Suji Halwa

Ingredients

• ½ cup Ghee
• 1 cup Semolina / Suji
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1½ cup Hot water
• ¼ cup chopped dry fruits
• 1 teaspoon Cardamon powder
  
  Method
  
• Heat the Ghee on low heat.
• Fry Semolina until golden brown.
• Add hot water and cook on low heat until all water is absorbed.
• Add Sugar & mix well till it become thick.
• Add chopped dry fruits and Cardamon powder.
• Garnish with Dry fruits.
• serve hot with puri.

Paneer Capsicum

Ingredients

• Capsicum - 2 big ones cut lengthwise
• Paneer cubes - 100 gms
• Onion - 1 big one finely chopped
• Tomatoes - 2 medium finely chopped
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp
• Tomato paste - 1 tsp OR tomato puree - 2 tbsp
• Cream - 1 tbsp
• Dhana-Jeera Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Garam Masala - 1 tsp
• kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp
• finely chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp
• Butter
• Salt to taste
  
  Method
• Take a heavy bottomed vessel and add butter to it. When butter heats up shallow fry paneer cubes and keep aside.
• In same vessel add some butter & heat it.
• Now add ginger garlic paste and onions and fry till onions are slightly brown in color.
• Then add finely chopped tomato and fry for a minute.
• Now add the tomato paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and dhana jeera powder and fry for a minute. Keep this gravy aside.
• Take another vessel and heat butter.
• To this add capsicum and fry for about 5 minutes.
• Then add the gravy that made earlier.
• Now add kasuri methi and fry for a few more minutes.
• Then add fried paneer & cream to this mixture.
• Garnish it with finely chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rotis or parathas.
  

Palak/Spinach Paratha

• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 2 tbsp Jawar flour
• 2 tbsp besan
• 1 large bunch spinach coarsely chopped or frozen chopped spinach
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp asafetida powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Ghee/ butter
  
  Method:
• Chopped the spinach into food processor using less water.
• For easy way you can use frozen chopped spinach. Defrost it in a microwave about 4-5 min.
• Mix all flours.
• Add the coriander, cumin, red chilli, asafetida and turmeric powder, salt to taste & garlic paste to the flour.
• Add the spinach and mix all together, kneading to form a medium-soft, smooth dough. Add some more whole wheat flour if the dough is too soft.
• Keep the dough aside about 1/2 hour.
• Divide the dough into equal-sized portions and roll into balls between your hands till they are smooth and without cracks.
• Very lightly flour a rolling board or clean counter surface and roll each ball into a circle of 7-8" diameter.
• Heat a pan and put a paratha on the griddle. Cook for 5-8 seconds on both sides applying a little ghee. Both the sides should have brown spots on them.
  The paratha is done when both sides are crispy and golden brown .

Serve hot with mango pickle & curd.

Pav Bhajji

Ingredients:
• Pav buns 12 no
• Butter 2 tbsp
• Onions 1 cup finely chopped
• Tomatoes 2 cups finely chopped
• Capsicum 1 large
• Potatoes 2 large
• Peas 1 cup
• Carrot 1/2 cup
• Beans 1/2 cup
• Cabbage 1/2 cup
• Capsicum 1/2 cup
• Cauliflower 1 cup
• Ginger 1' inch piece
• Garlic optional
• Green chilies 2 finely chopped

For Masala

• Dhania Powder 3 tsp
• Jeera Powder 2 tsp
• Chili powder 2 tsp
• Pav bhajji masala 4 tsp
• salt to taste
• Cilantro for garnish
• Lemon juice 2 tsp

Method:
Cut all vegetables in medium size & pressure cook them.
After veggies cooked mash them with potato masher. Keep aside.
In A pan heat 2 tbsp butter & add the onions, crushed garlic & ginger. Fry till translucent.
Add tomatoes, salt & all the powders and fry till the oil floats on top.
Add mashed vegetables in this onion – tomato gravy.
Add a cup of water & let it cook to boiling consistency.
When all the veggies are cooked thoroughly garnish with coriander & lemon juice

for the pavs:

Dinner rolls can be used as pavs.
Slit Open the dinner rolls .
Apply butter in the inside & heat them for 30-40 sec in oven or microwave.

