Batata Kaap (Kapa) Recipe | Vangi Kaap Recipe | Potato and Brijal Rava Fry | Batatyache Fodi Recipe [Video]

Batata Kaap Recipe with step by step video instructions. Batata Kaap or Vangi Kaap are pan fried slices of potato and eggplant (brinjal) that are served as an accompaniment in a Goan vegetarian meal. This Potato Semolina Fry is vegan and suits a plant based diet. Gluten free and Jain diet option available.

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Do you have that one dish, that really simple dish, that you love above all other dishes? That you could alone wipe out an entire plate of, or two? These potato kaap are just that for me. And I'm not partial, I can kinda do that with the brinjal kaap and so many other kaap.

These are my feel good fries. I mean they aren't the healthiest fries out there in the fry world, but they are pan fried and that has to make them at least slightly more healthy, don't you agree?

What are Potato Kaap / Kapa / Fodi / Podi ....

These are really, just delicious bits of heaven. Okay, literally they are just slices of potato and brinjal or eggplant that are tossed in salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder, dipped in fine semolina or cream of wheat and then pan fried with sufficient oil. These fries are cooked on low to medium heat until the potato or brinjal are soft on the inside aka cooked and the semolina on the outside is crisp (not burnt).

Batata Kaap are a common side to a rice meal in Goa and Maharashtra and in some places along coastal Karnataka. In some regions, they replace the semolina with rice flour, but in Goa, it is mostly rava or semolina. Both versions taste equally good. So if you are looking for a gluten free option, use the rice flour.

Batata or Vangi Kaap are a replacement to fish fry in most Goan households on days when non vegetarian food is avoided, like Mondays. 

Vegetables you can use

Generally, high starch veggies work best for kaap. Some of the commonly used vegetables for it:

• Potato
• Brinjal or Eggplant
• Sweet Potato
• Breadfruit
• Raw Banana

And then there are the uncommon ones like

• Okra
• Yam (Requires prior parboiling)
• Ridge gourd
• Cauliflower
• Bitter gourd

Blah blah blah and details....

So... there was a reason I didn't post this earlier, because I thought it was too simple for the blog. I mean there is really no recipe as such, more of guidelines. But then I made this for friends at some time and they kept asking me for the recipe. They would call me up each time they planned to make it and I would be dictating the 3-4 steps to them. I also had the same experience with a few colleagues several years ago. They tried it from my lunch box at work and couldn't get enough of it. So after years of doubting myself, I decided to go ahead and post the recipe, even if it got the least number of views. Just cause I love eating these and I can assure you, once you have eaten one, you really cannot stop eating them. It's almost the Lays ad.

To make these golden beauties, you need nice firm veggies. And you don't have to make a mixed vegetable one, you can make with just one veggie or go wild with the above list and make a mixed plate. Each vegetable is treated differently, be aware. 

You can choose to peel the potatoes or not. I personally love potatoes with their skin and hence decided to keep them on. Slice the potatoes and brinjals into round slices. They shouldn't be very thin. I like to keep the thickness around 3 to 5 millimeters (mm). I recommend using at least 1 medium potato per person. 

One more tip is regarding the oil. Don't skimp on it. Eat fewer if you want, but use enough oil to cook them. They mostly require 1-1.5 tsp per slice. 

Like all fries, they lose their crispness if stored for too long, hence, I recommend making them fresh. However, you can slice in advance and leave the potato and brinjal soaked in room temperature water until you are ready to cook them.

Serve Batata Kaap / Vangi Kaap as an appetizer or as a side with rice and solkadi or dal.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Batata Kaap (Kapa) Recipe | Vangi Kaap Recipe | Potato and Brijal Rava Fry | Batatyache Fodi Recipe

Batata Kaap or Vangi Kaap are pan fried slices of potato and eggplant (brinjal) that are served as an accompaniment in a Goan vegetarian meal. Potato or eggplant are sliced and then spiced with salt, turmeric powder (haldi) and red chilli powder, coated in fine rava (chiroti rava) or cream of wheat or fine semolina and then pan fried on a tava.

