Growing microgreens (hydroponics method) at home. Step by step procedure)

Growing mucrogreens at home using hydroponics method is a project I have started a week ago. It's such a rewarding hobby. You can select whole green moong to start with. It's easy to grow, maintain and harvest.

Step :1

Day 1

 I have soaked a handful of green moong dal(washed it thrice) and after almost 8 hours. You will notice the whole moong has absorbed enough water and now double in size. Drain off the water.

Step : 2

Day :2

Take a sieve or a colander with lots of tiny holes. Place the soaked green moong in it.

Step : 3

Place a plate under the sieve or colander and pour a little water. Use a plate/net or an aracanut plate to cover. Allow the green moong to sprout.

Step : 4

You will see tiny sprouts peeking, you can either spray a little water or gently show the colander /sieve under the running water for a few seconds. Change the water in the plate beneath. Close the container with net or plate. Repeat the  process every single day.(Day 2,3,4,5 and 6)

Step : 5

If you wish you can enjoy the moong bean sprouts in your salads almost from 3 rd day as I did. Yet there will be a lot growing on your sieve.

Stepv: 6

Day :7 you will have the bean sprouts had turned into a tiny sapling with tender greenish yellowish leaves and you can harvest the microgreens. Remove the roots, wash and enjoy with your salads, soups and springrolls. It's yum.

Sharing with you articles on growing microgreens. These are from chefatlarge website and from my blog. We have explained different procedure to grow microgreens. 

https://jayanthisindianrecipes.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-simple-process-to-grow-microgreens-at.html?m=1

https://www.chefatlarge.in/featured/microgreens-at-home-101766/

Chilli mango mojito

A refreshing mango chilli mojito with a twist!

A cup of overriped mango slices, half a green chilli, a few ice cubes, a dash of chat masala and garnish with cilantro, serve in a tall glass. It's yum!

Try this If you are adventurous like me for new flavours and different taste.  I am in love with the green chillies.

Mango green chilli mojito 

Ingredients 

1 cup overriped mango slices 

1 cup water 

5 ice cubes

1/2 a slice green chilli

A pinch of chat masala 

A tiny piece of coriander leaves for garnish 

Method 

*In a mixer jar add mango slices, water, ice cubes and close the lid, run the mixer, make a smooth juice.

*Take a tall glass, pour the juice, adds pinch of chat masala and garnish with cilantro.

*Serve

I am sure you will enjoy the mild sweet, spicy, chilled juice with a desi flavour of chat masala and coriander leaves. 

Tomato pickle made from garden fresh tomatoes (tips for growing from seeds in garden)

I grow tomatoes from the overripe store bought tomatoes, It taste good when we grow them in small grow bags in the garden.

 

Tomato plants are easy to grow and require good care, as it grows long and spreads you should give support for the plant to grow well. A good plant will yield upto half a kilo tomatoes, if looked after well by providing manure and water, sunlight and exposed to rain. It's an asset to your garden. 

I love pickle especially its freshly made with home grown ingredients. sharing with you a simple recipe that I follow.

Tomato pickle made from raw green tomatoes.

Tomato pickle from garden fresh tomatoes. It's a very simple side dish for Roti or rice.

I have used the big green tomatoes. 

Tomato pickle 

Ingredients

Fresh tomatoes 10 

Dry Red chili broken four 

Ginger a small piece

5 green chilies 

Mustard 1 tsp

Methi seeds 1/2 tsp

Chana dal 1/2 tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder 2 tsp

Salt as required

Jaggery a tablespoon grated

Heeng a 1/4 tsp

Oil two tablespoon

Method 

*Wash and slice tomatoes and ginger.

 *Heat kadai and pour oil, add mustard seeds, methi, chana dal and dry red chilli

. *Let the mustard splutter

.* Add chopped tomatoes, ginger, green chilies, turmeric, heeng,salt and chilli powder. Mix well. 

*Add grated jaggery and cred chill powder. Mix well. Adjust salt.

* Cook in high flame till soft and tomatoes well cooked.

 *Taste delicious with Roti or rice.

Notes

For growing tomatoes at your garden, there are few points to remember 

1.Select good quality overriped tomato for seeds. 

2.Cut the tomato into halves or thin slices, let it sun dry. 

3.Place the dried seeds in a grow bag, filled with cocopeat, soil, vermicompost and néem pellets (this prevents meanly bugs from destroying the plant) 

4. Water should be just enough for the seeds to germinate, you may get a cluster of tiny saplings, after a weeks time select the healthy plant and gently place them in a separate grow bag or pot, I grow one plant in a small sized grow bag. 

5. Once the plant starts growing give it ample support as tomato plants are not sturdy and they need help to grow. 

6. The tiny yellow flowers eventually turn into baby tomatoes, water regularly and if you are in tropical climate you may get abundance of rain. 

7. It takes about 10 days for a tomato to be matured to pluck. 

8. I got about a kilo of fresh green tomatoes from three plants. 

9. They were fresh, juicy and I have used all of them to make pickle. Happy gardening!! 

 

Samosa.

Samosa is a delicious snack which we enjoy as anytime snack. Served with green chutney and tea. 

