New York is experiencing one of the harshest winters in recent years. In weather like this I always get request to recommend the best Indian foods to eat to stay healthy and strong. Here are some quick and easy recipes for those cold winter days. Try them, and let me know how you did.
In weather like this, especially with all these big snowstorms and coldest temperatures felt in years, you need the right kind of food and other healthy habits to fight back and stay strong. Our immune systems can get bogged down trying to fight through the bad weather. A proper healthy and delicious diet can give it a boost.
Dal with Red Lentils
2014-05-25 12:04:49
Red lentils are high in protein and have zero-fat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small red onion (chopped)
- A few grains of black cumin (nigella or kala jeera)
- 1/2 tsp of powdered turmeric
- Fresh cilantro for garnishing
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Boil one cup of red lentils in a covered container until cooked.
- Warm the oil in a flat skillet on low flame
- Add the bay leaf, red onion, black cumin, turmeric powder, and salt to taste.
- Warm up the mixture in the oil and wait until the onion turns brown.
- The mixture is ready when it becomes paste-like.
- Turn up the flame for a few seconds
- Pour the boiled lentils into the mixture.
- Turn the flame back down, and let it cook for five more minutes.
- Your dal is ready. Now you can also add a few pieces of cilantro leaves for garnishing, if you like.
- Serve in cups or small bowls.
Goes great with
- Plain rice or hand-made bread.
- Absolutely delicious, nutritious, and a major antidote against cold and flu.
Mukti's Kitchen | Indian Cooking Classes in Brooklyn, NYC https://muktiskitchen.com/
Indian Chicken Stew
2014-05-25 12:56:27
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1tbsp garam masala mix
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 green chili peppers (if you like it spicy)
- 1 cup green peas
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 big onion chopped
- 1/2 tsp of ginger grated
- 1 tomato cubed
- 1 large carrot cubed
- 1 green bell pepper cubed
- 1 large clove of garlic (whole)
- 1 large potato cubed
- 1 small head of cauliflower cut in large pieces
- 1 lb of deboned chicken pieces (breast, thigh, drumsticks, etc.) washed
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a deep skillet, add the oil and heat on medium flame
- Add the onion and cook until brown
- Add the potato, cauliflower and carrots, ginger, garam masala mix and bay leaf. If you want to make it just a little more spicy add the green chili peppers.
- Add the turmeric powder, salt, garlic.
- Cook until it all mixes together and gets a bit pasty. Make sure the vegetables do not burn.
- Now add the bell pepper and tomato pieces and green peas to it.
- Finally, add the chicken pieces and let it cook for 10 minutes.
- You'll start to see the water and juices come from the chicken and then slowly get absorbed into the mix.
- When you see this happening, add the water and cover the pot.
- Let it cook on low-medium flame for 15 minutes. Do not overcook it. The vegetable will get too soggy.
- Serve in bowls.
Notes
- You can eat this dish with white rice, bread or just by itself. Either way its delicious!
Mukti's Kitchen | Indian Cooking Classes in Brooklyn, NYC https://muktiskitchen.com/