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Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe

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How To Make Easy and Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins?

Carrot Cake Muffins are easy and healthy breakfast muffins made with freshly grated carrots and spices.

carrot cake muffins

Carrot cake muffins are an easy breakfast option and works wonders with kids. No kid, Lil A including, refuses a muffin for breakfast. Well, you need not declare that they have carrots in them but you can always tell them the magic word muffin and i m sure these will go down without a murmur. Recently, my neighbor’s son had a healthy food festival in his school. Knowing that i bake quite a lot of stuff, she came to me for ideas and i suggested these carrot cake muffins. She expressed her concerns about baking them as she has never baked them before and had not even heard of carrot cake. So, i assured her that i ll bake a batch for her for the kids to enjoy at school.

carrot cake muffins

And that is how i landed up making 20 carrot cake muffins and downing 5 in a single day. These are that good. I could not stop eating them and only stopped when i realised that the kid had to take 10 to school. Common sense prevailed and i dragged myself away from the muffins. Honestly, the fear that Lil A and i would demolish the whole batch,made me run to her house with them.

carrot cake muffins

The carrot cake muffins have been spiced mildly with ginger and cinnamon. You may also use garam masala for a new flavor. These muffins would taste a wee bit off if you made them plain. So i strongly recommend using these spices. You may also use All purpose flour wholly in place of the wheat flour. But then these muffins would not be as healthy as before. If you have the time and some cream cheese, make sure you frost them before you enjoy these  muffins.carrot cake muffins

Recipe For Carrot Cake Muffins

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Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe

Carrot cake muffins are muffins with grated carrot, raisins and spices. Makes a great breakfast or dessert too
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: International
Servings: 6
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • All purpose flour 1/4 cup
  • Whole wheat flour 1/4 cup
  • Baking powder 1/4 tsp
  • Baking soda 1/2 tsp
  • Cinnamon powder 1/2 tsp
  • Ground ginger 1/2 tsp
  • Ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp
  • Salt a small pinch
  • Vanilla extract 1 tsp
  • Caster sugar 6 tbsp
  • Oil 1/3 cup
  • Grated carrots 3/4 c
  • Egg 1 large beated egg at room temp

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 175 C.
  • Combine wheat flour, all purpose flour, salt, sugar,cinnamon powder, ground ginger and nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder in a large mixing bowl using a whisk. Sieving will also work well here.
  • In another bowl, break an egg along with the vanilla and beat till frothy.
  • Now, add the grated carrot, oil and vanilla and beat for another 2 to 3 mins on slow speed using your electric mixer.
  • Gently fold in the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three batches until you can see no dry flour in the batter and well incorporated.
  • Pour in to lined muffin moulds.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 12 mins or until tops turn golden.
  • Check if a skewer inserted comes out clean to ensure your muffins are baked.
  • Once done, cool on a wire rack for 10 mins.
  • Serve warm.

Notes

1. Whole wheat flour can be replaced with all purpose flour. But please dont attempt replacing all purpose flour with wheat flour. The flour is to liquid ratio is different for whole wheat flour based goodies.
2. In case you dont have the spices mentioned, you may use 1 tsp of garam masala
3. If you are looking to replace the egg here, use 1/4 c of apple sauce for a vegan version and 1/4 c of whisked fresh yogurt.

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Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Broccoli Manchurian Recipe- No Fry Manchurian

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How To Make Broccoli Manchurian?

Broccoli Manchurian or Broccoli in Manchurian Sauce is no deep-fry Indo-Chinese Vegan And Gluten Free 

broccoli manchurian

Broccoli Manchurian is a simple no fuss Indo- Chinese dish that is made with blanched broccoli florets and a sauce that requires very basic ingredients that are easily available in the pantry. This recipe calls for a very few ingredients unlike other Indo- Chinese recipes and is adapted from the Tarla Dalal Website. I made this no deep fry broccoli manchurian the first time long back when i was pregnant with Lil A. I even remember relishing that meal with some paneer fried rice and a fresh cabbage and avocado salad. We’ll come to the salad part later. But for now, please let me reminisce the beauty of this broccoli manchurian. One thing i hate most about making  manchurian is that it involves deep frying. Which only means two things- calories and longer time in the kitchen. Both of these never work well for me. And that is why this broccoli manchurian is a winner in my kitchen each and every time i make an Indo-Chinese meal. Plus, a delicious way to add broccoli to our diet?

While the original recipe is made with paneer, i have used broccoli florets here and i have been successful in using fresh tofu or cauliflower in this recipe too. You can also make this broccoli manchurian ahead and reheat it later when you serve. In that case, please make sure you add some water and adjust the salt accordingly because the sauce thickens a bit after it cools down. If you really must try replacing the broccoli with anything, then tofu is my best bet because tofu soaks up all that umami flavor so well.

If you try this recipe or any other recipe from this website, make sure you post a pic on Instagram with the hash tag #tomatobluesblog. Seeing your pics is the happiest thing ever for me. For more food related  ideas and inspiration, follow me on Instagram using my handle tomatoblues. 

broccoli manchurian

Recipe For Broccoli Manchurian Or Broccoli In Manchurian Sauce

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4.50 from 2 votes

Broccoli Manchurian Recipe- No Fry Manchurian

Broccoli Manchurian or Broccoli in Manchurian sauce is an easy to make Indo Chinese accompaniment that uses minimal ingredients including soy sauce and garlic.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: Indo Chinese
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Broccoli florets 1.5 c
  • Ginger 1 tsp grated
  • Garlic cloves 3 to 4 minced finely
  • Dark soy sauce 1.5 tbsp
  • Chili- garlic sauce 1 tbsp
  • Sugar 1 tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Cornflour 1 tbsp
  • Water 1 c
  • Sesame oil 1 tbsp
  • Spring onion whites 2 tbsp chopped
  • Spring onion greens 1 tbsp chopped

Instructions

  • Heat a pan with enough water to immerse the broccoli in.
  • Once the water comes to a rolling boil, dunk the florets in and switch off flame.
  • Cover the pan and let it rest for 5 mins.
  • After 5 mins, drain water completely and rinse the florets in cold water. Set aside.
  • Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil.
  • Add spring onion whites, garlic and ginger and saute till garlic browns.
  • To this, add the soy sauce, sugar and chili garlic sauce and mix well.
  • Now add the broccoli and salt and mix well.
  • Keep a tab on the amount of salt as all the sauces contain salt.
  • Mix 1 tbsp corn flour with 1 c of water thoroughly and add to the pan.
  • Mix well and simmer till the mixture turns glossy. This should take 3 mins on medium flame.
  • Garnish with spring onion greens.
  • Serve hot with fried rice or noodles.

Notes

1. In case you dont have chili garlic sauce, use red chili sauce and 2 extra cloves of minced garlic.

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Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

 

Punjabi Dry Kala Chana Recipe- Sukhe Chana Recipe

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How To Make Punjabi Dry Kala Chana?

Punjabi Dry Kala Chana is a dry curry made with black chickpeas. It is apt for fasting days as it is vegan and has no onion or garlic.

punjabi dry kala chana

Punjabi dry kala chana is a popular dish that is made as Bhog or Prasad during Navratri by many people in Northern India. I tasted this Punjabi dry kala chana the first time when i was invited to a friend’s house for a pooja. This chana is usually served along with sooji ka halwa and poori. The combination is simply outstanding even though it may seem weird to eat poori, kala chana and sooji ka halwa all together. The tradition is that the ladies eat this as a meal after they finish their keertan in the evenings during Navratri. The occasion itself is such an entertainment replete with singing and dance and needless to say the delectable food that follows.

punjabi dry kala chana

I learnt this recipe from my Punjabi neighbor’s MIL back in India. That aunty makes the best aloo parathas in the whole world, undeniably. Oh did i mention that legendary pickle of hers which had a medley of winter veggies including caulilfower and turnips. Yes, cauliflower in a pickle. I m not a pickle fan but i make an exception for that one pickle. This jewel of a recipe that i picked up from her is vegan and has no onion and garlic. That is the reason why this Punjabi Dry Kala Chana makes a great dish to serve on days when you fast or during Poojas. Pooja or not, this kala chana is truly delicious.

Recipe For Punjabi Dry Kala Chana

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5 from 1 vote

Punjabi Dry Kala Chana Recipe- Sukhe Chana Recipe

Punjabi Dry Kala Chana masala is a dry curry made with black chickpeas cooked in spices and tomato puree. This tastes great with pooris, rotis and parathas
Prep Time8 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time8 hours 35 minutes
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: Punjabi
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Black chickpeas 1 c
  • Tomato puree 1/2 c
  • Ginger 1" peeled and chopped into julienne
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
  • Red chili powder 1 tsp
  • Coriander cumin powder 1 tsp
  • Garam masala 1/4 tsp
  • Black salt 1 tsp see notes
  • Salt a small pinch
  • Cumin seeds 1 tsp
  • Hing 1/2 tsp
  • Oil 1.5 tbsp
  • Coriander leaves for garnish.
  • Lemon juice 1 tbsp to serve

Instructions

  • Soak the chickpeas overnight.
  • Next day, drain the water and wash the chickpeas thoroughly.
  • Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas in 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt for 5 whistles or until done.
  • Once done, drain water completely.
  • Heat a pan with oil.
  • Crackle the cumin and tip in the hing, ginger and turmeric powder
  • Next add the tomato puree along with the remaining spice powders and mix well.
  • Simmer till the raw smell of tomato goes away and the mixture has thickened.
  • Add the cooked chickpeas and mix well.
  • Cook covered for 5 mins on medium flame.
  • Remove from flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Add lemon juice just before serving.
  • Serve with pooris or chapati

Notes

1. Most fasting recipes dont use regular salt. So i have added black salt. Black salt is nothing but sendha namak and is also called as pink salt.
2. Be cautious about the salt you add while you cook the chickpeas. This is optional and you may skip the salt while pressure cooking the chana too.

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Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Vazhakkai Podimas Recipe

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How To Make Vazhakkai Podimas?

Vazhakkai Podimas, Vegan And Gluten Free Dry Curry Prepared With Raw Plantains.

vazhakkai podimas

Vazhakkai Podimas, also called as Vazhakkai Puttu, is a dry curry made with raw plantains. I make this when i m not in a mood to fry up some vazhakkai varuval. This vazhakkai podimas tastes delicious with mor kuzhambu or brinjal kara kuzhambu and hot rice. The key to making non mushy vazhakkai podimas lies in choosing the right kind of plantain. Make sure that your plantains are raw. Plantains that are beginning to ripe wont work well here in this recipe. Similarly, don’t cook the plantains more than the time mentioned and i assure you the ticket to the perfect coarse crumbly vazhakkai podimas.

vazhakkai podimas

Needless to say, i love cooking with raw plantains and like to experiment with them whenever i can get my hands on raw plantains. While i used to live in India, i never used to get the right kind of plantain for cooking south Indian dishes like this vazhakkai podimas. But Singapore is a different story. They have just the right kind of plantains apt for south Indian cooking and whenever i visit my Indian vegetable store, i make sure i come back with some drumsticks, a big fat Indian yam and a couple of raw plantains. Mr. P carries roti and subzi along with a salad for his lunch, which obviously becomes my lunch too. So on weekdays, i never get to cook anything extensive. Which is why i go way overboard when weekends arrive. That is when blissful things like Vazhakkai podimas happen.The picture below is a typical meal that i cook on weekends. This thali has kathirikai murungakkai kara kuzhambu, simple everyday rasam, vazhakkai podimas, home made yogurt, puli inji and rice. I m sure that you will also enjoy this simple vazhakkai podimas made with minimal ingredients.

If you try this recipe or any other recipe from this website, make sure you post a pic on Instagram with the hash tag #tomatobluesblog. Seeing your pics is the happiest thing ever for me. For more such thali ideas and inspiration, follow me on Instagram using my handle tomatoblues. 

vazhakkai podimas thali

Recipe For Vazhakkai Podimas

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5 from 1 vote

Vazhakkai Podimas Recipe

Vazhakkai Podimas is a vegan dry curry made with raw plantains. Tastes great with any kuzhambu and hot rice
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: South Indian
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Raw Plantains 1 large
  • Green chilies 2 minced finely
  • Ginger 1/2" peeled and grated
  • Freshly grated coconut 2 tbsp
  • Curry leaves a sprig
  • Turmeric powder 3/4 tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Urad dal 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves a sprig
  • Lemon juice 2 tbsp
  • Oil 1 tbsp

Instructions

  • Heat a wide pan with water enough to immerse the plantain.
  • Cut the plantain into two pieces and cook in the water till the peel turns blackish brown and the plantain is fork tender. If you are not sure, insert a fork through the plantain. It should be firm yet cooked. A fork must easily pierce the plantain.
  • Immediately remove the plantain from the hot water and let cool.
  • Once cool, remove the peel and grate the plantain using a grater.
  • Set aside.
  • Heat a pan with 1 tbsp oil.
  • Pop the mustard and add the urad dal and curry leaves.
  • Now add green chilies and turmeric powder.
  • Add the grated plantain along with the salt and mix well.
  • Cook covered for about 3 mins on medium flame.
  • Once done,Switch off flame and add grated coconut and lemon juice.
  • Mix well.
  • Serve hot with rice and any kuzhambu or rasam

Notes

1. Please follow the steps to cook the plantain correctly. If you over cook the plantain, you will have a mushy podimas.
2. Desiccated coconut doesnt work well in this recipe.
3. Frozen fresh coconut can be used after thawing.
4. Lemon juice is a must. Dont skip it .

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Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Strawberry Lassi Recipe

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How To Make Strawberry Lassi?

Strawberry Lassi With Pistachios and Greek Yogurt. Summer Recipes

strawberry lassi

Strawberry Lassi is a delicious way to enjoy strawberries. Strawberry season is drawing to an end in India. Singapore gets its strawberries from Korea and i hope to see them around for a while. I just wanted to make a thick and creamy strawberry lassi one afternoon when i was super hungry but did not have the energy to cook. So i blitzed some strawberries, a handful of pistachios, some greek yogurt and sugar and this lassi materialised. I must admit that this is one of the best ways to beat the heat during Summers.

strawberry lassi

In India, lassis are topped with malai or rich full fat cream and they are served in kullads or mud tumblers. This is the way to devour a lassi. I do not approve of any other method of downing chilled lassi. However these days, lassi bars have sprouted across many cities and lassi is now being served in tall glasses. Though it may not live up to that kullad version, i guess i can make do with those too. Coming to the strawberry lassi, i used Greek yogurt for this. You can also use normal full fat yogurt that you set at home in which case your lassi may not be very thick. Greek yogurt or not, if you have strawberries on hand, make sure you drink some  lassi.

strawberry lassi

Recipe For Strawberry Lassi

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5 from 1 vote

Strawberry Lassi Recipe

Strawberry Lassi is made with fresh strawberries, yogurt and pistachios. This tastes great on a hot day and can be enjoyed as a dessert too
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 1
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Strawberries 6 to 7
  • Unsalted Pistachios 5 to 6
  • Greek yogurt 1 c
  • Sugar 2 tbsp
  • Vanilla extract 1/4 tsp
  • Ice cubes to serve

Instructions

  • In a blender blend everything except the ice cubes to a smooth puree.
  • Top with ice cubes and serve cold.

