Water melon rind halwa

Summer and watermelon are inseparable. Watermelon are found almost everywhere in the world. Although we can find watermelons in our markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality. No other fruit can we find so crunchy and thirst quenching like watermelon.

 When the heat of summer tires us with thirst, eating watermelon is a safe alternative to taking energy drinks. Since it contains high water quantity it can hydrates us whereas other drinks are caffeine filled energy drinks, which can easily dehydrate us. Nothing can be more satisfactory on a hot, dusty day than a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon! 

        Do you know that the rind of water melon is edible?....... The term rind usually refers to the skin or peel of a fruit. In watermelon, the rind consists of two parts - the outer green skin and the inner white pulp.The outer green skin of the rind is hard and inedible, so it is discarded. The inner whitish part of the rind is edible, although it has a bland taste when raw and is not as soft as the central red part. Today i am not using the juicy red part of the watermelon but the white part of water melon rind to make this delicious halwa.

      I got this recipe from one of my friend, who posted in one of the  Face book food group , I was drawn to it like a magnet. (Don't ask why because I have no idea. Maybe it had something to do with my hesitation to throw away all that pretty green rind. Or, maybe I just like any recipe with the word halwa.) This recipe is simple just like carrot or bottle gourd halwa. 

Ingredients:

• 5 cups Water melon rind (grated)
• 1/2 cup Jaggery
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/4tsp Cardamom powder
• 2tbsp Ghee/clarified butter
• 1cup Fresh cream
• 1tbsp Cashewnut,broken
• 1tbsp Raisins
• 10 Almonds,sliced
• 5-6 strands of Saffron

Cooking Directions:

• For this recipe, you'll need the rind of a 2 kg melon. Use the white inner rind, not the outer green part, which might have been waxed. Shred the rind with the large holes of a box grater, or cut it into chunks and shred it in a food processor .
• Fry nuts in little ghee till golden and keep aside
• Now take a heavy bottomed kadai or pan,add ghee and sugar and stir till it changes to light brown colour,now add the grated water melon rinds and Keep stirring on high flame till the water dries up completely.
• Now add the cream and cook further on medium flame,till the fat separates.
• Add jaggery and keep on stirring till the halwa turns to light brown colour and almost dry.
• Add saffron stands and cardamom powder and stir for 2-3 minutes and switch off the gas.

• Garnish with roasted nuts and tasty water melon halwa is ready to serve !

If you have tried any of these recipes or have recipes of your own, i want to hear about your experiences so be sure to leave your comments in the comment box below this post..thank you :)

Soyabean idli..

Soybeans are very rich in protein. It is an excellent food, which replaces animal protein. It is highly suitable for strict vegetarians and for those who want to avoid non-vegetarian foods. Soya can be used in variety of traditional foods. The aim is to replace the junk foods, which contain empty calories with great tasting Soy Foods.Soybean contains isoflavones that minimizes the risk of developing certain cancers. Soybean, being a fabulous source of proteins, aids in lowering the cholesterol level. Genistein, an isoflavone in soybean, protects the body from the clutches of plague disease. In the market, three kinds of soybeans can be spotted, namely, fresh immature (green) soybeans, known as edamame, fresh mature soybeans, and dried soybeans. Owing to the innumerable benefits of soybeans, incorporate them in your daily meals and promote your health fitness. In this recipe i've used dried soya beans which is easily available in any of the super market

Ingredients

• 1/2cup Urad /black gram dal
• 1/2 cup Dried Soya bean
• 2 cups Dosa rice
• 1/2tsp Methi/fenugreek seeds
• salt as per taste

