PUMPKIN SEED PARIPPU PODI

Pumpkin seeds are good for health.    Raw nuts and seeds, including pumpkin seeds are one of the best souces of plant based Omega 3s.  Pumpkin seed oil is rich in natural phytoestrogens and studies suggest it may lead to a significant increase in good HDL cholesterol along with  decreases  blood pressure,  hot flashes, headaches, joint pains and other menopausal symptoms in post menopausal women.

This is rich in healthyfats, antioxidants and fibers, may provide benefits for heart and liver health, particularly when mixed with flax seed.

I have made the pumpkin flaxseed gun powder and the link is here.  pumpkin-flaxseed-gun-powder-diet.html

 Pumpkin seeds are roasted and eaten by us.  My mother used to give us this when we were small.  When I came to know about the health benefits of  pumpkin seeds, I thought of making the parippu podi out of it.

Parippu podi is mixed with rice along with ghee or sesame seed oil and served in Southern States.  We used to love this rice along with papad.   When you buy pumpkin, ensure that the same is fully ripe and we can make out whether we can make use of the seeds or not.

PUMPKIN PARIPPU PODI SADAM (RICE

Pumpkin parippu podi sadam is  made with plain rice and mixed with the parippu podi in it with seasme oil or ghee.  Parippu podi is normally made with tuvar dal, red chilli black pepper asafoetida etc.  There are variation in making this podi.  Some peope also add kollu i.e. kulith or horsegram it is known as.

Here I tried thesame with pumpkin seeds as it has got many health benefits.  Parippu podi is handy when you are lazy to cook sometimes.  Just make plain rice and add the podi in it with ghee or oil and serve with roasted papad.

The pumpkin pariuppu podi sadam is given below.  You can relish this any time. 

KASHAYAM (KADA)

Kashayam, or kada it is known as is a simple preparation with the ingredients are easily available at home.  Tulsi, ajwain patta, ajwain, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds etc. are cooked in water, strained and served immediately.

This kashayam is good to serve when you are  suffering from cough and cold.  My son always prefer to drink this rather than going to a doctor and taking medicines.

 The ingredients included in this is very helpful for digestion, cough and cold.  Now the season demands as my son has gone for playing football in the heavy rain today,.   to tell you since yesterday night it is pouring but today non stop it was raining and i also took the video of the rain as i love the nature very much.  a view from my balcony during rainy season with a cup of tea in my hand, hours together i can sit watching the rain and the nature.

http://youtu.be/qlQVvRT6RUU   After becoming wet in the rain, the kashayam, kada is necessary for me and you.  even if you drink it once in a week, it is good.  so why are you waiting.  gather all the ingredients and make it and enjoy. I have panikoorka elai (ajwain plant), basil, tulsi, vettila, (bettle leaf) in my balcony.  So it is easy for me to make the same at home.

Kashayam, kada is made by mother in law especially during rainy season.  she also made it a practice in her house to make the same every Sunday and used to give to her children.  after my marriage, once when she gave me this, I was bit reluctant to drink it.  However, after having the same, I liked it and every Sunday, I made it a point to make it. In olden days, our parents and grand parents adopted to these kind of medicines only and the trend is not followed now a days.



ingredients of kashayam

RAW MANGO SWEET PACHADI

Raw mango sweet pachadi is made with raw mango and jaggery.  During the season, this dish is almost part of the menu once in a week in our house.  It is a very easy and simple prepartion and served with plain hot rice and papad.

BANANA DOSA

Banana dosa, we used to make very often.  This is my mother in law's recipe and I learned the same from her.  She used to make banana adai also.  I have posted few adai recipes shall give the link below.

This is a very easy recipe to make and can be served as breakfast with chutney or sambhar.  Dosa batter is always available in a South Indian household hence making this dish is very easy.



banana dosa

GINGER CHUTNEY, INJI CHUTNEY, INJI CURRY

Ginger has got many medicinal values. it is good for digestion, cold, nausea etc.   this simple ginger chutney goes along with any mild curry like plain dal, molagootal etc.  it goes along with dosa, idli, upma also.

