Neer Mor / Spiced Buttermilk / Masala Chaas (Detox Monday Recipe)

(A Big Sorry for being late by a whole day!!!!)

Surprised. How can buttermilk be classified as detox food ???? It is just another dairy product.

But that's the magic of this humdrum ingredient (Don't they say the most common/easy solutions are often the most overlooked ones) . Even though it is derived from milk, it is strong cleansing properties. Much revered in Ayurveda, buttermilk has more of lactic acid than milk and hence it is loaded with gastrointestinal benefits. With the digestion process improving, the excretion or throwing out of toxins from the body is increased. A glass of buttermilk with 1-2 teaspoons of coriander juice serves as a very good detox drink.

Now that you know where to search when looking for a quick detox, making some buttermilk is quite easy. Just add a cup of yogurt with 3 cups of water in your blender and buzz away for a few minutes. Voila....homemade buttermilk is ready. Most Indian homes use a hand churner for making buttermilk. It is a long steel/wooden rod with circular blades at the bottom. But a blender will do as well. (In fact we can make it using our hands too but it takes long time)

Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -


2 glass buttermilk
1/2 tsp finely chopped coriander
1/4 tsp finely chopped curry leaves
1/5 of grated ginger
1/4 tsp finely chopped green chilli
a pinch of pepper powder
a pinch of roasted cumin powder
salt to taste


Preparation - Take all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.

Pop it into the fridge for 1/2 hour. Remove and mix once again.

Pour into glasses and served chilled.

Note - This can also be consumed by all those who are fasting for Shri Ram Navami .

Panakam/Panagam (Ram Navami Special)

Panakam is special jaggery drink prepared in Andhra and Tamil Nadu on the occasion of Ram Navami. An interesting blend of spices is used in it and that is what gives it such a unique flavor. And it is quite easy to make when you have all the ingredients in your kitchen/pantry. It is prepared a few hours before serving and tastes best when chilled.

Read on for the super easy and very healthy recipe:

Preparation Time - 5 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 glass water (200 ml)
• 2 tsp powdered jaggery
• a pinch of soonth/saunth/dry ginger powder
• a pinch of pepper powder
• a pinch of cardamom powder
• a dash of lemon (this is optional and is not used traditionally)
• a few basil leaves (optional)

Preparation - Dissolve the jaggery in the water with constant stirring. Strain to remove any impurities.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir a little.

Serve chilled.

Note - Panakam along with Vadapappu (a mix of soaked yellow moong with coconut, raw mango, lime juice, salt and chilli powder) is the traditional offering on Ram Navami.

Brown Rice Pulao

Its 'World Health Day' today on the 7th of April. Time to get a clear perspective on our health and eating habits. So let us all take a pledge on this day to eat right and eat healthy.

Nothing more apt than a brown rice dish enriched with lots of vegetables and packed with soya protein for lunch/dinner on this day. I had this packet of brown rice lying around for sometime and I was reluctant to use it. When I finally prepare the pulao, it tasted better than what I imagined. Just give it a try if you haven't and you will not regret it!!

Read on for the easy recipe -

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1 1/2 cup mixed vegetables ( carrots, cauliflower, green peas, french beans, potaoes, onions )
• a handful of soya chunks
• 3 tsp oil
• 1 tsp ghee (optional)
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/5 tsp garam masala
• a bit of star anise
• strand of mace
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 pinch turmeric
• 1/3 tsp chilli powder
• salt to taste

Preparation - Soak the soya chunks in boiling water for 15-20 mins. Squeeze out the water and wash 2-3 times in fresh water.

Soak the brown rice separately in warm water for 1 hour.

Cooking - Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add all the vegetables and soya chunks. Fry on medium high flame for 5-6 mins. Remove and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil into the same cooker. Add the cumin seeds and whole spices (except nutmeg). Fry for 10-12 seconds.

Add the washed and drained brown rice. Fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add 2 1/4 cups boiling water to the cooker. Add the fried vegetables, soya chunks, chilli powder, coriander, garam masala, salt and turmeric. Mix well.

Drizzle the ghee and nutmeg powder on over the contents of the cooker. Close the lid and cook for 2-3 whistles or till done.

Allow steam to escape before opening lid.

Serve hot with some cooling raita and onion slices.

