Perugu Thotakura

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped thotakura leaves and stalks, blanched for 5 mts, strained

Combine and keep aside:

1 cup thick yogurt combined with a cup of water

1 tsp green chilli-ginger paste

2 tbsp fresh coconut paste

1/4 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tbsp rice flour or besan/chickpea flour

salt to taste

For tempering/poppu/tadka:

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp split black gram dal

1-2 dried red chillis (tear into pieces)

1/4 tsp large pinch asafoetida

10-12 curry leaves

1 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add mustard seeds, let them pop, add the cumin seeds and split gram dal and let them slightly red. Add hing, red chillis and curry leaves, and saute for a few secs.
2 Add the thotakura and stir fry for 3 mts.
3 Add the yogurt mix and combine well. Keep stirring over medium flame till it comes to a boil. Reduce flame and cook for another 3 mts till the gravy thickens.
4 Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with white rice.

Blanching of amaranth leaves - Boil 2 cups water in a deep vessel. Add salt, pinch of turmeric pwd and chopped amaranth leaves and cook over medium flame for 5 mts. Strain and use left over water to prepare chapati dough and use the blanched leaves and stalks as called for in the recipe

Side Gravy for Biryani

Ingredients:

3-4 cloves

1 elachi

1″ cinnamon

2 onions, finely chopped or sliced

1 1/2 tsps ginger-green chilli-garlic paste

3-4 small tomatoes, quartered or make a + sign on each, leaving them whole

1 tsp red chilli pwd

1/4 tsp turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp coriander pwd

pinch of cumin pwd

large pinch garam masala pwd

salt to taste

few curry leaves

2-3 tbsps thick coconut milk

1 1/2 tbsps oil

chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Dry roast for 2 mts and grind to a paste:

1 tsp khus khus

3 tbsps grated fresh coconut

2-3 cashew nuts

1 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and saute for a few secs. Add onions and fry till transparent. Add ginger-green chilli-garlic paste and saute for 3 mts. Add curry leaves, red chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, coriander pwd, cumin pwd and combine. Add the quartered tomatoes and fry for 4-5 mts.
2 Add the ground paste and cook for 5 mts, stirring so that it does not stick to the vessel.
3 Add 2 cups of water and salt and bring to a boil. Cook with lid on simmer till the gravy thickens. Add thick coconut milk and combine. Turn off heat. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Turn off heat.
4 Serve with pulao, biryani, coconut rice or rotis.

Chakkara Pongal

Ingredients:
Rice (uncooked): 1 cup
Green gram split without skin (Moong dal): ¼ cup
Jaggery (Gud) or brown sugar: ½ cup
Chopped cashews: 1 teaspoon
Raisins (kishmish): 1 teaspoon
Cardamom (Elaichi) powder: a pinch
Chopped (or grated) coconut: 1 teaspoon
Ghee: 2 teaspoons

Method:

1.Cook rice and dal in a pressure cooker with 2½-3 cups of water. Keep ready before you proceed.
2.Fry the cashews and raisins in the ghee and set aside.
3.Heat half cup of water in a heavy-bottomed vessel large enough to hold the pongal. Crush the jaggery into pieces and add to the water to dissolve.
4.Once the jaggery is completely dissolved, turn off the heat and set aside to allow settling of any particles. After about 2-3 minutes, filter the solution to remove any foreign particles.
5.Rinse the vessel and pour the jaggery solution back to the vessel and place on heat to boil.
6.Once the jaggery solution boils, add the cooked rice/dal mixture to it. Mix well so that all the rice/dal is coated with jaggery. You may turn the heat off for a short while if you can’t manage mixing the pongal on heat.
7.Turn the heat to low and stir well till the pongal thickens well. This will take about 5 minutes.
8.Now, add the cashews and raisins with the ghee to the pongal. Also, add the coconut and cardamom powder. Mix all these things well into the pongal. The color of the pongal depends on the color of the jaggery. This one was light colored.
9.Heat for a minute or so and take off the heat. Pongal is ready to serve

Paala Undrallu

Ingredients:

1 cup rice flour

2 1/2 cups water

1 cup sugar (you can reduce the quantity)

1 cup grated coconut

1 cup milk

1/2 cup seasame seeds (dry roast for a mt and grind to a coarse pwd)

¼ tsp elachi pwd (cardamom)

1 Bring 2 cups of water to boil and add the rice flour and immediately cover it with a lid without stirring and reduce heat. Let it cook for 4-5 mts. Turn off heat and cool. Make small balls and keep aside.
2 In another vessel add the sugar and water and bring it boil. Reduce heat and add the grated coconut and stir for a few seconds. Add the rice flour balls and mix.
3 Add the milk and let the balls cook in this syrup for 3-4 mts. Now add the ground seasame seeds pwd and combine well. The consistency should be a slightly thick syrup. Turn off heat. Sprinkle ground elaichi pwd.

