Mango Milkshake Recipe | How to make fresh Mango Milkshake at home?

Come summer, mango milkshakes have to be made.. Right? Yes, for us it is like "What is summer without a Mango Milkshake?' I would love to make some popsicles too but this year we are cutting low on sugar and some carbs too, so I guess the popsicles have to wait for another year maybe :( This milkshake can be tailored in many ways to suit our cravings and needs. You can make it rich by adding a pinch of saffron. You can make it healthy by skipping the sweetener. You can make it vegan by adding almond or coconut milk instead of the normal dairy milk. Or maybe add 2 scoops of ice cream instead of one ;) Choose as you may want to, but if the mangoes are reasonably sweet, then any variant of the shake is great and makes you feel  refreshed :) I generally make the shake with Alphonso (for it's bright colour :D) or Banganapally mangoes but you can choose any pulpy and reasonably sweet variety of mango for the shake..

Makes: 2 glasses

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 mins

I Used:

Alphonso Mango	-	2 medium sized ones
Milk	-	1-1½ cup (boiled, cooled & refrigerated)
Sugar/Jaggery/Sweetner (optional)	-	1-2 tbsp (As needed)
Ice cream (optional)	-	1 scoop
Saffron/Kesar (optional) Cardamom powder (optional)	- -	A pinch ¼ tsp
Nuts (optional)	-	2-3 tbsp

The Way:

1. Scrape the skin of the mango and trim the stalk off. Rinse it well in water. While trimming the stalk some milk can ooze out of the mango and it gives a weird taste if not rinsed properly

2. Cut the mango into small chunks and take them in a blender

3. Add milk to it and blend well

4. Now open the blender and taste the milkshake. If needed add sugar, kesar and ice cream and then give a final blend

5. Pour into tall glasses and serve cold. You can garnish with chopped nuts if needed

Notes:

• I use Alphonso (or Banganapalli) mangoes for it's colour and taste. It gives a deep yellow colour and the shake feels like store bought :) You can use any ripe, pulpy, sweet and fibreless mangoes of your choice for making the shake

• For a thick milkshake use less milk for blending. Also keeping the mango/mango pieces in fridge also helps

• If using ice cream, use vanilla or mango flavour so that the taste is not compromised much

• Use ice cubes while blending for chilled shake. It can make the shake a little runny. Instead use chilled milk and mango for making shake and serve the shake with ice cubes added in the glass

• You can blend in the nuts or use for garnishing. Sometimes I like to blend in the nuts when I skip adding extra sweetner. Then it feels like having an extra crunch and I do not feel that I have skipped the sweetner (At times it is for satisfying the mind too ;))

Cheers,

Chitz

Chakkakuru Manga Curry | Kerala Style Chakkakuru Pacha Manga Curry | Jackfruit Seeds and Raw Mango Curry

Are you folks still getting raw mangoes at your place? I'm still able to see them in markets here but the quantity is getting lesser. I know some of these recipes should have been published last month but I got a little busy last month with the little one's Vidyarambham and other short trips and guests around. But if you have saved up some jackfruit seeds and can still get hold of some raw mangoes, this is a must try gravy for that Kerala red rice :) Tangy and crunchy and if you make some chicken ularthiyathu or mutton roast or mutton chukka, then all you need is that for a hearty meal and an afternoon siesta ;) I learned this recipe from my Mil. Every summer I look forward to having this yummy gravy for lunch at least once :) So let's see how this is made..

Other recipes with mango or jackfruit..

Raw Mango Rice

Uppilitta Manga | Raw Mangoes in Brine

Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

Mambazha Pulissery | Mambazha Kaalan

Unakka Chemmeen Maanga Curry | Kerala Style Dried Shrimp Raw Mango Curry
Idichakka Thoran

Preparation Time : 20 minutes

Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Recipe source : Mil

Serves : 3-4 persons

I Used:

Chakkakuru/Jackfruit seed	-	8 nos
Raw Mango	-	1 medium sized - chopped into 1 inch pieces
Red Chilly powder	-	1 tbsp
Turmeric powder	-	¼ tsp
Salt	-	As Needed

To Grind:

Grated Coconut	-	½ cup
Cumin seed	-	½ tsp

To Temper:

Coconut Oil	-	2 tbsp
Mustard  Fenugreek	- -	½ tsp ¼ tsp
Red Chilly	-	2 nos
Curry leaves	-	2 sprigs

