Watermelon, no one refuse to have this fruit. Not only cooling to summer heat but also these are low in calories. When I wanted to try a refreshing drink for mid afternoon, I came across watermelon margarita recipe. Luckily I had watermelon in fridge, soon nailed it.

Original margarita is a cocktail recipe with a combination of taquila, triple sec and lime juice(infn as found in goggle), but being a non-alcoholic i wanted to try it as a complete mocktail drink. This is a super quick, refreshing drink which you can make in a jiffy. Here goes the recipe...

 

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Yield : serves 4

Ingredients:

Ripe watermelon - 2 cups, cubed
Orange Juice - 1/2 cup
Fresh Mint leaves - 3 to 4
Juice of 3 lime
Ice cubes as needed
Sugar as per taste(optional)
Salt, to decorate rims of glass

Method:

1. Rub lime around rim of each glass, put salt on a plate, preferably flat plate. Dip top of each glass in salt. Place the glasses into freezer to chill.
2. Add watermelon cubes to the blender. Add the orange juice, mint leaves and ice cubes. Also sugar only if needed. Blend until watermelon is pureed & the ice is crushed.
3. Mix lime juice to it.
4. Fill salt rimmed glasses with ice, pour the margarita over and garnish with lime. Enjoy!!

Note:

• I used a seedless melon, but blend and strain if your watermelon contains seeds. Also i did not use sugar because my watermelon tastes very sweet.
• Apple juice and /or any other fruit juice can be used.
• Serve with salt or sugar on the rim of glass as per taste preference.

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Cucumber Lemonade

Cantaloupe melon has a natural sweetness which is what  available in our home town as kirini pazham. It is served with sugar sprinkled on top which tastes really delicious. I wanted to try juice with it but  preferred to add some orange taste. I had orange juice in fridge. The cantaloupe gave a nice melon flavor and orange added a citrus tang. And yes the combination worked well with no more sugar needed. If you want to add carrot, go head. It adds an appealing rich bright orange theme.

 

Preparation  Time :10 minutes

Yield :serves 2

Ingredients:

Juice of 2 Orange
3/4th of half Cantaloupe melon
sugar / honey to taste

Method:

1. Squeeze juice of two oranges. 
2. Cut the melon into slices. Remove the seeds and cut off the skin.
3. Blend the melon and orange to slushy.
4. Transfer to the serving glass. Serve chilled with ice cubes.

 Note:

• You can use any other melon variety like honey dew, muskmelon,watermelon of your choice and availability.
• I did not use  sugar, since the fruit tastes very sweet.
• Refrigerate and consume within two hours.

 

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Kothu Parotta (minced parotta) is a popular tamilnadu street food and is available in all road side food stall. Veg Kothu Parotta made using parotta, vegetables and spices. In street shops, they toss minced parotta with onion, tomatoes and veg kurma or salna. Here today i shared super quick version if don't have any gravy. So you can either follow my version or street shop way. It The highlight of this recipe is the ingredients are thrown on a hot cast-iron griddle with oil. These are minced and mixed by repeated pounding using a heavy iron spatula. Serve hot with onion raita. Make it for evening snack to serve along with tea.

Preparation & Cooking Time :under 30 minutes

Yield :serves 2-4

Ingredients:

Parotta - 4-5 no
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Chopped onions - 2
Chopped tomatoes - 2
Chopped green chillies - 3
Chopped and boiled vegetables (carrot, beans, etc.) -- 1 cup
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Corinader Powder - 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves - few for garnish
Curry leaves - few sprigs
Juice of one lemon
Oil -  3 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method: 

To make parotta at home follow the recipe here. Here for today's recipe i used leftover parotta. Chop or tear the parotta with hands before use.

  

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let it fry.
2. Then add curry leaves followed by chopped onions and a pinch of salt.
3. When the onions get a slight brown color, add chopped green chillies and ginger garlic paste.

Add chopped  tomatoes and cook well.
4.  Spice it up with some turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sambhar powder and garam masala powder one by one. 
5. To this add boiled vegetables . Add salt and cook till nice flavor comes out.
6. Then add the parotta and mince it by repeatedly pouncing using  two spatula.
7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and sqeeze juice of lemon.
8. Serve hot with onion raitha.

 

Note:

• Kothu parotta should be served immediately when it is hot else it will become hard to eat.
• If you use any gravy, avoid or reduce using spices.
• I didnot  use capsicum here, but if you have in hand, go head using it to highlight the recipe.
• For variation try with leftover chappati or roti with any gravy that is left in fridge to make new dish to finish up leftovers.