Cooking Directions

1. Wash soya bean and urad dal twice and soak both together for 6-7 hours in 2 liters of water.
2. Wash and soak rice and methi in 1 liter of water for 6-7 hours
3. Now use your wet grinder or mixer grinder and use the same water in which both soya and dal are soaked.
4. Fill the soaked dal and bean upto 3/4 of the jar. Run the mixer at speed 2 and gradually add water while the mixer is still running,till the paste becomes uniformly fine.Stop and stir inbetween to allow trapped air bubbles to escape and to allow circulation. It will take 5-6 minutes to get a fine paste depending on the mixer grinder. Do not use all the water,keep some for grinding the rice.
5. Now transfer the batter into large vessel.
6. in the same jar add rice and methi and 1/2 cup of soaked dal water and grind to coarse paste ( should be semolina consistency )
7. Add this rice batter to the dal and soya bean batter,mix it well with your hands and keep overnight to ferment.
8. Next day morning add salt as per taste and adjust the batter,by adding little water if needed.
9. Boil water in idli cooker and fill the idli moulds with this batter and steam for about 10-12 minutes.
10. Serve hot with ginger-peanut chutney.

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Chinese style "Dragon chicken"

Happy weekend!

Why go out for Chinese food when it is this easy? Today i am here with one of my favourite chinese dish called Dragon chicken. I've heard about this recipe for a while but was skeptical. Much to my delight, the recipe was spot-on and the chicken was truly juicy and delicious.
  If you love chinese dishes,then this recipe is perfect for Saturdays and Sundays when you have more hours to devote to prepping and cooking, but you can just easily make them on any day of the week if it so please you. Savor this yummy recipe with your family and friends. Make your weekend table a place for good food and good times. Enjoy!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients

• 500 grams Boneless chicken ( about 10 pieces)
• 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp Red chilly powder
• 1 tsp Soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp Pepper powder
• 1 tbsp maida/all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp Corn flour
• Salt as per taste

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp Red chilly paste
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp Garlic Cloves ,chopped fine
• 1 tbsp Ginger,chopped fine
• 1 Green chilly,chopped fine
• 1 tsp Soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp White vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Pepper powder
• 2s ticks Spring onions,chopped fine
• 1 tsp Sugar
• a pinch of Ajjinomoto/MSG
• 1 Drop of orange red colour
• 3tsp of sesame oil or any veg oil
• Salt to taste

Cooking Directions
To prepare the sauce:

1. Mix all the ingredients together ,except oil and red colour.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan,when that oil is very hot,pour in the mixture and add 1tbsp water, stir well .Cook till the sauce blends well and thickens.
3. Add a drop of red colour and remove from the heat.
4. Marinate the chicken with ginger garlic paste,red chilly powder,pepper powder and salt.Keep in refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes.
5. Mix flour, cornflour,egg,salt to taste and a dash of orange red colour. Add enough water to mix to a smooth batter.
6. Dip the chicken pieces in the batter and deep fry until crisp.
7. Saute them in a prepared sauce..Pour this in a serving bowl and garnish with finely chopped spring onions and finely cut omelette pieces and Serve with rice or
   Asian noodles.

Dhaba style ...Methi aloo-paneer

Happy weekend!

It's not every day that one can spend long hours in the kitchen preparing elaborate meals. But on weekends and holidays when the family is at home and there is more than enough time to go crazy in the kitchen. You can easily dazzle everyone with delicious meals- starting from a beyond-the usual breakfast to a hearty lunch to a four-course dinner.

  Today i am here with such interesting rich and creamy dish with fenugreek,baby potatoes and paneer/cottage cheese, A Perfect  dhaba style dish .This recipe is perfect for Saturdays and Sundays when you have more hours to devote to prepping and cooking, but you can just easily make them on any day of the week if it so please you. Savor this yummy recipe with your family and friends. Make your weekend table a place for good food and good times. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups Fresh Fenugreek/Methi leaves
• 20 Baby potatoes
• 200 grams Fresh paneer/cottage cheese,crumbled
• 3 cups Full Fat Milk
• 2tbsp Fresh cream
• 1 Onion,chopped
• 2 medium Tomatoes ,pureed
• 1tsp Sugar
• 1/2tsp Turmeric powder/haldi
• 1tsp Cumin
• 1 Onion
• 2 tsp Ghee
• 1 tbsp Oil

