Punjabi Cardamom lassi

Preparation & Cooking Time : 5 mins

Serves: 3 persons
Ingredients:

Fresh Yogurt: 2 cups
Water: 1/2 cup
Sugar: 6 - 7 tsp or as needed 
Cardamom Powder: 1/2 tsp
Cashews and Pistachios for garnish
Ice Cubes 

Method:

1. Take the yogurt, sugar, water and cardamom powder in a blender. 

2. Blend it until smooth and frothy.

3. Pour the lassi into glasses. 

4. Add the crushed ice cubes to it and garnish with finely chopped nuts. 

5. You can also chill the lassi in the refrigerator. 

6. Serve chilled.


If you are looking for more lassi recipes then do check this cucumber juice and mango lassi.

Masala Neer Moor

As the heat started in India, its ideal time to treat ourselves to a glass of cool, comforting  Neer Moor / Buttermilk...!

 It is a great treat in Summer. On road sides, people set up pandals ( Tents ) to supply Neer Moor & Panagam , stored in large earthern pots, to passers by in Tamil Nadu. 

health benefits of buttermilk: Buttermilk is lower in fat than regular milk.

• It is rich in potassium, vitamin B12, calcium, riboflavin & phosphorous.
• Very helpful in digestion and helps in weight management.
• Low in calories & high in nutrients.
• It cures acidity.
• Helps develop immunity  &
• Makes skin & hair healthy and beautiful !

Hence, let’s drink Neer Moor for better health & enjoyyy..:)

Masala Neer Moor

Here goes the simple recipe..!

Ingredients:

• Curd                             - 1 cup
• Water                            - 3 cups
• Hing                             - a pinch
• Green chilly chopped     - ½ tsp
• Grated ginger                - ½ tsp
• Curry & Coriander leaves
• Salt to taste

Method:

Masala Neer Moor

1. In a wide bowl, add curd and water.
2. Chum / beat well and prepare buttermilk of thin consistency.
3. Wash green chilly, curry & coriander leaves, wash & peel ginger.
4. Chop them finely.
5. Add them to the buttermilk.
6. Add a pinch of hing and salt.
7. Stir well.

Neer Moor/ Plain Buttermilk

You will need :-

• 1 cup mild plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cup sparkling water or plain soda water
• Salt per taste
• 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds crushed
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp finely chopped mint and coriander
• 1/4 tsp cumin and coriander powder ( dhana jeera powder )
•  

  

  Neer Moor

  
  

  

  Neer Moor

• Method:-
  Beat plain yogurt and water.
  Add all the masala, salt and herbs. Leave ayside.
  When you are ready to serve take 1/4 beaten yogurt mixture in a glass and add 3/4 sparkling water.
  Add herb ice cubes and serve immediately.
   

CURD RICE

Curd rice is close to every south indian’s heart, especially for the brahmins, who would not hesitate to admit that it is ambrosia for them. Serve a south indian a hearty meal, but he or she is unlikely to be appeased unless the meal is suitably concluded with curd rice, which has a soothing effect, balancing the effect of other spicy dishes!

Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 5 mins 

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked rice
2 cups fresh curds (dahi)
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1 tbsp urad dal (split black lentils)
4 to 6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1 to 2 green chillies , slit green chillies
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste

For The Garnish1 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)

Method

1. Combine the rice and curds together in a bowl and keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds.
3. When the seeds crackle, add the urad dal, curry leaves and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring continuously.
4. Add the asafoetida, prepared curd-rice mixture, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring continuously.
5. Add the salt, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 1 minute.
6. Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Palak Kadhi

Palak Kadhi

Palak Kadhi or Spinach Kadhi is basically curd, besan and spinach preparation which goes very well with rice or roti. Everyone make simple kadhi in their home but how about adding spinach in you kadhi give nice twist and flavor to everyday kadhi!! It is packed with lots of iron and vitamins because of spinach. Those kids or adults, who don’t like spinach, give them this palak kadhi and rice. I am sure they will lie this and they will get enough nutrition. So let’s see how to make it.

Enjoy, everyone!

