KISHMISH AUR METHE KI CHUTTNEY / RAISIN FENUGREEK SEEDS CHUTTNEY

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

250 gms raisins (kishmish)
2 tsp fenugreek seeds(methe) whole or powder
1 tbsp sugar (optional)
1 tsp degi mirch powder
1 tsp garam masala or sabzi masala
1 tsp dhania powder
salt to taste

Method:

1. Remove stem of raisins  then wash and soak them over night.
2. If you are using whole fenugreek seeds then soak them as well.
3. Next day drain out excess water from both and coarsely grind them in a mixer grinder.
4. Transfer the ground paste in a pan add sugar and cook on low flame till all the water evaporates and you reach desired consistency.
5. Add rest of the ingredients and cook further for 2-3 minutes.
6. Switch off the gas and let it cool then store the chuttney in an air tight container.
7. Enjoy it with roti sabzi or with parantha or poori. 

Notes:

1. You can use fenugreek powder in place of  fenugreek seeds in that case you need to soak rasins only and add fenugreek seeds powder along with all the spices.
2. If you taste the chuttney immediately it may give a bitter taste due to fenugreek powder but after some time it will settle.

 
 

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KHICHDI KE PAKODE

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1 cup split moong dal
1 cup rice
1 onion finely chopped
1 big or 2 small potatoes grated
1-2 green chilies finely chopped
1" ginger grated
1/2 tsp garam masala or sabzi masala
1/2 tsp dhania powder
1/4 tsp degi mirch powder
a pinch of asafoetida
a pinch of baking soda 
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

Method (vidhi):

1. Mix rice an dal in a bowl , wash them and soak them for 3-4 hours.
2. Drain out excess water and coarsely grind the soaked mixture.
3. Take out the mixture in the bowl and mix rest of the ingredients except oil.
4. Heat oil in a kadahi and carefully drop spoon full of batter at a time in hot oil then drop more at a distance in the same lot.   
5. Lower the heat and let the pakodas cook over medium heat.Turn the side and cook from the other side as well till they become brown in color. 
6. Remove them from oil with a slotted spoon on a napkin and serve hot along with tamarind chuttney, green chuttney or with ketchup.

 

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TUTI FRUTI ICE CREAM

Ingredients: 

vanilla ice cream
strawberry ice cream or any other ice cream of your choice
canned fruits
orange syrup
wafer

Method:

1. Spread orange sauce or orange jam along the sides of 2 individual glasses.
2. Put one scoop each of vanilla ice cream in both the glasses then put a layer of chopped canned fruits, then one scoop of strawberry ice cream again a layer of chopped canned fruits and then a scoop of vanilla ice cream and final layer of chopped canned fruits.
3. Garnish it with a canned cherry and a wafer. 
4. Serve chilled.

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ICE CREAM SODA

Place two scoops vanilla ice cream in a glass and top with chilled soda of your choice. I have used orange soda (MARINDA).

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DAAL KA PARANTHA

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups wheat flour
1-1.5 cup left over dal* (depending upon the consistency of dal)
1 small onion finely chopped
1 green chili finely chopped
1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves or 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste
1/2 tsp sabzi masala or garam masala
oil for shallow frying

Method (vidhi):

1. Take All the ingredients in a bowl except for oil and dal and mix well.
2. Now add dal little by little and knead a soft dough as you knead for chapati.
3. Keep it under cover for 10-15 minutes.
4. Heat tava and take a medium size ball dust it with some dry flour and roll it with the help of a rolling pin.
5. Spread 1/2 tsp oil in the center and gather the edges in the center..
6. Again dust it with some flour and roll it with the help of a rolling pin.
7. Place it on a hot griddle pan (tava)and turn the side after 1 minute.
8. Cook from the other side for 2-3 minutes or till you see spots.
9. Now spread some oil on first side and turn the side spread some oil on the other side as well.
10. Cook pressing with a spatula from both sides till well cooked from both sides.
11. Serve hot with butter and pickle or green chuttney.

