Qingjiao Tudou[Potato and capsicum stir-fry]

A few months ago we were invited to my friend-Ju’s home. Her parents were eager to meet us but her mother was a little apprehensive as Ju had informed her that I am a vegetarian. I asked her mom to take it easy as I can survive on bread and noodles but she surprised me with loads of vegetarian dishes.

I not only relished them but also got the recipes from her to share with all…

Here is the first one..

Qingjiao Tudou[Potato and capsicum stir-fry]

You need:

Potatoes – 2
Capsicum-1
Onion-1 small
Ginger a small piece,chopped
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Salt to taste

1. Wash and peel potatoes. Cut them into thin strips [similar to matchsticks ]
2. Cut capsicum into strips.Slice onions
3. Heat oil in a wok and put in ginger and sauté fora minute.
4. Add the onion and sauté till transparent
5. Put in the potato and cook till almost done.It will get cooked fast as it is cut into fine strips.
6. Add salt and capsicum and stir well
7. Cook till potato is soft. Remove from heat and serve.

                   

You can also prepare it a little crunchy by adding the capsicum when the potato is half cooked and remove from fire in a few minutes. It is delicious this way.

Happy cooking…

Potato podimas

A simple vegetable dish today.Nothing fussy but absolutely delicious.A south Indian method of preparing potato curry.My ultimate favorite potato dish.

Imagine a’ semi-cold day’.A plate of piping hot steamed rice and a bowl of onion sambar,a large bowl of potato podimas.Drizzle a teaspoon of ghee over the steamed rice and now you are all set to enter the super delicious zone!!!Yes, this is an utterly delectable combo!!!Well,this goes well with not only steamed rice and sambar but with all other rice preparations too.

 You need:

 Potato -3 large[boiled,peeled and mashed roughly]

Onion – 1 [Thinly sliced]

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Red chillies-4 /Chilli powder – to taste

Ginger grated-1 teaspoon

Curry leaves- a few

Salt to taste

Mustard-1 teaspoon

Jeera – 1 teaspoon

Oil-2 teaspoons

  

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard and jeera.
2. When they crackle add the onions,ginger, curry leaves and red chillies .
3. Fry till onions turn translucent.
4. Now add roughly mashed potato,turmeric powder, chilli powder[if using instead of red chilli ],salt and mix well.
5. Cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally.
6. Remove from heat and serve with any rice dish.

 

 

Happy cooking… 

 

Carbohydrates-Part 2

Have you ever had a heavy meal of rice and refined products yet ended up feeling hungry after a couple of hours? It would have been followed by lethargy too. The culprit is the food you ate. After a heavy meal of carbohydrates/refined food products there is a sudden raise in blood glucose followed by the swift drain which leaves us hungry and tempt us to eat another calorie or carbohydrate rich meal.

What has this got to do with carbohydrates you might wonder! Let me tell you about the Glycemic index or GI as it is known.

Glycemic index is a scientific method of ranking carbohydrates from 0 to 100.It is basically a scale to check the raise in the blood sugar level after a meal.

When one eats foods with high GI, there is a spike in blood glucose/blood sugar level. Insulin is released which converts the glucose into fat. The next thing it does is to inhibit the utilization of body fat. Now this is really harmful to the body especially if you are a diabetic or have heart related problems.

With the glycemic index grading the food in a range between 0 to 100, we can say that the foods that rate the lowest are the best for the body as they are digested much slowly. This means the glucose/sugar is slowly released into the body without a sudden spike in the blood sugar level.

The foods can be classified into 3 categories based on GI

Low glycemic foods – GI less than 55.
Moderate glycemic foods- Ranges between 59-69
High glycemic foods- over 70.

Here is a list of some of the low glycemic index which can be termed as the desirable foods

• Long grain rice
• Whole wheat pasta
• Oats
• Barley
• Quinoa
• Brown rice
• Buckwheat
• Barley
• Slow cooking oats
• Bulgur wheat, wheat grain
• Pulses and legumes
• Low fat milk and milk products
• Soy bean and soy milk
• Nuts like peanuts, flaxseed, sesame etc
• Fruits like apple orange, grapes, guava, lemon, lime peach, pear, berries, kiwi fruit
• Most of the vegetables [other than those mentioned below]

Addition of acidic foods in the meal can slow down the release of food from the stomach. So you can include

• All varieties of vinegar
• Vinaigrette dressings

Moderate glycemic index foods that can be added to the diet occasionally

• Couscous
• Rice vermicelli
• High fat milk and milk products
• Fruits like banana,mango,papaya,figs
• Vegetables like beetroot, sweet corn,yam,pumpkin,parsnip,tapioca
• French fries

High glycemic index foods are the least desirable foods that are best avoided.

• Glucose, sugar ,honey
• Sweetened juices, soft drinks, fruit juices
• White bread
• Corn flakes
• Puffed wheat
• Short grain rice
• Mashed/baked potato, carrots
• Dates , raisins

What is the use of knowing the classification, you might ask. Is it only for diabetics? Here is your answer.

