Watermelon and Quinoa Salad

When watermelons are in season, I love to make salads with them. One of my favourites is a watermelon and quinoa salad.

It can be assembled together in a very short time if you have all the ingredients in a bowl chilling in the fridge and the dressing ready. Serve it as an appetizer or a side dish. I often make a meal of it. That’s really ideal for a summer day.
Click the link below for the video recipe:

Watermelon and Quinoa Salad                        Serves 4 to 8

Ingredients:

Watermelon – 1 ½ cups (cut into small cubes)

Ripe Mango – heaped ¼  cup

Raw Mango – ¼ cup (thinly sliced)

Cucumber – 1 medium (sliced)

Raisins/ Sultanas / Kishmish – a handful

Cooked Quinoa –  1 cup

Mixed sprouts – ½ cup

Chopped coriander leaves – ¼ cup

 

For the dressing:

Mustard oil – 3 tblsp

Lime pickle – 3 tsp (include the lime pieces)

Chili flakes – ½ tsp (or to taste)

Roasted Cumin powder – ¾ tsp

Honey – 1 tblsp

Black salt – to taste

Lime juice – 1 tblsp

Method:

1.    Toss in all the ingredients into a large bowl. Reserve some chopped coriander for garnishing later. You may cling wrap the bowl and store it in the fridge.

2.     In a glass jar add in all the ingredients for the dressing. Close the lid. Give it a vigorous shake to emulsify the dressing. It will thicken.

3.    Take out the salad bowl from the fridge. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Mix it up so that all the fruit pieces are well coated with the dressing.

4.    Sprinkle some coriander leaves on top. Serve immediately.

Note: Keep the dressing ready and mix the other ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate till it's time to serve. Dress the salad right before serving.

Eggs Bell Pepper Cabbage Filling Sandwich

A sandwich can save the day! This is a simple recipe that leads to a delish eggs bell pepper cabbage filling sandwich. The main cooking here involves preparing the bell peppers and cabbage filling. The eggs are only hard boiled.

The bell peppers in the filling should have a bite to them. I have used Worcestershire sauce and a light Soy sauce along with tomato ketchup to flavor the filling. It also has onions and garlic in it.

If you are not in the mood for an elaborate meal yet you want something light and filling, this is it. The bell pepper cabbage filling sandwich with eggs is a great meal on the go too. 

Click the link below for the video recipe:

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Eggs Bell Pepper Cabbage Sandwich                     Makes 2 to 4

Ingredients:

For the bell pepper cabbage filling:

Bell peppers & Capsicum – ¾ cups (cut into thin strips)

Cabbage (red or green) – 1 cup (shredded)

Onion – 1 medium (sliced)

Garlic – 2 to 3 cloves (chopped)

Worcestershire Sauce – ½ tsp

Light Soy Sauce – ½ tsp

Tomato Ketchup – 1 tblsp

Vegetable oil – 1 to 2 tblsp

White pepper powder – as required

Salt – to taste

For the sandwich:

Bread – loaf or 8 slices

Butter – to butter the bread slices

Mayonnaise – to spread on the slices

Boiled eggs – 2 to 3 (sliced)

Tomato – 1 large (sliced)

Lettuce leaves – to cover the buttered slices

Salt and Pepper – to taste

For the salad:

Cucumber – 1 small (thinly sliced)

Tomato – 1 medium (thinly sliced)

Pickled olives – 6 to 8

Sprouts – a handful

Lettuce leaf – 1

Olive oil – 1 tblsp

Maple syrup – 1 tsp

Lime juice – 1 tblsp

Salt  and Pepper – to taste

Method:

1.    For the filling: heat some oil in a pan. Add in the onions. Fry till they are light pink in colour. Add in the bell peppers and stir fry for a minute.

2.    Once the bell peppers release their aroma, add in the cabbage and the garlic. Season it with a little salt and white pepper. Mix it up.

3.    Add in Worcestershire Sauce, light Soy Sauce and tomato ketchup. Cook stirring for a minute or two. Until the cabbage has wilted but the bell peppers still have a bite to them.

