SummerFood – Page 2 – The Secret Ingredient

Dips

Baingan Ka Raita | Eggplant Yogurt Side Dish | Charred Aubergine Curd Dip

By anshu July 24, 2015

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Baingan ka Bhartha or Charred Eggplant cooked with spices is a very popular dish from India. But other than this the Charred or stove roasted big Brinjals are used to make this incredible yogurt side dish. This dish was introduced to me by my mother and to her from her inlaws. Its native to Multan erstwhile Indian state and now in Pakistan. Since both the countries share the same culture, language and cuisine a lot of dishes are common.

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Its a fairly simple dish you need to simply roast the eggplants and remove its skin. Learn how to roast a brinjal on a stove top. Once the pulp is ready, it will take minutes to put this side dish together. I love this raita and its a common side dish in my native family. Baingan or Eggplant is also known as batau in punjabi belt.

Directions:

1. Take pulp or flesh of Brinjal after being roasted. You can learn to roast them like this. Place the peeled eggplant in a blender.

2. Pour fresh Yogurt or curd on top. Along with Fresh Coriander leaves.

3. Add salt and red chili powder.

4. Also add roasted Cumin powder and ginger powder or saunth.

5. Close the lid of the blender and pulse for 5 -7 seconds until it combines well. Serve as a side dish with Aloo Gobhi, Aloo Methi , Tori Wadiyan and any other dry vegetable dish.

Other Raita dishes you can try on The Secret Ingredient are : Bathua ka Raita, Aloo Anaar ka Raita, Purslane Yogurt Dip

You can even try Bharwan Baingan, Baingan Ka Bhartha , Baingan Bhaja and Baingan ka Salan.

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Food without Onion Garlic

Aalubukhara Smoothie | Plum Smoothie | Plum Mango Punch

By anshu June 23, 2015

I live in the hills where the backyard of every house is occupied by the fruit trees and those trees are laden with ripe fruits. This time of the year we get plums or Aalubukhara in abundance. Although they are easy targets of monkey menace but we manage to get some fruits for ourselves.

I am not very fond of plums as a fruit per se, but love to make delicious pies and chutney out of it. I finished making a batch of Plum Chutney and I still had a few lying unused. I decided to make a quick plum smoothie. I added some mango pulp to balance the tartness of plums. Ohh it was amazing and so very refreshing and not to mention how it helps to regulate High Blood pressure and Improves Bone Health.

Directions:

1. Pick some ripe plums and wash them thoroughly.

2. Cut the plums into slices and discard the stone. Also scoop out pulp of a ripe mango.

3. Put the plums and mango in a blender and add brown sugar or mascabado sugar. You can even use jaggery powder.

3. Add a pinch of salt and add water.

4. Blend it together to form a smoothie. Serve chilled and enjoy this summer drink.

You can try other thirst busters from The Secret Ingredient: Musk Melon & Cucumber Minty Smoothie & Aam Ka Panna.

[whohit]PlumSmoothie[/whohit]

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Beverage & Drinks

Aam Ka Panna | Raw Mango Drink with Mint and Roasted Cumin

By anshu June 20, 2015

Indian summers are scorching and can take a toll on you. So it is very important to keep your self hydrated and take all necessary steps to fight against the intense Indian Summer heat. One such way is to drink Aam Panna, it is a healthy drink made from the pulp of raw green mangoes, sugar and assortment of spices.

Aam Panna not only quenches your thirst but also helps prevent excessive loss of sodium chloride and iron in the body resulting due to heavy sweating. Its my favourite drink since childhood. You can make a concentrate of Aam Panna and keep it refrigerated. Simply add cold water to it and enjoy this refreshing summer drink with the goodness of Mango.

Directions:

1. Wash and peel raw mangoes and cut them into small pieces discarding the inside seed. I have used slightly ripe mangoes but they were still quite tangy. You can even directly boil the mangoes with the peel and later separate the peel and pulp. But it gets messy so I prefer to simply boil the pulp.

2. Transfer the chopped mango pieces in a vessel.

3. Add water and let it come to a boil.

4. Put the lid on and let it simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the mangoes have become soft. I inserted a knife to check its doneness. Turn the flame off and let it come to room temperature.

