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.