Tomato Soup

Ingredients :

1/2 kg ripe tomatoes - quartered
6 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 sprig mint
1 tsp Butter
1 tsp pepper powder
1/2 cup cream
6 tbsp Cheese Powder
2 slices bread - cut 1 1/2 cm squares
Oil for frying

Method:

Place tomatoes in a heavy pan.
Add water and bring to the boil.
Add salt, mint and continue boiling for 10 minutes.
When cool, blend the tomatoes in a mixer.
Sieve to separate seeds and skin. If mixer is not available use a soup strainer for 2 minutes.
For Croutons-Heat oil in deep pan till smoking. Fry the pieces of bread till golden brown. Drain on paper. Serve hot, each serving with 1 tbsp cream, 1 tbsp Cheese powder and a few crunchy croutons

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup noodles

• 2 Skinless chicken breasts

• Small onion, finely chopped

• 1/4 Cup rice

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• Pinch of garlic salt

Method:

Chop the chicken breasts in bites.
Put the pieces in a soup pot with one-quart water.
Add chopped onion and simmer the contents for about 20 minutes.
Now add noodles and seasonings. Also add rice.
Put the lid and cook for 20 minutes more.

Chicken and Mushroom CreamSoup

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups fresh mushroom slices

• 60 gm Butter

• 1/4 Cup small onion dices

• 1/4 Cup flour

• 1/2 tsp Salt

• 1/2 tsp Pepper

• 2 Cups Chicken broth

• 2 Cups Whole milk

• 1 Cup heavy cream

• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• Minced chives, to decorate

Method:

Clean and remove ends of mushroom stems and then slice mushrooms.
Take a medium frying pan and melt the butter in it.
Add mushroom slices and onion dices. Cook till brown.
Mix in flour, salt and pepper.
Transfer into a large casserole.
Pour in chicken broth, milk, cream and Worcestershire sauce.
Simmer over medium heat without boiling, stirring until really hot.
Serve into individual bowls, sprinkled with chives.
Chicken and Mushroom Cream Soup is ready.

Sweet Corn Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 Baby corn

• 1/4 Cup beans, chopped

• 1/4 Cup carrot, diced

• 1/4 Cup peas, boiled

• 1/4 Cup cabbage, thin strips

• 1/4 Cup cauliflower

• 1/2 Onion

• 2 Cubes cheese

• 2 Pods garlic

• 1 tsp Sugar

• Pepper powder to taste

• Salt to taste

• Oil as required

• Few dhania leaves for garnishing

• Water as required

Method:

Cook the baby corns with onion and garlic in the pressure cooker until soft.
Meanwhile, boil peas.
Take a pan and heat a little oil, fry carrot, beans, cauliflower and cabbage or microwave with water sprinkled for about 1 minute, keep aside.
Blend the cooked baby corn properly.
Strain into a pan, and add boiled peas, water and other vegetables to it.
Bring it to a boil.
Combine salt, pepper and sugar with it, mix well.
Boil for about one minute and add cheese to it.
Remove it from the heat.
Garnish it with the dhania leaves and serve hot.

Egg Kababs

Ingredients :
4 eggs-hard-boiled
2 tsp besan
1 onion finely chopped
1 egg (white only)
1 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
2 green chillis, finely chopped
1/4 tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method :
Grate the hard boiled eggs finely. Combine with all other ingredients except oil.
Mix well and knead into smooth dough.
Divide mixture into flat round cutlets and keep aside.
Heat oil in kadai and fry kababs, untill crisp and golden brown.
Garnish with onion rings Serve hot with mint chutney

Egg Kofta

Ingredients :

Boiled Eggs
Potatoes
Cilantro
Green chilies
Salt for the taste
Raw eggs
Bread crumbs

Method:

First boil eggs and potato's, peel both of them and smash the potatoes in to a smooth paste.
Cut eggs as round or oval.
In a kadai pour oil and keep it ready on the stove for the deep fry.
Break the raw egg and pour it into one bowl, keep bread crumbs in another bowl.
Take smashed potato into a big bowl add to it green chilies, cilantro and salt make it into a dough.
Take small amount of dough into the palm spread it on your palm flat and take a slice of a egg wrap it around, after wrapping first dip this in raw egg then in the bread crumbs then deep fry in the oil.

Pepper Chicken

Ingredients :

1kg chicken thighs cut into 4
2 small onions finely chopped
6 table spns black pepper corns
4 pods cardamom
2 table spns corriander powder
3 table spns refined cooking oil
3 table spns coconut oil
4 dried chilli
6 table spns dessicated coconut
1 teaspoon musturd seeds
Curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method:

Add the pepper corns to the frying pan and quickly roast it. Let it cool and grind to powder.
Add the dessicated coconut to the frying pan and quickly roast it without browning it and set aside.
Add the refined oil to the pan and add the cardomom pods. Fry until it gives out an aroma, then add the onions. Fry the onions until it turns transparent.
Add the chicken pieces and fry until it turns colour. Add the salt, pepper powder and corriander powder and cook covered under a low fire for 20 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
When the chicken is cooked, Mix the dessicated coconut
Heat another frying pan and fry the musturd seeds curry leaf and the dry chill is in coconut oil. Add this to the chicken Serve hot with rice.

Rasmalai

Ingredients
4 Measuring cup milk for chenna (2% milk)
3 measuring cup milk for Ras
4 - 4 1/2 tbsp. sugar for Ras
1 cup sugar
3 cups of water
Safforn, cardomom, pista, almonds
Lemon juice

Method:
First keep the 3 cups of milk for ras to boil until it reamins 1 3/4 cup.
Bring 4 cups of milk to boil. Now to curdle the milk add lemonjuice to it stirring continously.
Then drain it on a thin muslin cloth or handkerchief.
Hold it covered with cloth in the running water.Drain the excess water by pressing the cloth there must not be water remaining.
In a pressure cooker take 3 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar.
Take the chenna out of the cloth in a dish , mash it and make around 15 small size of balls out of it
Toss that balls in the pressure cooker and bring two whistle.
In the mean time see the milk for ras may be ready.
Add the sugar for ras to it and add cardomon, pista, almond and safforn to it.Let it cool aside
As the pressure cooker is warm now open it take out the balls of chenna with the spoon ina dish and let the water drain by pressing it little and let it cook.
When the milk is cool add chenna balls to it .
Refrigerate it(while putting chenna balls inthe pressure cooker do not put one on the other)

Coconut Burfi

Ingredients:

225 gms Khoya

225 gms coconut (dry and ground)

1 tsp cardamom seeds (ground)

1 tbsp ghee

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups water

1/2 tsp almonds (grated)

1/2 tsp pistachios (grated)

Method:
Mix khoya and coconut and fry them lightly with ghee on a low heat.
Add cardamom and mix well.
Prepare one-string syrup by dissolving sugar in the water.
Now stir the coconut mixture into the syrup.
Grease the plate and spread the grated nuts on it.
Spread the prepared evenly over the plate and allow it to cool.
Now with the knife, cut it into desired shapes.
Turn them over so that nuts covered part appears on the top.
Nariyal ki burfi is ready to be served

Peda

Ingredients:

1/2 kg Soft white khoya

2-1/2 cups (approx.300gms)

sugar powdered 1/2 tsp

cardamom powder1 tsp

cardamom seeds semi crushed

1 tbsp slivered or crushed pistachios

How to make peda:

Grate khoya with a steel (not iron) grater.

Add powdered sugar and mix well.
Put mixture in a large heavy or nonstick pan.
Heat first on high for few minutes.
The on slow till done.
Make sure to stir continuously, while on heat.
When mixture thick and gooey, add cardamom.
Mix well, and take off fire.
Allow to cool, gently turning occasionally.
Use cookie moulds, or shape pedas with palms into patty rounds.
Mix pistachios and cardamom seeds and press a bit on top of each.
If using moulds, first sprinkle some at bottom.
Take some mixture and press into mould.
When set well, invert and carefully, unmould. The pedas are ready to be served

Kadai LadyFinger (Bhindi)

Ingredients:
250 gm Lady finger (washed and pat dry)

1 Onion(thinly sliced)

2 Sliced Green Chilli

1 tbsp Gram flour

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 tsp Dried Mango Powder

Few Coriander Leaves (chopped)

1/2 tsp Coriander Powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

Vegetable Oil

Salt to taste

Method:

Cut ladyfinger into thin slices.
Take a kadhai with oil and heat it.
Fry ladyfinger slices until they turn crispy and golden brown.
Keep fried ladyfinger separate.
Leave about 2 tbsp oil in kadhai and drain the rest.
Add cumin seeds and green chillies and fry for about 30 seconds.
Add onion slices and fry again until light brown.
Add mango powder, gram flour and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
Now add fried ladyfinger and remaining ingredients.
Mix them properly. Heat for few seconds and remove from the flame.
Kadhai Bhindi is ready, garnished with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Badhusha

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup vanaspathi ghee

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

3 pinch of baking soda

Oil for deep frying

Sliced pista and almonds

Grated dry coconuts

Method:
• Heat little ghee in a pan.
• Add pista and almonds. Fry until light golden colour.
• Pour this ghee into the flour.
• Add soda and little water. Make soft dough.
• Cover it with a wet cloth for 15 minutes.
• Take water and sugar in a saucepan and boil it to make thick syrup.
• If the syrup becomes thick, add water and heat it again.
• Divide the dough and make small sized balls.
• Flatten slightly and make a hole in the center.
• Prepare all the badhushas.
• Heat oil over medium flame.
• Deep fry the badhushas until golden brown.
• Put them immediately into the sugar syrup for about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Place them on a plate.
• Sprinkle fried nuts and grated dry coconut.
• baadusha is ready to serve

Paper Dosa

Ingredients
150 g raw (boiled) rice

50 g urad dal

15 g cooked rice

10 g poha (pressed rice)

5 to 7 methi seedssalt to tasteOil

Preparation
Wash the urad dal, raw rice and methi seeds. Soak them in a little water along with poha and cooked rice for at least an hour. Grind to a smooth paste with a little water. Cover and keep aside for at least five hours. Add salt to taste and mix well. This batter can be used as basic batter for preparing paper masala dosa. The batter is enough to make about four to six dosas. Use a stainless steel cup to pour the dosa batter onto the tawa.Pour about 300 ml dosa batter (on as wide a surface as possible), on a pre-heated, greased dosa plate in an oval shape. Allow it to cook on low heat for one-and-a-half minutes. Scrape the upper layer to get a thin and crisp dosa. Roll it up. Similarly prepare three more dosas. Serve immediately with coconut chutney and sambhar.

Rose Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 Kg Maida
Eggs 6
Sugar to taste
1/2 a coconut for milk
Pinch of salt to counter act the Sugar
Oil for Deep frying
Cake Seeds 1 Tbsp.

Preparation Method:
Scrape the coconut & extract the milk, beat the eggs well - keep aside. Take the Maida sieve it place in a bowl add the eggs, sugar, salt cake seeds & keep mixing using the coconut milk little at a time to make a fine smooth batter like for Dosas' - keep aside.
To make the Rose Cookies:
Take a wok (Kadai) pour the oil kept for deep frying place on heat, now place the mould into the oil & keep it immersed when the mould is very hot, remove from the oil & lightly dip half way only into the batter - & put it back into the oil - wait for a second & start shaking the mould, the Cookie will leave the Mould -fry the cookie on both sides till golden brown remove & drain then let it cool, place in air tight containers & keep use whenever needed. Continue making the cookies with the remaining batter.

Prawn Biryani

Ingredients:

Rice (Basmati) - 300 gms.
prawns (shelled) - 600 gms.
Bay leaf - 2 nos.
Sliced onion - ¼ cup
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp.
Fresh grated coconut - 1 tbsp.
Coconut milk - 50 mls.
Lemon juice - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp.
Green chilli - 2 nos.
Whole garam masala - 1 tsp.
Ghee/Oil - 2 tbsps.
Salt as per taste

Preparation
1. Pick, wash and soak rice for about 20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2. Shell, Devein and wash the prawns.
3. Heat Ghee or oil in a thick-bottomed pan. Add bay leaves and Whole Garam Masala Let it crackle. Add sliced onion, sauté till the onion turns pink.
4. Add water, turmeric powder, lemon juice and green chillies slit into two. Bring it to boil and add rice. Cook for a minute and add prawns and coconut milk. Season with salt. Stir lightly.
5. Stir till rice absorbs all the water and then cover it with a lid and cook it on a slow fire till rice and prawns are fully cooked.

