Cream of Palak Panner

INGREDIENTS Spinach 2 large bunches Cottage cheese (paneer) 200 grams Green chillies 2-3 Garlic 8-10 cloves Oil 3 tablespoons Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon Salt to taste Lemon juice 1 tablespoon Fresh cream 4 tablespoons METHOD Remove stems, wash spinach thoroughly in running water. Blanch in salted boiling water for two minutes. Refresh in chilled water. Squeeze out excess water. Remove stems, wash and roughly chop green chillies. Grind spinach into a fine paste along with green chillies. Dice paneer into one inch by one inch by half inch pieces. Peel, wash and chop garlic. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour, add chopped garlic and saut for half a minute. Add the spinach puree and stir. Check seasoning. Add water if required. When the gravy comes to a boil, add the paneer and mix well. Stir in lemon juice. Finally add fresh cream. Serve hot.

Paneer Peshawari

Ingredients: cup Paneer cubes 2 Onions 1 finely chopped; 1 thinly sliced 3 Tomatoes 1 finely chopped; remaining thinly sliced 2 Bell peppers green, red, yellow thinly sliced 1 tsp Cumin seeds tbsp Cumin powder tbsp Corriander powder 1 tsp Garam Masala powder tsp Turmeric powder 2 tsps Ginger Garlic paste 1 tsp Kasthuri Methi leaves 3 tbsps Oil 2 tbsps Butter cup Fresh cream 3 tbsp Cashewnut paste Salt to taste Method: Water as required.Soak a handful of cashewnuts in warm water for a few hours. Grind to a fine paste and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and when it begins to splutter add the finely chopped onions. Fry till onions are soft and light brown. Add the chopped tomatoes, cumin powder, coriander powder,

garam masala and turmeric powder. Mix well and saut till oil floats on top around 8-10 minutes. The longer you fry the better the taste.Now add the sliced onions, tomatoes and bell peppers. Add about a cup of water and cook on medium. Let the veggies cook and come to a boil. Stir in the paneer cubes, cashew paste, cream and the kasthuri methi. Add salt to taste. Top with butter and serve hot with chapathis/ghee rice.

Chana-dal Dhokla with Tamarind chutney

Ingrediants: Bengal gram(Kadalaparippu) - 100 gm Black gram(Uzhunnuparippu) - 25 gm Rice - 50 gm Curd(Thayiru) - 100 gm Green chillies - 4 nos Ginger - 1" Salt - 1/2 tsp Soda - 1/2 tsp Oil - 3 tbsp Mustard seeds - tsp Curry leaves - 8-10 nos Coriander (finely chopped) for flavour Fresh coconut (grated) for flavour Method: 1)Soak both dals and the rice in water for 8 hours. 2)Strain through a strainer. 3)Add curd, 2 green chillies and ginger and grind it in a grinder. 4)Add salt, soda and 1 tbsp oil and beat it.

5)Transfer this mixture to a deep, greased plate. 6)Boil 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Place a stand about 2-3" high in the center of the cooker and keep the plate containing the mixture on the stand so that the plate does not dip in the water. Remove the whistle and put the lid on. Take out the plate after 20 minutes. 7)Take it out and cut it into the desired shapes. 8)Heat the rest of the oil in a pan or a kadai. 9)Add 2 green chillies, mustard seeds and curry leaves. 10)Next, add the dhokla pieces and fry them for two minutes. 11)Switch off the flame. 12) Sprinkle grated coconut and chopped coriander. Serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato sauce or coriander chutney.

Tamarind Chutney
Ingredients: 1/2 lb tamarind, seeded 2 1/2 cups sugar 2 cups boiling water 1 1/2 tablespoons roasted ground cumin seeds 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon black salt 1 teaspoon red chili powder 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder Method: Break the tamarind into small pieces and soak in hot boiling water for one hour.

Mash it into a pulp and strain pressing the tamarind into the strainer so that all the pulp comes out. Add sugar to the pulp mix well. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix again well and taste. Add more sugar, salt or pepper as needed. Chutney can be refrigerated for two to three months.