The Way:

1. To clean the chakkakuru, first remove the white outer cover of the seed (forgot to take that pic). Then soak the seeds in water overnight. You can clean them without soaking also, but it's difficult and time consuming

2. Take the soaked chakkakuru and using a knife scrape off the brown skin of the seed. Then cut the seed vertically into two or three (as possible) pieces

3. Now take the cleaned chakkakuru in a pressure cooker. Add little salt and water (1/4 cup) and pressure cook it till done. I kept for 2 whistles in high flame and 3 whistles in low flame

4. Meanwhile wash the raw mango thoroughly and pat dry using a kitchen towel. Now cut the mango into 1 inch long pieces (with the skin)

5. Take the cut mango pieces along with red chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and little water (¼ cup - just enough for the mango pieces to be immersed) in a pan and boil them. Keep the flame on high

6. When the water starts boiling, reduce the flame to low and cover the pan and cook till the mango pieces are done (will take around 8-10 minutes). Don't let the pieces turn mushy. They should be cooked as well as firm

7. While the mango gets cooked, take the grated coconut and cumin seeds in a blender jar. Add little water and grind them into a smooth paste and keep aside

8. When the mangoes are cooked, add the cooked jackfruit seeds to it and give a stir

9. Now add the ground coconut paste and stir. Allow it to get cooked in low flame for 3-4 minutes so that the flavours blend in. Check salt and add if needed. Then switch off the flame

10. In a tadka pan, heat coconut oil. Splutter mustard and fenugreek seeds

11. Add broken dry red chilly and curry leaves. Take care not to burn

12. Add this tempering to the gravy and give a gentle stir

Serve with red rice and a spicy side dish of your choice!

Notes:

• Adjust the quantity of the raw mango accordingly. Some mangoes may be too sour. Here we do not use curd or tamarind. The raw mango alone contributes to the sourness of the gravy. So adjust accordingly. Here I have used 1 full small sized raw mango 

• You can also add drumstick or kumbalanga (ash gourd) also to this gravy. You can cook them along with the raw mangoes or pressure cook them with the seeds (As per convenience)

Cheers,

Chitz

Coffee Popsicles | Vietnamese Coffee Popsicles

I always wanted to try my hand at coffee and ice tea popsicles coz Deeps, like any other Malayali, would never say no to a cuppa tea or coffee anytime of the day ! So I was sure that he would approve these popsicles ;) That was when I saw in Sharmis blog these coffee popsicles. Voila, this is the universe's way of telling me that I should make them soon (I'm her die hard fan, so now it makes sense right). Then I googled more and found that the combo of condensed milk and a strong French roast coffee decotion is what makes a Vietnamese coffee and this popsicle is inspired from that. A strong coffee decotion sweetened with condensed milk. What can go wrong na?? ;)

You know how the Vietnamese coffee is made? Condensed milk is taken in a glass. And French drip filters or Vietnamese Phin filters are placed on top. And coffee drips from those filters to the glass of condensed milk. When the coffee is done dripping, you stir them up and serve. If it is iced Vietnamese coffee, then you pour this coffee into a glass of ice and serve. So cool right :D For the coffee it is 4 parts of coffee to 1 part condensed milk. But for the popsicle it is 3 parts coffee to 1 part condensed milk. This is so because condensed milk is difficult to freeze well it seems! 

And as I anticipated, the little one was very much happy to have this popsicles. Deeps caught a cold when I made this and so couldn't taste them. So me and the little one shared the 6 pops between us ;) It is difficult to say no to him when he jumps up and down saying 'Ice cream, ice cream' every time I open the fridge you know :D So shall we now see how to make these rich and tasty pops?

