Steamed rice balls in pumpkin, poppy seed gravy

Pumpkin season is right around the corner here in United States. Perfect time for Ganesh Chaturthi prasad. Why not take advantage this season? Pumpkins are actually very healthy! They are low in calories, fat and sodium, and rich in vitamin A, potassium and fiber! Pumpkins may not be available in every region. You can certainly substitute pumpkin with sweet potato. Follow same cooking instruction. But cooking time may vary. This dish can certainly made vegan. It takes very less milk. Replace milk with coconut milk.

Ganesh chaturthi is also festival of food. Lord Ganesh is said to be foodie. His favorites varieties of prasad are modak, kheer, puran poli, undrallu, kudumulu and list goes on. Foodies wait for mouth-watering food made of grated jaggery, coconuts and dry fruits.

Raw papaya halwa

Halva is nothing but dessert or sweet. Traditional halva was flour based, soft and gelatinous. Eventually, sooji (semolina), vegetables as carrot, pumpkins, squash and nut variations are called halva as well. Semolina and vegetable, fruit based halva’s are Indian’s favorite festival, special occasion desserts. A variety of raw/ripe veggies/fruits combinations as papaya, banana, jackfruit, and mango are used in Indian cuisine. Explore Indian cuisine for unique ways to cook vegetables. Benefit from papaya’s mild sweetness and versatility.

Let’s admit – we all have sweet tooth. If you are concerned about your ravenous sweet tooth and looking for ways to satisfy with healthy low-carb, low sugar diet? Then you are at right place. As an all-natural food blogger, I can help you. Satisfying your sweet tooth with halva made of raw fruits is a great way to keep yourself on clean, healthy low-carb, low-sugar and low-calorie diet. Flour, white sugar in baking goods is #1 culprit of high carbohydrates and calories. Your body will appreciate you keeping yourself away from flour, chemically filled white sugar.

Vegetable Ulava chaaru Biryani

“Ulava Charu” in other words horse gram lentil soup or kollu rasam, is South Indian states Telangana and Andhra Pradesh’s favorite soup. Ulava Charu is a traditional yet lusciously luxurious Andhra Rasam. It is generally served with rice and topped with home made butter. Instead of ulava chaaru mixed in rice yourself, this recipe brings you that aroma, taste immersed together. It gives most pleasure to taste buds. It is served as a special dish when special guests arrive. Horse Gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) is not very popular bean anywhere other than South India. In South India it a rich and delectable food.

In South India, Rasam or Charu is staple food. It is watery and soup consistency and is usually consumed with rice, lentils and ghee. Sometimes rasam is served as a gravy with dry fry dishes. Lately, its been consumed a soup as well. Rasam tastes sour, tangy and flavorful. It is made of tamarind juice base. It can be made of tamarind juice cooked in a variety of vegetables or plain cooked tamarind with tampering, cooked lentils and spices. You can make wide varieties of rasams by changing sour agent. Click post to see more.

Lotus root kung pao

Just as visually appealing is flower, is root with holes. It’s a popular flower and vegetable throughout Asia. It is nothing but Lotus root. Lotus young flower, root, flower stalks and seeds are edible. Petals are used to make tea in China. Seeds are called makhane in India. Kheer and curries are made out of makhane. Just like its appealing looks, Lotus root is luxuriously delectable and healthy. Impress your date, family or guests cooking with this stunning looking yet heavenly vegetable.

Wish you a very happy Ugadi, Gudi padwa

The Hindu New year in India is called with different names in every state. It falls on different day every year because the Hindu calendar is a lunisolar calendar. It is celebrated as Ugadi in Andhra and Karnataka, Gudipadwa in Maharashtra, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Assam, Vaisakhi in Punjab, Pana Sankranti in Orissa and Naba Barsha in West Bengal. It falls on the month of Chaitra which is the first month according to Indian calendar Panchanga.

What is ghee, how to make it? Is ghee good for you?

Nothing can make your dish luscious aromatic like homemade ghee. Homemade as always is fresh, flavorful and way better than store-bought. I am a big fan of ghee. Ghee has a big significance and is a staple food in India.I grew up watching my grandma making butter in olden way by churning with a round wooden spoon, then heating it to make ghee. The word “ghee” kept rumbling in my ears all my life from my grandma, mom, aunts. I even used to steal and eat ghee while my mom was asleep.

Traditional Indian cuisine is never complete without aromatic Ghee. Not only in cooking, ghee is also an excellent all-natural moisturizer, lip balm and used in Ayurvedic medicine. Hindu rituals are performed of pouring ghee into fire.

Whole grain idli

Idli is a traditional staple breakfast in South India. For those who are don’t know what Idli is, it can be described as steamed lentil cakes. Because Idli is pain in taste, it is consumed with home-made peanut chutney, most beloved amber (lentil soup) or pod (spice powder) mixed in ghee or oil. This idli recipe is modified version to make it less in carbohydrates, high protein, high fiber. Which makes it excellent breakfast for modern low active lifestyle, diabetic patients, infants and seniors who have poor digestion and for those who need probiotics to get immunity. Making whole-grain and low-carb does not change the taste, rather they are more soft, fluffy for long time.

Lemon rice with turmeric

You call it lemon rice or yellow rice, it is Indian’s most favorite festive food. It is favorite offering to Indian gods. One of the easiest and a favorite dish made for guests, special occasions. In fact, a number of rice-based recipes are made in different regions. An all-natural, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, paleo dish. Replacing white rice with brown rice or quinoa will add a great number of nutrients.

For westerners, lemon is rice is known as yellow rice. For them, it is probably a mere rice dish. But this dish made a special appearance in millions of family get-togethers, weddings, festivals etc. In typical south Indian family lemon rice is a staple food and also a very festive dish. If you are looking for an authentic way of making lemon rice, here it is.

Sweet potato, cashew stuffed steamed modak

Fresh sweet potato crop comes in fall, though they are available throughout the year. Perfect time for Ganesh Chaturthi, navarathri and Diwali. Sweet potatoes are rich source of vitamin A, several other essential nutrients including vitamins B-6, C, E, K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate and pantothenic acid, as well as numerous minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. This dish has no milk. Ghee can be substituted with coconut oil or other flavored oils. That makes it a perfect vegan dish.

Pumpkin, coconut stuffed modak

Ganesh Chaturthi is high spirit and enthusiastic celebration. Preparations start days before the festival. Preparations to make ganesh idol to buying new clothes and planning for food etc. Ganesh Chaturthi also known as ‘Vinayaka Chaturthi’ or ‘Vinayaka Chavithi’ is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. It is celebrated on 4th day of Hindu lunar calendar month of Bhadrapada maasa. Which is usually in mid-August to mid-September. Ganesh chaturthi is also festival of food. Foodies like me wait every year for mouthwatering prasad. Lord Ganesh is said to be foodie. Many varieties of prasad as modak, kheer, puran poli, undrallu, kudumulu etc are made and offered to him. North Indian way of modak is deep fried. Flour dough is rolled, and closed with filling, then deep fried. In south india modak’s are steamed with filling and rice flour on top.

Ujwala's Delicacies

Indian inspired all natural kitchen.