Watermelon rind Olan

Ingredients:

Watermelon rinds    - 1 cup(thin slices)

Long beans             - 1/2 cup(3/4 inch pieces)

Celery                     -  1/2 cup ( thin slices)

Green chillies          -  2 ( slit into halves)

Coconut milk          -  1 tbsp

Curry leaves            -  4-5 leaves

Coconut oil              - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder     - 1 tsp

Salt                          - according to taste

Water                       - 2 cups( approximate)

Cook the vegetables in water along with salt,turmeric powder and green chillies. Once cooked reduce heat to low and add the coconut milk. Make sure the coconut milk blends well with the water.

Switch off heat after about 5 minutes. Add the curry leaves and the coconut oil over the curry leaves.If you prefer the olan to be thicker you can add more coconut milk or add less cooking water.

It serves as a good side for rice.

Cranberry chutney

Ingredients:

Cranberry(fresh or frozen)  - 1/2 cup

Green chilli(jalapeno)*         - 1

Ginger                                  - 1 inch piece

Almonds                               - 10-12

Channa dal                           - 1 tbsp

Urad dal                               - 1 tbsp

Salt according to taste

* add more or less chillies according to your taste  

Toast /dry fry the dals until light brown.Add them to the blender along with the other ingredients and grind with little water to form a thick paste. If using frozen cranberries, thaw them before adding to the blender.

 It goes well with idli/dosai or can be used as a spread.

 “Sending this to Berry Merry Summer June 2013 event hosted by Jayanthi”
http://kuttybear-toddlerfoodideas.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/a-berry-merry-summer-june-2013-event.html

Blueberry Lassi (sweet)

Ingredients

Yogurt (fresh or frozen)       - 1/2 cup
Blueberry(fresh or frozen)   - 1/2 cup
Honey                               - 1 tbsp (use more or less depending on the amount of sweetness you need)

Blend all ingredients together.

"Sending this to Berry Merry Summer June 2013 event hosted by Jayanthi”
http://kuttybear-toddlerfoodideas.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/a-berry-merry-summer-june-2013-event.html

Cranberry thokku

Cranberry thokku aka Cranberry spicy jam

Ingredients:

Cranberry(frozen or fresh)*  -  1 1/2 cups
Turmeric powder                    -  1 tsp
Chilly powder                        -  1 tsp
Sambar powder                     -  1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds                    -  1/2 tsp
(or)  Fenugreek seed powder 1 tsp  
Mustard seeds                        - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves(optional)            -  7-10 leaves
Oil of choice(I used Canola) - 1 to 1 1/2 tbsps
Salt according to taste

* I used freshly bought cranberries from last Thanksgiving season(November) which was stored in the freezer.

Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.

 Once the mustard seeds splutters add the cranberries, turmeric powder and saute for a few minutes until the cranberries start to soften. Then add the spice powders and salt. If you are using fenugreek powder instead of fenugreek seeds add it at this point.

Saute it in medium flame until the cranberries are softened and form a paste.

Keep adding the rest of the oil as the cranberry paste starts getting a little dry. Cook in low flame until most of the oil is absorbed and switch off. The remaining oil can help preserve the thokku.
Once cool can be stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator for a week to 10 days.

Cranberry thokku has a spicy, sour taste and goes well with chapathi(Indian bread), rice or serves as a spread on top of breads. It could also be used to spice up gravies. You could add more chilly powder or sambar powder depending on the amount of spice you want.

 “Sending this to Berry Merry Summer June 2013 event hosted by Jayanthi”
http://kuttybear-toddlerfoodideas.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/a-berry-merry-summer-june-2013-event.html

Strawberry kulfi

Ingredients:

Strawberries(chopped)           - 2 big ones

Almond milk                          - 1 cup

Honey*                                  - 2 tbsps 

Cardamom powder(elaichi)    - 1/2 tsp

slivered almonds                    - 1/4 cup

* You can add more or less of the honey depending on the sweetness in the strawberries and according to your taste.

Blend all the ingredients together in a hand blender and freeze in kulfi molds/ popsicle molds for about 3 -4 hrs. I got 6 kulfis.

“Sending this to Berry Merry Summer June 2013 event hosted by Jayanthi”

Blueberry Vathal kuzhambu (gravy)

Picked blueberries at a farm today and tried this recipe since we had some unripe berries.
Since fresh ripe Manathakkali (black nightshade) and blueberries are similar in taste, and also
because we had tried cranberry vathal kuzhambu before, we came up with this recipe.

Recipe:

Blueberries *                          - 1 cup
Manathakkali vathal              - 1 tsp (optional, you can substitute with  any other vathal of your choice)
Tamarind juice(concentrated) - 1 tsp ( squeezed from fresh tamarind)
Water                                      - 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups
Salt                                          - according to taste
Turmeric powder                     -  1 tsp
Sambar powder                       -  2 tsps
Red Chilli powder                   - 1 tsp
Asoefatida                               -  about 1/2 tsp
appalam/pappadam                  - 1 small, microwaved, for thickening.
* The blueberries have to be green/red or not fully ripe.

For tempering:
Oil                                         - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds                        - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds                    - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves                           - 4 - 5 leaves if available.

Fresh picked blueberries from the farm 

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add the blueberries, manathakkali vathal, turmeric powder, spice powders, asoefatida and saute for 4- 5 minutes.

 Add the tamarind juice, water and salt to this and let it boil.

Once it is boiled, reduce the heat and add the microwaved appalam( crispies made with urad dal). Let it thicken to a gravy.

 “Sending this to Berry Merry Summer June 2013 event hosted by Jayanthi” 
http://kuttybear-toddlerfoodideas.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/a-berry-merry-summer-june-2013-event.html