Mango Pickle - Hot N Sweet Twist

Its now Mango season... Enjoy eating lots N lots of Mangoes before the season ends... Lets make yummy pickle in this Mango season. Its Quick and easy pickle that tickles your palate! Hot N Sweet Mango Pickle is made by cooking mangoes with a readily available selection of spices and powders. No complex methods, tricky proportions or pickling time involved in making this, yet it stays fresh for almost four days in the refrigerator. This sweet and spicy Mango Pickle can be served with Chappathis or Rotis or Curd Rice of your choice.

Ingredients:

1. Raw Mango Cubes - 1 cup
2. Oil - 2 tbsp
3. Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
4. Mustard - 1/4 tsp
5. Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
6. Red Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp
7. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
8. Sugar - 2 tbsp
9. Water - 1/4 cup
10. Salt as per taste

Cooking Method:

Cut the Mango into Cubes. Be ready with the Ingredients.

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1. Heat the Oil in heavy bottomed Pan, add the mustard seeds, let it splutter and then add the fennel seeds and saute on a medium flame for few seconds.
2. Add Raw mango cubes, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 mins, while stirring continuously.
3. Add 1/4 cup water, coriander, chilli and turmeric powders, sugar, salt and mix well and cook in a medium flame for 2 to 3 mins while stirring Occasionally.
4. Allow the pickle to cool down completely.
5. Once cooled serve or store in an air tight container and refrigerate.

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Now your Colourful Spicy and Sweet flavour Mango Pickle is ready to have as such or with Curd Rice...

Kovai Chicken Biryani / Coimbatore Style Chicken Biryani

If we arrange any party the special recipe in our menu is Biryani... Biryani is my life time favourite and for my hubby too. I love trying varieties of Biryani. This time I made Coimbatore style Chicken Biryani. Once in our home functions we arranged a catering team for cooking lunch... Those Caterers are Coimbatore Native and they are good in cooking Coimbatore style Chicken Biryani Recipe.. They cooked in our house. That time I got a chance to view the Ingredients used and how they are cooking Chicken Biryani.  I would like to share this yummy Briyani to all my readers... I am sharing the exact method 

Ingredients:

• Chicken pieces with Bones- 250 gms
• Basmathi Rice - 4 cups
• Water - 7 to 8 cups approx
• Big Onion - 1 big size
• Country Tomato / Sour Tomato - 2 medium size
• Coriander leaves Fistful
• Mint Leaves Fistful
• Garam Masala - 2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 2 tsp
• Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Cooking Oil - 4 tbsp
• Salt as per taste

Biryani Spices:

• Bay leaf - 2 
• Cardamom - 1 no
• Mace / Jathibathri - 1/2 spear
• Marati Moggu - 2 nos
• Stone Flower / Kalpasi - 2 nos
• Dried Rose Petals - 4 nos

For Grinding:

• Ginger - 2 tbsp
• Garlic - 1 tbsp
• Green chilly - 2 nos
• Red Chilli - 2 nos
• Cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch
• Clove - 2 nos
• Fennel / Sombu - 1 tbsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Method:

Grind all the Ingredients listed under ' To Grind '. Keep it aside. Soak the Basmathi rice for 20 mins or less.

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Wash the Chicken pieces and keep ready for cooking. Also be ready with the Briyani spices. Cut the Onions lengthwise, Chop the Tomatoes. Also Chop the Coriander and Mint leaves.

Take a Pressure Cooker add Ghee, Oil and the Biryani Spices one by one. Then add Onion and saute well till golden brown. Then add the grounded spice masala and turmeric, saute well in a low flame. Now add the Tomatoes and saute well till it becomes soft.

• Now its time for adding the Chicken pieces. Saute well in a medium flame for 2 mins. 
• Now add the garam masala, pepper powders and the chopped coriander mint leaves. Saute well till aroma comes.
• Then add Rice and mix well with all the spices and the chicken. 
• Add the required water and salt mix well and wait till bubble comes. 
• After that close it with a lid and leave for 2 whistles in medium flame or according to your rice.
• After the pressure leaves the cooker, open and fluff it smoothly with a fork to mix everything nicely.

Wow! Its looking yummy and mouth watering to taste it immediately...If you feel like me try it out and feel the exact taste of kovai Chicken Biryani Recipe...
You may have sides as Onion raita, Mutton Kuzhambu, Pepper Garlic Chicken etc..

Notes:

If you don't have sour tomatoes you may add lemon extract and yogurt for this Biryani.

Iyengar Hotel Style Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu / Ladies Finger Tamarind Curry

Our neighbour Mami taught me this tasty Vendaikkai Puli Kuzhambu. She is good at cooking Hotel style recipes and especially Tamarind related recipes. I too like this puli Kuzhambu and included in my lunch menu.

