Palak Pakoras

INGREDIENTS:-

Palak leaves - 24

for the batter:

Gram flour - 1/2 cup

Semolina - 1/4 cup

Carom seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - as per taste

Red chilly powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Water - as required

Oil - for deep frying

METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Take palak leaves including a little stem of about 2 ". Wash the palak and pat dry on a clean kitchen towel.
• Put all the ingredients for the batter in a bowl, adding water to make a thick batter with a coating consistency. Do not make it thin as it will not coat the leaves properly.
• Heat the oil in a wok.
• Dip each palak leaf in the batter so that it gets well coated.
• Fry the leaves on medium heat, a few at a time, till golden and crisp on both sides. Remove and drain on an absorbent paper.

Baghaare Baingan

INGREDIENTS:-

Brinjals - 250g round ones
Onions - 2 cut into small pieces
Ginger - 2 teaspoon chopped finely
Garlic - 1 tablespoon chopped finely
Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
Sesame seeds - 1 1/2 teaspoon
Roasted peanuts - 3 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Poppy seeds - 1 teaspoon
Dry coconut - 1 " square
Fenugreek seeds - a pinch
Jaggery - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
Curry leaves - a few
Oil - 1/2 cup
Salt - as per taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Wash brinjals, make cross slits along the length of the brinjals ensuring that the brinjals are held together at the stem and keep aside.
• Roast the onions on a tawa for 8 minutes, till they soften a little and turn slightly golden brown.
• Dry roast on a medium heat, coriander seeds, sesame seeds, peanuts, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, dry coconut and fenugreek seeds till they are slightly brown and gives  out a roasted smell.
• Grind together the onions, roasted spices, ginger, garlic, salt, turmeric, red chilly powder and jaggery to a fine paste. Using only about 5 teaspoon of this paste stuff the brinjals, and keep aside. Add tamarind water to the remaining paste.
• Heat oil in a pan, add curry leaves and after a few seconds, add the stuffed brinjals. Shake the pan instead of stirring, to brown the brinjals evenly, for about 10 minutes.
• Add the ground spice paste mixed with tamarind water. Cook covered over medium heat for 7 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and stir occasionally till brinjals get tender and oil separates.
  
  
  

Aloo ki Subji

INGREDIENTS:-

Baby potatoes - 4 cups boiled, peeled and cubed
Fresh yogurt - 1 cup
Gram flour - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Bay leaf - 1
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Asafoetida - a pinch
Red chilly powder - 2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Ghee - 1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves - 2 tablespoon chopped

METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• In a bowl combine the yogurt and gram flour and whisk well. Keep aside.
• Heat the ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and asafoetida and stir for a few seconds.
• Add the yogurt and gram flour mixture, chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and continue to stir till it comes to a boil.
• Add the potatoes and salt with 1/2 cup of water and mix well. Bring to a boil.
• Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.
  

Dum Aloo

INGREDIENTS:-

Baby potatoes - 16
Cashew nuts - 2 tablespoon
Oil - 6 tablespoon
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon - 1
Onion - 2 chopped roughly
Ginger - 2  " piece chopped
Green chillies - 1
Tomato - 3
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilly powder - 3/4 teaspoon
Garam masala powder - 3/4 teaspoon
Salt - as per taste
Coriander leaves - 3 tablespoon chopped
Curds - 3 tablespoon

METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Soak the cashew nuts in curds for 15 minutes
• Peal potatoes. Prick them all over with a fork. Soak in salt water for 15 minutes.
• Drain and wipe dry the potatoes. Deep fry potatoes on medium flame till golden brown and till they are soft. Remove from oil and dry on an absorbent paper.
• Grind the onion and ginger to a paste. Keep it aside.
• Grind the tomatoes and green chilly to a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a kadai. Add cardamom and cinnamon. After a minute add the onion paste. Stir for 7 minutes till oil separates and onions turn golden brown.
• Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder and salt. Cook on low heat till well browned.
• Add the tomato puree and cook till oil separates.
• Add the curd and cashew nut paste. Cook for 5 minutes till dry.
• Add enough water to get a thick gravy.
• Boil well, add the fried potatoes and keep on low heat for 5 minutes till the oil separates and the potatoes are well cooked and coated with the masala.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Chicken Cafreal

