Kirni Pazharasam / Musk Melon Juice for Vegan Thursday

I never liked Musk Melon. But my Hus likes it very much. Only this summer, I've started having this fruit, sometimes as such and sometimes as juice. Though this is not much refreshing for me as orange or apple juice, it really cools me and we need such drinks to beat the heat. Musk Melons comes in different colors and I am not sure whether all fruits would taste the same. This one was very sweet and so there was no need to add sugar.

Ingredients:

Musk Melon (Kirni pazham) 1
Few saffron strings

Method:

Remove the skin of Musk Melon. Cut into halves. Remove the seeds and scoop out the pulp.

Blend the pulp in a blender.

Add few saffron strings for garnishing.

Serve chilled.

Linking this recipe to Vegan thursdays. We are a group of bloggers who share only vegan recipes on first and last thursday of every month. To know more or to join click here.

Nellikkai Oorukai / Gooseberry Pickle for Vegan Thursdays

I think there is none who'd never tasted water after eating gooseberry. I remember my childhood days; I eat this fresh gooseberry and rush to drink a glass of water as soon I finish it. I still do that ;). When I was pregnant, my chithi used to insist to have at least one gooseberry each day. But I used to forget that often and it would lay untouched in my refrigerator for days together.. So I made pickle with 8-10 gooseberries with little salt and oil. 

From that day, I survived with pickles that I make in lesser quantities like instant mango pickles or those I bought from India. Somehow, I do not like to have store bought pickles because of its highest percentage of vinegar in it. The only exception is vadu mangai oorukai (baby mangoes- pickle). I buy that from stores as I've still not learnt that recipe.

But since my Hus is going to stay here alone for a month, I thought why not prepare it in quite larger quantity. Though he is not fond of pickles as I am, it would be savior if he doesn't gets time to prepare any side dish for rice.

 

Here is the recipe: 


Ingredients:

Gooseberry (Nellikkai) 1/2 kg
Chilli Powder 7 tsp
Salt
Methi seeds (Vendhayam) 1 1/2 tsp
Sesame oil 1 cup

Method:

Wash Gooseberries and pat them dry. In a bowl, add little salt and gooseberries. Stir it well and keep it aside for 5-10 minutes. Steam the gooseberries using a steamer or Idli cooker for five minutes.

Remove the gooseberries and set aside to cool for few minutes. Meanwhile, dry roast the methi seeds. Grind it to a powder.  Add chilli powder, salt to the ground methi seeds mixture. Mix well and keep it aside.

Wipe the gooseberries with a tissue paper or a clean kitchen towel to remove the moisture, if any. Press the gooseberries with your fingers along the sides. It opens into two parts. Remove the seeds and then gently divide into small parts.

My Mom uses the whole gooseberries as such without dividing into parts; but I prefer this method as sometimes I feel a just a half gooseberry is enough while eating with curd rice. So I prefer separating them into parts.

Pour the spice mixture onto the split gooseberries. Mix well and keep it aside.


Heat oil in a Pan. When hot, switch of the flame. Once cooled, pour the oil over the gooseberries-spice mixture. Mix well.

Store in an airtight container. This stays for more than two months. However store in a cool and dry place; use a dry spoon. Mix the pickle as often as possible.

Notes: 

My pickle is quite less hot. Adjust chilli powder according to your taste preferences.

Dry roast the chilli powder if it is not very fresh as this would remove little amount of moisture, if any. If using chillies, dry roast and cool them before grinding.

Use good amount of oil so that the gooseberries gets immersed.

Linking this pickle recipe to vegan thursdays. We share purely vegan recipes for vegan thursdays. This happens every first and last thursday of each month. To know more or to join, click here.

Yellow Pumpkin Stir Fry

Aaaaaaaaaaaah!!! My Hus got pumpkin again from the market. I couldn't even complain as it was so fresh and I love the color of pumpkin. It has been a long time since I made this fry. Suddenly I remembered this recipe and made it today. My son who likes Pumpkin kootu (stew) doesn't like this fry. Who on earth does know what kids like? He simply had his curd rice. Though the fry was really tasty and flavorful, I was quite unhappy as my son's menu didn't include veggies.. What to do? Kids are like that..

Ingredients:

Yellow Pumpkin 1/4 kg
Green Chillies 3
Dried Red Chillies 2
Grated Coconut 2-3 tsp
Water and Salt

To temper:

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Urad Dhal 1/4 tsp
Few Curry leaves
Few Pearl Onions
Oil

Preparation:

Peel the skin of yellow pumpkin and cut them into small chunks. Chop Pearl Onions. Slit red chillies. Grind green chillies to a coarse paste.

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. when hot, add mustard seeds and when they start cracking, add urad dhal, curry leaves, split dried red chillies, pearl onions. Fry till onions turn slightly brown.

Now add chopped pumpkin pieces, ground chilli-paste and salt. Mix well. Fry for a while and then sprinkle little water. Allow cooking. When the water is fully evaporated, simmer the flame and allow cooking.

When it is done, add grated coconut. Mix well. Fry for few more seconds.

Serves: 2
Serve with steamed rice and any spicy gravy like Puli Kuzhambu. (Tamarind gravy).

Linking this recipe to cook yellow event happening at Merry Tummy..

Mango Sago Pudding

Due to my laziness, I extended cutting mangoes that I bought last weekend. Result? It went over ripe and so I thought why not make a dessert. When I searched for pudding recipes, I came across this recipe in every blog. I started preparing as this is very easy. I am not much fond of puddings.But after making it, I was stunned by its taste. It melted in my mouth and that too, in this hot weather this is a perfect pudding recipe.

Ingredients:

Ripe Mango - Alphonso - 1
Sago (Javvarisi) 1/2 cup
Milk 1 cup
Condesend Milk 1/4 cup

Preparation:

Soak Sago in water for an hour.


Method:

Remove the mango pulp from mangoes. Blend it in a blender along with condensed milk.

Cook Sago with enough water. When it turns translucent, remove from fire and drain. Pour in cold water or otherwise some sago gets attached to one another. Drain again.

Heat milk in a pan. Bring it to a boil. Now add cooked sago. Allow boiling until the sago gets combined well with the milk. Allow to cool.

Once cooled, pour the blended mango pulp-condensed milk mixture. Stir it well. Add few mango pieces and saffrom strings for garnishing.

Serve chilled.

Serves: 2

Linking this recipe to cook yellow event happening at Merry tummy.