Mango carrot pickle

Mango and carrot can be had in raw form, but when both are combined to make pickle, it tastes great. This easy to make sweet and sour pickle is mildly spiced to retain the flavours of both the vegetable. 

Ingredients:
Raw mango -100gms
Carrot -100gms
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Asafoetida powder -1/2tsp
Sesame oil -4tsps
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Chilli powder -3tsps
Salt to taste

Method:
Grate the mangoes and carrot. Rub little salt to the grated mango and set it aside for ten minutes.
The mango would have released some water by then. Squeeze out the water from the mangoes. Mix the mango chunk with the grated carrot. (Use the liquid to make mango drink).
In a frying pan temper mustard seeds in little oil. When it stops crackling, add the asafoetida powder. Stir for few seconds. Then add the grated vegetables, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Stir fry for another few seconds or till it is well blended. Switch of the flame. Allow it to cool down. Store in air tight jars in a refrigerator.

Mango drink

Summer is the only season when mangoes both raw and ripe are available in plenty. Hence, it is the best time to make use of this fruit to the maximum.
Aam panna is one such drink, which is made using cooked raw mangoes. It is not only refreshing and cooling to the body during summer, but also tastes great. Here, I have presented a mango drink similar to aam panna using uncooked raw mango. 
        
                         raw mango

Ingredients:
Raw mangoes -2
Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
Cumin powder -1/2tsp
Salt -1/2tsp
Sugar to taste

Method:
Wash and grate the mango along with the skin. Rub turmeric powder and salt to it. Set it aside for 5 minutes. The mango would have released lot of water by then. Squeeze the mango and strain the liquid. To this liquid add sugar and cold water. Garnish with cumin powder.

Note:
The residue after squeezing the mango can be used to make pickles or sun-dried to make amchur/mango powder.

Manga pulikachal (mango sauce)

 
When someone mentions pulikachal, one is immediately reminded of the tangy tamarind sauce that goes to make Puliyodarai (tamarind rice). In fact, there are many types of pulikachal, like orange rind pulikachal, eggplant pulikachal, etc. One among them is mango pulikachal. This is usually prepared during the mango season when different types of mangoes flood the market. The selection of the right mango is important for this sauce. It should be just ripe or half ripe with tender skin. 

Ingredients:
Half ripe mango -1
Brown sugar -1/2cup
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Tamarind pulp -1tsp
Chilli powder -1tsp
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Whole red chilly -1(Broken into 2)
Curry leaves -few
Oil and salt - as required

Method:
Select mangoes that are not fully ripe. If its skin is hard or bitter to taste, then peel the skin. Otherwise, wash and cut the mangoes with the skin into cubes. Dilute the tamarind pulp with 2 cups of water. Cook the mango pieces in it along with the turmeric powder and salt. When it is half done add the brown sugar and curry leaves. Cook for another 5 minutes till it reaches saucy consistency. Garnish with mustard seeds and red chilly tempered in oil.

Stir fried pumpkin

Pumpkin is a low calorie vegetable rich in vitamin-A, vitamin-C, vitamin-E and dietary fibre. Hence, it is a recommended for weight watchers and diabetics.

Stir fried pumpkin is a traditional dish of Kerala. It is called mathan thoran in Malayalam language. It is simple and has the flavours of coconut and green chillies. It is served along with curries like sambhar and kuzhambu.

Ingredients:
Pumpkin - 200gms
Turmeric powder -1/4tsp
Grated coconut -4tsps
Green chillies -1
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Black gram -1tsp
Coconut oil - 2tsps
Salt to taste

Method:
Peel and cut the pumpkin into one inch long strips.
Grind the coconut and green chillies coarsely.
In a frying pan heat 1tsp of oil and temper the mustard seeds and black gram. Add the pumpkin pieces, turmeric powder and salt. Add 1/2 cup of water. Stir well. Close and cook for five minutes or till done. Open the lid and stir in the ground coconut, curry leaves and the balance oil. Stir over low flame till everything is blended well.

Pal ada pradhaman

Pradhaman is a sweet pudding famous in Kerala. It is prepared during marriages and on festive occasions. There are different types of pradhaman depending upon the  ingredient that is used in its preparation. Pal ada pradhaman uses milk and sugar in its preparation, while plain pradhaman uses brown sugar and coconut milk in its preparation. Then, there is this Chakka pradhaman, which uses ripe jackfruit in its preparationa and Pazha pradhaman, which uses ripe Kerala banana in it preparation. Every pradhaman is unique in taste. This pradhaman with the flavours of rice and milk tastes divine.

Ingredients:
Milk - 5cups
Condensed milk -1cup
Pancake pieces -1cup
Sugar- 4tps
    
For the pancake:
Rice flour – 1/2cup
Banana leaf -1
Oil -1tsp
   

                            Dough flattened on the banana leaf    
To prepare the pancake:
Mix the oil and rice flour in little water and make smooth dough. Flatten the dough with the palm of your hand as thin as possible on the back side of the banana leaf. Steam it in a rice cooker. Cool and cut the pancake into small square pieces. Keep it aside.

