MAKKI KI POORI

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves :6-8 pooris

Ingredients:

2 cup Maize flour

2-3 tbsp whole wheat flour for binding

1/2 cup chopped fenugreek leaves or grated raddish along with grated ginger and chopped green chilies or 1/2 tsp carrom seeds(ajwain) as per availability and taste
1/2 tsp sabzi masala

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp degi mirch

oil for deep frying
salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients except oil in a bowl.
2. Add warm water as required and knead into a firm dough.
3. Keep the dough on rest under damp cloth for 10-15 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into 6 or 8 balls according to the size required.
5. Take 1 cup water in a bowl and a clean polythene bag.
6. Spread the polythene bag on a rolling board(chakla) and sprinkle few drops of water on it.
7. Take one ball at a time and spread it evenly on the polythene bag with the help of damp fingers and try to make a round poori.
8. Heat oil in a kadahi.
9. Pick up the polythene bag along with poori with one hand and transfer the poori on the other hand peeling off the polythene and immediately put it in hot oil. 
10. Cook from both sides turning sides after regular gaps till it is done from both sides.
11. Top the makki ki poori with butter and serve hot with sarson ka saag,ghee shakker or gur.

Note:

1. It is better to make makki ki poori than makki ki roti because it will take lesser time to cook, will be softer than makki ki roti, completely cooked from inside and if you are serving it in a party you can make them pre-hand and heat the pooris on a griddle or tava at the time of serving. Re-heating will also extract (if there is any) excessive oil from it.
2. If fresh 1/2 cup fenugreek leaves are not available then you can replace it with 2 tbsp dry kasoori methi.

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MAKKI KI ROTI / MAKKI DI ROTI

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves :6-8 rotis

Ingredients:

2 cup Maize flour

2 tbsp whole wheat flour

1/2 cup chopped fenugreek leaves or grated raddish or 1/2 tsp carrom seeds(ajwain) as per availability and taste
1/2 tsp sabzi masala

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp degi mirch

oil or ghee for shallow frying the rotis
salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients except oil in a bowl.
2. Add warm water as required and knead into a firm dough.
3. Keep the dough on rest under damp cloth for 10-15 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into 6 or 8 balls according to the size required.
5. Take 1 cup water in a bowl and a clean polythene bag.
6. Spread the polythene bag on a rolling board(chakla) and sprinkle few drops of water on it.
7. Take one ball at a time and spread it evenly on the polythene bag with the help of damp fingers and try to make a thin round chapati.
8. Heat a griddle pan and grease its surface with some oil or ghee.
9. Pick up the polythene bag along with roti with one hand and transfer the roti on the other hand peeling off the polythene and immediately place it on the hot tava or griddle. 
10. Turn the side after 1 minute using a spatula grease the upper side with some oil and then again turn the side and grease it as well. Press each side with spatula after turning the side. 
11. Cook from both sides turning sides after regular gaps till it is done from both sides.
12. Top the makki ki roti with butter and serve hot with sarson ka saag,ghee shakker or gur.

Note: 

you can roast it without oil as well.

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KANJI VADA

For the vadas
2 cups yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)
1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste
oil for frying

For  kanji
1/4 cup split mustard seeds

1 tbsp black salt (kala namak) or as per taste
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder

Method:

For the vadas

1. Soak moong dal at least for 2 hours. 
2. Drain and grind the moong dal to a coarse paste using very little water.
3. Add the green chilli-ginger paste, fennel seeds, asafoetida and salt and mix well.
4. Heat oil in a kadahi and drop a tsp or a tbsp of batter at a time depending upon the size of vadas you want.
5. Deep fry in hot oil till golden brown in colour.
6. Drain on absorbent paper and cool.
7. Soak the vadas in water for 1 hour. Drain and squeeze out all the water by pressing each vada gently between your palms.

