Honey Dew Melon Smoothie

Honey Dew Melon a.k.a Kirini Pazham in tamil, is an essential in every home during summer.  I have very fond memories of summer, when we would have this fruit.  Whenever cousins visit our house or we visit theirs, we would buy dozens of this fruit.  The elders would make this very simple smoothie (which doesn't generally require blender) and every one would enjoy the afternoons indoors with a board game and this smoothie in hand.

My son loves this smoothie, with or without milk.  And I like it the simple way.  We often scoop the pulp, mash it with a spoon and add sugar.  I love the texture and taste compared to the smoothie.  It is a very good summer coolant and is very filling.  Serve this when expecting guests and need some time before setting the table.

Ingredients

• Honey Dew Melon - 1
• Sugar - 2 or 3 tbsp (according to taste)
• Milk - 1 cup (optional)

Method

Scoop the pulp into a blender.  Add sugar and press your whipper.  Once its smooth, add some milk and whip it again.  You can skip the milk, its optional.

Also as mentioned above, you can just scoop the pulp to a bowl and mash it with a spoon.  Add some sugar and serve.  This is also a very tasty method.

If you are serving immediately, add ice cubes (Personally I feel the ice cubes make it more watery and spoils the taste).  Or you can leave it in the fridge for about 5 minutes and then serve chilled.

This entry goes to Favorite recipe Event: Drinks hosted by Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen.

Vazhaithandu Kootu

I am Back!!  This blog has been dormant for about 2 years now.  Though every year my resolution would be to renew this blog, I never got around doing it.  And my excuses would be really lame.  I am truly, genuinely sorry for not posting enough in this blog.  What I miss terribly is, having lost touch with so many friends.  Though I do not blog hop or comment often, I do visit them every now and then.  So many changes and so many posts.  Some have reached milestones which are truly commendable (at least to me; I do not know if I would ever reach their heights).  One reason for less entries could be the houses we lived in.  Some had poor light and some had less space to set up a table for just photography.  Last year October we moved on to our own home.  This is more spacious and after about 6 months, we have settled quite well.  So I have start my journey from today.  But as luck would have it, today it rained (well.. briefly) and it was cloudy.  My other wise bright kitchen was very gloomy today.  I am not complaining about the rain, we need it very much.  But the photos look quite sad.  So bear with me.  Will make a better attempt next time.  Again I am very sorry for keeping my friends and subscribers waiting.  Hope I post a lot more.

Now to the recipe.  The first time I attempted to make this vazhai thandu kootu it became a big disaster.  I had prepared the kootu much in the same way as I had done with other veggies (like bottle guard, snake guard, coyote, etc).  Also I didnt know how to clean the fibre out of the thandu.  I know my mother didnt cook much of this.  So I turned to my then 77 year old granny for help.  She told me that it was not the method to do it.  With her help, I posted my first vazhai thandu poriyal recipe.  It was quite simple.  Now I am posting my other recipe.  I would say this is just an enhancement of the previous recipe.

Ingredients

• Vazhai thandu or Banana stem - 10" long (2 pieces)
• Onion - 1, medium sized 
• Tomato - 1, big (optional)
• Garlic - 4 or 5 pods (optional)
• Toor Dhal or Moong Dhal - 1/2 cup
• Red Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
• Dhania pwd - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric pwd - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

To temper

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2, torn into halves

Method

• First wash the vazhai thandu and remove the thick outer layers.  It would come off easily.  Rip off till you get a tender, firm stem.  Cut them into rounds.  Run your knife in circles or diametrically.  You will notice some fiber on your knife. Remove this.  Repeat it to the other side of the round.  Repeat it to all the other rounds also.  If you are a beginner, please refer to the article by Inji pennu (looks like the blog has been removed).  Soak these rounds in water or buttermilk. (Add a tsp of curd to the water)
• Stack all the rounds and cut them into smaller cubes. Soak these too in the water.  This will help to maintain the white color of the stems.
• In a pressure cooker, add the Dhal, turmeric pwd, Garlic and tomato.  Cook till it soft.  Mash it properly with a spoon.  
• In a heavy bottom pan, heat some oil.  When hot, sputter mustard seeds, followed by Cumin seeds and dry red chillies.  Add the chopped onions to this and fry till they slightly change colour.  Next add the chopped Stem and give it a toss.  Next add the Red Chilli pwd, Dhania pwd, turmeric pwd and salt.  Add enough water till the stems immerse and close the pan with a lid.  Cook in slow fire till they get soft.  Then add the cooked dhal to this and give it a boil.  Vazhai thandu kootu is now ready to be served.  

Vazhai thandu or the banana stem is very good in curing kidney stones and controlling diabetes.  Also it is very rich in fibre, so it is a natural laxative, cures urinary infections and also a good diet for piles.  It is good to have it regularly in your diet for the control of blood pressure and also for constipation.

