Neem Flower Fry

Since times immemorial, the Neem tree has been a popular herb for traditional medicinal remedies. Not only anti-viral and anti-bacterial, it also carries the answers to many ailments, the most popular being for skin allergies .
And, owing to dear tele and its ads (Margo soap ad), we sure do know neem leaves and glowing skin go hand in hand :P .

Right from it's barks to the twigs, each part is packed with one or the other health benefit. Eye  & Ear ailments, dandruff, blackheads, wounds, gastric conditions, immunity, diabetes, gingivitis and liver problems are among the many who fear the neem tree.
A wondrous gift from heaven for sure .

The evergreen Neem tree !! Never ceasing to impart its medicinal effects.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbspn Neem Flower, fresh or dried (I have used dried ones)
• 1 Small Potato
• 1 Small Onion
• 2-3 Curry Leaves
• 1 Green Chilly
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• 1/2 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• A pinch of Turmeric
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Chop the potato and onion into small cubes. 
• Heat a pan. Add oil followed by asafoetida, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. 
• When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add the potato, onion and slit green chilly. Add salt and turmeric. Saute till potato is well cooked and soft. Cover with a lid to hasten the process. Fry occassionally.
• Add the neem flowers and fry for about a minute before switching off flame.   

Roasted Corn Basil

INGREDIENTS

• Corn Cob
• 1 Tbspn Butter, at room temperature
• A handful of Basil Leaves

METHOD

• Chop the basil leaves finely. Add it to the butter and mix well.
• Roast the corn on a low flame. 
• Apply the basil butter generously on the corn, as soon as it is roasted.
• Serve immediately.

Baked Eggplant Tomato

Eggplant and tomato - Their match seems to be, as they say, one made in heaven !!
The soft and mushy eggplant with the little tangy tomato, tingling their way through the taste buds. Be it the Indian baigan ka bharta or its Italian cousin Eggplant Parmigiana , they sure have made their stand.
Adding one more to the list - Baked Eggplant & Tomato !

INGREDIENTS

• Eggplant/ Aubergine/ Brinjal/ Baigan
• Firm & Ripe Tomato
• Cheese, preferably Mozzarella
• Oregano, dried
• Freshly ground Black Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Salt

METHOD

• Cut the eggplant into 1/2" thick roundels. Grease the pieces with olive oil.
• Place on a baking tray in single layer. Sprinkle oregano, shredded cheese, salt and black pepper.
• Place a tomato slice on top and sprinkle the spices again. Sprinkle a drop or two of olive oil on each too.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven of 200C for 40minutes or until soft and wrinkly.  
• Enjoy it while it is hot.

Dal Fry

Get into any Indian restaurant, and probably one of the most common dish accompanying rice and phulkas will be the Dal Fry. As the name suggests, it's main ingredients include lentils with a dash of spices.

Usually made with a ghee tempering, the dry spices are first lightly fried resulting in a heavenly aroma. This follows the onion-ginger garlic-tomato sauteing, which further enhances the plain lentils. Have it with plain rice or phulkas, either ways it leaves any Dal-lover refreshed.

A humble yet heavenly soul-food !

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Cup Toor Dal/ Arhar Dal
• 1/2 Cup Chana Dal
• 1 Large Tomato, chopped
• 1 Large Onion, chopped
• 4-5 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Tspn Ginger, crushed
• 1-2 Green Chilly, slit length-wise
• 1 Tspn Kasuri Methi, crushed
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• 1-2 Dry Red Chilly
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1/2 Tspn Cinnamon Powder
• 1Tspn Sugar
• 1Tspn Turmeric Powder
• 2-3 Sprigs of Coriander Leaves
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• Ghee or Oil, for tempering
• Red Chilly Powder, as per taste
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Soak the lentils in water for about an hour. Rinse well and pressure cook with salt and turmeric till soft.
• Heat ghee/ oil in a pan. Add dry red chilly, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, bay leaf and asafoetida. As they begin to crackle, add the chopped onions and saute till translucent.
• Add the garlic and ginger. Saute.
• Add chopped tomato and saute till soft and pulpy. Add sugar, chilly powder, cinnamon powder and crushed kasuri methi. Mix well.
• Add the boiled lentils. Add appropriate quantity of water if a thinner consistency is desired. Let it come to a boil, after which let it simmer for about 5 minutes, before switching off flame.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or phulkas. 
• Happy gobbling :P !

