WATERMELON AGUA FRESCA

Watermelon is a Summer fruit. This drink is icy cold and can quench thirst on these hot days. Watermelon juice tastes sweeter because of its lower acidic level. 'Agua Fresca' is a Mexican boon to parched throats, its meaning 'fresh water'.  I gave a little Indian twist in it. This juice seems like a nectar from heavens.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of Watermelon (chilled, seeded & cubed)
1 cup of crushed ice
2 tsps Honey
1 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Ginger juice (optional)
1/3 tsp Chat masala
A pinch of finely grounded Black Pepper


METHOD:

Blend watermelon and ice into a thick drink.

Now add honey, lemon juice, ginger juice, chat masala and grounded black pepper. Again blend all-together.

Pour the drinks into glasses, slide a watermelon wedge on the side of the glass to garnish.

Serve immediately.
Serves: 2


Linking to: Pragyan's guest host event 'Let's Party - Fusion Food' & brain child of 'Surabhi'

 

 

Sending to: Jagruti's  and Shama's  Know Your Natural Sweetness Series.

 



KOZHI / CHICKEN CURRY

Kerala style super delicious chicken curry. This is a spicy chicken curry with thick coconut milk. Its gravy is smooth and creamy, but it is very easy and simple version of chicken curry with no fancy ingredients. Actually, this curry have a dark brown colour, which I loved. Hope you all will enjoy this kozhi/chicken curry as much as I enjoyed here. Relish the flavor of traditional Kerala home cooking.

INGREDIENTS:

13 OZ or 370 gm Boneless Chicken Breast

1/3 cup Shredded Coconut (sweetened)

1 tbsp Lemon juice

1/2 cup warm Water

Salt to taste

FOR SAUTEING & GRINDING:
2/3 cup thinly sliced Red Onions
4-5 Curry Leaves
3-4 Garlic pods (minced)
1/2" Ginger (minced)
1/3 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/3 tsp Garam masala
1 tbsp Chicken masala
2 tbsp Coconut Oil


FOR SEASONING:
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
3-4 Curry Leaves
1/3 cup thinly sliced Red Onions
1 tsp minced Garlic
1 tsp minced Ginger
1 tbsp Coconut oil


METHOD:
Wash and pat dry the chicken. Marinate chicken with lemon juice, set aside for 30 minutes.

Grind shredded coconut with little water, to make a thick coconut milk.

Heat coconut oil in a non-stick pan. Add onions and curry leaves, fry till onions get translucent. Add minced garlic and ginger in it. Fry for another 2 minutes. Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, black pepper powder, garam masala and chicken masala. Fry for another minute and remove from heat. Let it be cool. Grind everything with 2 tbsps water to form a smooth paste. Apply this paste on chicken pieces and keep it for another 15-20 minutes.

Now transfer the chicken with masala paste back to the pan. Add salt in it. cover with lid and cook for another 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Now add thick coconut milk with 1/2 cup of warm water in it. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds, when it pops up, add onions and curry leaves in it. Fry till onion get translucent. Add 1 tsp minced ginger and 1 tsp minced garlic in it. Fry for another 2-3 minutes. Pour this seasoning over chicken curry. Keep it covered for another 5 minutes.

Now, kozhi curry is ready to serve with steamed rice or pidi or appams.

Linking this to The Master Chef Contest @ You Too Can Cook - Indian Food Recipes

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PANEER STUFFED TOMATOES

Stuffed vegetables taste different and special. Go for stuffed Tomato whenever you feel like making a stuffed vegetable. They taste great. Paneer stuffed tomato is a delish starter, may use it as a side dish also.

INGREDIENTS:
4 nos tight Tomatoes
1 cup fresh Cottage Cheese (Paneer)
1/2 cup Green Peas (Frozen)
3 tbsps finely chopped Onion
1 tbsp finely chopped Garlic
1 tbsp Chopped Green Chillies
1 tbsp Chat masala
2 tbsps finely chopped Cilantro (Coriander Leaves)
1 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp shredded Cheese
1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
Salt to taste


COOKING METHOD ON GAS TOP STOVE:
Grate or mash cottage cheese.  Heat butter in a wok. Fry garlic and onions till those get translucent. Add green peas, green chillies, pepper powder, chat masala, cilantro and salt in it. Stir for another 2-3 minutes. Add grated cottage cheese in it. Fold well. Stir for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cottage cheese filling is ready now.