Kesar Kulfi

Summer holidays were synonymous with Kulfi's and kathi-icecream (as we referred to popsicles in those days). The 'ting-ting' of the Kulfi-wallah's bell as it entered our lane sent our salivary glands on an overdrive and we went scurrying to the gates. The earthiness of those matki's and the leaves on which he served to kulfi remains etched in my mind till date. But he did not stock any fancy flavors in those days. One could only taste cardamom scented thickened milk in those heavenly kulfis. These days one can easily find 10-15 flavors at most Kulfi stalls but I still lust after those plain ones. How much ever I try to replicate its magic, I am unable to do so. And that's why I keep trying out various other flavors. Maybe I will make it a point to try and find some on my next visit to home.

The sweltering heat has become just another excuse to indulge in this sweet delight. That's what I told myself while preparing this over last weekend. It really does not take much time if we use condensed milk and some ready-made khoya. The taste is better than when using cornflour and fresh cream. The khoya does add a lot of texture to it and makes it authentic. The nuts add to the bite and the sweet notes of cardamom, saffron and rose delight one's senses.

Read on for my recipe:

Preparation Time - 15 mins


Ingredients -

1/2 liter milk (I used pre-boiled milk. If you have to boil the milk, add another 9-10 minutes to the preparation time.)
5 tbsp condensed milk ( I used sweetened one )
75 gms khoya
4 tsp sugar
2 pinch cardamom
2-3 drops rose essence
a pinch of saffron strands
1 tsp cornflour (optional)
12-14 almonds (blanched and skinned)

Preparation - Buzz the almonds in a food processor for 2-3 seconds to get small pieces. Do not overdo as we don't want a paste.

Dissolve the cornflour in about 3 tbsp of cold milk and keep aside.

Cooking - Bring the milk to a boil. Stir in the sugar.

Once sugar has dissolved, add the condensed milk and khoya.

Cook with continuous stirring till khoya has completely dissolved into the milk. By this time milk would have thickened as needs to be stirred as it catches on the bottom quite easily.

If you find that it is not sufficiently thick, add the cornflour slurry (or paste). Stir for 3-4 minutes till it thickens.

Remove from flame and add the almonds, rose essence, cardamom powder and kesar. Mix and allow to cool down to room temperature.

Pour into Kulfi molds and put in the Freezer. Allow to solidify for 6-7 hours before serving.

For serving, dip the kulfi molds in water, remove and rub between the palms. Put upside down on a plate and tap gently to ease out the kulfi.

Cut into pieces and serve garnished with saffron strands/rose petals.

Note - Soak the kulfi molds in water before pouring in the mix. This allows the kulfis to come out easily.

Illishi Maccha Jholo (Masala Dia)

A special recipe for this weekend.................

Hilsa or Ilishi is also referred to as the Indian Shad. Its streamlined body with a golden sheen make it quite a beauty . Much celebrated in Odisha, West Bengal and Assam, the best ones are caught from the Padma river in Bangladesh. It is quite rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and hence good for maintaining heart health.

As it is quite expensive these days, it is considered at par with mutton and hence made only on special occasions or when guests are coming over. It is among those recipes that have been missing from my blog for so long simply because I have overlooked them. (I wish I could spout some gyan about how they are becoming extinct due to rampant fishing and hence I am doing my bit to save them...but that would be a lie.)

Preparation time - 20 mins

Ingredients  -

Hilsa/Indian Shad - 4 pieces
Onion - 1 large
Garlic - 8-9 flakes
Ginger - 1 1/2 inch
green cardamom - 2-3 nos
cinnamon - 1 1/2 inch
cloves - 4-5 nos
bay leaf - 1 no
tomato - 1 no, medium sized
potato - 1 no, medium sized
1 tsp chilli powder
1/3 tsp meat masala (optional)
salt to taste
turmeric
5 tsp Saffola Rice Bran oil

Preparation - Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric for 10 minutes.

Chop the onion into small pieces. Make a coarse paste out of the ginger and garlic.

Chop tomato into small pieces.

Cooking - Heat 2 tsp oil in non-stick wok. Add the fish and fry on both sides till cooked through. Remove and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the same wok. Add all the whole spices and fry till fragrant.

Add onions and ginger garlic paste. Fry till the paste starts turning a light red/deep pink.

Add the tomatoes along with red chilli powder, meat masala, 1/3 tsp turmeric and a little salt. Cook covered till tomatoes turn mushy.

Add the potatoes and fry for 3 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cups hot water and bring to boil. Add the fish and adjust salt. Cook covered till potatoes are done.

Serve hot with white rice.

Chickpeas Sundal

This is another popular variation of the 'Peanut Sundal' recipe posted earlier. Unlike the peanut sundal which is an instant variety, this requires overnight soaking of the chickpeas or garbanzo beans. However one can use the canned variety to omit this step.