For masala paste:

• 1 Onion
• 1inch Ginger
• 6-7 Garlic cloves
• 3-4 Green chillies
• 10 Cashew nut,cut into pieces
• 2tsp Poppy seed/Khus khus

For the Garam masala powder:

• 2(1 inch) pieces Cinnamon sticks
• 6-7 Cloves
• 4-5 Green cardamoms/elichi
• 1 Black cardamom/badi elichi
• 2tsp Coriander seeds
• 1tsp Jeera/cumin seeds
• 1tsp Fennel seeds/saunf
• 1/4 Mace
• 1/2tsp Pepper corns/kali mirch
• 1tsp Kasoori methi ( no need to roast)

Cooking Directions

1. Wash fenugreek leaves 2-3 times and drain.Sprinkle some salt to get rid of the bitterness if any.Keep aside for 30 minutes.
2. Wash baby potatoes well to get rid of mud if any and cut into half. Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry potatoes till light golden and take it on a plate.
3. Soak cashewnut and poppy seed in 2tbsp of warm water.
4. Grind all the ingredients for the masala to smooth paste along with soaked cashewnut and poppy seed.
5. Now dry roast all the ingredients to be powdered till you get the nice aroma of the spices.Let it cool completely before grinding to fine powder.
6. Now squeeze the fenugreek leaves to get rid of that extra water .
7. In a kadai, heat 2tsp of ghee and add cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the fenugreek leaves and saute for about 5-6 minutes on low flame till all the moisture dries up and you get nice aroma.
8. Transfer the fried methi leaves to a plate and in the same pan add oil and add chopped onions and saute till light brown colour.
9. Add the ground paste, turmeric powder and roasted masala powder and mix all the spices well,saute the mixture till the oil comes on top.
10. Add the tomato puree next and saute till oil separates.
11. Add the fried baby potatoes, fenugreek leaves milk, cream, salt, sugar and a cup of water and cook for about 10 mins.
12. At last add the crumbled paneer and cook again for 3-4 minutes and switch off the gas.
13. Transfer to a serving dish,garnish with a tbsp of cream and serve hot with hot pulkas or roti.

Avnaas-ambya sasam ( Mustard flavoured pineapple and mango salad)

Aunas Ambo sasam (called pineapple and mango respectively in English) is an excellent mango pineapple sweet sour dish. It is a very popular dish from the Konkani/ Mangalorean cuisine .Mango is the king of fruits and has got a variety of mangoes like the Alphanso, Malgova, Thothapuri, Mallika etc. Traditionally Aunas ambo sasam uses mango and pineapple. when mangoes are not available, you can also use all mixed fruits which would give a wonderful sweet and sour combination of taste and flavors. It is a popular GSB feast dish and locally known as Ambe (mango) sasam and is normally a must in most marriage food.In this dish fruits are together tossed in a mustard flavored coconut paste and spiced with red chili to make a dish that surely serves as an exotic accompaniment. This dish is a blend of sweet, sour and hot all at once. .Do try this luscious and exotic recipe specially during hot summer season.This really makes a great salad!

Ingredients

• 2 cups Mango pieces (any sweet variety will do)
• 2 cups Pineapple cubes
• 1 cup Black or green grapes
• 2 cups Freshly grated coconut
• 2 Whole Red chillies,roasted in oil
• 1tsp Mustard seeds
• 1tbsp Jaggery or sugar

Cooking Directions

1. For preparing the Avnaas ambya sasam, firstly mix the Jaggery or sugar into the chopped fruits and keep aside.
2. Grind the coconut with the red chillies adding little water to a coarse paste. 
3. Just before taking, add the mustard seeds and grind for a few more seconds till the mustard seeds are slightly crushed.
4. Now add the coconut paste to the fruits with salt and mix well. Serve this excellent and yummy dish cold or at room temperature.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Prawn Koliwada

Sunday special..."Prawn koliwada"..