Kudumulu or Undrallu are savory rice balls made from rice ravva and bengal gram dal. Very simple to prepare and absolutely healthy as its steamed

Cabbage Pakodi

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups besan/gram dal flour/chick pea flour

1/2 cup rice flour

2-3 green chillis, finely chopped

1/4 tsp red chilli pwd

1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 large onion, sliced

2 cups finely sliced cabbage

1 tbsp hot oil

few sprigs curry leaves

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

1 Combine both the flours with salt, ginger garlic paste, red chilli pwd, green chillis, curry leaves, sliced onions and cabbage. Add oil and mix well with fingers.
2 Add few tablespoons of water and mix well that it forms a slightly hard batter. Don’t add too much water. The batter should just coat the cabbage strips and onion slices.
3 Heat enough oil in a deep frying vessel. Once the oil turns hot, reduce flame to medium. Use your fingers to drop the batter in the oil to form small fritters. Deep fry till they turn golden brown. Use a ladle to keep turning the fritters so that it cooks on all sides.
4 Once they turn golden brown, remove them on to absorbent paper. Store in air tight containers and serve as evening snacks over a hot cup of masala chai (spiced tea).

Vankaya Gasagasala Kura

Ingredients:

1/4 kg purple brinjals, wash and slice

1 1/2 tbsps oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp red chilli pwd

1 tsp coriander pwd

pinch of roasted methi/fenugreek/menthi pwd

pinch of roasted cumin pwd

3 tbsps khus khus/gasagasalu/poppy seeds, roasted and ground to a paste

1 1/2 tbsps jaggery or sugar (adjust)

very small lemon sized tamarind, extract pulp

salt to taste

1 Add a tbsp of oil in a cooking vessel, add the eggplant slices and roast them till brown on both sides. Remove and keep aside.
2 In the same vessel, add the remaining oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds and as they dance around, add the cumin seeds and allow to splutter. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2-3 mts.
3 Add salt to taste, red chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, coriander pwd, cumin pwd, roasted methi pwd and combine well. Add 1 3/4 cups of water and cook for 3-4 mts, till it comes to a boil. Add the roasted khus khus paste, tamarind extract and jaggery and cook on medium high flame for 3 mts.
4 Cover with lid and cook on medium low flame for 5 mts. Keep checking in between and stir fry to ensure it does not stick to the pan. Add the roasted brinjal slices and cook on low to medium flame for 15 mts or till the gravy turns thick. Turn off heat.
5 Serve with rice or roti.

Gongura Pulihora

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

2 cups raw rice (cook such that each grain is separate, spread to cool)

1/2 tsp turmeric/haldi/pasupu

15-20 fresh curry leaves

salt to taste

2 cups red sorrel leaves, washed

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp methi seeds/menthulu/fenugreek seeds

2-3 dry red chilies, tear and de-seed

For tempering/poppu/tadka:

1 tbsp channa dal (split bengal gram)

1 tbsp urad dal/minappapu/split black gram

1 tsp teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1-2 medium dry red chilli

3-4 green chillis slit length wise

1/4 tsp hing/asafoetida/inguva

2 fistfuls roasted peanuts

3 tbsps oil

1 Sprinkle turmeric pwd, salt, a tbsp of oil and few fresh curry leaves to the cooked and cooled rice and keep aside.
2 Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, methi seeds and dry red chillis and roast over slow flame till the methi turns red. Do not burn them nor under roast them. Remove from pan and cool.
3 In the same pan, add 3/4 tbsp of oil, add the red sorrel leaves and roast them on low flame till they wilt and lose their rawness. This should take about 7-8 mts. Remove from heat and cool.
4 Grind the roasted mustard seeds mixture to a coarse powder and then add the cooled red sorrel leaves and grind them together to a fine paste. Do not add water. Remove and keep aside.
5 Heat the remaining oil in a cooking vessel, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add dry red chillis, cumin seeds, channa dal, urad dal and fry for a minute till light brown. Next add the slit green chillis, asafoetida and few curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
6 Add this tempering along with red sorrel leaves to the cooled rice and combine well such that its spread all over the rice. Adjust salt. Finally sprinkle roasted peanuts and combine well. Let it sit for at least an hour for the flavors to set in. If you feel the rice needs more tart flavor, squeeze some lemon juice.
7 Serve with appadam/chips, majjiga mirapakaayalu (sun dried chillis) and yogurt. Makes for a complete meal.

