Mixed Fruit Lemonade

With a riot of seasonal fruits around us, 'tis the time for Summer-special drinks..The more, the healthier! Here's a simple healthy drink to put together that can be had on its own or fizzed up with some soda! 

MIXED FRUIT LEMONADE

Ingredients : (Makes 3-4 glasses)
Apples - 2 (cubed)
Blueberries (optional) - 4-5
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Juice of 1 lemon
Brown sugar - 2 tbsps (If using white sugar, make it 1.5 tbsps)
Apple Juice - 1/2 cup
Juice masala/ Black salt or pepper powder (optional) - 1/4 tsp
Plain soda - as required
For garnish :
Mint leaves
Lemon wedges
Method : 
1. In a blender jar, add the apple cubes, chopped ginger, blueberries, lemon juice, brown sugar, apple juice, juice masala or black salt and ice cubes and blend. 
2. Sieve through a slightly wide-eyed sieve (if you like it pulpy) into a jar. Refrigerate. 
3. Pour equal portions into the serving glasses and dilute if need be or top off with some soda for the extra fizz!! Garnish with lemon wedges and mint leaves.

Potato & Cheese stuffed tartlets

     Starters are just that, a great start to any meal, or just on their own, the perfect accompaniment to catching up on some gossip, or in more technical terms...preparing and balancing one's appetite for the bigger meal ahead!!
For this tartlet, I chose an English-style stuffing, simple potatoes and peas with minimal spices. The stuffing tasted simply wonderful and proved that, sometimes, less is more!! 

STUFFED TARTLETS

Ingredients :

For the tartlets :
All purpose flour -1 cup
Bajra (Pearl Millet flour) - 1/2 cup
Soya flour - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder - to taste

Stuffing (for the spicy version):
Oil - 1 & 1/2 tbsps
Boiled and mashed potatoes (with salt)- 1 cup
Boiled peas - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
Mixed herbs - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Crushed chili flakes - 1/4 cup
Grated processed cheese - 1/4 cup or 1 cheese slice

Stuffing (for the sweet version) :
Butter - 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Boiled and mashed Sweet potatoes - 1 cup
Chopped apples - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Misc : 
Grated cheese - for sprinkling
Oil for frying

Method :

1. Let's prepare the stuffing first. [The sweet version is totally optional, I just made it for a variation and since apples are so in season and with the right crunch :) ] Heat 1.5 tbsps oil in a pan, and add the mashed potatoes and peas. Stir the mixture till the oil is well mixed in.

2. Add salt to taste, garlic powder, pepper powder, chili flakes or chili powder and stir well into the mashed veggies. Let cook for about 2 minutes on low flame. Now add the grated cheese/cheese slice and the herbs. Stir again and check for salt. Let cook for 1 minute more and turn off the flame. 

 3. For the sweet version, heat butter and oil in a pan. Add the chopped apples and let cook on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Add in the cooked sweet potatoes and mix well. Add salt to taste, very little as we only want to enhance the sweetness in contrast! Add pepper and chili powder as well and stir in till well-mixed. Let cook for 2-3 minutes more and remove. Let cool.
4. Now for the 'tartlets'..... Sieve together the flours and add the salt and pepper powder. Knead into a soft but firm dough using sufficient water. Divide into small and equal portions. 

5. Heat oil for frying. Roll out a dough portion into a puri or a round 2 inches in diameter. Wrap over an aluminium cupcake mould and press gently. Prick all over with fork and drop carefully into the oil. 
Press down to hold the mould in place for few seconds and to let the fried puri retain its shape before the mould frees itself. Then remove the cupcake mould out of the oil and let the puri fry on low heat for few seconds more. 
Do not fry till golden brown and crisp as we will be further baking these along with the stuffing.

6. Repeat with the rest of the dough and drain excess oil. Now fill the puris with the prepared stuffing and sprinkle grated cheese on top. Preheat oven at 170 deg C. 
[Note : I use a microwave oven, so to pre-heat I tend to place some water in a micro-proof bowl and run it on high for a minute or so. ]

7. Arrange the stuffed puris or tartlets in a baking dish and bake for about 10-15 minutes till cheese turns golden brown. In the micro, I baked them for about 7-8 minutes.
Serve hot with desired accompaniment.

