One pot meal

Satdhan khichado

Shirley Temple

This all time famous drink was named after all time star child artist of movies during great recession, when she was able to bring a smile on peoples' faces by her innocence. The funny thing is she was being served this drink everywhere thinking that she will love it but she used to find it too sweet and loaded with saccharin. The traditional version was served with ginger ale but to make it less sweet I make it with soda. So here is a less sweet version of the drink as a tribute to the young star Shirley Temple.

Category :Vegan, fat free, gluten free, Nut free
Preparation Time : 5 min.
Cooking Time: nil
Skill level : easy

Ingredients:
2 tbs Grenadine syrup
1 tbs orange juice
5-6 small cubes of ice
1 c soda or ginger ale
 For garnish :
1 maraschino cherry
1 orange slice

1. Chill the globe glass.
2. In a shaker  add ice, syrup and juice, shake.
3. Pour the contents in the glass.
4. Serve it with cherry on top of a orange slice.

Satdhan Khichado

Literally, Satdhan means seven grains. This is a very healthy, satisfying, wholesome meal. We call it seven grains but we can put many more and different combinations work well too. It is a great combination of textures.

Category : gluten free,  low fat, Vegetarian

Preparation Time : 5 min.
cooking time : 30 min.

Skill level : easy

Ingredients:
2 tbs chick peas whole
1 tbs moong beans whole
1 tbs kidney beans
1 tbs black eyed beans
2 tbs chana dal 
2 tbs toor dal
2 c crackeled wheat or oat.
salt as needed
To serve
1 ts ghee or 1 ts peanut oil

1. Soak chick peas, moong beans, kidney beans and black eyed beans overnight.
2. Pressure cook everything together with at least 3 times water on low gas for 2 whistle.
3. When the cooker cools down, open it and serve while warm with a dollop of ghee.
(Being satvik food, this feels so simple but gives more satisfaction then most rich foods.)
 If preferred to be eaten when it cools down, I suggest eating it with peanut oil (believe me nutty aroma of peanut oil transforms simple food into an aromatic rich meal.
4. Serve it with yogurt and kachumber on side.

*If you prefer you can use rice cooker instead of pressure cooker. Rice cooker will give you flexibility of checking in between and add more water if desired.

Green Idli with Rasam

These moong idlies are delicious but more than that, they are wholesome and least processed. When I make a meal I try to combine nutrients so we can get the most out of our meal. Moong is an easily digestive protein. Since these idlies are rich in protein, I suggest eating something that isn't a heavy source of protein. So I thought of this going with rasam an a side salad.

Category : gluten free,  low fat, Vegetarian

Preparation Time : 5 min.
cooking time : 30 min.

Skill level : easy

Ingredients:
Idli:
2 c green batter
salt as needed
idli cooker
oil to grease the mold

1. Fill idli cooker with 1 glass of water and heat it on medium high heat.
2. Grease idli mold and fill them 3/4 with batter.
3. When water starts to boil, place the molds in and cook for 10 min.
4. Check if idlies are done(prick with knife and if it comes out clear its done.)
5. If not done cook till done.

Rasam:
2 large ripe tomatoes, quartered 
4-5 large clove garlic
1" tamarind 
1 ts rasam pawder
1 ts ghee (optional)
1 dry red chili
1 ts cumin
salt as needed

1. Boil tomatoes tamarind and garlic.
2. When tomato peels starts to separate from edges, it's done.
3. If you want to peel the tomato, you can peel easily when it cools little bit.
4. Blend tomatoes, tamarind, garlic and rasam powder.
5. Add temper to rasam if desired by heating ghee, cumin and chili till cumin flutters.

*To Serve arrange idlies in deeper plate (i.e. pasta plate).
Pour hot rasam on it  and serve immediately.