Idlis with Pappula Podi

Ingredients:

6 left over idlis, crumbled

1 onion, finely chopped

big pinch turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp coriander pwd

salt to taste

1/2 tbsp oil

Grind to a coarse pwd:

1/2 tbsp grated coconut

1 tbsp roasted gram dal/putnala pappu/dalia

2 dry red chillis, tear and de-seed

For tempering/poppu/tadka:

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp urad dal/minappa pappu

pinch of asafoetida/hing/inguva

few curry leaves

1 Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add urad dal and let it turn red. Add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric pwd.
2 Add chopped onions and saute till they turn transparent. Add coriander pwd and combine. Add the ground roasted dal pwd and combine. Add the crumbled idlis and combine. Cook for a mt. Adjust salt, if required

Home Made Grape Wine

Ingredients

1. Seeded or Seedless Grapes – 2 lbs
2. Sugar – 4 lbs
3. Water – 4.5 liters (Boiled and Cooled or you can use distilled water)
4. Active Dry Yeast – 2 tsps
5. Luke Warm Water – 1/2 Cup (for dissolving the yeast)
6. Cinnamon Stick – 1
7. Cloves – 3
8. Sugar – 1/2 Cup (For Caramelizing)

Preparation Method

1. Clean the Ceramic/Glass Jar and allow it to sun dry before using it for making wine.
2. Boil water and allow it to cool completely.
3. Clean and wash the grapes well and remove the stalks.
4. Dissolve yeast in luke warm water and keep it aside for 10-15 minutes so that it rises.
5. Mash the grapes using a wooden spatula or crush the grapes with your hands. Add half the quantity of sugar (2 lbs) to the crushed grapes and mix well.
6. Transfer the crushed grapes and sugar mix to the ceramic/glass jar. Add yeast to the jar.
7. Add cinnamon and cloves. This will give the wine a very nice spicy aroma and flavor.
8. Add boiled and cooled water to the jar.Mix everything well. Keep the jar closed and airtight for 21 days.
9. Stir the mixture with a wooden spatula every day for 21 days. (Some people stir it every alternate day but I stirred it daily :-) )
10. After 21 days, strain the grape pulp mixture into another vessel using a muslin cloth or clean unbleached cotton cloth. Add the remaining 2 lb sugar and mix well. The Wine will be hazy at this stage.
11. Keep it for another 21 days so that the sediments settle down and the wine becomes clear. Strain the mixture again using a muslin cloth without disturbing the sediments. My wine had a light pink color because of the grapes I used.
12. Store the wine in clean dry glass bottles. While serving, pour it carefully without disturbing the sediments. The longer the wine is stored, the better the taste.
13. For coloring the wine, I caramelized sugar and added it to the wine and the wine had a rich golden color


Procedure for Caramelizing Sugar

1. Take a saucepan and add 1/2 cup sugar.
2. Place it on medium heat and keep on stirring continuously till the sugar melts and becomes a dark brown color. Keep scraping down the sides of the pan so that the sugar gets caramelized evenly.
3. Remove from fire and place the pan in ice cool water so the sugar doesn’t get burnt.
4. Add 4-5 tbsps of hot water to this sugar syrup and mix well. Cool and add the syrup to the wine and mix well.
5. The wine will attain a darker color now.
6. For cleaning the pan after use, add water to the pan and bring it to a boil and throw away the solution

Note

* if you live in a moderately hot place like Kerala, wine will ferment quickly and it will be ready in around 21 days.
* Some people add egg whites and wheat kernels for quicker fermentation

Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
Salad:

•0.5 lb boneless chicken cut into small slices.
•1/2 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
•1 medium sized red onion, chopped
•1/2 cup carrot, peeled & grated
•1/4 cup green bell pepper, thinly sliced
•1/4 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
•1/2 cup lettuce, chopped
•1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
•1 1/2 tbsp roasted peanuts, crushed
•1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
•1 tbsp roasted almond flakes
•Salt & black pepper as per taste
•Canola oil / sesame oil / peanut oil
Dressing:

•2 tbsp soy sauce
•2 tbsp olive oil / canola oil / sesame oil
•1 tbsp minced garlic
•2 tbsp rice vinegar
•1 tsp sugar
•1 tsp fresh grated ginger
•1 tsp crushed red chili pepper
Method:
First step is to cook chicken. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and spoon in 2 tbsp oil. When oil is hot, add chicken slices. Sprinkle some salt and black pepper on the chicken and mix it well. Then add little amount of water and cover the pan. After two minutes, stir the chicken and cover it again. cook the chicken thoroughly by stirring it often. once chicken is cooked, drain it and keep aside. Cooking chicken will take approx. 5-8 minutes.

Take a large salad bowl and drop vinegar into it. Add garlic and ginger to the vinegar and keep it for 5-10 minutes. Add rest of the dressing ingredients into vinegar and whisk together. Now add the chicken and all other salad ingredients to the dressing and mix them well.

Pineapple Chutney

Ingredients

•2 T canola oil
•1 T cumin seeds
•1 t black pepper corns, slightly crushed
•1/2 large onion, diced
•1 cm piece of ginger, peeled and minced
•1 jalapino pepper, diced with seeds (use more or less chili depending on your spice tolerance, or eliminate completely)
•1/2 pineapple cut into 1/2 inch chunks
•2 T dried raisins (optional)
•1/2 green apple, diced (optional)
•1/4 C brown sugar
•1/4 C apple cider vinegar
•Pinch of salt
Pour the canola oil into a sauce pan and heat over medium high. Once the oil shimmers, add the cumin seeds and black peppercorns and cook, swirling in the oil until the seed brown slightly and become fragrant.

