Ingredients:-

For cover:

• 1 1/2 cup plain flour
• 3 tbsp. oil
• salt to taste
• cold water to knead dough

For filling:

• 1 cup yellow moong dal washed and soaked for 1/2 hour
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• 1 tsp. red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp. dhania (coriander) powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds crushed coarsely
• 1/2 tsp. fennel (saunf) seeds crushed coarsely
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 2-3 pinches asafoetida
• 1 tbsp. oil
• oil to deep fry
• 1 tbsp. plain flour for patching

Method:

For cover:

1. Mix flour, salt and oil, knead into soft pliable dough.
2. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

For filling:

1. Put plenty of water to boil dal.
2. Boil dal for 5 minutes and drain.
3. Cool a little. Heat oil in a heavy pan.
4. Add all seeds whole and crushed allow to splutter.
5. Add asafoetida, mix. Add all other ingredients.
6. Mix well. Do not smash the dal fully.
7. But enough to make the mixture hold well.
8. Remove from fire and let it cool.
9. Divide into 15 portions.
10. Shape into balls with greased palm and keep aside.

To proceed:

1. Make a paste with water, of flour for patching and keep aside.
2. Take a pingpong ball sized portion of dough.
3. Knead into round. Roll into 4″ diam. round.
4. Place one ball of filling at centre.
5. Pick up round and wrap ball into it like a pouch.
6. Do not allow cover to tear.
7. Press the ball with palm, making it flattish and round.
8. Repeat for 4-5 kachories.
9. Deep fry in hot oil, on low flame only.
10. If the kachori get a hole anywhere, apply some paste.
11. Return to oil and finish frying.
12. Turn and repeat for other side.
13. Fry till golden brown and crisp. Small bubbles must appear over kachori.
14. Drain and serve hot with green and tamarind chutneys.

Making time: 1 hour (excluding soaking and cooling times)
Makes: 10-12 pieces
Shelf life: 2-3 days
Note: Take care to fry on low. Hurried frying will result in soggy and oily kachories.

Photograph Courtesy by Ashish A

Technorati Tags: Dal ki kachori, Hot Kachori, Kachori, Moong dal ki kachori

Ingredients:-

• Raw mangoes 500 gms.
• Fenugreek seeds 3 tbsp.
• Fennel seeds 4 tbsp.
• Red chili powder 2 tbsp.
• Turmeric powder 2 tsp.
• Mustard seeds 3 tbsp.
• Mustard oil 350 mls.
• Salt As per taste

Method:-

1. Cut raw mangoes into half, remove seed and then cut ¾th inch sized
2. pieces.
3. Apply turmeric powder and salt, rub nicely and then keep it for half an hour. Drain out excess moisture.
4. Grind fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and mustard seeds to a coarse powder.
5. Heat mustard oil until smoking point, remove and let it cool.
6. Mix fenugreek seeds, fennel and mustard powder with red chili powder.
7. Add half of the mustard oil to this mixture and rub this spice and oil mixture
8. to the mango pieces. Mix thoroughly.
9. Put this into an earthenware jar and pour the remaining mustard oil.
10. Cover the jar with a muslin cloth and keep it in the sun for 5-6 days.
11. Make sure you stir the contents o f the jar for the first two weeks at least once a day. This is to ensure that the mango pieces are always in contact with the oil.

Note: In most of the Indian pickles, salt and oil are used as preservatives.

Photograph courtesy by Bindaas Madhavi

Technorati Tags: Aachar, Aam ka aachar, Achar, Mango pickle, pickle

Ingredient:-

• 1 teacup kabuli channas
• 2 chopped onions
• 2 potatoes
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons dhana-jira powder
• 2 tablespoons chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon amchur power
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon soda bi-carb
• ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
• 3 tablespoons ghee
• salt to taste
• Slices of tomatoes and ginger, chopped coriander and a few whole green chillies for decoration.

Method:-

1. Soak the channas for at least 6 hours
2. Add ½ teaspoon of soda bi-carb and cook in a pressure cooker
3. Cut the potatoes and tomatoes into big pieces
4. Heat the ghee in a vessel and fry the potatoes until soft
5. Remove the potatoes. In the same ghee add the onions and cook for a little time.
6. Add the dhana-jira and chilli powder and fry again.
7. Add the boiled channas and salt.
8. After 5 minutes, add the garam masala, amchur and black pepper powder and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Add the potatoes and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
10. Garnish with coriander, chillies and slices of tomatoes and ginger.