Potato Wedges

Being a big fan of potatoes, I have always been an ardent admirer of 'potato wedges'. It was while living in the UK that I got introduced to these little chunks of roasted potato, and ever since have remained its ever faithful follower :P .

Prepare it for a quite luncheon at home or include it your barbecue party menu... It sure will be the hit.

An easy-peasy chop, toss and bake dish !

INGREDIENTS

• 4-5 Medium Potatoes
• Olive Oil
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Dried Oregano
• Salt 

METHOD

• Soak the potatoes for a couple of minutes, so as to dislodge any dirt/mud stuck to the skin. Wash properly.
• Cut the potatoes into wedge shapes.
• Grease a tray. Pour in the wedged potatoes. Pour in a about a tbspn of olive oil and a generous sprinkle of the all the other spices. Toss well. Place the wedges in a single layer.
• Place in a pre-heated oven of 200C for 40 minutes till the wedges turn golden and crispy. 

Jamun Ice Cream

Jamun or Black Plum is a typical summer fruit and a limited one at that. Gone summer and so are these little berries.
Packed with medicinal benefits, these sure do make their presence felt on a pharmaceuticals shelf, although in the form of juice and tablets. Candies, jams and jellies too have their fair share with jamuns. Adding one more to the list... fresh Jamun Ice Cream, of course without any preservative :D !!

De-seed the jamuns. Roughly chop and squash them up.

Whisk condensed milk, whipped cream, sugar (optional) and vanilla essence (again optional).

Whisk till smooth.

Add the chopped and crushed jamuns. Mix well. 

Pour the mix into a container, cover and let freeze for at least 3-4 hours.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 Cup De-seeded Black Jamuns
• 3/4 Cup Condensed Milk
• 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• Sugar as per taste
• Vanilla Essence (optional)

METHOD

• Blend/ Whip all the ingredients except the black jamuns.
• Roughly chop the jamuns into small pieces.
• Add the chopped jamuns with the milk base. Mix well.
• Pour into a container, cover with a lid and let it freeze for at least 3-4 hours.

Mango Shake

Mango Shake - One of the most popular Indian summer drinks !

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Ripe Mango
• 1 Cup Chilled Milk
• 1 Tbspn Sugar, or as per taste
• 1 Tspn Cardamom Powder (optional)

METHOD

• Peel the mango and roughly chop it.
• Blend the mango pieces with sugar, cardamom powder and chilled milk, till smooth. Add water accordingly for a thinner consistency.
• Pour into serving glass. Sip and let out an Ahh...yum :D !!

Mooli Paratha

High blood pressure, cancer, diabetes and asthma sure have one thing in common - a common enemy - Mr.Radish !!

Rich in fiber, folate, potassium and other nutrients, this root is certainly a must-include in one's diet. It's high vitamin C content further helps in keeping the skin young and rejuvenated. 

Munch on it as a snack or toss into your favorite salad. Make a curry out of it or the famous ... mooli ke paranthe !

Shred the radish and onion, finely. 

Squeeze out the moisture content. Do not discard this water. Use it for preparing the dough.

Prepare the dough. Cover and let it rest while making the stuffing.

Heat a pan and add oil, add the shredded radish and onion. Saute till moisture content evaporates.

Add in the salt, a pinch of turmeric, garam masala and chat powder. Mix well. Saute till all the dry spices are well mixed. Add finely chopped coriander. Switch off flame and let it cool. 

Pinch out small portions of the dough. Roll into small discs. Place small portions of the radish stuffing and close it to form a ball. Roll it out again, using flour for dusting.
Heat a griddle and place the rolled out mooli parantha. Flip and cook on both sides. Smear a little ghee or butter for that extra crispy roasted rich parantha taste.