Preparation Time : 15 minutes 

Setting Time : 8 hours (or freeze overnight)

Recipe Inspiration : Here

Makes : 6 popsicles

I Used:

Water	-	¾ cup
Milk (boiled & cooled)	-	1 cup
Sugar (optional)	-	2 tbsp (as needed)
Instant coffee powder	-	¾ cup
Condensed Milk (sweetened)	-	1/3 cup

The Way:

1. Take water in a saucepan. Add sugar (if you feel the sweetness of milkmaid is sufficient then can omit sugar) and instant coffee powder to it and mix well. Then boil it for around 2 minutes. Then switch off and allow it to cool down completely

2. Now add milk (boiled and cooled) and mix well

3. Then add the condensed milk (milkmaid) and mix well

4. Now pour this to the popsicle moulds so that they are 3/4 th filled. Then freeze them in refrigerator overnight

5. While serving, show the popsicle moulds under running tap water for a minute and then carefully de-mould them. This will ensure that they get removed smoothly and come out firm. Serve immediately

Notes:

• If you want to have layers you can play around a bit. You can have a layer of coffee decotion or a layer of heavy cream and condensed milk (have seen this in some other blogs)

Cheers,
Chitz

Watermelon Juice | Fresh Watermelon Juice Recipe

I know summer is long gone in many parts of the world or at least in mine. But I do love to have chilled juices in this rainy weather at times. Are you too like me?? So while it lasts, I am making use of the watermelon available and making fresh juice and popsicles and enjoying. This is not a recipe as such, I know. But watermelon makes such good pics.. So I couldn't resist the urge to click.. I am way below average in clicking shots of drinks and beverages but I love to click them still.. And hence they make their way to the blog as well :)

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Serves : 2 glasses

I Used:

Watermelon (chilled)	-	1 cup (chopped)
Honey	-	1 tsp
Salt	-	A pinch
Lemon juice (optional)	-	1 tbsp

The Way:

1. Cut the watermelon. De-seed it. Then take out the red portion and chop it roughly

2. Add it to a blender jar and blend it smooth. Then add honey (if needed, if the melon is sweet enough you need not add honey. Also can use sugar instead) and a pinch of salt (enhances taste, if you do not like it then you can avoid salt) and lemon juice (if using, I did not use) and give a quick blend

3. Do not add water as the melon has a good amount of water content. If you are not using chilled watermelon, then refrigerate the juice for a while and serve chilled or you can use 2-3 ice cubes while serving. Do not keep the juice for long as it will not taste good. Recommend to serve immediately after making

Cheers,

Chitz

Kumbalanga Pachadi | Winter Melon Pachadi | Ash Gourd Pachadi | Kerala Onam Sadhya Recipes

How are you beating the heat this year? This year (as I might have kept mentioning in my earlier posts as well ;)) it is slightly overwhelming for me. I am doing all that I can to keep hydrated as much as possible. While summer is fun with all the fruits and popsicles and cold treats and ice creams, it is also very difficult to have as well as cook a full fledged course. All you can think of is to eat watermelons and gulp down glasses of spiced buttermilk. But one has to eat as well right :D So I make many sorts of pachadi as well as it is light and also cold and very easy to make. Doesn't make life difficult in kitchen. You must have understood that by now, coz just last week I posted Vazhaithandu pachadi :D So this pachadi too fits the bill.. It is cold and refreshing with a stir fry and some matta rice :) Isn't it ! So let's see how to make this easy pachadi.

My other pachadi recipes are..

Beetroot Pachadi

Pineapple Pachadi

Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

Vazhathandu Pachadi | Banana Stem Raita

Vellarikka Pachadi | Cucumber Pachadi

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Serves : 3-4 persons

I Used:

Kumbalanga/Winter Melon/Ash gourd	-	A heaped ¾ cup
Green Chilly	-	2 nos - slit
Water	-	½ cup
Salt	-	As Needed

To Grind:

Grated Coconut	-	A heaped ¼ cup
Mustard Curd	- -	½ tsp 1 cup

To Temper:

Coconut Oil	-	2 tbsp
Mustard	-	½ tsp
Red Chilly	-	2 nos
Curry leaves	-	2 sprigs

The Way:

1. In a saucepan take the cubed kumbalanga (winter melon/ash gourd), slit green chilly & salt along with ½ cup water & cook them over medium flame

2. Meanwhile grind together grated coconut and mustard. When they are ground well add curd & give another pulse or two so that the curd is mixed well

3. When the kumbalanga is cooked well, check if there is too much water. If then keep only about 1/4 cup and discard the rest. If there is too much water, the pachadi will turn too runny

4. Now add the ground coconut mixture & stir well.  Make sure the flame is very low & it does not boil. This may take about a minute or two. Once mixed well, remove from flame. Do not allow it to boil much, else the curd will curdle

