Pumpkin Puri

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup grated pumpkin
• Wheat flour approximately 1 cup
• 1 tsp pure ghee
• 1/2 cup jaggery
• 2 tsp oil
• pinch of salt
• A pinch of cardamom powder 
• oil for deep frying

Method:

• Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan, add the grated pumpkin stir and cover with a lid.
• After the pumpkin softens and is cooked add the jaggery and mix well.
• Let the mixture cook till most of the moisture dries up. Add the cardamom powder.
• Do not over cook.
• Add 2 tsp oil and a pinch of salt to the pumpkin mixture.
• Let the mixture cool. Add the wheat flour a little at a time to make a stiff dough. Do not add water.
• Cover and let it rest for sometime.
• Divide the dough in small portions. Roll each portion into a big circle .It should be rolled slightly thick.
• With a cookie cutter cut rounds and deep fry in medium hot oil.
• Store when they are cool.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

• All Purpose flour - 2 cups
• Corn flour - 2 tbsp
• Melted butter / Ghee - 1/2 cup
• Condensed milk - 14 oz
• Baking powder - 2 tsp
• Baking soda - 1 tsp
• Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup
• Chopped pineapple - 1/2 cup

For fruit arrangement at the bottom

• Butter / Ghee - 2-3 tsp
• Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
• Pineapple pieces - 4-6
• Few Glazed cherry / strawberry (optional)

Method:

• Cream together ghee, brown sugar & apply evenly in the bottom & sides of baking dish.
• Open pineapple tin & arrange pineapple slices, cherry as you like. 
• Sieve together all purpose flour, corn flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt & powdered sugar.
• Beat well butter, condensed milk & mix with sieved flour - sugar mix.
• Add chopped pineapple pieces & mix well.
• If cake mix is too dry, add 2-3 tbsp the syrup from pineapple tin.
• Now pour the mix in the greased & pineapple arranged tray carefully.
• Bake at 350F for 40-45 min. insert a tooth pick to check.
• Cool well & invert the cake.

Colorful pineapple upside down cake is ready. 

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

Try these tomatoes and sandwiching them between slices of whole-wheat bread . Perfect side dish for any party.
Ingredients:

• 4 Tomatoes, halved horizontally
• 1/4 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tsp chopped fresh oregano or spinach or parsley or cilantro or basil
• 1/4 tsp salt pepper
• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450 F
• Place tomatoes cut side up on a baking sheet.
• Top with Parmesan, oregano, salt & pepper.
• Drizzle with oil & bake until tomatoes are tender, about 15 min.

Pear Cake

Ingredients:

• 4 Cups diced pear
• 2 Cups unsweetened apple juice
• 1&1/2 cup brown sugar
• 6 Tbsp butter or ghee
• Pinch of salt
• 1 Tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 Cups raisins
• 3 Cups all purpose flour
• 2 Tsp baking powder
• 1 Cup chopped almonds

Method:

• In a large sauce pan,  bring the first 7 ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 5 min.uncovered. Remove from heat & cool to room temp.
• Meanwhile preheat oven to 350F.for 15 min.
• Lightly grease the pan with non stick cooking spray & sprinkled some all purpose flour.
• In a large bowl combine a flour, baking soda & chopped almonds. Fold in the pear mixture.
• Transfer batter to the prepared pan, bake for about 40-45 min. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool for 10-15 min & serve.

Boondi Laddu

Ingredients:

• Chickpea Flour (Besan) - 1 cup
• Clarified Butter (Ghee) -1 Tbsp
• Water -1/2 cup
• Oil - for deep frying

For Syrup:

• Sugar -1 cup
• Water -3/4 cup
• Saffron - pinch
• Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp

Cashews/Almonds/Pistachio - 1/4 cup, crushed

Method:

•  In a mixing bowl, sieve Chickpea Flour and add Ghee and 1/2 cup Water. Mix well until there are no more lumps and keep aside.
•  In a medium pan, add Sugar, Saffron and 3/4 cup Water for the sugar syrup.
•  Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 10 minutes . After 10 minutes, reduce the flame to a simmer and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes. Sugar syrup should be 1/2 thread consistency.
•  Start heating Oil for deep frying.
•  Turn off stove and add Cardamom Powder to the sugar syrup.
•  Once Oil is hot, place a small amount of boondi batter onto a Boondi Maker or flat ladle with holes and gently tap the sides with a spoon to allow batter droplets to fall into the oil. Using a circular motion with the spoon, you can help the remaining batter go through the holes.
•  Fry Boondi until light golden, remove them from the oil allowing excess oil to drain off and place them directly into the sugar syrup.
•  Using a different spoon, mix the fried boondi into the sugar syrup until they get coated.
•  IMPORTANT: Wipe the bottom of the boondi maker clean (each time) before continuing to fry remaining boondi.
•  Once all the boondi are fried and submerged in the sugar syrup, add crushed Nuts and mix well.
•  Allow mixture to rest for 10 -15 minutes (until cool enough to touch, but not too cool).
•  Take the mixture into your palms and press to form a round ball (ladoo). Continue to make remaining ladoos.
•  Allow the ladoos to cool completely and store in an air tight container.

Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients:

• 250 gms. paneer (cottge cheese)
• 3 tbsp. ghee or butter
• 1 onion chopped into strips
• 1/2" piece ginger chopped fine
• 2 green chillies chopped fine
• 4 tomatoes chopped fine
• 2 cardamoms crushed
• 1/4 cup beaten curd
• 2 tsp kasuri methi or fenugreek leaves
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
• pinch of orange color
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup milk or cream
• 2 tbsp. tomato sauce

To garnish:
2 tbsp. grated paneer
1 tbsp. chopped coriander


Method:

• Chop the paneer into 2" pieces.
• Heat half the ghee. Add onion,ginger, green chilli and cardamom. Fry for 3-4 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and cook for 7-8 minutes, covered.
• Add curd and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup water and cool.
• Blend in a mixie till smooth.
• Heat remaining ghee, add bay leaf, gravy and other ingredients except milk and paneer.
• Boil to get a very thick gravy.
• Just before serving, heat gravy, add milk and paneer pieces and boil for 3-4 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and grated paneer.

Tomato Sev

Ingredients:

• Gram Flour ( Besan) - 2 Cups
• Asafoetida - 1-2 pinch
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Tomato puree - 2-3 tbsp
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Sieve gram flour & add asafoetida, red chilli powder & salt. Mix gently.
• Knead a semi-soft dough using the tomato puree if needed add little water.
• Rub with an oiled palm & divide in a small portions.
• Heat oil in a kadai & place a portion of the dough into sev maker to which a medium-holed plate has been attached.
• Press out sev into the hot oil a little a time. Fry on both sides till pinkish red.
• Drain on paper & store in an airtight container once it cool down.

Chirote/Chiroti

Ingredients:

• 2 & 1/2 Cups Maida/All purpose flour
• 1/2 Cup Corn flour
• pinch of salt
• 4 tbsp Oil

For Paste

• 4 tbsp Ghee or melted unsalted butter
• 2 tsp Corn flour or Rice flour

For Syrup:

• 1 ½ cup Sugar1 cup water
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• Saffron strands (optional)
• 1 tsp Cardamom

Sugar Syrup:

• Heat the pan , add water and sugar and cook till it sticky consistency.
• Turn off the heat add saffron, lemon juice and keep it a side.
• Do this syrup when you are ready to fry chiroti

Method:

• Make creamy paste by mixing butter or ghee & corn flour. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a frying pan & keep aside & let it cool.
• Sieve together maida, corn flour & pinch of salt.
• Add oil & enough water to make a soft dough. Let the dough sit for 1/2 hour in a refrigerator.
•  Once the dough is ready roll the dough by dusting some rice or corn flour for an 5-6 inch diameter. in 1 chapti size dough we make 3 chaptis/tortillas. Roll as thin as possible.
• On first layer (first tortilla) brush some butter & corn flour creamy paste, layer another chapati over it. Repeat the same process applying butter/ ghee and corn flour paste.
• Once they are ready, roll completely. Cut into small sizes in 1-11/2 inch pieces. Repeat the same process with rest dough.
• Roll all Small sizes pieces gently without much pressure.
• Fry them on medium heat in Ghee/ Oil on both the side. Till they turn a light brown color. They will puff up.When they are warm dip in sugar syrup and remove excess sugar syrup.
• Once they are at room temperature store in air container.

