Virgin Mojito

Hey.. I once went to KFC.. to order Mojito... I saw the guy making it.. it was so simple to make.. yet very tasty.. I made it the same way at home.... My Daughter loves it.. A Mojito is generally alchoholic drink with mint & lemons. A Virgin Mojito is sans alchohol.

Ingredients:

Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
Lemon - 1 (1/2 sliced & 1/2 wedged)
Mint Leaves - 10 to 12 (crushed)
Sprite/7up - 300 ML
Ice Cubes - 3 to 4

Method:

1. Take a glass, add lemon juice & mint leaves (crushed)
2. Add lemon wedges, Sprite/7up & Ice Cubes
3. Serve with Sliced lemon

Tips:

• Make sure you crush mint leave well before adding to the glass
• A good drink to go with Pizza or Burger

 

Masala Chaas (Neer More)

Hi.. It is just April 1st week.. and Summer is at its peak.. Our body needs loads of liquids to beat the Heat.. I usually make Masala Chaas or Neer More to drink. It is very simple & can be made in a jiffy...

Ingredients:

Curd - 1 cup
Ice cubes - 3 to 4
Chilled water -  2 cups

To Grind Coarsely:

Coriander leaves - small bunch
Curry Leaves -  10 to 12
Green Chilli - 1/2 (optional)
Ginger - 1/2 inch (optional)
Salt to taste
Jeera powder - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a generous pinch
Chaat Masala - 1/2 tsp
Kala Namak - a pinch

Method:

1. Add all ingredients in a mixer from "To Grind Coarsely" with 2 tbsp of curd & grind it coarsely
2. Mix the above with curd chilled water.
3. Blend it with hand blender or Traditional "Mathni"
4. Add Ice cubes & Serve Chilled

Tips:

• You can make it in the morning & keep it in fridge. It will fresh for entire day
• For Kids, You can strain it & avoid Green Chillies & Ginger

Vetthai Kozhambhu (TamBram Style)

Hi... Today I made Vetthai Kozhambhu.. It is spicy..tangy sides for Rice... My friend Gunjan calls it "Vetthai Coimbatore" hehehe.. This recipe is my all time favourite.. I can have it even for my mid-nite hunger.. :)
 
 

 
Ingredients:
 
Drumstick - 1 cut into 2' pieces
Shallots (Sambar onions) - 10 to 12
Gingelly Oil - 5 tbsp
Sambar powder - 2 tbsp (Store bought or home-made)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Dry Red Chilli - 2 broken into 4
Tamarind extract - 1/2 cup liquified
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Salt to Taste
Jaggery - 1 tbsp
 
Method:

1. Heat Oil in Kadai, add Mustard seeds, Curry Leaves & dry red chillies
2. Once Mustard seeds starts spluttering, add shallots, drumstick pieces, turmeric powder,salt & sambar powder
3. Let it fry for 2 to 3 mins in medium flame
4. Add Tamarind water to it
5. Let it cook for 10 mins till Oil separates (add more water if required)
6. Add Jaggery & give it a boil.
7. Remove from flame & serve with Hot Rice & Ghee

Tips:

• Use home made sambar powder, gives good taste
• It can be stored for one week if kept in fridge

 
 

Rich Chocolate Cake with Fudge Icing

Yes... Yes... It was a Chocolate Friday for us.... I made this Chocolate Cake with Fudge Icing.. I came across this recipe from MilkMaid Recipes and Anyone can drool for it.. My husband & daughter loved it

Ingredients :

Sweetened Condensed Milk- ½ tin (200 g)
Milk- ½ cup (75 ml)
Fresh Curd - 100g
Butter- 100 g
All purpose Flour- 1 cup (100g)
Cocoa - 50 g
Baking Soda- 1 tsp
Walnuts , chopped- ½ cup

For Chocolate Icing:

Sweetened Condensed Milk- ½ tin (200 g)

Butter- 50 g
Cocoa- 4 tbsp

Method:

1. Grease and dust an 8” baking tin and preheat oven to 180 degrees. Sieve together maida, cocoa & baking soda.
2. Beat butter and curd until light and creamy. Fold in the sieved ingredients, alternating with milk and sweetened condensed Milk. Fold in the chopped walnuts & pour into greased tin.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes till tooth pick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in tin for 5 minutes and remove onto a wire rack.

