Recipes for Iron-rich Diet during Cancer Treatment

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.

• Table of Contents

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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. 

• 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. 

• 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. 

• 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. 

• 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.

• 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. 

• 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. 

• 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. 

•  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. 

• 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. 

• 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. 

• 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.

• 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. 

• 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.