Month: October 2018

POMEGRANATE ‘N’ HIBISCUS JUICE

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Another addition to healthy juices . Pomegranate considered to be the most healthiest fruit should be included daily in one’s diet.

Loaded with antioxidants it is one fruit any person or patient can consume.

The Hibiscus containing amazing health benefits ,and having rich antioxidants like the pomegranate can be consumed by any person without fear of side effects.

Liver diseases,heart diseases,pressure and cholesterol and many more diseases can be controlled if regular intake of these fruits is made habitual.

Scenes of red hibiscus blooms in my garden ,made me prepare this for breakfast today.

Let me share this with you all now.

INGREDIENTS (3-4 servings)

3-4 pomegranates

5-8 red flowers (stamens removed,washed)

small piece ginger

1 lime or lemon extract.

Any sweetner – honey/sugar/palm sugar.

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups  water

METHOD

Immerse the flowers in 1 cup hot water ,till the water turns red and the flower

white.Strain it and discard the petals.

Remove seeds from pomegranate fruits ,and blend in juicer with rest of the ingredients.

Mix in Hibiscus extract and adjust sweetness to your taste

VARIATION: You could make a lassi out of the same combination by using yoghurt or curd instead of water.

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WHEAT FLOUR BADUSHA

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Today my sweet recipe is with wheat flour.

I have posted recipes of badusha before with white flour,and in addition to that I’m

posting  now with wheat flour.

Badusha/Balushahi(oriental doughnut)-click on for the related badusha post

Now for the recipe..

INGREDIENTS (Makes 10)

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes

1 heaped cup wheat flour

1 tblsp.curd

a pinch of salt

1 tsp.sugar

6 tblsp butter+ ghee

For the syrup

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

a dash of lemon juice

1 tsp ghee

1/2 tsp cardamon powder

few nuts for decoration (cashew,almond slivers,pistas )

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients for the dough except the flour.

Beat till creamy.

Mix in the flour now, and lightly  make a dough (Do not knead )

Cover and set aside for 5-10 minutes.

Make flattened balls (cookie shaped).

Make an impression with your thumb in the centre on each .

Fry on a low flame till golden  on both sides.

Remove and set aside.

FOR THE SYRUP

Heat the sugar and water till you get a light soft ball stage.(Put a drop of sugar syrup

on a plate,and if it stands firm without flowing it is the correct stage ).

Next add lime juice and cardamon powder and remove from fire.

Add a tsp.of ghee into the sugar syrup,mix  and add the fried badushas.

Swirl the pan to coat all the sides of the sweet.(2-3 minutes is enough)

Remove one by one carefully and decorate with nuts.

Allow to dry and  store.

Variation : You could coat with powdered sugar too.

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BADAM RASMALAI

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This is another sweet which can be made within minutes.

Those who love badam or almond milk,will definitely love this.

I made this with candy sugar.You can use sugar if you like,but please do with sulphur

free sugar.

So, let’s move onto the recipe ..

INGREDIENTS

1 cup milk powder

1 egg

2 tblsp oil

1/8 tsp baking powder

1 tsp flour/ almond flour

10-12 almonds blanched and ground to a paste.

Few saffron strands ( optional)

2 cups of milk.

1/2 tsp cardamon powder

A pinch of dry ginger powder

Sugar to taste.

METHOD

Mix the bold listed together and lightly bind to a dough.Do not knead.

Heat one cup water in a shallow pan.Once the water starts to boil ,lower the flame .

Make tiny balls out of the dough and drop into the boiling water.

The dropped balls will swell,turn over onto the other side to cook for a minute .Remove

the cooked rasmalai and place on a plate carefully .

Now add the milk,sugar, cardamon powder,almond paste,saffron strands and boil .Once

it has reached a boil add the cooked rasmalai carefully into the thickened almond

milk.Sprinkle ginger powder if using.

Allow to cool and leave in the refrigerator for a few hours and serve with a few nuts if

you like.

This can be served warm too.

MILLET ‘N’ RAWA LADOO

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This ladoo is made with prosomillet( Pani varagu in Tamil). Millet and millet flour is

more sought after nowadays ,due to its health benefits,and I thought to mix it with

the basic rawa ladoo mix. This time I ground the rawa too, after powdering the millet

and coconut.

So let me take you to the recipe right away!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup semolina

1 cup proso millet

1/2 cup coconut grated

1 cup sugar ( I used candy/Kalkandu powdered)

1/2 cup ghee

Half teaspoon cardamom powder

1/4 tsp dry ginger powder (optional)

1/4 cup khova or milk powder( optional)

METHOD

Heat 2 tblsp ghee and roast the millet first.

When the millet turns light golden, remove from fire and set aside.

Add another spoon of ghee and lightly roast the semolina and coconut.

If you are adding khoya or mawa you can add when adding coconut.If using milk powder

you can add after removing from fire.

Powder the millet first,next add the semolina and coconut mixture and again pulse for 1

-2 seconds .Add the sugar and mix well .Heat the rest of the ghee and lightly fry

cashewnuts and raisins in it and pour over the mixture .Mix well and make ladoos.

If you find the mixture dry to bind ,add a little milk .

This ladoo is a good source of nutrients and energy,so… for those who have no time for breakfast ,can pop 1-2 as a substitute for breakfast.

BESAN LADOO

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As the countdown begins for Diwali,the recipes of sweets will be dominant in all medias.

