AMLA SYRUP - AMLA (AVLA ) SQUASH -home made recipe

Amla syrup is a byproduct of amla petha / amla candy recipe .That is while making amla petha your amla syrup gets ready automatically .Its like make one recipe & get one recipe free.

Husband had got plenty of awla stock from big bazaar & so my focus was on trying various dishes made from amla . so after trying amla chutney & amla pickle ,next one was amla candy .This candy is not only good in taste but for health too.

Recipe source is my mom

Benefits of amla :
* A good source of vitamin C, potassium and bioflavonoids.
* Fair amounts of iron and vitamin A.
* High in fiber, low in calories.

Read more health benefits of amla here.


Have u eaten this sweet & sour awla petha (amla candy) ? If  no  my suggestion is do try this tasty awala petha.This will be liked by your kids as well as elders.normally we get plenty of amla from october to january.


Ingredients:

10-15 Amla (awala -indian gooseberry) ( about 1 cup)
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cup sugar


Method:

1. Wash amla wipe with a cloth .place amla in cooker tin ,sprinkle very litte water on whole amla & pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.let them cool.



 2 .place boiled amla on a towel so that extra water is absorbed .Now cut them into long pieces as shown below.

3. Now boil sugar with equal water to make one string syrup (ek tari paak) .mix ginger & lemon juice .




 4. now add amla pieces in sugar syrup & mix well .




 5.Let the pieces remain in syrup for 3 days. On third day you will find the amla pieces at the bottom of syrup as they have absorbed sugar syrup

AMLA CANDY ON DAY 1

AMLA CANDY ON DAY 3

6.on fourth day remove pieces & place them on a paper  to dry in sun for 2 -3 days you will get amla petha or avla candy.

7. Now heat the balance sugar syrup remaining in a pan an a low flame stirring in between till the amla syrup becomes litte thick & golden in colour .Now cool syrup, strain it and store in
  into an air tight container of plastic or glass.




8. When you need Amla sharbat  mix 3 tbsp of squash/sharbat with enough water and ice cubs. Serve refreshing amla sarbat

   
 This sarbat is not only good in taste but for health too.

Home made gulab jamun using milk powder

Home made gulabjamun from scratch .IS YOUR MOUTH WATERING .....? Gulab Jamuns…what better way to celebrate any occasion.

 A simple sweet ,deep Fried,which melts in the mouth----- dough balls immersed  in sugary,rosewater & cardamom syrup – its a sheer bliss to gobble these up .

“Gulab” means “rose” in Hindi and “Jamun” is an asian fruit which has a similar shape & size – that is how the sweet gets its name.

In India - there are two varieties available one is called gulab jamun - light brownish in color & the second one is called kala jaam - jamun - the same thing except that the dough balls are fried till they are deep brown/blackish in color.


Ingredients

Gulab jamun
1 cup  milk powder ( I used amul brand)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp mixed crushed nuts ( almond,pista & cashew)
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
3 tbsp ghee, at room temperature
1/4 cup milk for kneading
Oil for deep-frying

Garnish
mixed nuts


Sugar Syrup:-

1.5 cups granulated sugar
1.5 cup water
Few saffron strands
1 tsp green cardamom powder



Method:-

Syrup:-

1.In a large pan ,add water, sugar along with cardamom powder and bring it to a boil  till the sugar dissolves.

2.Let the syrup simmer for a minute and then put off the stove. After 5 minutes when the syrup has cooled down a bit, add saffron strands

3.Set the syrup aside.


Jamuns:-
 
1.In a bowl ,combine the milk powder, flour, baking powder, soda, green cardamom powder & nuts powder and mix thoroughly.

 

2.Next add the ghee to the mix and rub between hands so that the whole flour mix is moistened.Start adding spoon by spoon milk ( be careful while adding milk or it will get sticky) and mixing simultaneously to make a soft dough.The dough will be quite sticky.Cover the bowl with a cloth & let the dough rest  for 5 minutes.





 




3.Heat enough  oil in a kadhai on medium heat. to cover the balls completely while deep-frying. to check if oil is done ,throw  a small ball of dough in the oil, it should rise slowly to the top. 





4.While the oil is heating, with greasy palms roll the dough into small, smooth balls. place a fried almond piece in the centre & roll the jamun.

 


5.Ensure that there are no cracks on the balls.This will give the jamuns a smooth look.dont make big balls as jamun will double up after frying & soaking in syrup .Line the balls on a plate & keep covered till ready to fry.



6. Deep fry jamuns in oil till brown as shown in image & then put them in hot sugar syrup .

 










6.After 5 minutes cool in  fridge & serve garnished with dryfruits like almond or pista slices.

 


Tip:

Add 2-3 tbsp of ghee to the oil to add the rich aroma
 

Lettuce salad

A interesting combination of lettuce with other greens and tofu, lettuce salad is as nutritious as delicious. An appealing side dish with any meal, lettuce salad is quick, easy and healthy.





 Ingredients:
1 small head butter lettuce, torn, washed, and spun dry
1/2 cucumber diced
1 small head radish sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced on an angle
1 bunch radishes, cleaned and cut into slices
1 cup (or more) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup each red,green,yellow capsicum diced
1/2 cup purple cabbage shredded
1/4 cup chopped carrot

Dressing :
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil/normal oil
1 tsp sugar
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1.Tear the lettuces, wash and spin dry or dry with paper towels.  




