Raspberry Juice

Raspberrys belong to the genus Rubus, a part of the rose family.Red Raspberry is believed to be native to Europe, but it’s widely cultivated in North America, Britain, Scandinavia and Scotland.The raspberry is a compound fruit composed of many small fruits. The skin of the fruit is smooth and fragile and is red-pink, dark purple,orange or yellow in color. The core of the fruit is hollow, distinguishing raspberries from blackberries also known as “aggregate fruits” since they are a compendium of smaller seed-containing fruits, called drupelets, that are arranged around a hollow Central cavity. Their shape conveys to them a very delicate, almost “melt in your mouth” texture. They are fragrantly sweet with a subtly tart overtone.

Uses:
Healthful properties in the leaves,root and bark are so valuable,is known as the "Woman's Herb". Species Rubus idaeus,fam:Rosacaea, raspberry is a relative of the rose, famous for vitamin C in the rose hipp.These leaves (and fruit) are rich in citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid,citrate,malate and tartarate of iron, potassium and calcium, calcium & potassium chloride, sulphate and phosphate, pectin, fragrine (an alkaloid that tones the tissues), a volatile oil,vitamins A, B, C, E, and fructose. The action is astringent, tonic, refrigerant, parturient, hemostatic,anti-septic, anti-abortient, anti-gonorrheal, anti-leucorrheal and anti-malarial. see here for more on cure zone.
Alma Hutchens (Indian erbology) says raspberry leaf tea "can be taken freely before, during and after confinement, rendering parturition less laborious." Regular drinking throughout pregnancy strengthens and tones tissues, helping contractions and checks hemorrhage during labour. A perfectly safe drink (unlike black tea or coffee which contain caffeine) raspberry tea also enriches milk and helps prevent miscarriage.
Raspberries are an excellent source of Vitamin C and are a source of soluble fibers. In addition, they contain ellagic acid, a potential cancer-fighting agent.

Storage:
When selecting raspberries, look for deep-colored, plump and juicy berries that are fragrant, without the cores attached. A core means the raspberries were picked too early and the berry will be sour. Avoid berries that have bruises, are soft and mushy, have black spots or mold. It is also important to check the bottom of the container to make sure there are no red stains or squashed fruit. Since raspberries soften quickly and are delicate, they should be used right away after picking or purchase. stored on a paper towel placed in a airy box. Do not soak the berries, as their hollow core fills with water and makes the berry less flavorful. Fresh raspberries are available in mid- summer through early fall. Adding a bit of lemon juice to the raspberries will help to preserve their color.More read from
Joy of baking.
See here to knowmoreand at Indianadoc about this lovely colorful fruit.

Medicinal Uses:
Raspberry Leaf Tea is valuable during parturition. It should be taken freely - warm.,prescribed by herbalists, naturopaths and maternity caregivers for a variety of reasons in many forms, doses and concentrations .

Nutrional facts:
An excellent source of Vitamin A,B1, C and are a source of soluble fibers.
Contain potential anti-cancer agent ellagic acid.
Are a high source of soluble fibers and may lower high blood cholesterol.
No fat, sodium, or cholesterol.

Ingredients for Raspberry Juice:
Raspberry - I used Drisscolls brand fresh fruits.
Sugar - 2tspn
Ice water or Ice Cubes - 2cups
Mint leaves for garnishing.

Method:
Wash Raspberries gently and blend in a blender to fine puree by adding ice cubes or ice water and strain to remove seeds through a fine sieve into a pitcher by pressing with fingure on puree in circular movement with finger on solids in strainer to extract as much liquid as possible.Mix Sugar and stir until it dissolves and refrigerate until ready to serve.Garnish each glass with a fresh Raspberry and Mint leaves.

Raspberry Lemonade:
Add a 2 tspn of lemon juice to Raspberry juice to make this into a "Raspberry Lemonade".

