Buttery Coriander Corn On Cob

Come rains and the season for corn in India begins! Corn is a cereal which is consumed by many people all over the world. It has carbohydrates, viamins and minerals like calcium. A variety of dishes can be made with it. Or can be eaten just like that either by roasting it on live coals or by boiling it. Nowadays it can also be microwaved.

Salt and lime juice can be smeared on it and eaten, which gives it the zing! In this recipe, a mixture of butter, salt and coriander leaves (cilantro) has been used to apply on the cooked corn which gives it an exotic taste. This is a variety which can be eaten and relished by kids and adults on a wet rainy day.

The corn also be cut into pieces and served in small portions too.

Ingredients	Quantity
Corn Cobs	2
Finely Chopped Coriander (Cilantro)	½ cup
Butter (at room temperature)	1 tbsp
Chopped Garlic (optional)	2 cloves
Salt	to taste

Method

1. Remove the covering of the two corns and wash them. Boil them in water or microwave them for four minutes. To microwave the corn, leave one layer of the covering intact and keep it on an plate and microwave it for four minutes depending on your microwave, turning it once in a while in between so that it is cooked all over.


2. Take butter in a small dish and beat it a little and add the chopped cilantro, garlic and salt and mix it well.


3. Apply this cilantro butter on the warm corn on all the sides and serve.


4. For children, the corn can be cut into pieces and served as smaller portions.

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Puffed Rice and Peanut Balls

Puffed rice is available in the stores and is widely used in India. It is also called "murmur" or in Telugu,"maramarallu". This recipe is an old one very commonly made in Indian houses espicially for children. It is fat free and gluten free too!

Maramarallu are made with only puffed rice and jaggery, or puffed rice with peanuts, roasted Bengal gram dhal{Channa dhal} and jaggery. This is a healthy snack to munch and gives energy and provides iron from jaggery.

This recipe makes about 25 balls or more.

Ingredients	Quantity
Puffed Rice	3 to 4 cups
Shredded Jaggery	¼ cup
Roasted Peanuts	½ cup
Roasted Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)	½ cup
Sesame Seeds	3 tbsps
Liquid Glucose (Optional)	2 tbsps
Cardamom Powder	½ tsp
Water	½ cup

Method

1. Take water in a thick bottomed pan or a nonstick pan and heat it.Add the jaggery and stir it.


2. Cook the jaggery till it dissolves and bubbles.


3. Add the liquid glucose which gives a sort of shine and crispness.


4. Add the puffed rice,peanuts,channa,sesame seeds and mix well.If more puffed rice is required ,it can be added because no syrup should be left over.


5. Remove from the heat and cool it for a minute and make balls with wet hands. Even if the mixture becomes hard while making the balls do not panic. You can always heat the mixture on low heat for half or one minute and resume making the balls.


6. These puffed rice balls can be stored in an air tight tin for many days.

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Baked Spinach Corn Pasta

This dish is a change from the normal pasta,as this is baked. It has spinach, corn, capsicum and mashed potato. This can be had with garlic bread. A little cheese has been used. White sauce is the base in this dish.

This recipe serves four to five people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Blanched and Chopped Spinach Leaves	2 cups
Boiled Corn	½ cup
Boiled and Mashed Potatoes	from 1 potato spud
Boiled Pasta (Any Shape)	¾ cup
Chopped Onions	½ cup
Capsicum Rings (Different Colors)	6 or 7
Butter	3 tbsps
Oregano (Dried or Fresh)	1 tbsp
White Sauce	1 ½ cups
Pepper Powder	1 ½ tsps
Grated Cheese	4 tbsps
Plain Flour (Maida)	3 tbsps
Milk	1 ½ cups
Salt	to taste

Method to make White Sauce

1. Take a table spoon of butter in a pan and heat it. When the butter melts,add the flour and mix.


2. Fry the flour in the butter till light brown and add the milk.Keep stirring so that no lumps are formed.This mixture becomes thick after some time.


3. Add a pinch of salt and remove from heat.Keep it aside.

Method to make Pasta

1. Take a pan and add the rest of the butter and chopped onions and saute for a minute.


2. Then add mashed potato,chopped spinach,boiled pasta and corn and mix all these.


3. Add salt,oregano,pepper and half of the grated cheese and stir.


4. Add half of the white sauce and mix well.Remove from the heat.


5. Take a buttered baking dish and add the above mixture and spread it evenly.


6. Top it with left over white sauce and grated cheese and place the capsicum rings and bake it in a preheated oven at 250 degrees centigrade till the cheese on the top melts and turns slightly brown.


7. Serve it hot with garlic bread.

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La Mango Dessert

This mango dessert is very interesting because it contains layers of icecream,breakfast cereal and mango fruit pieces. Other fruits or mixture of fruits can be used also. It is easy to prepare also. It is crunchy because breakfast cereal has been used. Here fruit loops have been used. Other varieties of cereal can also be used.Makes one serving.

Ingredients	Quantity
Condensed Milk	3 tbsps
Vanilla Ice Cream	1 medium cup
Breakfast Cereal	1 cup
Mango Puree	¼ cup
Ripe Mango Pieces	from 2 mangoes

Method

1. Take condensed milk,vanilla icecream and mango puree in a bowl and whisk it with a blender well. Keep it aside.


2. To serve,take a tall glass or a goblet and place two tablespoons of the icecream mixture at the bottom,then place a layer of mango pieces and then a layer of cereal{loops}. Repeat this layering till the cereal is the top layer.


3. Sprinkle some fresh mango pieces on top and chill this glass in the fridge and serve it cold.


4. Note:Instead of icecream and condensed milk, whipped cream and sugar can be used.

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Coconut Milk Mango Smoothie

Smoothie made with coconut milk and mango is very wholesome and refreshing too.This smoothie can be had for dinner with some sandwiches.Other seasonal fruits like strawberries,bananas or peaches can be used instead of mangoes.

Ingredients	Quantity
Mango Wedges	4 large
Coconut Milk	1 ½ cups
Sugar	2 tbsps
Ice Cubes	6 or 7
Lime Zest	from one lime

Method

1. Take the fruit wedges in a blender and blend it.


2. Add the coconut milk,sugar,ice cubes and blend it until smooth.


3. If extra sugar is required, it can be added.


4. Serve chilled with shredded lime jest on it or finely chopped mango pieces.

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Sweet Indian Pancakes

This simple Indian sweet does not take much time to prepare. This can be served as a dessert or as a snack.It is nutritious, as milk and nuts are used and very less fat is used. This recipe makes about six pancakes.

Ingredients	Quantity
Plain Flour (Maida)	½ cup
Milk	1½ cup
Powdered Sugar	½ cup
Semolina (Suji)	2 tbsps
Cardamom Powder	½ tsp
Chopped Mixed Dry Fruits/Nuts	2 tbsps
Honey	3 tbsps
Clarified Butter (Ghee)	3 tsps

Method

1. Take a bowl and mix flour,powdered sugar,cardamom powder,semolina with milk to a smooth batter. The batter should not be very thin.


2. Heat a flat nonstick pan and add half a teaspoon of ghee and spread it.


3. Add two table spoons of the batter in the center and with the back of the spoon spread it into a circle of three to four inches in diameter.


4. On medium heat or slow heat,let it become slightly brown on all the sides.Turn it and cook the other side too.


5. Remove from the pan and make the next one till the batter is finished.


6. To serve, place all the pancakes on a serving plate and drizzle honey on each one of them and sprinkle chopped nuts on them.Fold them into half and serve.

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