Sweet Basil Lassi

Sweet Basil Lassi

Ingredients:
Thai or sweet Basil leaves - 1/4 cup
Curd/Yogurt - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Lemon zest - 1/4 tsp(Grated green portion of a lemon skin)
Lemon juice - 1 1/2 tbsp (1/2 small lime)
Ice cubes - 1/4 cup


No. of servings: 4 small glasses


Procedure:

• Add the chopped basil and lemon zest to a blender and grind it to paste, just by sprinkling some water.
• Next add all the remaining ingredients to the paste and grind it again.
•  Pour it into the glass, and top it with a basil flower and serve chill.

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Health Tips:

Sweet Basil

• Thai Basil, sweet Basil is known as "Thiruneetru Pachilai".  
•  Sweet Basil Lassi  is a healthy summer drink to cool your body.
•   Basil benefits : lowering blood pressure, easing tension, general detoxifier, cleansing the blood, lowering stress levels, anti inflammatory, lowering cholestrol.

Masala Bun

Basket of Masala Bun

Ingredients:

Flour - 3 cups
Water - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 tbsp

Fleischmann's Yeast

Yeast - 1 tbsp
Oil/butter - 4 tbsp
Salt -1 tsp
Green chillie - 2
Curry leaves - few
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal - 1/tsp
Hing - a pinch
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp (chopped)

Procedure:
     Boil the water until its warm. Into that water add the yeast and sugar, leave it for at least 10 mints, until it raise.  In a separate bowl take the flour and add the salt to it. Then add the yeast mixture and oil to it. Knead well. Keep this dough mixture closed in the bowl for 20-30 mints. A warm place is nice to keep it.
     After twenty thirty minutes the dough should have raised well like double the size. In a small pan add 1 tbsp oil and do the seasoning with chopped chillie, mustard,hing, Urad Dal and curry leaves. Add this do the dough. Mix well and keep punching the dough until it becomes soft. This punching makes the the dough areolated and make the buns really fluffy and soft. So after punching it for 10 mints and kneading well. Make small balls and slightly press it to get the bun shape.
     Take a large tray(like pizza tray) arrange this balls in a way they have 1 inch distance between them(because the bun will raise) and bake it in the oven for 20 mints 350-375 F.
Keep checking in between and take it out when they are golden brown on top.
     Since this bun has all the spice in it, it can be served just like that with a cup of hot tea.


Note: To make normal soft bun just skip the seasoning process. 
These buns can be used for making burger .

Yummy Buns

Served with tea.

Slice the bun and fill it with some cream, cheese or jam for kids.
I have used a yeast which is derived from plant, you can use any yeast you want.
Water can also be replaced with warm milk.

Rice & coconut Pudding / Pacharisi Thengaai Kannamudhu(Paayasam)

Kannamudhu

Ingredients:
Pacharisi - 3 tbsp (raw rice)
Thengai   - 1 cup(grated coconut)
Milk         - 3 cups
Water      - as required
Ghee       - 2 tbsp
Cardamon - 2 no.s
Cashew   - 10 no.s
Raisin      - 10 no.s
Saffron    - few strings (optional)
Jaggery   -  lemon size ball (crushed)
Sugar       - 2 tbsp


Procedure:
     Wash and clean the rice, soak it in a cup water along with grated coconut and cardamon for at least 15 minutes. Blend this in a mixture to a coarse paste. Add milk and a little water to this mixture and let it boil.Keep stirring in a low flame until the rice gets cooked add the sugar. In a separate bowl add the crushed jaggery and a very little water and boil to a thick paste consistence. Add this caramel to the boiling milk mixture. Let it boil for a minute in low flame. Add few saffron strings if you wish now.
     Simultaneously in a small pan heat the ghee and fry the cashews and raisins. Pour this to the paayasam and switch it off. Serve it hot in a bowl with spoon.


Note:Sugar and jaggery can be used according to your taste. I made this for Tamil varushapirappu(new year) and it can be made for any special occasions.

Strawberry Jam

Sandwich with strawberry jam

Ingredients:
Strawberry (puree) - 3 cups
Sugar - 6 cups
Lime juice - little less than 1/4 cup
Boll fruit pectin - 1 pocket (available in preservatives or canning section)
Sterilized bottle -1


Procedure:
     Blend clean strawberries and make the puree. Add the sugar and limejuice to it. Mix well.
Now heat his mixture in a container and keep stirring until you get the thick consistence. Simmer the stove and now add the Fruit pectin slowly. Stir well. Let it boil for 2 more minutes and then switch it off. Allow it to cool to the room temparature and transfer it to the sterilized bottle. Now in another container boil some water and keep this bottle in it for a minute for processing. Then refrigerate it. Home made jam is ready.

