Frozen Yogurt Pops | Summer Recipes

 Who doesn't like ice cream or pops during peak summer and if that can be done with just 2 ingredients and in 2 step then it's awesome isn't it?  Well, then you are in right place this yogurt pops has only 2 ingredients and its super easy, we just have to wait for pops to freeze and that's the most difficult part.   Summer and popsicle goes hand in hand and here it does same too in these hot days a cool popsicle give so much relief.

Bottlegourd Chunety | Lauki | Dudhi Chutney Recipe

I like bottle gourd, ridge gourd chutney and I make this almost every time I use both these veggie.  I use skin(peel) along with few bottle gourd pieces to make the chutney, but some times if bottle gourd is not tender then I use it mostly to make chutney or dal as making sabzi won't be nice and it take ages to get cooked. 

Patta Gobi Matar Sabzi | Cabbage & Peas Stirfry Recipe

Cabbage and peas stir fry is common side dish one can find in buffets or in any Indian food stall/restaurants mostly those serves office people here in Singapore.  For the reason that it's quick, easy and taste good plus cheaper to have as a side dish it's popular among food joints.  It's a very simple recipe and can be done in jiffy, perfect for weekday lunch box.  It's goes well with paratha or dal rice, sambar-rasam rice combo.  For me I like the bright color combination this dish brings and it's light so makes it perfect with my dal fry, these pictures are not doing justices to the recipe so try it to get the actual idea about this dish.

Prawn & Lobia Masala | Jhinga Aur Jhurga Masala Recipe

I normally make Prawn Masala and once in a while I try other prawn recipes too, this time again I was making prawn masala and I had cooked lobia with me which I pressure cooker for another recipe, suddenly got the idea of adding lobia with prawn and so I made this & it was delicious both with plain rice and paratha.  I didn't click step wise picture since I had no idea of clicking but the end result was so good that I couldn't resist but to take some pictures to share with you guys.

Paruppu Rasam | Easy Rasam Recipes

My mom use to prepare rasam only once in a blue moon and it use to be just for us.  I do same too since DH doesn't like tamarind base things it's difficult for me relish sambar, kuzhambu etc but once in a while I made these things just for myself.  Normally I make pepper rasam since I like pepper taste in rasam, but for change  I do try different things and dal or paruppu rasam is one such thing.  It's easy, simple and taste yum due to dal.  Hot pipping rasam, steamed rice and some papad is just a delicious comfort food.  Add any simple stir fry or poriyal to make a complete meal.  You can make it simple by whenever you make dal just keep little aside to make this rasam, that's what I do, me and DH both happy.  He eats the dal and I relish on rasam :)

Onion Pakoda | Pyaz Ke Pakore | Onion Fritters Recipe

Onion pakoda is one of the pakora that I make most often simply cause I make onion pakoda very good and generally everyone prefer my onion pakoda than any other pakoda or bajji.  If I have guests at home then mostly for evening tea I will make this as this is my no-fail and crowd pleaser recipe.  I wonder now why I took years to post this recipe!

Cucumber Cheese Sandwich | Easy Sandwich Recipes

Cucumber sandwich is a very easy and simple recipe that I was hesitant to post this recipe but then it's just to give you a idea for a quick breakfast or snack, it's specially good now during this hot summer as no-cooking involved in this and it's hardly takes any time, cucumber has high water content making it a perfect summer recipe.  One can do variations with this simple cucumber sandwich too so let your imagination run wild.  You can skip cream cheese if you wish and replace with mayonnaise or any other spread of your choice though cream cheese and cucumber goes well together.  You can also make this for tiffin or lunch box just make sure to pat dry cucumber slices well otherwise it will make the bread soggy.  I normally make this for breakfast or along with evening tea, the day I clicked I made this for my breakfast with ABC Juice.

Homemade Maharastrian Malvani Masala Recipe

Malvani masala comes from Malvan a town in the Sindhudurg district on the west coast of Maharashtra but being on coastal area in konkon malvani cuisine is infused from Konkani, Maharastrian and Goan cuisines and that's the reason most of the Malvani cuisine used coconut, coconut milk, tamarind, mango, kokam etc.  Malvani masala is like garam masala made in Malvan region and mostly used in non-vegetarian recipes but also used in vegetarian recipes too.  

Hara Moong Dal Tadka | Hara Dal Fry Recipe

Hara moong dal tadka or hari dal fry is the recipe that gave me confidence and declared me as a good cook.  If I recall anything that I cooked first properly that is this hara (moong) dal and I still remember the 1st time I made this dal it was just too good that cooking became my department.

Homemade Rasam Powder Recipe

Rasam is something that I make very rare as I have to make only for myself but since I like rasam a lot I do try to make it once in a while to satisfy my craving.  Like I mentioned in my sambar powder post, rasam powder too is not something that is used my parents place.  I started using rasam powder couple of years back only after a friend passed me some rasam powder to try and from that time I never miss rasam powder any more.

Punjabi Bhindi Masala Recipe | Okra Recipes

Bhindi Masala is one recipe that I do often other than aloo bhindi bhujiya and it's goes so well with roti/paratha or poori is big plus point.  Recently I started doing it Punjabi way of this with addition of few more extra spices and the result is just better. This is a perfect lunch box recipe if you do parallel work then the preparation time will be less as I normally do.  You can make this as side dish with dal/sambar or even rasam doesn't have to be only with paratha, I also eat this with plain steamed rice, it's just me.  Don't miss the kasoori methi in any case, that's add that extra zing to this simple curry that once you try it you will love it. 