Oats Pongal

I have always been on a constant search to use Oats other than the ordinary porridge.  Turning traditional south indian breakfasts into healthy ones with Oats sounds a good option.  But other than idly and dosa, Pongal is also another option.  But since the consistency of Pongal is also like a porridge, except it tastes  better with Rice.  So, I was always hesitant to try this.  But I came across this Oats Pongal in Gita's Kitchen.  The method she follows help us to control the consistency.  The pongal tasted wonder.  Thank you Gita for this wonderful recipe.  I have noted down the recipe again in this online cook book of mine

Ingredients

• Oats - 1 cup (I used Quaker)
• Moong Dhal - 1/2 cup
• Pepper corn - 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
• Ginger - 1" piece, finely chopped
• Green Chilli - 1, slit lengthwise (optional)
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

Wash the Moong Dhal and add about twice the amount of water.  Add the finely chopped ginger, slit green chilli and salt to taste.  Close the lid and pressure cook till dhal becomes mushy.  Let the pressure subside and discard the green chilli.  

In a small pan, add the oil and sputter some cumin seeds and pepper corns.  Add this to the above vessel with Dhal.  To this add about 1.5 to 2 cups of water if no water is remaining.  Add the Oats and turn on the heat.  Keep stirring so that it doesn't get burnt at the bottom.  In a  couple of minutes it gets cooked.  

Serve hot with Sambar or Chutney

I am sending this recipe to the Pongal Feast event being hosted by Kurinji at Kurinji Kathambam. 

Cauliflower Peas Subzi (Poriyal)

This is one regular poriyal in my house.  It goes nicely with any rice, esp. with Sambar rice or variety rice.  Just loosen the consistency and serve it with rotis or any flat indian breads.  The convenient thing about this subzi is that it can be made in a jiffy, and can be varied with any other combinations of vegetables too.

Ingredients

• Cauliflower - 1, big (Crumbled into small florets)
• Peas - 1 cup
• Onion - 1
• Tomato - 2
• Garlic - 4 pods
• Mustard seeds  - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli pwd - 1 tsp
• Dhania pwd - 1 tsp
• Turmeric pwd - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2  tbsp

Method

Cut the cauliflower into florets and wash them thoroughly.  Boil about 2 cups of water and bring it to rolling boil.  Now immerse those cut florets in them and place a lid.  Allow it to boil for about 5 mins.  This process ensures that all the  germs are killed and worms if any will pop out of the florets.  Also it will make them a bit tender, so take care not to overcook them.

Now, big florets can be used for Bajjis, Gobi 65 and variety rice whereas the crumbled smaller ones can be used for curries and Kurmas.  So, for this we have to crumble those half done florets into even smaller ones.

Heat a skillet and add some oil.  When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds.  When they sputter add the cumin seeds.  Add the onions and fry till they are translucent.  Add the crushed garlic to it and fry till the onions are golden brown.  Next add the tomatoes and cook till everything gets pulpy as one.  Add Turmeric pwd, Chilli pwd, Dhania pwd and Salt to the pulp and add water to the desired consistency.

Add the peas next.  I have used frozen peas here. But the fresh peas is also fine as they are in season now.  When using those dry ones, take care to soak  overnight and pressure cook till tender.  Add it to the above gravy.  When the peas are done, add the crumbled Cauliflower and allow it to absorb the spices (About 5 mins with the lid on).  Serve hot with rice.

I am sending this recipe to Complete My Thali - Sabji event being hosted by PJ at Seduce your Tastebuds.  CMT is the brainchild of  Jagruti

Apple Halwa

It has already been a week since the start of this year and I am getting busier with each passing year.  The last year was not a good year to me.. I had a lots and lots of down and a small up once in a while.  It was a very low time for me and blogging had taken a back seat.  I hope and pray that this year would be good and prosperous to all of us.  I start this new year entry with a sweet that I learnt from Kurinji.  It was really good (a guilty indulgence) and an alternate way to enjoy this delicious fruit when its available in abundance during winter.

Ingredients

• Apple pulp - 1 cup or 2 whole apples
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Ghee - 1/4 cup
• Cashew - 10
• Food color - 1 pinch

Method

Peel and core the apples and make a pulp of them using the food processor.  Heat a non stick pan and add a few tbsp of ghee.  Roast the Cashews till golden brown and keep aside.  Add some more ghee and add the apple pulp to it.  Keep stirring till they reduce giving away all the water content.  It will absorb all the ghee at this stage.  Add the sugar and the food color to this .  Keep stirring till you see ghee at the sides.  Add the roasted cashews to the halwa and serve hot.

The ratio of pulp : sugar : Ghee - 1:1/2:1/4

See Kurinjis post to have a look at the pics of the Halwa in making.

Awards

I am honored that a few of our blogging friends has passed a couple of awards to me.  Though I had been slagging the entire year, it was a big boost to post even the few recipes.  Thank you girls..

Gayathri of Gayathri's Cook Spot and Amritha Kalyani of AK's Vegetarian Recipe World have both passed on the One Lovely blog award.

 

Soumya of Soumya's Kitchen has passed the Stylish Blogger award

My other blog

In the mean time, to escape the tantrums of life, I had turned myself to Books and Movies.  Now I have got addicted and have started a blog (TELL A STORY) to review all the movies and esp the books I had enjoyed.