Mix Dal Dosa

Ingredients

• 2 cups any kind of rice
• 1/2 cup moong dal
• 1/2 cup udad dal
• 1/2 cup toovar dal
• 1/2 cup chana dal
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 7-8 curry leaves
• 1 tsp (asafotaeda) hing
• 2 tsp dhana-jeera powder
• salt to taste

Method:

• Soak all lentils & rice overnight in water
• Discard this water, the next day.
• Wash the lentils & rice in clean water and grind the lentils with red chilli powder, curry leaves and asafoetida in a grinder till smooth. Add around 1/4 cup of water while grinding.
• Season the batter with salt & dhana-jeera powder.
• On a tava or thick bottomed griddle, take a ladle of the batter.
• Pour the batter on the tava and spread the batter in a round circular portion with the ladle.
• Cook on a low to medium flame. Apply 1-2 tsp of oil/butter/ghee on the edges and top of the dosa.
• When the base is cooked and crisp…..you can check this by lifting the dosa slightly with the spatula. Turn over the dosa when the base is cooked.
• Cook the other side.
• Serve with potato sabzi, sambhar and coconut chutney.

Nan Khatai / Eggless Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Ghee or 1 Stick melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 Cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp Cardamom Powder
• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
• Pinch of Salt
• Few sliced almond or pistachio

 Method:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
•  In a mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar (little at a time) with the ghee until mixture is light and creamy.
•  Add Cardamom Powder and mix well.
•  In a separate bowl, sift All Purpose Flour with Baking Powder and Salt.
•  Combine Flour mixture (little at a time) with ghee & sugar mixture to form a soft dough.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
•  Knead dough once again and divide into 12-15 equal portions.
•  Roll each portion into a smooth ball with no cracks and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax/parchment   paper or lightly greased foil. Leave space between dough balls.
• Put few pieces of almonds or pistachios and press them into the dough gently.  
• Bake on the middle rack for 22-25 minutes,  nan khatai should remain white.
•  Remove from oven and let the nan khatai cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely before eating.

Spinach & Cabbege Vada

Ingredients :

• 1 cup bhakri flour or jawar flour
• 2 tbsp besan
• 1 cup spinach, finely chopped
• 1 cup cabbage, finely chopped
• 7-8 green chillies, finely hopped
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

Method :

•  In Bhakari flour, add the chopped spinach, cabbage, green chillies, turmeric powder, oil and salt, and besan mix well.
• Add little water & make a soft dough.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
• Keep water handy in a bowl. Moisten your palm and fingers with the water, and take a small ball  of batter and place it on your palm.
• Flatten it a little and and make a hole in the center, as in a doughnut. Drop it into the pan.
• Repeat with the remaining batter, and fry the vadas till golden brown on medium heat.
• Serve the spinach vadas hot, with tamarind sauce or any chutney of your choice.

Paneer Pakora

Ingredients : 

• Paneer - 1/4 Kg or 1/2 lb
• Gram flour (Besan) - 1 cup
• Green Chilli - 2 no's chopped
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriandar leaves - A bunch
• Oil  for deep fry
• Salt to taste

 Method : 

• Mix gram flour, red chilli powder, , garam masala, Coriander powder ,chopped green chillies and chopped coriander leaves and salt.
• Add little water and beat the mixture to form a thick and smooth batter.
• Cut paneer into medium size thick rectangular shaped pieces.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan and dip the paneer pieces into the batter and deep fry on medium heat until golden brown.
• Enjoy hot paneer pakoras with mint coriander chutney.

Eggless Semolina Cake

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups semolina
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup plain natural yogurt
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tpsn baking soda
• 1 tpsn vanilla essence
• Pinch of salt


Method:

• Mix the sugar & yogurt thoroughly so that sugar completely dissolves.
• Then add all the other ingredients to the yogurt. Now let this batter stand for an hour. Keep it covered.
• Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Grease a baking tray with butter or oil.
• After one hour pour the batter into the prepared tray and sprinkle the sliced the almonds all over the top.
• Bake for 20 to 25 min until its golden in color.

