Happy 69th Independence Day of India my friends.

The above National Flag of India has three colors and that is why it is called Tiranga, meaning tricolor –has three horizontal bars of saffron, white and green, and is embossed in the middle with a blue wheel.
The upper saffron part of the flag is meant to denote courage and selflessness.
The white stripe in the middle of the flag is representative of honesty, purity and peace
The green stipe on the bottom half of the flag represents faith, fertility and prosperity.
The circular symbol in the center of the flag, the Ashoka chakra, is the wheel of the dharma

I feel so Proud to be an Indian, and want to make India better and Proud. India is a country of versatility, where you can find a different food and different language after every 8 kilometers. Yes, this is the beauty of our nation , where a mix of numerous cultures and habits all together reside in a same country. As a food blogger , I feel that if I only blog on Indian food recipes, I will not be short of ideas till my whole life 😀

This time team DFT is happily celebrating Independence day with recipes representing the Tricolors of Indian Flag

I am proud DFT blogger.
Creating recipes with a cause.
To learn about DFT click here
To find more DFT recipes click here

My Recipe is the one which you can see in the last row of the above collage 🙂
Yes , you figured it right …It is TriColor oats Dhokhla

Dhokhla is a very healthy dish which Originally belongs to the state of Gujarat, India. Traditionally it is made with chick peas flour ( Besan) and yogurt and is steamed. To add flavor it is tempered with some mustard seeds and curry leaves along with lime juice. This time when I got to know that the theme of DFT is Tri colors, I decided to make Dhokhla with Oats flour.

I had once read Oats Dhokhla recipe by Master Chef Tarla Dalal , and had saved it in my favroites. So I checked it again and took an idea as to how can I present my own Oats dhokhla with three colors in it. I used Spinach for green, Carrots for saffron and kept white batter as it is for making my TRICOLOR DHOKHLA

I recommend that per person potion should be 3-4 pieces for a diabetic person. As this has semolina also , so more than that is not advisable.

Here is the Recipe of this delicious and healthy version of Dhokhla- For reading more health benefits of this recipe, check the notes below.

Ingredients

FOR BATTER
1 cup coarsely powdered quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup semolina (rava)
1/4 cup fresh low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 tsp red chilli garlic sauce
1/2 tsp ginger- green chilli paste
1/2 cup chopped spinach (palak)
1.5 tsp fruit salt( ENO)
salt- to taste
FOR TEMPERING
1tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
5 curry leaves
1-2 green chilies split into halves
1 tbsp-Shredded coconut for Garnish

Method
1.Combine the oats, semolina, curds, salt and 1 cup of water in a deep bowl, mix well and keep aside for 15 minutes.
2.Boil the spinach leaves for 10 minutes in an open pan and then drain it under running tap water. This will blanch the spinach. Blend it in a mixer grinder to make a smooth puree.
3. Grind the carrots also and make a puree.
4.Now divide the Oats batter into 3 parts and to one part mix spinach puree, ginger chili paste and mix well.

5. To another part mix the carrot puree and red chilly garlic paste.
6. Now add 1/2 tsp fruit salt and 1tbsp of water to each of these batters and give a light stir. When the bubbles form, mix gently.
5.Pour the green batter into a deep thali or dhokhla Pan and shake the thali clockwise to spread the batter in an even layer. Steam for 5 minutes in a steamer and then open the pan. You will see that the upper green layer will become little stiff. Now spread the white batter over it and spread again.
6.Steam in a steamer for other 5 minutes or till the white layer also becomes stiff. Now spread the last saffron layer on top and spread again. Let is steam for another 7-8 minutes. You will see that the Dhokhla is evenly cooked.
7.Keep aside to cool for 3 to 4 minutes and prepare the tempering.
9. For tempering heat a tbsp. of oil in a small pan, put mustard seeds. Let them crackle and then add curry leaves and green chilies. Fry them for a minute and then spread all over the dhokhla.

10. Now Cut the dhokhla into pieces and garnish with shredded coconut and lime juice and serve hot.
Enjoy this recipe,
Thanks,

Swati

BENEFITS OF OATS
oats have a lower glycemic index and help to balance glucose levels for better diabetes control and prevention of related complications. Oatmeal has this effect because it increases the viscosity or thickness of the contents of the stomach, slowing digestion and prolonging the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This also gives the body a stable, long-term source of energy.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/450065-oatmeal-for-diabetes/
BENEFITS OF SPINACH & CARROTS
The American Diabetes Association calls spinach a diabetes superfood and recommends that you regularly include this dark green leafy non-starchy vegetable in your diet. Besides being rich in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, spinach possesses a low glycemic index, which means eating it will help support healthy and stable blood glucose levels.
Modern diabetic diets do not completely restrict any specific food or foods, including carrots. Diabetics can choose from a variety of food plans, including an exchange system, a diet based on the glycemic index, or a carbohydrate-counting plan that allows for a specific amount of carbohydrates per meal. Chopped carrots have just 12 grams of carbs per cup, so it takes a full cup of carrots to count as a single vegetable serving when using a diabetes carbohydrate exchange system.

BENEFITS OF YOGURT
Yogurt provides calcium, vitamin D, protein, and, in some brands, probiotics. For many people, it adds to an overall healthy diet, while some even claim it will lenghten their lives.Higher intake of yogurt is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
For information please refer to these links
http://www.m.webmd.com/default.htm
http://www.livestrong.com
http://www.diabetes.orgI
http://www.idf.org/membership/sea/india/diabetic-association-of-india
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/making-healthy-food-choices/non-starchy-vegetables.html
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/can-diabetics-eat-carrots-10947.html

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Disclaimer
I am not a nutritionist or dietician. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet.

Please check the other wonderful DFT team recipes
SuchiTricolor-quinoa-masala-dosa
SonalVegetable cocktail cutlets
ShailjaTicolor cocktail millet idli
SarikaPaneer Tikka
ParvathyCauliflower rice pulav
PrachiSkinny Shahi Paneer
ChahatTri color Pasta
ApsaraTri color Paniyaram
VidhyaTricolor Dosa