Watermelon and Walnut Salad

A simple refreshing summer salad....thats what this is for me. Watermelon has lots of water content in it almost 90 percent  and great for summer days when we dehydrate a lot. The natural sweetness of watermelon, Mild taste of mozarella and nutty taste of walnut goes together really well.

This is a really easy and simple salad to gather together and enjoy on a hot summer afternoon. With only three ingredients it can be served in jiffy.

INGREDIENTS:

Few Cubes of WaterMelon
Few Torn Pieces of Mozarella cheese or any cheese of your choice.
5 - 6 Toasted Walnuts

Mix everything and serve.
You can also add few basil leaves or mint leaves.

Posto Bora / Poppy Seed Fritters

Although I just love any kind of cutlets anytime of the day but this Posto Bora is one of my childhood favourites. I can have it every day without any complain.
Poppy seeds are used extensively in preparing gravies but this can also be used as a dish on its own and soooo delicious.

The sweetness and lightness of these posto bora will always tempt you to have one more.
Adding less salt to Posto is always recommendable as it has a mild flavour and tends to get salty.

Ingredients:

1 cup posto (poppy seeds) soaked for 2-3 hours
1 onion chopped
1 green chillies chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow frying


Make a paste of posto. Mix everything except oil.

Now make tikkis of it and shallow fry.

Turn each side till it is golden brown.

Fry both sides till done.

  Enjoy with Steamed rice or on its own with your choice of sauces.

Eggless Chocolate Cake

This is a very simple eggless chocolate cake in which you wont even miss the eggs. This spongy delicious chocolate cake is everyone's favourite. I really don't need any occasion to bake this as it is so yummy and does not stay for more than an hour after baking as everyone goes munching on it. Here I have used vinegar as an egg replacement and it perfectly does the work.

Ingredients:

1 cup All-purpose Flour or Maida
100 gm chocolate
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tsp baking Soda
1/2 tsp instant coffee powder
A pinch of salt
1 cup of milk
1Tsp vinegar
1/3 cup of oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Few Almond Flakes

Melt the Chocolates in microwave for a minute.
Mix Vinegar and Milk at room temperature.Mix oil and Vanilla to the milk. Mix melted chocolates to milk.
In a bowl , sift flour, baking Soda, Sugar, Salt, Coffee powder and stir well.
Now add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold to combine until there are no streak of flour left.

Transfer the batter to a greased baking dish and add flaked Almonds on top.
Bake for 25 mins in a pre-heated oven at 180c.

Pudina Sherbet : Mint Juice

Summer is the time when really make lots of varieties of drink. Pudina or Mint has lots of cooling properties and I love it in drinks. It is very refreshing and healthy.

Ingredients:

10-15 Mint Leaves
Juice of 1 Lemon
Sugar to taste
2 Cups of water
Few Ice cubes

Blend everything together except Ice cubes. Serve with few Ice cubes.

Aloo Soya Curry

Soya Products are protein packed and a great alternative to meat. I try to make it atleast once or twice a month.
It is quick to cook and its protein content is equal to meat. Soya chunks is a by-product of extracting soybean oil.
Can be add to Rice to make pulao or also can be add to any Mixed vegetable curry.

Ingredients:

2 Potatoes Cubed and boiled
2 cups Soya chunks soaked in boiled water for 10 - 15 minutes
1 Onion chopped
1/2 inch  ginger finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tomato chopped
1 Tbsp Kasoori Methi
1 Tbsp Curry Powder
1 Tbsp MDH Meat Masala Powder
2 Cardamom Pods
1 stick of cinamom
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp Oil


Take oil in a pressure cooker , add Cinnamom and cardamom pods. Now add the onions, ginger and garlic and fry till slightly golden brown around edges.
Add the kasoori methi and tomatoes to it.

Add all the dry masala powders to it and stir fry for 1min.

Now add the boiled potatoes and Soya chunks to it and fry for 2-3 min.

Add 2 cups of water to it and add salt to taste.

Pressure cook for 1 whistle and let the pressure settle down before serving.

Enjoy this yummy curry with rice or roti or as we did with  Poda Pitha.