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.
LETTUCE SOUP 
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
15 mins
20 mins
Ingredients
Lettuce chopped
6 cups
Onions chopped
1 cup
Low fat milk
2 1/2 cups
Plain flour (maida)
2 tbsp
Low fat butter
1/2 tbsp
Salt & pepper to taste
Method
- Chop lettuce & onions.
- Melt butter in a vessel & fry the vegetables until thry become tender.
- Add milk to the mixture.
- Cook the mixture for about ten minutes.
- Blend the mixture in a liquidiser.
- Strain the soup & heat for a while.
- Add salt & peppper to taste.
METHI DHOKLA
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
10 mins
15 mins
6
Ingredients
Chola dal (dal of black eyed beans)
1 cup
Chopped Methi leaves
1/2 cup
Chopped spinach leaves
1/2 cup
Green chillies
3
Hing
1/4 tsp
Fresh curds
2 Tbsp
Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp
For the Tempering
Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp
Jeera seeds
1/2 tsp
Green chilli, chopped
1
Oil
1/2 tsp
Method
- Wash and drain the dal and place it in a blender.
- Add the spinach, Methi leaves and green chilli-ginger paste and grind to a paste, adding a little water if required.
- Add the hing,salt and mix well.
- Grease a 150 mm. (6") diameter dhokla plate and keep aside.
- Sprinkle a little water over and mix gently.
- Pour into the greased thali and steam for 8 to 10 minutes
- Serve hot.
RAJMA SALAD
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
10 mins
4
Ingredients
Rajma soaked overnight and boiled
2 cups
Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup
Onions, thinly sliced
1 cup
Spring onion, chopped
1
To be mixed for the Dressing
Lemon juice
1 Tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- In a glass bowl, add all the ingredients, except lemon juice.Pour lemon juice over the salad and let it marinate for 30 minutes.
- Toss just before serving.
SPINACH & MOONG DHAL
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
20 mins
15 mins
5
Ingredients
Fresh Spinach, finely chopped
1 bumch
Moong dal
1 cup
Large tomato
1
Pods of garlic (grated or crushed)
2
Ginger (grated or crushed)
1 tsp.
Turmeric powder
1 tsp.
Coriander-cumin powder
2 tsp.
Jeera seeds
1 tsp.
Lemon juice
4 tsp
Oil
1/2 tsp
Salt
According to taste
Water
3 cups
Method
- Wash Moong Dal thoroughly and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
- Take a deep pan add oil. Add jeera seeds and let them splutter.
- Add garlic and ginger, chopped tomatoes and saute well.
- Add this to the pressure cooked moong dal and mix well.
- Add the red chili powder, cumin-coriander powder, turmeric powder,and salt and let it simmer for less than a minute.
- Add the chopped spinach. Now add 3 cups of water and mix it well.
- Simmer and cook well till the spinach is tender and soft.
- Finally add juice of lemon and stir well.
SPROUTED METHI SALAD
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
10 mins
6
Ingredients
Methi seeds
1/2 cup
Coriander, chopped
1/2 cup
Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup
Lemon juice
2 tsp
Salt to taste
Method
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, & finally add lemon juice
SWEET IDLIS
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
15 mins
15
15
Ingredients
Finely chopped dill leaves
1/2 cup
Raw rice, soaked for 4 hours, drained
2 cups
Thick rice flakes (poha)
1/2 cup
Buttermilk
1/2 cup
Crushed jaggery
2 tsp
Salt to taste
Method
- Grind the soaked rice to a thick smooth paste, adding a little water.
- Wash the rice flakes, drain and add the buttermilk. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Grind the rice flakes in buttermilk to a smooth paste, add the jaggery and grind further till smooth. Add this to the rice batter.
- Add the chopped dill leaves and salt and mix well.
- Check the consistency and now add a little water only if required so as to get a thick batter.
- Sprinkle a little water over it.
- Spoon out the batter into greased idli moulds and steam for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Serve hot.
TIL ROTI
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
15 mins
30 mins
6
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour
11/2 cups
Grated jaggery
2 tsp
Sesame seeds ( Til )
1 Tbsp
Melted ghee
1 tsp
A pinch of salt
Method
- Combine the jaggery with 2 tbsp of water in a pan and cook over a slow flame till the jaggery has dissolved. Cool completely.
- In a large bowl, combine the wheat flour, ghee, melted jaggery, sesame seeds and salt and knead well into firm dough, using enough water.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions.
- Roll out each portion into a 125 mm. (5") diameter circle.
- Heat a tava (griddle) and cook each roti over a medium flame till both sides are golden brown.
- Brush each roti with a little ghee and serve hot.
WHOLE WHEAT PURANPOLI
Prep Time
Cook Time
Serves
15 mins
45 mins
4
Ingredients
For the Dough
Whole wheat flour
1 cup
Skimmed milk
4 Tbsp
For the Filling
Finely chopped dates
3/4 cup
Sesame seed (til)
2 Tbsp
Brown sugar
10g
Skimmed milk
2 Tbsp
For the Dough
Make a soft dough using the flour, milk and little water (if required) and knead well.
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and keep aside.
For the Filling
Toast the sesame seeds over a medium flame until they are lightly browned. Cool.
Grind coarsely and mix with the remaining ingredients.
Divide into 4 equal portions and keep aside.
Method
- Roll out one portion of the dough into a circle of 75 mm. (3") diameter.
- Place one portion of the filling mixture in the centre of the circle.
- Bring together all the sides in the centre and seal tightly.
- Roll out again into a circle of 125 mm. (5") diameter using flour to roll.
- Cook on a non-stick pan until both sides are brown.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to make 3 more puranpolis.
- Serve hot.