Easy Mango Ice Cream - With just 3 ingredients / Summer special

    Today is the final day of Blogging marathon week #3.I wanted to end with a happy note.Prepared these mango ice cream after checking "Show me the curry" site.It was so easy and quick.We thoroughly enjoyed this ice cream.We can either use fresh magoes or mango puree ,which comes in can.Select mangoes that are ripe and sweet.If not ice cream will not be too good.Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

 

Ingredients:
1.Mango Pulp                          – 30 oz can or pulp of 2 mangoes
2.Sweetened Condensed Milk – 14 oz can
3.Whipped Cream                    – 8 oz container
4.Fresh Mango                          – cubed

Method:
   When we are using mango puree,just add it to the mixing bowl.If you are going tp use fresh mangoes,slice the mango pieces and puree them in a blender.At last add it to the bowl.
* In a big bowl pour in the Mango Pulp, Condensed Milk and the Whipped Topping.
*  Fold them in very well but very gently.

* Pour into a dish with a tight fitting lid.
* Cover and place in the freezer for 2 hours.
* After 2 hours, mix in the cubed Mango pieces and return dish to the freezer.
*  Allow it to freeze for another 3 hours or so.
Notes:
* Fresh Mango plup can be substituted for the can.
* Add in Tutti-fruiti, nuts, saffron or cubes of cake for a variation

Strawberry Lassi

Strawberry season is at its peak now.Though it is available throught the year,its harvested a lot in summer.So prepared this lassi .We can alter the amount of sugar and strawberries according to our taste. Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

 

Ingredients:

1.Strawberries         -      4 to 5

2.Yogurt    -           1/2 cup

3.Sugar  -       2 tbsp

4.Strawberries  -  for garnishing

 

Method:

* Take a blender,add strawberries,yogurt and sugar.

* Blend it well.

* If we want some chilled effect,add some ice cubes.

* Garnish with some sliced strawberries.

* Enjoy summer.

 

 

Blueberry Muffin

       Blueberries are available throughout the year ,here is US.But very sweet,ripen blueberries are available from April.The hot sun enhances the produce of blueberries.We went for blueberry picking last year.When we are allowed to pick our own blueberries in a basket.I already prepared jam out of the first batch of blueberries.I also preapred these blueberry muffins .This was in my draft for so long.So posting this for this week's theme"Seasonal" recipes.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

 

  

Ingredients:

1.All purpose flour                   -         2 cups
2.Sugar                                     -          1/3 cup
3.Eggs                                       -          2
4.Salt                                         -          1/4 tsp
5.Baking pwdr                           -          2 tsp
6.Milk                                        -           3/4 cup
7.Blueberries                              -           2 cups
8.Lemon zest                              -           1 tsp
9.Vanilla essence                        -           1 tsp
10.Butter                                     -            4 tbsp (1/2 stick)

Method:
Pre heat oven at 350 degree farenhiet for 10 to 15 mins.Line muffin tray with liners.
* Wash the blueberries and pat dry them.Take a muslin cloth and add a little flour in it.Now dump the blueberries and roll them with the flour.This step is very essential.This will make the blueberries to spread throughout the batter.If not the berries will go directly down to the batter and the cupcake will not rise properly.

* Take a mixing bowl,add sieved flour,baking powder,salt .Mix them well.In another bowl,add butter and sugar.Cream them well with a hand mixer.Now add eggs one by one.Whisk it with vanilla essence.
* Now slowly,add the milk and flour mixture alternatively.Start with flour and end with flour.At last add the blueberries and lemon zest.Mix them well with the whisk.Fill the muffin tray with the prepared mixture.Let the muffin liners be 3/4 full.

* Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or untill toothpick comes out clean.I have baked them in 2 batches.Cool the muffins on a wire rack.When cooled completely brush them with some butter for a shiny glaze.When we break the muffins,we can see the blueberries melting from heat.Its divine to have blueberries in muffins.

