Winter Wellness With Mooli (Radish): Health Benefits And Unique Ways To Add Into Your Diet

Winter rings in, and our tummies start craving for ‘mooli’ aka radish in salads, pickles, ‘paranthe’ and what not. This root vegetable is in season during the winter; hence, you get access to the fresh and best quality as  it is  farm-to-fork at this time of the year. 

While we guess you have been binge eating on ‘mooli’ aka radish-rich dishes, you probably had no clue that this vegetable is quite a health booster as well.

Here are a couple of health benefits you can enrich your body with, from just eating dishes that have ‘mooli’ in them.

• For starters, radish is rich in vitamin C, hence, it supports the immune system during the winter months.
• Secondly, radish has a high fibre content which helps in digestion and prevents common winter digestive problems.
• Radish contains potassium which supports heart health that is very crucial during the winter season.
• Due to their warming properties, consuming radish in winter not only promotes blood circulation but also gives warmth to your body in frigid temperatures.
• Antioxidants present in radish help fight oxidative stress that protects your body from winter-related illnesses.

Let us now take you through some handpicked dishes that are quick and easy to make, using which you can include ‘mooli’ aka radish in your diet during the winter months.

‘Radish aka Mooli Ka Paratha’:

For the stuffing:

• ¾ cup grated radish
• ¼ cup radish leaves
• 1 to 2 chopped green chillies 
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• ¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves 
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon dry mango powder aka ‘amchur’ 
• Salt to taste

For the dough:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups water
• 4  tablespoons ghee or oil for cooking
• 1 cup of wheat flour for dusting
• Salt to taste

How To Prepare:

• In a mixing bowl, add grated radish, radish leaves, chopped green chillies, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander leaves, coriander powder, dry mango aka ‘amchur’ powder and salt to taste and mix them well.
• Next, knead a soft dough with the whole wheat flour.
• Roll the dough into balls or ‘pedas’.
• Cook it from both sides over medium flame with oil or ghee on a ‘tawa’ or a flat non-stick pan.

Fresh And Zesty Radish Salad:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sliced radish
• 1 cup sliced onion 
•  1 cup sliced cucumber 
• ½ cup olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 
• 1 clove garlic (minced) 
•  1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill leaves
• 1 teaspoon white sugar 
• 1 teaspoon salt 

How To Make:

• Add the sliced radishes, red onion, and cucumber in a bowl
• Top it with white wine vinegar and olive oil
• Add fresh dill, garlic, white sugar, and salt 
• Give the salad a mix using a spatula 
• And there you have it, a delish winter radish salad!

Radish Soup:

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon butter 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 to 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 medium sized potato peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 cups sliced radishes
• 2 cups radish leaves
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• Salt to taste

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How To Make:

• Saute the onions with salt and pepper.
• Next, add potatoes and water.
• Then cook the radish leaves and chicken stock.
• Blend with the heavy cream, mustard, and cayenne pepper.
• Garnish and serve the soup.

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Here’s hoping you have a healthy and mouthwatering ‘mooli’ binge this winter!