MANGO CHOCOLATE POPSICLE | POPSICLE RECIPES | MANGO RECIPES

 Last week i got the season's first mangoes from an Indian shop, and i was totally excited to see them . For those who follow me on twitter know, as i already mentioned it there. As the season is slowly coming up here, the  mangoes for not very sweet, but nor very tasteless. They tasted ok, but varsha wanted me to make mango milkshake. I made for her and with one left over mango i made a mango chocolate Popsicle. I just added mango, cocoa powder, milk and sugar.It tasted very nice. Instead of cocoa powder you can nutella too.
For my friend's in Singapore, one of my friend is having a farm in India and she has started an online site for selling mangoes. You get nice hand picked fresh mangoes at affordable prices. Please visit MINISTRY OF MANGOZ to get your mangoes. ( This is not a paid or sponsored post)

PINWHEEL COOKIES RECIPE |EGGLESS COOKIES RECIPES

Pinwheel cookies i am attempting for the first time but i am  so happy with the results. I was in a dilemma whether to make  short bread cookies or chocolate chip cookies, but finally decided to make pinwheel cookies.  I saw few videos in you tube and had an idea as how to make pinwheel cookies. I made an basic eggless vanilla cookie dough and added some melted chocolate chip to make a chocolate dough. I am so happy with the results . Do give it a try at home and for sure your kids will love this.
The recipe of the basic cookies is from Joy of baking.

FRUIT CHAAT RECIPE | MIXED FRUITS CHAAT

Fruit Chaat is a very healthy snack recipe.If  any kids who are fussy eaters, especially doesn't eat fruits , this is one of  the best way to make them eat fruits. Though i love to add Chaat masala to pineapple and guava,  suresh always advises me eat it as such. But once in a while me and my daughter varsha will eat in this way. Very long back, i have seen my friend making this fruit chaat for her son who is a fussy eater. Though it is always good and healthy to eat fruits as it is, once in a while we can have like this , for a change. During fasting days, we can have this fruit chaat too. Sometimes after some festival days if we have lot of fruits at home , we can make this also.

COOKING FOR GUESTS SERIES #18 | TAMIL NEW YEAR SPECIAL LUNCH MENU

இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்

This week in cooking for guests series , i have made full elaborate meal we cook for Tamil New Year. Tamil New year is celebrated tomorrow . When we were in India i used to cook elaborate  meal for all festivals. After coming here though i make the important items for each and every festival. The reason behind this not due to laziness, but most of the festivals come on working days and for lunch i will be the only person at home. Suresh and kids will pack lunch for office and school. Even it is on a holiday, nobody will eat an elaborate meal. But i wanted to make an elaborate meal for this cooking for guests series and today i will be sharing the Tamil New year lunch menu.
I couldn't get proper banana leaf , and the one which we get in cover was not so proper when i opened. It was bit wide and was difficult to cover in my lens too. Though i am satisfied with the meal i am not satisfied with the pictures. But i don't have option , as i don't get banana leaf in near by shop and i opened the leaf . just before serving the food. So the food was ready already and i have to click. Will update sometime .

POOSANIKAI KOOTU WITH TAMARIND | ASH GOURD KOOTU

Poosanikai kootu |ash gourd kootu is the one which is made in mils place during all festivals like deepavali, pongal, tamil new year, navaratri pooja and the list goes on. Whereas my mom makes Sambar for most of the occasions. All of them in the family likes this kootu very much and some times ash gourd will be replaced with brinjals too. Traditionally raw peanuts are added to this kootu but many times we replace with black channa too. We call it as poosnikai puliita kootu ( ash gourd kootu with tamarind) . This recipe is similar to Arachuvitta sambar but with few small variations.
   This recipe i clicked long back, but some how missed to post. When i was seeing the pictures album today, i saw this and as the pictures looked decent, i thought i will post. The step wise pictures , will be updated with good ones soon.
Checkout my Poosanikai Kalyana kootu .(without tamarind)

PLAIN PARATHA |PLAIN PARATHA RECIPE |PARATHA RECIPES

   As South Indians, we always make idli, dosa, upma for breakfast but parathas rarely take place in our menu for breakfast. Some times when i make aloo paratha for kids lunch box and keep the same for me for breakfast. During our trip to Delhi, ( i know i am talking too much about the trip, please bear with me) we happened to have parathas for breakfast on most of the days. But we all enjoyed as whenever we go for an international holiday we end up eating cornflakes, bread and juice for breakfast. Few years back when we go for a North India trip we hunt for places to have South Indian food , but now a days Indian Vegetarian food is more comfortable for us ,especially for me. These plain parathas i have added in my last week's cooking for guests menu. So if you have guest, you need not not make lot of chapathis, just few parathas you can make as they are thick.

MASALA CHAAS | MASALA CHAAS RECIPE

Masala Chaas i first had some 12 years back when we went to my firnd's place in Jaipur. She made masala chaas at home and tasted very nice. After that though i had few times at restaurants, never attempted to try at home. During our recent trip to Delhi, had lots of Masala Chaas in all places we visited. A tall of glass of masala chaas after breakfast kept us energetic throughout the day. I just made it few days back at home. Sharing the recipe of simple masala chaas today.
There are many variations to the recipe and mine is the basic simple one.

COOKING FOR GUESTS SERIES #17 | NORTH INDIAN MENU

This week i went so fast and i didn't plan any menu till Thursday night. But just before going to bed i soaked some rajma , as i thought i will make a North indian meal. Morning after the usual routine, i planned the menu , which can be made either for dinner or for lunch. This week's meal includes Carrot ginger soup, rajma masala, Kadai paneer, Plain paratha, mushroom puloa and fruit salad with ice cream. Actually this menu didn't much for me to cook . I totally enjoyed cooking this north indian meal and of course enjoyed eating too.
North indian meals are always most welcome among South indian friends. So if you have guests who are a big fan of North indian meal, just go ahead and make this meal.

APPLE PIE RECIPE | MINI APPLE PIE RECIPE

Apple pie ,i have tasted in McDonalds long back , but never thought i will make it at home one day. Last week i have seen making of an mini apple pie in a cookery show . I actually wanted to  try a vegetable pie , but my daughter Varsha who watched the TV show with me , was so particular to make the apple pie. So finally ii tried the mini apple pie today and it turned out very well. She totally enjoyed and the house is filled with fantastic aroma.

IDLI TIKKA RECIPE | KIDS FRIENDLY SNACKS RECIPE

Paneer tikka is always my favorite starter, but very recently i saw Idli tikka in a local food channel when i visited Delhi last week. It sounded very interesting to me. I thought i can make this for kids as they are on vacation now. This idli tikka was an super hit among my kids and i too loved this a lot.  Do try this easy kids friendly recipe at home. I made them with mini idlis. You can do this with normal idlis too.
Check out the how to make soft idlis