Pink Lemonade

    Making lemonade for summer was usual in our homes.This time wanted to prepare different variety of lemonade.Had some strawberries in my pantry.So pureed them and made into ice cubes.Then added it to the lemonade.They were so colourfull and catchy.We can prepare these lemonades for our kitty party.Sure kids will love these.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

 

 Ingredients:
1.Strawberries                   -             5 to 6
2.Lemon juice                   -              1 cup
3.Sugar                              -              2 tbsp
4.Mint leaves                    -               few
5.Water                             -               as required

 Method:
* Wash the strawberries and puree them ,with a tsp of sugar .There should not be any chunks.If we want,we can add some water to the puree.
* Take ice cube tray and fill it with the strawberry pureed.We will get around 6 cubes of strawberry ice.Freeze it for 3 to 4 hours.I left it in the freezer for a day.
* Run the ice tray in water and take the strawberry cubes out of it.
* Meanwhile,take two tall glasses.Add lemon juice half cup in each glass .Mix required amount of water and sugar in each glass.When you are about to serve,just add the strawberry ice cubes to the lemonade glass.This will give wonderful colour to the lemonade.
* Strawberry ice cubes will start to dissolve quickly.So add it when you are about to serve.Adjust sugar according to your taste.

Watermelon Juice - A summer delight

Watermelon season is everywhere.Just enjoy this drink like any other.I am just cleaning my draft.This post was sitting in my folder for more than a year. Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27



Ingredients:

1.Watermelon        -       1 cup

2.Sugar    -             2 tbsp

3.Honey      -     1 tbsp

4.Lime juice          -    1/2 tsp

 

Method:

* Blend everything well in a blender and enjoy this healthy drink.

* Sieve it,if you don't like the pulp.But I prefer to drink that way.

* Have a wonderful summer.

 

Strawberry Banana smoothie

     Today is day 2 of  week 3 of BM#27.Under the theme "Seasonal", I am giving recipes for summer.This is yet another easy breezy recipe to cool off the summer heat.Just add everything in the blender and make it a smoothie.When we come home from school in the hot sun,my mom will keep something like this smoothie ready.We always enjoy fruits ,other than anything.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

 

 

Ingredients:
1.Banana                           -                1
2.Strawberries                   -                4 to 5
3.Milk                               -                 1/2 cup
4.Sugar                             -                  2 tbsp
5.Ice cream                       -                  1 dallop



Method:
* Take a mixie jar,add banana cubes,strawberry pieces and give it a pulse.
* Now add ice cubes ,sugar,milk and blend it well.
* At last add a dallop of ice cream and serve it.

Kezhvaragu Koozh with kothamalli thuvayal / Finger millet porridge with cilantro chutney

 Today Day 1 of week 3 of BM#27.Throughout this week,I will be posting recipes under the theme " Seasonal".Today I chose "Kezhvaragu koozh or Ragi porridge for the "Summer".There are so many natural coolers ,to be drunk instead of Sodas.My mom is very strict in this and will cook natural foods on a regular basis.When I got ragi flour,prepare this ,with my mom's directions.This koozh can be prepared ahead of time and consumed regularly.When we need to make these,just take a small amount,mix it with buttermilk and salt.Have it with any spicy curry or chutney.Today I have given the recipe for cilantro chutney.
 I still remember the road side shops at Erode Bus stand,which sells these porridges in glasses.There will always be a crowd,wanting to drink it instead of sodas.The price is less ,but the health benefits are more.So avoid drinking sodas,choose these kind of health drinks.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1.Ragi flour /Finger millet flour         -              1 cup

2.Raw rice                                           -              1/4 cup

3.Buttermilk                                        -               1 cup

4.Salt                                                   -                1/2 tsp

5.Water                                                -                as required

6.Small onions                                     -                hand full

 

 

 

Method: 

 * Take the ragi flour in a mixing bowl,add little salt and mix it with water to form a batter.This batter can be like our idli/dosa batter.Just ferment it overnight in a warm place.I kept it in my oven with just  the light on.When we open the bowl in the morning,the batter would have risen and will have a ferment smell.This step is very necessary.If not our koozh will not be that tasty.Below you can see my fermented batter.