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 Medium Sized Mooli/ Radish, shredded
• 1 Medium Onion (optional), shredded
• 1 Tspn Chat Masala
• 1 Tspn Garam Masala
• 1 -2 Sprig Coriander Leaves
• 1.5 Cups Wheat Flour
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Shred the radish and onion, finely.
• Heat a pan and add oil, add the shredded radish and onion. Saute till moisture content evaporates. Add in the salt, a pinch of turmeric, garam masala and chat powder. Mix well. Saute till all the dry spices are well mixed. Add finely chopped coriander. Switch off flame and let it cool.
• Meanwhile, prepare the dough by kneading the wheat flour with required amount of water. Cover and let it rest for around 5 minutes.
• Pinch out small portions of the dough. Roll into small discs. Place small portions of the radish stuffing and close it to form a ball. Roll it out again, using flour for dusting.
• Heat a griddle and place the rolled out mooli parantha. Flip and cook on both sides. Smear a little ghee or butter for that extra crispy roasted rich parantha taste.
• Serve hot, straight from the pan ;) .

Moong Dal Puri

Moong dal puri !! Ahh... The mere mention of which is capable enough to make one drool :D :D .

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups Wheat Flour/ Atta
• 3/4 Cup Moong Dal
• 1 Tbspn Curd
• 1/2 Tspn Carom Seeds/ Ajwain
• 1 Tspn Ginger paste
• 1-2 Green Chilly or as per taste
• 3-4 Sprigs of Coriander Leaves, chopped
• Salt, as per taste

 METHOD

• Wash and soak the Dal for about an hour.
• Blend the soaked dal with ginger and green chilly, to a fine paste.
• Add the dal paste to the wheat flour along with the rest of the ingredients. Knead to form a soft dough. Cover and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
• Pinch out small portions and roll out to make small disc shapes. Fry in hot oil. As the puri puff up, turn and let it cook on the other side as well. Fry till it turns golden brown.

Sattu Paratha

INGREDIENTS

For the Stuffing

• 1 Cup Sattu
• 2 Medium Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tspn Ginger & Garlic, finely minced
• 1 Green Chilly
• 2-3 Spigs of Coriander, finely chopped
• 2 Tspn Mango/Garlic Pickle 
• 1/2 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 Tspn Ajwain Seeds 
• Salt, as per taste

 For the Dough

• 1 and 1/2 Cup Wheat Flour 
• Salt, as per taste

• Ghee, for shallow fry (optional)

METHOD

• Combine all the stuffing ingredients well to form a sticking dough-like mix. Mash the pickle so that it mixes well. 
• Knead the whole wheat with water. Cover and let it rest for a few minutes.
• Pinch out medium sized balls of the whole wheat dough. Roll out into small discs. Place a small portion of the stuffing and close it so as to form a ball again. Roll it out into discs.
• Place on a hot tawa and let it cook on both sides. Flip occasionally. Smear ghee on both sides for an extra roasted taste.

Chickpea Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Pasta (cooked till al-dente)
• 1 Cup Chickpeas/ Garbanzo Beans/ Chana(soaked overnight & boiled)
• 1 Tomato, chopped
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 Cucumber, chopped
• 1/2 Cup Corn Kernels, boiled
• 1/4 Capsicum, chopped
• 1/4 Carrot, chopped
• 2-3 Sprigs of Coriander Leaves
• 1 Green Chilly, minced (optional)
• 1 Tbspn Lemon Juice (optional)
• 1 Tspn Freshly Ground Pepper
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Boil the pasta in salted water till al-dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. After draining out the cold water, add a few drops of olive oil and toss. The coating of olive oil on cooked pasta ensures that it does not stick to each other. 
• Boil chickpeas (soaked overnight). 
• Combine all the ingredients well and Voila!... A super healthy pasta salad is ready :D.

Oats & Whole Wheat Cookies

A delightfully healthy yet yummy combination of the everyday whole wheat and oats - oats cookies !!
Snack away without a pang of guilt ;) ...

Take equal portions of oats and whole wheat.

Combine the oats, whole wheat, powdered sugar ,baking soda and a pinch of salt.
Add the butter (should be at room temperature) and vanilla essence. Add a tbspn of flax seed (for the health conscious :D ). Mix well.

Add a few tbspns of milk till a hard mixture is formed. Do not knead. Simply fold to combine well.

Take small portions of the dough and make small balls. Press lightly with your palms and flatten into small discs.
Place the now flattened discs on few sesame seeds and press lightly. Turn and place on a greased baking tray.

... or a few flax seeds!

... or some sprinkles for the kid in you ;) . 

