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Borlotti Bean (light coloured kidney beans), Tomato and Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

2 ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ onion, finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¼ Tbsp dried chili flakes

¼ Tbsp cumin seeds

500 gms ripe tomatoes, skinned

100 gms dried Borlotti beans (soaked overnight and drained and pressure cooked)

½ small bay leaf

100 gms spinach, washed (Chopped – Optional)

Method:

In a large pan heat oil over low heat. Add onions and garlic. Fry for about 7-8 minutes, then add the spices and cook for another 5 minutes or until the onions turn soft and golden. Chop the skinned tomatoes and stir into the onion mixture. Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil. Cook for about 7-8 minutes until the sauce thickens. Keep stirring in between. Add the beans and a bay leaf . Let it simmer for about 10 minutes,add baby spinach and season to taste.

Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1 Tbsp ground turmeric

¼ Tbsp ground cumin

2 pinches paparika

3 onions, chopped

1 Tbsp salt

6 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

1 litre vegetable stock

2 cups corn kernels

100 gms cashews, soaked for at least 4 hrs or overnight and blended to paste

1 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

¼ Tbsp chipotle dip

Fresh coriander, roughly chopped to garnish

Method:

Take coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add turmeric, cumin and paprika , cook for a minute. Add onions and salt and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and corn kernels .Cook for 5 minutes, then add the stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minute still the corn is bright yellow.

Once the corn is cooked, remove the pan from heat and transfer the mixture to a blender, add the soaked cashews and lime juice. Blend until smooth; add water to thin the soup if required. Season to taste with salt.

Then in a bowl, whisk the olive oil with the ground chipotle until thoroughly blended.

Serve the soup in bowls, topped with chipotle dip and a sprinkle of chopped coriander.

Spring Onion and potato soup

Ingredients:

100 gms green onions finely chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

400 gms potatoes, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 litre vegetable stock

¼ Tbsp mustard paste

Fresh Basil, finely chopped

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Salt

¼ Tbsp pepper

Method:

In a pan set over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter foams, add the onions and potatoes along with salt and pepper. cover the pan and let it cook gently for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring in between so that the veggies do not overcook or catch on the bottom of the pan. Then add garlic and spring onion , stir for a minute.

Add the vegetable stock along with mustard paste , bring to a boil. Blend and strain the soup (Straining is optional, I like this soup unstrained). Bring the blended soup to a sauce pan and let it simmer for about 5 minutes . Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve into bowls sprinkled with basil, freshly ground black pepper.

Apple Saffron Sondesh (Cottage Cheese Sweet Meat)

Ingredients:

250 gm cottage cheese (Fresh Chhena)

75 g powdered sugar

2 Tbsp grated apple, sauted with sugar to get caramelized apple jam.

10-15 strands of saffron.

Method:

How to make fresh Chhena- Take 2 lit. full cream milk, bring to boil add three tbsp. lemon juice, let the milk curdle. Drain the hot water with sieve and muslin cloth add cold water to rinse, squeeze all the water and hang it for one hour. After one hour your fresh Chhena is ready.

Now take your fresh chhena and knead the chhena for 5-6 minutes but do not overdo it. Add powdered sugar and half of the stands of saffron. Make a small ball, with thumb make a dent and fill apple jelly. Cover and shape your sondesh as you like. Garnish with apple jam and strands of saffron.

Shakarkand ka halwa (Sweet Potato Pudding)

Ingredients:

500 g Dry roasted and grated sweet potatoes

200 g Clarified butter (Desi Ghee)

150 g Sugar

¼ cup Dry fruits of your choice

50 ml condensed milk

Method:

In a thick bottomed pan take ghee and on melting add dry fruits, roast on low heat for 2-3 minutes and then add grated sweet potatoes. Keep stirring so that, the sweet potato should not burn and stick to the bottom. Stir till you get nice roasting smell, at this point add condensed milk and sugar, Roast for some more time till the milk evaporates. Your Sweet Potato Halwa is done.

Aaloo ka halwa (Potato Pudding)

Ingredients:

500 g Boiled and grated potatoes

200 g Clarified butter (Desi Ghee)

150 g Sugar

¼ cup Dry fruits of your choice

50 ml Full cream milk

Method:

In a thick bottomed pan take ghee and on melting add dry fruits, roast on low heat for 2-3 minutes and then add grated potatoes. Keep stirring so the potato should not burn and stick to the bottom. Stir till you get nice roasting aroma, at this point add milk and sugar, Roast for some more time till the milk evaporates. Your Potato Halwa is done.

Sevaiyan (vermicelli)

Ingredients:

125 ml ghee

60 ml sevaiyan (vermicelli)

1 litre milk

250 gm sugar

4 silver leaves

15 gm pistachio (unsalted, chopped)

15 gm almonds (slivers)

A pinch of saffron

1 tsp kewra water

Method:

Heat ghee in a pan and fry the sevaiyan in batches till it becomes reddish-brown. Keep aside.

Boil milk in another pan till it begins to thicken then add the siwain. Simmer for a 10-15 minutes. Add sugar and dry fruits take the pan off the heat and finally add kewara water (pandanus).

Shahi Tukda (Syrup coated fried bread)

Ingredients:

4 slices white bread (crust removed).

2 tsp ghee

2 tbsp rabari/ condensed milk

1 cup sugar

½ Tbsp rose water

½ tsp cardamom powder

1/4 cup raisins (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes)

1 tsp pistachio (blanched and slivered)

4 silver edible leaves

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan, fry the bread till golden. Remove and drain the excess oil on an absorbent paper. Keep aside. Boil 1 cup sugar with half cup water to get one string consistency. Mix rose water in the syrup. Dip the fried bread one by one in sugar syrup and quickly remove and set aside , do not stack them on top of each other . Assemble each pieces of bread and then garnish with rabri and fresh rose petals.

Rabri /Rabdi ( Flavourful Thickened Milk)

Ingredients:

2 lit full cream milk

200 g cup sugar

10 green cardamoms seeds (powdered)

¼ Tbsp rosewater

8-10 almonds (slivers )

8-10 pistachio (slivers)

Method:

Boil milk in a thick pan, reduce heat and simmer, stirring all the while till milk is very thick and reduced to about a quarter of its original volume. Keep scraping the film of milk that sticks to the sides of the pan, and putting it back in the simmering milk. The rabari will take about 2 hours to cook. Add sugar, remove from heat, and stir to dissolve. Sprinkle powdered cardamom, essence, almonds and pistachio nuts. Serve chill.

Phirni (Milk and Rice Dessert)

Ingredients:

750 ml milk

3 tbsp rice, ground

8 tbsp sugar

¼ tbsp cardamom powder

2 tbsp pistachios (blanched and sliced)

Fee drops of Kewra (Pandanus Plant) Essence

Dry Rose petals to garnish

Method:

Soak rice in water for about 30 minutes then grind to a paste and keep it aside.

Bring to boil the milk in a pan, then reduce heat and let simmer. Stir in the rice paste and sprinkling the sugar. Continue cooking on low heat till the milk is reduced by 1/3 it’s original volume. Remove from heat, pour in serving bowls and garnish with almonds and pistachio slivers. You may also sprinkle a few drops of kewra (Pandanus Plant) essence or 1 tsp of rose water.