Raspberry Milkshake:
Puree Raspberries alone in blender and strain it to discard seeds and add milk and sugar and whip it in the blender ,serve chill.

Raspberry Smoothie:
To a blender container,add home made yoghurt/curd, raspberries puree,sugar cover and puree until nearly smooth.Serve chill .

"Pepper"

Pepper for "Mistress of Spices" event.

Pepper is "King of Spices" GPiper nigrum varieties: Black, White, Green
Fam: Piperaceae
Schinus terebinthifolius: Pink Pepper
Family : Anacardiaceae
Other names of " Black Pepper " in French: poivre, German: Pfeffer, Italian: pepe nero,Spanish: pimienta negra,Sanskrit :Pippali
Arabic: filfil,Indian: gol/kala,i, mir(i)ch(i),Indonesian: merica hitam, meritja,Lao: phik noi,Malay: ladahitam,Thai:prikki tai

History:
Native to the Malabar coast of India and also cultivated in Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, China and Madagascar. It was cultivated in Indonesia as early as the 13th century and in Sri Lanka and Combodia since the 18th century. The earliest record of pepper cultivation in Sarawak, Borneo (Malaysia) is in 1856 in Ulu Limbang.

Medicinal uses:
A compound powder consisting of pepper, ginger, long pepper, caraway and rock salt in equal parts is a nice digestive, after food in doses of ½ to one 1 drachmasPepper corns boiled in water along with basil leaves, are said to relieve chest congestions and asthmatic condition.

Aromatherapy Use: Massage mainly - excellent for muscle pains and stiffness. Can be used to treat sports injuries.
For colds and flu, it can be taken as a steam inhalation, combined with eucalyptus or marjoram.

Therapeutic Use: Not compatible with homeopathic treatment.
Circulation : anemia, poor circulation

Muscular problems : arthritis, aches and pains, rheumatism, stiffness

Respiratory system :
catarrh, chills

Digestive system :
colic, constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence, heartburn, loss of appetite, nausea

Immune system :
colds, flu, infections, viruses

Culinary Uses:
Pepper is an important spice in the Indian four-spice classic 'garam masala'. It has a Widespread use in the food industry. Some use in perfumery (combined with rose oil ) and alcoholic drinks.
Both black and white pepper are used in cuisine worldwide, at all stages of the cooking process and as a table condiment. White pepper has a distinguishably different flavor but is utilized to a lesser extent. It is used in processed meats and in applications where dark specking is not desired. Black pepper is added to fruit cakes and gingerbread and is also used as a light seasoning on fresh fruit. Black pepper oleoresin is also used for similar purposes.
It is the main ingredient in VenPongal,Rasam in south india.Pepper Rasam is useful for cold and flu.Ground pepper pwd can be taken with hot rice ,ghee,salt is agood remedy for throat conjestion.
This is my entry to the event "Mistress of Spice" by hostess Mythili of Vindu

Purslane Dal /Peddapavila Aaaku Pappu

Portulaca oleraceaFLOWERS AND SEEDS
Purslane or Verdolaga (Spanish Word) is a vegetable green used in many Indian states and Latin American countries. It is also popular as a salad green in France and other European countries with a taste similar to watercress. Verdolaga is also valued in Latin America for its medicinal properties. It is believed to be native to Ancient India. In Andhra it is mostly used in lentil soups and curries. It has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years. Tenth-century Arabic treatises provide detailed information on varieties and cultivation. Seventeenth-century English recipes used by the cooks of Charles II list it as a salad ingredient. See also: here about this plant.

