Fruity Vegetable Salad

Today, there was a potluck lunch meet with my school alumni group. And I had to make a salad. 

So, I made a healthy and colourful mixed fruit and vegetable salad. I have added roasted nuts as a garnish to give a good crunch. 

This a wholesome and a complete salad which can be had as a light meal. 

I was really when everyone appreciated and said that the salad was good and it was a pleasure seeing everyone enjoy the salad:)

  

Ingredients

Carrots – 4

Cucumber – 4 ( seedless variety)

Green capsicum- 1

Red capsicum- 1 

Yellow capsicum – 1

Boiled fresh corn – 2 cups

Apple – 2

Pineapple – 1/2

For the dressing

——————-

Lemon – 2

Honey- 1 tbsp

Crushed pepper – 11/2- 2 tsps

Red chilli flakes – 1 tsp

Oil – 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

For garnish

————–

Chopped coriander leaves – 1/2 cup

Peanuts – 1/2 cup

Walnuts – 1/4th cup

Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp

Method

Wash, peel and grate the carrots.

Wash, peel and cut cucumber into small cubes.

Wash and cut capsicums, apple and pineapple into cubes.

In a big bowl add all the chopped vegetables and fruits. Add the boiled corn and mix well.

Keep it in the fridge for some time.

To make the dressing

————————-

Cut the lemons and squeeze to extract the juice.

To the lemon juice, add the honey, crushed pepper, chilli flakes, oil and salt to taste. Mix well.

To make the garnish

————————-

Crush the walnuts.

Heat a pan. Add peanuts, walnuts and sesame seeds and dry roast till it becomes golden and crisp.

To serve the salad 

———————-

Add the dressing to the salad and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and roasted nuts and seeds and serve immediately:)

   
 

Almond Coconut Mango Kheer

I had sudden guests today and had to make something quick as they had come for a very short visit. I wanted to make something interesting, sweet and that which will not take much time.
My first thought was mango milk shake as I had mangoes in the fridge. Then I got this sudden idea of making a non fussy, no cook and a heathy kheer.

It was a super hit with them and needless to say I was super happy:)

  

Ingredients

Almond flakes – 1/2 cup

Grated coconut – 1/2 cup

Chilled milk – 1 cup

Chopped ripe mangoes – 1 cup

Saffron- a pinch

Sugar – 5-6 tsps

Ice cubes – 10-12

Mango essence- few drops

Cardamom powder- 1/4th tsp

Methods

Soak almond flakes in little milk for 15-20 mins.

Blend all the ingredients to a smooth puree.

Garnish with almond flakes and serve chilled.

   
 

Peas and Peanuts Poha

Poha Upma is not that much a preferred breakfast at home. So, I try many variations to make it more interesting.

Today, I have added peas and peanuts to make it more protein enriched. Instead of adding the peanuts in the tempering, I powdered the peanuts and added it to the poha to give a crunchy texture.
It was a success with my family as everyone liked, including my daughter who generally do not like poha at all:)

  
Ingredients

Poha ( rice flakes / aval) – 2 cups

Chopped onions – 1 cup

Boiled fresh peas – 1 cup

Chopped capsicum – 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Peanuts – 1/2 cup

Salt to taste 

Lemon juice – 2 tsps

Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsps 

For tempering

——————

Oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Split urad dal – 11/2 tsps

Chana dal ( Bengal gram/ kadala paruppu) – 11/2 tsps

Asafoetida – a pinch

Green chillies – 4 

Ginger – 1 inch

Curry leaves – few

Method

Wash the poha well to remove all the dirt. Add little water and soak for 15-20 mins.

Wash and slit the green chillies.

Chop the ginger.

Grind the peanuts to a coarse powder.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add urad dal, chana dal, green chillies, curry leaves, ginger and asafoetida. Sauté till the dal turns golden.

Add the chopped onions. Sauté till it turns pale. Add chopped capsicum and sauté again for few mins. Now add the boiled peas, turmeric powder and salt to taste.

Sauté for few mins till the capsicum is cooked.

 

Fluff the poha gently and add to the pan.

