Watermelon Lime soda

As soon as the summer arises its also the growth for innovative ideas to beat the Heat.In this heat most of us only like to sip something which will refresh us.Watermelon Lime soda prepared from the ingredients which were just available in my refrigerator.It just the simple combination of watermelon cubes,lime juice,crushed pepper and sparkling water commonly known as soda.Let begin to  Beat the Heat with this yummy tangy sip.

Servings 2

Total Preparation Time : 5 min

Ingredients

Watermelon Cubes

1 Lime juice

5-7 Mint leaves

1 Soda Bottle

1/4 Tsp Crushed pepper

2 Table spoon sugar or 2 Table spoon sugar syrup

2 Pinch of salt

Method

1.In a big jar add lime juice,sugar,salt and pepper crushed.

2.Mix all ingredients  until they dissolve well.

3.Then add the roughly crushed mint leaves,watermelon cubes.

4.Last add the chilled sparkling water.Ice cubes optional.

5.Just sip and get relaxed refreshed and energised.

Virgin mojito

"Mojito"is traditionally Cuban highball,consisting of five ingredients ie. white rum.sugar,lime juice,sparkling water(soda)and mint leaves.Today's mojito non-alcoholic,prepared by adding lime,sugar,mint and sparkling water.It is so refreshing in this scorching heat .

Serving 2
Total Preparation time :10 min

Ingredients
1 Lime cut into small pieces
1 Table spoon lime juice
1 table spoon sugar(use as required)/can use sugar syrup also
2 pinch of salt
1 Bottle of sparkling water/soda
10 mint leaves
Ice cubes as required
1 Nutella bottle for serving

Method

• In a steel glass add lime juice,lime pieces,sugar,salt and mint leaves.
• Muddle the ingredients well with a muddler or a wooden stick available in the kitchen.
• Mix it so well that the lime and mint leaves gets crushed properly.Once all the ingredients mix well than add the mixture in a large glass or a nutella bottle.
• Add sparkling water and stir the mojito well.At last at ice cubes and serve chilled.

Pepper Mint Tea !!!

"Tea" or our very own "Chai" is loved by every one.If we do not consume tea in the morning its like a bad start because with tea we feel fresh and energetic. At least in Indian we require Tea in the morning along with our mouth watering Breakfast and in the evening by 4-5 pm with some snacks or chats or biscuits.

Tea is consumed as black tea,green tea,milk tea,masala tea and many other flavours. So today i prepared tea with aromatic flavours of mint,pepper corns and fennel seeds boiled with tea powder,sugar and at last add milk boiled till bubbles rise to the brim of vessel.Recipe followed from food-food channel presented by one of my favourite chef Sanjeev Kapoor. Pepper-mint tea is just full of aroma of fresh mint which will refresh you completely. Best to have in rainy day with spicy Indian Pakora's. Just try once and you will fall in love with TEA.:)

Servings 4
Preparation Time :5-7 min

Ingredients
1 1/2 Table spoon of Tea
3 1/2 Table spoon of sugar(add more as per taste)
10 mint leaves
10-15 pepper corns crushed
1 Tsp fennel seeds crushed
3 Cups of water(small tea cups)
2 Cups of milk(can adjust as per requirement)

Method

• Keep water to boil ,than add crushed fennel and pepper corns.Than add mint leaves,once water starts to boil add tea powder/sugar.
• Let it boil around for 3 min.once you see bubbles add milk as per requirements.Than again let it boil for 2 min till bubbles reach the vessel brim.
• Remove the tea container down and serve the tea hot along with some spicy snacks or biscuits.

Cafreal Chicken Tortilla Wrap

Tortilla is a soft flat-bread made either from finely ground wheat or Maize (corn tortilla).Wheat tortilla is innovation of Spanish Jews who did not considered corn meal to be Kosher while in Mexico and central America its corn Tortilla.In appearance and use Tortilla are rather similar to south Asian Chapati or Roti's.

Tortilla remains the stable food of Mexico and Central America.We Indian's have love for Chapati's and Roti's so it was not so very difficult to accept Tortilla's.Its easily available in any super markets.

Tortilla's Stuffing mostly consist of Beans,Onions,tomatoes,chicken,lettuce,Mayonnaise,creams, meats and its goes on along with some sauces of your choice.Anything might be the stuffing Tortilla wraps are always so Tasty and quick to make provided you have stuffing ready in refrigerator ;).Since there was some Marinated Cafreal chicken in my refrigerator so i thought of making Cafreal Chicken tortilla Wrap inspired by our very own Goan Dish Chicken Cafreal. Here we go.....

Servings 4
Total Preparation Time:20 min
Cooking Time:10 min

Ingredients
4 Salsalito Tortilla Wraps
240 Gram of Boneless Chicken(cafreal marination recipe link-)Cocina !!!: Chicken Cafreal !!!
1 Bowl of Red,yellow and green bell peppers julienne
2 Onions chopped
2 Tomatoes Chopped
2 Bowl of lettuce chopped
1 Bowl of Yogurt and mint spread(Mix yogurt and mint Chutney ,you can use mayonnaise)
Tomato ketchup for Taste.

