CHOCOLATE CAKE OR BROWNIE

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 25-30

Ingredients :

2 cups all purpose flour (maida)

2 cups sugar

¾ cup cocoa

2 teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda                                                     

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon espresso powder (powdered coffee can also be used instead)

1 cup milk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F or 180 ºC. Prepare 2 baking dishes of the desired shape by buttering and lightly flouring.
2. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl.
3.  Whisk through to combine and stir until combined well.
4. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla essence to flour mixture and mix together with the help of a blender  until well combined.
5. Now carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
6. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared baking dishes. Bake for 30-35 minutes on 180ºC , until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes now cut into shape of your choice and serve as it is or along with ice-cream.

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KADAHI PANEER

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

200 gms cottage cheese sliced in cubes (lightly fried only if you like)

2.5 tbsp oil

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

4 kashmiri red chilies

2 tbsp finely chopped garlic

1 medium sized  grated onion

1 medium sized sliced onion

1 capsicum sliced 

1/2 tsp finely chopped green chilies

2 finely chopped tomatoes

1/4 cups tomato puree

1/2 tsp dried fengrueek leaves

1 tsp sabzi masala

1/4 tsp degi mirch

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 cup fresh cream or malai

1 tsp salt or to taste

Method:

1. Dry roast coriander seeds and 2 kasmiri red chilies on a tava and make a powder in the mixer.
2. Let it cool and keep it a side
3. Take 1.5 tsp oil in a kadahi and when the oil is hot put cumin seeds in it.
4. When the cumin seeds change color add garlic and stir fry it then add grated onion and cook till it becomes brown.
5. Now add chopped tomatoes and green chilies and  mix well and cook on a medium flame for 10 to 12 minutes or till the oil separates, while stirring occasionally.
6. Add the prepared powder, sabzi masala,degi mirch,turmeric powder,salt,fengureek leaves, and tomato pure and cook a little more.
7. Add 1 cup water and cook for 2 minutes.
8. In a separate pan take 1 tbsp oil and cook 2 red kashmiri chilies, sliced onions and capsicum till the onions are translucent in color and add this to the prepared gravy.
9. Add cheese and fresh cream and keep aside. 
10. Heat it at the time of serving and garnish with chopped coriander. 

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LOW CAL PANEER IN RED CURRY

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
250 gm cottage cheese (paneer)
12 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 flakes garlic
1" piece ginger paste
1/2 kg tomatoes boiled and crushed to pure or 1 cup tomato puree(rady made)
2 tbs tomato ketchp
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tbsp kasuri methi (dry fengurik leaves)
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water

Method:

1. Heat jeera in a karahi ,when it turns golden add ginger garlic paste.
2. Add tomato puree and cook till the puree turns dry
3. Add kasoori methi and tomato ketchup.
4. Add all the dry ingredients and cook till madala turns dry.
5. Add water and let the mixture boil
6. Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool
7. When the mixture is cold add milk and cook on low flame for 4-5 minutes stirring constantly to avoid curdling of milk
8. Add paneer pieces and cook for 2 more minutes and then remove from fire.
9. Garnish with grated cheese chopped coriander leaves and hung curd. 

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RESTAURANT STYLE GRAVY

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
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 kitchen king masala
1 tsp coriander powder
2 green cardamoms

Method:

1. Put sliced onions, green chili,ginger and garlic in a mixer and make a fine paste 
2. Take oil in a pan. 
3. Add cumin seeds and cardamoms and fry till the oil becomes fragrant. 
4. Add the onion ginger and garlic paste and cook till it become brown. 
5. Add the tomato puree and saute for 2-3 minutes. 
6. Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, kitchen king masala powder, coriander powder and mix well. 
7. Add cashew paste. 
8. Stir and saute till the oil starts to leave the sides of the masala paste. 
9. Add water and stir. 
10. Simmer and cook on low flame for 10-15 minutes till the gravy becomes thick. 
11. Add half the cream and salt. 
12. You can also add sugar or tomato sauce if you want a light sweet taste in the curry.

