Avocado Mint Limeade

When days are getting hotter and hottest this week , we chose to eat light and hydrate in plenty. Some days it's fresh fruit salad with custard , sometimes masala butter milk  or  lassi . Back in India Sun will cool down after 3 PM. But strange factor is that sun is at its peak around that time here in Boston.

While I was doing the routine afternoon chores, I could realize that I was sweating from top to toe. Though we get only a couple months to sweat , it's quite unbearable this time. Grabbed few ingredients from the refrigerator and settled on making a drink today for a change.

The classic old lemonade / limeade with a new dress up. This year my mint plant is good enough to grab few sprigs at a time. Just a few mix and match and the result is a wonderful , refreshing drink with a crisp flavor. The addition of avocado lending some body and color to the drink while mint and lime guaranteed flavors here.

After a trial version , quickly made a full pitcher to ensure a generous supply till this evening. While the drink was chilling out , I just rushed out with my other routines as all I wanted is to sit down, sip through every bit of it slowly with a good book . The final verdict came from my kiddo " Can I complete all amma ? "

 Ingredients

Hass Avocado ....................... 1
Lime ..................................... 2
Sugar ...................................1/4 to 1/2 cup , adjusting to taste
Fresh Mint .......................... 1 small bunch
Salt ...................................... a pinch
Crushed pepper .................. a pinch


Method

• Add 2 cups water to a sauce pan and heat through for couple minutes until hot.
• Add 1/2 tsp sugar to this water and stir in the mint leaves.
• After a minute , pick out the leaves and add in the remaining sugar .
• Mix slowly until the sugar is dissolved.
• Take off the sugar syrup and cool it.
• Chop the avocado into cubes, I used only 1/4 of an avocado.
• Blend with 2 cups water , sugar syrup  along with lime juice, salt and pepper.

To serve,

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes , some mint leaves and lime wedges and pour the drink over the ice cubes.

Bengali style Cauliflower Green peas Curry

If not for blogging , neither I would have met so many wonderful friends nor developed my adaptability to different cuisines. While Indian Dosas , Rotis and other curries gain their popularity , across the lengths and breadths of India,  are some of the hidden treasures which stand up to the quote ' Unity in diversity ' with regional spices and other ingredients.

Recently when I shared some sandesh with a friend , I got my box returned with this yummy curry which I've never ever tasted before. There wasn't a hint of onion , ginger , garlic. Also no garam masala . But it tasted real yum that me and my husband ended up fighting for the last bit of curry.

The curry looked a bit mashed kind. Nice bright yellow with green peas showing up here and there was appealing to the eyes. The aroma was something new for me. I couldn't figure out ingredients. All I could think of is the unique taste that really tickled my taste-buds.

The next day I called the friend over phone and requested for the recipe . Luckily  I had cauliflower in my fridge too. Do you think I would wait for anything else ?

This is a recipe from Bengali cuisine. The combination of poppy seeds, besan( chick pea flower) along with ingredients that doesn't over power each other created that magic. Thanks to Piyali for this wonderful recipe.

You can serve this curry along side steaming rice or with some warm rotis or phulkas or with both like how I did .

Ingredients

Cauliflower ............................ 1 big
Turmeric ................................. 1 tbsp
red chili Powder ..................... 1 tbsp
Green Chili ............................. 2 finely chopped, adjust to heat
Poppy seeds .......................... 1 tbsp
Chickpea flour ........................ 2 tbsp
Salt ......................................... to taste
Oil ......................................... 2 tbsp + 1 tsp
green peas ............................. 1/2 cup
Cilantro ............................... few sprigs.

Method

• Wash and cut the cauliflower into florets.
• Blanch them quickly with some salt and a pinch of turmeric.
• Mix all the ingredients together except the tsp of oil.
• Rest them for 30 minutes.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.
• Add the mixture , cover and cook for 15 minutes in medium or until done.
• What we are looking at is a slightly mashed consistency.
• Add in some chopped cilantro .

Serve with warm roti/ Phulka or steaming hot rice.