Enjoy this pav bhajji, garnishing with chopped onion & tomato.

Matki chi Usal (Moth Bean Curry)

This is a Maharashtrian classic recipe. This is very delicious, nutritious & very easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Matki sprouts (Moth Beans)
• 1 Onion chopped
• 1 chopped tomato
• 4-5 Curry leaves
• ½ tsp Chili powder
• ½ tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Maharashtrian Goda Masala
• 1 tsp Coriander & Cumin Powder
• 1 tsp Jaggry (Gudh)
• 3 tsp Cilantro chopped
• 3 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• pinch of hing

Method:

• Heat the oil, add the mustard seeds & pinch of hing and let them splutter. Add the curry leaves. Stir fry for a few seconds.
• Now add the chopped onion and tomato, sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes or till the onions are lightly browned.
• Add the cumin-coriander, turmeric and red chili powders.
• Add goda masala, jaggry, salt, tomatoes and fry till oil separates.
• Add the drained moth beans (matki).
• Mix well and add water just enough to cover this mixture. Bring to a boil.
• Cover and cook on medium / low heat for 20 minutes or till the moth beans are fully cooked.
• Garnish with coconut (optional) and finely chopped coriander leaves.Serve with hot chapati or slice of bread.

Mix Dal Medu Vada

Ingredients

• 1 cup of black gram (urad dal)
• ½ cup chana dal
• ½ cup moong dal
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of hing
• 8-10 curry leaves roughly chopped
• 3-4 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp thin slices of coconut
• 1 tsp of cumin powder
• 1 tsp of crushed black peppercorns
• Oil to fry

Method

• Wash and soak urad dal, chana dal and moong dal for six to eight hours.
• Grind into a fine paste. Use less water when grinding. Batter should be not very thick or not very thin.
• Add salt, hing, chopped curry leaves, chopped green chili, grated ginger, slices of coconut, cumin powder and crushed peppercorns to the batter and mix well.
• Heat oil in a kadai. Turn the heat on a medium high.
• For shape up the vada, take small thick plastic sheet like zip log bag. Grease with little oil or wet with some water. Place 2 tbsp batter on it & make a hole in the centre of the batter like a doughnut. Hold the plastic sheet in your left hand, wet your right hand. Transfer this batter to your right hand fingers & carefully leave it into the hot oil.
• Deep-fry this in medium hot oil until golden brown and crisp.
• Serve hot with sambhar or coconut chutney.

Gujarati Kadhi

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Sour Curd
• 4 tsp Besan
• 1/2 inch Ginger, chopped
• 4-5 tsp sugar
• Salt To Taste
• Crushed black pepper to taste
• Coriander leaves

Seasonings

• 2 tsp Ghee
• 1-2 red chili
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Pinch of hing

Method

• Beat the curd and add two cups of water. Add the besan, salt, sugar, crushed black pepper and grated ginger and mix well.
• Boil the curd mixture on slow heat and stir continuously.
• Heat oil in a pan, add all seasonings. Fry until they splutter.
• Pour this seasonings over kadhi.
• Garnish with coriander leaves
• serve hot with rice, chapatti or with khichadi

Chivda

Ingredients:

• Thin Poha – 4 cups
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves – few
• Dry red chilies - 2-3
• Roasted Chana Daal (Daliya) – 3 tbsp
• Dry Coconut - 1 tbsp cut in thin strips
• Whole Raw Peanuts – 3 tbsp
• Golden Raisins – 1 tbsp (optional)
• Cashews - 1 tbsp (optional)
• Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Sugar – 1 tsp
  