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Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu With Step By Step Pictures

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How To Make Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu?

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu – Tangy and Spicy Gravy With Drumstick & Aubergines. Chettinad Recipe

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu is a tangy and spicy kuzhambu from the Chettinad regions. The chettinad region is famous for its myriad varieties of kuzhambu. A kuzhambu is basically a gravy made with a few vegetables, a spice paste with or without coconut and a souring agent like yogurt or tamarind. Of all the kuzhambus that are made, this kathirikai murungakkai kara kuzhambu is one of the most sought after, maybe because of the flavors of aubergine and drumstick. This kara kuzhambu made with aubergines and drumstick tastes divine with hot rice, a drizzle of sesame oil and some poppadoms. But the best in this Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu is brought out only the next day after its cooked. This kuzhambu tastes the best the next day and any leftovers are relished along with some curd rice in my house.

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu

While many versions of kara kuzhambu involve a lot of spices and grinding, this kathirikai murungakkai kara kuzhambu is a simple version. You can even call it the everyday kara kuzhambu. The building blocks of this kathirikai murungakkai kara kuzhambu are tender drumsticks and aubergines plus freshly grated coconut. You will get this kuzhambu spot on if you have all these right. Let us now check out the recipe for this lip smacking kuzhambu.

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu With Step By Step Pictures

Chop drumstick into 3″ long pieces and cook till tender but firm. I used my microwave for this. Quarter the aubergines, peel the shallots, garlic and chop the tomatoes.

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu

Soak tamarind in half a cup of hot water. Extract pulp and strain this to get rid of all the strings.  I  never do this out of sheer laziness but my mom highly recommends this. It is not a wonder that i m also frowned upon for not doing the same.  😆

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu

Heat a pan with 2 tbsp sesame oil. Add the shallot and garlic and fry till shallots turn translucent and pink.

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu

Next, add the cooked drumstick and aubergines and saute for a minute. To this, add the tamarind extract, salt and jaggery. Sorry i couldnt take a picture of the salt and jaggery being added. Mix well let it simmer for a minute.

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu

To this add the chopped tomatoes and give a good mix. Simmer this till the tomatoes become very tender but not mushy. Many people add the chopped tomatoes at the beginning after the shallots are fried. But i prefer doing it this way because i like bits of tomato in my kathirikai murungakkai kara kuzhambu. However, you may add the chopped tomatoes right after the shallots get done and proceed with the recipe.

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu

In the meanwhile, grind all the ingredients for the spice paste along with 2 to 3 tbsp water. Once the tomatoes have turned tender and the raw smell of the tamarind goes away, add the ground paste to the mixture and mix well. Continue to simmer the kuzhambu on medium flame until the raw smell of the spice paste goes away. This should take 5 mins.

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu

Heat a pan with 1 tbsp sesame oil. Pop the mustard and quickly tip in the urad dal, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves with a pinch of hing. Add the tempering to the kuzhambu. Mix well. ( Please note that this Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu will become gluten free only if you dont add the hing)

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu

Your Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu is ready.

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu

Recipe For Kathirikai Murungakkkai Kara Kuzhambu

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5 from 2 votes

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu With Step By Step Pictures

Kathirikai Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu is a tangy gravy made with aubergines and drumstick. Tastes best with hot rice but also works well as a side dish to dosa and idli
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: Chettinad
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Drumstick murungakkai 1 large chopped into 3" fingers
  • Aubergines eggplant/ kathirikai 2 quartered
  • Shallots 7 to 8 peeled
  • Garlic cloves 4 to 5 peeled
  • Tomato 1 medium chopped
  • Tamarind extract 1/2 c
  • Salt to taste
  • Jaggery 1 tbsp grated
  • Sesame oil 2 tbsp plus 1 tbsp
  • Spice paste:
  • Freshly grated coconut 3 tbsp
  • Red chili powder 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder 1 tsp
  • Tempering:
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Urad dal 1 tsp
  • Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp
  • Curry leaves a sprig
  • Hing a small pinch

Instructions

  • Cook the drumstick till tender in a microwave.
  • Heat a pan with 2 tbsp sesame oil.
  • Add the shallots and garlic and fry till the shallots turn pink
  • To this add the aubergines and drumstick and saute for a minute.
  • Add the tamarind extract along with salt and jaggery and mix well.
  • Simmer for about 2 to 3 mins.
  • Next add chopped tomatoes and mix well.
  • Cook till tomatoes turn very tender but not mushy. This should take 3 to 4 mins.
  • Grind the coconut, chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric along with 1/4 c of water to a smooth paste.
  • Add this paste to the pan and mix well.
  • Simmer for 5 mins or until raw smell goes away.
  • Switch off flame
  • Heat another pan with 1 tbsp oil.
  • Pop the mustard and add the urad dal, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds and hing.
  • Once the dal begins to brown, add the tempering to the kuzhambu.
  • Mix well.
  • Serve hot with rice.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Achari Bhindi Recipe With Step By Step Pictures

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How To Make Achari Bhindi, A No Onion No Garlic Okra Gravy Cooked In Pickling Spices?

Side Dishes For Roti, Paratha

achari bhindi

Achari Bhindi is an easy recipe that has okra cooked in Indian pickling spices and yogurt. This no onion no garlic Achari Bhindi is a great side dish for rotis, chapatis and pulao on fasting days including Navratri. The okra lover that i am, i try and cook okra in all possible ways. Even though okra mor kuzhambu is my favorite way to eat this great vegetable, i make this achari bhindi quite often as an accompaniment to parathas.

achari bhindi

Many people find cooking with okra challenging because of its slimy texture. Especially Indians find it difficult to cook okra without the slime. There are a few ways in which you can avoid this. Never cook okra covered. If you cover okra, it will generate steam and moisture is not okra s best pal. Do not add salt to any okra dish while cooking it. Add salt only towards the end because salt makes the veggies to let out water which in turn makes okra slimier. Add a souring agent like lemon juice, yogurt or tamarind while cooking okra to get rid of the slime. And finally if you are making dishes that involve frying okra or sauteeing okra along with other veggies like onions or tomatoes, then follow this method that i have used in making achari bhindi. Now let us check out how to make Achari Bhindi step by step.

achari bhindi

How To Make Achari Bhindi- Step by Step

Mix spice powders with yogurt and mix well. Chop tomatoes and okra and keep ready. Peel and julienne the ginger and set aside the tempering spices.

achari bhindi step by step

Now, heat a pan with 2 tbsp oil. Add the chopped okra and fry till they turn a light brown. Just when they begin to brown , remove and drain the okra on a kitchen towel. This step is important. This is what will prevent your okra from becoming slimy when cooked with the tomatoes.

achari bhindi step by step

In the same pan add about 2 tsp of oil. Add the mustard and once it pops, add the fennel seeds along with the nigella, fenugreek and hing. Now add the chopped ginger and fry on medium flame for 30 secs. Now tip in the tomatoes and fry till they turn mushy. This should take 3 to 4 mins on medium flame.

achari bhindi step by step

Once the tomatoes are done, turn down the flame to the lowest and add the whisked yogurt along with salt. Now give this mixture a good toss. Next add the okra and mix well. Cook on medium flame for 2 to 3 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves.

achari bhindi step by step

Your Achari Bhindi is ready

achari bhindi

Recipe For Achari Bhindi

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Achari Bhindi Recipe With Step By Step Pictures

Achari Bhindi is a delicious gravy in which okra is cooked along with pickling spices in yogurt. This tastes great with roti, naan bread, kulcha and pulao
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: North Indian
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Okra 20 chopped into 3" long pieces
  • Tomato 1 medium chopped finely
  • Ginger 1/2 " cut into julienne
  • Yogurt 2 tbsp
  • Red chili powder 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
  • Coriander cumin powder 1 tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Fennel seeds 1 tsp
  • Fenugreek seeds 3/4 tsp
  • Nigella seeds Kalonji 1 tsp
  • Hing a small pinch
  • Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely
  • Lemon wedges to serve

Instructions

  • Whisk the yogurt along with the red chili powder, coriander cumin powder and turmeric powder until smooth. Set aside.
  • Heat a pan with 2 tbsp oil.
  • Add the chopped okra and fry till light brown. Drain on a kitchen towel.
  • In the same pan, add 2 tsp oil.
  • Pop the mustard and quickly tip in the hing, fenugreek, fennel and nigella seeds.
  • To this add the ginger and fry for 30 secs on medium flame.
  • Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook till mushy.
  • Next turn down the flame to the lowest and add the whisked yogurt along with the salt and mix well.
  • Now, add the fried okra, mix well and cook on medium flame for 3 to 4 mins.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Notes

Make sure you fry the okra separately to avoid slimy okra.
The yogurt must be added on low flame only or the mixture may curdle.

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Blueberry Chia Smoothie

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How To Make Blueberry Chia Smoothie, A Healthy Breakfast Smoothie?

Vegan.Gluten Free.Nut Free Blueberry Chia Smoothie.

blueberry chia smoothie

Blueberry Chia Smoothie is a simple and healthy breakfast smoothie. It can be made the night before and enjoyed the next morning. This smoothie happened on a whim. I was prepping a salad for Mr.P s lunch box and was left with a few blueberries and couple of strawberries. I instantly thought of making a smoothie for my breakfast the next morning. I decided on adding chia in order to give it some texture and nutrient oomph. This smoothie is the first in terms of using almond milk. I bought Almond Breeze recently and tried it as it is. Let’s just say i did not take to the taste instantly. So i thought of masking its flavor by adding it to a smoothie in place of regular dairy product. And ever since then, i have been using only Almond milk in place of regular milk in all my smoothies. You can use regular milk in place of almond milk in this blueberry chia smoothie too. The taste will be different but good. I have tried both versions of this blueberry chia smoothie, with regular milk and almond milk. And my favorite will always be the blueberry chia smoothie with almond milk. Guess you have a convert here. 😎

blueberry chia smoothie

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Blueberry Chia Smoothie

Blueberry chia smoothie is a healthy nutrient packed smoothie with blueberries, almond milk and chia seeds. This is vegan, gluten free and can be made ahead
Prep Time2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: International
Servings: 1
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Blueberries 1/4 c
  • Strawberries 3 to 4
  • Chia seeds 1 tbsp
  • Sugar 2 tbsp see notes
  • Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp
  • Almond Milk 1 c

Instructions

  • Place the chia seeds in a blender along with sugar and berries and give a blitz.
  • To this add the almond milk and vanilla and blend till smooth.
  • Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or two.
  • Serve cold.

Notes

1. I used regular white sugar here. You can also use any other sweetener of your choice ranging from stevia to maple syrup.
2. Almond milk can be replaced with regular milk.

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Sundakkai Kuzhambu With Step By Step Instructions

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How To Make Sundakkai Kuzhambu With Fresh Turkey Berries?

sundakkai kuzhambuSundakkai Kuzhambu is a delicious gravy made the Chettinad style with fresh turkey berries. Turkey berries also known as Sundakai in Tamil is a common sight in many houses. You can even find turkey berry plants by the road side in many places. My mom’s house has this large turkey berry plant growing right next to her fencing. And she never cooks with them. I always heave and sigh when i see those berries. I make vada with these turkey berries. But our favorite is this tangy Sundakai kuzhambu with so many flavors. The above picture is a regular affair in our house. We eat sundakkai kuzhamu with hot rice and some deep fried vegetable like potato or taro root. I also make sure that there are some crunchy appalams freshly fried to go along with our sundakai kuzhambu. Turkey berries have a mild bitter taste. So, these are generally cooked along with another vegetable and tamarind. This sundakkai kuzhambu has eggplant along with turkey berries in it and is simmered in a spicy tamarind based paste. It is then tempered with mustard, fenugreek and fennel. Of course, some curry leaves are thrown into this sundakkai kuzhambu too. Can good food exist without curry leaves? Not in my opinion at least. Shall we now check out how to make sundakkai kuzhambu step by step?

Step By Step Instructions To Make Sundakkai Kuzhambu

Peel the shallots. Quarter the eggplants. Crush the turkey berries with a pestle. And set aside.

sundakai kuzhambu

1-IMG_20150608_092801Soak the tamarind in warm water for 15 mins. After 15 mins, extract tamarind juice out using the soaked tamarind and discard pulp. In the meanwhile, grind together the grated fresh coconut, garlic, red chili powder, turmeric powder, fennel seeds and poppy seeds using water to a smooth paste. Please note that i do not have access to white poppy seeds any more because i live in Singapore and it is illegal here. This picture was shot in India and this kuzhambu was made during my last month of stay in India. Understandably the reason behind such blurry pictures which were shot hurriedly with my mobile camera.

sundakai kuzhambu

Heat a pan with oil. Add the shallots and fry till they turn pink. Now add the turkey berries and eggplants and give a toss. Tip in the tomatoes next and cook on medium flame for 2 to 3 mins.

1-sundakai kuzhambu1

To this mixture, add coriander powder and sambar powder and mix well. Now add the tamarind extract and 1/2 tsp of kashmiri chili powder. I add this only for the color and its completely optional but highly recommended.

1-sundakai kuzhambu2

Simmer this mixture for about 5 mins on medium flame. Once the raw smell of the tamarind leaves, add the ground paste along with salt to the mixture and mix well. Simmer for another 5 to 7 mins until the raw smell of the paste goes away.

1-sundakai kuzhambu3

Heat a pan with sesame oil. Pop the mustard seeds and quickly tip in the cumin, fenugreek and fennel seeds along with the urad dal. Add a sprig of curry leaves at this stage if you have some. I did not have any on this fateful day. Sigh! 🙁  Once the dal turns golden, add this to the kuzhambu and give a good mix. Your sundakkai kuzhambu is now ready.