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DAHI VADA

www.paakvidhi.blogspot.in

Ingredients:
2 cups Hung curd
1 cup white lentil /skin less black gram (urad dhuli)        
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing) powder
1 tsp salt
oil for frying
1 tsp cumin seeds jeera
1" ginger grated
2 green chillies cut length wise
8-10 curry leaves
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp oil for tempering

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.
4.  Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.
5.  Drop batter in tablespoonfuls in it and fry until light golden. Drain onto an absorbent paper.  Put vadas in sufficient quantity of hot water. Leave for two minutes. Squeeze between your palms to drain out water.
6. Mix sugar and salt with hung curd with the help of a blender.
7. Add grated ginger,green chilies and the vadas to the curd.
8. Heat oil in a pan and when it is hot put in cumin seeds and curry leaves and when it start to splatter take it off from the fire and put the tempering into the curd and mix well.
9. Garnish with boondi,ginger juliennes, pomegranate seeds,beetroot juliennes and chaat masala. 

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CUCUMBER BLACK GRAM DELIGHT

Ingredients:

2 cucumbers
1/2 cup hung yogurt
1/2 cup boiled black gram(kale chane)
salt and black pepper powder to taste
Pomegranate seeds and coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Peel the cucumbers and check for bitterness.
2. Cut the cucumber in 1"-1.5" long pieces.
3. Scoop out , just a little, to get a small cavity in each piece of cucumber with the back of a teaspoon or a scoop.
4. Mix hung yogurt,boiled black gram,salt and pepper powder in a bowl.
5. Fill the cavity of cucumber with this filling.
6. Garnish with coriander or mint leave and pomegranate seeds.
7. Keep them in the refrigerator and serve chilled.

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BHATURE

Ingredients:

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:

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 two 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 either round or oval shape (not very thin) bhaturas. 
6. Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the bhaturas on high flame till light brown on both the sides.

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LEMON RICE

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

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice (cooked)
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds(rai)
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder (hing)
10 leaves curry leaves
1 green chili finely chopped
1" grated ginder
1/2 tsp urad dal soaked for half an hour and drained
1 tbsp chana dal soaked for half an hour and drained
2 tbsp peanuts
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 table spoon lemon juice
1 tsp salt or as per taste

Method:

1. Take oil in kadahi and add mustard seeds.
2. When they start to splatter add peanuts,urad dal,chana dal,hing,curry leaves,ginger,green chilies and  turmeric powder to it stiring continuosly.
3. Now add the cooked rice and salt and mix well.
4. Turn off the flame and add lemon juice and mix well.
5. Serve hot.

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KACHARI KARELA / BAAD KE KARELE

BAAD KE KARELE
Ingredients:

250 gms baad ke karele (small bitter gourd)

2 medium sized onions thinly sliced

1 tbsp oil 

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp hing asafoetida powder

1  tsp salt or as per taste

1 tsp garam masala or sabzi masala

1/2 tsp amchoor powder

1/2 tsp sounf powder
1/2 tsp dhania powder

1/4 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp sugar

Method:

1. Wash and cut the karelas in round thin slices.
2. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt on to the karelas and keep them on rest for 3-4 hours.
3. Drain out the liquid and discard it .
4. Wash the karelas once again.
5. Take the oil in a pan and when it is hot add the cumin seeds and the asafoetida (hing) powder.
6. Now add the sliced onions and stir them till pink in color.
7. Add the washed karelas and the rest of the salt and put a lid on the pan and cook the karelas till they become tender stirring occasionally.
8. Now add red chili powder,sabzi masala,amchoor powder,sounf powder,dhania powder and the sugar and cook without lid for another five minutes on low flame.
9. Serve hot with chapati or parantha.

Note:

If baad ke karele are not available then it can be made with normal karela the process is same except you need to peel the karelas before sprinkling salt on them.

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VEGETABLE SANDWHICH / COLESLAW SANDWICH

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

8 bread slices

1/4 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup grated cabbage

1/2  capsicum very finely chopped

1/2 onion finely chopped

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1/4 tsp  black pepper powder

1/2-1 tsp salt as per taste

Method:

1. Trim off the edges of each slice of bread.
2. Mix rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
3. Spread the mixture on one bread slice and put another slice on it.
4. Repeat the process with rest of the slices.
5. Cut these sandwiches in the desired shape.
6. You can serve it like that only otherwise you can grill it in an OTG or a griller or patty maker or you can simply roast it on a tava.
7. Serve it with ketchup or a dip of your choice.

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