Monday

The return of the dummy!!

Yep...old habits do not die...ever!! atleast for me. I remember as a kid..i was always generous with my things..lending everyone my books, parting with pocket money......and boy have i gotten into trouble with that! I thought for a while i had overgrown the habit of lending ..but no sir...i have done it again. Before i left Mi, i had lent some cookbooks to an acquaintance of mine...we somehow never got a chance to regroup and now here i am in NY and guess what!! no cookbooks. I makes me so mad..esp. it was Tarla Dalal's books and some really nice indian cookbooks, that i am possessive about. Again..i am a cookbook whore..so i am possessive about all of em. We did exchange our emails...so i told her to mail me my books..this is after i had tried to touch base with her plenty of times when i was in Mi. Then yesterday, i emailed her asking about the books, btw. it has been nearly a month since i have given her the address to my new place....guess what is her reply..according to her..the books cost more to mail than the value of the books from India..so she has conveniently decided not to mail them. Really!! did you pay for the darn books...now..i gotta ask my friend who is visiting me in may to contact her and get the books from her. I really cannot understand what sort of people are these!! how dare you keep my books with you...some people are so shameless and with no ethics..how do you keep a check on your conscience?? I truly hope i get my beloved books back and lesson learnt i hope.

Anyway...the tarla dalal's rajasthani book had a few recipes with jowar and bajra and i was looking forward to make them and had bought them months ago...but had not used them. As i am on a quest to finish all my old stock...i decided to use the grains. As i do not have the book...i googled as to how to cook bajra grains...got the basic idea and make a basic simple khichdi.


Bajre ki khichdi



Ingredients:

Bajra Grains - 1/2 cup (soaked for a few hours)
Toor Dal - 1/2 cup ( use any dal you want..toor is the only dal i have at home)
Green Chillies - 2, slit
Garlic - 3 pods, crushed
Onion - 1 medium, diced
Spinach - 1/2 box (i used frozen)(if using fresh..use 3-4 cups)
Sambar powder - 1 tbls.
Oil- 1 tbls
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Water - 2 1/2 cups

Method:

1. Heat a pressure cooker with oil, then add the mustard seeds.

2. When the seeds splutters, add the onions, garlic and green chillies and saute till the onions soften.

3. Add the spinach after that with salt and sambar powder and saute for a few minutes.

4. Then add the bajra and dal with 2 1/2 cups of water and pressure cook it for 3-4 whistles.

5. When the pressure subsides, mix it well and serve.

Notes:

1. I would reduce the water to maybe 1 1/2 cups...as the bajra does not expand as much as rice does. I wanted to make it a khichdi..but it was a lil more soupy than i would have liked it.


2. The bajra did not plump up even after soaking for a few hours, like i thought it would...i mean i just assumed soaking it would plump it up..do not ask me where i got this idea. I think soaking basically lets the grain soften a bit. if i am wrong..please let me know...politely of-course!!

3. All of you watching your carbs..this is great..coz Bajra is basically pretty high in protein and low on net-carbs..so no afternoon slump!!

38 comments:

Finla said...

I have never cooked anything with bajra grain, the curry looks really yummy delicous.

Mahimaa's kitchen said...

new recipe to me.. sounds healthy and looks delicious. thanks for visiting my blog dear.

Lavanya said...

sorry to hear abt your cook books..I had seen many people like that..they will think abt each rupee if they are spending on others (conjuice people) and they will take others rupee very easily..anyway...your recipes all are new to me..i never heard of these grains..i will google it and findout the info abt these grains :)

Laavanya said...

Oh that sounds bad... if she wants to think so much abt the mailing costs then she should've returned the books while you were still in MI. Hope you get them back Rajitha.

I've not cooked with bajra before.. nice to know it's low on the carbs and it looks soups but definitely looks delish too.

Pria@HC said...

Nice healthy meal.. you could ask a cheque for the cost of the books (that u love so much) if she refuses to mail, giving a reason of this sort! :)

indosungod said...

I have bajra with me and I love the looks of this one. I am going to try mine with Chard.

There are all kinds of people Ranjitha and it is really difficult to deal with those who borrow and think it is theirs.

indosungod said...

I guess I called you with an extra n. sorry. I usually soak bajra for making dosai and it does not plump up. Most grains with starch do I guess.

FH said...

I have that book too, Khichadi looks so yum. I have never cooked with whole Bajra, must try once! :)

bee said...

i have a packet of millet and that cookbook. thanks for this recipe.

amna said...

never cooked with bajra before. the rest looks like my comforting dal recipe :)

Cham said...