Today i prepared this yummy Prawn fry for lunch along with my fish curry and rice Prawns are marinated with spices and deep fried. Its a traditional recipe from the Koli community in Maharashtra and this dish is named after the places where the koli communities live which is locally called as Koliwada.

Ingredients

• 1/2kg prawns shelled and deveined
• 1tbsp Red chilli (kashmiri) powder
• 1/2 cup Gram flour Besan
• 2 tbsp Maida or cornflour
• 1tsp Ginger paste
• 1tsp Garlic paste
• 1tsp Coriander-cumin powder
• 1/4tsp Ajwain/carom seeds
• 1/2tsp Garam masala powder
• 1tsp Lemon juice
• salt as per taste
• A pinch of orange red colour (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. onion slices and lemon wedges to garnish
2. Wash the shelled and deveined prawns well. 
3. In a bowl, mix the prawns with the rest of the ingredients till the prawns are well-coated with the spices. Marinate for about 30-45 minutes.
4. Heat the oil till it is hot and deep fry the prawns on medium heat till they are crisp.
5. Garnish with onion slices and lemon wedges.

TIPS:

1. The kashmiri chilli powder is of a very bright red color and is less hot compared to the normal type. It gives a lovely red color when added to any dish. The normal red chilli powder will do equal justice to the taste if not the color.
2. Fish slices can be used in place of prawns to make Fish Koliwada.
   
   

Turkey berry/Sundaikai (Potbadane,Gulbadane)sukka

Sundaikai Turkey Berry or wild eggplant in English, is a very popular in Tamilnadu and kerala and some parts of Karnataka.Its a bushy ,erect and spiny perennial plant used horticulturally as a root stock for eggplant.   Turkey berries contains high medicinal value and is very good for health. It is rich in Iron content and it acts like cleanser to clean our stomach. It is widely used in Siddha medicine for making chooranams, which is helpful for digestion problems.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Turkey berries/
• 2 Onion,chopped
• 4-5 Garlic cloves, slightly crushed
• 1tbsp OIl
• 1 cup Coconut,grated
• 5-6 Dried kashmiri red chillies
• 7-8 Methi /fenugreek seeds
• 1tsp Jeera/cumin seeds
• 2tsp Coriander seeds

Cooking Directions

1. Make small slits on the turkey berries and apply a tsp of salt and keep aside for 30 minutes.
2. After 30 minutes squeeze it well and wash it again to get rid of the bitterness.
3. In a pan add a little oil, then add red chillies and coriander seeds and 1/2tsp jeera.. When they turn red add methi/fenugreek seed and fry till fenugreek turns to light golden colour. Switch off the gas and let it cool it a bit before grinding
4. Now grind freshly grated coconut ,roasted dry masalas and garlic cloves and remaining jeera and tamarind without water to coarse paste and Keep aside.
5. In a pan add oil and onions. When they turns light golden add the turkey berry and salt to taste, add 1/2 cup of water to cook the berries.Cover and cook till soft and well cooked.
6. Now add ground masala paste and mix well and let it cook for 4-5 mins till the masala is almost dry.
7. Serve hot as a side dish with rice.

Chapati and vegetable sagoo

Sagoo is a typical mixed vegetable dish of karnataka quite famous specially in Bangalore,mysore and shimoga. This is aromatic, flavorful and tasty dish popularly served in restaurants as a side dish with chapati or puri 

Ingredients

1. 1 cup Dried Green or white peas/vatana
2. 1 cup Cauliflower florets
3. 1/2 cup Carrots,cut into small cubes
4. 1/2 cup  Potatoes, cut into small cubes
5. 2 Onion,chopped
6. 2 Tomatoes,chopped
7. 2 spring Curry leaves
8. 1 tsp Mustard
9. 3 tsp oil
10. 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
11. Salt As per taste

For masala paste:

1. 1/2 cup Coconut,grated
2. 2 tbsp Putane/roasted chana/hurigadale
3. 4-5 Green chillies
4. 2 tbsp Coriander leaves,chopped
5. 6-7 cloves/lavang
6. 2(1 inch) pieces Cinnamon sticks
7. 2 tsp Poppy seed
8. 6-7 Garlic cloves
9. 1 inch piece Ginger

Cooking Directions

1. Soak green/white peas overnight in 6 cups of water.
2. Next day morning drain the water and keep aside.
3. Chop all the vegetable ( you can add any vegetables like, ashgourd, pumpkin or beans) and keep aside.
4. Now pressure cook ,peas,potatoes and carrots with little salt add about 3-4 cups of water and cook for 20 minutes or take 2 -3 whistles till all veggies are well cooked.
5. Grind all the masala ingredients to smooth paste using 2 cups of water.Now our masala paste is ready.
6. Now take a deep sauce pan,Heat oil and add some mustard,let it splutter,then add curry leaves and onion and fry till onions are translucent.Add turmeric and fry for a minute.
7. Add chopped tomatoes,cauliflower florets and little salt ( check while adding salt as we have already added salt while cooking peas and vegetable)cover and cook till cauliflower is soft but not mushy.
8. Add pressure cooked peas and vegetable and the ground masala paste and boil till the gravy becomes semi dry.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves( optional as we have already added while grinding) and serve hot.
10. Goes well with Puri or chapati.

Secret of making soft triangle chapathi

Today i am here with the secret of making soft Chapathi. It is a unleavened flat bread made from whole wheat flour. it is a staple in India.it is also known as roti .But instead of plain roti this layered chapati taste good and stays soft for a long time.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup Luke warm water
• 2 tsp oil or ghee

Method:

1. Combine the above ingredients  to make a soft dough.
2. Knead for at least 5 minutes. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes divide the dough into 12 equal round parts. Roll each round into flat disks ,then apply some ghee,dust it with dry flour,then spread it evenly.as shown in the above picture. then fold it to half moon shape,then fold it again to make triangle shape.Then roll into big triangle or round shape.
4. Put the chapati on a hot griddle,The tawa must be heated properly. Place rolled out dough on tawa and wait till small bubbles appear. Turn the chapathi to the other side and rotate while it cooks. Lift a corner to see whether it has cooked and if it has, turn once again.flip it to the other side. Apply a little ghee or butter or oil on top and again flip it over and apply ghee, butter or oil.Fry till well roasted on both the sides or until brown spot appears, remove on a plate
5. Now Chapati is ready to serve with vegetable sagoo or kurma or any other veg and non-veg  curries of your choice.
   
   
   
   Tip:
   First the wheat flour you are using should be good quality or branded one.Never use maida/all purpose flour . Use whole wheat flour only.It must be treated with three to four spoons of oil which is mixed thoroughly and then the water is added to make dough.
   Secondly, to make soft Chapathis, the dough should not be very loose and too soft.It should also be not too hard.
   Thirdly, the rolling of the chapathis is an art by itself.You must roll them evenly without any hard pressure placed on the dough with the rolling pin.
   Lastly the tawa should be hot when you are frying chapati
   
   
   
   

Papaya-coconut pudding

There's something oh-so-soothing about a bowl of creamy pudding for dessert. This is a Lighter recipe for your favorite puddings, so you can feel good about indulging in pudding for dessert as i have added some healthy ingredients.If you want can add healthy ingredients, such as nuts and fresh fruit, to make these delicious pudding even better for you.next time i will come up with more interesting pudding using some more fruits and nuts.

Ingredients

• 3cups Papaya pieces
• 1 cup Coconut milk
• 2tbsp Cornstarch/flour
• 1/4 cup Jaggery
• 1/4tsp Cardamom powder
• 1/2 cup Fresh cream
• 2tbsp icing sugar

Cooking Directions

• Boil coconut milk,cornstarch in a pan.
• Then add Jaggery powdered and boil till it dissolves completely and the coconut sauce becomes thick and creamy.
• Let it cool completely,then blend it with papaya pieces and cardamom powder to smooth paste.
• Transfer this to a pudding mould and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
• Whip cream and icing sugar till light and fluffy.
• Demould the pudding and decorate with prepared icing and serve chilled.

Chow chow /Simebadane Halwa

Chow chow ( kannada -seemey badane,) is a delectable pleasantly coloured and easy to cook vegetable.It can be easily grown by planting a mature sprout,which can not be used for cooking.Just trail over a pendal or compound wall ( if space permits),to enjoy a basketful of harvest. in addition to using it in Sambar/curry there are other interesting ways to relish it too!

Ingredients

• 8 cups Chow chow gratings
• 1cup Full cream milk
• 100 grams Milk powder
• 1 cup Jaggery
• 1/4tsp Cardamom powder
• 10 Cashewnut ,cut into pieces
• 10 Almonds,slivered
• 1tbsp Raisins
• 2 + 1 tbsp Ghee

Cooking Directions

• Peel chow chow and grate and keep aside.

• Take a big kadai or pan and cook the gratings in milk till soft and dry.

• Add jaggery and cook till well blended and dry.

• Now add milk powder and mix it well,keep stirring to avoid lumps.

• Add little ghee and saffron and keep stirring till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
• Heat 1tbsp ghee,fry cashews,almonds and raisins and pour over the mix.Add cardamom powder and mix well.
• Serve hot

Note: As this vegetable is too tender,it does not need any water or time to cook.
Variation : Use 4-5 crushed Dudh peda or any other flavoured peda instead of milk powder.

Bread Gulab jamun

Another ugadi rolls by and tempt us with its seasonal delicacies . No matter how many times we celebrate this festival,ugadi never fails to make us happy.Perhaps it is the warm anticipation of impending hapiness,or perhaps an indications of a fresh start. what ever be it this festival brings with it a sense of joy and warmth. Today i am here with one interesting gulab jamun which is easy and quick to make.

Ingredients

• 6-7 Bread slices
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 4-5 Cardamom,powdered
• 2tsp Maida
• 1 cup Water
• Few almond slivers and sugar for garnishing.

Cooking Directions

• Boil sugar and water till the sugar dissolves completely and the syrup is thick but not sticky.Add cardamom powder and keep aside.
• Neatly cut the brown edges of the bread slices or let it remain.
• Now dip the bread slices in the milk and mash it well.
• Knead it into a dough . Add milk if required to make the smooth and soft dough.
• Add little maida and knead it again. so that it wont stick to the hands while making jamuns.
• Divide the dough into 10-12 portions.Now gently roll each balls into oblong or round shape and keep aside.
• Heat oil or ghee in a pan.Now fry 4-5 balls at a time on low flame till dark golden brown.Once you are done frying, add all the jamuns to the warm sugar syrup.Do not touch the jamuns. Keep aside for 20-25 minutes,Let it them soak all the sugar syrup.
• Serve topped with some sugar and almonds.you can have either hot or cold choice is all yours :)

Masala puri...south Indian style

Masala Puri- another traditional south Indian style snack, these wonderful little morsels of flavour will satisfy a hunger pang any time of the day or night. They can be had at breakfast with some coffee or tea, as a mid morning snack with a glass of milk shakes or in the evening and you can also pack them into the kid’s lunch boxes. my son love to have puffed puris so i take care while rolling,however some don’t, but it does not affect the taste.

Ingredients:
2 cups- Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup-Semolina
1 tsp-Cumin seeds/jeera
2tsp-Red chilly powder
2 springs- Curry leaves
1tsp- Coriander powder
1-2 tsp-Sugar,powdered
Salt -As per taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Sift flour into a bowl , add semolina and  all the spices,sugar,salt and Chopped curry leaves.
• Knead the dough with warm water to form a soft but stiff dough. You can add little oil while kneading the dough to avoid from sticking to the bowl.
• Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.
• Now divide the dough into 15 portions and roll into thick 3-4 inch round disks.
• Heat oil in a kadai/deep pan and fry all the puris till crisp and golden brown on both the sides.
• Serve hot with Tea or coffee or you can have it plain like any other snacks.