Photograph courtesy by  Muhammad Adnan Asim

Technorati Tags: Chatpate chole, Chole, cholle

Ingredients:-

• 250 gms. finely grated coconut
• 250 gms. sugar
• 150 ml. water
• ghee for greasing plate

Method-

1. Prepare syrup with sugar and water to 2 1/2 thread consistency.
2. Warm coconut in heavy saucepan, pour in the syrup.
3. Stir well and cook till soft lump forms.
4. Spread in a greased plate. Cool.
5. Sprinkle cardamom powder (optional).
6. Cut into squares, store in airtight container.

Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 20-25 pieces
Shelflife: 2 weeks

Photograph courtesy eatwell.in

Technorati Tags: Burfi, Coconut Burfi

Ingredients:-
For Gravy:

• 125 gms. cream
• 75 gms. khoya or paneer
• 150 ml. milk
• 50 gms. cashewnuts
• 2 1/2 tsp. white pepper powder.
• 2 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. finally grated ginger
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. garlic finally crushed
• 1″ cinnamon
• 6 cloves
• 6 cardamoms
• salt as per taste
• 3 tbsp. ghee

For Kofta:

• 50 gms. khoya
• 50 gms. paneer
• 4 large potatoes
• 25 gms. cashewnuts
• 25 gms. raisins
• 3-4 green chillies chopped finally
• 2 tsp. ginger grated
• 2 tsp. coriander finally chopped
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• salt to taste

To Garnish:

• 2 tbsp. grated cheese or paneer
• 2 tbsp. chopped coriander

Method:-
To make Koftas:

1. Boil the potatoes,peel and smash them in a plate.
2. Mix all the ingredients except raisins and cashews.
3. Make this dough into ball.
4. Flatten. Place 2-3 cashews and raisins in the centre and shape into a ball.
5. Repeat for remaining dough and keep aside.

To make Gravy:

1. Roast the cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves together.
2. Dry grind and keep aside. Wet grind all the other ingredients, except ghee, to a paste.
3. Heat ghee in a pan, add powdered spices and fry for 2-3 seconds.
4. Add paste and fry further for 5-7 minutes stirring well.
5. Add 2 cups water and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
6. Warm the koftas either in the oven or on the tava.(You can deep fry the koftas also.)
7. To serve place warm koftas in a casserole.
8. Either pour boiling hot gravy on the koftas or pour and bake in hot oven of 5 minutes.
9. Garnish with grated cheese and chopped coriander.
10. Serve hot with naan , parathas ,roti , Puri or Jeera Rice.

Making time: 45 minutes.
Makes: 10 koftas with gravy.
Shelf life: Best fresh.

Photograph Courtesy Xetark

Technorati Tags: Malai Kofta, malai-kofta recipe, quick malai kofta recipe

Ingredients:

• Almonds (Badam) 1 cup
• Milk 4-6 cups
• Sugar same amount as almond paste (about 1 cup)
• Saffron 1/2 t.spoon
• Kesari powder (color) a small pinch (optional)

Method:

1. Soak saffron in little cold milk, and keep it aside.
2. Soak almonds in hot water for 1 hour.
3. Peel skin and grind the almond into a fine paste with 1 cup of milk instead of water.
4. Measure the amount of almond paste, and keep the same amount of sugar aside.
5. Cook the almond paste for 5-10 while stirring it constantly, till the flavour comes out.
6. Now add sugar and keep stirring.
7. Add the remaining milk, and boil for 10-15 minutes.
8. Add the soaked saffron and serve it cold.