 

* Take a blender or mixie,run the washed rice coarsely,untill it is broken well.Keep this aside,we need this,when we cook koozh.Take a pan or heavy bottomed wok.Add water and bring it to boil.Now add the broken rice and cook ,till the rice collapses ,when we press it slightly.Now pour the fermented batter into the pan.Mix it wel and cook it in medium flame.

* The porridge,will start thickening and reduce in its volume.Mix the koozh with a stick.Yes , you read it correctly.Usually my mom uses a round stick to mix the koozh.This way,it is easy to mix than using a laddle.

* We can check the porridge,whether it is cooked or not,by checking it by our wet fingures.If the koozh is sticky,then it is not done.When the koozh is cooked well,it will not stick to our wet fingures.

* Cool the koozh completely .When we need it,just take a small amount of this cooked koozh ,mix it with buttermilk ,salt and crushed small onions.We can serve this koozh with Mochakottai karuvattu kuzhambu or simply green chillies or any spicy curry.

 

Kothamalli thuvayal / Cilantro chutney:
Ingredients:
1.Cilantro                             -        2 bunches
2.Red chillies                       -        5 to 6
3.Tamarind                           -        small gooseberry size
4.Urad dal                             -        1 tsp
5.salt                                      -        to taste
6.Oil                                      -         1 tsp

Method:
* Wash and clean the cilantro.Don't remove the stem from the leaves.Take a pan,add oil saute urad dal,red chillies till golden brown.Keep it aside.Now add the cilantro and saute it till it changes colour.
* When we are about to take it from the flame,add the tamarind and saute it well.Cool everything completely.Now grind it in the blender ,till they turn into smooth paste.Add salt to the thuvayal.Serve with koozh We can also temper some mustard seeds,urad dal and add it to the thuvayal for added taste.

Mango Cheese Cake / No bake version / Baking Partner's Challenge / With stepwise pictures

      

    When Swathi of "Zesty South Indian Kitchen " gave mango cheese cake recipe, I was in cloud nine.Because this is yet another bookmarked recipe,which I was longing to do.I bookmarked this cheese cake,when Sharmi's Passion , posted last year . But it took 1 full year for me to try it.But I am so glad that it was my best choice for dessert.No bake mango cheese cake is nothing but,a 3 layered cake,where cheese and mangoes are used as main ingredients.The first layer is made using biscuits,second layer using the cream cheese and mango.The third layer is just the mago glaze to give a finishing touch to the cheese cake.Care should be made,when we set the cheese cake,if it did not set properly,then we will end up in a mango cheese pudding :) .We can use agar agar or china grass or gelatin to set the cake.I prefer to use agar agar instead of gelatin,as it has that strong flavour of meat.Agar agar can be bought in any Indian Grocery.My guests were enlightened by its taste.

 

 

Ingredients:

1.Cream Cheese                -          3/4 cup

2.Cream                             -           1/4 cup

3.Butter                              -           1/4 cup

4.Sugar                               -           1/4 cup

5.Mango Puree                   -            1/2 cup + 2 tbsp

6.China Grass                     -           15 gm  ( 1 tbsp)

7.Water                               -          2 to 4 tbsp

8.Biscuit crumbs                 -          3/4 cup

9.Mint leaves                       -         for garnishing

 





 

Method:

*  Take digestive biscuits in a food processor and make it into crumbs.We can also use graham crackers for the base.I didn't use food processor.Just took the biscuits in a ziploc bag and crushed it using a rolling pin as shown in the picture.Take the biscuit crumbs in a mixing bowl.Now add melted butter into the biscuit.With our fingures,mix it with the biscuit crumbs.We can also add butter to the food processor with the biscuit and give it a mix.

* Now take a 8 inch pan or 4 single serving cups and press the biscuit ,butter mixture firmly to form a base.I took 4 short glasses and used.Now place the glasses inside the refrigerator and let it set for atleast 20 minutes.Meanwhile we,can prepare the other layers.Take mango pieces in a blender and make it a puree.Measure it and pour it into a mixing bowl .Since I used canned mango puree,I skipped this step.


