Basic Malai Korma

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Ingredients
2 cups malai (thick top cream of milk)
2 onions finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
10 flakes garlic
1" piece ginger peeled
5 green chillies
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
10-12 cashewnuts
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
salt to taste
3 tsp. ghee

Method:


Make a smooth paste of ginger garlic.
Break cashewnuts into small bits.
Heat ghee, fry cashewbits, drain, keep aside.
To same hot ghee, add chopped onions, fry for 2 minutes.
Add ground paste, salt, green chillies, turmeric powder.
Add tomatoes, cook till oil seperates from gravy.
Add cream, stir and cook.
Simmer for 2 minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander and fried cashewbits.
Serve hot with roti or naan.
Making time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Shelflife: Best fresh

Dahi Kadhi With Pakodis

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Ingredients
2 cup beaten slightly sour curds
2 tbsp. gramflour
1 tbsp. dessicated grated coconut
1 tsp. garlic crushed
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tsp. ginger mashed
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

For pakodis:
1/4 cup gramflour
1/2 tsp. green chillies finely chopped
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 pinch sod bicarb
2-3 pinches turmeric powder
salt to taste
oil to deep fry

For seasoning:

2 tbsp. oil
1 red chilli broken
1/2 tsp.cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 stalks curry leaves

Method:

For pakodis:


Mix all ingredients except oil.
Add enough water to make a thick batter.
Drop a few lumps at a time in hot oil.
Deep fry till golden.
For kadhi:


Grind garlic, ginger together, to a smooth paste.
Beat curds till smooth.
Add 2 cups water and gramflour.
Beat again till no lumps are left.
Strain through a sieve.
Add roasted coconut,ginger-garlic paste and salt.
Put to heat, stirring continuously, till boiling starts.
Once boiling, simmer on low for 5-7 minutes.
To proceed:


Heat oil in a small pan, add seeds, allow to splutter.
Add chilli and curry leaves, stir, and pour onto hot kadhi.
Add bhajiyas, stir and cook further for 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with kushkha.
Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 5 servings
Shelflife: Best fresh

Kushkha (Boiled Rice)

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Ingredients
2 cups long grained or basmati rice
10 cups water
salt to taste
8-10 drops lemon juice
2 tbsp. milk

Method:


Wash and soak rice in water for 20 minutes.
Put water to boil, add salt.
Add rice when water starts boiling.
Bring back to a boil.
Add lemon juice.
Cook till each grain is almost done.
Strain out excess water, keep aside.
Rub a blob of butter at the bottom of a wide dekchi, (shallow heavy container for cooking on dum)
Spread out rice in dekchi.
Sprinkle some milk, cover with lid, and seal.
Place on low fire to cook on dum for about 15 minutes.
Serve hot with dahi kadhi, hyderabadi khatti dal, etc.
Making time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Shelflife: 1 day or more, refrigerated

Sheer Kurma

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Ingredients
3 full fat milk
2 cups sugar
2 cups fine seviyan (thread vermicelli)
1/4 nutmeg grated
1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds crushed
1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
3 tbsp. broken almond pieces
3 tbsp. broken cahewnut pieces
1 tbsp. broken pistachio pieces
1 tbsp. chironji seeds
2 tbsp. chopped dates (khajoor)
1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)

Method:


Wash and wipe chironji, keep aside.
Soak dates in 1/2 cup warm milk for 20 minutes, drain, keep aside.
Heat ghee in a heavy deep vessel.
Add almonds, cashews, chironji and fry till light golden.
Drain, keep aside.
To same ghee, add seviyan, fry till golden, keep aside.
Boil milk in a large container.
Cook till it becomes twothirds (2 litres).
Add sugar, boil till it dissolves.
Add fried nuts, dates, chironji, cardamom crushed and powder, nutmeg.
Add milk to the vermicelli.
Stir gently and cook for 3-4 minutes on low.
Serve hot, warm or chilled, depending on the climate.
Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 7-8 servings
Shelflife: 1 week refrigerated