Note:
1*. I used left over moong daal.  any left over daal can be used like channa dal, mah chole ki dal , sabut moong dal or daal makhni etc.

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KADHI PAKODI

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time 2 hours
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

For kadhi
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
1/4 tsp carom seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/8 tsp asafoitida powder

2 tbsp pure ghee or clarified butter
8-10 kari leaves teared with hand
1 onion finely chopped
1" ginger finely chopped or grated
1-2 green chilies finely chopped
1 ltr. salted buttermilk or lassi or masala chaas or 2 cup sour curd
4 tbsp  chick pea flour (besan)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp degi mirch powder
salt to taste
1 tsp sabzi masala or kitchen king masala
1 tsp dhania powder
1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1-2 tsp dry fenugreek leaves

For pakodi:
1 potato grated
1 onion thinly sliced
1 green chili finely chopped
1 cup chick pea flour
a pinch of baking powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp degi mirch powder
1/2 tsp (coriander seed) dhania powder
1/2 tsp. sabzi masala
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Mix buttermilk with chick pea flour and blend it with a hand blender so that there are no lumps in the batter.
2. Heat clarified butter in a pressure cooker and add asafotida powder,cumin seeds,carom seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, kari leaves, onion,ginger,green chily and cook till the onions turn pink in color.
3. Now add the chick pea mixture, 1 ltr. water and turmeric powder and cook for approximately one hour  (Simmer the gas after first boil and stir occasionally).
4. Mean while heat oil in a pan and mix rest of the ingredients listed in pakodi list.
5. Make a thick batter using the required water and make pakodis by dropping a tsp full of batter in hot oil. 
6. Fry till they become brown in color from both the sides . Take them out on an absorbent paper and keep aside.
7. Check the kadhi and adjust the consistency using some water if required or if you like a bit thick kadhi then cook for some more time till you get required consistency.
8. Add the fried pakodies and all the spices.
9. Cook further for 5-10 minutes and serve hot with plain rice or jeera rice.

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EGGLESS BLACK FOREST CAKE

Preparation time : 1 hour
Cooking time : 40 minutes
Serves: 10-12

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour (maida)
3 tbsp coco powder
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1.5 cup sofit chocolate flavored soya milk
3/4 cup refined oil or unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp  vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vinegar
2 tbsp powdered sugar dissolved in 3-4 tbsp water or syrup of cherries
3 cup sweetened non dairy whipped cream
1 can cherries to decorate
chocolate shavings to sprinkle on the cake.



Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven at 180 C.
2. Sift the flour,coco powder,baking soda and baking powder together in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, mix butter/oil and powdered sugar  using a whisk or blender.
4. Add soya milk and vanilla essence to the creamed mixture and mix until well combined.
5. Add the all purpose flour  mix in to the above mixture and use cut and fold method to make a batter or thick consistency without any lumps.
6. FInally, add vinegar and fold in gently.
7. Pour the mixture into a greased pan and lightly tap on the kitchen counter to remove any air bubbles.
8. Keep the pan in the oven first for 10 minutes at 180 C and then at 150 C for 30 minutes.
9. Ckeck with the help of a knife if it comes clean then it is done,now remove it from oven and let it get cool.
10. Cut the cake into three slices using a sharp knife.
11. Take the bottom layer and spread the cherry syrup all over then spread a layer of whipping cream.
12. Now place some de-seeded cherries and cover this layer with another slice of cake.
13. Repeat step 11 and 12 .
14. Now after placing the final layer cover the whole cake with whipped cream.
15. Decorate the cake with whipped cream using a pipping bag and a star nossel.
16. Place some cherries on the top and cover the center with chocolate shavings.

