Health benefits of buttermilk

Health benefits of Buttermilk

Source - Good health tips

Buttermilk actually has less fat than regular milk; the fat has been removed to make butter.

Healthy bacteria reside in everybody’s colon, and in return for food and a warm place to live these resident bacteria contribute to your health.

Some healthy things these bacteria do to your body are manufacture vitamins, improve digestion, boost Immunity, manufacture nutrients, protect against cardiovascular diseases and protection against carcinogens.

Because of all such benefits, many times physicians advise patients to consume buttermilk instead of milk as it contains less fat, calories and skim milk. And the best part is that one can consume buttermilk anytime – as a drink, which is refreshing and healthy!

Buttermilk is a good source of potassium, Vitamin B-12, calcium and phosphorous. It also contains probiotics; they help with digestion and strengthen your immune system.

Buttermilk is easier to digest than regular milk because it contains even more lactic acid than can be found in skim milk.

Garlic Chutney

Garlic Chutney

Recipe credit - Saranya S Hegde (Author - Mangalorean cuisine)

Serves: 4 - 6

You will need

2 pods of garlic ( 20 cloves), cleaned and chopped
75 g coconut, grated
8 green chillies
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Method

Grind all the ingredients together to a fine paste in a blender / mixer. Do not add water while making chutney. Serve with Rice.

How to peel garlic ?

Microwave method

Arrange garlic pods in a microwave safe plate and microwave high for 10 - 12 seconds. Then peel it. The skin will come off easily.

Chilli Gobi with Capsicum

Chilli Gobi with Capsicum

Recipe credit - Asianet cookery TV show, 2007

Serves: 2

You will need

200 g cauliflower florets
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 - inch piece ginger, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bunch spring onion or onion, finely chopped ( reserve 1 teaspoon to garnish )
1 capsicum, cut into cubes
1 1/2 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon red chilli sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon water
200 ml oil ( to fry )

For batter:

1 cup ( 100 g ) maida / all purpose flour
1 teaspoon corn flour
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
75 - 90 ml water

Make a smooth batter of above ingredients with water. Batter should be of dropping consistency.

Method

Wash and clean cauliflower florets. Boil 2 cups water with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add cauliflower florets and boil for 5 minutes. Drain out water thoroughly.

Heat 200 ml oil in a deep frying pan. Reduce heat to medium, dip each cauliflower florets in batter and deep fry till golden brown color in batches ( 7 - 8 florets at a time ).

In another frying pan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add chopped ginger and garlic and fry till golden brown color.

Add chopped spring onions / onions and saute for 3 - 4 minutes.

Add capsicum pieces and stir well for 3 minutes.

Add tomato ketchup, soy sauce and red chilli sauce. Mix well and add 2 tablespoon water.

Add deep fried cauliflower florets. Stir well for 2 minutes. Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 5 - 8 minutes or until the sauce thickens / dries up. Stir occasionally.

Garnish with chopped spring onion. Serve hot with Noodles or Fried rice.

Jackfruit Unniyappam / Godu Appo (Traditional method)

Jackfruit Unniyappam / Godu Appo ( Traditional method )

Makes: 19 - 21

You will need

200 g ( 1 cup ) raw rice ( pachari )
80 g grated coconut
7 - 10 ripe jackfruit bulbs
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/4 teaspoon dried ginger powder ( chukkupodi )
150 ml to 200 ml melted and sieved jaggery
3 - 4 tablespoon ghee

Tip: Better to use small ‘’ unniyappam kadai / kayli ‘’ as it is easier to manage heating evenly - so that the ‘’ unniyappam / appo ‘’ comes out evenly done.

Method

Wash and clean raw rice and soak in 3 cups water for 5 hours. Drain out water thoroughly and make a smooth paste in mixer (in batches) with grated coconut and chopped jackfruit bulbs. Use only very little water (1 - 2 tablespoon) during grinding.

Finally add melted and sieved jaggery, cardamom powder and dried ginger powder (dried ginger powder will enhance the taste). Batter should not be very thick. It should be of pouring consistency. Keep aside the batter for 2 - 3 hours to allow it to ferment. Unniyappam / appo will be soft and spongy.

Heat unniyappam kadai / appekayli on a medium heat. Sprinkle each mould with 1/2 teaspoon ghee.

Pour batter in each mould. Sprinkle little ghee again over batter. Cover with a lid and cook on a low - medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes till crisp and sides turn golden colour (until the edges separate from the kadai moulds and you start getting a nice aroma). Flip them over (to cook the top side) with the help of stick and cook again for 8- 10 minutes or until golden color.

It’s a delicious after school snack and it’s also a very popular sweet.