Pinni Laddu

Ingredients
250 gms. Atta (Wholemeal wheat)
250 gms Desi Ghee ( Pure Ghee)
1/2 tsp. choti Elayichi Powder (cardamom powder)
3 tbsp. milk
250 gms. Powdered sugar
4 tablespoons almonds, pistachios cut into small pieces
Cashew nuts whole 20
Methods/steps
1. Take a thick bottomed pan and heat all the ghee in it.
2. Add flour, and keep on stirring continuosly. Keep the heat on low.
3. When flour is evenly browned and aromatic, add the sugar and stir for a minute.
4.Remove the pan from the heat.
5. Add the almonds, cardamom powder and pistachios.
6. Spread contents of pan into plate, allow to cool.
7 Shape into equal pingpong ball sized balls and take one cashew and stick it on one side..
8. Let the pinnis cool down completely before storing in airtight boxes.

Balu Shahi

Ingredients
refined flour (maida) 1½ ,cupssoda bicarbonate ¼, teaspoonolive oil + to deep fry 2/3 cup, yogurt beaten 8 tablespoons , sugar 2 cups , milk 2 tablespoons ,pistachios finely chopped 4-5

METHOD
1. Sift refined flour and soda bicarbonate together into a bowl.
2. Rub in two-thirds cup of olive oil into the flour mixture till it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add beaten yogurt and knead into soft dough. Cover and allow it to rest for forty-five minutes.
4. Divide into twelve equal portions and shape into smooth balls. Take care not to overwork the dough.
5. Make a slight dent in the center of the ball with your thumb. Keep the balls covered.
6. Heat sufficient oilin a kadai and when it is medium hot, add the prepared dough balls and deep fry on very low heat. If necessary you may place a tawa below the kadai so that the oil does not get too hot.
7. Gradually the balushahis will start floating to the top. Turn gently and fry on the other side till golden. The entire process may take around half an hour to forty-five minutes.
8. Drain and allow to cool to room temperature. This can be an overnight process.
9. Heat together sugar and one cup of water till it reaches a two-string consistency. Midway through add milk to the cooking syrup so that the scum rises to the surface. Carefully remove this scum and discard.
10. Remove the syrup from heat and soak the fried balushahis in it for thirty minutes.
11. Gently remove the balushahis from the sugar syrup and place on a serving plate. Garnish with pistachios. Serve when the sugar has hardened.
Mention of balushahi takes me back to my childhood days in Delhi. Especially during Diwali it was a must. Flaky but not hard, with a sprinkling of pistachios this round doughnut like mithai is what sweet dreams are made of.

Plain Burfi

Ingredients:

4 cup Whole Milk
4 tsp fresh Lemon Juice
4 tblsp dried Milk Powder
6 tblsp powdered Sugar (Cheeni)
6 tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Cardamom Powder
2 sheets Edible Silver Foil (Varq)



How to make milk burfi:
Heat the milk slightly and curdle it by adding the lemon juice.
Then hang it up in a muslin cloth to drain for 3 hours.
The milk solids are turned into cheese now.
Kneed this well with the milk powder and sugar.
Heat the ghee in a heavy pan and add the cheese mixture.
Stir-Fry over very low heat until the ghee separates.
Remove form the heat and mix in the cardamom powder.
Allow to cool slightly.
Knead again to blend.
Pat into a flat cake and cool completely.
Cut into squares and decorate with silver foil.

Boondi Laddu

Ingredients:

1 cup Besan
1 pinch Kesari
1 pinch Cardamom powder
1 tbsp Rice flour
1 pinch Baking Powder
1 tbsp Melon seeds
1 tbsp Broken Cashew nut
2 cups Oil Sugar
1 cup Water

How to make boondi laddu:
Mix the flour, rice flour, baking powder and colour.
Make a smooth thick batter. Heat the oil. Take the batter and pour it over a sieve with round holes.
Tap it gently with a spoon so that small balls of dough fall into the oil. Make the balls and keep aside. Heat the sugar and water till reaches 1/2 thread consistency.
Mix in the kesari melon seed and cardamom powder and fried boondies. When the mixture is still warm make into balls. Bondi Ladoo are ready to be served
If the mixture cools balls cannot be made as the sugar crystallizes.

