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Snap Melon Cooler | Mekkehannu Payasa

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ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ We grow different kinds of vegetables in our backyard every summer. This year, while ordering seeds online, we also found Snap Melon seeds. Hence, after many years, we finally got to enjoy Mekkehannu payasa again! This fruit - also called Ibbudla or Kyakarike Hannu - gives a wonderful taste to the payasa. When it is still unripe, it tastes extremely bitter, but once it ripens and cracks open, it becomes soft and melts in the mouth. The kids really enjoyed watching this fruit split open on its own, and our little boy even calls it “Hatch melon”! Here is the recipe for this payasa, which can be prepared using just a few ingredients: Preparation time: 5 - 10 minutes Difficulty level: Easy Serves: 3 Ingredients: Snap melon (Mekke hannu) - peeled, seeds removed and chopped - 2 cups Sugar - 5½ tablespoons or adjust to taste Cardamom powder -  ½ teaspoon Cold milk - 1½ cups Sabja seeds / Kamakasturi seeds (optional) - 2 teaspoons (soak in water for 20 m...

Mango Neer Gojju | Mangoes in Sweet - Sour Sauce

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Its the summer season in India now. We were on a vacation to India last month. Since the mango season has started, we enjoyed eating varieties of mangoes there. In my home, everyday we were having one or the other dish prepared from mango for the lunch.  Ripened mangoes are also good for preparing few types of curries like Neer Gojju, Sasive, etc. We get a wild mango variety called 'Sasive Maavu' at our place which has a sweet and sour taste. It is good for preparing curries like Saasive and Neer Gojju. I am sharing the recipe of Mango Neergojju with you all today. Try this simple and tasty curry before the mango season ends! Preparation time: 20 minutes Serves - 4 Difficulty level: Medium Ingredients: Saasive mango / wild mangoes - 5 to 6 Liquid jaggery (Joni bella) - 7 tbsp or to taste Salt - 1 1/4 tsp or to taste Water - 2 cups For tempering: Oil - 3 tsp, Dry red chilli- 1, Urid dal - 1 tsp, Mustard seeds - 1 1/4 tsp, Asafoetida / Hing - a pinch...

Indian Gooseberry Pickle | Amla Pickle | Nellikayi Uppinakayi

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Amla or Indian Gooseberry is well known in Ayurveda because of its medicinal values. It is told that eating one Gooseberry daily is good for our health. Gooseberry is commonly used in varieties of pickles, murabba, squash, chyavan prash, chutney, tambli, etc. Gooseberry is good for keeping the hair and skin healthy. For all the stomach related problems, gooseberry is a good remedy. During our school days, we used to pick fresh gooseberries when its the season and were dipping them in water with added salt and crushed hot chillies. They taste very good and we enjoyed eating them daily. One of my friends was asking me couple of months back to share the recipe of Gooseberry Pickle. I prepared the pickle and clicked the picks to share, but didn't get time to share! Now, after coming back from my India trip, I am sharing the recipe of Gooseberry Pickle with you all. Do try this pickle when you get gooseberries next time and share your feedback! Preparation time: 35 - 40 minutes...

Strawberry Milkshake

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Its the peak summer here..hot days makes us feel tired all the time. Drinking plenty of water and other cool drinks will give some kind of relief. Since its too hot outside, we prefer having more of juice and milkshakes these days instead of tea and coffee. These home made cool drinks are good for our health more than tea and coffee! My daughter is a big fan of strawberries these days. Whenever we insist her to have some fruits, she demands for strawberries! So whenever I have more strawberries in the fridge, I will preserve some in the freezer for her emergency needs! And sometimes, those fruits will be used to prepare delicious milkshakes just like this! Preparation time: 10 minutes Servings: 2 Difficulty level: Easy Ingredients: Strawberries (fresh / frozen) - 250 gm Cold milk - 300 ml Sugar - 2 to 3 tbsp or to taste Ice cream - 2 tbsp Method: Clean the strawberries and chop them roughly. Combine sugar and chopped strawberries in a mixie or blende...