For the kanji

1. Grind all the ingredients to make a fine powder.
2. Dissolve this powder in 1½ litres of water, cover and keep refrigerated for 24 hours to allow all the flavours to blend.

Place the vadas in the kanji and allow them to soak for at least 1 hour.
Serve chilled.

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KULCHE CHHOLE

Ingredients:

For Chhole

2 cup chick peas

3-4 cups water for boiling chick peas

1 tsp salt or to taste

1 tea bag

4-5 dry amla slices

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp jeera

1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

2 tsp chana masala

1/2 tsp dry mango powder (amchoor) or 1/2 tsp chaat masala

1/2 tsp red chili powder (degi mirch)

1/2 tsp black salt kala namak

1 onion finely chopped

1 tomato finely chopped

1 green chili finely chopped

1 lemon

1/2 cup coriander leaves cleaned and chopped 

For Kulche

4 cups refined flour (maida)
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp oil
oil for frying

Method:

Chhole

1. Soak chick peas for at least 2-3 hours or overnight, drain out excess water and boil chick peas along with water,tea bag,dry amla and salt in a pressure cooker.
2. Simmer the gas after two whistles and cook for half an hour.
3. Now switch off the gas and  when the pressure releases remove tea bag and the amlas and check whether the chick peas are done, if required,cook for some more time under pressure.
4. If there is more water than required then cook the chickpeas without lid till you reach the desired consistency mean while mash the chick peas with light hand so that some of the chick peas are mashed but not all to make a thick gravy.
5. Now switch off the gas and spread onions,tomatoes,green chilies and all the spices except cumin seeds and asafoetida over the chick peas and make a layer over them in the cooker itself.
6. Now heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and asafoetida , when they change color pour the hot  tempering over the chick peas and close the lid without switching on the flame for ten minutes. 
7. This way all the smoke of the tempering will release its aroma in the chick peas.
8. Now mix the tempering with chick peas and at the time of serving mix the lemon juice and coriander leaves.
9. Serve hot with kulchas readily available in market but cook them from both the sides on a tava or hot griddle while applying some oil or butter on both the sides.If the kulchas are too thick then slit them into halves and then cook. You can also make kulchas at home through the recipe that follows.

Kulche

1. Take flour and add baking powder, soda bi-carbonate and salt. Mix well and pass it through a sieve. 
2. Mix yogurt and powdered sugar. Add this to the flour and add water as per need and mix gradually to make a soft dough by light kneading. 
3. Incorporate 2 tbsp oil into the dough and cover the dough with a wet cloth. Keep it aside for an hour. 
4. Roll the dough into balls of same size and keep them a side for 5-10 minutes for fermentation. 
5. Now grease the balls with a little oil and roll them to make round not very thin kulchas. 
6. Heat a tava or griddle and cook the kuchas applying oil on both the sides and cook till light brown spots are visible on both the sides.

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BAJRE KI KHICHDI

Ingredients:
1cup whole bajra (black millet)
3 tbsp yellow moong dal

3 tbsp moth dal(dew bean)

3 tbsp rice (ophtional)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)

1" ginger grated

1 onion finely chopped(optional)

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp degi mirch
2 tbsp ghee
salt to taste

Method :

1. Sieve the bajra and wash it with water.Soak for an hour and then drain out the water completely. Now put the bajra in a mortar (kundi sota, mam dasta ) and beat it so that all the husk wades off. Separate the husk from the bajra by tossing it.Repeat till almost all the husk is removed. 
2. Wash the ground bajra,moth dal,rice and moong dal together. 
3. Combine the bajra mixture and salt with 4 cups of water and pressure cook,simmer the gas after one whistle and cook on low flame for 30 minutes, when the pressure is released check whether  the bajra is cooked.
4. If required add more water and cook for another 20-30 minutes in pressure on low flame.  
5. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cumin seeds,asafoetida grated ginger and chopped onion and cook til it becomes brown in color.Add degi mirch and garam masala and turn off the gas.
6. Now pour this mixture over the cooked khichdi and mix well. 
7. Adjust the consistency of the khichdi at the time of serving by adding ½ cup of hot water if necessary. 
8. Serve hot with ghee, kadhi or curds.

