Carrot & Badam Drink

Its hot summer and you need to cool your body and mind too. One needs to drink lots of water to take care of them from dehydration. Some don't feel like drinking water and do not have that habit of drinking water since it has no taste. I know many are of this attitude. Instead of water you can have some cool drinks and enjoy. This is the way you intake water.

I have tried this Carrots, almonds drink and kept it in the fridge to be cool then served. It is nice. You can too prepare this and enjoy.
I have used carrots, some almonds and jaggery to give a sweet taste.
Lets see some benefits of having jaggery in our diet.
It is always better that you use jaggery instead of sugar to sweeten your food. Jaggery helps to cleanse our body. It acts as a digestive agent. It also sweeten our food in a healthy manner and they provide good amounts of minerals. It helps to prevent the constipation. They are good source of iron and helps to prevent iron deficiency/ anemia. Eating jaggery helps to cleanse our liver. It helps to detoxify and push out the harmful toxin from our body.
"Carrot & Badam Drink " can be prepared for Kids party, kitty party, or any ladies party and on hot summer Day. It can be prepared during feast or festival.
Lets see the recipe now.

Things Needed : 

Carrots : 2
Almonds : 10
Jaggery : 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Coconut Milk : 1/2 Coconut milk.
Fresh Milk : 1 Litre
Cardamom : 5 to 6 pods
Dates : 4 to 5

Method :

1.Wash and scrape out the outer layer of carrots. Wash again and cook with very little water.
2. Soak almonds in hot water and remove the outer skin after 2 minutes.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and add 1 cup of water. Put jaggery and let it melt completely.
4. Sieve the jaggery water and remove the dirt particles if any. Grate coconut, grind with little water and squeeze out the milk from coconut. Cut dates and and keep it aside.
5. Grind cooked carrots, cut dates, almonds and cardamom with little water. Grind it into paste consistency.
6. Keep jaggery water and let it boil for 2 minutes. Add ground carrot and almond mixture.
7. Let it boil nicely for 2 to 3 minutes. Put off the fire. Add fresh coconut milk. Let it cool.
8. Add fresh milk which is already boiled and cooled. Mix it well and serve.
9. Make sure that carrot almond kheer should be cooled before adding fresh milk or it might curdle.

10. You can just keep it in a fridge before serving. Cool carrot and badam drink taste better.

Note : 

Remember to clean the jaggery before using. (It is always better to boil and then sieve or filter the jaggery before using). Adding more almonds is optional. You can add cashews instead of badam/almonds. (Almonds are healthy option). You can use sugar instead of jaggery. Adding more jaggery is also optional. You can add tender coconut pieces while serving this drink. Use of coconut milk is optional. (It adds to the taste and aroma).
Coconut milk preparation : Grate 1/2 fresh coconut. Grind it 1/2 cup of water and remove the mxture and squeeze out the milk. Grind the coconut again with 1/4 cup of water for 2 minutes and remove from the mixi jar. Squeeze out the milk. (Use the coconut milk to the drink.).
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 5 to 6.

Avarekai - Watermelon Rind Curry (Field Beans)

Watermelon fruit is plenty in the market. Summer and Water Mellon go hand in hand. You all agree with my words. Water Melon keeps us cool. It is full of water and quenches our thirst, most of them know about it. How about using its rind in our kitchen ? Have you given a try ?
There are so many dishes that we can prepare using this rind. Use the rind of watermelon fruit and get the benefits. Here is a curry with Watermelon rind. Prepare it and enjoy.

This time it is with Avarekai (Field Beans) and tomatoes. No coconut or dal in this curry. (Avarekalu is used instead of toor/moong dal.
Lets see some benefits of Watermelon Rind :
Watermelon rind also got a healthy amount of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium. magnesium and other important nutrients. It is very good in controlling blood pressure. They are good for eradicating prostrate and they help to keep our urinary tract in healthy condition. They are good for our skin and good for our nervous system. They are loaded with amino acids and anti oxidants and they protect us from free radical damages, circulatory system and immune system.
Onions and garlic are not used in this "Avarekai- Watermelon Rind Curry'. You can have this curry with almost all main dishes like plain rice, chapatis, idli, dosa, poori etc etc etc...
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed : 

To Cook :
Watermelon rind : 1 big bowl grated. (3 to 4 big pieces).
Tomatoes : 2 to 3 (medium size)
Avarekai/Field beans : 1 Bowl (1 Cup pods)
To Add : 
Rasam/Sambar Powder : 2 to 3 Teaspoons
Green chilly : 2
Ginger : Grated : 1 Tablespoon
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Lemon juice (Extract) : 1 Teaspoon (1/2 Lemon)
Methi/Fenugrik seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt : required salt
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Teaspoon (Any cooking oil)
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : a pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and cook Avarekai (Field beans) in pressure cooker and leave it for cooling.

2. Wash and remove the green part (outer skin) of watermelon rind and grate the rind and keep it aside.

3. Wash and cut tomatoes into thin pieces and keep it aside. Slit green chilly into two.
4. Now keep a pan and heat. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add jeera and curry leaves.
5. Add ingh and green chilly and fry for 10 seconds. Add cut tomatoes, turmeric powder and fry nicely till it turns soft. Add grated ginger. Add methi seeds.

6. Now add Grated watermelon rind, cooked Avarekai. Add required salt.
7. Mix it well and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

8. Now add sambar powder and mix it nicely and let it boil for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice.
9. Shift the curry into a serving bowl, add cut coriander leaves and serve the main dish you have prepared.

Note : 

You can cut watermelon rind in to small pieces and then cook till soft. Grating of watermelon helps the curry to be quick. You can also add any other vegetables with watermelon. Use of onions and garlic is optional. No dal or coconut is used in this curry. Adding of any brand of rasam/sambar powder is optional. I have used home made sambar powder. Adding little jaggery helps to reduce the gastric level in the curry. Adding methi seeds helps to reduce the cholesterol level in the curry. Adding more/less chilly is optional. Use of home made spice powder taste good. You can use tamarind pulp instead of lemon extract. (soak marble size tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp and use it).
Time : 30 minutes 
Serves : 3 to 4 

Preparation of Sambar powder : 

Dry roast 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds, 5 to 6 seeds of methi, 1/2 teaspoon of channa dal, 5 to 6 byadagi chilly, 1/2 Teaspoon of jeera, 5 to 6 curry leaves and little ingh. Dry grind when the roasted spice cools down. ( 1 Serving only).