Method

• First shallow fry the chicken marinated in Cafreal Masala Paste.Once its fried well allow it to cool and finely shred the Chicken.
• On the other side cut the other veggies accordingly and keep it in plate.Saute bell peppers with olive oil ,salt and little crushed pepper corns.
• Than take the  Tortilla wraps and heat it on pan so that it becomes little soft and easy to fold.
• Place the Tortilla on plate,than in the center add the Cafreal chicken shreds,onions,tomatoes,bell peppers ,lettuce chopped and last on top sprinkle the yogurt mint spread.
• Fold the Tortilla well so the stuffing doesn't come out.After giving a fold again roast the tortilla on pan ,this will help in sealing the edges of tortilla because of heat.
• Once done serve immediately along with dip or Tomato sauce.
  

Mint Rice/Mint Pilaf Recipe !!!

Mint has lot of health benefits and if start to mention i guess it will never end...... but among few important benefits are that mint is well know mouth freshener ,mint is great appetizer and palate cleanser and promote digestion,its a great remedy for nausea and headache,gives reliefs from respiratory disorders and cough etc etc.The market is full of products of Mint like toothpaste,chewing gums.candy and inhalers which has mint as base element.

So if we use mint in our diet it will be really a wonderful benefit .It can be key ingredients in Rice .chicken,drinks,mocktail,ice-creams,salads and desserts.So today i have combined Mint with Rice.Mint Rice or mint pilaf is simple and easy to make since not more ingredients are involved.In taste its really very mild and full of mint flavours because there is no other flavour in pulao which can dominate mint. 

Servings 4

Total Preparation time : 30 min

Cooking time:15 min

Ingredients

2 Cups of Rice(approx 250 gram/if basmati rice can reduce measure)

1/2 bunch of mint(separate leaves)

1/2 cup of green coriander chopped(used for colour)

2 medium size onions chopped

10 flakes of garlic

1 Inch ginger

2-3 Green chilies

2 Veg cubes

1/2 Tsp pepper corns

1 Medium stick of cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

4 Cardamom

Oil

Water

Method

• In a mixture jar add mint leaves,green coriander,green chilies,ginger/garlic and grind into a fine paste.
• Than place a pressure cooker on gas stove.Add oil once heated add dry spices(cloves,pepper,cinnamon,cardamon)and toss well,than add onions chopped and saute for 1-2 min.
• Than add ground paste and fry well fro 3-4 min till it leaves oil.Add water double the quantity of rice in a ratio 1:2 and also add veg Maggie cubes.
• Once the water starts to boil add salt and rice.Give a stir and pressure cook till rice cook(approx 3 whistles)
• Once done serve hot either with Curd raita but we being hardcore Non-vegetarian i served it with side dish Chicken Korma(will be Next  on blog) :)

Multi-Grain Dosa Recipe!!!

Dosa is a fermented crepe made rice batter and black lentils.Its is stable food for south Indian states like Karnataka,Kerala,Tamil and Andhra pradesh ,it also getting famous in other states of India.In popular tradition the origin is of dosa is linked up to Udpi,probably because the dish association is with udpi restaurants.Also the original Tamil Dosa was softer and thicker.The thinner and crispier Dosa. which became popular all over India,was first made in present Day-Karnataka.

Dosa batter us made by soaking dosa rice and urad in ratio 3:1 and also left over rice is added while grinding to give better fermentation,all is ground into fine and smooth batter and than added salt and sugar again for better fermentation process(so we need not add soda).But apart from just making batter by rice you can add different lentils and grind to make more healthier Dosa's. Nothing can be more healthier breakfast which have all proteins and nutritious like Dosa.

Dosa Can be stuffed with vegetables and other sauces to make quick meal.They are typically served with vegetarian side dish which varies according to the region and personal preferences but commonly its served with sambar and wet chutney's(coconut chutney,green Mint(Pudina) chutney or tomato chutney etc) so lets begin.

Servings 6-7
Total Preparation Time : 1 Day
Cooking time : 20-30 min

Ingredients
For Batter
1 Cup Dosa rice
1/2 Cup Chick peas
1/2 Cup Moong/Green lentil
1/2 Cup Masoor/Tur Dal
1/2 Cup Lubia/black beans
1/4 Cup Black Lentil
Salt
1 Table spoon Sugar
Water for Grinding

To Make Mint chutney
1 Cup Mint Leaves
1.2 Cup Green coriander
1/4 cup Graded coconut
1-2 green chilies
5 Flakes of garlic
1/2 inch of Ginger
salt

To Make Make Potato Bhaji Can follow the link added below
http://cocinanispolina.blogspot.in/2015/06/potato-bhaji-recipe.html

Method

• First add all the grains and lentils in a steel vessel and wash well and than soak in water previous day of making dosa(if you are making dosa tomorrow morning than today morning you have to soak the rice and grind early evening may be around 5-6 pm).
• Once soaked for whole day than grind it into smooth paste in the early evening ,pour the batter in large vessel,add salt and sugar ,mix well and cover the vessel and keep in dry place.
• Than next day morning you will find the batter fermented well and rise till the brim of vessel.
• Mix the batter well and than spread on the dosa as thin as possible so you get crispy Dosa.
• can follow the link for dosa preparation http://cocinanispolina.blogspot.in/2015/06/dosa-batter-recipe.html
• To make mint Chutney :in mixture jar add Mint leaves,1/2 cup coriander leaves,5 flakes of garlic,small piece of ginger,1 green chili,little salt,and 1/4 cup graded coconut and grind all into fine paste.
• Serve dosa hot with Potato bhaji and mint chutney