Sataahar

Tag: food

  • How to Prepare Mung Bean Cabbage Salad?

    How to Prepare Mung Bean Cabbage Salad?

    Mung bean is a protein and dietary fiber rich food. It is widely popular in south Asian countries like Nepal. Be it as regular Daal or during sickness as Khichadi, we consume decorticated (splitted) mung bean on a regular basis.

    Nutritional content of about 100g of whole mung bean seed (soaked for 12 hours) is given below (1). Soaking reduces compounds that inhibit absorption of protein and minerals in our intestine. When you soak mung bean, or any bean, the minerals such as iron, zinc etc. are well absorbed in our body. If you could used germinated one, it is even better. 

    Protein: 27g, Dietary fiber: 4.5g, Carbohydrates: 63.4g, Fat: 1.83g

    Calcium: 81 mg, Iron: 8.4 mg, Phosphorous: 381 mg, Magnesium: 49.9 mg

    How to make mung bean salad?

    Ingredients: Whole mung bean, cabbage, coriander leaves, onion, green chili, lemon, salt

    The day before

    1. Soak around 2 tablespoon (26g) overnight
    2. Steam a small potato (you can do this in the morning too)

    The day

    1. Decant excess water in the morning and wash once with clean water 
    2. Cut about cabbage in small pieces (1 cup)
    3. Cut the steamed potato in small pieces
    4. Cut a little bit of fresh coriander leaves, a green chili, a small red/white onion into small pieces
    5. Add two tablespoon of grounded sesame seed (white or black)
    6. Add 2 teaspoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt as your taste (not too much)
    7. Mix well the whole thing
    8. Top it with 15-20 Pumpkin seed if you like. Mung bean cabbage salad is ready.

    You can have it as your post workout meal, as a dinner or whenever like. If your workout is heavy, increase the amount of mung bean a bit and also add pumpkin seed on the top.

  • What is Gundruk? How to Prepare it?

    What is Gundruk? How to Prepare it?

    Gundruk is a non-salted fermented green leafy vegetable product made from the fresh leaves of native Nepali vegetables such as Rayo saag (Brassica campestris), mustard leaves (Brassica juncea), and cauliflower leaves (Brassica oleracea). Although gundruk is dry, it is similar to other wet fermented vegetable cuisines such as Korean kimchi and German sauerkraut (1). 

    To prepare gundruk, we should follow following steps.

    1. Fresh leaves of local vegetables called Rayoko saag, Toriko saag and cauliflower leaves are wilted in sun for 1-2 days.
    2. Then they are shredded and crushed. 
    3. After that they are squeezed tightly into an airtight earthen container or glass jar, to provide anaerobic environment. The container is then kept warm and let it naturally ferment for about 10 days. It is spontaneous lactic acid fermentation. 
    4. At last, fermented gundruk is allowed to dry in sun for 3–4 days before consumption 

    Gundruk can be preserved for 2 years at room temperature. Lb. fermentum, Lb. plantarum, Lb. casei, Lb. casei subspecies pseudoplantarum, and P. pentosaceus have been isolated from gundruk which are beneficial for our body and act as probiotics* (2). (yo link lai hyperlink ma rakhnu la) Lactic acid bacteria not only protect food from spoilage but also improve the organoleptic properties of the food. Gundruk is highly nutritious.

    How to eat Gundruk?

    1. As a freshly made Achar (add gundruk, onion, oil, salt, fried fenugreek seed, lemon juice and mix)
    2. Prepare as a curry (add dry soybean, tomato and Gundruk and cook as a curry to make gravy or soup)

    *Probiotics are living microorganisms such as bacteria and/or yeasts that exert several health benefits such as improving digestive health when consumed in adequate amounts.

    Gundruk has antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic properties. It works as a good appetizer. Benefits of Gundruk include increaseing digestion and absorption of nutrients, helps to cure diarrhea and constipation and boosts immunity. It is also a good for lactating women as it is known to aid milk production during lactation.

    Besides nutritional and disease related benefits, Gundruk has other benefits too. When in season, rape leaves, mustard leaves and cauliflower leaves may have higher supply than demand. Because these foods are perishable, it may go waste if we do not utilize it. Gundruk making saves these foods and provides good dietary diversity. It also promotes food security especially in areas where fresh green vegetables are not available all year round. Preparing Gundruk is cheap and energy efficient and can be a good source of income as well.

  • Khalpi, a Traditional Nepali Food

    Khalpi, a Traditional Nepali Food

    What is Khalpi?

    Khalpi is a traditional fermented Nepali pickle. The major raw material used is matured, ripe cucumber. The cucumber used for preparing Khalpi usually has brown outer layer and is bigger in size.

    Benefits of Khalpi

    Khalpi increases digestion and absorption of food and known to be a good appetizer. In Khalpi fermentation, initially, Leuconostoc fallax, L. brevis, and Pediococcus pentosaceus are active and later dominated by L. plantarum.  These are all good bacteria which are also known as probiotics. Probiotics are combination of live beneficial bacteria and/or yeasts that are known to exert many health benefits. Khalpi has antimicrobial properties and is also beneficial in diarrhea and constipation.

    Economic and Environmental Value of Khalpi

    During the season of cucumber, the supply may be higher than demand. Because it is a water rich food, it is highly perishable just as any other green vegetables. If we ferment such excess cucumber, which would otherwise be wasted, it preserves the food and reduces food waste. Reducing food waste has several environmental benefits.

    Fermentation of cucumber also gives new texture, flavor, and aroma to the food. It adds another healthy add on to our regular diet.

    Cucumber fermentation is efficient as the fermented cucumber do not require cold preservation and thus requires less energy. This is also because, Khalpi preparation is suitable for small scale as well. 

    How to Prepare Khalpi?

    There are two popular ways to prepare Khalpi. 

    First, mature, and ripened cucumbers are cut into definite sizes and the inner part is removed. Then, it is sundried for 2 days. They are then put into bamboo vessels called dhungroo and sealed. Fermentation is allowed to take place for 4 to 7 days at room temperature. The product can be stored for about a week in an airtight container. The Khalpi pickle is done preparing after mixing with mustard oil, chilies, and salt.

    Another method, the cucumber is washed; sliced lengthwise; the inner soft portion removed; cut into pieces (5–8 cm); mixed with rapeseed powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt; and heated with mustard oil. The mixture is transferred to an earthen or glass pot, covered with cloth or lid, and allowed to ferment 3 days before the Khalpi is ready for use. It is preferred to eat for 3-5 days. It can be stored in room temperature and eaten within 7 days.