cookbypassion

  I love mangoes in any form they are served. It could be smoothie, pickle or jam.  For the day 3, am here with home made Mango Jam. It is simple to make with very few ingredients. I made this Jam with store bought mango pulp. You  can even use fresh ripe mangoes but  I would prefer  to use ready made mango pulp.  As the ready made pulp is already sweet adjust the sugar according to your taste.  We need: Mango pulp 2 cups Sugar 1/4 cup  Lime juice 1 spoon Method: I have used store bought mango pulp. You can even use the pulp takes from fresh mangoes. Heat a non stick pan and add mango pulp and sugar. Mix well and cook on low flame. Keep stirring between so that the pulp doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add lime juice and give it a stir. Cook till the quantity becomes 1/2 of it or  till it thickens enough to be easily spread on the toast.  Let it cool and transfer it to dry glass or plastic jar. Store in refrigerator  for up t...

 Summer is the season when you get raw and ripe mangoes. This is the season when most of them make the famous Aavakaya  Pachadi ( Mango pickle) is prepares and stored for year long.  Raw mangoes are not only used to make pickles but also used in making instant chutneys, salads,  Aam Panna ( raw mango juice) or cooked with lentils.  For day 2 of BM 40, I made  Instant chutney with mint leaves and sesame seeds. I saw this recipe in one of the Indian Cookery Show. This can be called as chutney, dip or spread. Tastes fantastic when used as spread on bread toast or when dipped with hot pakoda's. Also tastes good with idly , dosa and roti. We need: Raw mango 1 Mint leaves 3/ 4 cup Garlic cloves 3 Green chilies 3 Salt to taste Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon Sesame seeds 3/4 cup Method: Dry roast sesame seeds on low flame. Remove and let it cool. Peel the skin of mango and make into small pieces. Now make a smooth powder with sesame seeds. In the same blender add mango piec...

Summer is here. Who doesn't  like summer? Kids are the happiest ones in the world who wait for summer vacations. I used to love summers as a kid.  Visiting grandmothers place, doing naughty things, watching movies and most importantly  eating mangoes. Mangoes are my favorite not just as a kid even now. My kids love mangoes but in a liquid form.  They not even try a pieces of it when I cut the mangoes and serve them. They are much happy when I make  Lassi  or smoothies with mangoes. Today we are starting  with  4th week of BM 40, my theme for this week is "Mango Mania".  For next 3 days you will be seeing some awesome recipes with my favorite and your favorite "Mangoes". Now for day 1, am here with Mango and Strawberry Smoothie which makes you  and your kids cool in this  hot hot summer.  We need: Ripe Mangoes 2 Fresh strawberries 8 Yogurt / curd  6 tbs Ice cubes 5 Method: Cut mangoes and strawberries into small pieces. Add...

 For the final day of week 3, am here with the popular dish Aloo kurma. This is one of the simplest recipe ever made with very few ingredients.  Usually served hot with roti, naan or pulao. Frying the potatoes in oil and then adding to gravy makes the dish much more tasty. Here goes the recipe..... We need: Potato  2 large Onion 1 medium Tomato 1 medium Cashew nuts 10 Poppy seeds 3spoons Garam masala 1spoon Haldi / turmeric  1/4 spoon Ginger garlic paste 1/2 spoon Chili powder 1spoon Curry leaves 5 Salt to taste Oil 4 spoons Chopped cilantro 2spoons Method: Soak cashew nuts and poppy seeds separately in hot water for 1 hr. Make a smooth paste mixing both and keep aside. Cut potatoes into bite size pieces and boil till 1/2 done Now deep fry these oil till nice brown color appears on the top. Now a pan and add 4 spoons oil. Now add chopped onions, ginger garlic paste and curry leaves. Cook till onions  turn into light brown color. Now add chopped to...

