Ragimalt powder/ Ragi malt

Babies above 5months.
Ragi malt powder.

U need :
 1 kg Ragi,
Method :
 Wash and soak ragi for 6 hours. After 6 hours drain the excess water and spread it evenly on a old cotton saree. It will take 1 day to dry in summer. Allow it dry inside the house. If there are small crawling kids at home better be careful they can go and play with it and mess everything before the malt powder is done. Once it is dry u need to go to the atta flour mill. Ask that person to break the ragi into two halves. If u tell it is for small babies he will surely understand and will just do the needful. So once u come back immediately spread it on a paper and allow it dry and later u can use cotton cloth to sieve the powder or the finest atta siever to sieve it. u really get the best malt powder.  powder will be brownish white. If there are strong grandmother's to do this better sieve it in cotton cloth. But it is heavily time consuming and body aching activity . So I being a smart mom I just used the sieving method. So if u prepare this powder in large quantity u need to be careful and every week u need to spread and keep it for drying because we would have soaked ragi in water.
The powder should be stored in air tight container. For 1 kg ragi u just might get 1/2 kg of malt powder.

Ragi Malt
u need:
2 spoons of ragi malt powder,
Pinch of salt ,
Pinch of sugar or jaggery,
2 tbsp of ghee,
1/2 cup water,
5 tbsp milk (optional).
Method:
Take a small cup put the malt powder and add just 2 tbsp water and mix it and keep it aside.
In another small vessel keep little water for boiling when water starts boiling add pinch of salt. Now add the malt powder mixed in water to it and immediately keep stirring it with no break until the malt has no lumps in it and if required add little water. Now add little sugar or jaggery just for taste. And at last add ghee and mix it. Now the delicious baby ragi malt is ready. It has to be given hot to the baby and baby should be hungry. If the baby likes to sit and eat u can feed it with a spoon of with ur fore finger. Make this in small quantity and day by day u can increase the quantity according to ur choice.
This is the best food to start for 5 months baby. u can make this with milk also instead of water just replace it with milk.

One more fact I should share with u all is I have made both my kids eat this. But I never tasted or I never liked it. I as a kid never ate it is what my mom and aunt keep saying.  Ragi is rich in calcium so we should give it for children and we also should try new variety in it.
My grandmother used to make papad with this powder. She is above 95. Very strong lady. She has 8 children. Oh my god imagining it only is so scary and god only know how they managed so many kids. Now for only one or two kids we go crazy and we feel like life is so hectic.
This blog is dedicated to my lovely grandmother and I have so many unique recipes from her to be uploaded she cannot read my blog today but she has been my biggest support and inspiration .
The  best advice I have got in life from her during my marriage is "you are a kid you just be like that only ,never change. Whatever may happen never step back, never loose your selfconfidence and self respect. Never say anything against anybody and you are the youngest in the family so u need to manage everything and balance it. If somebody is happy the reason behind it is you and if somebody is sad the reason is you have done something wrong. So try to correct yourself before correcting others. This was the blessings I got from her and I'm always the same I have never changed.


 

palak paneer with pulka

u need :
1 bunch of palak,
10 apple tomatoes,
2 onion ( optional) most of the recipe's  I  might have left onion or garlic please add it if required. Because I don't use it when  I cook.
1 tbsp jeera,
3 green chili,
200gm paneer,
1 tbsp salt,
2 tbsp oil,
1 tbsp jeera powder,
1 tbsp chili powder,
1 tsp garam masala powder.
4 tbsp cream( optional)
Method:
Wash Palak 5 times and pressure cook it with tomato with just 1/4 cup water. Now make onion paste. Heat oil in Kadai, add jeera and slit green chili vertically. add onion paste fry for 5 mins. Now only take the pressure cooked tomato and grind it and add it to the Kadai. To the onion paste which is in the Kadai add tomato paste. Make Palak paste and add it to the Kadai. You need not wash the mixer every time. plan well so make the paste as I have done. So 3 in 1. Now cut paneer and soak it in the pressure cooker which has the Palak broth. Paneer will be very soft and tender if we do so. Now to the Kadai add jeera powder, chili powder , salt, garam masala powder. Mix well and keep the lid closed on the Kadai or else the gravy will pop out everywhere while boiling. Switch off the stove and add paneer to it.
This goes very well with freshly prepared pulka, roti, nan, kulcha and even rumali roti.

