My Sattvik Plate

  This is a simple healthy and yummy Carrot Coconut Thoran that makes my body mind soul so happy . The ingredients are very basic found in every Indian pantry and if you are looking for a zero oil tasty sabzi then look no further ! A great source of Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin C, Antioxidants Carrots are also alkaline which helps maintain a good ph level in your blood. I try and include Carrots at least twice a week and this recipe is a hit at my home.  This Carrot  sabzi  can be enjoyed with Rice, Roti or even like a salad.  Ingredients : 4 Organic Carrots - washed peeled and chopped 1/2 cup grated Coconut 1 tablespoon each - Dry roasted - Mustard seeds and Sesame seeds 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp coriander seeds powder 1/2 tsp black pepper powder 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves salt to taste Steps : Add 1/2 cup water to a pan bring it to a boil and add 1/2 tsp turmeric Next add the chopped carrots and cook in medium flame for 6-10 mins till semi cooked ...

Idlis are the staple breakfast food of a South Indian home.  One corner of the Kitchen was reserved for the huge but humble idli grinder. Sunday afternoons were reserved for Grinding the Idli batter which was a monumental task. Appa used to be incharge of grinding as one person had to sit next to the grinder pushing the grains for even grinding. At the end of the session which would take a good hour or more most of the kitchen would be splattered with the batter including Appa ! Making perfect soft idlis starts with the perfect batter. Please refer to our previous blog for the recipe for idli batter.  Things needed for making Idlis Idli batter Steamer  Idli Stand Oil  STEPS : Pour water for about 2 inches in your steamer and keep it on low flame Grease idli plates Pour idli batter and place it on the idli stand Steam for 15 minutes on medium flame. if you using pressure cooker for steaming DONOT use the weight. Open the steamer lid and let it cool for 5 minutes Put c...

Being away from India I have struggled to get the perfect idli batter recipe for years. The first time I tried to make the batter was a hilarious episode that I can never forget. It was a cold month of Feb and I was craving for super soft idlis.  Called Amma and got the recipe from her 4:1 Parboiled rice and Urad. I got Uncle Bens parboiled rice and Urad dal ....and made the batter...waited waited waited for it to ferment for 3 days !!!! it did not ferment but still went ahead and made the idlis...and the idlis turned out to be like soap 😂. Years and Years of experiments later some hits and many misses ....finally this super easy idli batter recipe is always a winner. Ok so lets start with the rice I use the Laxmi Organic Idli rice and organic white whole urad. Another trick I learnt this year when I visited my Aunt in Kerala was not to soak the Urad overnight. Urad needs to be soaked only for couple of hours. Some tips to be followed are washing of the rice. I wash it at least 5-...

My weekly visit to the Indian store and to my surprise heaps of fresh turmeric adorned the fresh grocery aisle. Ahhhhhhh.... January the season when we harvest fresh turmeric in India just in time for Pongal. Flashes of images celebrating Pongal with family back home fill my memory and my eyes swell with longing of the warmth of family get togethers during festive season back home. I pick up the turmeric to recreate the memories for my kids here and an easy way to add the goodness of turmeric to their diet.  Today I would like to bring an extremely simple easy tasty and goodness packed pickle. A no fuss fresh turmeric ginger lemon  green chilli and some salt pickle.   The Star ingredient of turmeric - Curcumin is an antioxidant, anti bacterial, anti viral , anti microbial and anti inflammatory all rolled in one ! It is excellent to aid digestion, boost your immune system, relieve arthritic pain, detox live, heal infections and delay neur...

  Makhana, Lotus Seeds  or foxnuts, are a traditional Indian snack that offers a low profile of saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium, while serving as a potent source of essential amino acids, proteins, potassium, antioxidants, calcium and magnesium.  Growing up Amma used to lightly roast Makhanas in ghee sprinkle some salt and pepper and it would disappear off the plate in no time. Crispy delicious and healthy this was one of our all time favourites. This is an all time favourite even with my kids and make it at least twice a week especially now during the holidays. You can easily find makhana in any Indian store. INGREDIENTS 2 cups Makhana 1 tblspn Ghee 1/4 tsp each salt, pepper, turmeric 1 tblspn Nutritional Yeast STEPS In a metal pan,  add two cups of makhana and dry roast roast for five minutes until the outer shell develops a crunch. Take the makhana off the flame and wait for it to cool down In the same pad add 1 table spoon Ghee add all the spices except th...

Ghee or clarified butter is butter without the milk solids. As per Ayurveda Ghee was said to be the food of the Gods. From the traditional kitchen of our grandmothers in India to the Shelves @ Wholefoods ..this superfood has taken flight around the world and how ! Growing up in India Ghee was a part of lunch everyday...drizzed over hot steaming rice with a pinch of salt and pepper, spread over roti or a nice crisp ghee dosa for breakfast. Theres lots more to ghee than just enhancing the taste of food.  The Ayurvedic cooking medium of choice is Ghee. Rich in antioxidants, ghee fights the harmful effects of free radicals. An effective carrier of lipid-soluble nutrients; spices and herbs coated in ghee are readily absorbed by the body thus maki ng a healthy meal even more nutritious. Ghee is so aromatic and flavourful  a little goes a long way. The ancient text Ayruved calls Ghee a Rasayana - a healing food that balances body and mind and promotes longevity.  Making Ghee at ...

 Avial the star of a traditional Kerala Sadya  is a medley of veggies cooked  in a mixture of coconut yogurt chilli then topped with crushed curry leaves and a big dollop of coconut oil. It is so easy to make with simple ingredients and yet is the King of a Kerala feast.  Todays recipe is a yummy spin to the traditional Avial. Whenever I make this Cabbage Avail memories of my visit to Vasantha periammas house flash by.  Staying so far from my family I feel a strange sense of comfort when I cook recipes that connect me to my family back home. Vasantha periamma is an excellent cook and the Rasam she makes are just out of this world. Years back when I visited her in Bombay she fed me this Cabbage Avial and it was so simple and tasty. Hot rice with Avial and Kadumanga (tender mango) pickle with fire roasted papad....yummmmm heaven. So lets get started.  INGREDIENTS 2 Cups Cabbage cut in 1 inch length wise 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 cup grated coconut 1/2 cups dahi...