IRON-RICH RECIPES
Iron is an important mineral that is essential for the normal functioning of the body. Iron is helpful in carrying oxygen around the body, ensures a healthy immune ssyste and makes energy for the body. When its level becomes low in the body, it makes you tired and apathetic and then it is stated as Anemia.
Anemia is characterized by low levels of hemoglobin, which cause oxygen starvation in your tissues. There are two forms of iron in the diet: heme and nonheme. In foods from animal sources, such as meat, poultry and fish, about half the iron is heme iron and the rest is nonheme. Iron from dairy foods, eggs and plant-based foods is entirely nonheme. Iron is better absorbed by the body from heme sources.
Paucity of green vegetables, red meat, cereals and grains results in iron deficiency. In India, usually women and younger girls are susceptible to anemia. The recipes below can be tried so that anemia is controlled and kept under check. Iron rich constituents like red meat, beetroot, fig, dates, pomegranates spinach, almond, etc should be used largely in the food course. Find below a list of iron-rich recipes that help you to keep fit and healthy.
ANJEER BASUNDI 
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
10 mins
15 mins
4
Ingredients
Low fat milk
4 cups
Finely chopped fresh figs
11/2 cups
Lemon juice
1/2 tbsp
Cornflour and low fat milk(dissolved)
1 tbsp
Low fat mava(khova)
1/4 cup
Sugar
1 tbsp
For garnish
Fig(anjeer) slices
4
Method
- Refrigerate the fig pieces to chill.
- Pour the milk into a broad non-stick pan and bring to a boil. Simmer over a medium flame stirring continuously.
- Add the lemon juice drop by drop to the milk stirring continuously.Milk would get curdled to tiny particles, which are required for the grainy texture of basundi. Do not add the lemon juice all at once.
- Add the cornflour mixture, mava and sugar,mix well and simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Cool and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Add the chilled fig pieces to the cooled thickened milk and mix well.
- Serve chilled garnished with fig slices.
BAJRA KHAKHRAS
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
15 mins
15 mins
5
Ingredients
Bajra flour
1/4 cup
Ragi flour
1/4 cup
Whole wheat flour
2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste
1/2 tbsp
Finely chopped green chilies
1/4 tbsp
Sesame seeds
1 tbsp
Turmeric powder
1/4 tbsp
Ghee
1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Method
- Mix flour,( ragi whole wheat & bajra ).
- Add turmeric powder,ginger garlic paste,green chillies & til seeds.
- Add water to make dough.
- Keep it for1/2 an hour.
- Roll out patties from this dough
- Place it in tortilla maker and close its lid.
- Keep it till it turns crisp.
- Serve hot.
BAJRA KICHIDI
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
20 mins
10 mins
4
Ingredients
Whole bajra
1 cup
Yellow moong dal
3 tbsp
Jeera seeds
1 tbsp
Hing
1/2 tbsp
Ghee
1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Method
- Soak bajra for about an hour.
- Remove the husk by grinding coarsely in a mixer at a low speed.
- Mix moong dal when it becomes completely husk free.
- Transfer the contents in a pressure cooker with water and salt.
- Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add hot water if required.
- Mix hot ghee.
BAJRA POTATO ROTI
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
15 mins
35 mins
8
Ingredients
Bajra flour
2 cups
Potatoes
3/4 cup
Finely chopped onions
1/4 cups
Chopped coriander
3 tbsp
Ginger-green chili paste
2 tbsp
Amchur
1 tbsp
Garam masala
1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil
1 tbsp
Method
- Mix water and flour and knead it to make a soft dough.
- Leave the dough for about half an hour.
- Meanwhile add salt, chili powder, amchur Powder garam masala to the potatoes and mix thoroughly.
- Now roll out small balls out of the dough.
- Smear a little oil in the center and then put some stuffing mixture.
- Draw the edges towards the center to cover the mixture.
- Press the resulting dough gently and dust it with flour. Flatten to the size of roti.
- Place the roti on a preheated griddle.
- After some time reverse the side of roti Do it when golden brown patches appear on first side.
- Cook till done.
FRESH GREEN SOUP
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
10 mins
30 mins
4
Ingredients
Asparagus chopped
2 1/2 cups
Onions chopped
1/2 cup
Potatoed chopped
1/2 cup
Low fat butter
1 tbsp
Low fat milk
1 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Chop the asparagus into 3cm pieces. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft.
