Shahi Tukda

Ingredients:

• 1 whole uncut -bakery bread
• 1 cooking spoon-Ghee
• 2 litre - Full cream milk or if health conscious can use toned milk too
• 2 Tbsp - Pista, blanched and chopped
• 1 bowl - Sugar
• 1 - Cardamom, powdered
• 4-5 Nos- Almonds, toasted and sliced
• Few strands of saffron and zarda color mixed in milk.
• Some ghee for frying bread

Method:

• Cut the whole bread into thick same size pieces and then cut off the edges of the bread and cut it four squares from one piece. Keep aside for minimum 2 hours to make it a little hard. I prefer let it dry for a day or so that it soaks less ghee. Alternatively, one can dry it in oven too. I have kept it there for some time when short of time

• Take some ghee in a kadai and fry the bread pieces and then keep it aside.

• Take milk in a big utencil and let it cook and thicken for some time. Then add sugar to it and let it cook till the sugar dissolves. Let it boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Add the powdered elachi into it and strants of saffron and zarda color during this time.

• When the milk is done, add the fried bread in it and it soaks all milk and immediately take off fame and close the lid. Add dry fruits when done. Pista tastes best in it.

• One can decorate with some khoya too (optional)- I skip this step as I thicken milk a lot.

• Cover it and refrigerate.

P.S. If bakery bread not available I have used usual sliced bread too...Tastes different...But still the dessert is awesome as this is my favorite Indian dessert :D

Pasta in Roasted Bell Pepper and Mushroom White Sauce

Step 1- Cooking pasta

Ingredients needed

Penne Pasta - 250 grams

Olive Oil - 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Method

In a wide pan, bring plenty of water to boil, add salt and oil. Then slowly add the pasta and cook till the pasta is al dente.( it should be soft but firm) Stir in between to prevent the pasta from sticking together. After it is cooked, drain it in a colander and pour cold water on it. This is done to prevent it from getting cooked further. Mix another 1/2 tsp oil to it and keep it aside. (Reserve 1/4 cup of the water in which pasta was cooked as we might need it later)

Step - 2 Cooking the vegetables

Though I have used bell peppers, sweet corn, mushroom and broccoli in this recipe, you can use more too like carrots, beans, etc. Also you can add fried shredded chicken for taste . Do not omit sweet corn as it tastes great in this dish.

Ingredients needed

Olive oil - 1 tbsp ( or butter if you like)

Garlic finely chopped - 1 tbsp

Red and yellow bell pepper - half each (you can use green also)

Cauliflower or broccoli florets- 1 cup ( blanched-for that boil it in water till done with salt and immediately cool the process by putting in cold water

Sweet corn - 1/3 cup ( can use more too)

Pepper powder to taste

Salt as required

Cherry tomotoes( cut in half)- according to taste

Oregano -3/4 tsp or to taste

pasta seasoning -according to taste

Cornflour - 2 tbsp ( if you do not have cornflour, use maida/ all purpose flour)

Milk - 1 1/2 cup (boiled and cooled)

Cheese - 3-4 tbsp (use mozzarella or parmesan or even amul cheese cubes or even a spoon of cheese spread works) ( optional- I skip it when I want it light)

mushroom-1 packet ( cleaned and cut in long thin slices)

Method

1.Roast bell peppers on gas or oven. Once black, put in a container and cover for few minutes. Once done. Peel it and clean and cut into small pieces.

2. put broccoli in some boiling water and salt for 5-6 minutes till it is almost done. And then remove and put it in cold water. 

3. Heat oil in a pan, saute pasta seasoning, little oregano and garlic for a few seconds, then add onion and let it saute a bit.

4. Add cherry tomatoes  Add baby corns and mushrooms and let cover it and let it be done a bit. Then add bell peppers and be cooked. In the end broccoli. One can also add soya nuggets if one likes.   Cook uncovered till done. Do not overcook the vegetables. The vegetables should retain its crunchiness.

5. Add salt and pepper powder to taste. Or you can just add seasoning and red chilly flakes and salt. Keep it aside.

6. Add cornflour dissolved in half cup water/ milk ( I dissolve in water).  And close off when the constituency comes. 

7. Remove. Cool till room temperature and grind in mixture. Add more milk/water if desired. I generally add milk( 1/2 cup) here. 

8. Cook sauce. Add maybe 1/2 cheese slice if you desire or avoid and check salt and seasoning and add pasta seasoning/ salt/red chilly if desired. 

