Chicken with Pickled Ash Gourd

Pickled ash gourd can be made by storing the pieces of ash gourd dipped in vinegar with few herbs of one's choice to make it flavourful as required for the recipe. Refrigerate it for a week or two. Chicken curry or chicken stew made with pickled ash gourd is a unique recipe that my mom has innovated. It gives a taste of pickle and the addition of chicken along with all the spices to it enhances the flavor of the curry to heaven! Here are two recipes of chicken made with pickled ash gourd.

  Ingredients:

• Ash gourd- 1kg (deseed it and cut into medium sized square shape)
• White vinegar- 2 tbsp
• Clove- 10 no. grounded
• Cinnamon- 4 inches grounded
• Cardamom- 7 no. crushed
• Bay leaf- 2
• Chicken- 1kg
• Refined oil- 7tbsp
• Chilli powder- 1 Tsp
• Meat masala- 2 tbsp
• Turmeric- 2 tsp
• Onion- 3 no. chopped
• Ginger- 1-inch paste
• Garlic- 10-12 cloves paste
• Sugar- 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

  Method for ash gourd pickle:

• Take a glass bowl, put the ash gourd pieces, vinegar, 1inch grounded cinnamon, 4 cardamoms crush, 3 cloves crush and half teaspoon of garlic ginger paste. Mix it well and store overnight.

  Chicken Stew with Pickled Ash Gourd

  Method:

• Take the chicken bones and put it into a pressure cooker, add a liter of water, bay leaves and salt.
• Close the lid and cook it till 6 to 7 whistles.
• Then add half of the stored ash gourd pickle to the chicken and close the lid to get two more whistles.
• Garnish with chilies and onion. Serve it hot.

 Chicken Curry with Pickled Ash Gourd

 Method:

• Take the boneless chicken (optional) and add sugar to it.
• Now heat refined oil in a pan and put the chicken into it.
• Add chopped onion and stir.
• Add ginger garlic paste, meat masala, chili powder, turmeric, and salt to it.
• When the chicken is half cooked then add the pickled ash gourd into it.
• Add water as required for the curry and cook till it is tender.
• Serve it with rice or paranthas.

Summer Salad Mix

     Summer season comes with a change in our taste buds too. Staying away from too much spicy food and switching to a cool and refreshing diet is what we opt for in this scorching heat. This Summer Salad Mix is simply great to soothe yourself in summer. Mom uses all the important ingredients in the salad to cool and refresh ourselves. At the same time, it's a healthy salad that one can have it all throughout the year. Here, I am sharing the healthy salad which you will love to have on your plate this Summer.

     

          Ingredients:

          

•  Green gram: 250 gm
•  Chilli: 2 no.
•  Tomato: 3 no.
•  Spinach: a handful
•  Curd: 8 tbsp
•  Cream: 2 tbsp
•  Cherry: 5- 6 no.
•  Raisin: 10- 12 no.
•  Cashew: 8- 10 no.
•  Sugar: 1tsp
•  Salt to taste

          Methods:

•   Soak the green gram overnight. Later on, wash and drain it to dry.
•   Finely chop chilies, tomatoes, and spinach.
•   Take a bowl, beat the curd and cream to smooth. Add sugar and pinch of salt to it.
•   Now, mix the finely chopped salad with the mixture.
•   Add cherries, raisins and cashew nuts.
•  The salad is ready. You can chill it in refrigerator
•  Garnish with spinach leaves and stay cool.