Banana Bread with Whole Wheat Flour | Healthy Baking

Many times bananas get over ripen. Some times we prepare smoothies with that. This banana bread is a good alternative and you can have the banana bread for even a week time. As the bread is prepared with whole wheat flour, so it is very healthy too.

Recipe Cuisine : International | Recipe Category: Baking

Preparation Time: 15 mins  | Baking Time: 40 mins |Source: Simplyrecipes

Ingredients:

1 cup = 240 ml

Whole Wheat Flour	1 cup
Butter	½ cup
Sugar	½ cup
Baking Soda	1 tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Vanilla Essence	1 tsp
Mashed Banana Puree	1 ½ cup (almost from 2 bananas)
Milk	2 tbsp
Egg	1

* All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Procedure:

1. Sieve the whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt together for 2-3 times. Keep it aside.

2. Beat the butter and sugar together till they become fluffy.

3. Add egg and 1 tbsp of flour (from 1). Beat well till they become fluffy.

4. Add mashed banana puree and vanilla essence. Beat them well for 1 min.

 5. Add flour mixture little by little and fold them gently.

6. Great the 9 inch loaf with oil and dusted with flour.

7. Pour this mixture into the dusted loaf pan. Use the spatula to spread the batter evenly into the corners and the edges.

8. Pre heat the oven at 180 degree Celsius for 8 mins.

9. Bake the bread for 40 mins at 170 degree Celsius or till the inserted tooth pick comes out clean.

10. Allow it to cool down completely. Then remove the bread from the loaf and cut it into small pieces. Serve with hot masala chai.

Note:

1. Replace egg with ¼ cup of curd.

2. Use Red banana, yellow banana or nendran banana. I have used red banana.

3. Use APF instead of wheat flour.

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Going for a Tea Trails Cafe

      On last Saturday, I went on a completely different trail – TeaTrails with my family. Tea Trails is Tea Lounge, bringing the rich world of Tea to Indian Community. A very different social experience with tea. We went to the newly opened Tea Trails at Anna Nagar Metro Station, just behind Kandaswamy College, Anna Nagar Second Main Road. The interiors and the ambiance is really great, giving a rich fine-dining experience.

              

                     

Tea and Chai

              

                  

What is the difference between tea and chai?  This is the first thing one learns at TeaTrails. Tea is always without milk and Chai is with milk. Even sugar is optional only. It is a real surprise for us South Indians who have conflated Tea with Chai. Second interesting fact you will come to know is that all the different types of tea – Red Tea, Green Tea, White Tea etc. come from the same Plant - Camellia sinensis only. The different types of Tea comes with the different types of processing steps such as withering, rolling, oxidizing etc. 

Tea as high culture :  

In Countries like China, Japan, England, Morocco etc. tea tasting is a very ritualized social affair. Tea is taken along with food during breakfast, lunch and dinner. You might have read about how today's modern world was hatched in Coffee shops across Europe, especially the French revolution which was brewed in coffee shops. If the commoners were going with coffee, it seems the royalty, especially the English went all over on tea. The tea habit of the English has had a big impact on India. They had formed large plantations of Tea in India only to counter the Chinese Tea imports to England. 

In TeaTrails, they serve the Tea in a specialized Transparent Glass Filter Jug. The tea is put on the top layer on the Jug with hot water in the main jug. They keep a Sand Clock which indicates how much time the tea has to brew. We have to pour the tea into our cups only after the specified time. 

Teas and Eats: Tea Trails-Pairings

The Uniqueness of Tea Trails is that they provide a great dish which goes well with the tea they serve, a combination their culinary team has come up with after long research. Here are some of the great Tea Trails Pairings we devoured:

a. Silver Needle (White Tea) paired with Bun Muska

          

b. Kashmiri Kahwa (Green Tea with almonds) with paired Burmese Tea Salad (Salad with Tea leaves added) and Veg Ham Bruschetta

                          

 

c. Lapang Souchong (Chinese Black Tea) paired with Smokey Paneer/Chicken Sandwich

   

d. Adrak Chai with Onion Pakoda

                    

e. Japanese Iced Matcha Shake paired with BBQ chicken or Paneer Pizza

f. Tisane Red Zen paired with fruity dessert like chocolate waffle.

Cold-Tea Drinks:

TeaTrails has some great Special Cool Shakes which are tea based cool drinks. We taste two unique Shakes worth mentioning

e. Litche Bubble Tea contains fruit bubbles which burst in the mouth. Kids would freak out on this drink. A not to miss drink for sure.

f. Better Wife is a mint, Japanese mocha and ice-cream mix. Really enjoyable Cool taste with a cool name too.

Affordability: Since the Tea they serve have four servings which can be shared by two-to-three people, each cup of tea would come to about 40 Rupees on the average which is quite competitive, given the experience factor and rich food varieties.

Tea Trails is not just for Tea. It is an ideal place for a great team-out, office and birthday parties. Since they also have different varieties ranging from Pizzas to VadaPavs, Pastas to burgers etc. you can visit anytime - breakfast, lunch, evening snack or dinner.

Tea Trails is a high recommended, must visit place for foodies.

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Beetroot Poori | Poori Varieties

I have been experimenting with different colored poori’s earlier. The Beetroot Poori is pink color makes it very attractive and attention grabby. Kids and adults both will have atleast one poori more than usual. Of course, it is healthy too.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Breakfast

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 10 mins | Yields: 10 nos.

