Bisi Bele Bath

Having busy schedules tends to put 'Balanced Diet' in the back burner many a time, if we loose track. However to our rescue we have dishes like bisi-bele bath which can free us from guilt. It has a balance of protein from dal, carbohydrate from rice, vitamins and fiber from vegetables and calcium from the side raitha!! and not to mention the great taste :) Though i have mentioned a list of vegetables, feel free to add any of the vegetables you have in ur refridgerator. This is an other one item like the 5 a Day the Color Way...
Ingredients
SERVES 3
Red gram dal (tur) - 1/2 cup
Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Brinjals - 2 small
Onion - 1
Carrot - 1
Drumsticks - 2 nos
Tamarind - size of a small lime
Green chillies - 4 nos
Mustard - 2 tsp
Cashewnuts - 20 gms
Fresh grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves, Curry leaves - Few
Dry red chillies - 6 ; Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp ; Coriander seeds - 1 ; Poppy seeds(khus khus) - 1 tsp ; Cardamoms, Cloves - 4 nos; Cinnamon - Small piece
Method
- Fry all masalas in little oil and make powder it in a mixie
- Heat oil in a thick bottomed pot, and mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric powder; let it splutter
- Add chopped vegetables and toor dal
- When vegetables and toor dal is half cooked, add rice, tamarind pulp, salt, powdered masala and stir well
- Close the lid and cook until done on a low flame

Thai Coconut Rice

Thai Coconut Rice goes well along with the Thai Yellow Curry I posted some time ago. I either use jasmine rice or basmati, both come out quite well.

Ingredients
SERVES 3
2 cups Thai jasmine-scented white rice
2 cups coconut milk
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
Oil spray
Method
- Spray cooking oil to a non-stick pot
- Place rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in the pot over medium to high heat
- Continue to stir occasionally until the coconut milk & water come to a gentle boil (stirring will avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning)
- Once the coconut-water has begun to bubble, stop stirring. Turn down the heat to medium-low. Place lid on the pot, so that it is covered.
- Allow rice to cook in this way for 15-20 minutes, or until rice has absorbed most of the coconut-water
- Now turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the burner. Cover the pot tightly with the lid and allow to sit 5-10 minutes(This wud help remove the cooked rice easily without being stuck to the bottom of the pan)

Thai Yellow Vegetable Curry

An other recipe to the list of 5 A Day the Color Way! after my Pav Bhajji recipe :)
The “5 A Day The Color Way” slogan reminds us to include a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in the daily diet. Try to consume fruits and vegetables from the five color groups every day. The color groups are RED, ORANGE/YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE/PURPLE and WHITE. This item has a nice mild and rich taste which makes it a hit among the little guests at my place. The parents get happy as their kids are consuming a variety of vegetables as well :) This dish goes very well with coconut rice.

Ingredients
YELLOW CURRY SAUCE:

2 cans coconut milk

1/2 tsp. fenugreek

1 tsp. coriander seeds

1 tsp. black mustard seeds

1-2 green or red chillies

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. turmeric, dried, OR 1 thumb-size piece fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced

3 cloves garlic

1 thumb-size piece ginger, peeled and sliced

1 stalk lemongrass, sliced thinly

1/2 onion

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. dark soy sauce

1 cup fresh coriander

2 Tbsp. brown sugar or honey

juice of 1/2 lime

2-3 kaffir lime leaves, frozen or dried
VEGETABLES

2 cups baby bok choy, beans, chopped red, green, or yellow bell pepper, eggplant sliced

1 large carrot, sliced

1 cup broccoli

1 cup cauliflower

1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped if the leaves are large (for garnish)

canola or other vegetable oil for stir-frying
Method
- Place 1/2 can of the coconut milk plus all other sauce ingredients in a food processor. Process well.

- Add 2 Tbsp. oil in a large frying pan over medium to high heat. Add the curry paste and gently stir-fry for 1 minute, or until fragrant.

- Add the other 1/2 can of coconut milk and stir. Now add those vegetables that require the longest cooking time, such as the carrots and cauliflower. Stir well and bring to a simmering boil. Turn down heat to medium, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

- Add the second can of coconut milk plus the bell pepper(s), japanese eggplant, and beans. Stir well and cover, allowing to cook for another 5 minutes.

- Lastly, add the broccoli and bok choy/Chinese cabbage. Stir well and cook for another 2 minutes, or until broccoli is bright green and cabbage has softened.

- Remove from heat. If the sauce is too bitter, add 1-2 Tbsp. more brown sugar, and/or 1 Tbsp more soy sauce

- Sprinkle with basil

This tastes very good with coconut rice. It has a good serving of all color vegetable as well!