Wash the tomatoes and set dry. Cut the top of tomato like a cap. Gently Scoop out the centers. Keep aside.


Stuff the tomatoes with this filling. Put shredded cheese on the top of the tomatoes.


Grease a baking tray, arrange stuffed tomotoes on that. Set oven to 400 F (200 C). Place the baking on the middle rack of preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes.


Serve hot as starter or side dish.


COOKING METHOD IN MICROWAVE:
Grate or mash the cottage cheese. Put green peas in a microoven safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. Set dry. Keep it aside.


Wash the tomatoes and set dry. Cut the top of tomato like a cap. Gently Scoop out the centers. Keep aside.

Take a large bowl. Combine grated cottage cheese, green peas, chopped onions, chopped garlic, green chillies, chat masala, chopped cilantro, black pepper powder and salt in the bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Stuff the tomatoes with this filling. Put shredded cheese on the top of the tomatoes.

Grease a micro-safe bowl/tray with butter. Grease outside of the tomatoes with butter. Arrange tomatoes on the microwave safe bowl/tray. Heat the bowl/tray in microwave for 3 minutes. Keep it on stand time for another 5 minutes.

Serve hot as starter or side dish.

TIPS: If it is for kid's, don't use green chillies and reduce the amount of black pepper powder.
Linking this to The Master Chef Contest @ You Too Can Cook - Indian Food Recipes

Linking this to Srivalli's Microwave Easy Cooking Event happening now @ Priya's Versatile Recipes

Linking this to Let's Cook # 16 - Kids Special @ Tickling Palates

POTATO RASSA

It is somehow different than any other potato curries. Potato rassa, means flavorful potato. This recipe is pretty easy to make and tastes great, spicy warm but not spicy hot. Cooking time seemed right on to make this dish perfect.

INGREDIENTS:
3 medium sized peeled Potatoes, cut in cubes
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
3-4 Green Chillies, cut in slits
10-12 Curry Leaves
2 tbsps coarsely pounded Peanuts
2 tbsps coarsely pounded Cashew nuts
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Dry Mango powder (Amchur)
3 tbsps Hot & Sour Tomato sauce
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
2 tbsps chopped Cilantro (Coriander leaves)
1 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)
Salt to taste


COOKING METHOD ON GAS TOP STOVE:
Heat oil and clarified butter in a non-stick wok.  Add cumin seeds, green chillies and curry leaves in it. Saute for 30 seconds. Now add potato cubes in it. Fry for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.


Now add red chilli powder, black pepper powder, dry mango powder, salt and sugar in it. Sprinkle with little water, cover the lid and cook for another 3-4 minutes on medium low heat. Stir occasionally.


Add pounded peanuts and pounded cashew nuts with 3/4 cup of water in it, fold well. Cover the lid and cook for another
4-5 minutes on medium low heat. Sprinkle with hot and sour tomato sauce and chopped cilantro. Mix well and remove from heat.


Serve hot with roti, paratha, rice or bread.


COOKING METHOD IN MICROWAVE:
Take oil and clarified butter in a microwave safe bowl. Add cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chillies in it. Place the uncovered bowl in microoven and heat for 2 minutes.

Add potatoes, 4 tbsps water, sugar and salt in it. Fold well and cover the bowl. Heat in microwave for 8 minutes. Stir twice in between. Keep it on stand time for 2 minutes more.

Now open the bowl and add red chilli powder, dry mango powder in it and fold well. Again heat the bowl uncovered in microoven for another 2 minutes.

Now add pounded peanuts, pounded cashew nuts, chopped cilantro and 1/2 cup water in it. Mix well. Again microwave for another 2 minutes. Keep it on stand time for another 3 minutes.

