Lemon Barley Water

A lot has been said about barley and its health benefits from ages. My mother failed to convince us, to drink but she had it regularly. Here, I am blogging it's benefits, drinking regularly and remembering my mother's advise. Most of us take our parents advise very lightly, probably because we all strictly follow the adage " ಹಿತ್ತಲ ಗಿಡ ಮದ್ದಲ್ಲ"

This is for all women out there who want to have healthy UT and to all pregnant ladies who are prone to UTI. You can google to get loads of information about barley water and their benefits.

Few lines from one of the website :

" Barley water is an ancient home remedy that was supposed to clear up the complexion and stop the formation of wrinkles. This solution is said to be good for someone whose digestive fire is low, as per ayurvedic concepts. It is very easy to assimilate and is known to nourish fat tissue, which in turn is essential for the development of healthy bone tissue. According to some scholars, barley is extremely nutritious and provides energy for the body, besides also being beneficial in pharyngitis and cough. It reduces the inflammation of the stomach (gastritis), expels toxins from the body, and is a good diuretic, i.e., it induces urination.


This solution is an excellent thirst quencher. It is given to sick people and to those who have lost their appetite. Barley water is a traditionally acclaimed drink, which nourishes the kidneys during times of stress. It is an integral part of all kidney cleansing programs. According to one of the treatises, a suspension prepared by boiling one part of barley in fifteen parts of water till the volume decreases to two-third of what it originally was, is useful in the treatment of at least a hundred diseases of the body. It is also used to treat cystitis, which is the inflammation of the urinary bladder.

Drinking barley water can help to prevent urinary tract infections during pregnancy. Regular consumption causes any foul smell in the urine or discomfort associated with urination to go away completely. Barley water has been used as a baby food during weaning, before starting off with barley mush. Considering the health benefits, barley is definitely a cereal that is a must in the diet of health conscious people. As they say 'Prevention is better than cure,' it would make perfect sense to incorporate this tasty food item in our day-to-day eating patterns

Here is how I make it :
 
Pearl Barley/Barley Akki : 1 cup
 
Soak for 15 mins and cook in cooker with 2 litres of water. When cooker cools down, strain the water and reserve water and barley separately.
 
Barley Drink (sweet):
Barley Water, lemon juice and sugar. Mix and drink
 
Barley Drink (Indianised, salty)
Barley Water, roasted jeera powder a pinch, salt, lemon juice. Mix and enjoy your drink. You may add few leaves of pudina for additional zing.
 
Alternatively, get creative to make your style drink using barley water. (Use Jaljeera powder or any store bought powder to make your drink)
 
You have cooked barley also as a by-product. You can make lemon rice, khichdi  or fry them as you like and enjoy it.
 
 
P.S:
If you are not pregnant , consider adding chinese barley and winter melon(boodukumbalakayi) and cook it in cooker. Scoop out melon cubes and use in sambar. Water can be used in making barley drink as given above.
Image Courtesy : google images

 

Kancheepuram Idli ~ for a weekend breakfast

    When I saw kancheepuram idli recipe on Chitra Amma's Kitchen, I decided to make it for our weekend breakfast. Chitra Amma, thank you so much for making for breakfast a yummy one. You all should visit Kancheepuram Idli recipe.           

Kancheepuram Idlis as written by Chitra Amma in her blog:

INGREDIENTS

Uddinabele/Uriddal/Split black gram dal - 1 cup
Hesarubele/dhuli moong dal/Green gram dal - 1 cup
Avalakki/Rice Flakes/Beaten rice - 1 tbsp
Menthe/Methi/Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Idly rava ( broken par boiled rice )- 1 cup
Salt - 2 tsps
Sugar - 1 pinch

SEASONING INGREDIENTS
Ellina enne/Til ka kel/Sesame oil - 2 tbsps
Kaalu menasu/Black pepper - 2 tsps
Jeerige/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Kadalebele/Bengal gram dal - 1 tbsp
Hasiru menasinakayi/Chopped green chillies - 1 tbsp
Shunti/Chopped fresh ginger - 1 tbsp
Karibevu/Curry leaves - a few

METHOD

1. Wash and soak Uddinbele/uriddal, hesarubele/green gram dal, avalakki/beaten rice and feugreek seeds for one hour.
2. Wash and drain the idly rava and keep aside.
3. Grind the soaked lentil mixture till it becomes smooth and fluffy.
4. Add the drained idly rava and grind for two more minutes.
5. Blend the salt and sugar into the ground batter.
6. Store in a big container with a lid and leave it overnight for fermenting. The batter will rise to twice its volume after fermentation.

