Mango Lassi

Lassie originated in Punjab, in the northern region of India, and in their most traditional form, are a savory drink — yogurt thinned with a little water and seasoned with salt and other spices. But there are many sweet, fruit-based lassi flavorings, mango being the most common. Using thick yogurt, like Greek yogurt or the Indian-style Dahi, makes the lassi richer — if you’re using regular yogurt, try blending just the yogurt with the mango, and adding milk only if necessary to thin out the lassi.

Mango Lassi is the perfect cooler on a hot day. You can add extra sweetness to it (if you like) with sugar or honey. If you're making it for kids and want to avoid the sugar, use unsweetened fruit juice or pulp.

Flavored lassi in different colors is served for breakfast near Dadar railway station, Mumbai. Its so yummy.

Ingredients

Mango Peeled, Chopped                    1 cup

 Greek Yogurt                                  2 cups

Cold Milk   or coconut milk               ½ cup

Sugar  or Agave syrup                      2tsp                                          

Cardamon powder                            1/4 tsp   .

Vanilla Essence (Optional )                 ¼ tsp.        

 Chopped Dry fruits     (optional)         2 tbsp.

Method:

• Blend all the ingredients together (except dry fruits) with crushed ice until smooth.
• Serve Chilled with dry fruits on top.

Note:

•  You can substitute the mango with papaya or very ripe banana to make papaya lassi or banana lassi every day.

Nellikkai Pickle (Gooseberry Pickle)

Gooseberry is a small pebble like green berries. Gooseberries have a silvery cast and a hint of sour. Gooseberry is best cultivated in cooler climates. Gooseberry is usually used in manufacturing jams, pies and other highly sweetened dishes.  

 Medicinal and Health Benefits of Gooseberry:

- Gooseberry helps to balance stomach acid.

- Gooseberry promotes healthier hair.

- Gooseberry also strengthens the eyes.

- Gooseberry also helps to flush out toxins

Gooseberry Pickle

Here I used Frozen Gooseberry.

Ingredients:

 Frozen Gooseberry                     - 15 no

Kashmiri chili powder                   - 4tbsp

Turmeric powder                        1/2 Tsp.

Vinegar                                        2 tbsp.

Fenugreek seeds                         - ¼ tsp.

Oil (Gingerly) -                             3 tbsp.

Mustard seeds                               1 tsp.

Hing (asafetida)                            3/4 Tsp.

Salt                                              to taste.

Method:

• Cook gooseberry in water and little salt. Allow it to cool.
• Keep the water aside and remove the seeds from the berry and slice it into small pieces.
•  Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When it splutters, add gooseberries and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Reduce the heat and add chilly powder, turmeric powder, Asafetida and salt.
•  Roast it well and pour required amount of water (water which was used to cook the gooseberry) and vinegar into it and boil well.
• Add the cooked gooseberry into it and mix well. Remove it from fire and cool it.
• Store the pickle in a clean and dry bottle. This can be stored for a month or more, if refrigerated.
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Microwave Thirattipal

Normally thirattipal is made out of fresh milk and sugar or Jaggery. The milk is allowed to boil till it thickens and curdles. The milk has to be mixed continuously. This is quite a time consuming process.

Try out this simpler recipe which is made in a microwave in just 6 to 8  minutes, and which gives the same taste. 

Ingredients:

Condensed milk: 1 can (14oz)

Curd/Yoghurt: 2 tablespoon

Milk: 2 tablespoon

Ghee: 2 tsp
 Freshly crushed Elachi Powder - 1/2 tsp

Method: 

• Mix condensed milk, curd and milk, ghee and ealchi powder in a large Pyrex bowl .
• Microwave for 2 minutes. Take it out and stir it once and again heat it for 3 more minutes.
• The expected consistency is that the ghee starts to come out and the thirattipal obtains a pink color. Allow to cool. Thirattipal is ready to serve. 

I am  " Sending to Dish it out – Sugar and Butter and Vardhini’s page"

Sutta Kathirikkai Thayir Pachadi ~ Roasted Eggplant Raita

Yesterday I saw this small brinjals at Indian store, first came in my mind is this Thayir Pachadi. The eggplant is usually roasted on an open flame,  if you don’t have  gas stove , you can baste the eggplant with oil and bake in the oven till the skin gets roasted.

  Ingredients:

Medium size brinjals                       - 2 no

Oil to baste                                 – ¼ tsp.

Chopped green chillies                  – 4 no

Grated ginger                              – 1tsp

Yogurt                                      -  1 cup

Salt to taste

For seasonings:

 Oil                                         – 1 tsp.

 Mustard seeds                       – 1/2 tsp.

Cumin seeds                          – 1/2 tsp.

Asafetida                               – a pinch

Curry leaves                             – 4 or 5

 Chopped Cilantro                        – 2 tbsp. – for garnish

 Method:

•  Wash the brinjals thoroughly and wipe them dry.
• Pierce a fork or a knife into the vegetable and roast it in the flame.