5. Heat oil in another pan. Splutter the mustard seeds. Add red chilly & curry leaves & saute. Take care that they are not burnt. Add this tempering to the pachadi & give a stir & serve

Notes:

• Can add ½ tsp cumin seeds and/or a ½ inch piece ginger also while grinding. Since my family does not prefer them I do not add

Cheers,

Chitz

Vazhaithandu Pachadi | Vazhathandu Pachadi | Banana Stem Raita

This year summer in Pune has also become unbearable. The past two years I found it much better when compared to Chennai or Kerala, but this time it was bad :( And so, we were resorting to all sorts of coolants for the body and soul ! You do not feel like eating an elaborate lunch during summer, do you? We don't.. We feel like eating just some cold fruits and drink loads of buttermilk and lemonades ;) But everyday I don't do that. Somedays I cook rice and keep it simple with some steamed veggies and curd. 

I had a weeny tiny bit of banana stem remaining with me one day and that wasn't sufficient to make a kootu or upperi so I thought will make pachadi out of it. So googled for the recipe and found at Chitra's blog. I thought I had to cook the stem before making pachadi, but the recipe was a breeze that required no cooking at all and just the tempering. Also you do not feel any raw taste of the vazhaithandu/banana stem also ! That's a plus right :) So if you are looking for recipes that do not need much of cooking time and want to enjoy the summer under the fan like me, this recipe is one for you. Check out !

Some other recipes with Vazhathandu are 

Vazhathandu Poriyal | Vazhapindi Upperi | Banana Stem Stir Fry
Vazhaithandu Kootu | Banana Stem Kootu

Recipe Source: Adapted from Here

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cooking Time : 5 minutes

Serves : 2-3 persons 

I Used:

Vazhaithandu/Banana stem		½ cup (chopped)
Curd (Thick)		1 cup
Salt		As Needed
Coriander Leaves		2-3 sprigs for garnish

To Temper:

Oil		2 tbsp
Mustard		½ tsp
Urd Dal		1 tsp
Green Chilly		1 no
Asafoetida/Hing		½ tsp
Curry leaves		1-2 sprigs

The Way:

1. Whisk the curd in a bowl till smooth and there are no lumps. If you prefer the pachadi a little watery, add little water to the curd

2. Next clean and chop the banana stem to fine pieces. For cleaning the banana, discard the outer cover that comes off easily when you peel them. Then take the inner pith (hard part) and cut them into round discs. While doing so, you can see that there is a little fibre in between the discs.Discard them

3. Then chop the discs into small pieces and add them to the whisked curd immediately. (No need to cook the banana stem) If you keep it in open air, they will change colour. Alternately you can add the chopped banana stem pieces to water or little buttermilk till use to prevent them from changing colour

4. Add salt to the curd-banana stem and mix it

5. Now the tempering part - heat oil in a tadka pan. Splutter mustard. Reduce the flame to low. Add the urad dal. Let it fry for a few seconds. Take care not to burn it

6. Now add the hing, curry leaves and slit green chilly. Let it fry for a few seconds. The green chilly will start to pop out the oil. So be careful. Now switch off the flame

7. Add the tadka to the curd and garnish with coriander leaves. Mix well and serve !

Cheers,

Chitz

Watermelon Popsicle Recipe | Easy Watermelon Popsicle Recipe | Kids Special Summer Recipe

As I am drafting this recipe, it's my little one's reaction on seeing the popsicle that comes to my mind. He kept on jumping saying "ice-cream, ice-cream".. Popsicles are so easy to make and so refreshing in this summer heat right :) And when you make popsicles out of watermelon and likes, it is easy to up the little one's water intake who is otherwise very hesitant to drink water :( Here I have added just a tsp of honey to the pureed watermelon to make this pops. If you like a tangy flavour add little lemon juice as well. Maybe you can make it more colourful by sneaking in a slice of kiwi or lemon as well :) In the pics the colour seems a little pale coz they were snapped right after taking out of the freezer. After a while they turned bright red !