5. Transfer the cooked mango pulp with its water into a blender. Add sugar and roasted Cumin Powder.

6. Also add washed mint leaves and Black Himalayan Salt , also known as Kala Namak.

7. Blend Together to make a smooth liquid Concentrate. Pour a small portion of it in tall glasses and add chilled water as per your taste. Store rest of the concentrate in a container and keep it refrigerated.

You can try other Raw Mango recipes on The Secret Ingredient: Raw Mango Pickle South Indian Style, Raw Mango Sweet and Sour Chutney and Raw Mango Chutney with Mint and Coriander.

Other refreshing things you can try to beat the heat are: Mango Coconut Milk Pudding, Musk Melon Cucumber and Mint Smoothie and Quick Pista Badam Kulfi.

[whohit]AamPanna[/whohit]

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Chutney

Khatti Meethi Kacchey Aam Ki Chutney | Sweet and Sour Raw Mango Chutney

By anshu June 11, 2015

Some time back I had posted the recipe of Instant Raw mango Pickle South Indian style and stated how I had to use 10 kg of raw mangoes sent to me by my parents. In the pursuit of using them wisely I also made this khatti Metthi Aam ki Chutney. It was my first time to make this chutney. I always loved the way my mommy made this chutney. So I asked her the recipe and gave it a try.

This recipe is made differently in different parts of India and is also known by different names. Like in Gujarat a similar version is made and is known as Aam ka Chunda .

Directions:
1. Wash and peel some raw mangoes.

2. Grate them into strings.

3. Place them in a bowl and add sugar.

4. Also add salt, red chili powder.

3. Also add roasted Cumin Powder and Garam Masala.

4. Combine everything thoroughly and cover it with a lid and let it sit overnight at room temperature.

5. After the waiting period put the mango mixture in a wok or kadhai on low heat and add add crushed cardamom. Stir it for fifteen minutes until it thickens and attains single string consistency.

6. Add musk melon seeds. They taste simply superb.

7. Let it cool down and transfer it to a glass container. Store in fridge, remains good for months.

You can try other chutneys from The Secret Ingredient: Pudina Chutney, Coriander Chutney, Spinach Coriander Chutney, Coconut Chutney, Chimichurri, Szechuan Sauce.

Other raw mango Recipes you can try: Instant Raw Mango Pickle South Indian Style.

[whohit]KhattiMeethiAamKi Chutney[/whohit]

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Dinner

Punjabi Style Bharwan Tinda | Stuffed Indian Round Gourd | Spicy Stuffed Apple Gourd

By anshu June 8, 2015

Do you belong to the clan of LTT (Lauki, Tinda, Touri) repellents 😛 ? Well Try this spicy recipe of stuffed tindey, plural of tinda, this will change your opinion and you will love eating these tasty vegetable. I also posted the recipe of Touri waddiyan some time back which was well appreciated by you. This encouraged me to post this delicious recipe given to me by my mommy.

Tinda is also known as Apple Gourd or Indian Round Gourd or Indian Baby Pumpkin. In Marathi it is known as dhemase, Tindsi in Rajasthan and Meha in Sindhi. But it is popular vegetable in North India specially Punjabi Cuisine. I grew up eating this dish and it is one of the comfort foods made by my mommy. The way the spices marry the gourd creates such amazing taste that its difficult to express in words. You must choose baby tindey for this, which has soft center and tender seeds.

Directions:
1. Choose Baby tindey, usually smaller in size. Wash them and peel their skin using a peeler. If you find the seeds like this then the seeds should be scooped out.

2. Make a cross section insertion on top using a sharp knife. Make sure the cut does not cut the tinda into pieces. Oops I cut this one into half 😛 Never mind still good to use.

3. In a bowl mix Salt, Turmeric powder, Red Chili powder.

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4. Also add to this Amchur, Coriander powder, Sambhar Masala.

5. Also add Garam Masala and Asafoetida.

6. Mix the spices well and stuff them using a spoon inside the insertions made on tindey.

7. Chop some Onions, Grate some ginger and chop some green chilies.

8. Add ghee or clarified butter in a wok.

9. Add cumin seeds to the warm ghee and let them sputter.

10. Add ginger and green chilies and saute for a minute. Add onions and saute them till soft and tender.

11. Add the stuffed tindey to the wok and carefully toss them to coat them with ghee. Also add the tindey pieces if cut into pieces accidentally 😛 Saute for a minute or two.

