APPLE JUICE - VEGAN THURSDAY

Hello dear friends, today is last thursday of the month, so today's post is for Vegan Thursday which is run by Priya Suresh akka from Priya’s VersatileRecipes… I am sure, most of you known the VT event, right? If not no worries just join with us and post your vegan recipes first and last Thursday of each month.

Apple juice is really very healthy and filling. I love apple in any form.

Benefits 

• Improves brain functioning. 
• Serves as an anticancer solution. 
• Regulates the functioning of digestive system. 
• Monitor the functions of kidney and liver.
• Manage cholesterol level.
• Aids in weight loss. 
• Prevent lung infections. 
• Acts as a blood purifier and contains anti-oxidants. 

Category	Beverages - Cold
Regional	Universal
Preparation Time	2 Minutes
Cooking Time	NIL
Servings	2

INGREDIENTS 
Apples - 2 
Water - 1/2 Cup 
Sugar - 2 Tsp (Optional)

METHOD 

• Wash and chopped the apples and put it in water, else it will be brown. 
• Then add apples in a blender with water and sugar blend it well. 

• Pour it in serving glass and serve it. 

Filling and nutritious Apple Juice!!!

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SIVAPPU AVAL PAYASAM/RED RICE FLAKES KHEER

Hello dear friends, 

wish u all very

 HAPPY KRISHNA JAYANTHI!!!

 May the festival of Krishna brings you Joy, Peace and Love!!!

Happy Krishna Jeyanthi to all!!!

I prepared aval payasam, but the post is in my draft for long time, as today is a right time to post on the noble day. Simple yet delicious aval (poha, red rice flakes) payasam... the original recipe was with white rice flakes, but I prepared it with red rice flakes and its too delicious and enjoyed the dessert thoroughly. 

Category	Dessert
Regional	South Indian
Preparation Time	2 Minutes
Cooking Time	15 Minutes
Servings	2

Source - You Too Can Cook 

INGREDIENTS 
Red rice flakes/Red Aval/ Poha - 1/4 Cup
Milk - 1 Cup 
Condensed milk - 1 Tbsp  
Sugar - 3 Tbsp 
Rose essence - 2 Drops
Water - 1/2 Cup 

METHOD 

• Soak the aval for 5 minutes. 
• Boil the water then add aval and allowed to cook it for 5-7 minutes. 
• Then add milk, condensed milk following by sugar and stir well until it dissolves. 
• Cook it for 3 minutes then switch off the flame and cool it for 10 minutes.

• Add rose essence, mix it well.
• Serve it hot or chilled. 

NOTE 

• You can grind the aval into a coarse mixture as suggested in original recipe. 
• For rich taste add ghee roasted cashew nuts and raisins. 
• For vegan version can add coconut milk instead of milk and condensed milk. 
• If you wish add cardamom powder instead of rose essence.

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SOUTH INDIAN BREAKFAST THALI - KAVUNI RICE PONGAL - VIRTUAL BIRTHDAY TREAT FOR MANJU!!!

Hello dear friends, here another virtual treat for this month… August is special month for me… Yeah! I have wonderful friends those are August born… Now I posting the virtual treat for one of my best friends… is none other than +Manjula Bharath... 

On your Birthday today,

I hope you never stop learning, evolving,

changing for the good, growing wise,

gathering experience and accumulating life skills.

My Birthday wish for you is that you should grow wise not old.

On this note,

I wish you a very joyous Birthday!!!

She is celebrating her birthday… She is very humour, fun loving, and down to earth girl. We are become friends through SNC chat, after that we have talked often in FB.  But for past 5-6 months, we become very best friends.  She is always fun loving and am damn sure everyone will be so happy if she around us… She is very energetic person who makes many recipes at the same time and I admired her energy a lot and that energy pass on me to this yummy thali for her... Am the one who is in her circle and lucky to have such a lovable friends in my life.

We friends wish to do virtual party for her and us chosen the “Thali” theme… Apple is her very favourite so we include one apple dessert too for Apple Penn(Girl)… She loves thali especially she loves our South Indian Foods… So we friends chosen South Indian Thali and I did Breakfast Thali…

This was my first thali preparation, Thanks Manju, I really very happily made the thali for you, and in the name of you we enjoyed the entire platter.

MY PLATTER

Start with sweet as I plan for kavuni rice pongal which is very healthy and different from other pongal, then ven pongal, tried tri color idli with three chutneys (Tomato Chutney, Coconut Chutney, Mint Coriander Chutney) and finish the platter with yummy apple smoothie…

SOUTH INDIAN BREAKFAST THALI FOR THALI QUEEN MANJU DEAR!!!

