Kadumanga/kannimanga Achar/Tender Mango Pickle

Laziness rules me these days...A vacation changes your whole routine..Staying with a crowd for 3 weeks and now almost alone throughout day makes me mad, sad and desp...I guess same is with my son...He pulls me from kitchen and makes me sit on the couch and plays in front of me...Looks like he too is missing the crowd who used to play with him, laugh at his pranks..
This recipe belongs to Mom...she did it...I just carried it to US..While going to India had plans of clicking some pics there...but to our horror our camera battery and charger was missing...We thought that it would safely be at home but No...its not...Now where is it? Anyways we bought a new set now..
Here is the recipe according to mom..

Method Of Preparation:
1. Wash the tender mangoes, drain, pat them dry and keep aside. Take care that the mangoes are real dry with no trace of water.
2. Place the mangoes in a bharani and layer them with salt.Now close the lid and tie the mouth of bharani with a clean cloth.
3. Keep this for 2 weeks.By then the mangoes will shrink and there will be salt brine. These mangoes can be kept for years.

To make pickle:
1. Heat the mustard seeds slightly and then give a quick pulse to remove the seeds from the outer black cover.Now dust the black cover and keep the yellow colored seeds alone.
2. Separate the salt brine and mangoes in two clean dry vessels.Add the mustard seeds, chili powder and asafoetida powder to the salt brine and mix well.
3. Add the mangoes to this and mix well.
4. Heat the sesame oil and cool it.
5. Add half ot the cooled oil to the mango pickle and mix well.Transfer it to dry bharani and add the remaining oil on top of it.
6. Close the lid and tie with the white cloth. Keep it for a month or two before using.

Notes
1. Water should not be there in the whole process.The presence of water reduces the shelf life.
2. When I refer to salt brine I mean salt and the water oozed out of mango.
3. Use the salt brine as needed while making pickle.Too much of it in the pickle makes it watery.
4. Nattumanga(Sour variety of tender mango) is the best to make this pickle.
5.while heating the mustard take care that it doesn't crack.
6. The mangoes can be left in the salt brine for years, if every procedure is followed properly.These mangoes are called uppu manga(salted mangoes)
7.The chili powder can be adjusted to the spice level,usually these pickles are spicy.
8. Bharani can be replaced with glass jars.
9. The mangoes are put with a small part of their stem(kanni).This enhances the taste.

Sending this to Kerala Kitchen hosted by Ramya at Ramya's Recipe

Avocado shake

Hi...

Back after a months break..This shake was made before the vacation...

Avocado-1 ripe
Milk-2 to 3cups(chilled)
Sugar-2 tsp or as needed.

Mix all the ingredients in a mixer to thick shake and serve.

Tomato Soup

Hi friends...Long time right? hmmm...ya I was too busy and on my toes for the past two weeks...and will continue in that state for 3 more weeks...:)
There are worst and good things going around.First the worst one...My kiddo burnt his hand by holding an iron box. Burn is pretty bad on the inner hand. Looks like it will take some time to recover. So with him, visiting doctors, his dressing, and looking around his plays and pranks...but should say...he is strong...:) He has resumed his normal routine, but I need to take care of him and his hand...

Now the good one...I am visiting India end of this month/next month..Looking forward to meet parents, friends and spending some quality time in all our fave places..:)..Started purchasing and preparing for the trip/packing/cleaning/making to do lists..

So now its too much of explanation why I am not here..:)

Anyways this soup is my hubby's and kiddo's fave...Made this many times...Here is the recipe..

Method Of Preparation:


1. Heat butter in a vessel/pressure cooker.Add the cumin, bay leaf,cloves and  fry for 30 sec. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes. Add the onion and fry till it turns light brown.
2.Then add the tomatoes and carrots along with 1/2 glass water, salt,pepper and pressure cook till one whistle on medium.
3.When pressure goes open and discard the bay leaves and cloves, and grind the remaining ingredients to smooth puree. Now Heat a pan and simmer it for 2 to 3 mins.Serve warm with croutons/bread sticks.

Notes:
1. You can discard the leaves and cloves before pressure cooking it.
2. Straining the soup after grinding is optional.I dint do it.

Paneer Tikka Pizza...An Indian twist to Italian special...

Pizza is something that I have tried multiple times...but every time the pics taken where too bad to be here...Finally got a better click...so here it is..A delicious Indian and Italian fusion...All veggie lovers this sure is a fave of yours..Recipe for base is from Food Network magazine...

