Spiced Watermelon Juice

Should I even tell anyone how hot it is in Chennai!phew!I can say that i'm almost melting :) Thank God for such heavenly blessings fruits they are natural coolants to our poor bodies.

I know you must be wondering why I'm making a juice out of this when it is so yummylicious to have it just by itself.Its so cooling and refreshing in its every bite but this juice is a good substitute for those who can't do without their teas and coffees.

I have heard many people say how watermelons are too cooling and kids catch a cold too soon I don't know how much thats true now because fruits are so healthy right.So when my LM comes back dripping in sweat I make her a glass of this juice and all goodness goes in at one go.

This I watched on tv long back one of the many recipes of Sanjeev Kapoor I used to watch religiously on tv.But I haven't added many more of the stuff he had mentioned.

To make this juice, you need

Watermelons chopped 2 cups (don't bother to de-seed) 

Sugar/Honey as per need

Mint leaves/pudhina 4 sprigs

Lime juice 1 tablespoon

Ginger 1 inch piece

• Whizz everything up in a blender and sieve it if you feel like drinking juice without any tid-bits else your refreshing juice is ready to go.

Cooling watermelon spiced juice is ready to cool your head :) 

Sending this to Summer Splash

Spiced Watermelon Juice

Should I even tell anyone how hot it is in Chennai!phew!I can say that i'm almost melting :) Thank God for such heavenly blessings fruits they are natural coolants to our poor bodies.

Quick Bhel - instant tea time snack

Its summer already and is it just me(blame it on the heat) I'm so hungry always :) I decided to have this easy to make bhel which is so cooling and refreshing and filling all the same time!

Bhel is a very popular street food/train food in Mumbai.When I was in college me and my friends used to munch on this bhel while getting back home.Such a tangy crispy snack that can be enjoyed my old and young all alike.  

Usually bhel is served with some crispy puris, sev puffed rice, onions and drizzled with sweet and sour chutneys. Since i'm making it as a regular snack now i just add vegetables available and puffed rice.

There is no recipe as such but to make this you need:

Puffed rice 1 cup

Finely chopped vegetables - onions,tomatoes,cucumbers

Lime juice as needed

Chilli powder as needed

Chopped coriander leaves/cilantro as needed

Salt (optional)

Chaat masala optional

Take a mixing bowl add the vegetables, cilantro along with the puffed rice,Chaat masala, chilli powder and salt to taste.Sprinkle the lime juice and mix well, serve immediately else the puffed rice will go soggy.

Enjoy a cool refreshing snack for tea!

Quick Bhel - instant tea time snack

Its summer already and is it just me(blame it on the heat) I'm so hungry always :) I decided to have this easy to make bhel which is so cooling and refreshing and filling all the same time!

Semiya coconut milk payasam/kheer/pudding

Wishing all my dear friends a Prosperous and Healthy Tamil New Year.

 புத்தாண்டு உஙக‌ளுக்கு மகிழ்சியாக மலர வாழ்த்துக்கள்!

  Celebrations are many in India and they are all associated with food sweets.Each festival holds an unique bond to a whole range of foods and sweets. Payasams/kheers are many and one of it has to be a part of every celebration.

Of all the payasams, Semiya payasam made out of milk is the easiest and tastiest to make.I just recently tried making it with coconut milk and i loved it.Being a south indian, coconut in all its forms has to be by far a favourite.But this is different, it was just a refreshing taste in the simple milk payasam.

You need

Semiya/vermicilli 1/2 cup

Milk 1 and half cup

Coconut milk 1 and half cup

Sugar 3 tablespoons or to taste

Water half a cup

Cashew nuts 1 tablespoon

Dry grapes/raisins 2 tablespoon

Cardamom pods crushed 3

Roasted coconut flakes/dessicated coconut 1 tablespoon

ghee 2 tablespoons 

• Add semiya in a thick bottom pan and roast it in a spoon of ghee until slightly brown or use roasted vermicilli. Remove the semiya to a plate.In this same pan fry cashews and raisins until brown keep aside.
• Add milk to the pan let it heat add the sugar once its dissolved add the semiya and water.Ccook the semiya until soft.
• Add crushed cardamom pods and fried nuts and raisins.
• Toast the coconut in some ghee and add it to the milk mix.
• Once the semiya has cooked check for sugar and add the coconut milk.Once the coconut milk has been added just stir once and turn off the heat.

