During summer one loves to have lots of liquid refreshments or may be flavored cold beverages to beat the heat. Spiced Buttermilk is a wonderful and refreshing drink which can be effortlessly made at home. This buttermilk is slightly spiced up with cumin powder, ginger and green chilly making it very delicious. Buttermilk keeps our system cool and helps those with digestive troubles. The best part is this drink is low on calories.  

So, what you waiting for just go for it.

Ingredients:

1. Yogurt – 3/4 Cup
2. Chilled Water – 1.5 Cups
3. Green Chilli – 1, finely chopped
4. Grated Ginger – 1/8 tsp
5. Roasted Cumin Powder – 1/4 tsp
6. Coriander Leaves
7. Salt to Taste

How to Prepare:

• Blend yogurt and water along with salt until it is mixed well. To this add roasted cumin powder, green chilli, grated ginger and mix to combine.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and served chilled.

I was not a very big fan of parathas until sometime. But I just started loving it when I made it the very first time itself. From then on this has been on my menu every now and then. Parathas are generally served with thick yogurt/curd and pickle. There is no need to prepare a separate side dish to go with this. Stuffed Aloo Paratha by itself tastes delicious as the stuffing has lots of spices to give an amazing taste. I’m sure you and your family are going to love it as we did.

Here’s the recipe..

Ingredients:

For stuffing/filling

1. Potatoes 4 (boiled & mashed)
2. Oil – 1 tbsp
3. Roasted Cumin Powder – 1/2 tbsp
4. Small Onion – 1
5. Chopped Coriander Leaves – 1 tbsp (optional)
6. Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp
7. Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
8. Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp
9. Amchoor Powder – 1/2 tsp
10. Salt to Taste

For dough

1. Wheat Flour – 2 Cups
2. Green Chillies – 3, finely chopped
3. Salt to taste
4. Yoghurt – 2 tbsp(optional)
5. Water as required 

How to prepare: 

For filling:

• Heat oil in a pan and sauté the chopped onions. Then add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes. Now, add all the spice powders and mix to combine well.
• Add the mashed potatoes and salt. Mix again and turn off the heat. Allow the stuffing to cool down.

For dough: 

• In a bowl add flour, oil or ghee, a little water and knead into medium soft dough. Knead well for 5-6 minutes. Keep the dough aside for 20 minutes.
• Divide the dough and stuffing into balls of equal portions.
• Now, roll out the dough and put a small quantity of the stuffing (potato filling) over it, close it from all sides. Gently flat the stuffed balls using your palm. Apply some flour on both sides and roll it gently into a paratha.
• Now cook on a hot tawa sprinkling some ghee and cook until light brown in color. Flip the paratha and repeat the other side too. Serve hot with yogurt & pickle.

Summer is at its peak and I’m sure most of us are trying to keep ourselves and our family members well hydrated. And it is at this summer that we have the most difficult time to keep a close vigil over the needs of our loved ones. Also not to forget that summers are the time when we can relish on the most loved seasonal fruits around this season. Each time I visit the nearest vegetable market I make sure to eye and pick up those good looking yellow marbles (lemon) so that I can sip some cool lemonades whenever needed. Mint Lemonade is a good thirst quencher and has lot of health benefits too. So, why not try this simple yet, wonderful drink for you and your loved ones.

Without much a do, I’m sharing a simple summer cooler recipe – Mint Lemonade to quench your thirst which I am sure you will love it.

Ingredients:

1. Lemon Juice – 4 tbsp
2. Cold Water – 4 cups
3. Black Salt – 1 pinch
4. Sugar – 3 tbsp
5. Mint Leaves – Handful
6. Ice Cubes – as required

How to Prepare:

• Blend mint leaves with some water.
• Now, to this add black salt, lemon juice, sugar, water and blend again.
• Garnish with lemon wedges and mint leaves. Serve immediately.

Notes:

• You can use the normal salt if black is not available.

When I googled for this recipe, there were many methods available on the internet. But, finally I mixed and matched and came up with my version of this recipe that is so simple. You can also serve this with any flavoured rice. I’m sure this is must try recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Lobia/Black Eyed Peas – 1 cup
2. Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp
3. Oil – 2 tsp
4. Potato – 1 large, cubed
5. Medium Onion – 1, finely chopped
6. Green Chilli – 2, slit
7. Chilli Powder – 1.5 tsp
8. Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
9. Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp
10. Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp
11. Medium Tomato – 2, finely chopped
12. Water as needed
13. Salt to Taste

How to Prepare:

• Wash the lobia and soak for about 3-5 hours. Then, pressure cook for 2 whistles or until cooked and set aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and sauté chopped onions until soft.
• Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli and sauté for 2-3 mins.
• Now, add the spice powders and tomato and mix well to combine. Cook covered until tomatoes are soft and the fat starts leaving from the sides.
• Then add the cubed potatoes along with 1 cup water and cover the lid.
• When the potatoes are almost cooked, add the cooked lobia along with salt and mix well. Add, some more water according to the consistency required.

