Iced Orange Tea

A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water ~Eleanor Roosevelt.

While I was going thru some quotes this caught my attention & I'm sharing it here with you all.I feel the quote is so true...

The recipe I'm sharing here is a chilling drink for hot summers.I came across this on food network website & I instantly felt thirsty for this drink.This is a drink which you would want to have it again & again.. :)

Ingredients
4 Cups of water 
2 Cups of fresh squeezed orange juice
1 cup sugar
4 Tea bags / 1/2 Tbs tea powder
Mint & orange slices for garnish

With tea bags:
Heat a vessel with 4 cups of water & teabags. Bring it to boil & switch off heat. Allow the tea bags to sit for 15mins & remove them.Let the tea cool down before you add orange juice.
Take a big vessel with tea, sugar & orange juice.Mix them well.

With tea powder:
Heat a Vessel with 4 cups of water & tea powder. Bring it to boil & switch off heat. Filter the tea & cool it.
Take a big vessel with tea, sugar & orange juice.Mix them well.

Serve it chilled with mint & orange slice. You can also serve with ice cubes added.But It might dilute the tea & the taste may vary.

Note: 
1. If you conscious about sugar add 6 Tbs of honey instead of sugar. 
2. You can also use a store bought orange juice too. 

Enjoy it...:)

Paala Thalikalu | Paala Kozhukattai

Happy Krishnashtami friends.. 

I made this "Pala Thalikalu" for krishna's birthday. I made this for first time ever & we loved it. I used milk maid instead for milk & sugar to make my job easy.

Ingredients

2 Cups of milk (1 cup milk maid & 1 cup water)

1/2 Cup rice flour

3/4 Cup sugar(Adjust Acc.)

3/4 Cup water 

Pinch of salt 

2 Tbs ghee

1 Tbs of chopped almonds & dry fruits 

Pinch of saffron 

Heat water in a bowl. Bring them to boil & switch off heat.Take rice flour in a bowl along with pinch of salt. Now add hot water little by little while mixing the flour & forming in to dough. Once you have the dough throw the remaining water.
Add 1tbs of ghee to dough & knead it. Now take small portions and make balls with them. You can shape them as you like but I made them as cylindrical shape. Follow the same with rest of the dough & keep aside.

Heat a vessel with milk. Bring it to boil for 5mins.Now add sugar to milk. Later add elachi & saffron. Switch off the heat & then add the the rice balls made before slowly to the milk mixture. Heat milk on medium heat for 10mins & switch off.

Take a pan with 1 tbs ghee & add almonds,dry fruits to it. Fry them for 2mins. Add it to milk mixture & mix them well.

Serve it cold or warm it tastes yum..

Note: 
1. You may not need the whole 3/4 cup of water. Stop adding water when a perfect dough is formed.

Ulli Kadala Pachadi | Spring Onion Chutney | Scallions Chutney

Spring Onion Chutney is a simple mixed veggie chutney, where scallions play the major role. Spring Onions are milder in taste than onions, so I tried adding a small onion to kick up the taste & mixed it with tomato for slight tanginess.

Chutneys are part of south indian meal. At home chutney or pickle a must & with out them a meal is never complete. I love trying something different rather than a regular one's we have daily. I first had this chutney at a friends place & fell in love with it. Though I forgot to get a recipe of it, later I experimented & succeeded in making my version of this chutney. 

Prep Time-10mins | Cook time-15mins | Serves-4people

Ingredients

2Bunches chopped spring onions

1Small onions chopped

1Big tomato sliced

2Garlic cloves chopped

2Green chili's

1Tbs coriander seeds 

6Red chili's {As needed}

1 Tbs oil

Salt to taste

Seasoning 

1/2Tsp mustard 

1/2Tsp jeera

1Tsp channa dal  

2Red chili's cut equally

1Tbs oil

Directions

- Heat a pan with oil along with red chili's, garlic & coriander seeds. 

- Fry them till coriander changes to light brown. switch off heat. Cool them & later grind them coarsely.

- Now to the same pan add spring onion, onions, green chili's & tomatoes. 

- Cook them with closed lid till tomatoes are cooked. 

- Cook open lid & let any left water to evaporate. Switch off heat.

- Allow them to cool & grind them with salt, coriander & red chili's to a chunky paste. Adjust salt needed if needed.

- Heat a pan with oil add chana dal to pan, fry them for few sec's. 

- Then add mustard, jeera & red chili. Once the mustard starts jumping add the seasoning to chutney.

- Chutney is ready to serve. Serve it with rice, dosa & idli.
Note 
- Seasoning is optional. 
- You can increase or decrease the spice level as needed. 
- This chutney was medium spicy.

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