Avocado Dip or Guacamole

On the big game day we had plans to meet at friends place n cheer for our favorite team enjoying delicious pizza and coke. But blame it on bad weather we could not move out from home. Car was covered in snow, rough winds and freezing cold. Need a plan B to enjoy the game, what better than a homemade Avocado dip with tortilla chips... well the mood was already set for eating Pizza... prepare a home made dough and bake Pizza to make it very special on the cozy cold night. Needless to say favorite team won.

I have prepared this Avocado dip/Guacamole for more than 100 times now and every time it turns out great. Many a times people learn health benefits of eating avocado and end up buying Avocado's without knowing how to use it. I started with only using Avocado for Guacomole, off late I have found many different ways to include it in our daily routine. My son just cant say no to simple yet nourishing Avocado milk shake. Avocado chutney, Avocado Parata, Avocado dry-fruit dessert and Avocado cocoa spread are many different ways I enjoy this awesome fruit. I have already shared Avocado cucumber salad and Parata recipes here and here.

Preparation time : 20 mins

Ingredients

• Avocados  - 1

• Onion - 1/2 Cup (finely chopped)

• Tomato - 1/2 small

• Jalapenos - Finely chopped 1 sp

• Fresh lime juice - 1 -2 sp

• Cilantro - 2 sp (finely chopped)

• Extra virgin Olive Oil - 2 sp

• Salt - as per taste (1/4 th sp)

Method

1. In a large bowl add finely chopped Onions, lime juice and approx 1/4th sp of salt and keep it aside for 15 mins
2. Add finely chopped Tomatoes, Jalapenos(remove the seeds for mild flavor) and Cilantro.
3. Cut and discard seed and scoop in the perfectly ripened Avocado to bowl with the help of spoon. you can smash Avocado into fine paste or chunky as per your taste, I like it chunky n hence smash it with fork.
4. Drizzle extra virgin Olive Oil n mix well until all incorporated. Fresh home made easy yet healthy guacamole dip is ready. This can be enjoyed with salty crackers, tortillas Chips, lettuce wrap. I also like to top it on cucumber and Tomato slices.

Red beans Sweet corn Salad

Again this one is easy, nutritious, very  kid friendly recipe. This salad can be a great side dish too and also can be used as fillings for wraps. I usually prepare this salad for evening. As a pre preparation soaking of Rajma for minimum of 6-7 hrs is required and pressure cook until very soft and tender, rest is as simple as adding remaining ingredients in a large bowl, mix well and you are done. For more information on health and nutritional benefits of Beans please check here and here.

Ingredients:

• Rajma - 1 cup
• Sweet corn - 1Cup
• Finely chopped Onion - 1/2 cup
• Finely chopped Tomato -  1/2 cup
• Jalapenos - 1 (Seeds removed)
• Cilantro - for garnishing
• Salt - As per taste
• Chat masala - 1/2 sp
• Lime juice - 1sp
• Green Chili - 1-2 (Optional)

Method:

1. Pressure cook soaked Rajma into very soft and tender (4-5 whistles). Once Pressure is eased, add 1/4 sp of salt and cover the lid. Let it sit for 15 mins, strain the excess water and allow beans to cool for 5-10 mins.
2. In a Sauce pan, boil water with pinch of salt, add the sweet corns and allow to cook for 5 mins, strain excess water and allow few mins to cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl add Cooked Beans, Sweet corn, finely chopped Onions, Tomatoes, Jalapenos and Cilantro. Add Pinch of Salt, Chat Masala n drizzle a dash of lime juice, mix well n Serve.

Below I have used the Beans and Corn Salad along with Guacamole as a filling for whole wheat rotis. They make a great filling for tortillas andwraps too.

Potato Sabzi

Very Very simple yet delicious Potato Sabzi in no time, the only time it takes is to boil and peel potatoes. It goes well with Roti, Phulka  and Chapati


Ingredients : 

• Potato - 450 gms
• Jeera - 1/2 sp
• Hing - generous pinch
• Oil - 4-5 sp
• Salt - As per taste
• Kasuri Methi - 1 sp
• Red Chili Powder - 1/2 sp
• Coriander seed Powder - 1/2 sp

Method : 

1. Pressure cook Potatoes until 2-3 whistles. let the pressure ease. Transfer potatoes to a bowl containing cold water. Peel potato skin and cut into cubes.
2. Heat Oil in a large pan. Prepare tadka with Jeera and Hing. Add Potato cubes, Salt, Red Chili powder, Coriander seed powder and Kasuri Methi. Mix well. Simple yet delicious Potato Sabzi is ready to serve.

Avocado Parantha

These days Avocados are part of our day today diet due to its tremendous health benefits. Family like to have them as salads, Cocoa spreads, as a form of healthy dessert with honey n dry fruits, as milkshake and last but not least in the form of Parantha.

This is most easy n does not require much of pre preparations. those days when i have not planned anything and if i have Avocados at home, its life saver for me ;)

Here goes the ingredients n method for this easy yet very delicious recipe....

