Mint Chutney (Pudina Chutney)

Ingredients:

2 Bunch Mint (Pudina) Leaves

1 Bunch Coriander Leaves

1 Green Chili
1 Small Onion chopped (optional)
2 tsp Water

1tbsp Lemon Juice/1 tbsp plain yogurt

Salt to taste

Method:

To begin with wash mint and coriander leaves well.
Take all ingredients in a bowl and blend it on medium speed.
Blend until the mixture has a smooth consistency.
Empty the mixture into a bowl, and serve.

Note: Refrigerated mint chutney can be used for a week or two.

Kappa-Bonda

Ingredients:

Tapioca ½ kg
Onion (chopped) 1 (big)
Coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tbsp
Curry leaves (chopped) 3 sprigs
Green chillies (chopped) 4
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp
For the batter
Gram flour 1 cup
Chilli powder ½ tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Oil for frying

Method:

• Peel and cut the tapioca into large pieces. Pressure cook till soft.


• Strain and mash well. Heat a tablespoon of oil and add the mustard.


• When it splutters, add the onions, chillies and curry leaves.


• When the onions are cooked, add mashed tapioca, salt and coriander leaves and remove from fire.


• Cool and mix well. Roll into balls the size of a lemon. Make a thick batter with gram flour, chilli powder and a little salt.


• Heat oil in a wok. Dip and cover each tapioca ball with batter and deep fry till light brown and remove.


• Serve with coconut chutney.

Carrot Tapioca Pudding

Ingredients:

Grated tapioca 1 cup
Milk 2 cups
Sugar ½ cup
Grated carrot ½ cup
Condensed milk 1 tin
Agar-Agar (China grass) 10 gm

For garnishing:
Cashewnuts, carrots (grated) co
conut (grated)

Method:

Soak china grass in ½ cup milk. Wash the tapioca and drain the water.
Boil sugar and milk. Add tapioca and carrot and cook till soft. Add the agar-agar and cook till dissolved.
Continue to cook for a few more minutes. Add the condensed milk and stir well.
When it becomes custard-like in consistency, remove from the fire. Pour in a shallow dish and keep aside.
When half set, garnish with grated carrot, coconut and cashewnuts. Refrigerate till set.
Cut into pieces and serve.

Herbal Raita

Every individual is now conscious of healthy eating — but our taste buds do not want insipid and nutritive food. Here are some lunchtime recipes, which are not only a delight to the taste buds — but are also rich sources of nutrients.



Ingredients:

Beaten thick curds 1¼ cups
Chopped coriander leaves 1 cup
Coconut ½ cup
Ghee or oil ½ tsp
Green chilli ½ tsp
Pepper pods ½ tsp
Cumin seeds ½ tsp
Salt ½ to ¾ tsp
Mustard seeds ¼ tsp

Method:

• Heat half a tablespoon of ghee or oil, in a pan, and fry the coriander leaves along with the chilli, pepper and cumin seeds, till you get an aroma.
• Add the coconut, salt and curds, and grind into a smooth mixture. Keep aside in a bowl.
  Heat the remaining ghee or oil and the mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter, pour it into the raitha — serve this herbal raitha with steaming rice.
• A similar raitha can be made with tender curry leaves, or any other tender edible leaves, like mango, lime, guava and pomegranate. In that case, use only two or three tablespoons of the leaves.
• Coriander leaves are food for digestion, especially for cases of anorexia and biliousness.

Mixed steamed rice

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

Boiled peas 3/4 cup
Boiled corn kernels 3/4 cup
Peeled and diced tomatoes 3/4 cup
Rice 1/2 cup
Chopped capsicum 1/2 cup
Chopped onion 1/2 cup
Oil 2 tbsps
Chopped garlic 1 tsp
Chopped green chilli
1 Water 1 3/4 cups
Salt 1 tsp
Garam masala powder 1/4 tsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan, add onion and garlic, and fry till the onion becomes light gold.
• Add rice, fry well, add salt and water, cover and cook on a slow flame, till the water is absorbed.
• Remove from heat, add the other ingredients and mix well. Grease a ring mold or any other mold, put the rice mixture into it, and level properly.
• Steam this mold, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover on to a decorative plate.
• Decorate it with dryfruits and serve with curry or Raita.
• This dish is a wholesome meal by itself.

Chilled Coffee Parfait

It is one of my favorite desserts. The parfaits are easy to serve if you have a big family, and they look very elegant whenever served at a formal dinner at home.

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

2 Tbs (30 ml) cornstarch (cornflour)

3/4 cup (180 ml) sugar

A pinch of salt

2 Tbs (30 ml) milk

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 cup strong black coffee or espresso

1+1/2 cups (375 ml) whipping cream

Additional whipped cream for topping

Ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients except the whipping cream in a saucepan and hold over another pot of simmering water. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. 2. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. Whip the cream until it is light but not stiff and fold into the coffee mixture.

3. Serve in parfait cups or stemmed wine glasses and top with additional whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon.

Nutritious parathas

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

Finely chopped fenugreek leaves 1 cup
Finely chopped spinach 1 cup
Grated carrot 1 cup
Wheat flour 3 cups
Oil 2 tabs
Salt 1 1/4 tsps
Sugar 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai; fry the spinach, fenugreek and carrot. Cool. Mix the wheat flour with the other ingredients, and knead into firm dough, using a little water to bind it.
Divide into medium-sized balls, and roll out into parathas. Shallow fry, with a little oil, on a tawa, till golden brown on both sides. Serve hot with curds and pickle. Fenugreek leaves have medicinal value, and its mineral and vitamin content is high.