INGREDIENTS:-

Chicken - 1 Kg
Oil - 3 tablespoon and for deep frying
Onion - 2 thinly sliced
Coriander seeds - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cloves - 6
Cardamoms - 8
Peppercorns - 8
Cinnamon - 1 " stick
Ginger - 1 " piece roughly chopped
Garlic - 5 flakes roughly chopped
Salt - as per taste
Vinegar - 3 tablespoon

METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Wash the chicken pieces and make deep incisions using a sharp knife.
• Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry onions till crisp and golden in colour. Drain on an absorbent paper and reserve for garnishing.
• Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamoms, peppercorns and Cinnamon.
• Grind ginger, garlic, green chillies and roasted spices to a fine paste using little water.
• Add salt to the paste and apply to the chicken and refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add the marinated chicken and cook covered on medium heat stirring occasionally. Add a little warm water if required to avoid scorching. Cook for 10 minutes.
• When almost done add vinegar and cook for 2 minutes.


• Serve hot garnished with the fried onions.

Palak Roti

INGREDIENTS:-

Palak leaves - a bunch washed and chopped
Salt - as per taste
Green chillies - 2 small chopped
Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Water - as required
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Wheat flour - 2 to 3 cups

METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Wash the palak leaves and chop them
• Heat a pan and fry the palak leaves along with green chillies and cumin seeds and allow them to cool.
• Grind the above fried ingredients in a mixer by adding a little water
• In a mixing bowl add the above ground mixture, turmeric powder, salt, wheat flour and water and mix to form a dough.
• Make small lemon sized balls of the dough and roll them into rotis and fry them in a griddle to get fresh rotis.
• Add ghee on both sides and serve hot with curries.
  
  
  

Crab Sukka

INGREDIENTS:-

Crabs - 4  medium sized
Tamarind - 1 lemon sized ball
Oil - 4 tablespoon
Onions - 3 medium sliced
Ginger - 1" piece finely chopped
Garlic - 16 flakes finely chopped
Coconut - 1 1/2 cups
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 7
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1 teaspoon
Red chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
Fresh coriander leaves - a few springs


METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Clean crabs and wash thoroughly. Detach and crack the claws.
• Soak tamarind in one cup of warm water for half an hour, remove the pulp, strain and keep aside.
• Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan and fry sliced onions, ginger, garlic and scrapped coconut till light brown in colour.
• Remove from the heat and cool. Add a little water and grind into a thick paste.
• Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they start to crackle, add curry leaves. Immediately add ground masala paste and cook on medium heat for half a minute, stirring continuously.
• Add turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red chilly powder, tamarind pulp and salt. Stir well and add one cup of water. Bring it to a boil and add crab pieces and claws.
• Cook further on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally or till the gravy becomes a little thick.
• Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.


• Goes well with steamed white rice and dosa.

Spinach Paratha

INGREDIENTS:-

Wheat flour - 3 cups
Spinach - 1 1/2 cups washed and finely chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Ajwain ( carom seeds ) - 3/4 teaspoon
Salt - as per taste
Water - as required

METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Put the flour in a mixing bowl and add spinach, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder, carom seeds and salt.
• Mix well adding just enough water to make a firm dough of rolling consistency. Knead till the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and keep aside for at least 1/2 an hour for the dough to become soft and stretchy.
• Divide the dough into balls, roll out each ball into a circle and smear with oil. Fold in half again to form a triangle. Roll out once more to make a triangular paratha.
• Put the paratha on a heated griddle, cook one side and turn over. Dribble a little oil from the sides and some on the top. Turn and cook on medium heat, till crisp and golden brown.

Methi ki Roti

INGREDIENTS:-

Wheat flour - 2 cups
Fenugreek leaves ( methi ) - 1 cup chopped
Onions - 1 very finely chopped
Salt - as per taste
Green chillies - 2 finely chopped
Hot water - to knead the flour
Ghee or oil - to fry the roti

METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Sieve the flour.
• Wash and remove the stems and chop the methi leaves.
• Mix the chopped leaves in the flour, add salt, chopped onions and green chillies.
• Just before making the rotis, knead the flour with hot water to a smooth dough.
• Put 1 ball of the kneaded dough and carefully roll to a slightly thick roti.
• Heat the griddle. Put the roti on the hot tawa and cook on both the sides, and fry the roti on low flame.