• Avocados
• Wheat flour
• Onion - 1
• Oil
• GingerGarlic Paste - 1sp
• Jeera  powder - 1/2 sp
• Coriander seed powder - 1/2 sp
• Red chili powder - 1/2 sp
• Fresh Cilantro - 1/2 cup
• Salt - as per taste

Method

1. Heat 2 sp Oil in a pan, Add finely chopped Onion and fry until soft on low heat.
2. Add GingerGarlic paste and fry for a while.
3. Add all above specified powder , stir well and turnoff the heat. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
4. Cut Avocados, discard the seed and scoop avocados to pan and smash roughly with the help of spoon.
5. Add 1 - 1 1/2 cup of Wheat flour, Salt and finely chopped fresh cilantro knead well. Do not add water. Add water only if its required...may be around a spoon or two. Allow dough to set for about 10 mins.
6. Make small lemon size balls and roll it like roti..cook Roti on tawa by adding oil on both sides. Serve hot with either ghee or with  plain yogurt.

Avocado Cucumber salad

Preparation  Time : 15 mins

Ingredients:

Avocado - 1
Cucumber - 1
Onion - 1/2
Tomato - 1
Green Chili - 1-2
Kottambari/Cilantro - 2 sp
Olive Oil - 2 sp
Salt - As per taste


Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, add finely chopped Onion, Tomato, Cucumber, Green Chili and Cilantro.
2. Cut Avocado and discard the seed. scoop Avocado to the mixing bowl and discard the skin.
3. Add Olive oil, salt as per requirement, mix well and enjoy.
4. you can add few drops of fresh lime juice as well.

Madduru Vade

Its a very famous traditional snack prepared in south karnataka and originated from a place near Mysore called Madduru. Its very easy and takes very less time.

Preparation time : 30 mins

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 1 measure
Maida/All purpose flour - 1/2 measure
Rava - 1/2 measure 
Curry leaves - 2 twig (Finely chopped)
Oinion - 1 medium size
Green Chilies - 2 (Finely chopped)
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 and half spoon
Red chilli powder - 1/4 sp
Kadale hittu/Channa flour - 1 sp
Salt - As per taste
Oil - Deep frying
Plastic sheets

Method:

1. Keep oil for heating in a deep frying pan.
2. In a big mixing bowl add all the above ingredients. i.e Rice Flour, Maida, Rava, Kadale hittu/Channa flour, Ginger Garlic paste, Finely chopped Onions, Curry leaves, Green Chili, Red Chili Powder and Salt as per requirement
3. Add  6-7 spoons of hot oil to the mixing bowl and use spoon to mix well
4. Add water in a small quantity and prepare dough. It should be very hard than Chapati dough.
5. Take a big lemon size dough, place it between a good quality plastic sheet and gently press with your palms. It must be quite thick around 1/4th inch in thickness. You can also choose to roll them but its very important to be bit thick. 
6. Place them slowly into hot oil until Onions are little brown. Remove them into a plate with napkins and serve hot with Green Chutney, Coconut Chutney or with Tomato Sauce. Its makes a good evening snacks during winter. 

Let me know how did you enjoyed this with your family in comments :)

Cluster beans rice bath

Preparation time : 30 mins

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 1 bowl
• Cluster beans/ Gorikai - (cleaned n cut into 1/2 inch length)  - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1 medium size 
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1sp
• Bay leaf - 1
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 sp
• Fresh/Frozen peas - 1/2 cup
• Kadale bele/ Channa dal - 1 sp
• Hunase rasa/Tamarind paste - 1/2 sp
• Bella/Jaggery - 1/2 sp
• Vangi bath powder - 2 sp
• Salt - as per taste
• Oil - 3-4 sp
• Curry Leaves - few.

Method

1. Thoroughly wash the rice 2-3 times and drain the water completely.
2. Finely chop Onions, cut cluster beans into 1/2 inch length wise. 
3. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pressure cooker.
4. Add Mustard seeds, Bay leaf, Channa Dal, Curry leaves n fry well.
5. Add finely chopped Onions, Ginger Garlic paste and continue to fry.
6. Add Fresh/Frozen peas. If you are using dry peas, soak them over night and use.
7. Add Cluster Beans/Gorikai and continue to fry for few mins.
8. Add washed Basmati rice and fry for a minute.
9. Add 2 -3 sp of readily available or home made vangi bath powder. I have used the MTR vangi bath powder. Mix well
10. Add Salt as per taste.
11. Add water. Water must be double the measure of rice.
12. Add 2 sp of Hunase Rasa/tamarind pulp. If you are using readily available tamarind paste, approx 1/4th sp would be sufficient as they are concentrated n strong in taste.
13. Add 1/2 sp of Bella/Jaggery. It will reduce the spiciness and its completely optional.
14. Cover the lid and cook until 2 whistles. Serve hot. It takes hardly 30 mins to prepare. Let me know how did your family liked it in the comments.