Mix well. Check for seasonings. Add 1/4 cup of water and sauté on a high flame for a min.

Reduce the flame. Add the powdered peanuts and mix well. Sauté for a min and take off the flame.

Add 2 tsps of lemon juice and mix well.

 

 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot:)
   
 

Baked Onion and Cashew Pakodas

Sudden rain always cheers up a person, especially someone like me. Having nothing much to do, I thought I’ll make some pakodas. But I found that I didn’t have enough oil to deep fry. 

But the need to have some pakodas was quite strong. So, decided to bake it.

While I was slicing the onions, I got this sudden idea of adding cashews too. 

It’s very easy to make this and you would just need the basic ingredients from your kitchen.

It came out really well and I enjoyed the pakodas with hot lemon green tea:)

  

Ingredients

Onion – 2 big sized

Cashew nuts – 4 tbsps

Besan (gram flour/ kadala maavu)- 5 tbsps

Rice flour – 5 tbsps

Oil- 4 tbsps

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – few

Asafoetida ( hing/ Perungayam) – 1/4th tsp

Salt to taste.

Method

Peel, wash and slice onions.

Wash and chop curry leaves.

In a big bowl, add all the ingredients except oil and mix well.

Add just enough water to make a thick batter. 

Cover and let the batter rest.

 

 Now preheat the oven to 200 deg Celsius.

Line a baking tray with parchment sheet.

Once you hear the beep sound, heat the oil and pour the hot oil over the batter and mix well.

Pinch a small portion of the batter and keep it in baking tray. Use the entire batter and arrange in the tray.

 

 Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 min.
Half way through baking, turn the tray to get uniform baking.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for few mins so that it becomes crisp.

Serve immediately:)

   
 

Pepper Paneer and Peas Rice

Today, I was not in a mood to do any elaborate cooking. Usually sunday lunch menu at home will be only traditional South Indian.

As I was feeling very lazy, I decided to make a one pot meal. I had paneer and some fresh peas. My husband asked me to make something mild without much masala.

So I made this pepper flavoured paneer and peas rice and served it with onion and pomegranate raita.

A simple, wholesome lunch for a lazy sunday afternoon:)

  
 
Ingredients

Basmati rice – 1 cup

Paneer – 200 gms

Boiled fresh peas – 1 cup

Onion – 2 medium sized

Butter – 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds ( jeera)-1 tsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Pepper powder- 1-11/2 tsps

Cumin seeds powder ( jeera powder)- 2 tsps

Soya sauce – 1tsp

Vinegar – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

Wash and soak basmati rice for 15-20 mins.

Peel, wash and slice onions.

Cut paneer into small cubes.

Heat butter in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When it starts spluttering, add the sliced onions. Sauté till the onions turn pale.

Drain the soaked rice completely and add to the onions. Sauté for few mins till the grains are well coated with butter.

Add 2 cups of water and salt to taste and mix well. When the water starts boiling, reduce the flame, close the pan with a lid and cook till rice becomes soft and dry.

Gently fluff the rice.

  
Heat another pan. Add a tbsp of oil. To the hot oil, add the paneer cubes and sauté for few mins. Then add the boiled peas, pepper powder, cumin powder and salt to taste. Mix well and sauté for few mins. 

Add soya sauce and vinegar and mix well.

  
Add this to the cooked rice, mix gently and sauté on a high flame for few mins.

  
Garnish with crushed pepper and serve hot with vegetable raita. I have served it with onion and pomegranate raita:)

   
 

Cucumber Barley and Pomegranate Chat

I had some cooked barley with me. I wanted to use that to make a soup. First I thought of using it as a garnish for cold cucumber soup. But finally ended up making this as light and a refreshing chat. 

Barley is very good for health and this is one interesting way to include in the day to day menu.

I was very happy with my creation and my family really loved it:)

  
Ingredients 

Cucumber -3 medium sized

Cooked barley – 3 tbsps

Pomegranate- 3 tbsps + little fur garnishing

Chopped coriander – 1 tbsp

Roasted jeera powder- 1/4th tsp

Red chilli powder- 1/4th tsp

Salt to taste
For the dressing

————————-

Yogurt – 3 tbsps

Oil- 1/4th tsp

Red chilli powder- 2 pinches

Jeera powder – 2 pinches

Sugar – 1/4th tsp

Chat masala powder- 1/4th tsp

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander leaves and pomegranate for garnishing.