Photograph Courtesy Cool Lassi(e)

Technorati Tags: Almond ka sheera, Almond Kheer, Almond pudding, Badam ka sheera, Badam kheer, Badam milk, Badam receipes, Kheer, Sweet almond pudding

Ingredients:

• 2 cups peas boiled
• 1 large carrot chopped and boiled
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup curd
• 1/4 cup malai (cream)
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1 small sweet lime
• 1 small apple
• 1 banana
• 2 slices pineapple
• 10-15 cashew nuts
• 20 raisins
• 2 glaced cherries for decoration
• 1 tbsp. coriander chopped
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• salt to taste

Dry Masala:

• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 tsp. khuskhus (poppy seeds)
• 1 tsp. cardamoms

Wet Masala:

• 1 large onion
• 1/4 cup coconut shredded
• 3 green chillies

Method:

1. Grind the dry and wet masalas separately.
2. Chop all the fruit fine. Heat ghee and fry cashews, drain and keep aside.
3. Add butter to ghee and heat, add the wet masala and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the dry masala and salt and fry 2 more minutes.
5. Add the carrots and peas, mix together curd and cream and add to gravy.
6. Allow to thicken a bit, add fruit, cashews and raisins and boil till the gravy is thick and the fat separates.
7. Garnish with grated cheese ,coriander and chopped cherries.
8. Serve hot with naan, roti or paratha.

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Photograph courtesy nadircruise

Technorati Tags: korma, Navratan korma, navrattan korma

Ingredients:

• 250 gms. paneer (cottage 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
• 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp. tomato sauce

To garnish:

• 2 tbsp. grated paneer
• 1 tbsp. chopped coriander

Method:

1. Chop the paneer into 2″ fingers.
2. Heat half the ghee. Add onion,ginger, green chilli and cardamom. Fry for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and cook for 7-8 minutes, covered.
4. Add curd and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add 1/2 cup water and cool.
6. Now blend the mixture in a mixer till smooth.
7. Heat remaining ghee, add gravy and other ingredients except milk and paneer.
8. Boil to get a very thick gravy.
9. Just before serving, heat gravy, add milk and paneer fingers and boil for 3-4 minutes.
10. Garnish with chopped coriander and grated paneer.

Making time: 45 minutes.
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: best fresh.

Photograph courtesy – opyadav

Technorati Tags: Shahi Paneer

Ingredients:

• 1 medium. cauliflower clean and broken into big florettes.
• 1 small bunch spring onoin finely chopped
• 2 tsp. ginger finely chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic finely chopped
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 3 tbsp. cornflour
• 1/4 tsp. red chilli powder
• 2 red chillies, dry
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tbsp. milk

Method:

1. Boil the florettes for 3-4 minutes in plenty of water, to which a tbsp. of milk has been added.
2. Drain and pat dry on a clean cloth.
3. Make thin batter out of flour and 2 tbsp.cornflour, adding 1/4 tsp. each of ginger and garlic and red chilli powder and salt
4. to taste.
5. Dip the florettes in the batter one by one and deep fry in hot oil. Keep aside.
6. In the remaining oil, add remaining ginger, garlic and crushed red chilli and fry for a minute.
7. Add the salt and spring onions.
8. Stir fry for a minute. Add 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil.
9. Add 1 tbsp. cornflour to 1/4 cup water and dissolve well.
10. Gradually add to the gravy and stir continuously till it resumes boiling.
11. Boil till the gravy becomes transparent. Add florettes and soya sauce.
12. Boil for two more minutes and remove.
13. Serve hot with noodles or rice.

Variations:
Dry manchurian can be made by omitting the gravy.
Make florettes as above and instead of adding water as above, add fried florettes, spring onions and soya sauce at this stage.
Sprinkle 1 tsp. cornflour on the florettes and stirfry for 2 minutes.
Serve piping hot with toothpicks or miniforks and chilli,garlic sauce or tomato sauce.
Same procedure for veg. manchurian (with gravy or dry), but instead of using only cauliflower, use finely chopped minced
vegetables and
bind with some cornflour or bread crumbs and make small lumps the size of a pingpong ball.
Fry as above and proceed as above.

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Technorati Tags: Gobi manchurian

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chopped spinach
• 2 large onoins chopped fine
• 2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
• 1 tomato grated
• 2 green chillies
• 1″ piece ginger
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour
• 1 tsp. red chilli powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 pinches asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala
• 1/2 tbsp. butter
• 4 tbsp. ghee
• salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.
2. Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.
3. Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.
4. Keep aside.
5. Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.
6. Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
7. In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.
8. Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.
9. Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.
10. Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.
11. Add spinach and potatoes.
12. When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice
13. Just before serving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.
14. Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.
15. Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.

Note: You may use boiled peas, boiled corn kernels or paneer chunks in the above dish, instead of atoes.
Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Technorati Tags: aaloo palak, aloo palak, palak aloo