Quick & Easy Chat

Fourth #FoodieMonday #BlogHop - Kiddie food :) 
Kids love junk food, anything that ir crunchy, crispy, quick to grab and eat, except that it isn't healthy !!! So here's something that is crunchy, tasty, can be put together quickly and is healthier :)

JHATPAT CHAAT

Ingredients :

Boiled potato - 2 (medium), diced
White chickpeas - 1 cup (Soaked overnight and drained)
Fresh Pomegranate seeds - as required
Chopped apple - as required
Brown bread slices - 4 to 5
Boiled sweet corn - 1 cup
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Green chutney - as required
Tomato ketchup - as required
Sev or other Farsaan (optional)
Jeera powder
Chaat Masala
Chopped Coriander (optional)

Method :

1. Cut the bread slices into squares and roast without using oil till crisp on a tawa, or in a microwave.

2. In a bowl, mix together the diced potato, chickpeas, pomegranate seeds, diced apples, boiled corn and brown bread squares.

3. Add the green chutney and ketchup and mix lightly. Sprinkle Jeera powder and chaat masala. Mix lightly again.

4. Just before serving, garnish with the Sev/farsaan, chopped onion and chopped dhaniya. Serve.

Eggless Apple Cup-cake

 Apple, Cinnamon and brown sugar...the threesome combination that never fails any dish..I continue my experiments with egg-less treats !!    

EGGLESS APPLE CAKE

Ingredients :

Apples - 2 (medium, grated)
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Whole wheat flour - 1/2 cup
Softened butter - 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Cinnamon powder - a pinch
Milk - 1/4 cup
Milkmaid - 1/4 cup

Method :
1. Heat a pan and add both white and brown sugar to it. Add 3/4th of the grated apples and stir till sugar melts and the mixture becomes thick. Remove and let cool slightly.

2. Sift together the flours along with baking powder and salt into a bowl.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together butter and the apple sauce. Add the milkmaid and whisk again. Add only half the portion of the milk, we can add more later to adjust consistency. Stir well.
If no milkmaid is available increase the quantity of milk and the sugar.

4. Fold the flours into the whisked mix slowly, leaving no lumps. If you feel the batter is bit thick add a little milk.

5. Pour into a greased baking mould.  Bake at 180c for 10 - 12 minutes or till the knife comes out clean.

6. Let cool on a wire rack and serve as desired. 

Apple Crumble Tart

The word 'Tart' brings into view deliciously sinful fruit tarts, ready to be cut and devoured. It's typically a pastry base baked along with a filling, usually fruit and/or custard.

Here we attempt an apple tart using crumbled flour. Where apple goes, cinnamon typically follows, one enhancing the flavour of the other like a match made in heaven!! But just as in a relationship, too much of anything spoils the flavour :) so while using cinnamon more than required can take over the flavour of the ripe apples, using too less will make no difference to the taste....

                                                             Apple Crumble Tart

Ingredients :
For Tart base -
Refined Flour - 150 gms
Chilled Butter - 100 gms
Brown sugar - 50 gms

For Apple filling -
Apples - 3
Butter - 50 gms
Brown sugar - 75 gms
Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
Bread crumbs - 50 gms
Raisins - 2 tbsps
Crushed walnuts - 1 tbsp

For the Crumble - (one can use coarsely powdered digestive biscuits instead as well)
Flour - 50 gms
Brown Sugar - 50 gms
Butter - 50 gms

Method :

1. Preheat oven at 180 dec C.

2. For the tart base, rub the chilled butter into the flour so it starts feeling crumbly. Do not rub in too hard to avoid butter melting. We do not want a stretchy dough. Add the sugar and assemble into a rough dough. Using your hands, spread this on to a greased tart pan. Refrigerate for an hour.

3. To make the filling, peel and finely chop the apples. Melt butter in a pan, add the apples and stir well. Add other ingredients one by one and mix. Remove from flame and cool slightly.

4. Take out the chilled tart base and spread the apple filling in the centre.

5. Mix together the ingredients for the crumble, or simply use coarsely powdered Digestive biscuits. Sprinkle on top of the apple filling. Bake in the oven at 180 deg for 25-30 mins. Remove and cool for 5-7 minutes on a wire rack. Serve slightly warm.

Apple Pudding

Let's start on a sweet note........

Who doesn't like an apple pudding (well maybe some don't, but let's not go there!!!) The combination of apples cooked in brown sugar with a dash of cinnamon is simply sinful. Add to that, soft custard and yumm...Without much ado, let's delve into the recipe!!

APPLE - CUSTARD PUDDING

Ingredients :

Apples - 3
Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup