Palak pakoda|Spinach fritters

Pakoda/fritters are an inevitable part of Indian cuisine😍.I have seen some families where it is mandatory to have pakoda with evening tea.Pakoda/fritters are generally made with gram flour/besan batter.The choice is totally yours which vegetable you desire to add to it. potato,cauliflower,eggplant,onion are the common types pakoda which you come across .In India there will  be at least one famous shop at a street that sells these fritters.And lets not talk about the queue of the customers lining at the shop to have their share of fritters.

How to make Palak paneer from scratch | Spinach cooked with cottage cheese and indian spices|Restaurant style palak paneer from scratch

Palak paneer(spinach with cottage cheese) is the most sought after vegetarian curry .Tender leaves of palak(spinach) are cooked with spices and blended to puree and served with shallow fried pieces of paneer .It really goes well with any kind of Indian flat breads but tastes awesome with tandoori roti or naan.Palak paneer is a one pot curry and can be made under 30 minutes .

Spinach oats smoothie

Due to the sedentary lifestyle these days ,knowingly or unknowingly we gulp down so much of the junk food!!!!

Actually we don't agree its junk food ?right ......the pizzas ,burgers ,fries and what not .....?every thing that we love to enjoy at the call of a phone or simply relax with family in a food court of a mall is loaded with so much of trans fat ,salt ...etc ,that our body needs to flush out those toxins on regular interval to avoid any bitter health consequences .We have incorporated these food habits in our lifestyle that we don't even realise that these are junk .

Even my self , not a bare exception .I too love to be lured by such occasional indulgence !!!!(to be read... occasional only!!!  hhmn).But aftermath carry the guilt on my shoulders and weight over my waist line !....) 

And coming to the smoothie......

Spinach is  recognised as one of the functional foods for its wholesome nutritional, antioxidants and anti-cancer composition.

Oats  of course are the power house of nutrients and fibre....

Spinach ,oats  and yogurt are blitzed together to smoothie.I love smoothies and smoothies I think are the easiest and nutritious way to quench the thirst 

So go ahead and make  one for Ur self and your gut is going to say thank you!!!!

Spinach with lentils| Palak dal |Palakura pappu

 UPDATED POST WITH NEW PICTURES ON 13/12/16

Dal's /lentils are rich sources of plant protein,so I make it a weekly twice affair on our dining menu.Alhamdulillah I have a Dal loving family ,my kids enjoy Dal to the extent that they  literally end up  drinking it if it is a sambar or some soupy Dal ,provided that it is not spicy .

Spinach as you all of you know is a power house of nutrients ,besides adding an earthy flavour to Dal adorns it with good colour which makes it even more tempting .

Served as lunch along with baked cauliflower , fryums plain rice ,curd,that was really a  satisfying as well as a nourishing one .

INGREDIENTS

FOR DAL:

• 150 gms toor dal
• 1 C spinach(chopped)
• 1 tomato
• a goose berry size tamarind(optional)
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder /3-4 green chillies
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• coriander leaves 
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil 

    TEMPERING:

  

•  1/2 tsp mustard seeds
•  1/2 tsp cumin seeds
•  2-3  red chillies
•  hing a pinch 
•  2 sprigs curry leaves
• 2 tbsp oil

METHOD

1. Wash Dal ,chopped spinach .
2. In a pressure cooker add all the ingredients except salt mentioned under Dal .
3.  Add water 2 inch above the Dal level  and pressure cook on high for 1 whistle and on medium heat for 4 - 5 whistles  or until the dal is soft .
4. Allow the pressure to leave on its own .
5. using a lentil masher  mash dal until creamy.
6. Now add salt and water as per your need .
7. In a tadka pan add the list under tempering allow it to crackle and pour it over dal and close the lid  so that the aroma of tadka infuses in dal .
8. Serve with rice or chapati .  

old pic of the post

..............................HAPPY COOKING