Anjeer Halwa

Ingredients :
200 grams dried anjeer
3 tbsp ghee
½ cup almonds, blanched, powdered
? cup milk powder
4 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp elaichi powder

For garnishing :
2 tbsp slivered almonds

Method :
Cook the anjeer in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes.
Drain and puree them in a mixer. Keep aside.
Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan, put the powdered almonds and fry on a medium flame for at least 2 minutes.
Put the pureed anjeer, milk powder, sugar with ½ cup of water and cook for about 5 minutes till the sugar gets dissolved, stirring continuously.
Put the cardamom powder and stir well.
Decorate with slivered almonds.

Angoori Petha

Ingredients :
2 kg. White pumpkin
¼ tsp slaked lime
3 cups sugar
a few drops yellow food colour
1 cup dried coconut

Method :
Peel and deseed the pumpkin.
Scoop out balls from the pumpkin by using a melon scoop.
Prick each pumpkin ball with a fork at close intervals.
Rub the slaked lime on the pumpkin balls and keep aside for 5 minutes.
Wash the pumpkin balls thoroughly. Drain and keep aside.
In a heavy bottomed pan, mix the sugar and yellow food colouring with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Remove any impurities floating on the surface, using a slotted spoon.
Put the pumpkin balls and cook on a high flame for 10 to 15 minutes.
Take out from the fire. Cool completely.
Drain from the sugar syrup and roll the petha balls in dried coconut.

Malai Peda

Ingredients :
1 litre full fat milk
a few saffron strands
½ cup sugar
2 pinches citric acid
4 tsp milk
1 level tsp cornflour
¼ tsp elaichi powder

For garnishing :
A few chopped almonds and pistachios

Method :
Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan. Continue to stir until it reduces to half.
Warm the saffron in a small vessel, put 2 tsp of milk and rub until the saffron melts. Add to the boiling milk.
Put the sugar and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes.
Put the citric acid in 3 tsp of water. Put this mixture very gradually to the boiling milk until it curdles slightly.
This may require anything from half to the entire quantity of the citric acid mixture.
Combine the cornflour in the balance 2 tsp of milk and add to the boiling milk.
Continue to stir till the mixture becomes thick and resembles khoya.
Put the elaichi powder and stir well. Keep it to cool.
Shape into 18 small balls.
Arrange in paper cups and garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios.
Ready to serve.

Shahi Fish

Ingredients :
2 fish
2 onion, chopped finely
6 garlic flakes
5 tbsp oil
1 tbsp fresh cream
1 /2 tsp cummin seeds
1 /4 tsp asafoetida
Salt as per taste
Oil for frying

Make paste of :
1 ginger
1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
7 cashewnuts
1 /2 dry coconut

Make powder of :
1 /2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cummin seeds powder

Method :
Remove the head and tail of fish and cut them into pieces
Wash and dry the fish pieces. Heat oil for frying
Fry the pieces till it turns golden brown and keep aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Fry onion till it turns golden brown
Remove and keep aside. For the remaining oil in a pan, add asafoetida and cummin seeds.
When seeds splutter, put the paste and allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes adding 2tbsp water.
Also add the mix powder and salt.
Fry on slow flame till oil stars showing on top
Simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes. Put the boiled pieces.
Add cream and mix well. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes
Serve hot.

Fish Fry

Ingredients
1 kg white fish fillets
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Oil for frying

To be ground into paste
2 sprigs of spring onion
1" ginger
3 garlic flakes
4 green chillies
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup coriander leaves
1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
Salt as per taste

Method:
Clean and Wash fish fillets.
Cut into big pieces of the fillets.
Heat the oil for frying. Put the fish pieces in the batter.
Keep for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the pieces and roll in bread crumbs.
Deep fry till it turns golden brown. Serve hot.