Add the onion, ginger and chili pepper. Cook, stirring until the onion becomes translucent.

Add pineapple, raisins and apple (if using). Stir to coat and then add the sugar, vinegar and salt

Bring mixture up to a boil and then reduce heat. Allow the pineapple chutney to simmer for about 20 minutes, uncovered so that it can become thick.

Indian vegetable soup

Ingredients

•1 small potato that is peeled and diced small.
•1 small carrot that is peeled and diced into small pieces
•1 medium sized beet root that is also diced
•1 turnip that is peeled and diced small
•1 small onion which is chopped into fine pieces.
•Other vegetables that can be cut into small pieces can be added to the recipe.
•Some cumin
•4 cups of water.
•1 tablespoon of butter.
The recipe can be modified according to the needs of the child by reducing or adding vegetables and also using ground vegetables instead of diced vegetables. The butter is melted and heated in a pan and then the cumin seeds are added to it.

To the above, add the vegetables and then add the water. The vegetables should boil in the water and butter till it is very soft.

Egg Chicken

Ingredients for Egg Chicken Recipe

•½ kg chicken
•1 tsp pepper powder
•½ inch ginger- paste
•1 tsp turmeric powder
•2 tsp chili powder
•3 eggs
•1½ tsp salt- according to taste
•1 tsp coriander powder
•1 cup curd
•350 ml refined oil
Method for Egg Chicken Recipe

Cut the chicken into pieces and wash it well. Add the turmeric powder, pepper powder, chili powder, salt, curd, coriander powder, ginger paste to chicken. Mix it well. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan. Beat the eggs well using beater. Dip the chicken pieces into eggs and drop it in the oil. Fry it deeply in low steam till it turns brown. Serve it hot.

Methi Rice

Ingredients for Methi rice

•1 bunch methi leaves cleaned
•1 onion chopped fine
•1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
•1/2 cup thick coconut milk or coconut milk powder
•1 cardamom
•½ inch cinnamon
•2 cloves
•2 cups rice
•4 cups water
•3 green chillies slit
•2 tspn ghee
•2 tspn lime juice
•1 small tomato
•2 tspn chilli powder
•1 tspn coriander powder
•1 tspn garam masala powder
•½ tspn sugar
•Salt to taste
Preparation method for Methi rice

Wash the rice and soak for about 15 minutes. In the meanwhile clean the methi leaves ( remove from stem) and wash them and chop them coarsely. Make sure the leaves are washed in water atleast 3 or 4 times.

In a pressure pan, pour ghee. Add cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Once the cardamom splutters add onions and sauté until translucent. Add the methi leaves and fry for a minute on a low flame. Add ginger garlic paste and continue frying till the raw smell is gone. Add the chopped tomatoes, green chillies and fry them till tomatoes are done.

Next add all the dry spices and mix well. Fry till the ghee leaves the sides of the cooker. Add coconut milk in a thin stream and mix well. Add salt, sugar and stir well. Once the mixture starts boiling, add soaked rice, lemon juice and water. Mix well and pressure cook it for 3 whistles. Once done just mix the rice slightly with a spoon so that the rice gets coated properly with the masala.

Serve hot with curd or raitha.

Fish Tikka

Ingredients for Fish Tikka Recipe

•150gms salmon fish
•2 onions
•½ inch ginger
•½ tsp turmeric powder
•5-7 garlic cloves
•½ lemons
•½ tsp salt- according to taste
•¼ cup refined oil
Method for Fish Tikka Recipe

Cut the boneless fish into square pieces. Wash it well and make it dry for 5 minutes. Squeeze the lemon on the fish pieces and mix it well. Keep it aside for 3 minutes.

In the meantime, grind the onion, ginger and garlic into paste. Add salt and turmeric powder to the mixture and mix it well. Add the fish pieces and scramble the stuff to coat the pieces and keep it in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan and drop the fish pieces in it. Cook evenly on a low flame. Serve hot fish Tikka with tomato sauce.

A simple and delicious fish Tikka is ready!

Chicken Afgani

Ingredients:

•500 g Chicken breast( cut into quarters)
•3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
•1 teaspoons grated ginger
•1 big sized bay leaf
•3 tablespoons double cream
•1 cup yogurt
•1 and half teaspoons cardamom powder
•3 prepared cashew nut paste
•4 tablespoons vegetable oil
•Salt and freshly ground black pepper
•Chat masala and fried onions for garnishing
•Chopped Coriander leaves
Preparation time: 30 minutes.

Method:
Wash the chicken pieces properly and give several cuts with a sharp knife. The cuts are usually made on both the sides of the chicken piece so that all the spices and lemon juice can get into the flesh nicely.