12. Take a steel lid just big enough to cover the tindey well. Do not use big ones, we want less space inside and more pressure to cook them.

13. Keep tossing and turning in between and cook for 15 minutes on medium high heat or until the tindas have cooked thoroughly. Insert a knife to check. Turn the flame off. Serve hot with Roti and Raita.

You can even try other summer dishes from Indian Cuisine : Touri Waddiyan, Bharwan Karela, Baingan Ka Bhartha, Baingan ka Salan. Dahi Wala Karela.

[whohit]StuffedTinda[/whohit]

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Dessert

Quick Pista Badam Kulfi | No Whip Just Blend Quick Almond Pistachio Popsicle Flavoured with Cardamom

By anshu May 4, 2015

Kulfi is a traditional popular frozen dairy dessert from Indian Subcontinent. This ice cream is much more creamier and denser than usual ice creams and can be made in variety of flavors like Mango, cardamom, saffron and many many more.. The distinct feature of kulfi is that it is not whipped during making so it has much longer melting time. I have always enjoyed eating Kulfis all my life. I prefer them over regular ice creams any day.

Traditionally Kulfi is made by boiling and reducing milk for long hours and then flavoured using rose, cardamom and saffron. It is a a time consuming process and a tedious one for sure. When I was in Mexico I was introduced to evaporated milk, which is reduced milk without sugar in a can. This changed my life forever. You can make kulfis in 5 minutes.. yes 5 minutes! Just put all the ingredients in a blender, pulse, pour in moulds and freeze. Its that simple. Even a kid can do it,

No one on earth could say they were not authentic in taste. I grabbed the evaporated cans from the INA market in Delhi and have stacked them in my pantry for the summer season ahead. Afterall our house hold is a kulfi freak!

Directions:
1. In a blender add a can of condensed milk.

2. Also add evaporated milk. You can buy Evaporated milk from our The Gourmet Shop.

3. Add cream.

4. Add some Almonds and Pistachios along with Cardamom. You can even use cardamom powder if you don’t like the shell of cardamom in your mouth.

5. Add two slices of bread. Yes any normal bread, don’t frown, trust me.

6. Blend this all together into a fine runny mixture.

7. Add saffron strands and mix.

8. Pour them in Kulfi moulds, or popsicle moulds or even small earthen pots. I used age old kulfi moulds gifted to me by my dear Mother in law 🙂

9. Cover with its lid or cap or you can even use a aluminium foil to cover it. Dont forget to insert a popsicle stick or wooden stick for ease of handling and eating it later.

10. Freeze for 2-4 hours. It took me 2.5 hours.

11. Run them under or dip them in hot water for a few seconds and pull out the popsicle out of the mould. You are ready to enjoy your kulfi. We like to eat with rose sugar syrup. It tastes divine!

You can even try our Mango Coconut Milk Pudding.

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Dessert

Coconut Milk Mango Pudding | 10 Mins to Assemble Easy Mango Pudding

By anshu April 23, 2015

Summers are here and so are Mangoes. They are refreshing , delicious and everyone’s favourite, specially my father. He LOVESSSSSS Mangoes. He is a mango addict. I am not kidding! I have seen my father hunting for mangos at 2’o clock at night. Huh! My father’s pantry is often full of boxes of Mangoes. He is a diabetic but he cannot leave Mangoes. What can I say!

So coming back to mangoes, we are surrounded by mangoes everywhere these days and making delicious mango puddings makes the experience even more exciting. I came across this Korean blogger who had made this coconut milk Mango Pudding. I was simply awestruck. I had all ingredients on hand I made it immediately. This was soo delicious!

Directions:

1. Slice one mango and cut it into cubes. Put the cubes in the serving jars or glasses.

2. Scoop out the pulp of the other two mangoes and put them in the blender.

3. Add Condensed Milk and Evaporated milk to the blender.

4. Pulse the blender to make a smoothie.

5. In the meanwhile, in a pan add some water, Coconut milk and gelatine or agar agar for vegetarian option.

6. On low heat dissolve the gelatine using a spoon. Put the flame off. Add the mango smoothie to the coconut mix and stir till well combined.

7. Pour them in the jars or glasses with mango cubes. Give it a gentle stir and chill till set. It should take 2 hours.

8. Serve chilled with more mango Cubes on top or may be some Pomegranate seeds.
You can even try our Orange Cake, Apple Streusel Bread, Pumpkin Cake Rolls and Persimmon Rum Cake.

