Bite Size Samosa

You Need
2 cups flour
4 potatoes
6 green chillies
about 10 sprigs coriander
few mint leaves
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
few ajwain seeds
oil for frying

1. Add a tbsp oil,salt ajwain seeds to flour and knead the dough of chapati consistency.Cover and keep aside.
2. Boil and peel potatoes.
3. Make a paste of green chillies,coriander and mint leaves.
4. Mash potatoes adding this paste and add salt and turmeric powder.
5. Heat a tbsp oil in a pan and add the mashed potatoes.
6. Cook for few minutes until it leaves the pan.
7. Make golf size balls of the dough and roll into discs.
8. Cut into halves and place a tbsp of potato mix.
9. Dip your fingers in water and rollover the corners of the semis.
10.Close nicely and deep fry in oil.

Mango Cheesecake

For the sponge cake
1 sponge cake - use a ready pack and bake it according to directions on the box.
For the cheesecake mixture
2 8 oz packs cream cheese
2 mangoes, peeled and cut into pieces
4 tablespoons thick curds
1/2 cup cream
3/4 cup castor sugar

For the garnish
a few mango slices

For the sponge cake
1. Slice the sponge cake into two horizontally. Use only one layer of the sponge.
2. Use the other layer for the variation.
For the cheesecake mix
1. Liquidize the cream cheese, mango pieces, curds and sugar to a smooth puree in a blender.
2. Whip the cream till soft peaks form and mix gently with the mango mixture.
Now
1. Place one layer of the sponge cake on the bottom of a spring foam pan.
2. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the sponge and refrigerate till set. Unmould from the tin.
4. Serve chilled garnished with mango slices.

Tips

Hang curds in a muslin cloth for 10 -15 minutes to get thick curds.

Achari Paneer Pulao

For the rice
1½ cups uncooked long grained rice
2 pinches saffron (kesar)
1 tsp milk
½ tsp caraway seeds (shah jeera)
25 mm. (1") cinnamon sticks (dalchini)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
2 cardamons (dalchini)
3 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

For the achari marinade
2 cups paneer (cottage cheese), cut into 25 mm. (1") cubes
¾ cup thick curds (dahi)
1 tbsp green chilli pickle
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
½ tsp mustard seeds (rai /sarson)
¼ tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tbsp mustard (rai / sarson) oil
Salt to taste

For the achari paneer
1. Blend the curds and green chilli pickle together to a smooth paste.
2. Add the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric
3. powder, mustard oil and salt and blend again so the spices are coarsely crushed.
4. Add the paneer and marinate for 20 minutes. Arrange on skewers.
5. Cook on a barbeque for a few minutes. When the edges turn golden brown, remove from the skewer and keep aside. Alternatively you could use the grill
6. option of the over or just use a tava (griddle).
For the rice
1. Boil the rice in a vesselful of salted water till done. Each grain of rice should be separate. Drain and cool.
2. Warm the saffron in a small vessel, add the milk and rub until the saffron dissolves. Add it to the rice. Keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the caraway seeds, cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms and fry until they begin to crackle.
4. Add the rice, achaari paneer and salt and toss gently for a few minutes.
5. Serve hot.

Boondi Anar Raita

You Need
1 teacup bundi
1 teacup pomegranate seeds (anardana)
2 teacups fresh curds
2 pinches roasted cumin seeds powder
2 pinches red chilli powder
salt to taste


1. Add salt to the curds and beat.
2. Add the bundi and pomegranate seeds.
3. Store in the refrigerator.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle the cumin seeds powder and chilli powder.
5. Serve cold.

Bharva Bhindi

You Need
4 cups bhindi
1/2 cup each grated coconut,til,peanuts
1 cup besan
1 tbsp each red chilli,turmeric,cumin-coriander powder
2 tbsp lemon juice or amchur
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp oil

1.Grind coconut,till and peanut together adding little water.
2.Add all masalas including salt and roast on medium flame.
3.Add besan 1 tbsp at a time and stir continously.
4.Once brown and cooked till semi dry consistency, remove and cool.
5.Wash,dry bhindis.
6.Cut off the ends and slit vertically.
7.Stuff with the prepared mix.
8.Add oil to a frying pan with a wide base.
9.Add the bhindis and cook on low flame.
10.Turn occasionally using a soft spoon very gently. This will retain the stuffing in place.
11.Serve hot with rotis

Malabar Curry

You Need
2 cups boiled mixed vegetables (french beans, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, peas)
1 cup freshly grated coconut
½ cup chopped onion
2 curry leaves (kadi patta)
¼ teaspoon turmeric (haldi) powder
½ cup chopped tomato
½ teaspoon lemon juice
Salt to taste

For the paste

½ cup freshly grated coconut or 25 grams desiccated coconut
3 to 4 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1 tablespoon cooked rice
1 teaspoon chopped green chillies
4 cloves garlic
1 stick cinnamon (dalchini)
1 cloves (laung)
2 nos. black peppercorns (kali mirch)
1 whole dry red chilli, broken into pieces


Method For the paste
1. Dry roast the coconut, curry leaves and rice and on a tava on a slow flame, stirring continuously, until the mixture is light pink.
2. Add the green chillies, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and red chilli. Remove from flame, cool and blend to a smooth paste in a blender using very little water. Keep aside.
3. Add 2 cups of water to the grated coconut and blend in a blender. Strain through a muslin cloth and squeeze out the coconut milk.
4. Add the paste, all the vegetables (except the tomato), onion, curry leaves and turmeric powder and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
5. Add the chopped tomato and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add the lemon juice and salt.
7. Serve hot.

Spinach Cheese Swirls

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 green onion, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 pkg. (about 10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained


Directions
1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.
2. Stir the Muenster cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion and garlic powder in a medium bowl.
3. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Brush the pastry sheet with the egg mixture. Top with the cheese mixture and spinach. Starting with a short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Cut into 20 (1/2-inch) slices. Place the slices, cut-side down, onto baking sheets. Brush the slices with the egg mixture.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.

Tip: Make sure to remove as much liquid as you can from the spinach before adding it to the pastry. If it's too wet, it may make the pastry soggy.

Sweet Corn Soup

butter melted – 1 Tbsp
Garlic – 1 tsp (finely minced)
Ginger – 1 tsp (grated)
Onion – 1 small (finely chopped)
Frozen Peas – 1/4 cup
1 carrot coarsely grated
Green Beans – 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
Cream Style Corn – 1 can or 1 cup corn (coarsely grind half of corn)
Salt – to taste
Black Pepper – to taste
Water – 1.5 cup
Corn Starch – 2 tsp (mixed with a little water)
Sugar – 1 tsp (optional)
Green Onions – 2 (chopped diagonally, for garnishing)

Method:

1. In a medium pot, add Oil, Ginger and Garlic. Allow it to sizzle.
2. Add Onions and saute for 30 seconds.
3. Add Peas & Carrots, Green Beans. Saute for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add can of Cream Stlye Corn, Salt and Pepper. Mix well.
5. Add Water. Mix and Bring to a boil.
6. Allow veggies to cook without overcooking them.
7. Mix a little water with the Corn Starch and add it to the soup.
8. Add sugar and adjust salt if necessary.
9. Garnish with Spring (Green) Onions and serve Hot!