Sunday, May 31, 2009

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.....................




Tuesday, May 26, 2009

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.



 




 
    

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

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.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

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.


Sunday, May 17, 2009

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.



Saturday, May 16, 2009

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.






Friday, May 8, 2009

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..


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