Yum! Yum! Yum!

Papaya Smoothie

I think in India we lost the concept of Spring  in seasons, as March already was like summer, And I heard it is going to be the rough summer here this year.  So I am planning to to make and write about summer spirit dishes or beverages in this month. My tip for you, keep your kids also involved while you cook or make healthy dishes so that they will know the importance of healthy eating and it is fun for them to eat what they make. With out any due, let me welcome this month Hot Summer, April with this Cool and Healthy Beverage, Papaya Smoothie!!!


Ingredients:
Papaya - 1cup ( cubed and ripe)
Milk - 1 cup
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Ice Cream - 1/2 cup (vanilla)
Honey - 1 Tbsp
Saffron - 1 tsp
Warm Milk - 1 Tbsp

Method:
1. Add Safforn in Warm milk and keep it aside.
2. Blend Papaya and Milk in the blender.
3. Then add, Yogurt, Ice Cream and Honey and blend it once until all the ingredients blends very well.
4. Now transfer this to cups or tumblers add 1 tsp of saffornish milk on top.
5. Chili it until serve it.

Take a Close Peek ..:-)

I like papaya until it becomes too ripe, as we have Papaya tree in the garden here, it has lot of yield. And  I am ending up with lot of ripen papayas even after distributing them to my neighbors. The ripe papaya has some strong smell which makes me turn away to them, and I found this is the best way to eat all those ripe papayas as the safforn avoids that smell and adds nice flavor to it. VJ loves the papaya as ti is, this didn't excite him much. That's even better for me, now i can have his portion as well ;-).

linking this to MizHelen's Full Plate Thursday 

Happy Smoothying in this Hot Summer,
-Mythreyi

-Take care until we meet here again
Mythreyi

Vankaya Pachi Pulusu / Roasted Eggplant Stew

First of all let me wish all my readers Happy Ugadi (నందన నామ సంవత్సర శుభాకాంక్షలు).  Hope you are celebrating this Telugu New Year festival with all the goodness of Mamidi Aakulu (Mango Leaves), Vepa Puvvu (Neem Flowers), Arati Aaakulu (Banana Leaves),  Ugadi Pachadi , and with Festive Meal. Last year I  wrote up How to make Ugadi Pachadi and the specialty of this Telugu Festival.  As this is my favorite festival and I celebrate this with my heart where ever I am.   This year being in India,  Waking up early, get the Mango Leaves during my morning walk,  getting the first pick of Raw Mangoes from the market and plucking the Fresh Neem Flowers on the Tree from our neighbors backyard made it even more special.  (In Dallas, I used to get the dry Neem flowers from Indian Stores for Ugadi Pachadi.).

While celebrating Ugadi, today I am featuring a south indian special dish, that is made with Eggplant / Vankaya.   and known as Vankaya Pachi Pulusu / Roasted Eggplant Stew. You can make this with out the egg plant also.  But I felt like addition of roasted egg plant gives a nice authentic taste. As name says, this a raw stew, not boiled but made with raw tamarind juice with the addition of tempering.  And this is very good during summer as it makes your tummy cool, with out missing any flavors in your meal.  With out any due, let me share the recipe here!!



Ingredients:
Egg plant - 1 medium
Onion - 1 medium
Green Chili - 1 or 2
Tamarind  - 1  Tbsp or small lemon size
salt - 1 tsp
red chili flakes - 1 tsp

and
Ingredients for Tempering

Method:

1. First Roast the Eggplant on the Flame on the stove. Or you can grill it for the best taste, if you have grill handy.
2. And then peel all the roasted skin. (it comes very easily, if it is perfectly done). and take away the stem or trim the edge and let it cool.   
3. Take 1/2 cup of water and add tamarind and microwave it on high for 1 min.  Let it cool, and extract the tamarind juice or thick paste out of it.
4. Mash the roasted egg plant and take it into a bowl.
5. Add salt, chopped onions, chopped green chili, red chili flakes and mix it very well. 
6. Add the tamarind paste to the bowl and mix it very well and add 1/2 cup of water.
7. Now taste and  adjust the seasonings accordingly. For your desired consistency add some more water as you needed. Top it with Tempering. That is it, it is ready to be served now.

You have to eat this with White Rice to get all the flavors in it. After eating this you will know, why it makes your cool... Usually we make this stew in the Summer.


Hope you had your Ugadi at your best, Wishing you one more time that, this New Year will bring wealth and prosperity to your and your family.

linking this recipe to ONLY South Indian Recipes event by Pari


Enjoy all those festive dishes.... until we meet here again.
-Mythreyi

When It comes to meeting the Team whether it is in Dallas or Bangalore, It does not stop me from indulging them with treats in order to appreciate team's efforts towards our product, more over I believe Food always brings people together and adds little fun to the team. and When it is Homemade, it's really special for them. :-) As my team has sweet tooth (unlike me),  I wanted to make something sweet and chocolaty, but I also wanted it to be quick. Oh Boy, That's the real challenge for me then! At that time, Aarathi's No Bake Choco Bars recipe comes to my rescue. I have made some variations by adding Walnuts to the original recipe. Here is the recipe, Enjoy!