Marinate the chicken in a bowl with some black pepper, lemon juice and salt and keep it in a tight container for refrigeration for whole night. Take out the marinated chicken few hours before cooking otherwise it may take more time for cooking it.
Heat the oil into the pan for 4 minutes.

Make sure it’s well heated now and then add the bay leaf. Fry for a minute. When we get a nice aroma out of the bay leaf add crushed garlic and fry till brown. The garlic should be well fried so that the pungency will disappear. Whip the yoghurt in a bowl and then add put into it. Fry it for few minutes till a smooth pasty appearance comes. Add cardamom powder, cashew nut paste, salt and cook for 10 – 15 minutes at low heat. Cover the lid of the pan. The chicken will release juice which is enough to make it tender and well cooked. Add the cream now. A creamy whitish appearance of chicken will occur due to the cashew nut paste, yoghurt and the cream.

Now add the freshly ground black paper into it and let it cook for 5 more minutes. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and fried onions.

The Chicken Afgani is ready to be served with zeera or plain rice.

Mughlai Chicken Parathas

Ingredients:

•500 gm minced chicken
•250 gm wheat flour
•6 green chillies
•4 tomatoes chopped
•10 chopped cloves garlic
•¼ Ginger chopped
•4 tablespoon butter
•1 teaspoon chilli powder
•4 teaspoon garam masala
•Salt to taste
•Chopped coriander leaves
•Oil for the parathas
Method:

First of all, heat butter fry garlic and ginger, put in minced chicken mix well. Stir in garam masala, salt and chilli powder. Add tomatoes and fry till tender, and the butter begins to separate, add onions, chillies and chopped coriander leaves and set aside to cool.

For stuffing in the parathas:

First take 250 gm of wheat flour, rub in some oil and 1/12 teaspoon salt and add some water to make a dough. Knead well till it is smooth and pliable. Roll it out into a long roll about 2 inches in diameter. Cut into pieces of equal size and flatten it. Fill in the chicken mixture, put another flattened piece on the first and weld the edges. Now flatten and roll out with a rolling pin into a round shape and twice as large as the cut out circles. Shallow fry on a griddlew on both sides till light brown in colour.

Masala Brinjal

Ingredients:

•4 medium sized brinjal
•2 medium sized, onion (finely chopped)
•1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
•1 cup chopped tomatoes
•1 teaspoon coriander powder
•1 teaspoon red chilly powder
•1 teaspoon turmeric powder
•1 teaspoon cumin seeds
•½ tablespoon garam masala powder
•Amchur powder/ dried mango powder or one can use the lime juice as its substitute.
•Fresh coriander leaves (chopped) for garnishing
•1-2 tablespoon butter or refined oil
•One cup water
•Salt to taste
Cooking time: 15 minutes.
Method:

Wash brinjals properly and cut them into square pieces. Take a frying pan and heat some butter or oil. When the oil is heated enough add cumin seeds. It will sputter and a nice flavor will come out. Now add chopped onions and sauté till it gets light pink. Add salt now. Add ginger garlic paste at this stage. Fry, till it turns slightly brown.

After few minutes, add the chopped tomatoes. Fry them and make it a thick gravy form. Add turmeric, coriander, red chilly, amchur or dried mango powder and garam masala powders (Add all the dry powders together) and cook till the masala mixes well and wait till it releases oil, otherwise a raw smell will come out. In Masala brinjal recipe all the spices should be well cooked. The tomatoes and red chilly powder actually add a lovely red color to this recipe.

Now, its time to put brinjal into the pan with all the fried masala and cover the pan. Cook it in low flame. Open the lid of the pan and check if the brinjals are well fried.

Then add little water and let it cook for couple of minutes. So it’s better if all the masala are fried first and then cook the brinjals as it takes less time to get softer and tender. Garnish the dish with chopped coriander leaves and long pieces of tomatoes. Masala brinjal is best served with Chapattis or Parathas.

Navratan Korma

Ingredients:

Variety of vegetables – Potatoes, carrots, green peas, bottle gourd, French beans, cauliflower, cluster beans
Cut Fruits (Pineapple, Grapes)

The above combination of vegetables and fruits are what we call the 9-gems.

•100 g paneer /cottage cheese (1″ cubes),
•2 medium-sized onions chopped and ground to a fine paste
•2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
•1 cup tomato puree
•1 teaspoon coriander powder
•1 teaspoon red chilly powder
•1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
•1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
•1/2 tablespoon garam masala powder
•1/4 cup – Dry fruits(cashew nuts, raisins)
•1 cup – Double Cream
•1 cup –Coconut Milk/water
•1 tbsp – Ghee
•6 tbsp – Vegetable oil
•Salt to taste
•Coriander leaves for decoration
Cooking time: 45 minutes.

Method

First boil all the vegetables in a pressure cooker till one whistle. Do not over boil them. Take 1 tbsp ghee and slightly fry the dry fruits for about 1 min on medium flame. Do the same for the paneer cube. Keep them aside for later on cooking.

