TENDER COCONUT PAYASAM OR MILK SHAKE, ELANEER PAYASAM OR MILK SHAKE

My 450th Post.  unknowingly, it became a sweet, lovely summer cooler drink.  After posting only, I noticed it was my 450th post.

Thank you everyone who stood beside me to happen this blog and the lovely journey from 5th May 2013 onwards.  My sincere thanks to Madhura, Dahlia Twinkle & Kaveri Venkatesh, My son Krishnan Iyer, My nephew Shankar for inspiring me to create the blog.

I am loving it.  Ofcourse,  I cannot forget my husband, my daughter, my neighbours and my judges Rinku, Anjali, Trushma and my office colleagues and friends for tasting the dishes and their lovely comments, critics, advise etc.

Summer has started and the the heat is on.  Everyone wants cold drinks, be it lassi, butter milk  sugar cane juice, whatever it is.  But it should be healthy at the same time cooling the body.  We have natural resources to quench our thirst and cool the body.  tender coconut water is one of the best  summer cooler.  If added something extra to it, makes it yummy, healthy and tasty.

Yes, I am talking about tender coconut milk shake or payasam, elaneer payasam or milk shake.  No need to cook.  you can make it instantly and drink it with ice cubes or refrigerate it and serve cold.

Exams have started and it is a best drink for the children.  watch on Youtube: tender coconut payasam
tender-coconut-falooda-with-vanila-ice cream

Tender coconut payasam or milk shake, elaneer payasam or milk shake

BHAINGAN BHARTA

Bhaingan bhartha is made out of the purple colour big brinjal (egg plant) by roasting the same on the gas stove.  In the beginning I never used to like this dish as it had a peculiar smell.  But during our visit to Delhi, in one of our friend's house,we had this dish along with roti for lunch.  I could not make out  that it was bhaingan bharta.  It was made so tasty, even my husband who never used to like brinjal started eating this stuff.  After coming from Delhi, it used to be one dish compulsorily in our house every week.

Bhaingan bharta

AVIAL PARATHA

 Parthas are everybody's favourite.  You serve hot with a blob of butter on it or with dal makhani, curd, pickle or with chunda, muraba.  I love to eat it with pickle and curd.  I always make this for breakfast for my children.

I had some left overAvial with me and did not want to have the same the next day.  So thought of making paratha out of it and believe me it came out so well and tasty.  Similarly, you can make the parathas with left over dal, pav bhaji ki bhaji, baingan bartha etc.  It is a best out of waste item and can be enjoyed as it is with a cup of tea or coffee or with pickle and curd.  watch the Youtube: avial paratha

AVIAL

Avial is prepared with various kind of vegetables in coconut based gravy.  It is the speciality of Tamilians as well as Keralities.  During the feast, this is one of the main dish which is served.  By mixing up the vegetables, all the nutrients, fibers, vitamins and minerals are made available in one dish.

It is a very tasty main dish as well as side dish.  This can be served with rice, roti.

AVIAL

YOGHURT KADHI, DAHI KADHI

Dahi kadhi, yoghurt kadhi is prepared with yoghurt, dahi, thayir.   This is a special dish of Maharashtrian served as an appetizer or with  steamed rice, pulao etc.  I love to drink this hot whenever I get a chance.  The flavours of ginger, garlic and the onion in it gives a different taste to the kadhi.

APPLE, METHI SPROUTS PICKLE

I am a big fan of pickle.  The most liked one is vadu mangai with curd rice.  I always try my hand on pickle with vegetables or fruits or sprouts.   I have already made apple pickle.  Now I tried it with the methi sprouts  and apple which I had with me and it was awesome. It is very simple and easy to make.

You also enjoy making it and serve to your loved ones.

Apple methi sprouts pickle

CORIANDER GUN POWDER RICE, KOTHAMALLI POWDER RICE, KOTHAMALLI PODI SADAM

Coriander gun powder is a substitute for the normal gun powder for Idli, Dosa.  We have it normally with dal rice, curd rice.  I also have it along with curd for  Idli, Dosa.  I have already posted coriander rice  in the blog.  This rice is different from that one which is already posted and really tastes awesome.  Coriander gun powder is made with urid dal, fresh coriander leaves, red chilly etc.  watch on youtube: coriander gun powder rice

coriander gun powder rice

BRINJAL TAVA FRY

We make various dishes out of Brinjal.  Brinjal Goshtu, Brinjal black eyed bean curry , Brinjal bhajia etc.  Have you ever tasted brinjal fry.  It is awesome with chapatti and as a side dish for rice too.  I try something  in a different way when my children do not eat a particular subzi.  When this was made, no one could make out what was the dish and ate happily.  Now you also try and enjoy this dish with chapatti, rice etc.

SHALLOT CHUTNEY

Onion chutney can be made very quickly.  I had some shallots (sambar onion).  We used to make this spicy chutney for idli, dosa during our childhood and had forgotten about it since long.  When I saw the same in the basket, I thought of making it for Idli today.

shallot chutney

ARINELLIKKA PICKLE, STAR GOOSEBERRY PICKLE

Arinellikka or star gooseberry it is called,  bit sour in taste.   It does not become soft when it is ripe.  When it is ripe, it starts falling down from the branches.  During school days, we used to eat the same with salt and chilli powder like we eat the Guava, Peru,Amrud in Mumbai.  We also make pickle out of this and I love to eat it with rice and curd.   We can make chutney also out of this.   It is available during April-May & August - September.

star gooseberry pickle, arinellikka pickle