1. Mix sugar and warm water in a bowl and then add the yeast.Set aside until foamy for about 10 mins and then stir in the olive oil.
2. Whisk the flour and salt in another bowl, make a well in it and add the yeast mixture to it and mix gradually with a  spoon  to form a rough dough.
3. Turn the flour into a lightly dusted work area and knead the dough until smooth and elastic for about 5 mins.Dust with more flour if needed.
4. Now make two ball of it and keep it in two bowls that is lightly coated with olive oil.warp bowl using plastic wrap and keep in room temp to rise for about 1 hour 30 mins.
5. Roll out and top as desired or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze up to 1 month.

For Paneer Tikka
Paneer-15 to 20 pieces(cut to medium sized cubes)
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Ginger garlic paste-1/2 tbsp
Chilli powder-1 tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder-1/2 tsp
Cumin powder/jeera-1/2 tsp
Black Pepper powder-1/2 tsp
Hung curd-1/4 cup
Chaat masala-1/2 tsp
Lemon juice-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Onion half piece cut to cubes
Capsicum small piece cut to cubes

To marinade the paneer.
1. Whisk the curd to make it smooth. Then add ginger garlic paste and  all the spices to it and mix well.
2. Add the paneer and veggies to this mixture and mix well. keep in refrigerator for atleast 1 and 1/2  hour or more.
3. When ready to cook remove from refrigerator and let it come to room temp.
4. Now heat a pan with a tsp of oil drizzled on it. Add the marinated paneer and veggies to it and cook for 2 mins on both sides.Keep aside

For pizza:
Slightly adapted from Rak's Kitchen

1. Preheat the oven at 410 F
2. Grease a pizza pan(I used the pan used for baking cookies) with olive oil and dust it with APF. Then sprinkle some corn meal on top of it.
3. Flatten  the pizza dough  and roll the edges, place it on the pan.Apply a layer of sauce on it and spread evenly.Sprinkle some mozzarella and  Parmesan cheese.Sprinkle the vegetables and the prepared paneer tikka all over and then again sprinkle the remaining cheese.
4. Add a dash of oreango  and chilli flakes and bake it for 15 to 20 mins.
5. Serve warm.

Notes:

1. Add veggies according to your likes.

2. Rolling the dough can be done using roller or hand(stretching).

Masala Potatoes

Another super delicious recipe with potatoes...

Method Of Preparation:
1. Wash and scrub the potatoes and boil  till fork tender.
2. Heat oil in a wok and fry the onions till translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes.
3. Add the spice powders to it and fry till raw smell goes.Then add the tomatoes , salt and cook till oil starts to ooze out.Add the capcicum and cook for a minute.
4. Then add the potatoes to this and mix well and cook for 2 to 3 mins in this.
5. Serve warm as a side with rice.

The spices that went into the making.....

Notes:
1. I used the mix of red and yellow colored potatoes.
2. Peeling the skin of potatoes is your wish.
3. Adding capsicum is optional.

Kara Sev

Crispy and crunchy snack for anytime of the day...Tried from Rak's Kitchen.

Gram Flour/Besan-1 cup(seived)
Rice Flour-3/4 cup
Black Pepper-2 tsp(crushed)
Asafoetida powder-1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/8 tsp
Jeera-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter-2 tbsp
oil for deep  frying
Water as needed(to make dough)

Method Of Preparation:
1. Melt the butter and keep aside.Mix all the ingredients except oil and butter.Now add the melted butter to it and mix well. Add required water to this and mix well till u get a stiff smooth dough..
2. Heat oil in a wok and when its hot  using a murrukku press which is filled with dough press it in a circle to hot oil. Do not crowd it.Fry in medium flame till it looks done.Drain to a kitchen paper and cool.
3. Enjoy with tea or store in a air tight container after cooling.

Feel free to grab few....:)

Fiery Shallot curry/Mullagitta ulli curry

Shallots-1/4 cup(cleaned and cut to 1/2)
Red chilli powder-1tsp
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Tamarind pulp-1/4 tsp
Tomato-1 big(cut lengthwise)
Curry leaves-2 sprig
Coconut oil-1 tsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Heat a wok on low and add the chilli and turmeric powder, mix for few seconds and then add the tomato slice with salt. Mix well and cook it till tomato turns mushy.
2. Then add the tamarind pulp along with 1/2 cup water and boil it for few mins (appro. 5 mins)till raw smell and taste of tamarind goes.
3. Then add the cut shallots and cook it for 2 mins.Add the curry leaves and cook for 2 more mins.Turn off the heat and drizzle the coconut oil.
4. Serve the spicy delicious curry with rice.

Notes:
1.Shallots should not be overcooked.
2. Tamarind pulp can be replaced with one more tomato, but see that the tomato is sour.
3. Add chili powder according to spice tolerance level.
4. Coconut oil should never be avoided and same applies to cooking curry leaves for a minute or two, as these add lot of flavor.