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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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".

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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.

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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.

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Saffron Sweet Rice

This sweet preparation is made with ingredients generally available in the house.This is quick and easy to prepare especially for bachelors,single people and ofcourse kids who have a sweet tooth and once in a while like to eat something sweet as a dessert. This is a gluten and casein free recipe and is for five people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Cooked Basmati Rice	1 ½ cups
Sugar	½ cups
Water	¼ cups
Ghee (Clarified Butter)	1 tbsps
Raisins	1 tbsps
Sliced Cashewnuts	1 tbsp
Sliced Almonds	½ tbsp
Cardamom Powder	½ tbsp
Saffron Strings	½ tbsp
Warm Water	1 tbsp

Method

1. Soak the saffron in the warm water and keep it aside.


2. Take water in a pan and add sugar and heat it till the sugar dissolves and forms a syrup.


3. Add the cooked rice and cook it for sometime in the sugar syrup.


4. Add the soaked saffron and cook till the water evaporates but still remains wet. Turn off the heat and add the cardamom powder and mix.


5. Take a small pan and add the ghee and heat it. Add the cashewnuts and almonds and fry them till light brown in colour. Add the raisins and fry them too.


6. Add these fried nuts and raisins to the saffron rice and mix lightly.


7. Serve hot or cold.


8. If basmati rice is not available, normal rice can be used.

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Spicy Potato Wafers - Be Great Chefs series for kids

Ingredients	Quantity
Potato Wafers	1 packet
Tomato Ketchup	1 tbsp
Lime Juice (Optional)	½ tsp
Chilli Sauce (Optional)	½ tsp

Method

1. Open the packet of wafers into a bowl.


2. Crush the wafers roughly with your fingers.


3. Add ketchup and chilly sauce and limejuice.


4. Mix them well with a spoon and serve it immediately so that the potato wafers do not become soft.

More in Be Great Chefs series for kids - Complete List of Recipes

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Ice Cream Cake - Be Great Chefs series for kids

Ingredients	Quantity
Ice Cream (Any Flavour)	1 small cup
Cake Piece or Muffin	1
Milk Chocolate	1

Method

1. Take a piece of cake in a small serving bowl.


2. Add the ice cream from the cup and spread it over the cake.


3. Make small pieces of the chocolate and sprinkle over the ice cream.


4. Serve it cold.

More in Be Great Chefs series for kids - Complete List of Recipes

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Ice Cream Soda - Be Great Chefs series for kids

Ingredients	Quantity
Ice Cream (Any Flavour)	2 scoops
Limca or Mirinda	½ bottle
Cherry	1

Method

1. Take a tall glass put your favourite ice-cream scoops.


2. Slowly pour the soft drink into it.


3. To decorate it place a small cherry on top.


4. You can drink it with a straw.

More in Be Great Chefs series for kids - Complete List of Recipes

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Spicy Bhelpuri - Be Great Chefs series for kids

Ingredients	Quantity
Puffed Rice	1 cup
Readymade Mixture/Bujjia	1 small packet
Limejuice	½ tsp
Chilly Sauce (Optional)	½ tsp
Coriander Leaves	a few
Salt	to taste

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl well.


2. Serve it immediately otherwise the puffed rice will become soft.

More in Be Great Chefs series for kids - Complete List of Recipes

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Chocolate Biscuits - Be Great Chefs series for kids

Ingredients	Quantity
Marie or Glucose Biscuits	1 packet
Condensed Milk	2 or 3 tbsps
Cocoa Powder	2 or 3 rbsps
Milk	1 tbsp or less

Method

1. Take out the biscuits from the packet and powder them either by rolling a rolling pin over them or by pounding them. Place them in a bowl.


2. Add cocoa powder, condensed milk and mix them well.


3. Make small balls and shape them as you like and place them in a plate.


4. The delicious chocolate biscuits are ready to eat.

More in Be Great Chefs series for kids - Complete List of Recipes

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Banana Chaat - Be Great Chefs series for kids

Ingredients	Quantity
Bananas	2 or 3
Lime Juice	1 tsp
Salt	a little
Chaat Masala Powder	½ tsp

Method

1. Take the bananas and peel them.


2. Cut the bananas into circles with a fork or a spoon in a bowl.


3. Add the salt, limejuice and chaat masala powder and mix well with a spoon.


4. Pick up the banana slices with a toothpick or a fork.

More in Be Great Chefs series for kids - Complete List of Recipes

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Peppermints - Be Great Chefs series for kids

Ingredients	Quantity
Icing Sugar	100 gms
Peppermint Essence	2 to 3 drops
Green Food Colour	one drop
Milk	3 to 4 tsps

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with the tip of your fingers.


2. Slowly add the milk.


3. Do not make it too thin. If more milk is needed add more.


4. Spread it on a smooth surface like a back of a big plate or a rolling board.


5. Cut different shapes with a cookie cutter or with a bottle lid.


6. Set it in a refrigerator for half an hour and just eat it.


7. At first the mixture may look thin, but it will set after you have put it in the fridge.


8. If peppermint essence is not there, do not worry. You could use any of your favourite fruit essence and use food colour accordingly.

More in Be Great Chefs series for kids - Complete List of Recipes

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Be Great Chefs

Hey kids! Hungry??

