Sorekai Payasa aka Bottle gourd Payasa or Opo Payasa

Sorekai Payasa aka  Opo Payasa

Sorekai, available during summer time comes handy to make payasa. It is quick to make, low in calories and makes an elegant desert.

Cook time: 20 minutes.

Nutrition: 1 Cup serving  =  160 calories (low in fat).

Ingredients:       (  1 cup x 10 servings )
 
Peeled and chopped Sorekai –     4 cups (400 g)
Long grain rice -                          1/2 cup (100 g)
Grated coconut-                           1 cup
Milk -                                           1cup
Sugar –                                         1 ¼ cup
Cardamom powered                     ½ ts
Vanilla essence                             1 ts

Ghee (clarified butter)-                2 ts.

Method: 

1.  Soak ½ cup rice for about 4 hours and drain the water. 

2.  Blend the rice with coconut, in water (1/2 cup) to make a smooth paste. 

 3. Peel the sorekai, remove the seeds, cut into small pieces and cook in 4 cups of water until done.        (10 minutes approximately)

 4. Add the coconut-rice mixture to the hot sorekai pot with stirring. Use additional ½ cup water to         transfer the coconut-rice blend

5.  Continue cooking for 5 minutes to thicken the gravy 

6.  Add one and a quarter cup of sugar, one cup of milk and continue cooking couple of more minutes.

  

7.  Add cardamom, Ghee and vanilla essence and stir.

8.  Turn off the heating, cover the lid, and serve still hot.

 Note:  One can add, Cashew, raisin, sliced almonds and also saffron while cooking.

Oats Idli

Oats Idli

Writing a recipe from MTR's ready mix is no brainier. I am doing this to promote 'Oat' in our vegetarian diet for its rich protein source.
Oat is touted as cholesterol buster and is widely used as cereal. Oats Idli made from MTR's ready mix is fluffy, soft and delicious. One can improvise the recipe to one's taste. (In this case I have added green chillis, cilantro, ginger and carrot to add to the taste.) Low fat yogurt makes it rich in protein and calcium. In this prep only half packet is used.

Cooking time:           15 minutes total.

Number of Idlis:      12 in this case

Nutrients:                 Fiber, Protein, Calcium.

Protein :                    2 grams per Idli

 Ingredients

Oat Idli Mix (MTR)                    1 cup

Yogurt (Low fat)                         1 cup

Green chilli chopped                 1 tea spoon

Ginger chopped                          1 tea spon

Cilantro chopped                       1 tea spoon

carrot chopped                            1 table spoon

 

Method: (Follow the directions in the packet.)  Mix the Idli mix with the low fat yogurt and all other ingredients and set aside for 4 to 6 minutes. Add the batter to the Idli plates 'oiled well' and steam cook for about 12 minutes. Let it cool a bit and then take them out. Serve the Idli with chutney or any of your favorite sauce.

 

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