FLAX SEED ( ALSI ) KI BARFI

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup golden flax seed powder or meal
• 1/2 cup coarsely ground walnut
• 1/2 cup coarsely ground almonds
• 1/2 cup coarsely ground cashews
• 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom about 8 cardamoms
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water

Method

1. Grease the 8 inch plate and set aside.
2. Dry roast flex seed, over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add walnut, almond and cashew powder. Dry roast for about 2 minutes stirring continuously. Do not over roast the nuts, nuts will become oily.
3. Turn off the heat. Add cardamom mix it well and take out in a bowl. Set aside.
4. In same sauce pan boil the sugar and water together over medium heat. After syrup come to boil lower the heat to medium and let it boil for 1-2 minutes. To check the syrup put a drop over dry surface and check with finger syrup should be just sticky. On candy thermometer it should show 205 degree Ferranti.
5. Turn off the heat. Add the nuts mixture to the syrup. Mix it well and quickly spread over the greased plate by pressing from all sides to keep 1/4 inches in thickness and the edges clean.
6. Cool for a few minutes and cut them in about 1-1/2 inch square shape

PEANUT CHIKKI

Ingredients:

• 500 gms shelled, skinless peanuts
• 300 gms jaggery, cut into small pieces/ 300 gms soft brown sugar
• 4 tbsps ghee/ clarified butter (see recipe below)

Preparation:

• Heat a pan on a medium flame, and gently roast (stirring frequently) the peanuts till aromatic. Remove from heat and cool.
• Grease a large, flat plate with some ghee and keep aside.
• Put a deep, heavy-bottomed pan on the fire (medium heat) and add the jaggery/ brown sugar and ghee to it. Allow to melt and cook (stirring almost continuously) till it turns dark brown. Test for doneness now and often till ready. You will know it is ready when a drop of it put onto a clean surface, cools to harden to a brittle consistency.
• Turn off the heat and add the roasted peanuts. Fold in so the peanuts are fully coated. Immediately pour this mixture onto the previously greased plate and smooth with the back of the spoon to form a flat, 1/2" thick layer. Allow to cool then break into bite-sized pieces.
• Shengdana Chikki can be stored for a couple of days in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place.

KALAKAND MITHAI

Ingredients:

• 8 cups or 2 quart milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice (for making paneer)
• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds or pistachio for garnishing

Method:
Making Paneer:

1. Mix lemon juice in ¼ cup of hot water and put aside.
2. Boil the 4 cups of milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.
3. As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
4. Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.
5. Wrap the curds in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
6. To take out the excess water, squeeze the wrapped paneer. Do not knead the paneer.

GAJAR KA HALWA

Ingredients for carrot halva:

1 kg Carrots
1 litre Milk
1 teaspoon Cardamom seeds
3/4 cup Water
3 tablespoons Ghee
2 tablespoons Raisins
2 tablespoons Almonds
2 tablespoons Pistachios
450 grams Sugar 

 

 

Preparation of carrot halwa :

• Wash and grate the carrots. Soak the raisins in water for 30 minutes. Blanch and shred the nuts.
• Put the water to boil, when it starts boiling add the grated carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Add the milk. Cook on a low flame for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Add sugar, mix well and cook till the sugar has dissolved and all the milk has been absorbed.
• Add ghee and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the slightly crushed cardamoms and the raisins. Mix well.
• Remove the gajjar halwa from heat and arrange in a serving dish. Garnish with almonds and pistachios. Serve cold, hot or at room temperature.

Mutton Biryani

Ingredients

• For the rice:
  
  1 star anise
  
  500 gm basmati rice, washed & drained
  
  2 bay leaves
  
  2 black cardamom
  
  2 tsp black cumin seeds
  
  6 black peppercorn
  
  6 green cardamom
  
  2 cinnamon sticks
  
  6 cloves
  
  1 tsp fennel
  
  1/4th jaiphal
  
  1 javitri
  
  3 tsp salt
  
  
  For mutton marination:
  
  1 kg mutton, cut in 2 inches pieces, preferably front leg part and avoid shoulder cut
  
  1 Tbsp garam masala
  
  1 Tbsp garlic paste
  
  1 Tbsp ginger paste
  
  3 Tbsp raw papaya paste
  
  4 Tbsp hung curd
  
  Juice of 1 lemon
  
  1 Tbsp red chilli powder
  
  1 tsp salt
  
  
  Other ingredients:
  
  4 onions, thinly sliced
  
  2 tomatoes, chopped
  
  1/4 th cup milk, warm
  
  Ghee
  
  Saffron strands
  
  Oil
  
  Rose water
  
  Kewra essence
  
  4 green chillies

Method

Marinating the mutton:

To the mutton add the beaten curd, ginger-garlic paste, raw papaya paste, chilli powder, salt, lemon juice, garam masala.

