#HealthBytes: Five simple ways to use broccoli in your dishes
A popular green veggie, Broccoli is a powerhouse of nutrients and offers various health benefits. Rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, carotenoid compounds, antioxidants, and many essential minerals, broccoli can help reduce cholesterol, maintain blood sugar levels, and is good for your heart health. So, include this power veggie into your diet. Here's how you can use it in your kitchen.
Broccoli Bajji
Thoroughly mix gram flour, rice flour, red chilly powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add water to make a thick paste. Then, heat some oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, dump a few broccoli florets. When the florets are well coated with the batter, put them in oil and deep fry. Drain excess oil in a paper towel. Serve hot.
Broccoli soup
Heat olive oil in a pot, and add onions, garlic, capsicum, potato, and broccoli. Saute for a couple of minutes and add flour. Add one cup of water and cook for about 10 minutes. Let it cool for a while and blend in a mixer. Put the pureed soup back to the soup pot. Add the remaining water and heat. Add salt, pepper powder, cumin powder, as per taste.
Broccoli parantha
Wash broccoli and cut into florets. Next, bring some water to boil and add ten odd florets to it with salt. After two minutes, remove the florets and grind into a fine paste with turmeric powder, garlic, garam masala and green chillies. In a bowl, add wheat flour, the ground mixture, some minced onions, carom seeds, and salt. Knead it, and finally prepare paranthas.
Broccoli Bhurji
Wash the broccoli, chop into florets, and then cut them into smaller pieces. Heat some oil in a pan, and pop mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves. Saute chopped onions and green chillies. Add the chopped broccoli, required salt, and let it cook for a few minutes. Finally, use this while preparing your regular Egg bhurji.
Steamed broccoli
You will need one crown broccoli and salt. Start by washing the broccoli. Cut it into florets. For the stems, peel the thick outer skin and cut lengthwise. Fill about one inch water in a sauce pan, and boil it. Then put the broccoli florets in a steamer basket and place inside the pan. Steam for 3-4 minutes. Finally, drain excess water, and serve.
