Amla Pickle

Ingredients

• Indian gooseberry (amla) - 500 gms
• Sea salt - 1½ cups
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Sesame oil - 250 ml
• Red chilli powder - 1½ cups
• Mustard powder - 3 tbsps
• Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Method

1. Cut each amla into thin segments. Add one cup of salt and half a teaspoon of turmeric powder, stir and keep covered in a glass bottle for two to three days. Toss the bottle daily a couple of times but do not use a spoon or stir with hand.
2. Heat oil to smoking point and allow to cool.
3. Take the remaining sea salt in a bowl and crush slightly. Add red chilli powder, remaining turmeric powder, mustard powder and mix well. Add amla (no need to wash amla or throw liquid which might have collected in the glass bottle) and mix well.
4. When the oil has cooled slightly add asafoetida. Cool the oil some more and add to the amla mixture.
   
5. Transfer the pickle into sterilized glass or porcelain bottles and keep covered tightly.
6. Pickle will be ready in three to four days and will keep for at least three to four months.

Note : This Recipe was given by Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. We tried and as it came to be a different one, we decided to share it with you all.

Aloo Posto

Ingredients

• 2 green chillies
  
• 5 - 6 medium potatoes
  
• 1/2 tsp sugar
  
• 1 tsp pure ghee
  
• 2 tblsp mustard oil
  
• 4 tblsp poppy seeds (khuskhus)
  
• salt to taste
  
• 1/2 tsp onion seeds (kalonji)

Method

1. Take off and cut the potatoes into one Medium pieces.
   
2. Soak them in water.
3. Soak poppy seeds in one cup warm water for 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove and grind to a fine paste.
5. Heat up mustard oil in a pot till it just reaches smoking point.
6. Remove, cool and heat up the oil again on medium heat.
7. Mix in kalonji and stir-fry briefly.
8. Mix in potato pieces and stir fry on medium heat up for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
9. Mix in the poppy seeds paste, stir and mix in half cup of water, cover and stir fry on low heat up till the potatoes are almost done.
10. Take off the lid, mix in salt, sugar and slit green chillies.
11. Continue to stir fry for a minute more or till potatoes are completely cooked, stir in desi ghee and serve hot.

Virgin Mary

Ingredients

• 3 cups tomato juice
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Tobasco sauce to taste
• 1 tsp powdered black pepper
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp celery salt or chopped celery crushed ice
• salt to decorate the glass
• stemmed glasses
  

Method

1. Wet the glass rims and dip into the salt, so that the rim is covered with salt.
   
2. Place the juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tobasco, black pepper, salt, celery, and ice in a shaker (or jug). Shake to mix well.
   
3. Pour into the prepared glasses and serve.

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp onions-chopped fine
• 2 tsp garlic-chopped fine
• 2 tbsp oil
• 5 cups water
• 2 cups tomatoes-grated
• 7-8 French beans-chopped fine
• 1/4 cup carrots-chopped fine
• 1/2 cup potatoes-peeled and diced small
• 1/4 cup macaroni-cut
• 2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp kali mirch (powdered black pepper)
• 1/4 cup celery-chopped fine or 1/2 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp Oregano leaves or ajwain
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• cheese-grated to garnish
  

Method

1. Heat the oil and add onions and garlic. Saute till a little soft, add French beans, carrots and potatoes, sauté a little more, then add the water, tomatoes and macaroni.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer, half-covered, till the vegetables and macaroni are tender
   
3. Add the salt and pepper, celery or celery salt, oregano and tomato puree. Simmer covered for about 2 minutes. Serve garnished with cheese.

Lemon and Coriander Soup

Ingredients

• 4 cup vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp onions - finely chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice or to taste
• 2 tsp chili sauce or to taste
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper - powdered
• 1 cup hara dhania

Method

1. Bring stock to a boil. Add onions, lemon juice, salt, half of the coriander leaves and black pepper.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer for a minute.
3. Place the rest of the dhania leaves in the soup bowls, pour soup over and serve.

