चवळीची भाजी/ Pala Chowli bhaji/ Amaranth stir fry.

Amaranthus aka Chowli leaves, Pale Chowli, Keerai, Hara Maath.

Amaranthus leaves are summer weeds. This is a prolific green leafy vegetable. A Power house of Iron, magnesium and protein.  Usually it is stir fried with some basic ingredients. I add onions to it and dry red chillies adds a lovely flavor to it.

Simple stir fry method helps to retain its colour, nutrition and taste. This is my mothers specialty. Enjoy this Sabji with hot chapatti and mango panha. This is available only in summers. It is basically a summer weed also called as pigweed.

I urge you to have this green leafy vegetable atleast twice in the season. (I can have it every day) 
similarly you can prepare Red Amaranth Bhaji/ Lal Math Bhaji. 
(watch the recipe video)

INGREDIENTS
500 grams Green Amaranthus/ Chowli Leaves/ Thotakura/ Tandulja
1 cup Onions, sliced
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard
6-7 dry Red chillies
½ tsp Turmeric
¼ tsp Salt
METHOD
1.    Remove the leaves from the stem. Keep little stems along with leaves.
2.    Wash the leaves properly and dry it. Roughly chop the leaves.
3.    Heat oil in a deep heavy bottomed pan or in an Iron Kadayi.
4.    Add mustard seeds and whole red chillies. I am not adding red chilli powder to this Sabji.
5.    Now add sliced onions, give it a mix. Immediately add in the chopped leaves. Mix it.
6.    You will see the leaves getting shrink.

7.    Add turmeric and salt. Mix and sauté it on a medium flame for 5-6 minutes.
Sabji is ready.

Serve it hot ghee Chapati or with Rice Bhakri.
 

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Aloo Sabji for Poori (without onion-garlic)

Aam Ras Poori is a summer delicacy. We have to have this meal in summers. This is a very popular thali in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
It consists of minimal dishes made using minimal ingredients.
It has- Aloo Sabji (Sukhi or Rassa), puffed Poori, Aam Ras (preferably Alphanso Juice), Coriander chutney/pickle and Papad.
Some people prefer sukhi Aloo Sabji with poori while some relish Aloo Rassa with poori. So here is a recipe for both the sabji’s you can make at the same time. Also it is a Satvik thali, i.e. you can prepare this meal for prasadam as it does not contain onion garlic. 
This meal can be prepared within 30 minutes. 
You can even carry this while travelling, or for lunch box or even for picnics. 
Try this delicious soulful thali.

Ingredients-
FOR SUKHI ALOO SABJI [DRY ALOO BHAJI]
2 cups boiled diced potatoes
2 tbsp oil
1” cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 tsp coriander seeds
3 black peppercorns
1 tbsp Urad Dal
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp cumin
¼ tsp asafoetida
2 green chillies, chopped
7-8 curry leaves
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp coriander for garnishing.
FOR ALOO RASSA
INGREDIENTS-
1 cup dry aloo Sabji
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp amchur
1 tbsp jaggery
1 tsp garam masala
1 cup water
Salt if required

(watch the recipe video)

METHOD:
1.  For Dry Aloo Sabji-
Heat oil in a pan, add cinnamon, bay leaf, black pepper, coriander seeds and urad dal.
2.    Add curry leaves, asafetida, mustard seeds and cumin.
3.    Once it splutters add in the green chillies, sauté it for few seconds on a medium flame.
4.    Add turmeric, boiled potatoes and salt. Mix it well.
5.    Add lemon juice, sugar and coriander. Give it a nice mix.
6.    Sauté it on high flame for a minute.
7.    Sabji is ready.
8.    Take out half of the Sabji and keep it aside

Now prepare Aloo Rassa from the same Bhaji
For Aloo Rassa
1.    In a pan add dry aloo Sabji, add tomatoes, jaggery and amchur.
2.    Give it a nice mix. Add water as per the required consistency.
3.    Simmer it on a medium flame.
4.    Add garam masala and salt if required.
5.    Boil the rassa for 10  minutes on medium flame.
6.    Aloo Rassa is ready to serve.
Serve both the sabji’s (Sukhi Aloo Bhaji and Aloo Rassa) with Puffed Poori and chilled Aam Ras (Mango Ras).

Enjoy this delicious summer thali!

Hey Friends! If you like my blogs kindly post your comment below the post and do share your response. Looking forward to some new innovative recipes. Thanks for reading. HAPPY COOKING! :)

Kesar Kulfi

This summer dessert is loved by everyone. It is always a hit dessert to end your meal. I am making a simple Kulfi using only THREE ingredients. All these are basic ingredients always available in our kitchen. To add flavor I have used Saffron. So this is Kesar Kulfi. Give it a try-

INGREDIENTS:

1 litre Milk

¾ cup Sugar

1 Tsp Saffron

¼ Tsp Nutmeg Powder

METHOD:

·       Boil milk in heavy bottomed saucepan or in a Kadhayi. 

