KALA JAMUN SMOOTHIE / INDIAN BLACK PLUM SMOOTHIE

Here is a simple and healthy smoothie with yogurt and kala jamun..

Ingredients:
Jamuns ... 1 cup (about 10 -12 cut into pieces)
Yogurt .... 1 cup
Sugar ...... 2 tsps (you can substitute it with honey)
Salt ...... 1 pinch to balance the taste.

Method:
1. Blend all the ingredients together in a mixie adding sufficient water. Use cold water or some ice cubes.
2. Serve chilled.

Note: you can add some granola to make it more filling if you like.

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RAJMA RASAM

Red kidney beans /  Rajma form an important part of a vegetarian diet due to their excellent protein content. Whenever you boil these beans for making any dish never throw away the water which is full of nutrition. You can add it to make gravies or soups. I tried out rasam today and it was so tasty just like the one we make normally with dal. I just added few grains of boiled mashed rajma to give the thickness to the rasam. Rest is the same procedure. You can enjoy drinking this on a cold or rainy day or serve it with plain rice along with some stir fried sabzi.

Ingredients:
Rajma water ..... 2 cups
Mashed rajma ... 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder .. 1/8 tsp
Asafoetida ........... a pinch
Crushed garlic .... 2 flakes
Tomato .............. 1 small
Dry red chillies ... 1 broken
Mustard seeds .... 1 tsp
Curry leaves ....... 1 sprig
Coriander leaves ... for garnishing
Lemon juice ....... 1 tbsp
Salt .................... to taste
Sugar .............. 1/2 tsp to balance the taste 
Oil ....... 1 tbsp
Rasam powder ......... 1 tsp ( see the home made rasam powder recipe - HERE )

Method:
1. Heat oil and add the mustard seeds, asafoetida, broken red chillies and curry leaves.
2. When they crackle add the crushed garlic flakes and tomato pieces.
3. Add the strained rajma water and bring to a boil. 
4. Simmer it and add the mashed rajma, salt, sugar and rasam powder.
5. When you get the desired consistency, stir in the lemon juice and add some fresh coriander leaves.

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KALA JAMUN RAITA

Kala Jamun or Indian Black Plum is a seasonal fruit and is available in summers. This fruit is loaded with health benefits. Apart from eating it as a fruit by itself we can make many dishes with this. Here is a simple raita .. cool and refreshing accompaniment with your meals.

Ingredients:
Jamuns .... 5-6 or as needed
Yogurt .... 1 cup
Salt ......... to taste
Honey .... 1 tbsp
Roasted and crushed cumin seeds ... 1/8 tsp
White or black pepper ..... 2 pinches.
Mint leaves .... few

Method:
1. Cut the fleshy part of the jamuns into small pieces.
2. Whisk the yogurt and add all the mentioned ingredients for taste.
3. Add the chopped jamun pieces and few crushed mint leaves.
4. Serve chilled.

Check out the video:

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OATS PORRIDGE WITH CHOCOLATE COATED CAKE BALLS / KIDS BREAKFAST

Kids often refuse to have oats. We have to really be innovative and try out new dishes for them. This bowl of oats porridge garnished with chocolate coated cake balls will surely entice them to give it a try.

Ingredients:
Oats ...... 1 cup
Butter .... 1 tbsp
Milk ...... 2 cups or as needed. (you can use water + milk if you wish)
Vanilla essence ... 1 drop.(optional)
Sugar ................ 5-6 tbsps  (as per your liking)
Salt .... 1 pinch (to balance the taste)
Mango roundels .. for garnishing.

To make the chocolate coated cake balls.
Cake crumbs ..... 1 cup (use plain sponge cake)
Walnut powder ... 1 tbsp
Maple syrup or honey .. 1 tbsp (as needed to bind the crumbs)
Cooking / baking chocolate bar .... 100 gms

Method:

1. Crumble the cake. Add walnut powder and mix.

2. Add the honey or maple syrup and mix well to get a binding texture. If you are using a moist cake you may not need to add any binder..Make tiny marble sized balls.Set aside.

3. Using the double boiler method, melt the chocolate bar. Make sure the spatula and the bowl are dry.

4. Maintain medium heat and stir with a spatula until smooth.

5. Close the gas and still keep stirring for a while to remove any air bubbles.

6. Now using a fork or a tooth pick dip the balls in the melted chocolate.

7. Place them on the parchment paper in a tray. Refrigerate until they are firm.

8. Now melt the butter in a sauce pan and saute the oats for a minute.

9. Add one cup water and bring to a boil. Once they start cooking reduce the heat and simmer. Add sugar and a pinch of salt. When they are half done add the milk, vanilla essence and cook further for 5-6 minutes on low flame until you get the required consistency. Allow the porridge to cool.

