Iced Orange Green Tea

Green tea made with th flavour of orange is refreshing,cooling and soothing too.Try it! Serves two.

Ingredients	Quantity
Green Tea	1 tsp or 1 tea bag
Fresh Orange Juice or Frozen	1 cup
Lime Juice	1 tsp
Sugar	2 tbsps
Water	6 cups
Mint Leaves	a few

Method

1. Boil water in a caraffe or a utensil.


2. Add the green tea and boil for two minutes and remove from the heat.Cover and let the tea leaves steep in the water.


3. Strain the decoction and let it cool for some time .


4. Add the sugar ,orange juice and lime juice and stir well.


5. Add this in a serving pot and refrigerate till it is very cold.


6. First coat the rims of the glasses with sugar by dipping the rims in a plate containing powdered sugar.


7. Pour the chilled tea into these tall glasses and garnish it with mint leaves.

Read more »

Corn Veggie Patties

Patties made with vegetables and corn is nutritious.They can be made into bite sized patties as snacks or as meal sized patties to be eaten with bread for dinner.Serves eight to nine patties.

Ingredients	Quantity
Potatoes	3
Fresh Corn Kernels (or Frozen Corn)	½ cup
Chopped Carrots	¼ cup
Peas	3 tbsps
Sliced Capsicum (Bellpepper)	2 tbsps
Chopped Cilantro (Coriander Leaves)	2 tbsps
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tsp
Green Chilli Paste	1 tsp
Corn Starch Powder	4 tbsps
Plain Flour (Maida)	2 tbsps
Water	½ cup
Cumin Powder	1 tsp
Herbed Bread Crumbs	1 cup
Oil For Shallow Frying	½ cup
Salt	to taste

Method

1. Boil the washed potatoes and mash them.Steam the carrots,peas and corn.


2. In a bowl, mix all the steamed vgetables,corn,capsicum,mashed potato,salt cumin seed powder,green chilly paste,ginger garlic paste and chopped cilantro.


3. Make round balls first and then shape them into thick flat circles.


4. Mix corn starch powder,plain flour ,salt and enough water so that it is thin in consistency.


5. Take bread crumbs in plate and mix it with dry herbs like oregano and basil.
   
6. Heat oil for shallow frying in a skillet.


7. Dip each patty in the corn flour batter and then put them in the breadcrumb mixture and coat the patty on all sides with them.


8. When all are done keep them in a plate and refrigerate them for nearly half an hour to rest so that the do not absorb much oil when fried.


9. Drop two or thre patties at a time and shallow fry them on both the sides till the are golden brown.


10. Serve hot with bread slices,tomato sauce, cucumber,tomato and onion slices.

Read more »

Spicy Achari Baingan (Egg Plant)

This side dish has the ingredients used in North Indian pickles and so its name.This can be made as a party food and can be made with egg plant or boiled and fried potato or paneer.Serves six people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Egg Plant (Brinjal)	3 medium
Fennel Seeds (Saunf)	1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)	1 tsp
Nigella Seeds (Onion Seeds or Kalonji)	1 tsp
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)	1 tsp
Sliced Onions	1 cup
Sliced Green Chillies	6
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tsp
Yogurt (Thick Beaten Curds)	½ cup
Dry Mango Powder	1 tsp
Red Chilly Powder	1 ½ tsps
Sugar	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	4 tbsps
Water	½ cup
Fried Cashewnuts	6
Chopped Cilantro (Coriander Leaves)	1 tbsp

Method

1. Slice the washed brinjals into long pieces and keep them in water so that they do not become brown.


2. Heat oil in a pan and put the brinjal slices with water squeezed out and fry them till light in colour. Keep them aside.



3. In the same oil, add the cumin seeds,fenugreek seeds,nigella and fry. After 15 to 20 seconds add the sliced onions and green chillies and fry them.



4. Stir fry these until golden brown.



5. Add tumeric powder,ginger garlic paste and fry.



6. Add the beaten curds,dry mango powder,chilly powder,sugar and salt and cook till the oil seperates.



7. Add the fried brinjal slices and water and cook for a minute.



8. Garnish this dish with fried cashewnuts and chopped coriander leaves and serve it with chappatis or bread.

Read more »

Sesame Rice

Rice can be made in a different way with the flavour of seasame seeds or gingelly seeds added to it.Sesame seed are rich in minerals,dietary fiber and monounsaturated fats. They help to reduce blood cholesterol,enhance the immune response and decrease the risk of cancer. The are used in Asian ,Meditterean and Middle East cooking and is one of the oldest oilseed discovered.In this recipe other than sesame seeds coconut gratings or peanut powder can be used. This recipe is gluten and casein free and serves four people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Cooked Rice	3 cups
Sesame seeds{Til Seeds}	¼ cup
Red Chilly	2
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Curry Leaves	a few
Salt	to taste
Fried Cashewnuts	a few
Pappads (Fried or Microwaved)	2
Oil or Ghee	1 tsp

Method

1. Take a pan and roast the sesame seeds and red chillies till light brown. Cool and powder them coarsely and keep it aside.


