Papapya Milkshake

Papapya Milkshake is perfect for any day but during this hot summer it's even better to have. We get papaya regularly and I keep the papaya outside for longer time to get it ripen well, other than eating papaya just as fruit we can also make some juice, milkshake etc to make it more interesting and hydrate our-self well during hot summer days.

Ingredients:

• Frozen papaya slices
• 3/4 dairy milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• sugar

Method:

• Cut the papaya slices gently in medium sized slices from your original slices.
• Pour the milk into the blender
• Add the vanilla.
• Blend it for 1:30mins.
• Add sugar to taste; preferably 4 teaspoon of sugar while its blending.
• Stop blending when you like the texture.

Batata Vada

Batata Vada also popularly known as Aloo Vada is a delectable potato pattie that is much savoured during the Indian monsoons and is also a popular Indian street food favourite. In the recipe of Batata vada the boiled potatoes are spiced with green chillies and onions, then coated in a gram flour batter and deep fried, making this a delectable melt in the mouth tea time snack.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon chopped green chillies
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
• oil for deep frying
• salt to taste

Ingredients for batter:

• 1 cup gram flour
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• salt to taste

Method:

• Boil, cool, peel and roughly mash the potatoes. Grind green chillies and garlic together in a mixer and make a paste. In a bowl mix mashed potatoes, garlic-green chillies paste, coriander leaves, quarter teaspoon of turmeric powder and salt. 
• Heat two tablespoons of oil in pan, add mustard seeds, when they crackle, add curry leaves, asafoetida. Remove from heat and add to the potato mixture. Add lemon juice and mix well. Make equal sized balls of the above mixture. Keep aside. 
• Take besan in a bowl, add soda bi-carbonate, remaining turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, one tablespoon of hot oil and enough water and whisk to make a batter of coating consistency. Cover and rest the batter for fifteen minutes.
• Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Dip the potato mixture ball in the batter and deep fry till golden. Drain and place them on an absorbent paper. Serve hot with coconut chutney or spicy garlic chutney.

Jalebi Recipe

Jalebi Recipe is a delicious mithai dish that you can make right in your own kitchen. The Jalebi is a traditional sweet dish that is made on every festival, special occations and monsoons. And so much so even homes make this dish to celebrate the occation. This homemade Jalebi recipe is actually very easy to prepare and tastes absolutely delicious. Festivals like Diwali are incomplete without the preparation of this sweet dish.

Ingredients:
For the jalebi batter 

• 1 cup plain flour (maida)
• 1 tsp besan (Bengal gram flour)
• 1/2 tsp fresh yeast, crumbled
• 1 tbsp melted ghee
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 drops yellow food colour

For the sugar syrup:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• a few saffron (kesar) strands
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice

Other ingredients: 

• ghee for deep frying

Method:

For the jalebi batter: 

• Sieve the flour and gram flour together.
• Dissolve the yeast in 1 tablespoon of water.
• Mix the flour mixture, yeast solution, ghee, sugar and lemon yellow food colouring with 2/3 cup of water to make a thick batter, making sure no lumps remain.
• Keep aside for 10 minutes.

For the sugar syrup:

• Dissolve the sugar with 1/2 cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes till the syrup is of 2 string consistency.
• Add the saffron and lemon juice and mix.
• Remove from the fire and keepa aside.

How to proceed :

• Heat the ghee in a broad saucepan [the ghee should be approximately 25 mm. (1") deep].
• Fill the jalebi batter into a piping bag with a single hole nozzle or a thick colth with a small hole in the centre which is finished with button-hole stitch.
• Press out round whirls into the hot ghee working closely from outside to the centre of the whirl [approx. 50 mm. (2") diameter].
• Deep fry the jalebis till golden brown and transfer into warm sugar syrup.
• Drain immediately and serve hot.

Tips:

• Do not allow the jalebi batter to overferment. Fry the jalebis immediately once the batter has rested for 10 minutes.
• RECIPE SOURCE : Roz ka KhanaBuy this cookbook
• Ensure the batter is thick and firm, or else they won’t retain the shape of the jalebis. The oil for frying should be medium hot. If it is too hot, the jalebis will end up burnt.
• Also make sure you keep the heat on low when you pipe the jalebis into the oil, this will ensure you can see the circles you are piping and also the jalebis will rise up slowly.