Recipe Type:  Side
Cuisine:            Goan
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     20 minutes
Total time:     30 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Author:                Anupama

Ingredients:

1 medium Potato
1 medium Brinjal (eggplant)
3 Tbsp fine Semolina (chiroti rava)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method:

1. Wash the potato and brinja thoroughly.
2. Peel the potato if desired. Else the skin can be left on.
3. Slice the potato and brinjal to slices of 3 to 5 mm thickness.
4. Add salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder and mix well until all slices are coated.
5. Take the semolina in a plate.
6. Dip the slices into the semolina until both sides are coated with a thin layer of semolina.
7. Heat a tava and grease it.
8. Place the slices in one layer on the tava and spoon a little oil on each slice.
9. Once one side is cooked, flip the slice and spoon some more oil on it.
10. Cook until the vegetable is soft and the semolina is crispy.
11. Serve immediately as a accompaniment with Dal Rice or Solkadi Rice.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Kelyache Kaap

Neerphanas Kapa

Solkadi

Read more ...

Kadhai Mushroom Recipe [Video]

Kadhai Mushroom Recipe with step by step video instructions. Kadhai Mushroom is a spicy vegan curry made with mushrooms, capsicum and onions in a tomato based gravy. Kadhai Mushroom can be made either into a dry/semi-dry curry or into a curry with gravy. Kadhai Mushroom is vegan, gluten free and fits a plant based diet.

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I love Mushrooms. It is the meat for vegetarians with loads of umami in it. There is seriously no other veggie that provides that elusive 5th taste that our beloved MasterChef Australia judges talk about.
Btw, are you watching the 12th season? The back to win series with the new jury? I'm completely hooked on.

What is Kadhai Mushroom?

Kadhai is literal terms is an Indian wok or the little vessel you see in my photos. That is a kadhai. So Kadhai Mushroom just translates literally to mushroom cooked in a wok. But as a dish, it is so much more than just that.

Kadhai Mushroom is a spicy melee of mushrooms, capsicum and onions simmered in a freshly ground masala that is so fragrant and a bit of tomato puree for that tartness and body for the curry.

This is probably one of the only curries where I don't substitute the masala with my Garam Masala. It just doesn't taste the same. The fresh masala adds so much flavor that it is almost a sin to substitute it with any store bough mixed spice powder. So I highly recommend making your own spice blend, just for this, and maybe then using it for myriad other curries. 

Kadhai Mushroom can either be a dry or a semi dry curry or it can be a curry with gravy. Every restaurant serves it differently and so can you.

The details...

Kadhai Mushroom is probably one of the easiest curries to make. To make Kadhai Mushroom, toast the whole spices - coriander seeds, cumin seeds, green cardamom, black cardamom, bay leaf, cloves and pepper. Toasting on low heat makes the spices release their oils and makes them more fragrant. Toast the dry red chillies, if using. This can be substituted with red chilli powder or with paprika without affecting the flavor and there is no need to toast it either. Once everything has cooled, make a quick powder.

Next, saute the mushrooms and keep them aside until later. If you don't have the time to do this, just toss them into the curry later and allow them to cook in the masala.

The onions and capsicum are cut into large chunks. This is meant to be a chunky curry. They are sauteed along with ginger garlic paste until they are cooked slightly. Do not overcook the capsicum, it is meant to retain the crunchiness.

Then the tomato puree, turmeric, salt and masala is added along with desired amount of water and the curry is simmered for a few minutes. The mushrooms are added at the end and given a quick stir.

The kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves provide an additional salty bitter fragrance that goes superbly with the curry.

Kadhai Mushroom can be served as a side with roti or naan bread or even with rice.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Kadhai Mushroom Recipe

Kadhai Mushroom is a spicy vegan curry made with mushrooms, capsicum and onions in a tomato-based gravy. Kadhai Mushroom can be made either into a dry or semi-dry curry or into a curry with gravy. Kadhai Mushroom is vegan, gluten free and fits a plant based diet.

