Friday 18 April 2014

Oats kheer,how to make oats payasam



It is a healthy kheer which is  easy and quick to prepare
Oatmeal is a cholesterol-free food that is low in total fat and saturated fat. 
Additionally, clinical studies prove that as part of a healthy diet,oatmeal can help lower the “bad” LDL cholesterol levels in your blood.








Ingredients

1 cup oats 
1 cup water
3 tbsp jaggery or sugar (gur) 
3 cups milk
Pinch of cinnamon powder/elaichi powder

GARNISH

2tbsp raisins 
2tsp almond, cashews (chopped)
2tsp dates (chopped)


Method:
1.dry rast oats for 2 minutes in a kadhai .next add 2 cups of water and cook oats for 3-4 minutes till they are cooked well

2.next add sugar or jaggery and milk .now Cook the oats in low fat milk till it is soft and tender on medium flame for 3 minutes and sugar dissolves

3.add the cinnamon powder//elaichi powder and mix well. Remove it from stove.

4. Garnish with almond, cashews, dates and raisins. serve oats kheer warm or chilled as per your liking

Wednesday 16 April 2014

Vegetable makhanwala recipe | how to make veg makhani restaurant style at home



Coming to today's recipe, Vegetable Makhani is one of the famous gravies of North Indian cuisine. 



This delicious creamy gravy pairs well with any Indian flat breads such as Naan, Kulcha, tandoori Roti ,wheat flour naan or even simple Pulavs.






Vegetable Makhanwala is a rich and creamy dish in which mixed vegetables are cooked in onion tomato gravy and cashew nut paste.

This is an ideal recipe for parties, so dont miss preparing this restaurant style veg makahnawala at home.
This recipe has a bit of fat  but one can reduce the fat content by replacing cream with low fat milk and also the butter quantity.

I had served this veg makhani with wheat flour naan












Ingredients:


veggies

1/4 cup each potato,green peas ,chopped french beans, carrots, caulifower
1/4 cup Homemade Paneer (or store bought),cut into 1" cubes

other ingredients
2 medium Onions,sliced
3 medium ripen Tomatoes
1 green chilli
2 tbsp Tomato ketchup
1" Ginger,chopped
4-5 Garlic pods,chopped
8-12 cashew nuts or 1/4 cup Water melon seeds
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 -3/4 cup Milk
1/2 tbsp tandoori red colour (optioanl)
1/4 cup fresh Cream OR dahi (optional)
1/2 tsp home made Garam masala 
1 tsp Kashmiri Red chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds powder
1/4 Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Kasuri methi
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Sugar
2 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Butter




METHOD

1. Soak the cashewnuts, watermelon seeds, and poppy seeds for 2 hours.

2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and fry ginger and garlic pieces,chilli until slight brown,add sliced onions and fry until it is brown in color.Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for a couple of minutes.Add tomato ketchup Make a paste of cashewnuts, khus khus, magaz with onion, ginger, garlic,tomato and green chillies.



3. fry paneer pieces till golden brown.in same oil saute veggies till they are just cooked or you can parboil them .veggies should be crunchy not over cooked



4. Heat oil and 1-2 tsp butter in a kadai/pan and add bayleaf ,crackle jeera, and then add the red chilli powder ,Veggies saute for a minute ,next add pureed onion-tomato cashew mixture into it and fry well until the masala leaves the oil in the edges.

 








5.Add red chili powder,garam masala ,tandoori red color, coriander cumin powder and kasuri methi(slightly roast it on pan and crush it with your hands before adding) to it and mix well.

6.Now add fried paneer pieces to the gravy and mix well .Turn off the flame ,add milk to it and mix well and switch on the flame and stir in fresh cream /dahi and give a stir on low heat and simmer  for 2 mins 




7.Add 1 tsp butter to it and garnish with coriander.Adding butter at the end will enhance the taste. 





TIPS

adding fresh cream is optional you can even add more milk if you do not have butter at that moment

can replace cashewnuts with water melon seeds

Sunday 13 April 2014

How to grow marigolds at home |Best Tips For Growing yellow orange Marigold (Genda Phool ) in Container / Pot in balcony


Marigold is known as jhendu in marathi and genda phool in hindi.As advised by mom my first attempt of growing jhendu flowers started in hyderabad when i had planted yellow marigolds in my balcony




Second attempt was in bangalore where i planted seeds and this time mixed yellow maroon red marigold and orange marigold bloomed in my garden




the mixed yellow maroon red marigold is also known as pandharpuri jhendu in marathi.














.
For more information on marigold flower read this post 

Marigolds are easy to grow and they are available in a variety of colors, including white, yellow, orange, red and mixed colors.

They are also lasting plants that appear quite beautiful, no mater where they are planted.  Marigold Flowers will bloom from mid-summer all the way until frost. 

They can be used for indoor arrangements, You can collect the seed heads after the flowers are spent so you have fresh seeds for the following growing season. The process of removing dead flowers from the plant is called deadheading




 Marigolds also come in a wide range of sizes from miniatures smaller than a foot to giant varieties that can grow up to four feet tall! 

You can select the color and size that is perfect for your flower garden. 

And don't overlook Marigolds in container gardens as the smaller varieties do well in containers.

Apart from being beautiful, marigolds are even beneficial in many ways. They emit a specific kind of smell, which keep the insects away as they find it offensive. Thus, they can be grown in the vicinity of plants that are prone to be harmed by insects, such as tomatoes. 



Ingredients

Marigold flowers

pot/container with good soil



Method

1.you will need marigold flowers or you can even use marigold garlands.If you alraedy have a marigold plant in your garden than once flowers are bloomed remove the f from the plant

2. Break open the flower and dry the petals in sun .the black portion are the marigold seeds. Marigold seeds can be directly sowed into ground, or seeded indoors in small containers for transplanting later.

3. Fill a container/pot/kundi with a good quality potting soil. Moisten the soil completely and allow the container/pot/kundi to drain. Make evenly spaced holes about 1 inch apart and 1 inch deep in the planting medium (either ground or pot/container/kundi)


4 Throw few marigold seeds  in each hole. Cover the seeds with a fine layer about 1/4 inch of soil.While planting marigold seedlings, remember to sow them at the spot that receives full sun and has a rich, well-drained soil.





5 they germinate in about 1-2 weeks and you can see small marigold plants growing .

6 you can grow flowers in your conatiner like the way i did 




7 If you are lucky to have a garden than transplant Marigold plants into your garden. Spacing depends upon size with miniature varieties spaced four to six inches apart, and Giant varieties one to two feet apart.

Saturday 12 April 2014

Mixed dal bhajia | mixed lentil pakora bhajji



Being a bhajia fan you will find various variety of bhajia /pakoda /fritters on my site

CHECK THEM BELOW

BATATA BHAJJI

KANDA BHAJJI

CORN BHAJIA

BABY CORN BHAJIA

MIRCHI BHAJJI (MIRPAKAYA BHAJJI)

MOONG DAL PALAK BHAJIA

PALAK KANDA BHAJIA

RAJASTHANI MOONG DAL BHAJIA PAKODA

PALAK LEAVES BHAJIA

VANGA(BRINJAL) BHAJIA

CABBAGE PAKORA

coming to todays recipe is maharashtrian style moong dal pakora /bhajia .


when you don’t want to have some  heavy snack, switch to these petite moong dal bhajjis. 
i have posted rajasthani moong dal bhajia ,gujarati vati dal bhajia & moong spinach dal pakora recipe earlier.

Todays mixed dal bhajia /vada is marathi style which doesnt uses crushed peppercorns and coriander seeds but instead has onion,green chilli ,cumin seeds & coriander & ginger garlic paste
Mixed dal Vadas are also known as pakoras, bhajias or fritters. This is a spicy delicious snack crispy outside and soft inside. Mixed dal vada is a popular tasty treat.







Ingredients:

Moong dal (yellow) – 1/2  cups
chana dal - 1/2 cup
urad dal -  1/2 cup
Onion – 1 medium [ chopped]
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Asafoetida powder- 2 pinches
Green chilies – 2-3 finely chopped
Cilantro/Corianderleaves – ½ cup finely chopped
garlic Ginger paste – 1 tbsp 
turmeric haldi powder
1 tsp sugar
Cooking oil to fry
Salt as per taste

For serving

 Tamarind Chutney –1 cup
 Green Chutney – 1 cup




Method:


 1.Wash moong dal,chana dal,urad dal, thoroughly and soak it in water for minimum 2-3 hours.



 2.Drain water from dal & Grind soaked dal with using very little water. Add asafoetida powder, cumin seedS, salt, chopped onions, ginger garlic paste,spice powders,sugar cilantro and green chilies to the batter. Mix the batter for few minutes.




 3.Heat cooking oil for frying the vadas.add 2 tsp of hot oil in batter .

 4.Take small marble size batter in a spoon and drop it in hot oil .fry it in the oil till it turns golden brown from both sides .Repeat till all the vadas are done. It should be golden and crispy.



