Urad pakodi ki sabzi

A special dish for rainy season.

 Ingredients

For the pakodas:

• 250 grams urad (white) dal (soaked overnight)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric  powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin  powder
• 1/2 tsp cream (optional)
• Salt to taste
•  oil  to fry the pakodas

For the saag:

• 1/2 tsp cumin or jeera seeds
• 2 large onions (peeled and sliced)
• 1 large tomato (diced)
• 4 green chillies (diced)
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 1 cup water

Method:

1. In a bowl, mash the soaked urad dal into a fine paste, and add the salt, turmeric, garam masala, jeera powder, red chilly powder and cream to it, mixing well.
2. Pour an adequate amount of cooking oil into a pan, and allow it to heat on a medium flame.
3. In the meantime, roll the urad dal mixture into small balls using your hands — one spoonful of the mixture should be enough for one ball. When the oil is hot enough, deep-fry these balls in the saucepan till they are golden-brown, then drain out the oil. Your pakodas are now ready.
4. In another pan heat the two teaspoons of cooking oil. Add the jeera seeds, and then the chopped onion. Fry the onion till golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry a little longer. Then add the chopped tomato.
5. Add in the green chillies and the fried pakodas. Stir very well, mashing the pakodas a bit, so the mixture has an even consistency. Add about one cup of water to the gravy; if you want the gravy to have a thinner consistency, add some more.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil, allowing it to simmer for 10 minutes. Then serve piping hot, along with rice or chapattis.

Cold Cucumber Soup

A tangy blend of cucumber and Curd

Ingredients

• 500 gms fresh cucumber
• 500 ml. fresh curd
• 1 .cup skim milk
• 1 tbsp. chopped capsicum
• 1 tbsp. butter
• Salt according to taste
• Few mint leaves for topping

Method

1. Chop one cucumber finely. Cut the remaining cucumbers into big pieces.
2. Add 3 cups of water to the big cucumber pieces and cook until soft.
3. When soft, blend in a mixer and Cool.
4. Add the curd, milk and salt and beat well.
5. Heat the butter and cook the finely chopped cucumber and the capsicum for 1/ 2 minute. Add to the soup. Chill.
6. Pour the soup into big individual bowls and add 1 to 2 ice cubes.
7. Top with chopped mint leaves and serve.

Mathis

A famous Diwlai snack

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain flour (maida)
• 1 tbsp. Ghee
• 1/4 tsp. ajwain (Oregano seeds) seeds
• Salt according to taste
• Warm water to make dough
• ghee (clarified butter) for deep frying

Serve with

Serve with Pickle.

Method

1. Blend together maida (all purpose flour, plain flour) and salt, rub in the Ghee(clarified butter) and then add enough water to make a smooth pliable dough.
2. Make small thin rounds out of all the dough. Prick them on both sides with a fork. Allow to dry a bit for 20-30 minutes.
3. Now heat oil/Ghee(clarified butter) in a pan and deep fry a few at a time to a pale gold color.
4. Drain thoroughly and cool and store in air-tight containers.

Crispy Vegetables

Fresh mixed vegetables cooked in mild seasonings

Ingredients

• 400 grams fresh vegetables (capsicum, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc)
• Oil for deep frying
• 1 cup plain flour (maida)
• 1/2 cup cornflour
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• Salt according to taste

Advice

        Use the fresh vegetables for best results.

Method

1. For the batter – Mix the flour, cornflour, pepper, sesame seeds and salts with enough water to make a thick batter coating vegetables
2. Dip the vegetables in the batter and deep fry till golden brown.
3. Drain and serve with chutneys and dips.

Mango Souffle

A souffle made of mango

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. gelatin soaked in 1/4th cup of water
• 3/4 cup cream
• 1/2 cup mango puree
• 1/2 cup mango slices, cut into small pieces

Method

1. Separate egg yolks and whites.
2. Add mango puree and sugar to the yolk and cook over a pan of hot water till the sugar dissolves.
3. Dissolve soaked gelatin in hot water and add to the yolk mixture and cool.
4. Beat the cream and add to this mixture. Also add the mango slices.
5. Beat egg whites stiff and fold into the souffl� mixture.
6. Set in freezer for at least 2 hours. Decorate with cream and mango slices

Khoya Mutter

A rich vegetable containing khoya and green peas

Ingredients

• 2 cups green peas, boiled
• 100 grams khoya
• 1 large finely chopped tomato
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 2 cloves
• 2 green chilies (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tbsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. dry ginger powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala
• 1/2 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
• 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tbsp. ghee (clarified butter)

For the garnish:
      Chopped coriander

Method

1. Heat the Ghee(clarified butter) in a tava (griddle). Add the asafetida, cloves and khoya and fry on a slow flame till the khoya becomes reddish brown.
2. Add the peas, the green chilies, the remaining spices, 1/2 cup of water and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the chopped tomato and cook again for 2 minutes.
4. Garnish with coriander. Serve hot.