Summer salad

We Indians eat a lot of hot and spicy dishes around here, a great way to cool the palate is with the delicious combination of yogurt and cucumber. This easy-to-make cucumber salad, also called kachumber, is a refreshing accompaniment to spicy dishes such as biryanis and other Indian food. I have used Iceberg Lettuce, carrots ,beetroot and tomatoes which is a great combination for a salad. Coriander leaves lends a very nice aroma and taste to this salad. The yoghurt and a tinge of sugar makes it a perfect dressing.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Hung curd
• 1/2 cup Fresh cream
• 1 cup Cucumber ,peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup Carrots,Finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Onions,finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Tomatoes,Finely chopped
• 2tbsp Beetroot,finely chopped
• 1 cup Grapes (green and white),
• 1 bunch iceberg lettuce
• 1tsp lemon juice
• 2 Oranges,
• 1/4 cup Pomegranate seeds
• 1tsp Pepper powder
• 2tbsp Coriander leaves,chopped
• 1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes, preferably orange coloured,cut into half
• 1tsp Sugar

Cooking Directions

For yoghurt dressing:

•  Beat hung curd,fresh cream and pepper till light and glossy.
• Add sugar and salt and give a nice beat.Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
• Now combine all the chopped vegetables in a bowl and add lemon juice, mix it well with a spoon.Then add 1/2 of the pomegranate seeds and mix it well with the other chopped vegetable and chill it for at least 30 minutes before serving.

To serve the salad:

• Nicely arrange the iceberg lettuce on a serving tray.
• Combine curd mixture with vegetable salad and mix it lightly with a fork or spoon ,check for seasoning,then slowly put all the salad in the center over the bed of lettuce.
• Carefully arrange all the fruits as shown in the picture and serve chilled.
• Sprinkle some chat masala and some lemon juice for that extra punch!

Tips:

1. First taste the cucumbers to make sure that they are not bitter. Depending on the variety of cucumber you are using, and many other factors, you may find a cucumber that is distinctly bitter in taste. If this happens, soak the cucumber slices in salted water for half an hour, or longer, until the bitterness is reduced, then rinse and drain before using.
2. Always place in ice cold water so that it remains crisp in texture.Iceberg lettuce makes a beautifully crisp, fresh and tasty base for salads.

V

ariations: 

you can try this salad with different vegetables like boiled green peas and potatoes or with some fresh sprouts and fruits of your choice.

vegetable croquettes

Snacks are food items which everyone loves to eat specially during evening time with hot cup of tea or fresh fruit juice.There are a variety of snacks available if you poke around a food shop. Colorful, delicious and highly decorated ready-made snacks allure children and excessive consumption of them is harmful.But if you can spend a little time for preparing these home-made healthy snacks, you can at least stop your child from ordering those junk foods like pizza and burgers .Try to make something interesting with using different veggies and create some healthy snacks,in the evening when kids come back after school.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Cabbage,grated
• 1/2 cup Capsicum,finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Onions
• 1 cup Potatoes,boiled and mashed
• 1/2 cup Beetroot,boiled and grated
• 2tsp Garam masala
• 2 Green chillies,finely chopped
• 1tsp Red chilly powder
• 1/4 cup Coriander leaves,finely chopped
• 1 cup Bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Maida
• 1tsp Jeera/cumin
• 1tsp Garlic cloves,chopped finely
• 1tsp Ginger,chopped finely
• Salt As per taste
• 1/2 cup Semolina/rava
• 2tbsp Corn flour

