Raw Mango Dal

Summer is here and raw mangoes have flooded the market. So I thought of making hay (or should I say Mango Dal) while the sun shines. Since mangoes are seasonal, we do not get a chance to cook this dish everyday. But preparing it is quite simple. Moreover, the dish breaks the monotony of having regular Dal and makes for a refreshing change.

Ingredients:

1. Raw Mango - 1 (Peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes. You can retain the peel if you wish to)
2. Toor Dal - 1 cup
3. Garlic - 5-6 pods (chopped finely)
4. Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped finely)
5. Red chilies - 4-5 (broken into halves)
6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
7. Salt - to taste
8. Mustard - 1 tsp.
9. Oil - 1 tbsp.

Procedure:

1. Cook Dal ( with water) and the raw mango cubes separately. I used the cooker to cook the Dal and microwaved the raw mango at maximum for 2 minutes. Mash the Dal completely.
2. In a pan, heat oil. Season with mustard seeds. when they splutter, add the ginger, garlic and red chillies. Saute for a few seconds.
3. Add the raw mango and salt and turmeric and saute for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the mashed Dal and a little water if required. Let it boil for around 5 minutes till the raw Dal smell is gone.
5. Switch off the stove and serve with hot rice and papad.

Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1. Oats - 1 cup
2. Wheat flour - 1 cup
3. Butter - 100 g.
4. Sugar - 1/2 cup
5. Baking soda - 1/2 tsp.

Procedure:

1. Melt the butter to room temperature.
2. Sieve the wheat flour and baking soda together.
3. Mix in the wheat flour, oats and sugar into butter and mix to make a crumbly cookie dough (pic 1)
4. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
5. Make small balls out of the cookie dough and flatten them on a baking tray (pic 2). Make sure there is space in between in case the cookies expand while being baked.
6. Bake at 200 degrees C for 25 minutes and cool to room temperature. (pic 3).

pic 1

pic 2

pic 3

Cucumber Raita

This is a salad I usually make to accompany Pulao or even Vatta-Kozhambu Sadam.
It has a cooling effect because of the curds and the cucumber.

Ingredients:

1. Cucumber - 1
2. Curds - 200 ml
3. Green chillies - 2 or 3 
4. Oil - 2 tsp.
5. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
6. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
7. Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Procedure:

1. Cut the ends of the cucumber, peel it and grate it. You can also finely chop it alternatively.
2. Add the cucumber to the curds and add salt as per taste.
3. In a small kadai, heat oil, add mustard seeds. After the mustard splutters, add slit green chillies and chopped curry leaves. Season the Raita with this.
4. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Tomato and Onion Raita

Raita is a kind of salad made with curds. In Tamil, it is called Thayir Pachadi. Tomato and Onion Raita is a basic Raita used to accompany Pulao or Biryani.

Ingredients:

1. Tomatoes - 4 (diced)
2. Onions - 2 ( thinly sliced
3. Curds - 200 ml.
4. Green chillies - 2-3 (slit length-wise)
5. Salt - to taste
6. Oil - 2 tsp
7. Mustard - 1 tsp.
8. Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Procedure:

1. Add the tomatoes and onions to the curds.
2. Add salt as per taste
3. In a small kadai, heat oil, temper with mustard seeds and add green chilies. Season the Raita with this.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Italian Salad

This is one salad I really love. I can substitute an entire meal with multiple helpings of this.

Ingredients:

1. Bell peppers ( Red, Yellow and Green) - 1 each
2. Baby Corn - 2-3
3. Sweet Corn - 1 tbsp.
4. Broccoli - 15-20 small florets
5. Olives (gutted and sliced) - 1 tbsp.
6. Fresh Basil leaves ( optional) - 5-6 (finely chopped)
7. Olive oil - 1 tbsp.
8. Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, chilli flakes, thyme, etc.)
9. Salt - as per taste

Procedure:

1. Cut the bell peppers and baby corn into 2 inch long thin strips.
2. In a pan, heat olive oil, add in the peppers, baby corn, corn, broccoli and saute for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the basil leaves and olives. 
4. Add salt and seasoning as required and serve.

Green Moong Sprout Salad

This is a salad I really hate, but G loves it a lot. So here goes the recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Whole Green Moong - 1/2 cup
2. Onion - 1 
3. Tomato - 1
4. Salt - to taste
5. Pepper - to taste
6. Lemon juice - 2 tsp.

Procedure:

1. Soak the Green Moong in water for 3-4 hours and tie it up in a wet muslin cloth and leave it overnight to sprout.
2. To this sprouted Moong, add very finely chopped onion, very finely chopped tomato, salt and pepper .
3. Add a dash of lemon juice and toss well.

Sweet Corn and Pomegranate Salad

This is the new age salad served in most South Indian weddings of the present day.

Ingredients:

1. Cooked sweet Corn - 2 cups
2. Pomegranate seeds - 1/4 cup
3. Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
4. Oil - 2 tsp.
5. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
6. Salt - as per taste

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a kadai and temper with mustard seeds.
2. Add in the cooked corn seeds and salt and switch off the stove.
3. Add in the pomegranate seeds and grated coconut and toss well.