July 30, 2007

ZUCCHINI-CARROT ADAI

Delicious Zucchini-Carrot Adais are my entry to Nupur from "One Hot Stove" blog's "A to Z Indian Vegetables" event.This week's letter is "Z", thanks for hosting Nupur!:)

Zucchinis:

Zucchini is European in origin,it was brought over by Italian immigrants, and probably got its start in California.The zucchini is low in calories, contains useful amounts of folate, Potassium and vitamin A.The zucchini has a delicate flavor and can use in quick cooking with butter or olive oil, with or without fresh herbs.There is no need to remove the skin.They are best undercooked.

Adai: Adai is a delicious and easy to make savory pancakes made with different kind of dals/pulses and rice.I use Brown rice to even more nutritions.Added with grated vegetables,they make a great breakfast,lunch or dinner.

Zucchini Adai with red Coconut chutney:

Adai is my favorite dish.Not only you don't need to ferment the batter, it is also chockful of protein with all the dals/Pulses we add to it.You can even enhance the taste and nutrients by adding many grated vegetables in the batter like I did here.Enjoy.

You need:

For batter: 1 cup Brown or white rice,1/2 Tuar dal,1/4 cup channa dal and 1/8 cup Urad dal,1 tsp cumin seeds,2 red dry chillies,salt and 2 tbsp yogurt.Pinch of baking soda as an option.
Vegetables: 1 cup grated Zucchini,1 Carrot grated, 1/2 small onion finely chopped,1 green chilly chopped(optional),1'2" grated ginger, 2 tbsp Cilantro,1 tbsp Mint leaves,1 Tomato finely chopped(optional).




Save 1/4 of zucchini for slicing to top the Adai.Slice the Zucchini into very thin slices,squeeze a little lemon juice on them and keep aside.


How to make them:



Soak the batter ingredients with just enough water to top the rice ,spices and dals for 2-3hrs. Add to the blender and grind everything together in batches until you get a coarse semolina/cream of wheat like paste.It should of thickish pouring consistency like dosa batter,may be little thicker than that.Now add all the chopped vegetables to the batter and now it's ready to make Adai.Adjust the salt,add soda if you like and mix.





Heat a non-stick pan until hot and turn down the heat slightly.Pour a ladle full of batter,spread to thick 6-7" circles.Immediately place 3 slices of Zucchini on top and press a little while batter is still soft on top.Drizzle some oil on top and the sides. When the bottom is golden,flip carefully and cook the other side until firm but not too long since Zucchinis will get too cooked.



Take it out on a plate and serve hot as soon as possible with red Coconut chutney.

Red Coconut chutney:
This is a relatively easy chutney most of you probably know already.I will give you my version anyway.It tastes great with Adais or any dosa or idlis.

You need: 1 cup fresh coconut, 3 tbsp Chana dal, 2 dry or fresh red chillies, 1 tsp Coriander seeds,2 tsp Urad dal,1 tsp Mustard seeds,3 tbsp plain yogurt,1/2" ginger, 1 garlic,salt and few Cilantro stems.(not cilantro leaves which makes the chutney green or skip it to be safe!;D)
How to make it:
1. Stir fry chana dal and Urad dal first in 1 tsp oil,then Mustard seeds,chillies and Coriander seeds in a pan until they are slightly reddish in color.
2. Add all the above ingredients including fried spices in a blender along with Yogurt and grind to a smooth paste.You can add little water if it's too thick to grind.
3. Take it out in a bowl,adjust the salt and serve.

That's it! Enjoy and have a great week!:))

July 24, 2007

YELLOW CAPSICUM GOJJU AND SAFETY TIPS!

Yellow Capsicum Gojju,is my contribution to Nupur from "One Hot Stove" blog's "A to Z Indian Vegetables" event.This week's letter is "Y", thanks for hosting Nupur!:)


Gorgeous yellow and Orange Bell peppers!

No, there are not homegrown!:) I wish I could grow in my backyard but they probably need special care I am sure.They are so beautiful to look at and sweeter than the regular green bell peppers.I enjoyed cooking with these.I love colors!:)

Capsicum Gojju:


Gojju in Karnataka is any vegetable cooked with little gravy with spices and always served as side dish with either rice or dosas or chapatis.You can add any vegetables ofyour choice,not necessarily these colorful Capsicums.But looks good,doesn't it?:D

You Need:

2-3 Bell peppers,sliced thick,1 Eggplant cubed,1 Potato cubed,2 Tomatoes,salt,2tsp Tamarind paste,1/4tsp Hing,salt,cilantro,1/2 tsp sugar or Jaggery.
For seasoning: 1tbsp oil and ghee mixed,1/2 tsp Mustard seeds,1 tbsp Chana dal,1 onion chopped,,1 red chilly.