Sunday 5 April 2015

Sweet Lassi

This sweet yogurt drink is refreshing in hot summers. Lassi is another cooling and refreshing drink to have in the summers. sweet lassi is quite popular in punjab and north india. It is very popular yogurt based drink in Indian subcontinent. This drink is very good for hot summer afternoons when one wants to take a nap. It produces drowsiness and helps to sleep soundly with revitalizing all the body systems. It is rich in nutrients.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 cups yogurt/curd, chilled
• 7-8 tsp sugar or as required
• ½ cup water or cold milk
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 pinch saffron (optional)
• 6-7 almonds or shelled pistachois, chopped or sliced (optional)
• 1 tsp rose water (optional)
• ice cubes while serving the lassi

Method: 

• Take the yogurt, cardamom powder, water and sugar in a blender.
• You can also blend with a hand blender or use the traditional madani.
• Blend till the yogurt is evenly blended.
• Don't over do as then you will get butter floating on top.
• Serve lassi in tall glasses.
• Add crushed ice cubes, garnish lassi with some cardamom powder and sliced almonds.
• Serve the sweet lassi.
• You can also chill lassi and then serve.

Notes:

• You can also add a pinch of saffron for extra flavour.
• Actually you can top up more cream by pouring the lassi and then adding cream alternatively till you reach the rim of the glass.
• You can use slightly use sour curd which works best.
• No need to whisk the malai to a creamy texture as you need to feel the malai texture in your mouth while drinking

Falooda Ice-cream

falooda recipe for the summers. one dessert beverage which is our favorite. i don’t have a single recipe of a basic falooda or its variations except for a vegan recipe of strawberry falooda made with almond milk.This summer - time favourite is almost a meal. Serve it at high tea or after "bhel puri'.

Ingredients:

• 36 tsp rose syrup
• 12 scoops vanilla ice-cream
• 6 3/4 cups chilled milk
• 3 tbsp falooda seeds (subza)
• 75 gms cornflour

Method:

• Soak the sabja seeds in enough water for about 30 mins. when they swell up, drain them and keep aside.
• Prepare the falooda sev according to package instructions. some require just soaking the falooda sev in warm water. i had to cook them in boiling water much like noodles. once they are cooked, rinse them in water and keep aside. just chop them before cooking if they are long. the ones i had got, were already small sized.
• In about 4 tall serving glasses each, add the rose syrup first. you can add about 1.5 to 2 tbsp rose syrup depending on your taste as well as the size of the glass. 2 tbsp of rose syrup make it more sweet.
• Then add the soaked and drained sabja seeds.
• Add the falooda sev.
• Add about 3/4 to 1 cup chilled milk in a slow stream taking care that the milk does not mix with the rose syrup and the sabja seeds. the layers have to be visible and that is what makes the falooda visually appealing.
• Finally add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Top with sliced pistachios, golden raisins and sliced almonds. serve falooda immediately.

How to serve:

• Put 3 teaspoons of rose syrup 1 tablespoon of soaked falooda seeds and 1 tablespoon of falooda "sev" in each glass. Fill the glass uotp three - quarters and top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.
• RECIPE SOURCE : Pleasures Of Vegetarian CookingBuy this cookbook

Friday 3 April 2015

Sweet and Sour Mango Pickle

I am not very fond of pickles and one of the very few pickles I relish are the sweet mango pickle and garlic thokku.I am always sweet toothed and that carries in my taste for pickles too :) Amma make mango thokku, and instant mango pickle both sweet and the spicy versions. I love this sweet version more...I even eat it as such but it is best when served with curd rice, unbeatable combo I can say!Sweet mango pickles are very special. The mangoes chosen for this pickle should be firm and under ripe. They are peeled, cut into thin slices and simmered in sugar syrup with garlic, cloves, bay leaf, peppercorns, spiked with chilli powder and fennel seeds. The mango flesh softens but stays intact and blends easily with the sugar and spices without losing its original flavour. You can use any variety of raw mangoes, if the Rajapuri variety is not available. This pickle will complement the kashmiri rotis to perfection. Stored refrigerated, this should last you for upto one year.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups (315 grams) raw mangoes (preferably Rajapuri) sliced
• 1 3/4 cups (350 grams) sugar
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 cloves (laung / lavang)
• 2 bayleaves (tejpatta)
• 5 to 6 black peppercorns (kalimirch)
• 2 whole dry kashmiri red chillies
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds (jeera), crushed
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tbsp cashewnuts (kaju)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method:

• Combine the sugar with 2½ cups of water in a pan. Cook over a slow flame till the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
• Add the mango slices, garlic, cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns and red chillies and cook over a very slow flame for about 30 to 35 minutes.
• This pickle is ready when the sugar syrup is of one string consistency and the mango pieces are soft and translucent.
• Remove from the fire, add the fennel seeds, cumin seeds, chilli powder, cashewnuts
  

  and salt and mix well.
• Allow it to cool completely. Bottle in a sterilised glass jar and store refrigerated for upto 1 year.

Aam Ka Achaar | Spicy Raw Mango Pickle

During the mango season in the summer in Punjab, one can see at least two or three earthenware jars full of pickled raw mangoes maturing in the sun outside homes. This typical Punjabi recipe for making mango pickle is most popular in the region. The combination of fennel seeds, nigella seeds with mustard and other pickling spices is what distinguishes this mango pickle from its Gujarati counterpart methia keri. Sun-dried mangoes used in this pickle impart a salty chewy taste and also improve the shelf life of the pickle. Alternatively, use mangoes in brine, just drain the mangoes out of the brine solution and mix them with pickling spices. This is a very simple recipe to follow. Just keep in mind the basics of pickle making - use a clean sterilised jar, see that there is no moisture and ensure that mustard oil forms a covering layer over the ingredients in the jar

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of cut mangoes with skin 
• 1/4 cup salt
• 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon asafoetida powder
• 2 tablespoons halved fenugreek seeds (methi kuria)
• 2 tablepoons halved mustard seeds (rai kuria)
• 1/4 cup red chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds (saunf), coursely pounded
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 cup of mustard oil

Equipment:

• Large ultra sharp serrated knife
• A large bowl with lid for marinating, a small frying pan
• One or two large glass air tight bottles or canisters for storing the pickle

Method:

• Wash the mangoes and dry them completely making sure there is no moisture or dust. Make sure your knife and the platform you use for cutting the mangoes is clean and moisture free. Cut the mangoes in half, deseed and further cut them into one inch cubes.
• In a large bowl, combine one cup salt, turmeric powder and cut mangoes. Allow it to marinate overnight or 8 hours until the mangoes release a large quantity of water.

• Drain the water from the mangoes and keep the water aside. Dry the mangoes on paper towels for about 8 hours/ overnight, so they lose the excess moisture.
• Heat a small pan on medium heat, and roast the coriander seeds until you start smelling the aroma. Turn off heat and allow it to cool. Once cooled, using a pestle and mortar to coarsely crush the coriander seeds to half.
• In a large bowl, combine the mangoes, the remaining salt and all the other ingredients except the oil.
• Fill the above mango mixture tightly into a bottle and keep aside covered for a day, about 24 hours.
• Heat the oil in a sauce pan to boiling point and allow it to cool completely while covered. Once cooled add the oil to the bottled mango mixture.
• It takes approximately two to three weeks for the aam ka achaar to marinate itself and get the flavours from the masala. Best flavour and tenderness in the pickle comes after a month of marination.

Using and Storage Instructions:

• Moisture is the biggest killer for pickles; in humid and hot conditions it is best to store the pickle in the refrigerator. Wait for the pickle to get marinated for a month before you refrigerate.
• Make sure the lid is closed tight at all times without letting moisture in
• Use a clean dry spoon so that there is no moisture when you take the pickle out of the bottle.
• For easier and regular usage, transfer little amounts to a smaller jar.

Note:

• You can use the drained water from the mangoes into cooking rice or into a lentil preparation. They taste delicious.

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