1-sundakai kuzhambu4

 

sundakai kuzhambu

Recipe For Sundakkai Kuzhambu

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Sundakkai Kuzhambu Recipe With Step By Step Instructions

Sundakai kuzhambu is a tangy gravy made with fresh turkey berries and eggplant. It tastes best when eaten with hot rice.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: South Indian
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Turkey berries 15 crushed with a pestle.
  • Eggplant 4 quartered
  • Shallots 6 to 7 peeled
  • Tomato 1 large chopped into cubes
  • Tamarind a small marble size
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil 2 tbsp
  • Spice Paste:
  • Freshly grated coconut 3 tbsp
  • White poppy seeds 1 tbsp
  • Fennel seeds 1 tsp
  • Garlic cloves 4 to 5
  • Red chili powder 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder 1 tsp
  • Water 1/4 c
  • Spice powders:
  • Kashmiri chili powder 1/2 tsp
  • Sambar powder 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder 2 tsp
  • To Temper:
  • Sesame oil 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Fennel seeds 1 tsp
  • Fenugreek seeds 1 tsp
  • Urad dal 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves 1 sprig

Instructions

  • Soak tamarind in warm water for 15 mins and make an extract amounting to 1 cup. Add water accordingly to dilute the extract,
  • Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.
  • Add the shallots and fry till pink.
  • Now add crushed turkey berries and eggplants and saute for a minute or two on medium flame.
  • Add chopped tomatoes next and mix well. Cook for 2 mins on medium flame.
  • To this mixture add coriander powder and sambar powder. Mix well.
  • Add tamarind extract to this along with the kashmiri chili powder and simmer for 5 mins till raw smell of tamarind goes away.
  • In the meanwhile grind all the ingredients for the spice paste to a smooth paste using 1/4 c of water. Use your blender to do this.
  • Once the raw smell of tamarind goes away, add the spice paste along with salt to the mixture and simmer for another 5 to 7 mins until the raw smell of the spice paste goes away.
  • Heat a pan with sesame oil.
  • Pop the mustard and quickly tip in cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and urad dal along with the curry leaves.
  • Once the dal turns golden, add this to the kuzhambu and mix well.
  • Serve with hot rice and appalam

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Fenugreek Sprouts- Ingredient Talk

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Fenugreek Sprouts- Methi Sprouts. How Do They Help Us? 

Ingredient Talk

fenugreek sprouts

Fenugreek sprouts are made by sprouting fenugreek seeds also known as methi in hindi, menthe in kannada and vendhayam in Tamil. I would like to call this as the wonder seed. Its health benefits are numerous and when eaten as fenugreek sprouts, their nutritional value doubles. Before i tell you how to make your own  sprouts, i also want to share how these are helpful to our  body.

1. Fenugreek sprouts are known for helping in managing blood sugar levels. So it is a great food for diabetics.

2. These sprouts are given to lactating mothers to improve breast milk production. This is because it has phytoestrogen that helps in lactation.

3. These also help in flatulence and dyspepsia.

4. I remember eating these as a relief for menstrual cramps. They work like a charm.

5. These sprouts prevent aging symptoms and also improves the health of your hair.

6. Fenugreek sprouts have been proven to help in minimizing cholestrol levels.

7. These sprouts are good for your heart.

These are only a few benefits of eating fenugreek sprouts. There are many more but i m sure that eating this super food will definitely help our body to stay fit. Shall we now check how to make these sprouts at home?

Sprouting fenugreek  is like child’s play. In fact you can use this method to sprout any bean that you desire. All you need is some fenugreek seeds, water and a clean kitchen towel. If you have leftover  sprouts, just sow them in potting soil and you will have fenugreek greens growing in your kitchen garden in no time. These fenugreek sprouts can be added while making dosa or idli batter too.

fenugreek sprouts

How To Make Fenugreek Sprouts?

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Fenugreek Sprouts- Ingredient Talk

Fenugreek sprouts are made by sprouting methi or menthe or vendhayam and these are very high in nutrients. Learn how to make your own fenugreek sprouts easily here.
Prep Time1 day 8 hours
Total Time1 day 8 hours
Course: Super Foods
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 1 /4 c
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Fenugreek seeds 4 tbsp
  • Water 1 c
  • A clean kitchen towel

Instructions

  • Wash the fenugreek seeds well.
  • Soak them in water for 8 hours.
  • After 8 hours, drain them completely and place them on the kitchen towel.
  • Now, make a bundle out of the towel by bringing together the ends and make a knot.
  • Hang this in a well lit place for 24 hours.
  • Make sure you spritz the towel with water once in a while,
  • After 24 hours, you will have beautifully sprouted fenugreek seeds.
  • Use them as required.

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ABC Juice Or Apple Beetroot Carrot Juice

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How To Make ABC Juice or Apple Beetroot Carrot Juice?

ABC juice or apple beetroot carrot juice

ABC juice or Apple Beetroot Carrot Juice is the way i begin my day everyday. This ABC juice is rich in nutrients and is a delicious concoction of all good things that mother nature can give us. Ever since my daughter took to drinking the ABC juice outside, i had the thoughts of buying a juicer just so that she can enjoy the goodness of this apple beet carrot juice at home. On my last trip to India, i lugged back a Philips juicer and the rest is history. I have been making this ABC juice ever since then every single day and my daughter seems to enjoy it too.

ABC juice or apple beetroot carrot juice

The ABC juice or apple beetroot carrot juice is considered a miracle drink in the health world because of the vitamin enriched drink that it is. Carrots are a rich source of Vitamin A. Beets are a great way to improve hemoglobin levels in your body. And apples are a fantastic source of antioxidants, phytonutrients and dietary fiber. I have also added an orange, a Vitamin C stash and a stick of celery to this juice. Celery helps in your gum and teeth health and is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. So, do make this ABC juice or apple beetroot carrot juice and stay healthy in a delicious way.

ABC juice or apple beetroot carrot juice

Recipe For ABC Juice or Apple Beetroot Carrot Juice

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5 from 2 votes

ABC Juice Or Apple Beetroot Carrot Jucie

ABC juice or Apple Beetroot Carrot Juice is called a miracle drink. Rich in nutrients, it can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike on a daily basis
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: International
Servings: 1
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Carrot 1 medium
  • Beetroot 1 medium peeled
  • Apple 1 medium cored
  • Orange 1 medium
  • Celery stick 1 medium
  • To serve
  • Pink salt 1 tsp
  • Lime juice 1 tsp
  • Ice cubes a few optional

Instructions

  • Juicer method:
  • If you have a juicer, then simply push all the veggies and fruits through the feeder and wait for the juicer to completely extract juice from the mixture.
  • Once done, add pink salt and 1 tsp of lime juice.
  • Mix well.
  • Drink the juice without straining.
  • Blender method:
  • You have to chop the apple, beet and carrot into cubes sized pieces before you place them in the blender.
  • Place the orange, beet, carrot, celery and apple in the blender along with the pink salt and lime juice. Add 1/2 c of water..
  • Blend to a smooth puree.
  • Strain and drink the juice immediately.

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Pesto Rolls- Quick Recipe With Pizza Dough. Vegan

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How To Make Pesto Rolls With Pizza Dough? Vegan Recipe

pesto rolls

Pesto Rolls are nothing but rolls stuffed with pesto and baked to golden. These pesto rolls make a nice breakfast on the go and taste delicious on their own. This pesto rolls recipe in particular can be put together in a jiffy if you have some pesto on hand and a batch of frozen pizza dough. I had earlier posted All Purpose Pizza Dough recipe that you can use to make anything from pizza (of course) to garlic knots. I tried making these pesto rolls with that dough and it was an instant success. When i shared these pesto rolls with my neighbor, she wanted to learn how to bake them.

pesto rolls

These rolls dont take more than an hour to bake if you have the dough frozen already. You can use any stuffing in place of the pesto that i used here. Even onion tomato chutney would work well for these rolls. We enjoyed these rolls straight from the oven and mangaed to gulp the entire lot in an hour’s time. ( That we kissed dinner good bye after that is another story) So i m not entirely sure as to how long these rolls will stay fresh. Before we check out the recipe for these pesto rolls, you may need the recipe for the pizza dough and the pesto. You can get the recipe for the pizza dough by clicking here and the recipe for the pesto can be found here and here. Also, these pesto rolls are my entry for January’s We Knead To Bake Group. I know i m more than a month late but this is what i made for January but got around to posting only now.

pesto rolls

Recipe For Vegan Pesto Rolls With Quick Pizza Dough

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Pesto Rolls- Quick Recipe With Pizza Dough. Vegan

Pesto rolls are bread rolls stuffed with fresh pesto. They make a great breakfast or even dinner with some hearty soup.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 9
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Pizza Dough 1 recipe
  • Almond Coriander Pesto 2/3 c please read the post for the link to both the recipes
  • Olive oil 2 tbsp
  • Chili flakes 1 tbsp
  • Flour for dusting.

Instructions

  • Assuming that you have the pizza dough ready, turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead once.
  • Flatten the dough into a 6" by 6" square using your hands. Do this gently making sure you have an even slab of dough.
  • Turn the slab of dough and sprinkle some flour on it.
  • Now do the same for the other side.
  • Place this slab on a floured rolling board and roll the slab out into 9" by 9" square.
  • Once you have done this, spread the pesto evenly over the dough.
  • Sprinkle the chili flakes over the pesto evenly.
  • Now begin rolling the dough into a log by starting at one edge and slowly roll into a log making sure you there are no gaps in the log. The log must be rolled tightly but gently.
  • Grease a 9" round cake tin with 1 tbsp olive oil.
  • Once you have shaped the log, use a sharp knife and cut the log into 1" wide pinwheels.
  • Place each pinwheel in the cake tin leaving at least 1/2 an inch gap between them.
  • Cover these rolls with a moist kitchen towel and let them rise till puffy.
  • Towards the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 200 C.
  • Once the rolls have turned puffy, you can notice that they stick to each other.
  • At this stage, brush them with olive oil lightly.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 15 mins or until golden.
  • Wait for the bread to cool down a bit before you unmould and slice.

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Broa De Milho – Portuguese Bread Recipe

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How To Make Broa De Milho, A Portuguese Yeasted Bread?

Broa De Milho

 

Broa De Milho is not a bread that i have either heard of or seen. Broa De Milho is a portuguese bread that has a dense crumby texture and is made with a combination of yellow corn flour and APF or Rye flour. How do i know this? Well, thanks to the We Knead To Bake group  once again. Yes, i rejoined the group this year and i m keeping my fingers crossed that i post all the 12 breads this year. For the month of February, we were given the recipe of this beautiful rustic bread called Broa De Milho that is of portuguese origin. The bread baked up beautifully and tasted wonderful with a hint of sweetness from the fennel. Broa de Milho is traditionally flavored with fennel according to King Arthur Flour. So i went ahead and added a good tbsp of fennel powder to my bread dough. And i dont regret it in the least bit. I couldnt have thought of anything better.

Broa De Milho

Among other things happening in my life other than baking this Broa De Milho, i bought a new microwave oven. Finally! And Mr. P indulged me some more and let me buy an awesome Philips Food Processor which i used to knead this bread’s dough. Only after that did i realize that my life has become more easier. The kneading process was effortless and a breeze with the new machine. So if you are a baker and a bread baker at that, consider investing in a good quality food processor. (Note: This is my personal opinion and i m not promoting Philips Food Processor or any of their products). Coming back to the Broa De Milho, i shot some pics of the bread dough rising and i want to share them here with you just to show you how beautiful it looked.

Broa De Milho

 

I have modified the recipe for this Broa De Milho according to our palates. The original recipe doesnt call for sugar or fennel powder. I added sugar just to make sure the yeast grows and the fennel for the flavor. You can leave out the sugar and replace fennel with any dried herbs like thyme or rosemary. Please also note that this recipe calls for fine yellow corn meal and not corn starch. If you live in India, ask for makkai ka atta.

broa de milho

Recipe For Broa De Milho

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Broa De Milho - Portuguese Bread Recipe

Broa De Milho is a dense crumby bread made with yellow corn flour and APF. It is a great bread to toast up or to dip into hearty soups.
Prep Time3 hours
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time3 hours 20 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Portuguese
Servings: 12 slices
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Fine yellow corn meal 1/2 c
  • All Purpose Flour 2 to 2.5 cups
  • Warm Milk 1/2 c
  • Very hot water 3/4 c
  • Olive oil 1 tbsp plus 1 tbsp
  • Honey 1 tbsp
  • Sugar 1 tbsp
  • Salt 1 tsp
  • Instant yeast 2 tsp
  • Fennel powder 1.5 tsp

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, place the corn flour and add the hot water to this.
  • Mix this well using a fork until it resembles a paste.
  • To this add the warm milk, mix again and let it cool completely.
  • Once cool, in another mixing bowl, add 2 cups of all purpose flour, yeast, sugar, salt and fennel powder and mix well using a whisk.
  • To the corn flour paste, add the honey and mix well
  • Now add the all purpose flour mix to the corn flour mix and mix using a wooden ladle or using your hands until the dry mixture is incorporated into the wet mixture.
  • You should have a shaggy dough at this stage. If you find the dough too sticky, add more All purpose flour, beginning with 2 tbsp and increase as required.
  • Now, begin kneading the dough. You may knead by hand or use a food processor or a bread machine to do this. I used my food processor.
  • Knead until you a smooth, slightly sticky dough. It took me 2 to 3 mins to get here using my processor.
  • Once done, oil a mixing bowl well.
  • Place the kneaded dough into the oiled bowl and cover with a moist kitchen towel.
  • Now let the dough rise for about 1.5 hours. This is to make sure that the flavors are incorporated into the dough well.
  • Once the dough has doubled, slightly flour a work surface.
  • Turn out the dough and knead two times.
  • Shape the dough into a ball and place on a greased cookie sheet. I used my pizza pan for this.
  • Cover the dough lightly and let it rise until puffy. Took me 30 mins here.
  • Towards the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 200 C.
  • When the dough has puffed up, make four slits 1/4" deep on the dough using a sharp kitchen scissors or knife and lightly spritz the dough with water.
  • Bake for 20 mins or until the bread turns golden.
  • Let cool completely and slice.
  • Serve alongside soups or toast it up with butter and enjoy with any spread of your choice.

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Almond Cilantro Pesto Recipe. Vegan. Gluten Free

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How To Make Almond Cilantro Pesto?

Almond Cilantro Pesto

Almond Cilantro Pesto turned out to be a revelation for a person like me who always thought pesto means pine nuts and basil. I have tasted pesto made with other herbs and greens including spinach and watercress. But the thought of using cilantro in a pesto never crossed my mind until i read this post. And i literally banged my head, not once but twice for not having substituted almonds for pine nuts in pesto. I mean, how simple is that? Why did not i ever think of making almond cilantro pesto ever before?

almond cilantro pesto

Asian countries, especially India and the south east asian countries use a lot of cilantro in their cuisines. So i have always had cilantro in abundance. And as for the almonds, they lie around in my pantry 365 days. So the produce for this almond cilantro pesto was a no brainer that was pulled off in a cinch. This almond cilantro pesto is  minus the cheese, by the way. Should i have mentioned it earlier? ahem.. And its vegan. And its gluten free. Please imagine me laughing evilly while you prep up to make this deliciously refreshing almond cilantro pesto that keeps well for a week when refrigerated.