Strawberry jam stored

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Note: You can also skip the processing in boiling water if you wish.Any fruit jam can be made this way with varrying sugar measurement . Spread this jam on a toasted bread with some butter, top it with fresh cream and strawberry to make a delicious breakfast.

Madapalli Fried Rice

Healthy Meal!

Ingredients:
Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Vegetables
(carrot,green peas,baby corn,beans) - 1/2 cup
Green chillie - 2 medium size
Butter - 2 tbsp
Cumin Powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as required 
Asafoetida - a pinch
Corriander for garnishing
Curry leaves - 5 leaves
Mustard & cumin - for seasoning


Procedure:

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     Cut the vegetables lengthwise evenly and half boil them separately with less water.In a large pan add a tbsp of butter and do the seasoning with mustards , cumins, green chillies and curry leaves.Now add another tbsp oil and in low steam add the half boil vegetables and saute them well until you get the butter & vegtable mixed aroma.

     Once the vegetables are cooked completely add the cumin and corriander powder. Then add the cooked rice and slowly mix it with the cooked masalas. Sprinkle salt and asafoetida. Top it with corriander , toss it well.Once they all mixed well switch it off.

     Serve it with sliced tomatoes and carrots.(raw)

Note: You can do this with vegetable of your choice that gets cooked fast. Butter can also be replaced with ghee.Make sure the rice is not over cooked. Left over rice is also very good for it. This fried rice can be a quick and healthy lunch box recipie for kids.

Varushapirappu Pachadi

Ingredients:
Raw Mango  - 1 medium size
Green chillie - 1 big
Jaggery - 1 small piece(lemon size)
Neem flower - 1 tbsp(dry)
Dry chillie - 1
Salt - as needed
Oil - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Mustard and curry leaves for seasoning

Procedure:

Peel the skin of mango slightly.Cut the raw mango into cubes.Slit the green chillie added it to the diced mango. Then add 1/2 water to it and boil until the mango gets soft. Add the crushed jaggery and salt to it and boil it for a minute again, until it becomes like a thick gravy. 

 In a separate pan pour 1/2 tbsp oil and add the dry chillie , neemflower and roast until the neem flower turns brownish in color. Add this and asafoetida to the gravy. Again add the remaining oil and do the seasoning with mustards,curry leaves and add it to the gravy. Mix it well and the pachadi is ready

Note: This pachadi has all the taste(arusuvai) representing different phases of life , hence eaten on the Chittirai pirappu.

Mango Almond Cake



                               

Mango Almond Cake

Ingredients:
Mango pulp - 1/2 cup
Corn Meal - 1/2 cup (or) White Rava - 1/2 cup
Maida - 1 cup
Almonds - 1/4 cup
Curd - 1/4 cup
Olive oil - 2 tbsp (or)refined/veg. oil
Bkng Soda - 1/2 tsp
Bkng powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Salt - a pinch
Vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp
Mango juice - as needed
Yellow food color(optional)
Bread pan or any baking pan

Procedure:
In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients flour, corn meal,baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl mix pulp,curd, vanilla essence, sugar and a little bit of mango juice(any). Add this to the flour mixture and mix well without lumps.Add the food color. The batter has to be thick like a thick paste or idli batter consistency. You can mix more of the mango juice until you get that consistency like a cake batter.
          Once done, grease the cake pan with some butter or oil. Pre-heat the oven to 370 F in the mean while. Now pour the batter to the pan. It should be a little more than half of the pan and a little little less than 3/4 th of the pan. Now top it with almonds. You can grease the top again with some oil if needed and bake it 20 mints or until its golden brown.
              When done check it with a tooth pick it should come clean. Now don't invert it immediately. Leave it for 5 mints and then apply some mango juice on the top. You can do this either using a brush or spoon. Do pour little by little or sprinkle. This will add some extra taste and also keeps the cake moist. Then leave it in fridge for half an hour.

Garnished with cream, sprinkles and mango slice

                   To serve invert it on a plate and cut the slices. Place the slice in a plate, top it with some cream and sprinkles.