Recipe Type:  Curry
Cuisine:            North Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Total time:     40 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Author:                Anupama

Ingredients:

200gms Mushrooms
1 Capsicum
1 Onion
1 cup Tomato Puree
1 Tbsp crushed Ginger-Garlic
1 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
3-4 dry Red Chillies or 1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
0.5 tsp Black Pepper
2 Green Cardamom
2 Cloves
1 Black Cardamom
2 Bay leaves
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tbsp Kasuri Methi
4 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. In a kadhai or pan, dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, green cardamom, black cardamom, 1 bay leaf, cloves, dry red chillies and black pepper for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool, grind to a fine powder.
2. Cut the onions into petals and chop the capsicum into large chunks. Halve the mushrooms.
3. In the same kadhai heat 1-2 Tbsp oil and saute the halved mushrooms until cooked. Remove from heat and keep aside.
4. Add the remaining oil and add the onions, crushed ginger garlic and 1 bay leaf and saute until the onions are slightly soft.
5. Add the capsicum and fry until the capsicum is slightly browned.
6. Add the tomato puree, turmeric powder, ground masala, red chilli powder if using, salt and saute on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add water as desired, and simmer for 4-5 minutes on medium heat.
8. Add the mushroom and mix well.
9. Top with kasuri methi and mix well.
10. Serve hot with roti and rice.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Lahsuni Methi Mushroom

Mushroom Cafreal

Vegetable Jalfrezi

Read more ...

Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju | Bittergourd (Karela) & Raw Mango Curry Recipe [Video]

Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju with step by step video instructions. Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju is a curry made from bittergourd or karela and raw mangoes. This summer curry is a melting bowl of flavors, it is bitter, sweet, sour and spicy. Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju tastes best with rice. This curry suits a vegan or plant based diet, gluten free diet and a Jain diet. 

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I first posted this recipe 5 years ago, in June 2015. I remember my mom was in Bangalore and we had gone vegetable shopping with her. She had gotten very excited looking at the Amtekai or Ambada (Hogplums), that were available in abundance at the vegetable shop. We had already picked up the bittergourd or karela or hagalkai and were thinking of the pairing up with the amtekai, when she felt raw mango would be a better accompaniment. So we picked up raw mangoes and bittergourd and came home and made this Gojju. Since then, I make this curry at least once every summer.

What is a Gojju?

Gojju is a curry from Karnataka that is usually sweet and sour. It has tamarind added for sourness and jaggery for sweetness. It may or may not have a coconut base.

Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju is made using Bittergourd or Karela, that brings a hint of bitterness to the curry, the raw mangoes bring in the sourness, jaggery is added for sweetness and red chillies for the heat.

The prep...

This Gojju can convert a Karela hater. The way in which the karela is cooked brings down the bitterness to such low levels that it is no more unpleasant. The karela is peeled, cored and then salted and left aside for the bitterness to flow out. This can be done days in advance. The salted karela can be kept in the fridge for almost a week. Remove it out when you are ready to cook. The salted karela is squeezed so that the bitter juices are extracted and then can be discarded. Soaking them in water and then squeezing makes it easier to remove the juices.

The squeezed karela is then boiled until it is cooked, the water is discarded. This step removes the more of that bitterness.

The flavors...

The remaining bitterness is balanced with the sourness of the raw mangoes. If the mangoes are not sour enough on their own, use tamarind juice. As mentioned above, the curry tastes good with any sour fruit like amtekai. So if you have any local sour fruit, you can use that.

Jaggery is added for sweetness. Use sugar if you don't have jaggery.

The Gojju has a base of coconut, rice, and lentils along with the spices. The toasted rice and urad dal help thicken the curry. Coconut further helps in mellowing down the strong flavor of the bittergourd or karela.

Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju tastes best with rice, but if you make a thicker consistency, it can be enjoyed with roti or chapati too.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju | Bittergourd (Karela) & Raw Mango Curry Recipe

Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju is a curry made from bittergourd or karela and raw mangoes. This summer curry is a melting bowl of flavors, it is bitter, sweet, sour and spicy. Hagalkai Mavinkai Gojju tastes best with rice. This curry suits a vegan or plant based diet, gluten free diet and a Jain diet.

Recipe Type:  Curry
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     1 Hour 30 Minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Total time:     2 Hours 15 Minutes
Yield:                Serves 3-4

Author:                Anupama

Ingredients:

2 Bitter Gourd (Karela / Hagalkai)
1 Raw Mango
0.5 cup grated Coconut
1 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Rice
1 tsp Urad Dal
3-4 Red Chillies
0.25 Fenugreek Seeds (Methi dana)
0.5 tsp Mustard Seeds
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
2-3 Tbsp Jaggery Powder
1 Tbsp Tamarind (Optional)
3-4 tsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Peel and deseed/core the bittergourd (karela /hagalkai). Cut to 0.5" to 1" pieces.
2. Add the cut bittergourd to a bowl. Add 1 tsp of salt and mix well. Keep aside for 1-2 hour. You can also keep it overnight in a box in the fridge.
3. After 1-2 hour, add 1 cup water to the bittergourd and squeeze them gently. Now take a handful out of the water and squeeze well and keep the bittergourd aside. Continue to squeeze all the bittergourd, this helps in removing the bitter juices. Once all the bittergourd is squeezed, discard the water.
4. Add the bittergourd to a kadhai or pan and water to cover it. Cover and cook until the bittergourd is cooked through. Drain the bittergourd and keep aside. Discard the water.
5. Dice the raw mango into small pieces and add to the same kadhai. Add water and cook until the mango is soft. Drain and save the water.
6. In a dry pan, add the urad dal, rice and fenugreek seeds and toast on low heat until lightly golden. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
7. Add 1 tsp oil to the pan and add the dry red chillies and roast until crisp. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
8. Add the urad dal, rice, fenugreek seeds, red chillies, grated coconut and 0.5 cup of the water in which the mango was cooked to a blender. Blend until smooth.
9. Heat the remaining oil in a kadhai for the tempering and add the mustard seeds.
10. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the ground masala and fry on low heat for 5-6 minutes.
11. Add the turmeric powder, 1 Tbsp jaggery powder, salt and 0.5 cup water and mix well.
12. Add in the boiled bittergourd and mango.
13. Add salt and jaggery to taste if required. If the curry is not sour enough, soak the tamarind in a little warm water and squeeze out the tamarind juice and add to the curry.
14. Add more water if you want a thinner consistency.
15. Simmer on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
16. Serve hot with rice or chapati.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Pshingiri | Saasav

Pumpkin Curry

Mavinkai Chitranna

Read more ...

Solkadi Recipe | Solkadhi with Coconut Milk Recipe | How to make Goan Solkadi | Kokum Solkadhi

Solkadi recipe with step by step video instructions. Goan Solkadi / Malvan Solkadhi is a refreshing savory drink made from aamsol or dried kokum peel and fresh coconut milk. Kokum kadi can be served as a curry along with rice or as a beverage. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free and suits a Jain diet.

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Solkadi is almost SOUL-Kadhi for the folks on the Konkan Coast of India. This sour pink drink with the creaminess of coconut milk and the spicy flavor of garlic and chilli is a must-have at the lunch table.

Details about Kokum

Kokum, a member of the mangosteen family, is indigenous to the Western Ghats. The fruit is used in 2 main ways - to make Kokum juice and to make Aamsol.

To make the Kokum juice, a glass jar is filled with the fresh fruit and sugar is added. The glass jar is covered and placed in the sun until the fruit dissolves into the sugar to yield a thick syrupy reddish purple color concentrate. And this juice is delicious!!! I buy the squash every year when I go to Mangalore.

To make aamsol or solan, the outer cover of the fruit is removed and is sun dried until completely dry. This is extremely sour and is used abundantly as a souring agent in cooking along the Konkan coast. The aamsol imparts a beautiful dark reddish purple color to the food where it is used. Aamsol is packaged and sold in grocery stores or in supermarkets. I was lucky to get two home dried batches - one from my sister's friend from Karwar and another from my husband's aunt. Both these impart a very rich color.

Over time, aamsol, tends to lose its color. Old aamsol will give you a brown color as opposed to the reddish-purple color. To keep aamsol fresh for longer and to retain the color, freeze it. 

Back to the dish at hand - Solkadi. 

The aamsol is soaked in hot water and left to release its color and flavor, while you prepare the fresh coconut milk. You can use store-bought coconut milk too, but the fresh one tastes better. The coconut milk can be flavored with garlic or ginger, I've also heard of it being flavored with onions. Goans usually use garlic and I love the taste. You can leave it plain too.

To make the coconut milk, grind the freshly grated coconut with garlic and a few green chillies for spice. Add water and pulse for about a minute. Squeeze the pulp to extract the milk. Add water to the squeezed pulp and massage it to release more milk. Squeeze again to extract the milk. You can do this one or two more times. I recommend stopping at the third press, else, the coconut milk becomes very thin and loses its creaminess. Strain the coconut milk to remove any pulp that may have accidentally gotten in.

Take the coconut milk in a large bowl, and add the vibrant water in which the aamsol was soaked by the spoonfuls. The water is very sour, so keep tasting as you add the spoonfuls. Stop when desired. Add in salt and taste. If the sourness feels less after adding the salt, add more kokum water. It is more of a taste and go kind of recipe.

If the solkadi feels less sour, you can soak more kokum and after 10 minutes add more kokum water to the solkadi. If it feels too sour, add more coconut milk or plain water.

Serving suggestions

Solkadi is served as a curry with rice, but I love drinking it like buttermilk too. If you want it to be chilled, you can store it in the fridge until you are ready to serve. When coconut milk is refrigerated, the fat in it solidifies on the top, just whisk it well before serving.

Serve solkadi with rice and potato fry.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

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Solkadi Recipe | Kokum Kadhi Recipe | How to make Solkadhi

Solkadi or Solkadhi is a savory drink made from coconut milk and dried kokum peel. Solkadi is a popular drink from Goa and the Malvan region of Maharashtra. Solkadi is a sour drink that can either be served as a curry with rice or just as a refreshing drink.

Recipe Type:  Beverage
Cuisine:            Goan, Malvan
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     0 minutes
Total time:     30 minutes
Yield:                Serves 3-4

Author:                Anupama

Ingredients:

1 large Coconut
10-15 Kokum skins / Aamsol pieces
5-6 Garlic cloves
2-3 Green Chillies
3-4 cups Water
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak the aamsol in 1 cup of hot water.
2. Break the coconut and grate the flesh. Try to only get the white flesh, avoid grating the brown part that is closer to the shell.
3. Add the grated coconut to a blender or mixer along with the garlic and green chillies and add 1 cup of water.
4. Pulse the mixer for 30-45 seconds until the coconut releases its juices. Don't completely blend the coconut into a paste or chutney.
5. To squeeze out the coconut milk, you can empty the contents of the mixer onto a muslin cloth and squeeze it until all the juice is out, or you can take a little pulp in the hand and squeeze it to extract the milk. Sieve the juice to remove any pulp.
6. Do not discard the pulp.
7. After you have squeezed out all the pulp, you get the thick first press of coconut milk.
8. To make the thinner second press or more, add water to the pulp and massage it in.
9. Repeat the same process of squeezing out the milk as described above.
10. This is the thinner second press. You can continue to do it for further presses, although we recommend stopping at the third press.
11. Mix in the water the aamsol was soaked in by the spoonfuls. Aamsol is very sour, so add as per taste. Add in salt and mix well.
12. Serve chilled or at room temperature along with rice or just as a refreshing drink.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Soy Milk

Coconut Milk

Aam Panna

Read more ...

Coconut Milk Recipe | How to make Coconut Milk at home [Video]

Coconut Milk recipe with step by step video instructions. How to make fresh coconut milk at home with fresh coconut. This recipe will show you how to make the thick first press and the thinner second press of coconut milk. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free and suits a Jain diet.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

I am all about making my own coconut milk at home. The milk is fresh and free of any additives, preservatives, emulsifiers, and whatnot. And it tastes GREAT!

