MANCHURIAN FRIED RICE

Ingredients

  12pieces dry veg mancurian balls if small in size or 6 big balls cut into halves
1.5 cup basmati rice or medium to long grained rice

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions chopped

4 cloves garlic chopped 

2 green chilies chopped

1 medium size carrot, finely chopped or shredded

1 small capsicum, finely chopped
8-10 french beans, thinly sliced diagonally or finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped or shredded cabbage (optional)
5-6 button mushrooms, sliced or finely chopped(optional)
1 tsp chili sauce/schezwan sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce or as required for the desired colour
1 tsp vinegar

salt to taste 

black pepper to taste

Method

1. Soak, drain and boil rice in 4 to 5 cups water, till the grains are almost cooked (just tender but not over cooked).
2. Strain the extra water and let the rice cool completely. Keep the rice aside.
3. Chop the veggies and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a wok or a pan. Splutter the green chilies.
5. Add the garlic and onions and stir fry till they are transparent in colour.
6. Now add all the other vegetables and stir fry on a high flame for a minute.
7. Add salt, pepper, ajinomoto and rice.  
8. Add all the sauces and vinegar.
9. Stir fry for 2 minutes.Finely add chopped manchurian balls and stir with light hands.
10. Garnish with spring onions and serve hot with cottage cheese in garlic sauce, sweet and saur vegetables or you can have it as it is.  

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DHABA STYLE CHANNA MASALA/ PUNJABI CHANA MASALA/ CHANA PINDI

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
250 gms white chick peas (Kabuli chana)
2 tbsp desi ghee (clarified butter)
a pinch of asafoetida powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 big onion finely chopped
2 big or 3 medium sized  tomatoes pureed
5-6 cloves of garlic minced or chopped
1" garlic minced or chopped
2 green chilies finely chopped
1 tsp dhania powder
1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala
1/2 tsp degi mirch powder
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp dry mango powder (amchoor) or 1 tsp thick tamarind pulp
1 tsp chana masala
1 tsp kasuri methi
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
1 tbsp fresh cream (optional)
1 tbsp curd
100 grams cottage cheese cut into small cubes
Chopped coriander leaves and ginger Julians for garnishing 
salt to taste

Method (vidhi):

1. Wash and soak chick peas overnight or at least for 4-5 hours . Add sufficient water (approx. 3-4 cups) and 1/2 tsp salt and turmeric powder and pressure cook till they become soft.
2. Mean while in another pan add desi ghee and crackle cumin seeds, add a pinch of asafoetida powder and then add ginger, garlic and finely chopped onion to the ghee.
3. Cook till the onions become brown in color then add tomato puree and green chilies and cook till the masala leaves the sides of the pan.
4. Now add all the spices and curd if required add some water so that the spices don't get burnt.
5. Cook for a while and then switch off the gas.
6. Add the cooked masala to boiled chick peas and give 2-3 whistles in the pressure cooker.
7. Add cream and  cottage cheese and cook further for 5 minutes or till you reach the required consistency. Check for salt if required add some more.
8. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and ginger julians and serve hot with garlic naan, plain naan, bhatura, poori or simply chapati or rice.

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SEMOLINA CROQUETTE KEBAB / LEFTOVER VEGITABLE UPMA CUTTLET

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time : 10-15 minutes
Serves :6


Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry roasted semolina(suji)
1 finely chopped onion
1/2" ginger grated or finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1- green chilies finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped vegetables (carrot,capsicum,peas,corn,cauliflower,beans etc.)
2 tbsp oil + oil for deep frying
1 big or two small boiled potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala
1/2 tsp dhania powder
1/2 lemon's juice
2 tsp chopped coriander
2 tbsp maida (all purpose flour
1 tbsp corn flour dissolved in 1/2 to 1 tbsp water to make a thick slurry
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Method (vidhi):

1. Heat 2tbsp oil in a pan .
2. Add finely chopped ginger,garlic,onion, green chilies stir for a minute or two till the onions become pink in color.
3. Now add rest of the finely chopped vegetables and stir till they become tender.
4. Add salt,pepper,coriander powder and sabzi masala and mix well.
5. Now add dry roasted semolina and stir for a while.
6. Add one and a half cup water and lemon juice and stir till all of the mixture come together and leaves sides of the pan.  Keep aside and let it get completely cold.
7. Mash boiled potatoes and add them to the prepared mixture or upma,add chopped coriander and mix well.
8. Check for salt if o.k then proceed further otherwise add some salt to it.
9. Make kebabs of desired shape and size, roll them in dry maida then dip them in the cornflour slurry then roll them in bread crumbs and deep fry in hot oil till they become golden in color. 
10. Serve hot with ketchup or a dip of your choice.

