Every year, from September 1 to September 7, India observes National Nutrition Week. The idea is to create awareness about good nutrition and health. While our columnist Deepika Rathod has shared five basic but essential tips to follow for a healthy body and mind, we also thought of bringing to you some recipes for a wholesome meal that you can whip up over the weekend.
For this, we reached out to Chef Hemvant Rautela, who works as a kitchen consultant with Nashik-based wellness retreat, Viveda Wellness. He shared four Satvik recipes with traditional flavours.
1. Khamang Kakadi
This easy recipe of peanut-crusted cucumber with orange reduction is high in nutrients and can aid in weight loss. “Cucumbers are low in calories but high in many important vitamins and minerals. It contains antioxidants, promotes hydration, lowers blood sugar and aids in weight loss. Plus, peanuts are a good source of protein,” shares Chef Hemvant.
Ingredients (for 4 persons): Cucumber - 200gm, crushed peanut - 250gm, orange juice - 500ml, pink salt to taste, grated coconut - 50gm, coriander - 10gm, sesame oil - 5ml, green chilli - 1
Method:
• Peel and slice cucumber lengthwise, cure with pink salt and coat with crushed peanuts.
• Reduce orange juice to half.
• For a side salad cut the cucumber in ribbon shape mix with coriander, grated coconut, chopped green chilli and sesame oil.
• Place peanut coated cucumber on a plate and side with cucumber ribbon and coconut salad, now top with orange reduction.
2. Herbal smoothie
This herbal smoothie can be a super convenient way to get many essential vitamins and minerals and if you have skipped a heavy meal, a glass of this drink will charge you up, shares the chef.
Ingredients (for 4 persons): Apple - 2, banana - 1, coconut milk - 200ml, almond milk - 600ml, jaggery to taste, almond - 10gm, pista - 10 gm, cashew - 5gm, flax seed - 5gm, mint - 2gm, parsley - 10gm, sweet basil - 5gm
Method:
• Blend all ingredients in a blender to a smooth consistency and serve it at room temperature.
3. Sattvic Thai curry
Love Thai curry? Here’s a Sattvic version! According to the chef, “It is a full meal in itself with rice and provides enough carbohydrate and essential nutrients.”
Ingredients (for 4 persons): Coconut milk - 400ml, vegetables - 10gm each of pockchoy, beans, baby corn, carrot, zucchini, cauliflower, cherry tomato and basil, red chilli - 3, lemongrass - 100gm, galangal (Thai ginger) - 5gm, coriander seed - 2gm, cumin seed - 2gm, red bell pepper - 100gm, ginger - 5gm, lemon rind of 2 lemons, lime leaf - 2gm, tomato roasted - 10gm, coriander root - 10gm, olive oil - 5ml, pink salt to taste.
Method:
• In a pan, heat olive oil and crackle cumin and coriander seeds. Add bell pepper and roast them well. Now add red chilli, lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger), ginger, lemon rind, lime leaf, roasted tomato, coriander roots and pink salt.
• Now grind the roasted mixture to a rough paste.
• In another pan, add olive oil and sauté all the vegetables - pockchoy, beans, baby corn, carrot, zucchini, cauliflower, cherry tomato. Once done, add the paste and mix well.
• Now, add coconut milk and bring everything to a boil. Adjust seasoning and add basil.
• Serve hot with sticky rice.
4. Ragi lapsi
Lapsi is a sweet dish made from broken wheat and jaggery but in this recipe ragi is used. “Rich in fiber, ragi serves as an alternative to other routine cereal and grain crops that are part of the Indian diet, such as rice, wheat and barley. It has the distinction of being a relatively rare plant source of essential amino acids namely isoleucine, tryptophan, valine, methionine and threonine,” shares the chef.
Ingredients (for 4 persons): Ragi flour - 100gm, jaggery - 60gm, ghee - 20gm, water - 500 ml and nuts (chopped) - 5gm.
Method:
• Heat ghee in a pan, add ragi flour and cook till dark in colour.
• Now add jaggery and cook further till the jaggery completely melts and mixes with the ragi.
• Add water to it and keep stirring with a whisk till you get a thick and smooth consistency.
• Add dry nuts on top and serve.