Grapes Orange Juice| Easy Summer Drinks

The mercury has started rising in Chennai. All of a sudden, the climate has become really hot and sultry. These are the times, when I really dislike spending hours in the kitchen, cooking elaborate meals. Simple yet fulfilling meals are the best for the summers.

My children make a big fuss about having their share of fruits for the day. It’s like a punishment for them if I ask them to have fruits. But I make it a point that they have at least a portion of some fruit every day. So my elder one compulsorily carries one fruit or the other in her snack box and as reward for having the fruit I also pack her another small box with a couple of cookies or sweets. So that way she is ok. Kids need to be bribed too!!!

But both my lil ones love fruits in the form of juices and shakes, and with the climate taking a turn; I have started preparing some chilled drinks. So if you or your kids don’t like to have your fruits as such try them this way.

Here is a very unique combination of fruits for a juice. I saw this recently in one of the Malayalam T.V. Channels. I was very intrigued by this combination and made a mental note of trying it out immediately. The combo was very good; perfect blend of sweet and tang. I actually did not add any sugar since the grapes were really sweet. Adjust sweetness and lemon depending on your taste. So why wait, welcome the summer with this refreshing drink!

What you'll need

1. Black Seedless Grapes – 1 heaped cup
2. Orange – 2
3. Ginger – a very small piece
4. Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
5. Sugar – Use as required, depending on the sweetness of your fruit
6. Water – 1 cup

Method

1. Soak the black grapes in salted water for about 15 minutes, then rinse and wash well.
2. Grind the black grapes, with the ginger.
3. Strain the grape juice with a strainer, using about 1 cup of water.
4. Extract the juice from the oranges.
5. Mix the orange juice, lemon juice and grape juice.
6. Do a taste check, add sugar if required. I did not add any sugar, as my grapes were really sweet.

Serve chilled with ice cubes.

Note:

1. Make sure you use only the seedless grapes.
2. Add the water while straining the juice, which will make it easier. No need to add while grinding.

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Pachha Thakkali Kootu/Thakkalikai Kootu/Raw Tomato with Lentils

Kootu is a popular South Indian accompaniment to rice. It is usually made with a combination of vegetables, lentils and coconut. It is generally mild but you can make it spicy if you like it that way.  Ash gourd and yam, Chayote (chow chow, carrots, potatoes) are few of the combinations of veggies which are popularly used to prepare kootu.

I came to know about this raw tomato kootu from my MIL. I’ve never seen my mother use raw tomatoes in her kitchen. So I never cooked with it all these days. But my MIL always used to tell about it. She always talked of it as a very delicious combination with rotis. But somehow all these years, I never found raw tomatoes in the markets.

Last time, when I went vegetable shopping, I found lots of fresh raw tomatoes and was immediately reminded of my MIL, so picked up a kilo of those and came home. Asked her for the recipe and prepared it immediately. I made it twice, once we had it with a combination of rice and rasam and on the second day had it with rotis. I felt it tasted better with rotis because of the tang from the tomatoes. And unlike the regular mild kootu, this would be better if little spicy. So if you like a sweet, sour and spicy taste, then this one is for you.

What you'll need

1. Raw Tomatoes – 5 to 6 (I used country tomatoes)
2. Split Yellow Moong Dal – 3 heaped tbsp
3. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
4. Sugar – 1 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Channa Dal – ½ tbsp
7. Black Peppercorns – about 15
8. Dried Red Chilly – 2
9. Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
10. Freshly Scraped Coconut – ¼ cup

For Tempering

1. Coconut oil – 2 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
3. Urad Dal – ½ tsp
4. Asafoetida – a pinch
5. Curry Leaves Few

Method

1. Pressure cook the dal with enough water. Once cool, mash and keep aside.
2. Wash and chop the raw tomatoes into medium sized cubes. Don’t make it too small.
3. Heat a kadai, add the chopped tomatoes and 1 cup of water.
4. Add salt, sugar and turmeric powder, cover and cook till the tomatoes are cooked. Take care not to make them mushy.
5. In the meanwhile, heat a small frying pan with a tsp of oil, roast the channa dal, peppercorns and dried red chillies. Grind these along with cumin seeds and coconut into a fine paste with some water.
6. Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the mashed dal and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Now add the ground paste and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Check for seasoning.
8. Heat a small frying pan with oil, temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. Pour over the kootu.

Serve with plain rice or with chappathis.

Note:

1. After cooking the tomatoes, there will be some water left, let it remain. After adding the dal and ground paste the consistency will thicken.
2. You can use tuvar dal instead of Moong dal.
3. I added the sugar to balance out the tartness from the tomatoes.

Dilkhush/Dilpasand (Using Tangzhong Method)

Ever since I bought my oven, my hand's have been itching to try out a wide variety of bakes. But I was too scared to try out anything. So I just stuck to some simple cakes and muffins. Then I came to know of the Baking Partners group, started by Swathi, in which a recipe is suggested and we have ample time to try out once or even twice before posting at our spaces. I joined the group and this is my first challenge. It felt so good to bake something which I had thought could be only bought at bakeries.