Kavuni rice Pongal

Ven Pongal

Tri color Idli

Tomato Chutney

Coconut Chutney

Mint Coriander Chutney

Apple Smoothie

N Water…;)

Little about Black Rice

Black rice (Kavuni rice) is a range of rice types, some of which are glutinous rice Black rice is high in nutritional value. The grain has a similar amount of fiber to brown rice and like brown rice, has a mild, nutty taste. In China, black rice is claimed to be good for the kidney, stomach and liver.

Black rice is a deep black color and usually turns deep purple when cooked. Its dark purple color is primarily due to its anthocyanin content, which is higher by weight than that of other colored grains but more limited in the number of different anthocyanin species present. It is suitable for making porridge and it can also be used for making dessert, traditional Chinese black rice cake or bread.

Benefits of Black Rice

• Black rice offers all of the same health benefits of brown rice but it also packs some serious antioxidants. 
• Because of its dark color, black rice bran contains the same anthocyanin antioxidants found in blueberries or blackberries.
• Less sugar and more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants.
• For fighting heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. 
• The bran or hard outer shell of the black rice is the part with all the great benefits but it also makes the rice a little tricky to cook.
• More healthy than brown rice.

Category	Dessert
Regional	South Indian
Preparation Time	15 Minutes - Except soaking
Cooking Time	45 Minutes
Servings	1

INGREDIENTS

Kavuni rice/Black rice – ¼ Cup

Jaggery – 1/3 Cup

Cardamom powder – 1 Tsp

Ghee – 3 Tsp

Water – 1 ½ Cup 

METHOD

• Soak the kavuni rice for 12 hours or overnight.
• Then wash and pour water (1:6) to the rice and pressure cook it for 5 whistles, then switch the flame to low for 20 minutes.

• Meanwhile prepare jaggery syrup, take the jiggery in a bowl add 1 Tbsp of water and melt it and switch off the flame.
• After pressure reduced, mash the rice with ladle, then filter the jiggery syrup and pour the syrup into the rice with cardamom powder.

• Add ghee and mix it well and cook it for 5-10 minutes and switch off the flame.
• Serve it hot…

NOTE

• You can substitute jaggery with sugar.
• If you need rich flavour add ghee roasted cashew nuts.
• Grated coconut can add to this mixture.
• When it’s cold, it taste awesome if you keep it in refrigeration avoid adding grated coconut.

DELICIOUS, HEALTHY AND FILLING SOUTH INDIAN BREAKFAST THALI!!!

HOPE YOU LOVE IT MANJU!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY APPLE PENNE!!!

ARAI KEERAI MASIYAL/AMARANTHUS PUREE

Hello dear friends, usually greens are very rich in nutritional. I love arai keerai (Amaranthus, Kale) a lot compared to other greens… My mom used to prepare this masiyal, to add greens in my diet from my childhood, even now...;)  I never say no this yummy masiyal, so I tried my mom's version of it...  I used to have with hot rice drizzle with seasame oil... Wow... It goes heavenly... 

Little About Amaranthus

Amaranthus (Arai Keerai), is very popular in our Indian cooking. The leaves are used in curries, soups and starters. Amaranth leaves are similar in taste to spinach but with stronger flavour and cook very easily.

Benefits of Amaranthus

• Homeopathic and ayurvedic experts have always recognized the amazing health benefits of amaranth.
• Both, the seeds and leaves of amaranth, are used as herbal remedies. The seeds and leaves have been found to be very effective in stopping diarrhea, and hemorrhagic problems like excessive menstruation.
• Amaranth leaves are also a wonderful astringent, and make a great wash for skin problems like eczema, and a wonderful acne remedy.
• Amaranth also makes an effective mouthwash for treating mouth sores, swollen gums, and sore throat.
• Amaranth leaves have been found to be a good home remedy for hair loss and premature greying. 

• Amaranth leaves are low in saturated fat and very low in cholesterol.
• Good source of protein, Vitamin A, C, B6, B9, foliate, Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, sodium, copper and manganese.
• It’s rich in iron and Vitamin A. It helps in improvement of blood in the body.

Category	Gravy
Regional	South Indian
Preparation Time	5 Minutes
Cooking Time	10-15 Minutes
Servings	3

INGREDIENTS

Oil – 3 Tsp

Urad dal – 2 Tsp

Mustard Seeds – 2 Tsp

Dry red chillies – 6

Shallots – 15 medium

Tomatoes – 2 diced

Amaranth leaves/Arai Keerai – 1 bunch

Tamarind – one gooseberry size   

Salt – As you required

METHOD

• Clean the greens wash and drain the greens and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan; add urad dal and mustard seeds wait it for spultter.
• Add dry red chillies then add shallots and sauté it for 2 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and sauté it for 5 minutes.
• Now add tamarind stir it once, followed by add greens.
• Put enough salt and sauté it till the greens cookies, it takes just 5 minutes, but don't ever cover the greens it will cause black greens.

• Then switched off the flame and cool it completely.
• Blend it into smooth or coarse paste and serve it with hot rice.