Watermelon Salsa

  Refreshing and appetizing...You'll fall in love with my 5 ingredients recipe for this Watermelon Salsa.. The only thing that can possibly make watermelon better is a super simple and healthy recipe for Watermelon Salsa. I mean.. 5 ingredients!! although not obvious hit the spot!:) It has this totally salty sweet thing that is wondering.. And even though Watermelon is the star, it's not over powering..just refreshing.. This is also a great way to do something different with part of giant Watermelon:) I figure there are only a few months out of the year where I can eat it until my heart busts, so why not!! I just want to eat that with chips right now!!! 

My #foodirmonday #bloghop entry for this monday's theme #watermelon.

Ingredients:
2 cups diced Watermelon
1/2 cup chopped red Onion
1/2 teaspoon chopped Jalapeno or green chillies
1/2 Lime (juiced)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
Method:
* Gently fold all the ingredients together in a big mixing bowl.

* Serve with Corn Chips or any chips or crackers as a topping. 

* Enjoy!!!

Nigella Seeds(Kalonji) Dip or Aachari Dip

   Nigella or Kalonji or Black seeds, is known as the "seed of blessing" as it is considered to be one of the greatest healing herbs of all times.. Apart from being a wonderful medicine, Nigella seeds are superb spice, used to flavor a variety of authentic dishes including pickles..Also popular decorative spice for tossing onto bread or naan, savoury cookies or pastries, as well as over salads too.. A tempering of Kalonji along with jeera goes well over rice too. its taste adds flavorsome value to any type of curry or stew or even to dal..Toasted Nigella seeds can be added to citric pickles to balance the flovor and improve digestion..Today's recipe is totally inspired my indian pickle's flavor. It's all about "Nigella Seeds(kalonji) Dip" or "Aachari Dip"...

    Never before would you have experienced such a wide assortment of Indian spices in a dip! With a base of curds, tempered with five aromatic spices, perked up with coriander and green chillies, and chilled to a pleasant temperature, this lip-smacking Achaari Dip or Nigella seeds Dip will make your taste buds tingle with joy, yearning for the next bite of dip-coated cracker or chip or tikki or khakhra..:)  
   When friends or family are coming over, a snack of chips and dips is the first thing comes to mind.. Or even wonderful snack to enjoy on a weekend's evening. This Nigella seeds dip is also perfect with simple Khakhras.. I perfer this dip with my favorite Bajari Dhebra Khakhra.. It goes very well with some crackers too.. Any crackers or corn chips or khakhras or tikkis become interesting with this deliciously chilled low-fat yogurt dip enhanced with delectable spices. Prepare in advance and enjoy at leisure.. 
  My #foodiemonday #bloghop entry for #nigellaseeds..

INGREDIENTS:: 
1/2 teaspoon Oil
1/4 teaspoon Nigella seeds(Kalonji)
1/4 teaspoon Fenugreek(Methi) seeds
1/4 teaspoon Mustard(rai) seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
A pinch of asafoetida(hing)
1/4 cup Chopped cilantro
Green chillies according to taste.(use 1-2)
3/4 cup Low-fat hung Yogurt or you can use regular yogurt
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
METHOD::
* Heat the oil in a small pan.
* Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, cumin seeds and fennal seeds.
* Add asafoetida, when seeds crackle.

* Saute for few seconds.
* Turn off the stove and keep aside to cool down.
* Add all roasted spices, green chillies, chopped cilantro, salt and sugar into a blender jar along with very low amount of water.
* Blend all together and make a fine paste.
* Pour the paste into a bowl, add the hung yogurt and wisk well.

* Keep in fridge for at least an hour. 
* Sprinkle some Nigella seeds and serve chilled.
* Enjoy.

NOTES:
-You may use regular yogurt instead of low-fat.
-You can use combination of sour cream and yogurt too.
-You can eat immediately too, no need to chilled it. But chilled taste more delicious.
  

Cranberry-Jalapeño Sweet & Spicy Dip

  This Cranberry-Jalapeño Sweet & Spicy Dip is so much fun so delicious and made up of such a unique combination of ingredients and flavors as well. The colors and flavors are way too perfect for holiday recipes.! It is the ideal blend of tart, spicy and sweet, and when eaten with crackers, it is simply one of the most “complete” appetizer I’ve tasted, trust me:) The silky, cream cheese offsets the gentle spice of the dip perfectly and compliments the play on sugar and spice. Served with crispy crackers, this dip really is a holiday palate pleaser.. Hope you enjoy it just as much as we did!!

  My #foodiemonday #bloghop Entry for #driedfruit theme. 

Ingredients::
10oz. Dried Cranberry
8oz. Cream Cheese(softened)
1-2 tablespoon Fresh Chopped Jalapeño pepper
1/4 cup Chopped Green Onion
2 tablespoon Chopped Cilantro
1/3 cup Brown Sugar(more or less to taste)
1/2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Dash of salt
Crackers for serving
Method::

* In a medium-sized bowl, add chopped dried cranberries, green onion, cilantro and jalapeño.

