Go healthy with Fenugreek-traditional recipes from South India

Fenugreek based recipes from South India:
Fenugreek has magical medicinal benefits,not only as a beauty aid for good skin and hair,keeping dandruff,acne and dryness of hair &skin at bay,but also reduces cholesterol and blood sugar levels,and has been  used for the treatment of various ailments like heartburn,diarrhoea,fevers,etc  from the ancient times.Both the leaves and seeds of this slightly bitter-tasting wonderful vegetable are widely used in traditional Indian cooking&thought that it definitely deserved to be talked about 🙂 Fenugreek seeds are also traditionally used to enhance milk production in lactating mothers especially in India.Studies have indicated that the production of milk can increase by up to 500% within 1-3 days of consuming fenugreek seeds regularly as it contains Diosgenin -a compound having estrogen like properties. Even today a yummy fenugreek based sweet is a must for lactating mothers in  South India!!!
So have just put together a few extremely nutritious recipes,courtesy our superchefs……


MENTHE DOSA

Recipe by Padmanayana Shetty, Muscat, Oman

Ingredients:

3 cups raw rice
1 cup  beaten rice or rice flakes
Coconut milk extracted from 1 coconut
1 tsp urad dal
1-2  tsp methi or fenugreek seeds
2 tsp instant yeast or dry yeast diluted in warm water
4 tsp or less sugar

Method :

1. Clean, wash & soak rice, methi, urad dal for 4 hours together.
2. Grind with coconut milk and beaten  rice (cleaned & washed )to a very fine paste.
3. Add yeast and mix the batter.
4. Keep it for fermentation for about 4 to 5 hrs in a warm place.
5. Then prepare dosa with non stick tawa or aapam pan without oil.

2.Methi Sweet porridge(Metheda ganji) in Mangalore

Recipe by Padmanayana Shetty, Muscat, Oman
Basmathi or any other rice-1cup
Methi seeds-less than 1/4 cup
jaggary-1cup(vole bella or palm sugar tastes even better)
coco nut-1 to extract milk
salt -little or pinch
1.Boil methi seeds along with rice in cooker with alittle water for 4 whistles
2.add jaggary(melt and strain to remove impurities)
3.add coconut milk and salt, boil some time
4. while serving add ghee
adjust sweetness and if you want less methe reduce the amount

3.METHI HALWA (Methi Adthina in Mangalore)

Ingredients :

1/2 kg methi seeds

1/2 kg ghee

1 kg jaggery, grated

1 1/2 coconut grated and roasted

1 kg beaten rice, roasted

Method :

Clean, wash and pressure cook methi seeds in plenty of water till soft. Strain and remove water. Grind methi to a rough paste. Fry the ground methi paste in 1/2 kg ghee until the ghee separates and oozes out. Add jaggery and boil till thick and sticky syrup. Add coconut, beaten rice and mix well. Remove, cool and store.

Recipe Courtesy Gladys Elisha nee Soans
Thanks Nayana Shetty,Gladys Elisha nee Soans &The Mangalore Cuisine for your lovely recipes:)
You would  also be interested in the contest winning recipes of our healthy fenugreek recipe contest  and how fenugreek helps reduce dandruff,dryness and hair loss naturally!!!
Do experiment with all these lovely original time tested recipes &add health and beauty to your life

Go Coco Nutty!!A coconut fenugreek hairmask to reduce hairfall,and dandruff…

A coconut-fenugreek hair mask to reduce hairfall,dandruff ,promote hair growth and nourish dry hair

If you have been to Kerala,you will notice that the older women have lovely luxurious black hair…..The secret of their lovely locks is the natural products that they use for their hair.They regularly apply coconut milk,coconut oil to their hair&wash it off with ritha and shikakai based natural shampoos.
Sharing their time tested recipe for hair growth with you:
Make a paste of 1 teaspoon of powdered fenugreek seeds and  3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk extracted from coconuts.Apply this paste to the scalp,cover with a hot towel or showercap for 30 mins ,and wash off with a herbal shampoo.Condition with a jojoba conditioner.Repeat twice a week for 2 months and check out the hair growth  for yourself!!
Fenugreek seeds replenish hair growth and are a good source of nicotinic acid,lecithin  and protein and also moisturizes hair and reduces dandruff.Coconut milk nourishes the scalp and has been proven time and again to promote hair growth.

So what are you waiting for??Make this age old  priceless recipe your own,and a part of your weekly haircare routine to resolve all your hair problems!!!