Allow the mutton to marinate for 3 hours.


Making fried onions or Barista:

Slice 2 onions very thinly. Separate the slices.

In a pan or kadai add oil and fry the onion slices till nicely brown.

Take care not to burn them. Fry in small batches. Do not put all the slices at a time, that will lead to lumpy messy onions.

Make sure all the onion slices frying are dipped in oil, if needed add more oil. Keep stirring continuously but gently for an even brown color.

Take the fried onions out with a slotted spoon or ladle.

Keep them on a paper-towel lined plate. This crispy brown fried onion slices are called Barista.


Cooking the mutton:

Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan.

Add remaining sliced onions and green chillies. Cook, stirring continuously, till onions are light golden brown.

Add ginger paste and garlic paste and mix well.

Add marinated mutton and cook on high heat for seven to eight minutes.

Add coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder. Mix thoroughly.

Stir in three cups of water, bring it to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered till mutton is almost cooked.

Add tomatoes, salt, garam masala powder and fresh coriander leaves.

Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. The ghee would be separated from the spices and there should not be any watery gravy to the meat.


Preparing the rice:

Use only good quality long grain Basmati rice. Soak the rice for 20 minutes in water. Wash well till the water runs clear. Drain all the water.

In a small piece of cloth take cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, javitri, jaiphal, black peppercorn, shahi jeera, star anise and tie a knot to make a bag (potli).

Bring 750 ml water to boil, add rice, bay leaf, salt and potli, cover and cook till rice is done 1/3rd.

Drain the water & remove the whole masala potli.


Preparing the saffron-milk:
Take 1/4th cup warm milk in a cup and dissolve saffron strands in the milk.

Cover and wait for 20 minutes. Add rose water and kewra essence in the milk. Mix well and cover. Keep aside.


Layering the biryani:

Take a large heavy bottom pan with tight fitting lid.

Add 2tbsp ghee to the pan. Melt the ghee on low heat. Turn and rotate the pan carefully so the ghee can coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Switch off the heat.

Add a layer of cooked rice, then cooked meat pieces, sprinkle saffron water, add fried onion slices and ghee.

Again add a layer of rice, then meat...go on like this till you are done. Top and bottom layer will be of rice.

Cover with chopped pudina and coriander, fried onion and slit green chillies and juice of half a lemon.

Put the lid on. Seal the pan with flour dough or aluminium foil, then put the lid. Keep the heat to lowest. And cook the Biryani in this 'Dum' process for 40 minutes.

Make sure your pan is heavy-bottomed or the rice will burn. Or you can place a flat tawa then keep the pan on that tawa.

After 40 minutes switch off the heat and let the biryani stand for another 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve with raita and salad.

Laung Lata

Ingredients

For the outer covering:

4-5 cup flour

2 Tbsp oil

Water, to knead


For the stuffing:

300 gm khoya

2 Tbsp sugar

2-3 tsp cardamom powder

A handful of roasted chironji seeds

Cloves

For the sugar syrup:

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

Method

For the stuffing:

In a wok/ kadhai add the khoya and keep stirring it on medium-low heat till its completely cooked out. This takes about 20-25 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it cool.

Add cardamom powder, chironji seeds, sugar. Mix it well.

The stuffing is ready.


To make the outer covering:

Knead the dough with oil and water till soft and elastic.

Make flat round rotis with this dough.

Stuff it with about 1- 1/2 Tbsp stuffing.

Fold it from two sides. Bring the other to sides together, making a loop and seal it with a  clove.

Deep fry them on medium heat, till golden. Drain them and let them cool.

Once cool, immerse them in the sugar syrup.

Serve warm.


For the sugar syrup:
Boil together the water and sugar till the sugar completely dissolves.

Strawberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

• For a 750 gm cake
  
  250 gm strawberries
  
  200 gm glucose biscuits
  
  3 tbsp melted butter
  
  3/4 cup sugar
  
  1 cup hung curd
  
  1 cup cream
  
  1 tbsp gelatin
  
   4 tbsp water
  
  6-8 fresh strawberries - for garnishing

Method

Grind the biscuits and mix in the melted butter with it. Line the base of the serving dish evenly and smoothly with the biscuit mixture. Put in the freezer to set.

Puree the strawberries and sugar together in a mixie. Add the hung curd and cream, blend well to make a smooth mixture. Pour it into a bowl.