* Pour sugar, lemon juice and salt over cranberry mixture and stir gently until blended.

*Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least one hour. If you prefer less tart cranberries, keep in the refrigerator overnight.

* Take cranberry mixture out of the refrigerator and stir all ingredients together. Strain out the liquid using a collander with small holes.

* Spread cream cheese over bottom of a serving plate.

* Pour cranberry mixture atop cream cheese and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

* Serve with Ritz crackers.

 

* Enjoy!

 

 

 

Pomegranate-Apple Raita in Strawberry Yogurt

   A simple and easy-peasy raita recipe to go with any routine meal or fasting(vrat) meal.. A perfect recipe to include some proteins and vitamins-minerals in the fasting days. There are endless variation for this kind of Raita, but as I'm preparing this for Navratri Vrat, so I took care to use the spices which are allowed during fasting days. So this raita is just spiced up gracefully with minimum ingredients...let's have a look of this Strawberry flavoured, sweet-spicy and delicious Raita....

    My #foodiemonday #bloghop #navratrispecial contribution....Happy Navratri And Happy Dasera to all of you...

Ingredients::
1 cup Yogurt
2 crushed Strawberries
2 chopped strawberries
2-3 tbls Pomegranate seeds
2 tbls chopped Apple
Some chopped Mint leaves
1tsp oil
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/4 tsp Musturd seeds
1 tsp chopped green Chilli
1/4 tsp Cumin powder
1-2 tsp Sugar
Sindhav salt (fasting salt) to taste
Method::
* Mix crushed strawberries and yogurt very well.

* Add chopped apple, chopped strawberries and pomegranate seeds in yogurt.

* Add cumin powder, red chilli powder, Chopped mint leaves, sindhav salt and sugar.

* Mix all again.
* Heat the oil for tadka.
* Add mustard seeds and chopped green chillies in oil and cook for 1-2 mins.
* Add Tadka to the yogurt and mix it well.

* Serve it cold with any Vrat Puri, Thepla or anything else..

Variation::
* You may add any kind of fruits in this Raita.
* Add regular salt if you using this raita on no fasting or vrat days.
* You may use any fruit crushed to make flavored yogurt besides Strawberry.

Happy Cooking!!!

Edamame Dip With Crackers

          Knock, knock.... Who's there? A new entry... New entry at where?.. I'm a new entry at #foodiemonday #bloghop challenge. Sounds so interesting., hummm! I'm also so happy and excited to join these highly creative food bloggers. According to me, 'the beginning is the most important part of the work.' I'm going to introduce myself with this really delicious recipe of appetizer "Edamamme Dip with crackers", from Japanese cuisine.

        And as a fresh blogger and new entry at #foodiemonday #bloghop challenge recipe, I tried my best for this Monday theme, #internationalcuisinestarters. Hopefully I fulfill your expectation. 

        Today's #internationalcuisinestarters theme, is my all time favorite, Japanese starter. Again I play with edamame and come out with this truly highly mouthwatering dip, serves with crackers or vegetables. Bright green and crispy sprinkled with some toasted black sesame seeds, it's terrific as the centerpiece of a vegetable and cracker platter. But not only that, it is a awesomely delicious in a wrap or on sandwiches or anywhere that you would use hummus. The complete starter with full of protein, filling, fresh and doubtless delicious. The point is, whenever we ate this dip with crackers the first time as a appetizer, we overate these and never ate main course after it. Like always, try it and believe me...:)

 
Ingredients:
12oz Frozen edamame(without pods)
1/4cup Ripe avocado
2 Cloves of garlic
2tbls Lemon juice
1/4cup Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro or both mix
2tbls Olive oil
1 Green chili(adjust according to taste)
1/4tsp Black pepper powder
1tsp Kosher salt(or salt)
1/2tsp Soya sauce(just a little)
Black dry roasted sesame seeds for garnish

Method:
* Heat the saucepan with salted water in it.
* Add edamame, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until tender.

* Transfer edamame on to ice bath.

* Save some water of the cooking liquid.
* Place the edamame, avocado, peeled garlic, green chili, lemon juice, cilantro, olive oil, black pepper powder, couple drops of soya sauce, kosher salt and 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid water in to a food processor or blender.

* Blend until smooth and creamy, add some water if too thick.

* Garnish with dry roasted black sesame seeds.

* Serve with crackers.

Note: You can serve edamame dip with raw veggies, toasts or pita chips. Choice is yours to enjoy this dip.

  Yeah the appetizer, that's the food we eat before we have our food...This is the perfect recipe, which has delicious taste but not impose too much effort or time spent in the kitchen. And of course, it's great to wow your guests with an outstanding recipe like this.
  Stay tune with me, for more #foodiemonday #bloghop challenges.. And thank you again to all co-bloggers, to give me an opportunity to present this recipe under #foodiemonday #bloghop
   Till next time, "happy cooking" and don't forget to leave your comments and suggestions.