Bengali Fish Curry

Ingredients :

4 slices fresh carp or striped bass
2 tbsp mustard seeds
2 jalapenos
½ tsp panch foron
½ tsp turmeric
2 tbsp oil

Method :

Apply salt and ¼ tsp of the turmeric to the fish.
Now heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry the fish till it turns golden brown on both sides. Remove the fish and keep aside.
In a blender, make a paste of the mustard seeds, the jalapenos and ½ cup water.
In the remaining oil add the panch foron and add this mustard paste.
Fry for 4 to 5 minutes and then add the fish, turmeric and salt.
Cook for 10 minutes till it is cooked. Garnish with cilantro.

JAIPUR KI GAJAK

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cashewnuts (halved)
1/2 cup sesame seeds (til)
200 gms sugar
2 tblsp pure ghee

How to make jaipur ki gajak :

Grease a tray with a little ghee.
Roast sesame seeds over a low heat up until lightly brown.
Roast cashew nuts also until lightly brown.
Combine sugar, remaining ghee and 2 tblsp of water.
Stir fry the mixture over medium heat up till it turns into a thick syrup.
Take off from heat, stir in sesame seeds and cashew nuts.
Mix well.
Transfer the mixture onto a buttered tray and then level it.
Make cuts as per the required size and shape and allow to cool.
When cold, separate the pieces and serve.

VEGETABLE KHICHDI RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 cup rice1 cup
2 tblsp ghee
1/2 cup green gram divide (moong dal)
1/2 cup french beans chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup cauliflower florets
1/2 cup carrots chopped
a pinch asafoetida
1 cup peas
4 cup water
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

How to make vegetable khichdi :

Wash rice and dal together.
Heat up the ghee in a vessel and mix in cumin seeds and asafoetida, when the seeds crackle mix in the vegetables and dal and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
Mix in rice and turmeric powder and continue to stir fry for 2 minutes.
Mix in 4 cup of boiling water and salt.
Cover and stir fry on low heat up till done.
Serve with pure ghee.

METHI KE GATTE RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 - 3 pinch asafoetida
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 cup fenugreek leaves (methi) chopped
1 tsp coriander powder
3 cup bengal gram flour (besan)
salt to taste
3 1/2 tblsp mustard oil
Tempering
3 1/2 tblsp Mustard Oil
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 Red Chilli crushed
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Dry Mango Powder (amchur)
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 -2 pinch Asafoetida


How to make methi ke gatte :

Mix everything methi, gram flour, asafoetida, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt.
Mix in mustard oil and enough water to knead into a firm dough.
Divide into equal parts and roll into cylinders.
Boil some water in a pot and mix in these cylinders (gattes) for 15 20 minutes.
Drain, cool and cut into 1" long pieces.
Heat up oil to smoking point.
Take off the heat up and cool slightly.
Heat up again, mix in asafoetida, mustard seeds and when the seeds crackle, mix in the gattes.
Saut
Mix in coriander powder, crushed red chillies, garam masala powder and amchur powder.
Stir to mix well.
Serve hot.

KESAR MURG (Saffron Chicken Recipe)

Ingredients:

6 large pieces Boneless Chicken
1 cup Onion paste
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 1/2 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Kesar (Saffron)dissolved in a little milk
1 tsp Dhania powder
4 tsp Cashewnut paste
1 cup Curd
2 Bay leaves
1/2 tbsp whole Cloves and green Cardamoms
1/2 cup Oil
3/4 cup Cream
1 tsp White pepper
Chilli powder and Salt as per taste


How to make kesar murgh :

Heat oil. Add bay leaves and whole garam masala. Add onion, ginger and garlic paste and fry on low heat till oil separates.
Add dhania powder, cashewnut paste and stir further.
Add boneless chicken, curd, salt, pepper, chilli powder and saffron.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer till chicken is cooked.
Whisk in cream. Serve kesar murg hot with tandoori rotis and parathas.

