The bleak winter might make everything seem colourless, but it brightens the vegetables and fruits. Our platters can always be full of exciting colours from winter vegetables. On normal days, they might not sound like an appealing comfort meal idea, but there's a reason why a bounty of these natural produce grabs our attention.
Our body requires essential nutrients to function properly and go through the seasonal changes. Winter is a season of chill, and as warm-blooded mammals, we need to keep our blood and muscles from being frosted with winter chill. Vegetables of the season like greens, cauliflower, cabbage, and more are best suited for consumption during this time of the year. Today we will share with you seven of the most filling vegetables and the best recipe associated with them that can provide warmth to your body and also decorate your platter to make every meal exciting.
1) Spinach
Spinach is packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, which are essential for the body to fight infections and allergies. It is available abundantly during the winter season. Being a versatile ingredient, spinach can go well as a meal, snack, or drink. The best recipes that can be made with spinach during the winter are spinach thepla, spinach pakoda, methi palak ki sabji, palak paneer, and falafels.
2) Carrot
The most widely eaten vegetable during the winter is the carrot. Carrots are linked with vitamin A and are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants required during the winter. They are one of the most popular vegetables worldwide, not just in India. The reason is obvious—it does much more than just being a salad. Including carrots in a daily winter diet can help in several ways. The most beloved carrot dish is gajar ka halwa. Apart from that, you can also make carrot paratha, cakes, bread loaf, carrot rice, and soup to include it in breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
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3) Radish
Another superfood to include in your diet this winter is radish. From its leaves to its roots, each part of radish is rich in flavour and nutrition. In Indian culture, radish greens are mostly used to create mooli saag, a gravy that is a delicious and nutrient packed meal. It pairs beautifully with roti as well as rice. Other recipes that can be made using radish are mooli ka paratha, radish raita, mooli thecha, and bhurji too. Radish is also enjoyed on a salad plate that accompanies sliced cucumber, tomatoes, and carrots with a hint of salt and robust pepper.
4) Peas
Fresh peas are found abundantly in the market during the winter. It generally goes well with everything and is packed with proteins that provide warmth to withstand the cold air of the season. From matar paneer and peas pulao to puri and kachori, numerous winter snacks and dishes can be made with it. You can include peas in your everyday diet by using them with pulao, dal, rice, and sabji however you like. The most loved pea dishes in India are hara bhara kebab, matar aaloo, nimona, and matar paratha. They are also used alongside the preparation of non-vegetarian dishes like kheema masala, meat curries, and pulav as well.
5) Fenugreek
Fenugreek, or methi, is a resourceful and widely used leafy vegetable in India. We might’ve all grown up eating methi ka paratha, methi ki sabji, and methi seeds achar in our childhood. Methi leaves have a number of therapeutic benefits and keep the body comfortable in the winter by providing warmth. You can include methi leaves in your salads as well as use its seeds with various sabji recipes to give them a slightly pungent flavour. While most of the elders in the family may suggest taking methi mixed with curd when you feel gassy or bloated, the seeds are ground to a flour with rice to make malt and porridge delights in South India.
6) Cabbage
Cabbage is a hardy green veggie that lasts a long time in the pantry. It can be incorporated into your diet in various ways. You can add it to your salads for a crunchy twist or mix it into pasta sauces for added flavour. Try making parathas with cabbage for a tasty and wholesome option. The popular ways to enjoy cabbage dishes is by preparing patta gobhi ki sabji, a delicious side dish for your rice or roti meals. So, whether you want a crisp addition to your salads or a hearty accompaniment to your main course, cabbage is a reliable and tasty choice for your winter meals.
7) Cauliflower
Just like cabbage, cauliflower is also a good veggie to add to your winter diet. It is a versatile vegetable that can be found all year but is most prominent during the winter. Cauliflower can be prepared in different ways. One of the ongoing trends with cauliflower is brushing olive oil on it, sprinkling some cheese on it, and putting it entirely in the microwave to bake it until roasted. Other dishes that you can make with cauliflower are gobhi paratha, aloo gobhi ki sabji, gobhi manchurian, and gobhi pulao.
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