Veg Fried Rice (Yang chow style)

(4 Serving) 

Ingredients: 

500 gm long grain rice (washed and soaked for 30 minutes).  

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil 

1 medium size onion, sliced 

1 teaspoon sesame oil 

50 gm green peas  

2 medium carrot diced (3 ounces; 85g) 

1 bunch of green onion , finely chopped  

1 green capsicum diced 

50 gm Cabbage ,Shredded 

½ cup tofu – cubed  

2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons; 5g) 

1 teaspoon soy sauce, white vinegar, chilli sauce (Red and Green) 

1tsp black pepper (ground) 

Salt to taste 

1 Red and Green chilli sliced to garnish 

Method:  

Boil rice in salted water.  Keep aside after draining water  

On high flame heat vegetable oil in a large wok, add chopped Onions, Carrots, Peas and toss after a minute add diced Capsicum and shredded Cabbage. Stir for two more minutes add boiled rice, toss on high flame, add all the sauces, salt and pepper and add diced tofu. At the time of taking off from the heat, add sesame oil. 

Veg Fried Rice ready, garnish with slice of Red and Green chili.  

Potato-Soya Vegget Warm Salad With Tandoori Sauce

Ingredients: 

 For Salad 

 500 gm.  Small size potatoes, 90% boiled (microwaved) pealed  

   100 gram soya vegget (Nugget will do) boiled for 5 minutes  

9 round slices of capsicum (3 each of Red, Green and Yellow)  

6 Baby corns, blanched and sliced in length  

15-20 leaves of baby spinach 

50 grams shredded Cabbage (purple and green)   

1 medium size onion (in round sliced) 

 2 Tbsp.. olive oil 

1 Tbsp.. of Rice vinegar  

 2 green chilies cut in length 

1 Thai red chili sliced 

1 bunch of green coriander (Finely chopped) 

1 shoot of green onion (chopped) 

4 pieces of sliced green cucumber 

 4 pod garlic (ground to paste) 

Salt and black pepper to taste  

1 Tbsp.. roasted peanuts and white sesame seeds 

For Tandoori sauce 

1 onion (medium size chopped finely) 

½ Tbsp.. Ginger Garlic paste  

1 tsp. red chili powder 

1tsp turmeric powder 

 1 tsp. garam masala 

½ tsp. dried mango powder 

1 green chili chopped  

½ cup Full Cream  

1 Tbsp.. of tandoori masala 

½ cup tomato puree 

Salt to taste 

¼ Tbsp.. brown sugar  

1 Tbsp.. cooking oil 

1/4 cup water 

Method: 

Salad 

Grill potatoes on high heat, use some oil, put soya nugget, and grill for few minutes turning occasionally. 

Once done add some salt, remove from the grill plate.  On the same grill plate put three colors capsicum rings, just put some oil, and grill on the high heat. Once done remove and keep it separately for use later.  

In a wok   take the remaining oil, add onion ring, ginger and garlic paste, green chilies, add grilled potatoes and soya nugget. On the high heat toss and add rice vinegar add salt and black pepper. Toss for one minute, add cabbage and quickly remove from the heat. 

Keep the entire batch aside. 

Tandoori Sauce 

Heat the oil in a pan, add chopped onion and chopped chilies, sauté for 2 minutes. Blend the sautéed onions by using as little water possible. Once paste is done, pore it again on the pan, add ginger garlic paste, stir for a minute, add tomato puree, stir for a minute, and now add turmeric, chili powder, dry mango powder, tandoori masala and salt to taste. Keep stirring for 3 minutes, add water and boil just once. Remove pan from the heat. Now blend the entire onion tomato curry in a blender. You will get sauce like consistency. Put pan on heat and pour the entire mixture into the pan use high heat, add brown sugar, if possible flambé by turning your pan side wise closer to the flame. Add cream, stir and remove from the heat. Tandoori sauce is now ready to be poured over the sizzling warm salad. 

On a sizzling hot plate arrange capsicum rings, place the salad on the rings. Garnish with sliced red Thai chili, finely chopped coriander and pour the hot tandoori sauce on the sizzling plate. 

Achaari Paneer

Serves: 4 

Ingredients: 

 250 gm. cottage cheese (cut into cubes) 

capsicums– (bite size cut)   

1/2 inch piece ginger (ground to paste) 

4 pod garlic (ground to paste) 

1/2 cup yogurt (whisked) 

2 onions (medium size chopped finely) 

2-3 green chilies (chopped) 

1 tsp. red chili powder 

1tsp turmeric powder 

 1 tsp. garam masala 

½ tsp. dried mango powder 

2 green chilies cut lengthwise into 4 pieces  

½ cup Full Cream  

2 Tbsp.. Indian Pickle spice  

2 Tbsp.. cooking oil 

1Tbsp. panch Phoron spice (Fenugreek seed, Nigella seed, Cumin seed, Black mustard and Fennel seed)  

2 Tbsp.. finely chopped green coriander 

1 Tbsp.. dried fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi 

Salt to taste 

¼ cup brown sugar 

1 cup water 

Method: 

Make a marinade with half the turmeric, red chili powder moistening it with little water and coat the paneer pieces lightly with this. Keep aside for about 10 minutes after sprinkling a pinch of salt. 

Heat the oil in a pan and put all the spice seeds at once and wait till these begin to splutter. 

Now put it in onions and chopped green chilies, ginger garlic paste and cook till onions turn light brown. Stir-fry for about 1 minute. Stir in the yogurt, keep stirring and sprinkle mango powder, garam masala and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes on low heat till the moisture is reduced a little. And make sure that the liquid does not dry up completely, add water and bring it to boil. Add paneer cubes, capsicum, cook for 5 minutes but make sure capsicum remains crunchy. Just before serving, but still on heat, add the pickle spices, cream stir well and garnish with fresh coriander and green chilies. 

Tomato Consommé (Tomato Clear Soup)

Ingredients:

 350 gms. Fresh ripe Tomatoes (Charred on direct flame, pureed)

1 slice of Red capsicum (Charred on direct flame pureed with Tomatoes)

1 tsp. Olive Oil

2 cloves of Garlic ,½ inch ginger ,Cloves 3, 1tsp of Black pepper, ½ inch cinnamon quill, small piece of mace, 1 bay leaf ( pounded a bit, kept in a muslin cloth sachet)

1tsp brown sugar

Salt to taste

3 cups of water

Slice of lime and red chili for garnisasafoetida

Method:

Heat the pan, pour olive oil, after a minute, and add pureed tomatoes and capsicum.

 Keep stirring for 5 minutes, add salt, sugar and water

Add the spice sachet

Boil the mixture for 5 minutes. Lower the heat, simmer for 20 minutes.

Once done, use the muslin cloth to strain the entire mixture, you will get a clear looking soup.

 Garnish with slice of lemon and chili.

Farfalle pasta

Ingredients:

500 g boiled farfalle pasta (Cooked Al Dente)  

2 Cups Sliced Vegetable of your choice ( I used Capsicum, broccoli florets, Onions and baby corn ) 

2 Tbsp. Crushed and then chopped garlic and 6 cloves of Garlic) 

6 medium size Tomatoes (Charred on direct flame with 6 cloves of Garlic) pureed together. 

1Tbsp. dry oregano dry herb 

1 tsp black pepper powder 

2 Tbsp. olive oil 

6 Tbsp. grated cheese 

4 Tbsp. full cream 

1tsp brown sugar  

Salt to taste 

Method:

For Sauce–  In a pan , on medium heat , pour 1 Tbsp. olive oil , add pureed tomatoes and garlic. Saute the mixture for 10 minutes add ½ Tbsp.. oregano herb, pinch of salt and ½ tsp of black pepper powder , brown sugar.  

Add cream and saute for few minutes, check for seasoning . sauce is done . Just remember sauce should be equal if not more of pasta weight .

In a separate pan , on high heat, pour remaining oil into the pan , quickly add chopped garlic, baby corn .Saute for 2 minutes , now add remaining vegetables including onions . Lower the heat and add boiled pasta , salt, remaining oregano and black pepper powder toss for few minutes, add charred tomato-garlic sauce . Carefully toss  pastas , your pastas should be done by now just add grated chees , mix well , take it off from the heat. Pasta is ready for serving. 

This tomato sauce can be used with other kind of pastas too.

Chia Seed Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:

200 ml Coconut Milk

200 ml Full cream Milk

100 ml Condensed milk

50 ml Full Fat Cream

2 Tbsp. Chia Seed

3 Tbsp. Honey

6 Pieces of Dark Chocolate (40 grams), 75% dark or more.

2 Tbsp. Coco powder

1 inch Cinnamon Stick

Method

In a pan , on low heat pour full cream milk, add cinnamon stick, stir and crank the heat to medium , add chia seeds, after one boil reduce the heat to low , add coconut milk ,stir for two minutes . Add Cream, condensed milk, coco powder . stir for a minute or two. Now at this point add dark chocolate and stir , the mixture will start coming together with nice aroma. Take it off from heat, pour into the serving dish and rest it in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Garnish with grated light chocolate.

Matar Paneer Bon Bons

Ingredients:

500 Grams fresh peas/ Frozen peas can work equally good

(150 g for bon bons+150G for filling+200 g for gravy )

250 Grams of Paneer

(100 g for Bon Bons Grated + 100 g for Filling Cubed+ 50 gm for Gravy Grated)

100 grams boiled potato (mashed)

100 grams Bread Crumbs

2 Slices of White Bread

1 Medium Size Onion (Purred)

100 gram all purpose flour ( for slurry)

1 Tbsp. Roasted Cumin

1 Inch Cinnamon Stick

2 Tbsp. Cooking Oil ( for sauting the filling and tempering gravey)

1 Cup Cooking oil for frying Bob Bons

½ Tbsp. Lemon Zest

1Tbsp. Spice Mix (My Secret Masala )

1 Tbsp. Dry Mango Powder

100 ml Full Cream

Salt to Taste

Method:

For Bon Bons

Boil 300 grams of peas (150 for bon bons) , mash well with Potatoes and grated paneer , add 1 Tbsp. of bread crums and two slices of white bread , add salt, ¼ Tbsp. Spice mix. Make a good hard dough . Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Prepare your Filing by sautening peas and paneer in a pan by using little oil and cumin seeds add pinch of salt , on high heat saute for two minute , make sure you so not overcook, add lemon zest and ½ Tbsp. dry mango powder

Now to prepare bon bons with filling , take a good chunk of dough , flatten it on your palm , fill a spoon full of Peas+ Paneer mixture. Make ball , coat bread crums and dip in slurry , again coat of bread crums , fry of medium heat till the balls become golden brown.

For Gravy, Blend remaining peas and paneer . In a frying pan add 1 Tbsp. add cinnamon stick and remaining cumin once starts splutter , add onion puree, fry till oil start leaving the sides. At this moment add peas paneer puree, roast for few minutes , add cream , black pepper powder and salt.

Give it a good stir, check for seasoning.

Assemble bon bons in shallow bowl/ plate and drizzile the gravey on top of it , sprinkle few pieces of fried peas and paneer.

Banana Pan Cake ( Eggless) with grilled Pine apples

The best and easy to make breakfast, soft, fluffy and tasty, these eggless pan cakes are favorite of my kids. Just drizzle some maple syrup or honey to enhance the flavor and sweetness. You can add some blue berry or caramelized banana as toppings.

Ingredients:

4 servings (8 Pancakes)

2 cup plain or whole wheat flour

2 fully ripe bananas

1 cup Milk (skimmed )

¼ tsp cinnamon powder

1/8 tsp nutmeg (fresh grind)

4 tsps butter (unsalted) (2 for batter+ 4 tsps for cooking the pan cake)

2tsp baking powder

4 tsps sugar

½ tsp salt

4 slices of fresh pineapple

Method:

Shift flour, salt and baking powder , set aside. Mash the bananas , now add milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, melted butter (2 tsps) . Mix well till you get a good consistency . add flour ,keep mixing with a spoon or spatula .Make sure the batter has no lumps and of thick consistency.

Take a frying pan, grease it well with butter, heat the pan. Pour 1 ladle of batter in the centre of the pan . You do not need to spread the batter , make sure you are cooking on medium heat. Cover with the lid and cook for 2 minutes , pour some butter around the edges , when edges start leaving the pan , flip it and cook the other side as well. Repeat the process till you finish your batter. Now take a grill pan and on high heat pour one Tbsp. of butter spread the sliced pine apple neatly. Grill for a minute ,flip and you are done.

Garnish the pan cake with suggested toppings and drizzle honey or maple syrup just before you ready to serve. You may also add some berries and seeds on the sides.