                                    pancake cut into small squares
To prepare pal ada pradhaman:
In a thick bottomed pan boil the milk along with the  condensed milk for few seconds. Lower the flame and add the prepared pancake pieces. Simmer for five minutes. Remove from flame and add sugar after ten minutes.  

Tomato twirl

Tomatoes are a rich in potassium, vitamin C and vitamin A. They also have good amounts of lycopene which is believed to have anti-oxidant properties. Here is a drink made of tomato juice and lemon, with a dash of black pepper powder.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes -250gms
Lemon juice -4tsps
Black pepper powder -1/2tsp
Salt -1pinch
Sugar/sugar free -as required

Method:
Wash and puree the tomatoes in a blender. Strain it. Add salt and sugar to the juice. Bring it to a boil. Boiling gives a distinct flavour to the juice. Cool it. Add the lemon juice and pepper powder. Add cold water and adjust the taste. Serve chilled.
 

Lemon Mint cooler

Lemon is rich in vitamin C and helps to cleanse the liver. It also aids in weight loss. Mint is a wonder herb that helps to keep stomach ailments at bay.  These two together make for a tasty drink especially during summer.

Ingredients:
Lemon -2
Fresh mint leaves -1 handful
Cumin powder -1/2tsp
Salt -1pinch
Sugar/sugar free - as required
Chilled water/sparkling water -2 glasses

Method:
Extract the juice of the lemons. Keep it aside. Grind the mint leaves in a blender. Add little water and strain it. Mix this with the lemon juice. Add sugar, salt and cumin powder. Adjust the taste with chilled water. Serve in tall glasses.

Idichakka poduthvul

This traditional dish from Kerala is made of tender jack fruit. Tender raw jack fruit is called idichakka in Malayalam language. Literal meaning is mashed (idi) jack fruit (chakka). Idichakka podithoval is also known as idichakka thoran in some parts of Kerala. This traditional Kerala dish is high in fibre and filling too. It is served as a side dish to different south Indian curries like Sambhar and Kuzhambu.

                     Idichakka (tender jack fruit)
Ingredients:
Tender jack fruit -500gm
Grated coconut - 1/2cup
Green chillies -4
Turmeric powder -2tsps
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Black gram -1tsp
Curry leaves -few
Coconut oil -2tsps
Salt and oil - As required

Method:
Skin the jack fruit and cut it into cubes. Add turmeric powder, salt and sufficient water. Cook in a pressure cooker until done. Drain the water and mash the cooked jack fruit coarsely. Keep it aside.
Grind the coconut and green chillies coarsely.
In a frying pan temper mustard seeds and black gram in little oil. Then stir in the curry leaves, mashed jack fruit and ground coconut. Stir fry for few seconds. Garnish with coconut oil.

Corn cheese wrap

Wraps are an offshoot of Kati roll that originated in the Nizam restaurant in Kolkata in 1932. Kati roll was a skewer-roasted kebab wrapped in a paratha bread. Skewers were known as Kati in Bengali language.  Today, the wrap and the filling have seen a sea change with many innovations.  In fact, any kind of flat bread with any kind of stuffing is referred to as Kati roll, even though it does not use Kati or kebab. 

Here, I am presenting a wrap with the filling of corn and cheese. The wrap is made of whole wheat flour and cooked over raw flame. It is filled with baked corn and cheese besides crunchy raw vegetables.  

Ingredients:
For the flat bread:
Whole wheat flour -2cups
Water -1cup (approx)
Oil - 1tsp

For the filling:
Grated cheddar cheese -1cup
corn cob -1
White flour(maida) -1/4cup
Chilli flakes -3tsps
chopped coriander leaaves -2tsps
corn flour for dusting
Salt to taste

For garnishing:
Thin strips of onion, carrot and capsicum
Tomato sauce – little

Method:
To make the flat bread:
Combine the ingredients for the flat bread and make soft dough. Rest it for 15 minutes. Knead again and divide it equally. Roll it out into small rotis. Cook each on them for few seconds on both sides over a hot griddle. Then, cook them directly over flame till it puffs. Keep it aside.
To make the filling;
Place the corn cob over direct flame and cook on all sides. Cool and remove the corn kernels with a knife. Cool and grind it coarsely. Add the grated cheese, flour, chilli flakes and salt. Divide equally and give an oval shape to it. Dust corn flour on each of them. Bake it at 180 C in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
 

To make the wrap:
Spread tomato sauce on each flat bread. Place the baked filling in the middle. Place few strips of the vegetables on the sides. Fold it on both sides to make a roll. Cut and serve.