Nutritional information :
1.It is a good source of vitamin E(6 times more than spinach),A , C and omega-3 fatty acids which help build cell membranes, especially of the brain and eyes, and reduce inflammation and blood pressure.
2.It contains more Omega-3 fatty acids than any other leafy vegetable plant and it is the richest vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids (which lower lipid levels in the blood). The principal type of omega-3 fatty acid is linolenic acid. It controls bloodpressure, clotting,the immune system, prevent inflammation, lower cholesterol (LDL), prevent certain cancers and control coronary spasms.
3.The late American naturalist Euel Gibbons recommended it highly in his book, calling it "India's gift to the world".
4.Scientific name:Portulacca oleracea ,Family: Portulacaceae.
Common English names: pigweed, Purslane, little hogweed, postelijn, pourpier, portulat, garden purslane, fatweed.
5.In Telugu it is called Gangapaayala/Peddapaayala/Peddapaavila aaku koora
Tamil :Parippu Keerai
Hindi:chota lunia
Sanskrit: bruhalloani
Mandarin Chinese:Gwa tsz tsai;
Filipino: ngalog.
Spanish: Verdolaga

Ingredients:
Gangapayala aakukoora/Purslane - 1 bunch
Toor dal - 2 cups,boiled in pressure cooker
Onion - 1,chopped
greenchillies - 2no,chopped
Garlic - 1 pod,
Sweet Grape Tomatoes/Tomato - 4 no
Red chilli pwd - 1tspn,
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt to taste.
For Seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1tspn
Cumin seeds - 1tspn,
Red chilli - 1no

Method:
Boil Toor dal and keep it aside.Heat 1 tspn of oil in the pan ,add mustard seeds.Mustard seeds start splutters then add jeera and fry upto jeera changes goldenbrown color.Now add garlic,chopped onions fry till Onions become soft.Add sweet tomatoes and cook for a while in low flame.
Add chopped purslane,green chillies,turmeric to the pan and stir for 2 minute and pour 2cups of water and keep lid on the pan.Cook for 7 minutes and add boiled Toordal,Salt to it.Mix well with laddle and cook for another 7 minutes in medium flame.Garnish with corinder leaves and serve hot with steaming Rice or Chapathis.

Cabbage-Peas-Corn stuffed Parata:
Cabbage - medium size cut into half,chopped into small pieces
Peas (Frozen/Soaked) - 1 cup
Corn (Frozen/Fresh) - 1 cup
Green chillies - 3no,finely chopped,
Onions - 1no,finely chopped
Garlic - Ginger paste - 1tspn
Turmeric - a pinch,
Red chilli pwd - 1 tspn,
Coriander pwd (Dhaniyala podi/Dhaniya pwd) - 1tspn
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds Oil for seasoning

Method:
Heat 1tspn oil in a sucepan and add mustard seeds leave it to splutter then add greenchillies,onions and saute for a while.Add,chopped cabbage,peas,corn ,salt,redchilli pwd and stir well for another 3 minutes.
Add turmeric and coriander pwd,ginger garlic paste and sprinkle 1/2cup of water cover the pan with a lid and cook in medium heat for another 10 minutes.Stir well and add salt and chilli pwd if you feel necessary.Garnish with corinder leaves.
This can be taken directly with chapathis or hot rice .
For Parata:
Mix wheat flour,salt with a warm milk and knead it to fine dough.Cover dough with a damp cloth for 30minutes.Divide the paratha dough into small balls.Roll out each ball with a rolling pin into a small circle, make the cabbage-peas-corn fry stuffing into a small ball size and place in the centre of the chapathi.
Bring the edjes into the middle and rollback into a ball.Flatten these balls and roll out into medium sized chapathis on a lightly floured board.
Heat tawa over a medium heat,add some ghee and place paratha.Keep flame in sim,spread Oil and fry it bothsides.Parata bubble up and chages to goldenbrown color.Serve hot with dal and curd.
Recipe Source:Amma

Strawberry Kulfi

Kulfi is Indian ice cream made with boiled milk. It comes in many flavors - Mango, Elaichi (cardamom), Kesar (saffron) etc.
I saw Paula Deen episode "Chocolate Strawberry Trees" in foodnetwork few weeks back.That inspired me to make this plant of my own thoughts to give a stage on this blog for this JFI -Month of Strawberry.

This is the recipe for "Strawberry Kulfi".

