Your Healthy Kitchen

1 – Ingredients you can freeze:
– Garlic, green chillies and ginger, can all be blended and placed into ice cube trays and frozen. It can then be added directly into any dish, making preparing and cooking any meal a lot easier.
– Fenugreek (methi) leaves or coriander.
– Leftover curries.
– Cooked chapatis.

2 – Keep some staple ingredients in your store cupboard:
– A variety of herbs and spices (stored in airtight jars, these will help to keep the flavour fresh for a long time).
– Bottled lemon juice is just as good as using fresh lemons.
– Variety of flours (wheat, chickpea, juwar/sorghum, rice).
– Tinned lentils and beans e.g. kidney beans, green lentils, black-eyed beans. Tinned ingredients simply need to be drained and rinsed with water before using – this helps to remove the salty taste. Tinned lentils and beans are ideal to make a quick curry. You could even use a tin of baked beans to make a fast and tasty curry!

3 – Add vegetables into curries:
– Chicken curry with aubergine, peas, spinach, broccoli.
– Kidney beans with sweetcorn.
– Lentils with cauliflower, carrots, aubergines, green beans.
– Mince meat curry with peas.

4 – Using fruit in curries will help increase your fruit intake:
– Karela (Bitter gourd) curry with apples instead of gur/sugar.
– Dry aubergine and potato curry (see recipe in this booklet) with stuffed bananas.

5 – Reducing oil in cooking:
– Using a non-stick pan makes a big difference.
– Instead of adding more oil, add a splash of water and cover. The steam will help the curry cook.
– Use spray oil or measure the amount of oil added with a spoon, you can then gradually reduce the spoons of oil added.
– Steam vegetables first instead of frying in oil.
– Baked samosas – brush with oil and bake in the oven instead of deep frying, this can be done with fresh or frozen ones.

6 – If you add salt to your meals, gradually reduce over a few weeks so that you get used to the food without salt.
– Replace salt by using different spices i.e. ajwain seeds.
– Add herbs for more flavour.
– Try adding lemon juice so you don’t need to use so much salt.

Chapati Wraps

Make a tasty wrap by loading your chapati with these filling ideas. (chapati recipe on page 22).
– Chickpea masala – made with chickpeas, a choice of spices with spinach, grated carrots, and coriander chutney. (Try using brown chickpeas, black beans or black-eyed peas).
– Sprouted mung beans with red peppers, spring onions and tomato chutney.
– Any dry curry (recipes in this booklet for chicken curry, green mung curry) other suggestions like tindora (Ivy gourd), kidney bean with sweetcorn curry.
– Indian style scrambled egg made with spices, onions and peppers.
– Grated paneer cooked with onions, peppers and tomatoes. Low fat paneer is available too or alternatively try tofu. Add extra lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber or even shredded cabbage (to provide more vitamins and minerals and meet your 5 a day). You can also add a few spoons of your favourite chutney for more flavour, some chutney ideas include:
– Blend coriander leaves (including stalks), a handful of peanuts, lemon juice and green chillies.
– Low fat natural yoghurt with chopped fresh mint/dill/ coriander, grated cucumber and crushed garlic.
– Blend fresh tomatoes and carrots with a small amount of onions, green chilies, coriander and garlic.
– Tamarind and date sauce.

1. Heat the non-stick pan.
2. Add the paneer with a variety of
   vegetables (at least 2–3 different
   coloured vegetables).
3. Then add the spices to the pan and
   cook on a medium heat.
4. Cook for 4–5 minutes making

1. Using a sieve rinse the pawa in cold water, stir gently and set aside.
2. In a non-stick pan heat the oil and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and cumin seeds.
3. Once the seeds begin to sizzle add all the vegetables, green chillies, sprouted moong beans and turmeric and stir. Cover and cook for a few minutes.
4. Add the pawa, (sultanas and roasted peanuts optional) and stir gently. Cover and allow to cook for 2–3 minutes until the pawa puffs up. 5 Turn off the heat and add fresh coriander and lemon juice.
5.  

1. In a large mixing bowl add the rice and chickpea flour with the yoghurt and mix well. Add a small amount of water but keep the mixture thick. Cover and leave to stand for 15–20 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, ginger and green chillies with a variety of vegetables, at least 2–3 different coloured vegetables and mix. Keep the mixture thick but add some water if needed.
3. Prepare the steamer and use 1 spray of oil for the individual moulds.
4. Add the bicarbonate of soda to the mixture (optional).
5. Pour a spoonful of mixture into each mould, be careful not to over fill.
6. Close the lid and steam on a medium heat for 10–12 minutes. Check the idli is cooked by inserting a toothpick or knife into the centre of an idli if it comes out clean it is ready. Leave for a further few minutes if needed.
7.  

1. Combine all the flours into a large bowl along with the natural yoghurt and lemon juice and mix.
2. Add a small amount of water to make a thick batter.
3. Stir in at least 2–3 different coloured vegetables and mix well. You may need to add 2–3 tablespoons of water to the batter if it’s too thick. (Needs to drip off a spoon).
4. Add bicarbonate of soda into the mixture (this is optional, but it will make lighter pancakes).
5. Next add all the spices and herbs and give the batter a final mix.
6. Heat a non-stick frying pan (medium heat). Pour a spoonful of the mixture into the centre of the pan and spread out using the back of the spoon, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top (optional).
7. Leave to cook for 1–2 minutes, once you see bubbles forming on the surface, slowly flip it over with a spatula.
8. Cook for a further 1–2 minutes, until it is cooked through and is lightly golden brown.
9. You can enjoy them on its own or with a chutney or natural low-fat yoghurt.
10.  

