KADHI PAKODI

    This dish is a very typical in north India . And it's always served with steamed rice. Here the key is to dip the pakodi in water which helps to remove excess oil and keeps it firm too.

INGREDIENTS:
For kadhi:
Yogurt - 1 cup
Gram flour(besan) - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Asafetida a pinch
Cumin and mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
Dry red chilli - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
For pakodi:
Gram flour(besan) - 1/2 cup
Ginger chopped - 1 tsp
Green chilli chopped - 1/2 tsp
Oil for deep frying
For tempering:
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Asafetida a pinch
Cumin seed - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves chopped - 1 tbsp
METHOD:

• For pakodi: combine all the ingredients for pakodi other than oil to make a semi thick batter with water.
• Beat until light and fluffy.
• Heat oil in a deep pan on medium heat and drop a tsp full of batter . Repeat for rest of the batters too.You can use our hand too. Don't over crowd the pan.
• Fry these pakodies until light golden brown. Remove from oil and immerse in salted water.
• Dip and remove these from water and keep it aside.
• For kadhi: mix the yogurt and besan with 1 1/2 cup water to a very smooth mixture. There shouldn't be any lumps.
• Heat oil in a deep pan, add all the ingredients for kadhi one after another.
• Then mix in the yogurt mixture, bring to a boil. Add pakodi and simmer it for 15 mins.
• In the mean time prepare the tempering. Heat oil in a pan, add all the ingredients one after another.
• When it starts to crackle, pour it over the kadhi pakodi.
• Kadhi pakodi is ready to serve.

Makes 4 Servings.

GAJAR KA HALWA

Sometimes I treat myself with this mouthwatering carrot pudding. Very simple yet rich. Give it a try.

INGREDIENTS:
Carrot (peeled and grated) - 1kg or 2 lbs
Milk - 5 cups
Khoya - 100gms 
Ghee(clarified butter) - 3 tbsp
Sugar - 1 cup
Green cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Pistachio (blanched and chopped)- 2 tbsp

METHOD:

• Heat milk in a large pan, combine grated carrot and cook it on medium heat until milk is completely absorbed by carrot.
• Add sugar and continue cooking on low heat, stirring every now and then.
• Mix in grated khoya and cook for another 8-10 mins. Keep stirring.
• Now add ghee and keep cooking it on low heat. Never let it stick to the bottom.
• After 10 more mins, add green cardamom powder and chopped pistachio.
• Well, you can use any kind of nuts you want like cashew nuts, almonds or raisin.
• You can store it in freeze for a week. Serve hot.

Makes 4-6 servings.
If you can get red carrots, I would suggest you to use it as it gives the dish nice red color and since they are sweet already so needs less sugar than usual.

METHI CHICKEN

          This mouth watering dish is a must-try chicken dish .Its the fresh fenugreek, which has this distinctive taste that goes very well with chicken.

 INGREDIENTS:
Chicken - 2 lbs or 900 gm
Yoghurt - 1 cup
Oil -2tbsp
Garam masala:
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Bay leaves - 2
Clove - 4
Green cardamom - 2
Black cardamom - 2

Onion chopped - 2 medium sized
Green chilli (optional) - 2
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Fresh Fenugreek leaves chopped - 3 cups
Fresh cream (optional) - 1/2 cup
salt to taste

METHOD:

• First marinate the chicken with yoghurt,turmeric powder, red chilli powder,coriander powder and salt. Keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a deep pan then add all the whole garam masalas. To that add chopped onions, ginger garlic paste and chopped green chilli.
• Sauté this mixture for 5-7 mins till the raw smell goes away. Then mix in the fresh fenugreek leaves.
• In case if you don't have fresh then you can use the kasoori methi 3 tbsp, crushed between your palms.
• Then add the marinated chicken and mix well. Adjust the salt.
• Let it cook for 6-8 mins till the chicken is nicely cooked.
• To make it more rich, finish it up with fresh cream.
• Serve hot with your choice of roti.

Makes 4-5 servings.

PALAK RAITA

            Spinach flavored yogurt. Great accompaniment for any main dish. It's delicious as well as nutritious.

 INGREDIENTS:
Spinach(palak) - 1 1/2 cup finely chopped
Yogurt - 2 cups
Red chilli powder -1/2 tsp
Salt it taste
For tempering:
Oil - 1/4 tsp
Asafetida(hing) - a pinch
Mustard seeds - 1/4tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Dry red chilli - 2

METHOD:

• Heat the pan add chopped spinach and cook for 1 min. Let it rest aside.
• Whisk yogurt and add salt, red chilli powder . Mix well with spinach.
• For the tempering, heat oil in a pan, add asafetida, mustard seeds,Cumin seeds, dry red chilli broken.
• Let it crackle, then pour it over the yogurt mixture.
• Serve chilled.

Makes 4 servings.

EASY ZUCCHINI SABZI

This is a very simple and quick zucchini dish. Best for those lazy weeknight dinner.

INGREDIENTS:
Zucchini cut horizontally half and then sliced thinly - 3 medium sized
Onion cut in thick slices - 1 large sized
Oil -1 tbsp
Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Fresh cumin powder - 1tsp
Lemon juice
Salt to taste
METHOD:

• Heat oil in a pan then add the cumin seeds,mustard seeds, let it crackle.
• To this add  zucchini and onions followed by turmeric powder and salt. Keep the heat on medium.
• Zucchini cooks really fast so don't cover the pan, it won't take more than 4 mins to cook through.
• When zucchini is cooked, add cumin powder and take it off the heat.
• Add lemon juice on top and give it a toss.
• Serve hot.