GREEN PEAS MASALA

Cook green peas n potato cubes wid addin water n salt n keep aside.In a pan heat 1tbsp oil,fry chopped onion till light brown,add chillie powder,lil turmeric powder..fry for a while.add finlly chopped tomatos.fry for 2 minutes.add cooked peas n water.Bring to boil.Garnish wid coriander leaves.goes well wid rice,bread or chapathi

Baby Corn Manchurian

Ingredients: 15-16 baby corn, each cut diagonally into two 1 1/2 tbsps maida/all-purpose flour 1 tbsp cornflour 1 tsp rice flour (optional) 1 tsp ginger-garlic-green chilli paste few tbsps water salt to taste

For sauce: 1/4 cup spring onions, finely chopped, 1 capsicum, finely sliced 1/2 tbsp finely minced garlic 1/2 tsp finely minced ginger 1-2 finely chopped green chillis 1/2 tsp red chilli pwd (preferably Kashmiri) 1 tsp soya sauce 1 tsp chilli sauce 1 1/2 tsps vinegar 2 tbsps tomato sauce 1/2 tsp brown sugar (optional) salt as required 1 1/2 tbsps sesame oil 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves Method: 1 Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel. In a bowl, combine maida, cornflour, rice flour, salt, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and water to make a thick paste. Dip the washed and drained baby corns into the batter such that its well coated. Place each piece that is well coated with the batter into the hot oil. Reduce flame and deep fry till the baby corn is almost cooked. Increase the flame towards the end of the cooking process and fry the baby corn till it turns golden brown. Remove onto absorbent paper and keep aside. Heat oil in a large wok and once the oil is piping hot, add the chopped garlic and stir fry for a few seconds. Add the green chillis and ginger and stir fry on high for a few seconds. 4 Add the whites of spring onions and stir fry on high for 3-4 mts, constantly tossing them. Add the sliced capsicum and stir fry for another 3 mts. They should retain their crunch. Reduce to medium heat and add the brown sugar, soya sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and vinegar. Combine well and cook for 2 mts. Add 3 tbsps of water and cook for 2 mts. Add the deep fried baby corn and combine. Toss on high flame for 1-2 mts. Turn off heat.

Kodubale
Ingredients: Rice Flour-2 cups Hurgadle pudi/chana dal powder-little less than 1/2cup Dry grated coconut powder- 1/2 cup Red chilli powder-2 tsp White sesame seeds- 1tsp Oil- 1/4 cup hot oil Salt- as required. Water for making dough Method: 1. Mix all dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add hot oil. 2. Mix oil and rest of the flour starting from the center and finally incorporating the whole flour. 3. Take a cup full of flour and little water to make a firm dough. Take a clean plate and add a drop of oil and rub the surface of the plate. Pull out little dough and roll it to make cigar sticks. Join the ends of the stick to make a circle. 4. Heat oil on medium flame. Deep fry all these circles/kodubales in hot oil till they turn golden brown.Drain on a paper towel. Enjoy them when they are at room temperature with your favorite hot drink.

Chakli
Ingredients 4 cups water 1 tsp chilli powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi) 1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) 1 tsp sesame seeds (til) salt to taste 1 tsp home made white butter For bhajani 4 cups rice (chawal) 2 cups chana dal (split Bengal gram) 1 cup moong dal (split green gram) 1/2 cup urad dal (split black lentils) 1 cup cumin seeds (jeera) Method To prepare the bhajani, roast the dals separately on a low flame. Mix the dals and coarsely grind them. Boil water and add red chilli powder, haldi, ajwain, til, salt and homemade butter. Take four cups of bhajani and mix it in water. Mix well and remove. put the mixture in a chakli maker. Shape the chaklis and deep-fry them on low flame till reddish brown. Remove and place on tissue to absorb excess oil. Break a piece of the chakli to check if it has cooked properly.

Khaman Dhokla (Dhokli)

INGREDIENTS Gram flour (besan), sieved-2 cups Yogurt, beaten-1 cup Salt-to taste Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon Green chilli-ginger paste-1 teaspoon Oil-2 tablespoons Lemon juice-1 tablespoon Soda bicarbonate-1 teaspoon Mustard seeds-1 teaspoon Fresh coriander leaves, chopped-2 tablespoons Coconut, scraped-1/2 cup METHOD Take gram flour in a bowl. Add yogurt and approximately one cup of warm water and mix. Avoid lumps. Add salt and mix again. Leave it aside to ferment for three to four hours. When gram flour mixture has fermented, add turmeric powder and green chilli-ginger paste. Mix Heat the steamer. Grease a thali. In a small bowl take lemon juice, soda bicarbonate, one teaspoon of oil and mix. Add it to the batter and whisk briskly. Pour batter into the greased thali and place it in the steamer. Cover with the lid and steam for ten minutes. When a little cool, cut into squares and keep in a serving bowl/plate. Heat remaining oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to crackle, remove and pour over the dhoklas. Serve, garnished with chopped coriander leaves and scraped coconut

