GINGER
Medicinal Value:  

Reduces cough,inflammation,congestion,cold etc. 
It also aids in suppressing nausea.

Boil water.
Add a 1/2 inch piece of ginger( pounded or grated)
a little cinnamon(dalchini) powder 
and 1 teaspoon of honey.

Strain and drink at regular intervals to relieve discomforts of a sore throat.

Dahi Bhaat

Dahi Bhaat or Curd Rice

If you like yoghurt, you will definitely enjoy dahi bhaath.

Cold or Warm !

Whenever you are making rice, just always make it a point to make extra to come in handy for just one more meal. 1 cup rice needs 2 cups water to cook. Refer to the Plain Rice recipe on the blog.

Cold Dahi Bhaat  

Serves 1 person

• Leftover rice  
• Yoghurt
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp oil
• Green chillies (chopped fine or slit in half, optional)
• Curry leaves (a few, optional)
• Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp.
• Split white udad dal  1/2 tsp (optional)
• Coriander leaves ,chopped , 1 tsp.(optional)

1. Add and mix enough yoghurt into the rice to get a consistency of your liking.
2. Add salt 
3. In a pan, heat oil on a low temperature. Add mustard,green chillies and udad dal . (They splutter ,so cover quickly or else you have to clean the stove!)
4. Uncover and add curry leaves and stir in.
5. Pour over the rice and yoghurt mix and stir in.
6. sprinkle coriander.

Warm Dahi Bhaat

1.           Heat a bowl of rice in the microwave oven.
2.           Add yoghurt according to your liking. 
3.           Add salt.
4.           Add cumin powder.
5.           Mix well.
6.           Add ghee if you want to.
7.           Just eat!

I'll add more variations to this post soon....

Apple Tea

Apple Tea


Do you often discard apple peels?


Pour boiling water over the peels.
Seive.
Enjoy a cuppa! 


Its delicious and way better than the shop bought dehydrated apple tea .

Tulips From My Garden!

These are Tulips from my garden. They are such a pleasure to grow. Plant them in November. No need to dig the bulbs out after flowering season.

Yogurt Dip

YOGURT DIP
Serve with fresh vegetable sticks e.g; carrots,celery,cucumber, cauliflower,broccoli,red radishes,paprika/capsicum (red,yellow, green)
OR
with chips
OR
as filling/spread for Pita or sandwiches.

Ingredients:
500 ml Yogurt
1/2 white or red onion finely chopped
1/2 Tomato finely chopped
Fresh Coriander Finely chopped 1 tablespoon
Green chilly 1 or 2 (to your taste)finely chopped or pounded
Salt

The Simplest way

Add all the ingredients to the yogurt and fold in.

Plain Kadhi

This is a typical Gujarati dish. Delicious even with plain rice.

Ingredients:

1) Yoghurt 250 ml.
2) Cumin (jeera) 1 tsp.
3) Vegetable oil 1 tbsp.
4) Few Curry leaves/Limda (optional)
5) 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and pounded or grated (optional)
6) 1 Green chilly washed and slit lengthwise (optional)
7) salt to taste
8) 1 to 2 tbsp gram flour/besan
9) Chopped coriander 1 tbsp. (optional)
10) 300-400 ml. water

Method:
1) Blend the yoghurt,Water and gram flour with a hand mixer. (Alternatively, add half the water,blend with a whisk,add rest of
the water)
2) In a deep pan , add the oil on low heat.
3) Add cumin. Let it crackle or wait till it changes colour.
4) Add chilli and curry leaves.
5) Add the blended mix.
6) Increase the heat and keep stirring till it comes to a boil.
7) Add salt+ginger
8) Boil on lower heat for further 7 to 10 minutes.
9) Sprinkle coriander and serve.


Please refer to posts with variations.

Raita

Raita is one of the simplest accompaniments to prepare.

It can be served as a dip with chips, crackers or melba toasts.

For healthier option, it can also be served with assorted raw vegetables like carrots, cucumber, cauliflower,broccoli,celery sticks,radish


Ingredients:

1) Yoghurt 250 ml.
2) Cucumber 1/2 (washed,grated)
3) salt to taste
4) green chilly 1 ( washed and finely chopped)
5) Cumin powder or Sandwich masaala or Chaat masaala 1/2 tsp.
6) Coriander 1 tbsp. (rinsed and chopped finely) (optional)


Method:

1) In a bowl, whisk the yoghurt or beat it with a fork to make it smooth.
2) Add rest of the ingredients and mix well.
3) Keep refrigerated until serving.


Variations:

You can add :

Chopped tomatoes
Chopped radish
Instead of cucumber, add grated carrots
Instead of coriander, add finely chopped mint.