Fresh tomato in curd

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Ingredients
7-8 firm ripe tomatoes
200 gms. kabuli channa (soaked overnight)
3 tbsp. gram dal channa dal
2 tbsp. mix spices (red chilli powder, dhania powder, garam masala, salt, turmeric, etc.)
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsbp. channa masala
1/4 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
2 tbsp. ground sugar
1/2 tsp. black salt powder
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1 1/2 cups fresh tied beaten curd.
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
2 tbsp. tamarind chutney (refer chutneys)

Method


Pressure cook kabuli channa, dal, salt to taste, till very soft.
Drain excess water, keep aside.
Cut caplike tops off tomatoes. Hull carefully.
Add pulp to the boiled channa.
Mash coarsely, add all mix masala, salt to taste, channa masala, cinnamon-clove powder.
Boil further till a soft lump is formed and water has evaporated.
Stuff the tomatoes with this mixture.
Secure tops with a toothpick. Microwave for 1 minute.
Cool, and chill in a refrigerator.
Meanwhile, beat the curd till smooth.
Add sugar, salt and chill.
Just before serving, transfer tomatoes straight up to a shallow bowl.
Remove toothpicks. Pour beaten curd all over them.
Sprinkle cumin powder, red chilli powder and salt.
Garnish with coriander and tamarind chutney.
Making time: 45 minutes
Makes: 7-8 servings
Shelflife: Fresh (make filling ahead of time)

Boondhi Raita

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Ingredients
3 cups fresh curds
1 cup milk
3/4 cup plain boondhi
1/2 tsp. crushed cumin seeds
2 tsp. ground sugar
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
salt to taste
1/4 tsp. black salt powdered
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tbsp. coriander chopped finely

Method


Crush mustard seeds coarsely with a stone or pestle.
Heat 4-5 cups water till it comes to a boil.
Add boondhi, stand for 2-3 minutes, drain.
Run under tap water in a colander, to cool the boondhi.
Press out excess water.
Beat the curds and milk together till smooth.
Add all other ingredients, including boondhi.
Mix well, chill for 1-2 hours.
Serve chilled.
Making time: 15 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Shelflife: Fresh

Papdi Chaat (Non-Spicy)

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Ingredients:

For papdi:
1 cup plain flour
2 tsp. oil or ghee
1/4 tsp. ajwain seeds
salt to taste
oil to deep fry

For chilli pakodi:
1/2 cup moong dal
1/2 cup urad dal
salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Other ingredients:
1/4 cup tamarind chutney
1 tbsp. green chutney
crushed cumin powder
1/2 tsp. chaat masala
2 tbsp. beaten fresh curd
salt to taste
1 boiled potato chopped
1 tsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 onion finely chopped
1 tbsp. fine sev

Method:

For papdi:


Mix flour, ajwain, salt and oil. Rub together.
Use some water and knead into soft dough.
Roll into large thin rounds. Prick all over with fork or knife.
Place on a clean cloth. Repeat for all dough.
Heat oil, Take one round at a time.
Cut out small rounds from it with a cutter or small katori.
Each round should be about 1 inch in diameter.
Fry them in hot oil to a light golden brown.
Drain, keep aside. Cool, store till required for use.

For pakodi:

Soak the moong and urad dal for 6 hours
Grind the dals in to thick batter
Add salt
Deep fry small round pakodis till crisp
Soak this in water for 10 minutes
Drain, gently squeeze out excess water and keep aside
Note: If pakodis are prepared much in advance, soak in slightly hot water and for 20 minutes.