A perfect snack for the summers with its high protein content, this is a hit with kids. Read on for the super easy recipe:

Preparation Time - 15 mins ( including 10 mins standby time )

Ingredients -

1 cup chickpeas/kabuli chana/garbanzo beans
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp skinless urad dal (black lentil)
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1-2 dry red chilli
4-5 curry leaves
1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
1-2 tbsp grated coconut ( though I have skipped it )
a dash of lime juice
coriander leaves for garnishing
a few slivers of raw mango (optional but it really adds a lot of flavor)

Preparation - Wash and soak the chickpeas for 8-9 hours or overnight.

Cooking - Boil the soaked chickpeas in salted water till tender. (I used a pressure cooker and gave 3 whistles on medium flame). Drain off excess water and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add mustard and urad dal. Fry till urad dal starts to turn a little brown.

Add curry leaves, broken red chilli and asafoetida. Fry for 10 seconds.

Add the boiled chickpeas and stir fry for 4-5 minutes.

Add the coconut, mix in and remove from flame.

Add coriander leaves and lime juice when serving.

Peanut Sundal (Verkadalai Sundal for Navratri)

Sundal is a quick stir-fried snack made with white chick peas or garbanzo beans. The beans are soaked overnight and cooked till soft but not mushy. This dish can also be prepared with peanuts, horse gram, whole green moong and kala channa. While the seasoning is kept minimal and the same for each preparation, they taste quite different as each legume has its own distinct flavor.

While the recipe is said to originate from Tamil Nadu, it is quite common to locate a street-side vendor selling a variety of sundal anywhere in South India. It is also used as a prasad or 'neivaidyam' during the Navratri fasting.

It was the ease to preparation and the protein content that made me try this as a 4 o' clock for my kid. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 15 mins ( including 10 mins standby time )

Ingredients -

1 cup peanuts (with skin)
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp skinless urad dal (black lentil)
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 dry red chilli
4-5 curry leaves
1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
1 tbsp grated coconut ( though I have skipped it )
a dash of lime juice
coriander leaves for garnishing

Cooking - Boil the peanuts with a little salt till tender. (I used a pressure cooker and gave 4 whistles on medium flame). Drain off excess water and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add mustard and urad dal. Fry till urad dal starts to turn a little brown.

Add curry leaves, broken red chilli and asafoetida. Fry for 10 seconds.

Add the boiled peanuts and stir fry for 4-5 minutes.

Add the coconut, mix in and remove from flame.

Add coriander leaves and lime juice when serving.

Note - While some like it hot, I prefer to have it at room temperature.

Minty Farfalle-Potato Salad

As much as I love pasta, I find it difficult to cook/eat some during the hot summers. Even if the sauce is a no cook one like in case of Sicilian Pasta, it leaves me all hot and stuffy. But the last time I made some chilled potato salad, it stuck me that if i could add some cooked pasta to it and throw in a few other raw veggies, then I would have a salad cum complete meal on my hands.

Also, it is served chilled which is very soothing in the heat. I have omitted ingredients like garlic and pepper as they cause a lot of heat and are best avoided during the summers. Add some bell celery/peppers/broccoli to make it more colorful and healthy.Read on:

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins (15-18 mins is standby time)

Ingredients -

• 1 cup Farfalle (uncooked)
• 1 medium size potato
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 cup roughly chopped lettuce
• 8-10 mint leaves (roughly torn)
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp hung curd
• 1/4 tsp paprika/red chilli powder
• 2 pinch chili flakes (optional)
• 2 tbsp grated cheese (optional)
• salt to taste

Cooking - Bring 7-8 cups of water to a boil. Add sufficient salt to it so that it tastes quite salty.
Add the pasta and cook till tender ( for a cold salad it is better to overcook the pasta as it tends to harden a bit in the fridge...so make it a bit more than just al-dente). Mine took 15 mins to cook.

Drain and keep aside. Add 1/2 tsp olive oil and toss to prevent them from sticking to each other. Allow to come to room temperature.

Cook the potato for 1-2 whistles at the same time. Remove from pressure cooker once steam is released and allow to come down to room temperature(put in cold water to expedite the process). Peel and cut into small cubes.

Peel and chop cucumber into similar sized small pieces.

Take the mayonnaise, olive oil, hung curd, paprika, salt and grated cheese in a mixing bowl. Gently whisk to mix all of it.