Cooking Directions

1. Wash and boil potatoes and beetroot in a pressure cooker till soft.
2. Grate boiled beetroot and keep aside.
3. Mash potatoes and transfer to a big bowl.
4. Heat 2tsp oil in a kadai/pan,add cumin,let it splutter.
5. Then add chopped ginger and garlic and saute for couple of seconds.Add chopped green chillies and saute again for a second.
6. Now add grated cabbage,capsicum and onions and fry for 2 minutes till crisp.
7. Add boiled and grated beetroot,chilly powder,garam masala powder and salt and mix all the ingredients well and switch off the gas.
8. Let the mixture cool down a bit.Then add this to boiled and mashed potatoes and mix it well with your hand.
9. Add maida and bread curmbs and mix till all the ingredients combines well and the mixture resembles to roti dough.
10. Divide the dough into 20 equal parts and shape the mixture into oblong croquettes and keep aside.
11. Mix semolina and cornflour and roll all the croquettes in this mixture and arrange on a plate.
12. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the cutlets until brown on all the sides.Drain on absorbent paper
13. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Soya shami Kabab

Surprise your family today! 

Give your family nutritionally richer and deliciously different nutritious soya kabab,100% vegetarian protein rich soya granules healthy,fat free ,almost cholesterol free, easy to digest and most of all...economical.Try it and i am sure you'll love this too.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Soya granules
• 1/2 cup Chanadal/split bengal gram 
• 1 /2 cup Coriander leaves
• 11/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 10 Garlic cloves
• 4 Green chilies,chopped
• 2 Onion,finely chopped
• 1 tsp Ginger,finely chopped
• 1/4 +1/4 cup Corn flour
• 1/2 tsp Chat masala
• 3 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1 tsp Chilly powder

Cooking Directions

1. Wash soya granules well and drain.
2. Pressure cook soya granules and gram dal in enough water for 15 minutes or take 2 whistle and drain till almost dry.
3. Mix soya,gram dal and half of the chopped,onion,ginger,garlic,green chillies and coriander leaves,salt and the dry masalas ( chilly powder,garam masala powder,turmeric powder and chat masala) and grind it to smooth dough.Do not add any water while grinding.
4. Now transfer this mixture to a bowl and add the remaining chopped onion,green chillies, garlic, ginger and coriander leaves and mix it well.check the salt and knead the mixture using little oil to make smooth dough by mixing 1/4 cup of cornflour.
5. Make 20 even sized balls,shape them flattening on the palm.Dust with cornflour and keep aside on a plate.
6. Heat oil in a pan/tawa and shallow fry 4-5 kebabs at a time till golden brown on both sides
7. Place on serving dish with sliced onion ,tomatoes and lemon wedges and serve hot with green chutney.

Tip: Do not discard the boiled dal water.You can use that water for making gravies or rotis or soups.

Red Flash..mocktail

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Beat the summer with this refreshing rose-beetroot lemonade.this drink is  rejuvenating and this rose drink lends a feeling of coolness and saturates one completely even in the intense heat of summers. It is helpful to the body in many ways. With its constant use, the body gets nourished with the essential protein and vitamins.Rose petals are used to treat internal asthma, high blood pressure, bronchitis, slow circulation, diarrhea,cough, fever and fluid retention, indigestion, insomnia, palpitation, stress and urinary tract infections.They are ingested as a tea to provide a comforting effect and diminish body temperatures during high fevers.The tea also effectively cleanses toxins and heat from the body.

They have a diuretic effect and hence, are beneficial in relieving excessive fluids from the urinary bladder.Rose petals help to get rid of the waste and toxic substances in the body, through the kidneys.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Fresh,pink rose petals
• 1 tsp Grated beetroot
• 2 tbsp mint leaves
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 2 Lemons
• 2 cups Crushed ice/cubes
• 1tsp Ginger,grated

Cooking Directions

1. Boil rose petals,grated beetroot,ginger,mint leaves and sugar in 1/2 liter of water till sugar dissolves completely ( approx 15 minutes)on low flame.
2. Let it cool completely.
3. Now strain the syrup and refrigerate for an hour before serving.
4. Just before serving add squeeze lemon juice and mix it well.
5. Take 2 tall glasses/goblet, Add crushed ice and then slowly pour the chilled rose syrup.
6. Serve garnished with cherry