To serve:


Mix the two chutneys together.
Dip each papdi and pakodi in chutney mixture.
Spread papdis and pakodis in a large plate.
Sprinkle chopped potato all over.
Drizzle beaten curd over them.
Sprinkle salt, cumin and chaat masala all over.
Garnish with chopped onion, coriander and sev.
Serve immediately.
Alternatively, make in individual bowls as required.
Making time: 1 hour collectively(papdi, chutneys and pakodis can be made in advance at convenience)
Makes: 3 servings
Shelflife:
Papdi (2 weeks in an airtight container)
Pakodi best fresh or few hours ahead.
Final preparation best immediate

Methi Matar Malai

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Ingredients
1 cup boiled green peas
1/2 cup cream or malai
1 bunch methi leaves chopped
3 tbsp. ghee or butter
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. cuminseeds
1 pinch asafoetida

powder together:

1 cardamom
2-3 cloves
1/2" stick cinnamon
Grind to a paste:

1 onion
1 tbsp. khuskhus (poppy seeds)
1-1/2 tbsp. cashewnuts
1 tbsp. curds
1 tsp. sugar
2-3 green chillies
1/2" ginger
Method


Immerse methi in salted hot water for 5 minutes.
Drain and wash well in colander under running water.
Press out well to remove as much water as possible.
Keep aside. Beat malai till smooth. Keep aside.
Heat ghee, add cumin seeds and asafoetida.
Add paste and stirfry for 2-3 minutes.
Add powdered spices.
Stir, and add peas, methi leaves and malai.
Add all other ingredients.
Boil for 2-3 minutes or till gravy thickens.
If gravy feels too watery sprinkle a dash of flour and stir.
If too thick, add a few tbsp. of milk.
Serve piping hot with parathas, rotis, etc.
Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 3 servings

Aloo Palak

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Ingredients
3 cups chopped spinach
2 large onoins chopped fine
2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
1 tomato grated
2 green chillies
1" piece ginger
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste


METHOD:

Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.
Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.
Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.
Keep aside.

Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.
Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.
Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.
Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.
Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.
Add spinach and potatoes.
When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice
Just before serving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.
Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.
Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.


Note: You may use boiled peas, boiled corn kernels or paneer chunks in the above dish, instead of potatoes.


Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Gobi Manchurian

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INGREDIENTS:
1 medium. cauliflower clean and broken into big florettes.
1 small bunch spring onoin finely chopped
2 tsp. ginger finely chopped
1 tsp. garlic finely chopped
1/4 cup plain flour
3 tbsp. cornflour
1/4 tsp. red chilli powder
2 red chillies, dry
3 tbsp. oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp. milk


METHOD:

Boil the florettes for 3-4 minutes in plenty of water, to which a tbsp. of milk has been added.
Drain and pat dry on a clean cloth.
Make thin batter out of flour and 2 tbsp.cornflour, adding 1/4 tsp. each of ginger and garlic and red chilli powder and salt to taste.
Dip the florettes in the batter one by one and deep fry in hot oil. Keep aside.

In the remaining oil, add remaining ginger, garlic and crushed red chilli and fry for a minute.
Add the salt and spring onions.
Stir fry for a minute. Add 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil.
Add 1 tbsp. cornflour to 1/4 cup water and dissolve well.
Gradually add to the gravy and stir continuously till it resumes boiling.
Boil till the gravy becomes transparent. Add florettes and soya sauce.
Boil for two more minutes and remove.
Serve hot with noodles or rice.


Variations:

Dry manchurian can be made by omitting the gravy.
Make florettes as above and instead of adding water as above, add fried florettes, spring onions and soya sauce at this stage.
Sprinkle 1 tsp. cornflour on the florettes and stirfry for 2 minutes.
Serve piping hot with toothpicks or miniforks and chilligarlic sauce or tomato sauce.
Same procedure for veg. manchurian (with gravy or dry), but instead of using only cauliflower, use finely chopped minced vegetables and bind with some cornflour or bread crumbs and make small lumps the size of a pingpong ball.
Fry as above and proceed as above.


Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Malai Kofta

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Ingredients:
Gravy:
125 gms. cream
75 gms. khoya or paneer
150 ml. milk
50 gms. cashewnuts
3 tsp. white pepper powder.
2 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. grated ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. garlic crushed
1" cinnamon
6 cloves
6 cardamoms
salt to taste
3 tbsp. ghee

Kofta:
50 gms. khoya
50 gms. paneer
5 medium potatoes
20 gms. cashewnuts
20 gms. raisins
4-5 green chillies chopped fine
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. coriander chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
salt to taste


Garnish:

1 tbsp. grated cheese or paneer
1 tbsp. chopped coriander



Method:

Koftas
Boil the potatoes, peel and smash them.
Mix together all the ingredients except raisins and cashews.
Take a ping-pong ball sized dough in hand.
Flatten. Place 2-3 cashews and raisins in the centre and shape into a ball.
Repeat for remaining dough. Keep aside.