4.    Turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature.

5.    If you are using a loaf of bread, slice it according to the desired size. Butter the slices generously and then apply mayonnaise.

6.    Place the lettuce leaves to line the lower half of the sandwich bread slice. Place the cabbage filling over it and spread it out. Line the sliced eggs over the filling.

7.    Arrange the tomato slices over the eggs and season with salt and pepper.

8.    Cover the top with the top slice and press gently. The sandwich is ready. If you want to leave it open, put the tomato on the top slice (buttered side).

9.    Quickly add all the ingredients for the salad into a bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil, maple syrup and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and give it a toss.

10. To serve the sandwich use a tray or a plate and put the salad in a lettuce leaf cup on the side. Serve immediately.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 

Lemonade Flavoured with Fruit

How about some chilled and refreshing fruit flavored lemonade? Make it at home and that too as per your taste. For more such recipes, subscribe & check out my channel :  https://goo.gl/XBwLLc

 It’s really that simple to do. If the fancy joints can serve them so can you…at home! 

Click the link below for the video recipe:

Fruit Flavoured Lemonade                      4 flavours

Ingredients:

Lemonade or Nimbu paani

Soda water

Tinned Cherries and Pineapple along with some syrup

Kiwi fruit

Mint leaves

Lime

Ice cubes

Method:

1.    Prepare the lemonade with fresh lime/lemon or use a concentrate powder like Tang. It should be strong on flavor. Keep it in the fridge.

2.    Take 3 tall glasses and add kiwi and a few mint leaves in one. Some pitted or deseeded cherries in the next glass and some chopped pineapple in the third glass.

3.    Use a pestle or a muddler to muddle the fruit pieces in the glasses individually.

4.    Add ice cubes in each glass. Pour in soda water in the glasses leaving some space for the lemonade. Finally top up the glasses with the lemonade.

5.    You may add in some cherry syrup in the cherry glass and pineapple syrup in the pineapple glass.

6.    Garnish the respective glasses with kiwi, and pineapple slices and whole cherries. Add a few mint leaves in each glass.

7.    Muddle the left over fruit pieces and a few mint leaves. Add to the lemonade that is left over (if any). Add in the left over fruit syrups and ice cubes. Mix it up. You have  a fruit cocktail and mint lemonade.

8.    Add a lot of ice and serve chilled.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 

Aloo Kabuli Chana Chaat

When you are really in the mood for a light chaat with minimum cooking and no oil…this aloo kabuli chana chaat or potato chickpea spicy chaat is the recipe for you. One of my favourites.

The only cooking required is boiling the potatoes and chickpeas and dry roasting the spices for the spicy masala. No oil is required. Super simple and fun to make recipe that even kids will enjoy putting together.

Click the link below for the video recipe:

Aloo Kabuli Chana Chaat                        Serves 3 to 5

(Potato Chickpea Spicy Chaat)

Ingredients

For the spicy masala

Cumin seeds – 1 ½ tsp

Coriander seeds – 1 tsp

Dry Red chili – 1 or 2

Green cardamom – 1

Cinnamon stick – ½ inch

For the chaat

Moong / green lentil sprouts – ½ cup

Red Chickpea / lal chana sprouts – ½ cup

Slice boiled potato – 2 to 3 medium

Boiled chickpea / Kabuli chana – 1 cup

Sliced tomato – 1 medium

Sliced cucumber – 1 medium

Sliced raw mango – 1 small

Chopped Coriander – a handful

Lime – 1 or 2

Chopped green chilli – as per taste

Tamarind pulp – about 5  tblsp

Honey – 1 tblsp

Salt and Black Salt – to taste

Chaat masala – 1 tsp

Lettuce or cabbage leaves – for decoration(optional)

Method:

1.    Dry roast the spices for the spicy masala  on low heat till they release their aroma. Keep aside and let it cool down completely. Grind it to a coarse or fine powder.

2.    Take a large mixing bowl. Add in chickpea or Kabuli chana, potato, cucumber, tomato, mango and the sprouts. Add in the green chili and most of the coriander leaves. (Reserve some for garnish)

3.    Mix the honey with the tamarind pulp. Keep aside.

4.    Season the salad / chaat mix with salt and black salt. Add in the tamarind pulp as per your taste. Squeeze in some lime juice. Mix it up.

