In this article, we give you some easy to cook, and tasty to eat Indian recipes for iron-rich foods. These will help you improve your red blood cell count, improve haemoglobin levels and prevent anaemia. Cancer and cancer treatment can often cause anaemia.
Anaemia is a condition where you do not have a sufficient number of healthy red blood cells. In blood tests, this may also show up as lower than normal levels of haemoglobin. Anaemia is a common condition in cancer patients.
The recipes given below will help you eat better and prevent anaemia during and after your cancer treatment.
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Ragi Roti
Ingredients
2 cups ragi flour
¾ cup hot water
5 tbsp methi leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp jeera/cumin
1 tsp salt
3-4 finely chopped curry leaves
1 finely chopped onion
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp oil
Method
- In a large bowl, combine the ragi flour with the onions,methi leaves, coriander leaves, curry leaves, cumin, salt and ginger paste
- Add the hot water and mix well.
- Use the oil to knead the mix into dough. Use more water if required. The dough should be soft to touch.
- Heat a heavy bottomed tawa.
- Make small balls of the dough.
- Using your fingers flatten it into a thin roti shape.
- Roast it on the tawa, till both sides are golden brown.
- Serve with curd or butter.
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Buckwheat Dhokla / Kuttu Ka Dhokla
Ingredients
1 cup buckwheat flour
¼ cup little millet flour
½ cup curd
¼ tsp baking soda
5 finely chopped sprigs of coriander
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Freshly grated coconut (optional)
Method
- Combine all the ingredients except the baking soda in a large bowl.
- Add the oil and the baking soda to the mix.
- Grease dhokla plates and pour the batter.
- Steam for 12 minutes or till the centre is fully cooked.
- You can garnish with fresh grated coconut before serving.
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Pumpkin Rajma Soup
Ingredients
½ cup chopped pumpkin
¼ cup kidney beans (rajma)
½ tsp chopped garlic
½ tsp chopped coriander
Salt to taste
Method
- Pressure cook the rajma.
- Blend the pumpkins into a puree.
- Heat oil in a pan, add the garlic and saute till the raw smell disappears.
- Add the pumpkin puree.
- Add the rajma, with the salt and coriander. Mix it well together.
- Use some water if required, so that the mix has the consistency of a soup.
- Let it simmer.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Sprouts Soup
Ingredients
½ cup sprouts (any type of sprouts)
1 cup chopped vegetables like carrots, potato, pumpkin, bottle gourd etc
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp ginger
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 tsp butter
Method
- Pressure cook the vegetables and sprouts till soft.
- Puree the steamed vegetables and sprouts.
- Heat the butter in a deep pan, and add the ginger.
- Saute till the raw smell of ginger disappears.
- Add ¾ cup, salt and turmeric powder. Bring it to a boil.
- Add the puree and simmer.
- Sprinkle the cumin powder before serving.
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Spinach, Orange, Pomegranate Salad
Ingredients
1 cup fresh spinach
Seeds of 1/2 pomegranate
1 large orange
½ cup cooked tofu or grilled paneer
Almonds for garnish
For salad dressing
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Method
- Slice the orange segments into one inch pieces.
- In a blender, blend together all the ingredients of the salad dressing.
- Combine the spinach, pomegranate and the orange slices.
- Add the paneer/cooked tofu and the almonds. You can also toast the almonds if you prefer.
- Pour the salad dressing over the salad mix. Some may prefer to pour only half the salad dressing and keep the remaining half for adding as they eat the salad.
- Serve immediately.
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Almond Dates Ladoo
Ingredients
1 cup almonds
10 soft dates
2 tsps chia seeds
Method
- De-seed the dates.
- In a mixer or blender, crush the almonds, dates and chia seeds together.
- Roll the mix into ladoo shaped balls.
- You can store this in an airtight container, or in the refrigerator for longer durations.
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Til Chikki
Ingredients
1 cup white til /sesame seeds
1 cup jaggery
1 tsp ghee
Method
- Dry roast the sesame seeds till they splutter.
- In another pan, heat the ghee and add the jaggery.
- Keep stirring till the jaggery melts completely.
- Keep boiling the jaggery till it turns thick and glossy.
- You can test if you have reached the right consistency by dropping a bit of the jaggery syrup into a bowl of water. It should form a ball.