Now take a pan,add water and bring it to boil.I used 4 tbsp of water here.You can use water from 2 tbsp to 4 tbsp.Add the broken agar agar pieces into the water and let it get dissolved .After a minute or so,water would have thickened . Turn it off.

* Heat the mago puree for a minute in microwave.Because ,when we add  hot agar agar water to the mango puree,the mango puree should also be hot.This enables the agar agar to set properly.Now add the agar agar directly to the mango puree and mix it.We can also use gelatin instead of agar agar.

The amount is same (1 tbsp).In another mixing bowl,whisk cream ,sugar with cream cheese .Take half of the mago puree and agar agar mixture and mix it with the cream cheese mixture.Mix it well,so that it combines  .

* Now take the serving glasses from the refrigerator and pour the cream cheese mixture evenly in all the four glasses.Place it again in the refrigerator and let it set for atleast 1 to 2 hours.After 1.5 hours,when we touch the cheese mixture,it should not be sticky,it means it is set now.Now check the remaining mango agar agar mixture

If it is so thick,just pop it in the microwave and heat it for a minute,so that it will be in pouring consistancy.Now spoon the mango puree in all the glasses to give a beautiful glaze to the cheese cake.The layer can be very thin.as we are going to give a glaze alone.Wrap it with clear wrap .Keep it in the refrigerator again for overnight .Serve it with some mint leaves on top.

Notes:
* While adding agar agar to the mango puree,make sure that both should be hot,if not the cheese cake will not set properly.Make sure it is set before the mango glaze is given.If not mango will mix with the cream cheese mixture.

* We can also use gelatin instead of agar agar.But add boiling water to the gelatin to make it set.For gelatin,the mango puree need not to be hot .
* Instead of cream and cream cheese,we can also substitue with paneer and hung curd.Paneer and curd should be dry and moisture free for the cheese cake to set properly.
* We can also go wild and substitue mango with strawberry,blue berry or anyother fruits of your choice.Just adjust the sugar level according to the sweetness of the fruits.

Cauliflower and Cheese Soup / A guest post from "Krithi's Kitchen"

 

Today I am going to introduce to you,my wonderful blog friend Krithi of "Krithi's Kitchen".She is one among those,whom I cherish most for  their ability to take perfect pictures.She has a wonderful blog ,which ranges from traditional recipes to ultra modern recipes.Be it her "Murukku " or her "Pizza",she rocks in everything.Other than blogging,we exchange so manything between us.Thanks for Blogger ,for giving me like these best friends. From now,on I will be having guests in my space.If you want to be my guest,feel free to write to me at,savitha.ganesan@gmail.com or savithakitchen@gmail.com
And now over to her...

 

    Savitha and I are pretty close blog buddies. I still remember when we first got into
chatting. It was when she blogged about her Strawberry Banana Smoothie when
we started exchanging comments and started chatting. Web chats got more than
just food when she was pregnant with her second kid the same time that I was with
Lil Kavin and she was a real support on tips on what to eat and to tackle glucose
levels.. When I was skeptical on getting back to blogging full-fledged after a baby
she was an inspiration which had me back. When she asked for a guest post in her
space I immediately agreed. Who wouldn't want to be a guest.. right? Thank you
Savitha for the lovely opportunity!!

This Cauliflower and Cheese Soup is something I have been wanting to make ever
since I got this "Williams Sonoma - Soup" book.





Ingredients:
Serves - 2; Double the quantity for 4 people
Cauliflower florets - 3 cups (about half of a medium head, cleaned)
Onion - chopped - 3/4 cup
Garlic cloves - 2 - minced
Sharp Cheddar cheese - grated - 1/2 cup (I used reduced fat)
Vegetable broth / Homemade Vegetable Stock - 2 cups
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste (recipe called for white pepper)
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Parsley / cilantro - chopped fine - 1 tbsp

 

Method:
Heat oil a large soup pot and saute the onions and garlic until soft. Add the
cauliflower florets and the vegetable stock with a little salt. Cover and boil in
medium heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to cool a little. Scoop
the cauliflower and onions using a slotted spoon and transfer to a blender and blend
to a fine puree. This can be done in batches or an immersion blender can be used.
Return the puree to the pot and heat for 5 minutes adding salt and pepper. Add the
grated cheese and heat until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat and serve
hot sprinkled with finely chopped cilantro. This is a super creamy soup without the
cream and paired with a side salad a complete meal in itself.