Though I was all excited and very eager to try my hand at baking this delicious bread, I kept postponing the baking, as I had to work with yeast. I had read so many episodes where the yeast doesn't proof. 

This is the first time I am working with yeast. The recipe called for instant yeast which can be used directly but since I could find only the Dry active yeast, I had to go through the process of proofing it. To be extra careful, I purchased two packets of yeast.

On the day of baking, I opened both packets and started proofing with the measured quantities from both packets. As I had suspected, one of them did not bubble at all. But I was happy to see tiny bubbles appearing in the other bowl. And within 5 to 8 minutes the yeast mixture worked up very well. I was on cloud nine! Only after seeing the yeast work I started the kneading process.

After kneading, I waited with a child's anxiety checking on the dough every 5 minutes. It took almost 1 and half hours for the dough to rise to double it's quantity. 

Then came another hurdle, 2 hours power cut. Had no other option but to leave the dough to rise till the power was back. Once the power returned, kept it for baking and kept my fingers crossed. The result was awesome. It was a super duper hit with all at home. Baked it once again in a week time and again it was wonderful. 

Recipe Adapted from Christine's Recipes

What you'll need (For Tangzhong)

1. All Purpose Flour - 50gm/ 1/3 cup
2. Water - 250ml/ 1cup

Formula of 1 parts of flour with 5 parts of water heat at 65 c/ 150F.

For bread:

1. All purpose flour/Maida - 350gm/ 2½ cups
2. Sugar - 55gm/3tbsp+2tsp
3. Salt - 5gm/1tsp
4. Milk - 125ml/ ¾ cup
5. Tangzhong - 120gm (use half of the tangzhong you make from above)
6. Dry active yeast - 5 to 6gm/2 tsp
7. Butter - 30gm/3tbsp (cut into small pieces, softened at room temperature)

For Filling:

1. Freshly grated coconut -  1 ½ Cup
2. Crushed cashew nut -  ½ cup
3. Raisins - 1/4 cup
4. Candied fruit (tutti fruiti) - ½ cup
5. Sugar (increase sugar if you want more) - ¼ cup
6. Milk -  ¼ cup

For making the filling

1. Mix all the ingredients and set aside. (Prepare the filling just before you need to spread on the dough)

Method of making tangzhong:

1. Mix flour in water well without any lumps. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring consistently with a wooden spoon, whisk or spatula to prevent burning and sticking while you cook along the way.
2. The mixture becomes thicker and thicker. Once you notice some “lines” appear in the mixture for every stir you make with the spoon. It’s done.  If you want to check the temperature of tangzhong it is 65 C/149 F. Remove from heat.
3. Transfer into a clean bowl. Cover with a cling wrap sticking onto the surface of tangzhong to prevent from drying up. Let cool. The tangzhong can be used straight away once it cools down to room temperature.  Just measure out the amount you need. The leftover tangzhong can be stored in fridge up to a few days as long as it doesn't turn grey. If so, you need to discard and cook some more. (Note: The chilled tangzhong should return to room temperature before adding into other ingredients. )

Method of making bread:

First proof the yeast,

1. Warm ¼ cup of milk, (it should be lukewarm, not hot. Heat will kill the yeast)
2. Transfer the milk into a bowl, and sprinkle the measured amount of yeast to it. Add a pinch of sugar, mix and keep aside. If your yeast is proofing, you will start seeing tiny bubbles in the bowl and after about 5 to 8 minutes, your bowl of milk should be frothy. And you can be sure your yeast is going to work. But if not, discard and start afresh with a new packet of yeast.
3. Combine all dry ingredients: flour, salt, and sugar. Make a well in the center.
4. Whisk and combine all wet ingredients: milk, yeast and tangzhong, then add into the well of the dry ingredients.
5. Knead until you get a dough shape and gluten has developed, then knead in the butter. It would be quite messy at this stage  Keep kneading until the dough is smooth, non sticky and elastic.
6. To test if the dough is ready, you might stretch the dough. If it forms a thin “membrane”/ window pan test, it’s done. The time of kneading all depends on how hard and fast you knead.
7. Knead the dough into a ball shape. Place in a greased bowl and cover with a wet towel or cling wrap. Let it proof till it's doubled in size, about 40 minutes (Note: the time will vary and depends on the weather. The best temperature for proofing is 28C/ 80 F.) Though the mentioned time is 40 minutes, it took my dough almost double the time to rise and double.
8. Transfer to a clean floured surface. Deflate and divide the dough into 2 portions. Knead into ball shapes. Cover with cling wrap, let rest for 15 minutes.
9. Divide dough into two half, one is slightly higher amount than the other, with one half with more dough  make a 9 inch round and thick of ½ inch and place it in your cake tin, evenly spread your filling on the top.
10. Then make the second half which is less than the first. Make another 9 inch round and cover the filling and seems the sides so that it won’t, comes out while baking
11. Leave it for the 2nd round of proofing, about 40 minutes, or until the dough rises up to 3/4 of the height of the tin inside.
12. Brush with milk on the surface. Bake in a pre-heated 180C (350F) oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Mine was done in 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and tin. Transfer onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Slice to serve or place in an airtight plastic bag or container once it's thoroughly cooled.