  Method
• Heat the poha in the microwave safe bowl about 1 min.
• In a kadai heat oil, add mustard seeds & allow them to splutter.
• Add in the red Chilies and the Curry Leaves and cook for a few minutes.
• Add coconut strips & fry till become golden color.
• Then add in Peanuts and cook for 1 minute.
• Add roasted Chana Daal and cook for another minute.
• Add some raisins and cashews, cook for 30 seconds.
• Then add turmeric Powder and the Salt. Mix well.
• Add the Poha and mix very well till all the Poha is yellow.
• Once it is mixed well, turn off the stove and allow it to cool for just 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle the Sugar and mix well.
• When chivda is completely cool store in a airtight container.

Sev

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups gram flour (besan)
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 tsp. ajwain Powder
• Oil, for deep frying
• Salt, to taste
  
  
  Method

• Mix besan, chili powder, hing, ajwain powder and a little hot oil. Knead well, adding water as necessary, into soft dough. Divide into small portions.
• Heat oil in a deep pan. Place a portion of dough in a sev mould, hold the mould over the hot oil and press carefully until the entire dough portion is passed through the sieves at the base of the mould.
• Let the sev fall gently into the hot oil; guide the fall into circles of sev by moving the mould in a circular motion.
• Turn and fry the sev until golden and crisp. Drain and place on paper towel.
• Cool it and store in an airtight container

Gujiya

Ingredients:

For Filling:
•1 cup grated Dry Coconut
•1 cup Powdered Sugar
•1 pinch cardamom powder
•2 tbsp Mixed Dry fruit pieces (optional)

For Dough:
•1 cup maida
1 cup suji
•1 tsp warm Ghee
•Salt to taste
• Combined Water & milk to prepare dough

Method

• Roast dry grated coconut & poppy seeds separately. Keep aside & let it cool.
• Mix all roasted coconut, poppy seeds, sugar, cardamom powder & dry fruit pieces. This is gujiya stuffing.
• Mix all the dough ingredients & make a dough by adding combined milk & water as required. Dough should be little hard.
• Make small puris from dough.
• Fill the prepared stuffing inside.
• Make it into a half moon shape.
• Seal the edges with applying a little water.
• Twist the edges. If have a mould it is very easy to make proper shape.
• Deep fry it on medium heat till it becomes golden colour.
  
  
  
  
  

Shankarpali

Enjoy this one of the most popular Diwali snack. There are many versions of making this dish. This is a Swadisht's version.


Ingredients:

• 4 cups Maida (All purpose Flour)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp besan
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup water or milk
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 4 cup oil for deep frying

Method:

• Heat the ghee in a small pan for 2 min. Ghee should be very hot.
• In a flour add salt, besan, sugar and hot ghee.
• Knead into a soft dough by adding water or milk as required.
• Divide dough into 4-5 parts.
• Roll into rounds about 1/2" thick.
• Cut with knife into small diamond shapes.
• Keep aside on a dry cloth for 1/2 hour.
• Deep fry in hot oil over slow flame till light golden color.
• Drain well and keep aside.

Coconut - Carrot Barfi

Ingredients:

• 1 cup freshly grated coconut
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 4 tbsp khoya powder
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Method

• Heat a heavy pan then add ghee and heat it.
• Put the grated coconut and fry equally till it becomes dry.
• Add grated carrot and fry till it cooked.
• Then add sugar and milk, stir continuously.
• Add khoya powder and cardamom powder for flavour.
• Boil content till it becomes thick and starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Then add 1 tsp ghee & stir for 1 min. The mixture should become soft.
• Pour this mixture into a greased pan or plate so that it will spreads equally.
• Let it cool for 10 mins. then cut into square or diamond shapes.
• Decorate it with chopped almonds & pista.