In the same pan, add the remaining cooking oil and heat it well. Now add the onion paste and fry till slightly brown. Add ginger, garlic and fry for one minute. Add salt, and all the dry spices (including, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, gram masala, coriander, cumin, powder) and fry for 2-3 minutes. 1 cup of warm water may be added to this masala and mix well. Now, add tomato puree and fry for another few minutes till the oil separates well from the pan.

Add the coconut milk. Bring it to boil. Then keep it in medium flame and cook until the gravy turns thick and smooth. Now add paneer pieces to the gravy and stir well. Then add all the vegetables one by one to the gravy and cook for about 5 minutes.

Before turning off the heat, add the cream and decorate Navratan Korma with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with Naan bread or Pulao.

Chicken Bhajia

Ingredients:

For Marinade:

•1 lb skinless , boneless chicken cut into 1 inch cubes
•Salt as per taste
•2-3 jalapeno peppers, chopped finely
•1 large red onion, finely chopped
•2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
•1 cup Curd
•2 tsp Lemon juice
•1 tsp cumin seed, roasted
•1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
•1/4 tsp garam masala
•1/4 tsp turmeric powder
For Bhajia Batter:

•1 cup chickpea (gram) floor
•1 tbsp rice floor
•1/2 tsp caram seeds (Aajwayin)
•1/4 tsp baking powder
•1/4 tsp chopped green chillies
•1 tbsp chopped cilantro ( green coriander)
•Salt as per taste
•Oil for deep frying
•Water to make batter
Method:

Place peppers, curd, lemon juice, garam masala, cumin seeds, onion, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt into an electric blender and blend the spices together to make a thick paste. Next, marinate the chicken with the prepared paste and leave it inside the refrigerator for about an hour. Meanwhile, prepare bhajia batter.

Place all the ingredients needed for batter in a large mixing bowl and add enough water to make batter of dropping consistency. Beat well all the ingredients together.

Now, heat enough oil for frying pakodas in a deep pan or kadhai over medium heat. Dip chicken pieces one by one into the batter and leave into the frying pan slowly from the side. Cook bhajias over medium heat until turns golden brown.

Place the cooked bhajias on the tissue paper to absorb extra oil from them. Spicy chicken bhajia is ready to serve. serve it hot along with tea and green chutney, tomato catchup or chili sauce.

Choley Bhaturey

Ingredients

Choley

•2 cups Garbanzo beans / Chick peas
•½ tablespoon ginger paste
•½ tablespoon garlic paste
•1 tablespoon cumin seeds
•½ tablespoon turmeric powder
•1 tablespoon chilly powder
•2 tablespoon cilantro
•6-7 mint leaves
•2 bay leaves
•2-3 cloves
•1 tablespoon garam Masala
•1 medium-sized finely chopped onion
•1 big tomato
•1 and ½ cup water
•Salt to taste
•3 tablespoons of refined oil
Bhaturey

•2 cups all purpose flour (Maida)
•2 tablespoons yeast powder
•1 tablespoon sugar
•1 cup yogurt
•2 tablespoons vegetable Oil
•Salt to taste
Cooking time: 45 minutes.

Method

Making dough for bhaturey

First take yeast powder and sugar and soak in lukewarm water for 5-10 minutes. Take flour into a mixing bowl. Add salt and mix with the diluted yeast. Make soft dough like for chapattis. Keep aside for 4-5 hours till we make the choley recipe.

To prepare choley

Soak the Garbanzo beans/Chick peas in water for 7-8 hours till they become soft. We can soak over night also. Latter is more preferable. Now take 4 cups of water in a pressure cooker Add salt and baking soda( it will make the peas softer), close the lid of the cooker and wait for 3 whistles to come or cook for 5-7 minutes. Drain the stalk and keep it for further usage in this recipe.

Take 2 tablespoons of oil in a pressure cooker and heat it. Then add cumin seeds fry till they sputter. Add ginger garlic paste and make it dark brown. Add bay leaves, cloves and diced onions. Fry them till light brown. Now add the rest of spices (turmeric powder, red chilly powder, gram masala), tomatoes and salt including the pea stalk. Stir fry for 5-6 minutes till the spices get separated from oil.

A nice aroma will come out from the fried masala.Add the boiled chick peas or the Garbanzo beans into the spices mixture. Mix well so that the beans are coated with the spices. Our delicious choley is ready. Garnish with cilantro and mint leaves. We can sprinkle lime juice also to get a tangy taste. Now it’s the time to serve the choley with the bhaturey.

Take out the dough for making the poories.Make small balls and roll each balls into small tiny sized chappati.It needs to keep it thicker , that add taste to the bhaturey.Deep fry them in the sauce pan till both sides are golden brown.Choley baturey is always served hot.