Serve flavourful payasam hot or cold as you like.We love ours luke warm :) 

Semiya coconut milk payasam/kheer/pudding

Wishing all my dear friends a Prosperous and Healthy Tamil New Year.

 புத்தாண்டு உஙக‌ளுக்கு மகிழ்சியாக மலர வாழ்த்துக்கள்!

  Celebrations are many in India and they are all associated with food sweets.Each festival holds an unique bond to a whole range of foods and sweets. Payasams/kheers are many and one of it has to be a part of every celebration.

Watermelon green apple Granita

Summer is here and its already beating the hell out of us here in Chennai!This is what you should have to cool yourselves down!A simple granita made out of the juiciest watermelons!

Granitas are just frozen fruitjuice/slush you can add any seasonal juicy fruits like melons or peaches.I had been wanting to try this for a while but i thought it was a lot of work.But i was wrong.It took me all of 10 minutes to just stash it in the refrigerator and you don't have to bother for the next two hours.After 2 hours you need to fork the mixture around the edges of the container you are freezing especially so you don't end up with one whole large popsicle.

Pic taken at night

I did the forking bit for about 4 5 times and the final product was super good.I started the process in the evening at about 3 and we enjoyed loved cool granitas for dessert after dinner!

Preparation time : 10 mins + 5-6 hours freezing time

You need 

Watermelons 1 large wedge

Green apple 1 just half is enough

Sugar 2 tsps or more as per your taste

Lemon juice 1 tsp

• Grind all the above in a blender and sieve it incase your watermelon is not seedless.
• Pour this into a container you can freeze, cover and freeze for about 6 hours with contant forking every 2 hours or whenever you remember.

All gone!Serve cold in any glass of your choice and enjoy the cold cold granitas and chill yourselves this summer!

Sending this to Summer splash @ Sizzling Tastebuds , Celebrate Summer @ Nivedhanam

Watermelon green apple Granita

Summer is here and its already beating the hell out of us here in Chennai!This is what you should have to cool yourselves down!A simple granita made out of the juiciest watermelons!

Rice Tikkis with fruit stuffing

Its Magic Mingle time again.And this time Kalyani is really putting our brains to work by making us think with her MM ingredients and everyone of us in definitely enjoying it I'm sure.

Last month Tea and pistachios was a tougher challenge and this time watermelon and rice somehow was more interesting and just in time i happened to watch a show that used rice to make some cakes.So i'm making a modification of that for this MM.

You need
Outer layer
Cooked rice 1 cup
Boiled potato mashed half
Salt to taste
Chat masala 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp

For the stuffing
Red/green apples half
Capsicum a small piece
Watermelon a small wedge
Lime juice 1 tsp
Coriander leaves from a few sprigs
Chaat masala 1/2 tsp

Oil 2-3 tablespoons to shallow fry

• Keep the rice in a big sieve/bowl and mash into a smooth mix with a wooden spoon, add the mashed potato to this and the rest of the stuff for the outer layer.
• Chop fruits and mix the lime juice, chaat masala and coriander leaves.
• Wet your palms and make a flat disk of the rice potato paste and stuff a tsp of the stuffing into this.Repeat for the remaining rice mix.
• Add oil to a pan and place the tikkis as they are browning sprinkle cumin seeds one each tikki and brown both sides until crispy.
• Sprinkle chaat masala on the tikkis before serving.
• Enjoy crispy soft tikkis stuffed with cooling fruits!

A perfect yummy kids snack ready to be served with any sauce of your choice.

Sending this to MM 16  ,Left over make over event

Rice Tikkis with fruit stuffing

Its Magic Mingle time again.And this time Kalyani is really putting our brains to work by making us think with her MM ingredients and everyone of us in definitely enjoying it I'm sure.