Almond cilantro pesto Almond Cilantro Pesto Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Almond Cilantro Pesto

Almond Cilantro pesto is a refreshing take on the classic pesto using almonds and fresh cilantro leaves. It tastes great as a dip or even as a spread on sandwiches and wraps.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Dip
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 1 c
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Almonds 1/2 c see notes
  • Cilantro 200 g stalks and all cleaned and chopped
  • Garlic cloves 3 to 4
  • Green chili 2 small
  • Lemon juice 2 tbsp
  • Nutritional yeast flakes 2 tbsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Olive oil 1 tbsp

Instructions

  • Soak the almonds in boiling hot water for 10 mins.
  • After 10 mins, drain the water and peel them. The soaking would have loosened up the peel.
  • In a blender, place the peeled almonds, chopped cilantro along with the other ingredients except the olive oil and blend to a smooth paste.
  • Make sure you rest your blender in between, scrape down the sides and then complete the blending process.
  • Once you have a smooth paste, add the olive oil finally and pulse the mixture for 10 secs.
  • Transfer to a clean air tight container and use as requied.
  • This pesto tastes great as a dip and also makes a wonderful spread for wraps and sandwiches.

Notes

1. I recommend soaking the almonds for two reasons- to loosen the peels and make it easier for peeling and also to make the grinding process easy.
2. My pesto is a light green because i used slightly more almonds than mentioned. Adjust the almonds as required for the color you desire.
3. You can skip the nutritional yeast if you desire. You will have a creamy pesto without the cheesy flavor then.
4. Do not blend the olive oil with the other ingredients. This will make your pesto slightly bitter.

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Vazhakai Kola Urundai Recipe

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How To Make Chettinad Vazhakai Kola Urundai, Vegan Meat Balls With Raw Plantains?

vazhakai kola urundai

Chettinad Vazhakai Kola Urundai is a vegan meat ball kind of recipe that uses raw plantains in place of meat. Kola urundai is nothing but the indian version of meat balls and is usually cooked with lamb meat or chicken. I have attempted here to make a vegan version of the same by using raw plantains in this Chettinad vazhakai kola urundai recipe.

vazhakai kola urundai

This recipe for Chettinad vazhakai kola urundai has its body from the raw plantains, a crunch from bits of coconut and flavors of cumin, fennel and the ubiquitous garam masala. Oh, i forgot the garlic. These tiny vegan meat balls are a burst of flavor and crunch and make a great party starter as well.

vazhakai kola urundai Recipe For Chettinad Vazhakai Kola Urundai

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Vazhakai Kola Urundai Recipe

Vegan meat balls made with raw plantains and spices
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Indian- South
Servings: 10
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Raw plantains 2 med
  • Onion 1 medium chopped finely
  • Garlic 5 cloves minced
  • Grated ginger 1 tsp
  • Garam masala 1 tsp
  • Fennel powder 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder 1 tsp
  • Red chili powder 1 tsp
  • Green chili 1 small minced
  • Coconut bits 1 tbsp
  • Pottukadalai or roasted gram flour 1 tbsp see notes
  • Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for deep frying

Instructions

  • Peel the plantains and pressure cook them for 2 to 3 whistles. The plantains must be really tender and you should be able to mash them with a fork.
  • Once done, drain the water from the plantains completely.
  • In a large mixing bowl, place all the ingredients except the oil and give a mix using a whisk.
  • To this add the cooked plantains and mash them well making sure you incorporate the other ingredients along with the plantains as you mash.
  • Divide the mixture into 10 parts and shape each into a ball
  • Heat oil for deep frying.
  • Place the shaped plantain balls and fry them on medium flame until golden.
  • I did this in two batches.
  • Drain on a kitchen towel.
  • Serve hot with any dip of your choice.

Notes

If you dont have roasted gram flour, you can use besan (gram flour) or rice flour. Even corn flour will work.
Make sure you choose really raw plantains for this recipe. Bajji vazhakai works best

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Chili Potato With Honey And Sesame

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How To Make Chili Potato, an Indo-Chinese starter recipe with Potatoes?

chili potato

 Chili Potato With Honey And Sesame is a Indo-Chinese starter recipe that uses an assortment of sauces, honey and sesame for cooking potatoes. I first tasted this Chili Potato with honey and sesame in a dhaba near my college in Bangalore. For the uninitiated, a dhaba is an eatery that is located on the outskirts of any Indian city. A punjabi dhaba in particular serves iconic aloo parathas dripping in butter and probably the world’s best rajma masala. But this chili potato with honey and sesame has nothing to do with punjabi dhabas or the parathas. It is simply a dish that we, a group of four girls, always ordered and relished whenever we went to this dhaba near our college.

chili potato

 The original recipe doesn’t have either honey or sesame. What it did have was lots of fried onions which made up for most of the plate of chili potato that we ordered. I tried to improvise on that greasy onion laden chili potato and came up with this lip smacking recipe for chili potato with honey and sesame. While it may seem weird to add honey to potatoes, i believe the best part about this recipe is the honey itself. The sesame seeds add a nice crunch and the sauces that are added gives a burst of flavors to this Chili Potato with honey and sesame recipe.

chili potato

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Chili Potato With Honey And Sesame

Chili potato with honey and sesame is a vegan starter in which potatoes are cooked with an assortment of sauces, honey and sesame
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Starter
Cuisine: Indo Chinese
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Potatoes 2 chopped into thin fingers
  • Onion 1 medium sliced thinly
  • Garlic cloves 3 minced
  • Ginger 1 tbsp grated
  • Dark soy sauce 1.5 tbsp
  • Tomato ketchup 1.5 tbsp
  • Vinegar 1 tsp
  • Green chili sauce 2 tbsp
  • Honey 1 tbsp
  • Sesame seeds 1 tbsp
  • Salt a pinch
  • Oil for deep frying
  • Oil 1 tbsp
  • Coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions

  • Chop the potatoes into thin fingers like you would for french fries.
  • Dunk these fingers into ice cold water for about 15 mins. This is to remove the starch from the potatoes and keep them crunchy when fried. Please don't skip this step. If you do, you ll land up with sticky potato.
  • After 15 mins, drain the potatoes and let them dry for two mins on kitchen towels.
  • In the meanwhile, heat up a pan with oil for deep frying.
  • Once the oil is hot, deep fry the potatoes till golden and drain on a paper towel. I did this in two batches.
  • After you have fried up the potatoes, heat another pan with 1 tbsp of oil.
  • Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, ginger and onions and fry till onions turn a very light golden.
  • To this add all the sauces, vinegar, salt and honey and mix well.
  • Keep a tab on the salt as the sauces already have salt in them.
  • Now add the fried potatoes and mix well.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Serve hot with fried rice or pulao.

Notes

1. Do not skip dunking the potatoes in ice cold water. If you do, the potatoes will stick to each other after frying.

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Keerai Masiyal With Garlic

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How To Make Keerai Masiyal With Garlic? Or How To Make Poondu Keerai Masiyal?

Keerai Masiyal With Garlic

 Keerai Masiyal with Garlic is a simple and flavor packed recipe that uses spinach and garlic as the primary ingredients. This keerai masiyal recipe with garlic calls for very few ingredients and yet packs a punch because of the garlic that is added. It is also very easy to make and can be made in a jiffy if you have the spinach cleaned up and ready. If you find that cleaning spinach is a trouble, you can use frozen spinach in this recipe and enjoy this keerai masiyal with garlic.

While i usually make keerai masiyal this way, i resort to making this keerai masiyal with garlic when i m short pressed for time. This keerai masiyal with garlic doesnt call for addition of any lentils and is also vegan and can easily be made gluten free by leaving out the asafoetida. This recipe is an inspiration from the north eastern indian cuisine in which greens are a part of their daily meal. But i have added a south indian touch to this keerai masiyal with garlic by using the south indian style of tadka. This masiyal can also be mixed into hot steamed rice and ghee and enjoyed as such with some poppadoms or chips.

Keerai Masiyal With Garlic

Keerai Masiyal With Garlic Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Keerai Masiyal With Garlic| Poondu Keerai Masiyal

A simple mashed spinach recipe with garlic tempered with mild indian spices.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: South Indian
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Spinach 2 bunches cleaned and chopped
  • Garlic cloves 10 sliced thinly
  • Oil 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Urad dal 1 tsp
  • Green chili 2 slit lengthwise
  • Salt to taste
  • Hing or Asafoetida a small pinch

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot with about 4 cups of water to a rolling boil.
  • Switch off the flame.
  • Immerse the chopped spinach and slit green chilies in the water and keep covered.
  • After 5 mins, open the lid and drain the water completely from the spinach.
  • Let the spinach cool.
  • Once cool, blend the spinach, green chilies and salt to a smooth paste without adding any water. I used my immersion blender for this but any normal blender will work too.
  • Once blended, heat a pan with oil.
  • Pop the mustard seeds and immediately add hing and urad dal.
  • Once the dal begins to brown, add the chopped garlic and wait for it to brown.
  • When the garlic turns golden brown, add the tempering to the mashed spinach and mix well.
  • Serve hot with rice.

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Fresh Fig Milkshake Recipe

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How To Make Fresh Fig Milkshake?

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Fresh fig milkshake is a delicious way to enjoy the seasonal fresh figs that appear in the markets for a little time. I have not had the fortune to spot fresh figs in Singapore. This fresh fig milkshake happened way back last year when i got a batch of sweet, luscious and floral figs back in Baroda. Fresh figs are a good source of potassium, iron, magnesium and copper along with a host of antioxidants including Vitamin A. While dried figs are a sweet treat any time of the year, fresh figs will change your fig eating experience totally. They are juicy and sweet with the slight but tangible crunch of those tiny seeds. A word of caution, though. Figs are high in oxalates and when eaten in excess, they act as a good laxative. So please exercise portion control!

Coming back to this fresh fig milkshake, i have peeled the figs here. In my previous experience of making fresh fig milkshake, i have found that leaving the peel on imparts a bitterness to the fresh fig milkshake. To peel a fresh fig, cut off the top of a fresh fig and make cross slit across the top. Using a sharp knife, peel down the edges and discard the peel. Then proceed to use the fig to make this healthy fresh fig milkshake.

fig milkshakeb3-3Recipe For Fresh Fig Milkshake

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5 from 2 votes

Fresh Fig Milkshake Recipe

Iron packed milkshake using fresh figs.
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Beveraage
Cuisine: International
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Fresh figs 3 to 4 peeled
  • Full fat milk 1.5 cups
  • Vanilla ice cream 1/4 cup
  • Honey 2 tbsp
  • Ice cubes to serve

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients except the ice cubes in a blender and blend to a smooth consistency.
  • Top with ice cubes.
  • Serve cold.

Notes

Fresh figs can be substituted with dried figs here but the taste with be entirely different. I would recommend using only fresh figs here.
You may use regular sugar or any other sweetener of your choice in place of honey here.

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Pan Roasted Broccoli Recipe

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How To Make Pan Roasted Broccoli ? Or How To Roast Broccoli In A Pan? 

Pan roasted broccoli

Pan Roasted Broccoli is a family favorite here. When i say family favorite, it includes Lil A too. She likes her broccoli spicy and crunchy, straight from the pan. You give her steamed broccoli and you are sure to see her screw up her nose. Now, this girl sure knows how to eat her broccoli, doesn’t she? Before i start off with the recipe, there is one thing that is key to making the perfect pan roasted broccoli. The first step is to blanch the broccoli properly. There is one more step. It may seem insignificant but once you blanch the broccoli, it is really important that you drain every bit of water from it before you begin making the perfect pan roasted broccoli. If you want to learn how to blanch broccoli, then check out this post. 

This pan roasted broccoli recipe is basically a south Indian version of a fry or a varuval in which blanched broccoli florets are cooked in a pan on medium flame until roasted to perfection. Like all varuval or fry recipes, this pan roasted broccoli tends to lose a little bit of the crunch once cool but tastes fantastic nevertheless. This pan roasted broccoli recipe calls for minimal ingredients that are easily available in your pantry and some patience. When you combine both, i assure you, you will fall in love with this simple yet mouthwatering pan roasted broccoli.

pan roasted broccoli
Pan roasted broccoli, carrot kosambari and rice.
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Pan Roasted Broccoli Recipe

Broccoli florets blanched and roasted on medium flame and tossed with minimal spices
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Curry
Cuisine: Indian- South
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Broccoli florets 2 cups blanched
  • Red chili powder 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder 1 tsp
  • Turmeric powder 1 tsp
  • Grated ginger 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves a sprig
  • Urad dal 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Vegetable oil 2 tbsp
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Heat a deep pan with about 3 cups of water.
  • Once the water comes to a rolling boil, switch off the flame. Place the broccoli florets in the hot water. Make sure all of the florets are covered completely in water.
  • Cover with a lid and let sit for 3 to 5 mins.
  • Once done, remove lid and drain water completely. Please note that this step is key to making good pan roasted broccoli.
  • Heat a pan with 2 tbsp of oil.
  • Once hot, pop the mustard.
  • Quickly toss in the curry leaves, urad dal, ginger and turmeric powder.
  • Reduce flame to medium.
  • Once the dal turns brown, add the blanched broccoli florets to the pan and stir gently making sure that oil coats the florets evenly.
  • Now let the florets roast slowly on medium flame. This may take anywhere between 7 to 8 mins.
  • Make sure you keep stirring and tossing them in between to avoid burning.
  • Once the florets turn golden, add the chili powder, coriander powder and salt and give a good but gentle mix.
  • Take off flame and serve hot with rice and rasam.

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If you love broccoli and are interested in more broccoli recipes, then please take the time to check out these recipes too.

Broccoli Almond Masala

Broccoli Kootu

Broccoli Paratha

Broccoli Potato Pepper Fry

Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup

Thai Style Quinoa Salad Recipe

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How To Make Thai Style Quinoa Salad Recipe. Vegan. Gluten Free. Grain Free.

Thai style quinoa salad recipeEating healthy has suddenly become the trend world over. And people are developing all kinds of food allergies more than ever. The most common among them all are allergies to gluten and dairy products. People allergic to gluten are always on the look out for healthy and delicious gluten free options and this Thai style quinoa salad will fit that bill perfectly. As a part of this month s new ingredient trial, i picked quinoa. If you live in India and are looking to buy quinoa, then Godrej’s Nature Basket s Quinoa can be bought online on their website.

