Friday 17 January 2014

SAMBARAM or LABAN DRINK or BUTTER MILK DRINK:

SAMBARAM or LABAN DRINK or BUTTER MILK DRINK: This is a very refreshing natural drink. This is one drink I am sure every Keralite would have had some time or the other. A drink that cools the body during the summer seasons and that existed even before the soft drinks came about. And a 100% healthy option. The aroma and taste it carries is truly amazing. It is salty and lightly spicy. It is seen as a must for any sadhya or the lavish South Indian thali. It is said to improve digestion.





INGREDIENTS:

Butter Milk or Moru – 1 Cup
Curry Leaves – 3 to 4 leaves
Green Chilli – ½ to 1 slit
Ginger – a very small piece
Salt

METHOD:

Add all the ingredients to the blender and mix. Pour in a glass and have. Simple, right?????????
OR
Take the butter milk in a bowl, add the sliced green chilli, ginger, salt and slightly crushed or slit curry leaves and mix well using a spoon. Serve with rice after 5 minutes or so.



RED SPINACH STIR FRY or CHEERA MEZHUKKUPURATTI

RED SPINACH STIR FRY or CHEERA MEZHUKKUPURATTI  : Red Spinach is one of the vegetables I hated as a child. My mom used to make only thoran out of it and I truly hated it. I discovered this one at my in laws place. A simple and good recipe. It tastes better than thoran though. I find this as a better option, even though thoran is a healthier option. I guess you can try it too, if you are a person who finds it hard to eat leafy vegetables. You may even try it with green Palak. Red Palak or Cheera as it is known in Kerala is more popular and available in abundance there.

The health benefits related to red spinach are plenty. Due to its high Fibre content, helps in bowel movement. Helps in boosting the Kidney Function. Good for anaemic patients as it is rich in iron.  Improves eyes sight and strengthens the hair. 





INGREDIENTS:

Red Spinach – a bunch
Dried Red chilly sliced – 2
Or
Green Chilly sliced – 2
Red Onion – 1 big
Salt to taste
Oil – 1 tablespoon or less
Mustard seeds – a pinch
Urad Dhal or uzhunnu parippu or white lentil split – a pinch (optional)



METHOD:

Slice the onions, chillies, and red spinach separately. Take a pan and add oil. Splutter the mustard seeds and add Urad dal till it turns golden brown. Add chillies and sauté for few seconds. Add onions and sweat them. Add the cut spinach and salt and mix well.  Cover the pan with a lid and cook on medium flame. 

Once the spinach is cooked for few minutes, you may turn off the stove. If you do not like the crunch of the leaves, then cook till it becomes really tender. It is advisable to cook till it is lightly tender and yet crunchy.


CARROT CAKE - HOME MADE

CARROT CAKE - HOME MADE: This is one of the most baked cake in my household especially by my mother. The best thing about the cake it is easy to make right from the scratch. And yeah....you do not need too many ingredients or hi- fi ones....all simple ingredients available at home. And the icing part....is that really necessary????? I really do not think so...in case you need, you may try out one...even a simple butter icing would be perfect on it. I have used vegetable oil instead of Butter as a more healthier option.The cake is not a very sweet one. If you need it more sweet, add more sugar.







INGREDIENTS:

Maida or Allpurpose Flour  -1Cup

Vegetable Oil - 1/2 Cup

or Butter - 1/2 Cup

Sugar - 1/2 Cup

Egg - 2

Soda Powder - less than 1/4 teaspoon

Baking Soda - less than 1/4 teaspoon

Carrot - 1 Big

Vanilla essence Powder - a pinch (optional)


METHOD: 

Mix maida, vanilla powder, Soda Powder and Baking Soda in a bowl. In a mixer, Grind carrot pieces, oil, sugar and eggs until it becomes very smooth. Pour it little by little (two or three times)  into the maida powder mix and fold it in completely without forming any lumps. Transfer the same into a baking dish. Preheat the oven at 110 degrees for around 3 minutes. Bake it for 20 mins at 170 degrees. Cake is ready. Cut the same after cooling.

NB: 

In case you do not have an Oven, the same can be done using a pressure cooker also. Place the cake mixture into an aluminium or steel bowl. Place the same in a pre- heated pressure cooker (heat it for few minutes) and close using the lid after removing the weight. Check after cooking for 20 minutes. If not, cook the same till it is done.

Always spray the baking tin or bowl with some butter and Maida. This will help the cake from not sticking to the bowl. 

Pierce a sharp knife or skewer into the middle of the cake and pull it back. If it comes out clean, the cake is completely baked. The top layer would also be brown.