Ingredeints

To make dough

1 cup maida

3 tbsp sooji

2 tbsp oil/ghee

1 tsp ajwain 

Salt to taste

Water to knead stiff dough

To make the potato filling 

3 large potatoes, boiled, peeled and crumbled 

1/2 cup peas

1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped

1 green chilli

3 pods of garlic

1 tsp fennel seeds

2 tsp chopped coriander leaves

1/2 tsp haldi

1 tsp jeera powder 

1 tsp dhaniya powder

1 tsp red chilli powder 

2 tsp peanut oil/ghee 

1 tsp amchur /chat masala powder 

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method

* In a bowl add maida, ghee, ajwain and knead into a smooth stiff dough. Cover with a cloth and keep aside. 

To make the potato filling

* In a preheated pan pour oil/ghee, add fennel seeds, ginger, garlic, green chilli, saute well, cook for a while. 

*Add green peas, cook and add crumbled potatoes. 

*Add salt, haldi, coriander powder, jeera powder, red chilli powder, aamchur and garam masala. Mix well. 

*Finally add chopped coriander leaves. Keep it aside. 

* Divide the dough into 6 equal parts, use a clean bellan/rolling pin, roll the dough into  thin ovel shaped and cut them into half. 

*Make a cone as shown in the video, fill it with the potato filling and stick the sides  with water. 

*Continue making the entire set of samosas appropriately 12 of them. 

*Keep oil in the kadai, bring to medium heat, slowly put the Samosas and fry them two at a time. We have half cooked the Samosas and removed, later we fried it again in the evening to be served with tea. 

*Fry till golden brownish and crispy, serve with green chutney. 

*Its yum! 

Handvo a Gujarati dish

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Cut the handvo using a knife or pizza cutter. 

Flip the handvo and cook further for about 7 to 8 minutes in law flame, remember to put the lid. 

Cook the handvo for about 10 to 15 minutes in law flame in a large pan, use a lid. 

Batter for handvo made out of idly rava, grated carrots, sweet corn, curry leaves, curd and water. 

A quick tadka with peanut oil, jeera, rai and once they splutter add prepared batter. 

Serve handvo with green chutney. Its delicious and quick tiffin which can be made anytime. 

The recipe for handvo is quite easy and simple. All you need is time in hand to cook handvo in slow flame. 

Ingredients 

1 cup roasted sooji/idly rava(MTR) 

1 cup curd

1 cup water

1/2 cup grated carrot 

1 cup sweet corn 

1/2 inch grated ginger

1 green chilli thinly sliced

A few curry leaves roughly chopped 

Salt as required 

2 tablespoons of ghee/peanut oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds 

1/2 tsp jeera

Method 

*In a bowl mix in all the above ingredients to a smooth idly consistency batter. 

*In a large heated pan pour oil, add mustard, jeera and go for a quick splutter. 

* pour the prepared batter. 

* Reduce the flame and Place the lid, cook for about10 to 15 minutes. 

*Use another plate to remove the handvo, grease the pan with ghee/Leftover peanut oil, bring the uncooked side to cook, flip it into the pan. Cook for further 8 to 10 minutes by placing the lid. 

*off stove, remove handvo into a serving plate, garnish with chopped coriander, a teaspoon of molagai podi, cut into desired shape, serve with choice of your chutney. 

*Its a dish which requires a few techniques to nail it, I am happy with the results. 

Note : 1 sachet Eno if you are not using MTR idly rava mix, I have not added Eno as the idly rava mix has all the ingredients. 

Gulab jamun kofta gravy

Kadai Paneer

Paneer or cottage cheese is an ingredient which can be used in many ways. Today we made a delicious dish from scratch. Like we made the kadai masala by roasting the ingredients, made a powder out of it then proceeded to make the gravy.

Kadai Paneer 

Ingredients

300 grams paneer cut into desired shape 

3 medium sized onions (2 for gravy, one cut into large pieces to be cooked with paneer)

3 large tomatoes (2 for gravy, 1 for adding to the paneer)

2 inch ginger ( 1/2 tsp finely chopped and few julians for garnish)

2 capsicums (cut into lengthwise) 

2 carrots (peeled cut into 2 inch length)

For the kadai masala 

1 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp jeera

4 dry red chillies 

15 Black peppercorns

Make a dry roast, grind the ingredients into a coarse powder 

2 Bay leaves 

1 Cinnamon stick (1 inch long) 

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp jeera

1 tsp ginger garlic finely chopped or paste

2 tbsp ghee

1/2 tsp turmeric 

1/2 tsp red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp garam masala 

1 tsp chopped coriander leaves 

Method

*In a preheated kadai pour ghee add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, jeera and allow jeera to splutter. You can feel the mild fragrance of bay leaves and cinnamon. 

* Add chopped onions, saute for a while, add tomatoes and cook further, add dry masalas, a little water, pour 3 tbsp tomato purée,  cook till the ghee separates. 

* Remove the gravy from the kadai to the serving bowl. Keep aside. 

* Put the kadai back in the stove, pour 1 tbsp ghee add chopped onions, carrots, bell peppers, and finally sliced tomatoes, cook for few minutes. Add paneer slices, mix in add little salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, kadai masala and give a quick stir. 

*We will at this stage put the prepared gravy into the cooked paneer and vegetables. Mix in add little more water if required, finish with 3 tbsp cream, mix well, you will notice the brilliant colour comes to the kadai paneer, add leftover kadai masala, garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with freshly made phulkas.