For Gojju powder: Toast 1 tbsp Channa dal,1/2 tbsp Urad dal,I tbsp Coriander seeds,1 /2 tbsp Cumin seeds,2 red dry chillies,1" cinnamon,2 cloves until reddish,cool and powder.Keep aside.

How to make it:

Heat oil and ghee,fry mustard seeds,Chana dal,1 onion,red chilly.When onion is reddish,add the vegetables and fry for 5 mins.Add 1 cup of water and salt,jaggery,1 tbsp Gojju pd,tamarind,cover and cook for 3-5 mins,do not until very soft.Taste and adjust the spices,salt and chili pd to your taste.Garnish with cilantro and serve with rotis or rice.




Another look:

I accidentally deleted two photos I took of these while cooking and with Chapatis,couldn't get them back! I had to post the last photo to avoid the super short post this week. Sigh...sometimes my brain comes to screeching halt! I am gettin' old people!!Hahaha!!


Few safety tips with Kitchen Appliances:


Here are some tips on kitchen appliances for Jyotsna from "Curry Bazaar"'s event for July.Thanks for hosting J!:))



Cooking with gas ranges:
1. When lighting any match-lit burners or ovens, always light the match before turning on the gas. If the flame goes out, turn off the burner and let the gas disperse before relighting.
2. Clean away any grease, oil or debris from the area around burners to help prevent fires.
3. Never use water to put out a grease fire. Use baking soda, or if a fire is in a pan, smother the flames with a lid. A fire extinguisher in the kitchen is also recommended.
4. Move any flammable objects - towels, curtains, calendars - away from range burners and other hot surfaces.It applies to all the appliances as well.
Outlets: Don't overload an outlet with too many lamps or appliances.Put safety covers over unused electric outlets. This is particularly important if you have children in your home. Never let children play around outlets.
Cords: Do not place electric cords under rugs or where they can be walked on or damage can go unnoticed. Check for cords that are broken, frayed, damaged or tied in knots, or that have melted insulation. Have them repaired or replaced promptly.Use extension cords with three-pronged plugs for appliances that require grounding.Insert and remove plugs by grasping the plug. Pulling on the cord could damage it. Be careful not to let fingers touch the metal prongs.
Blenders: Make sure never to start a blender without the lid. When you are liquidizing hot soups in the blender,let the soup cool a little before processing to avoid splashing and burns! Always clean the blender immediately after use with warm soapy water, not in dish washer.Always use a rubber or plastic spatula to take out the contents after unplugging the cord from the blender first,instead of using your hands.You need those God given beautiful fingers intact in one piece to eat,don't ya?! ;D
That's it.Some of these infos are from the Internet public safety awareness sites and some of my own from my experience in my kitchen.Take care and enjoy cooking!:))

Have a great week,be safe and enjoy the Sun shine!:))

July 20, 2007

GAZPACHO!



I am making a delicious and refreshing Spanish soup called Gazpacho, which is made from fresh home grown Tomatoes from my own veggie patch for Meeta from "What's for lunch honey" blog's Monthly Mingle with the theme of "Earth food" this month. Thanks for choosing this wonderful theme Meeta!:)



Earth Food:
What's Earth Food? It is as simple as growing your own vegetables, WITHOUT using the boosters and artificial means like hormones to grow them bigger and "better looking" vegetables.It's about encouraging the farmers to grow more Organic food and encouraging them by buying from the Farmer's market,thus helping them and us in the process of reducing the negative effects of toxic chemicals in our food and environment and also experimenting with "Super foods" which are full of healthy nutrients.Sounds great,huh?:))
There are several things we can do at home to help conserve Energy and water as well:
Even though these sounds like little things now,in the long run,it is big deal to save the Earth and make it a better place to live for out future generation.Here are some;
Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
Use less water,only as much as you need it to water the plants,washing dishes etc..
Take quick showers instead of using Bathtubs and watering the plants only when they need it.Keep the lawn clean off of any weeds which causes allergy.
Keep your appliances up to date so they don't use more Energy than necessary.
Use and re use bags,do not buy too many packaged food items or disposables.
Recycle paper like printer paper, newspapers, mail, etc., plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans.
Replace the regular bulbs with energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs.
Here are some links to read and learn here, here, and here.
Now coming to the recipe;
I thought what is more appropriate than this Spanish/Portuguese style Gazpacho soup with my own additions for an Earth Food theme! I used Tomatoes that are home grown with no chemicals and any added boosters,so they are smaller and as fresh as you can get along with other vegetables.To make it even better candidate for Earth food,they are not cooked at all,so all the nutrients are intact and preserved to make it as healthy and tasty as you can imagine!!