Add the farfalle, potato, cucumber and lettuce to bowl. Mix and evenly coat all the ingredients. Put in the fridge for 15-20 mins to cool a bit.

Sprinkle some chili flakes and serve cold.

Note - Replace the mint with parsley/basil and you have another quick and easy variation. It does make a huge difference in taste/flavor.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

Kashmiri Dum Aloo is a very popular dish that is among the first options for a vegetarian side dish. A spicy semi-dry curry with a distinct reddish orange color (due to the presence of the Kashmiri red chillis), it goes well with almost every Indian bread and even the rice/pulao varieties.

Quite different from the 'Alu dum' that is popular in Odisha, I had to refer to Tarla Dalal's cookbook for an authentic version of it. Of course, I tweaked it a little to suit my requirement but without compromising on its authenticity. Read on for this super easy version:

Preparation Time - 35 mins

Ingredients -

• 15-16 Baby potatoes
• 3 tsp oil
• 2 tsp butter
• 3 green cardamom
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dry)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 1/2 tsp honey
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt to taste
• freshly chopped coriander

For making gravy -

• 2 medium sized tomatoes (fully ripened)
• 1 medium sized onion (optional)
• 3-4 garlic flakes
• 1 inch long ginger
• 2-3 dry red chillis
• 2 tbsp broken cashews
• 2/3 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• salt to taste

Preparation - Roughly chop the onion, ginger and garlic.

Cooking - Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to boil in a saucepan. Add all the ingredients mentioned for the gravy. Boil for 7-8 minutes. Allow to cool down and then transfer to a blender. Make a smooth paste out of it.

Cook the potatoes for 1-2 whistles in a pressure cooker. Allow steam to escape before opening lid. Peel the potatoes.Prick them with a fork and keep aside.

Heat the oil + butter in a wok. Add the peeled and pricked potatoes and fry till light brown. Remove and keep aside.

In the same wok, add green cardamoms and fry for 30 seconds. Then add the masala paste along with chili powder and cook for 7-8 minutes till it starts getting thick.

Rub the kasuri methi between your hand to warm it and then add to the wok. Cook for 2-3 minutes. The gravy is almost done by this time.

Add the milk and honey. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from wok.

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with hot roti/naan/kulcha.

Note - Add some fresh cream instead of milk for a richer texture.

Lettuce-Cucumber-Tomato Salad

Its Monday and time for yet another 'detox recipe'. The detox process puts a lot of emphasis of consuming lots of fruits and vegetables (preferably unprocessed) and any grains need to be consumed only in moderation. Meat and dairy are considered off-limits. Hence along with juices, salads are a very important part of any detox diet.

With Ugadi/Gudi Padwa falling on a Monday, most of you would be busy feasting for the extended weekend. Hence this week's detox recipe comes on a Monday. Quite simple and easy to assemble, it can also multitask as a quick snack.

So, here is an easy and yet filling salad recipe that consists of fruits and vegetables rated highly on the list of 'Detox foods'. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -

1 big ripened tomato (to be thinly sliced)
1 small cucumber (to be thinly sliced)
1 small head of iceberg lettuce (to be torn roughly)
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp pepper powder
salt to taste
1 tsp vegan mayonnaise (optional)

Preparation - Wash the vegetables carefully and wipe of excess water. Cut the tomato and cucumber into thin slices.
Tear the lettuce into small pieces.

Transfer everything into mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Chill for an hour before serving.

Note - You can also add some shredded red cabbage and blanched broccoli to make it more appealing.

Danone Misti Doi - Everyone loves it!!!!

It is everything that I want my misti doi to be. Ever since I saw the commercials being aired on TV, I was a bit skeptical about trying it out. One factor could be that I stay near to a Banchharam's and hence can get it anytime from there. Hence I made the mistake of buying only two units. And they did not last even for an hour after exiting the mall.

Its thick. Creamy. Not overwhelmingly sweet. Just the right bit of tang. Even the top fatty layer that you find in most traditional clay pot misti doi's is also present. Can't wait to replenish my stock hence planning to get some online from Bigbasket (here) or Zopnow (here).

My verdict: 4.75/5 .

Taste & texture - Just the way it should be.Can't give anything less than a 5
Price - I think it a little more than the average price for the given quantity. So, 4.5.
Packaging - Neat and compact. Small portion size is a boon for weight watchers. Check the below pic for Nutritional values -

No chances of spilling and can be easily carried in a handbag to office. Deserves a 5. (But I would love it if they add a little scoop/spoon in the packaging so that i do not need to carry one.)

Got for it!!!!