Coconut Chicken

Ingredients:

•2 lb fresh skinless boneless chicken pieces cut into 8 equal sized chunks
•25 oz fresh or canned coconut milk
•1 tbsp ginger, finely grated
•1 tsp green chillies, finely sliced
•3 tbsp lime juice
•4-5 shredded lime leaves
•7-8 ground black peppers
•1 clove
•2-3 green cardamoms
•5-6 coriander (cilantro) roots
•4 tbsp chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves
•Salt as per taste
•1 tsp coconut oil
Method:

Beat all the raw spices (cilantro roots, cardamoms, clove, ginger, black peppers) together and set aside.Heat a deep pan over low-medium heat and place 1 tsp coconut oil into the pan, then add beaten spices mixture and stir for 2 minutes.Add green chillies, shredded lime leaves and coconut milk. Simmer the heat and let it cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring quite often, then add chicken pieces and allow it to cook until chicken turns tender and curry gets thicken (nearly 45-50 minutes).When chicken is done, mix lime juice and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes and turn off the heat.Spicy coconut chicken is ready to serve. Garnish it with chopped cilantro leaves before serving. It goes best with white basmati rice, Indian parathas or naan.

Kesar Ilaychi Basundi

Ingredients:

•2 lt milk
•1 cup of sugar
•3/4 tsp ground green cardamoms
•1/4 tsp Saffron leaves (Kesar)
•1/4 cup chopped almonds
•1/2 cup chopped cashew nuts
•1/4 cup chopped pistachios
Method:

Heat a deep pan over medium heat and add all the milk into it.

Bring milk to boil then simmer the heat and add saffron leaves, allow it it cook until quantity of milk reduces to half and some cream chunks starts forming. Add ground cardamoms and sugar and cook for few more minutes until it gets thickened.

Turn off the heat and let it cool. Add chopped nuts. Now, place the Basundi inside refrigerator until chilled beacuse Basundi tastes best when serve chilled.

Shahi Tukda Recipe

Ingredients:

•White bread slices
•Desi Ghee for frying
•1/4 tsp saffron leaves
•3-4 small cardamoms
•3 cups whole milk
•100 gms mava (khoya)
•1/2 cup chopped almonds and pistachios
•1/3 cup Sugar
Method:

First step is to remove the sides of the bread slices then cut the bread slices diagonally into two equal halves.Heat ghee in a deep frying pan over medium heat and deep fry the bread slices until turns golden brown from both the sides. Remove the bread slices and keep aside.Heat milk in a pan over medium heat and add ground cardamoms and sugar. Dip fried bread slices into milk and soak them for 25-30 seconds then take out the slices from the milk and set aside in a flat plate. Keep inside the refrigerator for an hour or two.Meanwhile, mash the mava, add remaining milk and cook it over low-medium heat until thickens and form thick milk cream (rabdi).When ready to serve, spread the fresh, hot cream (rabdi) over the chilled bread slices and garnish with saffron leaves, chopped almonds and pistachios.

Quick Chicken Masala

Ingredients
•1 lb fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts
•1 cup fresh curd (Indian style yogurt)
•1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
•1 tbsp lemon juice
•4-5 green chillies, chopped
•1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
•1/2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, cleaned and drained
•1/2 tsp cumin seeds
•Oil for frying
•Salt to taste
Method
Cut the chicken into 2 inch square cubes. Add ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and salt over the chicken pieces and mix it well. Heat some oil in a non stick frying pan, add cumin seeds and when seeds turn brown, add green chillies and saute. When done, add chicken pieces and roast them. Now, add yogurt and chopped cilantro leaves and let it cover with a lid and cook for around 20-25 minutes until chicken is done.sprinkle broken mint leaves over the chicken, stir it again. Masala Chicken is ready to serve. Serve it hot with naans, tandoori roties or parathas.

Gujarati Khaman Dhokla

Ingredients
•2 Cups of gram flour
•1 tsp of powdered sugar
•11/2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
•3 tbsp of curd (Indian Yogurt)
•4-5 green chillies
•1 tsp Mustard seeds
•1 tsp Sesame seeds
•Shredded coconut powder
•A pinch of baking soda (or Eno)
•A pinch of baking powder
•6-7 tbsp oil
•Fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped for garnishing
•Salt as per taste
•1/2 tsp Red chili powder

Method:

Place gram flour in a mixing bowl and add salt, sugar and oil into it. Mix all the ingredients together well then add red chili powder, lemon juice, curd and make paste by adding warm water.Add baking powder and baking soda to the mixture and again mix it well. Place the mixture in a suitable container then put it inside the pressure cooker and let it steam for about 15 minutes. When done take the container out from the cooker and let it cool.Meanwhile, heat oil in a nonstick pan and add mustard seeds, sesame seeds and green chilies into the oil. Stir for few seconds then spread over the prepared khaman for dhoklas.Cut the dhoklas into square pieces using a knife and sprinkle chopped cilantro leaves for garnishing. Shredded coconut could also be used for garnishing.Yummy Khaman Dhoklas are ready to serve, serve it warm or cool with hot Purina & green mango chutney.