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NO BAKE WOOD LOG BISCUIT CAKE

Ingredients:

20 Marie biscuits
¾ cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 tbsp milk
¼ cup icing sugar (or powdered sugar)
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2-3 drops of vanilla extract (optional)

Method:

1. Place the softened butter in a bowl and add the icing sugar,milk and cocoa powder along with vanilla extract (if using).
2. Mix thoroughly until you get a soft mixture like frosting.
3. Take about 1 tsp of the chocolate frosting and spread over the Marie biscuit.
4. Take the second biscuit and repeat the same process until you have a long biscuit stack with chocolate frosting in between.
5. Smear the remaining chocolate frosting all over the biscuit tower generously.
6. Refrigerate this biscuit tower for approximately 2 hours or overnight.
7. Take it out and lay down on a cutting board.
8. Use a fork to create lines over the chocolate log to resemble the lines on a wooden log.
9. Cut slightly diagonally to get your log cookies, the biscuits would be soft by then.
10. Serve immediately or keep chilled until ready to serve.

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DUM AALU

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For stuffed aalu
6 medium sized potatoes
1/2 cup crumbled cottage cheese
1 green chili finely chopped
chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste
1/2 tsp catch sabzi masala
oil for deep frying

For gravy:
2 tbsp refined oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium sized onions
1 cup tomato paste/puree
1 green chili
1/4 cup cashew paste
½tsp red chili powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 inch ginger
4-5 cloves garlic
2 cups water
½ cup fresh cream
1 tsp salt or as per taste
1 tsp sugar /2 tsp tomato sauce(optional)
1 tsp catch sabzi masala or kitchen king masala
1 tsp coriander powder
2 green cardamoms

Method:

1.  Boil potatoes till just tender. Peel the skin when the potatoes become cold. Scoop out the centre of the potatoes with the back of a teaspoon and deep fry the potatoes in hot oil.
2. Mix all the ingredients of stuffing coriander leaves, green chilies, grated paneer,salt,sabzi masala, and the scooped out portion of potatoes.
3. Stuff the paneer filling in the cavity of the potatoes.
4.  Prick the potatoes with fork, making the surface rough so that potatoes hold the gravy well.
5. Put sliced onions, green chili,ginger and garlic in a mixer and make a fine paste 
6. Take oil in a pan. 
7. Add cumin seeds and cardamoms and fry till the oil becomes fragrant. 
8. Add the onion, ginger and garlic paste and cook till it becomes brown. 
9. Add the tomato puree and saute for 2-3 minutes. 
10. Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, kitchen king masala powder, coriander powder and mix well. 
11. Add cashew paste. 
12. Stir and saute till the oil starts to leave the sides of the masala paste. 
13. Add water and stir then . 
14. Simmer and cook on low flame for 10-15 minutes till the gravy becomes thick. 
15. Add the stuffed potatoes and cook further for 5 minutes add the cream and salt and mix well. 
16. You can also add sugar or tomato sauce if you want a light sweet taste in the gravy. 
17. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with chapati, parantha or naan.

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VEGETABLE KHICHDI

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice (chawal)
1/2 cup split moong dal
2 green chillies
1 onion chopped 

1/2" ginger chopped

coriander (dhania)
cumin seeds (jeera)
salt and garam masala to taste
1 tbsp +1 tbsp desi ghee for tempering
1/4 tsp degi mirch

1 tsp garam masala
2 cup finely chopped vegetables carrot,french beans,cauliflower,broccoli, peas,capsicum or any other vegetables as per choice and availability.

salt to taste

Method :

1. Heat 1 tbsp desi ghee in a pressure cooker, add jeera and then add finely chopped ginger,green chillies and onions .
2. Stir them all till the onions become light brown in color.
3. Now take rice & dal and wash them together.
4. Add the rice & dal  mixture to the cooked onions masala along with 3 cups of water and salt to taste.
5. After 1 whistle simmer the gas for ten minutes then, switch off the gas.
6. Don't open it till the cooker itself releases the pressure.Then take it out in the serving bowl.
7. In another vessel heat the remaining ghee and add finely chopped vegetables along with some salt and stir till the vegetables become tender.
8. Add degi mirch and garam masala powder and immediately pour this tempering over the khichdi and mix well ,sprinkle chopped corriander leaves over it. 
9. Now the khichadi is ready to be served.
10. Serve the khichadi hot along with curd,papad lemon pickle etc.

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