Take out the bowl from microoven, sprinkle with black pepper powder and hot & sour tomato sauce. Fold well.

Serve hot with roti, paratha, rice or bread.


TIPS: For those who don't like to have a hint of sweetness in the curry, sugar can be omitted.

Linking this to Srivalli's Microwave Easy Cooking Event happening now @ Priya's Versatile Recipes

SALMON IN DILL-MUSTARD SAUCE

This is a wonderful way to prepare fresh Salmon in mustard sauce. This easy prepared Salmon tastes tangy and delicious from the blend of three ingredients i.e. mustard, yogurt and dill weed. When spicy marinated and lightly fried fish steaks dip in a delish dill-mustard sauce, really compliments the Salmon's delicate flavor. Be sure to make extra, your family will be begging for more.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb Salmon Fillet, cut into 4 steaks (washed)
1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/3 tsp Nigella seeds (Kalonji)
1 tbsp fresh Lemon juice
1 tsp All Purpose Flour (Maida)
1/4 cup freshly grinded Mustard paste
1/4 cup non-fat Plain Yogurt/Sour Cream
3 Green chillies (chopped)
1 tbsp finely chopped Cilantro (Coriander leaves)
1/2 tsp dry Dill Weed
1/4 cup Mustard Oil (or any other oil)
Salt to taste.


METHOD:
Marinate the fish steaks with turmeric powder, black pepper powder, red chilli powder, lemon juice, flour and salt. Keep it on refrigerator for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Blend mustard paste, green chillies, dry dill weed, yogurt, 3/4 cup of water and little salt together to prepare dill-mustard sauce. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Fry fish steaks till light brown on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

Temper with nigella seeds on the same oil. Saute for 15-20 seconds. Add blended mixture in it. Stir continuously till it starts to boil. Now add fried fish steaks in it and reduce flame to medium low. Cook for another 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on the top and remove from the heat.

Garnish with little sour cream and serve hot with steamed rice.

TIPS: If dill weed is not available, may use dry fennel seeds instead of it.

Linking to:
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Linking this recipe to Pragyan's guest host event Let's Party - Fusion Food & brainchild of Surabhi

ANARASER CHUTNEY / PINEAPPLE PICKLE

This sweet and tart chutney dish you must have after lunch. It is another delectable chutney preparation from Bengal. Pineapple is a tropical fruit and source of vitamin A & C. It serves in various occasions, from festive feast to wedding parties. It can be made in various ways, but here I am sharing the easiest and simpliest way to make scumptious anaraser (pineapple) chutney.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Pineapple Chunks, cut into small cubes
3-4 tbsps Sugar (according to taste)
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp grated Ginger
1 Bay Leaf
2 tbsps Raisins
2 Dry Red Chillies
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
1 cup Water
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Dry roast dry chillies and cumin seeds in a pan. When nice smell comes out, remove from heat, set it cool and pound coarsely. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add mustard seeds in it. When it pops up, add Cubes of pineapple and ginger in it. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Now add water, sugar, bay leaf, raisins and salt in it. Fold well and keep it covered. stir occasionally.

When it becomes thick, add lemon juice and pounded spices in it. Mix well and remove from heat.

Let it be cooled before serving.

ALL PURPOSE SALAD

Cool, delicious and pretty cocumber, tomato and onion salad. This is a refreshing and tangy salad, low in fat. It is elegant, well balanced but too simple.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 medium sized Onion
1 medium sized Tomato
1 1/2 tsp fresh Lemon juice
1/3 tsp freshly pounded Black Pepper powder
A pinch of dried oregano (optional)
1 tsp Olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp Italian Salad Dressing
Sea Salt to taste

METHOD:

Cut tomato and onion in desired shapes.

Now arrange tomato, cucumber and onions pieces on a plate or tray, as it looks little decorated.

Sprinkle with black pepper powder, lemon juice, oregano, olive oil and Italian dressing.

Before serving, add sea salt. Serve with starters or main course any time.

TIPS: If you want it creamy and not so low in fat, just add 2 tbsps mayonnaise.

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