STUFFED CAPSICUM , BHARWAN SHIMLA MIRCH

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 small or medium sized capcicums
3-4 boiled and mashed potates
2 tbsp grated cottage cheese
1 small onion chopped, finely chopped
1 green chili, chopped
1/4 tsp degi mirch powder
1/4 tsp dry mango powder/amchur powder
1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala
1/2 tsp dhania powder
2 tsp chopped coriander leaves
1 or 1.5 tbsp oil for sauteing the capsicum
salt to taste

Method:

1. Slice off the tops of the capsicums and remove the seeds.wash them and keep aside.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl accept oil and capsicums and make a filling.
3. Stuff the potato mixture in the cavity of capsicums with the help of a spoon.
4. If baking, then brush some oil outside the bell peppers, before you stuff them with the spiced mashed potatoes.
5. Heat oil in a pan or kadai/wok and place the stuffed capsicum in the pan.
6. Cover the pan and allow the stuffed capsicum to cook on a low flame.
7. Check after every 5 to 6 mins and keep on changing the sides of the capsicums, so that all sides are cooked well. check, turn the sides and cover the pan again.
8. You also have to place the open potato side touching the pan. the capsicum will get golden and wrinkled. It may take about 25 mins to cook these on a low flame.
9. If baking then preheat your oven to 200 degrees C. and place the stuffed capsicum on a greased baking tray and bake at 200 degrees C for 20 to 30 mins or till the capsicums become golden and wrinkled.
10. Garnish with coriander or mint leaves and serve these potato stuffed bell peppers hot or warm with rotis, bread or as a side dish.

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MOONG DAAL PAKORE

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 cup moong dhuli daal
1 onion finely chopped
1/2" ginger finely chopped
1-2 green chillies finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala
1/2 tsp dhania powder
1/4 tsp degi mirch powder or red chili or black pepper powder
1/4 tsp amchoor powder / dry mango powder
salt to taste
oil for frying

Method:

1. Wash and soak moong daal for 2-4 hours or over night.
2. Drain out all the water and coarsely grind the daal in a mixer add very littile water if required. Stir the batter with a spoon for few minutes to aerate.
3. Add rest of the ingredients and mix well.
4. Heat oil in a kadahi and drop spoonfuls of the moong daal batter in medium hot oil and fry till crisp and golden brown in color.
5. Drain the moong daal pakoras on paper napkins or kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
6. Serve moong dal pakoras hot with coriander chutney, tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup.

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AALU CHOLUA OR AALOO CHOLIYA

Ingredients:

1 tbsp pure ghee or oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 large onion very finely chopped or grated
2 big tomatoes pureed
1-2 green chili as per taste
1" ginger grated
5-6 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1/2 tsp dhania powder (coriander powder)
1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala or kitchen king masala
1/4 tsp degi mirch powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
3 medium sized potatoes peeled and diced
200 gms peeled cholua or choliya ( green chick peas)
chopped green coriander for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds to it.
2. When they start to crackle add grated onions,grated ginger and finely chopped garlic to it.
3. Cook till they become light brown in color.
4. Now add pureed tomatoes and chopped green chilies and cook till the mixture leaves the sides of the cooker,
5. Now add all the spices and salt  and stir for a while.
6. Add diced potatoes and cholua and stir for a while.
7. After a minute or two add 3-4 cups of water and mix.
8. Cook till 3-5 whistles, let the pressure release and check, if required cook for some more time.(it will depend on the tenderness of cholua ,quality of water (hard water or soft) and the size of the cooker (less whistles in big cooker)   
9. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with rice or chapati.

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STEAMED METHI MUTHIA

Ingredients:

1 cups besan/chickpea flour1 tbsp semolina

1 tbsp water or yogurt – add more if required
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped methi leaves
1 tsp powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt or as per taste
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander/dhania powder
1/2 tsp cumin/jeera powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp ginger and green chili paste
For tempering:

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
1 sprig of curry leaves
chopped coriander leaves and freshly grated coconut for garnishing

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients  and make a smooth dough and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
2. Make small elongated cylindrical rolls.
3. Heat water in a big vessel and place a greased steal strainer on it.
4. Now place muthias on the strainer cover it and steam for 10-12 minutes.
5. Check with the help of a toothpick or knife, if it comes out clean it is done.
6. Let them get cool then slice them in desired shape.
7. Heat oil in a pan for tempering and add asafoetida,mustard seeds,sesame seeds and curry leaves.
8. As they splatter add the sliced steamed muthia to the tempering and fry these for 2-3 minutes on a medium flame.
9. Garnish with coriander and coconut and serve hot with some tamarind chutney or tomato sauce.