 

Baby food tips

This post I should have posted it before I posted all the baby food recipes. But now also it is not late. I'm not finding time to write from 1 week.
It is better to start giving food to babies once they are 5 months. Any food we start we should give in small quantities. We should be bold and confident to try new food. Any changes we can feel within 1 day. So if the baby has got used to the food there will be no change in the health we can happily continue it , Incase of cold , cough or fever. It is better to stop it for 2 days and better try some other new food. By 1.5 yr the kids will start liking food and they will have their own likes and dislikes so we should recognize and prepare the food what they like.
I always prefer homemade food, or fresh fruits rather than packed food. If we start by 5 months the baby by 1.5yr will be able to eat the breakfast prepared. u need not worry what has to be given.
Idli, dosa, chappathi, puri are kids best friends. So if u are travelling also these foods u get everywhere easily so the kids will adjust easily.
The 2 main reasons kids cry or trouble the parents are when they are hungry or when they are sleepy. If we manage these things properly the time they are awake they will enjoy learning something or will make u learn something.
It is always better to give fresh and hot food for the babies. Drinking water it is always better to carry in the baby bag.
Giving ghee is a must. But when baby is having cold or cough it is better to avoid.
Fruit should be given. Most of the time mango and papaya kids love because of the color.
Junk food it is better given in limited quantity. We should make the kids understand what is good food and bad food.
Chocolates it is better to give once in a day.
Ragi is rich in calcium so we should give it. malt, dose, roti or in any form ragi has to be given.
Dry fruits chop it and give it in a bowl so they will learn hand to mouth coordination.
By 1.5 yrs kids will be able to eat dos, chappathi , dry fruits, mixture and puffed rice or puffed wheat on their own. So if we give these things in a bowl and keep monitoring it is good time pass for both kids and moms, we can happily read something when they keep eating it. We will have some breathing time.
Next post I will be writing about how to keep the kids busy when we are cooking?
 

Baby pakoda

1.5 yrs and above.
u need:
1 cup besan,
5 tbsp rice flour,
1 cup chopped onion,
1/2 cup grated carrot,
1 cup chopped sabbaki soppu ( dil leaves),
1 cup chopped Pudina
1 tsp chili powder,
1 tsp  salt,
1/2 inch crushedginger,
1 cup water,
1/2 tsp soda,
250 gms oil to deep fry,
5 tbsp tomato sauce.
Method:
Heat oil in Kadai, in a bowl just add besan four and add 4 tbsp steaming hot oil. Turnoff the gas. Now to the besan add all the other ingredients. Mix it with water so the consistency should not be too hard nor too soft. and keep it aside for 15mins. Now heat the oil again and with a spoon u put the pakoda batter in the oil so u can make baby pakoda.
Serve it hot with sauce.

This is my kids favorite snack.
When I was a kid my mom used prepare. We never had burger , pizza. Homemade snacks were the top priority. My second son just loves this and calls it boda boda boda ( bonda) and first son is great fan of this pakoda.  This post is dedicated to both my kids.

Idli chutney

9 months and above babies and it is the famous breakfast in south india.
u need:
3 cups idli rice,
1 cup urad dal,
1 cup rice flakes( avalakki).
1 tsp salt,
1 tsp baking soda,
2 tsp oil,
1 cup water for grinding.
Method:
Wash  rice , urad dal and rice flakes 4 times. Soak everything separately for 6 to 8 hours. Grind urad dal and rice flakes together in a mixer or grinder , later grind the rice. Use less quantity of water and the batter should be fine with no lumps. Allow it rise overnight and in the morning add salt and soda in a spoon add water to it and put it on top of the batter and mix just 6 times. Don't mix the batter too much because it will make your idli hard.Now pour the idli batter to the oil greased plates and steam it for 15 mins.
Serve it hot with coconut chutney.
Kids just love this idli it is v soft and u can add ghee on top of it. For extra calories for children , not for diet conscious people. It can be served with sugar or sweet chutney. Chutney recipe I will upload soon.
The best idli I have eaten is in Madurai , Murugan idli it is v famous and it is just too good.


