Masala Mango Pickle / Masala Manga Oorugai

Curd rice with Mango pickle is the world's best combination according to me. I can never get this kind of satisfaction of eating a wholesome food by eating anything else. That too when it is home made, nothing else can beat it. :)

Indians and especially South Indians would agree with me I guess. :)

Just like lot others, even I had an inhibition that making pickle is a very cumbersome process and it does not turn out perfect for all and always.

My mom is a super expert in making pickles and especially Masala mango pickle is her specialty. All those who have tasted it could not just stop with one. :) I am an ardent fan of it too. :)

Now its the mango season and I just cant afford to miss the chance.

So this time I took charge and learnt to make this pickle all by myself. :) If a fresher like me can do, why not you???

Ingredients:

Small Raw Mangoes - 8 cups
Chilly powder - 1 cup (heaped)
Salt - 1 cup (till the brim)
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Asafoetida(Perungayam) - 2 tsp
Fenugreek(Vendhayam) - 6 tsp
Sesame Oil - 1 1/2 cups
Mustard - 2 tsp
Sodium Benzoate - 1 tsp

Method:

Wash and dry the raw mangoes on a cloth. Make slits in them in both the directions like shown in the below picture. The slit should go just about 3/4 of the mango, so that the top portion is still stuck together.

Dry roast fenugreek and asafoetida separately for just few mins and then grind it into a fine powder. Now mix the salt, chilly powder, asafoetida, fenugreek powder and turmeric powder in a bowl and keep it aside.

Now take the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and once it is hot, season with mustard. After it crackles, simmer the stove fully and add mangoes and the mixed masala powder to it. Stir quickly until all the mangoes get mixed with masala. Once done immediately transfer it to a different vessel.

Keep the pickle in the same vessel for 5 days. Mix the pickle from bottom up, once everyday. Initially it will look dry but after 5 days the oil will ooze out and look shiny.

After 5 days, dilute sodium benzoate in 2 tsp of water and add it to the pickle and mix really well. This is a preservative that is used to keep the pickle from getting spoilt and this also helps in maintaining the crispness of the mango for a long time.

Now transfer it to bottles and store them in the fridge. You can preserve and enjoy this delicious hot pickle for around 6-10 months. :)

Note: Once the pickle is transferred to the bottles, see to that there is a layer of oil on top. This will keep the pickle from getting spoilt.

Serve it with curd rice. :) I am sure you would say yummmmm after eating the hot and tangy masala mango pickle :)

Happy making :)

Coming up next: Maavadu - the ever famous mango pickle ;)

Written by: Nithya
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Strawberry Smoothie :)

Hufffffff!! its becoming really hot here. Chennai was burning at 37°C today and I am really afraid to face the summer this time. :(

I was back after a sweaty and tiring shopping at pondy bazaar this afternoon and it really demanded something cold to drink. My search ended when I found few fresh and bright looking strawberries in my fridge. :)

a super good ice cold smoothie did the magic and was back in action to watch the CSK vs RCB match ;)

Hooray!!!! CSK won and I am celebrating it with this yummy post :)

Ingredients:

Strawberry - 5
Milk - 1 cup
Vanilla ice cream - 1 scoop
Sugar - for taste
Ice cubes - 2

Method:

Add all the ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Adding the ice cubes and then blending it gave a kind of grainy granita texture and feel which I simply loved :)

You can serve it cold with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. :)

Enjoy having a refreshing drink on a really hot day.

Happy making. :)

I am happy to send this post as an entry to the Madhuri's Serve me some smoothie event.

Written by: Nithya

Mint Pulav

I have a fairly big nose and it works over time. ;)

From childhood days, I used to guess what the breakfast and lunch menu is, by sniffing the kitchen just after I wake up ;) and I enjoy the pride of guessing right always :)

With this kind of born talent(he he), I have always liked anything that is aromatic. So without any doubt "hint of mint" in any dish becomes my first choice. :)

Mint pulav is one of my home favorite dishes and all of us love it so much. :)

Ingredients:

Mint leaves - 1 small bunch
Basmathi rice - 1 cup
Peas - 1/4 cup
Potatoes - 2 diced
Onions - 2
Grated fresh Coconut - 3 tbl sp
Green chillies - 4 (according to your preference)
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Lemon - 2 tsp
Cloves- 3
Bay leaf - 1
Cardamoms - 2
Salt - for taste
Ghee

Method:

Pressure cook potatoes with skin and then peel it and dice into cubes. Cook peas separately. Cut onions into one inch long pieces. Now fry mint leaves in a tsp of oil and then grind it along with coconut, green chillies, ginger and turmeric powder into a smooth paste by adding some water to it.