Thai style quinoa salad recipe

Quinoa, pronounced as keen-wah is a healthier altenative to rice. Its gluten free and filling. It s basically a seed and not a grain. It is filled with fiber and works wonderfully well in recipes that call for wheat too. This thai style quinoa salad recipe is inspired from the regular thai salads that use lime, soy sauce and sesame oil in the vinaigrette. You can find the recipe for the Thai style vinaigrette here.

thai style quinoa salad recipe

Thai Style Quinoa Salad Recipe

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Thai Style Quinoa Salad Recipe

A vegan and gluten free salad using quinoa and veggies tossed in a thai style vinaigrette
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Salads
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • White quinoa 1/2 c
  • Red bell pepper 2 tbsp sliced into julienne strips
  • Green bell pepper 2 tbsp sliced into julienne strips
  • Carrot 1/4 c peeled into julienne strips
  • Red onion 1 small chopped finely
  • Green garlic scapes 2 tbsp chopped finely
  • Japanese cucumber 1 small peeled and chopped finely
  • Thai style salad vinaigrette 3 tbsp
  • Roasted peanuts 2 tbsp crushed coarsely

Instructions

  • Cook quinoa as per packet instructions. 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa yields 2 cups of cooked quinoa approximately.
  • Let the quinoa cool completely.
  • Once cool, place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl along with the cooked quinoa and toss well.
  • Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly
  • Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe can be made ahead and stored in the fridge. In that case please add the peanuts just before serving.
You may also add other seeds like sunflower seeds or pepita for a crunchy texture.

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Thai Style Vinaigrette Recipe

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How To Make Thai Style Vinaigrette For Salads. Vegan. Gluten Free.

Thai Style Vinaigrette

 

Warm greetings everyone. This space has been neglected for over 6 months now and it feels fantastic to be back again. I wish you all a very happy new year before i begin this year s dose of blogging. I m still shocked to realize that one and a half months have flown past us in this new year. Like always, i did make a few resolutions this new year too and one among them was to eat healthy and avoid wasting food. I will come to the wasting food part in my future posts. Yes, you will read on how to manage food wastage by using meal planning techniques on this blog soon. But in the meanwhile, lets talk some healthy but delicious food. I also resolved to try new foods this year and as a part of that, i decided to try one new ingredient every month. This Thai style vinaigrette happened as a result of that resolution. This thai style vinaigrette is a versatile dressing that you can use in a salad or even as a marinade. It works well as dip too.

Ever since my move to Singapore, i have been smitten by Thai food. My love for tofu, soy sauce, lemon grass and thai basil has since grown manifold and i pretty much try to incorporate them into my daily meals. I never imagined that a simple sauce like soy sauce can give such a face lift to a simple salad. But the star in this recipe is pure sesame oil. Before i began blogging, i had only heard and seen sesame oil being used in Indian cooking. The use of sesame oil in Chinese cooking and Thai cooking came as news to me and i wanted to see how the recipe turns out. Recently, Godrej Nature Basket, a popular online gourmet food seller in India, approached me to develop recipes using exclusive ingredients from their website. When i was browsing through their website, i chanced upon this Pure Sesame Oil. If you live in India and are looking to buy Sesame oil for Chinese cooking, then you can buy the same online by clicking here. This Thai style vinaigrette is a exotic blend of sweet, sour and spicy. We loved the dressing so much that Mr. P and i were licking off spoonfuls even before i used this Thai style vinaigrette in a salad. So, shall we check how to make thai style vinaigrette?

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Recipe For Thai Style Vinaigrette

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Thai Style Vinaigrette Recipe

Thai cuisine inspired vinaigrette using simple ingredients
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Salad Dressing
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 1 /4 cup
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Pure Sesame Oil 2 tbsp
  • Dark soy sauce 2 tbsp
  • Dark brown sugar 1 tbsp packed
  • Lime juice 1 tbsp
  • Red chili flakes 3/4 tsp
  • Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine soy sauce, salt, sugar, lime juice and chili flakes and mix till sugar dissolves.
  • To this add the sesame oil and coriander leaves and whisk till emulsified.
  • Use as required in salads.

Notes

1. In case you don't have brown sugar, you can use jaggery.
2. The sesame seed oil called for in this recipe is different from the regular sesame seed oil that is used for indian cooking. They cant be used interchangeably.

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Watermelon Orange Tender Coconut Cooler

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Watermelon Orange Tender Coconut Cooler. Vegan. GF. Sugar free.1-DSC_0262-001

Watermelon, Orange and Tender Coconut Cooler is a great drink to enjoy during Summers. Summer in Baroda is not what Summers used to be in Coimbatore. And the same applies to monsoons too. While in Coimbatore, a slight drizzle will change the weather to a pleasant chill, the rains in Baroda simply make you hot and sticky, thanks to humidity. So, yes the monsoons have begun. But the heat is not gone yet. And i just wanted to make sure that we stay hydrated despite sweating like pigs.

final batch

I made this Watermelon, orange and tender coconut cooler on a whim. I had no idea what i was doing. I just blitzed everything up and we had this gorgeous drink to make us feel fresh and light through out the day. This recipe uses fresh tender coconut water. I do not know if canned ones will work. But you can always give it a try.

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 Recipe For Watermelon Orange Tender Coconut Cooler

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Watermelon Orange Tender Coconut Cooler

A cooling summer delight with watermelon, orange and tender coconut water. Vegan. GF
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: International
Servings: 2 to 3
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Watermelon cubes 1 cup seeds removed
  • Freshly squeezed orange juice 1 cup
  • Tender coconut water 2 cups
  • Thai Basil leaves 3 to 4 chopped finely

Instructions

  • Place the watermelon and basil in a blender along with the orange juice and blitz to a juice.
  • Strain this juice completely.
  • To this add the tender coconut water and mix well.
  • Let sit in the fridge for 2 hours.
  • Serve cold over ice.

Notes

1. I used fresh tender coconut water for this recipe. I m not sure if canned tender coconut water will work.
2. Adding basil is optional but recommended.
3. I have not added any sugar to this because the tender coconut and watermelon were sweet enough. You may add some if desired.

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How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter

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How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Also Called As Peanutella. Vegan. Gluten and Soy Free.

peanutellab3

Chocolate Peanut Butter Or Peanutella, is another addictive way to relish peanut butter. Initially, i wanted to share the recipe of regular Peanut butter. Later i realised that i must make it a wee more sinful by throwing in some luscious dark chocolate into that heavenly mixture of peanuts, salt and some sugar. And then pulse it up in a blender to get this deeply dark chocolate flavored peanut butter. That is the story of how the Chocolate Peanut Butter was born in my kitchen.We enjoyed the whole jar of this delight by slathering it on to pretty much everything on which you slather something. ( Well, its got to be edible) So, we did chocolate peanut butter with rotis, chapathis, dosas and finally this gorgeous, dense and rich Vegan Chocolate Loaf Cake. And then we went on to lick the jar clean. And i must say Little A participated in this with much delight. So let us now learn how to make Chocolate Peanut Butter at home. I must tell that you will never buy that ominous jar of peanut butter again from the super market after doing this.

peanutellab2

How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter

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How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter

Chocolate flavored peanut butter that pairs well when served along side breads, loaves and roti.
Prep Time20 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: International
Servings: 1 cup
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Salted roasted peanuts 1 c
  • Dark chocolate chips 1/2 c
  • Sugar 2 tbsp
  • Vanilla extract 1 tbsp
  • Canola oil 1 tbsp

Instructions

  • Place the peanuts in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste.
  • The peanuts will first clump up into a ball.
  • Be patient, rest the processor a few times between grinding and make sure you break that ball into a smooth paste.
  • This took me about 15 mins of grinding.
  • Once the peanuts have become a smooth paste, add the vanilla,chocolate chips and the sugar and give the mixture a nice blitz.
  • Now, add the canola oil and blitz once more.
  • Transfer to a clean sterilised jar.
  • Stays well for 2 weeks without refrigeration.

Notes

1. Use different flavored peanuts for variations.
2. I used roasted peanuts in this recipe and they were salted. In case you dont have roasted peanuts, roast 1 cup of peanuts in a microwave on high for 2 mins.
Let it cool completely. And proceed with the recipe. In this case, you may have to add about 1/2 tsp of salt while adding the chocolate, vanilla and sugar.

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Lemon Mint Cucumber Detox Water

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Lemon Mint Cucumber Detox Water, What is Detox? And How Does It Help Our Body?

Lemon, Mint and Cucumber Infused Detox Water

Lemon, Mint and Cucumber infused detox water is a wonderful, economic and natural way to detox our body. Now this word Detox, has made the rounds recently on the net for so many reasons. First, what is Detox? Detox is detoxification in short. So, what does this mean? It means removing toxins from our body. What are toxins? Toxins are nothing but harmful residuals that accumulate in our body due to unhealthy eating choices and lifestyle. They not only accumulate in our body due to unhealthy eating but even pollution contributes to it.

Does this detox help in losing weight?

Yes and No. There is no singular measure that you can adopt to shed kilos. That is the truth. If someone is telling you otherwise, they are either trying to fool you or trying to worsen your health by subjecting you to unnatural means of weight reduction. Whether you like it or not, you can only lose weight with a combination of practices that include physical exercise, a healthy diet regimen and some other means like Detox to quicken that process. In short, detox by itself will not help in weight loss. It is just a catalyst that will help in the process.

Lemon, Mint and Cucumber Infused Detox Water

What happens in Detox?

Like i said, harmful substances called as toxins are flushed out of your body. The best way to do this would be to drink lots of water every day. Drinking lots of water not only helps flush toxins out but also gives you a healthy skin and keeps you refreshed. We can make this more interesting by adding an assortment of nutrient and benefit packed ingredients to kick-start the metabolism in our body and flush out toxins. When you drink more water, you tend to urinate more which in turn makes sure that harmful substances from your body is flushed out. Simple.

Lemon, Mint and Cucumber Infused Detox Water

So, What is this Lemon Mint  Cucumber Detox Water?

Well, like i said, to make things a bit more interesting, i started giving Mr.P, who is constantly on some diet (which is mostly ineffective, thanks to his ladoo eating spree) these infused waters. I keep alternating with various ingredients in the detox water. And this time, i m sharing this Lemon, Cucumber and Mint Infused Water idea with you all.

Lemon– It is a natural astringent and helps in soothing your tummy. There is also the risk of acidity when you consume too much lemon. But the key reason here is the lemon peel. We are not going to just use the juice here. The lemon peel is rich in a substance called d-limonene. This is said to help promote weight loss by helping in your liver functions. The liver basically secretes bile, which breaks down fats in your body.

Mint– It adds a nice tang to your water. It makes you feel fresh. And is known to help in stomach ailments. It also helps in digestion.

Cucumber– It is a natural diuretic which is rich in vitamins. This also helps promote weight loss. As cucumbers are 90% water, they help you stay hydrated. It also helps get rid of Ammonia to a certain extent from your body.

Lemon, Mint and Cucumber Infused Detox Water

So let us now check how to make this Lemon Mint  Cucumber Detox Water.

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Lemon Mint And Cucumber Infused Detox Water

A detox water recipe that helps in improving metabolism and promotes weight loss when taken with other weight loss measures.
Prep Time12 hours 5 minutes
Total Time12 hours 5 minutes
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: International
Servings: 1 liter
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Cucumber 1 small sliced thinly
  • Lemon 1 small sliced thinly
  • Mint leaves 10
  • Water 1 liter

Instructions

  • Place the mint leaves in a large pitcher and slightly muddle them.
  • To this squeeze the juice from two slices of the lemon.
  • Discard the slices.
  • Now, add cucumber, lemon slices and water to this.
  • Mix well.
  • Let sit in the fridge overnight.
  • Consume the first thing in the morning and continue to drink throughout the day.
  • Refill the pitcher if required.
  • Discard the remaining contents after 24 hours.

Notes

1. This recipe is not a weight loss recipe. It only helps when used with other weight loss measures such as exercising.
2. I am not a health professional or a professional nutrition consultant. This recipe is shared based purely on personal experiences.

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Potato And Pigeon Pea Wraps With Tzatziki

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Healthy Potato and Pigeon Pea Wraps With Tzatziki- A Delicious On The Go Meal. Paleo. Nut & Soy free. Kid Friendly

Potato Pigeon Pea Wraps With Tzatziki

Potato And Pigeon Peas Wraps with Tzatziki is a wholesome meal that you can relish when you are on a train or waiting in a lobby or pretty much any where you fancy just because you did not have the time to wolf down a meal at a table. You get my point, don’t you? These Potato And Pigeon Pea Wraps with Tzatziki is complete with all the goodness that one can want- Potatoes, Wheat tortillas, Creamy Tzatziki, Crunchy Onions and tangy Tomato dip to balance all that deliciousness.

Potato Pigeon Pea Wraps With Tzatziki

I put together these wraps one afternoon when i was bored out of my mind. And i was alone for lunch. Everything that i needed to eat this Potato and Pigeon Peas Wraps With Tzatziki was sitting prettily in the fridge. Oh yeah and out side, the sun was blazing, making it a perfect excuse to not cook in the kitchen. These Potato Pigeon Peas Wraps with Tzatziki is just a guideline. You can add more to this and make it a heavier meal. For a vegan Potato Pigeon Peas Wraps, just omit the Tzatziki. But oh gawd! that would be so cruel to my heart. So now, shall we make some Potato Piegeon Peas Wraps With Tzatziki?

Recipe For Potato And Pigeon Peas Wraps With Tzatziki And Tomato Mint Spread

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Tortilla 1

For The Filling:

Potato Pigeon Peas Curry 1/2 c

Tzatziki sauce 2 tbsp

Tomato Pudina Chutney 1 tbsp

Onion 1 small thinly sliced
Cucumber slices 8
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely

Directions

I used regular Chapathis that i make at home as the outer cover for this wrap recipe. But you can also use store bought tortillas. Or try these Palak Parathas Or Whole Wheat Spinach Tortillas for a healthy twist. Heat a griddle.
Place the tortillas on the griddle and cook till brown spots appear on both sides, flipping over every 30 secs.
Now, let the tortillas cool down a bit.
Once cool, place the tortilla on a flat surface.
Spread the tomato mint chutney evenly over the tortilla.
Place the onion and cucumber slices vertically on one end of the tortilla.
Over this, place the aloo tuvar curry spreading the curry along the same vertical direction as the cucumber slices.
Now top the curry with tzatziki.
Once done, roll the tortilla beginning from the filling side, gently but firmly.
Slice into two and serve.

