Sambar

       Sambar is a mixed vegetable soup as well as a most popular traditional south Indian dish. Most people enjoy this with dosa, idli or even with rice. Let's see how to prepare this healthy and nutritious sambar.

Ingredients

Toor dal                               -3/4 cup

Sambar powder                   - 3 to 4 tbs

Vegetable oil / Ghee            - 1tbs

Mustard seeds                     - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves                        - 2 sprig

Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1/4 cup

Dried red chillies                  - 3 to 5

Asafoetida powder               - a pinch

Salt                                       - as required

Water                                    - as sufficient

Vegetables for sambar:

Lady's finger                        - 5 to 7

tomato (medium-sized)        - 1

Shallots or small onions      - 15 to 20

Vegetable drumsticks           - 2

Pumpkin (Cut into small cubes) - 1/4 cup

Green chilli                          - 3 to 4

Brinjal                                  - 1

Carrot                                   - 1/4 cup (optional)

Cucumber (cut into small cubes)- 3/4 cup

Cluster beans                              -  5 to 8

Preparation

• Cook toor dal with a sufficient amount of water in a pot or in a pressure cooker. Cook it well. 

Avil milkshake

       Avil milkshake is a healthy delicious milkshake for kids. It makes a great breakfast for kids as well as a refreshment. Let's see how to prepare this tasty milkshake very easily.

Ingredients

Milk (chilled)          - 1 1/2 cup

Avil (rice flakes)     - 1/4 cup

Banana (ripe)          - 1 or 2

Cashew nuts            - 5 to 7

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Sugar                       - as required

Preparation

• Add half cup of milk, avil, banana, cashew nuts, cardamom powder and sugar to a blender jar and blend all the ingredients till smooth (if required add some more milk to it).
• Then add rest of the milk to it and blend again until smooth and frothy. 

Tea

       Tea is one of the most popular aromatic beverage which gives you a refreshing feel. Let's see how to make a simple south Indian tea.

Ingredients

Milk            - 1 cup

Tea powder - 2 tsp

Water           - 1 cup

Sugar           - as required

Preparation

• Pour water and milk to a saucepan and get it to boil. 
• While this time, add tea powder and the required amount of sugar to it. Then bring it to boil and simmer the tea for a few minutes. 

Apple Milkshake

       Apple milkshake is one of the delicious milkshakes for kids. This easy fruit shake can be made up in minutes, using milk and apple. Let's see the recipe of this yummy milkshake.

Ingredients
Milk      - 2 cup

Apple    - 1 (large)

Sugar    - as required

Preparation

• Wash, peel and core the apples. Then chop them into small pieces and add to the blender. 
• Add half cup of milk and sugar (The amount of sugar to be added depends on the sweetness of the apples) to it. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. 

Lime juice

       Lime juice is one of the quickest drink which can be made instantly at home. It is rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C. Let's see how to prepare it.

Ingredients

Water                       - 2 1/2 cup

Fresh lime               - 1

Sugar                       - as required

Ice cubes (optional) - as required

Preparation

• Firstly take a lemon and cut into two equal half's. Then squeeze the lemon juice into a glass (you can also use a squeezer for this purpose). 
• Then add water and sugar to it. Stir it until dissolved. Add a few ice cubes if desired.

Golden Milk

       Golden milk is a delicious healthy beverage which is also known as turmeric milk or haldi milk (Haldi ka doodh). It is an Ayurvedic remedy used to combat cold, cough and also to boost immunity. You can make turmeric milk very easily at home. Let's see how to prepare it!

Ingredients

Milk               - 1 cup

Turmeric        - 1 tsp

Black pepper  - 1 pinch (optional)

Preparation

• Take one cup of milk in a saucepan and bring to boil it.
• Then allow it to cool down slightly.
• Add pepper powder and turmeric to it. Mix well.
• Transfer turmeric milk to a cup and consume while still warm.

Useful tips:

You can also add turmeric and pepper powder while boiling the milk.

Simple Black Tea

       In the present as well as the past era, there are different tea types are available. But making a simple black tea is very unique. Let's see how to make a simple black tea.

Ingredients

Tea powder       - 1/4 tsp

Sugar/honey     - as required

Water                 - 2 cup

Preparation

• Boil water in a saucepan and add tea powder to it. 
• Allow boiling for a few minutes. Then strain the black tea immediately. 
• Then add sugar or honey to it (If you are adding honey, allow the tea to cool before adding honey).

Useful tips:

• Avoid adding honey while steeping your tea, as the flavour will change during the steeping and cooling process.

Coffee

       Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. But no one knows exactly how or when coffee was discovered, though there are many legends about its origin. Nowadays, I believe that coffee is more than a drink: it's a culture, passion or art. 
      Here I sharing a traditional Indian style coffee for you. Let's see how to make your favourite morning coffee very easily.

