Dal Fry

Ingredients

• Moong dal - 1 cup
• Onions - 2, chopped
• Tomatoes - 2, chopped
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - a large pinch
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Coriander leaves - few, chopped
• Oil - 1 tblsp
• Salt as per taste

Method

• -Heat oil in a pressure pan (or cooker).
• -Add the cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.
• -Add the ginger garlic paste and stir well.
• -Add the onions, tomatoes and -saute for 2 minutes.
• -Add red chilli powder, salt, cumin powder and turmeric powder.
• -Add the moong dal and add enough water.
• -Cover and pressure cook until 4 to 6 whistles or until dal is cooked.
• -Remove from flame.

Dal Bati Churma Recipe

Dal Baati (Hindi: दाल बाटी), popular dish comprising dal (lentils) and baati (hard wheat rolls),from Hadoti region in Rajasthan and Malwa region in Madhya Pradesh in India.

This almost staple dish from the cuisine of Rajasthan in western India, is simple and nutritious. It is even served on special occasions! The Baati are traditionally roasted in an open coal fire but you can also cook them under a grill or in your oven. They are then eaten dipped in the thick, soup-like Dal. The Dal is traditionally made with a number of different types of lentils but you can use as many as you have at the moment. The Baatis can be made ahead of time. Just remember to keep them warm though.

Ingredients

For Dal

1 cup chana dal

1 cup split moong dal

1 onion chopped

1 tomato chopped

4 green chillies chopped

5 curry leaves

4 dry red chillies

2 bay leaves

4 cloves

2 cinnamon stick

1 tbsp crushed garlic

1 tbsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp hing

1 tsp turmeric

3 tbsp ghee

Salt as per taste

Ingredients

For Baati

1 cup whole wheat flour

4 tbsp ghee

Water for kneading

Method

For Dal

Boil the chana dal and split green moong dal and keep it ready.

Heat ghee in a pan.

Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, garlic, dry red chillies green chillies and onions. Sautee till onions are translucent.

Now add tomatoes and all dry masalas. Let it cook for 15 mins.

Now add dal, salt and water. Let it cook for 15 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves.

For Baati

In a bowl, add the flour, salt, ghee and water.

Just mix it well. Don’t knead it like chapatti flour.

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees.

Bake in the oven for 30 mins or until it appears brown

How to eat?

Take bati in a bowl, crush it in bite size pieces. Add ghee, mix it with dal and enjoy:)

Simple Fruit Custard Recipe

Custard based dishes are easy to prepare and a very nice way to make kids consume fruits which are high in dietary fibre.

Ingredients for preparing Simple Fruit Custard

• Milk – 500 gm 
• Sugar – 100 gm
• Vanilla custard powder – 2 tbsp
• Apple – 1 (uncovered skin)
• Banana – 1 (uncovered skin)
• Pomegranate – 1 (beans)
• Chickoo – 2 (uncovered skin)
• Orange – 1 (uncovered skin)
• Grapes – 100 gm
• Mango – 1 (uncovered skin)

Procedure for preparing Simple Fruit Custard

Chop and slice all fruits according to your taste and liking, keep aside.

Dilute vanilla custard powder in ½ cup of milk to make a smooth paste.

Boil the remaining milk with sugar, stir continuously for 10 minutes.

Add diluted custard powder in to it and stir on low flame till it becomes thick.

Remove from heat and refrigerate it.

At the time of serving, pour all the sliced fruits, mix it well.

Serve chilled in a serving bowl.

Green Beans Recipe

Ingredients

1,3 lb (600 g) green beans

½ small onion

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp chili flakes

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp vinegar

½ tsp caster sugar

½ tsp tomato paste

1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil

Method

First make the XO sauce. In a small cup add the soy sauce, the oyster sauce, the fish sauce, the chili flakes, the caster sugar, the vinegar and the tomato paste.

Whisk all these ingredients into a smooth sauce and put it aside until needed later.

Rinse the green beans well and trim them.

Pour the vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok and place it over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the green beans in badges.

Fry the green beans for 3 to 4 minutes until they start to wrinkle. Remove the fried beans from the pan and let them drain on a piece of kitchen paper. Add a new badge of green beans to the oil until they are all fried.

n the meantime peel and chop the onion and garlic. Once all the green beans are fried, discard most of the hot oil but leave just a little splash of it in the pan. Turn the heat to medium. Now add the freshly chopped garlic and onion.

