In the scorching summer heat, different kinds of coolers are well soughgt after. Natural juices have an edge over artificially blended/aerated ones. Ghardudde in Konkani or Bottle Gourd is a known coolant. It is mainly used in making curries and halwa. I found a good use for that in making healthy natural juice which is not only tasty nut keeps your body cool for a long time. Added ginger and lemon are rich sources of minerals and Vitamin C. Jaggery compensates for the reduced energy level in the body due to dehydration and salt sums up for the electrolyte imbalance. Pepper adds to flavour and by itself is known to have cooling properties.
Ingredients:
About 100-200 gms of peeled deseeded and chopped Bottle Gourd(Ghardudde)
Jaggery (as per taste) used 50gms here
Pinch of salt & Pepper powder
A small piece of Ginger
1 big Lemon
Method:
Add all the ingredients except lemon in a mixer and blend very well.
Empty the ground paste into a vessel.
Now add 3 glasses of water to mixer, beat it for few seconds, add that water to the paste and stir well.
Squeeze one big sized lemon, mix well and filter the contents.
Chill for 2-3 hours in the fridge before serving.
Got four glasses of thick tasty juice here.
You can vary the Ingredients as per your requirements.
This is a spicy curry with potatoes and onions which can be prepared at short notice and tastes good when served with rice and daal. My aunt(Father's sister) found this popular dish in Andhra. They add Turmeric powder and some other ingredients but we make it simple, with only 6 ingredients. This used to be my favourite side dish when I was a bachelor, cooking own food in Bangalore.
This goes well with chapathis and pooris also. You may add chilli powder according to your taste but this being a dry curry needs little more oil to taste better.
Ingredients:
1. Potatoes - 4 medium
2. Onions - 2 medium
3. Urad daal - 1 Tsp
4. Red Chilli powder - 2-3 Tsp
5. Salt - To taste
6. Coconut oil - 3-4 Tsp
Method:
Wash boil and peel the potatoes.
Cut into small cubes.
Chop the onions finely.
Heat oil in a kadai.
Add urad daal. Allow that to get golden brown.
Add half of the chopped onions and brown them.
Now add the remaining chopped onions and saute till they become soft and golden.
Add chilli powder, cubed boiled potatoes and salt to taste.
Mix well to coat the potatoes with the masala and salt.
If the curry gets too dry, you may sprinkle little water.
Allow the masala to infiltrate the potatoes.
Switch off the heat, cover and keep for 5 mins.
Serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves and lemon wedge. We prefer it as it is.
Goes well with Rice and Daalithoi.
Many years ago, my friend Balachandra Shetty had invited us for dinner and his wife Anjali Shetty who is with Air India as hostess, had prepared a whole chicken roast in a pot. It was excellent and we had never tasted such a delicious dry chicken dish before. She passed on the recipe to Meena who prepared it 4-5 times whenever we had guests for dinner.
Yesterday, my nephew had come for dinner and after many years Meena roasted similar chicken in the pot for him. He liked it so much, he gobbled up half of the bird happily! So, my catchword is, prepare two whole birds if you have hungry youngsters at home. This one is gonna be a superhit anyway!
Ingredients:
Whole Chicken with skin - 1 Kg
Coarsely ground Ginger - 2 Tsp
Coarsely ground Garlic - 2 Tsp
Black pepper powder - 2 Tsp
Salt - 2 Tsp(Adjust according to taste)
Mustard powder or paste - 2 Tsp
Dark Soy Sauce - 2 Tsp
Lemon juice - Of 1 lemon
Cloves - 10-12
Cinnamon - 2" stick broken into small pieces
Butter or ghee - 4 Tsp
Method:
Prepare a paste combining the ingredients other than cloves and cinnamon.
Apply the paste on the chicken, inside out and stick the cloves and cinnamon pricking the flesh with a sharp knife point.
Marinate the chicken in the fridge for 24 hours.
Heat butter/ghee in a nonstick pan.
Place the marinated chicken in the pan on high heat and allow the chicken to get browned on one side.
Turn over and brown the other side as well.
Now close the lid and simmer for 15- 20 mins.
Turn over again and close the lid. Simmer for another 15-20mins
Open the lid, raise the heat and carefully turn the chicken and keep it sideways to brown the drumstick portion.
After 5 mins, turn over again and allow the other drumstick side to get browned.
When the juices have evaporated and the chicken is tender, remove and trasfer to aa platter.
Serve with lemon wedges and choice of salads.
Ingredients: 
Method:
