Black Grapes & Gooseberry Rasam

           Experimented with a new combination of black grapes and gooseberry to make this amazing rasam. It turned out real lip smacking with a slight hint of sweetness and tanginess mixed together. You can go easy in the use of pepper to make it equally spicy too. Well, you can relish it with plain steamed rice for a great comfort meal or can enjoy as a piping hot soup, especially during a cold winter night.  

• 8-10 black grapes, pureed
• 2-3 tbsp. gooseberry puree
• 1 tbsp. ghee / oil 
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1 sprig curry leaves 
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• salt to taste 
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1/2 tsp. whole peppercorns 
• 2-3 garlic
• 2 cups water
• 1-2 green chilies, slit (opt)
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Grind the cumin seeds, peppercorns, garlic and some water into a smooth paste. 

          Heat ghee / oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the ground paste and sauté till the oil separates. Add water, pureed grapes, pureed gooseberries, salt and green chilies. Bring it to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

          Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Enjoy with plain steamed rice or as a soup. 

Strawberry Rasam

          Rasam is an integral part of a South Indian Platter. It can be enjoyed as a soup or with rice. Both ways it just tastes awesome. Rasam is my personal favorite and I like experimenting. So today let me share a fruit based rasam made out of strawberries. It turned out surprisingly real yummy and lip smacking. 

          As the strawberries that I used were sour, the rasam came out real tangy just the way I like it. You may add some sugar / jaggery if preferred. So do give it a try and surprise your loved ones with this new fusion recipe. 

• 8-10 strawberries, pureed
• 2 cups water
• 1-2 tbsp. oil / ghee
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. rasam powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder

          Heat oil / ghee in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the strawberry puree, water, salt, chili powder and rasam powder. Mix everything well and bring it to a boil.

          Simmer for 2-3 minutes on a low flame. Serve with hot steamed rice or as a soup / appetizer.

Bitter Gourd (Karela) Chutney

          All Bitter Gourd lovers will simply love this amazing chutney. It was my first try and I really fell in love with this side dish. A very easy recipe, it simply tastes yummy with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some extra ghee. It is lip smacking with all the flavours in it - spicy, tangy, sweet and a slight hint of bitterness. You may also relish it with chapati, curd rice, idli or dosa. It is definitely a must try recipe.

• 4 long bitter gourd, seeds discarded & sliced
• 8-10 dry red chilies 
• 1 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp. split black gram (urad dal)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1-2 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp. jaggery / sugar to taste
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1-2 sprigs curry leaves

          Add some salt and turmeric powder to the sliced bitter gourd and leave aside for 30 minutes. Then rinse well and squeeze properly. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and fry the bitter gourd, turmeric powder and salt to taste on a low flame till golden brown in colour. Keep aside to cool.

          Heat remaining oil and fry the other ingredients starting from - dry red chilies to black gram. Keep aside to cool.

          Dry roast the coconut till golden in colour and set aside to cool.

          Grind into a paste all the stir fried ingredients along with tamarind, jaggery, salt to taste and required quantity of water.

         Heat ghee in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and asafoetida. 

          Sauté for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Pour this tempering over the chutney and relish with plain steamed rice or chapatti. 

Pasta Biryani

          This easy and quick one pot meal is yummy and can be made replacing rice with pasta. I have added some veggies like assorted bell peppers, capsicum, green peas and beans. You may add any other veggies of your choice. This is a kid friendly dish and goes best with some raita and fryums / papad. 

          It is an ideal after school snack or a lunch box meal. Adults may relish it as breakfast / brunch or as a lunch box meal too. For a vegetarian version, omit the omelette and you are done with a healthy no-frills meal in no time. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup pasta, boiled al dente
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick 
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1-2 green chilies, slit 
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1-2 tsp. biryani masala
• 1 cup colored bell peppers and capsicum, sliced 
• 2 tbsp. chopped beans, blanched
• 2 tbsp. frozen green peas
• 2 tbsp. mixed dry fruits, chopped
• 1 egg, well beaten with a pinch of salt and pepper powder
• 1 tsp. oil 
• 1 tbsp. mint & coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan and make an omelette with the beaten egg. When done, cut into small pieces and keep aside. 