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Potato And Pigeon Pea Wraps With Tzatziki

Delicious wraps filled with potato and pigeos peas filling and creamy tzatziki.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time4 minutes
Total Time24 minutes
Course: Wraps And Rolls
Cuisine: Fusion
Servings: 1
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Whole Wheat Tortilla 1
  • For The Filling
  • Aloo Tuvar Curry 1/2 c
  • Tomato Mint Chutney 1 tbsp
  • Tztaziki 2 tbsp
  • Onion 1 small thinly sliced
  • Cucumber slices 8
  • Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely

Instructions

  • Heat a griddle.
  • Place the tortillas on the griddle and cook till brown spots appear on both sides, flipping over every 30 secs.
  • Now, let the tortillas cool down a bit.
  • Once cool, place the tortilla on a flat surface.
  • Spread the tomato mint chutney evenly over the tortilla.
  • Place the onion and cucumber slices vertically on one end of the tortilla.
  • Over this, place the aloo tuvar curry spreading the curry along the same vertical direction as the cucumber slices.
  • Now top the curry with tzatziki.
  • Once done, roll the tortilla beginning from the filling side, gently but firmly.
  • Slice into two and serve.

Notes

You can use store bought tortillas for this recipe. I just used my basic chapati that i make at home. Alternatively, you can refer my Whole Wheat Tortillas recipe to make your own tortillas at home.
The links for recipes of tortilla, Potato and Pigeon Peas Curry, Tzatziki and Tomato Mint Chutney is given above this recipe card.
Omit the Tzatziki for a vegan wrap.

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Tomato Pudina Chutney

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Tomato And Pudina Chutney Recipe- A No Onion No Garlic Chutney That Goes Well With Idli, Dosa. Vegan. Gluten free. Nut and Soy free.

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Tomato Pudina Chutney, an easy and simple chutney made with fresh tomatoes and mint leaves, is a wonderful combination for dosa, idli and aapam. It even pairs well with rotis and i sometimes use it as a spread in a wrap or a sandwich. The flavors are refreshing and it tastes mildly tangy with a hint of sweetness from the tomatoes. This is  a excellent choice on days when we are fasting as it has no onion and garlic. And the brownie point is that this Tomato Pudina Chutney has no coconut. So it stays well for up to a week when refrigerated in an air tight container. So the next time, you make dosas or idlies, give the regular coconut chutney a miss and make this tomato pudina chutney.

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Recipe For Tomato Pudina Chutney

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Tomato Pudina Chutney

An easy dip made with fresh tomatoes and mint leaves. Pairs well with idli, dosa and aapam.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: South Indian
Servings: 1 cup
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Fresh Roma Tomatoes 3 medium chopped into chunks.
  • Mint leaves 1/2 c tightly packed.
  • Coriander leaves 1/4 c chopped finely
  • Cumin seeds 1 tsp
  • Dry red chilies 3 to 4
  • Oil 1 tbsp
  • Salt to taste
  • To Temper
  • Oil 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Urad dal 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves a sprig

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.
  • Add the cumin seeds and once it crackles, add the dry red chilies and chopped tomatoes.
  • Saute till the tomatoes turn mushy.
  • Add the salt to the tomatoes now to quicken the process.
  • Once they become a mush, add the mint leaves and coriander leaves.
  • Saute till the leaves wilt.
  • Once done, switch off flame and transfer to a plate.
  • Let cool completely.
  • Place the mixture in a blender and grind to a smooth paste adding about 1.5 tbsp of water.
  • Once done, transfer to a bowl.
  • To temper, heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.
  • Pop the mustard and tip in the urad dal and curry leaves.
  • Once the dal turns golden, mix the tempering into the chutney.
  • Mix well.
  • Serve along side dosas and idlis.

Notes

1. Roma tomatoes are nothing but the regular Bangalore tomatoes that you get in India.
2. I recommend using sesame oil in the tempering to take the chutney a notch up.
3. Adjust chilies as per your spice requirements.

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Varagu Arisi Dosai

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Varagu Arisi Dosai Recipe- Easy Dosa Made With Kodo Millet And Urad Dal. Vegan And Gluten free.

Varagu Arisi Dosai

Varagu Arisi Dosai, as the name suggests, is a dosa recipe in which regular rice is replaced with Varagu Arisi also called as Kodo Millet in english and Kodri in Gujrati. I usually make one millet dish a week, just so that we can get our share of millet in our diet. We dont prefer eating millet as such in place of rice. Mr.P is a big rice lover. So i tend to work around regular recipes in which rice is used and substitute the rice in the recipe. This dosa is also one such recipe and i must admit, we did not miss the rice at all. The dosas were lacy, crisp and delicious. We enjoyed it with coconut chutney, tomato and mint chutney and dosai milagai podi. I will be sharing the recipes for all of these in a while. But until then, let s learn how to make Varagu Arisi Dosai.

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Recipe For Varagu Arisi Dosai

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Varagu Arisi Dosai

Thin crepes made with a batter of ground Kodo millet and urad dal.
Prep Time18 hours
Cook Time3 minutes
Total Time18 hours 3 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: South Indian
Servings: 15 to 20 dosas
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Kodo Millet 3 cups
  • Urad Dal 1 cup
  • Fenugreek seeds 1 tbsp
  • Parched Rice/ Poha/ Aval 1/4 cup
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil to cook the dosas

Instructions

  • Wash the millet and dal thoroughly under running tap water until water runs clean.
  • Soak the millet in 6 c of water.
  • Soak urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in 3 c of water.
  • Let them soak for 5 to 6 hours.
  • I prefer soaking it for 6 hours.
  • After they have soaked, drain the water completely.
  • Wash the parched rice or aval thoroughly and soak it in 1 c of water for 5 mins.
  • After 5 mins, drain water completely.
  • Now, in a blender, place the soaked urad dal and fenugreek seeds and grind to a smooth paste adding water gradually. You may require about 3/4 c of water to do this.
  • Once ground, transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  • To the blender, add the millet and the aval and 1/2 c of water.
  • Grind to a smooth paste resting the blender in between.
  • Add water gradually to this just like you did for grinding the urad dal. You will require about 1 c of water here.
  • Once done, add the ground millet mixture to the urad dal mixture.
  • Add salt to this and mix well using clean hands.
  • Let it sit in a warm place to ferment.
  • This may take any where between 8 to 12 hours depending on the weather in your place.
  • Once fermented, mix thoroughly using a whisk.
  • To make dosas, heat a griddle.
  • Take a ladle full of batter.
  • Pour in the middle of the griddle and spread towards outside to a thin crepe.
  • Drizzle oil around the sides.
  • Cook till the dosa crisps up and lightly browns.
  • Once done, flip over and cook the other side too for 30 secs on medium flame.
  • Remove and serve hot.

Notes

I recommend using parched rice or aval for a thin crisp dosa.
Soaking for longer hours is not recommended.
Make sure you use a really big bowl to transfer the ground batter.
The batter must not be very thick nor very thin. So adjust water accordingly.

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Lychee Lemonade Recipe

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Lychee Lemonade Recipe With Coconut Water And Basil Seeds

Lychee Lemonade

This lychee lemonade recipe with coconut water and basil seeds is the perfect thirst quencher for summers. The last time i visited my regular fruit seller, i noticed that the Lychee season was in full swing. Like always, i could not do anything but pick a big box of these tropical delights. Did you all know that Lychee is a fruit that is related to Longan and Rambutan and that it originated in China? Well, coming back to the box of Lychees, i fell sick after that. I came down with a fever and a sore throat so bad that it would put any crow to shame lest i open my mouth. A few days after i had sprung back to my feet, i opened the box and found that i had no desire to eat them as they were. And suddenly, a conversation about lychee lemonade came to my mind. I have come across recipes of this lychee lemonade that uses readily available Lychee juice. But i wanted to make it fresh and that is exactly what i did. Before i share my recipe, let me tell you all one thing. This lychee lemonade tastes like a regular lemonade if you drink it immediately after making. The real flavors of the fruit can be relished only the next day. So i suggest making this ahead and chilling it before serving so that the fruit’s tropical flavors can be enjoyed to the fullest.

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We get plenty of coconut water in India. But in case you dont find fresh tender coconut water, use the regular ones without any flavors available in tetra packs these days. The basil seeds lend a nice crunch to the lemonade while providing its nutritional benefits too. For best results, bloom the basil seeds an hour before adding to the lemonade. Add the bloomed seeds just before serving. In case you dont have access to fresh Lychee, make do with readily available lychee juice. However, you will be compromising on the taste to a certain extent.

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Lychee Lemonade Recipe

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Lychee Lemonade Recipe

A refreshing lemonade with fresh lychee, basil seeds and coconut water. Vegan. Gluten free.
Prep Time20 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: International
Servings: 3 to 4
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Lychee fruit 10 to 12
  • Basil seeds 2 tbsp
  • Fresh tender coconut water 2 c
  • Caster sugar 2 tbsp
  • Lemon juice 4 tbsp
  • Cold water 1/4 c plus 1/4 c
  • Ice cubes to serve

Instructions

  • Remove the peel of the Lychee.
  • Make a small vertical cut along the flesh of the fruit and slit open to remove the seed.
  • Place the fruit along with the sugar and 1/4 c of water in a blender.
  • Blend to a smooth puree.
  • Strain the puree to discard any pulp.
  • To this add the coconut water and lemon juice.
  • Mix well.
  • Chill in the fridge for at least 10 hours.
  • An hour before serving, soak the basil seeds in 1/2 of water.
  • Once they bloom, add this to the lemonade.
  • Mix well.
  • Serve over ice.

Notes

You can use readily available Lychee juice if you dont have access to fresh fruit. But you may require less or no sugar as the juice will already be sweetened.
If you dont have caster sugar, powder regular sugar and use.

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Mango Kiwi Smoothie. Vegan.

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Mango Kiwi Smoothie Recipe- Vegan. Gluten Free. 

1-DSC_0191-001Mango Kiwi Smoothie is a delicious combination of mangoes, kiwi and mint. Being a vegan and gluten free smoothie, it makes a great breakfast and a snack option. It is the season of mangoes here in India. I guess it is the season pretty much every where in the tropical countries. Contrary to popular belief, the Alphonso mangoes are not the most desired or bought variety in India. While a lot of Alphonso is available, the best of them are exported and the residual lots are very pricey. But there are about 100 other varieties in the market that will leave you confused. The last time i entered my fresh fruit market, i was greeted by that warm mango fragrance from almost every corner. I hardly found other fruits. Every shop had crates of mangoes stacked to the ceiling and they were selling them in the blink of an eye. Like you all know by now, we are only three in the house. Well, little A does not even figure in the count. But just saying. You know, the math. Well, so i was buying mangoes from a vendor in this market. I asked him for a kg of Badami mangoes and a kg of Kesar mangoes, both of which are famous here locally. The Badami kind makes fine milkshakes and Kesar is great to eat as is. Just when i had finished dropping the fruits into my bag, a man walks up and asks the vendor, how much for one crate of Badami. One crate has about 10 kg of mangoes, you see. And i immediately felt so small and embarrassed. I quickly made an exit. You get the point, right?

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Well coming to the smoothie, you all should make this. I insist because it is so many things all at once in a glass. It is filling. It is vegan. It has Kiwi. And above all else, it has mango. So, don’t you want more reason to enjoy this Mango Kiwi Smoothie Recipe?

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Recipe For Vegan And Gluten Free Mango Kiwi Smoothie

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Mango Kiwi Smoothie

A cool, refreshing and filling smoothie with mangoes and kiwi. Vegan. Gluten free. Can be made ahead and chilled.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: Continental
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Mango 1 large peeled and cubed
  • Kiwi 1 medium
  • Sugar 2 tbsp
  • Mint leaves 4 to 5
  • Cold water 1/2 c
  • Ice cubes to serve

Instructions

  • Halve the kiwi.
  • Scoop the flesh out using a spoon.
  • Chop the kiwi into chunks.
  • Place the kiwi, sugar, mango and mint leaves along with the water in a blender.
  • Blend to a smooth puree.
  • Add ice cubes.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

I added 1/2 c of water because i felt that the smoothie was too thick for my taste. Which is why i added sugar too.
In case your mango and kiwi are sweet, skip the sugar completely.

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Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

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Palak Paratha Recipe. Vegan.

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Palak Paratha Recipe- How To Make Whole Wheat Flour And Spinach Tortillas

Palak Paratha Tomato Blues

Palak Paratha is a simple whole wheat flour tortilla that is made with fresh spinach. Needless to say, i love my greens. We eat all kinds of greens at least twice a week and sometimes, i find myself wishing fervently that i had access to more varieties like we do down south. In Gujarat, the selection of greens is limited to spinach, fenugreek and an occasional bunch of amaranth. In fact, i was astonished to find that amaranth is seasonal. So i make do with whatever i find- which is mostly spinach or fenugreek greens.

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During summer, i make it a point to up our intake of greens as they help cleanse the stomach and keep our bodies cool. I try and include some spinach or fenugreek in some form or the other. This Palak Paratha recipe is just one way in which i include spinach in our regular diet. I make these Palak Parathas and whip up a delicious and tangy raita. There! We are good to eat. That is precisely how our lunches have been ever since Little A came along. Well, she has grown up now and wants to eat all sorts of things ranging from upma to melon. So there, we already know a foodie is in the making! Now for the Palak Paratha Recipe!

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Recipe For Palak Paratha 

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Palak Paratha Recipe

Whole wheat flour and spinach tortillas that are vegan. Best enjoyed with a tangy raita or chutney
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Breads
Cuisine: North Indian
Servings: 12
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Whole wheat flour 1.5 cups
  • Spinach 350 g cleaned and chopped
  • Green chilies 3 to 4
  • Ajwain/ Bishop s weed/ Carom seeds 1/2 tsp
  • Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
  • Kasturi Methi/ Dried fenugreek leaves 1/2 tbsp crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil 2 tbsp
  • Water 1/4 c
  • Wheat flour for dusting.
  • Oil to cook the parathas

Instructions

  • Blanch the spinach in a big bowl of boiling hot water.
  • Drain and let cool completely.
  • To the blanched spinach, add salt and green chilies.
  • Place this in a blender and blend to a smooth puree without adding any water.
  • In a large mixing bowl, place the wheat flour, cumin seeds, carom seeds and dried fenugreek leaves.
  • Whisk thoroughly using a balloon whisk.
  • Make a well in the center of this mixture.
  • Add the pureed spinach and mix this into the flour mixture.
  • You will have a crumbly sticky dough now.
  • Drizzle the oil over this dough.
  • Now, begin kneading the dough by slowly adding water by the tablespoon until you have a smooth soft non sticky dough. You will not need more than the 1/4 c of water mentioned as the spinach puree will leave out water.
  • Once you have a smooth supple dough in which you can make a dent with a finger, close the dough and let it rest for 10 mins.
  • After 10 mins, divide the dough into 12 equal parts.
  • Shape each part into a ball.
  • Heat a griddle or a tawa.
  • Now, flatten the dough ball into a disc.
  • Dust with some flour and roll into a 3 mm thick disc.
  • Place on the heated griddle.
  • Cook on medium flame until brown spots appear on the tawa side down.
  • Once done, flip over and brush with oil.
  • After 20 secs, flip over and brush the other side with oil.
  • Again flip and cook for about 20 secs.
  • Once done, remove and serve hot.
  • Repeat with the remaining dough.