Apple Banana Carrot (ABC) Juice Recipe | Summer Drinks Recipes

ABC Juice or Apple Banana Carrot Juice is one thing you can find in all fruit juice stalls in Singapore and it's one of the popular juice, some place sell ABC as Apple Beetroot & Carrot juice too. It's quite a filling juice and taste delicious, I mostly pick ABC or watermelon juice if I am not drinking tea. I mostly make this for breakfast along with sandwich for a delicious and satisfying meal. Now a days Singapore is just too hot it's getting unbearable and I am skipping tea and making juice or milkshake mostly, I guess it's happening with most of us facing this summer.  Before moving to recipe Wishing Happy Tamil New Year and Vishu to those celebrating, have a great festive time.

Lauki Raita | Navratri Vrat Recipes

Lauki Raita is very regular in my parents house, my mom use to make this mostly for guest as it's different from usual onion, cucumber raita. Though I don't make much of these I rather use my lauki/bottle gourd in dal, sabzi etc but once in a while for change I make this too.

Vrat ke Dahi Puri | Navratri Vrat Recipes

As mentioned in my previous post of Singhara Halwa it's time for Navratri again and today I am posting of the fasting recipe which makes the fasting menu different.  Remember my Vrat Ke Papadi Chat?  On the same line I did Vrat Ke Dahi Puri, used here is rajgira atta you can also try this with singhara or kuttu ka atta.

Singhara Halwa | Navratri Vrat Recipes

It's time of Navratri again and it's called Vasanta Navratri in spring season (Mar-Apr) also known as Chaitra Navratri and this year Vasant Navratra is from 11th April to 19th April 2013.  Though all people doesn't observe fast during chaitra navratri but some people do that.  I prepared this Singhara Halwa during last year navratra but didn't manage to post and now I got a good opportunity to use these pictures.

Watermelon Juice Recipe | Summer Drinks Recipes

Refreshing Watermelon juice perfect for summer and now a days I am making this too often, the weather is getting worst and nothing better than some refreshing yet easy drink.  If I make this for breakfast I pair it along a sandwich or serve this juice with dinner/lunch.  There is actually no big recipe here most of us do know how to make a juice but I thought of blogging it anyways and the fact that the juice looks very pretty does helps too :)  Summer is the time when we have friends, relatives visiting as it's holiday time for kids so next time make this juice instead of serving frizzy drink to the kids, they will love it and you will be happy too.

Chettinad Fish Curry | Chettinad Meen Kuzhambu

This is a spicy, flavorful authentic chettinad fish curry (meen kuzhambu) recipe.  I have mentioned in my other chettinad recipes posts that I have became fan of this flavorful cuisine.  You might find the ingredients list and procedure long but don't get afraid it's actually very straight forward recipe, just gather all the ingredients and this can be done with ease too and the end result is worth all the effect we take.

Sindhi Kadhi | Kadhi Chawal |No Onion No Garlic Recipe

In Sindhi cuisine one of famous dish is Sindhi Kadhi, at least I think so! I had first time sindhi kadhi in Kailash Parbat during my friend's birthday lunch meet (this was almost a year and half ago) and I didn't liked it cause they made it just plain bad.  But since my friend was going ga-ga over her neighbor aunt famous sindhi kadhi and how good actually it suppose to be I thought of trying and I have also heard only good things about it.   What makes Sindhi Kadhi unique is no curd(yogurt) is used which is a key ingredient in any kadhi and on the other hand vegetables are added which normally doesn't happens in kadhi so it's very different from any other popular kadhi.

Tomato Rice | Thakkali Sadam Recipe

It's been long since I posted any rice recipe and this tomato rice is in my draft for very long time, I thought it's time to clear this long awaiting post too.  Tomato Rice used to be lunch box recipe for us during school days,  though very rare but along with lemon rice my mom use to use few rice varieties.   I always liked tomato rice and it's one of my favorite variety rice, it's perfect for lunch/tiffin box and also works great if you are looking for a quick fix lunch or dinner or even want to use left over rice.

I make tomato rice less as DH is not fan of variety rice he likes more of Tomato Soup than having it in rice form! So if am cooking for myself which happens once in a blue moon then I do things which I like (read South Indian cooking)  Try this tomato rice and I am sure you will like it too.

Ingredients for Tomato Rice 

{Serves - 2-3 | Preparation Time - 40 minutes} 

Basmati Rice - 1 Cup
Onion - 1 Large
Tomato - 5 Medium
Green Chilies - 2 [ I used red chilli]
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - A Sprig
Fresh Minched Garlic -1/2 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp [optional]
Salt - To Taste
Chopped Cilantro - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Wash and soak rice for 15-20 minutes and cook with 2 cups of water use 1:1 ratio for rice and water, cook and allow rice to cool.
~ or use little less water than 2 cups, the way its works best for you to have grains separated.
2. Finely chop onion, tomato, green chilli, cilantro.
3. In a pan or wok heat oil add cumin, fennel seeds and allow to splutter. Add garlic and saute until light golden brown. Now add curry leaves, green chilli, onion and saute until onion becomes soft.

4. Add tomato and mix well, cover and cook until tomato gets mashed.
5. Add red chilli powder, garam masla and mix well.

6. Add salt and cook for a minute or until oil separates.

6. Now add cooked rice and mix gently and cook for a minute.  Garnish with cilantro.
~ You can also mix tomato gravy with rice and mix.

Serve warm with raita, papad.

Variations
~ You can use any rice variety.
~ Use ghee instead of oil for rich taste and flavor.
~ I some times add carrot, peas, corn etc.
~ Adding garam masala powder is optional.
~ My tomato rice is more of spicy version, you can use less of red chilli powder/green chilli if preferred.
~ You can use leftover rice too.

Have a nice day ~~