          Heat ghee and temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamoms. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion and sauté till transparent. Add ginger-garlic paste and turmeric powder. Stir fry for few more seconds. 

          Add the veggies and biryani masala. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or till it turns soft. Now add the boiled paste, nuts, green chilies and salt. Mix everything well and stir fry for 2 minutes.

          Switch off the flame and add the coriander-mint leaves and the omelette pieces. Give it a toss and serve with raita and fryums / papad. 

                     Heat ghee & temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon & cardamoms. 
                     Sauté for a few seconds.

                        Add the onion and sauté till transparent. 

                      Add ginger-garlic paste & turmeric powder. Sauté for few more seconds. 

                     Add veggies & biryani masala. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or till it turns soft.

                     Add boiled paste, nuts, green chilies & salt. Mix well & sauté for 2 min.

                        Add coriander-mint leaves & the omelette pieces. Give it a toss.

                                  Serve with raita and fryums / papad. 

Black Grapes Shrikhand

          Make your everyday dessert a bit healthy and appetizing by adding any fruit of your choice. So try my version of a yummy Black Grapes Shrikhand, which is very easy and simple to prepare. They can be made in a jiffy and is best enjoyed chilled, garnished with chopped nuts. 

          This fruit based dessert is ideal for a kitty party or kids party. It will be a sure hit and kids especially will enjoy this visually appealing dessert. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this fusion treat.

• Hung yoghurt made from 2 cups yoghurt
• 2 cups black grapes
• 3 tbsp. sugar or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. kewra water
• chopped nuts, saffron & dry rose petals to garnish

          Blend the grapes and simmer along with sugar till all the moisture has evaporated. Keep aside to cool. 

          Mix it along with the hung yoghurt and pass through a sieve for a smooth texture. 

          Add the cardamom powder and kewra water. Combine well and refrigerate for some time.

          Spoon into individual bowls. Garnish with chopped nuts, saffron and dry rose petals. Relish as an after meal dessert or anytime you desire.

Blend the grapes into a puree.

                       Simmer with sugar till moisture has evaporated. Keep aside to cool. 

                                             Mix it along with the hung yoghurt.

                                            Pass through a sieve for a smooth texture.  

                        Add cardamom powder & kewra water. Mix well & refrigerate.
               

                  Spoon into individual bowls. Garnish with chopped pistachios, almonds, raisins,
                  saffron & rose petals. Relish as an after meal dessert or anytime you desire.

Batter Fried Pomfret

          Calling all fish lovers to try this easy and yummy pomfret fish fry that has been dipped in batter. There is a slight twist here. The main hidden ingredient in the batter is masoor dal (red lentils). It is accompanied with other basic ingredients to come up with this exceptionally yummy fish fry. 

          Request you to savour it, if possible, with a drizzle of some kasundi. If not, either green chutney or a dash of lime. You'll simply love it. You may substitute pomfret with any other fish of your choice. So do give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1-2 whole pomfret fish, cleaned, washed & drained

To marinade -  

• salt to taste 
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsps. lime juice
• 1 tsp. mustard oil

Batter -  

• 1/4 tsp. masoor dal (red lentils), soaked for 30 minutes
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1-2 fresh red / green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1 egg
• 1-2 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour
• pinch of hing

          Mix together all the ingredients mentioned under marinade and rub it all over the fish. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.

          For the batter, in a bowl, combine all the ingredients and make a batter with required quantity of water. It should not be too thick or too runny. Just the right consistency.

         Heat some oil in a pan / tawa. Dip the fish in the batter and shallow fry till golden brown on both sides. Enjoy with kasundi / green chutney / a dash of lime.

                      Mix all ingredients mentioned under marinade & rub all over the fish. 
                      Keep it aside for 15 minutes.

                      For the batter, mix all ingredients & make a batter with some water. It
                      should not be too thick or too runny.

                       Dip the fish in the batter.

                        Shallow fry till golden brown on both sides. 

                                Enjoy with kasundi / green chutney / a dash of lime.

                         Made this omelette with the leftover batter. Enjoy it with sauce
                         or green chutney.