10. Garnish with chocolate balls and mango roundels after it is cool enough at the room temperature or even better if it is chilled in the refrigerator.

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KALA JAMUN COOLER / INDIAN BLACK PLUM JUICE

Kala Jamun (meaning black plum) is an Indian plum which is actually dark purple in colour. It has sweet and sour taste and kids simply love this fruit because the tongue gets a purple colour after eating. Couple of days ago a friend gifted me a box full of fresh kala jamuns bought from the local farms. They are amazingly fresh and sweet. We ate a lot of them on the very first day. There are so many left still and I thought of trying out some cool summer recipes with them. To start with I made some juice which was really refreshing.

Ingredients:
Kala jamuns .... 14 -15
Water .............. 3 cups
Sugar ............. 1 tbsp
Salt ...............  1/4 tsp
Roasted and crushed cumin seeds ... 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder .... freshly crushed .. 1/4 tsp
Red chilli flakes or a dash of tabasco ... optional

Method:
1. Wash the jamuns and boil them in 3 cups of water, sugar and salt. Simmer until done..
2. Remove from the gas and let it cool down to room temperature.
3. Squeeze the boiled jamuns well and discard the seeds.
4. Strain the juice into a bowl squeezing out the liquid well from it.
5. Add the chillies and pepper to taste. (you may skip adding them if you want)
6. Refrigerate it until you serve.
7. Dip the edges of the serving glass in water and then in the salt spread in a plate.
8. Pour the chilled juice and serve.

(Makes 1 large or 2 small servings)

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BURNT GARLIC MUSHROOM FRIED RICE

Try out this simple aromatic fried rice with just mushrooms, egg and an extra dose of burnt garlic for the amazing flavour. You can add any other veggies if you prefer but I just love it this way. It is a complete meal on its own and you don't really need any accompaniments. If you like it spicy go ahead and add some chilli sauce or chilli infused oil.

Ingredients:
Cooked rice .... 2 cups
Garlic .......... 8-10 cloves
Mushrooms .. 200 gms
Eggs .............. 2
Black pepper ... 1/2 tsp (freshly crushed)
Red chilli flakes ... 1 tsp
Salt ...................... to taste
Oil ..................... 3 tbsps

Method:
1. Cook the rice adding salt. Drain and set aside.
2. In a pan fry the sliced mushrooms adding a little salt. Spoon out in a bowl.
3. Scramble the egg in a tbsp of oil adding salt. Remove from the pan.
4. In a wok heat the remaining oil and fry the garlic until golden brown and crisp.
5. Add the black pepper and red chilli flakes.
6. Mix the drained rice, fried mushrooms and scrambled egg.
Serve hot.

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MANGO YOGURT WALNUT PARFAIT

Since it is mango season now I am enjoying the king of fruits. I really missed these Indian mangoes until last year as we were living in Brazil. We did have a variety of mangoes there but nothing to beat the Indian ones like Alphonso, Kesari, Langda, Bainganapalli to name a few. I have made the parfait using the Alphonso pulp along with some crushed walnuts, roasted flax seeds and of course fresh yogurt. You can whisk the fresh yogurt with a little sugar or honey and little vanilla essence for flavouring or if you get the ready vanilla flavoured yogurt in the market you can use it. Parfait is so easy to make and can be taken at breakfast time or even enjoyed as a dessert. Mango can be replaced with any other fruits like strawberries, cherries, chikoo, banana etc etc.... and you can add granola/cornflakes/raisins .. the options are endless.

Ingredients:
Fresh yogurt ... 2 cups or as needed
Mango pulp .. 3/4 th cup
Mango pieces .. for garnishing
Sugar or honey.. 1 tbsp
Walnuts ........... handful (crushed) about 2 tbsps
Roasted and crushed flax seeds .. 1 tbsp
Vanilla essence .... 1 drop (optional)

Method:
1. Whisk the yogurt adding sugar or honey and the essence.
2. Blend the mango pulp to make smooth puree.
3. Crush the walnuts lightly.
4. Take 2 serving glasses or bowls.
5. Spoon the yogurt and pulp one on top of the other.
6. Sprinkle some walnuts and flax seeds. Repeat this again.
7. Garnish with mango pieces and crushed walnuts. Sprinkle flax seeds on top.

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