10 Easy Recipes for Krishna Jayanthi / Gokulashtami

My memories of us celebrating Krishna Jayanthi is back when I was 7 or 8. Amma would make the snacks for the day - unniyappam, seedai, murukku, thattai, payasam, those are the few I remember - and in the evening, we would draw tiny legs using rice flour mixture all the way from the front gate to the Pooja room. I especially liked Krishna Jayanthi because it seemed more kid-friendly. And oh, the freshly churned butter, let's not forget that.

I know many of you are celebrating this year and enjoying the day with your family and friends. Here's a list of 10 easy recipes you can follow for making your Krishna Jayanthi (Gokulashtami) stress-free and delicious.

1. Masala Vada / Masal Vade

2. Thattai

     

3. Murukku / Thenkuzhal - Step by Step

4. Aval Vadai

5. Vella Seedai - Step by Step

6. Maladu / Pottukadalai Urundai

7. Besan Ladoo

8. Paruppu Payasam

9. Semiya Payasam

10. Aval Sweetened with Jaggery and Coconut

Wishing all reader of Edible Garden a wonderful Krishna Jayanthi / Gokulashtami!

Paneer Cutlet Recipe - How to Make Paneer Cutlets Recipe for Evening Snack

Paneer is a hot favourite in the Edible Garden household and pretty much any recipe with Paneer is welcomed happily. While palak paneer is TH's go-to paneer dish, I also prepare paneer butter masala and paneer jalfrezi at home quite regularly.

August is a nice month for a number of reasons. It's my b'day month for one and although I am turning 30 this year and bidding farewell to my 20s, I am doing it cheerfully. The past decade has been mixed but at the end of it, I feel it was largely positive.

TH is planning a special day and while we will be staying put in Singapore, it's going to be spent outside, according to him. I have asked that I want to see a movie but apart from that, all other planning is his.

Anyway, birthday celebrations apart, let's check out how to make Paneer Cutlets at home.

Paneer Cutlets Recipe
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Makes ~ 12 cutlets

Ingredients:
1.5 cups (250gm) paneer
1 onion, minced
1 large potato, boiled, peeled, and mashed
1 small capsicum / bell pepper, chopped
1" piece ginger, grated
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
A pinch turmeric powder (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 cup flour / maida
1-2 cups bread crumbs
2 tbsp oil plus more for frying
Salt to taste

How to Make Paneer Cutlets

1. Heat the 2tbsp oil in a pan and add the minced onion and ginger. Fry until the onion turns a light brown.
2. Add the capsicum and fry for 3-4 mins.
3. Then add the potato along with some salt. Saute for 3 mins
4. Next, add the turmeric and chilli powder (if using) along with the grated paneer. Mix and mash well and cook for 5 mins until the ingredients come together into a sticky mixture.
5. Make a paste with the flour and some water. Shape the paneer mixture into patties and dip into the flour mixture, and then the breadcrumbs.
6. Fry in a wide pan until both sides are golden brown.
7. Drain on kitchen towels and serve hot with ketchup or mint chutney

Notes:
- You can add green chilliies or chilli powder for more heat
- Add some grated carrots or coriander for different flavours
- You can make the patties, dip in flour mixture and bread crumbs and refrigerate before frying if you are making this for a party and want to prepare in advance

Recipe and image used with permission from here.

Mango Lassi | Mango Lassi Drink Recipe | Mango Yogurt Smoothie

Mango Lassi is one of my favourite drinks even if they come super sweetened in styrofoam cups from Saravana Bhavan. That's probably my least favourite place to buy it from but I love even that mango lassi. Traditionally in Punjab, where lassi is said to be from originally (and hence the  name Punjabi lassi), a lassi is more than just a drink that blends together a fruit like mango and thick curds. I have seen versions with added cream, spices like cardamom, and more complicated process than just whizzing them all up in a blender.

However, if you preferred an uncomplicated kitchen life like I do, they are super easy to whip up and a great way to use up overly ripe mangoes that are all squishy and don't hold their shape. You can also check out my strawberry lassi recipe here. If you have a lot of ripe mangoes in hand and want to use them up, may I suggest a mango cheesecake in jars, Thai mango sticky rice, or this super delicious mango bundt cake.

Mango Lassi | Mango Yogurt Smoothie

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1.5 cups of ripe mango, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup of plain yogurt
1/4 cup of milk
2 tbsp of sugar (adjust to taste)
A pinch of of salt
A pinch of cardamom powder (optional)

Instructions:

Easy peasy! Blend all the ingredients together until smooth and serve chilled.

Note - my mango lassi tends to be more mango-heavy so adjust proportions to your taste.

Tomato Mint Chutney Recipe | Thakkali Pudina Chutney Recipe

This Tomato Mint Chutney is my mom-in-law's quick and easy chutney recipe that uses no coconut. She makes this in bulk and stores it in the refrigerator for up a week, serving it with pretty much everything. I made it last month when I got a fresh bunch of mint leaves from Little India. The flavour is just amazing and I get away with making no kuzhambu if this chutney is there for lunch. If you want to see more chutneys for rice, then check out this peanut mint chutney, brinjal chutney, and chow chow chutney recipe.

It has a longer shelf life because this chutney uses no coconut. So what gives it the volume? Read on!

Tomato Mint Chutney with No Coconut

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yields ~ 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 cup of packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 large (or 2 medium-sized) onions, sliced
1/2 cup of pottukadalai / roasted gram dal
3-4 of dry red chillies
1/4 tsp of asafoetida / hing
1 tbsp of oil
1/4 tsp of mustard seeds
1/2 tsp of urad dal
Salt to taste

How I Made It:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the urad dal and fry until golden brown.

2. Add the onions and when they turn golden brown (about 4-5 mins), thrown in the red chillies, torn into halves and the chopped tomatoes. Stir well and cook for another 5-6 mins until the tomatoes turn soft.

3. Add the chopped mint leaves and cook for 3 mins until the leaves wilt and soften. Then, add the roasted gram, salt, and hing. Mix well to combine all the ingredients together and remove from fire. Cool and grind without adding any water.

A delicious, simple and mild chutney that's bursting with mint flavour is now ready!

Notes:

- for a variation in flavour, replace mint with coriander leaves or curry leaves. You can also add some coriander leaves to this mint chutney but it's best to keep the herb flavours separate.

- store in a dry container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.

- you can add 2-3 cloves of garlic along with the onions when frying them, for more flavour

- goes well with rice, dosa, idli, rotis, and even bread, as a spread.