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

I Used:

Watermelon (cut into cubes)	-	2 cups
Honey	-	1 tsp (optional)
Lemon juice	-	1 tsp (optional)

The Way:

1. Roughly chop the water melon into cubes. Remove the seeds and take them in a blender jar

2. Grind them. Add honey if using (if the watermelon is sweet enough you can omit them) and again give a quick blend

3. Pour the puree into popsicle moulds so that they are 3/4 full

4. Freeze them in refrigerator overnight or for at least 8 hours

5. After 8 hours de-mould them gently (can show under tap water while de-moulding) and enjoy !

Cheers,

Chitz

Mambazha Pulissery | Mambazha Kaalan | Onam Sadhya Recipe Mambazha Kalan

Ripe Mangoes in Coconut sauce and Curd

I know that summer is gone and that the stock of mangoes is also gone along with that but what to do.. My laptop got some problems and I was not able to post the recipes in my draft. Now also the issue is not completely resolved, it's not connecting to the Wi-fi. But somehow got hold of a LAN cable and am working with that ! So what's the recipe today? It's a favorite of Deeps and is also a Sadhya recipe 'Kaalan' or Mambazha Pulisseri. 

It tastes THE best when made with the authentic naatu/naadan maanga (native variety of mango) with the juicy sweet pulp of the over ripe mangoes providing just the needed sweetness to the dish and the curd working on the sourness part. If you get hold of those variety of mangoes, then there should be nothing else holding you back from making this dish ! If you cannot find such mangoes but are so tempted to have this dish, then also don't fret.. try them with the normal ripe mangoes but if they are not sweet enough compensate with some jaggery or sugar. The taste will change but still you can enjoy them when you are very tempted :) 

Other recipes with Mango:

Pacha Manga Sadam | Raw Mango Rice

Uppilitta Manga | Raw Mangoes in Brine

Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

Unakka Chemmeen Maanga Curry | Kerala Style Dried Shrimp Raw Mango Curry
Chakkakuru Manga Curry

Other Sadhya recipes:

Beans Thoran

Beetroot Thoran
Cabbage Thoran

Mathanga Erissery

Mathan Erissery | Mathan Vanpayar Erissery

Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

Mambazha Pulissery | Mambazha Kaalan

Chembu Kumbalanga Moru Kootan | Taro-Ash Gourd Pulissery

Pulissery | Kachiya Moru | Mor Kuzhambu
Sambar | Kerala Style Varutharacha Sambar with no Coconut

Homemade Ada for Adapradhaman

Recipe Source: Amma

Serves: 3-4 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

I Used:

Naadan Maanga/Ripe Mango	-	2 nos
Red Chilly powder	-	½ tsp
Turmeric Powder	-	¼ tsp
Salt	-	As needed
Jaggery	-	1 tbsp (acc to the sweetness)
Curd	-	1 cup

To Grind:

Coconut	-	¼ cup
Green Chilly	-	2 nos
Cumin seed	-	½ tsp

To Temper:

Coconut Oil	-	1 tbsp
Mustard seeds	-	¼ tsp
Red Chilly	-	2 nos - broken
Curry leaves	-	A sprig

The Way:

1. Use ripe mangoes, preferably the nadan (native) ones which are smaller in size. These kind bring out the best pulissery. If you cannot find hold of some you can use the normal ripe ones. If they are bigger in size, rather than using the whole mango, cut into small bite sized pieces and go about with the dish

2. Peel the skin of the mangoes. In a pan or kadai, take the mangoes and add the turmeric powder, red chilly powder, salt and jaggery. Use jaggery only if the mango is not sweet enough. Adjust the quantity of the jaggery according to the sweetness of the mango

3. Add little water (around 1 - 1.5 cups, enough for the mangoes to boil) and cook the mangoes over low-medium flame with the pan covered. If the mangoes are very ripe and juicy then add less water as the pulp of the mangoes will be sufficient

4. In the meantime, grind together coconut, cumin seeds and green chilly (do not use water. If it 

is difficult to grind, use very little water) into a smooth paste

5. Keep an eye on the mangoes to make sure that they don't get burnt. Once the mangoes are cooked and the gravy reaches your desired consistency (the gravy tends to thicken upon cooling, so decide the consistency accordingly), add the ground coconut paste and stir. Allow it to boil for another 2 minutes and not more

6. Now add the whisked curd (can use the mixie to beat the curd) and give a nice stir. Switch off the flame immediately after

7. In a tadka pan, heat the coconut oil. Splutter mustard. The add fenugreek seeds, red chilly and curry leaves. Add the tadka to the gravy and give a quick clean stir

Serve it with rice and a hot and spicy side dish of your choice !

Cheers,

Chitz