Gadbad Ice cream

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Gadbad Ice cream is a famous dessert of Karnataka. As I read in Wiki, its the signature dish of a ice cream parlour based at Mangalore. Me and my Hubby both are big fans of Gadbad Ice cream. Every time we visit our native place Sirsi, we will visit the ice cream parlour at least 2 - 3 times just to enjoy Gadbad Ice cream! Layers of chopped fruits, ice cream jelly, dry fruits and nuts make this ice cream delicious and rich in taste. I love to prepare Gadbad Ice cream at home when I have ripened mangoes in my pantry. Try this delicious ice cream and let me know your feedback! Preparation time: 30 - 35 minutes Refrigeration time: 1 hour Servings: 2 Difficulty level: Medium Ingredients: Ripened mango - 1 Apple - half slice Banana - 1 Sugar - 2 tbsp Raisins - 3 tbsp Broken cashews - 4 to 5 tbsp Cherries (for decoration) - 2 Tutti frutti (optional) - 2 to 3 tbsp Ice cream - as required Method: Chop apple, mango and banana finely. Combine them in a mixing bowl. Ad...

Amaranth Leaves Stir Fry | Harive Soppina Palya

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Different kinds of leafy vegetables are part of our healthy diet. They are good source of various nutrients and taste delicious as well. One among those leaves is Amaranth Leaves. We buy it often from the vegetable market. Amaranth leaves are a good source of calcium, iron and vitamins. They are good for preparing stir fry, sambar, hashi, saasive and other side dishes. Below is the recipe of Amaranth Leaves Stir Fry / Harive Soppina Palya.. Preparation Time: 20 - 25 minutes Serves: 2 Difficulty level: Medium Ingredients: Amaranth leaves / Harive soppu - 1 bunch Dry red chillies - 2 or 3 (adjust according to taste) Urad dal - 1 tsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Asafoetida / Hing - a pinch Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp Cooking oil - 3 tbsp Grated coconut - 1/2 cup Salt to taste Amchur powder - for taste Jaggery / sugar - 1/4 tsp or according to taste (see Tips) Onion (optional) - 1 Method: Wash the amaranth leaves in clean water thoroughly. Chop them finely. I...

Sankranti Kaalu | Kusuri Kalu | Sugar Coated Sesame Seeds

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ಕನ್ನಡ ಆವೃತ್ತಿ   Makara Sankranti is one of the famous festivals which is celebrated by Hindus. January is the month when different agricultural crops are ready for harvest. Makara Sankranti is known as the festival of harvests. In different parts of India, this festival is celebrated with different names like Pongal, Bogi Pallu, etc. At my native, we prepare 'Sankranti Kalu', tiny balls of sugar syrup which will have sesame seeds inside. Being kids, we were enjoying eating them during those days. All the people in the household along with friends and relatives enjoy eating them with other festive specials. This festival will end up with a sweet note - 'Eat sweet and talk sweetly'! Most of the people prefer buying Sankranti Kalu from the shops since preparing them at home is a hectic job. At my moms place, they usually prepare Sankranti Kalu at least in small quantity for offering to the God. Me too prepared it at home this time for my Kiddo :) Preparat...

Plantain Chips | Raw Banana Chips | Balekayi Chips

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ಕನ್ನಡ ಆವೃತ್ತಿ Chips are perfect snacks for tea time! Varieties of chips can be prepared using different vegetables. At my native place, people prepare chips using vegetables like raw banana (plantain) chips, raw jack fruit chips , bread fruit chips, sweet potato chips , etc. Raw banana (plantain)s are available in all the seasons and hence, one can prepare Raw Banana Chips anytime. There are different varieties of bananas, the one known as 'Nendra Baale' is one among them, which is perfect for preparing chips. Both me and my hubby like varieties of chips prepared at our native place. Since it has been a while we visited native, sometimes we miss the native style food here. Whenever I find raw banana (cooking banana)s in Indian stores, I remember those crunchy and tasty chips prepared at my native. One fine day, I prepared chips using those cooking bananas which were there in the pantry. I came out nice and after adding my mom's style masala powder , it tasted the same ...