Simple Fruit Salad

A very easy dessert, something which I used to like eating as a kid. As a kid and even now, I detest eating fruits. I eat them for purely health reasons. This is a kid friendly recipe and makes a special appeal since ice-cream is loved by most of the kids and making kids eat fruits can be quite a tough task. This was my Mom's way of ensuring I got my dose of fruit nutrition albeit with a little more ice-cream.

Recipe Source ~ Mom

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Servings ~ 6-8

Ingredients:

Banana (chopped) - 1 cup

Chikoo (chopped) - 1 cup

Orange pulp (diced) - 1 cup

Pomegranates - 1/2 cup

Apple (chopped) - 1 cup

Cashewnuts (chopped) - 2 tablespoons

Almonds (chopped) - 2 tablespoons

Vanilla ice-cream - 1 litre pack

Method:

Mix in all the fruits and nuts, and add the ice-cream only while serving. This is a fairly simple recipe but something I wish to pen down lest I forget. Kids love this method of eating fruits. Ice-cream adds to the delight.

Potato Bhaaji (Goan-style Batatyachi Paatal Bhaaji)

One dish which I grew up eating and simply love the taste. Potato Bhaaji is a very simple dish yet very tasty suiting the coastal taste buds. You will find this is most of the Goan houses in North Goa - Panjim, Mapusa, Bicholim et al. It goes well with Chapathi or Goan Laadi Pao. It is called Batatyachi Paatal Bhaaji owing to the liquid consistency of the curry, Paatal in Goan Konkani stands for liquid. This dish is available in most of the retaurants in Goa and is a delight to eat owing to the subtle flavours of Potatoes and Tomatoes. One could also garnish with grated coconut, I simply omitted it.

~ Bataatyachi Paatal Bhaaji - Goan style ~

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes minutes
Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Potatoes (boiled and mashed) - 2 cups

Tomatoes (Chopped, diced and blanched) [optional] - 1 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Green Chillies (chopped) - 2

Grated coconut - 4 teaspoons

Coriander leaves (chopped) - 6-7 sprigs

Oil

Salt

Method:

Heat oil in a deep dish sauce. The pan should be thick bottomed. Once oil heats up, add cumin seeds, they would pop up in size. Saute green chillies, mustard seeds and urad dal. Once they are sauted well, add diced and lightly mashed potatoes. Saute well and add tomatoes. Add enough water to bring about a semi-liquid consistency. Adjust the salt and simmer on a low flame for 10-15 minutes. Once completely cooked, turn off the flame and garnish with coconut (grated) and coriander leaves. Serve hot with Pao, Poori or Chapathi.

Potato and Soya Curry

Simple curry - quick and fast. No pampering, easy, jhat-phat as they say! I liked these kind of dishes specially on those days when you can hear the rats, mouse growling in your stomach and you need a meal RIGHT NOW! This dish as a good dose of Carbs and Protein.

Recipe Source ~ My Kitchen Experiments

Serves ~ 2-4 individuals

Preparation time ~ 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Potatoes (Boiled) - 3

Soya Chunks - 1 cup

Coconut (grated) or Coconut powder - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Garlic (crushed thoroughly) - 2-3

Ghee - 2 teaspoons

Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Salt - As per taste

Water - For curry consistency

Ingredients:

Boil the Potatoes in microwave and keep aside (place them on a micro friendly plate with few spoons of water and run on high for 3-4 minutes). Boil soya chunks and keep aside. Heat ghee in a cooking pan, fry Potato chunks and add garlic. Saute till both get slight brownish tinge. Add soya chunks, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Fry the masala's well or else they would offer a raw flavour. Once fried for 5 minutes add water and bring about to a curry consistency. Add coconut powder and give a gentle stir. Adjust taste and water. Bring to boil. Simmer on low flame for 10 minutes. Turn off the flame. Serve hot with Rotis or Rice.

Boiled Cauliflower (Flowerachey Sheez)

There are some dishes which are radically simple. Even a 2nd grade child can make it, yet they have a certain iota of nostalgia associated with them which you cannot find in rich and lavish dishes. When we were kids, Mom used to make this very simple dish. My name for this was Flowerachey Sheez. Sheez in Goan Konkani implies boiling procedure. Flower is nothing but the humble Cauliflower. When Mom used to ask me what to be prepared for dinner, leaving aside all the difficult and time-consuming cuisines your truly always obliged for this warm, soggy vegetable. Do no ask me why? I still cannot fathom my delight as a child consuming these cutie florets. It offered a different sense of deja-vu for me as a kid. I had a glint in my eyes everytime she used to cook these. I believe this is dish which kids would love (provided they love vegetables, yes I can hear the mom's screaming, vegetables, my child no way!). Tough task for my mom. Guess she thought this secret packaging works wonders. You child gets to eat the vegetables and you rest in peace because you child is finally eating something nutritious.

Come to think of this dish today, I throw my head back and laugh a lot! Some food have more than just memories to cherish.

Recipe is my mom's humble kitchen creation

Serves ~ couple of individuals

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 2 large heads

Salt - as per taste

Pepper powder - Just a sprinkle

Method:

Boil the two large of Cauliflower after thoroughly washing them. Cook in a presure cooker for 20 minutes with salt and pepper sprinkled over them. Serve them hot with Rice and Curry as a side dish.

Potato Cauliflower Masala

We had way too much Potato and Cauliflower stocked in the fridge. Mom prepared this dish as a surprise for me and I truely loved it. Once treating myself with the curry and hot rotis I immediately noted the recipe lest Mommie forgets the tasty delight she dished out. This dish is best suggested when you have very less time on hand and have to dish out a quick one.

Serves: 2-4 individuals

Ingredients -
Cauliflower florets - 20 pieces (10 C - pre boiled in hot water)
Boiled Potatoes(Cubed) - 4 C
Chilli powder - 1 t
Turmeric powder - 1/2 t
Pepper powder - 1 t
Coriander powder - 1 t
Cumin powder - 1 t
Garam Masala - 1/2 t
Salt - As per taste

Method -
1. Heat ghee in a kadhai.
2. Add potatoes in the kadhai and roast till the edges turn brown.
3. Saute for a while and then add the Cauliflower.
4. Add the masala one by one and mix thoroughly till the masala gets evenly spread.
5. Serve hot with Chapathi or as a side dish for lunch on dinner.