 

Rava idli

u need:
2 cups rava, (any rava can be used chirooti rava or upma rava)
4 cups curds,
1 tsp mustard seeds,
1tsp urad dal,
1 tsp oil,
1 tsp salt,
1 tsp baking soda,
4 to 5 fenugreek leaves,
3 chopped green chilli,
Coriander , cashew nuts, tomato, carrot to garnish.
Method:
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard, urad dal, green chili, fenugreek leaves. Fry them for 1 min and add rava fry it for 5 mins  and when u feel the rava is mixed well add salt and switch of the stove. After 5 mins add the curds and mix well so that there are no lumps in the batter, add little baking soda and allow it for 15 mins. Now garnish the idli stand with 1 cashew , little grated carrot , 1 tomato slice and coriander and later add the rava idli batter into the stand. Steam it for 15 mins and serve it hot with coconut chutney.
Tips:
Add curds only once u switch off the stove. Use little water if u feel the batter is too thick. If you are diet conscious u can use only water or go for 2: 2 ratio of curds and water. When u get bored of regular idli u can prepare this when u have no idli batter ready.
You can give this idli to babies who are above 1 year. This is a good way to start giving curds to babies.

Paneer mutter masala

u need :
200gms paneer,
2 onions ,
3 tomatoes,
1 cup green peas,
1 small cup grated coconut,
1 tsp jeera,
2 tsp chilli powder,
3 tsp south indian sambhar powder,
3 tbsp oil,
Salt as per taste,
Coriander to garnish.

Grind onion  and make paste keep in a bowl, next  tomato paste keep in a separate bowl, now grind together coconut chili powder and southindian sambhar powder and make a fine paste.

Method: now heat oil in Kadai , add jeera and add onion paste once the onion paste turns golden brown, add fresh green peas or the frozen green peas after 5 mins add tomato paste and mix it well and cook until the raw smell goes. Now add the masala paste prepared at last in the mixer. Add water if the gravy is too thick. Now add salt as per taste. Mix well and now at last  turnoff the stove and just add the diced paneer and cover the Kadai with a lid.  Stir again after 5 mins , transfer it into a serving bowl and garnish it with coriander.  It goes well with fresh Pulkha, roti's, kulchas.

Tips :
Try to buy fresh stock paneer, I always buy amul paneer , wash it with fresh water and later make cubes and keep it ready. If everything is ready this gravy just takes 20 mins to be ready .
Weekends are very lazy I don't feel like cooking but everybody will be at home for hygienic reasons I avoid hotel food. So morning while preparing breakfast I make this gravy and keep it aside , I knead the Pulkha or kulcha dough and keep in the fridge so during lunch I need feel oh my god I have to prepare lunch.

31. 1 month of blogging experience

From 2 days I wanted to write this blog but somehow was so busy could not write. 1 month of blogging has made me learn so much. I started this recipe a day blog on may 11th on Mother's day and day by day got new ideas. Another 2 months I can blog I have so many new recipes. In 1 month my total blog view is 612 on June 12 ,2014.
This post is dedicated to my mother.
In life we read many cook books , we eat in many hotels, relatives places, parties, chat corners, MCD , CCD, and  in hundred's of other places. But according to me where we eat or in whichever part of the world we are we will just miss home made food and especially the food made by our mom. The reason behind this is just the love and care showed by our mother. Nobody in this world can cook like her and can replace her position in our heart. God created Mother's because he cannot be everywhere. Today I'm mother of 2 kids but still I crave for the food prepared by my mom. Past 13 years I'm cooking and I have tried many new recipes and got into baking also. But, my mom is the best cook. Due to health complications she stopped cooking from past 4 years. My sis-in-law manages  cooking and more than my mom she cares for me. Some days I feel so low and just want to go and tell my mom " MA I'm not able to manage anything " . But I cannot do that.
I took up the responsibility of life just before I realized it will be so difficult. Now I cannot say anything, all I can do is just smile and say "ALL IS WELL". I just pray god to make my mom strong and healthy. One nature in me is good or bad I don't know, I just don't share my worries with my parents however difficult might be the situation, I try to manage. Life has made me learn to hide my tears, and god has blessed me with the best always.
But my dear friends and wellwishers are always with me, wherever they are their wishes are with me and has made me grow strong.  When I used to run to college in the morning my mom used to forcibly make me eat, but now some days I don't even remember I had breakfast or not. In the night Dinner time she used to make sure I eat first , but now after winding up all the work and after the next days planning I feel so tired. Now I wish some angel come's and tells me , "I will manage everything u just don't worry". Oh my god ! wish home maker's also had 1 hr off at least . Everyday planning for breakfast , lunch and dinner and what for next day? makes life hectic.
I thank all the blog readers. u all are my greatest support.

