Summer Fruits

As summer approches, we all try to find some alternatives to proper food. The evryday food is such a no-no as your metabolism struggles with multitasking on dealing with the heat & breaking the food.
Back from my chilhood, I have fond memories of the summer months in India. Mostly this is the same time when schools close down for a couple of months - commonly known as Summer vacation. I belong to a big family and have a ton of cousins. So we cousins spent almost the entire summer vacation together.

To beat the heat, our parents encouraged us to have more fruits. Lichi (Lychee), Karbooza (Melon), Tarbooz (Watemelon) were the hot (actually cool) favorites. Mums would make loads of ice each day, and many a times the ice trays weren't enough. So they would make bowls of ice. This ice was used during the day to cool down the fruits.

Mostly we cut the melons in slices and eat them. But my dad would cut melons in cubes and sprinkle some sugar on it. Then put this in the freezer for about 15mins. The best ever way to eat melons.
With Watermelons, he would agins cut them into small cubes and sprinkle some 'Chaat Masala' on it. Then put in the freezer for about 15mins. Yummmmmmm
And the way he would serve lichi's was in a bucket full of icey cold water. Then we all sat around the buckets and eat them. Rather unusual way to eat them, but its fun. And when you eat lichi, thats the only thing on your mind, you can barely think about anything else.

But the best seller in fruits during summer months in India is the Mango. It most definitly is the king of fruits in India in summers. Hundreds of varieties of Mango are available at every nook & corner of the city. My favorite type of Mango was 'Dussehri Aam'. And like lichi's, Dussehri Aam is best eaten out of a bucket of mangos in icey cold water.
But Mango's are actually hot. So they are best had as MangoShake. Just grind some mango cubes in milk. Sugar/Honey are optional, and depends on the type of mango you are using to make the shake. Then top up your mango shake with some ice cubes.....Wow....

So lets get shopping for all the summer fruits. Dont forget to sprinkle some sugar on melon & chaat masala on watermelon and then chilling them in the freezer. It will be worth the wait :o)

Pyaaz-Tamatar Sandwich

During our schooling years we took lunch boxes to school. While most of my friends got typical Indian breakfast - Parantha-sabzi - I preferred sandwiches.
One of the signature sandwich of my mum was - Payaz-Tamatar Sandwich (aka Onion-Tomato sandwich).

Even till date I still make that sandwich, sometimes with a few variations/additions.

Ingredients for the sandwich filling -
2 Onions
2 Tomatoes
Green Chillies
Vegetable Oil
Spices - Salt, Black pepper powder, red chilly powder, cumin seeds

Finely chop the onions, tomatoes & green chillies. Heat the pan on medium heat, and put approx 2 table spoons of vegetable oil. Add some cumin seeds and let them sputter for about 15secs. Add the chopped onions and stir until translucent. Add the spices - Salt, Black Pepper powder & red chilly powder - to taste and preference. Salt is a definite the rest are optional. Stir for another minute and then add the chopped tomatoes. At this stage increase the heat a bit, thought still not a high flame. Within 30secs of adding the tomatoes, add the chopped green chillies and cook for approx 2-3mins. I prefer to tomatoes to have a firm look at the end aswell, else the whole mix becomes too soggy.

You can put this filling between 2 bread slices and even as a topping for pizza. Else you can make a proper tawa-sandwich too.

Tawa Sanwich - Heat the tawa, and put some oil/butter ( i prefer butter). Put the bread slice and cook until slightly brown from both sides. Then spread some filling on a slice and cover it with another . I at times put a cheese slice in the middle too. Cook the sandwich until crisp and brown, from both sides. Serve with tea.

A few other variations of the filling I make by
1. Adding home made paneer or finely chopped paneer cubes. To this I add some chopped coriander aswell
2. Peppers (Capsicum)

An easy to make filling, and yummy too. Enjoy Eating :o)

I will start with a typical Indian breakfast - Poha. Well thats what I call it
Its got a few names around India, so it could be called Pohe/Pawa too.

A perfect start to the day with a light breakfast. Tasty eat, fills stomach, yet easy to digest.

Ingredients -
2 cups beaten rice (poha) - medium thinkness
1 onion
1 potato
1 cup garden pea
1 green chilly
corriander
a spoonful chana daal & peanuts
1 lemon
some cooking Oil
Spices - Turmeric powder, Red chilly powder, Salt, Mustard seeds (Raee), Kadhi Leaves (SouthIndian Curry leaves)

I started with washing Poha with water in a seive, and left it to drain for about 10-15mins. Next, I finely copped the onion & green chillies. My mum used a boiled potato instead, but since I decided to made this at the very last minute, so chopped my potato into small squared so they would cook fast.
In a pan, put 2 spoonsful oil and let it heat at a low flame for about a minute. I normally heat my oil at low flame as I feel that ways my food wont get a burnt oil taste. Well moving on, put some mustard seeds, channa daal & peanuts. Left them to sputter for about 15seconds and then added the kadhi leaves. Another 15secs and addeed the finely chopped onions. Cooked the onions till they were translucent. Then added the chopped potatoes and cooked those for about 3-4minutes on medium heat. And if you are using boiled potatoes, you can add the rest of the ingrediants within a minute of putting potatoes. Next I put some the garden peas and cooked for another 2-3minutes. I used the frozen garden peas (which are pre-boiled), but if you are using raw peans, put the peas within a minute of putting the potatoes as otherwise they will wont be properly cooked.
Coming back to the cooking, added the turmeric powder, salt and red chilly powder. Also added the finely chopped green chillies. Stired at medium flame for another minute and 1/4cup of water and squeese the lemon jouice in this. Increase the heat to full, so it comes to a boil. Let it boil for half a minute. Then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Let that cook for 5 minutes.
In the mean time, the poha has been drained of all water. So finally add poha and mix well. Leave it on the low flame for another couple of minutes, ensure the pan is covered with the lid. This will ensure the poha absorbs the masalas and its flavours.
Finally garnish with finely chopped corriander leaves and serve hot.
Some people, like it with ketchup, so you can offer that with the poha. Yes and also keep a lemon slice aswell, some people like it with more lemon squeese, just for themselves.

I must admit that I am new to making poha, and dont really relish it much. But everyone at home does. So make it. At times for breakfast & time for packing in tiffin...
Enjoy some home cooking, and the tips & tricks which I will keep adding to my ways of cooking.

Eat well !!!

Everyday Food

Am using this blog to document my cooking skills...well whatever I have

With the target of putting 1 recipie a day I intend to remember all i know about cooking, and all I can learn.
So if you are reading, dont forget to leave your comments/feedback.