Refreshing Drinks and Kosumbari (Salad)

Happy Maha Shivarathri to one and all. Shivarathri is one of the many festivals celebrated by Hindus. It is said that Lord Shiva got married to Goddess Parvathi on this day.

People do visit temples and worship Lord Shiva on this special day. Prayers, bhajans and bhakti geetas are chanted on Lord Shiva. "Om Namah Shivaaya" is the Panchakshari Mantra and people keep chanting this Mantra most of the day.
People do fasting and keep themselves awake (jagaran) whole night. The next day it is a festival day. They enjoy having feast.
Here are some fresh drinks and fruit bowls, salads which can be prepared easily and quickly and enjoyed on the Shivaratri day.
We all know Fresh fruit drinks do refresh us and helps to keep us healthy. Fresh Fruits adds to our energy and it is good for health too.
Let us see some fruit drinks which can be done easily.

1. Banana Milk Shake :

Things Needed 

Ripe Banana : 2 to 3
Fresh boiled and cooled milk : 2 to 3 Cups
Honey : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method : 

Remove the outer skin of banana and put it in a mixi jar. Add milk and honey and give a churn for 2 minutes till banana grinds and mixes well with milk. Pour it out to serving glass and serve. (Adding cardamom is optional).

2. Pomegranate & Apple drink

Things Needed :

Pomegranate : 1 Cup
Apple : 1 (Red)
Honey : 2 to 3 Tablespoon
Milk : 2 to 3 Glasses (Boiled and cooled)

Method :

Wash and remove the skin of apple and cut into small pieces. Remove the pods from pomegranate.
Now put these apple pieces and pomegranate into the mixi jar. Add milk and honey and grind for 2 minutes. Put this ready drink to a bowl. Mix it well and serve . (Adding ice cube is optional).

3. Poppy Seeds & Almond Drink 

Things Needed :

Poppy Seeds/Gasagase : 2 Tablespoons (Cleaned)
Almonds : 1 Handful
Fresh coconut gratings : 2 Tablespoons
Jaggery : 2 To 3 Tablespoons
Cardamom : 1 pod

Method : 

Soak poppy seeds in water for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Soak almonds in hot water and remove its skin. Remove the seeds from cardamom. Grate coconut and grind all the ingredients nicely till paste. (Add required water to grind. Add jaggery at the end and churn for 2 minutes. Let everything mixes well. Pour it a bowl add little more water and mix it nicely and then serve.

4. Pomegranate Sweet Kosumbari

Things Needed : 

Beetroot : 1
Pomegranate : 1
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Honey : 1 Teaspoon

Method :

Wash and remove the outer layer of beetroot and grate. Remove the pods from pomegranate and grate coconut. Now put all the ingredients together in a big bowl and mix it with little honey and serve. (Adding Chat Masala is optional).

5. Corn - Cucumber and Gooseberry Kosumbari 

Things Needed :

Corn : 1 Cob
Cucumber : 2 Small ones
Gooseberry : 1
Coconut : 1 Tablespoon
Green chilly : 1
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : Required

Method :

Boil corn cob and remove the seeds from the cob. (You can use frozen corns). Wash and cut cucumber and keep it aside. Grate coconut and goose berry . Wash and cut green chilly.
Now mix all the ingredients in a big bowl. Add salt and mix it well.

6. Channa Kosumbari 

Things Needed :

Any Channa (Kabooli / black) : 1 Cup
Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Green chilly : 2
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Ginger : 1 Teaspoon (grated)
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh/Asafoetida : a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and soak channa for over night or 5 to 6 hours and pressure cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves and grate coconut and ginger.
3. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. . Add oil. Let it heat. Add mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
4. Add jeera, ingh and greenchilly. Add curry leaves. Add cooked channa and mix it well.
5. Add little turmeric powder and salt. Mix it nicely. Let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Add grated coconut and cut coriander leaves. Put it in a serving bowl.
Note :
Channa has to be cooked well to get good taste. Drain all the water from channa after cooking. You can use that water for rasam or soup. Adding more chilly is optional.

7. Mash Mellon & Banana Fruit bowl :

 Things Needed :

Mash Mellon : 1 (Small One)
Banana : 3 to  4 (Ripe Bananas)
Chat Masala : 1/4 Teaspoon

Method : 

Wash and remove the outer layer of mash melon and cut into pieces. (According to your wish). Remove the skin of bananas and cut into circle shape. Mix it well in a big bowl and sprinkle chat masala. Fruit bowl is ready to serve.

Avocado & Almonds Smoothie

Avocado Almond Smoothie is a sweet dish and  prepared using Avacado, a few almonds and honey. It is easy and quick to prepare and healthy dish too.

Lets see some benefits of using  avacado and almonds in our daily diet.

Avocado is also known as alligator pear, aguagate and butter pear.
Avocados are rich in  dietary fibre, vitamins, contain healthy fats,  essential minerals and antioxidants. Avocado helps to lower the bad cholesterol level, control the blood pressure and regulate the blood sugar level. The fruits contain anti inflammatory properties.  Avocado helps to reduce the strokes and cure bad breath.
Almonds are complete source of energy and as well as nutrients. Almonds helps to reduce the bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol level. They are the rich source of Vitamin E.and they do not contain gluten. Almonds are loaded with Vitamin B - complex and Vitamin B-6. They are full of minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium. Handful of Almonds a day provides much of recommended levels of minerals, vitamins and protein.