Khubani Ka Meetha

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Ingredients
1 kg. Apricots (khubani or jardaloo)
250 gms. Sugar
2 cups double cream or thick malai
1 cup sugar finely powdered
2-3 drops vanilla or kewra essence

Method:


Chill malai or cream. If using malai, beat till smooth.
Soak apricots in water for 2-3 hours.
Boil till very soft, strain out water.
Mash and remove stones, keep them aside.
Discard fibres by passing through a sieve.
Put pulp in a heavy pan.
Heat and bring to a boil.
Add sugar, stir continuously.
Stir and cook till mixture thickens like a gravy.
Cool to room temperature.
Beat chilled malai or cream with powdered sugar.
When soft peaks form, put in a polythene or icing bag.
Refrigerate.
Break stones, remove almonds, chop and keep aside.
Pour almost set apricot mixture in shallow glass dish.
Top with chilled cream in dollops or swirls, or cover in a layer.
Garnish with chopped almonds.
Chill very well before serving.
Making time: 30 minutes (excluding chilling time)
Makes: 7-8 servings
Shelflife: 3 days refrigerated

Dry Peas Ki Sabzi

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Ingredients:
2/3 cup dry peas (soak for 6 hours in water)
1 stalk curry leaves
1 tsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tsp. red chilli powder
3/4 tsp. dhania (coriander seeds) powder
3/4 tsp. amchoor powder or juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. wheat flour
1/2 tsp. each mustard and cumin seeds
3 pinches asafoetida
salt to taste
1 tsbp. oil

Method:


Add plenty of water and pressurecook peas till very tender to touch. (Approx. 4 whistles should suffice).
Cool cooker before opening lid.
Drain, wash with running water, drain, keep aside.
Mix all dry masala and salt in 1/2 cup water.
Heat oil in heavy saucepan.
Add seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida. Allow to splutter.
Add masala mixture, cooked peas, 1/4 cup water, and mix well.
Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer covered for 3-4 minutes.
When almost all water evaporates, sprinkle flour, mix and remove from fire.
Cover and keep aside for 2-3 minutes.
Pour into serving dish, garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve hot with rice or chapathi.
Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Shelflife: 10-12 hours at room temperature

Channa Curry

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Ingredients:
1/3 cup channa (red) (soak for 4 hours in water)

For kadhi:
1 stalk curry leaves
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 tsp. coriander leaves freshly chopped
1 cup slightly sour curds
1 tbsp. gram flour
1/2 tbsp. wheat flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric power
salt to taste
3-4 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. each mustard & cumin seeds
2 cups water
2 tbsp. ghee

Method:


Add plenty of water and pressurecook chawlibeans till very tender to touch. (Approx. 4 whistles should suffice).
Cool cooker before opening lid.
Drain, wash with running water, drain, keep aside.
For Kadhi:


Mix chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt in 1/2 cup water, keep aside.
Beat the curds till smooth
In 2 cups water add both flours and beat till no lumps are left.
Add cooked channa in the above mixture
Heat ghee in large deep pan, add seeds and curry leaves and green chillies.
Allow to splutter, add asafoetida, add masala paste.
Simmer and stir till ghee floats on top.
Remove a tbsp. of this ghee layer in a cup, and keep aside.
Add beaten curd mixture, stir continuously, till it boils.
Add flour, channa and water mixture and bring it to boil
Reduce flame, allow to simmer for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and check for salt and sourness.
If not sour at all, add a pinch of citric acid crystals, to taste.
Pour into serving dish, garnish with chopped coriander and masala ghee kept aside.
Serve hot with steamed hot rice, dry sabzi and papadams. (Consistency: Kadhi should be pourable easily, and leave behind a thin coating on spoon after pouring. )
Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Shelflife: 10-12 hours at room temperature

Pachkoota (Dehydrated Rajasthani Vegetables)

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Ingredients:
1tbsp. ker
1 tbsp. sangri
2tbsp. goondha
1 tbsp kumtia
1 pieces amchoor
2 dry red chillies
1 stalk curry leaves
2 tbsp. fresh curds
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. dhania powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. amchoor powder
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. each cumin and mustard seeds, crushed together
1/2 tsp. each cumin and mustard seeds, whole
3-4 pinches asafoetida
1-1/2 tbsp. mustard oil