5.    Add in the spicy masala into the chaat. Mix well.

6.    Taste it and adjust the salt, spices or lime juice accordingly.

7.    Serve the chaat immediately decorated with some lettuce or cabbage leaves and garnished with some chopped coriander.

NOTE: The chaat may be served chilled or at room temperature.

             As a starter or snack or a meal.

© Rinki’s Kitchen

Light Fruit Shakes

The perfect season for some light fruit milkshakes is here. Why not celebrate the summers?

While mangoes are in season, they are the most preferred for shakes. But we can always play around with flavours. So, a little mint or a combination of strawberries with it can really make up something special. Not to forget the always in season bananas. They go well with mint and strawberries too.

For more such recipes, subscribe & check out my channel :  https://goo.gl/XBwLLc

Various combinations of these flavours can make some really flavorsome and light fruit shakes.

For the video recipe:
https://youtu.be/sZQM0uqL7Lg

Light Fruit Shakes                                              makes 4 types of shakes

Ingredients

Ripe Mangoes – as required

Ripe Bananas – as required

Strawberry Jam or Preserve – a small jar

Chilled Milk – as required

Sugar – as sweetener

Mint leaves – a small bunch

Chia seeds soaked in water – 2 to 4 tblsp

Honey or Maple Syrup – a few tblsp

Chocolate sauce or Ganache – a few tblsp

The First One

1.    Add some superfine sugar to chopped mangoes and blend to get mango pulp.

2.    Add in a little chilled milk and mix to a very thick shake. Pour it into a tall glass or bottle or jar to make a bottom layer. Keep aside.

3.    In another vessel, add in some strawberry jam and some milk and blend to a smoothie.

4.    Pour the strawberry smoothie over the mango layer with the help of the back of a spoon. So that the two do not mix together and remain distinct layers.

5.    Top with some strawberry jam and serve chilled.

The Second One

1.    Make some mango pulp like in The First One. Add milk and roughly torn (by hand)  mint leaves.

2.    Use a blender to blend it well.

3.    Prepare a glass or bottle by lining its walls with thinly sliced mango pieces. Use a kitchen only brush to put the pieces in place.

4.    Pour the milkshake into it, top it with a few mint leaves and serve it chilled.

The Third One

1.    Blend together some chopped bananas, strawberry jam, honey or maple syrup and a bit of milk. Add in a tblsp of soaked Chia seeds. Add more milk and blend to adjust the consistency.

2.    To serve, add some strawberry jam at the bottom of a tall glass or bottle. Stick a few thinly sliced banana pieces to the walls of the glass. Pour in the shake slowly in a steady stream. Serve chilled.

The Fourth One

1.    Blend together some banana slices, superfine sugar, torn mint leaves, milk and a tablespoon of Chia seeds.

2.    Use some melted ganache or chocolate syrup to coat the bottom and walls of the glass or jar (that will hold the shake).

3.    Pour in the banana mint shake slowly into the glass, making sure not to disturb the chocolate coating.

4.    Top it with some chocolate sauce and mint leaves. Serve chilled.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 2018

How to make Dosa...from batter to folding styles

Dosa is the South Indian (rice batter) pancake dish which has become extremely popular all over the world. Believe it or not I learnt the recipe from my Ma over 30 years ago. She taught me everything …how to make dosa from batter to folding. Even as a teenager I was good at it! I really enjoyed the different dosa folding styles.

The trick to making the perfect Dosa lies in the batter. So, soaking, grinding, fermenting and adjusting the consistency are really important.

I have explained every step clearly. This is a tried and tested recipe like my other recipes. So, follow the steps carefully and you will be able to make the perfect dosa in your kitchen.

Click the below link for the video recipe:

Dosa                                       For  5 to 7 heads approx

Ingredients

Boiled Rice or Idli/Dosa Rice – 3 cups

Urad dal / split black lentils – 1 cup

Chana Dal / Bengal gram – 3 tblsp

Methi dana / Fenugreek seeds – 1 tblsp

Salt – to taste

Water – as required

Method

1.    Wash the rice and dal very well till the water runs clear.

2.    Soak them separately, in adequate amount of water for 6 hours at least. Best to soak them overnight. Add the methi dana to the rice while soaking.

