Garlic Bread

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp Active dry yeast
1/2 tsp Honey/sugar
1/2 cup Warm water
10-12 pods garlic, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter(salted), melted
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp oregano

Method

1. Add lukewarm water and honey to yeast.Let the yeast proof for 5 min till you see a frothy mixture.
2. Take 1 cup flour and add yeast mixture to it and mix nicely with hands. Rest this batter for 45 min till it doubles.
3. Add the remaining flour, (8,9) garlic grated and salt and mix nicely. At this stage you may need to add couple of tbsp of water to get the dough together.Knead it nicely and transfer to a floured counter space and knead the dough for the 8-10 min till the dough is smooth and springy.
4. The dough will be a bit sticky so i added olive oil in my hands to get the dough together.
5. Transfer the dough on generously floured baking tray and shape into a circle with hands.
6. Let the dough double again which can take from 1 hr or more. Keep it in some warm space like your switched off oven.
7. Now prepare "garlic butter" (3 tbsp butter + 2,3 crushed garlic + 1/2 tsp black pepper powder).
8. Preheat the oven to 170C. Brush 1/3rd of this butter on top of the bread dough. Slice the dough with pizza cutter.
9. Bake the bread for 12 min on 170C and then for 2-3 minutes on 200C or till its slightly brown on top.
10. Generously spread leftover garlic butter on the bread and let it soak it.
11. Serve hot.

Matar(Peas) Mushroom

 

Ingredients

1 cup button mushroom
1 cup peas (frozen better)
1 onion medium sized, finely sliced
1 tomato, coarsely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 inch cinnamon
1 tbsp curd
2 cardamon
1 inch ginger(finely grated)
5-6 garlic pods, grinded into a paste
salt to taste
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp oil

Method

1. First clean the mushrooms and boil them in microwave with 1/2 cup water and 1/4 tsp salt for 10 minutes. Cool and cut them into 2 pieces. Keep aside and dont throw away the water left. ( If you are not using frozen peas boil them along with mushrooms)
2. Heep oil in a pan, add cinnamon, cardamom and cumin seeds.
3. When cumin starts spluttering add green chillies ,onions fry till onions are glossy. Add salt as required.
4. Add Coriander powder. Stir. 
5. Then add the tomatoes and ginger garlic. Fry it untill it leaves oil at the edges .
6. Now add mushrooms and peas and yogurt. Fry them for 5-10 minutes.
7. Finally if u need a gravy you can add water left from boiling mushrooms.Boil it for 2 minutes.
8. Serve hot with chapaati.

Tiramisu Cake in a Glass

Ingredients (for 4-5 people)

200 gm Mascarpone Cheese
2 eggs
50 gm confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
1/2 tsp vanila essence
15 ml brandy/rum
1 cup of strong espresso coffee
20-24 ladyfinger biscuit/ marie biscuit (I used britannia marie)
Cocoa powder
1/2 tsp Lemon zest

Method

1. Make regular but strong coffee, without milk and with sugar. Add 5 ml rum to it when its cool and pour it in a wide mouth bowl ( large enough to soak biscuits). Keep aside.
2. Bring eggs to room temperature and separate yolks and whites into separate bowls.
3. Whisk egg whites with few drops of lemon juice ( lemon juice help in hardening of whites) till they are hard enough and form stifff peaks. It will almost double to original volume Dont overdo after this as egg whites will start liquifying and breaking after this. Keep it in refrigerator after this to avoid making egg whites loose stiffness.
4. Now take the yolk bowl and whisk it till they turn to pale yellow. Add sugar now and whisk till sugar dissolves. It'll turn to a pale white color. 
5. Now add mascarpone cheese, vanila essence, rum and lemon zest to it and fold the mixture till all is mixed well.
6. Take out egg whites from refrigerator and fold in the mixture and mix well. It'll turn to creamy texture.
7. In a small glass add a spoonfull of this cream. Soak one biscuit in espresso (make sure its still crunchy and not soggy) and line on top of the cream. Line up with cream again on top of biscuit.
8. Repeat the process till glass in fulled with last layer being of cream. Keep it in refrigerator to set for almost 5 hours.
9. When serving sprinkle a layer of cocoa powder on top. Donot make the dessert stay out of fridge for long as egg whites will start melting.

Mascarpone Cheese

Ingredients

1 tetra pack of Amul fresh Cream(200 ml)
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Make a double boiler by boiling approx 2 in of water in a skillet. When water boils, lower the flame and put a heat resistant deep pan on it.
2. Pour the cream in the pan. Heat the cream (stirring occassionaly) enough so that small bubbles start appearing on top layer.
3. At this point add lemon juice and continue stirring and heating the cream until the cream curdles.
4. Do not expect the same action as you see during paneer making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir.
5. Remove the cream from heat and let it cool down for 10 minutes. Meanwhile line a muslin cloth on a sieve and transfer the contents( cream) in the sieve. Donot squeeze or stir the mixture now.
6. Put the sieve on a deep bottomed pan. Cover with a cling film and put it in refrigerator overnight to rest and firm.
7. Next morning it comes out as a thick, firm creamy mixture, ready to be used in your dessert's recipes or as a spread on pizzas and breads.

Sarson da Saag (Punjabi Mustard Greens)

Ingredients

2 bunch of mustard leaves (sarson, 500 gms)
1 bunch spinach leaves (paalak, 200 gms)
2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
1 large onion, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
2-3 green chillies, chopped
3-4 pods garlic, chopped
2" piece ginger, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
1 tsp coriander powder
A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp ghee

 

Method

1. Wash thoroughly , clean and coarsely chop spinach and mustard leaves along with their stems. If the stems are hard, peel them to get a softer core. Don't discard whole stems as they add to flavor.
2. In a pressure cooker add salt, green chillies, mustard and spinach leaves. Boil them for 5 minutes after first whistle on low flame without any water.Switch off the flame, cool and blend in a blender to form a paste. Keep aside.
3. Now in a skillet heat ghee and add cumin seeds and cloves. When they start spluttering add onions and fry till glossy.
4. Add coriander powder now, stir and add tomatoes, garlic and ginger. Fry (stirring occasionally to avoid burning) till tomatoes are tender and start leaving oil on sides of the pan.
5. At this point add the mustard, spinach paste. Cook for 5 minutes on low flame and add besan, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
6. Mix so as no lumps are there. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking of saag in the vessel. Serve hot.
7. Tastes best with an added spoonful of ghee while serving.

Rava Oats Idli

Ingredients ( makes 10-12)

1 cup sooji/rava (semolina)
1 cup instant oats
1 1/2 cup curd, bit sour
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp grated carrots (optional)
A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1 sachet eno fruit salt
Salt to taste
1 tsp oil

Method

1. Dry roast sooji till it becomes light brown. Keep aside.
2. Dry roast oats till they change there color a bit. Cool and Grind in a grinder to a powder.
3. Mix sooji, oats, carrots ,curd and salt in a bowl. Add water to make the batter to a consistency of idli batter. Leave for 10 min.
4. Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, asafoetida and pour into the batter. Mix well.
5. Grease the idli moulds with a little bit of oil. Prepare the steamer on flame for steaming.
6. Add eno fruit salt to the batter. Give a stir in one direction only. The batter will rise instantly.
7. Pour immediately into the greased moulds and steam for 10 minutes. Check if idlis are cooked if not steam for another 5 minutes.
8. Serve with cocunut-chutney or sambhar.

Poha (Flattened rice) recipe

Ingredients

1 cup poha (flattened rice, medium thick)
1 small onion , chopped
1 capsicum, diced
1 small tomato, diced
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1-2 green chillies, chopped
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp oil
2-3 strands coriander leaves(optional)
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt

Method

1. Wash poha below running water in a large strainer. Keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add curry leaves, green chillies, capsicum and onion. Fry for sometime till onions turn glossy.
3. Now add tomato pieces and all the spices. Cook till tomatoes become tender. Will hardly take 2,3 minutes.
4. Now salt and poha. Mix well. Fry for 1-2 mins on a medium flame. Add coriander leaves. Mix well and remove from flame.
5. Serve with lemon or squeeze lemon juice before serving.

Spicy Veggie Vermicelli

Ingredients

1 cup vermicelli
1 small capsicum, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 small tomato, diced
2 pods garlic, chopped
1 green chilly, chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp corriander powder
1-2 cloves
A pinch of cinnamon powder(daalchini)
Oil
Salt to taste

Method

1. Boil vermicelli in a heavy bottomed pan with 1/2 ts salt  for few minutes, till they are tender. Drain and cool under running water. Drop a tsp of oil in it. Mix and keep aside.
2. Now in a flat pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds, cloves.
3. When cumin starts spluttering add onion and capsicum. Fry till onion is glossy.
4. Add spices now. Stir and add tomato and garlic.
5. Fry for a minute and add boiled vermicelli. Add salt according to taste.
6. Saute and serve hot.

Mango Shake

Ingredients (makes 2 glasses)

1 large ripe mango, peeled
1 glass chilled milk (about 200 ml)
2 tbsp honey

Method

1. Blend mango pulp, milk and honey in a blender to a thick consistency.
2. Pour in large glasses. Serve chilled. 
3. Can be served as a healthy breakfast drink.

Potato in tomato & curd gravy (Aloo tamatar)

Ingredients

4 medium sized potatoes, boiled and peeled
2 medium sized tomatoes, pureed

1 green chilly, chopped
1 tbsp curd, whisked and preferably a bit sour
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp corriander powder
1/2 tsp fennel powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilly powder
A pinch of asafoetida(hing)
1/2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped for garnishing
Salt to taste

Method

1. In a skillet, heat oil and add cumin seeds.
2. When they start spluttering, lower the flame, and add all the spices. Stir a bit.
3. Add tomato puree and green chilly. Flame to medium now.
4. Saute till oil separates from tomatoes. At this moment add curd.
5. Stir for 1-2 min. Now crush potatoes into large pieces by your hands.
6. Drop in the skillet. Fry for a minute.
7. Add enough water for a thick gravy. Lower the flame when it boils and cook for 5 more minutes.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Dry Chhole Masala

Ingredients

1 cup chickpeas (100 gm) soaked overnight
1 small onion, chopped
2 small tomato, chopped
3 pods garlic, chopped
1 green chilly, chopped
1" ginger piece, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tsp Cholley masala powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
A pinch of asafoetida(hing)
1-2 bay leaves
1-2 cloves
1 tbsp oil
1 cup water (to boil chickpeas)
Salt to taste

Method

1. Boil the chickpeas in pressure cooker (adding cloves, turmeric powder, salt) for 15 min on low flame, after 1 whistle.
2. In a skillet heat oil and add cumin seeds and bay leaves. When cumin splutters add onions, green chillies and fry till onions are glossy.
3. Add chholey masala now, stir and add garlic, ginger and tomatoes. Fry till tomatoes leaves oils on skillet sides.
4. Add asafoetida and boiled chickpeas now, along with the leftover water in chickpeas.
5. Cook till water evaporates. Keep stirring occasionally to prevent burning chickpeas.
6. Garnish with chopped corriander leaves. Serve hot.

Spinach Corn cheese grilled Sandwich

Ingredients

3 wheat bread slices
1/2 cup corns
1 bunch spinach (7-8 leaves)
3-4 garlic pods, chopped
1 green chilly chopped
1" piece ginger, chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp mozzarella cheese, grated
1 tsp cumin seeds powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp fennel powder(saunf)
A pinch of asafoetida(hing)
2 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method

1. In a deep bottomed pan boil water(1 cup). Add 1/4 tsp salt and boil spinach leaves till they are tender. It'll take 2 minutes. Cool and Grind spinach to smooth paste in a blender.
2. Heat a wok, add oil. Add cumin seed powder and fry ginger garlic chillies for hardly a minute.
3. Add rest of the spices, stir and add corns.
4. Let the corns get a slight golden brown color and then add spinach to it.
5. Fry for a minute. Adjust the salt and add lemon juice. Mix and Spinach corn is ready.
6. Now take the bread slices. Top one with spinach corn mixture and cheese on top.
7. Cover with a slice and top again with spinach corn mixture and cheese. 
8. Cover with third slice. Grill the Sandwich and enjoy :)

Vegetable Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

2 Wheat Bread slices
Cucumber Slices
Onion Slices
Tomato Slices
Paneer (Cottage Cheese) slices
Garlic Mayonnaise
A pinch of Black Pepper powder
Salt to taste

Method

1. Spread mayonnaise on both the bread slices.
2. Top a slice with all the veggies layer by layer.
3. Sprinkle pepper and salt. Cover with other slice.
4. Grill the sandwich and enjoy a healthy snack :).

Veg Burger ( Paneer patties)

Ingredients

1 Buns
Tomato slices
Cucumber slices
Onion slices
Lettuce leaves (optional)
Mustard sauce
Mayonnaise
Paneer patties

Method

1. Slice the bun in two and spread mayonnaise on both slices.
2. On lower slice put lettuce leaf, onion, paneer patty.
3. Top up with mustard sauce, onion, tomato and cucumber slice.
4. Add other bun slice bun on it and enjoy fresh.

Paneer (Cottage Cheese) Patties

Ingredients (Makes 4)

100 gm cottage cheese (paneer), grated
1 small onion, diced
1" piece ginger, diced
1 green chilly, chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp chaat masala powder (optional)
1/4 tsp cumin seed powder
1/2 tsp corriander powder
1/4 tsp fennel powder(saunf)
1 tsp finely chopped corriander leaves
A pinch of asafoetida(hing)
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method

1. Mix cottage cheese onion ginger and chilly properly.
2. Add all the spices, salt and corriander leaves.
3. Make round patties big enough for buns, Flatten them a bit for even cooking.
4. Heat a nonstick flat pan. Add oil and fry them evenly on both sides till they r crisp and light brown, on medium heat.
5. Optionally  you can even grill them without oil. It'll be more healthier.
6. Use them hot for chaats, or burgers or evening snacks

2 Min Chocolate Coffe Cake

Ingredients ( Cake IN A MUG )

3 tbsp All purpose flour
1 tbsp Corn flour
4 tbsp milk powder
1 tsp instant coffee powder
1 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp sugar
8-9 tbsp water ( can use milk instead of water and omit milk powder too).
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Method

1. Mix all the dry ingredients properly in a mug. The mug should be half empty after this.
2. Add water or milk to make a batter of flowing consistency.
3. Now keep the mug in microwave for not more than 2 min on high setting. 
4. The batter will expand, thats why the mug should be half empty. 
5. Even if you find the batter  a bit gooey, dont cook more, as batter will cook with the heat of the mug when you take it out.
6. Tastes best when served hot and fresh.
7. Did I mention that its fat free :)

Tip: If u wish you can omit corn flour and take flour as 4 tbsp. But then you would have to use 1 tbsp oil for moistness.

Cholley Masala Powder

Ingredients

2 tbsp Anardaana (Wild pomegranate seeds)
3 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Black Peppercorns
2-3 Whole dry red chillies
9 Cloves
1" Cinnamon stick (dalchini)
2 pods Cardamom seeds

1/4 tsp Nutmeg Powder
1 tsp dry Ginger powder

Method

1. Dry roast all the ingredients except the nutmeg and ginger powder till it starts giving an aroma. It'll take hardly a minute.
2. Cool and grind to a fine paste.
3. Add nutmeg and ginger powder.
4. Store in an air-tight jar. 

It's best to store the jar in refrigerator and use the powder whenever needed.

Sambhar Masala Powder

Ingredients

2 tsp Cumin seeds
6 tbsp Coriander seeds
8 Curry Leaves
1/2 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
11/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds(methi daana)
2 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tsp Mustard seeds
2 tsp Red chilly powder
20 Black Pepper corns
2 tsp Chana Dal (Bengal gram)
2 tsp Urad daal (black gram)

Method

1. Dry roast all the ingredients for a minute (or till an aroma comes) except turmeric powder, red chilly powder and asafoetida.
2. Cool and add turmeric powder, red chilly powder and asafoetida and grind into a fine powder.
3. Store in an air-tight container.

Fruit Punch

Ingredients

Any Fruit Juice ( I used orange), chilled
Mango Shake
Vanilla Ice Cream
Chopped fruits ( Strawberry, apple, grapes, mango etc)

Method

1. In a glass pour fruit juice to one-third level.
2. Now pour mango shake on top of it to another 1/3rd level. It will stay afloat because of the difference in densities of the two.
3. Scoop out vanilla ice cream and top up the glass with it.
4. Finish up with chopped fruits. Serve chilled.

Boondi Raita

Ingredients (Serves 4-5)

1 bowl cold yogurt
1 cup dry boondi
1 tsp cumin powder
A pinch of asafoetida powder(hing)
1/2 tsp red chilly powder (optional)
A pinch of black pepper powder
A pinch of black salt  powder
Table Salt to taste

Method

1. Whisk yogurt so its light and creamy, for 2 minutes.
2. Add in water to suit the consistency according to your liking.
3. Add all the spices leaving cumin powder.
4. Add boondi and mix well.
5. Garnish with cumin powder and serve chilled.
6. Optionally you can add chopped corrainder leaves and mint leaves too for an extra flavor.

Kadhi Pakoda

Ingredients

For Kadhi

2/3 cup Besan flour 
1 1/4 cup Sour Curd
6 cups water
1 big onion sliced
1 in piece ginger, chopped
1 green chilly, chopped
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds(methi daana)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp corriander powder
1 tbsp mustard oil

Salt to taste

For Pakodas

3/4 cup besan
1 small onion. finely sliced
1 small green chilly, finely chopped
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

For Tempering

1 1/2 tsp Ghee
 2 whole red chillies

1/4 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of asafoetida(hing)

Method

For Kadhi

1. Beat the yogurt. Mix in gram flour and turmeric. Mix until there are no lumps. Add 3 cups of water slowly and mix well and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a skillet. Add fenugreek seeds to it and cook them till they r light brown.
3. Add onions, ginger and green chillies to it and cook till onions are glossy.
4. Lower the flame and add corriander powder with a tsp of water so spices dont burn.Give a stir.
5. Now add the yogurt mixture and keep stirring (to avoid lumps) until it comes to a boil
6. Add 3 cups of water and let it boil and turn the heat to medium low. Stir occasionally and let the kadhi cook for between 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 
7. When the kadhi is cooked, add salt. Adding the salt after the kadhi is cooked will prevent the yogurt from breaking. 

Tip :You can adjust the thickness of the kadhi to your liking by adding water.

For Pakodas

1. Mix enough water to the besan flour to make the batter of slight pouring consistency.
2. Add salt to it and whisk it in circular motion till there are no lumps for 2,3 minutes. The batter will become light and frothy.
3. Add rest of the ingredients now and mix well.
4. Heat the oil in a flat pan. The oil should be about 1/2 inch deep.
5. To check if the oil is ready put one drop of batter in oil, the batter should come up but not change color right away,
6. Place about 1 tablespoon of batter into the oil. Batter should not be covered with oil. This will allow the pakodas to expand. The pakodas will be softer if they are shallow fried. 
7. Fry the pakoras in small batches until golden-brown.
8. After the pakoras are fried, soak pakoras in room temperature water for about 10 minutes.
9. Next, squeeze the pakoras gently to takeout the water, without breaking the pakoras.
10. Add the pakoras to the hot kadhi and let it boil on low-medium heat for approximately 10 minutes.

For tempering

1.  Heat ghee in a small pan.
2. Add cumin seeds to it. When they start crackling add whole red chilly, asafoetida and red chilly powder.
3. Immediately pour it over the kadhi and cover the kadhi for 1,2 minutes.
4. Kadhi is ready to be served hot.