 

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Sundaikkai, is popular as turkey berry in English. It is also called as pea eggplant or baby eggplant. It is widely used in indian, Malaysian and thai cuisine. Among tamilians(like me), Sundaikkai is famous for its kara or vatha kozhambu. When pachai or raw sundaikai is used for kozambu is referred as kara kozhambu whereas if dried sundaikai is used for kozhambu is referred as vatha kozhambu. This small berry has excellent medical properties and its good for bones.

Today i am not going to share any kozhambu recipe, but a quick poriyal to accompany with sambar sadam. Even you can use pacha sundaikkai in sambar. Sundaikkai basically  a slight bitter in taste, so it has to be washed well by crushing with hands to remove the seeds before used for cooking. In today's recipe i used equal amount of channa dal or kadalai paruppu to combat the bitterness of sundakkai and added coconut at the end to improve the taste.

Preparation & Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Yield :serves 4

Ingredients:

Channa Dal - 1/2 cup
Pacha Sundakkai - 1/2 cup
Onion - 2 medium size, chopped
Garlic - 4  cloves, crushed
Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
Green Chilli - 2, slit

Red Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Jaggery - 1tbsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Curry leaves, few sprigs
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Split urad dal - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Clean the sundaikai and remove the stems, cut into half piece of each sundaikai or crush in mortar using pestle. 
2. Wash the sundaikai well for enough time or at least thrice to remove seeds from it else it may cause bitterness to poriyal.
3. Measure half a cup of channa dal and wash well in tap water. Pressure cook for one sound or in open pan until soft cook but not mushy.
4. Bring sundaikai in a sauce pan, add needed water to cook along red Chilli, turmeric powder and salt. Once water is absorbed., check it and switch off fire.

1. Heat oil in a fry pan. Add mustard, allow to splutter. Throw in cumin, crushed garlic cloves, slit green chilli, chopped onion and sauté well.
2. Once onions turn translucent add the cooked sundakkai and stir well.
3. Allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add the cooked channa dal to it. Add salt as needed and mix well. Also little jaggery and simmer cook for 5 minutes. Finally add grated fresh coconut and mix well. Switch off the fire. 
4. Serve with rice and sambar. 

Note:

• Use equal portion of channa dal to eliminate the bitterness of sundaikai.
• Best to serve with rice, sambar and rasam.
• For variation try sundaikai in sambar recipe.

 

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Pudalangai poriyal 

Paal poli - fried maida puris are soaked in thickened milk, served warm or chill as a dessert. This is made during festival time of vinayaka chaturti, avani avittam, varalakshmi vratam, Ugadi. For me, it's one of my childhood favorite. So whenever I visit amma's place, my first request to amma would be to make these paala puri. Unlike Puran poli, this require less cooking time. It can done in half an hour.

 

It is not a common dessert recipe, so whenever you  throw any party or invite guest for feast please give a try to paal poli. Your guests would appreciate you for sure. There are different versions being followed to make this recipe in each state of India. Some people prepare milk base in a different way by grinding coconut and kus kus/poppy seeds. Also sugar syrup is used instead of milk and popularly known as jeera poli. But the recipe which I'm sharing here is absolutely simple and easy to try at home. Imagine rabdi which we use for rasmalai, it's  the very same milk base we use here for paal poli.
 

Preparation & Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Resting Time :30 minutes

Yield : 12 puris

Ingredients:

All purpose flour / Maida - 1cup
Milk- 1litre
Sugar - 1/2 to 3/4 cup(adjust to taste)
Cardamom Powder - 1/2tsp
Salt a pinch
Saffron strands , 2 pinch
Water to knead dough
Ghee - 2tbsp
oil for deep frying
Chopped nuts - 1/2 cup(almonds, cashewnuts)

Method:

To make puri/poli: 

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, ghee and  salt. Add little by little water to make a stiff dough. Allow it to rest for 30  minutes.
2. Knead the dough once again, divide the dough into 12 equal size small balls. Roll out each ball to thin puri. Fold half way. Arrange in the tray.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil to deep fry the puris, once oil is hot enough, start frying puris one at a time. Do not deep fry until golden colour. Drain out immediately once sizzling sound stops. Also remember to fry puris in low fire.
4. Now fry all the puris in batches drain in kitchen tissue. 

To make milk /paal:

1. Heat milk in a sauce pan and once it starts to boil nicely, reduce the fire and simmer boil until milk thickens. 
2. While doing this, take two spoon of milk from it in a bowl and put the saffron strands in it.
3. Once the milk reduced of 3/4 th of level from original quantity, add the sugar and stir well to dissolve completely.
4. Now throw in a pinch of cardamom powder and saffron milk. Mix well and switch off the fire.
5. Immerse the fried puris into the hot milk and allow it to soak for an hour.
6. Serve warm or chilled decorated with almonds and cashew nuts as per taste.