3.    After soaking, grind them to a thick paste like a pancake batter with only little water as is required.

4.    Put the batter into a large vessel, about twice in volume of the batter. Add a little salt and mix well.

5.    Add a little water if you feel the batter is too thick. Get it to a thick flowing consistency.

6.    Leave it to ferment in a warm place for 6 to 8 hours. It should become double its original volume after fermentation. That is why the large vessel.

7.    Just beat the batter to deflate it and bring it back to its original consistency. Add and adjust the salt to taste.

8.    Pour a ladle full of the batter onto a flat pan or dosa tawa and spread it using the back of the ladle. Drawing circles in one direction only. Keep the grip on the ladle firm but be gentle on the pan.

9.    Drizzle some oil on top. Use a flat head spatula to smooth the top. Let it cook on medium heat till it gets a light colour on it.

10. Use the spatula to release the dosa from the pan. Fold it as you like. Serve it hot accompanied by sambar and coconut chutney.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 2018

Sweet Potato Stuffed Tikki Chaat

Next time you are craving chaat, make sure to cook the sweet potato moong dal stuffed tikki chaat.  It is really simple to make and turns out really delicious.

You could eat the tikkis on their own… right out of the pan or add some beaten yogurt, tamarind chutney and spices and make a delightful chaat.

The moong dal (or split green lentils) filling has all the flavor in it. So, I like to keep the sweet potato really simple in terms of added flavouring. Just add some seasoning to best enjoy the taste of the potato (when you bite into the sweet potato stuffed tikki chaat)

Sweet Potato Stuffed Tikki Chaat                              Makes about 12 tikkis

(Shakarkandi / Kachaloo Tikki Chaat)

Ingredients

For the covering:

Sweet potato – 500 g

Black salt and Chaat masala – for seasoning (to taste)

Roasted besan / gram flour – about 2 tblsp

For the filling:

Moong Dal / Split green lentils – 1/3 cup

Cumin seeds / Jeera – ½ tsp

Hing / Asafetida – ¼ tsp

Turmeric / Haldi pdr – ¼ tsp

Fennel seeds – ½ tblsp

Ginger paste – ½ tsp

Chopped green chili – 1

Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tblsp

Chopped basil or mint – 1 tsp

Vegetable oil – 1 tblsp

Salt – to taste

For the chaat:

Tamarind chutney – as required

Beaten curd/yogurt – as required

Black salt – to taste

Salt – to taste

Roasted Cumin / Jeera powder – to sprinkle on top

Chili pdr – to sprinkle on top

Sev bhujia / Fried gram flour vermicelli – to sprinkle on top

Method:

1.    To make the filling, wash and soak the moong dal in water for 2 to 3 hours. Grind it coarsely.

2.    Heat oil in a pan and add in the cumin seeds and the hing or asafetida. Add in the ground lentil / dal. Cook on a low heat for a minute. Add in the turmeric pdr, chopped green chili, coriander and basil / mint. Mix well.

3.    Add in the coarsely ground fennel seeds and ginger paste. Season with salt. Cook stirring continuously till the dal looks cooked. Leave it aside to cool to room temperature.

4.    To make the outer covering, wash the sweet potatoes and boil them. Peel and mash the boiled potatoes.

5.    Season with black salt and chaat masala. Add in 1 tblsp of gram flour or besan. Mix well till well combined. Check and adjust the seasoning.

6.    Make small balls (golf ball size) from the potato mix. Take a ball of potato and make a depression in the centre, add in some dal filling into it. Carefully close it to form a ball again. Press on the filling and pinch the coating. Flatten it slightly, and shape it into a tikki.

7.    Once all the tikkis have been formed, fry them on a flat pan with a little oil. Till they get a nice colour on them.

8.     To assemble the chaat, make a bed of beaten yogurt on the serving plate. Place the tikki on top. Drizzle with tamarind chutney. Sprinkle salt, black salt, cumin pdr, chili pdr. Finish off with a sprinkling of sev.

