Nimbu pudi/besan kachori

Not a very healthy but truly tasty snack.
You Need
For filling
1 cup besan
1tbsp each turmeric,garam masala,green chilli paste,coriander paste,salt
a pinch hing
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp lemon juice

For cover
1 cup wheat flour
water to knead
2 tbsp oil

Oil to deep fry.

Mix all ingredients for filling and knead into a hard dough.
Knead wheat flour into a hard dough too.
Make ping pong size balls out of each.
Roll the wheat dough into a disc and place the filling dough inside.
Cover and roll again evenly.
Deep fry till golden brown on both sides.
Tastes good as it is hot or cold.
Does not spoil till 2-3 days at room temperature.

Jalebi

I know yet again..its a different recipe..n more towards "instant" The difference definitely is..it stays crispy forever with this recipe..

You Need
Batter:
1/2 cup All Purpose flour
1 teaspoon besan (gram flour)
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
About 1/2 cup of lukewarm water (as needed)

Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Pinch of cardamom powder
Few strands of saffron
1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Batter:
1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water and let it sit for about five minutes.
2. Mix the flour, besan (gram flour), oil, and sugar together.
3. Add the yeast solution and mix well, making sure that there are no lumps and the batter is smooth.
4. Set the batter aside and let it sit in a warm place for one hour.
5. Make sure the batter is fermented, but do not over ferment. After fermenting batter will be little lacy.

Syrup:
1. Boil the sugar and water together. Add the lemon juice and saffron and close the heat.

Making Jalebis:
1. Heat the oil in a flat frying pan about 1 1/2″ deep. To check if the oil is ready, put ont drop of batter in the oil, the batter should sizzle and come up without changing in color right away.
2. Fill the Jalebi batter into an empty ketchup or mustard bottle).
3. Squeeze the Jalebi batter out in the hot oil in a pretzel shape to about 2 inches in diameter.
4. Fry the Jalebis until golden-brown on both sides.
5. Transfer into the warm syrup.
6. Let jalebi soak in the hot syrup for a few seconds and take out.
7. Serve hot.

Hot and Sour Soup

You need
1/4 cup each Shredded cabbage,carrots,french beans,cauliflower and capsicum
1/4 cup tofu cut into 2" long strips
2 tbsp oil
5 cups water
5 tbsp corn flour dissolved in 1 cup water
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp soy sauce
3/4 tsp chili sauce
2 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
salt to taste


Heat oil in a saucepan,add veggies.Stir fry on high flame for 2 mins. Add water,cornflour mix,pepper,soy sauce,chili sauce, vinegar,sugar and salt. Bring to boil, stirring continuously and simmer for a minute. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

My tip:
Add egg to the soup. Lightly beat 2 eggs and pour it in a thin stream to the boiling soup.Stir briskly till the egg separates into shreds.Turn off heat immediately.Garnish and Serve.

Tomato Sev sabzi

This is my hubby's creation :)

You Need
1 onion chopped
2 tomatoes chopped
All masalas available (yeah, men!)
1 tbsp mc seeds
1 tbsp oil
2 cups water
1.5 cups Sev

Heat oil in a pan. Add mc seeds and allow to splutter.
Add onions and tomatoes (again, men!)
Bombard all masalas 1 tbsp each into this.
Add water and let boil forever :) i mean sanely 20 mins.
Put Sev just before serving. This goes well with rice.

Classic Spritz Cookies

You Need
3.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1.5 cups butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

Preaheat oven to 350F
In bowl, combine flour and baking powder
In mixer, blend butter,sugar.Add milk,vanilla and blend again.
Knead properly with flour.
Fill the dough in cookie press and place desired disk.
Press cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10-12 mins or until edges are light brown.
Cool 2 mins on cookie sheet on cooling rack.
Fill in airtight container.

You can have a variation by adding chocolate bits and walnut powder to the dough.
Here is how tht looks :

Naan

You Need:
2 cups of All Purpose flour (Plain flour or maida)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of baking soda
2 tablespoons of oil
2 1/2 tablespoons yogurt (curd or dahi)
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon of butter or ghee to butter the Naan
1/4 cup All Purpose flour for rolling

Dissolve active dry yeast in lukewarm water and let it sit for 10 minutes or until the mixture becomes frothy.
Add sugar, salt and baking soda to the flour and mix well.
Add the oil and yogurt mix, this will become crumbly dough.
Add the water/yeast mixture and make into soft dough.Note: after dough rise will become little softer.
Knead until the dough is smooth. Cover the dough and keep in a warm place for 3-4 hours. The dough should almost be double in volume.
Heat the oven to 500 degrees with pizza stone for at least thirty minutes so stone is hot. Using a pizza stone will help to give naan close to same kind of heat as clay tandoor.
Next turn the oven to high broil.
Knead the dough for about two to three minutes and divide the dough into six equal parts.
Take each piece of dough, one at a time, and roll into 8-inch oval shape. Dust lightly with dry flour to help with the rolling.
Before putting the Naan in oven, lightly wet your hands and take the rolled Naan, and flipp them between your palms and place onto your baking/pizza stone into the oven.
You can place about 2 Naan on the baking/pizza stone at a time. The Naan will take about 2 to 3 minutes to cook, depending upon your oven. After the Naan is baked(Naan should be golden brown color on top).
Take naan out of the oven and brush lightly with clear butter or ghee.
wait 2 to 3 minutes before baking the next batch of naan. It gives oven the chance to get heated again to max.
Serve Naan with Daal, Chola, Palak Paneer or any vegetable. Enjoy!