Strawberry- Mango Salsa

Celebrate spring time with "Strawberry-Mango Salsa". I loved experimenting this recipe, simply because it is tasty, healthy and a joyful recipe.  It can be paired with any thing like chip and dip, seared fish or chicken, and even as a salad. 

This salsa is infused with traditional salsa ingredients like cilantro, lemon juice, pepper as well as couple of Indian ingredients. I have substituted jalapeno peppers with green chilies. 

The recipe is very simple and can be made without a clinch.

Ingredients

8 Strawberries,  chopped
1 Mango, peeled and chopped
1 Jalapeno or green chili, deseeded and finely chopped
5 sprigs of Cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 tsp Black pepper powder
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1 tsp Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Procedure

• In a mixing bowl, whisk jalapeno/ green chili, cilantro, pepper powder, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and salt
• Add chopped strawberries and mango. Mix well
• Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours. Keep out 15 minutes before serving

Tip--

• Optional ingredients like red onions or green onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes can be added
• Add chat masala and serve it with pappadis or fried tortillas as a chat

Poached Egg Curry

Easy curry recipe for roti, paratha, chapathi or rice. The recipe is simple, yet it is a comfort food !!
The egg curry recipes vary across regions with different styles. The recipe below is onion- tomato based which forms the base for the gravy and the eggs are poached in gravy.

Ingredients

6 Eggs

1 Onion, diced

2 Tomatoes, diced

4 cloves of Garlic, minced

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

2 tsp Oil

Salt

Method

• In a pan, heat 1 tsp oil, add onions and fry until it turns brown

• Add tomatoes. Saute until tomatoes are completely cooked

• After onion-tomatoes have cooled. Grind it into smooth paste
• In the same pan, heat 1 tsp oil, add garlic, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and add 1/4 cup of water

• Add tomato -onion puree. Adjust salt as per taste. Simmer for 5 minutes

• Break the eggs and pour it in gravy one beside the other, while the gravy simmers

• Cook eggs in low heat for 10 minutes without stirring.
• Turn off heat garnish with cilantro

• Serve hot with steamed rice or roti

Masala Vada

Masala Vada is my all time favorite in deep fried snack list!!

It is a deep fried snack made with channa dal or Bengal gram which is crisp on the outside and soft inside. Its great snack during tea time. 
Some recipes do not add garlic. I have used garlic, onions, cinnamon, cloves, mint or dil as aromatic ingredients.

Ingredients

2 Cups Benagal Gram or channa dal (soaked for at least 5  to 10 hours)

5 cloves of Garlic

5 Green Chilies

1'' stick of Cinnamon

4 Cloves

1 Onion, chopped

1 small bunch of Mint / Dill or both

1 small bunch of Coriander/ Cilantro

Salt

Oil for deep fry

Method

• Soak Bengal gram | Channa dal for 5 hours.Ccoarsely grind it without adding water

• Make a coarse paste of garlic, chilies, cinnamon, and  cloves

• In a mixing bowl, add the ground channa dal, garlic-cloves-cinnamon- green chili paste , chopped onions, mint/dill , coriander and adjust salt to taste.  Mix well

• Now, divide the dough into equal portions. Take each portion and pat the ball into 1/4th inch thickness

• Using a heavy bottom vessel, heat oil for deep frying. Gently add vada to it. Fry on both sides until it turns to golden brown.

• Serve hot with tea

Tip

• You can use red chilies instead of green chilies and adjust spice level as per taste
• Mint/ dill/ coriander is only optional ingredient. Adding these adds more flavor to this recipe
• Garlic is sometimes added or sometimes not added. Again this is only an optional ingredient

Strawberry - Watermelon Juice

Healthy smoothie recipe made with freshly cut watermelon and strawberries.  Beat the heat with this sensational summer beverage !!

Servings : 2

Ingredients

2 cup watermelon cubes

6 Strawberries halved

4 Ice cubes (optional)

Method

• using a blender, blend watermelon, strawberries and ice cubes until smooth
• Serve immediately

Methi Chapathi

Its spring and its time for harvesting fenugreek leaves which I planted it 1 1/2 months back in my vegetable garden. Also, its my first harvest for this season. I decided to make "Methi Chapathi" from my harvest which is a twist to regular plain chapathis. I also made egg curry to accompany this Indian flat bread. 

Ingredients

2 cups Wheat flour

1 large bunch of Fenugreek leaves |Methi leaves, discard stem and retain only leaves

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Red Chili powder

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Garam masala

1/2 tsp Salt

Water

Method

• In a mixing bowl, mix wheat flour, chopped fenugreek leaves, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin seeds, garam masala and salt

• Add water to knead soft dough. Cover the dough and leave it for 30 minutes

• Now, divide the dough into equal portions
• Roll each portion into a ball

• Take a ball of dough, using rolling pin roll it flat and thin. Use wheat flour for dusting
• Gently place it on a preheated pan. Fry it evenly on both the sides until brown specks are formed

• Add a tsp of oil if required
• Serve hot with curry or sauteed vegetables

You may also like--
Palak Chapathi

Oats Chapathi 

Beetroot Chapathi

Roasted Garlic Potatoes

"Roasted Garlic Potatoes" is both easy and tasty appetizer which is infused with coriander powder, cayenne pepper, paprika and turmeric powder. Already cooked baby potatoes are roasted in low heat until all flavors are blended together.

Ingredients

250 gms Baby potatoes
6 Cloves of Garlic, minced
5 sprigs of Green onions, finely chopped
 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
Salt
5 tsp Grape seed oil or any vegetable oil

Method

• In a pot wash and boil potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes until fork tender

• After potatoes has cooled, cut them in half

• In a pan, heat oil. Add garlic and finely chopped green onions. Saute for a minute

• Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, paprika and cayenne pepper. Also, add 1/4 cup of water to avoid burning of dry ingredients

• Add potatoes and cook in low heat for 15 minute with stirring in between 

• Garnish with spring onions and serve hot

Tip--

• Instead of baby potatoes, regular potatoes can be used. Cut it into wedges before sauteing

Palak Chapathi

"Palak Chapathi" is another version of regular chapathi and adding spinach to the former makes it different from regular chapthis. 

Palak or spinach is used in many ways in day to day cooking like curries, salads, stir fry or sauces. In this recipe, spinach is used as key ingredient in making of "Palak Chapathi". I make chapathi or roti or phulkas at-least  3 to 5 times a week and I like to try something new each time I make these. Previously, I had posted Beetroot Chapathi and Oats Chapathi on Shruchi Kitchen. 

In this recipe, there are other ingredients like green chilies and garam masala that adds some heat and aromatic flavors.

Ingredients

2 cups Wheat Flour

1 big bunch Spinach

4 Green Chilies, finely chopped

1/2 tsp Garam masala

1/2 tsp Salt

Water

Method

• Boil 3 - 4 cups of water in a pot. Soak spinach in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain excess water and puree spinach. Retain this water for further use

• In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, green chilies, garam masala, spinach and salt. Mix well

• Add 1 cup of water from previous step to knead dough. Add some more water if required while kneading. The dough should be very soft. Cover the dough in damp cloth and leave it for 30 minutes

• Divide the dough into equal parts. Roll each part in to a ball

• Take a ball of dough, using in a rolling pin roll it flat and thin. Use wheat flour for dusting

• Gently place it on a pre-heated flat pan. Roast it evenly on both sides until brown specks are formed. If required add oil or ghee on top

• Serve hot with your choice of vegetable and curry

You may also like--

Oats Chapathi 

Beetroot Chapathi

"Hara- Bhara" Chicken Pulav

"Hara- Bhara" Chicken Pulav is a simple and straight forward recipe cooked with a cumulation of chicken, aromatic spices and rice. 

At home, our Sunday lunch is not complete with a non-vegetarian meal and "Chicken Pulav" is on our top ten list. My husband says that he cannot end Sunday without having "Chicken Biryani" or "Chicken Pulav" and long nap after lunch.

I have tried different variations of Chicken Pulav to please my husband because he is my toughest critic. The recipe below is called as "hara-bhara" chicken pulav because I have used lot of greens like green chilies, a big bunch of Pudina , some coriander leaves and Key limes.

Ingredients

1 kg Chicken, Cut on joints

3  cups Basmati Rice

3 Bay leaves

4 Cloves

4 Cardamom

1 stick of Cinnamon

2 Star Anise

1 Onion, cut length wise

4 cloves of Garlic

1 small piece of Ginger

6 Green Chilies

Big bunch of Pudina |mint

Small bunch of Cilantro

Salt

6 tsp Oil

3 Cups of water

 For marinade-

1/2 cup Yogurt

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1/2 Lime

1/2 tsp Salt

Method

• In a large bowl, marinade chicken with yogurt, red chili powder, pepper powder, juice of 1/2 lime and salt. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour

• Using a blender make a coarse paste of ginger, garlic and green chilies
• Again using a blender, maka coarse paste of Mint|pudina and Cilantro. Add very little water if required
• In a pot, heat a tsp of oil or ghee and add washed basmati rice. Fry in medium flame for 5 minutes until rice grains separates out. Keep it aside

• In a pressure cooker, heat oil, add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, start anise and ginger-garlic-chili paste. Saute for few seconds

• Add onions and fry until it turns transparent

• Add marinated chicken

• Add mint-cilantro paste  and cook for 5 to 10 minutes

• Add rice and adjust salt as per taste. and Add water and stir well

• Cook in medium heat setting for 1 to 2 whistles

• After cooker has cooled serve it with raita, lemon wedges or onion slices

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Chicken Biryani