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

• Spinach – about 40 large leaves
• Green chilies – 4-5, chopped roughly
• Sour yogurt – 1 cup
• Besan (Bengal gram flour) – 2 tablespoons
• Turmeric powder – ⅛ teaspoon
• Salt – to taste
• Water – 2 cups
• Oil – 1 ½ tablespoon
• Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Dried red chilies – 3-4, broken
• Onion – 1 small, chopped finely
• Ginger paste – 1 teaspoon



Palak Kadhi

• Spinach leaves – 2, chopped in strips for garnishing

Instructions

1. Take half of spinach leaves and green chilies in blender with little water and grind it into smooth paste.
2. Take yogurt, besan, turmeric powder, salt, water and pureed spinach in a bowl. Whisk well and make lump free batter.
3. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dried red chilies. Let them sizzle. Then add chopped onions and ginger paste. Mix well.
4. Cook them till onions get soft and cooked. We don’t want to brown them. Then add yogurt mixture and stir continuously. Let it come to a boil then cook for 4-5 minutes or till kadhi gets thicken.
5. Meanwhile chop remaining spinach leaves and add them to kadhi. Mix well and cook for another two minutes.
6. Turn off the stove. And serve hot.

Additional Info

- Make sure your yogurt is sour. - You have to stir continuously otherwise yogurt will get separated.

Tomato Cucumber Raitha

Tomato Cucumber Raitha

For the Salad:

• 2 tomatoes, medium size
• 2 English cucumbers

For the Yogurt Dressing:

• 3 cups of plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup sour cream(Optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro (reserve some for garnishing)
•  
• Method :
• Wash the tomatoes and cut out the core at the stem end. Cut each tomato into 5 slices of uniform thickness. Wash the cucumbers. Peel the cucumber or score them lengthwise with a fork. Cut the cucumbers of the bias into 1/8 inch (3mm) thick slices.
  Arrange the tomatoes and cucumbers on top of the lettuce, overlap 1 slice of tomato alternating with 1 slice of cucumber. Season with salt.
  Dress each salad wit 2 tablespoons of yogurt dressing and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and roasted peanuts (optional).
   

Zucchini Raitha

Zucchini Raitha

This raita is a lovely change from the more common cucumber raita. Madhur Jaffrey, the recipe author, writes in Eastern Vegetarian Cooking that she can eat it by the spoonful, all by herself. It can also be served warm, however, I've only tried it cold. Madhur Jaffrey calls this dish yogurt with courgettes, but I think it is a dish that we usually refer to as raitha.

2 medium zucchini (about 12-14 oz, 340-400g)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion
350 ml plain yogurt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/16 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use as much as you like)

Directions:

1
Trim zucchini and grate them coarsley. Put them in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt. Toss to mix and set aside for half an hour.
2
Drain zucchini and press out as much liquid as you can. Separate the shreds so you do not have lumps.
3
Peel the onion, cut in half lenghtwise, and then cut into fine, half-moon-shaped slices.
4
Put yogurt in bowl. Beat it lightly with a fork or whisk until smooth and creamy.
5
Heat oil in a 8-in/20-cm frying pan over a medium flame. When hot, put in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop (just a matter of seconds), put in the onion. Stir and fry for about 2 minutes or until slices are translucent. Add the zucchini. Stir and fry for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let zucchini cool slightly. When cooled, fold it into the yogurt. Add the remaining 1/4 tsp salt, pepper and cayenne.
6
If you wish the to eat the dish cold, cover and refrigerate it.
7
If you wish to eat it warm, put the yogurt-zucchini combination in a double boiler over a low flame. Then heat, stirring in one direction, until warm. Do not let it boil. I used it as sidedish for my Veg kichidi

Seasoned Curd Rice with Instant Andhra Avakai(Mango) Pickle

Seasoned Curd Rice with Instant Tender Mango Pickle

Curd rice recipe? What recipe is there for curd rice! This could be the thing running behind many of you, for whom it is a every day thing. For this summer, we all want to beat the heat, so thought of posting curd rice virtually for you all. As I have seen myself, many guys like to end their meals with curd rice, especially south Indians. My Dad says, even if there’s no fancy meals, curd rice, pickle or a simple vegetable side dish is enough for him. It tastes heavenly to him.
     Though we end our lunch with curd rice every day, we rather eat plain with rice and butter milk. My mom and FIL says butter milk is good for you than curd as such, so we always make the curd thin by beating it with water and use it for our everyday meals.  A perfectly made curd rice will beat all the other dishes we cook with lots of masalas/spices … My Huby is a big fan of seasoned curd rice, even if my MIL tempers with mustard and curry leaves alone, he loves it a lot. Me too!! Some times I temper my leftover rice(pazhaya sadam- left over rice immersed in water and kept over night) the next day and enjoy it heartily