9. Add vegetables. Pasta is ended in end.

10. Serve hot. 

*Inspired by recipe of a friend.

Pasta in White Sauce

Step 1- Cooking pasta

Ingredients needed

Penne Pasta - 125 grams

 ( I have made it with  spaghetti too as it was there but I recommend Penne or any small sized pasta) and use less pasta and more vegis for more taste.

Oil - 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Method

In a wide pan, bring plenty of water to boil, add salt and oil. Then slowly add the pasta and cook till the pasta is al dente.( it should be soft but firm) Stir in between to prevent the pasta from sticking together. After it is cooked, drain it in a colander and pour cold water on it. This is done to prevent it from getting cooked further. Mix another 1/2 tsp oil to it and keep it aside. (Reserve 1/4 cup of the water in which pasta was cooked as we might need it later)

Step - 2 Cooking the vegetables

Though I have used bell peppers, sweet corn, mushroom and broccoli in this recipe, you can use more too like carrots, beans, etc. Also you can add fried shredded chicken for taste . Do not omit sweet corn as it tastes great in this dish.

Ingredients needed

Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Garlic finely chopped - 1 tbsp

Red and yellow bell pepper - half each (you can use green also)

Cauliflower or broccoli florets- 1 cup ( blanched-for that boil it in water till done with salt and immediately cool the process by putting in cold water

Sweet corn - 1/3 cup ( can use more too)

Pepper powder to taste

Salt as required

Oregano -3/4 tsp or to taste

pasta seasoning -according to taste

(also mushroom can be used) 

Method

Heat oil in a pan, saute pasta seasoning and garlic for a few seconds, then add bell peppers, corn and brocolli. Cook uncovered till done. Do not overcook the vegetables. The vegetables should retain its crunchiness.

Add oregano, salt and pepper powder to taste. Or you can just add seasoning and red chilly flakes and salt. Keep it aside.

Step - 3 Preparing the white sauce

Ingredients needed

Butter - 1 1/2 tbsp- 2 tbsp

Cornflour - 2 tbsp ( if you do not have cornflour, use maida/ all purpose flour)

Milk - 1 1/2 cup (boiled and cooled)

Cheese - 3-4 tbsp (use mozzarella or parmesan or even amul cheese cubes)

Salt and pepper powder to taste

Mixed Italian herbs (or) Oregano and dried basil

Method

In a pan/ kadai, melt butter, simmer and add cornflour stirring continuously. Saute till it changes color slightly.

At this stage, add 1/2 cup of cold milk and stir continuously with a whisk to prevent formation of lumps.

When it starts thickening, add the remaining milk gradually stirring continuously with the whisk. Add a cup of water, if its too thick...I added a bit of water for quantity.

Bring it to boil, reduce the flame, add cheese, salt, pepper powder and herbs to taste.

Cook for another few minutes, till it thickens slightly and remove from flame. (If it is too thick, you can add the water reserved while cooking pasta and heat again).This sauce will thicken as it cools, so mix it in between or a layer will form on the top.

Step - 4 Mixing all the three

Ingredients needed

Grated cheese for garnishing.

Method

Mix all the three together. Transfer to a baking pan, top it with grated cheese and bake in a preheated (180 degree C) for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has slightly browned. If you do not have an oven, mix all the three in a pan, heat it, top it with grated cheese and serve hot. Also season if needed

*Inspired by Padhu's Kitchen

Kadi Pakoda

Ingredients:

Oil-1 cooking spoon

Cumin seeds-1 tspCloves(Loung)-2
Black pepper- 2
Salt- About 1 spoon
Tumeric(Haldi)- 1 spoon
Coriander leaves

Besan mixture

Curd(dahi)- 500ml
Gram flour(besan)- 3 cooking spoons
Asafoetida (hing)- 1-2 pinch
Water- about 2 -3 litre

Masala mixture

Onion-1
Tomotoes- 2-3
Green chilly- 1-2
Red chilly powder- 1 spoon
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tablespoon

( One can use grated onion and tomatoes if mixer is unavailable)

Tadka

Oil-1 spoon
Dry Red Chilly-3-4

Curry leaves(Kadi pata)-5-6

Pakoras

Besan -according to need.
Fennel seeds(Sauf)- few
Baking soda-2-3 pinch( more baking soda means it quenches more oil)
Ginger garlic paste- 1 teaspoon

Salt- a pinch
1 spoon oil in besan
1/2 tsp red chilly powderWater
Oil-for frying

Recipee

Kadi -

1. Take about 500 ml of curd and blend it well using a fork. Put the besan in it and blend it well so that no lumps are formed. Put the hing in it and blend well by adding some water.

