Lovlolikka Wine ||Cooking with Family and Friends - #5||

Does the word Lovlolikka ring a bell? I am sure atleast a few malayalees have heard of those red cherries that grow abundantly in their backyard and that grand moms fondly fed you in pickles. Lovlolikka is mildly sour, tangy with a tinge of sweetness and may not be as popular for eating as is when compared to the pickles and jams that are dished out from these cherries.

I did a hunt for the English name of this cherry and google threw up names like Indian sour cherry and Indian coffee plum. To keep things simple let's call it cherry:) My mom in law has a lot of these cherries peeping into her backyard from the neighbor's garden. The neighbors have graciously offered her all the cherries that grow on the branches hovering in her yard and trust me they are a basketful. So that is how Lovlolikka wine came into being for us. She did not use yeast for fermentation but the wine came just as good with a lovely color.

Hardly a month for Christmas and if you start now, I bet your wine would be ready just in time for Santa!

So here is the 5th recipe in the series of Cooking with Family. This time again with mom-in-law.

Ingredients

1. Lovlolikka/Indian sour cherry - 1 kg
2. Sugar - 300 gms
3. Cloves - 5 to 6
4. Cinnamon stick - 2 pieces of 1 inch
5. Water - as needed

Method

• Wash the berries in water to remove any dirt and pat dry them.
• Dry a big glass jar and add the berries into the jar.
• Add the sugar along with the cloves and cinnamon sticks.
• Pour warm water till the level of the berries in the jar.
• Using a wooden spatula give it a good stir. Cover and keep in a dark and dry place for a week.
• Stir again on the 5th day and 10th day by when the berries would have grown softer. Crush the berries using the spatula in the process.
• Leave it covered and untouched for next 10 days.
• On the 21st day, using a sieve filter out the liquid from the pulp. Store the wine in glass bottles until ready to consume.
• Hurry up, if you start now your wine will be ready by Christmas.

You may also note 

1. Sweetness can be increased or decreased as you like.
2. Most of the recipes call for addition of yeast but it works fine without it as well.
3. You may try using other berries/ fruits in the same recipe.

Mango Mint Lemonade

Mangoes always brings fond memories of summer vacations. After breakfast, we gather around in the backyard of my mother's house where grandmother had ready for us the mangoes. We called the bigger slices mettha (malayalam for mattress) and the smaller slices talayana (malayalam for pillow). Back home in Udupi, summers began with us racing out to drive away the monkeys from taste testing the mangoes on our tree! The monkeys are ever present around the house during summers jumping from roof to tree and the dogs run under the tree hoping to catch hold of one monkey ( if only one would fall) . The monkeys are very choosy, hard to please group! They taste test several mangoes and drop them to the ground with just a single bite. Obviously that renders the mango ill suited for consumption and leaves a broken hearted mom and two children staring at the useless mangoes underneath the tree. If not consuming the mango as is the other popular use of mango were the milkshakes we made in the evening! Summers also saw us making jar full of lemonade - I remember telling my Dad years back that I am going to start a lemonade business - he laughed it off!

This summer in Dubai is killing. Despite being indoors most of the time, the heat seems to be getting the better of us. For the first time since moving here, we have started drinking refrigerated water. So it is invariable that we try out some cold drinks. So this time I combined the mango with lemonade and there we have the Mango mint lemonade.

Ingredients

1. Mango - 2 medium sized sliced
2. Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
3. Mint Leaves - a handful
4. Ice cubes
5. Sugar - 2 tbsp

Method

• Blend together the sliced mango along with mint leaves, lemon juice and sugar. (add or reduce sugar as per the sweetness of the mango)
• Pour into glass and serve chilled with ice cubes.

Check out other summer thirst quenchers on the blog - 

Orange Iced Tea

Green gram Cooler

Water - 'lemon mint cooler'

Jordanian Coffee - ||MENA Cooking Club||

This is my first month in the MENA Cooking Club  with Jordan being the chosen country of the month. I am not familiar with Jordanian cuisine except that my last birthday dinner was at a Jordanian restaurant where I relished on Jordanian Mansaf and Mint Tea. Oh and I loved the tea! With Famidha from My life in Yanbu suggesting that I join the MENA club, I decided to put on my boots and get going with the club. I have never been a part of any such food blogging venture before - so it is my first and if laziness does not get the better of me, I intend to keep going:)

I chose the Jordanian coffee for my kitchen to kick start. I am not a great fan of black coffee, so when 2 years ago I ordered a cup of coffee at Cyprus and I was given a small shot glass with dark coffee inside and that smelled so strong, I was bewildered. With great difficulty I gulped it down. I have no idea what made me go back to the same place the next day and order the same coffee. And I did it for another two days at row! So well, the coffee got the better of me. I wanted to pick up a packet of Cypriot coffee powder before I left Cyprus, but my husband was not very sure whether we would love this coffee being a part of our daily routine. So when Jordanian coffee was put in as an option - I thought this was my chance to try an Arabic coffee again ( oh by the way Cyprus is a amalgamation of Arabic food and European - so I am sure their coffee is part Arabic too) Unlike our Starbucks, Costa, CCD, Jordanian coffee is served in smaller cups just enough for a gulp or two and you could always go in for refills. It is usually served with dates or other similar condiments. Traditionally the first cup is given to the host who sips and decides if it fit to be served to the guests. The coffee powder is not sieved out, instead let to sediment before pouring it out. It is usually black coffee but sometimes a little evaporated milk ( modern version I presume) is added which I have chosen to add into my recipe.