Makes 2-3 servings.

ALOO PARATHA

Potato stuffed wheat flatbread. This stuffed paratha is a complete meal by itself. It's very popular in north India.

INGREDIENTS:
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt -1/2 tsp
Oil for shallow-frying
For filling:
Potatoes - 4 medium sized boiled, peeled
Green chilli (chopped) - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1 tbsp
Chaat masala - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder to taste
Salt to taste
METHOD:

• In a mixing bowl, take wheat flour, salt and make a soft dough with water. Keep it aside.
• For filling: grate the boiled potatoes. You can certainly mash it if you want to. I grate them to give uniform texture. Mix grated potatoes with green chilli and rest of the ingredients for filling.
• Now divide the dough and the filling into 8 portions. Roll a portion of dough slightly.
• Stuff one portion of filling and fold to seal the filling. Roll it again into 6" disc by dusting flour.
• Repeat this process for the rest of the portions.
• Then heat tawa or griddle and shallow fry each paratha with 2tbsp oil on both sides.
• Serve it hot with yoghurt and pickle.

Makes 8 parathas.

CRUNCHY PANEER PAKODI

       you will find this dish in almost all indian restaurants. This can be served as an appetizer to a meal or as as afternoon snack.

INGREDIENTS:
Cottage cheese (paneer)- 250gms cut into 2"X 2" thick block
Oil for frying
Ginger grated - 1 tsp
Green chili chopped - 1
Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tsp
Chaat masala - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Gram flour - 3/4 cup
Baking powder - 1/4 tsp
Bread crumbs - 1/2cup
Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Take paneer pieces and sprinkle salt, red chilli powder and lemon juice and keep it aside.
• For batter, In a mixing bowl, take gram flour,ginger, green chilli, coriander leaves,chaat masala,baking powder, salt to taste.
• Adding water little by little make a semi-thick batter.
• Heat oil for frying. Now take paneer, coat with the batter on all sides in one hand then coat bread crumbs using your other hand. That way the process will not be messy.
• you can make fresh bread crumbs at home within mins. Just take couple of 2 day old bread slices and process it in food processor till it becomes curmbly texture. Bread crumbs is ready to use.
• Repeat this process for the remaining Paneer pieces. And start frying On medium high heat till golden brown.
• Drain the excess oil then serve hot with chutney of your choice.

Makes 3-5 servings.

ALOO TAMATAR RASEDAR

          This is very easy and simple potatoes in tomato gravy jain style. No onion and no garlic. Goes very well with different kind of puri.

INGREDIENTS:
Potatoes peeled and cubed - 3 medium sized
Tomato pureed - 2 medium sized
Oil - 1 tbsp
Asafetida - a pinch
cumin - 1 tsp
Green chilli split into half - 2
Ginger grated - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add asafetida,cumin seed. Let it crackle then add grated ginger, green chilli,turmeric powder, red chilli powder.
• Mix well, add pureed tomato and let it cook for 2 mins.
• Add cut potatoes, salt and 2 cups of water. Pressure cook to one whistle then let it cool down before opening.
• Uncover the lid, add garam masala and simmer it for 2 mins.Then serve hot.

Makes 3-5 servings.

OATS UTTAPAM

           Oats mixed with dosa batter makes this yummy yet heathy uttapam. You can use your left over dosa batter. Now a days you can even get readymade dosa batter in your grocery store. That is a great time saving option.

INGREDIENTS:
Roasted and powdered rolled oats -1 cup
Dosa batter - 2 cups
Oil - 2 tbsp
Onions finely chopped - 1 medium sized
Tomatoes chopped - 2 small sized
Coriander leaves finely chopped - 2 tbsp
Green chilli chopped - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt to taste

METHOD:

• In a mixing bowl take dosa batter, add powdered oats and mix well. you might need water because it can get little thick.
• Now adjust the salt in the batter. Then set aside for 10 mins.
• In another bowl mix in the rest of the ingredients other than oil.
• Get you dosa tawa nice and hot. Grease this tawa with very little oil if needed.
• Then pour in one ladleful batter and spread it evenly to make it as thin as possible. Remember its not going to be thin like dosa.
• Take 1 tbsp of your tomato mixture and put on top of the uttapam. Put oil around the uttapam if needed.
• Let it cook for 30 sec to 60 sec till the base is cooked then flip it once carefully and cook this side for another min.
• Repeat this process to make more uttapam. And serve it with chutney of your choice.

Makes 6-8 uttapams.

MANGO LASSI

         This drink is quite popular in restaurants. It goes very well with spicy indian food. Use the sweetest and fiber-free mangoes only.Since mangoes are seasonal, you can certainly use canned mango purée.

INGREDIENTS:
Plain yogurt - 11/2 cups
Mango - 2 medium sized peeled and pulped or
canned mango purée - 1 1/2 cups
Milk - 1/2 cup
Sugar if needed
METHOD:

• In a blender, combine yoghurt, mango purée , milk, sugar and 1 cup ice cubes.
• Blend until smooth, pour into 4 tall glasses.
• Serve chilled.

Makes 4 servings.