Aloo Vada

The perfect snack for a rainy day..and yes don't forget to heat it up with adrak wali chai :)
You Need
2 cups potatoes boiled and mashed coarsely.
½ cup chopped onion (optional)
1 teaspoon chopped green chillies
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
pinch of asafoetida
½ cup chopped coriander leaves
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Ingredients for Batter
1 cup gram flour/chickpea flour/besan
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Vegetable/Sunflower Oil for deep frying
Salt to taste

Method

1. Mix all ingredients of batter to form a dip thick enough to thickly coat back of a spoon. Keep aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Add asafoetida, mustard seeds, green chillies and onions. Saute for a couple of minutes till onions are soft and light golden color.
3. Add ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric and salt and sauté for a few more minutes; then add the mashed potatoes, mint leaves and sauté for a couple of minutes.
4. Allow the potato mixture cool down and divide the mixture into 8 portions, shape into round balls and keep aside.
5. Heat oil in a wok for deep frying
6. Coat each of the potato balls in the gram flour batter and gradually let it into the oil and deep fry until golden brown in color.
7. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot

My tip - the best I like it with is Imli chutney..but Ketchup works great too.

Meethi Supari

100 gm muleti (meethi lakdi)
300 gm badi saunf
20 pieces lavang
1/2 tsp sukha pudina
20 pieces elaichi peeled
1 tbsp ajwain
1 tsp kala namak
50 gm lal supari (wakal)

Roast saunf and supari in 1 tbsp ghee.
Grind fine with all other ingredients.
Freshen your mouth after every meal!

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!

Rava Idly

Brunch time..
2 cups of rava
2 small aloo finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
peas (optional)
1 tsp finely minced or grated ginger
1/2 cup dahi
2 tsp rye (mustard seeds)
2 tsp urad dal
2 tsp channa dal
some dhania finely chopped
1 green chili finely chopped
salt to taste
Oil

Use a couple of tbsp of oil to the rava and mix well. When you take a handful of the mixture in your hand and squeeze them, you should be able to hold the shape of the rava some what. If not, add a little bit more oil. This makes the idly’s come out soft. Keep it aside for about 10 -15 minutes.
Add some water to the dahi and make it a butter milk.
Heat 1 tbsp oil and add rye, let it splutter. Then add the urad dal, channa dal and until the color turns golden brown.
Add this to the rava mixture. Add all the vegetables, ginger, chili and dahi as well and mix it well to get a little thicker than a pouring consistency.
Pour into idli plates and steam it for about 15 – 20 minutes until cooked. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Handvo

Handvo (or Handwa) is an all time favorite gujarati snack — perfect for tea time, brunch, anytime! Savory inside with a nutty Sesame Seed crust…just one word — YUM!

You Need
Long Grain Rice – 1 cup (200 gms)
Channa Daal – 1/4 cup (50 gms)
Toor Daal – 1/4 cup (50 gms)
Urad Daal – 1 heaping Tbsp
Yogurt – 1/2 cup (150 gms)
Green Chilies – 2 – 3 or to taste, finely chopped or ground
Ginger Paste – 2 tsp
Garlic Paste- 2 tsp (approx 3 large cloves)
Opo/Bottlegourd/Doodhi/Lauki – 1.5 cup, shredded and packed ( approx 12 oz)
Salt – 2 tsp or to taste
Ajwain – 1/2 tsp
Sugar – 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Eno Fruit Salt – 1 tsp
Sesame Seeds – 2 Tbsp
Oil – 3 Tbsp (divided)
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) – 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder – 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves – few

1. Wash Rice and all Daals and soak them for at least 4-6 hours.
2. Drain water from Rice/Daal and coarsely grind them with Yogurt (if possible, do not add any additional water while grinding). Food processor or blender may be used.
3. In a medium size mixing bowl, add batter from above and mix in the following: Ginger, Garlic, Green Chilies, Salt, Sugar, Ajwain, Turmeric Powder and Doodhi/Lauki. Mix well.
4. In a small skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of Oil slightly. Add Curry Leaves and Red Chili Powder. Add this Oil mixture to the above batter and mix well.
5. Cover and let this batter rest for 6-7 hours or overnight (no need to refrigerate).
6. Add Eno Fruit Salt and mix well to make the batter foamy.
7. Divide batter into greased muffin pan or pour int a greased cake pan.
8. Sprinkle Sesame Seeds over the top of the batter.
9. In a small skillet, heat remaining 2 Tbsp Oil.
10. Add Mustard Seeds and let them pop. Switch off stove.
11. Add Asafoetida to the oil.
12. Drizzle this oil seasoning over the top of the sesame seeds.
13. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350F (180C) for 40 minutes.
14. Remove foil and broil on High for approx 10 minutes until a light golden crust forms.
15. Let the handvo rest for 10-15 minutes before eating.

Triple Chocolate Icecream Cake

I had doubled the quantity of the below recipe to prepare the cake in a huge caserole which turned out as shown in the picture. There was so much leftover that I prepared another one in a loaf pan. Also, I used coffee icecream instead of chocolate to get the mocha flavor.

1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream
12 ounces (1 package) semisweet chocolate chips - herseys
1 12-ounce marble pound cake
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
20 chocolate wafers, such as Nabisco brand, plus 4 crushed wafers
1 pint chocolate/coffee ice cream, softened
vanilla extract
eggs, sugar, milk
parchment paper

1. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Put the chocolate chips in a heatproof medium bowl and pour the boiling cream over the chocolate. Let sit until the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the mixture with a fork for about 2 minutes, until the ganache is smooth.
2. Line a nonstick 9 x 5 x 3¾-inch loaf pan with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap, allowing a 4-inch overhang on all sides.
3. Pour half of the ganache (1 cup) evenly into the lined pan and spread to cover the base. Cover the ganache with a single layer of tightly packed cake slices; be sure the layer is flat and even. Working quickly, spread the vanilla ice cream evenly over the pound cake. Cover the ice cream with a layer made of half of the chocolate wafers. Spread the remaining ganache evenly over the wafers, then top the ganache with another layer, using all of the remaining wafers, and place the cake in the freezer for about 30 minutes to chill and firm up.
4. Remove the cake from the freezer and spread the chocolate ice cream over the wafers. Top with another flat, single layer of tightly packed slices of pound cake, trimming 1 or 2 slices to fill in the gaps (there will be a few slices left over). The cake may be slightly higher than the pan. Cover the cake completely with the plastic overhang and freeze until firm, at least 5 hours or overnight.
5. To loosen the ice cream cake from the pan, open the plastic wrap and invert the pan over a flat serving platter. Remove the plastic wrap. Scatter the crushed chocolate wafers over the ice cream cake, then slice and serve immediately.

Marble Pound Cake

1.5 cups white sugar
3/4th cup butter, softened
2 heaped cups cake flour
3/4th cup milk
1 heaped teaspoons baking powder
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
a pinch teaspoon salt
3 eggs
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

In a large bowl, with electric mixer at low speed, beat sugar and butter or margarine until blended. Increase speed to high, and beat until light and fluffy. vanilla, salt, and eggs; beat at medium speed until well mixed.
Mix flour and baking powder separate.
Add flour and milk alternatively in parts.Beat at medium speed for a minute.Increase speed to high, and beat batter 4 minutes longer.
Remove about 2 cups batter to a medium bowl. With a wire whisk or fork, beat cocoa into batter in medium bowl until well blended.
Grease a 10 inch tube pan or a loaf pan. Alternately spoon vanilla and chocolate layers into prepared pan. With a large spoon, cut and twist through batters to obtain marbled effect.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool cake in pan, and on a wire rack, for 10 minutes.
Remove cake from pan, and cool completely.

Karela Dal

You Need
1 bittergourd/karela
1 huge onion
1 tbsp GGP
1 tbsp green chillies
2 cups tur dal
1 tsp haldi
salt
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp mc seeds

Soak dal atleast 30 mins.
Pressure cook with half of the haldi and a tbsp of salt.
Finely chop onions and karela.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add mc seeds and let splutter.
Add onions, GGP, green chillies, karela. Add rest of haldi and 1 tbsp salt.
Saute till brown.
Mix with the cooked daal and bring to boil.
Be sure to saute the karela till its brown else the whole dal will turn bitter instead of those occasional pieces.
Serve hot with rice and ghee.

Veggie Swirl Bread

Bread Dough:
1cup Luke warm milk
4tsp Active dry yeast
3cups All purpose flour
1tsp Salt
2tsp Sugar
1tsp Melted butter r vegetable margarine
Flour for dusting

For veggie filling:
1/2tsp Mustard seeds n cumin seeds
1 Onion chopped
2 Potatoes(big) chopped
2 Carrots chopped
10 beans chopped
2 Green chillies chopped
2tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
Salt
Oil

Mix the luke warm milk, salt, sugar n yeast in a bowl.
Keep aside for 5 minutes, the yeast will turn foamy.
Take the flour in a large bowl, add the foamy yeast to the flour n knead them as dough, they will extremely sticky, but after kneading them for few minutes they will turn elastic.
Meanwhile prepare the veggie filling.
Heat oil in a kadai,add the mustard seeds n cumin seeds n let them crack, add the chopped onion n stir them until they turns transculent.
Now add the chopped green chillies followed by the rest of veggies with enough salt
Cook until the veggies get well cooked, add the chopped coriander leaves n switch off the stove.
Keep aside n let them cool.
Now we need to shape the dough.Roll them into thick square like disc, dusting if required.