Add 4 tbsp of water in the gelatin. Then pour the gelatin slowly into the strawberry mixture. Keep stirring continuously.

Now pour the strawberry mixture onto the set biscuit base. Cover and put in the fridge to set overnight.

Garnish with sliced strawberries and serve cold.

 

 

Spicy chicken wings

Ingredients

• 8 chicken wings
  
  2 large garlic cloves-cut into slivers
  
  1 tsp chilli powder
  
  1 Tbsp olive oil
  
  1 Tbsp paprika
  
  1 tsp dried oregano
  
  Salt
  
  Freshly ground pepper
  
  Lemon wedges

Method

Make small but sharp cuts on the skin of each chicken wing and slide a sliver of garlic into it.

Brush the wings generously with olive oil. In a large bowl, stir the paprika, chilli powder and the oregano and season with plenty of salt and pepper.

Add the chicken wings and toss it together until lightly coated in the mixture.

Cook the chicken wings on a medium grill for about 15 minutes until they are cooked through, with a slightly blackened yet crispy skin.

Pack in a box with lemon wedges to squeeze over before serving.

Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
  
  1 Tbsp salt
  
  120 gm
  
  Oil
  
  2 tsp garlic paste
  
  1 cup spring onions - chopped fine
  
  3/4 cup cooked and finely chopped chicken
  
  2 Tbsp celery - finely chopped
  
  2 tsp soya sauce
  
  1 Tbsp vinegar
  
  1 tsp chilli sauce

Method

Boil the rice with 1 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp oil, till 'bite-like'.

Drain and rinse under cold water.

Leave in the colander and work 1 Tbsp oil into it.

Heat the rest of the oil and saute the garlic and onions, till onions are a light brown.

Add the chicken and stir-fry till well mixed.

Add the soya sauce, vinegar and chilli sauce, mix well and add the rice.

Stir till rice and chicken are well mixed and serve.

Vanilla Ice-cream

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups milk-full cream

1 Tbsp custard powder

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

1 3/4 cups cream

Method

Mix the custard and sugar in half a cup of the milk.

Heat the rest of the milk and when it comes to a boil, add the custard mixture, and bring to a boil again, stirring continuously.

When it boils, lower the heat and simmer for a half a minute, shut off the heat and leave to cool.

When it reaches room temperature, mix in the cream and vanilla essence and transfer on to a container with a tight lid.

Freeze till almost set take out and whip up in a blender and place back into the freezer in the same container.

The lid should always be tightly shut, as this avoids crystals from forming.

Blend once more when almost set and place back in the freezer.

You can adjust the cooling to normal about two hours after the last blending.

Serve garnished with the cherries or nuts.

Alternatively, freeze in an ice cream machine according to instructions.

Prawn Fry Recipe

Ingredients

• Prawns - 500 gms, cleaned and de-veined
• Onions - 2, finely sliced
• Garlic, - 3, finely minced
• Ginger green chili paste (1" ginger and 3 green chilies)
• Red chilli pwd - 1 1/2 tsps (adjust)
• Turmeric pwd - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander pwd - 1 tsp
• Saunf pwd - 1/2 tsp
• Kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Coconut - 2 tbsp (grated)
• Garam masala pwd (3 cloves, 1" cinnamon stick, 1 elaichi)
• Lemon juice OR curd/yogurt - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves - 15-20
• Cooking oil - 1 1//2 tbsps

Method

1. Marinate the prawns in ginger green chili paste, 3/4 tsp chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, lemon juice and salt for 10 mts.
2. Add 1/4 cup of water to the marinated prawns and bring to a boil, reduce to medium flame cook for 6-8 mts. Turn off heat and drain the excess water, if any.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add the finely minced garlic and saute for half a mt. Add sliced onions, kasuri methi and curry leaves and saute till the onions turn a light caramlized brown, approx 7-8 mts.
4. Add the cooked prawns,1/4 tsp chili pwd, saunf pwd, coriander pwd and garam masala pwd and stir fry for 3 mts. Add the grated coconut and saute for 3 mts. Adjust salt and turn off heat. Serve hot as a starter or as a stir fry with rice.

