Tomato - Cucumber Aspic Salad

Ingredients:

• Tomato - 1
• Chopped cucumber – 1 Table spoon
• Agar agar powder – 1 g
• Kiwi fruit juice – 1 Table spoon
• Curry leaf - 1
• Whole cardamom - 4
• Red chili powder – ¼ Tea spoon
• Oil – 1 Table spoon
• Water – 130 ml
• Salt - pinch

 Method:

• Sauté chopped tomato in oil till it is mashed completely and allow this to cool.
• Puree sautéed tomato and keep aside.
• In a sauce pan, boil tomato puree with red chili powder, salt, curry leaf, whole cardamom and kiwi fruit juice.
• After 3-4 minutes, remove curry leaf and whole cardamom from the tomato puree.
• Mix agar agar powder with water and add to tomato puree mixture.
• Allow this final mixture to boil until agar agar melts.
• Pour this into a cup and keep at room temperature.
• When the mixture is about to set add chopped cucumber and pour this into a mould.
• Keep this in refrigerator for about 2 hours (don’t disturb while setting).
• Before serving, slightly loosen the outer edges by using a knife and turn the mould upside down in a serving dish.
• Enjoy this beautiful and colorful aspic salad with your family and friends.

Milagu Kuzhambu

 Ingredients:

• Black pepper – 1 Table spoon
• Onion - 1
• Garlic cloves – 15 nos
• Tomato – 1 large
• Cumin seeds – 1 Table spoon
• Fenugreek seeds – ¼ Tea spoon
• Tamarind paste – 1 Table spoon
• Curry leaves
• Oil – 1 Table spoon
• Mustard seeds - ¼ Tea spoon
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

 Method:

• Grind black pepper and cumin seeds together and keep it aside.
• Extract juice from tamarind.
• Chop onion, tomato and garlic cloves.
• Heat a table spoon of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop up add fenugreek seeds, onion, garlic cloves and a pinch of salt. Fry till onion is slightly brown.
• Add tomato and curry leaves, sauté till tomato is completely mashed.
• Add tamarind juice, turmeric powder, ground mixture and two cups of water.
• Adjust salt and cook them well.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• It goes very well with steamed hot rice.