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APPLE PIE

Preparation time: 30 min
cooking time: 10-15 mins 
Serves: 4

Ingredients :

For pastry dough

1 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup butter

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp powdered sugar

 3-4 tbsp chilled water

For the filling:

2 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

a pinch of salt

1 tsp all purpose flour

2  tart apples peeled & diced

2 tsp butter
  

Method:

1. Combine ingredients listed under pastry dough i.e. flour,sugar and salt in food processor; pulse once or twice. (Whisk together if you haven’t got a food processor)
2. Add butter and turn on machine, processing about 10 seconds or until the butter and flour are blended and the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
3. Place mixture into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tbsp of ice water.
4. Use a wooden spoon to gradually gather the mixture into a ball; if the mixture seems too dry, add another ½ tbsp ice water and mix until you can gather into a ball with your hands.
5. Wrap ball of dough in plastic wrap, flatten into a disk and place in freezer for 10 minutes (or 30 minutes in fridge) to ease rolling. At this point you could also refrigerate the dough for a day or two, or freeze it almost indefinitely.
6. Heat oven 180 C
7. Mix sugar, cinnamon flour and salt in large bowl. Stir in apples.
8. Unwrap dough, lightly sprinkle its top with flour and roll out onto a lightly floured board or countertop; if the dough is too hard, let it sit for a minute or two (it should give a little when you press your fingers into it). 
9. Take muffin moulds and line in the moulds with rolled pastry dough , prick with fork.
10. Fill in the apple filling.
11. Roll some more pastry dough and cut strips out of it, cover the filling with strips,trim overhanging edges.
12. Repeat the process and make more pies.
13. Bake for 10 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Serve warm with a scoop of vanila ice-cream.

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METHI PARANTHA

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
serves: 4-5 paranthas

Ingredients:
2 cups wheat flour
1 cup fenugreek leaves
1-2 green chilies finely chopped
2 tsp gram flour
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
1/2 tsp sabzi masala
salt to taste
oil or ghee for shallow frying

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl except oil and knead a soft dough using water as required.
2. Keep the dough for rest under a damp cloth for 10 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into small portions and roll into balls. Heat a tawa/griddle. Roll a dough ball in flour and roll it into a roti. 
4. Spread a little ghee on it and sprinkle some flour. Then gather all the edges in center and press lightly. Roll it out into a small thick parantha using flour as required. 
5. Place the parantha on the hot tawa and cook. Turn it over and apply some ghee or oil. 
6. Turn over once again and apply some more ghee and cook till both sides are golden. Serve hot.

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TANDOORI GOBHI

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower whole trimmed
1/4 tsp turmeric powder 
1 tbsp. gram flour
2 cup hung yogurt
1 tsp kasoori methi
1 tsp  degi mirch  powder
1 tsp catch sabzi masala powder
2 lemons
salt to taste
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
2 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp schezwan chuttney or chili sauce or red or green chili paste which ever is available
1 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp sugar powdered (optional)
1 tsp chaat masala 
1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

1. Boil water with a pinch of turmeric powder in a large deep pan. When water starts boiling add whole cauliflower in it.
2. Boil it for five minutes. Drain and refresh under running water. Heat a non-stick pan and dry roast besan on low heat till it gives out a nice aroma. Transfer it into a bowl and keep aside.
3. In a large bowl combine hung yogurt, roasted besan, kasoori methi, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, sabzi masala powder,jeera powder,green cardamom powder, lemon juice,garlic paste,ginger paste, schezwan chuttney, mustard oil,sugar and salt. Mix well and keep aside.
4. Marinate the cauliflower in the yogurt mixture for an hour, fill the gaps as much as possible.
5.  Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Cook the cauliflower in the preheated oven at 180°C till done.
6. Remove when done, sprinkle olive oil and chaat masala and serve hot garnished with lemon wedges along with coriander chuttney mixed in some hung yogurt .