Gobhi Aaloo (Cauliflower and Potato dry curry)

This one is straight from my Mother’s Kitchen, sounds cliché .This winter staple is cooked in every house hold across the country. But I am very sure that each house has its own unique way of cooking this simple dish. Try cooking my mom’s way.

Ingredients:

500 g cauliflower florets (washed and set aside in a bowl of water)

250 g potatoes ( Cubed ,Washed and set aside in a bowl of water)

2 Tbsp. Coriander- Chopped (1 and ½ + ½ for garnisasafoetida)

2 Green chilies chopped

½ inch ginger chopped

150 g Tomatoes –chopped

1tsp fenugreek seed

1tsp Cumin seed

½ tsp asafoetida

3 Tbsp. Mustard oil (2+1)

1tsp red chili powder

1 tsp turmeric

1Tbsp. coriander powder

1 Tbsp. spice mix (Curry Masala/Garam Masala)

100 ml water

Method:

In a big skillet (Kadahi) add oil (2 Tbsp..), use high flame. Add fenugreek seeds, in a moment it starts spurting, then add washed cauliflower and potatoes. Keep it on high heat, start stirring, (sort of shallow frying in 3-4 minutes) the cauliflower and potatoes will start turning golden brown and get softer. Lower the heat, cover the skillet for 3-4 minutes. Take it off from the heat and shift the semi- fried Cauliflower and Potatoes in a separate bowl.

In the same pan and on medium heat take remaining oil and add cumin seeds, asafoetida, green chilies, coriander and ginger sauté for 1 minute. Add chopped tomatoes, sauté for some more time; add Red chili powder, turmeric and coriander powder; stir till tomatoes become soft and paste like, add water at this point. After some time (2-3 minutes) add cauliflower and potatoes, mix well with the tomato paste, crank the heat, stir for a minute. Add salt, Curry Powder /Garam Masala. Cover the lid and let the curry simmer for 10 minutes. Check after 10 minutes if the cauliflowers and potatoes are cooked .Garnish with Green Coriander and Ginger juliennes.

If you want to make a gravy based curry , add 1 cup of tomato- and onion paste (sautéed) just before adding shallow fried cauliflower and potatoes and increase the red chili and spice mix by 50%.

Dall Dhokli

For Dal

1 cup boiled Red Gram ( Arhar/Tuar dal)

¼ Tbsp. Turmeric Powder

1/2 Tbsp. red chilli powder

1 Tbsp. Jaggery

½ Tbsp. Coriander Powder

1/8 Tbsp. Asafoetida

1/2 Tbsp. garam masala powder

1Tbsp. Roasted Peanut

¼ Tbsp. Carom Seeds

¼ Tbsp. Mustard Seeds

¼ Tbsp. Cumin Seeds

¼ Tbsp. Sesame Seed (Roasted)

2 Green chillies sliced

4 Cloves

1 Tbsp. Chopped Coriander leaves

2-3 Round whole red chili

1 Tbsp. cooking Oil

1Tbsp. Clarified butter

½ Tbsp. Lemon Juice

Salt to taste

For Dhokli

2 cups wheat flour

¼ Tbsp. Carom seeds

¼ Tbsp. Turmeric powder

¼ Tbsp. Red Chili powder

Salt to taste

1 Tbsp. Oil

Water for kneading

Method;

First we make dhokli dough , mix all the above dry ingredients for dhokli , mix well , add oil and mix well , slowly add water and knead well to get a perfect soft dough. Rest it for 30 minutes.

Now to prepare your dal , whisk the boiled dal to get a fine paste , pour oil in the pressure cooker and on low heat add, cumin seeds, mustard seeds , asafoetida and carom seeds let it splutter then add roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, cloves ,turmeric, red chili, coriander powder along with Garam Masala (Spice Mix Powder) and Round whole chili (Red Chili). Stir for a minute , pour dal mix in the cooker . Add jaggery and salt to taste, boil over medium flame. While your dal is simmering , its time to look back to dhokli dough . Devide the dough into 4 portions , roll out each portion into a thin disk, cut with pizza cutter or knife the disk into diamond shape. Add these dhokli sheets ( Pasta ) to the simmering dal , keep stirring to avoid sticking of dhokli .Cover the lid of the pressure cook , on medium flame cook the dal dhokli for 10 minutes or for 2-3 whistles. Serve hot, garnish with chopped coriander and dollop of clarified butter.