Mexican Rice Platter | Cilantro Lime rice and Spicy Avocado Salad

Summer is at it's peak here. The temperature hit 90 F for this season and the days are getting hotter and humid. These are the days I prefer to have simple and light food. Having said that I can cut short my cooking time and extend my fun time with friends.This is one such platter you can prepare in under 30 minutes and enjoy thoroughly.

I find a lot of Similarities between Indian and Mexican when it comes to food. The extensive use of rice, beans , coriander (cilantro) , green chilies( Jalapenos) , red chilies , tottillas similar to our chapathi/roti proves that.

Coriander and lime are my favorite for ever and are available in plenty now. Wanted to make the best use of them, that's when I settled with Mexican platter for dinner. Thankfully I had some avocados too. Some spicy salad as an accompaniment makes a perfect pair with this rice.

Clean and crisp flavors is the specialty of the rice. The addition of other ingredients might override the natural taste and flavor here.

Mexican Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients

Rice .......................... 2 cups, I used basmati
Salt ........................... to taste
Limes ....................... 2
Cilantro / coriander leaves .....................1/2 cup , finely chopped
Zest of a lime.
Oil............................. 1/2 tsp , any neutral oil is fine , I used canola
Water ....................... 4 cups

Method

• Wash the rice thoroughly , multiple times until the water runs clear.
• Soak the rice with enough water for 20 minutes later strain using a colander.
• Heat 1/4 tsp oil in a deep heavy bottomed pan over medium.
• Stir in the rice and mix gently so that every kernel of rice is coated with oil for 30 seconds.
• Add water along with salt to the pan and bring the heat to the maximum.
• Let it cook for a couple minutes so that you see only rice and no more water on the top.This might take upto 5 minutes.
• Now cover and simmer for another 7 minutes or until the riced is cooked to perfection.
• Transfer the rice to a platter to cool by drizzling the remaining 1/4 tsp oil.
• Now stir in the cilantro and lime juice and mix gently, rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Spicy Avocado Salad

Ingredients

Avocado ..............................1 , fully ripen
Jalapeno ./ green chile .............................1
Onion .....................................................1 small
Tomato .................................................1 big and firm
Salt .................................................... to taste
Pepper............................................... 1/4 tsp
Oil ....................................................1/2 tsp
Lime ..................................................1
Coriander leaves/ cilantro ................ few sprigs

Method

• Finely chop the jalapeno.
• Seed and dice the tomato.
• Dice the onions
• Dice the avocado into medium chunks
• Finely chop the cilantro
• Zest the lime and squeeze the juice in a small bowl.
• To the lime juice add oil , salt and pepper and mix vigorously.
• In a mixing bowl , add all the vegetables and pour the dressing over them.
• Give a gentle mix and  refrigerate until serving.

Note :

You can add a layer of any cooked beans and some cheese/ sour cream too. I avoided as I planned for a lighter version.

Mango-Ginger Pickle | Manga-inji Oorugai

"If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins."

                                                                 -Benjamin Franklin

Just a random question flashed through while I wash and prep my veggies for that day.How close was I to food 10 to 15 years ago?Of course, I was a happy girl as Mom makes the food. She is an amazing cook , within 45 minutes you can see a wonderful spread on the table , every single day.Three fresh meals with a good evening snack , blessed I was.Though I was a fussy eater , I always liked good food.

But  I'm a completely different person now .I love food like anything. My Mom is still not able to digest this fact though. I love to cook , share and enjoy with my friends.The approach towards food is totally different now. Fresh and flavorful , light is my choice now . From traditional to modern , anything is okay . I don't feel tired to cook, instead fresh fruits and vegetables boost up my energy levels to cook them up. Cooking and clicking has become a passion for me.Of course I hate to clean the dishes later, who doesn't ?

Recently during grocery shopping I was lucky enough to find Manga Inji ( Mango -ginger) here. I started dreaming about the fresh pickle amma makes with this inji. Though I've never made this pickle, I took a chance. The next step is to call mom over the phone for sharing the excitement and most importantly to get the recipe.

Usually we eat this pickle with rice. Goes ultimately well with Sambar rice , Poricha Kuzhambu , dal rice and what not . The unique taste of ginger with mango flavor will definitely win your heart. We finished an entire batch in a couple days, do I need to tell you how good it was ?