- Once you have reached the right consistency, turn the flame to low.
- Add the roasted sesame seeds and mix well.
- This paste will harden quickly, so you will need to work fast.
- Transfer the paste into a greased steel plate. You can also use butter paper instead of greasing the plate.
- Make sure the paste is spread thickly and evenly.
- While it is still warm, cut it into pieces.
- Serve after it has cooled down.
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Cauliflower and Methi Sabji
Ingredients
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup peeled and chopped potatoes
1 cups fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves
2 large chillies
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp jeera (cumin) seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida (hing powder)
Salt to taste
Method
- Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and saute.
- Add chopped chillies, turmeric and hing powder.
- Add the cauliflower and potato cubes. Mix well so that the spices are evenly coated.
- Add the methi leaves and salt to taste.
- Add water if required, and cook on low flame till the vegetables have softened.
- Serve with rotis or as a side dish with rice and dal.
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Egg & Chickpea salad
Ingredients
1 cup chickpeas (kabuli chana)
4 eggs
½ cucumber
¼ onion
2 spring onions
½ tbsp chopped mint leaves
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
For dressing
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 chopped garlic
½ tsp pepper powder
½ tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste
Method
- Pressure cook the chickpeas till soft but not too mushy.
- Hard boil the eggs. Peel them and place aside.
- Mix all the ingredients of the dressing.
- In a bowl, mix the cucumber, onions, spring onions, mint and coriander into the chickpeas.
- Half the boiled eggs and place them inside the same bowl.
- Pour the salad dressing over it.
- Serve immediately.
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Chicken Liver and Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
100 gms chicken liver (100 gm of chicken liver can be consumed weekly once)
1/2 cup green peas shelled
1 tomatoes
1 onion
½ cucumber
½ capsicum
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp lime juice
1 bay leaf
1 tsp allspice mix
Pepper and salt to taste
Method
- Boil the chicken liver in water, with the bay leaf and all spice mix, till the liver is soft.
- Drain the water. Once cool, chop the liver coarsely.
- Marinate the liver in pepper, vinegar and salt. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Chop the vegetables into bite sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix the vegetables with the liver pieces, add vegetable oil and let it infuse for 10 minutes.
- The salad is now ready to serve.
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Soya Upma
Ingredients
¾ cup of soya granules
½ cup grated carrot
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp urad dal
1 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds
¾ tsp ginger garlic paste
1 green chilli
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) for garnish
Method
- Soak the soya granules in water for 15 minutes, squeeze and drain them.
- Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds.
- Add the urad dal and saute till they are golden.
- Add the green chilli, ginger garlic paste and onions. Saute till the onions turn soft.
- On medium flame, add the carrots and the salt.
- Finally add the soya granules and mix well.
- Add the coriander leaves & lemon juice before serving.
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Tuna Fish and Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
1 cup tuna shredded pieces
1 small radish, thinly sliced
½ cup thinly sliced carrots
½ cup chopped cucumbers
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp sliced almonds
2 tbsp lime juice or any salad dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Steam or pan sear the tuna till just cooked.
- Add the vegetables and the lime juice.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Oats, Strawberry and Almond Milkshake
Ingredients
½ cup uncooked rolled oats
1 cup strawberries
1 cup plain yogurt or curd (not very sour)
1 cup milk (you can also use almond milk or soy milk)
½ banana
2 tsp honey
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Method
Mix all the ingredients together in a blend and make a smooth puree. Serve immediately.
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Halim (Garden Cress Seeds) Ladoo
Ingredients
½ cup halim seeds
½ cup chopped jaggery
¼ cup bombay rava or sooji (semolina)
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
1 tbsp ghee
¼ cup powdered almonds
Method
- Soak the halim seeds in water in a deep bowl for 3 hours.
- In a pan, heat the ghee and add the jaggery, halim seeds, semolina and mix well.
- Keep stirring on medium flame till the jaggery melts completely.
- Add the coconut and almonds and mix well.
- Transfer the mix into a plate to cool down slightly.
- Divide it into portions and roll into ladoo shaped balls.
- You can store these in an airtight container to preserve them for longer.
Click here to read more about why your blood count is affected by your cancer treatment.