Method:


Clean and remove any spoilt dehydrated vegetables.
Put all (ker,sangri,goonda,kumtia,chilli,amchoor) in one container.
Wash with plenty of water 2-3 times.
Add enough water, two pinches turmeric, pressure cook till soft.
Cool, drain, wash with running water, drain well by pressing out excess water.
Take in a large plate, sprinkle all dry masalas, salt, crushed seeds, add curds.
Mix well with hands.
Heat oil in a heavy pan.
Add whole seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, allow to splutter.
Add vegetable mixture.
Stir gently with spatula, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, till oil seperates.
Stir in between.
Remove from fire, pour into serving dish.
Serve hot with chapathi, rotis, phulka.
Variations: One or more of the vegetables may be made in permutation /combination as desired in the same way. Total measure put together should be 5 tbsp. for above recipe proportions.

Making time: 20 minutes (excluding pressure cooking time)
Makes: 4 servings
Shelflife: 2 days at room temperature if moisture is properly evaporated.

Note: to make this dish spicier, one may add a tsp. of the masala part of spicy mango pickle. Also, this dish taste better if cooked in mustard oil, but desired oil may be used.

Mathki Ki Kadi

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Ingredients:
1/3 cup mathki (soak for 2 hours in water)

For kadhi:
1 stalk curry leaves
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 tsp. coriander leaves freshly chopped
1 cup slightly sour curds
1 tbsp. gram flour
1/2 tbsp. wheat flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric power
salt to taste
3-4 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. each mustard & cumin seeds
2 cups water
2 tbsp. ghee

Method:


Add plenty of water and pressurecook mathki till very tender to touch. (Approx. 4 whistles should suffice).
Cool cooker before opening lid.
Drain, wash with running water, drain, keep aside.
For Kadhi:


Mix chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt in 1/2 cup water, keep aside.
Beat the curds till smooth
In 2 cups water add both flours and beat till no lumps are left.
Add cooked mathki in the above mixture
Heat ghee in large deep pan, add seeds and curry leaves and green chillies.
Allow to splutter, add asafoetida, add masala paste.
Simmer and stir till ghee floats on top.
Remove a tbsp. of this ghee layer in a cup, and keep aside.
Add beaten curd mixture, stir continuously, till it boils.
Add flour and water mixture and bring it to boil
Reduce flame, allow to simmer for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and check for salt and sourness.
If not sour at all, add a pinch of citric acid crystals, to taste.
Pour into serving dish, garnish with chopped coriander and masala ghee kept aside.
Serve hot with steamed hot rice, dry sabzi and papadams. (Consistency: Kadhi should be pourable easily, and leave behind a thin coating on spoon after pouring. )
Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Shelflife: 10-12 hours at room temperature

Chawli Ki Sabzi

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(Black eyed beans dry vegetable)
Ingredients:

2/3 cup black eyed beans (soak for 2 hours in water)
1 stalk curry leaves
1 tsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tsp. red chilli powder
3/4 tsp. dhania (coriander seeds) powder
3/4 tsp. amchoor powder or juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. wheat flour
1/2 tsp. each mustard and cumin seeds
3 pinches asafoetida
salt to taste
1 tsbp. oil

Method:


Add plenty of water and pressurecook chawlibeans till very tender to touch. (Approx. 4 whistles should suffice).
Cool cooker before opening lid.
Drain, wash with running water, drain, keep aside.
Mix all dry masala and salt in 1/2 cup water.
Heat oil in heavy saucepan.
Add seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida. Allow to splutter.
Add masala mixture, cooked beans, 1/4 cup water, and mix well.
Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer covered for 3-4 minutes.
When almost all water evaporates, sprinkle flour, mix and remove from fire.
Cover and keep aside for 2-3 minutes.
Pour into serving dish, garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve hot with rice or chapathi.
Variations: Kumtia, mathki, can all be prepared with the same method.

Making time: 30 minutes (both)
Makes: 4 servings
Shelflife: 10-12 hours at room temperature