Strawberry Lassi

Strawberry Lassi

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

9 ripe strawberries, rinsed

2 tablespoons white sugar

1/4 cup whole milk

1 cup dahi

3 ice cubes


Preparation method:

Prep: 10 mins

1. Cut 3 strawberries into small pieces and set aside. In a mixie, place the remaining strawberries and sugar; blend on high speed for 30 seconds. Pour in the milk and blend another 30 seconds. Add the dahi and blend on high speed for 1 minute.

2. To serve, place 1 ice cube in each of 3 glasses and pour in the lassi. Top with the strawberry pieces and serve.

Mango Mint Lassi with Ilaichi

Mango Mint Lassi with Ilaichi

Take your mango lassi up a notch with the addition of ilaichi and star anise. Yum!

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

1 large mango - peeled, seeded, and diced

3 tablespoons sugar (optional, depending on sweetness of mango)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon freshly ground star anise

1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 cups plain milk or dahi

3 sprigs fresh mint for garnish


Preparation method:

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 15 mins

Blend the mango, sugar, chopped mint, star anise, cardamom, lime juice, and milk in a blender on high speed until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with fresh mint sprigs to serve.

Cashewnut Kheer

Cashewnut Kheer

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 litre milk

3/4 cup cashew nuts soak for 3-4 hours in warm water

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. each almonds & pistachios, slivered thinly

1/4 tsp. cardamom powder

1/4 tsp. saffron, soaked in a tbsp. hot milk


Preparation method:

Prep: 4 hours | Cook: 30 mins | Extra time: 30 mins, soaking

1. Rub saffron with pestle till dissolved, keep aside.

2. Drain water from cashew nuts, grind to a smooth paste, saving some for garnish.

3. Put milk to boil in a large heavy pan

4. Add sugar, allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add cashew nut paste, stir and resume boil, simmering on low for 2-3 minutes.

6. Add slivered dry fruit, mix, take off fire.

7. Pour into individual bowls.

8. Pour into individual bowls.

9. Sprinkle bits of cashew on each.

10. Spray some saffron milk on top, with a small kitchen brush or with hands.

11. Serve hot, and fresh.

Keep in fridge to drink it next day

Vegetarian Chinese Noodle Salad

Vegetarian Chinese Noodle Salad

This is a great summertime - or anytime - vegetarian dish. Feel free to add other vegetable in addition to the capsicum, or some fried paneer or tofu to make it a meal.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

250g vermicelli pasta or egg noodles

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 dash soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed chilli flakes

1 capsicum, julienned

1 bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped


Preparation method:

Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 5 mins | Extra time: 45 mins, marinating

1. Cook pasta or noodles according to packet instructions; drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
2. Whisk the sesame oil, soy sauce, and crushed chilli flakes together in a large bowl, and toss with the cooled pasta, capsicum and coriander until well mixed. Cover. Serve. Or you may refrigerate for one hour and serve chilled.

Dhoklas

Dhoklas

This is traditional Gujarati snack made out of besan flour. Good diet food and is light to eat. Its healthy as well because it is steamed. Give a try and let me know if you liked it.

Serves: 5

Ingredients:

1 packet Dhokla mix which

1tspn mustard seeds


Preparation method:

Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 20 mins | Extra time: 5 mins, other

1. Buy one packet dhokla mix from indian stores.

2. Follow the instructions on the dhokla packet about the quantity of water to be added to the mix. Different packets with varied gms have different amount of water to be mixed. Add slightly more water than what they mention in the instruction.

3. While mixing, for more spice, add additional chilli powder.

4. Pressure cook for 20mins and once cooled, turn the vessel upside down.

5. heat oil in a pan. add mustard seeds, asefotida, green chillies. pour on the dhokla.

6. I have decorated with carrots and onion for fun... you can do whatever creative you want to on this.

Tomato Ricebath

One of the rice dishes which is not too time consuming... fast and tasty !! This was a recipe which i tried myself for the first time when i was on marathon of cooking in the initial period of my marriage. 

Prep Time: 15 mins    |  Cook time: 30 mins    |  Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Rice	2 Cups
Tomato (Medium Sized)	8 Nos.
Onions (Medium Sized)	4 Nos (Cut into long thin pieces)
Green Peas	1 Cup
Green Chillies	2 - 3 Nos.
Ginger	1 Inch
Mustard Seeds	1 tbsp
Curry Leaves	1 Sprig
Red Chilly Powder	2 - 3 tbsp
Oil	2 - 3 tbsp
Salt	To taste
Coriander Leaves	1/4 Cup

Method:

1. Pressure cook rice and allow to cool.
2. Grind into smooth paste - tomato, green chillies and ginger and keep aside.
3. Boil the green peas and keep aside.
4. Add oil to the pan, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. add curry leaves, onion and salt and close the pan lid. 
5. Once the onion is golden brown and soft, add the smooth paste, boiled green peas , chilli powder and little salt and allow to boil into thick paste.
6. Mix rice to the paste.
7. Decorate with coriander leaves.

Orange Mint Water

Orange Mint Water

Serves: 15

Ingredients:

3 ripe oranges
1 sprig of mint, finely chopped
A decorative jug/pitcher of water
Ice


Preparation method:

Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 5 mins | Extra time: 30 mins, chilling

1. Scrub and wash the fruit thoroughly. Dry. Chop whole fruit into slices. Chop herbs. Add into water. Chill for 30 mins. Serve.
2. Note: Continue to add water into jug. The oranges will last one whole day. If you don't like chomping on mint in water, use whole unchopped sprig and float that into the water.

Mango Lassi

Serves: 1

Ingredients

1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup ice


Preparation method:

Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 5 mins

In a blender, combine mango, yogurt, sugar and ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.