Ingredients

1. Coffee powder ( dark roast) - 2 tbsp
2. Water - 2 cups
3. Sugar - 1 tbsp
4. Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
5. Clove - 1
6. Saffron - 1 pinch
7. Evaporated milk - 1 to 2 tbsp

Method

Heat water in a saucepan. Stir in sugar and let it dissolve.Add the coffee powder when the water just begins to form bubbles and bring it to rolling boil. Take it off the flame and set aside for 30 seconds before you bring it on to the flame and boil it again. Repeat this once more. Switch off the flame. Add in the clove, cardamom powder, saffron and evaporated milk. Leave it covered for 2 minutes to let the coffee powder sediment. Pour into small cups without disturbing the sediments at the bottom.

An InLinkz Link-up

Masala Chai / Masala Tea || Cooking with Family and Friends - #2 ||

Living in the middle east makes you crave for those green sights and where better can you satisfy your longing than at your parents place. Sitting back and relaxing with a steaming pot of masala tea on the traditional cane chair overlooking the yard - watching the orchids and the roses bloom in mamma's garden, three naughty little dachshunds (Rani - the senior and our companion for years, Bruno - the naughtiest and gunda of the lot and the 7 month old sweetheart, Coco)dashing around like there is no tomorrow  and a wonderful evening pass by with your family.  There is truly no place like home!! Can't say how much I miss this. I crave for those rainy weekend evenings during the school days when all we needed was a cup of tea with fried snacks and lots of family talk!

This time in our series of cooking with family - it is my mamma again as we make masala tea for one such wonderful and lazy evening when all we want to do is sit and chat!

Ingredients
(Makes 4 cups)

1. Water - 2 and 1/2  cups
2. Milk - 2 cups
3. Ginger - 1 inch crushed
4. Star anise - 1
5. Cinnamon - 1 inch
6. Cardamom - 3 crushed
7. Cloves - 4
8. Tea Leaves -  2 tbsp
9. Sugar

Method

• Add water to a pan along with ginger, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Bring this to boil and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add the tea leaves and turn off the flame. Keep it covered for 5 minutes.
• Switch on the flame and add the milk. Bring this to boil and turn off the flame.
• Strain the tea and add sugar as per taste. Serve it hot with your evening snacks!

Hot Cocoa

While I wish Christmas season would last longer, I still enjoyed the one month that preceded Christmas. That is when we decided to begin our Christmas celebration. The tree was up a month ago with little tweaks and twists whenever we were mood for a change. CBN radio played all along and I lost count of the Christmas movies we watched. Each movie spoke of Christmas spirit, family, love and hope. Put together, it is the celebration of life putting aside all our worries.  Baking also found way into our life and mall hopping to see the Santa Claus and Christmas decor were not far behind. 

It's Christmas eve and I hope all of you are all ready for the big day! The climate is chilly in most parts of the world and if you are in mood for a drink (non alcoholic :P) - here is a recipe you can count on. It makes me think of all the days we went to Cafe Coffee day for a sip at Hot Cocoa and it took me years to realise I could make one at home with easily available ingredients.

This would be all my Christmas recipes for this year. Wishing you all a very very blessed and joyous Christmas!!

Ingredients

(single serve)

1. Milk - 1 cup
2. Cocoa powder(unsweetened) - 1 tbsp
3. Instant coffee powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Sugar - 1 tsp
5. Cinnamon powder - 2 pinches
6. Vanilla essence - 2 drops

Method

Warm the milk in a sauce pan. Add the cocoa powder, instant coffee powder and sugar. Using a hand whisk, stir the contents well to prevent cocoa powder from forming lumps.

Turn off the flame just when it begins to boil. Stir in the cinnamon powder and vanilla essence and serve hot.

You may also note - 

1. Cocoa powder tends to form lumps, you can sieve the powder in order to avoid that.
2. Sweetness may be adjusted as per your choice.

Spiced Apple Juice

I am not a fan of Dubai summers and eagerly wait for the winter to arrive. Every time it does I swear to make the best use of it. From evening strolls in the park to sitting out in the balcony and enjoying the breeze, I love it all. I am on high spirits this season - so my kitchen often has new dishes.

If you are looking for something warm to make your winter nights cozy, look no further. Here is a tried and tested recipe which you will grow to love. Its absolutely not complicated and all you need are three ingredients. While your chicken roasts and your cake bakes, you could have your drink made as well. So here you are - Spiced Apple juice!

I got this recipe from Shibin and he got it from his brother, Shinoj.