Cook over medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the fried green beans again. Stir fry the veg for a couple of seconds. Now pour in the homemade XO sauce mixture you put aside.

tir well to coat the beans evenly. Take the pan off the heat and transfer the spicy fried beans to a serving dish. Serve piping hot.

Vegetable Kebab

Ingredients

 medium bowl cabbage shredded

1 cup fresh paneer grated

1 cup cauliflower grated

2 potatoes boiled and mashed

3 green chillies chopped

1 cup carrot peeled and grated

1 inch ginger minced

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

2 tbsp unsalted and melted butter

Handful coriander leaves (rinsed and chopped)

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method

Combine the mashed potatoes and grated paneer in a big bowl.

Melt the butter in a non-stick pan.

Saute grated cauliflower and shredded cabbage for few minutes.

Add the mixture of potatoes and paneer.

Season with the salt and mix very well.

Now add finely chopped green chillies, ginger and carrot.

Saute on medium high flame for 3-4 minutes until it dries.

Add remaining spices along with chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

Stir in for 2 more minutes and remove the pan from the flame.

Set aside to cool.

When the mixture cool down, add little bit of oil and all-purpose flour in it.

Now take some oil in your hand palms and make small balls from the prepared mixture.

While making small balls, flatten and give a proper shape of kebab, you can add little amount of water, if needed.

Heat good amount of oil in a pan.

Drop few kebab’s at a time in hot oil and fry until turns to golden and crispy.

In the same way, make all the vegetable kebabs and drain on oil absorbent paper.

Serve them hot with green chutney and salad.

Kaju Barfi

Ingedients: 

Cashew Nuts (200 gms)

Khoya (300 gms)

Sugar (2 cups)

Milk (1 cup)

Cardamom Powder

Almonds /for garnishing

Method:

At first dry grind the cashew nuts.

Then grate the khoya.

Heat a heavy bottom pan, add milk and grated khoya at the same time.

Stir them well on a low heat.

Now add sugar, mix well and stir continuously .

When the sugar and khoya desolves into milk and makes a paste like consistency add powdered cashew nuts, cardamom powder and stir constantly.

After few minutes you can see the mixture leaving oil and does not sticking to the edges of the pan, your mixture is ready.

Now take a plate and put the mixture over it. Flatten the mixture with a spatula and even the edges.

Garnish with almonds and let it cool for 2 hours.

Now carefully cut them into square pieces and separate them.

Your Khoya Kaju Barfi is ready to serve.

Pumpkin Burfi

Ingedients: 

1 cup Red pumpkin boiled and smashed 

1/2 cup Vari tandul

1/2 cup Grated coconut

1/2 cup Sugar ( +/- as required by you)

1 cup Water

1 pinch Kesari colour

2 drops Vanilla essence

3 tbsp Ghee + little for geasing the plate

1/4 tsp Cardamom (elaichi) powder

2-3 pinch Nutmeg (jaifal) powder

1 tsp each Charoli and Charmagaz

1/2 Cashew (kaju) pieces for garnishing.

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a kadai, add the vari tandul and roast the same as you roast for the sheera.

2. When it changes the colour to brown slightly, add 1 cup of water. Cover and cook till the water is dried up in slow flame.

3. Add the sugar, boiled and smashed pumpkin, grated coconut,  and kesari colour. Keep stirring and cooking till it leaves the kadai.

4. Add elaichi powder, vanilla essence, charoli, charmagaz and mix well for another two minutes.

5. Transfer it into a greased plate. Allow it to cool. Cut into desired  shape. Garnish with cashewnuts and serve.

Variation: with mango pulp, apple pulp, papaya pulp.

Paratha Samosa ( Breakfast Recipe )

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour, maida)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter or ghee (if you follow vegan diet use oil)
• 1/3 cup water

Filling

• 3 medium potatoes, boiled peeled and cubed into very small pieces, this will make about 2 cups of cubed potatoes
• 1/4 cup green peas, I am using frozen peas thawed
• 1-1/2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhania)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 tablespoon green chili finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (hara dhania)
• Also need about 1/4 cup oil for cooking

Method

Dough

Mix flour, salt, and oil, add the water as needed to make firm and smooth dough. Knead the dough on a lightly oil surface for about one minute. Cover the dough and set aside for at least 10 minutes.

Filling

Heat the oil in a frying on medium heat. Oil should be moderately hot. Add cumin seeds, as cumin seeds crack add green chili and green peas stir-fry about a minute add the potatoes and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Stir in garam masala, mango powder, and cilantro. Add more pepper, salt or mango powder according to taste. Turn off the heat.

Let the filling cool to the room temperature. Lightly mash the filling.