2. Put all salad vegetables into a bowl big enough to toss the salad in.  





3.Stir together the crushed garlic, lemon juice, cumin powder whisk in the olive oil,sugar  until the dressing is well-emulsified.  Add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. adjust seasoning

4.refrigerate both salad & dressing to chill.

5.Just before serving, add the dressing and toss well so that  all ingredients are lightly coated with dressing. 

6.Serve immediately.

Gulbakshi flower - Twin flower - four o clock flower- Mirabis jalapa

Last time I had got a bunch of gulbakshi flowers from alibag .I had planted them in my kitchen garden .Soon the bud germinated & started growing  & within 3 weeks I saw beautiful gulbakshi flower blooming in my bangalore gallery.

Coming back  to gulbakshi plant --- few information from wiki

Mirabilis jalapa (The four o'clock flower or marvel of Peru) is the most commonly grown ornamental species of Mirabilis, and is available in a range of colours. Mirabilis in Latin means wonderful and Jalapa is a not uncommon placename in Central and North America. Mirabilis jalapa is said to have been exported from the Peruvian Andes in 1540.

 curious aspect of this plant is that flowers of different colors can be found simultaneously on the same plant.

Different color variation in the flower and different color flowers in same plant.
Variegated flower on a four o'clock plant.Naturally occurring color variation on four o'clock flowers.




Additionally, an individual flower can be splashed with different colors. Another interesting point is a color-changing phenomenon. For example, in the yellow variety, as the plant matures, it can display flowers that gradually change to a dark pink color. Similarly white flowers can change to light violet.A four o'clock plant in full bloom.





The flowers usually open from late afternoon onwards, then producing a strong, sweet-smelling fragrance, hence the first of its common names. 






VARIOUS NAMES
 
The flowers usually open from late afternoon onwards, then producing a strong, sweet-smelling fragrance, hence the first of its common names. In Pakistan it is called "Gul Abas" (Urdu: گل عباس‎). In Sri Lanka it is called "Hendirikka". In Southern India it is called "Anthi Mandhaarai" (Tamil: அந்தி மந்தாரை). In Andhra Pradesh it is called "Chandrakantha"(Telugu: చ౦దరకా౦త). In Kerala it is called 'Naalumani poovu' (Malayalam: നാലുമണിപ്പൂ, പതിറ്റടിമുല്ല). In Maharashtra it is called "Gulabakshi" (Marathi: गुलबक्षी). In Assamese it is called 'Godhuli Gopal', 'godhuli' meaning evening. In Bengali it is called "sandhyamaloti" (সন্ধ্যামালতি).In Maithili it is called "sanjhaa phool" as it blooms in evening . In Oriya it is called 'Rangani'. In China it is called the "shower flower" (Chinese: 洗澡花; pinyin: xǐzǎo huā) or "rice boiling flower" (simplified Chinese: 煮饭花; traditional Chinese: 煮飯花; pinyin: zhǔfàn huā) because it is in bloom at the time of these activities. In Hong Kong it is known as "purple jasmine" (紫茉莉). The Turkish name is "akşam sefası", which means "evening pleasure"

 


The plant does best in full sun. It grows to approximately 0.9 m in height. The single-seeded fruits are spherical, wrinkled and black upon maturity (see picture), having started out greenish-yellow. The plant will self-seed, often spreading rapidly if left unchecked in a garden.


Uses

The flowers are used in food colouring.
An edible crimson dye is obtained from the flowers to colour cakes and jellies.

In herbal medicine, parts of the plant may be used as a diuretic, purgative, and for vulnerary (wound healing) purposes. The root is believed an aphrodisiac as well as diuretic and purgative. It is used in the treatment of dropsy.

The leaves are used to reduce inflammation. A decoction of them (mashing and boiling) is used to treat abscesses. Leaf juice may be used to treat wounds.

Powdered, the seed of some varieities is used as a cosmetic and a dye.

Gajar ki kheer | Carrot payasam recipe

One of my our latest favorite sweet is carrot kheer..
With lots of red delhi carrot lying in my fridge I tried this kheer after trying gajar ka halwa & it was an instant hit in my house.

With loads of vitamin a this carrot kheer is healthy too apart from being tasty

.This is best had cold, even though it is good warm..

Ingredients:

Carrot - 2 large grated ( 2 cups )
Sugar - 3/4 cup or to taste
Condensed Milk / Milk powder soaked in warm milk  - 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Milk-  2 1/2 cups
Ghee - 2 tblspn

Garnish
almond pista slices
saffron pinch

Method:


1.Heat milk in a pan & reduce to 2 cups & keep aside .

2.Heat ghee in a pan. Add grated carrot and saute for 5 mins.switch off gas




3. Now keep few grated carrot in the pan & grind most of the carrot in a mixer adding some milk to form a puree.




4. Now switch on the gas ,mix the puree with the grated sauted carrot  already in pan ,add milk & give it a boil .




5.Add sugar and condensed milk and mix well. Simmer this for 5 mins.

6. Now add cardamom powder & garnish with almond pista & saffron.











7.Serve this chilled or hot..