Ingredients:
Condensed Milk - 400 g ( 1 can)
Butter - 100 g
Cocoa Powder ( Unsweetened) - 4 Tbsp
Vanilla Essence - 2 tsp
Walnuts ((chopped)) - 1/2 cup
Mary Biscuits - 30




Method:

1. First break the biscuits roughly and grind them into rough textured powder. 
2. Take a Non-stick pan and Add the Butter, Condensed Milk, Cocoa Powder and Vanilla Essence.
3. Heat the Pan Stove with medium heat, stir it until the butter melts completely. and Mix it very well.
4. Take it off from heat and add the Biscuit Mixture and Walnuts. mix it well so that it forms like a sticky dough.
5. Take a Pan and place Parchment Paper or Aluminium foil. Spread this dough evenly in the pan.
6. Chill it in the Fridge and wait patiently for an hour or two.
7. Take it out and cut into squares, serve with ice cream or as it is.

By looking at the title you must be confused, or wondering about my absent mind, instead of Guava Fruit Juice did i made the Chutney!!!!!! Don't worry, I am completely in my senses, what you saw is right. :-) There is a saying that if you add proper portions of Salt and Spices, even the Grass can be a new Dish. I think the Chef's in India are really turning Creative to make the above statement true. As you may know, Obviously this is not my Idea, but Recently When I went for wedding, I have witnessed this new Chutney made with this Wonderful Tropical Fruit Guava.  When they are serving, this chutney, I have asked several times 'Is this really made with Guava?' or did i heard it wrong. (Who can imagine, you can make a chutney with this rare fruit.) After they confirmed, I have tasted it and surprised that it is very tasty and could not make it out that it made with a fruit. So I remembered all the flavors then to bring this to my blog readers. After coming home experimented this Chutney in my kitchen and presenting it for you, Today. This recipe is same as any other chutney recipe, you have to be just bold enough to use the Guava here. :-) Here is the recipe,Enjoy!

Guava Chutney

Ingredients:

Guava - 2 small
garlic - 4 cloves
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
green chili - 2
tamarind - 1 Tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
sugar - 1 tsp
lime juice or vinegar - 1 tsp
salt - 1 tsp ( according to your taste)

and

Tempering Ingredients


Method:
1. Cut the stems of guava on top and bottom , Wash and pat dry them
2. Cut into 4 slices and remove the seeds part. and cut the wedges into small cubes.
3. Heat oil in the non stick pan, add cumin seeds.
4. followed by garlic, green chili and tamarind.
5. Add the guava cubes to pan and fry it for 3 min.
6. Add the Sugar and simmer for 1 more min.
7. Let this mixture cool and grind all the ingredients in the mixie along with salt and lime juice. ( use water little as needed)
9. Now Take it into a serving bowl and top with Tempering.

To get the Goodness of this, Serve this over Hot White Rice with Ghee. Hmmm Yum, Yum...

Note:

• Sugar and Lime Juice will remove the tartness of Guava.
• You have to pick the Raw Guava ( not the ripe one)
• The texture of this chutney will be little rough compare to other chutneys. This feels similar to Chintakaya Pachadi (Raw Tamarind Chutney).
• If you use pink Guavas, you will light pink color in your chutney. ( But i prefer white Guavas for this)

Take Care until next time we meet here..
-Mythreyi

Until we meet here again..Have Fun in the Kitchen,
-Mythreyi

If I have to cook Methi ( Fenugreek) Leaves, other than Dal, Aloo Methi is one quite common dish in my kitchen. Not sure, if Potato hides the bitterness of Methi or Methi enhances the taste of Potato, but the combination is always awesome. Today I have bought these small, cute round baby potatoes, and then I had to darn the experimental hat to come up with something innovative. Usually Dum Aloo is the spicy and tangy curry that you can make with these baby potatoes. By following the same spices that used in Dum Aloo,  and with the addition of methi leaves, Today this 'Dum Aloo Methi Rice' Dish has happened . Check it out and Here is the Recipe...

Dum Aloo Methi Rice

Ingredients:
Baby Potatoes -  8
Methi Leaves - 1 cup
Cooked Rice - 4 cups

For Marination:
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Curry Powder - 2 tsp
salt - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp
salt - 2 tsp
black pepper - 1 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chili - 1
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Clove - 2
cinnamon - 1 stick
cardamon - 1
green chili - 2
Red Onion - 1 medium

Preparatory Steps:

• Boil the Baby potatoes until they are soft. You can pressure cook for up to 1 whistle for medium soft.
• If they are Red potatoes i usually leave the skin, as Potato skin has good nutrition values.
• Separate the Methi leaves from stems, wash and drain them.

Method:

1. First make slight slits to boiled baby potatoes. 
2. Take yogurt in wide bowl, mix in Curry Powder, salt and Red Chili Powder. and add the baby potatoes and marinate them for 30 min. 
3. Take a non stick pan, add Oil. Once the oil is hot, add red chilies, cumin seeds, clove, cinnamon, cardamom. 
4. After 1 min, Add  ginger garlic paste, followed by green chili and chopped onions.  
5. Saute Onions for 2 min, Add 1 tsp salt and black pepper. then, Add the Methi ( fenugreek) leaves. 
6. Once the leaves wilted, add the marinated potatoes to the pan. Mix it well until all the spices are well coated. 
7. Now add the cooked rice to the pan. Add remaining salt and Mix the rice together with vegetables. ( do it gently so that potatoes won't get mashed). Taste and adjust all the seasonings. 

Note:

• As the Yogurt and Potato softens all the spices, you can serve this rice as it is ( with out any side or Raita).
• If you don't have curry powder handy, you can add 1 tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder and 1/2 tsp of cumin powder.

Take care until we meet here again
Ba Bye
-Mythreyi