Brownie Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 120 gms. unsweetened chocolate, grated
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170 degree C
2. Line 12 muffin tins with paper or foil baking cups.
3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water.
4. Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
5. Mix in the sugar.
6. Add vanilla and then add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
7. Mix in the flour and salt until well blended.
8. Evenly divide the batter between the muffin cups.
9. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake has moist crumbs.
10. Remove from oven and let cool. Serve as Desired.

MALPUA

Ingredients

• Milk 1½ litres
• Mawa/khoya, grated 50 grams
• Refined flour (maida) 2 tablespoons
• Green cardamom powder ½ teaspoon
• Ghee to deep fry
• For the sugar syrup
• Sugar 2 cups
• Saffron a few strands

For garnishing

• Pistachios, halved 15-20
• Cashewnuts, halved 7-8

Method

1. Boil milk in a heavy-bottomed pan. Reduce heat and simmer till it is reduced and reaches a coating consistency. Add grated mawa and mix well. Bring it to room temperature.
2. Reserve two tablespoons of sugar and form one-string sugar syrup with the rest of the sugar and two cups of water.
3. Dissolve saffron in a teaspoon of hot milk. Add it to the sugar syrup.
4. Add refined flour, green cardamom powder and the reserved sugar to the reduced milk. Mix well and make a batter of pouring consistency using a little milk if required.
5. Heat sufficient ghee in a wide mouthed flat-bottomed kadai. Pour a ladle full of batter to form a pancake. Cook on slow to medium heat.
6. Turn it over when it starts to colour slightly. When both sides are done, drain and immerse in the sugar syrup. Similarly prepare more malpuas with the remaining batter.
7. Garnish with pistachios and cashewnuts and serve hot. You can serve hot Malpuas with chilled Rabdi as well.
   

Rajasthani Bati

Ingredients

• Whole wheat flour (atta) 2 cups
• Salt 2 teaspoons
• Baking powder ¼ teaspoon
• Desi ghee ½ cup + for soaking

Method

1. Take atta in a bowl. Add salt, baking powder and half a cup of desi ghee. Mix well. Add sufficient water and knead into a stiff dough.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C.
3. Take lemon sized portions. Press firmly and roll into round balls.
4. Grease a baking tray. Place the batis on it. Press them slightly.
5. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake at 180°C till done. It may take 15 minutes to 20 minutes.
6. When done, serve it hot with a bowl full of pure ghee to soak baatis and Rajasthani dal.
   

RAJASTHANI DAL

Ingredients

• Moong dal ½ cup
• Chana dal 5 tablespoons
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
• Ginger, finely chopped 2 one inch pieces
• Ghee 2 tablespoons
• Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Whole dry red chillies, halved 3
• Onion, finely chopped 1 large
• Red chili powder 1 tablespoon
• Dry mango powder (amchur) 1½ teaspoons
  

Method

1. Soak moong dal and chana dal together in about three cups of water for an hour. Drain. Boil dals in four cups of water adding salt, turmeric powder and ginger till cooked.
2. Heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida and red chillies and as cumin seeds begin to change colour, add onion. Cook till onion turns light brown.
3. Add red chilli powder and cooked dal to this. Add half a cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Add amchur and adjust salt. Mix well.
4. Serve hot with baati.
   

Fruit LollieZ

Ingredients

• 2 teacups mixed fruit juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  

Method

1. Mix the desired fruit juice, sugar and lemon juice. Adjust the sweetness.
2. Pour the mixture into candy mould of the desired shape.
3. Keep the mould in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator and freeze the mixture until firm.
4. Just before serving, hold the moulds under a running tap and take out the lollies. Serve immediately.
   