• Once cool, discard the skin and mash the eggplant.  Whip the yogurt well.
• Add the yogurt, ginger, green chilies and salt to mashed eggplant and mix well.  
• Heat the oil for tempering; add the mustard seeds to it, when it begins to splutter, add the cumin seeds to it. Add curry leaves and Asafetida as well.
•  Pour this into the eggplant-yogurt mix.
• SuttaKaithrikkai Pachadi is ready
• Garnish with cilantro and serve as a side with rice, especially kathambha satham.

For  Oven Use::

• Preheat the oven to 400F.  Place the brinjals  on a baking sheet and brush the skin with the oil. Let it bake till the skin becomes all wrinkly and roasted, for about 10-15 mins. Take it out of the oven and let it cool.

Podimas Powder

You can use this powder to make any kind of Podimas, and stuffed vegetable fries.

Ingredients

• Coriander seeds                                – 1/4 cup

• Bengal gram / Channa dal                   – 6tbsp

• Urad dal                                           – 4 tsp

Black Pepper                                        -1 tsp

• Cumin Seeds                                   – 1 tsp

• Dry Coconut                                    –1/2 cup

• Red Chillies-                                     20 no (according to spice level)

• Salt                                              – to taste

• Oil                                                1 tbsp

• Curry leaves                                  – a few

• Asafetida                                      – ¼ tsp

Preparation:

• Roast all above ingredients in oil. Grind them coarsely in a mixer. Store it in an air tight container.
• Use this powder to make Stuffed Kathirikai, Green banana Podimas.

Vada Pav/ Batata Vada

Vada pav – Indian version of burger, must be one of the most loved street foods. Vada Pav is an Evergreen fast food in Mumbai. You will get Vada Pav in each and every street corner in Mumbai. It used to be "poor man's food", but these days even the rich and famous can be spotted eating it at Bombay's (Mumbai) numerous roadside foods stalls. This dish was initially started as the cheapest form of a meal for low income group, but due to its taste, this dish became so popular, and many people have it at breakfast, lunch or even dinner as well.  It consists of a batata vada (called bonda in South India) sandwiched between 2 slices of a pav.

Ingredients

 Big Potatoes boiled, peeled, mashed       -   4 no

Chopped green chilies                               – 2 nos

Grated ginger                                          1 tsp.

Green coriander chopped n                          3 tbsp.

Lime juice                                               – 1tsp

Chopped Curry leaves                             – 1 tsp.

Green chilies (Slit Lengthwise)                 – 2 nos

Salt                                                      to taste

Vegetables oil                                  for deep frying

For the outer covering

Bengal gram (Besan)                       – 1 cup

Turmeric Powder                             – ¾ tsp.

  Baking soda                                    A pinch

Salt                                                    to taste

Vegetable oil                                     for deep frying

 Other ingredients

 Vegetable oil                                      for deep-frying

Green Chutney                         (Grind  together -mint, coriander leaves, roasted jeera powder, green chilies, 1 tsp. lemon juice)

Turmeric Chutney                     (Grind together - Dates, Tamarind paste, jiggery, black salt, red chili powder, chaat powder)

Bread (Pao)                                     – 4 no

Butter                                          – 2 tbsp.

Fried Green chilies                          – 4 no

Method:

• Mash potatoes very well. Add chopped green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, salt and coriander leaves. Mix lemon juice in it and mix very well. Divide the mixture equally into small dumplings.

•  Mix the gram flour with salt and turmeric powder and baking soda. Add enough water to make a batter of medium thick consistency.
• Heat the oil in a wok deep fry the dumpling (potato Vada), now coat the dumplings with the batter and deep fry till golden brown and keep it on a tissue paper to absorb the excess oil.

• Take the pav (bun breads), make a slit in between. Spread butter, Tamarind chutney, and green chutney on one side of the bread.
•  Stuff the vada in between and serve the Vada Pav with fried green chilies and Tomato ketchup.

Bitter gourd Fry (Pavarkkai Varuval)

Some people love pavarkkai and most do not.  In my childhood days, my mom used to cook this varuval. This is my mom’s specialty recipe. When this is cooked at my home, I don’t even leave any trace in my plate. Ghee along with bitter gourd mixed with white rice really tastes good. Typically 40+ people enjoy this. Kids keep a mile distance.

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd                                  2 cups

Chili powder                                 2 tsp

Besan( Kadalla Mavu)                    1 tbsp

Rice powder                                 1 tsp

Lemon juice                                 1 tsp (removes bitterness)

Salt                                            to taste

Hing                                           2 pinch

Method

• Discard the seeds and slice the pavarkkai into thin round pieces.
• Put in the microwave and cook for 4 mins (Or  you can  do steam cook )
• Now mix the pavarkkai with chili powder, hing, salt ,lemon juice and besan. Keep aside for 30 mins
• Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the pavarkkai till it turns crispy
• Remove and stain the oil.
• Serve with rice, Sathumamuthu.