Ripe Mango Aamras

Continuing with my obsession with mangoes, I cannot resist mentioning a very simple drink called Aamras! It is churned out with ripe pulpy mangoes, with a sprinkle of cardamom powder. Childhood summer holidays,were never complete without sumptuous paranthas for breakfast, accompanied by large glasses- filled to the brim with delicious Aamras!

Tip: You can use almost over-ripe mangoes as well as ripe mangoes for this recipe.

Ingredients: 

Ripe mangoes: 3 medium sized (washed, peeled and cut into small pieces)

Cold Milk: 500ml

Cold Water: 250 ml

Sugar: 1 cup (powdered)

Large Cardamom- 1 (powdered)

Method:

 In a blender jar, add all the mango pieces, powdered sugar, powdered cardamom and milk. Now, blend this till you have a lovely mango purée. To this, add cold water and blend some more.

Serve chilled !

Tip: You can refrigerate this for a day. If you want to keep it longer, then do not add the milk in the first instance. Prepare it only with water and add chilled milk before serving.

Raw mango drink ya kairie ka pana- Beat the heat!!

With mercury soaring in various parts of India, what better than to cool your system with a glass full of chilled aam ka pana! Kairie or  aam or mango is useful in this season, in its raw form too. I know some of you would any day prefer, the ripe fruit to the unripe one, but believe me, a cool glass of this drink does wonders for you, especially if it is delicately spiked with rock salt and fresh green mint leaves!
so how does one prepare this heavenly concoction? Here we go!

Ingredients:


Raw mangoes, medium sized- 3
Rock salt- a pinch
Green mint leaves chopped- 1 tablespoon
Sugar- 1/2 cup (or more if you like)
Cumin ( jeera) seeds roasted and powdered- 1 teaspoon

Method:
You can either roast or steam/ boil the mangoes , without peeling them. If pressure cooked, they are done with 3-4 whistles of the cooker. Let them cool and then gently remove the peels. Scrape the kairi/ mango pulp out with a knife and then make a purée of it by adding sugar and mint leaves.
Now add about a litre of chilled water to this mixture , add  the rock salt and sprinkle the cumin powder on top.
There! Your fantastic summer drink is ready!

Cauliflower - Carrots-Baby Corn in Tomato base.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower florets - 2 cups
Orange Carrots diced- 1 cup
Baby corn - 6 ( cut into rings or thin slices)
Onion thickly sliced - 1 large onion
Tomato purée - 2 cups
Mustard oil - 1 tablespoon
Salt - 1/4 th teaspoon or as desired.
Green coriander sprigs for garnishing.

Method:
In a heavy- bottom pan ( kadhai), heat the mustard oil and then add the onion slices. Cook the onions on a high flame for a couple of minutes, then reduce the flame and let the onion slices turn a darkish brown (not black!). Now add the cauliflower florets, baby corn and carrots and sauté them for a few minutes.Sprinkle salt on the vegetables and then add the tomato purée to it. Allow this to simmer on a low flame till the gravy thickens and the vegetables are coated with the gravy.
Chop the green coriander and sprinkle on the veggies.

Can be served with steaming hot plain rice!