2.Take all the masala ingredients and blend it well in a mixer.

3. Take oil in a cooker and put cumin seeds, loung and black pepper and then put the blended mixture. Put haldi and cinnamon stick (darchini) and a bit of salt for the mixture to cook nicely. Let the mixture cook nicely till it let out oil.
4. Put the blended besan mixture into the cooker followed by 2 litre of water. If the mixture seems thick you can add 1 more litre. Stir it properly and keep stirring till it comes to boil. The flame should be high till boiled.

5. Once boiled, Add the salt. Cover the cooker and let it let out around 2 whistles. At this time the flame should high and then bring the flame to lowest after the whistles. Let the kadi cook for about 20 more minutes and then close the flame.

6. Once the cooker had let out all the steam stir the kadi nicely with the cooking spoon and add salt if less..

Tadka.

1. Heat some oil in a pan. Break the dry red chilly and take out the seeds from inside and then put them in the oil. Also put some curry leaves.

2.Once the red chilly break out, put the whole mixture in the cooker. If you want you can put some kadi in the pan let it cook a bit and then put it back in the cooker.

Pakoras
1.Blend the pakoras ingredients with water so no lumps are formed and a good consistency is reached. Add some sauf to it. Add 1 desert spoon of baking soda just 5 minutes before making them or else they flatten the pakoras. Add salt and bit of red chilly powder if you like.

2. Take some oil in a kadai and heat it. Then make some mixture and put it in the oil to make some pakoras. Fry them nicely and take out and put them directly in the kadi.

3. Decorate the kadi with some fresh coriander leaves.

The home cooked Mom special Kadi pakoras are ready. One can serve them with rice to make a hearty meal of kadi chawal.

Note: To have a layered top in cold kadai, put the hot kadi in the bowl, cool it and then store in the fridge. Also avoid re heating kadi or it becomes thinner.

Gazar Halwa

Ingredients:

Carrots - 2 kg, cleaned, scrubbed, and grated to shreds(red carrots)

Sugar - 1 medium bowl(4 cups)

Milk- 3-4 kg(thickened)

Almonds - 15, blanched and cut

Cashew nuts - 15

Elaichi seeds (from 3-4) - roast on tawa and then grind it.

Ghee or butter - 2 tablespoons (preferably Indian ghee)

Method:

1. Grate the carrots and then put it in a kadai to cook. It will leave lot of water and get cooked in it. Don't add milk in the starting or gajar will become black. Later Add 1/2 cup milk if you want.

2. Take milk in a heavy-bottomed vessel and let it thicken. Let it be thickened to be turned into khoya. Or else one can use khoya made earlier/ from outside, just fry it in ghee to soften and crumble it nicely.

3. Once the water from carrots have dried up, add sugar to it and add 1 spoon ghee to it and let it cook nicely till they thicken nicely.

4. Add khoya when there is no trace of water and Keep stirring and then add nuts.

5. When done add elaichi powder and kevda and close the kadai with a plate .

6.Serve hot

Alternative method.

One can cook this halwa in milk too. Put milk in kadai and cook till it thickens and condenses into half. Then add the carrots. and keep stirring and removing milk from sides till water dries up. Then use the same process as above. Add 100 -250 grams of khoya in the end.

Macaroni in Tomoto Sauce

Ingredients

250 gram macaroni (boiled)
5 medium tomoto
2 onions
5-6 crushed garlic
oregano powder
crushed red chilly/chilly flakes
salt
Fresh basil/pudina
Cheese grated
Tomoto puree/ketchup
oil -2 tsp

Recipe

1.Boiling pasta with salt and oil, then strain and run cold water over it and keep to rest. ( put pasta in boiled water and then let it cook prevents it from sticking)

2.Heat pan and put oil in it and then put ginger in it and saute till they get brown.

3.Then add onions and fry it till pink, crushed oregano and crushed red chilly to be added for crunchiness. One can add red chilly if they not available and salt.

4.Then add tomotoes and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add pasta of your choice to it. and stir it nicely.  Add pudina leaves hand clipped. grate some cheese on top.Add tomoto puree/ketchup to it now if you want.

Tip : I used tomoto puree hence used just 3 tomotoes.