 5.Serve warm and crispy with a cup of tea, and with green chutney and tamarind chutney.





Tip

you can add crushed peppercorns and coriander seeds to above batter if you like.
you can even soak 1 cup urad dal & 1 cup moong dal & make these bhajias.















Kachumber recipe | indian onion tomato cucumber kuchumber salad



Kachumbar is a fresh tomato ,cucumber and onion salad dish in Indian cuisine.
It is an uncooked salad dish consisting of chopped tomatoes, onions, and sometimes, chili peppers.it is the most popular ,easy ,basic and simple salad we have as a side dish with most of our meals in India





It is also healthy and a good way to include raw veggies in your diet
 mostly onion tomato cucumber are used in kachumber but you can even add chopped carrot ,beetroot or mooli





Ingredients 

Onions Chopped -1/2 cup 
Cubed Tomatoes 1/2 cup 
Diced Cucumber 1/2 cup 
Green Chili  finely chopped -1 or 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
Lemon Juice 1 tbsp or 1 tsp chat masala 
black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp(optiona)
mint leaves - 4-5
Coriander Leaves 2 tbsp
black Salt or regular salt to taste 

Method 

1. Wash all vegetables and Chop them . next add them in a bowl




2. sprinkle lemon juice and salt.  mix well,check seasoning and add salt or lemon juice

3 garnish with coriander and mint leaves . serve the kachumber salad immediately.



Tips

1 Do the mixing part only at time of serving as salad can turn soggy

2.adjust quantity of onion tomato cucumber as per your Liking

Sunday 6 April 2014

SUMMER COOLER DRINKS | Summer mocktail recipe

 Scorching heat of the sun is rising day by day as summer is approaching.

Here are frosty drinks filled with fresh fruit and other healthful ingredients to keep you refreshed, hydrated, and nourished in the coolest way possible!

 Avoid packaged drink mixed filled with sugar and artificial ingredients and turn to Mother Nature’s storehouse for these tasty treats to beat the heat.Its time to go back to our roots, rediscover the goodness of our simple nimbu paani, buttermilk, lassi, and other traditional drinks like jal jeera, panhe

presenting a collection of various summer cooler drinks & lassi to quench your thirst this summer .


FOR DETAILED RECIPE CLICK ON SUMMER COOLER RECIPE NAME LINK

Black Grape Slush -  granita







Date and Banana milk Shake



 TANG INSTANT LEMON DRINK


 













 




Strawberry Milkshake - strawberry smoothie






Black grapes sherbet



BLACK GRAPES SUMMER COOLER - THUNDER WONDER PARTY DRINK




 

Strawberry orange cooler|Orange strawberry spritzer | Strawberry Punch






Citrus Khus Cooler Party Drinks (Sherbat)|Green Limca Mocktail



REFRESHING LIMBU SARBAT - LEMON JUICE -NIMBU KA SHARBAT






Grapes margarita Non-Alcoholic version|Black Grapes party drink -black grapes strawberry summer cooler drink 






Shikanji (Shikanjvi)-Indian lemonade drink|Nimbu Pani with mint














Strawberry Margarita- Non alcoholic version -summer cooler drink


   

Black grapes Lassi / Angoori Lassi / Grape Lassi / Chilled Grape





 SWEET LASSI RECIPE | MEETHI LASSI





Mint spicy salty lassi | masala lassi |pudina kothmir lassi


 
Tomato Apple Drink -cooler


 

MANGO LASSI


 


Mango Mint Summer cooler| kairi ginger pudina sherbat - sarbat



Watermelon mojito summer drink cooler- GRANITA





 

Cucumber Lime and Mint Cooler




KIWI MINT COOLER


  ORANGE MINT JUICE




 GRAPE LEMON MINT COOLER - GREEN GODDESS SHERBAT







MINT LEMON  SHERBET

 



DRYFRUIT LASSI - KESAR PISTA BADAM LASSI




Kairi che panhe recipe |AAM KA PANHA - SUMMER DRINK



KOKUM SARBAT - SHERBAT -SHARBAT




Masala Chaas


 



LASSI VARIETIES



 



AWLA SARBAT -AMLA SHERBAT


 

MILKMAID DRYFRUIT KULFI





Kiwi Smoothie/Orange Kiwi juice


STRAWBERRY LASSI





SOL KADHI /KOKUM SAAR


 HERBAL GREEN TEA













STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE














LEMON ICED TEA RECIPE












GREEN GRAPES JUICE














STRAWBERRY LEMONADE





MANGO ALMOND SMOOTHIE