- Add the asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the stock or water. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Blend the mixture in a food processor until smooth. Return to the saucepan. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve with ground pepper powder.
FRUITY SALAD
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
10 mins
4
Ingredients
For the salad
Apple cubed
2 cups
Celery finely chopped
4 tbsp
Corn flakes
1/2 cup
To be mixed into a dressing
Fresh low fat curds
1/4 cup
Lemon juice
1 tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Rock salt to taste
Method
- Prepare the dressing.
- Chop the fruits.
- Pour the dressing over the chopped fruits.
- Toss the mixture.
GREEN PULAO
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
15 mins
30 mins
6
Ingredients
Basmati Rice
11/2 cups
Peppercorns
4 to 6
Cinnamon
25 mm. (1") piece
Cloves
2
Green cardamoms
4
Sliced onions
1 cup
Ginger-green chilli paste
1 Tbsp
Chopped spinach leaves
2 cups
Tender sweet corn
1 cup
Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp
Oil
1 tsp
Salt to taste
Method
- Wash the basmati rice under running water for a couple of times to remove the starchy content. Cook the rice as you normally would. Just make sure you keep stirring them occasionally. then add the rice and water and cover it with a lid just partly open to allow the steam to escape;Stir in between and cook on medium flame or heat.
- While the rice cooks, take another pan, add oil,jeera seeds and the bay leaves. When they start spluttering, add the green chillies and the chopped onions. Saute till they turn a light golden in colour.
- Meanwhile, Wash the spinach leaves and blend them to make a fine puree. Thaw the corns by microwaving for 10 seconds.
- Now add the puree to the onions and mix well. Add the salt, garam masala powder, turmeric and lemon juice. Cover with a lid and cook for 7-10 mins until it starts bubbling a little. Finally add the corn and reduce to low-flame.
Once the rice is almost cooked,add it to the gravy mixture and mix well gently with a spatula. Taste for salt and spices and make necessary additions.Remove from flame and let the spices and spinach blend with the rice. - Transfer the Pulao to a serving dish. Take a firm tomato, cut it into thin wedges,garnish it with them.
HIGH ENERGY POHA
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
5 mins
5 mins
Ingredients
Poha ( Beaten Rice Flakes )
2 cups
Poha ( Beaten Rice Flakes )
2 cups
Moth Beans( Sproted Matki )
1/4 Cup
Chopped onions
1/2 cup
Green chilli, chopped
1
Lemon juice
2 tsp
Oil
1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
For the Garnish
Chopped coriander
2 Tbsp
Method
- Wash and soak the Moth Beans for about 4 hours.
- Pressure cook the Moth Beans.Drain and keep aside.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion,green chilli and saute till the onion turns translucent.
- Add the Moth beans,lemon juice and salt and mix well. Remove from the fire.
- Sprinkle some water on the poha to moistern it and add it to the moth bean mixture.
- Mix well and garnish with the coriander. Serve hot.
JAGGERY MALPUAS
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
10 mins
10 mins
8
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour
1 cup
Grated jaggery
15 g
Saunf
1/2 tbsp
Cardamom powder
1/2 tbsp
Melted ghee
1 tbsp
Method
- Dissolve jaggery in a cup of warm water and mix well till it dissolves.
- Add all the other ingredients and mix well.
- Smear a little ghee on a non-stick pan and spread a small amount of the batter on it to make a round of 3" diameter.
- Cook on both sides using a little ghee until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
- Repeat to make 8-10 more malpuas.
- Serve hot.
KIDNEY BEAN SOUP
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
10 mins
25 mins
6
Ingredients
Rajma
1/4 cup
Onions, chopped
1 cup
Cloves
3
Tomatoes, chopped 11/2 cups Potatoes
1/2 cup
Chilli powder
1/2 tsp
Lemon juice
1 tsp
Oil
1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
For the Serving
Finely chopped tomatoes
A few
Chopped Spring onions
A few
Chopped Capsicum
A few
Chopped Yellow peppers
Method
- Over medium heat, add carrots, tomatoes to a large pot of water.
- Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to a simmer for 90 min.
- In a separate pan, stir fry onions, until brown.
- Add the kidney bean & potatoes.
- Cook until the potatoes are tender (20 minutes ).
- Simmer for around 5 minutes.
- Garnish with spring onions,capsicum, tomatoes.
- Add salt & pepper.