... or cut out rectangle shapes !!

Bake in a preheated oven of 180C, for 20minutes or till the cookies start turning golden brown.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Oats
• 1 Cup Whole Wheat
• 1/2 Cup Butter
• 1/4 Tspn Vanilla Essence (optional) 
• 1/4 Cup Sugar (powdered), or adjust as per taste
• A pinch of Baking Soda
• 4 Tbspn Chilled Milk, adjust as per requirement
• A pinch of Salt
• Flax Seed (optional)
• Sesame Seed (optional)

METHOD

• Combine the oats, whole wheat, salt, powdered sugar and baking soda.
• Add the butter (should be at room temperature) and vanilla essence. Add a tbspn of flax seed (for the health conscious :D ). Mix well. 
• Add a few tbspns of milk till a hard mixture is formed. Do not knead. Simply fold to combine well.
• Take small portions of the dough and make small balls. Press lightly with your palms and flatten into small discs. 
• Place the now flattened discs on few flaxseeds/ sesame seeds/ chocolate sprinkles and press lightly. Turn and place on a greased baking tray.
• Bake in a preheated oven of 180C for 20minutes or till the cookies start turning golden brown. Flip and repeat.
• Once they are cool, store in an airtight container. Relish with a glass of milk, as and when you feel !!

Baba Ghanoush

A smoked Eggplant or Brinjal in question ... pat comes the reply as Baigan ka Bharta (well at least if it's me :P) . Well, time for a Middle Eastern recipe for a smoked eggplant.

Baba Ghanoush - A real flavorful dip !!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Large Brinjal/ Eggplant/ Aubergine
• 1 Tbspn Sesame Seeds, roasted
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Tbspn Lemon Juice, or adjust as per taste
• 1 Tbspn Olive Oil
• 2-3 Sprigs Parsley Leaves
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Make small incisions on the eggplant's surface so as to ease and hasten the roasting process. Roast the eggplant over a medium hot fire till the skin turns black and blisters. Keep rotating so that all sides are equally and well cooked. Let it cool.
• Peel off the skin. Blend the eggplant flesh, cloves, roasted sesame seeds and garlic till the consistency you prefer. 
• Pour into a bowl and add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and finely chopped parsley. Mix well and voila!... it's ready !!

Lebanese Spiced Potatoes (Batata Harra)

These spicy, tangy and flavorful potatoes can make any tongue tingle. Serve it as an appetizer or simply as an accompanying side dish, it sure goes well !!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups Potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 Large Onion, chopped finely
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Lemon Juice or as per taste
• 1/2 Tspn Pepper Powder 
• 2-3 Sprigs of Coriander Leaves
• Olive Oil
• Chilly Powder, as per taste
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Deep fry the peeled and cubed potatoes in hot oil, till cooked and slightly golden brown. Drain excess oil and place on paper towel.
• In another pan, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add chopped onion and garlic. Add chilly powder, salt and pepper powder. Saute till well cooked.
• Add the previously deep-fried potatoes and mix well. Add in finely chopped coriander and saute for another minute. Switch off flame and add the lemon juice. Mix well. Garnish with some more coriander leaves.
• And, snack away !!

No-Cook Mango Kulfi

Come summer and, mind and body unitedly crave for something cold. And, what better treat than a chilled kulfi.
Ripe and juicy mangoes in plenty demand too. Combine both and voila.. we have Mango Kulfi !

Traditional kulfi making involves cooking milk, till it reduces substantially followed by a freezing session. But then there is the prickly hot summer day, with all it's heat, resisting any prolonged kitchen stay. And, to combat both heat and time, below is a quick, easy and no-cook kulfi recipe.

A respite from the heat and a treat to young and old alike.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Mango Pulp 
• 2 Tbspn Condensed Milk (store bought)
• 1 Tbspn Cream
• 1 Tspn Cardamom Powder
• Few Strands of Saffron (optional)

METHOD

• Blend mango pulp, condensed milk and cream, till they combine well.
• Sprinkle cardamom powder and mix well. Taste and adjust accordingly. Add sugar if required.
• Pour into mould and let it freeze for about 8-10 hours.
• Now, sit back, relax and enjoy your creamy yummy mango kulfi !!