Here is a recipe of Avocado & Almonds Smoothie that will help you to be cheerful and strong through out the day. It is easy and quick to prepare and honey instead of sugar is used to keep you fit.

Ingredients :

Avocado : 2
Almonds : Handful  (8 to 10)
Honey : 3 to 4 Table spoon.
Milk : 3 to 4 Table spoons of milk.

Method
1. Cut avocado in to halves and remove the seed.

2. Scoop out the fruity part from the avocado and keep it aside.
3. Dry roast almonds for 3 to 4 minutes on low flame and grate or dry grind them in to small and keep it aside.

4. Now grind the fruit pulp and a few almonds with honey in a liquidizer. Add 2 to 3 spoons of water or milk if required.

5. Remove Avocado Smoothie from the mixi jar  and put it in a bowl.
6. Serve this Smoothie with toppings of almond pieces.

Note :  Do not add more milk since it turns into milk shake. Smoothie taste better if it is bit thick. You can add sugar instead of honey. You can also add more honey if you wish to get more sweeter.  Adding more almonds lead to thicken the Smoothie.
Serves : 5
Time : 10 Minutes.

Wild Mango ( Kaatu Maavu ) Dry Curry . ( Palya )

Kaatu Maavu  is a kind of Mango and its little savoury and sweet too. Its round and very small  in size. This mango is used in Rasayana ( to get the savoury taste), done Mavina Sasive or even dry curry. It is full of fibre content. Mango Palya can be eaten with rice, chapati, poori and dosa too.

Things Needed :

Mangoes : 5 to 6
Curry leaves: 5 to 6.
 Mustard Seeds : 1 Tea spoon.
Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon.
Ingh ( Asfoteda ) : a pinch.
Red chilly : 3 to 4.
Salt : to taste.
Coconut : 3 to 4 table spoons.
Oil : 2 Table spoons.
Jaggery : 1 Table spoon.

Method :
1. Wash and remove the outer skin of the mangoes and just prick on the the fruit. (With the help of knife just prick it around the mango fruit).

 2, Grate coconut and dry grind with 1/2 Teaspoon of mustard seeds, red chilly and a little ingh. Remove the ground masala from the mixi jar.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, mustard seeds and urid dal.
4. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves and little ing.(a pinch).
5. Add mango fruits. Stir it slowly. Add required salt and jaggery. Let it be on low flame.

6. Mix it well. Let it cook on low flame nearly 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt.
7. Add ground coconut - mustard seeds mixture and stir slowly. Leave it for 2 minutes.
8. Shift Wild Mango Curry to a serving dish and serve with hot rice a little ghee on the top.

Note :
Mangoes should be cooked nicely to get the best taste. Do not add any water to it. You can add more jaggery. (taste nice for people who like sweet taste).
Time : 10 minutes
Serves 2 to 3.

Jackfruit Muluka

Jack Fruit is a seasonal fruit and is liked by many of us. We can prepare Idli, Dosa , and sweet fritter
(Muluka- in Kannada), Pappad, chips , Payasam and many other items from this wonderful fruit.
Here is a tasty " JACK FRUIT MULUKA " recipe and I am sure YOU will like this item mainly kids.

Things Needed:

Jack Fuits : 2 to 3 cups.
Raw Rice : 1 1/2 cups.
Fresh coconut: 1 Cup ( fresh and grated).
Jaggery : 1/2 Cup.
Salt : a Pinch.
Oil : 1 Cup (to fry).

Mulukaas

Method :

1.Wash and soak raw rice for 2 hours.
2. Grate coconut and powder jaggery.

3. Cut jackfruit into small. (It helps to grind fruits quickly).
4, Grind coconut and jackfruit with out using any water. (Grind with little quantity).

5. Drain all the water from the rice and add rice to ground jack fruit mixture.
6. Grind it nicely till paste. Add jaggery and grind till every thing mixes well.
7. Pour it to the bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Mix it well.

8. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil. Let it heat.
9. Now take a small amount of ground jackfruit dough and drop slowly in the oil.

10. Let the flame be medium.Fry on both sides and remove from the oil.
11. Put it on a kitchen tissue. Extra oil is absorbed by the tissue.

12.Repeat the same with remaining dough.
13. Serve hot/cooled Jackfruit Muluka with cup of coffee or tea.
14. Some have these muluka/appa/fritter with ghee or honey.

Dideer Mango spicy Sasive.

Mango ( mavina hannu ) spicy curry is quick and no need to cook.  Its spicy and can be eaten with chapatis , pooris or rice or can be used as one of the side dish.
Things Needed:
Ripe Mango : (Savoury taste). :  2 ( Medium sized).
Salt : to taste.
Majjige Menasu:  2
Mustard seeds: 1/2 Tea spoon.
Urd daal: 1/2 Tea spoon.
Curry leaves: 5 to 6.
Oil : 1/2 Tea spoon..

Method : Wash and squeeze out the pulp from the mango and keep it aside. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat . Put oil and mustard and urd daal. Let the mustard spurt. Add Majjige Menasu to the mixture and fry until its brown. Add this mixture to mango pulp. Add salt and mix well. Serve this with Chapatis or Pooris.
Note : Majjige Menasu is also called also Balakada Menasu or Sandige Menasu . In Tamil they call it Moru Molagai.  You can also use green chillies instead of Majjige menasu.

It gives a different taste. If the Mango is more savoury use little jaggery. ( Sweet tooth people can surely use jaggery).  Do not add water.
Serves 2 to 3.