Mint-lemon & Ginger Juice- Cool drink for summer

Mint leaves are aromatic and  are fast growing. They have so many health benefits in it. Due to their speedy growth, one plant of each desired mint,along with a little care will provide more than enough mint for home use.

Mostly it used for teas, bevarages, chutneys , mint rice , Biryani , and so many things.....

  It can also used as a beauty products. The leaves have a pleasant warm, fresh,aromatic,sweet flavor with a cool

after taste. Mint was orginally used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache , heart pain , and it is commonly used in a form of tea as a home remedy to help alleviate stomach pain. 

Here goes my version........

Ingredients:

Mint(pudina leaves) - 20 

Ginger - 1 inch 

Lemon juice  - 1 1/2 

Sugar - as per ur taste

Water - 2 glasses 

Salt - a pinch

Method:

Wash and clean the mint leaves and  blend it well with ginger and half cup of water cold water and strain it.

Add lemon juice , salt and sugar and mix well.

Serve immediately with ice cubes...

Enjoy drinking it.....................

MIXED VEGETABLE BIRYANI

Biryani is the favorite dish for everyone. This is very easy dish to make and we dont have to make any sabzi like other items. It is so healthy because it has all the vegetables and  we have to take very little effort to make biryani. 

Here you go for the recipe

Preparation time : 15 min

Cooking time :15-20 min (In rice cooker or in normal cooker)

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 2 cups

Bay leaves - 2 

Cinnamon - 1 small piece

Aniseeds - 1 (optional) 

Cloves - 2 

curd - 1/2 cup 

onions - 1 big ( Sliced)

Tomato - 1 medium

Ginger garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp 

Green chillies - 2-3 (slited)

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp 

Carrot - 1/2 cup 

Beans - 1/2 cup 

Potato - 1/2 cup 

Peas - 1/2 cup 

Mint - 2-3 leaves 

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Water - 3 1/2 cup 

Salt to taste 

Oil 

Method:

Clean and soak basmati rice for  20-25 min in warm water.

Chop all the vegetables or you can use mixed vegetable frozen one. Keep it aside.

Heat oil add bay leaves , cloves , cinnamon, then add onion,green chillies saute till they are brown.

Then add ginger garlic paste, tomatoes, Mint leaves & turmeric powder. Once the tomatoes cooked well,add the vegetables and cook for 5 min.

Then drained the water from rice  and mix well so that the rice is well coated with veggies. keep it in low flame.

Then add curd, salt to taste and 3 1/2 cup of water. 

Pressure cook the rice for 2 whistle or keep it in rice cooker.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

 

 

    

DAL PALAK

Dal plays such an important role in Indian cooking. It is rich in protein and dal contain more nutritional value. I cook leafy vegetable atleast 3 times a week. I try to make simple, tasty and healthier veggie recipes everyday.

Dal palak is an amazing dish that can be served either with rice or roti. I got this recipe from my mom and refered many websites and created my own.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup toor dal

1/4 cup moon dal

4- 5 garlic pods

1 onion medium size

1 tomato

2 cups of chopped spinach

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Salt

For tempering:

1 tsp oil or ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

2-3 green chillies

Mustard seeds + urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Hing - a pinch

Method:

Take a pan roast moon dal nicely until raw smell goes, make sure they are not getting burnt.

Wash toor dal nicely, mix both the dals and add 2 cup of water, green chillies , turmeric powder, garlic pods, coriander powder , palak , tomato and cook for 3-4 whistles.

Allow it to cool. Mean time, take pan add oil , when oil is hot add mustard seeds, urad dal, hing, cumin seeds, when they start to splutter add onions saute well till onions turn pink.

Mash the cooked dal & palak and add to the tempering and cook for 2-3 min.Add salt & mix well. cook on low flame after 5 min switch off the flame.

Serve hot with rice or roti.

RIDGE GOURD SABZI

Ingredients:

Ridge gourd - 2 

onion - 1 medium 

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Oil

Salt to taste 

Tempering:

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 3-4 

Method:

Wash & peel ridge gourd. chop into cube shape.

Heat oil in a pan put mustard seeds , urad dal & curry leaves. Add chopped onion & saute well till pink in color.

Add the chopped ridge gourd and add turmeric powder and salt. Cover it with lid and cook for 5 min. Remove the lid and stir well and add chilli powder , coriander powder and cook for 10 more min or till the ridge gourd cooked .

Serve with roti or rice.

AKKI ROTI

This is one of the very tasty recipe and iam very eager to make this recipe. you can make this recipe with the left over rice and it will be take only 10-15 mins to make this yummy recipe. I usually like more tiffin items when compared to rice varities so my mom use to do this recipe very often. I hope you all will try and enjoy this recipe.....