Today, I would like to share with you an all time favourite and an easy

sweet if done with care ,turns out to be awesome and healthy.

Besan flour known to be chick pea flour,kadala maavu,or Bengal gram dal flour is loaded with proteins .

I used kalkandu powdered instead of sugar .Kalkandu or candy sugar is unrefined

sugar ,and it is healthy to use that instead of the normal refined sugar.

There is another option of using the boora sugar ( boiled and powdered sugar)

Well,I always recommend to use sulphur free sugar when making sweets and cakes .As

technology grows,the rate of diseases do too,so we have to contribute towards

prevention of the same in all possible ways.Sulphur free sugar has the same taste in

comparison to the white refined sugar,so when the recipe calls for white sugar please

use sulphur free,or candy sugar.

Moving on to the recipe now..

INGREDIENTS

2 cups gram dal flour

1 cup ghee

1.5 cups sugar

a pinch of salt

1/2 tsp.cardamon powder

1/4 cup mixture of sliced almonds and cashewnuts

2 tblsp rawa or semolina

25 gm mawa or khoya ( optional)

1 tblsp.water

METHOD

Heat 3/4 of ghee in a thick bottomed pan.

Once heated remove from fire,and mix in the gram flour,semolina and return to heat.

Keep roasting the flour till it gives out a nice aroma on medium flame.

While roasting,add the remaining ghee and keep stirring.

Add 1 tblsp water,and mix (you will see the mixture bubbling.

Mix for another 2 minutes and remove from fire .

Allow it to cool ,mix in all other ingredients except the sugar ( otherwise it will turn liquidy).

Once it is warm ( able to touch) add in the powdered sugar and mix well.

Make ladoos and decorate with nuts like pistachios,almonds or cashews.

VARIATION: The same can be made with wheat flour,ragi flour (kurakkan flour)

CABBAGE’N’PANEER TIKKIS

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This is a quick and easy recipe.

I wanted to make something crunchy

to be served with sambhar rice,and

having in mind,to create a new

recipe,I mixed in paneer with the

cabbage to make this tasty tikkis.

So,as usual I would like to share this

simple recipe with you all.

INGREDIENTS (12 tikkis)

1/4 cabbage chopped or grated fine.

150 gm paneer/cottage cheese grated

1 cup wheat flour

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 -2 tsp chilli flakes

1 onion chopped fine

2-3 green chillies chopped fine.

1 tsp cummin powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

Few chopped curry leaves

Salt to taste

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients and bind well .

Take portions and flatten it if you are

shallow frying.This can be deep fried too.

Variations :

1.You can add minced meat to the same recipe.

2. Add leeks /spring onions instead of onions.

3.Kofta curries,Korma,or Manchurian preparations can be tried with the fried tikkis.

HONEY WALNUT BROWNIE

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This is a no sugar brownie,and made

with only honey.

The taste and texture is nothing less

than the ones made with sugar.

So weight watchers,and health

watchers do try and let me know your

comments.

INGREDIENTS

100 gm butter

2 tblsp cocoa powder

1 cup honey

2 eggs

100 gm (1 heaped cup )flour

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tblsp.curd/yoghurt

Handful of walnuts

METHOD

Melt butter and cocoa powder on a

very low flame till butter melts

lightly .Remove from fire and mix

well and set aside.

Separate the whites from the yolks.

Beat the whites till stiff and set

aside.

Add the yolks to the cocoa mixture

and beat well with curd and essence.

Sift flour and baking powder together

and fold into the cocoa mixture with

stiffly beaten egg whites.

Pour the honey finally and mix in till

well corporated with walnuts.

Transfer to a lined or greased panand

bake for 15 minutes for 180 degrees.

Lower the flame to 170 and bake for

another 15 minutes or till done.

You could drizzle with chocolate if

you like.

ALOE VERA JUICE

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Today I chose to share with you this simple recipe which few,can make without the bitter taste setting in.

Aloe vera known for health and cosmetic benefits should be included at least once a week in the form of juice .

It is good for diabetes, constipation and skin related diseases.

It is a good juice to alkalise your body.I happened to glimpse an article which said that,radiation from mobile phones,gadgets and Wi-Fi can be neutralised with juices like this.

Those taking drugs please check for side effects before consuming this juice.

Why I had to share this recipe was, as some,including juice centres

serve the bitter aloe vera juice.

So let’s get into the easy recipe now.

First of all,the tip to eliminate the bitterness is, to cut into pieces with skin on and soak in water for minimum 1-2 hours.

Then wash well and preserve in refrigerator ,and use whenever needed.

To remove the gel/fleshy part-Cut the thorny sides ,and cut off all the green parts,and use only the flesh/gel .

You have to wash the fleshy part again 2-3 times before making the juice.

INGREDIENTS (1 serving)

3-4 pieces of aloe-vera

1 small piece ginger

1/2 a lime or lemon

Jaggery or sugar to taste

Few mint leaves (optional)

METHOD

Use the small jar and first, grind to a paste.( You have to add lime juice during the grind as aloe vera will not break without acid).Add 3/4 -1 cup water.

Serve chilled if you like.

Another healthy way of consuming aloe vera in the morning.

1.Wash and clean as directed above and cut into bite sizes.Coat the pieces with jaggery powder ,with 1-2 tsp castor oil .Cover and keep in the fridge.You can consume these pieces in the morning .

2.Washed pieces can be soaked in honey and consumed in the morning for health benefits.