Method

Wash, peel and cut the cucumber into big pieces. 

Scoop out the centre to make it as a cup and reserve the pulp and the seeds.

  
Chop the scooped out pulp. 

In a bowl, add the chopped pulp, barley, pomegranate ,chopped coriander leaves, red chilli powder, jeera powder and salt to taste and mix well.

Fill the the cucumber cups with this mixture.

  
To make the dressing

Beat the yogurt well. Add all the ingredients mentioned for the dressing and mix well.

  

To serve the chat

Arrange the stuffed cucumber cups in a serving tray, pour over the dressing, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and pomegranate and serve immediately:)

   
   

Puliogare Pulao

Whenever I make puliogare, lemon rice or coconut rice or any South Indian style mixed rice variety, I make avial ( yogurt based mixed vegetable gravy). This combination makes the meal complete.
But today, I didn’t have the vegetables that are required to make avial. So, I decided to add vegetables that I had to the puliogare and made it as puliogare pulao. 

I used the Eastern brand puliogare mix and was satisfied with the colour and flavour.

I had served the puliogare pulao with cucumber onion raita and papad. 

It was a simple, easy to make and a wholesome lunch:)

  

Ingredients

Cooked rice – 4 cups

Onion – 1 

Carrot – 1

Capsicum – 1 small 

Beans – 10-12

Puliogare mix ( Eastern brand) – 4 tbsps

Sesame oil – 2 tbsps

Mustard – 1 tsp

Split urad dal – 1 tsp

Sesame seeds ( til / yellu) – 1 tsp

Roasted peanuts – 4 tbsps

Red chillies – 3-4

Curry leaves – few

Asafoetida ( hing/ Perungayam)- 2 pinches 

Method

Peel, wash and slice the onions.

Wash, peel and cut carrots into strips,

Wash and cut capsicum into strips.

Wash, remove the string and cut beans.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add urad dal, sesame seeds, peanuts, red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. Sauté till the peanuts turn golden.

Add the sliced onions and sauté till it turns pale. Add all the other vegetables, puliogare mix and salt to taste. Mix well , cover the pan with a lid, reduce the flame and cook till the vegetables becomes tender. Let it be little crisp.

  

Now add the cooked rice and mix well. Check for the seasonings. Sauté for few mins. Switch off and let it rest for few mins.

Puliogare need not be served hot. 

Serve it with raita of your choice and papad:)

   
 

Whole wheat Oats Almond Choco chip Cookies

I generally need to have at least one biscuit with my tea, specially in the evening.

There was no biscuits at home today. So, made these crunchy, healthy and wholesome cookies. One such day that I made something for myself:) 

Enjoyed having this with my tea. Hope you all would like it too:)

  

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour – 3/4th cup

Oats – 1/2 cup

Almonds – 1/2 cup

Powdered sugar- 1/2 cup

Thick ghee – 3 tbsps 

Vanilla essence – 1/2 tsp

Choco chips – 1/4th cup

Milk – 2-3 tbsps

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 deg cel.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Powder the oats. 

Powder the almonds.

Add all the ingredients except milk in a big bowl.

Mix well. Then add the milk ( as much required) to bring everything together as a dough. You should be able to make a smooth ball with the dough.

  
Divide into 18-20 portion. Take one portion. Make a ball and pat it gently to shape into a round cookie. Similarly make with the other portions.

Arrange it in the baking tray leaving some space between the cookies.

  

Bake in a preheated oven for 18-20 mins.

After 10 mins of baking, turn the tray once to ensure uniform baking.

Once you remove from the oven, let it cool for sometime ( cookies will become crunchy on cooling). 