Ingredients


Mango-ginger ..................150 gm
Fresh Lime or lemon ........... 4 to 5
Green Chili ........................... 5
Asafoetida / Hing ................. 1/2 tsp
Salt ....................................... to taste
Turmeric .............................. 1/4 tsp (optional as this ginger is slightly yellow )
Mustard seeds...................... 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds ...................1/4 tsp
Sesame oil ........................... 2 tsp

Method

• Wash and peel the mango-ginger and dice them .
• Finely chop the green chilies.
• In a mixing bowl , add chopped mango ginger , salt, green chilies and hing and mix well.
• Squeeze out lemon / lime juice and mix well.The juice should cover the ginger.
• Now heat oil in a kadai / pan , add mustard and allow them to crackle, then add in the fenugreek seeds, fry them till golden. Cool them till room temperature .
• Pout over the pickle and mix well.
• Transfer the pickle to a glass container.
• Leave it in counter top for 24 hrs,later refrigerate.

Chamomile tea infused Rice pudding

Now, this is time for cooking with friends. After going through few themes , we narrowed down to TEA infused cooking. My initial plan was to bake, but having so much is going around me , I barely had time.

Simple , quick and easy was the mantra i started chanting.Growing up I have never tasted coffee or tea. It was during my college days that I realized I'm allergic to coffee, so strange right? Tea wasn't that hard on me , so I started tasting it randomly. But when my acidity levels peaked up I gave up tea also.

This time I was very particular that I should try some soothing and decaffinated variety for my theme.After going through the tea isle , I was happy to find a chamomile tea. First I brewed a cup for me to understand the flavors so that I can decide how to use that in my cooking. It was flavorful and soothing to the max.

It was almost an evening that something sparkled in me, why don't I try some South Indian. Rice is a staple item there, from papad to crackers, from pudding to Biriyani we have an endless list of recipes.How about a rice based pudding infused with chamomile ? sounds interesting right ?

After a small batch of trial version I was patting my back , yes it tasted out of the world. Rich creamy , flavorful , aromatic , soothing and above all light and melt in mouth kind. And the best part was my little boy enjoyed it like anything. Now that I cooked two more batches and refrigerated to have an endless supply.

Ingredients

Short grain Rice ................................ 1/2 cup
Whole Milk ....................................... 2 cups
Sweetened Condensed milk .............. 1 small can
Chamomile Tea ................................. 3 packets
Water .................................................1 cup
Sugar .................................................optional
Almonds / pistachios ......................... few optional (Roasted)

Pressure cooker Method

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes.
Bring water to a boil in a sauce pan , turn off the heat and steep the tea packets for 4 minutes.
Add milk and rice to a pressure cooker and cook on medium heat until 3 whistles.
Open the cooker once the pressure is out and add in the tea and condensed milk, sugar if using and mix well.
Cook in simmer for 15 minutes or until a nice and thick consistency.
Serve chilled. You can add chopped nuts just before serving.

Open Pan method :

If you are cooking on a pan , cook rice with water and milk until a mushy consistancy. Slightly mash the rice and add in the tea and condensed milk, sugar if using and mix well.
Cook in simmer for 15 minutes or until a nice and thick consistency.
Serve chilled. You can add chopped nuts just before serving.

Looking for Vegan choice :
You can replace  regular milk with almond / soy milk / coconut milk/ Rice Milk. Add a sweetener of your choice.

Disclaimer:

This is part of our monthly challenge for cooking with friends.This was started by a bunch of bloggers united by their love for food, with an aim of tackling different food related theme every month. Here is a recap of what I've shared earlier.

No Bake berry cheese cake
Crunchy Panko crusted Roasted Asparagus
Strawberry Rose Duo Kulfi 
Jil Jil Jigarthanda
Falafal with Roasted bell pepper Thahini

If you want to try this month's theme, feel free to do so and link your recipe in the comments section, We'd love to check it out.
Meanwhile , check out what others have got for you.


