Pumpkin Milkshake

Pumpkin Milkshake

Unbelievable! Milkshake from a vegetable ! !Pumpkin milkshake tastes sooo good. Unless told, can't guess it is pumpkin milkshake! Good substitute for store bought juices.

You need

100 gm pumpkin, peeled and cut into small pieces
100 ml milk
100 ml or more water
1 tsp sugar
2 pods cardamom peeled

• Blend pumpkin pieces, sugar, little water and cardamom in a blender till smooth.
• Add milk and rest of the water, whisk a few times.
• Check the taste, add sugar and water if need be. Whisk again. 
• Chill for some time and serve. Tastes better when chilled.

Note: Not necessary that you adhere to the quantity given. When pumpkin is bought to cook, a piece of it can be used for milkshake. Can substitute honey instead of sugar. 

Fresh Pepper in Brine

Fresh Pepper in Brine

The black pepper which we use daily actually looks and tastes differently when it is fresh. I tasted this pickle while sharing lunch with collaagues at office. Since it tasted good and easy to prepare, caught hold of fresh pepper stalks in Mangalore. The fresh pepper stalks should be pickled as early as possible to retain its tastel.

You need

10 bunches of fresh green pepper

1 cup water (approx. 220 ml water)

A pinch of turmeric powder

Juice of 2 big lemons

1 tbsp Salt

·      Wash the pepper corns well. Drain them and gently wipe them with a clean towel. Spread them on a clean plate and leave for an hour so to dry well.

·      Cut the stalks into small pieces keeping the pepper in tact.

·      In a pan bring the water to boil, add turmeric and salt. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Let this brine mixture cool down.

·      When the brine water is cooled down add lime juice. Stir well and pour the brine into a sterilized bottle.

·      Put the peppercorns into the bottle. Make sure that pepper stalks are submerged in water completely.

·      Close the lid and store the bottle in a cool dry place. Pepper stalks are ready to use after a week. The green colour turns into brownish green.

·      Tastes well with curd rice. Keeps well in room temperature. No need to refrigerate it.

Raw Banana Kebab/Kele Kebab/Balekai Kebab

Raw Banana Kebab/Kele Kebab/Balekai Kebab

You need

2 green bananas

1 medium onion cut into small pieces

1 tsp bafat powder or any other curry powder

Curry leaves 1 twig

1 tsp cooking oil

1 tsp fresh coriander leaves cut into small (optional)

1/2 tsp lime juice (optional)

Salt to taste

                                                                       After steaming

                                                   

·     Wash the bananas and steam them in the cooker only for one whistle.

·     When the cooker is cooled down, take out the bananas, peel and cut into small cubes.

·     Heat a nonstick pan or kadai, add oil. When oil is hot add mustard seeds, curry leaves one by one.

·     Add onion, fry for 2-3 minutes, add cut banana piece, salt and bafat powder. Mix well, close the lid and cook for 3-4 minutes in low heat.

·     Add lime juice, sprinkle fresh coriander and put off the stove. Check the taste,  give a toss and serve with rice/roti.

Other recipes using Bafat powder

Tomato - Egg Burji
Drumstick Flowers Sambar (Nugge Hu)
Black Chana/Kadale Sukka (Whole Bengal gram or kale sane)

Beetroot – Tomato Salad

This colourful easy to prepare salad can be put together in a few minutes. Usually, who doesn’t like to eat beetroot subji, enjoy this salad immensely.lad.

You need

1 medium beetroot

1 big tomato cut into thin slices

1 big onion cut into thin slices

1 green chilli slit

Little coriander leaves (optional)

1 Salt to taste

½ tsp lime juice

·        Wash and steam the beetroot in cooker. Usually the beetroot cooks well when it is cooked for 10 minutes after the first whistle. When the cooker is cooled, open the lid, peel the beet root and cut into thin slices.

·       Add salt, slit chilli and onion slices to the beetroot and mix well.

·       Add tomato slices and toss well.

·       Just before serving add lime juice, check the taste, sprinkle coriander leaves and serve.

Tomato - Egg Burji

Tomato - Egg Burji

Easy to prepare but tasty.  Can be served with chapattis or carried in the lunch box conveniently. To hasten the cooking,tomato puree is used here. However, tomato can be chopped finely or grated. Bafad powder can be replaced with any sambar or curry powder.

You need

2 eggs beaten well

1 big tomato pureed/grated/chopped finely

1 big onion minced

1 tsp bafat powder

1 sprig curry leaves chopped fine

Little coriander leaves (optional)

1 Salt to taste

1 tsp oil/mustard seeds

·     Heat a nonstick or thick bottomed pan, add oil.

·     When oil is hot add mustard seeds. Let them crackle. Add curry leaves

·      Add onions and fry for two minutes, add tomato puree, mix well and cook till the puree dries out about five minutes.

·     Add salt and bafad powder, mix well. Check the taste.

·     Add beaten eggs and mix well. Close the lid and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. When the mixture becomes thick, keep stirring for a minute or 2..

·     Check the taste, adjust salt,  close the lid and cook for two minutes.

·     Put off the stove and let the eggs cook for 2-3 minutes on its own.

·     Add chopped coriander leaves.

·     Mix well and serve with chapathi or rice.

Other dishes which use Bafat powder
Drumstick Flower Sambar (Nugge Hu)