Making Paratha Samosa

Divide the dough in four equal parts and form into balls. Roll dough ball into about 7” circle. Place about 1/2 cup of the filling in the center and spread it over leaving 1” dough circle all around. Pull the edges of the dough in the center cover the filling. This will make about 4” thick pattie. Repeat and fill all the balls.

Gently roll them in about 6” circle. If needed sprinkle little all-purpose flour to help it roll.

Heat heavy sauce flat pan over low medium heat. Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil to the pan depends on the size of the pan.

Place the rolled paratha on the pan. When the paratha start to change color from sides, flip it over. Parathe will be light brown.

Lightly press the paratha all around and flip. Shallow fry the paratha both sides until golden brown. You will have to flip the paratha 3 to 4 times.

Paratha Samosa is the best served hot and crispy.

If they are made in advance re-heat using a skillet or oven.

Enjoy with hari cilantro chutney.

Misal Pav (Breakfast Recipe)

Ingredients

2 Tbsp oil

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped tomato

3/4 cup grated coconut



To make gravy/sauce (Kat in Marathi)

3 Tbsp oil

Spice Paste (as above)

Salt to taste

1 tsp red chilly paste

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin-coriander powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon & clove powder

3 cups water (or as required to adjust the consistency)



To make usal:

3 Tbsp oil

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp ginger paste

1/2 tsp hing (asafoetida)

1 1/2 cups steamed matki (moth) soaked overnight

1 cup boiled potato (cut into square pieces)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp cinnamon-clove powder

1 lime juice

3 cups water (or as required)

Salt to taste



For Garnishing:

Chopped onion

Mix dry farsan

Chopped coriander

To serve with: Paav, slice of lemon


Method

To make paste : Heat oil in a pan.

Add ginger paste, garlic paste and chopped onion.

Saute till the onion is transculent.

Then add chopped tomatoes and grated coconut.

Mix well and saute it for few minutes.

Allow the mixture to cool.

Grind it into smooth paste.



To make gravy/sauce ('Kat' in Marathi): Heat oil in a pan.

Add the ready paste into oil and saute it for 2 minutes.

Then add salt, red chilly powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, cumin-coriander powder, clove-cinnamon powder and mix it.

Then add water in it.

Cook till the mixture starts leaving oil.

Transfer it in a bowl and keep it aside.


To make Usal: Heat oil in a pan.

Add ginger paste, garlic paste and asafoetida.

Saute it for a minute.

Then add soaked & boiled sprouts and potatoes. Mix it.

Then add salt, turmeric powder, garam masala, clove-cinnamon powder and lime juice.

Add water to it.

Cook it for 8-10 minutes.

Transfer it in a separate bowl.



To make Misal: Take a serving bowl.

First pour ready usal in the bowl.

Then pour the red gravy over it.

Thereafter, add finely chopped onion, farsan to the mixture.

Garnish it with chopped coriander. Serve it with pav and a slice of lemon

Soya Masti

 

Soya Masti


Preparation Time: 4-5 HOURS MARINATION TIME
Cooking Time: 30 MIN.


Ingredients

1 packet of soya chunks (nuggets)
2 1/2 cups curds (dahi)
9 cloves garlic (lehsun)
2 1/2 inch ginger (adrak)
1/2 bowl mint leaves (phudina)
3 to 4 green chillies
3 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp oil
3 tsp each coriander (dhania) powder and cumin seeds (jeera) powder
2 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 sliced onions
salt to taste
2 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Beat the curds in little water.grind garlic,ginger,pudina,green chillies,garam masala powder and salt to a fine paste.
Add this paste to the beaten curds and soak the entire soya chunks in this mixture.
Note that soya should not be washed or soaked in water before adding to the mixture of curds.keep this mixture aside for atleast 5 hours till the chunks soak the curds and the masalas.
After the marination is done, transfer the mixture to a closed container and take 4-5 whistles in the pressure cooker.
Now when ready to serve heat oil in a kadhai ,add the cut onion to it and stir it till golden brown.
Add the entire soya to this.
Do not throw the liquid from the soya container but empty it in the kadhai.
Let it cook for some time.
Now add the dry masalas like dhaniya jeera-powder,chilli powder and amchur powder.
Check the salt.
Check the consistancy of the liquid in the kadhai. if you prefer little thick gravy consistency,then trun off the gas or else keep stirring till the liquid has entirely dried up.
Turn off the gas and add lemon juice and garnish it with chopped onion and finely chopped fresh coriander.
Serve hot with masala rice and raita.