1. Poppadoms can be grilled, microwaved, or dry fried on a non-stick pan and served with a topping or dip, including:
   – Avocado, tomato and onions.
   – Coriander chutney (blended coriander including stalks, small handful of peanuts, lemon juice, green chillies and cumin seeds).
   – Mint or dill yoghurt dip (fresh mint or dill with lemon juice, low-fat natural yoghurt and garlic).
   – Mango, red onions, and coriander salsa, add some lemon juice and chilli powder for extra flavour.
2. Poppadom pockets (Once cooked, fold into quarters immediately to form a pocket) add chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.
3. Roasted cauliflower florets – using spray  0il rub in spices of your choice and bake.
4. Frozen cassava, boiled in water to soften first. Then brush with boil and spices of your choice, add peppers and onions and bake.
5. Homemade popcorn (no oil/ minimal oil used) flavoured with either: chilli and lime, paprika or cinnamon with pomegranate.
6. Roasted chickpeas – with spray oil and traditional spices and baked. Alternatively, you can buy – Daria (dry roasted chickpeas and add your spices).
7. Sprouted mung beans on its own or with your choice of spices.
8. Spicey roasted nuts (dry roasted in the oven or spray oil and add paprika or black pepper). Remember just a handful of these!
9. Roasted puffed rice (mumra) with onions, tomatoes, sweetcorn, chickpeas, lemon juice and spices or it can be served with one of our dips or chutneys. Instead of puffed rice try puffed buckwheat or puffed oats. Alternatively, make the healthy chevdo recipe in this booklet.
10. Baked chapatis (See chapati recipe in this booklet) or tortilla wraps (small amount of oil mixed with lemon juice and spices, brushed over and baked).

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the cloves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods. When these start to sizzle, add the onions. On a medium heat cook the onions for about 10 minutes or until they start to brown. Add in the tomato puree and stir.
2. Stir in the garlic, ginger, green chillies and the dry spices (except for the garam masala). Add 3-4 tablespoons of water to help mix it all together.
3. Add the chicken and mix it well so that the chicken is coated in all the spice mix. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Then add 300ml of water, stir well and cover. Simmer on a medium heat for 15 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
5. Add fresh coriander and garam masala and cook for 1 minute before serving.

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the black mustard seeds, when the seeds start to pop add the potatoes and fry for 1 minute. Cover and cook for 7 minutes on a medium heat. Halfway through cooking stir the potatoes to make sure they are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
2. Add the aubergine and garlic, stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and stir slightly. Cover and cook for 6 minutes.
4. Add the spices and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir until all the vegetables are coated with the spices but be careful not to mash up the vegetables.
5. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the aubergines are cooked, stirring halfway through cooking. Remove from the heat and mix in some fresh coriander

1. Wash the mung beans in cold water a few times and then put them in the pressure cooker with 600ml of water. Add the tomato whole (during the pressure cooking process the tomato will break up into pieces). Pressure cook the mung mixture on a high heat but when the whistle blows, lower the heat and cook for a further 5-10 minutes.
2. Once the pressure cooker has cooled down, open the lid and stir the mung mixture, checking that the tomato is in small pieces.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, all the spices and the lemon juice into the mung mixture and stir gently.
4. In a large pan heat the oil and add the cumin seeds, dry chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida. When they start to brown, add the mung mixture into the pan. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and mix in some fresh coriander

1. Place the flour in a large bowl and gradually add in the water. Initially use a fork to stir the flour and water together.
2. Once the mixture comes together like a dough use your hands to combine the leftover flour.
3. Knead the dough for5 minutes, cover and leave for 10 minutes.
4. Knead again on a floured surface and divide the dough into 8-10 balls.
5. Flatten the balls slightly, coat with flour and roll out into a circle (add flour as needed). Roll each one into a circle about 15-18cm across (depending on the thickness required).
6. Heat a shallow frying pan and lay the chapati (make sure the pan is hot at first but lower the heat to medium when adding the chapati). Cook for about 10-15 seconds or until the surface starts to bubble. Turn it over with some tongs and cook the other side for 30-40 seconds until cooked. Then using the tongs place the less cooked side onto a direct flame for 10-15 seconds or until it fluffs up.
7. Serve without spreading any fat onto the chapati.

1. Pre-heat oven to gas mark 6, 200°C (400°F), and roast the peanuts and sultanas. In a separate oven dish roast the fresh coriander. Cook these for 10 minutes. Once the coriander has cooled crumble it up with your fingers.
2. In a large bowl mix the cornflakes, puffed rice, bran flakes and shredded wheat. Add the turmeric and red chilli powder and mix well.
3. Add the roasted peanuts, sultanas and dry coriander to the cereal mixture and mix.
4. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves and sesame seeds. When the seeds start to pop, add the asafoetida and mix.
5. Add this into the large bowl of cereal mixture and mix well.
6. Store in an airtight container.