Chicken Liver Masala

Curried liver prepared by diced potatoes and frozen green peas.

Ingredients

• 450 gms chicken liver
• 4 tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 stick cinnamon, broken into pieces
• 225 gms potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• 90 ml warm water
• 4 garlic pods, crushed
• 3 tomatoes
• 100 gms frozen green peas
• 3 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder

Mix to a paste with two tsp. (10 ml) water:

• 2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder

Serve with

    Serve with plain fried rice or chapatis or rotis.

Method

1. Clean the liver, and cut roughly into small pieces.
2. Heat two tbsp. oil over medium heat and fry the onions and cinnamon until the onions are soft.
3. Add the potatoes to it and 1/4 tsp. salt and stir-fry the potatoes for about two minutes. Add the water.
4. Cover the pan and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
5. Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in another wide pan. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
6. Add the spice paste, lower the heat and stir-fry for about two minutes.
7. Add half of the tomatoes, stir and cook for a further two to three minutes.
8. When the mixture is fairly dry, add the liver and stir-fry the liver for 5 minutes.
9. Add the remaining tomatoes and stir-fry for five to six minutes.
10. Cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes mixture, green peas, green chilies and the remaining salt and cook for a minute or two.
11. Adjust the heat and cook, uncovered, for further five minutes.
12 .Stir in the garam masala powder and remove from heat.

Shahi Tukda

French toast served with rabri

Ingredients

• 2 bread slices
• Oil for frying
• 300 ml sugar syrup
• 150 ml rabri
• 50 gms mixed chopped dry fruits

For the garnishing:

• A handful of chopped nuts

Method

1. Cut each bread slice in a circle .
2. Heat oil and deep fry the bread pieces in hot oil till golden brown.
3. Sprinkle a little sugar syrup over the bread pieces.
4. Arrange the bread pieces on a plate.
5. Coat them with rabri (see recipe of rabri under desserts).
6. Decorate with chopped nuts on top before serving.

Medu Vada

Doughnut shaped savouries of blackgram

Ingredients

• 1 cup urad (moong dal washed) dal
• 1 tsp. Crushed black peppercorn
• 1/4 cup Asafetida
• 1 tsp. Cumin seeds
• A handful of chopped coriander leaves
• Oil for deep frying
• Salt according to taste

Serve with

Serve hot with Sambar and Coconut chutney.

Method

1. Wash and soak urad dal for 6 hours.
2. Grind into a fine paste and add salt, asafetida, coriander leaves, cumin seeds and crushed peppercorns to the batter and mix well.
3. Heat oil in a Kadhai.
4. Wet your palms and take batter into the palms. Shape into a ball and make a hole in the center like a doughnut. This is now called a vada.
5. Deep fry the vadas in medium hot oil until golden brown and crisp.

Pearl Pullav

A nourishing rice with chick peas

Ingredients

For Rice:

• 1 1/2 cups soaked and drained Basmati rice
• 2 cardamoms
• 2 cloves
• 1 cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 1/2 tsp. salt

For gravy:

• 1 cup overnight soaked chick peas (Kabuli chana)
• 1 tsp. ginger paste
• 1 tsp. garlic paste
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 cup fresh curds
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 2 chopped potatoes
• 3 chopped green chilies
• 3 tbsp. ghee ( Clarified butter)/ oil
• salt according to taste

For baking:

• 2 tbsp. chopped coriander
• 1 tbsp. chopped mint
• 1 chopped green chili
• 2 tbsp. fried onions
• 1/4 cup milk with a dash of saffron

Method

For Rice:

1. Mix the water and milk together.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the drained rice along with the water-milk mixture and cook until almost done.

For gravy:

1. Boil the chick peas with a little water and drain.
2. Heat the Oil/Ghee(clarified butter) in a pan , add the ginger -garlic pastes and cook for a while. Now add the chili powder and the turmeric and cook for a minute.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, salt & chick peas and stir for a while.

How to proceed:

1. To the cooked rice, add the coriander, mint, green chilies and fried onions.
2. Put a bottom layer of rice in a big bowl and spread a layer of chick pea gravy on the top. Keep on making alternative layers of rice and gravy in this manner.
3. Finally, sprinkle the saffron milk on top, cover and bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C (400 degree F) for 30 minutes.
4. When baked, turn upside down in a serving dish and serve hot.