Lisha Arvind
Here are three recipes featuring foods high in nutritious content to boost children’s immunity
Chickpea salad
(3 servings)
Ingredients
• 2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas (kabuli chana)
• 1 thinly sliced small onion
• 1 diced tomato
• 1 small diced cucumber
• 1-2 finely chopped green chillies
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
• 2 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• Kashmiri chilli powder
• Salt, to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon
Preparation guide
• Mix cooked chickpeas, diced cucumber, tomato, chopped onion, coriander, and green chillies in a salad bowl.
• Whisk lemon juice, chaat masala, ground cumin and salt in a small bowl.
• Pour this dressing over chickpea mix. Toss well.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, adding more salt and chaat masala.
• Garnish with additional coriander leaves before serving.
Health benefits.
This refreshing salad is healthy and nutritious. Chickpeas provide plant-based protein and fibre, aiding digestion and satiety. Additionally, vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, and onion provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, boosting overall health and immunity. The lemon juice dressing provides a dose of vitamin C, vital for skin health.
Rava Halbai
(4 servings)
Ingredients
• ½ cup chiroti (fine) rava
• ¾ cup + ½ cup water
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 2 cardamom pods
• 2 cloves
• ¾-1 cup jaggery
• 6-7 tbsp ghee
Preparation guide
• Soak rava (semolina) in ¾ cup of water for 30 minutes.
• Transfer soaked rava to a mixer jar. Add grated coconut, cardamom, and cloves.
• Grind until it forms a smooth paste.
• Mix ½ cup water and jaggery in a saucepan
• Heat this mix over medium heat until jaggery completely dissolves.
• Strain jaggery syrup. Set aside.
• Now in a pan, add ground rava-coconut mix and ½ cup water.
• Cook for a few minutes until it thickens.
• Gradually add jaggery syrup.
• Cook on low heat, stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
• Add 1 tbsp ghee at a time, stirring continuously until the mixture starts leaving sides of the pan.
• Mix well and cook for a few more minutes until it reaches a thick, halwa-like consistency.
• Grease a plate or tray with ghee.
• Pour rava halbai mix onto the greased plate and spread it evenly using a spatula.
• Allow it to cool and set for an hour.
• Once set, cut into square shapes and serve.
Health benefits
This traditional South Indian sweet delicacy combines the goodness of semolina (rava), coconut, and jaggery. Semolina is a rich source of energy and provides essential nutrients such as iron and magnesium. Coconut provides healthy fats and fibre, promoting digestion and weight loss. Jaggery, a natural sweetener, offers iron and other minerals. Prepared with minimal ghee, this sweet treat offers guilt-free indulgence.
Moong dal toast
(3 servings)
Ingredients
• 1 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow mung beans), washed and soaked for 2 hours
• 4-6 slices of bread (white, wheat, or multigrain)
• 1 finely chopped medium-sized onion
• 1-2 finely chopped green chilies
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• ½ tsp chaat masala
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chili powder (optional)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• ¼ tsp pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil or ghee
Preparation guide
• Wash moong dal thoroughly and drain water.
• Soak in water for 2 hours. After 2 hours, moong dal should have absorbed water and expanded in size.
• After soaking, drain water and rinse moong dal once again.
• Grind soaked moong dal, green chili and ginger in a blender/food processor. Grind to a smooth paste.
• Transfer paste to a mixing bowl. Add turmeric, chili, chaat masala, sesame seeds, pepper, and salt. Mix well.
• Add finely chopped onion, carrot, capsicum, and coriander leaves.
• Use a spoon or spatula to mix vegetables evenly into the moong batter, which should be thick.
• Take a slice of bread and spread a generous amount of moong dal batter on it.
• Heat a non-stick skillet or tawa over medium heat and drizzle some oil or ghee.
• Place bread slice with moong dal mix facing down onto the skillet.
• Toast until it becomes golden brown and crisp.
• Add a generous amount of moong dal mix on other side of bread slice as well.
• Then, flip and toast other side until golden brown and crisp. Add more oil or ghee if needed.
• Repeat same process for remaining slices of bread.
• Serve hot with ketchup, chutney, or yogurt dip.
Health benefits
Yellow moong dal is rich in protein and fibre, aiding digestion. Onions, capsicum, and carrots provide essential vitamins and minerals. Turmeric, chilli powder, and ginger contribute anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties, promoting overall well-being.