Notes

It is important not to add more water than mentioned in the recipe. Too much water can make the dough sticky which in turn may make rolling it difficult.
Addition of dried fenugreek leaves is optional but recommended.
Do not overcook the spinach. Only blanch and not boil it.
Adjust green chilies as per spice requirements

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 This tastes best when served with Tomato Raita or Beet Raita. I served with Radish raita and a dollop of butter. I will share the radish raita recipe soon.

Pudina Rasam Recipe With Step By Step Pictures

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Pudina Rasam Recipe With Step By Step Pictures ( Vegan and Gluten free)

Mint Rasam1

Pudina rasam is a refreshing way to enjoy the otherwise boring and everyday rasam. This Pudina Rasam recipe calls for roasting and grinding ingredients freshly unlike the regular rasam that uses premade rasam powder. During summer, it is wise to choose foods that will cool our bodies and aid in digestion. While watermelons, cucumbers and yogurt are some of the other ingredients that keeps our bodies cool, mint and coriander are also excellent herbs that are not only body coolants but also good digestives. Usually mint is used in flavoring beverages or in chutneys. This rasam is different in that sense because it relies largely on mint or pudina for flavors. No other flavoring agent including hing or asafoetida is used in this Pudina rasam recipe so that the mint flavors in the rasam can be kept intact. This is a recipe that i have been making for years now ever since i discovered it in Mrs. Menu Rani Chellam s book. And i must say, whenever i  have made it, people have relished it and asked me for the recipe. So try this Pudina rasam recipe this summer. Let us now learn how to make pudina rasam with step by step pictures.

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Pudina Rasam Recipe With Step By Step Pictures

Soak the tamarind. Clean the mint leaves. Keep coriander seeds, toor dal, chilies, pepper and cumin ready for roasting.

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Pressure cook toor dal. Drain water and reserve. Extract the pulp out of soaked tamarind and set aside.

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Heat oil in a pan. Roast coriander seeds, toor dal, pepper, cumin and dry red chilies till dal turns golden.

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Place the roasted ingredients in a blender and grind to a powder.

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To the extracted tamarind pulp, add ground powder, salt and turmeric.

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Place on medium flame and cook till frothy.

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To this add reserved dal water and let simmer for 2 mins. The mixture will froth further. At this stage, add the cooked and mashed toor dal.

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Now add finely chopped mint leaves to this rasam. Simmer till the mixture is completely frothy.

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Heat oil in a pan. Pop the mustard and add this to the rasam. Garnish with a few mint leaves.

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Mint rasam is ready.

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Serve this rasam with Spicy crispy yam fry or Snake gourd varuval. If you are interested in more rasam recipes, then please check out Lemon Rasam, Onion Rasam, Vendhaya Rasam,  Pineapple Rasam, Tomato Rasam and  Cumin Rasam

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Pudina Rasam Recipe

A flavorful and tangy broth made with freshly ground spice powder and mint leaves.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Rasam
Cuisine: South Indian
Servings: 2 to 3
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Tamarind a small marble size
  • Hot water 1.5 c
  • Toor dal 2 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
  • Mint leaves a small bunch cleaned and chopped finely
  • Salt to taste
  • To Roast and Grind
  • Oil 1 tsp
  • Toor dal 1.5 tsp
  • Coriander seeds/ Dhania 1.5 tsp
  • Pepper corns 1/2 tsp
  • Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
  • Red chilies 2
  • To Temper
  • Oil/ Ghee 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • To Garnish
  • Mint leaves 6 to 7

Instructions

  • Soak the tamarind in the hot water.
  • While it soaks, Heat oil in a pan.
  • Roast all the ingredients mentioned under To Roast and Grind until the dal turns a golden brown. Make sure you do this on medium flame.
  • Let cool.
  • In the meanwhile, pressure cook the toor dal with 2/3 c water until mushy.
  • Once done, drain water from the dal. Reserve this water.
  • Now, extract the pulp out of the soaked tamarind.
  • Discard the tamarind and dilute the pulp if it is too thick.
  • Mash the cooked dal.
  • In a blender, grind the roasted ingredients to a fine powder.
  • Now in a pot, combine the tamarind pulp, salt, turmeric powder and the ground powder.
  • Cook this on medium heat until frothy,
  • Once the mixture becomes frothy, add the reserved dal water.
  • Simmer for 2 mins.
  • Quickly add the cooked dal and simmer further for 2 more mins.
  • Add the chopped mint leaves at this stage.
  • Let cook for 3 more mins.
  • Switch off flame.
  • Heat a pan with oil.
  • Pop the mustard in this.
  • Add this to the rasam.
  • Garnish with mint leaves.
  • Serve hot.

Notes

I had cooked dal for some other dish while making this rasam. So i used a part of it for this. The amount mentioned is a scaled down measurement for this rasam.

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Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

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Easy Tzatziki Dip Recipe

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Easy Tzatziki Dip Recipe And Tips on Making Hung Curd1-DSC_0095-001

Easy Tzatziki Dip Recipe- Greek dip with yogurt and cucumbers.

Summer only spells a few things clearly for me. Watermelon, Cucumbers, Fresh and light salads and plenty of beverages to keep me going are all on that list. Crunchy cucumbers always find a way to our simple and light summer meals, either in the form of a salad or a lemonade or a simple raita. The last week, i decided to make something different with cucumbers. I had come across Tzatziki recipe many a times on Pinterest and have always wanted to make it. And summer was the perfect excuse to do just that- some creamy tangy Tzatziki to go into a wrap ( recipe coming soon) made a wonderful meal on a hot summer s evening. The authentic Tzatziki calls for fresh dill leaves. I did not have them on hand and hence made this Tzatziki recipe with fresh cilantro leaves. And i must say, we enjoyed it thoroughly.

tzatziki

 Easy Tzatziki Dip Recipe With Tips On How To Make Hung Curd.

To make hung curd, place 2 c of full fat yogurt in a fine mesh sieve. Place this over a bowl and cover loosely. Keep this in the fridge until the whey drains from the yogurt. The longer you let it sit, the thicker your curd will be. I let my curd sit in the fridge for about 3 hours. A minimum time of 2 hours will work fine too.

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 Once done, discard the whey. You can alternatively use the whey to knead dough or mix into a smoothie.

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to make Tzatziki.

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Tzatziki Dip

A simple yogurt dip with chopped cucumbers and other herbs. Perfect to dunk nachos or use as a spread on wraps and sandwiches.
Prep Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours
Course: Dip
Cuisine: Greek
Servings: 1 .5 c
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Hung Curd 1 c
  • Cucumber 1 medium seeds removed, peeled and chopped very finely
  • Garlic cloves 2 peeled and minced
  • Fresh coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely
  • Lemon juice 1 tbsp
  • Olive oil 2 tbsp
  • Freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp
  • Salt to taste
  • For Garnish
  • Olive oil 1 tsp
  • Freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp

Instructions

  • To make hung curd, place about 2 c of regular full fat yogurt in a fine mesh strainer. Now place this over a bowl and cover loosely. Let it sit in the fridge until all the whey is drained.
  • Once done, discard whey and use the thick hung curd in the Tzatziki.
  • In a bowl, place all the ingredients and mix well.
  • Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle some olive oil on top before serving.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

You can use greek yogurt in place of the hung curd here. In that case, no draining of whey is required.
Feel free to experiment with your choice of herbs like dill, mint or parsley in place of coriander leaves.
You can also add finely grated cucumber but how ever you add the cucumber, make sure to remove the seed part before grating or chopping.
Many recipes use Extra Virgin Olive Oil for this but i used regular olive oil.

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Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

 Now that you have learnt how to make Tzatziki recipe, start using it in your sandwiches, wraps or rolls as a filling or better yet, get out a spoon and start devouring it right away. Delicious things must never be put off to later to eat!

Aloo Tuvar Curry

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Aloo Tuvar Curry Recipe With Step By Step Photos

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Tuvar or Fresh pigeon peas is something that i spotted only after coming to Gujarat. I had neither seen nor heard of it when i was in Southern India. It is surprising because we consume a lot of toor dal for that matter. It is indeed strange that i had never thought about how the toor dal lands itself in the tall container in Amma s kitchen before i married. But well, things change a lot after marriage goes the clichéd saying. In my case, a lot includes a lot of food. I cook in ways that neither my mom nor my MIL does. I buy stuff that will not even be looked at in both the households. And i must admit, when both come home, they have a ball, enjoying the food that i make and earnestly try to jot down what goes into what.

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Coming to the Aloo Tuvar curry recipe, this is a recipe that i put together when i ran short of ideas on what to do with those beautifully shelled pigeon peas. My house help painstakingly shelled these beauties and put it away in the fridge and i really had no idea what to do. I did not want to just make a curry out of it. I also used the curry in another recipe which i will be sharing soon. But in the meantime, let s check how to make Aloo Tuvar curry with step by step pictures. Hey! did i mention, this is vegan and gluten-free!

Step By Step Pictorial To Make Aloo Tuvar Subji

Chop the potatoes. Peel garlic. And chop up the ginger.

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Slice the onions. Keep all the spice powders ready.

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Shell the pigeon peas and place them in a microwave bowl.Cook the pigeon peas on high with 1 cup of water and salt in the microwave till tender but firm. Mine took 8 mins to cook. Drain and set aside.

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Place the ginger and garlic in a mortar and coarsely crush to a coarse paste. I have often found that freshly ground ginger and garlic takes a recipe to another level in terms of flavor. It holds good for this recipe too. And the aroma from the paste is delicious. Makes your stomach growl immediately.

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That is the ginger garlic paste.

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Heat oil in a pan. Crackle the cumin seeds.

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Add chopped onions and fry till translucent

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To the onions, add all the spice powders except the raw mango powder. Mix well.

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Next add the potatoes and mix well.

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Add the cooked pigeon peas and combine. Add salt next and mix well.

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Now add the raw mango powder and mix it into the curry.

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Add 1/4 of water to the curry and combine well. Cook closed till potatoes are tender but firm.

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Aloo Tuvar Curry
Recipe Type: Curry
Cuisine: North Indian
Author: Anusha Praveen
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2
A simple vegan and gluten free curry with fresh pigeon peas and potatoes.
Ingredients
  • Potatoes 2 medium cubed
  • Fresh pigeon peas/ Tuvar 1/2 c
  • Onions 2 sliced thinly
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Ginger 1/2″ chopped
  • Oil 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds 1 tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Spice Powders
  • Coriander Powder 1 tsp
  • Raw mango powder 1/2 tsp
  • Garam masala 1/2 tsp
  • Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
  • Kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves 1/2 tsp crushed
  • Chili powder 1 tsp
  • For Garnish
  • Coriander leaves 2 tbsp chopped finely
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a pan.
  2. Add the cumin. Once it crackles, add the sliced onions.
  3. Fry till onions turn translucent.
  4. Now, add the pounded ginger garlic paste and mix well.
  5. Cook for 1 min.
  6. Add coriander powder, garam masala, chili powder, turmeric and kasuri methi next and mix well.
  7. Cook for 30 secs.
  8. Immediately tip in the potatoes and salt.
  9. Mix well.
  10. Now, add the pigeon peas and mix well.
  11. Next add the raw mango powder and mix well.
  12. To the curry, add 1/4 c of water and combine.
  13. Cook closed on medium flame till potatoes turn tender but remain firm.
  14. Garnish with coriander leaves.
  15. Serve hot with phulkas.
Notes
In case you dont have raw mango powder, you can use any souring agent like chaat masala or lemon juice. If you are adding lemon juice, add it at the end before serving. How ever the taste will differ a bit.[br]You also use hyacinth beans or edamame beans in this curry instead of pigeon peas.

 Serving Suggestions: Phulkas

Chow Chow Curry

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Chow Chow Curry Recipe chow chow curryb4

Chow chow curry is nothing but a simple indian style curry made with Chayote Squash. lentils and coconut. We never find Chayote Squash where i live. So, if someone comes from Chennai or Coimbatore, this squash is something i request to be brought along. Mr.P and i are huge fans of Chow Chow. Now, Chow Chow must not be confused with Chow Chow bath that is served in Bangalore in many hotels. While the first is a combination of Kesari and Upma served together, chow chow curry is a poriyal, like we call it in Tamil. I ll tell you why Chayote Squash or Chow Chow is one of my star veggies. I love the sweetish taste of the vegetable. When cooked to fork tender, it has the tendency to combine well with other flavoring ingredients, in this case being the humble yet mighty coconut. It pairs well with almost everything ranging from Kara Kuzhambu to the basic rasam. Why, we even eat it with Phulkas. So if a recipe is really this flexible, then it has to find itself on the blog, ain’t it?

chow chow curryb1

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Chow Chow Curry

A simple curry made by sauteeing Chayote Squash, coconut and dal.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dry Curry
Cuisine: South Indian
Servings: 1 cup
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Chayote Squash/ Chow Chow/ Bangalore Kathrikai 2 medium peeled cored and cubed.
  • Toor dal 2 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
  • Freshly grated coconut 2 tbsp
  • Curry leaves a sprig
  • Oil 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Urad dal 1 tsp
  • Dry red chilies 2 torn
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Combine the toor dal with 1/2 c water and pressure cook to a mush.
  • In the meanwhile, par boil the chow chow until fork tender. For this, i used my microwave. I cooked the chow chow in 2 c of water on high for 10 mins.
  • Once done, drain the water completely from the chow chow and set aside.
  • When the dal is cooked, drain water and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan.
  • Pop the mustard seeds and tip in the turmeric,urad dal, curry leaves and dry red chilies.
  • Once the dal turns a light brown, add the cooked chow chow, salt and toor dal.
  • Mix well.
  • Now add the grated coconut and mix well.
  • Serve hot

Notes

I was cooking toor dal for some other recipe while i made this. So i did not have to cook it separately. However what i have mentioned is a scaled down amount of uncooked toor dal. In case you have cooked dal ready, you will need about 1/3 c of cooked dal for this recipe.
Make sure you drain the cooked squash and the cooked dal completely of water before adding it to the pan.
Frozen coconut, after thawing, can be used in place of freshly grated coconut.

