Nimbu Pani/ lemon Sherbet

Nimbu pani/nimbu sherbet is a delicious and refreshing thirst quencher, which is a common summer drink in Indian houses. The fresh squeezed lemons with basil seeds make it more refreshing. Mama made/Homemade lemonade on hot summer day makes your summer vacation a most magical one.

Benefits of Basil Seeds: Click herehttp://benefitof.net/benefits-of-basil-seeds/.

• My mom tells me that having basil seeds with nimpu pani has a health reason for it, nimbu pani demands little more sugar to make it yumm, so if you add basil seeds to it, it will cover the sugar content, so your body don't absorb it all, which results in lowering the sugar levels.



• it's believed that, It also helps to burn calories, loose wait, have beautiful skin and control blood sugars.

Ingredients:

• Juice of 4lemons



• Chilled water



• Sugar as required (approx3/4cup - 1cup)



• Black Salt 3pinches/ jeljeera powder-1/4tsp.



• 2tsp.basil seeds

Recipe:

• Soak Basil seeds in 1/2cup of water for half an hour.



• Squeeze the lemons, add little water, sugar, black salt mix well till the sugar is dissolved.



• Add required water and basil seeds, adjust the sugar if needed.



• For a deeper lemon flavour add the squeezed peels of lemon to the pani and allow them to sit in there for a while and remove them before serving.



• Relish the best Mama made/Home made lemonade with an ice cube and a fav board game.............it makes hot summer afternoon a pleasant one.

Thotakura-Tofu/ Amaranth leaves-Tofu

Well!!!!!!! If you are looking for a yumm curry this is not the right one. If you are looking for a nutritious one with mild flavours this is perfect. It'll go well with roties or as a side for rice.

• Things Required:(serves 2 )


• Thotakura/Amaranth leaves-8 bunches


• Tofu(cubed)-1cup


• Garlic Cloves-12no.


• Whole Red Chillies-4no.


• Onion-1no.(roughly chopped)


• Tomato -2no(chopped)


• Oil-2+1tsp.


• Jeera-1/2tsp.


• Urad dal-1/2tsp.


• Red Chilli Powder-1/2tsp.


• 1/8tsp.turmeric powder.


• Salt to taste

Method:

• In a pan heat 1tsp. oil, fry Tofu till it gets light golden brown color and keep it aside. In the same pan add remaining 2tsp.oil, once it's hot enough add jeera, urad dal, whole red chillies and garlic, once they start getting light brown add onions and fry till translucent.


• Add chopped green, tomato, salt, turmeric powder, 1/8cup water, mix well, cover and cook on medium heat for10-15min. or til the green are cooked.


• Once the greens are cook add red chilli powder, mix well. and adjust the seasoning if required.


• Add tofu pieces to the curry and cook for about 2min. on medium heat adjust the seasoning if required and remove from the heat and serve it with roties or rice.

Note:

• The consistency of the curry should be little wet, if taken with roti, if it's for rice it can be little dry.

Ultimate Comfort Food - Fruit Curd Rice

"Love the Curd Rice!!!!!" This is what I'm hearing around the compound. This is the best comfort food to beat the soaring hot summers, that too with crunchy, juicy fruits.....Yummm what can make summer more comfort than this!!!!!! This is my lunch today....wanted to share with you all..............


Things Required:

• 2cups Cooked rice


• 2&1/2cups Curd


• 1/2cup Pomegranate seeds


• 1/4cup Pineapple Chunks


• Salt to taste


• 1/2tsp.oil


• 1/8tsp.urad dal


• 1whole red chilli


• 1/8tsp.mustard seeds


• A pinch of hing/Asafoetida


• a spring of Curry Leaves

Method:

• Generously mash the rice, add curd, salt, mix well and keep it aside.


• In a pan heat oil add urad dal, whole red chilli, mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing/asafoetida, once they get light golden color, remove from the heat and let them cool for a min or so. Then add the seasoning and fruit to the curd rice, mix well (can be served chilled, so can refrigerate for an hour but not too long) and enjoy the most comforting food.

Badusha

I know most you out there must be thinking!!!! What these cute little sweet treats are doing in my kitchen at this time of the year. Yep............usually I do these at the time of Diwali, but this time I have prepared these to celebrate a happy and special time at my place. So friends had got a chance to click and share this yummy recipe to you all..............................

Required things:

• Maida/ all purpose flour-1&1/2cup


• Butter-2Tsp.


• Curd-2/3cup


• Water-1&1/2cup


• Sugar- 1&1/ 2cup


• Baking powder- 2/3tsp.


• Cardamom Powder - 1/4tsp(optional)


• Oil for deep frying


• Crushed nuts - 1/4tsp. for garnishing.

Method:

• Sieve the flour and baking powder.


• Add 1tbsp.sugar, butter to the flour, mix till well combined.


• Add little by little curd to the flour, knead well and make a soft dough, if required grease your your palm with little butter to make the soft dough.


• Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 30min.


• Divide the dough to 10-12 balls.


• Flatten them little with your fingers, pinch the sides and tuck them inside to get fancy look or just flatten them with your fingers and make little depression in the centre of the flattened dough, keep them aside.


• Make a batch of flattened balls(5-6 at a time) and keep them aside.

Frying Badusha:

Most of the taste of Badusha lies in it's layers, to get a perfect layers the badushas should be fried on really low flame.

• Heat the oil for deep frying, the badushas should be completely covered in the oil while frying.


• The oil should not be hot. Once it is hot enough( to test drop a little ball of dough in the oil, it should raise up immediately)


• Remove from the heat and drop Badushas and let them fry for 5-6 mins. Then again keep them on low flame for just 4-5mins, fry them on both the sides.


• Fallow the above method for all the badushas and keep them aside.

Syrup:

• Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water till it gets 2 string consistency.


• Drop the prepared Badushas in the hot sugar syrup and soak them for 4-5min.


• Remove them from the syrup and lay them on the wax paper, let them sit there till the sugar syrup dries up.


• Garnish Badushas with crushed nuts.

Note:

• Do not add the curd all at once, adjust as required to make the soft dough.


• If the dough is too soft to handle add little plain flour to it.


• Have a look at this Video for making fancy looking Badushas.

Savory Diamond Cuts/ Namak Pare

This a common house hold snack that's ruling as favorite snack for kids for ages..............me too have grown with lots and loads of memories attached to this snack. Even today it makes my best tea time snack!!!!!

Things Required

• 2cups all purpose flour


• 2tsb.oil/ghee


• 1/2tsp.jeera


• 1/4tsp.ajwain


• 2tsp.sesame seeds


• 1/2tsp.red chilli powder


• salt required


• Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Sieve the flour, add salt, red chilli powder, sesame seeds, ajwain, jeera mix well.


• Now add 2tsp.oil/ghee to the flour and rub well so that the flour is well coated with oil/ghee.


• Add required water and make the dough of roti dough consistency.


• Divide the dough to 4 equal portions/balls.


• Roll the dough ball to big and thin roties( i prefer them to be thin so they have the melt in mouth texture).


• Now run the knife and cut them into small diamond shapes.


• Meanwhile heat oil for deep frying, once the oil is hot enough, reduce the flame to medium and fry the diamond cuts in bathes, till light golden brown color. place them on the tissue paper, to remove excess oil if any. In the same way roll the remaining dough, cut and fry.


• Store them in air tight container, once they completely cool down.

Note:

• Always fry these bites on medium flame, remove them in light golden brown color because they turn out little dark after removing from the oil.


• The dough should be stiff, otherwise the bites will not be crisp.