• Slightly mash the lobia and the potato chunks using a ladle. This is just to get enhance the taste or you can leave it as it is. Take off the flame and serve hot with rotis/pooris or any Indian flat bread.

The brain or idea I would say to start the blog was first sparked by my better half. It was his support and guidance by which I could start this blog and he still continues to do so. Initially, I wasn’t very confident about blogging but, my hubby encouraged me to move on giving suggestions and feedback wherever needed. The most interesting part is that my hubby gifted me ‘Convention Microwave Oven’ for my blog’s 2^nd anniversary. Thank you hubby for this lovely gift..!!

Blogging was completely a new venture about two years back. I had no ‘Idea’ how it worked but, now it does mean a lot to me. It has been a wonderful experience since then. This has helped me improvise my cooking even better and learn new stuffs and much more.  A lot of changes have taken place since I began blogging. To count a few would be food photography, writing and exploring new cuisines. In the beginning, I was not much a writer but, as time elapsed in blogging it has been different since. I have learnt quite a few things and many more are yet to be mastered. My initial posts had a very little writing and I would jump straight to the recipe details and seldom did any of my post have pictures in it. But, today I have ensured that all my posts are updated with relevant photos of the recipe being discussed and shared.

Grab this LOGO..!!

I am very happy to announce that there is a Giveaway event on my blog which begins today 11^th April, 2013 and ends on 11^th May, 2013. No celebration is complete without sweets or desserts. Hence, I would be celebrating my blog’s 2^nd anniversary with a Giveaway event themed ‘Sweets and Desserts.

Now, coming to the fun & exciting part of the event. The GIFT Prizes..!!

What you’ll win: There will be two giveaways. 1^st Winner will be allowed to choose a Gift prize among the below which will be sent across to their postal address post the end of the event and subsequently the announcement. Winners will be announced by end of May 2013.

Gift choices for the 1st WINNER based on POINTS:

1. Lock & Lock Maxi Tiffin Set
2. Milton Duo Hot & Cold Vacuum Bottle
3. Prestige Pressure Cooker 2Ltr
4. Steel Craft Euro 2Pcs Cookware

 1st WINNER to choose ONE Prize from the above (colors may vary)

Gift Prize choices for the 2nd WINNER to be selected by Random.org.

1. Devisons 3 Bowls with lids
2. Wonderchef Flower Cake Mould
3. Superware 3Pcs Bowl Set
4. Steel Craft 2Pcs Canisters

2nd WINNER to choose ONE Prize from the above.(colors may vary)

Simple guidelines to enter the Giveaway contest:

• Participant must be within India (If you are not residing in India, you can also win for your loved one’s residing in India)
• Usage of logo is a must as this helps to spread the word.
• Bloggers, post the recipe on your blog with logo and link to the event announcement page. If not linked to the announcement page, submission will not be considered for the giveaway.
• Non-bloggers can also participate by emailing their entries to mjdelights@gmail.com with these details.

-          Your Name:

-          Recipe Name:

-          Ingredients used:

-          Method of preparation:

-          Send a picture of the recipe as an attachment

• Baking is also allowed relevant to the theme – Sweets & Desserts.
• Multiple entries are allowed. Two old/archived entries are allowed only if re-published with link and logo.
• Use the below ‘linky’ tool to link the posts.
• Leave a comment on this post after the linking is done.

To increase your chances for the Giveaway:

• Follow mjdelights on Facebook. (+10 Points)
• Follow @mjdelights on Twitter. (+10 Points)
• Subscribe to MJ Delights via Email (Subscribe button on the Right Side Bar) (+10 Points)
• Leave a comment here once you have done the above.

Please feel free to mail me at mjdelights@gmail.com for any doubts or queries.

How the WINNER will be chosen:

The recipe linked or received from the participants will be judged mainly on these criteria (5 points each constituting to 20 points overall):

1^st Winner:

• Recipe chosen for the event
• Presentation
• Explanation
• Uniqueness

There will be THREE blogger friends who will be joining me to choose the best recipe to announce the 1st Winner.

-          Divya Pramil of YouTooCanCookIndianFood

-          Sangeetha of SpicyTreats

-          John of MyBlogTimes

The 2^nd Winner will be chosen randomly via ‘Random.org’.

Hurry Up!! Start linking your recipes..I’m looking forward for some wonderful creations by my blogger and non-blogger friends :)

You have a query contact me here.