Recipe of Aubergine Carpaccio

Ingredients:

1 large brinjal/ aubergines; sliced length-ways

salt and pepper to taste

Juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsp sugar

1 small red chilli, chopped

3 flakes garlic. chopped

few rocket lettuce leaves

1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

Slice the aubergines as thin as you can, place in a colander, sprinkle with salt, pepper and lemon juice and toss lightly.  In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, sugar, chili and garlic until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside. Heat remaining oil in a pan and fry the aubergine slices for about 3 minutes each on each side; until it is cooked through and turns a golden colour. Remove from heat, arrange on a plate and pour the dressing over it. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Recipe of Dhokla

Ingredients:

For Batter: 
1 cup gram flour
1 tbsp semolina (rava, optional)
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Eno
1 tsp crushed green chili and ginger
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup yogurt/ curd
1 tsp oil (for greasing)
1/2 tsp salt

For tempering:
2 tbsp oil
10-15 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp sugar
5-6 green chilies, slit lengthwise
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 pinch asafoetida
1/3 cup water
  
Method: 

Add gram flour, semolina, lemon juice, chili- ginger paste, water and salt and mix them to a smooth batter. Ensure that there are no lumps. 

Add Eno and stir for approximately 1 minute. It helps the batter to rise instantly. The batter should increase approximatelty to double. 

Grease the plates and add batter to it. (I used the idli maker plates to prepare the dhokla). Place the plates in the microwave for 7-8 minutes. Check with knife/ toothpick if it comes out clean then the dhokla is done else cook for 2- 3 more minutes. 

Tip - Using the idli maker helped me to have the ready to eat quick bites and it was easy to make in a microwave. 

Tempering: 
Heat oil in a small pan add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Now add curry leaves and chilies. Saute them for 2-3 minutes. 
Add 1/3 cup of water and sugar and bring to boil. Cook for high heat for 1 minute. Pour the tempering dhokla. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Server with coconut chutney. 

Recipe of Rajma (Red kidney beans curry)

Ingredients:

1 cup Rajma (Soaked overnight in ample water)

1 green chili, chopped

7-8 medium garlic, paste

1/2 inch ginger, paste

3 medium tomatoes, grind it in paste

1 large/ 2 medium onions, grind to paste

½ tsp turmeric powder/haldi

½ tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder

¾ to 1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp dry mango powder/amchur powder

1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera

2 tbsp butter or oil

salt as required

Method: 

Rinse the rajma beans and soak it in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours. Rinse again in fresh clean water.  Pressure cook rajma in 2 cups of water. Add salt. Pressure cook for 18 – 20 whistles. Once the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid and check the beans. 

In a separate pan, heat oil. Add cumin seed and let it crackle. Add onion paste and cook till golden brown. Add ginger and garlic paste. Cook for 7-10 minutes. Now add all the other spices except tomatoes and dried mango powder.

Once you feel the aroma of the spices and the pan leaves the oil (it should take about 7-10 minutes), add tomatoes. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add the masala to pressure cooked rajma. Add water if needed to make more gravy.

Cook the rajma with the added masala for 10- 15 minutes on low to medium heat, simmer without lid. Keep stirring at intervals. Once removed from fire, add dry mango powder. Garnish with coriander leaves, optional. Serve hot with steamed rice or roti.  

Recipe of Chawal ki Kheer (Rice Pudding)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Basmati rice (washed and soaked for 15-20 minutes)
1 liter milk (I prefer full cream for better results, but you can use any according to your choice)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp powdered green cardamom
1/2 cup dry fruits - crushed (Almonds, raisins, pistachios, cashew-nuts)
1 pinch Saffron (optional)
Silver Warq to garnish (Optional)


Method:

Boil milk in a heavy bottom pan till it thickens a bit. Add soaked rice. Keep stirring and cooking on low heat till rice are done and the milk thickens to half of the original quantity. Add sugar and cook for another 5-7 minutes. To know that the pudding is done, run a spoon test. Pick pudding in spoon and drop it back in the pan, the rice and milk should not fall separately. 

Now add saffron and dry fruits and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool. Serve chilled. Decorate with almonds or silver warq. It is ready to be served.

Recipe of Blueberry Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups All-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
16 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 Eggs
1 cup blueberries

Method: 

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Keep aside. In a separate large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar and melted butter until smooth. Add vanilla extract and eggs until combined. Add flour mixture slowly and whisk until incorporated. Add blueberries. Either use clean hands or rubber spatula to avoid blueberries from breaking while mixing in the mixture. Cover the dough with the plastic wrap and let it chill for minimum 2 hours. For better results chill it overnight. 

Adjust the oven racks in the middle and upper positions and preheat the oven 190 degree C. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop dough by a spoon onto the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes on 180 degree C. Let it cool for 5-7 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Let it cool completely. The cookies are ready to be eaten. 

Recipe of Potato Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 Large potatoes
1/2 Onion
1 Egg (beaten)
1 tbsp All purpose flour
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste (optional)
2 tbsp Oil

Method:

Wash and grind potatoes and onion. Once done, keep them in a very fine sieve so that any moisture/ water is drained out. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes. It helps us to get a nice thick paste of potato and onion. Now add egg, flour and salt to the potato paste. 

Heat a pan and apply oil. Now spread the mixture on the pan. Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes and then flip over. Cook again for 3-4 minutes. Cook till both the sides are golden brown. 

Serve hot. This can be eaten along with mint chutney (salty taste) or if you a sweet tooth, eat it with maple syrup/ honey. 

Recipe of Fruit Popsicle

Ingredients

Fuits of your choice - Mango, blueberries, orange or any seasonal fuit. 

Fuits I used: (For 6 Popsicle)
4-5 Strawberries 
2 Kiwis
1 Coconut water

Method:

Wash and slice the fruits. Fill them in the ice-cream mold. Then fill the mold with coconut water. Keep them in freezer for 6-7 hours or overnight. 

Your delicious and healthy Popsicle are ready to be enjoyed. 

Recipe of Bread ki kheer

Ingredients and Method:

Cut the crusted sides of the bread and soak it in cold milk for 30 minutes. Now cook in a heavy bottom pan on medium flame. Keep stirring. Add a pinch of saffron. Remove from heat. Add sugar, cardamom and chopped dry fruits once cool.

Recipe of Rogan Josh

Serves - 6

Ingredients:

Ghee- 2tbs
Mutton - 1 kg. Don't use boneless pieces
Onion - 500 gms
Garlic - 3 flakes
Ginger - 1" piece
Chopped red chilies - 4
Cloves - 4
Coriander seeds - 2tsp
Green cardamom - 4
Cumin seeds - 2tsp
Kashmiri lal mirch/ degi mirch powder - 1tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Yogurt - 1/4 cup
Cinnamon stick - 1" piece
Hot water -2/3 cup
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - to taste
Almonds - Blanched & coarsely ground 10 pieces

Method:

Grind ginger, garlic, red chilies, cardamom, cloves, coriander, cumin, kashmiri lal mirch adn salt together and keep aside.

Heat ghee. Saute onions until light brown. Add ground paste and bay leaf and stir until fragrant. Add the meat and simmer for a few minutes. Add the ground almonds. Add yogurt & mix well. Stir in the cinnamon, hot water and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on a low heat until the meat is very tender and the sauce thickens. While cooking, stir occasionally to prevent burning.

When it is done, discard the cinnamon stick and stir in the garam masala. Cover for a few minutes and remove from fire.

Serve both these with hot basmati rice.

Note: If you cannot get kasmiri lal mirch use paprika. 

Recipe of Chicken Yakhni

Ingredients:

2 chicken - cut into 8 pieces each
6 tbsp oil
4 bay leaves
10 cloves
7 tbsp saunf (fennel seeds)
4 tsp sonth powder (it is basically dried ginger powder)
2 tsp salt or to taste
5 cups curd - well beaten
2 tsp garam masala
2 black cardamom & 8 green cardamon - coarsely powdered

Method:

Heat oil. Add bay leaves and cloves. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken & fry to 3-4 minutes. Add saunf, sonth, salt and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add crushed cardamoms. Reduce heat. Add beaten curd. Mix well. Keep stirring till it boils. Cover and simmer on low heat till chicken is well cooked and some gravy remains. Sprinkle garam masala and serve.