TO PREPARE THE KANCHEEPURAM IDLIES

1. Heat oil in a pan and add crushed black pepper and fry till it emanates a pleasant aroma.
2. Next add the cumin seeds.
3. Add bengal gram dal and fry till it is golden in colour.
4. Add chopped green chillies and fresh ginger.
5. Finally add curry leaves and pour the seasoning into the idly batter, and mix well.( cashew nuts or fresh coconut pieces can also be added to the seasoning).
6. Grease the banana leaf cups with ghee and fill the cups with the seasoned batter.
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Uddina Vade Recipe from Me:

Uddinabele/Uriddal - 1 cup
Kaalu Menasu/Whole Black Pepper: 1/2 tsp
Hasirumenasinakayi/Green Chillies: 1 (chopped into fine pieces)
Shunti/Ginger: 1 tsp (grated)
Tenginakayi chooru/Fresh Coconut: 1 tsp (finely chopped)
Kottambari Soppu/Coriander leaves: 1tbsp (chopped finely)

Method:
Soak Uddinabele/Uriddal in luke warm water for 1 -2hrs. Do not soak more than this.
Blend uddinabele with salt to a fine paste using minimal water. Mix rest of the ingredients.
Heat oil in a deep pan.
Wet your hands and scoop little batter and make a hole in the center. Dip it into the oil and fry both the sides till golden. Enjoy with your choice of sambar :)

Edited to add:

Sending this breakfast platter to :

Smita of Kannada Cuisine who is hosting MLLA -35 started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook

Priya of Mharo Rajasthan's Recipe is hosting  Bookmarked Recipes- Every Tuesday started by Aipi of US Masala.

Hunase Gojju

These days I find very less time for anything including sleeping which used to be my favorite activity. How  life became so busy :( is a long story. For these busy days, I always keep few things ready in refrigerator, which comes handy when I can't cook huli (sambar) or saaru. I saw this particular hunase gojju recipe on youtube. This was from Mrs Lalithamma, who anchors in 'ammana kairuchi' section of Oggarane Dabbi programme on Zee Kannada. Smt Lalithamma, your recipe is a hit at my home, thanks a ton to you. 

Ingredients:

Hunase huli/Tamarind Juice : from a golf ball sized tamarind

* a concentrated pulp means less messier workspace, fast preparation

Bella/Jaggery/Palm Sugar : according to taste

Kottambari beejada pudi/Coriander seeds powder: 1/2 tsp

Fry and Powder

Kempu menasinakayi/Red Chillies : 10

Menthe kaalu/Fenugreek Seeds : 10 seeds

Uddinabele/Urid Dal: 1/2 tablespoon

Kadalebele/Chanadal: 1tablespoon

Bili Ellu/White Sesame: 2 tablespoon (if u dont like the taste n smell of sesame you can reduce it)

Oggarane:

Ellenne/Sesame oil, Hing/asafoetida, Peanuts (generous amount), curry leaves, broken red chilli pieces 

Garnishing : grated/shredded fresh coconut and chopped coriander leaves

Method:

1.Soak tamarind in water for 15 mins. Take out juice and keep it aside. Do not add more water to the juice.

2.Powder jaggery and keep it aside

3.Fry and powder the ingredients under this section.

* Do not fry fenugreek too much as it may turn bitter

*When frying sesame spray little water over sesame to avoid popping of seeds around your kitchen counter

4.Heat sesame oil. Add hing, followed by tamarind juice. Boil tamarind juice till it becomes thick like sauce. Add jaggery, salt and powder to it and fry for next 3-4 mins till the mixture thickens and oil oozes out. Check for salt and sour levels. If the mixture is sour you can add more jaggery.

5.Switch off the stove and let the mixture cool.

6.When the mixture is warm sprinkle coriander powder over the mixture and mix well.

7.Make oggarane in another pan using sesame oil, hing,mustard,peanuts, curry leaves and broken chillies.

Mixing with rice

Cook rice. Spread the rice in a plate to cool it down.

Add little hunase gojju, oggarane and mix well.

Garnish with coriander leaves and coconut before you serve :)

Note to Readers : I could not locate the video on youtube. If you get the link, please post it in comments section and I will link it to my recipe.