Green Chutney - All purpose

I am sure you would all know to make Green chutney with coriander / mint - green chillies, here s a lil twist to the regular ones and this serves great of sandwiches due to its thick consistency

You can also store this for upto 3 weeks

11/2 cup Coriander Leaves
1/2 cup Mint Leaves    
1/2 Bread slice      
2 Tbsp Peanuts   ( you can either go in for boiled, raw , salted ones)
2 Tbsp Yougurt
Salt -  To taste
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1" Ginger      
5-6 Green Chillies  ( depending on the variety , i used small Indian chillies)

-Wash mint - Coriander and green chillies thoroughly well by soaking it in a big bowl of water and rinsing it a couple of times , for the sand and sediments to be completely removed
-In a mixie / blender add in bread , peanuts and blend it well
-Now add in all the other ingredients and blend until u get in a smooth paste
- Add a few drops of water to adjust the consistency

Note:

If you are planning to store it, use glass bottles or air tight containers, and omit the lemon juice
Add the juice as and when you use it
This is a more thicker version and usually goes well on sandwiches and used as a spread
In case you want a lighter version to go with pakodas / panner tikkas, omit the bread and peanut and you can add some raw mango pieces for a more tangy taste
In case you just want to go for a plain coriander chutney , omit the mint leaves, this will also give you a more lighter  kind of a parrot green color to the plate

Home Bar IV

MANGO LASSI


Summers are here and so are mangoes


1/2 cup Mango Pulp                         
1 cup Yogurt                              
1 tablespoon Sugar                            
Green cardamom powder - a pinch
 2-3 strands Saffron (kesar)                      
 2 -3 Ice Cubes                              

Take serving glasses and place it in the freezer for 5 minutes
In a blender add the Mango, fresh yogurt , sugar and cardamom powder, along with 2 -3 ice cubes
Blend until its of a smooth consistency
Pour into chilled glasses and garnish with saffron strands

Tips for Garnish

- Add finely chopped mangoes
- Add mango ice cubes - puree` the pulp and pour into ice trays to set
- Add Yogurt Ice cubes - beat yogurt until smooth , pour into trays to set
- Mint Leaves
- Pista / almonds sliced thinly

You can also add in some water / milk in case you find the consistency too thick

Trying to adopt some of the local recipes.....

Though Indian snacks are plently available nearby, I thought let me have some first hand experience on some of the My version modified recipes



For a healthy snack, thick slices of cucumber topped with delicious homemade hummus are the perfect combination.
You can also try toppings for your cucumber "crackers" like mayonnaise with 1 or 2 halved or quartered cherry tomatoes, or peanut butter.


Cucumber "Crackers" with Hummus

Hands-On Time: 20 minutes
Ready In: 20 minutes
Yield: about 1 cup of hummus
Ingredients

1 cup canned chickpeas
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
1 small garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Cucumber, sliced
Cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions

1. Drain the chickpeas and rinse them under cold water. Put them in a blender or a food processor, then add the lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Purée the mixture until smooth and creamy, adding a little water if it's too stiff. Transfer the hummus to a small bowl and stir in the parsley and paprika.

2. Top each cucumber slice with a dollop of hummus, then top with a cherry-tomato quarter.

Nutritional Information
Per Serving (1/4 cup hummus and 1/4 cucumber): 150 Calories, 5g Protein, 20g Carbs, 4g Fiber, 5g Sugar, 6g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 333mg Sodium, 0mg Cholesterol.
Chickpeas are a good source of magnesium — which helps transport energy in the body — and are an even better source of fiber.


Cucumber and Yogurt Dip
Whether called tzatziki (Greece), cacik (Turkey), or raita (India), it makes a delicious dip for warm wedges of pita bread.
Hands-On Time: 25 minutes
Ready In: 30 minutes
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups (6 servings)
Ingredients

1/2 pound cucumber (roughly 1 medium)
1 cup plain yogurt
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Peel and seed the cucumbers. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the cucumber into a small bowl.

2. A handful at a time (kids like doing this), gently squeeze the water out of the grated cucumber. (More than half a cucumber's weight is water.)

3. Return the cucumber to the bowl and stir in the yogurt, garlic, mint, and salt.

Jiffy Indo American dishes

Hey Guys......I have recently moved to NYC/NJ..and the first thing that worries me are lunch boxes for my hubby......Life was so peaceful @ India, with his office providing lunch...and here.......Sure many would have faced the same issue , so here are some "Food for Thought" recipes for a jiffy lunch

Indian Bento

A note on bento: Bento is, very simply put, a Japanese lunchbox that's making waves across the U.S.. Traditionally made with rice, meat, poultry or fish and pickled or other cooked vegetables, bento can be as intricate or simple as you'd like.
Bento boxes can be as simple or elaborate as the food they hold, from laquered boxes with built-in dividers to reuseable plastic containers available just about everywhere lately. It's important to keep moist foods separate from dry foods to decrease the risk of spoilage. Silicone muffin liners are ideal for keeping foods separate, but anything from dry lettuce leaves to waxed paper works as well.
While leftovers are perfect, any food that tastes as good chilled as it does hot will do. To keep foods cold until lunch time, small condiment packets like kethcup, mustard, mayo or relish, when frozen, are the perfect size ice-pack whether meant to be consumed or not.
Fill-ins help food keep its shape and stay put; some ideas for fill-ins are grape tomatoes, grapes, baby carrots, individually wrapped cheeses and dried fruit.

So you can add the following for a Veggie Bento

Spicy Chickpeas and Tomatoes:

Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 large tomato - seeded and diced
1 large green pepper - seeded and diced
1 cup yellow onion - finely chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Directions

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper and cook until fragrant - about 3 minutes.
2. Add chickpeas, tomato, spices and salt. Stir well and heat through
3. Cool and pack ...this can be reheated just before consuming

Spiced Yogurt Dip:


Combine
1 cup plain thick yogurt - whisked well
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon honey
Salt to taste.

Blend well and chill until serving time.
This can be coupled with some Nachos / Green Salad / Spinach - Veggie Fru Salad / Risotto / any portion of your choice