Veg Ball Manchurian Gravy

Ingredients: 2 cups Grated Cabbage 2 cups Grated Carrots 1 Chopped Spring Onion 2 Chopped Green Chilies 3-4 Crushed Garlic Flakes 2 tbsp Corn Starch or Flour Oil for deep frying 1 tbsp Soya Sauce Salt to taste 1 tsp Pepper Powder 1 tsp Sugar A pinch of ajinomoto 2 tbsp oil Preparation of vegetarian manchurian : Mix grated cabbage and carrots and squeeze the water out from them. Now in a bowl take the squeezed cabbage and carrots and mix 1 tbsp. corn starch and add few chopped chilies and little salt to it. Make small balls (like koftas) of the mixture . Heat the oil in a kadhai / wok and deep fry the balls till golden brown, drain and keep aside. Now in a separate pan heat 2 tbsp oil. Saut garlic, green chilies and spring onions. Add water, salt, pepper powder, ajinomoto, sugar and soya sauce. Bring it to a boil. Mix 1 tbsp corn four with half of a cup of cold water and stir into it. Gently add the fried balls to the gravy. Cook the vegetable manchurian for 3-4 minutes and serve hot garnished with chopped coriander.

Cauliflower masala (sounga)

Ingredients 1 large cauliflower 1 tbsp poppy seeds 2 tbsp cashew nuts 2-3 tbsp ghee 2 large onions 4-5 cm ginger 6 flakes garlic 2 green chilies 2 tomatoes 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground red chili 1/2 tsp cumin powder 1/2 cup yogurt 1 tbsp coriander leaves salt to taste Preparation fill a pan half full with boiling water and salt, put in the cauliflower and boil gently for 4-5 minutes grind the poppy seeds and cashew to a fine paste with a little water grind ginger, garlic and green chili into a paste heat the oil in a thick-bottomed, deep frying pan, fry the onions on a medium flame till yellow lower flame, add ginger, garlic and chili paste and fry for a couple of minutes add tomatoes, turmeric, coriander powder, red chili and cumin, fry, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are mushy add yogurt and stir, then fry until the oil seperates add cauliflower, fry for a couple of minutes, moving the piece(s) around so that all sides are covered with masala remove from heat, add cashew paste and 1/2 cup of water close the pan with a lid, bring back to boil and cook for 5 minutes serve with coriander leaves

Gobi Chilli Gravy

Cauliflower florets 2 cups For Marination Plain flour (maida) 3 tbsp Cornflour 2tbsp Pepper powder 1/2 tsp Salt Oil 1 tsp Water Sesame seeds 1 tsp (optional) Onion 1 big, chopped Ginger 1 tbsp, chopped Garlic 1 1/2 tbsp, sliced Green chilly 1-2 Soya sauce 1 1/2 tbsp Tomato sauce 2 tbsp Red chilly sauce 1 1/2 tbsp Pepper powder 1 tsp Vinegar 1tsp Sugar 1 tsp Salt Oil Boil cauliflower florets in salted water for 3-5 minutes and drain the water completely. Make a thick batter with the marination ingredients. Dip the cauliflower florets in the batter & shallow fry it till the florets become golden brown. Keep it aside. In the same oil, add sesame seeds, ginger &garlic, green chilly & onion. Cook till the onion becomes soft. Add all the sauces, pepper powder, vinegar, sugar and salt. Mix well. Add the fried cauliflower & combine well. Make sure that the florets are well coated with the sauces. Garnish with spring onion, coriander leaves etc; Serve hot. Notes: You can use red chilly paste instead of red chilly sauce. To make red chilly paste, add 1 tsp of vinegar to 2 tsp Kashmiri chilly powder. Please note that if you are using red chilly paste, dont add vinegar separately.

Mushroom Masala
Ingredients: 2 onion (pyaj) cut 1/2 kg mushrooms (goochi) 1 tsp garlic paste salt (namak) to taste 1 tomato (tamatar) cut 1/2 tsp red chilli (lal mirch) powder 3 tblsp oil 1/2 tsp garam masala 1 tblsp fresh corriander, cut 1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi) powder How to make mushroom masala: Cut mushrooms in slices.Heat oil and fry onions until golden brown in colour.Add garlic paste and cut tomatoes.Put chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and salt.Saute for 3-4 minutes or until it starts leaving oil.Add mushrooms and mix well.Simmer and stir fry till mushrooms are tender.Add very little water, if necessary.Serve decorated with coriander.