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour	1 cup (1 cup = 240 ml)
Chopped Beetroot	1 ½  cup
Salt	As required
Water	As required
Oil	For deep fry

Procedure:

1. Wash and peel the skin of the beetroot using the peeler. Chop them into small chunks.

2. Grind them into a smooth paste with little water using the mixie.

3. Strain the beetroot juice using the strainer. Add little more water if necessary.

4. In a bowl, add wheat flour and salt. Mix them well.

5. Add Beetroot Juice (from 3)  little by little and knead into soft and tight dough.  Keep it aside for 5 mins. If beetroot juice is not enough to make dough, add water.  Otherwise, if you have more beetroot juice, make beetroot honey juice and have it.

6. Divide the dough into equal lemon size balls. Either roll it into a medium size circular rounds or press them using the machine.

7. Heat the oil in a pan and slide the poori. After few seconds, press it with the help of the ladle with the holes.

8. When it puffs up, turn it over carefully and fry the poori till the poori becomes crisp and golden color.

9. Take it out from the oil and drain the oil using the tissue paper.

     Tasty and aromatic Beetroot poori / puri is ready to serve.

Note:

1. Don’t add more water, because the poori absorbs more oil.

2. Don’t leave the dough more than 5 mins, otherwise the poori absorbs more oil.

Related Links:

Poori Recipes                                                       Beetroot Recipes

1. WheatPoori                                                     1. Beetroot Pulao

2. FoxtailMillet Poori                                        2. Beetroot Poriyal

3. Finger Millet Poori                                        3. Beetroot Chips

4. Palak Poori                                                      4.Beetroot Juice

5. Pearl Millet Poori                                           5. BeetrootHalwa

6. Tomato Poori                                                  6. Beetroot Appam                 

7. Multi Grain Flour Poori                                7. Beetroot Paniyaram

8. Jowar Poori                                                     8. Beetroot Dosai

                                                                                9. Beetroot Chutney

                                                                               10. Beetroot Paratha

How to make poori:

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This is very easy and quick method of making garland with arali flowers.

Video Link:

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Easy 3 dots kolam for beginners.

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Keerai – Greens Kootu without Coconut

This is very easy and tasty variant of keerai kootu recipes. This can be done with any keerai/greens variety. The main uniqueness of this recipe is that we do not use coconut unlike others.

Click HERE to view 15+ Greens/Keerai Recipes.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Side Dish

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 15 mins | Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients:

Any Keerai / Greens	2 cups (finely chopped)
Garlic Pods	5
Moong Dal / Paasi Paruppu	¼ cup
Small Tomato	1
Cumin Seeds	2 tsp
Salt	As Required
To Temper:
Coconut Oil	2 tsp
Mustard Seeds	¼ tsp
Green Chilli	2
Chopped Onion	¼ cup

Procedure:

1. Wash and drain the water from the leaves. Then chop the greens into small pieces.

2. Remove the skin of the onion and chop them into small pieces.

3. In a pressure cooker, add chopped greens/keerai, chopped tomato, cumin seeds, washed moong dal, garlic pods and ½ cup of water.

4. Pressure cook them for 1 whistle in a medium flame. After pressure has gone, remove the lid of the cooker and keep it aside.

5. Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and wait for popping.

6. Add green chillies (split it into two halves) and chopped onion. Sauté till the onion become translucent.

7. Pour this temper and salt into the cooked greens. Again cook the green for 2 more mins. Add water if needed.

8. Mash them with paruppu maththu (as shown in the pic) or blender.

   

               Healthy and tasty kootu is ready to serve with hot rice.

Note:

1. You can use any greens like thandu keerai, ponnanganni, siru keerai, etc.,

2. Adjust the chilli level according to your taste.

3. I have used Ponnanganni keerai.

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Radish - Mullangi Chutney

This is very easy and healthy vegetable chutney. . It has different taste and is an interesting side dish you should at least try once.

Click HERE for 40+ Chutney Recipes.

Recipe Cuisine : South Indian | Recipe Category: Chutney

Preparation Time: 10 mins  | Cooking Time: 10 mins | Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients:

Grated Radish	1  cup
Small Onion	½ cup
Garlic pods	5
Red Chilli	2
Tamarind	½ gooseberry size
Urad Dal	1 tbsp
Split Gram Dal / Chana Dal	1 tbsp
Salt	As required
Oil	1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash and peel the skin of the Radish. Then grate the radish with grater.

2. Remove the skin of the onion and wash it. Cut them into small pieces.

3. Remove the skin of the garlic and chop them into small pieces.

4. Heat the oil in a pan, add urad dal and chana dal. Fry till they become golden in color.

5. Add red chillies and fry for few seconds.

6. Add chopped onion and garlic. Sauté the Radish till the raw smell off the Radish goes off.

7. Then switch off the flame, add tamarind and salt. Allow it to cool down completely.

8. Grind them into a fine paste using little water in a mixie jar.

      Tangy and tasty Radish Chutney is ready to serve. Serve with Idli, Dosa and Parathas.

Note:

1. Use equal amount of big onion instead of small onion.

2. Adjust the chilli level according to your spice level.

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