Kalakand

Ingredients

•8 cups whole milk
•1/2 cup Sugar
•2 tablespoon chopped nuts to decorate (pista, almonds, cashew nuts )
•Silver foil (optional)
•1/2 tsp. Citric acid dissolved in 1/2 cup water or ½ cup lime juice
•Vanilla extract or saffron ( optional to add taste)
Cooking time: 20 minutes.

Method

Take a sauce pan and add 4 cups of milk (half the milk) and let it boil for 15 minutes till bubbles come. Now add citric acid solution or lime juice as it comes to boil.The milk will separate the cheese out of it. Switch off gas once the cheese settles down. Take it near the water basin and drain the milk water through muslin cloth by press out excess water. Take in a plate and press down gently by palm and keep it aside.

Do not knead. Take another sauce pan and put the remaining milk in a heavy pan and boil to and reduce the quantity to half (Or we can use the condensed milk directly for making kalakand or milk fudge).Add the cheese into oil boiled milk. Stir thoroughly to mix the cheese and the milk well till the mixture thickens. Stir continuously. Add the sugar, saffron or any other flavor (for the extra taste) to this recipe .

Continue to cook, stirring all the while till it softly thickens into a lump. Take greased trays, apply silver foil and sprinkle the chopped nuts. Set the kalakand or milk fudge in a tray. Cool it for couple of minutes. We can give square cuts to the milk fudge with a sharp knife. The tasty kalakand (milk fudge) is ready to eat now

Chilli Bites Recipe

Ingredients
•150 g Chickpea flour
•15 ml Cake flour
•1 Medium-sized potato, coarsely grated
•1 Medium-sized onion, grated
•10 ml Coarsely ground coriander seeds
•5 ml Coarsely ground cumin
•3 Green chillies (finely pounded)
•5 ml Fine salt
•5 ml Paprika
•5 ml Baking powder
•A handful fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped)
•25 ml Diced spring onions
•Oil for frying ( you can use Olive oil too)
Method
Sift all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Then add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl as well.
Mix in enough water to make a batter similar to the consistency of thick flapjack batter (sticky but not dry or runny).

Heat some oil in a large frying pan and then add spoonfuls of this mix to the oil.

Turn over when the fritters are golden brown. Once the other side is golden brown, remove the chilli bites and drain on
absorbent paper toweling. Serve with sliced cucumber and yoghurt on the side, and server while still hot.

Upma Kozhakkattai

Raw rice - 2 cups
Tuvar dal - 3 tblspn


*Wash and soak rice and tuvar dal in water for 30 minutes. The rice should not go very soft on soaking.
*Depending on the variety of the rice, the soaking time can be adjusted.Drain the water, leave the rice dal combo on a colander for sometime so that any water left will be completely drained.
*Spread on a dry kitchen towel. This will take some 15 mts. Don't dry under sun.
*Make a coarse powder in a mixer grinder. The texture of the flour should be like rava (sooji).

Prepration of the upma for the kozhukkattai.



Water - 2 cups for every cup of the flour
Salt
Grated coconut -1/2 cup (increase the qty if you wish)


Seasoning


Oil - 2 tblspn
mustard - 1/2 tspn
chanadal- 1/2 tspn
urad dal - 1/2 tspn
chopped green chilly - 4 nos
broken red chilly - 2 nos
curry leaves - few

Take a kadai. Do the seasoning as given.
Add water and salt. Wait till the water starts boiling.When water starts boiling, slowly add the rice flour with out forming lumps. Let it cook. When the water is completely absorbed, add grated coconut. cook for 2 minutes.
*Now upma consistency will be reached.Transfer to a plate. Let it cool.
*When it is warm enough to be held in hand, take the cooked dough and make balls to the size of tennis balls. Usuall the shape is not perfect rounds but more like the shape of an egg.It is always rolled with one hand.
*Place the balls on a idly steamer and steam cook for 10 minutes. Kozhukkatais will have a glossy appearance once it is cooked.
*Serve with coconut chutney or sambhar.

Kesari

Ingredients :

Fried Rava - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
Ghee - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Elaichi powder - 1/2 t.sp
Cashew/Kismis - 1 tb sp
yellow/red colour - 1 pinch

Boil water after adding color to it. Add the fired rava slowly to the boiling water. Keep mixing while adding rava to avoid forming lumps. When rava is cooked (ie, when the rava and water forms a solid proposition) add sugar to it with continuous stirring. You will see some rava lumps already. Don't panic. You can break them using the laddle by pressing on the lumps. Keep mixing. When it starts to solidify, add ghee little by little. Add elaichi powder. When the mixture does not stick to the sides of the pan, it is ready.
Take a small frypan. Add 1 teaspoon of ghee. Add cashew to it. When cashew starts browning, add kismis.
Add the fried cashew and kismis to the kesari and mix well.

Preparation time - 15 mts
Serves - 4