Panakam,Neer Moor(Spiced Buttermilk) and VadaPappu --> Sri Rama Navami

Panakam,Neer Moor(Spiced Buttermilk) and VadaPappu

Ram Navami (Rama Navami) will be celebrated by Hindu devotees worldwide on Tuesday (8 April).

The Hindu festival commemorates the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who was born to King Dasharatha and Queen Kaushalya of Ayodhya.

Lord Vishnu incarnated himself in the form of Lord Rama to destroy Ravana, according to Hindu mythology.

The auspicious occasion will be celebrated on the ninth day of Chaitra month (March-April) in the Hindu lunar calendar. Besides celebrating the birth of Lord Rama, the day is also observed as the marriage day of Rama and Sita.

Significance of Ram Nava

Lord Rama was the embodiment of truth and morality. He was a righteous king, an ideal son, an ideal husband and a loving brother. He is considered as an eternal symbol of human ideals.

Ram Navami celebrations begin on Gudi Padwa, which falls on the first day of the Chaitra month, and ends on the ninth day.

This year's Ram Navami falls on 8 April. Hindu devotees across the country will be celebrating Ram Navami by offering prayers to the Lord.

Several devotees would visit sacred places like Ayodhya, the birthplace of Rama and Rameshwaram among others to seek blessings from the Lord. They will make repeated chants of the holy name of Rama, which is known as the "Taraka Mantra."

It is said that by uttering Lord Rama's name, one can get rid of their sins and attain salvation. There is a belief that repeated chants of his name help one to attain purity, peace, joy and prosperity.

The Lord himself had said, "Repetition of My name once is equal to the repetition of one thousand names of God or to the repetition of a Mantra one thousand times," according to "hindupedia."

How Ram Navami is Celebrated?

Many devotees celebrate the festival by observing fast on the auspicious occasion. Lord Rama figurines will be richly adorned and special prayers will be offered to the Lord. "Ramayana," the Hindu epic which involves the life of Lord Rama is read in temples.

Bhajans, songs and dances are performed on this day. People wear new clothes and prepare special dishes.

In south India, since the auspicious day is also considered as the marriage day of Rama and Sita, temple priests perform a wedding ceremony called "Kalyanotsavam."

On this day, devotees clean their house and decorate it with colours. They also adorn the entrance doors with mango leaves, which signify prosperity.

Devotees perform special prayers to the Lord and make dishes like Panakam (Jaggery mixed with water) and Kosambri (soaked lentles).

Arachivita Moor Kulambu with Kollu Vadai(Seasoned Curd with Horse Gram Patties)

Arachivita Moor Kulambu with Kollu Vadai(Seasoned Curd with Horse Gram Patties)

Arachivita Moor Kulambu with Kollu Vadai(Seasoned Curd with Horse Gram Patties)

“Arachuvita Kuzhambu”, this phrase always kindles my taste buds. Even though amma makes the most aromatic Sambar podi which enhances each dish she makes with it these fresh ground pastes are podis are always a treat.
Chef Dhamaodaran is one of a person whom I adore so much. This man never looked or cooked like all professional people around here but I am sure his dishes were simply divine. The way he works with the ingredients, handles the vessels will resemble a skilled mother handling a super active child at home. It will look like as if he had tamed every single thing in the kitchen and they’ll listen to him so obediently.Am happy that  I have tried many of his recipes and this is one among them

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4-5

Mor kuzhambu with vadai

 Mor kuzhambu with vadai

I did not plan anything to be honest and I decided to make my work simple yet something special for the weekend. So chose it to be mor kuzhambu with vadai . Mor kuzhambu is very easy to make, only work is the vada. That is easy too, because no need to worry about the shapes ;) Here is the simple receipe.

Prep Time: 15-20 mins
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Makes: For 2
Shelf Life: 1 Day
Serving Suggestion: We had this with Ladies finger fry and it tasted awesome.