2. Take a bowl and add the hot cooked rice.


3. Add the powdered sesame powder,salt and mix.


4. Take oil or ghee in a pan and fry cumin seeds and mustard seeds and curry leaves.


5. Add this to the mixed rice.Take the rice in a serving bowl and garnish with fried cashewnuts and broken pappads.The pappad pieces have to be added for garnishing just before serving otherwise they become soft.

Read more »

Six Beans and Lentils Delight

Lentils and beans are often called "wonder" foods because they are low in fat and rich in proteins.Also when cooked, they absorb the flavours of the spices and herbs added-makes them tasty and nutritious to eat.This delicious recipe has six types of beans and lentils besides addition of peanuts and spinach leaves which enhances the nutritive value. Serves six people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Rajma (Kidney Beans)	1 tbsp
Kabuli Chana (Chick Peas)	1 tbsp
Black Chana (Black Chick Peas)	1 tbsp
Lobia (Blackeyed Beans)	1 tbsp
Brown Lobia (Brown Blackeyed Beans)	1 tbsp
Moth Beans (Dew Gram or Aconite Beans)	2 tbsps
Peanuts	1 tbsp
Blanched Chopped Spinach	1 cup
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 tsp
Onion Paste	3 tbsps
Tomato Puree	4 tbsps
Fresh Cream (Optional)	2 tbsps
Cashew-Almond Paste	2 tbsps
Red Chilly Powder	1 tsp
Coriander Powder (Dhania)	1 tsp
Cumin Powder (Jeera)	1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder	1 tsp
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Bay Leaf	2
Turmeric Powder	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	2 tbsps
Water	½ cup

Method

1. Soak all the beans and lentils along with peanuts in water overnight.Wash them and cook them in a pressure cooker till they are soft but not very soft.


2. Take oil in a pan and add bay leaf and cumin seeds and fry.


3. Add ginger garlic paste and onion paste and fry till golden brown.


4. Add the blanched and chopped spinach and fry for half a minute.


5. Add tomato puree,salt,tumeric powder and fry till the oil seperates.


6. Then add the cashew/almond paste,red chilly powder,coriander powder,cumin seed powder,garam masala powder and stir fry for a minute.


7. Add the beans and lentils and half a cup of water and cook till it is all mixed and hot.


8. Add fresh cream and mix.


9. Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves and cream with chappatis or rice.

Note Lobia in Telugu is "alchandalu" ,chick peas is "sanagalu".

Read more »

Potato Dosa

I was once served this crispy dosa as breakfast by my niece.I relished it so much and to my surprise I found that it was made with potato! Then I tried it out with other vegetables like ridge gourd and bottle gourd{lauki}. Children will love it as their favourite potato is there! We can enhance its nutritive value by adding soaked dhals or lentils paste in the batter.This is gluten and casein free. Less oil can be used and can be made with no oil too except for the first dosa which needs a little oil to spread.This recipe serves about eight medium dosas.

Ingredients	Quantity
Potatoes	2
Soaked Rice	½ cup
Ginger	small piece
Green Chillies	2
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)	a small bunch
Finely Chopped Onions (For Garnishing)	2 tbsps
Salt	to taste
Oil	for shallow frying

Method

1. Cut the peeled potatoes into pieces.


2. Grind the chopped potatoes,rice,salt,cumin seeds,green chillies and coriander leaves in the grinder to a fine paste.The consistency of this batter should not be very thin nor very thick.


3. Heat a griddle or a nonstick flat pan which is smeared with alitle oil.


4. Pour a ladle full of the batter in the center of the pan and spread it into a circle shape with the ladle.


5. Put some oil on all the sides and in the centre and let it cook till the sides become golden brown.


6. Turn the dosa and let the other side become crisp too.


7. Make dosas with the rest of the batter.


8. Serve it hot,garnished with chopped onions with coconut chutney or mango ginger garlic chutney or tomato chutney or with vegetable kurma.


9. Note:The batter should be made preferably just before serving as there are chances of the potato getting brown.Instead of potato,ridge gourd or bottle gourd can be used and grated carrot mixed just like that to make it more nutritious for children especially.

Read more »

Cool Summer Mango Salad

Come Summer, there is plenty to eat nice ripe sweet mangoes! This wonderful Indian fruit can be included in our cooking other than desserts. They can be used in salads which gives a tinge of sweetness to the salad.This cool salsa recipe can be eaten by diabetics too once in a while.This recipe can be relished by all and for children the spicy green chillies can be avoided. This serves about six people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Tomatoes	3
Onion	1
Capsicum	1
Ripe Mango	1
Finely Chopped Green Chillies	1 tbsp
Chopped Cilantro	1 tbsp
Boiled Chick Peas (Kabuli Chana)	½ cup
Lime Juice	1 tsp
Black Pepper Powder	1 tsp
Salt	to taste
Olive Oil (Optional)	1 tsp

Method

1. Cut the peeled mango into small cubes.Chop the tomatoes,onions and capsicum or green pepper into fine pieces.


2. Take a bowl and add all the chopped vegetables,chick peas,ripe mango cubes,lime juice,green chillies,cilantro, salt and black pepper powder and mix well but lightly.


3. Add the olive oil and mix gently and cool it in the refrigerator.


4. Serve it cool with bread or in canapes or with chappatis.

Read more »