Healthy recipes to sweet treats you must cook up this Onam

From beautiful flower and light decorations to traditional attires and most importantly, decadent delicacies- certain things make the festival of Onam more beautiful and vibrant. Festivities not only increase our cravings but also make us consume overly which can take a toll on our health. But if you want to enjoy this festival guilt-free, then here we dig into our treasure trove and bring you a list of 3 healthy recipes that you must cook and indulge in during this auspicious time. Read on to find out easy-peasy nourishing recipes that you can whip up at home during this Onam.

1. Vegan oats Payasam

Palada Payasam is a famous sweet in Kerala and is a much-found staple during the celebrations of Onam. The silky taste and crunchy flavours found in this dish will satiate your taste buds while making you come for more. Relish the vegan version of this dish to make the merriments of Onam wholesome.

Ingredients required

• 1 cup Oats
• ¼ cup jaggery powder
• ½ cup water
• 3 cups coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 cup mixed nuts
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder

Ingredients required

• Take a pan and dissolve powdered jaggery and water together.
• Now, mix oats in this mixture and let it boil for another 3 minutes. Once it is cooked, add the coconut milk and combine it well.
• Take another pan and add the coconut oil and stir fry the nuts in it.
• Now, add the nuts and cardamom powder to the oats mixture and allow it to cook.
• Serve hot.

2. Diabetic-friendly Avial

Avial is a curry that is prepared with multiple veggies. Enriched with the goodness of coconut and ingredients that are quite high in fibre, this dish is diabetic-friendly and light on the stomach. Relish with brown rice to reap the maximum benefits.

Ingredients required

• 1 Cup drumsticks, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup green beans, chopped
• 1 cup tindora (tendli), chopped
•  1 cup ash gourd, chopped
• 1 cup mixed beans, boiled
• 1 cup yellow pumpkin, chopped
• 1 plantain, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt as per the taste
• ½ cup curd
• 2 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 spring curry leaves
• 3/4 cup freshly grated coconut
• 3 green chillies, sliced
• Water (to make a paste)

Method

• Take a blender and blend coconut, cumin seeds and garlic into a coarse paste.
• Now, take a pan and add water to it and add all the chopped vegetables and let it cook until soft
• Add a teaspoon of turmeric, curry leaves, chillies and salt along with coconut paste.
• Now add curd, oil, and cumin seeds to the mix and simmer it for 2 to 3 minutes. Wait until the mix is semi-dry.

3. Protein-rich Kadhala Curry

This super-easy Kadhala curry is wholesome and is filled with the goodness of protein as it has ingredients like black chana peppered with local spices.

Ingredients required

• 250 grams black chana, boiled
• 1 cup coconut, grated
• 2 onions
• 1 tablespoon whole red chilli
• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• 2 Curry leave sprigs
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 5 grams garlic clove, chopped
• Salt and red chilli powder as per the taste
•  1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder

Method

• Take a pan and heat the oil in it. Now, stir fry coconut, onion, red chillies, coriander seeds, curry leaves, and garlic in it.
• Now, take a blender and blend these ingredients
• Take a vessel and saute mustard seeds along with sliced onions, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala and ground ingredients and let it cook well.
• Now, add water along with boiled chana. Sprinkle salt and serve hot.