Cabbage Paratha

This paratha ... that paratha ... and now cabbage paratha :D !!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Atta
• 1.5 Cups Cabbage, shredded
• 1 Medium Onion, minced
• 3-4 Sprigs Coriande Leaves, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Garam Masala
• 1/2 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 Tspn Ajwain/ Carom Seeds
• 1-2 Green Chilly, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Red Chilly Powder or as per taste (optional)
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Combine all the ingredients in a container and mix well. Add water little by little (as per requirement) and make a dough. 
• Pinch out small balls and roll into discs. Place on a hot tawa on medium flame. Let one side cook partially and then flip. Smear a little ghee on the partially cooked sides and let them cook on low flame, till small dark spots appear indicating tat it's 'done'.
• Serve hot !!

Chenna Khiri

Khiri or Kheer is one of the most famous Indian dessert and 'chenna khiri' being one of its adaptation, is a sweet delicacy from Odisha.
A typical Odiya festive dining affair, is usually sure to get a glimpse of this 'khiri' dish. A relatively easy and less time consuming recipe, in comparison to it's other relatives, it sure tops the drool-list.

Growing up, the first ever memory I have of this dish was, at one of my favorite aunt's place. She had meant to prepare a treat for us - the naughty kids who were just over with their final exams !!
Being quite an awesome cook, she had whipped up an elaborate meal along side this dessert in no time. And, soon enough 3 hungry little kids (read wolves :D :D) were at the dining table. And, by the time we were up, the 'chenna khiri' pot, had been licked clean !!
It must been real tasty or maybe it was the hunger or the company.... or all of them combined. Well, we can never know now. All that remains today is - the fond memories of licking a 'chenna khiri' pot clean !!

And, of course Aunt's recipe -

INGREDIENTS

• 3Lts Whole Milk
• Sugar, as per taste
• 2 Tbspn Cardamom Powder
• 1 Tbspn Vinegar

METHOD

• Boil approximately 750ml of milk. Let it come to a boil. Add vinegar and let the milk curdle completely till clear whey is seen. Strain using a kitchen towel/ muslin cloth, so that all moisture drains out. Chenna/ cottage cheese is ready.
• Boil the rest of the milk. Stir occasionally to prevent milk from sticking to the bottom of the vessel.
• Simmer till the milk has reduced to almost 1/3rd of its original content. Add sugar and cardamom powder. Stir well and let it simmer for another couple of minutes. Switch off flame and allow it to cool. 
• Crumble the chenna well. Add it to the now condensed milk. Stir to mix well.
• Toss it into the refrigerator for a chilled serving or ladle it up into a bowl for a quick serve.

Grape Popsicle

In this scorching heat, a popsicle is a great reliever. And, when it's home made and involves all natural fruit, then it sure becomes an added treat.

This green grapes popsicle is super easy to make, with every bite worth the around 12hr freezing session wait.

 INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Grapes (seedless or de-seeded)
• Sugar, as per taste

METHOD

• Blend the grapes till smooth. Add about half a cup of water. Strain.
• Add sugar and mix well.
• Pour into moulds and let it set in a freezer for around 12hrs.

Pomy Popsicle

A native of Persia, this little red ball called 'Pomegranate' is supposed to be the most powerful antioxidant among all fruits. Packed with nutrients too, it sure makes it's way up in the must-eat list.

Pomegranates contain punicalagins, which are powerful antioxidants and have proved to be more beneficial in comparison to green tea (a definite good news for folks who are put off by green tea, me included :D).
Anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, a sure memory enhancer and a cholesterol fighter, among many of it's health benefits.

Juice it up, eat it raw or add it to salad, garnish with it or simply popsicle it out :P.

A perfect respite to a hot summer afternoon...

Blend the pomegranate seeds well. Add water if necessary.

Strain it. Add sugar and lemon juice. Taste and adjust as per taste.

Pour into mould. Freeze for around 12hrs.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Pomegranate Seeds
• 2 Tspn Lemon Juice, or as per taste
• Sugar, as per taste

METHOD

• Blend the pomegranate seeds well. Add water if necessary. Strain it.
• Add sugar and lemon juice. Taste and adjust as per taste.
• Pour into mould. Freeze.
• Around 12hrs of freezing and pomy popsicle is all ready to fight the heat.