Lauki ke koftey

Ingredients

• 1 lbs of lauki
• 4 tbsp besan
• 2 small onions
• 2 small tomato
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp red mirchi powder
• 4 tsp dhaniya powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 5 pieces of cardamom
• 2 peces each of badam and kaju
• 2 tsp of malai
• 2 pieces of laung
• small piece of dalchini
• 5 green chillies

Directions

Kofta balls:

1. Grate the lauki either in a foo processor or on a kadookas
2. Add besan in the grated lauki, mix it well with hands preferably
3. Take 1 tbsp oil in a ladai and add the besan laki paste to it
4. Mix the paste well in the kadai till it becomes dry, it should be good to make kofta balls from, like a dough.
5. Add salt, mirchi, dhaniya powder, ginger garlic paste to the dough and mix it again.
6. Now take out the dough and spread it on a plate
7. Make small kofta balls from the dough as soon as it cools down a little.
8. Keep these balls aside

gravy:

1. Grind the onion into a paste
2. Grind the tomato, cardomam, dalchini, laung(cloves), kaju, badam & malai  all together in the grinder and keep it separate.
3. Take 2 tbsp of oil and add green chili cut into small pieces to it
4. add the onion paste to it
5. add the tomato paste to the onion once it turns golden brown
6. add mirchi powder, dhaniya, garam masala and namak to it.
7. Fry the masala till the paste leaves oil and we know that its cooked well.
8. Add a tsp of malai after the gravy is prepared.
9. Keep the koftas separate and add as many as required to the gravy at the time of serving, boil it after adding the koftas.
10. Garnish it with some green dhaniya and serve it hot.

lauki ke kofte

Ingedients for kofta:
2 cups grated bottle gourd or 1 medium size lauki
1/2 cup of gram flour (besan)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp ginger (grated finely)
1/2 tsp carom seed (ajwain)
2 cups of oil (for frying the koftas)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Curry:
2 medium onion paste
2 medium size tomatoes, pureed
2 tsp ginger- garlic paste
1 tsp jeera (cumin)
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp dhania powder
1 tsp gaaram masala powder
1/4 tsp sugar
salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
2 tblsp oil
Finely chopped corainder for garnish

How to make lauki kofta curry:

• Method for making Kofta - Peel the bottle gourd and grate the lauki finely.
• Grated lauki has lots of water, take some lauki at a time and press gently between palms to squeeze the water out.
• Place the squeezed lauki in the bowl, add gram flour, chili, ginger salt, red chili powder and ajwain.
• Before starting making the koftas heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
• While oil is heating up, oil your palms and take a little portion of the dough at a time and roll into small ball. Make 15-16 balls out of it. Place them on the plate.
• Now gently drop 7-8 balls in the hot oil, do not touch the balls, let them fry for 2 minute once the bottom of the balls looks light brown, turn them around. With the spatula flip balls around until they become golden brown.
• Balls should be fried on low heat so that inside of the balls are cooked properly.
• Once the balls become golden brown take them off the oil and place them over a paper napkin so that extra oil could be absorbed. Repeat the process until all the balls are fried.
• Method for making curry - Heat oil in a kadhai, add cumin seeds, when they begin to crackle, add onion paste and let it cook till it becomes pinkish. Then ginger garlic paste. Saute for sometime then add tomato puree. Stir well and let it cook till oil separates.
• Add all the dry masala - red chilly, turmeric, garam masala, corainder powder, sugar, salt and then add 1/2 cup of water. Bring to boil and then reduce heat. Let it simmer for 2 minutes then add fried koftas.
• Cover the kadai and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove from the dish and garnish with green coriander and serve hot with roti, naan or rice.
• You can increase the consistency as per your choice. But enesure that the gravy does not become too watery.

Idli

Ingredients:

2 cups Rice
1 cup Urad Daal (white)
1 1/2 tblsp Salt
A pinch of Baking Soda
Oil for greasing

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to make idli :

• Pick, wash and soak the daal overnight or for 8 hours.
• Pick, wash and drain the rice. Grind it coarsely in a blender.
• Grind the daal into a smooth and forthy paste.
• Now mix the grinded rice and daal together into a batter.
• Mix salt and set aside in a warm place for 8-9 hours or overnight for fermenting.
• Idlis are ready to be cooked when the batter is well fermented.
• Grease the idle holder or pan well and fill each of thm with 3/4th full of batter.
• Steam cook idlis on medium flame for about 10 minutes or until done.
• Use a butter knife to remove the idlis.
• Serve them with sambhar or chutney.