Note:

• The dough should be stiff and not runny/sticky. I used 1/4 cup of water to knead a cup of flour.
• You need to roll the puris very thin, thus helps to absorb milk faster,  so that it would be easy to cut with spoon while you serve.
• Fry the puris over low fire and don't fry till golden color. Remove immediately once fried.
• The fried puris can stay crisp for 4-5 days. Heat milk and soak fried puris before serving.
• If the milk was left a lot, shallow fry few bread slices in pan using ghee and soak it in milk. Enjoy this quick dessert. 

Related Posts: 

Puran poli

Paal Kozhukattai

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Shahi tukda

 

Jaljeera / jal jeera, is an addictive Indian drink and must in summer time. Jal means water and jeera means cumin, but please don't assume that it is a simple drink. It has also included with exotic flavors of indian spice and herbs. It is usually served as an appetizers or along with meal, considered it is good for aiding digestion. 

You can easily find a lot of street food vendors serving this chilled jal jeera in the earthen pots all the way in their mobile cart in india. I always love this flavorful, cooling, refreshing drink and can gulp more than two glasses at a time just to enjoy Indian kick. The same jaljeera is used as pani for pani puri.

 

Preparation Time : 25 minutes

Yield :serves 5

Ingredients:

Mint Leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Grated Ginger - 2 tsp
Roasted cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Roasted pepper corns - 3/4 tsp 
Seedless Tamarind  -  1 lemon size ball
Asafoetida a pinch
Black salt / kala namak -1/2 tsp
Table Salt (adjust to taste)
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Water - 1 cup
Ice cold water - 4 cups
Lemon Juice - 3 tbsp
Boondi for garnishing

Method:

1. Wash the coriander and mint leaves thoroughly before use. 
2. Put mint Leaves, ginger, sugar, table salt, black salt, asafoetida, tamarind, cumin, pepper powder and coriander leaves in a mixer, add water and puree. 
3. Pass through strainer to remove the ginger and tamarind remaining.
4. Add 4 cups of chilled water and lemon juice. Stir well.
5. Garnish with boondi and few ice cubes before serving.

Note:

• Dry roast the cumin and pepper seperately in fry pan. This adds excellent flavors.
• If you want the drink to be really sour and tangy add more tamarind.  
• Jaljeera  easily stays good for 3-4 days, refrigerated. 

 

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As an Indian I am very particular about my food and always prefer to cook my meals at home. At times I would love to shut my kitchen and enjoy some outside food. But it comes with a cost - it’s annoying to drive to a restaurant, struggle to park the car and stand in a queue waiting for your table. Hence I would choose to order some delicious food that can be delivered right at my doorstep.

It’s really painful to browse through individual restaurant sites, finding out what they offer and also check there delivery charges. That's when I came across foodpanda which solve my hunger. Today I wanted to share few interesting aspects about foodpanda.

What's Foodpanda?

foodpanda is a German based company, one of the most powerful online tool for food delivery in the world, operating in more than 30 countries. They believe that ordering food should be easy, fast and definitely fun! The explosive growth of foodpanda gave rise to various local online food ordering & delivery clones all over the world.  They offer online menus from the staggering selection of delivery restaurants around you.

foodpanda is now active in 30 cities in India and has over 4000+ restaurants available and the delivery of your food is free! It includes famous restaurants, chaat/sandwich corners, Pizza parlors, Ice cream parlors and even Cake shops. foodpanda loads very fast and helps you reach their homepage easily www.foodpanda.in.

How to order from foodpanda online?

Their user friendly interface, helps one to access the website easily to order food from list of nearby restaurants. Simply enter your city and postal code to find nearby restaurants to place order. Alternative, get delicious food delivered to your door in 4 simple steps.

Learn more

1. Search:

Find restaurants that deliver to you by entering your address

2. Choose

Browse hundreds of menus to find the food you like

3. Pay

Pay fast & secure online or cash on delivery

4. Enjoy

Food gets prepared & delivered to your door by the restaurant

How to order food from foodpanda Mobile app?

Enjoy delicious Indian cuisine from list of famous restaurants or a pizza from Pizza Hut or even a tasty burritos from Mexican restaurants with instant access to their menus. Yes foodpanda provides easy access to customers through mobile apps too. Download the free iOS, android or windows phone app to order food online the fastest possible way.

Benefits of ordering from foodpanda

o    Save money by using their exclusive deals and vouchers.

o    You can simply customize your meal like you would do in the restaurant.

o    They provide secure mobile payment and also cash on delivery option.

o    Once you register in foodpanda you don’t need to enter your details every time you place order which saves time.

o    One stop to look for as many restaurants menu with wide variety of choices, detailed price list.

o    Remember when you invite your friend to try foodpanda, you will be rewarded with more discounts on your next order of meal.

So what are you waiting for, order food through foodpanda and get it delivered in a jiffy....