9.    Serve immediately.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 2018

Paka Mango Moong Dal

In summers, lentils are usually cooked with raw mangoes but then why should the ripe ones be left out? This moong dal recipe with ripe mangoes is so simple and quick to make that it becomes an ideal summer recipe.

The paka (ripe) mango is used to flavor the moong dal and also adds a touch of sweetness to it. Planning to try out something different? This is the one for you.

Cooking with seasonal produce is an “in” thing these days. But that has been the norm in many cultures. I have seen it in my family for as far as I can remember.

This is a special dal recipe with ripe mangoes and all you need is some rice to go with it. That would be a meal in itself. A drizzle of ghee on top is all you need.

Click the link below for the video recipe:

Paka Mango Moong Dal                                          Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients:

Moong dal / Split green gram – ½ cup

Mangoes – 1 or 2

Coriander  leaves – a small bunch

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Coriander pdr – 1 tsp

Cumin pdr – ½ tsp

Turmeric pdr – ¼ tsp heaped

Garam Masala pdr – ¼ tsp heaped

Star anise – 1

Cinnamon stick – 1 (inch long)

Green chili – 1

Lemon juice – 1 to 2 tblsp

Veg oil – 2 tblsp

Ghee – 1 tblsp

Salt – to taste

Method:

1.    Dry roast the lentils / moong dal till they turn a few shades darker. Keep the heat low while roasting and stir continuously.

2.    Wash the roasted lentils in water 2 to 3 times. Add the star anise and cinnamon and cook the lentil till done.

3.    Peel and chop the mangoes. You could use ½ cup to ¾ cups of small mango cubes for this recipe. Add more if you like.

4.    Chop up the coriander leaves.

5.    Heat the oil in a pan. Add in the cumin seeds. Once they stop spluttering, lower the heat. Add in the dry spices and a little water.

6.    Now, add in most of the mangoes. Reserve some for later. Cook the mangoes for a minute.

7.    Add in the green chili (whole or slit). Add in the cooked lentil next. Adjust the consistency by adding some water if required.

8.    Mix it up. Bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling stir it from time to time and let it simmer for a few minutes. Mash up a few pieces of mango and mix well into the dal.

9.    Once the dal has thicken up slightly, add in the left over pieces of mango. And the chopped coriander. Season with salt. Mix it up. Turn off the heat.

10. Add in the lemon juice and mix well.

11. Drizzle some ghee on top and serve the mango dal with rice.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 2018

Lime Pie with condensed milk

Want to make a pie and eat it too? This lime pie with condensed milk is the perfect recipe for you. It uses readily available ingredients and is totally a non fuss recipe.

This Lime Pie not only looks exotic but tastes heavenly. Try it and see for yourself.

LIME PIE

Ingredients

For the pie base:

Melted butter – 6 to 8 tblsp

Icing sugar – 3 tblsp

Biscuit crumbs(Arrowroot, Marie or Graham Crackers) – about 1 ½ cups

For the filling:

Condensed Milk(sweetened) – 400g

Lime juice – ½ cup

Eggs – 2 yolks + 1 whole egg

Lime zest/ rind – 1 ½ to 2 tsp

Vanilla essence – ½ tsp

Method:

1.    Mix the icing sugar and the crumbs well. Add in the melted butter and mix till it resembles wet sand.

2.    Pour the mix into an 8” pie base and press it to form the base. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for 10 – 12 mins or until the base has hardened and turned light brown. Once baked, place it on a wire rack and let it cool completely.

3.    In a large bowl, pour in the condensed milk and the eggs. Use a whisk or an electrical beater to beat them till pale and fluffy.

4.    Add in the vanilla and the lime zest or rind. Mix well.

5.    Add in the lime juice a little at a time mixing in between each addition. You will get a pale and slightly thick mixture.

6.    Pour the mix into the pie base. Spread it out with a spatula to smooth the top.

7.    Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for about 10 – 12 mins or until the filling is set.

8.    Remove from the oven, cool completely. Decorate with whipped cream and set it in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours. Best done overnight.

9.    Cut out a slice, then demould the pie carefully.

10. Serve chilled.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 2018