Sambhar

Ingredients:
Small Onions - 1 cup, peeled
Red Gram Dal - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - 1 medium lime sized
Tomatoes - 2
Green Chillies - 2
Salt as per taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Dhania - 2 1/2 tsp
Black Gram Dal - 1 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Bengal Gram Dal - 2 tsp
Red Chillies - 8
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Roasted Gram - 1 tblsp
Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup






 

Method:
1. Heat a tsp of oil and fry the dhania, black gram dal, cumin seeds, bengal gram dal, red chillies and fenugreek seeds till golden.
2. Fry one onion and 1 tomato with little oil separately.
3. Grind everything with 1/4 cup of grated fresh coconut and 1 tblsp of roasted gram
4. Heat oil in a shallow pan and fry the small onions for a minute or two.
5. Add enough water and boil till soft.
6. Cook red gram dal in pressure cooker and mash well.
7. Soak the tamarind and extract.
8. Mix the onions, mashed dal, tamarind extract, ground paste with salt, slit green chillies, tomatoes.
9. Boil with enough water.
10. When the sambar is thick remove from fire.
11. Heat one tsp of oil and add mustard seeds to splutter.
12. Pour over sambar with little asafoetida powder.
13. Garnish with coriander leaves.
14. Serve with idli or dosai.

Wheat Ladoo

Ingredients:
1 cup Wheat Flour
1/4 cup Gram Flour
11/2 cup Sugar Powder
1/4 cup Grated Coconut
1/4 cup Dry Fruit almonds, raisins, kaju etc
1 cup Ghee





 

Preparation:
1. Heat the ghee.
2. Put both the flours in the heated ghee.
3. When nearly roasted put coconut and sliced dry fruit in the mixture.
4. Now put the ground sugar in the mixture and stir thoroughly.
5. Take off from the heat quickly and make laddus. You may also put the mixture in an oil based thali & make small pieces.

Besan ki barfi

Ingredients :
Besan 1 kg
Sugar 1 kg
Water 1/2 liter
Ghee 1 kg
For garnishing: Pistas, Almonds

 



Preparation :
1. Fry besan in ghee on low flame for about 30 mins till it becomes pink and ghee separates.
2. Mix sugar and water into a syrup.
3. Add this syrup to the besan and mix well.
4. Pour this mixture into a greased tray.
5. When it cools cut into cubes and garnish with pistas and almonds.

Mushroom in onion gravy

Ingredients :
200 gm Mushrooms
3 Onions
2 Tomatoes, finely chopped or pureed
3 Green chillies, finely chopped
Coriander leaves
Salt as per taste
Red chili powder as per taste
A pinch of garam masala powder
A pinch of cardamom powder
Oil






 

Preparation :
1. Slice mushrooms, boil them and keep aside.
2. Make a paste of the onions.
3. Heat oil in a wok and add the onion paste; cook till the paste turns golden brown.
4. Add the tomatoes, green chilies, salt and red chilli powder.
5. Cook the tomatoes till the gravy leaves the sides of the wok.
6. Add water if required.
7. Add the mushrooms and cook for a while.
8. Season with garam masala powder, cardamom powder and coriander leaves.

Maalpua

Ingredients:
1/2 kg maida.
750 gm sugar.
1/2 ltr.milk.
1 cup grated coconut.
6 bananas.
25gm dry fruits.
5-6 ilaichi.
1 ltr. Refined oil.








 

Process
1 Boil the milk and stir it till it becomes thick. Then cool it.
2 In the milk add maida, sugar, dryfruits , coconut and ilaichi powder .Stir it till it becomes a paste.
3 Make banana paste and add it into the maida paste.
4 Hot oil in a pan. Make round shaped balls of the paste.
5 F ry these till they turn red.

Namak paarey

Ingredients:
3 cups of Maida (all purpose flour)
1 Tbsp of Ghee (clarified butter)
3-4 tsp of Ajwain
3/4 Cup+ 1 Tbsp of Water
Salt to taste
Oil to fry.

Method :
 
1. Sieve the maida and add salt and ajwain to it and mix well.
2. Now add the ghee and try to spread it all through the maida.
3. Add water to the maida 1/4 cup at a time and make it into a tight dough. I tried to capture the exact amount of water that gave me a tough dough.
4. Now make small balls of maida dough around 1" in diameter and roll it like a roti/chappati in shape but thicker in width.
5. Cut it diagonally once from N-W to S-E and then once from N-E to S-W to get rhombus shaped pieces. The pieces can be around 1/2 " to 3/4 ". Try to use a jagged end sharp knife since its easier with it.
6. Using the knife Scrap the pieces off the rolling board on to a plate. Repeat the process with the entire dough.
7. Heat oil in a wok and fry the Namak Paare on high flame till they are golden brown. The oil should be so hot that the Namak paare should kind of boil in it. Remove it from the oil onto a tissue paper to absorb the extra oil.
Namak paare are ready!