APPY WATERMELON JUICE

Yesterday evening, I made a pitcher of sweet, refreshing watermelon juice to keep me and my family hydrated. Watermelon is an absolutely Summer fruit and can quench thrist on these hot days. The tangy and fizzy watermelon juice with little twist, can be served as a Summer drink or as a cocktail mixer. This recipe is easy to prepare and ended up being super delicious and if you have any left over watermelon in your refrigerator, you should really try this!!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Wedges of Watermelon
1/2 Apple (deseeded)
2 tbsps Sugar / Honey
1/4 tsp Black Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper powder (freshly pounded)

METHOD:

Refrigerate watermelon wedges for atleast two hours before use. Take out the chunks of watermelon from these two wedges. Deseed and it measures 3 cups of watermelon chunks. Keep it aside. Peel apple and cut it in tiny pieces. Set aside.

Blend watermelon chunks with sugar, black salt and black pepper powder to make a smooth pulp.

Pour equally in two serving glasses.

Place chopped apple on the top of the juice. Sprinkle little black salt and black pepper powder on the top of the glasses. Serve immediately.

Serves: 2

 

Sending to: Viji's Show your style series - Watermelon or Pineapple

Sending this to: "Spotlight: Show Your Best Creation" @ Cuisine Delights

Sending to: Nayna's Event: Let's Cook for Kids

Sending to: Sizzling Tastebud's "Summer Splash "



PICNIC CHICKEN CURRY

Last month we went for a picnic and there we all enjoyed this luscious chicken curry. So, I adopted this toothsome recipe from our last picnic. With the use of very nominal spices, tastes truelly awesome! It takes only 25 minutes to cook on slow heat, a semi dry gravy, rich with tomato-onion. A stimulating chicken curry which will be ever memorable!!!

INGREDIENTS:
1 kg Chicken, cut into medium sized pieces
4 Medium Potatoes, peeled and cut each into halves
400 gm Onion (chopped)
1 Whole Garlic
4 Medium Tomatoes (chopped)
75 gm Ginger
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1&1/2" Cinnamon
2-3 Green Cardamoms
3-4 Cloves
2 Bay leaves
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
10-12 Green Chillies (as per taste), cut in slits
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves (cilantro)
1/2 Cup Oil (Preferably Mustard Oil)
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Wash chicken with luke warm water nicely. Drain water and set aside.

Grind garlic and ginger together to make a smooth paste. Keep it aside.

Marinate potato pieces with little turmeric and salt. Heat oil in a wok, add potatoes in it. Fry till potatoes turn golden. Drain oil and remove potatoes from the wok, set aside.

 

Temper with bay leaves, cumin seeds, cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves in the same oil. When a nice aroma comes out, add chopped onions in it.

Fry till it gets translucent.

Add ginger-garlic paste now. Fry for another a minute or two on medium heat.

 

Now add tomatoes, green chillies, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt in it. Fry for 4-5 minutes, till spices leave oil.

Add chicken now.

Mix up nicely.

Cover and cook for 12-15 minutes. Keep stirring occassionally.

Add fried potatoes now.

 

Fold thoroughly. Again cover and cook for another 10-12 minutes, till chicken and potato tender. Stir occassionally.

Add chopped coriander leaves now. Fold well. Remove from heat now.

Serve hot with roti, paratha, naan or plain rice. Enjoy this luscious chicken with full of flavour!

 

MINT COCONUT CHUTNEY

This time mint and coconut are abundantly available in local market. Fresh bunch of mint I bought to make this 'mint coconut chutney'. It is a popular great green chutney or Indian dip, very refreshing, tastes sublime!

INGREDIENTS:

FOR GRINDING:
3/4 Cup Fresh Mint Leaves (washed)
1/2 Cup Grated Coconut
5-6 Green Chillies (according to taste)
A Small Quantity of Tamarind (I used 1 tsp)
1 tbsp Bengal Gram Lentil (roasted)
1/3" Ginger
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt to taste

FOR SEASONING:
1 tsp Urad Dal
3/4 tsp Mustard seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida
8 Curry Leaves
1 Whole Dry Red Chilli
1 tsp Oil

METHOD:
Saute mint leaves in a pan on medium flame for 2 minutes. Grind coconut, green chillies, gram lentil, tamarind salt and cumin seeds with little water for a minute. Now put mint leaves, ginger, turmeric and salt in it. Grind for another a minute till everything blend nicely.

Heat oil in a pan. Add asafoetida and mustard seeds. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add urad dal, red chilli and curry leaves. Saute for a minute. switch off heat now. Pour this seasoning over the blended mixture. Store it in a airtight container and refrigerate for several days. Serve with idlis, upma, uthappam, dosas or any kind of snacks; a good side dish with biryani or pulao too. Enjoy this toothsome chutney!!!

STEAMED EGG (BHAPA DIM)

This is an authentic bengali gravy 'mustard-coconut paste' which I mix-matched with boiled eggs and made it in microoven. I love eggs so much, that explore me to make it in different ways and each tastes better than the other. A mouthwatering and very flavorful recipe, simple and healthy dish, just try it. Tastes great!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Hard Boiled Eggs (preferably duck's eggs)
1&1/2 tbsps Hanged Curd (plain yogurt)
1 tbsp Mustard Paste
3 Finely Chopped Green Chillies (according to taste)
1/2 of a Small Coconut (pounded)
3-4 tbsps Mustard Oil (first heated till smokey, then cooled down)
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)
1/2 tsp Sugar
Salt as per taste

METHOD:

Shell the eggs and cut each egg into halves. Keep it aside.

In a microoven safe bowl, combine coconut paste, mustard paste, sour curd, lemon juice, chopped green chillies, cilantro, mustard oil, sugar and salt. Add 2 tbsps water in it. Mix everything nicely.

Now place egg pieces on it. Egg yolk side should touch the gravy.

Cover it with a lid. Micro it on 100% MW power for 3 minutes. Open the lid, turn the reverse side of egg pieces (now yolks are on the top).

Again micro for a minute of 100% MW power. Switched off. Keep it as it is inside the oven for 2 more minutes.

Serve hot with steamed rice, pulao as  you like.

Enjoy this luscious steamed egg.

TIPS: Those who don't have microoven, just cook it in wok or non-
          stick pan, it comes out perfectly.

FRIED ONIONS FOR BIRYANI OR PULAO

Here is an easy recipe of fried onions, which is more flavorful and used in making any biryani and pulao. Can store it in Air-tight container and keep it in refrigerator for a few days.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Medium Onions
3 tsps Cornflour
1/2 tsp Salt
6 tbsps Oil 

METHOD:
Cut onions in very thin slices. Marinate onion with cornflour and salt.

Mix nicely. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok. Add onions in batches.

Fry till both sides turns into brown.

Drain oil and remove from wok, and keep on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil from it. Fry the remaining onions like the same.

May use it instantly to make biryani or pulao. Otherwise, pour it in airtight container and store it in refrigerator for future use. 

*** The excess oil can be used in other cooking.