Methi Aloo

INGREDIENTS:-

Baby potatoes - 200 gms
Fenugreek leaves ( methi leaves ) - 1 large bunch
Oil - 4 tablespoon
Garlic - 4 flakes crushed
Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Dry mango powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as per taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Remove the hard stem of fenugreek and chop the leaves finely. Rub 1 teaspoon salt on them and keep aside for 15 minutes.
• Wash and scrub the small potatoes. Do not peel.
• Wash fenugreek leaves in several changes of water. Strain. Squeeze well to remove excess water.
• Heat oil. Add garlic. When it changes colour, add potatoes. Stir for 5 minutes. Add fenugreek leaves. Mix.
• Add turmeric powder, salt, dry mango powder, garam masala powder and red chilli powder. Mix well. Cook covered for 12 minutes till potatoes get cooked.


• Uncover and stir fry for 10 minutes till fenugreek leaves become tender.

Chilli Prawns

INGREDIENTS:-

Prawns - 500 gms
Oil - 4 tablespoon
Cornstarch - 2 teaspoon

For red  paste:

Red chillies - 3 seeded and soaked in a little water for 15 minutes
Onion - 1 chopped
Garlic - 1 1/2 tablespoon chopped
Ginger - 1 tablespoon chopped
Peppercorns - 15
Coriander seeds - 2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 2 teaspoon
Lemon juice - 2 teaspoon
Salt - as per taste
Vinegar - 1 1/4 teaspoon

METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Wash the prawns and pat them dry. Add oil and mix well.
• For the red paste, soak the red chillies in hot water for 15 minutes.
• Drain the soaked chillies and put the in a grinder. Add all the other ingredients and using little water grind to a paste.
• Remove the paste to a large bowl. To the paste add cornstarch.
• Add the prawns to the bowl and mix well coating them well. Cover and leave to marinate for 1  hour.
• Deep fry  the prawns in oil for 4 minutes or till they turn brown in colour.

Honeyed Prawns

INGREDIENTS:-

Large prawns - 500 gms
Honey - 1 1/2 tablespoon
Salt - as per taste
Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
Soya sauce - 1 teaspoon
Ginger - 1 teaspoon roughly crushed
Garlic - 1 teaspoon roughly crushed
Green chillies - 2 roughly crushed


METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Mix all the ingredients and marinate prawns for 2 hours.
• Grease the oven grill/tawa. Preheat oven to low medium heat. Cook the prawns on the greased grill for 10 - 12 minutes or till done.

Mushroom and Matar in Malai

INGREDIENTS:-

Mushrooms - 250 gms
Boiled or frozen peas - 1 cup
Kasoori methi - 4  tablespoon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Pepper powder - a pinch
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Oil - 3 tablespoon
Onions - 2 ground to a paste
Fresh cream ( malai ) - 1/2 cup
Salt - as per taste
Red chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Amchoor ( dry mango ) powder - a pinch
Milk - 1/2 cup

For grinding:

Cinnamon - 1/2 stick
Cardamom seeds - 2
Cloves - 3
Pepper corns - 4
Roasted gram dal - 2 tablespoon
Cashew nut - 5


METHOD OF PREPARATION:-

• Trim the stems of mushroom. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a kadai and add the mushrooms. Stir fry on high flame till dry and brown. Add 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Stir for a minute more and remove from fire. Keep aside.
• Grind together the grinding ingredients to a powder in a mixer.
• Heat 3 tablespoon oil and add onion paste and cook on low heat till oil separates.
• Add the freshly ground masala powder. Cook for a few seconds.
• Add kasoori methi and malai, cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes till malai dries.
• Add salt, red chilly powder, garam masala powder and amchoor powder. Stir for 1 minute.
• Add the boiled peas and mushrooms.
• Add 1/2 cup milk to make the gravy thick. Boil for 2-3 minutes and remove from the flame.