I tasted  it when I visited my cousin's house at Calicut.  She had made this chutney along with molagootal.

Let us have a look at the simple inji curry which can be prepared within 5 minutes if you have the ingredients in your fridge.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF GINGER, INJI

Om Sani devaya namah:

Here are ten health benefits of GINGER


Ovarian Cancer Treatment

Ginger may be powerful weapon in the treatment of ovarian cancer. A study conducted at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that ginger powder induces cell death in all ovarian cancer cells to which it was applied.

Colon Cancer Prevention

A study at the University of Minnesota found that ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells.
Morning Sickness

A review of several studies has concluded that ginger is just as effective as vitamin B6 in the treatment of morning sickness.

Motion Sickness Remedy

Ginger has been shown to be an effective remedy for the nausea associated with motion sickness.
Reduces Pain and Inflammation

One study showed that ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and is a powerful natural painkiller.
Heartburn Relief

Ginger has long been used as a natural heartburn remedy. It is most often taken in the form of tea for this purpose.

Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment Ginger has long been used as a natural treatment for colds and the flu. Many people also find ginger to be helpful in the case of stomach flus or food poisoning, which is not surprising given the positive effects ginger has upon the digestive tract.

Migraine Relief

Research has shown that ginger may provide migraine relief due to its ability to stop prostaglandins from causing pain and inflammation in blood vessels.

Menstrual Cramp Relief

In Chinese medicine, ginger tea with brown sugar is used in the treatment of menstrual cramps.

Prevention of Diabetic Nephropathy

A study done on diabetic rats found that those rats given ginger had a reduced incidence of diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage).

KOTHAVARAKKA SUBZI (CLUSTER BEANS)

Kothavrakka, kothavrakkai, cluster beans, gawar beans, mattkayalu, is known as in different names,  we are familiar with.  various dishes are made out of this in different regions.  we can also make vattal out of it.  vattal means it is cooked with salt and turmeric and dried in hot sun.  when it is fully dried, you can store it in airtight container and keep it.  It is fried in oil and consumed along with sambar rice, rasam rice, curd rice, dal rice etc. and even used to make kuzhambu.

It has got slightly a bitter taste hence most of the children avoid eating this.  In my early child hood, I never used to like this as it has got little bit of bitter taste hence i always tell amma please do not make this bhaji but she used to say you must eat  everything whether it is sweet, sour, bitter whatever it is.  Hence I used to obey her and developed the taste of bitter gourd, kothavarakkai etc. Thanks to her for making us to eat compulsorily all the vegetables.  while we can make thoran, gravy subzi, dry subzi, usili etc, let us take a look at this recipe nowI

KOTHAVARAKKA  SUBZI

BHINDI STIR FRY (LADY'S FINGER SUBZI)

 Bhindi is also known as  Okra, Lady's finger, Vendakkaya.  This ia a popular health food due to its high fiber, vitamin C and folate content.  Okra is also known for being high in antiodidants and goods source of calcium and potassium.

This has got a sticky nature when cooked.  To remove the stickiness, you can either put little cocum or rava or lime juice, vinegar etc.  

This vegetable has the capacity to reduce the blood sugar level if consumed daily. After cutting both the ends, put in water and keep overnight.  In the morning, in empty stomach, drink this water continuously for a month and see the difference in the sugar level.

See the health benefits of bhindi  health-benefits-of-bhindi-okra-ladys.html

VEGGIE OATS

Oat meal in the morning is quite filling at the same time helps in reducing the bad cholestrol level as well as good for diabetic, heart diseases etc.  Normally, I used to cook the oats in water and add some milk and sugar with some dry fruits in it for the children.  They used to love this  as their breakfast in the morning.

We can also prepare the oats umpa, uttappa, dosa, or with some veggies which is also good for health and filling.     It helps in reducing the cholesterol, risk of diabetic, good for heart and boost the immune system.  You can go through the health-benefits-of-oats.html here.