30. Rava roti with dal

u need:
Roti:
2 cups chiroti rava,
Pinch of salt,
1/2 cup Water required for making the dough.
1/2 cup rice flour / Maida for rolling roti's.
Method:
In a mixing bowl add rava, pinch of salt and add little water and knead the dough. Just add water little by little because rava gets soft soon. So knead the dough same as the puri dough. Keep it aside for 6 to 8 hours. u need not refrigerate the dough. Before doing the roti's just knead the dough on the platform. Make small equal portion of the dough and roll it into small roti's and fry it on the tava.
Serve it hot with dal. The roti's turn to be very soft and tasty. u can serve it with ghee or butter for kids.
Dal:
1 cup toor dal,
1 cup Palak ,
1 tsp jeera powder,
1 tsp pepper powder,
1 tsp salt,
1/2 tsp mustard seeds,
2 tbsp tamarind paste,
1 pinch turmeric,
5 to 6 curry leaves,
2 tsp oil.
Method:
Wash and chop Palak leaves. Pressure cook dal and Palak with pinch of turmeric and 1 tsp oil.
In a Kadai heat oil and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and tamarind paste, add jeera and pepper powder, salt. Add this to the pressure cooked dal when it is hot. This dal goes well with rice and chappathi's also.

29.Paneer fry

u need :
200gms paneer,
2 capsicum,
 1 onion,
1 tsp salt,
1 tsp chili powder,
1 tsp garam masala powder,
Coriander to garnish,
2 tsp oil.
Method:
Chop capsicum and onion. Cut paneer into small cubes and keep it aside. Heat oil in the Kadai, add onion and fry until it turns golden brown. Add capsicum and fry until it is soft. Add chili powder, garam masala and salt, mix well now add paneer and turn off the stove. Garnish with coriander and serve it hot. U can eat this as a starter or it goes well with chappathi or u can put it inside bread slices and make grilled toast.

28. Easy lunch box snacky or evening snacky

u need:
1 Khakra packet ( welbaked wheat khakra ) with different flavors.
2 tbsp chutney powder,
2 tbsp ghee,
1 pinch of salt and chat masala powder,
1 small cup Grated carrot,
Coriander to garnish.
Method:
welbaked khakra is what I use. Take 1 khakra and it is very delicate so handle it carefully, spread chutney powder and add ghee and spread it evenly with spoon now spread carrot and on top of it sprinkle salt , chat masala and coriander. In one pack u get 13 to 14 khakras. u can break this in small pieces and fill in a box. If u are packing it for lunch box avoid carrot, salt and chat masala. Because carrot will make it soggy and u don't feel like eating it.
 

27. Mango seekarne with pulka

u need:
5 fresh mango ( Raspuri variety)
1/2 cup jaggery or 1/2 cup sugar,
1 tsp salt ,
1 banana ( optional)
Method :
Wash the mangoes 3 times in salt water. Now remove the skin of the mango and squeeze the pulp of the mango in a bowl. Add salt and jaggery and mix well. If u need add  cut slices of banana.
Serve it with hot holige.
This is very famous in mango season. This goes well with holige , chappathi or u can just drink like that.

 

26. chapathi with milk.

1yr and above.
u need :
1 small chapathi,
1 small cup milk,
1tsp sugar.
Method:
 Make fresh chapathi. Add milk, sugar and chapathi in a bowl and mash it and make it soft. Now u can feed the baby.
I somehow don't like giving packed food. Because we just bring it and make the baby eat. We never have time to even see the expiry date, what are the ingredients in it. When they have packed it. We take everything very lightly. But I'm very particular when it comes to packed food for small children. So I have been blogging many easy food which is easily available at home and easy for us to give it to kids. Home made food is fresh and tasty rather than going for packed food. I'm not against packed food when we travel outside we can give it but if we start giving homemade food by 2 years baby will eat what is prepared at home and easily adjust when we go to anybody's house or any function.
We parents can be in safe zone. 

