July - August are months when the mango season is at its fag end but, we see a lot of Totapuri mangoes in the market. These mangoes have a distinctive diamond shape and differ in taste from the favorite Alphonso mangoes.

Totapuri mangoes are excellent for making Mango Murabba, a great accompaniment wit any meal. Here is how you can make it -

Mango Murabba

Ingredients:

· 2 medium ripe Totapuri mangoes about 3/4 kg in weight
· 2 cups sugar
· 15 cardamoms
· 2 glasses water
· 1 pinch Boondi/ food colour

Procedure:

Peel the mangoes and cut into vertical strips. Peel the cardamoms and lightly crush the seeds.

In a thick bottomed pan put sugar and water and bring to the boil. Lower flame and let the sugar syrup boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Now add the mangoes and cardamom and allow to cook on low flame for about 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally, till the sugar syrup becomes thick. Add a pinch of colour and let the mangoes cook for a minute or two. Turn off flame. Allow the murabba to cool by placing the pan in a thali/ utensil with water and covered with a clean cloth. When cool, empty in a glass jar. Serve with hot puris or rotis. Refrigerate the bottle.

Rava Kesari (Sooji Halwa)

Monsoon is the perfect time to have hot rava kesari/ sooji halwa either for breakfast, dessert after lunch or a tea time snack. Sooji halwa is quick an easy to make and here's how you can do is yourself

Ingredients -

1. 1 small bowl/katori of rava or sooji 
2. Half bowl/katori sugar
3. 10 - 12 strands of saffron
4. 3 - 4 cardamoms (deseeded and crushed)
5. 3 - 4 tbl spoons pure ghee
6. 8 - 10 cashew nuts (slit into half)
7. 25 - 30 raisins 
8. 1 pinch bundi/food color (orange)
9. 2 bowls of water

Procedure - 

Put sugar, water, cardamom and saffron in a pan and boil till sugar is completely dissolved. Turn of flame and keep aside. In a thick bottomed can or kadhai, heat ghee, lower flame and add sooji/rava and saute in the ghee by turning it around for a few minutes till it gives out a strong aroma. 

Add sugar water and a pinch of colour and allow it to cook for a minute or two on a medium flame till the water is almost dry. Cover the pan and lower flame and cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Add cashew nuts and raisins and serve hot in an attractive glass bowl.

You can also serve individual helpings as shown in the picture. Fill a stainless steel bowl with the halwa and then turn it upside down on a plate

Hershey's now at Paanwalas

Innovation in food continues at all levels...from 5 star cuisine to the street corner sandwich wala and now also to the paanwala in Delhi.

This picture was taken on a recent visit, when I was amazed to see every paanwala in Connaught Place having an exotic menu board of offerings and a range of Hershey's syrups displayed on the counter, to dip the paans in.

Sauted Mushrooms & Raw Papaya and Carrot Salad

Over the weekend, I had a nice meal with friends at Salt Water Cafe in Bandra. We ordered their sauted mushrooms as a starter. They were really tasty. The mushrooms were slit into two, and sauted in a little butter, with finely chopped spring onion, a little ground garlic, salt & pepper and chopped parsley/ cilantro. A very quick, easy to make yummy starter.

We also ordered an interesting salad.... Raw papaya and carrot in mayonnaise dressing. The papaya and carrots were peeled and cut into very fine , long shreds and mixed with a little mayonnaise and served as a semi circular heap. Very unusual combination, but great taste!

With today's focus on eating healthy, most of us try to include easy to make and low on calories foods and recipes. One such very convenient thing to make and have at home is fresh Yogurt based Dips made every day. They go very well when served with roasted khakhras, all kinds of chips, fresh vegetable sticks like, carrot and cucumber . They can also we used as a spread on crackers or in sandwiches.

YOGURT DIPS

Here's what you need and how you make it.

Ingredients:

1. 2 small bowls of low fat or regular yogurt (one bowl for each variant)
2. 2 to 3 flakes of garlic , peeled and crushed
3. 2 to 3 sprigs of coriander leaves ( washed and finely chopped)
4. 2 to 3 sprigs of Dil (washed and finely chopped)
5. 1 to 2 spring onions ( peeled and finely chopped)
6. salt and pepper to taste 

Procedure:

Put yogurt in a muslin cloth, tie ends and allow to hang for an hour or two till all the water has come out.
Empty yogurt half and half in two bowls. Mix yogurt in each bowl well. Now in one bowl add garlic, coriander and salt and pepper and mix well with a spoon.
In the second bowl add chopped onion , dil and salt and pepper and mix well with a spoon.
Cover both bowls with cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. 

Both dips are now ready to serve in any of the ways shared above.

Dudhi Pakodas

The rains are upon us and its the weekend too. Most people would love to have friends over or just chill and enjoy the lovely weather with a hot plate of crisp pakodas and a steaming cup of chai or coffee.
Pakodas made out of aloo, pyaaz, gobi, mirchi, palak etc are quite common and popular. However not many people think of making Dudhi or White Pumpkin Pakodas.
Dudhi Pakodas are very light, delicious and melt in the mouth. Here is how you can make a plate full of the delicious Dudhi pakodas.

Ingredients-

1. 2-3 inch (length) piece of Dudhi / Lauki
2. 1 small bowl of gram flour / Besan
3. 1/2 tsp Ajwain
4. 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder
5. 1 pinch soda bicarb
6. Salt to taste
7. Few coriander leaves, finely chopped (optional)
8. 1 bowl of oil for frying

Procedure -

Peel the Dudhi / Lauki and cut into wafer thin slices, keep aside in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix gram flour with spices. Slowly add water and blend well, to make a smooth batter, slightly thinner than ketchup consistency.
Heat oil in a kadhai. When really hot, lower flame to medium and dip each Dudhi slice in the batter and gently put into the hot oil. Fry 4 - 6 slices at a time and turn around until golden brown on both sides. Remove from oil and place on tissue, to drain out any excess oil.
Serve hot with green chutney / ketchup / pickle. And slices of pau bread (optional)

Its monsoon time and time for enjoying tasty and hot snacks with a cup of tea or coffee, after a long day at work or just to relax over the weekend.

Kheema tikki is a delicious light and nourishing snack which my family and guests all love. You can try it out soon and delight your loved one

Kheema (Mince Meat)   Cutlets

Ingredients:

· 250 gms. Kheema
· 2 small potatoes
· 2 slices of bread or one small pav
· 1 piece ginger finely chopped / crushed
· 1/2 tsp. cummin seeds powder
· 1 tsp. coriander powder
· ¼ tsp. garam masala powder
· 2 green chillies finely chopped
· Few coriander leaves finely chopped
· Salt and pepper to taste
· Oil for frying
· 2 tbsps bread crumbs (optional)

Procedure:

Wash and put kheema in a pressure cooker with washed potatoes, ginger, chillies, coriander powder and 1 cup water. Pressure cook for 10 minutes after first whistle. Open cooker when cool and remove potatoes. If there is any water in the kheema dry it on high flame for a couple of minutes. When kheema is cool, empty it on a tray / plate.

Peel the potatoes, mash them and add to kheema. Add salt, pepper , garam masala and cummin seed powder to kheema mixture. Soak bread in water for a minute or two, squeeze out the water and add to kheema. Finally add coriander leaves. Rub a little oil on your hands and mix the kheema with all ingredients to make a soft dough. Divide the mixture into 8-10 portions. Flatten and shape each into a round cutlet. Cover in bread crumbs (optional)

In a non-stick pan heat a little oil.When hot put in four to six cutlets at a time and fry till both sides are golden brown. Serve hot with fresh salad, ketchup / chutney and bread.