Most children enjoy cooking and there are benefits too in learning to cook. Like they become familiar with a variety of foods, can learn cooking skills, obtain knowledge of the nutritional value of foods, importance of kitchen hygiene and improve their eating habits too.

Well, before you go rushing to your mom to prepare your snack, do you want to be a little chef of your house and give your mom a well-deserved break?

Your wish may certainly become a reality! Here are a few mouth-watering recipes, which could be made just by you (without the use of fire/knives- so mothers be rest assured!). But a little help from mothers may be taken for getting the stuff required to make the dishes.

Finally it was you who made it right!


Following are the articles in the Be Great Chefs series of recipes for children to try out in their Summer holidays.

1. Peppermints


2. Banana Chaat


3. Chocolate Biscuits


4. Spicy Bhelpuri


5. Ice Cream Soda


6. Ice Cream Cake


7. Spicy Potato Wafers

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Cool Mango Panna

Cool mango panna is a cool drink best for Summer especially to beat the heat in the afternoon.This drink can be made and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

This recipe gives you two or more glasses.

Ingredients	Quantity
Raw Mango	1
Sugar	½ cup
Salt	½ tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder	1 tsp
Water	3 to 4 cups

Method

1. Cook the washed mangoes with a cup of water in the pressure cooker till soft.


2. Cool them and squeeze out the juice from the mango by adding water.


3. Add the sugar,salt and cumin powder and mix well till the sugar dissolves. If the mango is very sour,more water or sugar or both can be added.


4. Chill the juice in the refrigerator.


5. Serve this panna in glasses decorated with mint leaves.

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Drumstick Pepper Dhal

Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) is a kind of vegetable that is shaped like a drumstick and so this name! This vegetable is rich in vitamins and minerals,especially the leaves that are very rich in nutrients. Moringa oleifera is commonly found in South of India which is mainly used in sambar ,sometimes made into a pickle because of its special and unique flavour.

This recipe is an old recipe which my mother used to prepare and has very little oil and is spicy because of black pepper corns. It can be made less spicy too. It is prepared in combination with dhal/lentils to make it more nutritious.

Following recipe is adequate for four or five people.

Ingredients	Quantity
Drumsticks	3
Tuvar Dhal	½ cup
Red Chillies	2
Black Pepper Corns	1 tsp
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Black Gram/Urad Dhal	1 tsp
Asafoetida/Hing	a pinch
Curry Leaves	a few
Water	3 to 4 cups
Oil	1 tsp
Salt	to taste

Method

1. Wash the drumsticks and chop them into three inch pieces and steam them in the microwave or boil them with water seperately and keep them aside.


2. Roast the tuvar dhal in a pan till light brown and add cuminseeds, pepper corns and one red chilly and fry. Cool this.


3. Grind this dhal mixture in a grinder with water to a fine paste.It can be liquidy.


4. Add salt and mix it.


5. Take a pan and add the steamed drumsticks and dhal paste and add some more water and heat it on slow fire till the dhal is cooked. More water can be added as this absorbs a lot of water.


6. Remove the pan from the heat and put it in a serving bowl.


7. Take oil in a small pan and add the seasonings like the urad dhal,mustard seeds hing and last curry leaves and fry till the mustard seeds crackle.


8. Add this seasoning into the dhal and serve hot with hot rice or chappatis.

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Iced Ginger Watermelon Juice

This refreshing drink is ideal for a hot Summer's day.To make it into a mocktail, any aerated drink like Sprite or lemon soda can be used intead of water.You can even mix orange soda too. Try it! This recipe is for one or two servings.

Ingredients	Quantity
Deseeded Water Melon Pieces	3 cups
Grated Ginger	1 tbsp
Lemon Juice	1 tbsp
Sugar	2 tbsps or less
Water	2 to 3 cups
Mint Leaves	3

Method

1. Take one cup of watermelon pieces and add lemon juice,ginger and sugar and one cup of water and blend it in a blender to a smooth consistency.


2. Take this blended mixture and pour it into ice cube moulds and freeze them.


3. Take the rest of the watermelon pieces and water and blend it in the blender into a smooth juice.


4. Refrigerate this juice till the frozen water melon juice is ready.


5. To serve, take a goblet and add the juice and three or four frozen cubes and decorate it with mint leaves.


6. Note: Instead of water, any aerated drinks like Sprite or lemon soda can be added.

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Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich

This is a quick and easy dessert for kids especially.If you have Marie biscuits,icecream and fruits this dessert can be prepared in jiffy.

This recipe makes two sandwiches.

Ingredients	Quantity
Marie Biscuits/Any Other Cookie	4
Vanilla Ice Cream/Or Any Flavour	1 scoop
Ripe Banana Slices	4
Mixed Chopped Dry Fruits	2 tsps

Method

1. Take two biscuits and place them upside down on a flat surface.


2. Take a tablespoon of icecream and put it on one biscuit.


3. Then plac a banana slice on it and cover it with the other biscuit and press it gently.


4. Repeat with the other two cookies.


5. Quickly place these sandwiches in a plate and keep them in the freezer for some time till the icecream freezes.


6. They can be served as a snack or as a dessert.


7. Instead of vanilla icecream,chocolate or strawberry ice cream with nuts or strawberry can be used.

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