RAJASTHANI DAAL BATI

Ingredients:

For daal (Lentil Curry):
2 cups rajma beans (soaked in water overnight with a pinch of soda bicarb)
3/4 cup whole black gram (urad) (soaked in water overnight with a pinch of soda bicarb)
3 onions, chopped finely
2 tomatoes, chopped finely
2 tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
2 tbsp cream
4 tbsp ghee
1 cup coriander leaves, chopped finely
Oil
Salt To Taste
For Bati (dumplings):
5 cups whole wheat flour, sieved
1 cup ghee, melted
2 tbsps curd
Salt To Taste


Preparation:


Pressure cook rajma and black gram till it becomes soft. Heat 4 tbsps oil. Add onions. Brown them.
Add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Fry. Add all the masalas, beans and salt.Simmer till well blended. The gravy should be thick. Pour over cream and ghee. Knead a soft dough with flour, ghee, curd, salt and just enough water.
Roll into lemon-sized balls. Cover and keep for one hour. Then roast in batches on hot coals till puffed and golden outside and spongy inside. Keep hot.
Garnish the daal with coriander leaves and slit green chillies. Dip hot (baati) dumplings in the daal while eating.

ALOO WALI PURI

Ingredients

Potato, boiled and mashed 2 medium
Whole wheat flour (atta) 2 cups
Salt to taste
Cumin powder 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon
Ghee 2 tablespoons
Onion , grated 1 medium
Oil to deep fry


Method

Mix mashed potatoes, atta, cumin powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, ghee and grated onion.

Add water, little by little and knead into a medium stiff dough. Knead well. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for fifteen minutes.

Divide dough into sixteen equal sized portions. Cover with a damp cloth to prevent from drying.

Heat sufficient oil in a kadai on medium heat.

Roll out each portion into a puri and deep fry in hot oil. When lightly browned from one side, turn it and cook on the other side.

Serve hot.

ALOO PARANTHA

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour (atta) 2 cups
Potato, boiled 2 medium
Pomegranate seeds (anardana) 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Green chilli, chopped 1
Salt to taste
Butter 4 tablespoons


Method

Sieve flour with half a teaspoon of salt. Mix with three-fourth cup of water gradually and knead to make a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for fifteen minutes.

Grate the potatoes. Grind pomegranate seeds to a coarse powder.

Mix potatoes, pomegranate seeds, red chilli powder, green chilli and salt.

Divide it into four equal portions

Divide dough into eight equal portions and make pedas. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for five minutes.

Take a peda and flatten it by pressing. Place potato mixture on it and again make it into a peda. Seal the edges completely so that potato stuffing does not come out.

Flatten these pedas, sprinkle a little flour and roll them with a rolling pin to approximately six-inch diameter. This is now called a parantha.

Heat a tawa, place parantha on it and cook on moderate heat for three minutes. Turn it and pour half a tablespoon of oil or butter, spread it on parantha and shallow fry over low heat. Turn it and again pour half a tablespoon of oil or butter on other side. Cook on low heat till golden brown.

Serve hot with fresh yogurt or mango pickle.

SANJORI

Ingredients

FOR COVERING
Refined flour (maida) 1 1/2 cups
Salt a pinch
Pure ghee as required+7 tablespoons
FOR FILLING
Semolina (rawa/suji) , fine 1 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Milk powder 1 cup


Method

Mix together refined flour and salt in a bowl. Add three tablespoons of ghee and mix. Add enough water and knead into a soft dough.

2. Grease your hands and divide the dough into even sized balls and set aside

covered with a damp cloth.

Heat four tablespoons of ghee in a kadai. Add rawa and roast for two to three minutes. Add sugar and two cups of water and mix. Bring it to a boil and add milk. Cook till the mixture is dry. Take it off the heat and add green cardamom powder. Mix well and set aside to cool.

Divide into even sized portions.

Take a dough portion with greased hands and flatten it. Stuff it with a sheera portion and gather the edges and seal. Roll into a ball. Further roll into a thin chapatti.

Heat a tawa and roast the chapatti on medium heat till both the sides are evenly done.

Serve hot dribbled with pure ghee.