Chocolate mousse / 300 th post / With stepwise pictures

              Today is a special day for me. Happy to publish my 300 th post. My hobby turned passion has reached 300 th post. I have been counting for this for so long. My first 50 and 100 came so fast.But after my pregnancy, everything started to be slow from my side. So reaching 300 th post after all these is a very big deal for me. Today I am going to give the recipe of the most divine and fluffy chocolate mousse. Got this recipe from here  .This particular recipe is awesome and it is also so perfect. This recipe is also called "lover's chocolate mousse" as this is a recipe just for two and will impress your better half immediately. Adding coffee pwdr makes the mousse a very aromatic. 

 

Servings                   :            2
Preparation time       :            30 minutes
Setting time              :             3 to 4 hours

 Ingredients:
1.Bittersweet Chocolate   Chips    -               1/3 cup
2.Instant Coffee pwdr                    -                1/4  tsp.
3.Butter                                          -                1 tbsp.
4.Egg                                              -                1
5.Sugar                                           -                 2 tbsp.
6.Vanilla essence                           -                  1/2 tsp
7.Heavy Cream                              -                  1/2 cup
                                         -              

 

Method:

The making of chocolate mousse is very easy, but it needs multi tasking. It can be divided into 3 phases . Preparing the cream, making the chocolate sauce and beating the egg whites. These three phases has to be made simultaneously.

 * Place the blades of the hand mixer and the mixing bowl in freezer for atleast 30 minutes. This will help us to get stabilized cream, without melting ,while beating. After 30 minutes, take heavy cream in that mixing bowl and beat it. Then keep the whipped cream in the refrigerator .Take this ,only when we need this.

 

 

* Take a pan of water and let it come to boil. Reduce the flame to medium heat no. Because we need just the steam.Now place ,another bowl without touching the surface of the water. Just the steam ,should touch the bowl. Take chocolate in that  bowl, add butter and coffee pwdr. Chocolate will be melted with coffee pwdr and butter in double boiler method. The chocolate sauce will be shiny and creamy now.Take it off from the stove .

 

 

 

* Separate egg yolk from egg whites. Take another bowl, add 1 tbsp. of sugar and egg yolk. Mix them well with a beater. Now place the bowl on the double boiler and mix it ,till the colour of the egg yolk changes to pale yellow. This way the egg yolk is cooked.

* Now add this cooked egg yolk to the melted chocolate. Add vanilla essence to the mixture. Take another clean bowl ,add egg whites and beat till it gets foam. Now add the remaining 1 tbsp. of  sugar and beat the egg whites till soft peaks ,as shown in picture. don't beat the egg whites till stiff peaks, then the mousse will become dense.We can also add a pinch of salt to make the egg whites stable. But I have not used .



* Now add heavy cream and chocolate mixture to the egg white. Slowly fold in the mixture, so that it is mixed well . Don't mix it too hard, then the air incorporated in it may be lost. Pour the mousse in separate glasses and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours .I kept the mousse for overnight.

 

 After setting in fridge for overnight,the mousse will be airy and creamy. Save some whipped cream for garnishing.It will be like melt in mouth dessert.Our guests enjoyed these mousse very much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Javvarisi Payasam / Sago Kheer / Sabudhana Kheer - Blogging marathon #27

    Today is my final day under the theme " Occasions" in blogging marathon #27.Then I will take a break from this marathon for a week and then be back with the "Seasonal" theme.So check my space for seasonal theme too.
        Under this theme,today I am going to post the important dessert in any "Tamil wedding ".Its sago kheer or javvarisi payasam. I specially love this payasam,as it has that unique texture .Sago will be looking like small eyes ,floating in the pool of milk.Whenver we have some guest at home, these kind of kheers ,works well .