Ingredients

1. Apple Juice - 4 glasses ( You could pick up a can from the supermarket)
2. Cinnamon sticks - 1 whole stick
3. Cloves - 6

Method

Pour the apple juice into a saucepan along with cinnamon sticks and cloves. Simmer this for 10 to 15 minutes on low flame. Do not let it boil - switch off when the bubbles just start forming at the bottom of the pan. Keep it covered for 20 minutes and let it take in the flavors of the spices. Serve it warm.

Orange Iced Tea

Seems like we are past the peak of the summers.The weather still varies between hot/ dry and hot/humid and I hate the later of the two. Such days requires an extra boost of energy to keep you pumped up. On one such day, we walked into a café – Papa Roti and the Passion Fruit Iced Tea was the much needed refreshing punch we got.

Ever since, I have wanted to try this at home. The only Iced Tea I had tried earlier was the one marketed by Lipton and I stopped having it the moment I learnt about the sugar content that goes into it.

Orange and Lemon with a dash of mint seemed to be the perfect combo for the refreshing Iced Tea and there it was decided.

So here is my recipe for the summers.


Ingredients
(Serves – 4)

1. Water – 3 and ½ cups
2. Tea bags/ tea leaves – 3 bags/ 3 tsp
3. Fresh mint leaves – a handful
4. Orange Juice – ½ cup
5. Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
6. Honey/Sugar – 6 tbsp/ 3 tbsp
7. Ice cubes

Method:

Boil 3 cups of water and add the tea bag or tea leaves. Set aside covered for 3 minutes before removing the tea bags or straining the tea leaves. Let it cool for 15 minutes.

Mix the lemon juice along with orange, the remaining water and honey in a jug. Transfer the tea when cooled into the jug. Stir in well.

Lightly crush the mint leaves with your hands and toss into the jar. Leave it to chill in your refrigerator for about an hour. Serve it with ice cubes which adds to the final boost.

You may also note –

1. Iced Tea retains the freshness up to a day when stored in a refrigerator.
2. You may choose to strain the iced tea or serve along with the orange pulp and the mint leaves as is.
3. You may choose to replace honey with sugar.

Green gram Cooler

I can imagine the reaction of most of you when you hear the name of this cooler. I was witness to a similar reaction from my husband and cousin. I never attempted this cooler before although I was fully aware that something like this did exist. This one is very refreshing and provides the cooling effect you need most in the scorching Dubai summers. 

My love affair with this cooler dates back to my camping days in college. We had a mandatory 10 days camp every year where the first half of the day was spent in Sramadan - were we dug up and leveled grounds or dug up drainage around the local school areas. We started off at sunrise breaking for breakfast once and then again for juice at 11 am before we winding up at 1:00 pm. One amongst the hot favorite for the juice break was definitely the green gram cooler - which gave us much needed energy and enthusiasm to work harder.

In the ancient times, it was made using the traditional stone mortar and pestle, adding ingredient by ingredient, scooping out the juice and adding water to reach the desired consistency. 

Takes more time but the results are much more better than the one using the juicer.

Stop wondering if a cooler like this exist and take a look at the recipe below - 

Ingredients

(serves - 6)

1. Green gram - 1 cup
2. Jaggery - 1/2 cup grated (alter as per your preference)
3. Coconut - 3 tbsp heaped
4. Green Cardamom - 5

Method

• Dry roast the green gram on medium flame for 5 minutes to remove the raw taste. Soak this in water for 1 hour.
• Clean and drain excess water. Blend this to a paste along with the cardamom and 1 cup of water to a smooth paste.
• Add the coconut and jaggery and blitz it once again till combined.
• Now add the remaining water and mix it well. Sieve it to get rid of bigger particles.
• Chill for an hour and serve.

You may also note -

1. Be careful while roasting the green gram - do not burn it.
2. You may refrigerate it, stays good for 4 - 5 days.

Water-'lemon' Mint Cooler

It is scorching summer in Dubai and everyone is out to find ways to escape the heat. From being holed up at homes and offices to cooler recipes to bring down the heat.

Watermelon is probably the best summer fruit. I remember the times when my mom used to serve us freshly cut watermelon when we were back from our evening games or when our father was back from his badminton games. Watermelon was the delicacy at our summer coaching camps as well.

I was on the lookout for a new cooler recipe when my cousin suggested this combination which she constantly uses to beat the Delhi heat.

As to the name of this cooler, my husband suggested it and I found it quite unique too:)

There you are - The Water-'lemon' Mint Cooler:

Ingredients

1. Watermelon - 2 cups de-seeded and diced
2. Cucumber - 1 cup diced
3. Lemon - 1 small size
4. Mint Leaves - 2 sprigs
5. Sugar - 2 tsp
6. Salt - 1/2 tsp
7. Ice cubes

Method

Add the diced watermelon, cucumber and mint leaves into a juicer and blend it.

Stir in the sugar, salt and add lemon juice.

Pour into two glasses and serve with ice cubes and garnish of mint.

You may also note - 

• Increase or decrease the sugar and salt quantity as per your choice.
• Remember to serve it fresh.
• Alternatively, you can just crush all the ingredients together using a fork or spoon instead of using a blender.