Tips for cooking Non Vegetarian

General Tips For Cooking Non-Vegetarian:

• When you cook chicken or meat, you should first cook over high heat to seal juices and then lower the heat and cook till tender
• If you want to store fish for more than a day, first clean it, rub it with salt, turmeric and maybe, a dash of vinegar, and then freeze. It will stay fresh.
• Don't salt meat before you cook it. The salt forces the juices out and impedes browning.
• Instead, salt meat halfway through cooking, then taste when the meat is done and adjust the salt as needed.
• Meat that is partially frozen is much easier to cut or slice.
• Cooking of hamburgers may take hell of a long time. To cook them a little faster, you could poke a hole in the middle of the hamburger patties while shaping them. This helps them cook faster and the holes disappear once the burgers are done.
• Allow meat to stand at room temperature 1 hour before cooking: It will cook more quickly, brown more evenly, and stick less when pan-fried.
• To help keep meats moist during a long grill or barbecue, add a pan of water close to the fire, but away from the meat.
• To coat chicken evenly, you can place the seasonings or crumbs in a plastic bag, and then add a few pieces at a time and shake them well.
• For golden-brown fried chicken, roll in powdered milk instead of flour before frying.
• To prevent bacon from curling, dip the strips in cold water before cooking.
• Sprinkle a little amount of salt in the frying pan before adding bacon to fry. That way it will not splatter all over.
• To ensure that sausages keep their shape, put them into cold water, bring to a boil and then drain immediately and grill or fry in a saucepan.
• When you cook chicken or meat, you should first cook over high heat to seal juices and then lower the heat and cook till tender.
• To avoid kebabs from becoming hard and chewy, marinate them for a longer time and avoid over cooking them.
• To get rid of the smell of prawns, apply salt and lemon juice to the prawns before cooking.
• Leave for 15-20 minutes, then wash off and proceed with the recipe. This is usually done with prawns, fish and al kinds of seafood.
• For better results, mutton should be of a younger animal. It looks pink and not red and texture should be firm. If it is red and looks 'wrinkled', it will be tough.
• Softening chicken for salads and sandwiches Chicken in salads and sandwhiches is usually poached. What poaching does is surrounds the chicken with liquid, so no moisture is lost and cooks the chicken gently, as opposed to grilling or pan frying.
• How can you tell that steaks are done? Color can be a good indicator of doneness. This is because myoglobin which gives meat its color, changes from red to pink to brown as meat cooks. A rare steak is bright red. A medium-rare steak is dark pink with some red present; a medium steak is very light pink in color and of course, well-done is brown.

left over food

Tips On Leftover Food:

• If you are making pasta or rice, cook some extra and store in refrigerator for the next meal.
• Keep some boiled potatoes in fridge, to make quick sandwiches for breakfast.
• Use left over rice for next day meal, use your imagination and cook something new.
• Keep some extra dough in fridge to make chapatis for breakfast.
• Use leftover sukhi dal to make stuffed paratha.

Tips on cooking

Tips On Cooking :

• To make 1 cup of dal, add atleast 2-3 cups of water, depending on the type of dal.
• Soak whole pulses overnight and other dals for one hour before cooking.
• Always add hot water to the gravy to enhance the taste.
• Add 1 Tbsp of hot oil to the dough for making Kachories or Kulchas.
• Always use heavy bottomed vessels to make desserts, in order to avoid burning.
• Make desserts with full cream milk, to get thick creamy texture.
• Whenever curd is to be added to the masala, it should be beaten well and add gradually.
• Chop some extra vegetables, for next day stir fry.
• Use the leftover dal water to make rasam or sambar.
• Never discard water in which vegetables are cooked, use it in gravies, soups, rasam or kolumbu.
• Onions and masala are fried in the cooker body itself, raw vegetables are added to that with enough salt and water. Cook under pressure according to the cooking time of the vegetable. This method helps us minimise our cooking time, use of utensils and nutrients are also preserved.
• If poppy seeds are used in grinding, soak it in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, if you are grinding it in a mixie.
• While boiling milk, always add a little water at the base of the vessel to avoid the milk from sticking at the bottom.
• Add a tsp. of hot oil to homemade pastes of garlic, ginger or green chili, along with salt to make it last longer and taste fresher.
• Store raisins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for much longer. Pour very hot water over them if they had harden, after that drain them immediately, and spread on a paper towel to dry.
• You can also leave a spoon in the vessel in which the milk is being boiled at low heat so that it does not get burnt at the bottom
• Add a few drops of lemon a tsp of oil to rice before boiling to separate each grain.
• Never discard the water in which vegetables are cooked, use it in gravies or soups.
• Put tomatoes in a large bowl and cover with boiling water Leave it for about 5 minutes.
• Take out one by one, piercing them with a sharp knife, the skin will peel off easily.
• Immediately after boiling noodles put them in normal cold water to separate them each.
• If you forget to soak chana/Rajma overnight. Just soak the chana/Rajma in the boiling water for an hour before cooking.
• Curd in winter - Set in a ceramic container and place it on the voltage stabilizer of your refrigerator.
• Potatoes soaked in salt water for 20 minutes will bake more rapidly.
• Roasting is a dry heat method of cooking - it does not use water. The flavors roasting draws forth result from the process of browning. As the surface of the meat browns, and its juices and fats drip down and brown on the surface of the hot roasting pan, it adds to the flavour of the meat.

Tips for Gravies

Tips For Gravies:

• Always use ghee or vanaspathi with or instead of oil, which gives a good flavour to the gravy. If oil alone is used, it does not get separated easily from the ground mixture, as ghee separates from it.
• Fry the ground masala in reduced flame, so that it retains its colour and taste.
• Little plain sugar or caramelised sugar added to the gravy makes it tasty.
• When tomatoes are not in season, tomato ketchup or sauce can be successfully used in the gravies.
• To retain colour in the gravy always use ripe red tomatoes. Discard green portions if any.
• Good variety chillies and chilli powder also gives colour to the gravy. As far as pos sible try to use long variety red chillies. Dry it under sun for few days and powder coarsely at home.
• Always the coarse powder gives good taste in gravies and pickles.
• While using ginger and garlic paste in curries, always use garlic at 60% ratio and ginger at 40% as ginger is very strong and may make your dish sharp and pungent

Tips on Frying

Tips On Frying :

• Heat the oil thoroughly before adding seasonings or vegetables.
• Fry the seasonings until they change color, to get full flavour of seasonings.
• If masala sticks to the pan that shows quantity of fat included is not enough.
• Add some hot oil and 1/2 tsp of baking soda in batter while making pakodas.
• When coconut is used in grinding masala, do not fry for a longer time.
• If you are making patties or tikkis of potatoes, always make sure that the potatoes are boiled well in advance and cooled before you use them. It would be better if they can be refrigerated for a short time. This helps the starch in the potatoes to settle down and the tikkis will not be gooey.
• Smoke Mustard oil first before using for preparing vegetables etc.. by heating to a point till light white smoke emerges from it. This would remove the potency from the oil.
• Poori can be rolled and place between well-rinsed wet muslin cloth at least an hour ahead and can be Fried before serving.
• To make pooris more crispy add a little rice flour to the wheat flour while kneading.
  Pakodas will turn out crisper if a little corn flour is added to the gram flour (besan) while preparing the batter.
• Heat a non-stick pan and add a little more butter than usual. Now beat the egg and stir briskly (even while frying) with a fork. This way more air goes in your omelet, making it light and fluffy. Fry till done and serve hot.
• Sprinkle a little amount of salt in the frying pan before adding bacon to fry. That way it will not splatter all over.
• When browning meat in fat, choose a large, deep pan. This will enable you to fry quickly, without splashing the stove with fat and meat juices.

Cutting and Peeling

Tips On Cutting & Peeling :

• Wash vegetables before peeling or cutting to preserve the water soluble vitamins.
• Peel vegetables as thinly as possible to preserve the minerals and vitamins.
• Soak potatoes and eggplant after cutting, to avoid discoloration.
• If you boil vegetables in water, do not throw the water, keep it to make gravies.
• To avoid browning of apples after cutting, apply a little lemon juice on the cut surface. The apples will stay and look fresh for a longer time.
• Keep coriander leaves in a muslin (cheese) cloth bag in the refrigerator. They will remain fresh for a longer time.
• Remove the stems of green chilies while storing them .This will help them to stay fresh for long.
• After peeling onions cut in half and soak in water for about 10 minutes before cutting to avoid crying.
• Soak almonds in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes .The skin will peel off easily.
• Chopping vegetables can be done in different ways using a sharp knife and a wooden chopping board. Cutting on a marble slab will blunt your knives.
• Remove the outer leaves and husks from the corn (bhutta). Holding the corn upright with the flat end firmly in a board, take a sharp knife and run it down between the kernels and the cob to strip them away.
• Wrap the fruits and vegetables in newspaper before refrigerating to keep them fresh for long.
• Chopping dry fruits - Freeze them first for one hour & then dip the knife into hot water before cutting them.

FRENCH FRIES

Ingredients:

6 large baking potatoes cut into strips

Oil for deep frying

Salt

How to make french fries:

Cut the potatoes into strips of about 1/3 to 1/2-inch thickness and width
Soak potatoes in ice cold water for 1 hour at room temperature. Drain well; pat dry with paper towels.
Heat oil in deep fryer to about 375°.
Place potato strips in a single layer in deep fry basket; fry in hot oil for about 4 minutes, or until golden brown and tender.
Drain the homemade french fries on paper towels then keep warm in the oven while frying remaining batches.

Toss it up with salt and serve it with Sauce.

Vegetable Samosa

Ingredients:

For Cover:1 cup all purpose flour (Maida) Water to Knead dough2tbsp oilLittle salt1/4th tsp. Ajwain (optional)For Stuffing:3-4 Potatoes (boiled, peeled & mashed)1/2 cup Green Peas (boiled)1-2 Green Chilies (finely chopped)1/2tsp Ginger (crushed)1tbsp coriander finely choppedFew chopped Cashews (optional)Few Raisins (optional)1/2tsp Garam masala Salt to tasteRed chili powder to taste1/2 tsp. Dry Mango powder( Amchur) (optional)

How to make samosa:

For Cover:
· Mix all the ingredients (salt, oil, ajwain) except water.
· Add a little water at a time.
· Pat and knead well for several times into a soft pliable dough.
· Cover it with moist Muslin cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes.
For Stuffing :
· In a bowl add mashed potatoes and all dry masalas (salt, chili powder, mango powder, garam masala) and green chilles, ginger and Mix well.
· Add green peas, cashews and raisins and mix well.
· Add coriander and keep aside.
To Proceed :
· Make small rolls of dough and roll it into a 4"-5" diameter circle.
· Cut it into two parts like semi-circle.
· Now take one semi circle and fold it like a cone. Use water while doing so.
· Place a spoon of filling in the cone and seal the third side using a drop of water.
· Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry till golden brown (fry on a medium flame).
· Serve samosa hot with hari chutney, tamarind chutney.

Brain Fry

Ingredients

500 grams brain

4 onions

1 teaspoon chopped green chilly

½ teaspoon ginger

1 ½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon red chilly powder

5 tablespoons oil and salt to taste.

HOW TO PREPARE

Finley slice the onions and ginger each separately and set it aside. Steam cook the brain with a little salt. Make a few slits in the brain once its cool. Take a frying pan and heat the oil. When the oil is hot add the onions and sauté till golden brown. Then add the ginger and green chillies and sauté till the raw smell leaves. Add the red chilly powder and pepper and sauté briefly. Put in the brain carefully. Add a little salt to taste. Cook till an aroma begins to rise and ensure that the brain doesn’t crumble.

Liver Fry

Ingredients

500 grams liver

1 big onion

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon saunf or aniseeds

2 tablespoons oil

salt and pepper to taste.

HOW TO PREPARE: Cut the liver into small cubes and keep them aside. Take a tava or a flat pan and dry roast the cumin seeds and saunf. When they become brown an aroma will rise. Turn of the flame and powder these and keep it aside. Finely slice the onion. Now take a frying pan and heat up some oil. When the oil is hot add the onions and sauté till they are dark brown. Ensure that you don’t burn or roast the onions. Now add the liver and cook till the liver is tender. Avoid adding water but if required add a spoon of water at a time. When the liver is cooked sprinkle the cumin-saunf powder and salt and pepper to taste. Mix it all up nicely and remove from flame. Serve with curd rice.

Paneer Pakodas

Ingredients:
200 gms paneer

150 gms besan (gram flour)

1/4 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/2 tsp chili powder

A pinch of cooking soda

Oil for frying

Few coriander leaves chopped

Salt to taste

Method:
Cut the paneer into long strips and keep aside.
Mix besan, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, coriander leaves, cooking soda, salt in a bowl and make a fine batter by using little water.
Now dip the paneer pieces in this batter and fry in hot oil until golden brown.
Serve hot with tomato sauce or mint chutney.

Serves: 4-6

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes

Badam Kheer

Ingredients:
50 gms almonds (badam)

1/2 litre milk

3 flakes saffron

3 tbsp nuts

50 gms sugar

Method:
Soak the almonds in water for few minutes. Remove the skin and blend in the blender using little water until smooth.
Boil milk in a pan, add saffron, sugar and almond paste. Boil until the mixture slightly thickens.
Garnish with nuts, almonds and serve immediately or chilled.

Serves: 4Preparation time: 25 minutes

Kesar Kulfi

Ingredients:

4 cups milk

1 tin condensed milk

100g khoya

1 tbsp maida flour

1/2 tsp kesar powder

10-12 chopped and blanched almonds

Method:
Mix together condensed milk, milk, maida, and khoya. Bring to boil, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from fire and cool.
Add almonds and kesar dissolved in 1 tsp of water.
Fill into kulfi moulds and freeze overnight.Serves: 10Preparation time: 15-20 minutes + Freezing time

Navratan Pulao

Ingredients:
500g basmati rice

50g paneer

50g peas

50 cauliflower

50g cherries

50g pineapple

60g carrots

25g cashew nuts

20g kiss miss (raisins)

150g yogurt

10g garam masala

15g green chilies

75g onions

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

75g ghee or butter

Salt to taste

1 small bunch mint leaves

1 small bunch cilantro

1 lemon

25g ginger-garlic paste

Method:
Wash the rice and soak in the water for 30 minutes.
Mix the chopped carrots and paneer and fry in oil for few minutes.
Heat ghee in another pan, fry onions until golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, mint leaves, paneer, vegetables, dry fruits and fry for 5-6 minutes.
Also add garam masala, salt, turmeric, chili powder, yogurt and fry well. Remove from heat and keep aside.
Boil water in another vessel, add washed rice and cook until it is half cooked.
Then add the above prepared curry to the rice, mix well and cook on the steam until the rice is done.
Sprinkle the lemon juice on rice and serve with cherries on it.

Mutton Biryani

Ingredients:
1 1/2 kg basmati rice

1 1/2 kg mutton

200 gms ginger (ground)

150 gms garlic (ground)

3 tsp garam masala powder (clove, cinnamon, cardamom and shajeera)

500 gms oil

500 gms finely chopped onions

250 gms thick yoghurt

2 lemons

2 sprigs of coriander

1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp salt (salt to taste)

Method:
Cook mutton with salt, turmeric and ginger-garlic paste for 15 - 20 minutes in a cooker or in a thick-bottomed vessel.
Heat oil in a wok and fry finely chopped onions until golden brown. To this add the cooked mutton pieces and fry for 15 minutes. Add the beaten yogurt, chopped coriander and juice of two lemons.
Take one-and-a-half measures of water for each measure of rice. Bring the water to a boil and add washed and presoaked (for 30 minutes) rice and cook until done.
Add the mutton pieces and cook for 10 minutes. Serve hot with raita (yogurt chutney).

Tandoori Fish

Ingredients:
2 lbs of any mild white fish fillets; cut into 2" * 3" pieces.

1/3 cup vinegar

1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

4 garlic cloves

Salt to taste

1 tbsp ground coriander seeds

1 tbsp ground cumin seeds

1 tbsp ground cayenne pepper

1/2 cup oil

Method:
Make a paste of the vinegar, ginger, garlic, salt, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper and oil in a blender.
Marinate the fish pieces in the paste for 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Turn the oven on to broil at the highest point.
Place the fish pieces on a baking tray and broil for about 10 minutes.
Turn over on the other side and broil for about 7 minutes again.
Broiling time may differ depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Mutton Coconut Fry

Ingredients:

500g mutton

1 cup grated coconut


6 green chilies


10g pepper corns


10g garam masala


10g cumin seeds


20g ginger-garlic paste


40g onions, chopped


50g oil


2 bunches curry leaves


1/4 tsp turmeric


Salt to taste

Method:
Mix mutton with salt, turmeric and pressure cook without any water.
Heat oil in a pan, fry onions, curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste for 3-4 minutes.
Then add cooked mutton, grated coconut, finely sliced green chilies and fry for few minutes.
While frying, sprinkle ground red chilies, pepper corns, garam masala, cumin and salt. Fry for another 4-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve with cilantro and coconut pieces on it.

Butter Chicken

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken cut up into pieces.