Gravy:
Roast the cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves together.
Dry grind and keep aside. Wet grind all the other ingredients, except ghee, to a paste.
Heat ghee in a skillet, add powdered spices and fry for 2-3 seconds.
Add paste and fry further for 5-7 minutes stirring well.
Add 2 cups water and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Warm the koftas either in the oven or on the tava.
Optional: You can deep fry the koftas also.
To serve place warm koftas in a casserole.
Either pour boiling hot gravy on the koftas or pour and bake in hot oven of 5 minutes.
Garnish with grated cheese and chopped coriander.
Serve hot with naan or parathas.


Making time: 45 minutes.
Makes: 10 koftas with gravy.
Shelf life: Best fresh.

Navratan Korma

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Ingredients:
2 cups peas boiled
1 large carrot chopped and boiled
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup curd
1/4 cup malai(cream)
3 tbsp. butter
1 small sweet lime
1 small apple
1 banana
2 slices pineapple
10-15 cashewnuts
20 raisins
2 glaced cherries for decoration
1 tbsp. coriander chopped
1 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste

Dry Masala:
1 tsp. cuminseeds
2 tsp. khuskhus (poppyseeds)
1 tsp. cardamoms

Wet Masala:
1 large onion
1/4 cup coconut shredded
3 green chillies



Method:

Grind the dry and wet masalas separately.
Chop all the fruit fine. Heat ghee and fry cashews, drain and keep aside.
Add butter to ghee and heat, add the wet masala and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the dry masala and salt and fry 2 more minutes.
Add the carrots and peas, mix together curd and cream and add to gravy.

Allow to thicken a bit, add fruit, cashews and raisins and boil till the gravy is thick and the fat separates.

Garnish with grated cheese ,coriander and chopped cherries.
Serve hot with naan, roti or paratha.


Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Potato in Curd Gravy

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Ingredients:
3 medium. potatoes boiled and peeled
1 cup curd or yogurt beaten
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dhania powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. garam masala
2 pinches asafoetida
1 stalk curry leaves
1 tbsp. coriander leaves chopped
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. each ginger, garlic grated
2 green chillies slit
1 tsp. each cumin, mustard seeds
1/4 tsp. wheat flour
1 tbsp. oil


Method:

Cut potatoes into big pieces. Mash 3-4 pieces fine with hand. Keep both aside.
Mix all the dry masala in 1/4 cup water.
Heat oil. Add the seeds (cumin and mustard). When they splutter, add ginger-garlic, chilli and curry leaves.
Add the masala mixture and fry for 2 minutes.
Add beaten curd and fry for 5 minutes or till the curd loses its whiteness. Stir continuously after adding curd.

Add the remaining water and all the potato and flour. Stir well.
Boil and simmer for 10 minutes or till gravy thickens
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve hot with thin wheat chappaties and rice.


Making time: 30 minutes.
Makes for: 5
Shelf life: Best fresh

Shahi Paneer

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Ingredients:
250 gms. paneer (cottge cheese)
3 tbsp. ghee or butter
1 onion chopped into strips
1/2" piece ginger chopped fine
2 green chillies chopped fine
4 tomatoes chopped fine
2 cardamoms crushed
1/4 cup beaten curd
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
salt to taste
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. tomato sauce

To garnish:
2 tbsp. grated paneer
1 tbsp. chopped coriander


Method:

Chop the paneer into 2" fingers.
Heat half the ghee. Add onion,ginger, green chilli and cardamom. Fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add tomatoes and cook for 7-8 minutes, covered.
Add curd and cook for 5 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup water and cool.
Blend in a mixie till smooth.

Heat remaining ghee, add gravy and other ingredients except milk and paneer.
Boil to get a very thick gravy.
Just before serving, heat gravy, add milk and paneer fingers and boil for 3-4 minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander and grated paneer.


Making time: 45 minutes.
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: best fresh.