INTRO

Ulundhu kali is south Indian delight which is high in protein,low in fat and very good for women which helps to strengthen hip bones. One of the most healthy dishes given especially to girls. Its traditionally eaten with jaggery and gingelly oil. Especially when a girl reaches her puberty age, this is one such nutritional rich laddo that will be tasty as well as so healthy that gives her enough strength to manage her rest of her days especially during the period days as well as during pregnancy. Eating healthy is the easiest way to stay healthy and fit.
Cooking Instructions:
Heat a pan. Dry roast Urad dal till it is light golden brown. Take the roasted urad dal aside and allow it to cool completely.

Take the roasted and cooled urad dal in a mixer jar. Add cardamoms and grind it to a smooth powder.

In a sauce pan, add water and crushed palm jaggery and allow the jaggery to boil and melt completely. Add a pinch of salt that will help in bringing out the sweetness predominantly. Bring the jaggery juice to boil then slowly add urad dal flour while you continuously stir, so that the flour and jaggery gets nicely combined. Keep stirring the mixture. Add gingelly oil in regular intervals and keep stirring the mixture.
We can garnish Ulundhu Kali with almond too. Ulundhu Kali is ready to eat and enjoy this nutritional rich dish!

Barnyard millet also called as “Kuthiraivali” in Tamil is another nutritional rich millet. We can make many yummy dishes using Kuthiraivali. This is one easy and simple to make dish with barnyard millet. North Indians use Barnyard millet during fasting season of navarathiri. Kuthiravali (tamil) are tiny white, round grains belonging to the millet family (siruthaniyam). Kuthiravali means horse tail, this name is derived because the crop looks like horse tail. This millet is rich in fiber and hence very good for diabetic patients and also its good for people who are in diet. We can make Kuthiraivali dosa, upma, adai, rice idli etc.
Dry fry the millet in a pressure pan until it turns into light brown. Then take millet and moong dal in a pressure cooker. Add 3&3/4 cups of water along with salt, cumin seeds and whole peppercorns and pressure cook allowing for 4-5 whistles so that the millet is totally cooked and mushy
Once the pressure is released, open the pressure cooker, mash the cooked pongal well.
In another pan, heat Olive Oil add 1/2 tsp of ghee if needed. Add cumin seeds, crushed peppercorns, slit green chili, curry leaves and Asafoetida and saute for few seconds
Then add cashews and fry till it turns golden brown. Add these seasoned ingredients to the cooked pongal
Finally add grated ginger and mix well. The delicious and nutrition rich Kuthiraivali Pongal is ready to serve!

Medicinal values of Methi Leaves:
Fenugreek leaves are a rich source of vitamin K as well. The herb is also useful for mouth ulcers and boils. Its leaves are also applied directly for relieving sores and boils. Methi leaves are also used for fever. It may also help in removing the bad taste in mouth that people often report after consuming medications or after recovering from fever.

METHI PULAO:
Most of us are already using methi in our food. There are many delicious dishes that we can make with methi leaves. Methi Pulao is one such dish. It is mild in spices and has a nice flavor of methi leaves incorporated into the pulao. This can be served with Onion Raita or Cucumber Raita.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

SOAK THE RICE
Finely slice the onions and tomatoes set it aside. Rinse the rice twice and soak the rice in water for 15 minutes.

TEMPERING
Heat olive oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon stick and allow it to crackle.

Add thinly sliced onions along with a pinch of salt, add ginger garlic paste and saute the onions till they are light brown in color. Then add tomatoes and saute them along with green peas.

COOKING PULAO
Wash the methi leaves twice or thrice and then add it to the pan. Saute the methi leaves with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt for 3-4 minutes.

Then, drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the pan. Saute the rice for couple of minutes

Add coconut milk to the pan and mix well. Add salt if needed. Allow the methi pulao to cook in high flame till all the water is absorbed.

When the water is fully is absorbed, add pepper powder and give a gentle mix and then keep the flame very low and allow the rice to cook for about 15-20 minutes. Do not mix the rice very frequently while cooking as it may make the rice mushy. When the rice is fully cooked, switch off the flame. Add the ghee and close the lid.
Serve the delicious Methi Pulao with your favourite raitha or dal and enjoy the dish!!!