Ram Navami Festival Special

• Chane Upkari (Black Chickpeas Stir fry)
• Mooga Dali Kosambari (Moong Dal or deskinned green gram Salad)
• Paanak (Jaggery with lemon n pepper - A Cooler)
• Phanna Thaak (Seasoned Buttermilk)

Chana Salad or Chickpeas Salad

Whether you call it a chickpea or a garbanzo bean, there's no question that chickpeas are a healthy addition to any diet. Chickpeas are naturally low in fat, high in dietary fiber and rich in vitamins and minerals. Eating chickpeas regularly can help you manage your weight, boost intestinal health and reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Tinned chickpeas are fine, but fresh boiled ones are slightly higher in vitamins and minerals. Both are equally good sources of fibre, including soluble fibre which can help to lower cholesterol.
Chickpeas Salad is one salad which we all love.
Easy and quick to make and yet so delicious.
I make this salad quite often and eat it just before dinner, as this salad keeps you feeling full so you will eat lesser quantities of the actual dinner and thus lose some weight.
I also make this salad as part of an elaborate meal when I invite friends/family and its always liked by all.
Hence I am sharing this with you all!

Mooga Dali Kosambari (Moong Dal or Green gram Salad)

A salad served in most south Indian brahmin functions, and also distributed as "prasadam" in temples, this salad is one of the most popular side dish in South India.
Moong dal or green beans provide great source of complex carbohydrates, fiber and protein.

Regular consumption of green beans helps to reduce cholesterol since they are rich in fibre.

Karathe Kosambari (Bittergourd Salad)

Bitter gourd, a very healthy vegetable, good for diabetics, but not liked by many.
Bitter gourd's bitter taste is generally attributed to the quinine it contains. Cooked bitter gourd stimulates the appetite, cleanses the liver, purifies the blood, and provides many other benefits. 

Knowing these benefits, my granny, mom and aunt, make so many amazing dishes with this vegetable, some of them are already posted on my blog. Here is another dish which I thought I must share with everyone.
This dish is the Bitter Gourd Salad also known as "Karathe Kosambari" in Konkani.

Ambuli Pacchadi in Konkani (Raw Mango Salad)

Raw Mango Salad or "Ambuli Pacchadi" is a very popular summer salad in Coastal belt.
Raw Mango or green mangoes have plenty of health benefits which are different from ripe mangoes. Green Mango is full of lots of vitamin C, and they are great for warding off anemia.
Green mangoes also enhances memory, guess that's why most women have better memory power since most women love green or raw mangoes.
Green Mango juice is also good for relieving sore throats.
This salad is mostly eaten as a part of a meal but can also be eaten as a evening snack and for those to love the tangy taste, it can be stuffed to make sandwiches.

Grated Carrot Salad

Grated Carrot Salad, a simple and easy to make salad.
Can be eaten as a salad during a meal or as a snack in between meals.
My daughter loves to eat it 'cause of its color. This salad is not just colourful but also healthy.

Aloo Raitha (Potato n curd salad)

Potato popularly known as "Aloo" is my most favorite vegetable, and I know most of my friends too love Aloo.
For me Aloo means "comfort"
Since this is a very easy and quick dish, it can be eaten as a side dish with roti when you are back from office and cant find any vegetable except potato.
( Trick is boil aloo and keep in the refrigerator ).Also a quick healthy snack for the evening.