Ingredients:
Strawberries - 5 no,chopped into small pieces,
Milk - 6 cups
sugar - 5 tspn
cardamom pwd - 1 tspn
Pistachio - 6 no,chopped
Almond - 6no,blanched,
Saffron - 5 strands
Corn flour - 1tspn
and
Popsicle molds for making Kulfi

Method:
Place the milk in a largeskillet and bring it to boil over high heat,stirring 2 to 3 minutes.Reduce heat to medium low and stir the milk with wooden spatula ,and scrape the sticked milk in the sides of the vessel ,until milk is reduced to 1/2 of its original quantity.In this stage milk is called "Rabdi" or "Basundi".Meanwhile ,grind Pista,blanched Almonds in a blender for small pieces with Cardamom and keep it aside.Mix Cornflour with a 2tspn of Milk ,Saffronstrands and pour this mixture,sugar into the skillet stir well ,until sugar melts and boil it in simmer for another 5 minutes.Transfer to a serving dish and mix nuts along with chopped Strawberry pieces.
Leave the mixture to cool at room temperature.
Wash the Popsicle molds ( I bought in 99cents store and it is available in walmart or you can get here also.

Pour the mixture into popsicle molds and cover with the given lids and place in the freezer for atleast 5 hours.
Take the molds from the freezer and dip into hot water or run hot water under the molds for 1 min and gently pull the popsicle stick until the popsicle comes out.You have to be bit patient while removing from molds.
Unmold kulfi and place on plates and enjoy the taste of sweet Milky,Nutty flavor sticked with Strawberry scrapes.
This is my entry to JFI event for June month hosting by hostess of "Bakingfairy"..While preparing i really remember those days,My sister and I get our money ready whenever we heard the bell of the icecream bandi(cart)from few blocks away.The ringing bell brings the children to come out of their houses to buy these kulfi and icecreams.
See here for instant kulfi recipe and here for mango and strawberry popsicle.

Mamidakaya Pappu & Ridgegourd Bajji

Ingrediets for Raw Mango Dal:
Raw Mango - 9 pieces
Toor dal(Kandi Pappu) - 2 cups
Onions - 4 no(small size),chopped
Greenchillies - 2 no
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tspn
Redchilli pwd - 1tspn
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt to taste
For seasoining
Mustard seeds - 1/2tspn
Curry leaves - 1 sprig,chopped
Oil - 1tspn

Method:
Take a vessel put washed toor dal, pinch of turmeric ,water and place it into the pressure cooker on a medium falme .When steam starts coming,place another plate on the vessel and add mango pieces,fenugreek seeds,onions ,green chillies and close the cooker top and put weight valve and allow it to cook on medium flame until 3 whistles come.Remove from the fire.Let it cool for some time until valve realeses easily.Dal should cook soft so make sure to add adequate water.Release weight valve and mix the dal to make into soft paste. Heat oil in pan add mustard seeds after it splutters add curry leaves,boiled dal,red chilli pwd,boiled onions,green chillies ,salt and stir well.
Add a cup of water to it and boil it for 5 minutes by covering with the lid.Now add boiled mangoe pieces and cook for another 7 or 8 minutes.Through out making dal you will get the aroma of mangoes which will fill the whole house.Add a spoon of ghee to the dal before removing from the fire.Ghee enhances the dal taste.Serve hot with steamed rice ,papads ,fried and salted green chillies.

Fried and Salted Green chillies:
Heat a 1/2tspn of vegetable oil in a pan and fry the thinly slitted greenchillies by sprinkling a pinch of salt.Remove from fire when it changes its color.

Beerakaya Bajji/Ridgegourd Bajji:
Wash Ridgegourd
here and peel with a vegetable peeler to remove most of the outer skin and rough ridges.Cut into roundshapes and add red chilli pwd ,a pinch of salt to it.