Why you should make your own Coconut Milk:

• It's FRESH! I cannot think of a more appropriate reason.
• No additives of any kind - emulsifiers, xanthan gum, preservatives, nothing, NADA.
• You get to decide the thickness of the milk. It is completely up to you to either stop at the first press or to go thinner to the second or even third press.
• You can go crazy with the flavoring, or you can just leave it plain.
• You can make just as much as you need. This one ranks really high for me. I always mess up with how much I need if I buy, making my own lets me control that.

The details...

Your coconut milk will be as good as the coconut you choose. If you can get the sweetest and meatiest variety, go for it. Just a note, that coconut milk cannot be made with the green tender coconut that you get to drink on roadsides, you need regular cooking coconut - the brown one. But not the Khopra or dried one.

Making coconut milk is easy if you have someone to grate the coconut for you. In my case, Raj and I divided the work and it wasn't tiring at all. My advice is to get as much of the white flesh as possible and to avoid using the brown part of the coconut, that is closer to the shell.

Once you have the grated flesh, put it in a blender/mixer with just enough water to get the mixer started. I needed at least 1 cup, you may need more or less depending on the style of the mixer. The less water you add, the thicker is your first press. You don't need to grind the coconut, just pulse enough for a shorter duration to get the juices out.

After you have blended the coconut, you can add all the pulp to a muslin cloth and squeeze out all the milk in one go, or like my video, you can do it by the fistfuls. Whichever is easier for you. This is your first press which is thicker and richer.

To get the second and third press (I wouldn't go beyond this), to the squeezed pulp, add more water. Again, it depends on how thin you want the coconut milk to be, so add water accordingly. I added 1 cup again. Massage the water into the pulp and again, squeeze out the milk either by the fistful or using a muslin cloth. This is the thinner second press. Repeat the same for the third press.

How to use the Coconut Milk?

The options are so vast. This fresh coconut milk can be used to make curries, desserts, smoothies, or use it to soak up your cereal. I've tried all these and it works fantastically. The only thing I've never tried is using it in my tea or coffee. If you do, let me know how it turns out.

Some recipes to get you started:

• Vegetable Stew
• Creamy pumpkin pasta sauce
• South Indian Chana Masala
• Eggplant Coconut Curry
• Thai Green Curry
• Vegan Laksa
• Cauliflower Rendang
• Pumpkin Curry
• Lahsuni Methi Mushroom
• Raw Banana Kofta Curry
• Chana Dal Kheer (Dessert)
• Vegan Date and Walnut Cake

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Coconut Milk Recipe | How to make Coconut Milk at home

How to make coconut milk from fresh coconut. Recipe of coconut milk with step by step video instructions.

Recipe Type:  Beverage
Cuisine:            Asian
Prep Time:     40 minutes
Cook time:     0 minutes
Total time:     40 minutes
Yield:                2.5-3 Cups

Ingredients:

1 large Coconut
2-3 cups Water

Method:

1. Break the coconut and grate the flesh. Try to only get the white flesh, avoid grating the brown part that is closer to the shell.
2. Add the grated coconut to a blender or mixer and add in just enough water to get the mixer going. We added 1 cup of water. The lesser the water, the thicker the coconut milk, so add accordinly.
3. Pulse the mixer for 30-45 seconds until the coconut releases its juices. Don't completely blend the coconut into a paste or chutney.
4. To squeeze out the coconut milk, you can empty the contents of the mixer onto a muslin cloth and squeeze it until all the juice is out, or you can take a little pulp in the hand and squeeze it to extract the milk. Sieve the juice to remove any pulp.
5. Do not discard the pulp.
6. After you have squeezed out all the pulp, you get the thick first press of coconut milk.
7. To make the thinner second press or more, add water to the pulp and massage it in.
8. Repeat the same process of squeezing out the milk as described in step 4.
9. This is the thinner second press. You can continue to do it for further presses, although we recommend stopping at third press.
10. If not using immediately, store the coconut milk in the fridge and use it within 2-3 days.