Dadape Pohe

• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

This is one of the tempting recipe from Karnataka. One of my best friend made this dadape phohe recipe. The first time I ate it, it was awosome. She tought me how to make. It is very quick to make, just try it.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Thin Poha
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 Onions
• 1 Cucumber
• 1 cup grated Coconut (Fresh)
• 2-3 Green Chillies (as per taste)
• 1 Raw Mango (optional)
• 2-3 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Sugar
• Salt to taste.

For Tempering

• 2-3 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• Pinch of Hing
• 4-5 Curry Leaves
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup Peanuts

Method

• Finely chop tomatoes, onions, cucumber and green chillies.
• Grate the raw mango.
• Add all the ingredients to the poha and mix well.
• Heat oil, add mustard seeds after they splutter add hing, turmeric powder, curry leaves & peanuts. Add to the mixture and mix well.
• Add little water to make poha soft.
• Keep this in a closed container for a few minutes for best results
• Serve with a garnishing of coriander leaves & greated fresh coconut.

Tomato Rice

Ingredients:

• Cooked Rice: 1 cup
• Tomatoes: two medium, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• onion (optional): one, fine chopped
• salt and lime juice to taste
• Tomato slice for garnishing
  
  for the seasoning:
• 1.5 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder
• peanuts: 1/2 cup(optional)
• curry leaves: 6 or 7
• asafoetida: a pinch
• turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
  
  for the masala:
• one tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 4 or 5 black pepper corns
• 4 or 5 red chilllies
• 1/2 teaspoon methi seeds
  
  Method:
• Lightly roast each spice separately. Grind to fine masala.
• Heat butter in a pan, when butter melts add mustard seeds, pinch of hing , urad dal, curry leaves & turmeric powder & red chilli powder.
• when they stop crackling add peanuts & tomato paste.
• Cook for 5 min. then add chopped onion & tomatoes & cook again for 5 min.
• After onion & tomato cooked add grinded masala & salt, lemon jucie as per taste.
• Stir once in a while. Cook till oil separates and the paste thickens.
• Remove from fire. Add cooked rice. Mix the rice well with the cooked tomato mixture.
• Serve hot or cold.
  
  
  

Ragda Patties

Ingredients

For patties
1/2 kg boiled and mashed potatoes,
2-3 bread slices (for crispness),
salt to taste.

For ragda
1/2 kg of white peas,
turmeric powder,
ginger-garlic paste (1 tsp each),
chili powder, salt,
1 onion,
2 tomatoes(optional)
2 tsp garam masala,

For sweet chutney
1/2 cup pulp of dates (soak dates in hot water for 1/2 an hour, deseed and grind them. Strain to get a smooth paste),
1/4 cup tamarind pulp,
1/4 cup jaggery or sugar,

For spicy chutney
coriander leaves,
green chilies,(as per the taste)
a pinch of salt.
1 tsp cumin seeds.

For garnishing
Yellow thin sev,
finely chopped coriander leaves,
finely chopped onions,
crushed puris of pani puri(optional).

Method:
1. Soak the white peas overnight. Or if you are in hurry, soak them for 4 hours in hot water. Wash and add some salt and water. Pressure cook till soft.

2. Dip bread slices in water for just a moment and squeeze them to remove excess water. Mix them with mashed potatoes and add salt. Make small balls of the mixture and flatten them.

3. Heat a griddle. Pour some oil. Arrange the patties on the heated griddle. Turn upside down once the bottom side of patties is brown. Shallow fry all the patties till brown and crisp.

4. Chop onions and tomatoes.

5. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. add onion pieces, saute for a minute. Then add tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste and fry for some time.

6. Now add boiled peas, chili powder, salt and some water for desired consistency. cover and cook for 10 minutes. Ragda is ready.

7.Grind all the ingredients of sweet chutney with some water into a fine paste. In the same way, make spicy chutney.

8. To serve, arrange patties in a dish, pour some ragda on top. Add sweet chutney and spicy chutney.

9. Garnish with thin sev, coriander leaves, onions and crushed puris.