Mix bengalgram dal with a sufficient water,salt,redchilli,a pinch of vamu pwd and mix well to make a perfect bajji batter.Heat oil in deep fry pan/kadai dip the ridgegourd rounds into the batter and slowly leave it into the hot oil.Fry the baggis to golden brown color and Strain it on a tissuepaper to take out of excess oil.Serve hot with Coffee.
My mom used to do these bajjis in the evenings for our hungry stomaches.We used to finish one round and used to wait for another round.Afterthat she says "These bajjis are for your dad".So,we will stop after hearing to her.So,afterthat i learnt from my mom and iam preparing myself and i got oppurtunity to share the recipe with you people.
Today after making,i felt why i cant take these bajjis for Meena's Picnic at the park
Check for Ridgegourd Recipes here, ridgegourd-tomato curry , Beerakaya Pappu. and more information here.
Recipe Source:Amma

Rasmalai

Traditional and Delicious Indian dessert with fresh cream and milk

Ingredients:
Gits Rasmalai Mix - 1pkt
Sugar - 1cup
Water - 1cup
Ghee - 2 tspn
Milk- 1/2cup
Almonds - 6no
Saffron - 4 strands
Half and Half milk - 2cup
Idly plates - 2(8 rasmalais can fit into 2 plates)

Method:
Gits Rasmalai mix contains 2 packets inside.Pour the mix, milk,ghee into the bowl and mix well.Knead it gently into a soft dough.Make dough into small balls.Stuff each ball with Almond and flatten it into pattie.Make patties with the full dough.Apply Ghee to the Idly plates.Place these oval shaped pieces in the idlyplates.Steam it for 10 minutes in pressure cooker.In a Pan boil sugar,water to make sugar syrup.Take out malai patties from cooker and immerse in the syrup and cook over a medium flame for 5-10 minutes.Take patties from the sugar syrup and let it cool.In a saucepan,add Nuts, Half-Half Milk, Sugar,Saffron,Cardamom powder and the second packet mix. Boil this on over low flame by stirring continuously until it is reduced to a thick consistency.Let the milk cool down to room temperature. Then add malai patties to the milk mixture and Garnish it with pista pieces, Saffron.Refrigerate Rasmalais for 3 to 4 hrs and serve.
See here for Baked Rasmalai

"D" for "Drumstick Pickle"

Drumstick is rich in vitamins, particularly vitamin A, is popular in curries, lentil, and vegetable dishes.Drumsticks used as a natural antibiotic, anti-fungal, anti-tubercular, and externally for leg spasms.

Ingredients:
Drumsticks(Munagakayalu)- 5 no,cut into 2" size pieces
Fenugreek seeds - (Menthulu/Methi/Vendhiyam)- 1 tsp,
Mustard seeds - 3 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2tspn
Dried Red Chillies - 12 no
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 3 pods,chopped into pieces
Green Chillies - 3,chopped
Sesame oil(Nuvvula nune/Til oil)- 2cups
Lemon juice - 2tspn
Salt to taste
Refined Oil for frying

Method:
Wash Drumsticks and wipe dry.Scrape the hard layer slightly, Cut into 2" sized pieces.Heat oil in a pan and steam drumstick pieces for 5 minutes covering with lid.Then add chopped garlic and stir for while and cover and cook for another 5 min and remove from the fire.Take another pan and fry Methi,Mustard seeds,Redchillies,Jeera one after one in 1 tspn of oil until they turn to light brown color and keep it aside.Grind all these spices(MMRC pwd) into a fine powder.Heat Sesame Oil(medium heat)in a pan add Garlic- Drumstick pieces,Groundingredients,Asafoetida,Turmeric,Salt,Lemon juice and Mix well and stir for 1 minute and remove from fire.
Transfer this to a sterilized glass bottle or an earthenware jar and close the lid tightly.Cover with a muslin cloth and keep it in a safe place .Stir the contents of the jar with a wodden ladle(Pickles should kept always away from moisture) for few days, at least once a day because all the spices will mix together with drumstick pieces and garlic,greenchilli pieces along with lemon juice and get marinated nicely.Garlic and green chillies will get nice taste after soaking with lemon juice along with spice mix.You can check for the taste and add oil,salt if neccessary.Pickle is ready to eat after 4 weeks.Mix with hot rice and enjoy the spicy,tangy pickle with Sago Vadiyams.
See here for Mango Pickle, Dosaaavakai ,Tomato Pickle and Amla Pickle.
Recipe Source:Amma