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Pineapple Squash Recipe | How to make pineapple juice concentrate [Video]

Pineapple squash recipe with step by step photo and video instructions. Pineapple squash is a pineapple drink concentrate made from fresh fruit. Water is added to the concentrate to make an instant juice when desired. Pineapple squash is vegan, gluten-free and fits a Jain diet. It is served chilled. 

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

Pineapple Squash + Cold Water + Ice cubes = Summer in a glass.

I'm not a big fan of the sweltering heat of Summer, but I love all the cold drinks that come with it. My ideal summer scene would have been sitting on a shack near the beach, sipping a chilled drink and eating french fries. An evening I had in my plans but had to get postponed due to everything happening in the world at the moment.

But no regrets, because now I get to sit in my unusually quiet balcony on my bean bag without a care in the world and sip on this instant pineapple juice while I listen to all the bird activity. With all the humans inside, the birds have returned. It is nice to hear them chirping or even cawing around. I went from hating a pineapple as a child to loving it as an adult. And I love having this pineapple squash at hand these days.

What is pineapple squash?

Pineapple Squash is a pineapple juice concentrate that you can mix with water or plain soda to instantly make a pineapple flavored drink. It also can be used in mocktails and cocktails.

The details...

Firstly, pick the ripest and sweetest pineapples, that are really fragrant. You will need less sugar if the fruit itself is very sweet. You can peel and cube the pineapple whenever you have time and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to prepare the squash.

Use a juicer or a blender to puree the pineapples. This puree needs to be strained to remove any fiber that is present. Use a fine-mesh strainer to get the smoothest puree that is free of any large bits or unwanted fiber. 

The sugar syrup is a simple one, 2 parts sugar to 1 part water. The amount of sugar required depends on how sweet you like your drink and how sweet is your fruit. The fruit I bought was not very sweet, more on the tard side, so I needed all the sugar I used. The sugar syrup is boiled until you get a one string consistency. Once you have that, add in the strained puree and simmer on low heat for 5-8 minutes. I realized that the longer I cook the squash, the more the pineapple loses its freshness, hence I cooked it much less. However, it does need cooking, so don't skip it, especially if making large batches.

Once the squash cools down, we add lime juice to help in preservation. Although I really didn't need it, considering the squash barely lasted a week, and that too because I had a decent stock of Lemon Ice Tea already in the fridge and some store bought soft drinks.

Store the pineapple squash in a clean sterile bottle in the fridge. I prefer a glass bottle, but you can use plastic too. I'd completely avoid metal bottles.

And when you are in a mood to have pineapple juice, mix the concentrate with plain or sparkling water, throw in some ice cubes and enjoy!!

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

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Video Recipe

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Pineapple Squash Recipe | How to make Pineapple Juice Concentrate

Pineapple squash is a pineapple drink concentrate made from fresh fruit. Water is added to the concentrate to make an instant juice when desired. Pineapple squash is vegan, gluten-free and fits a Jain diet.

Recipe Type:  Beverage
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     20 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Total time:     50 minutes
Yield:                500ml

Ingredients:

2 small Pineapples (600 gms), peeled and cubed
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
1 Tbsp Lime Juice

Method:

1. Add the peeled and cubed pineapple to a blender along with 0.25 cup of water and blend to a smooth puree.
2. Strain this puree using a fine mesh strainer and keep aside.
3. Heat the sugar and 0.5 cup water in a large sauce pan to make a simple sugar syrup. Simmer the sugar syrup until it has 1 string consistency.
4. Pour in the pureed pineapple and cook on low heat for 5-8 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
6. Add the lime juice and mix well.
7. Store in a clean glass or plastic bottle in the fridge.
8. To serve, fill 1/3rd of the glass with pineapple squash and add 2/3rd glass of cold water. Add ice cubes if desired.
9. Serve chilled.

Step by step photo instructions:

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