home, made this Thoran, flavored with garlic, curry leaves and served with splashes of lemon juice. Adding grated coconut is optional which can reduce the bitterness too but I made it without coconut as well. I wonder where all the bitterness go, we couldnt even feel any :-) It tasted great, goes well with Rice/Roti. Try out this fresh green goodness, Enjoy !!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Broccoli Rabe - a bunch
2. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
3. Green chilies - 3 small
4. Shallots - 3 or 4 or half of a medium sized onion chopped finely
5. Curry leaves a spring or two
6. Grated coconut (optional)
7. Garlic - 2 cloves
8. Oil - 1 table spoon
9. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tea spoon
10. Lemon Juice from ½ or 1 Lemon
11. Salt to taste

Method:-

·         Rinse the broccoli rabe well in water and chop it .

·         Heat oil in a wide pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters reduce the heat to medium and add Shallots/Onion, Garlic, Curry leaves, green chilies and salt. Saute for few minutes till onion turns translucent and garlic leaves it raw flavor.

·         Add the turmeric powder and sauté for few swconds. Add chopped broccoli rabe. Saute well to combine everything.

·         Cover and cook for just 2-3 minutes, Open the lid and sauté for few more minutes till the water is fully absorbed and leaves are soft. Make sure leaves don’t go mushy.

·         Increase the heat to full/high and add the grated coconut and saute for another two minutes or until it is dry. Remove from heat.

·         Sprinkle juice of lemon when the stir fry is ready to serve and mix well. Serve warm with Rice or Roti.