Ingredients:

Left over rice or new rice - 2 cup

Chopped onion - 1/2 cup ( small onions will be more tasty)

Chopped green chillies - 3 -4

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup ( optional)

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbl spoon

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Grated carrot - 1/2 cup ( optional)

Asafoetida - a pinch

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil for roasting

Salt .

Method:

In a large bowl mash the rice very well or mix it with blender and mix all ingredients with little oil and with warm water.

Spread some oil on hand & make it like roti.

Make 3-4 holes on the roti and pour few drops of oil and cook well in medium flame.

RED RADISH KURMA

I always use to make sambar with radish but this time i tried something new and it came out very yummy. It is very easy and we can make it within 15-20 min. I use to refer so many blogs to make a dish of my own. we had this with chappati for dinner and it was so yummy.

Ingredients:

Red radish - 14-15

Chopped onion - 1 medium size

Chopped tomatoes - 1

Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp(as u like it)

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Coconut milk - 3 tsp

Oil

Salt to taste

Seasoning:

Mustard seeds + urad dal - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 3-4 ( optional)

Method:

Clean and peel the radish and boil it in pressure cooker for 3 whistle or until soft.

Heat oil in a pan add the seasonings when they start to splutter add onions fry it till becomes light brown and then add tomatoes till it becomes soft.

Add the boiled radish , salt , chilli powder , coriander powder, garam masala fry them till the raw smell goes out.

Finally add the coconut milk and cook for 5 min.

Serve with chappati, roti or even for rice.

BREAKFAST VEGGIE SANDWICH

Ingredients:

Bread slices - 2 ( whole wheat bread)

Cucumber - 3-4 slices

Tomato - 2-3 slices

Onion - 2 slices

Black pepper - 1 tsp

Caesar dressing - 1tsp( u can get this in American super market)

Lettuce - 2 layers

yellow mustard - few drops( as u like it)

Method:

Toast the Bread slices very lightly. Cut the cucumber , Tomato & onion into slices.

Take one part of the bread slice add caesar dressing and then place the lettuce leaves , onion , cucumber , tomato slices in it.

Then drizzle black pepper lightly then add few drops of yellow mustard on it. Finally keep the other slice of the bread on top of it. you can add cheese in the sandwich but its optional. Serve immediately with hot coffee or tea.

BREAKFAST PATTIES

I enjoyed the dish first in our potluck and i liked it so much. I got this recipe from my friend.

I tried it myself and it came out very yummy. This dish will be little filling for stomach and not very oily and very easy to make and u can make it for dinner too...... Here it is with photos.

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 3 boiled

Frozen peas - 1/4 cup (optional)

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - 2 tblspn

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Amchur powder (1tsp) or half lemon squeezed

Bread crumbs - 1 cup

Method:

Boil potatoes and peas and keep aside.

In a large bowl combine mashed potatoes , peas , ginger garlic paste , chopped coriander leaves , salt & chilli powder. If u have amchur powder add it or else add half lemon squeezed.

Place the parchment paper on a flat surface & spread the bread crumbs and forming patties into a round shape and using parchment paper to roll the patties in the bread crumbs. Dip the each sides of the patties in the bread crumbs so all sides are evenly coated.

Heat little oil in a tawa and shallow fry this patties until golden brown on both sides.

Serve with coriander or mint chutney.

CORIANDER CHUTNEY:

Ingredients:

Coriander leaves - 1 bunch

Green chillies - 2-3

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds + urad dal - 1 tsp

Method:

Add corainder leaves , green chillies , little water, tamarind paste in a mixer grind it into nice paste and add salt as per taste. Heat 1 tsp of oil and add mustard seeds and urad dal once they start to splutter add this tempering to the chutney. Enjoy it with patties.

TOMATO DOSAI

I remember those days when my mom use to make for Breakfast or dinner. It is very tasty and also easy to make. Instead of normal dosa , adai , this one will be little different. It can be done immediately after 1 hr we dont have to keep for fermentation.

After starting my own food blog , and interacting with so many wonderful food bloggers from different states , I get to see a glimpse of the real picture. Still at times Iam left wondering if I know how to cook them on my own.

Ingredients:

1 cup Boiled rice ( idly rice)

Dry red chillies - 4-5

Tomato - [small size - 4] [Big size - 3 or 2 ]

Curry leaves - 4 -5

Black pepper - 6-7

Hing - a pinch

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

METHOD:

Soak rice and red chillies in water for 1 or 2 hrs.

After 1 hr grind the soaked rice and red chillies with tomatoes. Grind by adding little quantity of water just like making Idly batter.

Heat 1 tsp oil and make tadka with curry leaves & hing and add to the batter.Atlast add cumin seeds and black pepper corns to the batter.

Finally heat non-stick tawa and pour the batter and make a tasty tomato dosa.

Serve hot with coconut chutney..