Ingredients:

• Ladies finger - 200 gms
• Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp 
• Tomato - 1 medium size
• Small Onions - 10 nos
• Tamarind Pulp - 2 tbsp
• Rice - 2 tsp
• Fenugreek - 2 tsp
• Hing/Asafoetida - 2 tsp
• Sambar powder - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Jaggery - 1 tbsp
• Gingelly Oil - 4 tbsp
• Curry leaves - 2 sprig
• Coriander leaves for Garnishing

Cooking Method:

Wash and wipe the ladies finger in a kitchen towel well. Let it dry for some time. Cut in medium size pieces as shown. Don't cut too small or thin.

In a cup soak the rice for some time and grind it along with the coconut and keep it aside.

In a cup soak the Tamarind or u may use readymade tamarind paste too. Also be ready with the Jaggery.

• In a kadai add Gingelly Oil and add Fenugrrek and Hing. Let it becomes golden brown. 
• Then add onions, tomato, curry leaves and fry till it becomes soft.
• Now add Ladies finger and saute well for few mins. 
• After that add sambar and turmeric powders. saute well in oil for about 10 mins in a medium flame. 
• The ladies finger should be half cooked while roasting itself.
• Now add the grounded coconut paste along with salt and add some water and cook well for about 5 mins closing the lid.

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Now add the tamarind pulp and let it boil in high flame for some time. Stir often. Now the Oil floats on the kuzhambu and its time for adding jaggery and mix well. leave for 2 mins in simmer. Finally Garnish with Coriander leaves.

Now Iyengar Hotel Vendakkai Puli Kuzhambu is ready to have for lunch along with Rice. Thank you Mami for teaching me such a nice Curry.

Quick Fruit Shrikhand

Whenever we like to eat Shrikhand, we think of it takes hours to prepare it and we just drop the idea and move to other dessert. Here it is a quick Shrikhand recipe which can be prepared Instantly and taste it immediately whenever we think of it. Moreover I have added fresh fruits for this Shrikhand Dessert. It tastes really good with real fruits flavour. 

Ingredients:

• Curd / Yogurt - 1 cup
• Sugar powder- 2 tbsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Saffron Strands - 1 pinch
• Hot Milk - 1 tbsp
• Fresh Fruits of your Choice
• Pistachio for Garnishing
• Badam for Garnishing

Method:

Be ready with the Ingredients. Add the saffron in hot milk.


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Usually we use hung curd for preparing this dessert. To prepare the hung curd instantly, just pour the curd in a Muslin cloth (I used Dhoti cloth) and cover on all the sides and squeeze it to discard the whey water water. Squeeze till all the water is out and now it will be thick and creamy. Do not waste the whey water. Use it for kneading Chappathi's. Chappathi's will be soft and it is protein rich too. Collect the creamy curd to a separate bowl.

Add sugar powder and Cardamom powder to this creamy curd. Next add the saffron diluted in milk and then finally add the fruits you wish. I have added apples, pomegranate and grapes. Mix well. Transfer it to a serving bowl and keep refrigerated until it becomes cold. While serving Garnish with Badam cut in to large slices and Pistachio slices. If you wish Garnish with Fruits also it looks Colourful.

Aachi Mess Vegetable White Kurma

Aachi Mess is our favourite regular visit for dinner. They serve Homely food. There are many special recipes but still my favourite is this veg kurma especially with Appam. I will prepare this recipe for Coconut Rice Recipe, Dosas, Appam and Rotis too. This Vegetable white kurma does not require any special spices but still it retains the good taste.

Ingredients:

• Carrot, Beans, Potatoes - 1 cup
• Grated Coconut - 1 cup
• Big Onion - 1/2 medium size
• Pottukadalai/Gram Dhal - 1 tbsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
• Green or Red Chilli - 2
• Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1/4 inch
• Clove - 1
• Fennel - 1 tbsp
• Cooking Oil - 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Corainder leaves for Garnishing
• Salt as per taste

Cooking Method:

Cut the Carrots and Beans lengthwise. Cook Vegetables separately and keep it aside. Here I have used only potatoes for this kurma. Grind coconut, gram dhal, fennel, clove and cinnamon to a smooth paste.  

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• In a kadai add oil, Onion, curry leaves, Green Chilli, GG paste. 
• Saute well for few mins. Then add the grounded paste and add some water and close the lid. Cook in medium flame. Stir often so that it may not get stick to the pan. 
• It will be cooked quickly ie.. in a time period of 5 minutes. 
• Now add the cooked vegetables along with the water in it, add salt and again let them cook in coconut paste for about 5 mins. 
• The vegetables are cooked nicely in the coconut paste. 
• Finally garnish with coriander leaves.

The Coconut flavoured Vegetable Kurma is done and it goes well as a delicious side dish for Appam and Paratha.

Carrot and Sprouted Greengram Salad

Carrot Salad is one of my Mom's favourite. She often prepare this salad. It is nutritious and delicious too. Let's have a look of preparing this salad.