Instant Dhokla In Microwave

Ingredients :

• 1 cup gram (chana) flour
• I tsp rava (samolina)
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to test
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp citric acid
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda or Eno

Tadaka

• Mustard seeds and cumin seeds cracked in hot oil with asafetida and curry leaves
• 2-3tbsp water
• 1 tsp sugar
• Chopped coriander and grated coconut for garnishing

Method:

• Mix gram or chana flour, salt, rava & sugar in a big mixing bowl
• From measured (1 cup) water, take out 2 tbsp each in 2 small bowls.
• Add remaining water to flour mixture. Mix thoroughly with wire whisk. There should be no lumps.
• Dissolve citric acid in one small bowl and pour it in the mixture. Mix with wire whisk.
• Dissolve soda in another small bowl and pour it in the mixture. Mix with wire whisk. Mixture will become foamy.
• Transfer it in greased microwave safe plastic or glass mould (1/3 mould should be filled).
• Microwave on high power for 3 minutes.
•  Let stand for 2 minutes.
• Cool, remove Dhokla from mould, cut into pieces.
• Now make tadka with oil ,mustard seeds, hing & curry leaves. Add water & sugar to this tadka.
• Pour this tadka over the dhokla pieces.
• Garnish it with coriander leaves & grated coconut.
• Mix lightly. Dhokla is ready to serve.

 

Brownie Bites

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 1/3 Cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 Cup cold water
• 1/2 Tsp vanilla
• 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 Tsp baking powder
• 1/2 Tbsp chopped almonds
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 Tsp powdered sugar

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a small saucepan melt butter. Remove from heat, stir in granulated sugar, cold water and vanilla.
• Stir in flour, cocoa powder & baking powder until thoroughly combined.
• Stir in 1 tbsp of the nuts.
• Spray the bottom of an pan with nonstick spray. Pour batter into pan. 
• Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp chopped nuts
• Bake for about 20 min. then cool completely & cut in square shape.
• Sprinkle 1 tsp powdered sugar on brownie.

Enjoy with coffee or tea.

Cucumber Dosa

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Grated cucumber
• 2 Cups Grated fresh or frozen coconut
• 4 Cups Rice flour
• 1 tbsp jaggery
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method:

• Mix grated cucumber & grated coconut. Then add jaggery, oil, salt & turmeric powder.
• Add rice flour & enough water to make it a watery mix, with similar consistency as butter milk or rava dosa batter. 
• Heat a non stick tava or fry pan on medium heat; Sprinkle a few drops of oil over it; Once hot, take a ladle full of dosa batter and spill all over the tava little by little. Tilt the tava to spread evenly. 
•  Sprinkle few more drops of oil on the dosa and cook covered until done; It might take a couple of minutes.  When the bottom side is done, turn over, spread some more oil and fry till it is done.
• Remove from stove and serve hot with any chutney or pickle.

Black Eye Bean Burritos

• Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small tomato chopped
• 1 tin black eye beans, drained
• 125ml vegetable stock
• 1 fresh green or jalapeno chilli, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp taco seasoning or Mexican chilli powder
• Cilantro finely chopped 
• Grated cheddar cheese
• 4 flour tortillas

Method:

• Rinse and drain the beans. If you are using dried beans, they must be fully cooked before you begin.  Black-eyed beans can be soaked overnight to make them more easily digestible.
•  Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat, and cook the onion until tender.
• Then add tomato and cook until soft. Mix in the black eye beans, vegetable stock, chill, garlic and lime  juice.
• Add taco seasoning, salt & pepper to taste.
• Cook over medium-high heat for about ten minutes, mashing beans slightly with back of wooden spoon. 
• Stir occasionally, adding a little water if mixture looks too dry.
• Spoon bean mixture into tortillas. Top with cheese & chopped cilantro. 
• Fold each tortilla and serve with salsa or with fried french beans.

Mixed Berry Jam

Ingredients:

• 5 cups frozen mixed berries or you can use fresh berries
• 1 cup pure honey
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
• 2 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves or dried oregano

Method:

• Place the berries in a medium saucepan. lightly mash the berries.
•  Add the honey, sugar, lemon juice, orange juice, and thyme or dried oregano.
•  Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, 50 to 55 minutes.
•  Cool to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours (the jam will continue to thicken as it cools).
•  Refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 1 month