Masala Buttermilk.& Sweet BUttermilk

Buttermilk/majjige (Kannada)/Moru (Tamil), is one of the healthy drink that fits into any season. It is 100% healthy no doubt which is done in home or prepared with clean place.
Buttermilk is a good drink as welcome drink, after the food or at any time of the day. It helps to keep the body cool.

There are two types of buttermilk which the first one is salty and mild spicy and the other one is sweet. For sweet buttermilk I have used honey instead of sugar or jaggery.
I have prepared fresh buttermilk and then used it. I have a habbit of collecting the top cream which you get after boiling milk. I do collect the very small quantity of cream from fresh milk everyday and keep that in a small container in freezer. When ever I have the sufficient quantity I shift the cream filled bowls to fridge. (down portion). Then it melts in a day. I put them in a bigger bowl and add little curd to it to turn savoury. Next is to take away the butter from milk. I have an easy method. I change the mixi blade and place the churner blade in side the mixi jar. Then start grinding little amount of savoury cream. Butter is churned out nicely. You can collet the butter and place it in a big bowl of water. Then again you refill the cream, add little water and churn the butter out and take away the butter. Buttermilk is poured out to the big container and butter milk is collected as it is.
Masala Butter milk and Sweet buttermilk Helps to keep the body cool during summer, helps to digest food and it can be served as welcome drink.
Here I have used fresh buttermilk.
1. Masala Buttermilk :

Things needed:

Buttermilk : 2 Cups
Water : 1 Cups
Ginger grated : 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 1 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetid : A pinch
Green chilly : 1/2 (Optional)

Method :

1. Wash and cut coriander leaves and cut into small pieces.
2. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it.
3. Wash and cut green chilly into small pieces and keep it aside.
4. Take a big bowl and put buttermilk, water, ingh/asafoetida, grated ginger and cut green chilly.
5. Add coriander leaves pieces and just squeeze out all the ingredients by fingers.

6. Strain this buttermilk to other bowl/ vessel with a strainer.

7. Put them in a serving glass, add a tiny piece of coriander leaf and serve.

Note : 

You can use a mixi jar and grind all the spices and then mix it with buttermilk. Then strain it with a strainer. (Optional).
Adding green chilly to buttermilk is optional. Adding a pinch of garam masala powder/chat masala powder or jeera powder is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 

2: Sweet Buttermilk:

Things Needed :

Buttermilk : 2 Cups
Water : 1 Cup
Honey : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Chat Masala Powder : 1/4 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Mix buttermilk and water nicely in a big bowl.
2. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of honey and mix it well.
3. Add a pinch of salt (optional)

4. Now put this to a serving glass and top up with very little chat masala and serve.

Note : 

You can add sugar instead of honey. Adding more/less honey is optional. Adding salt is good, since it helps to keep cold away.
Remember :
You can use thick curd instead of fresh buttermilk. Add required water and mix it slowly to get diluted buttermilk. Adding sugar to buttermilk is optional as I said before. Adding chat masala is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Servings : 3  

Bitter Guard Curry..

Bitter Guard, the bitter taste vegetable is one of the healthy vegetable and it should be eaten at least some times. It has a natural bitterness which is good for our body.

I have prepared dry curry using bitter gourd. This Bitter gourd curry goes well with rice, chapatis, rotis etc.
Let us see some benefits of eating " Bitter Gourd " in our diet.
Bitter gourd is well known for its ability to manage diabetes. It is good blood purifier. It has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and one of the good blood purifier and take care of any skin disorders. It helps to improve respiratory health. Boost and strengthen the immune system. It is also a rich source of anti inflammatory, anti-fungal, antibiotic, anti -allergic properties.
Point to note : It is better to avoid bitter gourd during pregnancy or breast feeding period. It has a strong quality of reducing blood sugar level.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

To cook :
Bitter Guard : 1(Medium sized )
Jaggary : 3 Table spoons
Salt :to taste
To Add :
Rasam powder : 2 Tea spoons
Roasted and powdered sesame seeds : 1 teaspoon
Ingh ( Asafotida ) : a pinch
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Tamarind : 2 tablespoon pulp.
Turmeric powder: a pinch
To Season :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Urd daal :1/2 teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves.
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 sticks.

Method :

1. Wash and cut bitter gourd into small pieces. Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp.

2. Dry roast sesame seeds till they pop up and dry grind it and mix with rasam powder.
3. Keep a pan and heat. Add oil and put mustard seeds and urid dal.
4. Add little ingh/asafoetida. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves.

5. Add cut bitter gourd pieces and fry nicely till slightly brown.

6. Add jaggery. salt, tamarind pulp and turmeric powder. Mix it well and add water. (1/2 cup).
7. Let it cook and turn soft. Add sesame seeds mixed rasam powder and mix it well.
8. Let all the moisture disappear. Mix it well and shift " Bitter gourd Curry " to a serving bowl.

9. Add coconut and coriander leaves and serve the curry with the choice of your main dish.

Note : 

Wash coriander leaves and curry leaves before use. You can put some salt and squeeze out its juice so that the bitterness in Bitter gourd reduces a little. (Remember that eating bitter gourd as they are healthy habit.
Frying on low flame will helps to reduce the bitterness in bitter gourd. Adding coconut is optional.
Dry roast sesame seeds and dry grind it. Mix this mixture with rasam powder and keep it ready to use. Adding any brand of rasam powder is optional. Use of chilly more/less is optional. use of any cooking oil is optional. We used coconut oil. Adding jaggery to the curry is optional. (More/less).
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 
South Canara 

Rasam powder Recipe :

Roast 1/4 teaspoon of Methi seeds (Mentyam ) , 2 tbspoons of Coriander seeds 4 to 6 red chillies and 1/4 spoon of jeera one by one and dry grind together and powder it . You can add curry leaves and a pinch of ingh ..while roasting . so that it gives a better taste.
It is a fresh and exact amount for one time use.