Broccoli Mix Veg

Ingredients

Brocolli-1
Mushrooms-1 packet ( washed, cleaned and cut)
Peas- 1 cup
Onions- 1
Garlic- 4 cloves
Ginger- a part
Cumin seeds- tsp
Red Chilly-1/4 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves
Tumeric powder-1/4 tsp
Cloves-2
Cinnamon-1
Cardomon-2
Tomotoes-2
Garam Masala- 1 tsp
Cheese grated
Tomoto puree -
Salt
Oil

Recipe

1. Take oil in a pan and add cumin/cloves/cardomon/ cinnamon to it. Once they leave smell, add garlic to it and ginger and fry till pink. Then add add onion and fry till pink. Add peas this time and fry nicely so that they get half done. Now add brocolli and all the masalas except cheese and tomoto puree. Add some water and close lid so that brocolli gets done.

2. Once brocolli is almost done, add mushroom and then cook till they are done. One all is done, add grated cheese and tomoto puree to it and evaporate all water. Decorate with fresh coriander.

Tip: One can add capsicum to it too if one wants

Shahi Matter Paneer

300 gms paneer ( 250 grams cut into cubes  and rest mashed )
200 grams matter
1/2 cup curd
1/4 cup Milk
1/4 cup Cashew paste
1-2 tbsp tomato sauce/puree ( I used puree)
1 Onion + 2 tomatoes ( paste)
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 cardamom
2 Cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp kastoori methi powder
1 tsp garam masala powder ( i used 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp hot (tikha) red chilli powder
Salt (as per taste)
1 tsp.Sugar ( if too spicy)


Method:

1. Cut paneer into cubes (250 grams). Sprinkle some salt and tumeric powder over it. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry paneer cubes in medium flame till pinkish. Then dip the fried paneer in 1/2 cup warm milk or more if the paneer is more.


2. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon stick and bay leaves and fry them. Add matter here if u want, i experimented by adding matter. and frying it till they soften up. Now add mixture of onion paste , tomato and ginger garlic paste and fry for a couple of minute. Add cashew nut paste and salt.Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder. Add little water and fry the masala until oil gets separated from it.

3. Add mashed paneer and beaten curd  and stir fast so that it isnt curled up,  (Since I didnt had curd I skipped adding it)  Stir well and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes. Now add paneer pieces with milk and 1 cup more milk,  garam masala and some kastoori methi .Cover the pan and let it cook for another 6 -8minute in medium flame. I sprinkled some tomatoes puree in end and When the gravy becomes little thick , turn off the flame. If one wants , one can make it into gravy by adding water or else keep it dry. Add sugar if you find it too spicy.

One can decorate with cream and fresh coriander

Macaroni with White Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

• 300 g Macaroni • 2 tbsp Refined Flour (Maida) • 2 cups Milk • 1 cup Processed Cheese (grated) • 2 tbsp Butter • Salt to taste • White Pepper Powder to taste • 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley (Ajmoda)

How to make Cheesy Macaroni:

• Boil macaroni till done, drain and run under tap water and set aside. I added pinch of salt and few drops of oil so the macaroni doesn't stick while boiling. • In a pan, heat butter and add refined flour to it. Sauté lightly. • Add milk to the maida, gently stirring it to avoid any lumps. Add grated cheese to the milk, stirring it all the while. • Add salt and white pepper powder to the sauce and cook for some more time. • In another pan, heat some butter and add the macaroni to it. Pour the white sauce to the macaroni and mix well. One may add extra salt, pepper and red chilly powder if desired at this time too. • Add on some extra cheese and chopped parsley. • Serve hot. Note: one may add flour, salt and pepper to the milk and stir to remove lumps and then add to butter if the other method causes lumps for you.

Fried 'Spicy' Arbi!

Ingredients

Arvi(Colocasia or Taro)- 1/2 kg-8-10 pieces

Salt-1 tsp

Red chilly powder-1 tsp

Aam chur(Mango powder) -1 tsp

Oil-1 cooking spoon

Water- 2-3 cups

Recipe:-

1. Wash arvi properly when to be cooked. Never wash arvi and keep beforehand as it gets spoiled.

2. Put the unpeeled arbi in a cooker and put some water to boil it. Allow it to boil for around 5-10 minutes or till it give 3-4 whistles.

3. Peel the skin of the arbi and if you want one can cut each piece into half.

4. Heat some oil in a kadai and put arbi in it. Deep fry it so it gets brown on both sides and then add salt and chilly powder to it.

5. Add aamchur in the end and let it cook nicely for 2 minutes so all ingredients get mixed. Don't overcook it or it can turn mashy.

6. Remove it on a paper to dry off oil and serve.

One can have it with roti as a main dish or like a snack.