Fruit and Jelly Tango

Ingredients

• 1/2 teacup chopped apple
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1/2 teacup chopped mango
• 1/2 teacup grapes
• 1 orange, segmented
• 1/4 teacup pineapple pieces
• 1 packet (100 grams) strawberry jelly
• 1/2 teacup fresh strawberries, slightly crushed
  

Method

1. For the strawberry jelly, prepare the mixture according to directions given on the packet.
2. Add the crushed strawberries in it and put the jelly to set.
3. Just before serving, unmould the jelly in the center of a plate and surround with fresh fruits.
4. Serve chilled.

Fried Bananas

Ingredients

• 4 bananas, peeled and cut into halves
• Oil for deep frying
• 4 tablespoons self raising flour
• 4 tablespoons rice flour
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 2 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• Coconut or mango ice- cream
  

Method

1. Mix the self-raising flour, rice flour, cornflour, 1/2 cup of water and salt into a smooth paste.
2. Dip the banana halves in the batter and deep fry in oil until golden in color.
3. Roll in the brown sugar.
4. Serve with ice-cream.

Toffee Apples

Ingredients

• 3 golden apples
• 1/2 teacup plain flour
• 2 tablespoons cornflour
• 3/4 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teacup sugar
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 teaspoons sesame seeds
• oil for deep frying

Method

For the caramel coating

1. Put the sugar, oil and 2/3 teacup of water in a pan and cook on a high flame.
2. When the mixture begins to bubble, shake the pan continuously to prevent burning.
3. Continue cooking and shaking the pan until the syrup is light brown in colour.
4. Remove from the heat, add the sesame seeds and mix well.
   

How to proceed

1. Mix the plain flour, cornflour and baking powder in a bowl. Add water and stir into a smooth, thick batter.
2. Peel, core and cut the apples into bite-size pieces.
3. Coat the apple pieces evenly with the batter and deep fry in hot oil until golden.
4. Fill a serving bowl with ice-cubes and cover with water.
5. Put the fried apples in the caramel syrup and coat evenly. Drain well and plunge into the ice-cubes bowl. Keep for a few minutes till the caramel coating hardens. Drain thoroughly.
6. Serve.

Fatless Sponge Cake

Ingredients
For large cake

• 3 large eggs
• 80 grams plain flour ( maida )
• 80 to 110 grams powdered sugar
  

For small cake

• 2 large eggs
• 50 grams plain flour ( maida)
• 50 to 80 grams or powdered sugar
  

Method

1. Sieve the flour.
2. Grease and dust a baking tin. Use approx.10" x 5" or 7" diameter tin for the large cake, and 9" x 4" or 6"diameter tin for the small cake.
3. Beat the eggs and sugar very well until thick and double in quantity.
4. Fold in the well - sieved flour carefully and mix gently with a metal spoon.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin.
6. Bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C for 15 minutes.
7. The cake is ready when it leaves the sides of the tin and is springy to touch.
8. Take out from the oven and leave for 1 minute. Loosen the sides with a knife, invert the tin over a rack and tap sharply to remove.
9. Cool the cake.

Eggless Chocolate Sponge Cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 can (400 grams for full can) condensed milk
• 125 grams (4 1/2 oz.) self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 1 tablespoon chocolate powder
• 1/2 teaspoon soda bi-carb
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 60 ml. melted butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  

Method

1. Sieve the flour, cocoa, chocolate powder, baking powder and soda bi-carb together.
2. Mix the condensed milk, flour mixture, 75 ml. water, the vanilla essence and melted butter thoroughly.
3. Pour the cake mixture into a greased and dusted 6" or 7" diameter tin.
4. Bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C for 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 180 degree C and bake for a further 10 minutes.
5. The cake is ready when it leaves the sides of the tin and is springy to touch. When ready, take out from the oven and leave for 1 minute. Invert the tin over a rack and tap sharply to remove.
6. Cool the cake.

