It’s no secret that eating well is the foundation for a well-functioning body. Food powers all our bodily functions and is our main provider of energy, directly impacting on our physical and mental well-being. Therefore, diet is critical in maintaining a healthy weight and increasing our chances of success while improving our quality of life.
The first step to improving our quality of life is recognising what – if anything – we are currently doing wrong. Alcohol, for example, is full of toxins and other poisons that we should be avoiding, unless in moderation. When eaten frequently, foods high in saturated and trans fats and/or sugar will lead to weight gain and eventually obesity. Alternatively, fresh fruit and vegetables are a great source of vitamins, a mainstay of any healthy diet. Initiating a healthy lifestyle will instantly be reflected in your self-esteem by boosting your confidence and helping you find your ideal weight.
But how? Firstly, understand (and then be mindful of) calories, the measurement unit we use for energy that’s stored in food. While some calories give us energy, calories gained from foods with low nutritional value will lead to weight gain. Because of this, it’s always best to strike a balance of good calories and nutrients to provide the body with the required fuel, while at the same time avoiding unwanted weight gain.
The same is true for carbohydrates and fats. Often, people hear the word “fat” and think the worst, but this isn’t necessarily so. In fact, fats and carbohydrates break down into glucose and provide energy that the body will either use instantly or store for later use. When looking for these good carbohydrates, try to ingest grains, vegetables and fruits, while avoiding sugar, which is high in calories but low in nutrients.
Another way a steady intake of fruits and vegetables can help is with disease prevention. This is especially true for heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. Trans and saturated fats, found in fried and processed meats, have all been proven to be responsible for increasing one’s risk of some cancers, raising levels of bad cholesterol , and causing heart attacks and strokes.
Another reason to eat well is to help improve the overall performance of the mind. Foods like tomatoes are high in antioxidants. These help to improve brain functionality and make new neurons while enabling existing ones to communicate. A healthy diet will also lower rates of depression and other anxiety disorders. Unlike many western diets, South Indian foods, which are all about the freshest fruit and vegetables, are famously good for both the body and mind. This is exactly why I am posting below my favourite recipe for a delicious, nutritious Pachadi for you to make at home for yourself and others and keep everyone happy and, of course, healthy.
A Pachadi is a South Indian salad, and it is great for providing the mental strength needed in situations where you need to stay focused, such as undertaking an important test at work or partaking in mind sports . This dish was a staple of my younger years, as my dad, who travelled a lot for work, would request this from my mum due to its simplicity. Believe me, this is a very simple, healthy dish to prepare, and it can be made in under 10 minutes. Please feel free to give it a try.
- 2 cups diced white pumpkin, ash gourd
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 dried red chillies, broken roughly
- a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ a cup of plain curd / yogurt
- Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chillies and asafoetida (hing). Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the diced pumpkin and salt. Add in a half a cup of water and boil for 5 minutes. Switch off the flame.
- Take a bowl and add in the curd and half a cup of water. Whisk well to combine. Add it to the pan and mix well.
- Serve with rice.
- Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Lunch
- Cuisine: Tamilnadu
- 2 cups diced white pumpkin, ash gourd
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 dried red chillies, broken roughly
- a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ a cup of plain curd / yogurt
- Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chillies and asafoetida (hing). Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the diced pumpkin and salt. Add in a half a cup of water and boil for 5 minutes. Switch off the flame.
- Take a bowl and add in the curd and half a cup of water. Whisk well to combine. Add it to the pan and mix well.
- Serve with rice.
- Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Lunch
- Cuisine: Tamilnadu
Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/why-it-is-important-to-eat-the-right-foods/
Recipe for Muttai Paniyaram Kuzhambu, Egg Paniyaram Curry. Paniyaram made with eggs that are dunked in a spicy south indian style gravy. Served with dosa or chapati .
Eggs are always a welcome side dish at home. This is a very easy and different curry that can be made for the weeknight dinners!
First lets make Egg Paniyarams for the gravy. Take a bowl and add in the eggs, salt, pepper and water. Mix well with a whisk to combine.
Heat the paniyaram pan / paniyarakkal until hot. Add 1/4 teaspoon of oil into each mold. Drop the egg batter to fill the mold. Cook for half a minute. Then turn and cook on the other side. Turn again if necessary to make sure the paniyaram is evenly cooked on both sides. Set aside. TIP: Eggs expand when cooked. So while cooking the egg paniyarams, fill the mold only till 3/4th. If the pan is filled completely, it will overflow like the picture below. So do not fill the paniyaram mold fully.
For the curry Make a masala paste with the ingredients listed under masala paste. Grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Heat sesame oil in a pan and add in the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Let the seeds crackle.
Add in the chopped onions and saute till the onions are soft and starting to brown.
Add in the chopped tomatoes and saute for a minute. Add in the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Also add in the salt.
Add in a few teaspoons of water and cook till the masalas are fully cooked and the tomatoes are mushy. Add in the masala paste.
Add in two cups water to the gravy.
Simmer the gravy for 20 minutes on a low flame with the pan covered with a lid.
Switch off the flame and add in the lemon juice, coriander leaves, fresh curry leaves and the cooked egg paniyarams.
Mix well and let the gravy rest for 10 minutes so the egg paniyarams can absorb the flavors of the gravy. I do not cook the gravy after adding the paniyarams as the eggs can become hard.
Serve the egg paniyaram with dosa or chapati .
For the egg paniyaram
- 6 Eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon water
- Sesame Oil for greasing paniyaram pan
For the masala paste
- 3 tablespoon fresh shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon cashewnut
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 green chillies
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/2 inch piece ginger
- 1/2 cup water to grind
Other ingredients
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 sprig coriander leaves
- 1 sprig fresh curry leaves
For the egg paniyaram
- Take a bowl and add in the eggs, salt, pepper and water. Mix well with a whisk to combine.
- Heat the paniyaram pan / paniyarakkal until hot. Add 1/4 teaspoon of oil into each mold. Drop the egg batter to fill the mold. Cook for half a minute. Then turn and cook on the other side. Turn again if necessary to make sure the paniyaram is evenly cooked on both sides. Set aside.
For the curry
- Make a masala paste with the ingredients listed under masala paste. Grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Heat sesame oil in a pan and add in the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Let the seeds crackle.
- Add in the chopped onions and saute till the onions are soft and starting to brown.
- Add in the chopped tomatoes and saute for a minute. Add in the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Also add in the salt.
- Add in a few teaspoons of water and cook till the masalas are fully cooked and the tomatoes are mushy. Add in the masala paste.
- Add in two cups water to the gravy.
- Simmer the gravy for 20 minutes on a low flame with the gravy covered with a lid.
- Switch off the flame and add in the lemon juice, coriander leaves, fresh curry leaves and the cooked egg paniyarams.
- Mix well and let the gravy rest for 10 minutes so the egg paniyarams can absorb the flavors of the gravy. I do not cook the gravy after adding the paniyarams as the eggs can become hard.
- Serve the egg paniyaram with dosa or chapati.
- Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Gravy
- Cuisine: Tamilnadu