Spanish style Gazpacho:

Gazpacho is a cold refreshing soup,perfect for hot Summer days when you get many garden fresh summer vegetables and you don't want to slog in front of the hot stove.Make sure to use fresh vegetables for this soup and chill overnight to seep in the flavors.It's the most delicious to eat on it's own or with a piece chunky bread.
Although, main ingredient is Tomatoes for this soup,there are many variations of the same dish.So feel free to add any vegetables you like.You can garnish with hard boiled Eggs as well just before you serve for a touch of Protein!

Here they are! Fresh off the plants from my garden: Plum Tomatoes,Pear Tomatoes and Cherry Tomatoes:


How I made Gazpacho:
8-12 or as many you want ripe tomatoes any kind you like,chopped.I added all those you see up there to make it colorful,1 red sweet onion,finely chopped,1 cucumber,peel,seed and chop.1 Carrot,grated or cubed small,1 Yellow or red or green bell pepper,cubed,1 celery chopped,1 tbsp Mint leaves,finely chopped,2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley,2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives, 1tbsp Cilantro,2 garlic, minced,1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce,1 tbsp Olive oil,1 Jalapeño,minced or any hot sauce you like, 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar,1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice,1 tsp sugar,Salt and pepper to taste.
Mix all these in big glass jar with fitted lid and chill for 6hrs or overnight.Serve in a bowl with crusty bread or 1/2 cup cooked rice for a refreshing lunch!:)
(You can also blend these coarsely as well if some of you lazy bums don't want to chop all these veggies!!:D)

Bottled up and ready to chill!:))

My Gazpacho jar ready to pose on my backyard deck!:D YUP! There you see my veggie patch on your right on the ground where all the Summer magic happens and in the far side,you see my neighbor's beautiful flowering trees.

There they are again! On the plants as they were just before I plucked them!:))


So that's it this week, have a great weekend.We really can save the Earth one person at a time! Hope you at least try, recycle today!!:)

July 17, 2007

XACUTTI!

Carrot Xacutti,is my contribution to Nupur from "One Hot Stove" blog's "A to Z Indian Vegetables" event.This week's letter is "X", thanks for hosting Nupur!:)

Health benefits of Carrots:

Carrots and Bugs bunny!! How can we forget the image we all can easily and quickly visualize and drilled into our brains as kids watching all those cartoons?!:D
The carrot can trace its ancestry back thousands of years, originally having been cultivated in central Asian and Middle Eastern countries.Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds, and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes. Carrots' antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer and also promote good vision, especially night vision.Intake of foods such as carrots that are rich in carotenes may be beneficial to blood sugar regulation.Carrots grow in a host of other colors including white, yellow, red, or purple, the Purple being the color of the original variety! More info at here.


What's Xacutti?
Xacutti or Xacuti or Sha-kooti is another very popular Spicy Goan dish just like Vindaloo, usually made with Chicken or lamb,ground coconut, hot chillies and spices,although it was originally supposed to be a vegetarian dish. I made it with Carrots to make it sweet and hot.Last week, I absentmindedly bought another big bag of baby Carrots last week and had to use them quickly!!(Bee has also posted a Xacuti with little different recipe using cauliflower for "X" yesterday.Check that out too!)
Xacutti is pronounced as "Sha-kooti" which means vegetables mixed with spices.It's the rich mix of spices which makes it very tasty and adding Vinegar instead of usual Tamarind or lemon juice makes it Goan! Enjoy.

Carrot Xacutti:




Xacutti masala pd:


2-3 Kashmiri dry chillies or 1 tsp Paprika, 1 tbsp coriander seeds,1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds, 2 tsp poppy seeds, 2 cardamoms, powdered,4 cloves,1" cinnamon,1 tsp Fennel seeds,1/4 tsp Ajwain, pinch of Nutmeg pd and Mace pd,1/4 cup dry coconut ; all roasted separately and ground together to a fine powder.Keep it aside.