Achari Paneer Parantha

Ingredients

• 250 gms paneer
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 tbsp mixed pickle, mashed
• 2 tsp jeera seeds
• 1 tsp mustard and rai seeds
• 100 gm flour
• 1 tbsp green coriander, chopped
• oil
• Salt

Method

1. Mash paneer and add pickle and coriander and keep aside.
2. Heat oil. Add jeera, mustard and onions and saute. Now add this mixture to panner mixture and mix well.
3. Add water and salt to the flour to make a soft dough. Take small amount of dough and put some mixture in that.
4. Heat oil in pan and shallow fry the prantha in pan. Serve Hot.

Mix Vegetable parantha

Ingredients

• 1 cup peas
• 1 cup carrots grated
• 1 cup beans finely chopped
• 1 cup potato, boiled and mashed
• Half cup paneer, mashed
• 100 gms wheat flour
• 1 tbsp green coriander chopped
• 1/2 tbsp green chilli chopped
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• Salt
• A pinch of sugar
• 1 tsp amchur
• Oil for shallow fry

Method

1. For Stuffing
   Heat oil and add green chilly. Add the boiled vegetable and saute for five minutes. Add mashed potatoes, red chilly, salt and aamchur. Saute for five minutes. Add green coriander, paneer and Mix well.
2. Add water and salt to the flour and knead into soft dough. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
3. Take small amount of dough in hands, flatten that from middle and put in some mixture in it. Flatten it to make a chapati and shallow fry it in a tava. Serve hot

Palak Parantha

Ingredients

• 3 cups wheat flour
• 1/2 bunch palak chopped
• 1 tsp ajwain seeds
• Pinch of hing
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil

Method

1. Fry the palak leaves in one tsp of oil till cooked. Leave to cool. Once cool, grind the palak leaves into a paste.
2. Mix the palak paste in the wheat flour along with one tsp oil, salt, ajwain seeds and hing.
3. Knead into dough, adding water as necesary.
4. Make parathas with this dough. Serve hot.

Kandhari parantha

Ingredients

• 1 cup flourDry Fruits (except raisins)
• Cashew Nuts, Almonds, Pistachio, Walnuts
• Salt to taste
• Oil

Method

1. Knead the dough adding a pinch of salt and oil(medium) and keep aside covered.
2. On a tava slightly warm all the dry fruits. Blend them together to make a powder.Roll out the dough into a small circle.
3. Add the dry fruits powder into the centre and close the circle edges with your hands. Roll out into a desired size paratha.
4. Put in on the tava. Use oil when both sides are slightly done.
   

Hariyali Paneer

Ingredients

• 250 gms paneer
• 1 tsp Green chilli paste
• 4 Spring onion greens
• 3 Green cardamoms
• 6-8 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp Kasuri methi
• 1 tbsp Ginger paste
• 3 tbsps khoya
• 2 tbsps Honey
• 1 Capsicums chopped
• 1/2 cup cream
• 4 tbsps White butter
• 1 Bay leaf
• 5 Cloves
• 6 tomatoes
• 1 tbsp Oil
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Roughly chop green tomatoes. Place them in a pan, add a little water and boil. Cover and cook for fifteen to twenty minutes.
2. Strain and blend the tomatoes to a puree. Keep aside in a bowl. Reserve the cooking liquid.
3. Marinate paneer pieces with lemon juice, green chilli paste and salt for fifteen minutes.
4. Heat oil in a pan, add green garlic greens, capsicum, spring onion greens and saute.
5. Cool and blend to a puree. Keep aside in a bowl.
6. Heat white butter in a pan. Add bay leaf, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and saute.
7. Add chopped green garlic bulbs, ginger paste and saute. Add khoya and green tomato puree and saute.
8. Strain the reserved cooking liquid and add to the gravy. Add the capsicum puree and mix. Add garam masala powder, honey, salt and mix. Add marinated paneer pieces and mix.
9. Add fresh cream and stir gently. Sprinkle kasuri methi and take it off the heat. Mix gently and serve hot.