Mango Barfi

Well summer time is my favorite, not for the like of the weather but for the like of Mangoes. One of my favorite. I recently found yummy Mangoes in Fry's store. 3 mangoes for $1. And I was not sure how they would taste. So I bought 6 of them. And later I went on to regret why I didn't buy more of them. Well I came across this yummy recipe in one other food blog.

Ingredients :

Khoa/ Mawa : 3/4 cup (Softened and grated)
Sugar : 1/2 cup (According to the sweetness of mango)
Mango Pulp : 1/2 cup (Or from one large mango)
Saffron : A pinch
Milk : 1 tbsp
Ghee : 1 tsp
Cardamom : 1 (Crushed)


Procedure :
1. Keep the mawa/khoa at out of refrigerator to bring it to room temperature.
2. Heat a pan add ghee and add the crumbled khoa/mawa.
3. Add the pureed mango and mix well with khoa/mawa and cook it well.
4. Add a pinch of saffron in warm milk and add it to the khoa mixture and cook till it starts releasing ghee from the sides.
5. Add the cardamom pods (I skipped this step).
6. Pour it in molds and refrigerate for some time.

Salmon Kebabs

This is one fish here that I find all around the year in American stores. My experience of buying fish from Indian markets have not been so good here. Every time I have bought fish from Indian markets I have either found a bad smell emanating from them or white goeey stuff come out when I cook them. So I stick to buying fresh Salmon.

Ingredients :
Salmon Meat (After cleaning) : 3/4 cup
Green Chili's : 2
Egg : 1
Onion : 1
Cumin Powder : 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper Powder : 1/4 tsp
Amchur Powder : 1/4 cup
Garam Masala : a pinch
Cilantro : 1 tsp chopped
Salt : according to taste
Oil : To shallow fry

Procedure :
1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except oil
2. Make them into small gooseberry sized balls.
3. Flatten them and shallow fry on a tawa.

P.S : I used fresh salmon. Cleaned it up and mashed them with a fork. You can substitute with a canned one.
I have spelled it wrongly in the image.

Kerala Style Prawn's Fry

The simplest Prawn's curry I have come across. And the yummiest. One of my friend had tried this from a blog called kothiyavunnu where there are many other authentic recipes.

Ingredients :
Prawn's : 1/2 kg (Peeled and cleaned)
Coconut Oil : 2 tbsp
Curry Leaves : 20
Rice Flour :  1 tbsp

To marinate :
Shallots : 4 to 5 (Or use a small onion instead)
Garlic : 1 inch
Garlic : 2 -4 cloves
Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Dried Red Chilly : 4 to 6 or Red Chilly Powder : 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder ; 1/4 tsp
Black Pepper Corn : 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice : 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves : 4 to 5
Salt according to Taste

Procedure :
1. Marinate the prawns after grinding all the ingredients given under to marinate.
2. Keep it aside for 1/2 an hour.
3. Take a pan and heat 1 tbsp oil and add curry leaves. Once the curry leaves starts giving out their fragrance add the marinated prawns and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. You can add rice flour so that the masala of the marinade sticks well to the prawns.Cook till the prawns turn golden brown. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tbsp coconut oil on top.


Notes : 1. Increase or decrease the spices according to your tolerance level.
             2. Take care not to scorch the masala.
            3. Use coconut oil for  the authentic taste.

Dahi Chicken

This is yet another chicken curry from my kitchen. A simple chicken curry which requires the least amount of investment in making plus that tangy sourness of the curd makes it irresistible. I found this recipe from a facebook foodgroup.

Ingredients :

Chicken : 3/4 kg
Oil : 2 tbsp
Red Chillies : 2
Curry Leaves : 5-6
Onion : 1 large (thinly sliced)
Bay Leaf  : 1
Cloves : 2
Cinnamon :1 inch
Salt according to Taste
Kasuri Methi : 1 tsp
Pepper Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Leaves : For Ganishing

For Marination :
Curd : 1/2 cup
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala : 1 tsp

Procedure :
1. Marinate the chicken with the ingredients given under marination and refrigerate for half an hour.
2. Heat kadai add oil, red chillies, curry leaves, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon.
3. Add finely chopped onions and cook till they turn slightly brown in color.
4. Add the marinated chicken, salt and water.
5. Cover and cook till the chicken.
6. Once 3/4th of the chicken is cooked add kasuri methi, pepper powder and garam masala and cook the chicken completely.
7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Pear Rabdi

The pears that I found here are so sweet that you could make a dessert out of it. And no sugar made it even more attractive. I found this recipe from Chitra's Healthy Kitchen.

Ingredients :
Milk : 2 cups (2% fat)
Pear : 1 (Grated)
Honey : 2-3 tbsp (According to Taste)
Bread Slice : 1 (optional)
Saffron : A pinch
Cardamom : 1
Chopped Nuts : Almond & Pistachio


Procedure :
1. Boil the milk in a deep bottomed pan and once it comes to a boil, simmer and add the crumbled bread.
2. Grate the pears and add them to the milk, till the milk thickens.
3. Add saffron and cardamom and chopped nuts and give the pan a stir.
4. Once it cools down add honey according to the level of sweetness you prefer.

Palak Mushroom

Palak is one of my favorite veggie. I recently tried another recipe from veg recipes of India and as usual it turned out yummy.

Ingredients :
Spinach : 1 bunch
Mushroom : 20
Green Chilli : 4 -5
Ginger : 1 inch
Garlic : 2-3
Oil : 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Cardamom : 2
Cloves : 2-3
Bay Leaf : 1
Onion : 1 large
Tomatoes : 1 large
Kasuri Methi : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Garam Masala : 1/2 tsp
Fresh Cream : 2 tbsp
Salt according to taste


Procedure :
1. Wash and blanch the spinach leaves and puree the blanched leaves with green chilli, ginger and garlic.
2. In a kadai heat 2 tbsp oil and add cumin seeds,cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and saute till they become fragrant.
3. Add the finely chopped onions and cook till they turn pink in color.
4. Once the onion turn brown add ginger paste and garlic paste.
5. Now add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy.
6. Once the tomatoes turn mushy, add the chopped mushrooms and cook till they release water and cook till all the water dries up.
7. Now add 1 tsp crushed kasuri methi.
8. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and garam masala.
9. Add the spinach puree add the water and and let it come to a boil.
10. Add the required amount of salt and fresh cream.

Paneer Butter Masala

Another restaurant type curry easily made at home with minimum ingredients. Another recipe picked from Veg Recipes of India.

Ingredients :
Paneer : 200- 250 gms
Butter : 2 tbsp
Bay Leaf : 1
Ginger :1 inch
Garlic : 5 to 6 pods
Tomato : 4 to 5 (blanched and pureed)
Green Chilli : 2 - 3
Cashew : 8- 10 (soaked in hot water and ground into paste)
Sugar : 1/4 tsp
Salt according to Taste
Kasuri Methi : 2 tsp crushed with palms
Coriander Leaves : for garnishing (1 tbsp)

Procedure :

1. Heat butter in a pan and add bay leaf and let it cook till it is fragrant.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 10-15sec.
3. Add tomato puree and saute till it leaves oil on the sides.
4. Add red chilli powder and cashew paste.
5. Add water and let it come to a boil.
6. Add salt, sugar and green chilli followed by paneer cubes.
7. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add crushed kasuri methi and garam masala and stir well.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapati/ naan.