Note:

1. If you don't get moth dal then you can make it without it.

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SARSON KA SAAG

Ingredients:

For the saag:

1 bunch mustard leaves/sarson
1/2 bunch chenopodium/bathua leaves
1/2 bunch spinach leaves/palak
1 cup fenugreek/methi leaves, chopped
1 cup chopped  carrot

1 medium sized turnip/shalgam
3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
2 inch ginger, chopped
2 green chilies, chopped
7-8 garlic, chopped

2 tsp sugar
2 cups water
2 tbsp maize flour or chick pea flour(besan)
1 tbsp salt or as per taste

for the tempering per serving* :

1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
1 to 2 tbsp pure ghee

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp tomato puree or 1 tsp dry mango powder

1/2 tsp red chili powder

1/4 tsp asafoetida powder

1/2 tsp sabzi masala or kitchen king

*(Serving means 3 cups cooked and pureed saag)

Method:

1. Firstly clean and chop all the greens then wash them well 
2. Put them in a pressure cooker and add all the ingredients listed under saag except for maize flour.
3. Cover the pressure cooker and after first whistle simmer the gas and cook for one to one and a half hour.
4. When the pressure releases pour the maize flour dissolved in 1/2 cup of water in the boiled greens.
5. Now with the help of a blender puree the saag and blend till smooth.
6. Cook for another 25-30 minutes covered with a lid stirring occasionally.
7. In another small pan, heat ghee add cumin seeds,asafoetida powder and the chopped onions and fry them till light brown.
8. Add the tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes.Add all the spices and stir for a while.
9. Now add the prepared saag. stir and simmer for a couple of minutes ,stirring occasionally.Check for salt and if required add some more.
10. Serve sarson ka saag hot with a dollop of butter on the saag with makki di roti and ghee shakkar.

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SAMBHAR VADA

Ingredients:

1 cup white lentil /skin less black gram (urad dhuli)      
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing) powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin seeds jeera
1/2" ginger grated
2 green chilies de-seeded and finely chopped
oil for frying

Method:

1. Wash and soak dal in three cups of cold water overnight.
2.  Drain off excess water the following day. Grind dal to a smooth paste. 
3. Whisk half a teaspoon of salt, asafoetida, into the batter add cumin seeds,green chillies and grated ginger and mix well.
4.  Heat sufficient oil in a kadai..   
5. Wet your hand.
6. Take a portion of the mixture in your hand.
7. Make a hole in the centre with your thumb.
8. Heat oil in a kadhai, upturn your hand and drop the wada in oil.
9. Deep fry the vada till both sides turn golden brown in colour.
10. Repeat with the remaining batter to make more medu wadas.
11. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambhar.

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CHILI MUSHROOM

Ingredients:

200 gms mushrooms blanched and cut in cubes
2 medium sized onions diced
1 capsicum diced
2 green chilies slit length wise
1/4 tsp red chili powder(degi mirch)
7-8 cloves garlic
2 tsp soya sauce
1/2 tbsp vinegar
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp schezwan sauce or chili sauce
salt to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Cut the mushrooms and Put then in boiling water adding some salt and let it boil for two minutes and then drain out the water and keep the mushrooms aside.
2. Take 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the green chilies,garlic,onions and capsicum.
3. Reduce the flame an add all the sauces,vinegar, salt and black pepper.
4. Now add 1/2 a cup of water and when it is hot add 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1/2 cup of water and cook for 3-5 minutes till the cornflour is cooked.
5. Add mushrooms and cook for two minutes.
6. Serve hot and garnish with coriander leaves or spring onions.