For day 2, I am here with some rich and creamy dish Kadai Mushroom. This gravy curry can be served with pulao, biryani or roti.  Adding cashew and almond paste to this recipe gives some extra  taste and richness.  If you do not want to add nuts paste, replace it with some heavy cream or half and half.   Here is the recipe for delicious Kadai Mushroom....... We need: Mushrooms 2 cups Tomato puree 1 cup Chopped cilantro 1/4 cup Bay leaf 1 Jeera / cumin seeds 1/2 spoon Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon Cinnamon stick 1 small Cloves 2 Cardamom 1 Green chilies 2 Sugar 1 spoon Cashew 10 Badam / almonds 5 Chili powder 1spoon Coriander powder 1/2 spoon Garam masala 1/4 spoon Kasuri methi 1/2 spoon Oil 1/4 cup Method: Soak cashew and almonds in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes and then make a smooth paste out of it. Puree 2 medium tomatoes and keep aside. Heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and whole garam masala. Saute for a minute in medium flame. Now add tomato puree and let i...

Today we are starting with 3rd week of BM 40. Next 3 days I will be posting some tasty and delicious " Gourmet Gravies".  These gravies taste awesome with some pulao, biryani, roti and naan. Gravies are made with any nuts paste or with coconut milk. Nuts paste or coconut milk gives these gravies some nice and rich texture and taste. For day 1 am here with a Thai dish. Most of the Thai recipes are made with coconut milk. One such popular Thai dish is Thai Red Curry.  The main ingredients in this paste are garlic, shallots, dry red chilies, galangal, salt, coriander seeds and leaves, cumin seeds, peppercorns and lemongrass.   Gravy richness comes from coconut milk. Also added into this gravy are mixed veggies and meat like shrimp and chicken. Finally garnished with cilantro, mint or basil leaves. In this recipe I used store bought red curry paste and coconut milk.  Here goes the recipe...... We need: Thai curry paste Coconut milk 1 can( 14 oz) Salt to taste B...

For the final day of week 1, a here with yet another healthy and kids favorite Potato fries. My kids are a big fan of the fries, specially my daughter. This is the only thing she likes to eat when we got to Mc D.  To make these fries little healthier, I baked these fries instead of deep frying. Also used sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. These taste little sweeter  but have an amazing taste when seasoned and baked with pepper powder and salt. You can also add little onion and garlic powder to them before baking.  These are great with some evening tea or coffee, specially during rainy season. Goes well with burgers  and sandwiches as a side dish. Here goes the recipe...... We need: Sweet Potatoes 3 large Salt to taste Black pepper powder  1/2 spoon Oil 2 spoons Method: Peel the skin of sweet potatoes. Cut them into long strips around 1/4 inch thick. Place them on a baking tray and add salt, pepper powder and oil. Mix them together well. Bake these seaso...

For day 2, I have made  my kids favorite Fish strips. Simple and crispy snack for all ages. I have  marinated the fish strips and shallow fried in oil. To make these strips healthy you can even bake in over for 20 minutes on 300 Degrees F.  These fish strips can be had as a evening snack, as an appetizer for small parties  or as a side dish.  I have used boneless and skinless Tilapia here. You can try any kind of fish to make this yummy snack.  Here goes the recipe..... We need: Fish fillets 3 Egg 1 Corn flour 2 spoons Soy sauce 1 1/2 spoon Salt to taste Fish seasoning 3 spoons Haldi / turmeric 1/2 spoon Lime juice / vinegar 2 spoons Breadcrumbs plain / seasoned Oil for frying Method: Cut fish fillets into long strips. I have uses Tilapia here. Wash thoroughly before marinating the fish strips. Add egg, salt, soy sauce, fish seasoning to fish strips. Also add corn flour, turmeric and lime juice. Mix well with fish strips and let them rest for 1 hour. Heat a...

Its been a while I posting some new recipe  here. Today we are starting with 40th Edition of Blogging Marathon. Wow I can't believe  its already 40th  Edition. I have been part of this BM since 5th edition. It was amazing doing this marathon with different themes each month. All the credit goes to Srivalli. Got to know different kind of  yummy and delicious  food from all the members of this marathon. For week 1, am here with some delicious evening snacks. Next 3 days we  are gonna have  a feast in my house. Because all the 3 dishes are my family favorite snacks. For day 1, am here with Gobi Manchurian. One of the famous Indi-Chinese dish. We need: Cauliflower  1 medium Capsicum / Bell pepper 1/2 Onion 1 medium Slit green chilies 2 Ginger and Garlic chopped 1 spoon Salt to taste Soy sauce 2 spoons Chili Garlic sauce 1spoon Vinegar 1/2spoon Chopped cilantro 3spoons Chopped green onion 1cup Corn flour 3 spoons Maida 1spoon C...