I love to prepare something that is both nutritious and delicious everyday for breakfast in winters. Carrots are good for the eyes, reduce the risk of lung cancer, slow down the aging process and promote healthier skin. My breakfast recipe is a win-win for both its health benefits as well as for the tastebuds.

For the main course, my Paya curry (goat trotters) is an amazing treat for those living in colder areas such as Riyadh and the Northern region. It is usually cooked and relished in winters in the Indian subcontinent. Paya curry is rich in proteins and calories. It makes you feel fuller and keeps you warm during chilly days. However, people having certain conditions such as high cholesterol and uric acid should avoid it as it is rich in fat content.

Traditionally, Paya is cooked in a long, slow process, allowing the meat to fall off the bone and giving it a melt in the mouth texture that gives the dish a distinct taste and richness.

Desserts are an important part of eating well and healthy. Semolina is the star ingredient of my dessert and it is high in protein and makes for an ideal substitute to flour. It is naturally low in fat and helps in nourishing skin and muscles.

RECIPE 1

CARROT MUFFINS

Serves: 1

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

One egg

One tablespoon rolled oats

One tablespoon readymade muesli (a mixture of oats and other cereals, dried fruit and nuts)

6 to 8 baby carrots or 1 red or orange carrot

Juice of one lemon

One tablespoon of honey/dates syrup

Two tablespoon of low-fat milk

A pinch of baking powder

A pinch of flax seeds

A drop of vanilla essence

A pinch of cardamom powder

METHOD:

1]Chop all the ingredients and keep aside.

2]Grease small baking molds.

3]Pour the mixture into the molds.

4]Preheat the oven.

5]Place the molds in the preheated oven and bake at 180 C for 20 minutes.

6]Once they cool down, unmold them in a dish.

7]Pour honey and sprinkle desiccated coconut over it and enjoy with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

RECIPE 2

GOAT TROTTER (PAYA CURRY)

Serves: 3

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 6 hours

Ingredients

5 to 6 goats trotters (Ask the butcher to chop them in half or smaller chunks that will fit in your saucepan.)

2 bay leaves

6 to 7 black peppercorns

3 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 small onions finely chopped

2 green chillies

8-9 cloves of garlic

2-inch piece of ginger

1 ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (or mild paprika powder would be a good alternative)

4 tablespoon whisked yogurt

1 tablespoon of ‘Paya Masala’

Salt to taste

2 tablespoon roughly chopped coriander

2 tablespoon roughly chopped mint

Juice of 1 lemon for the spice powder

2 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

100 gms freshly grated coconut (or desiccated)

5-7 green cardamom pods

4-5 black pepper corns

5 cloves

METHOD:

1] In a stock pot add all the cleaned and cut trotters along with the bay leaves and peppercorns. Add water covering all the trotters; about 3.5 liters should be good. Bring the Paya to a boil and simmer gently for 4 hours.

2] For the powder, add all the ingredients to a frying pan and dry roast the spices on medium heat. Stir them around for 2-3 minutes until the color changes. Turn the heat off and let them cool slightly. Now grind them in a coffee blender to form a coarse powder. Set aside.

3] Blend the ginger and garlic to a fine paste with a little water and set aside. Once the Paya has been boiling for 4 hours, turn the heat off. Strain the stock and keep the Paya aside. At this stage, the Paya might be slightly gelatinous and sticky, which means it needs a bit more cooking time along with the spices in the gravy.

4] Heat oil in a large heavy-based sauce pan. Add the onions along with the green chilies. Fry the onions and let the chilies infuse their flavor in the oil. Soften the onions on medium heat for five minutes. Now add the ginger and garlic paste. Stir well, cooking for a further 3 minutes until the raw flavor is gone. Add the roasted spices in the paste along with the ‘Paya Masala’ and fry mixing well for 5-7 minutes until you see the oil leaving the sides of the pan.

5]. Add the chili powder and stir. Lower the heat and add in the yogurt, a tablespoon at a time. Stir well to make sure it doesn’t curdle but enhances the flavors to form a rich gravy with all the spices. (If you need to take it off the heat do so for a minute while you mix the yogurt)

6]. Add the Paya to the gravy and switch the heat back to medium, coating all the pieces in the spice mix for 2-3 minutes. Ladle in most of the stock and bring the Paya curry to a boil. (Leave a couple of ladles of the stock aside for later.)

7] Simmer gently for a further hour. Make sure to stir it every 15 minutes. If you find the gravy is too thick you can add a little more of the left-over stock.

8] Season with salt and the juice of a lemon.

9] To serve, garnish with lots of fresh coriander and ginger cut into juliennes.

10] A rich dish like this needs really soft bread to soak in all the flavors and Rumali Roti works perfectly though you can even eat it with Kulchas, Chapatis or Naan.

RECIPE 3

SEMOLINA CAKE

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup semolina

¾ cup flour

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ cup vegetable oil

Half cup milk

Half cup (boiled) milk

METHOD:

1]Roast semolina and flour together in a non-stick pot for 4 to 5 minutes and keep aside.

2]Let it cool down.

3]Meanwhile, beat eggs and sugar together in a deep bowl for 2 minutes.

4]Add vanilla essence, baking powder and oil to it and mix again.

5]Now add the semolina and flour to it and mix well.

6]Grease a medium-sized baking dish and pour the batter in it.

7]Preheat the oven and bake the dish at 180 C for 20 minutes.

8]Insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean or it still needs to be done.

9] Unmold it and pour warm milk over it. Garnish with dry fruits.

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