Wholesome Meal with Broken Wheat (Dalia)

I love walking through the aisles of supermarkets, every time noticing something new – sometimes I just read the nutrition facts on the reverse of the packets, or the ingredients on ready-to-eat food packets (which I try to incorporate in my own recipes), and sometimes even venture to try out one of these new food items. Broken wheat (or Dalia in Hindi) was one such item I had noticed on the racks of the supermarket I visit, having high nutritional value, but was not very sure how to cook it.

I tried Dalia khichdi, and it turned out really tasty, very much like the rice khichdi we usually prepare in India using small-grained rice, but minus the starch and with lot more nutrition.

Broken wheat/dalia has the look of brown rice (maybe a shade lighter), the whole raw wheat kernels coarsely ground but retaining the outer skin (bran). It is understood to be rich in iron, protein and fibre.

Here are 2 delicious recipes using broken wheat (Dalia) which I find very easy to cook and are wholesome too!

Dalia (Broken Wheat) Khichdi

Ingredients: Dalia (broken wheat) ½ cup, moong (yellow) dal ½ cup, vegetables of your choice (carrots, green peas, tomatoes, cauliflower, beans), 1 onion, green chillies, whole cumin seeds (jeera) ½ tsp, garam masala whole (1-2 pieces each of whole cardamom, cinnamon and cloves), ginger paste ½ tsp, spice powders (turmeric, red chili, cumin, coriander – ½ tsp each), salt, sugar (optional), oil, water, ghee/butter (optional).

Method: Wash the wheat and dal and keep aside. Heat the oil in a kadhai/pan and sprinkle in the cumin seeds and whole garam masala. Once they crackle, add the onions and green chili and sauté for 2-3 mins. Then add all the vegetable pieces and cook for some more time. While they are cooking, add in the ginger paste, masala powders and salt (and sugar if you choose). When the vegetables are cooked, add the washed wheat (daliya) and moong dal and cook for 1-2 mins. Then add 3 cups of water (use this measure if you are using ½ cup wheat + ½ cup dal) and cover the pan. First keep the pan on high heat, then after 1 min, put it on simmer and allow it to cook for 5-6 mins. After some time, check if the wheat and dal have softened (which means they are cooked) and take the pan off the heat. You can now add 1 tsp of ghee/butter (optional). Daliya khichdi is ready to serve!!

Dalia (Broken Wheat) Payasam/Kheer

Ingredients: Dalia (broken wheat) ½ cup, milk 1 litre, sugar 4 tbsp (or according to taste), cardamom 3-4 (crushed), chopped nuts (cashew/pistachio/almond as per choice), raisins

Method: Wash the Dalia and keep it soaked in water. Boil the milk and then let it simmer till it reduces to half its original volume. Keep stirring while the milk simmers. Once the milk has reduced, filter out the dalia from water and add to the milk, then continue to simmer the mixture. After 2-3 mins, add in the raisins, chopped nuts and cardamom also. Keep stirring while checking if the dalia has softened. Once the Dalia is completely cooked (it will get easily crushed when u press it between your fingers), remove the pan from heat and add the sugar. Stir the mixture to blend in the sugar. Your Dalia kheer/payasam is ready. After cooling, you can chill it in the fridge as chilled kheer/payasam tastes even more delicious J 

Just Beet It!

When I was much younger, I remember having been diagnosed with iron deficiency, causing haemoglobin in my blood to dip below normal levels. I was advised to consciously add iron-rich food in my diet to bridge this gap, apart from the iron supplement tonics and capsules. Being a non-vegetarian, iron from meat and fish was automatically a part of at least 1 meal of my day. So for the additional needs, my mother chose vegetables like beetroot, spinach and raw bananas. And believe me, I liked none of those!

Now, even after so many years, I strive to maintain an iron-rich diet with the same vegetables (which I still dislike!), but give my own twist to the dishes make them appeal to my palate J Beetroot is one vegetable which I cook very often. Some of my recipes are shared below.

Beetroot and Orange juice

Ingredients: 1 beetroot, 1 orange (or ½ cup orange juice), 1 tsp sugar/honey, 1 small slice ginger , ice cubes (optional)

Method: Wash and peel the beetroot and orange. Cut the beetroot into small cubes. Put all the ingredients in a juicer/mixer and blend for a few minutes. Add ice cubes (if you want chilled) and blend once more. Beetroot and orange mocktail is ready!

Grilled Beetroot Sandwich

Ingredients: 1 beetroot, 1 potato, ½ onion finely chopped, ½ tsp ginger paste, ½ tsp garlic paste, green chillies chopped (to taste), salt, oil, bread

Method: Cut beetroot and potato into cubes and boil. Mash the boiled beetroot and potato separately. Mashed beetroot releases a lot of water, so press and strain away the excess water. Now mix the beetroot mash, potato mash, chillies and salt. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden. Then add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for a minute. Now add the mash mix in the pan and cook for 2 minutes till the flavours are blended. Fill this mix between 2 slices of bread and grill in a sandwich maker.

Stuffed Beetroot Paratha (Indian Bread)

Ingredients: 1 beetroot, 1 potato, ½ onion finely chopped, ½ tsp ginger paste, ½ tsp garlic paste, green chillies chopped (to taste), salt, oil, flour

Method: Cut beetroot and potato into cubes and boil. Mash the boiled beetroot and potato separately. Mashed beetroot releases a lot of water, so press and strain away the excess water. Now mix the beetroot mash, potato mash, chillies and salt. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden. Then add the ginger and garlic paste and fry for a minute. Now add the mash mix in the pan and cook for 2 minutes till the flavours are blended. The paratha filling is ready.

Make a dough by mixing water in the flour, take a small ball from the dough and roll out, add a spoonful of the filling in the centre and fold in from all the sides. Roll out again into a round paratha. Cook one side on a flat pan, then turn the side and cook for some more time. Add oil to both the sides and cook for another minute. Serve hot with raita or curry.