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

Ingredients:
1.Sago / Javvarisi              -              1/4 cup
2.Milk                                -              3 cups
3.Sugar                              -               1/4 cup
4.Cardamom pwdr            -                a pinch
5.Ghee                              -                 2 tbsp.
6.Cashews                        -                  2 tbsp.
7.Raisins                          -                   1 tbsp.

Method:
* Wash and soak the sago for 2 hours.After soaking,it would have doubled in its size.
* Take a pan,add ghee and fry the cashews till golden brown.Remove them and keep it aside. .In the same pan,fry the raisins till they blow like balloons. Immediately take them out from the pan and keep it.Because,if they are fried for so much time,then the raisins may taste taste bitter and they become so hard.

* In the same pan,add milk and bring it to boil. Now reduce the flame and cook the milk,untill it becomes thick. Now add the soaked sago and cook it .When the sago or javvarisi is cooked ,(this can be checked ,by pressing them by hand).The amount of milk needed can be altered according to our taste.If we want the kheer to be bit thick ,then we can reduce and if we want thin ,then add some more milk. We can also use water and reduce the amount of milk.

* Now add sugar to the kheer and mix it. Don't add sugar before the sago is cooked well.Because the addition of sugar will interrept the cooking process of sago.We can alter the amount of sugar according to our taste.Now add ardamom pwdr, fried cashews and raisins.Serve with pappad or vadai.

Check Paal payasam or vermicelli payasam here, Aval payasam or poha kheer here

Bottle Guard and moong dal kootu - A quick and easy kootu

            Today is day 7 of the blogging marathon .Today I am going to give the recipe for bottle guard with moong dal. In Tamil weddings, this kootu will be there. The menu includes,sambar,vatha kuzhambu,pappadam,poriyal,kootu,aviyal,vadai,payasam,oorugai,paruppu podi,sweet and goes on .But the recipe will be different from one place to another. I got this recipe from "Aval Vikatan " magazine.This kootu has all the spices,which enhances digestion.

 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1.Bottle guard                 -            1
2.Moong dal                   -             1/2 cup
3.Turmeric pwdr             -             1/4 tsp
4.Salt                               -             as required
5.Oil                                -              a tbsp.
6.Mustard seeds              -              1/2 tsp
7.Red chillies                  -               2 to 3
8.Curry leaves                 -               a hand full
9.Cilantro                        -               a hand full

For roasting and grinding:
1.Urad dal                       -            2 tsp
2.Pepper corns                -             1 tsp
3.Cumin seeds                -              1 tsp
4.Hing                             -              a pinch
5.Curry leaves                 -               a spring
6.Coconut                        -               3 tbsp. (shredded)

Method :
* Wash and chop the bottle guard,after peeling its skin.Take a pressure cooker,add washed moong dal and bottle guard with turmeric pwdr.Add enough water to the pressure cooker.Pressure cook for 2 whistles,or until the dal is cooked well.Immediately release the pressure,if not moong dal will become sticky and mushy.
* Take a pan,dry roast urad dal,pepper corns,cumin seeds ,hing and curry leaves.Let the spices get good aroma.When the spices are golden brown,add the shredded coconut to the pan and roast the coconut slightly .Once the spices are cooled ,grind it in the mixie jar nicely , by adding little water .

* Turn on the stove and heat the bottle guard moong dal mixture. Now add the grinded masala to the bottle guard. Bring it to boil. Take another pan,add oil and splutter with mustard seeds,urad dal and red chillies.When the mustard seeds splutter,add it to the bottle guard mixture and mix it.

* Turn the flame to medium low and cook in dum.Adjust salt to the kootu .Add water according to the consistency we want.Garnish with cilantro.Serve with hot piping rice and kara kuzhambu.


Notes:
* We can also use onion and tomato to the kootu.Just sauté onion and tomato while tempering and add it to the kootu.
* We can also use chana dal instead of moong dal.
* We can alter the amount of spices according to our taste.