STRAWBERRY YOGURT SMOOTHIE (LASSI)

Weather is getting hotter, and its time for some refreshing and relaxing drinks to quinch the thirst, as finally Summer has arrived!

Lassi is really a refreshing and delicious drink which is so common in north India during summer times. It can be made alone or with some flavours of different fruits. This time I tried strawberry. An surely is tasty and refreshing as well. I’m sharing the recipe for making an easy strawberry lassi, this is a great smoothie to sip during this crouching heat.

Ingredients:

1. Fresh Strawberries- 6

2. Yogurt- ½ cup

3. Water, chilled- ¼ cup

4. Sugar- 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Cut the strawberries in halves.

2. In a mixer grinder, add the halved strawberries, yogurt, milk and sugar. Blend at high speed until smooth.

3. Pour into a glass, add a few ice cubes if needed.

4. Serve, and Enjoy!!!

EASY THAKKAALI (TOMATO) PULISSERY

Ingredients:

1. Coconut oil – 1 tbsp.
2. Mustard seeds – 1 tsp.
3. Red dry whole chilly – 2 nos.
4. Curry leaves – 1 sprig
5. Shallots – 6 nos., chopped
6. Tomato – 2 nos., large, chopped
7. Chilly powder – ½ tsp.
8. Curd – ½ cup
9. Salt – to taste

To grind
10. Coconut – ½ cup, grated
11. Garlic – 2-3 cloves, chopped
12. Cumin seeds – ½ tsp.
13. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
14. Shallots – 2 nos.
15. Water – ¼ cup

Method:

1. Grind the above mentioned ingredients in the section “to grind” to a coarse paste. Keep aside.

2. Place a saucepan, add coconut oil. Let it turn hot in medium heat. Sputter mustard seeds.

3. Then add red dry chilly & curry leaves. Saute for a second.

4. Add small onions along with salt and saute for a minute till translucent.

5. Add tomatoes, cook covered till tomatoes are slightly mashed. (do not overcook)

6. Add the coarsely grounded mixture. Combine well and let cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

7. Add chilly powder and cook for a minute. Add more salt if needed.

8. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add curd and combine well till it is well combined. (N.B: Don’t add curd with the heat turned on, heat will curdle the it.)

9. Keep covered for a few minutes.



10. Yummy thakkaali puliserry is ready. Serve it along with rice.

EASY CHICKEN 65

Ingredients:

1. Chicken – ½ kg

2. Red chili paste – 1 tbsp. (Boil dry red chilly in water & little vinegar, cool it & grind to paste)

3. Corn flour – 1 tsp.

4. Maida – ½ tsp.

5. Vinegar or lemon juice – 1 tsp.

6. Curry leaves – 2 sprig

7. Green chili – 3 nos., split lengthwise

8. Oil – enough to deep fry

For Marinating:

9. Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp.

10. Pepper powder – ½ tsp.

11. Chili powder – 1 tsp.

12. Garam masala – 1 tsp.

13. Curry leaves – 2 sprig, finely chopped

14. Coriander leaves – a handful, finely chopped

15. Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Marinate chicken pieces with ingredients under ‘for marinating’. Keep it for half an hour.

2. Then make a paste with red chili paste, a bit of red colour (if u need colour), corn flour, maida and vineger or lemon juice.

3. Add the marinated chicken into the paste and mix it well.

4. Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed pan. Fry curry leaves and green chili and keep aside.

5. Now fry the chicken pieces in the same oil till it turns little more than golden brown in colour.

6. Spread it on a paper towel and let the extra oil drain.

7. Garnish it with the fried curry leaves and green chilies & serve hot.

Enjoy!!!

CHILLI CHICKEN

Chilli Chicken is a mouth-watering chicken recipe of Indo-Chinese cuisine, where chicken is cooked in the combination of Indian vegetables with Chinese flavors which makes it a delicious and simply irresistible main course dish when prepared with gravy or semi-gravy and also served as a starter when prepared dry.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken – 500 gm., boneless
2. Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp.
3. Capsicum (Shimla Mirch) – 1 no., chopped into 2cm thick pieces
4. Onion – 2 nos., chopped into 2cm thick pieces
5. Green chilies – 4-5 nos., chopped
6. Soya sauce – 2 tsp.
7. Tomato ketchup – 2 tsp.
8. Vinegar – 1 tsp.
9. Ajinomoto – a pinch (main ingredient of Chinese cuisine)
10. Corn flour – 3 tbsp.
11. Spring Onion – a handful, chopped (to garnish)
12. Salt – to taste
13. Pepper powder – ½ tsp.
14. Oil – for frying

Method:

1. Clean the chicken and drain excess water. Keep aside.

2. Make a paste with 2tbsp corn flour and water. Add half the ginger-garlic paste, ½ tsp. soya sauce, ½ tsp. vinegar, salt and pepper. Marinate the chicken and keep it for 20 minutes.

3. Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry the chicken pieces. Drain excess oil on paper towel and keep it aside.

4. Then heat 2 tsp. of oil in a pan. Add the onions and green chillies. Sauté until onions are brown.

5. Add the rest of the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell fades.

6. Add the chicken, soya sauce, vinegar, ketchup, salt and pepper.

7. Make a paste with 1 tbsp. of the corn flour and water. Add it to the chicken and mix well. Boil till it gravy attain the desired thickness, i.e. with gravy, semi-gravy or dry.

8. Garnish it with chopped spring onion & serve hot

Note: It is best in combination with Indian bread varieties like Chapati, Roti or Naan, and even rice varieties.

EASY CHEMMEEN ULARTHIYATHU (PRAWN / SHRIMP ROAST)

Chemmeen roast is one of favorite sea food dish of Kerala. In Kerala, it is easily available because of the proximity to the Fishing harbors all along. Let me share this recipe with you.

Ingredients:

1. Prawns – 2 cups, cleaned and deveined
2. Mustard seeds – ½ tsp.
3. Ginger – 1 tsp., crushed
4. Garlic – 1 tsp., crushed
5. Shallots – ½ cup, sliced
6. Green chilies – 1 or 2 nos., slitted (optional)
7. Fenugreek powder – a pinch
8. Curry leaves – 1 sprig

For marination:
9. Kashmiri chili powder – 2 tsp.
10. Black pepper powder -1 tsp.
11. Turmeric powder – ½ tsp.
12. Coriander powder – 1 tsp.
13. Garam masala powder – 1 tsp.
14. Salt – to taste

Method:

1. Mix prawns with all the ingredients for marination and keep it aside for 20 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a pan and sputter mustard seeds. Then add ginger, garlic and shallots. Saute it for a minute.

3. Now add green chilies and fenugreek powder. Mix well for few seconds.

4. Add the marinated prawns along with curry leaves. Adjust the salt if needed.

5. Cover and cook over medium low flame, just until done.

Note: You can add coconut pieces too after sputtering the mustard for better taste.