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Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Tamarind Agua Fresca

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Tamarind Agua Fresca Recipe

1-Tamarind Agua Fresca

Tamarind Agua Fresca. Sounds exotic, eh? But believe me the exotica stops with the name. Tamarind agua fresca is nothing but a mexican drink made with tamarind pulp, cold water and some lemon wedges. I was ambling over at Pinterest the other day for some interesting Cinco De Mayo recipes and i happened to read this Tamarind Agua Fresca recipe. I was surprised that there were cuisines other than Indian that used tamarind. And i was even more taken aback when i discovered that it was the Mexicans. I would not have been so surprised if it had been some Asian cuisine, but Mexican, seriously? Cool, huh! Like i said, this is a very simple recipe that you can whip up in no time. You can make this ahead and leave it to chill in the fridge. This Tamarind Agua Fresca is truly a Cinco De Mayo delight because it pretty much has everything- tang, sweetness, salt and what not? I came up with my own version of Tamarind Agua Fresca and i thought, why not share it here? Cinco De Mayo or not, it s scorching here in India and we all can do with a tall glass of chilled agua fresca.

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Tamarind Agua Fresca

An easy drink with tamarind, chilled water and some citrus that is perfect for Cinco De Mayo
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 2 glasses
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Tamarind and Dates Chutney 2 tbsp refer notes
  • Orange juice 1/4 c
  • Lemon juice 2 tbsp
  • Sugar 2 tbsp
  • Sparkling Water/ Club Soda 2 cups
  • Ice cubes to serve
  • Orange wedges to serve

Instructions

  • Combine the tamarind and dates chutney, orange juice and lemon juice along with the sugar using a whisk.
  • Once the sugar has dissolved completely, strain the liquid.
  • Divide the liquid into two.
  • Take two glasses.
  • Slightly wet the rim with an orange wedge.
  • Place the rim over a plate of salt.
  • This is how a rim in a glass in salted.
  • Now, pour half of the liquid in one glass.
  • Add an orange wedge and some ice cubes.
  • Top with sparkling water or club soda.
  • Repeat the process for the other glass.
  • Stir well.
  • Serve cold.

Notes

I used the regular khatta meetha khajur chutney that we use in chaats for this recipe. It is easily available in all stores.
In case you dont have the chutney, use tamarind pulp of the same quantity and adjust sugar accordingly.
You can also use cold water in place of club soda.

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Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Vietnamese Iced Coffee

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Vietnamese Iced Coffee Recipe and A Very Warm Welcome To My Newly Upgraded Site.

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Yes, you all read and guessed right. I recently moved from blogger to a self hosted wordpress website. I must admit that the move was everything it promised to be- Exciting, daunting, thrilling, exhausting and demanding. The site is not fully ready yet and a lot of fine tuning has to be done. While you are here, take some time to explore the space a bit. The menu bar and the search bar should help you in this. …

Read On →

Gasa Gasa Payasam Recipe| Khus Khus Payasam Recipe

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Gasa Gasa Payasam

Here s wishing you all a very happy Tamil New Year with some delectable Gasa Gasa Payasam recipe.Gasa Gasa or Khus Khus Payasam is a delicious kheer that is made out of poppy seeds and coconut. A match made in heaven, it is a natural body coolant, an excellent dessert to relish during summers and is also a great choice on a festival like Tamil New Year. The khus-khus or the poppy seeds in this are believed to help in soothing mouth ulcers and the coconut helps in cooling your stomach. My mom makes this pretty much whenever someone has an ulcer in the mouth. And i have also seen this payasam being enjoyed with soft and fluffy idlies in some parts of Bangalore. If you love the flavors of coconut and poppy seeds, then this is the payasam that is totally meant for you. Let us now check how to make Gasa Gasa Payasam step by step.


Recipe For Gasa Gasa Payasam
( Learn how to make Gasa Gasa payasam, an easy kheer with ground poppy seeds/ Khus Khus and coconut)
 

Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously 
Allergy Info: Gluten free
Category: Desserts
Cuisine: Indian ( South)

Ingredients

Gasa Gasa/ Khus Khus/ White poppy seeds 1/4 c
Freshly grated coconut 1/4 c
Milk 3/4 c boiled previously
Sugar 3/4 c
Ghee/ clarified butter 4 tbsp
Cashews 1 tbsp broken
Raisins 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder 1 tsp

Notes:

1. You can substitute sugar with jaggery for a different flavor. Because i did not have jaggery, i used sugar.
2. Use full fat milk for best results.
3. I dont know how to grate a coconut really. So i generally scrape out bits and pulse it down in a mixer. If you are like me, you would require about 1/2 of a small coconut.

Directions

Dry roast poppy seeds on a pan until aromatic. I forgot to take a picture of this step. Kindly excuse.
Soak the poppy seeds in 1/2 c warm water for an hour and a half.

Once done, drain the seeds using a strainer and add this to a blender along with the coconut.

Now pulse the mixture once or twice in the mixer to break down the bits of coconut. You can skip this if you are using grated coconut.

Add about 2 tbsp of milk to this and grind to a fine paste.

Once done, set aside.
Heat a pan with 2 tbsp ghee.

To this add the cardamom powder.

Immediately stir in the ground paste.

Mix well.Reduce the flame to a medium low and cook the paste till all the ghee is absorbed and the mixture starts to leave from the sides.

Now, to this add the sugar and mix well.

You will find that the mixture becomes a liquid.

Continue to cook the paste until slightly thick. Takes about 5 mins.

Once thick, add the milk and mix well.
Simmer for 5 more mins.
Switch off flame.
Heat the remaining ghee in a pan and roast the cashews until golden. Drain and add to the payasam.

Now add raisins to the same ghee and fry till they fluff up.

Immediately add this to the payasam along with the ghee.

Mix well.
Let it cool completely.
Stick the payasam in the fridge for an hour or so.

Khus Khus Kheer

 

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5 from 1 vote

Gasa Gasa Payasam Recipe

A delicious pudding made with white poppy seeds and coconut. Can be served either warm or cold.
Prep Time2 hours
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: South Indian
Servings: 500 ml
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Gasa Gasa/ Khus Khus/ White poppy seeds 1/4 c
  • Freshly grated coconut 1/4 c
  • Milk 3/4 c boiled previously
  • Sugar 3/4 c
  • Ghee/ clarified butter 4 tbsp
  • Cashews 1 tbsp broken
  • Raisins 1 tbsp
  • Cardamom powder 1 tsp

Instructions

  • Dry roast poppy seeds on a pan until aromatic. I forgot to take a picture of this step. Kindly excuse.
  • Soak the poppy seeds in 1/2 c warm water for an hour and a half.
  • Once done, drain the seeds using a strainer and add this to a blender along with the coconut.
  • Now pulse the mixture once or twice in the mixer to break down the bits of coconut.
  • You can skip this if you are using grated coconut.
  • Add about 2 tbsp of milk to this and grind to a fine paste.
  • Once done, set aside.
  • Heat a pan with 2 tbsp ghee.
  • To this add the cardamom powder.
  • Immediately stir in the ground paste.
  • Mix well.Reduce the flame to a medium low and cook the paste till all the ghee is absorbed and the mixture starts to leave from the sides.
  • Now, to this add the sugar and mix well.
  • You will find that the mixture becomes a liquid.
  • Continue to cook the paste until slightly thick. Takes about 5 mins.
  • Once thick, add the milk and mix well.
  • Simmer for 5 more mins.
  • Switch off flame.
  • Heat the remaining ghee in a pan and roast the cashews until golden. Drain and add to the payasam.
  • Now add raisins to the same ghee and fry till they fluff up.
  • Immediately add this to the payasam along with the ghee.
  • Mix well.
  • Let it cool completely.
  • Stick the payasam in the fridge for an hour or so.
  • Serve cold.

Notes

1. You can substitute sugar with jaggery for a different flavor. Because i did not have jaggery, i used sugar.
2. Use full fat milk for best results.
3. I dont know how to grate a coconut really. So i generally scrape out bits and pulse it down in a mixer. If you are like me, you would require about 1/2 of a small coconut.

For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes

Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Serve cold.
Sharing this at Swathi’s Hearth And Soul Blog Hop

Fresh Garden Salad Recipe

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Fresh Garden Salad

Fresh garden salad is a medley of assorted vegetables tossed in a light dressing. It takes about 20 mins to put it together and tastes delicious on a hot summer afternoon when you really don’t want to eat piping hot sambar and rice. The dressing that goes into it is light and tangy, making it perfect for a salad lunch kind of day. My mom and i are incredible fans of the Garden salad that they serve in Pizza Hut. I know it is weird to love a salad in Pizza Hut but the raw veggies fans that we are, we almost always order this whenever its Pizza Hut time. This recipe is a Pizza Hut Copy Cat recipe of sorts. The only change that i have made to their version is toss in some croutons because i believed that the salad needed more body and well, i needed some buttery carbs. So the croutons went in. In an effort to make justice to our love for the Fresh  Garden Salad, here s the recipe! Sharing this at Swathi’s Hearth And Soul Blog Hop

Fresh Garden Salad

Recipe For Fresh Garden Salad

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5 from 1 vote

Fresh Garden Salad Recipe

Make this Pizza Hut style fresh garden salad with lots of fresh veggies, croutons and a simple dressing.
Prep Time20 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: International
Servings: 2
Author: Anusha Praveen

Ingredients

  • Bell Peppers I used red, green and yellow 1/2 c cut into juliennes
  • Carrot 1/4 c cut into juliennes
  • Cabbage 1/4 c shredded thinly
  • Tomato 1 small sliced thinly
  • Croutons 1/4 c
  • For The Dressing
  • Lemon juice 1 tbsp
  • Olive oil 1 tbsp
  • Freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Sugar 1/2 tsp

Instructions

  • Place all veggies and croutons in a bowl.
  • Mix well.
  • In another bowl, combine all olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar and lemon juice.
  • Whisk well.
  • Now pour the dressing over the veggies and mix thoroughly.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

1. Addition of croutons is optional but highly recommended. Skip them for a low carb, gluten free and vegan version of the same salad.*
2. You may also add a thinly sliced red onion into your salad if you like. The onion gives a nice sweet crunch.*
3. You can also make this salad ahead of time. In that case, dont add croutons while you mix the salad. Add them just before serving and mix well,
4. This salad tastes great when served cold too.

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Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.

Disclaimer

Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.

Tried this recipe?Mention @tomatoblues or tag #tomatoblues!

Zucchini Sweet Pepper Raita

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Zucchini and sweet pepper raita is the perfect summer’s delight. A combination of crunchy zucchini, mellow sweet peppers and smoothly whisked fresh curd cannot go wrong, isn’t it? A few vegetables like broccoli, baby corn and zucchini never fail to score with me. While zucchini tastes very similar to the ridge gourd in India, its slightly crunchier and also comes in yellow and green colors. This raita happened way before Summer kicked in. Nevertheless, we enjoyed it thoroughly with some Vegetable Pulao  and it made an amazing side dish, even though ridiculously simple. Ever since then, i have made this time and again and any one who ever ate it has always been a happy camper. So, let s hop on to the recipe, shall we?
Recipe for Zucchini Sweet Pepper Raita
( Learn how to make Zucchini  Sweet Pepper Raita, a yogurt dip with zucchini and sweet peppers tempered in the Indian style)
 
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Serves 2 generously 
Allergy Info: Gluten free, Soy free and Nut free
Category: Raita, Dip, Accompaniment
Cuisine: Indian
Serving Suggestions: Vegetable Pulao, Baby Corn Pulao
 
Ingredients
Zucchini 1 med peeled and cubed
Sweet peppers 5 to 6 sliced
Ginger 1 tsp grated
Fresh Yogurt 1 cup smoothly whisked
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tsp
To Temper
Oil 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal 1tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Notes:
1. You can skip using sweet peppers if you dont have them on hand. Try tossing in some bell peppers instead.
2. You can also use greek yogurt in place of regular yogurt.
3. This raita also tastes great when served cold. So it makes for a fabulous make ahead option.
Directions
Heat oil in a pan.
Add ginger sweet peppers and saute for a min.
Immediately toss in the zucchini and saute till it becomes fork tender. Takes 3 to 4 mins on high flame but make sure you keep stirring or it may burn.
Once done, let cool.
To the whisked yogurt, add the sauteed zucchini and peppers along with salt.
Mix well.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan.
Add mustard seeds and once they crackle, tip in the cumin seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.
Once the dal turns light brown, add this mixture to the yogurt.
Mix well.
Serve immediately.

How To Make Cream Of Mushroom Soup

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My love for mushrooms is eternal. There is not a single time that i have browsed Pinterest and regretted that stuff like Portabella and Shitake is not available in India easily. I still make do with whatever i get which is button mushrooms. While the H detests eating mushrooms, i love everything mushroom. So i tend to pick up these only when H is not around.

A few weeks back, H was out of town and mom was here. She too loves mushrooms and i decided to try a few recipes that have mushroom in them. The first in the list was this cream of mushroom soup that i tried. I sort of put together a Chinese meal for lunch one day and served this creamy soup as a starter. Amma loved it to bits. The brownie points in this recipe are that it uses olive oil in place of butter and no cream in it too. I used low fat milk to make this soup and we dint miss the cream or the butter at all. Because i am a person who loves her soup loaded with butter, i topped mine with some salty Amul butter and i am not saying i regretted it. You can leave out the butter totally for a low fat version. Weight watchers’ delight!! Now let us see how to make cream of mushroom soup with step by step pictures.

Recipe For Cream Of Mushroom Soup
( Learn how to make Cream of Mushroom soup, an easy soup with mushrooms that is low in fat content too)

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves 2 generously
Allergy Info: Gluten free, Nut free and Soy free
Category: Appetizer, Starter, Soup
Cuisine: International
Serving Suggestions: A dash of butter, Quick And Easy Garlic Bread

Ingredients

Mushrooms 1 c  sliced
Onion 1 large sliced
Garlic cloves 4 sliced and divided
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Low Fat Milk 1 c
Water 1/2 c
Salt to taste
White pepper 1 tsp

To Garnish

A dash of butter ( optional but recommended)
A sprinkle of black pepper powder

Notes:

1. If you want a richer creamier soup, add full fat milk.
2. If you find the soup too thick, feel free to add more water but not milk.
3. White pepper can be substituted with black pepper but please use lesser quantity and adjust later if found less. I would recommend white pepper though.
4. Olive oil lends a subtle flavor to the soup. I would not recommend using Extra Virgin Olive Oil though. Pomace works best.
5. Do keep a check on salt if you are using salted butter for the garnish.

Directions

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan.
Add one half of the sliced garlic cloves and toss till brown.

To this add sliced onions and saute till light pink.

Next add the sliced mushrooms and saute till they wilt completely.

To this add pepper and salt.

Let cool completely
Place this mixture in a blender along with the milk and blend to a smooth paste.

Remove and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the same pan that was used for sauteeing the mushrooms and onions.

To this add the ground paste and mix well.

Add 1/2 of water to this and let simmer for a minute.

Switch off flame.
Check for seasonings and adjust if required.
Add a dash of butter if desired.
Garnish with black pepper.
Serve hot.