Cucumber Lemonade

Ingredients:

Cucumber - 1  (peeled, seeded and cubed)
Lemon Juice - from 2 lemons
Sugar - 2 TBSP
Salt - a pinch
Cold Water - 2 to 3 cups

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.  Strain.  Serve with or without ice.
Note:  Adjust sugar and lemon juice according to your taste.

Enjoy!

Badusha - 100th Post Dedication

Dedicating this 100th post to a special person - my Amma (Mother).   A simple human being, very energetic, always active with so much passion for cooking.  She is my inspiration to start this blog.  Unfortunately she is not here with us to see what I have made today.  She passed away in March, 2012.

Badusha is one of her signature sweets and all of us had a chance to devour it many many times.   I have learned so many things from her, but I was never bothered to learn this particular sweet.  How I regret it now is beyond words.  She was extremely proud of my blog and the way I cook different things and would always ask me "inneki enna pannine' (What did you make today)?

WE MISS YOU DEARLY AMMA :(((

This is for you Amma!

Ingredients:

For the dough:

All Purpose Flour (Maida) - 2 and 3/4 cups  (350g)
Ghee - 1/2 cup (100g)
Thick curd (yogurt) - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 2 pinches
Oil - for frying

For the syrup:
Sugar - 3 and 1/2 cups (700g)
Water - 2 cups
Cardamom Powder - 1tsp
Saffron - few strands




Method:

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl.   Add curd, baking soda and salt.  Mix well.
2. Add the ghee and knead well until soft.
3. Take a little dough and and flatten it .  If the edges crack add little water to the dough and soften it.
4. Cover the dough and let it stand for 10 minutes.  Take a small golf ball size dough and roll it.  Flatten it slightly and make a depression in the middle.  Continue with the rest of the dough.  
5.  Meanwhile make the sugar syrup.
6. Add sugar and 2 cups of water into a pan and heat on a low flame, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved.   
7. Let it  boil until it gets to one string consistency.  ( A thin string is formed when you test the syrup between your thumb and index finger).  Add saffron and cardamom powder.
8. Heat oil in a pan and fry the badushas four at a time.  Fry until golden brown on a very low flame. Drain on a paper towel and dip it  in sugar syrup immediately.  
9. Fry the next batch.  While its frying, you can remove the badushas from the sugar syrup and place it in a clean plate.  complete the process.
10. Let the badushas cool completely before storing.

Jalapeno - Basil Pesto

Ingredients:
Basil - 1 cup (washed and dried)
Jalapeno - 2 or to taste
Garlic - 2 cloves
Walnuts or Almonds - 1/2 cup
Parmesan Cheese - 1/4 cup
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Freshly Ground Black Pepper - to taste
Salt- to taste

Method:

1. In a food Processor, add walnuts or almonds and pulse to a corse powder.
2. Add the jelapeno and garlic and pulse for 30 seconds.
3. Add the dried basil leaves and pulse roughly.
4. Add oilve oil slowly while continuing to pulse.
5. Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Pulse until smooth.
6. Serve with pasta or as a dip for bread.

Note: Store in the refrigerator.  Pesto will remain fresh for a week.