[whohit]MangoCocoPudding[/whohit]

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Appetiser

Zucchini Garlic Soup with Yak Cheese Shreddings

By anshu March 17, 2015

I Live in a small town in the Himalayas where Summer has still not beckoned us but there are traces of spring here and there. When I saw Zucchini in the Farmer’s Market I knew summer isn’t that far off. I picked it up and wanted to make something light for my kiddo who like all kids his age is a fussy eater. I made it into a soup and wola!!!! He loved it. That is the greatest joy a mother can feel. Little shreddings of yak cheese gave this humble soup a new meaning. It was flavourfully devoured by my little one his daddy and his mumma 🙂

Directions:

1. Wash zucchini and if the skin is hard peel it off otherwise retain the skin and cut it into cubes. Set aside The soup will be more green with the skin on.

2. Chop Onions and Garlic. Set aside.

3. In a pressure pan add butter and melt it on a low flame.

4. Add chopped onions and garlic and saute them till they are soft and tender.

5. Add the cubed zucchini and saute it for a minute.

6. Add water with chicken/vegetable bullion or chicken stock.

7. Add salt and ground black pepper.

8. Close the lid and cook for ten minutes till the zucchini is soft.

9. Open the lid and puree the soup with a hand blender till soft and creamy.

10. Serve hot with a dollop of fresh cream and yak cheese shreddings. You can also have this cold.

You can also try other soups from The Secret Ingredient like Russian Borsch, Mexican Chicken Soup with Rice, Tomato Soup, Mexican Soup of Kidney Beans.

[whohit]ZucchiniSoup[/whohit]

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Dinner

Tori Wadiyan | Ridge Gourd with Spicy Dried Lentil Dumplings | Tourai with Baddi

By anshu July 12, 2014

Turai, tori, thurai, dodka, galka are all different names of Summer Squash known as Ridge Gourd. It is a very popular summer vegetable available in most parts of the country. It has a great nutritional value but not a lot of people eat specially kids for its bland flavour. I have heard many label these summer vegetables as LTT for Lauki, Tinda, Turai :P. My husband was also one of those who would despise tori. When I started cooking tori in the style of my mother he could resist eating it. Infact, I often receive requests from him to make tori, sometimes two or three times a week during season.

Now the question arises what makes my mother’s recipe so special? She makes tori with punjabi wadi, which are dried dumplings made with ground lentils and spices, dried in the sun. I remember as a kid my grandmothers would make them when I would visit them during summer vacations and my job was to keep an eye on them from birds and monkeys while they were being sun dried on the terrace. What lovely days! The fusion of tori and wadi makes this dish delicious. You can use these wadis in this Dal Ghiya recipe also.

Directions:

1. Wash and peel the skin of gourd.

2. Chop Onions, gourd along with green chilies. Keep aside.

3. Take a small sized tomato and chop it. Too much tomato can make the dish more tangy. If you want to taste the real taste of gourd keep the quantity of tomatoes minimal.

4. In a pressure pan pour some oil/ghee. Add cumin seeds. Let them cook and spatter for a minute.

5. Crush one wadi and make small pieces of it. Add them to the pressure pan with onions. Cook it till onions become transparent.

6. Add the chopped gourd along with tomato.

7. Add Salt, Turmeric and Red Chili Powder. Add two spoon of water. Close lid and pressure cook for 5 whistles or anywhere between 10 to 12 minutes.

8. Open once the pressure has released. You will see it has a lot of liquid. Turn on the flame and cook till all liquid is absorbed and evaporated.

9. Garnish with garam masala and chopped Coriander leaves.

10. Serve hot with Rotis.

You can even try Stuffed Touri which is also an incredible way to eat ridge gourd without making faces 😛

You can even try other dishes from Punjabi Cuisine like Bharwan Karela, Dal Makhni, Gobhi Danthal ki Sabji, Aloo Methi, Punjabi Style Shalgam Ka Saag , Dal Ghiya with Punjabi Vadiyan, Punjabi Pethey Ki Sabzi, Punjabi Style Bharwan Tinda, Langar Wali Dal , Punjabi Style Dum Aloo, Punjabi Pindi Choley.

[yumprint-recipe id=’32’] [whohit]ToriWadiyan[/whohit]

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