Just spread the veggie filling as shown in picture n roll them into a roll n place them in a greased loaf pan.
Keep the dough again in a warm place for around 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Now brush the doubled dough with melted butter or vegetable margarine.
Bake them for 25-30minutes r else until they turn golden brown.
Remove from the oven n keep aside for 5 minutes, remove the bread from the loaf pan let them cool atleast for 30 minutes before serving.

Onion Rings

You Need
•3 large onions
•1/2 cup flour
1 cup bread crumbs
•3/4 teaspoon salt
•1/8 teaspoon pepper
•1/2 cup corn starch
•1 egg, well beaten
•1/2 cup milk
•cooking oil for deep frying

Heat oil on medium for frying.
Wash and peel onions, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds.Separate rounds into rings.
In a bowl, combine flour, seasonings, and baking powder.
In a measuring cup, whisk together egg and milk.
Add milk mixture to dry ingredients, blending well.
Dip onion rings into batter, coat with bread crumbs and then drip into oil.
Fry until golden brown, turning to brown both sides.
Remove to paper towels to drain thoroughly.

My Tip:
Add a tablespoon soy sauce to the batter and taste the flavor.....

Ragi Idli

Very healthy alternative to regular rice idli.

You Need
1/2 cup urad dal
1 1/4 cups ragi flour
salt to taste

Soak urad dal overnight or 5 hours.
Grind and mix ragi flour.
Let ferment for atleast 8 hours.
Cook in idli cooker for 20 mins.
Serve with coconut chutney or sambar. It even tastes great with just ghee and salt.

Bread Baskets

You Need
6 wheat or white bread slices
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup green or red bell-peppers- chopped finely
1/2 cup onions - chopped finely
1 cup mexican cheese
4 tbsp butter - melted
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup green chutney or pesto sauce
salt - to taste
black peper - to taste
3 tbsp dried basil flakes

Take the bread slices, cut off their edges and keep aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, spray cooking spray on a muffin pan, then place each bread slice in the muffin cups. Shape them to form like a basket. You can even flatten them a bit using a rolling pin.
Bake for 10-15 mins, making sure to check they they do not burn. It should just become hard and take the shape of a basket.
Take a pan, add 1 tbsp olive or cooking oil, and saute the onions and bell peppers until a bit tender. Season with some salt, pepper and dry basil flakes, and cook a little more.
Now take each bread cup/basket, spread some green chutney with a knife, then add a spoonful of the mixture to it. Drizzle with some salsa as required, then spread mixed cheese on the top. Lightly brush the 4 corners of the basket with melted margarine so they don't get burnt.
Transfer the cups back to the muffin pan, then bake at 200 degrees for about 7-8 minutes, just until the cheese melts. Now change the oven setting to Broil, and bake the baskets for another 1 minute.
Remove from the oven, let them cool a bit and serve immediately. These cute vegetable baskets are healthy, tasty and definitely the perfect finger food at a party.

Tip: You can add more veggies or even scrambled eggs as a variation.

Chana Biryani

You Need
Salt (as per taste)
1 cup kabuli channa
2 cup Basmathi rice
2 Tsp Garam masala powder
3 Tbsp Ghee
1 no Cardamon (crushed)
1 no Bay leaf
1 cup Tomato(chopped)
1 bunch of Mint leaves (chopped)
Coriander and curry leaves (chopped)
1 can Coconut milk

To grind:
3 to 4 flakes of Garlic (chopped)
3 Tbspn Any vegetable oil
1 Cinnamon stick (small)
4 Clove
3 Dry red chili(as per required)
1 tsp Jeera
1 cup Onion (roughly chopped)
1/2 cup green pepper cubed

Soak channa overnight and pressure cook with salt. Leave for 3 hisses. After 15 min remove water and keep boiled channa aside.
In a pan take 1/2 tablespoon of ghee and fry the basmathi rice for 2 min
Grind the chopped tomato into juice and keep aside.
In a pan, heat 3/2 teaspoon of oil and fry all the ingredients under 'To grind'. Leave it to cool and grind in mixer (Paste 1)
In a pressure cooker, add 3 tablespoon of ghee.When ghee gets heated up add the crushed cardamon and bay leaves.When the cardamon aroma comes,add remaining chopped garlic. after a minute add the grinded paste 1.Stir for a 2 minutes. Now add the tomato juice and the garam masala.
Add the boiled channa. Add coconut milk and water so as the combined volume of the both should be of 2 cups. Now add basmathi rice, salt. Add chili powder if required. Add mint and coriander leaves. stir for few seconds. Close the lid and pressure cook for 3 hisses. Leave for 15 min .
Open the lid and mix it up as the masala may remain at the top. Serve with raitha