Sweet n Flaky Baklava

Spices are strongly flavored parts of plant used in small quantities in food as a preservative or flavouring in cooking.India is a "Treasure for Spices" and that is the primary reason that Portuguese navigator Vasco Da Gama sailed to India,which eventually led the british empire rule for more than four centuries. Around that same time,when Christopher Columbus happened upon the 'New World', he was quick to describe to investors the many new spices available there.All my narration about spices ends here.This for my entry to The Spice is Right II,Theme - Sweet or Savory by using Ancient Spices food blog event,by Barbara Fisher's of Tigers and Strawberries.

So,I picked Clove(Lavangalu/Laung) as my spice ingredient.The most aromatic part of the clove is the "bud".Lavangalu are rich in spice and used in biryanis,soups,garam masala pwd,bengali sweets also.So,I tried this sweet recipe by adding Clove after researching on google.Baklava is made with phyllo sheets filled with a nut mixture in between layers, covered with a sweetening agent.Filo(phyllo or fillo) dough is named after the Greek word for "leaf".Here is the more info about Turkish Dessert from kitchenproject.

Ingredients:
Phyllo Sheets - 16no,Thaw before using if the roll is kept in freezer.
Dried Apricots - 5 no,diced 1/4-inch
Almonds - 15 no, chopped
Cashewnuts - 15 no,chopped
Pistachios - 15 no,chopped
Peanuts - 3tspn ,chopped
Dried coconut - 2tspn
Unsalted Butter -(1 stick)
Sugar - 1 cup
Ground Cinnamon - 1 tspn
Ground Cardamom - 6 no,crushed
Ground Cloves - 15 no

Syrup
Sugar - 1 cup
Honey - 2 tspn
water - 1/2cup
Boil all the above ingredients in medium flame for 10min and make a 1/3rd consistency of thick syrup.

Method:
In a Blender whirl 1/2 cup sugar with the Almonds and Cashewnuts,Pistachios,Peanuts, 2-Cloves,Cardamom pwd,Apricot pieces until ground. Pour into a bowl and stir with remaining 1/2 cup Sugar,Coconut pwd and the cinnamon.Melt butter in a pan and keep it aside.Preheat oven to 350°.Take a Rectangular baking pan and brush bottom and sides with melted butter.Unroll the phyllo sheets and Cover the phyllosheets in wet cloth because if phyllo is exposed to air then it will dry out and split.Lay one phyllo layer in the greased baking pan.Brush it with butter.One at a time,layer 7 more sheets over the first, properly placing into pan and brushing each with butter.Put 1/2 inch size layer of the nut mixture(Put leftover nutmix in a zipbag and store them in the freezer.)over buttered phyllo in pan. Lay another sheet of phyllo on top, making it to fit into pan and brushing with butter. Repeat layering of nut mixture with phyllo sheets and butter until all nut mixture is over.Top with the same number of the phyllo sheets for the upper layer by brushing each layer with butter.Lay the last sheet flat on top and brush with butter.Cut acroos the baklava into a 2-inch size ,square pieces.Press a clove in the middle of every square.Bake until top is light golden and crisp and edges pull away from pan sides,35 to 45 minutes.

Keep pan on a wire rack and run your knife along cuts lightly so that bottom should not get scratched.Pour sweet syrup over baklava.Let stand to absorb most of the syrup, at least 3 hours. Cut through the bottom layer and serve. It will last at least a week at room temp. Do not refrigerate.Store in an airtight container.