Note:
You will have some leftover dough, you can simply make them into a round shape and bake or stuff with the filling and make into mini stuffed dilkhush buns.

Cabbage Parupu Usili

Paruppu Usili is a very popular South Indian side dish known by various names. Prepared using vegetables like French Beans, Cluster Beans, Flat Beans, Banana Blossom etc and steamed lentils, this dry side dish is one of my favorites.

I prefer this over the regular thorans. I especially love the spiced steamed lentils. Whenever I prepare usili, I soak a little extra dal, so that I get a little more of the steamed lentil cakes. I enjoy eating these as such.

Each family has a different way of preparing this, the amount of lentils is also not fixed. Some like more lentils, whereas some like more vegetables. I prefer to keep it balanced. The kind of dal used also is a personal preference. In my house, we generally use a combination of Tuvar and Channa dal. The method of preparation also differs, some grind the lentils and fry 

directly some like me steam the ground lentils. Steaming is a more popular method since amount of oil used is lesser this way.

Since this is a dry curry and is very filling due to the addition of lentils, it is perfect with white rice and rasam. This is of course my preference, but it is a great accompaniment to Sambar and Mor Kuzhambu as well.

Serves: 3 to 4

What you’ll need

1. Cabbage – 5 cups (finely chopped)
2. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
3. Asafoetida – a generous pinch
4. Curry Leaves – few sprigs
5. Salt to taste

For soaking

1. Bengal Gram Dal/Kadala Paruppu – ¼ cup
2. Tuvar Dal – ¼ cup
3. Dried Red Chilly – 2

For Tempering

1. Oil – 1 tbsp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
3. Broken Urad Dal – ½ tsp

Method

1. Wash the dals in 2 or 3 exchanges of water and soak along with red chillies for 30 minutes.
2. Drain completely and grind the dals along with red chillies, asafoetida, salt to taste and curry leaves into a coarse paste. Do not add water while grinding.
3. Grease an idly mould, take a lemon sized ball of the ground mixture and pat into the idly grooves.
4. Steam for 6 to 7 minutes.
5. Let this cool then pulse it in the mixie again, so that it becomes a fine powder. Keep aside.
6. In the meanwhile, heat a kadai with oil splutter with mustard seeds and urad dal.
7. Once he dal turns golden, add the chopped cabbage, turmeric powder, and salt to taste. Mix well and cook covered, without adding water.
8. Keep stirring once in a while.
9. Once the cabbage is done, add the ground dal powder and roast for 6 to 7 minutes on low heat.

Cabbage Usili is ready. Serve with plain rice and Samabr/Rasam/Mor Kootan.

Note: Do not add water while cooking cabbage, as the curry will then turn very mushy. Just adding salt and cooking covered would do.

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Karadaiyan Nombu Uppu Adai

Karadaiyan Nonbu is just around the corner. Also known as Savitri Vrat, Karadayan Nonbu ritual is observed by all married women for the well being of their husband and that the couples should remain together always. Unmarried women also observe Karadaiyan Nonbu and pray to Goddess Shakti to get good men as their husband. To know the legend behind this  festival check out my post on Sweet Karadaiyan Nombu adai.

This is the savory version of the adai. This is also one of those recipes which I had not tasted until marriage. Ever since this one has taken precedence over the sweet one. Here is the recipe:

Makes about 16 small adais

What you’ll need

1. Rice Flour – 1 ½ cup
2. Water – 2 ¼ cup
3. Coconut - 1/4 cup, cut into small pieces
4. Salt to taste

For tempering

1. Oil – 1 tbsp (preferable coconut oil)
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
3. Channa Dal – 1 tsp
4. Green chilly – 1 or 2 (adjust according to taste)
5. Asafoetida – a generous pinch
6. Curry Leaves – few torn

Method

1. Heat a Kadai, add the rice flour and dry roast for about 3 to 4 minutes, until a good aroma starts coming. (Make sure the color doesn’t change)
2. Transfer into a plate and keep aside.
3. Heat a Kadai with oil, add the mustard seeds, once they splutter add the channa dal, fry till the dal turns golden.
4. Next add the asafoetida, chopped green chillies and curry leaves.
5. Now add the measured amount of water, salt and coconut pieces.
6. Once the water starts boiling, add the rice flour, stirring simultaneously.
7. The whole thing will come together as a whole mass.
8. Remove from flame and allow to cool slightly or till you can handle with bare hands.
9. Knead well.
10. Pinch out lemon sized balls, flatten and make a hole in the centre with your finger.
11. Repeat the same with the remaining dough.
12. Grease idli moulds and place the prepared adais one in each groove.
13. Steam for 8 to 10 minutes or till the adais appear shiny.
14. Remove from heat and cool.

Uppu adais are ready. Serve warm

Note:

Heat an extra 1/2 cup of water, and use as required if you feel your dough is very dry. The amount of water required depends on the rice flour you are uisng.

Do not roast the rice flour too much as the color of the adais will change.

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