Ingredients

Milk                  - 1 cup

Water                - 1 cup

Coffee powder  - 2 tsp

Sugar                 -as required

Preparation

• Take water and milk in a pan and bring to boil it. 
• Then add coffee powder and sugar to it. Mix well.
• After that remove the coffee from heat and pour it in cups. Serve slightly hot.

Milk Tea

       Tea is one of the most popular aromatic beverage which gives you a refreshing feel. Let's see how to prepare this.

Ingredients
Milk              - 1 cup

Tea powder   - 1 tsp

Sugar            - as required

Preparation

• Boil milk in a saucepan and add sugar and tea powder in it. Then again bring it to boil for few minutes.
• After that remove the tea from heat and strain it in cups.

Useful tips:

• You can also add cardamom or tea masala while preparing your tea.

Black coffee

       Black coffee is simply coffee that makes us feel good. Let's see how to make your perfect black coffee.

Ingredients

Coffee powder    - 1 tsp

Water                  - 1 cup

Sugar                  - as required (optional)

Preparation

• Boil water in a saucepan or kettle. 
• Add coffee powder and sugar in a mug. 
• Pour the boiling water to it and stir well. Your tasty black coffee is ready now.

Honey lemon tea

       Honey lemon tea is an excellent natural health tonic that refreshing your mind, promotes your immunity and also boost your energy.

Ingredients

Honey             - as required

Tea powder     - 1/4 tsp

Lemon juice    - 1 tsp

Cardamom      - 2 (optional)

Water               - 2 cup

Beetroot barfi

       Beetroot barfi or beetroot coconut barfi is a deliciously sweet, which can be made very easily in any festival. Let's see how to prepare it.

Ingredients

Beetroot (grated)       - 1 cup

Coconut (grated)        - 1/2 cup

Sugar                          - 1/2 cup

Ghee                           - 1 tbsp

Cashew nuts               - 1 tbsp

Cardamom powder     - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Preparation

• Pour 1 tablespoon of ghee in the pan and add grated beetroot and coconut to it. 
• Saute till raw smell leaves. This will take at least 15 minutes in low flame. 

Avil samosa

       Avil samosa is an easy delicious evening snack for kids. Let's see how to prepare this healthy snack.

Ingredients

Avil samosa

Avil                  - 1 cup

Jaggery            - 1/4 cup

Coconut           - 1/4 cup

Cashew nuts    - 4 to 7

Wheat flour     - 1 cup

Ghee                - 1/2 tsp

Salt                  - as required

Water               - as required

Preparation

Preparation of avil mixture

• Take avil, cashew nuts and coconut in a blender and blend it for few seconds. 
• Transfer this mixture into a small bowl and mix it with grated jaggery. Mix well.

Salty lassi

       Lassi is a popular traditional curd or yogurt based savoury drink. It is often consumed as a refreshment.  Let's see how to prepare this.

Ingredients

(Photo courtesy:Raksanand/
Wikimedia commons)

Yogurt/curd                   - 2 cup

Cold water                     - 1 cup

Salt                                - as required

Crushed ice (optional)   - 1/4 cup

Elephant foot yam fry

       Yam fry or elephant foot yam fry is a delicious Indian spicy dish which can be served as a side dish. Let's see how to prepare this spicy dish.

Ingredients

Elephant foot yam (cooked) - 1 cup

Coconut oil                           - as needed

Turmeric powder                 - 1/4 tsp

Dried red chilly                    - 8-12

Yam fry
© Monushajj

Garlic cloves                        - 4

Ginger                                  - a small piece

Small onion                           - 6

Fenugreek                              - 7-10

Rice powder                          - 2 tsp

Fresh curry leaves                 - 2 sprigs

Fennel seeds                          - 1/2 tsp

Salt                                         - as needed

Water                                     - as needed

Preparation

• Take 2 teaspoon coconut oil in a pan and fry the dried red chillies. Allow it to cool for few minutes. 
• Then grind these chillies with garlic cloves, ginger, turmeric powder, salt, small onion, fenugreek, rice powder and little amount of water (to make paste).

Cardamom Black tea

       In the present era, there are different black tea varieties are available in all over the world. Cardamom Black tea is a simple black tea with the flavour of cardamom. Let's see how to prepare this.

Ingredients

Tea powder       - 1/4 tsp

Cardamom        - 2

Sugar                 - as needed

Water                 - 2 1/2 cup

Preparation

• Boil water in a saucepan and add tea powder, cardamom and sugar to it. Allow to boil for few minutes. 
• Then strain the black tea immediately and enjoy the cardamom taste of black tea.