You Need:
4 cups Baby Carrots,chopped into thick rounds,1/2 tsp mustard seeds,1 tsp Urad dal,1 tomato(optional) 1 large onions chopped finely,2 garlic, 1" piece ginger(both ground), salt,turmeric,Cilantro, 1 tsp Malt vinegar(or any kind you have) or lemon juice ,1/2 tsp Garam masala.

How to make it:
1. Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add mustard seeds and onions,fry until golden, and add the ground ginger-garlic paste, fry. Add ground masala pd and Vinegar. Stir frequently and fry until the color turns reddish and add 1/4 cup water.
2. Add carrots, turmeric and salt, mix well. Fry for a few minutes, pour in a cup of water and cover the lid. Reduce heat and simmer gently until the carrots are soft but not mushy and the gravy has thickened.Adjust the seasoning.
3. Sprinkle lemon juice(only if needed),cilantro and garam masala. Serve with Parathas or rice if you make the gravy little thinner.

Enjoy the "X" factor!!;D

July 13, 2007

WADI AMBAT

Wadi Ambat,is my entry to Nupur from "One Hot Stove" blog's "A to Z Indian Vegetables" event.This week's letter is "W", thanks for hosting Nupur!:)

Wadi Ambat:
What's Ambat? It's a Konkani/South Canara dish from Karnataka. Ambat means sour(Tamarind or Kokum) coconut gravy and Wadis are just an additional ingredient I chose to add bcos it fits "W"!;D You can add any beans like sprouted green Moong or veggies or meat if you like, to the gravy or traditionally served just like that as a spicy Coconut gravy with rice.
My grandmother makes it as "Tenginakai Saaru"(coconut saaru) as we call it in Mysore and it's always been my favorite although I don't make it often unless I have sprouted Moong. It's delicious with rice, hope you try!:)


Moong wadis; dried on the left and fried on the right:



You need:


1/4 cup Moong dal wadis(store bought or home made,make sure they are freshly dried within two months,not stale), fried until golden,salt and cilantro.
For seasoning: 1 tbsp oil and ghee mixed, 1/2 tsp each Mustard seeds and cumin seeds, few curry leaves,1-2 green chillies,slit lengthwise,1/2 onion,minced and a pinch of Hing.




For Ambat masala paste: Toast 2-3 red dry chillies,1 tbsp Coriander seeds,1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds(methi),1" cinnamon, 2 cloves and grind these with 1/8 tsp Turmeric,4 Cashews,1 cup fresh or coconut grated or cut,1 small piece of tamarind or 2 tsp thick tamarind juice,salt.




How to make Ambat:
1. Grind the masala paste with the above ingredients until you get a very smooth paste with 1/2 cup water and keep it aside.
2. Shallow fry the Wadis until golden,drain on the paper towel and cool.
3. Heat ghee and oil,add seasoning ingredients.When they splutter and the onion is reddish,add 1 cup water to cool the pan before adding masala,turn down the heat.
4. Add coconut paste, wash the blender bowl with 1/2 cup water and add to the pan along with salt.You must keep this on simmer to prevent the coconut from curdling.
5. Let it cook for 10mins until you see little ghee on top ,sauce is thickish and when you get a good smell of cooked coconut masala, Ambat ready! Take it off the heat.
6. Add fried wadis , minced cilantro and serve with plain rice and any side dish.

Note: You can skip the Cashews if you don't want your Ambat.You can also replace fresh grated coconut with 1 can of thick coconut milk,canned + water,but fresh coconut tastes best.

Another look:
Moong wadis do not float like that on top like in the photo,but sink to the bottom, become plump and soft when they are soaked for a while.You can also use sprouted and cooked green Moong instead of Wadis too.


How to make Moong wadis at home:
Soak 1 cup Moong dal until soft,drain all the water.Add salt, 2 tsp crushed cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp Chilli pd or flakes ,1/2 tsp Ajwain(Carom seeds)and grind it to a thick dough without adding water.Spread a wide plastic in the sun(in Summer of course!),drop small marble sized Moong wadis and let them dry until they are completely dry inside out.Store in a airtight jar.Fry in oil to use to add to any gravy.That's it!