25.Healthy snacks for kids below 2 yrs

We all love snacks. Kids below 2 years  also need snacks. So here is my blog dedicated to healthy snacks which we can give to the kids and feel good they are enjoying it.
1. Oat bites ( Kellogg's ).
2. Dry grapes.
3. Puffed wheat.
4. Puffed rice.
5. Choco chips.
6. Salt biscuits.
7. Nuts ( walnut, cashew nut, roasted ground nut )
8. chikkis ( ground nut Chikki , cashew nut Chikki)
9. Cup cakes.
10. Home made French fries.
Any food item when given to kids. It is mandatory to be supervised by elders. They can get creative any time and stuff into others ears or nose or self stuff. Or they can throw on the bed , sofa or on the floor and they love to eat the food fallen on the floor. For hygienic reasons give in a bowl and give small amount and just keep monitoring until it gets over. If they want ur assistance better feed them or if they love to eat on their own just guide them.

24. water melon cubes

1.5 years  and above.
u need :
1 slice of water melon,
1/2 pinch of salt and pepper.
Method :
Deseed the fruit and make very small cubed and sprinkle salt and pepper and feed the baby.
This is the first fruit my second son recognized wherever he saw. By 1.5 yrs he could recognize this fruit in book , TV , in vegetable market , on road side when we go in car, when some body else is eating on roadside fruit stall. He used to just shout Hannu , Hannu ......................................and he used to just tell me it is his favorite by tapping his hands on himself and aya , aya , aya.........................................hannu , hannu...........

Sprinkling salt and pepper on the fruit helps us to avoid the baby getting cold and cough. It will be a new food for them and they also need their own time to like the fruit and enjoy it.

23. Papaya cubes

1.5 years and above
u need :
1 slice of papaya,
1/2 pinch of salt and pepper.
Method:
Cut it into small cubes. Sprinkle salt and pepper. The color of papaya and mango is so bright kids get attracted soon.Feed the any with a fork or toothpick . I prefer giving my kids fresh fruits than making juice. It is easy for me and healthy for them.
When I have blogged this easy fruit recipes here I need to share one more thing. Many might feel so simple things was not required to blog. But there are so many blog readers who might have a doubt which fruit to give for my child and what is the right age to give. They might have settled in abroad and managing the baby alone. These simple blogs are for them. One or two fruits per day we should give the kids.
My second son is just 1 yr 10 months. Alternate days a papaya seller comes to our street, If I'm busy in cooking or doing some work.  As soon as my son hears the voice of the fruit seller he just takes a bag and runs and from the window he calls him , "Papayi Hannu , Hannu , Hannu ..............."comes again running to me and asks me to take money from my purse and forces me to go and buy the fruit.
If I say fruit is there at home he personally goes and checks the basket and says , "illa , illa Hannu".
I have to somehow convince him.

22. Mango cubes

1.5 years and above
u need:
1 mango ( Alphonso or badami variety)
Method :
Wash the. Mango 5 times in salt water. The cut it in the sides and take the sliced mango and with the knife make horizontal and vertical cuts and feed the baby with the spoon. If the baby finds it difficult to swallow, mash it and feed the baby. Pls give mango in small quantity because some kids get adjusted soon, but  some take time.
From 1 month as it is mango season we are getting vgood variety of mangoes in Bangalore. All in our house are so fond of mangoes. So No other fruit enters our house during this season. My second son likes it so much knows 3 languages now just because of this mango. If I ask my first son, "Do u want Aaam ?" My second son comes running mummy manga, manga , manga...................According to him manga means mango . Maavina Hannu if some fruit seller calls on the street he keeps jumping in the house  manga , manga ...........................
Now this tasty mango has bcom manga , manga .
So mango, mavina Hannu and aaam all mean same he has recognized. So I and my elder son now split the alphabets and speak if we want to speak anything in secret. M A N G O................................