The Wonder Grain

Sushmit Mukherjee
Apr 09, 2019 • 2 views

Dalia or cracked wheat is a cereal that is widely popular among India as a food which is high in protein, fiber and iron. It has been a part of the Indian cuisine since ages. With the trend inclining towards healthy living, we proactively choose to have a nutritious meal. Consider it a healthy trait or increasing passion to look great, something as basic as a bowl of dalia looks tempting to health enthusiasts.

Benefits of Dalia :

Good for your muscles:Yes, this nutritious diet works great for building muscles. Dalia is a rich source of proteins and if you are one of those who are looking to gain muscle mass, include dalia in your diet. It is loaded with essential vitamins. Eat a bowl of dalia and increase your protein intake.
Aids in weight loss:Dalia conatins high fibre content. It gives you a feeling of fullness and you do not indulge in over-eating. Include a bowl of dalia as your morning meal. It will provide you essential nutrients and you will feel energetic throughout the day. It is also low on calories. For example a bowl of dalia with milk has around 220 calories only.
For diabetic patients:For diabetics, dalia acts as a great healer. It contains low glycemic index and complex carbohydrates. This ensures a slow and steady release of glucose into blood. Dalia keeps your blood sugar levels under control - you consume less calories and manage your blood sugar levels.
Solution to constipation: Dalia is basically wheat with husk. Naturally, the husk makes this food rich in fibre, which cleanses the intestines and prevents constipation. Dalia with milk or vegetables should be consumed daily for best results. It also improves the consistency of stool, which helps relieve constipation.
Increases metabolism:This wholesome food is good for improving metabolism. It is a whole wheat product which enhances metabolism rate.
Provides essential nutrients: By providing essential nutrition to our body, this food is a great source of magnesium and iron.
A good source of energy: It is a good source of energy. Eat it after an intense workout session and you will replenish your lost energy.
Maintains cholestrol levels: Due to high fibre content, it helps in maintaining the cholesterol level of the body and is thus healthy for the heart.
Healthy weaning food: Dalia has been used traditionally as a weaning food for babies. Not just the fact that it is highly nutritious, but also because it is is free from any strong taste and smell and mixes easily with milk and veggies, it is one of the best weaning foods ever.
Prevents breast cancer:As per a few researches, Dalia is recommended to post menopausal women as it is believed to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Though conclusive researches are yet to prove it.
Great food for growing children: Dalia is a natural source of B-vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein and is much healthier than packaged foods as it has no preservatives. You can also make interesting dishes with it and hence it is an ideal food for growing children.
Easyto cook: One reason why dalia should be a part of your daily diet is that, it can be cooked easily and can be made into a number of recipes. You just need to boil it and add milk, veggies or tempering of your choice and enjoy.

How can it be prepared ?

Dalia is a food that is pretty easy to cook and involves simple recipes. It can be simply boiled with vegetables and had just like that with a little salt as per taste. It can also be made into khicdi (kedgeree, porridge), upma, and many more healthy recipes.

Dalia khichdi

This is a very simple preparation which is very delicious and healthy for all ages. It involves soaking the dalia with pulses and then boiling it with vegetables like beans, potato, carrots, etc. Salt might be added to it as per taste. It can be served hot with ghee or butter ( This step can be skipped by people who might want to leave out some extra calories).

information
pma

Daliya Upma is a perfect breakfast recipe which is wholesome, filling and full of fiber. This healthy recipe is less on oil and spices and can be an ideal breakfast for weight watchers, kids, pregnant and lactating mothers and those who want to eat clean and healthy food. This healthy breakfast recipe tastes the best when paired with sambhar and chutney. If you're a veggie lover then you may also add more vegetables of your choice like baby corn, capsicum, sweet corn and more. They will surely add a nice flavour and crunch to the upma recipe. You can also pack this Daliya Upma in your kids' lunch box as it is healthy yet filling. Apart from being easy-to-make, it is a super quick breakfast recipe which you can easily make without being late for your office. If you're keeping a close eye on your daily calories intake, then this Daliya Upma is the perfect option for you. This Upma recipe is quite common in South Indian households. You may also squeeze a lemon on top of the Daliya Upma recipe in the form of a garnishing as it will add a tangy flavour to the dish. You can also eat this Upma recipe as a snack by pairing it with a piping hot cup of tea or coffee

Ingredients
Ingredients for 2 Servings
1/2 cup broken wheat (dalia)
1/2 medium chopped onion
1 medium green chilli
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 cup peas
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon refined oil
1 handful chopped coriander leaves
1/2 cup water
Preparation
Step 1
For making this easy and healthy breakfast recipe, firstly clean and wash the broken wheat thoroughly under running water. Drain the excess water and keep the broken wheat aside till further use.

Step 2
Now add refined oil in a pressure cooker and heat it over moderate flame for a minute. Add the mustard seeds and once they start to splutter, add onions, green chilli and ginger. Saute the ingredients till the onions turn slightly pinkish in hue.

Step 3
After few seconds, add green peas, carrots, broken wheat and salt. Mix well and saute all these ingredients for 3- 4 minutes on medium-low flame. Add 2 1/2 cups of water in the mixture and pressure cook for 1 whistle. Once the vegetables and broken wheat is properly cooked, turn off the flame and transfer the Daliya Upma in a serving bowl. Garnish the healthy dish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with tea or coffee.