Wash and soak rice for half an hour. Pressure cook with two cups of water. Once done allow it to cool on a plate. Add a tsp of ghee to the rice and separate the grains.

Heat 2 tsp of ghee or oil in a broad frying pan and fry cloves, cardamom and bay leaf. Now add the onion and fry till golden brown. Add the ground paste along with potatoes and peas. Stir constantly in medium flame till the raw smell goes. Add salt and the rice to it and mix well till the rice becomes steaming hot. Finally remove from stove and add the lemon juice to it and mix it gently.

Yummy aromatic mint pulav is ready. Serve it hot with onion raitha or potato chips. :)

This quantity will suffice for three people.

Written by: Nithya

Tamarind Upma / Pulusu Pindi

How many of you here hate Rava Upma????

I really dont know the reason, but I do hate it. Will never want to have it for my life time. Every time mom makes it at home, I find something or the other to eat or even decide to starve, than have it. I have heard the same kind of reaction from so many. Don't know why rava upma got such a curse!!!!

But if you are just like me, then you can go ahead and try this alternative. I am sure this tamarind upma tastes way better. If you like your dishes to be a little tangy and spicy, then this is one best choice. :)

This dish is called as pulusu pindi in telugu. :)

Ingredients:

Par-boiled rice - 2 cups
Coconut - 1/2 cup
Red chillies - 8 + 2
Tamarind paste - 2 tbl sp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Jaggery - 1 tbl sp
Salt - for taste
Curry leaves
Oil

Method:

Soak par-boiled rice for two hours in water. Grind soaked rice, 8 red chillies along with all the other ingredients except curry leaves into a little coarse paste. You can add water to it and grind.

Take 2 tbl sp of oil in a pan and season with mustard, 2 red chillies and curry leaves. Now pour in the ground mixture and also add 2 cups of water to it. Keep stirring until it gets thick and cooked. Now simmer the stove, close the pan with the lid and let it get cooked for a while. Stir now and then. It will take around 20 mins to get done.

Simple and yummy tamarind upma is ready to eat :)

Serve it hot with onion pickle or raw onions. :)

Thanks to Beena Shylesh, Priya Raj, Krishnaveni Mahesh and Hari Chandana for gifting me the cute Sunshine award. I am in bliss. :) Thanks a lot.


I am happy to share my happiness with Parita, Sailaja and Priya. Kindly collect the award from here. :)

Written by: Nithya

Pumpkin Fritters / Poosinika Vadai

I am a person who believes in "eat little when you are hungry every time". So I would prefer 5-6 half meals than just 3 square meals a day. I keep munching yummy stuff when ever I feel hungry. The quantity and quality of food matter when it comes to this kind of eating habit.

So here is a really interesting fried snack made out of pumpkin, for one to enjoy in the evenings. Believe me, its not oily and is absolutely lite and easy to digest snack. Adding a vegetable to a fritter makes it healthy as well. :) They are so soft and yummy.

This has been in my drafts for long and now here it is for you all. :)

Ingredients:

Par-boiled rice - 2 cups
Pumpkin diced- 1 cup
Coconut - 2 tbl sp
Tamarind paste - 1 tblsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Red Chillies - 7
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - for taste
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

Soak the par-boiled rice in hot water for 2 hours. Now grind pumpkin pieces, coconut, red chilies, tamarind paste, asafoetida, salt and jaggery together into a thick paste in a mixie without adding water.

Now strain the rice and grind it along with the above paste using grinder into a thick and smooth batter. Do not add water at all. Once done transfer the batter to a bowl lined with a thick cloth. Now tie the cloth and keep it aside for 15 min till the cloth absorbs all the moisture from the batter.

Add a spn of oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add this to the above batter along with finely chopped curry leaves and mix well.

Now roll lemon sized balls from the batter and press in between two greased plastic sheets to make a flat round of 3mm thickness. Make a hole in the center with your finger. Gradually remove it from the sheet and deep fry it oil, roasting it on both sides. Do not over roast. The vadai should be really soft. Now place them on tissue to remove excess oil.

Serve it hot with raw onions. Yummy Pumpkin vadai is ready to eat. :)

Enjoy making. :)

And here is my first Give away that I was happy to receive from Priya Dharshini of Priya's Feast. This was a giveaway for winning her Diwali contest. :) Thanks a lot Priya, I am loving the gifts. :)

It was the most delicious Hershey's chocolates, a lovely recipe album and a cute basket :)

Written by: Nithya