Enjoy, have a great weekend and see you next week!:))

July 10, 2007

TO THE PANTRY THEY GO!!:))

Spice powders are my contribution to Monthly Blog Patrolling, a brain child of sweet girl Coffee from 'The Spice Cafe' blog with a theme of "Preserve it" for this month.Thank you for hosting Coffee!:)

Well...what have we here this time for monthly blog patrolling to preserve,did you ask?! I made two excellent spice powders to use in dishes but they both are as different as they can be in taste.One from the North and the other is from the South of India!

First recipe is Garam masala from Coffee,the host herself which she learnt from her mom,spending lot of money on the International phone call to get the recipe!:D
Although I couldn't guess by looking at the mountain of Garam masala on her blog(I always bought my Garam masala from the store which is always dark brownish,don't blame me!:D),I already had this on my mind to make someday for my North Indian dishes and here is the perfect opportunity.It's very aromatic and flavorful,thanks Coffee for an authentic recipe.Look at that color!!:))

Coffee's Garam masala:
Click on the above link for original recipe to make this masala. I have added some more ingredients to the original recipe.


Here is what you need:
2 cups coriander seeds
2 cups Bay leaves
1 cup Cumin seeds
1/2 cup Mace
1/2 cup peppercorns
1/2 cup cloves
1 Anistar or Star Anise
1/2 cup cinnamon(Dalchini)
1 cup of whole red kashmiri chillies or 3tbsp Paprika powder,
2-3 Black Cardamoms (Badi Elaichi seeds) and 3 green Cardamoms (seeds),
2 tbsp Shahjeera and 1 tbsp dry ginger powder (optional).

Slightly roast all these and powder coarsely.

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My second recipe would be this delicious "miracle" South Indian Masala powder, aka SIMP, which Viji uses for many of her delectable dishes which I keep ogling ,specially her weekend Lunches! I just had to try this.It does taste wonderful.It can be added to rice dishes or any South Indian gravy dishes.Funny thing is ,every time MBP comes around I am drawn to Viji's blog like a magnet for recipes to snatch!:D

Viji from Vcuisine's SIMP:(South Indian masala powder, click on the link for original recipe)


Here is the recipe:
1 cup Chana dal
1 cup Urad dal
1/3 cup Coriander seeds
1/2 cup Sesame seeds
Red chillis,as many as you like
2 tbsp Peppercorns
2 tbsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp Hing
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 tsp Turmeric powder
Tamarind: 1 big lemon size
2 tbsp roasted Groundnuts
8 pieces Cashewnuts
1/2 cup dessicated dry coconut
Few Curry leaves

Roast all these and powder.

Both these 'helper' spice powders are excellent to add in dishes and both are very aromatic in their own way. Glad I made these at last.Now they go my pantry waiting for me use them and I am sure they don't last long if you know me and how I operate in my kitchen!!:D
Thanks again Coffee and Viji.Hugs to both you!


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Late addition!! I had to make this Shenga(Peanut) chutney powder as soon as I saw it in Roopa's blog "my chow chow bhath" today.In fact, her photo looks lot better than mine,check the original recipe there. And Coffee,I will send one of these powders to you but you can take all three for your round up if you like.I couldn't help myself!!:D

Roopa's Peanut Chutney Powder:
Click on the above link to go to the original recipe.


Here is how to make it:
2 cups peanuts roasted and skin removed
1/2 cup Sesame seeds
4 garlic cloves
few dry chillies
1/4 cup curry leaves
1/4 tsp asafoteida
1/2 cup desicated coconut
Sugar, salt and tamarind paste to taste.

Roast slightly and powder coarsely.

This Peanut chutney powder tastes fabulous with any Bhakri,Thalipeeth and Oats Parathas.Hope you try making it and enjoy.A BIG hug to you from me Roopa.Thank you so much,it took me back to Hubli and the Jowar rotis we used to have with this Peanut chutney!:))

July 6, 2007

OATMEAL PARATHAS WITH AMBA HALDI PICKLE!



Oatmeal Parathas
are my contribution to Saffron Trail blog's Nandita for her "Weekend Breakfast blogging" event. This month's host WBB #13 is Madhuli from "My foodcourt" blog with a breakfast theme of Oats! Thank you for choosing a wonderful Oats for this event Madhuli!:))



Oats!! Oats!! and More Oats:)




Oats are not only tastes delicious, it's good for your heart. Research conducted over the past 40 years shows that eating 3g of soluble fiber daily from oatmeal, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Oatmeal can help lower your total cholesterol, and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and that can help keep your arteries clean and healthy.More info here.