For Chocolate Icing:

1. Mix together butter, cocoa and milkmaid and beat well. Microwave for 20 seconds. Mix thoroughly.
2. Spread over cake & leave to set.
3. Slice & Serve with chocolate balls & Walnut.

 Tips:

•  Chill the cake completely before spreading the Chocolate Icing
• You can slice the cake horizontally & spread the Icing in the middle of the cake & sandwich it for extra taste
• Tastes best with Vanilla Ice-cream :)
   

Melagu Kozhambu (Pepper Sides for Rice)

This Kozhambu reminds me of the time I delivered My daughter.. Post delivery we are supposed to have this with rice as pepper & garlic are good for digestion and heals pain. It is a very simple & easy to make dish.

Ingredients:

Gingelly Oil - 5 tbsp & 1 tsp
Garlic - 15 to 20 pods
Salt to taste
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Tamarind - lemon sized soaked in water

To Roast & Grind:

Toor Dal - 2 tsp
Channa Dal - 2 tsp
Urad Dal - 2 tsp
Pepper - 3 tsp
Jeera - 2 tsp
Dhania seeds - 3 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in Kadai & add all the ingredients in "To Roast & Grind". Add Tamarind to it. Grind it to a smooth paste
2. Heat 5 tbsp of oil in same Kadai. Add Mustard seeds, Curry leaves, Garlic pods & stir till they are light brown in color
3. Add Salt & pepper paste. Add Water if required.
4. Cook with closed lid in low flame till the oil separates.

Tips:

• This can be kept for 2 days (without refridgerating) or 1 week if kept in fridge
• This is very good for digestion & upset stomach
• For kids, pepper quantity can be reduced.

 

Cabbage Koora (Andhra Style)

 Hi.. for last four years I have been trying to learn loads of Andhra recipes. However, I have tried many of them. I will post those recipes very soon. Andhra-ites generally eat lots of pickles & vegetables.. I made Cabbage Koora..My daughter loved it.

 

 

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 3 cups (Shredded)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida -  a generous pinch
Curry Leaves - 10 to 12
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

To Grind:

Coconut - 3 tbsp (grated)
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Green Chilli - 1

Method:

1. Grind the ingrdients mentioned in "To Grind" in a mixer without adding water
2. Heat oil in a Kadai, add mustard seeds & urad dal and let it splutter. Add Curry leaves and asafoetida
3. Add Cabbage. Cover and let the cabbage soften & cook on low flame. (You can sprinkle water if it is too dry)
4. Add Salt to taste and then add the coconut mixture in it.
5. Saute for 3 to 5 mins on low flame.

Tips:

1. Do not cover after adding coconut mixture
2. Serve hot with plain rice or sambar rice.

 

Poricha Rasam (Fried Rasam)

This is my all-time favorite.. This is one rasam which reminds me of my childhood and how my grandmother would prepare for us...

Now whenever I go to my mother's place.. this rasam will top my list of food prepared by my mother & grandmother

 

 

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 1/4 cup Boiled & mashed
Tamarind Water - 1/4 cup
Tomato - 1 medium sized (chopped)
Curry leaves - 10 to 12
Asafoetida - a generous pinch
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Sambar powder - 2 tsp (homemade or store bought)
Green Chilli - 1 cut into 4 pieces
Salt to taste

To Temper:

Oil - 2 tblsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Dhania Seeds - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 1 cut into 4 pieces
Appalam (south indian urad papad) - 2 nos. cut into small pieces

Method:

1. For Rasam, Take a deep dish and add tamarind water, tomato, curry leaves,  asafoetida, sambar powder, turmeric powder, green chilli, salt & bring it to boil till raw smell goes
2. Add a cup of water to boiled & mashed toor dal to make it watery
3. Boil it for 2 to 3 mins in low flame
4. Heat oil in small kadai, add mustard seeds, Jeera, dhania seeds, dry chillies & appalam till appalam fries.
5. Add this temper to prepared rasam

Tips:

• Serve hot with Steamed Rice
• No accompliments required
• Not very spicy & can be given to kids easily