Brown Rice, Black Channa curry and Turai Sukka - A Heart Healthy Meal!

I came across the Eat well Live well event hosted by Ayeesha of Taste of Pearl city few days back and i wanted to send my entry to it. So i worked on a Article Entry and sent it to her. But i wanted to send a recipe entry to her the event too! I saw that the last date to send the entries was December 15th and since it was my brother's weddding last weekend i was super busy with it. But i told my Ammi about this event and told her lets make one whole healthy meal today. So the menu for lunch was Brown rice, Black Channa curry and Ridge Gourd/ Turai sukka - One perfect healthy meal! Lets move on to the recipes now!

Brown Rice in its raw form, once its cooked and Black channa curry

Brown Rice:

The Brown Rice is now supposed to be healthy diet because of its health benefits than a White Rice.The process that produces brown rice removes only the outermost layer, the hull, of the rice kernel and is the least damaging to its nutritional value. The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids.

Health Benefits:

1. Lower cholestrol
2. Significant cardivascular Benefits for postmenopausal women.
3.Protects against Haert diseases.
4. Lowers type 2 Diabetes Risk.
5. A good source of Fiber.
6. Provides all necessary carbohydrates requirements. 
7. It is a body building food.
8. Beneficial for stomach and intestinal ulcers and for diarrhea. 
9. Because of the mineral content, it supplies important nutrient for the hair, teeth, nails, muscles and bones. 

Brown rice

How to cook :


For 1 cup of brown rice, we need 3-4 cups of water.


Boil the water and add the rice when the water is boiled along with salt to taste.  Brown rice takes more water and time to cook than white rice. Once the rice is cooked and is soft, turn off the heat. 


Next let us move on to Black Channa curry!

Black Channa Curry

Ingredients: 
Black channa / Black Gram/ Black Chickpeas - 2 cups
Coconut Grated - 1
Beans  - 10  ( chopped into 1/2 inch)
Carrot - 3  ( Chopped medium size)
Potato - 2 ( Chopped medium sized cubes)
Whole coriander - 1 tsp
Whole Red chilli - 5-6
Turmeric/ Haldi powder - Pinch
Garlic - 2 cloves
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1 big
Whole Garam Masala - 2 cinnamon, 3 cloves
Coriander Leaves


For seasoning :
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Garlic - 3 cloves


Method: 
1. Soak channa overnight or atleast for 6 hours.


2. Roast the grated coconut till light brown. Make sure you keep stirring it cuz it might get burnt!


3. Roast whole red chillies and whole coriander. 


4. In a blender, add the roasted coconut, red chillies and coriander along with haldi powder and blend to a paste.


5. Then add garlic and onion and grind till we get a smooth paste.


6. Meanwhile, pressure cook channa along with water for 3 whistles or till its done.


7. Remove the lid, add the chopped vegetables, salt and allow it to cook without pressure.

8. Add the ground coconut mixture to the veggies, adding water and allow it to boil. Once it starts to boil, add tomato and whole garam masala.

9. Cook for 5 minutes.


10. Add chopped coriander leaves.


11. Last step is seasoning - Heat oil in a pan, add in mustard seeds and once it starts to pop, add garlic. Pour this into the channa curry and now a heart healthy curry is READY! :)


Ridge Gourd / Turai Sukka

Turai sukka

Ingredients:
Ridge Gourd / Turai - 4
Onion - 1
Toamto - 1
Salt to taste
Grated Coconut
Mustard seeds
Garlic
Oil


Method:
1. Peel, wash and chop the turai into small or medium pieces.


2. In a pan, add in the turai, chopped onion, tomato, salt, water and cook till its green. Do NOT overcook as it will lose its nutrients.


Note : Do not add in too much of water as it loses its water while cooking.


3. Add grated coconut once its cooked

4. Seasoning: Heat oil in a pan, add in mustard seeds and once it starts to pop, add garlic cloves and then add this to the turai sukka.

Trust me, this is one of the healthiest meals we can ever have! Do give it a try! 

Keep smiling and stay healthy! :)


Sending this to Eat well Love well event at Taste of Pearl City

And to Vegetarian foodie fridays

  
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