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HOW TO PRESERVE PEAS

Ingredients:
1kg  peas
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 ltr. water
zip lock pouches

Method:

1. Take fresh, tender and good quality Peas for preservation.Peal them  and wash them thoroughly.
2. Take water in a  big vessel add salt and sugar and let it come to a boil.
3. Put the green peas into boiling water for two minutes. After this turn off the flame and strain the peas through a sieve to remove excess water.
4. Fill these green peas in small polythene bags with the help of a ladle while they are hot.
5. Zip lock it once and then open and let all the hot air go out and then quickly seal it again (this way vacuum will be created inside the bag and the bag will fill less space in side the freezer and chances of tearing of bag also reduce).
6. Place them in deep freezer.

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AALU PAKODI

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time : 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

3 medium sized potatoes, peeled and chopped into dices
70-80 gms besan ki pakodi (ready made) available in grosser's shop or in confectioner's shop 
2 medium sized tomatoes, pureed
1" ginger grated
1 green chili chopped
1.5 tbsp desi ghee or refined oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch or asafoetida (hing)
7-8 curry leaves or 1 tsp kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
1/2 tsp degi mirch
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp catch sabzi masala or kitchen king
1 tsp fennel seeds powder sounf powder
1/2 tsp dry mango powder (amchoor powder)
1 tsp sugar (optional)
salt to taste
chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat ghee or oil in a pressure cooker and add asafoetida,cumin seeds,mustard seeds,curry leaves,ginger and green chilies.
2. Stir for a while and add pureed tomatoes.
3. Cook till the mixture leaves oil and then add degi mirch, turmeric powder, coriander powder,
4. sabzi masala or kitchen king,sugar and salt and cook for a minute.
5. Add 4 cups of water , potatoes  and pakodis and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles on high flame then simmer the gas for 10-15 minutes or till the potatoes and pakodis are cooked completely.
6. Open the lid and simmer the gas, press a few cooked potatoes with the ladle on the sides of the cooker.
7. This is to get a slightly thicker consistency of the gravy. the starch from the potatoes makes the gravy a little thick.
8. Now add fennel powder and dry mango powder and cook till you get the desired consistency. 
9. Sprinkle chopped coriander and serve hot with ajwain ki crisp puri or urad dal puri , methi puri , tri colored puris ,chapaati. parantha ,onion,green chili and pickle.  

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VEGETARIAN MEXICAN TACOS

Ingredients:

12 tacos shells (home made or ready made)

For The Rajma Topping:

3/4 cup red rajma (kidney beans) , soaked for 8 hours and boiled
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 tomato chopped
1/2 capsicum chopped
1/2-1 green chili chopped
1/2 tsp garlic finely chopped
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) powder
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp schezwan sauce or chili sauce


Other ingredients:
sour cream or hung yogurt add salt to taste
thinly sliced onion,shreaded carrots and cabbage with some salt to taste
pomegranate seeds

Method:

1. Heat oil in a  pan, add garlic,onions and capsicum and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
2. Add green chilies, tomato puree, tomato ketchup,schezwan sauce, chilli powder, cumin seeds powder and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
3. Add the cooked rajma with some water, mix well, mash a bit using a potato masher and cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes, , while stirring occasionally till the water evaporates. 
4. Add chopped tomatoes, mix well and keep aside.
5. Place crisp tacos on a clean, dry surface, place a portion each of the rajma topping evenly over each taco.
6. Place some sliced onion, shreaded carrots and cabbage over rajma topping then some sour cream and finely garnish with some pomegranate seeds and coriander leaves and serve immediately.

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TACO SHELLS FOR CANAPES

Ingredients:

1 cup maize flour
1 cup maida + for dusting
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Sieve maize flour and all purpose flour together.
2. Add salt and 2 tbsp oil and mix.
3. Knead a soft dough using warm water.
4. Take out a ball of the dough,dust it with some flour and roll a thin chapati with the help of a rolling pin.
5. Take a muffin mold and cut as much round disks as possible.
6. Now gather the left out dough and mix some more dough and repeat the process.
7. Prick with a fork or knife randomly, to avoid the canapes puffing up while frying.
8. Meanwhile, heat oil in a wide and deep-bottomed frying pan or kadahi(wok).
9. Add the circular discs to the hot oil gently. Without crowding, fry as many discs as the pan could fit.
10. Keep turning them around and fry on low flame till they turn golden brown and crisp throughout. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them on absorbent towel. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

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