Aam Panna

Aam panna is a most loved summer - cooler in north India. In south, raw mango is considered to render heating effect to body while in contrary it is actually counted on for cooling the body. It is also a super refreshing and tangy drink that aids digestion. Tangy and flavourful variety of mangoes is suitable for this recipe.

Serves: 1 1/2 litre

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1.     Raw Mango – 2

2.     Cumin powder – 1 tsp

3.     Black salt – 1 tsp

4.     Normal salt – ½ tsp

5.     Sugar – 3 tbsp

6.     Dry ginger powder – ½ tsp

7.     Mint – few sprigs

Method:

Step 1: Wash and pressure cook the mangoes.

Step 2: When they cool down to normal extract the pulp out of them by squeezing. Discard the seed and skin after rinsing them in a bowl of 1 litre water. Keep the water for later use.

Step 3: Now in a mixer jar, add mango pulp, mint springs and get a smooth paste.

Step 4: Add this to the secured water and mix well. Now add sugar, salt, black salt, dry ginger powder, cumin powder and stir well. Adjust taste and filter it if required. If the mango has lot of fibre filtering is better otherwise slightly grainy texture is just perfect.

Step 5: Refrigerate until serving. Adding ice cubes may dilute the taste, so avoid it.

Kezhvaragu Koozh/ Ragi Porridge

This is a humble peasant’s food in Tamilnadu. My dad is very fond of it and so it is usual for our lunch during summer vacations. This preparation is very nutritious and cooling for summers. Actually, the process of fermenting the ragi flour makes it cooling otherwise it is considered heat and also is complex for digestion. There is a belief that regular intake of kezhvaragu koozh makes one put on weight; however, my mom believes if taken in moderation it doesn’t attribute to weight gain and in fact helps in muscle tightening.

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time:  30 minutes

Ingredients:

1.     Ragi flour – 2 cups

2.     Broken maize – ½ cup (Generally broken rice is used)

3.     Buttermilk – 2 cups

4.     Salt to taste

5.     Shallots & green chilies for accompaniment

Method:

Step 1: The ragi flour is to be mixed with water until it is thin or say mix 2 cups flour mixed in 4 cups water or so. Leave it to ferment overnight or until you see small air bubbles on the surface. In summer it takes less time to ferment.

Step 2: In a mud pot preferably, boil 2 cups of water and add broken maize into it with some salt.

Step 3: Once the maize is soft and cooked, pour the ragi batter into it, rinse the vessel with water and pour it into it until nice and dilute. Add salt and cook in simmer by stirring frequently else it tends to burn at the bottom.

Step 4: It takes little longer to cook, so be patient; uncooked ragi causes indigestion and stomach upset. The smell of cooked porridge is quite perceptible with some experience and observation.

Step 5: Once done, let it cool down. Generally mom makes it in the morning and lets it cool until lunch.

Step 6: Now in a mixing bowl, scoop necessary porridge/ koozh and add buttermilk, more salt if required and some water to adjust consistency. You can stir it up well with ladle or whip up in a sophisticated way, but the country style is to dirty hands and introduce some secret ingredient called ‘kai manam’.

Step 7: Pretty much like ‘neer mor saadam’, this is also served with madras onions and green chilies.

TIPS:

*My dad prefers green chili in a special way for this; mom  makes a small slit into the chili, smears the chili with oil and chars it slightly on the stove. This scents the whole house.

*Generally broken rice is used that we call ‘arisi noii’ locally, but any broken cereal can be used as far as I know. It is for texture and filling.

Avusu (A Regional Kitchadi)

I think this is a regional tiffin item that my amma frequents for dinner; technically speaking it is a type of dry Kitchadi. I remember, it is my brother’s favourite and amma prepares it whenever he comes home from hostel. My pattama prepares it slightly different from how amma prepares it and seems like my mother in law’s preparation is also not exactly like my mom’s; so I just conclude there could be multiple variants of this dish. What I tried is proper mom-style avusu as she had hand held me while doing this.

Serves: 3

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1.     Raw rice – 2 cups

2.     Split green gram – ¾ cup

3.     Onion – 1 large

4.     Carrot – 2

5.     Green chili – 1

6.     Dry chilies – 2

7.     Curry leaves – 1 sprig

8.     Urad dal – 1 tbsp

9.     Bengal gram – 1 tbsp

10.            Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

11.             Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

12.             Asafoetida – 1 pinch

13.             Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

14.            Oil – 2 tbsp

15.      Ginger - 2"

Method:

Step 1: Dry roast the picked rice and split green gram.

Step 2:  Boil enough water with salt to cook both rice and dal and add the rice-dal mixture to it. Let in cook in simmer and stir it occasionally.

Step 3: In parallel, heat oil in a kadai, temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, Bengal gram, curry leaves, dry chilies, chopped ginger, green chilies, asafoetida and sauté chopped onions in it. Then sauté chopped carrot and other vegetables of your choice to it with some salt and turmeric.

Step 4: Once the rice-dal is cooked, add the vegetables to it and mix well. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes more before turning off heat.

Step 5: Serve hot with plain curd or coconut chutney.