Oatmeal-Veggie Parathas:
Here are wonderful tasting nutritious Parathas for breakfast or for anytime you will love .With Pickle or Yogurt,they are absolutely delicious.You can make them day before and heat in the morning and they freeze well too.



How to make them:Makes 8 Parathas.
Measure 1 cup of Quaker old fashioned Oats and grind them in a blender to get a smooth powder.


Add this Oatmeal powder to 2 cups of wheat flour/Atta along with 1 large finely minced onions,2 tsp ginger grated,1/2 cup grated Carrots,1/4 cup Methi leaves or 2 tbsp Kasuri Methi,salt, 1/2 tsp chill flakes or powder or minced green chillies,1/4 tsp Turmeric, 1 tsp Coriander seeds powder,1 tsp cumin seeds powder,1 tsp Mango powder,2 tbsp Cilantro,1 tbsp minced Mint leaves,1/2 tsp Garam Masala.


Mix all these well to a stiff dough without water at first.Onions tend to leave water when mixed with salt,so water should be added only if necessary.Divide the dough into 8 pieces,roll out to about 6" circles.Cook on the griddle until golden specks appear both sides with little Canola oil bushed on them.Serve with any pickle you have or with little yogurt for a great breakfast.




Tasty Amba Haldi pickle:





When I was in Nashville on vacation,I found this Fresh Turmeric pickle jar in a Indian grocery store.I have never eaten fresh Turmeric,so I bought just one jar to try. I loved it so much that I went back again just to buy 2 more jars of the same.It tastes fabulous!:))









Nutritious Paratha with Pickle:



Enjoy the healthy breakfast!:))

July 3, 2007

WATERMELON CRUMBLE AND A COOLER!



Watermelon Crumble and Watermelon Cooler
are my entries to Maheshwari's "A fruit a month" event which is hosted by Bee from "Jugalbandi" blog this month with "Watermelon" as a fruit of choice. Thanks for hosting Bee!:)




Watermelon:

The watermelon fruit, loosely considered a type of melon are favorite summer fruit for most of us.David Livingstone,, an explorer of Africa, described watermelon as abundant in the Kalahari Desert, where it is believed to have originated.Until the 1940s, however, it was hard to find watermelons in good condition at grocery stores.Then Charles Fredric Andrus, a horticulturist at the USDA Vegetable Breeding Laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina, set out to produce a disease-resistant and wilt-resistant watermelon.A one-cup serving of watermelon will provide around 48 calories. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A. More info at Wikipedia.

I have just returned from a long but fun vacation and still "recovering" from it!;D
As soon as I came back I was thinking of Watermelon for this event and quickly managed to make a chilled Watermelon breakfast drizzled with tangy yogurt and sprinkled with crunchy sweetish Oats crumble and whipped up a yummy ,easy Watermelon cooler too. Enjoy and I will see you all in your blogs as soon as possible!:)


A bowl of Chilled Watermelon with crunchy Oats Crumble:




How to make it:

Select a smaller,young and seedless Watermelon, scoop few Watermelon balls either with a Melon baller or with the help of Ice cream Scoop like I did!!Place them in a individual bowls and chill in the fridge for 1/2 an hour. Whip 1/4 cup of plain Yogurt or flavored Yogurt if you like and drizzle over the Watermelon balls.Return it to the fridge while you make the crunchy Oats Crumble.



Heat a non-stick pan with 2-3 tsps of butter.Add 1/4 cup of old fashioned Oats or Quick cooking Quaker Oats,2 tbsp or more to your taste brown or white sugar,1 Tbsp plain flour,1/2 tsp Cinnamon pd,1/4 tsp Ginger pd.Stir fry on medium heat for 2 mints or until Oats are golden and crisp.Do not burn it.Let it cool and sprinkle as much as you want on Watermelon just before serving.


Enjoy a refreshing and healthy breakfast in the morning!:))



Watermelon Cooler:


Here is a quick and cool Beverage for you for hot Summer afternoons!

Here is how to make it:
1. Cut about 2-3 cups Watermelon chunks and add to a blender to make a smooth liquid to make about 2 cups of juice.
2. Add 1 cup of Orange juice to blender along 2 tbsp sugar and blend again.
3. Strain the cooler to tall glasses and chill in the fridge. serve with a chunk of Watermelon on the rim of the glass as a garnish.
4. I don't strain the cooler as I like the thick Watermelon residue in the bottom of the glass!

Enjoy both and see you all later!:))