Variation

1. One can also fry the arvi on all both sides so it turns crispy and remove it and then add all the pieces in the oil and add salt, chilly and amchur. Either ways tastes comes similar.

Arvi Patta Curry!

Colocasia esculenta leaf Curry in Gravy (Arbi Patta Curry )

Ingredients:

A couple of Colocasia esculenta leaves with petiole( Arbi patta- about 10 -20 bunches) ( I made about 15 rolls with 2 -3 leaves rolled in 1 roll)

For batter:

250 grams chick-pea flour(besan or more depending on the leaves)

Fennel seeds(Sauf)-1-2 teaspoon

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp

Red chilly powder-1/2 tsp-1 tsp

Ajwain-1 tsp

Hing- a pinch (optional- i avoided) if u making curry as the curry salt and roll salt get mixed)

Water

Baking powder-1/2 tsp(to keep leaves green)- optional( I haven't used it)

Curry

Onion-1

Tomotoes-2

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp

Red chilly powder-1 tsp

Coriander powder-2 tsp

Salt-3/4 tsp

( blend all ingredients in a blender)

Tumeric powder-1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Oil-2 cooking spoon

Water

Method:

Batter:

1. Prepare a batter of the besan and water. Mix well with a spoon. Add all batter ingredients to the batter. The consistency should be right for evenly spreading over the leaf sauce.

2. Wash the leaves with petiole in running water carefully. Lay leaf blades on a colander and let then dry on itself.

3. Lay the leaf, undersurface up( the light green side with the root up), on a work-board and starting from one corner of the leaf, evenly coat the leaf surface with the batter. A spoon does this job well.

4. Roll Another leave on it and repeat the process....I generally put the leave on each other in such way that the root on one side is alternate to other side so middle doesnt become too thick....Add one more leaf if the leaves are small...Roll the leaves carefully and tightly. Do not press hard as batter is likely to ooze out from the sides. Once you have finished tolling all the leaves, place them on a steamer and steam for 10 minutes. Any steamer can be used. In case a steamer is not available, a medium dish can be filled with water to about 2 inches depth and a smaller dish (medium strainer can be used)overturned inside the medium one. On top of the strainer put the rolled leaves.Cover the dish with a medium plate (turned upside) /lid and put it over a stove. The steam generated inside works well to steam cook the rolls. If the rools are long curve them at the sides without breaking.

5. When the rolls are done they change colour and cool them . Slice them into one inch thick slices when cooled.One can also refrigerate them and eat as healthy snacks.

6.Deep-fry these slices in oil till crisp. These crispies can also be served as snacks.

Curry

1. Heat oil in pan and Add jeera to it and then the blended paste along with tumeric powder and salt . Fry this masala till it leaves out oil and fresh taste goes and then add water according to consistency and add crispies in end and cook for a minute or two. The curry is ready.

Suji Ki Katli

Ingredients

Suji(semolina)-2 cups

Besan( Chickpea)- 1 cup

Sugar- 3 cups

Ghee- 1 spoon+1 spoon (tablespoon)

Water- 6 cups

Milk- 1 cup

Malai- 2 tsp

Grated dry cocunut-1

Raisins(kishmish)-10-15

Small cardomon - 6-8 (use seeds)

Chirongi(melon seeds)- handful

Badam- blanched and grated (optional)- I didnt use.

Kevda-1 tsp

Recipe

1. Saute suji in a kadai till golden brown and take it out.

2. Add I tsp ghee in a kadai and add sauted suji and besan to it and do it till its sauted nicely( golden brown in colour) and leaves a smell. Make sure besan does not has knots and if it does remove it. The sauting with ghee is optional for katli so one can just saute alone too but ghee makes it delicious and soft.

3. Take 1 tsp ghee in a pan and add raisin and small cardomon. Once raisins swell immediately add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to it so raisins dont burn. Then add rest of the sugar and water to it.

4. Cook till sugar gets dissolved and the mixture gets sticky.Keep stirring while cooking and check mixture by touching the mixture and see if its sticky.

5. Add sauted suji to it or this mixture to kadai and then add milk, malai to it. Add chirongi, coconut to it. Stir it nicely fastly till its too heavy to stir and so all water is drained and its ready to be frozen. It takes 1-2 minutes.

6. Take a big thali and use ghee to moisten it. And then pour the full mixture to it and spread it with spoon to be even and let it dry under fan.

7. As its tuff to cut when its dry...marks square pieces in it when wet and when its almost hard, remove the pieces and store in a box.