Anjana from At the Corner of Happy and Harried
Dolphia  from storyofcooks
Garima from CafeGarima
 Jayashri from My Veg Fare
 Jyothi from Curry Trail
 Madhuri from MADaboutkitchen and
 Subhasmita from The Flavors of Kitchen

Peach Limeade Slush | Summer special

Meeting you all after a short vacation with a perfect summer special recipe. Before vacation I almost emptied my refrigerator except for a couple peaches which were waiting for me when i came home after an exciting trip. And should I tell you how badly we needed some home made treats ?

Now you must have understood why I made this drink. Few ingredients and couple of minutes is all you need to enjoy this fancy drink.Made this in bulk and happily enjoyed the special ' me ' time with a good book and a sip , gazing at my budding plants (summer time) every now then. Will try to share a set of pictures of them soon.

A calm and quiet Sunday Morning , after a light breakfast , sipping through the drink , a good book and nature to accompany me , a whole new experience.

Back In India , mom doesn't like fancy drinks or store bought ones. So  lemonade , spiced butter milk and tender coconut water is what we get to enjoy, not to forget some ice creams and kulfi. Even now , carbonated drink and store bough juice is a big no for me. Certain habits you can't change , right and that too if it's good for you?

Coming to this slush , not much additives, all natural and unlimited keeping health in mind is what we all would think for. When such things are there in front of you ,what else would you ever wait for?

Ingredients

Peaches ...................................4 fresh , well ripen
Lime ....................................... 1 big / 2 small
Sugar / Honey ......................... to taste
Salt ........................................ a pinch
pepper powder ...................... a pinch
Dry ginger powder ............... a pinch
Mint leaves ........................... 4 / 5
Water ................................... 1 cup or as needed



Method

• Peel, seed  and  roughly chop the peaches.
• Add all the ingredients to the blender jar.
• Blitz , pour in a wide glass bowl.
• Try not to add much water , as slush needs to be a bit thicker.
• Freeze for 2 to 3 hrs ( do not close the bowl)
• Pour them with the help of a scoop into glasses and enjoy slowly.

Note:

• You can use store bought lemonade / limeade too , adjust sugar or honey accordingly.
• Add water slowly to get the exact consistency of a slush.
• Pepper and dry ginger helps in digestion and also honey, pepper and ginger soothes your throat.

Spirit of Summer and Great Smoky Mountains - Part I

Those who live in North East will be longing for this part of the year, Summer. Over the 8 months of indoor life creates a kind of depression in you which I call 'the Winter Blue'. Summer is the only time we can unleash the best in you.I'm no exception. From my morning walks to evening chit chat time in the near by park , everything gives me the energy that I've been waiting for.

Every year , we plan one such trip where we can be closer to nature.This time we settled on 'The Great Smoky Mountain ' in Tennessee. Hubby was doing his kind of research and pouring in his views which kept on building a kind of hype . Though we do lot such trips and trekking and hiking , we were kind of hooked up for this one.

But when we started our trip one fine afternoon,I started bugging him ' Is it worth such a travel ? Is it worth a week ?'. Poor hubby couldn't give a clear reply. All he said is " Wait and See". After returning from my trip, I'm telling you , "Every single minute and second that I spent there is worth a lifetime".

The misty air and the deep dark woods welcomed us with a bit of drizzle when we entered The Great Smoky Mountains. All my doubts and questions just vanished at the first sight of the smoke covered mountains.

Though we have seen the White Mountains with mist and beautiful colors during Fall, this was quite a new and unique experience. The slight chillness , the peak a boo of Sun , the tiny rays of Sun passing through the dark woods creating a natural highlight , the small streams , the riverbeds which one should I talk about ?

Pure , Pristine and Holy is what I felt when I got to be so close with the nature. The deep dark woods with white waterfalls and riverbeds along with the sound from the waterfalls and endless green mountains as much as your eye can cover and smoke (mist ) from the mountain and the Black bears and animals  ... MY GOD .... my words can't suffice the beauty and the experience that I gained here.

I would try to bring up what I captured and the amazing things that I saw in parts as I have so much to write and share with you all.

And not to mention the unpacking and clearing the backlog , while I do that you can sit back and enjoy the scenic beauty.