2 tomatoes (blended)

2 onions chopped

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

15 cashew nuts (made into a paste using water)

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp thick cream

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp oilCilantro for garnishingMarinade

1 tbsp tandoori masala1/2 tbsp garam masala

2 tbsp lime juice1/2 tsp cumin powder

5 tbsp yogurt

Salt to taste

Mix all the above ingredients well in a bowl

Method:
Marinate the chicken in the marinade for one hour
Heat oil in a pan and fry the chicken for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken and keep aside.
In the remaining oil, fry the chopped onions till golden, then add the ginger-garlic paste and fry sprinkling some water now and then till oil separates.
Add the cashew nut paste, chili powder, tomato paste and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the butter, cream and chicken. Mix well and cook until it is done.
Garnish with cilantro.

Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients:
8 pieces of chicken breast (boneless)

2 tbsp of garlic paste

2 tbsp of ginger paste

1 tsp white pepper powder

Butter for basting as required

Salt to taste

For Marinating:

5 tbsp of grated cheese mashed

1 egg beaten

1 tbsp green chili chopped

2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped

6 tbsp fresh cream

1/4 tsp mace powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg powderSalt to taste

Method:
Clean and cut chicken into 2" cubes. Apply ginger-garlic paste, white pepper powder salt to the chicken cubes and keep aside.
Add finely chopped green chilies, mace powder, nutmeg powder, coriander leaves and salt to the cheese. Add egg to the cheese paste and mix well.
Add chicken to the cheese mixture. Then, add fresh cream and mix lightly. Keep this in the refrigerator for about two to three hours.
Put chicken onto skewers and cook in a moderately hot or a pre-heated oven at 175 degrees C or until almost cooked and light brown.
Apply butter or oil for basting and cook for another two minutes till chicken is done. Serve hot.

Mushroom Chili Fry

Ingredients:
300gms mushrooms, cut into quarters8-10 dry red chilies6 flakes garlic, sliced2 onions, sliced thinly3 cardamoms3 cloves1 stick cinnamon2-inch piece ginger, finely sliced1/2 tsp. turmeric powder1 1/2 tbsps coriander seeds1 cup sour curd2 tsps lemon juice1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped3 tbsps oilSalt to taste

Method:

Heat 1 tsp. of oil on the tava and roast the chilies till dark in color. Fry the coriander seeds, garlic and ginger in the same way, using little oil. When cool, blend into fine powder.
In a saucepan heat the remaining oil and fry the onions till golden brown and crisp. Drain and keep aside.
Add the cloves, cinnamon and cardamom to the oil and fry for a minute. Then add the mushrooms, turmeric and salt and fry till mushrooms are half cooked.
Add the curd, ground powder and cook till done. Add the lemon juice and fried onions just before serving.
Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with any pulao or naans.Serves: 4-6Preparation time: 30 minutes

Mutter Kofta Curry

Ingredients:
1/4 kg raw peas (mutter)2 tsp besan (gram) flour2-3 onions, chopped4 green chilies, choppedSalt to taste1 tsp chili powder1 tsp coriander powder1/4 tsp garam masala1/2 tsp turmeric powder100 gms potatoes, cut into 1" pieces3-4 tbsp oil

Method:
Boil the raw peas in a pressure cooker until they are tender or up to 2 whistles. When cooled, remove and make a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the chopped onions (half of them) and green chilies for a while. Also add besan flour and fry for few more seconds. Then add peas paste, stir and remove. Allow to cool.
Make small balls from the above mixture and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Keep them aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and fry the remaining onions until brown. Also add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric and fry for 1 more minute.
Now add chopped potatoes, stir well, add 2 cups of water and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Add koftas and salt to the potatoes mixture and stir well. Remove from heat and its ready to eat. Serve with naan or plain rice.Serves: 6Preparation time: 30-40 minutes

Jilebi

Ingredients:
250g maida (all-purpose) flour25g gram flour1 tbsp oil1 cup yogurt2 1/2 cups water350g sugar2-3 pinches yellow color500g ghee or butter4-6 threads saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp hot milk

Method:
Mix together the flours, oil, yogurt and water to make a medium thick paste. Cover and keep overnight for fermentation.
Prepare a two string syrup with the sugar and water. Add yellow color and saffron to the syrup. Keep aside.
Beat the flour mixture well and fill in a plastic bag with a hole at the bottom.
Squeeze out the batter by pressing the bag into the hot ghee.
Drop medium sized whirls in a continuous flow beginning from outer circle and ending in the center. This will give better shape to the jalebies.
Fry them until crisp and golden color on both sides carefully.
Drain and drop in the syrup. In 5 minutes, the jalebies will be thoroughly soaked.
Drain and serve hot.