Dhokla

An Indian spicy & tasty breakfast dish made with gram flour, grated coconut, lemon salt, cooking soda and seasonings.

1. Sieve the flour, add sufficient water and make a fine batter.
2. To this batter, add lemon salt, sugar, cooking soda, turmeric, salt to taste and mix well until the batter rises and foam forms.
3. Add water to the pressure cooker and boil for some time. In another small bowl, add the batter and arrange in the cooker. Cook the batter on steam for 15 minutes.
4. Remove bowl from the cooker, cut the dhoklas into diamond shapes and arrange them on a plate.
5. Heat oil in a pan and season with mustard seeds, red chilies, asafoetida, green chilies and pour over the dhoklas.
6. Sprinkle grated coconut on the top of the dhoklas, garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
   Serves: 6
   Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking For Health: Garlic
Of all plants with medicinal purposes, garlic is probably the most widely hailed. It’s been said to bolster the immune system, prevent cancer and heart disease, and act as an antibiotic. Even ancient Greek literature abounds with anecdotes about the wondrous qualities of garlic. It’s one of those foods that have more than nutritional benefits. The allium family – including garlic, onions and leeks – contains a chemical called allicin that may curb cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.
Although garlic’s role as a cancer fighter has not passed rigorous testing, the evidence that it can lower cholesterol is strong. A survey of 16 clinical trials found garlic lowered cholesterol by 12 percent. Not all supplements work as well as plain garlic, so stick with the fresh stuff.
How much do you need? To lower your cholesterol, try one or more cloves a day, chopped or crushed.