  
Store it in an airtight box:)

   
 

Cutlets Butter Masala

I had readymade paneer butter masala packet ( Eastern brand). It’s not the ready to eat variety, just a dry masala mix. I did not want to make the regular paneer butter masala with that. I wanted to do something very different. 
First I thought of using this masala as a marination for tikkas. But I didn’t find it very appealing as butter masala is generally mild.

Then I got this idea of making cutlets and use this masala powder to a make a creamy sauce.

Am so glad that I let my creativity take over because the result was awesome. The cutlets were truly melt in mouth and yummy and butter masala sauce was delicious. It had a very appetising aroma with a rich and creamy texture and was truly an beautiful icing on the cake. 

My family loved it and I hope you all would like it too:)

  
Ingredients

For the cutlets 

———————–

Potato – 1 (big)

Carrot – 1 ( big)

Fresh peas – 1 cup

Paneer – 100 gms

Maida ( all purpose flour) – 1 tbsp

Rice flour – 6 tbsps

Oil- 1 tbsp 

Cumin powder ( jeera)- 1 tsp

Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder- 1/4th tsp

Dry mango powder( amchur)- 1/4th tsp

Salt to taste

Semolina ( rava) – 1/2 cup

Oil required for shallow frying 

For butter masala 

—————————–

Readymade paneer butter masala – 1

packet ( Eastern brand)

Milk – 3/4th cup

Tomato ketchup – 2 tbsps

Butter – 1 tbsp

Amul cheese cube – 1 

Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tbsp

Method 

To make the cutlets 

——————————–

Wash, peel and chop potato and carrot.

Pressure cook potato, carrot and peas till it’s cooked soft. Mash well.

Grate the paneer and add to the mashed vegetables. Add cumin powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, dry mango powder, maida, rice flour, oil and salt to taste.

Mix well and make a soft dough.

  
Grease your hands. Divide the dough into 12 portions. Shape them into cutlets, roll them on the semolina. Pat it well to spread the semolina uniformly and remove the excess.

  

 

 Shallow fry the cutlets till both sides turn golden.
   
 
To make the butter masala

——————————————-

Mix one packet of butter masala with milk. 

Mix well to ensure that there are no lumps.

  

Heat butter in a pan. Add the masala mixture and let it simmer well for 10-12 mins, till it becomes thick sauce. Add tomato ketchup, mix well and simmer for few mins.

Grate the amul cheese and add to the sauce.

  
Mix well till the cheese melts.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

  
Serve the cutlets hot topped with the butter masala sauce:)

   
   

Manga Sambar

Mango is known as manga in Tamil and Aam in Hindi. Usually I make instant pickle with partially ripe mangoes. Today for a change I made sambar with it. The natural sweet and sour flavour of the mango brought a good balance in the flavour of the sambar.

And also today I had used the readymade sambar powder ( Eastern). The flavour, colour and the aroma of the sambar was almost like the sambar which we make with the home made powder 🙂

  
Ingredients

Partially ripe mango – 1 medium sized

Tamarind – gooseberry sized

Sambar powder- 3 tbsps

Grated jaggery – 1/2 tsp

Tuvar ( pigeon peas) dal- 3/4th cup

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

For tempering

Coconut oil ( or any refined oil) – 2 tsps

Mustard – 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds( methi/ vendhayam) – 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut – 1 tbsp

Curry leaves – few

Hing ( asafoetida/ Perungayam) – a pinch

Method

Soak tamarind in 2 cups of water for 30 mins. Squeeze well and take the extract.

Wash and soak tuvar dal for half an hour. Drain, add fresh water and turmeric powder. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Dal should be very soft and mushy.

Wash and chop mango.

In a pan, add the mango, tamarind extract, sambar powder, jaggery and salt to taste.

Mix well and let it boil till the mangoes become soft and the raw smell of tamarind goes away.

   
 
Mash the cooked dal well and add to the tamarind mixture. Add required amount to water to get the sambar consistency. Check for the seasonings.

Let the sambar simmer for few mins.

Heat the coconut oil. Add mustard. When it stats spluttering, add fenugreek seeds, grated coconut, curry leaves and hing.

Sauté for few seconds and add the tempering to the simmering sambar.

Serve the sambar hot with steamed rice / idli / dosa 🙂