I cannot understand how people can talk like? The mailing charge cost more than book, u should have replied the book cost more than a diamond ring!
I never cooked with bajra grains! Delish with spinach too!

Sig said...

Are you serious?????? What a bit&&*!!!!!!! Tell her to send you the books anyway and that you would send her a check for the postage later and of course, don't send it :)

Sunshinemom said...

I had heard of this khichdi but did not have the recipe. Thanks!

sra said...

What cheek! I don't know where we find ourselves such cheapos, really! My friend in college vanished with my notes and didn't return them to me before an exam - I couldn't go get them as I didn't get permission from the hostel warden - and I had to leave the second part of the paper unanswered and walk out as everyone stared at me. When I questioned her, she simply said, yes, but I couldn't give it back - oh, what a witch she was! Thankfully, it was not a univ exam.

Deepthi Shankar said...

this is such a new thing for me & very healthy too

Vibaas said...

first of all, the bajre ki kichadi looks super yummy. it's making me hungry.

I feel so bad for you for not getting those books back. i've been in the same boat several times. I just don't know the way to deal with this kind of people. hope she sends 'em thro' your other friend.

Anonymous said...

That is really rude of her to not mail you the books! This is why I hate lending people books, they are almost impossible to get back! (hugs)

EC said...

I am very possessive when it comes to my cookery and craft books..but dont feel like asking directly, so my way is "did u try any from the book, I too wanted to try out something from it" of course, some people do take a hint and return it back soon, while the others seem to be in love with my books and so dont bother to return..Healthy kichadi

Bong Mom said...

Strange People. How dare she say that books cost more to mail !!!
I am a miser when it comes to lending books mostly fiction in my case

I have not had Bajra ever. Looks good

Namratha said...

Uggh, that is annoying right, esp when they "borrow" something and don't make an attempt to even return it! Hope you get them back soooon! :) Where have u been all this while?

I've never cooked with bajra before, this is new to me!

Vegetarian Zest said...

Never thought that bajra could be so edible. Always hesiated when it came to this grain. I think high time i give it a try.

Raks said...

Bajra grain sounds new to me,looks nice!

TBC said...

Too bad about your cookbooks... I'd be mad too!
Direct her to this post of yours. :D

I'm very possessive too about my books. I don't like lending stuff coz of the pain and effort involved in getting something that is rightfully mine back.

Never cooked with bajra before. The khichdi looks lovely and so does Mandy Moore.:)

Gayathri said...

this looks really yummy and healthy treat too

Shubha Ravikoti said...

Never even got bajra.. coz i didnt know what to make with it... ur recipe sounds healthy and delicious...:) will surely try it out...:D

Unknown said...

Sounds delicious.. nice entry.. great recipes/..

delhibelle said...

Hope you get your books back from el cheapo.
Khichdi looks slurppicious.

delhibelle said...

Hope you get your books back from el cheapo.
Khichdi looks slurppicious.

Cynthia said...

This may sound selfish, I only lend things to people whom I know will take care of it, respect it, and return it, especially my books.

lubnakarim06 said...

Wow comforting and delsih.....

Ramya Vijaykumar said...

mmm Khichdi looks great, my first visit here nice selected recipes wow I liked your one pot meal mmm amazing color shall keep visiting you for more...

KamalKitchen said...

LOL LOL !! i can so relate with this..once i had given my computer to a friend, and a similar thing happenned. He refused to send it to me saying the it cost too much to UPS it !!

this is a novel concept,i have only heard of bajra bhakri and bajra dhebras so far.

have to try it..

Subhie Arun said...

new recipe to me...will try...u have wonderful site wth grt recipes...keep rocking...

Kumudha said...

Kichadi looks delicious.

How is NYC? I remember you always wanted to reside in NYC...

Hope you are enjoying the great city...

Pavithra Elangovan said...

One pot meals are looking great and so healthy too , will try it immediately. Lovely blog

ARUNA said...

this sounds like a new recipe.....looking yummm!

Malar Gandhi said...

Thats how human mentality works my dear. If we lend someone(for time being and something not so pricey). When we ask them back...they get offended!! It happend to me several times. Even my close, well-educated friends behave unclassey sometimes! So, my idea is...mentally 'give away the stuff' and forget about it!

rkramadh said...

Beautiful blog! I can't believe someone had the nerve to tell you that after borrowing your books! btw, I live in MI, want me to track her down? lol!