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RAAJMA

Ingredients:
2 cups red kidney beans(Raajma) soaked overnight
1.5 tsp salt or to taste
3 tbsp refined oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium sized finely chopped onions
1 inch piece ginger finely chopped

6-8 cloves garlic
1 green chili finely chopped
3 medium tomatoes pureed
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp rajma masala or garam masala
1/4 tsp red chilli powder (degi mirch)

Method:

1. Pressure cook raajma with five cups of water and salt till totally cooked and soft.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan. Add cumin seeds and onion (you can grate the onion if you wish). Add ginger and garlic and continue to saute till the mixture turns golden.
3. Add chopped chilis and tomato puree, mix and continue to cook. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder,rajma  masala  and cook till the oil leaves the masala. 
4. Add raajma along with the cooking liquor and mix. Adjust salt . Lower the heat and simmer for about fifteen to twenty minutes on low heat. Serve hot with steamed jeera rice.

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CHOP SUEY

Ingredients:

For Noodles:

1 pack or 150 gms (wai wai or ching's secret haka veg) noodles

1 tsp all purpose flour(maida)

oil for frying

1 tsp salt

10 cups water

For the sauce:

1/2 carrot sliced

8 french beans sliced 

1/2 cup capsicum ( red ,green and yellow all mixed together)

1 onion diced

3/4 cup cabbage shredded

 1/4 cup zucchini diced

1 tbsp mushrooms diced
2 floweretts of broccoli
1 tbsp corn kernels or 2-3 baby corns sliced
2 cups water
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp white pepper
4 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp or salt to taste
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp soya sauce
3 tbsp corn flour

Method:

1. Take 10 cups of water,one tsp salt and 1 tsp of oil in a big vessel and bring it to a boil.
2. Now add the noodles and cook for exactly 3 minutes and drain the noodles if you are using the above said noodles and if are using some other noodles then boil as per instructions or till the noodles are perfectly cooked neither under cooked nor over cooked.
3. Sprinkle flour on the noodles, it will absorb any water present in the noodles.
4. Divide the noodles in three equal portions and fry one portion at a time and make three nest like bunches.Fry from both the sides by turning side while frying. When it becomes crisp from both the sides drain it out and keep it a side in an air tight container.
5. Put carrot,beans,mushrooms,broccoli and corn kernels in boiling water with 1/2 tsp of salt and drain out after one minute.
6. Heat 2 tbsp of of oil in a pan add all the vegetables,salt and pepper in it and stir for two minutes.
7. Add vinegar,soya sauce,tomato sauce and cook for one minute and add 2 cups of water.
8. When the water starts boiling add the cornflour dissolved in 1/2 cup water stirring continuously. Cook for 2 minutes and keep a side.
9. At the time of serving spread one bunch of noodles in a serving dish and pour the prepared sauce with vegetables on it , sprinkle some Chinese seasoning and serve hot.   

Note:

1. You can select vegetables as per availability.

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HAKA NOODLES

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4 

Ingredients:
1 packet haka noodles 400 gms
1 tbsp refined oil

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 medium sized onion thinly sliced lenth-wise
1/2 cup cabbage shredded
1 medium sized carrot cut into thin strips
1 small capsicum cut into thin strips
1/4 tsp white or black pepper powder
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp shezwan sauce or chili sauce
salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat 8 cups of water in a pan, add 1tsp salt and 1tsp of refined oil into it, when it starts boiling add the noodles into it boil for 3 minutes or as per instructions on the pack.
2. Drain out the hot water and pour in cold water in the pan and add strained noodles into it .Strain the water and repeat the cooling process once again. Now keep the cool noodles a side you can add some refined oil with the help of your hands to the noodles to prevent stickiness.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan add onions, carrots and capsicum and cook these for two minutes now add cabbage and the boiled noodles and stir the noodles with vegetables.
4. Add soya sauce,shezwan or chili sauce, vinegar and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes on high flame stiring continuously.
5. Now noodles are ready to be served.

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