Mango Summer Drink

Ingredients

Serves: 4 

2 raw mangoes 

Water

2 tsp Salt (or to taste)

4 tbsp sugar (more if mangoes are sour)

1 tsp roasted cumin seeds

1 pinch cracked pepper

Mint for garnish

Directions

Cook:10min  ›  Extra time:1hr chilling  ›  Ready in:1hr10min 

Wash and scrub the mangoes. Boil them in a deep pan for 5-7 minutes or in the pressure cooker for 1 whistle. Take mangoes out, let cool, cut and take all pulp out.

In a "moti chalni" (sieve with big holes), strain the pulp well. To this pulp, add 4 cups water, salt, sugar, mix well. Now, add cumin and pepper. Mix well. Chill and serve. Garnish with mint spring.

Gobi (Cauliflower) Manchurian

Gobi (Cauliflower) Manchurian

Ingredients:

20 cauliflower pieces cut

 into medium size florets
   
   For Sauce
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon ginger paste or

  finely shredded ginger (adrak)
1 green chili chopped
1/4 cup celery finely chopped
2 tablespoons red chili sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons corn starch or arrow root powder
Approx. ½ cup water

    For Batter
1/3 cup all purpose flour (plain flour, maida)
3 tablespoons corn starch or arrow root powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Approx. ½ cup water

   Method

Mix the corn starch with water and set aside.
Heat the oil in sauce pan over medium high heat; add ginger, celery and green chili stir for about two minute. Add all the ingredients for sauce except corn starch, (chili sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, and sugar).
Stir for 2 minutes add corn starch and cook for another two minutes, sauce should be thick, consistency of a dosa or pancake batter. If needed add more water, sauce gets thicker as it sits.
Sauce is ready, set aside.
To make batter mix flour, corn starch, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the water slowly to make a smooth batter (batter should be consistency of pancake batter or dosa batter).
Heat at least one inch of oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Oil should be moderately hot. (If oil is not hot cauliflower will be greasy).
Dip the cauliflower into the batter one at a time, making sure it is completely covered by the batter. Then drop the cauliflowers slowly into oil in the frying pan. (do not overlap them)
Fry the cauliflowers in small batches, four to five minutes per batch. Fry them turning occasionally, until they are all sides golden brown. Take them out over paper towel.
Repeat this process for the remaining cauliflowers.
Fold fried cauliflower/ gobies into gravy and serve hot.

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Chick Pea Salad ( Desi Khana)

Preparation Time: 20 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups soaked and boiled kabuli chana (chick peas)
1/2 cup boiled and peeled potato cubes
3/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
1/2 tsp black salt (sanchal)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp powdered sugar
2 tsp chaat masala
salt to taste

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and mix well.
2. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
3. Serve chilled.

Baked Rice with Green Curry

Baked Rice with Green Curry

Preparation Time: 25 mins

Cooking Time: 10 mins
Makes 4 servingsIngredients

To Be Ground Into A Smooth Paste For The Curry (using Little Water)3/4 cup roughly chopped coriander (dhania)
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves (phudina)
5 green chillies , roughly chopped
4 garlic (lehsun) cloves
1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
25 ginger (adrak)
1/2 cup roughly chopped onions
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste

For The Curry1/2 cup chopped paneer (cottage cheese)
1/2 cup boiled green peas
2 tbsp ghee
2 cardamoms
1/4 cup whisked fresh curds (dahi)
1/2 tsp sugar
salt to taste

For The Rice2 1/4 cups cooked long grained rice (basmati)
1 1/2 tbsp ghee
3/4 tsp caraway seeds (shahjeera)
50 cinnamon (dalchini)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
salt to taste

Other Ingredients2 tsp ghee for greasing
2 tsp milk

For The Garnish1/4 cup boiled green peas
2 tbsp potato salli

Method 

For the curry

1. Heat the ghee in a broad non-stick pan, add the cardamom and prepared paste and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add the curds and sugar, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.
3. Add the green peas and paneer, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute. Keep aside.

For the rice

1. Heat the ghee in a broad non-stick pan, add the caraway seeds, cinnamon and cloves and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
2. Add the rice and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring continuously.
3. Divide the rice into 2 equal portions and keep aside.

How to proceed

1. Grease a deep microwave-safe bowl using ghee, put 1 portion of the prepared rice in it and spread it evenly using the back of the spoon.
2. Put the prepared curry over it and spread it evenly using the back of a spoon.
3. Put the 2nd portion of rice over it and spread it evenly using the back of a spoon.
4. Pour the milk over it, cover with a microwave-safe lid on high for 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Just before serving, turn upside down on a big serving plate.
6. Serve immediately garnished with green peas and potato salli.

Corn and spinach au gratin

Corn and spinach au gratin

Ingredients: 

1 cup spinach chopped (palak)
1 cup sweet corn kernels 
2 pods garlic 
1 onion 
2 tsp olive oil 
1/2 tsp pepper powder 
1/2 tsp oregano powder 
Salt for taste
3/4 cup mozzarella Cheese 

For white sauce:

4 tbsp all purpose flour (Maida)
4 tbsp butter
3 cups milk 

Method

1. To make white sauce - Dilute the maida in milk and mix it thoroughly without lumps. Melt the butter in a pan. Simmer the stove, pour in the diluted milk mixture and stir Continuously until the sauce thickens. Finally add salt and mix well.
2. Chop onion and garlic finely. Steam the corn and remove kernels.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan, add the chopped onion and garlic and saute till they turn light brown.
4. Add the chopped spinach and corn and cook on medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper and oregano and mix well. Now add the white sauce and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Transfer this to a baking dish and sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese on top and grill in an oven till the cheese melts down.
6. Serve hot and enjoy eating.

Sama and potato patties

Sama and potato patties

Ingredients:

 
1/2 cup sama/maraiyo/mordhan/varai
4 potatoes boiled
1.5 tsp green chilies chopped
1 tsp ginger chopped
3 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
1 tsp pepper powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1.5 tsp mango powder
Salt to taste
Cooking oil/ghee to shallow fry

Method

1. Add sama and 1 and 1/4 cup water in the pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles on medium heat.
2. When cooker cooled down completely then take out the cooked sama in a bowl and mash with a spoon and then let it come to room temperature.
3. Mix together grated potato,sama and all the ingredients and mash well.
4. (the proportion of cooked sama and boiled potato mixture should be almost same) Grease your palms and make patties of same size from the mixture.
5. Heat oil/ghee in a flat nonstick pan and shallow fry the patties on medium flame till they become golden and crisp from both the sides.
6. Drain on a paper napkin and serve hot.
7. Serving suggestions-serve with aam papad chutney, fruit and Nut chutney or any tangy dip of your choice.
8. Makes about 25 pieces

Wood apple rice

Wood apple rice

Ingredients: 

1 - wood apple/elephant apple
2 cups - cooked rice
1 tbsp - peanuts 
1 tsp - mustard seeds
1 tsp - chana dal 
1 tsp - urad dal
1/2 tsp - turmeric powder
3-4 - green chillies 
3 - dried red chillies 
1 sprig - curry leaves 
1/8 tsp - asafoetida
Salt to taste
2 tbsp - oil 

Method

Break the wood apple and scoop out the pulp.
In a pan, cover the wood apple pulp with water and cook for 5 minutes.
Switch off the heat and after it cools grind into a paste.
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal and peanuts.
Once they start to splutter, add the slit green chillies, red chillies, curry leaves and hing and fry for a minute.
Then add the turmeric powder and wood apple paste and fry for a couple of minutes.
Switch off the flame and add the cooked rice and salt.
Combine well and serve.