Eating a Low GI diet helps the body by tricking small quantities of sugar into the blood stream thereby marinating the energy level and keeps you feeling fuller for longer periods. It means you will not be tempted to grab a bag of French fries or gulp down a sugary drink right after a heavy meal.

Apart from this a low GI diet helps

• Lose and manage weight
• Increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin thereby improving diabetes management
• Reduce the risk of heart disease
• Improve blood cholesterol levels
• Prolong physical endurance

When you want to switch from a high GI to a low GI diet, it becomes very simple. Just swap the foods from one list for the other.

• Eat plenty of salads with a vinaigrette dressing and cut down the amount of potato
• Switch to whole grain/sour dough breads
• Use breakfast cereals based on slow cooking oats, barley etc.
• Use long grain rice
• Include whole wheat pasta, noodles and quinoa.

Unhealthy eating habits and frequent consumption of refined foods will leave you regretting in future as they will surely poise a health hazard on the long run. So, if you want to live fit and slim, a diet that is low in sugar and fat is the magic word!

This article is not a medical advice. If you are suffering from any health related problem, seek the guidance you’re your physician/dietitian before you make changes in your diet.

Earlier in this series

Carbohydrates-Part 1

Carbohydrartes-Part 1

The first nutrient that is to be demystified is Carbohydrates.I have tried to put it into simple terms and since nutrition is a vast topic,I will just talk about the important and interesting facts and I also plan to give some sample menus at the end of each topic as well..Happy reading….

* Carbohydrates are a class of energy yielding substances that include

-Starch
-Glucose
-Cane sugar
-Milk
-Sugar etc.

* Carbohydrates from the cereals form the chief source of energy. Food grains, roots and tuber are mainly composed of starch- a complex carbohydrate. Simple sugars like cane sugar and glucose are pure carbohydrates.

* Starches when consumed are digested and release glucose that provides energy to the body

* There is no difference between the starches derived from different sources.

* Besides the digestible carbohydrates there are some non digestible carbohydrates that we like to have in our diet- Yes, Dietary fiber…Dietary fiber or unavailable carbohydrates in technical terms, is one kind of carbohydrate.

Functions of carbohydrates

1. Provide energy

Any type of carbohydrate that we take in is broken down to glucose which is the primary source of energy for the body.

2. Sparing the use of proteins for energy

Though carbohydrates are the major sources of energy, in times of fasting or staying without food/carbohydrates for a longer period, the proteins which are essential for body building turn to become energy providers thereby hindering tissue development.

3. Breakdown of fatty acids and preventing ketosis

When there is an inadequate supply of carbohydrates, fats may also be used as an energy source and the breakdown of fats leads to the formation of ‘ketone bodies’ in the blood which is leads to a dangerous condition called ‘ketosis’.One of the ways to diagnose Ketosis is by the odors on the breath and in the urine.To prevent ketosis we need to take at least 50-100 grams of carbohydrates per day in our diet.

4. Flavor and Sweeteners

Apart from the major role of being the energy provider, carbohydrates also have a less important role as a sweetener. Different sugars vary in their degree of sweetness.

5. Dietary fiber

Sometimes called a ‘dieter’s boon’ is essential for everyone. It includes

§ Cellulose

§ Hemicellulose

§ Pectins

§ Gums

§ Lignins

Ø Though dietary fiber does not contribute to the nutritive value of the food stuff, it is necessary to provide the bulk in the diet

Ø Lack of dietary fiber in the diet is mainly due to the use of refined foods which leads to constipation and increases the chances of colon cancer

Ø Dietary fiber is very beneficial as they lower blood cholesterol, blood glucose[essential in diabetic control].

Ø Generous portions of vegetables, green leafy vegetables, fruits,unrefined cereals are to be included in the menu to achieve a diet sufficient in dietary fiber.

Stay tuned for more facts on Carbohydrates….

Garlic Noodles for Taste and create

For this month’s edition of taste and create I am paired with Marthe of Culinary delights.

If you are new to taste and create,here is a small intro.Taste and create is a monthly blogging event started by Nicole of For the love of food.In this, each month bloggers are paired and have to prepare dishes from the partner’s blog.In this way we get to create,taste and appreciate recipes from fellow bloggers.If you want to join our fun,sign up for next month.The details are here

As I was telling you earlier,this month I am paired with Marthe.She writes a blog called culinary Delights.True to the name,her blog has so make baked delights that made me drool.

I tried her Garlic Noodles

The original recipes,calls for oyster sauce but I have omitted it. I have stuck on to the other ingredients on the list.

Here is what you need:

Chinese noodles-1 pack
Garlic-4 cloves,minced
Red onion-1,chopped
Salted butter-2 teaspoons
Soy sauce-2 teaspoon
Light brown sugar-2 teaspoons

1. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the pack and keep aside.
2. In a bowl,mix soy sauce and light brown sugar.I added a little water to make a thin paste.
3. Heat a pan with butter and when it melts,put in onion and garlic.
4. Fry for a minute and add the noodles and soy mixture.
5. Stir well to mix and serve.

This is really an easy breezy dish.Sure to try it again when I need a quick breakfast but I think I will reduce the quantity of light brown sugar.Lil angel loved it though!