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SHAKARKANDI CHAAT

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1/2 kg shakarkandi - boiled, peeled, cubed
1/2 tsp chaat masala(optional)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp roasted cumin seeds powder
1 tsp rock salt (sendha namak) or to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice or to taste
cubed cucumber and apples (optional)
coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

Mix all the ingredients and serve.

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KUTTU KE AATE KE PAKORE

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
2 potatoes
1.5 cup ogle(kuttu) ka aata/water chestnut flour(singhare ka aata)/vart ka aata
Sendha namak to taste
1/4 tsp degi mirch
1/2 tsp garam masala
oil for frying
1 cup curd
1 tbsp ginger Julian
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
2 tbsp tamarind chuttney
coriander leaves for garnishing
Method:

1. Sieve flour and mix flour ,salt ,degi mirch and garam masala along with water to make a batter of coating consistency.
2. Peel,wash and slice potatoes into not very thin and not very thick slices.
3. Coat each slice with the batter and deep fry in hot oil.
4. When it is cooked from both sides drain it out from oil on an absorbent paper.
5. Garnish with curd ,tamarind chuttney,pomegranate seeds,ginger julian and coriander leaves and serve.

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AALU KA HALWA/POTATO HALWA

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 potatoes, boiled and mashed
2-3 tbsp ghee
1/2 cup sugar
a pinch of cardamom powder
1/4 cup boiling water/milk
saffron (kesar) strands

1 tbsp dry fruits of your choice

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a non stick pan and roast mashed potato in it stirring constantly.
2. Stir this on medium heat til it starts changing color.
3. Dissolve saffron in hot milk or water.
4. Pour in the boiling water/milk,sugar and cardamom powder in the roasted potatoes and mix well.
5. Stir this till it leaves ghee or starts leaving the sides of the pan.
6. There shouldn't be any lumps in it.
7. Serve hot garnishing with dry fruits.

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SABUDANA CHEELA

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sabudana (sago)

2-3 boiled potatoes

1/2" ginger grated or finely chopped

1 green chili finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander chopped (dhania)
1/4 tbsp red chilli powder
1/2 tbsp garam masala
salt to taste
oil for shallow frying

Method :

1. Boil ,peel and mash potatoes
2. Soak sabudana in water at least for 2 hrs.
3. Mix it with mashed potatoes.
4. Mix  potatoes, sabudana and all other ingredients except oil.
5. Take a small polythene sheet or a clean polythene bag and place it on the rolling board(chakla).
6. Grease it with a little oil or sprinkle a few drops of water on the polythene sheet. 
7. Take small or medium sized balls from the dough and spread the balls with wet hand on the polythene sheet.
8. Now pick up the polythene sheet and carefully remove the cheela from it.
9. Place it on greased hot non stick tava(griddle) and cook the cheela from both the sides while pressing with the help of a spatula.
10. Serve with,vart ke aaloo or a dip or chuttney of your choice.

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BAADAM HALWA BADAAM KA HALWA /ALMOND FUDGE

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time : 20-30 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
1 cup almonds
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup desi ghee
1/2+1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp cardamom powder

Method:

1. Soak almonds at least for two hours and pour hot water on them and keep aside for five minutes to blanch them and then peel them.
2. Now coarsely grind them along with 1/2 cup milk in a grinder.
3. Heat ghee in a non-stick pan and cook the coarsely ground almond paste in it on low-medium heat till it becomes golden brown in color stirring continuously.
4. Now add remaining 1/2 cup milk,sugar and cardamom powder and mix well.
5. Remove from fire when the sugar dissolves completely.
6. Garnish with almonds and serve hot.

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LAUKI HALWA / DOODHI HALWA / GHIYA HALWA

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

500 gms bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki/ghiya)
2 cups milk or 1 cup mava (khoya)
1/2 cup sugar or as per taste
2-3 tbsp ghee
cashewnuts (kaju)/almonds as per taste
1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
2-3 drops green color or 2 tsp brahmi badam syrup (optional)

Method:

1. Peel,wash and grate bottle gourd.
2. Heat ghee in a pan, add the bottle gourd and saute on medium flame for 2 minutes.
3. Add the hot milk and keep stirring till it reduces and become thick or add mava and stir till lauki and mava blends completely.
4. Add the sugar, mix well and cook ,till the water released by sugar evaporates.
5. Add cashews/almonds and cardamom powder and mix well.
6. When the halwa is cooked and becomes thick, add green color or brahmi syrup and mix well.
7. Serve hot.

Note:

1. If you are using mava instead of milk then cook bottle gourd in ghee till it becomes tender.
2. If using brahmi badam syrup instead of color then take care while adding sugar as some sugar is present in syrup also.

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