Ingredients:

• Carrot grated - 1 cup
• Sprouted Green gram - 1/2 cup
• Coconut grated or cutted into small pieces - 2 tbsp
• Grated Ginger - 2 tsp
• Pepper powder- 1/4 tsp
• Salt as per ur taste
• Lemon extract from 1/2 lemon
• Coriander leaves for Garnishing
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

Be prepared with the Ingredients. In a wide bowl add carrot, coconut, sprouted green gram and ginger. Mix it and then squeeze the lemon over it. Add pepper powder, salt mix well with a spoon. Finally Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

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Spiced Rose Lassi

Lassi is my hubby's Favourite... After completing a meal the final item he needed is lassi. Even in restaurants without lassi the lunch or dinner will not be completed. I am bored of preparing plain Lassi... So thought of preparing a colourful and flavourful Lassi and served him... He like it very much and nowadays Spiced Rose lassi is a favourite drink of everybody in our home.

Ingredients:

• Fresh Thick Curd/Yogurt/Dahi - 200 ml
• Sugar - 2 tbsp or according to ur taste 
• Fresh Rose Petals or dried - 2 to 3 not more than that
• Cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp
• Cinnamon powder - just a small pinch
• Nutmeg powder - just a small pinch (optional)
• Pistachio - 2 nos for Garnishing
• Rose Essence - a drop 
• Rose water - for sprinkling

Method:

The yogurt should not be sour. Make a powder of cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. Add all the Ingredients along with sugar to a blender and blend to a smoothie. The lassi should be concentrated so do not add water. Transfer to glass tumblers.

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It will be in pink colour. Do not add more essence. As the flavour may differ. Now a mild spicy flavourful Rose Lassi is ready and you can refrigerate it and serve cold. While serving sprinkle some rose water and garnish with Pistacio. It will be in nice aroma.

Sweet Potato Chaat / Shakarkandi Chaat

I came to know about this Chaat recipe recently in a North Indian Wedding Reception held in Coimbatore. Initial startup of the dinner started with usual Chaat items and Soups. First I started with Chaat items and tasted this sweet potato Chaat. It was really yummy and tempting to eat another plate. There was a large queue for this Chaat. So I left that place and moved to have soup. After soup session I find only few people left in the queue and I ordered one more plate and asked him what was that spice mix..He couldn't explain and just said it is sweet potato. While tasting I could Identify half of the Ingredients used in that recipe. Still then I am not satisfied what could be the items used. The sweet spicy and tangy taste dominated my tongue and I filled half of my stomach with these sweet potatoes. I came home and searched in net...but could not find the complete Ingredients used in that. I made experiments with these sweet potatoes and some spices. To my Surprise I realized the exact taste of that Sweet Potato Chaat what I had in that Wedding. Wow!!! I found it!! It was Yummy n Superb!!!

Ingredients:

• Sweet Potatoes - 5 nos
• Lemon - 1/2 lemon of medium size
• Sugar Powder - 2 tbsp
• Red Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp
• Amchur / Dry mango Powder - 1 tbsp
• Cumin / Jeera Powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Chaat Masala Powder - 1tbsp
• Oil for deep frying

Cooking Method:

• Soak the sweet Potatoes in water for about 10 mins and wash thoroughly. 
• Cut into cubes and cook in steam for about 10 mins. I used Idly pan for cooking. Don't cook with water.
• After cooking check with the toothpick. Peel the skin of it. 
• In a frying pan add oil and fry these sweet potatoes until golden brown and crispy. Keep it in a separate bowl.

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• Keep ready with the spice powders Chilli powder, amchur powder, jeera powder and chaat masala powder, sugar powder and lemon.
• Take the fried sweet potatoes in a bowl squeeze the lemon all over the potatoes.
• Also sprinkle all the spice powders mentioned and sugar powder too. 
• Toss the bowl so that all the sweet potatoes well coated with the spice powders and lemon extract.
• Toss twice or thrice. 

Serve hot. It will be crispy spicy tangy and with sweet flavour. No need of any sides.

Banana Peanut Honey Porridge

This is my usual healthy breakfast and stomach filling too. Bananas and soaked peanuts have more nutrients for day today healthy living. I would like to share with you all.

Ingredients:

• Banana - 1 (sevvalai Banana is preferable)
• Soaked Raw Peanuts -1/2 cup
• Honey as per your taste
• Cardamom - 1/8 tsp
• Raisins for Garnishing

Method:

• Soak Raw Peanuts overnight. Be ready with all the Ingredients. 
• Add peanuts to a blender and grind it coarsely. 
• Transfer to a bowl. Then add Bananas and grind it separately. 
• Now add the grounded peanuts to the Banana puree along with honey and cardamom powder. 
• Just give a quick grind of everything.
• Transfer to your favourite bowl, close it and keep refrigerated for about 10 to 15 mins and serve cold. Garnish with Raising while having.

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Its now ready for my breakfast with slices of wheat bread and Green Tea. The bananas with the Peanuts gives a good flavour while eating.

Notes:

Adjust Honey according to the sweetness of Bananas. 
If you feel it as a more sweetened recipe, you can even neglect Honey.