·       Keep stirring. Make sure the flame is high when you start boiling and then gradually lower the flame. 

·        On a low flame keep boiling the milk until it becomes half. That means you are left with half litre of milk. It somewhat becomes like a Rabadi. While boiling one thing you need to do is scrap out the milk from the edges of the pan. This way you get the malai texture. 

      Time to add the taste i.e.; sugar, saffron and nutmeg powder. Mix everything together and boil it for another 3-4 minutes on a low flame. (Tip- Dry roast the saffron and then add it to the evaporated milk, it not only gives a splendid aroma but also it infuses it best color to the milk).

·       Once the sugar and saffron gets dissolved completely. Remove it from the flame and allow to it cool. 

·       You can add little bit of Dudh Masala if you want. This is a special masala for Indian sweets. 

·       Now pour in the milk to the kulfi molds. Cover it and deep freeze it for 5- 6 hours. 

After 6 hours take out the molds, dip them into tap water or lukewarm water and gently remove the kulfi and then slurrrpp..Sluurrrppp…

This is the best and easiest method to make Kulfi. Give it a try.

 

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FRUIT SALSA

                                   (Click the above for recipe video)

ORANGE KIWI STRAWBERRY SALAD

 This fruit salsa is a delightful creation. It has a burst of juices. I call it “Vitamin C Fruit Salad”. Because it contains fruits rich in Vitamin C. I have used only three fruits for this salad. You can add more of your choice. I am adding a summer essential or summer saver ingredient “Chia Seeds”. These seeds are high in fibre. It is also an excellent antioxidant.

I have also used Mint, another summer essential. It makes a salad very refreshing. And the sweet tangy dressing makes it a fantastic dish.

Check out the ingredients and make this refreshing, delightful, juicy and delicious Fruit Salsa.

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup diced strawberry

¼ cup diced kiwi

¼ cup diced oranges

For Salad Dressing-

1 Tbsp Chia

2 Tbsp chopped Mint

1 Tbsp Honey

2 Tbsp Orange juice

1 Tbsp Lime Juice

¼ Tsp Black Pepper Powder

METHOD-

1.    In a bowl add the fruits.

2.    Soak chia seeds with enough water for 10 minutes. It takes around 10 minutes for chia to get swelled.

3.  For dressing-

Mix honey, orange juice, lime juice, mint, black pepper and swelled chia.

Mix everything well. The dressing should get mixed properly.

4.    Pour the dressing over the salad. Toss it.

5.    Refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes

6.    Serve the salad chilled and enjoy!

Hey Friends! If you like my blogs kindly post your comment below the post and do share your response. Looking forward to some new innovative recipes. Thanks for reading. HAPPY COOKING! :)

Minty Berry Ice Lolly

Barf ka Gola/ Chuski/ Ice Lolly/ Ice Candy the name is enough to bring out the child in us. It is an iconic summer delicacy. During summers, after lunch it was a routine to fill in the room coolers, close all the curtains make the entire house dark and sleep on the floor. Aahh! What a blissful time it was. We use to play cards, Ludo, Snake n ladder. And around four in the evening we could hear a typical bell of Ice cream vendor. That bell was enough to make us crave for delicious Ice Lolly.

We were not allowed to eat Baraf Ka Gola from the vendors because of hygiene concerns. But Mom made sure that we devour the dessert without having fret about hygiene. She used to make some lovely, colourful, delicious Ice Lolly’s at home. Rasna (Orange energy drink), Kairi Panna, Khus, Rose Syrup (Ruhafza) these were some typical flavours of homemade Lolly.

We all had fun together, slurping the lollies, making our face and lips look colourful.

And now that the summers are already here, beat the heat with some lovely homemade Ice Candy.

I had some berries, mint and kiwi in my refrigerator. So I made Minty Berry Lolly instantly. [And the best part is- it doesn’t contain any food colour and artificial essence.]

All you need is-

¼ cup of sugar

1 cup of water

of2 strawberries, chopped

1 Tbsp Mint, chopped

4 Blue Berries

4 BlackBerries

4 Raspberries

¼ cup Kiwi, sliced

Ice Candy Mould 

Method:-

• In a pan add sugar and water. Boil it for two minutes on a high flame until the sugar gets dissolved.
• Now remove it from the flame. Add in the chopped mint and strawberries to it. Mix it and allow it to cool.
• Now to set the Lolly-
• Pour in the sugar syrup into the moulds. Pour till half. Now add all the berries and kiwi into it. [Distribute evenly]
• Again pour the remaining sugar syrup into the mould and fill in completely.
• Now cover it and freeze it. It takes around 4 hours to set.
• After 4-5 hours. Take it out and dip the mould in hot water a minute. (this way we can remove the lolly easily) 

Take out the Lolly gently and slurp it! 
[The above measurement makes 4 Lollies.]

Tip- you can add a dash of lime juice to it.

Hey Friends! If you like my blogs kindly post your comment below the post and do share your response. Looking forward to some new innovative recipes. Thanks for reading. HAPPY COOKING ! :)