Tostada

Ingredients:
1/2 lb Pinto Beans
1 packet Tostada shells(flat round)
3-4 large finely chopped Tomatoes
2-3 finely chopped Green Bell Papers
1 finely chopped Large Onion
1 bowl full thick & chunky Salsa
1 Lettuce
1 packet Yellow Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
Garlic powder, Oil, Cumin Seeds (jeera), Salt


Method

1. Wash & Soak Pinto beans for 3-4 hours & cook them in the pressure cooker.

2. In the same pressure cooker, mash boiled beans to the paste consistency . (not too thin, not too thick)
3. Heat beans on low flame, add salt & lots of garlic powder .

4. Heat 2 tablespoon of oil, add 2 tsp. jeera & when seeds splutter, add tadka to the beans.

5. Cover & let it cook for 10-15 minutes on the low flame.
6. Wash lettuce leaves & chop finely.

7. Roast Tostada shells in the oven for 1-2 minute each side. Be very careful as tostada shells burns quickly. Just roast them little brown on both side in your small toaster oven.

Making of Tostada-Taco

1. Put onions, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, cheese, bell peppers in bowls put everything in front of you.
2. Take one tostada shell. Spread large spoon full of hot beans over tostada.
3. Sprinkle cheese

4. Sprinkle Salsa, green bell peppers, tomatoes and onions.

5. Sprinkle Lettuce & cheese at last.

Now eat quickly before it gets soggy.

Dal with zucchini

Ingredients
Moong dal - 1 cup.
Zucchini - 2 nos diced.
onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 2 nos.
Green chillies - 3
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Corriander leaves to garnish

Method
Pressure cook moong dal till soft and set aside. Chop onion, tomatoes. Slit green chillies. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder. Add the chopped onion,green chillies and fry till transparent. Then add the tomatoes and fry till it gets mushy. Stir in zucchini and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add sambar powder, fry for a minute. Sprinkle some water over this and let it cook till the zucchini is half cooked. Do not add more water or overcook zucchini. Cook in medium heat. Add the cooked dal and mix well. Let it boil for another 4 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

chekkalu

INGREDIENTS
Rice flour- 2 cups
Water- 1/2 to 1 cup( consistency - chapati dough)
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Green chill-2 tsp
Red chill powder - as per taste
Salt - as per taste
Sesame seeds - 1-3 tbsp
Bengal gram - 1 table spoon(soaked in water a few hours)
Roughly torn curry leaves - few
Butter - 1 tsp
Water- for mixing
Oil- for deep frying

Method

Bring water to boil in a vessel.Off the flame and add rice flour and salt to it.Mix all the ingredients well and avoid the formation of lumps. Cover it with lid and allow it to stand for 5-10 min. Add the remaining ingredients.After 10 min, knead the dough using ghee/oil/butter. Now take small proportions of this mixture and flatten it with the help of your hand into 4-5 inches. Meanwhile heat oil in a kadhai and slowly drop them into oil one after the other. Deep fry until golden brown and then place them on absorbent paper and then store in air tight container.

ALOO MATAR

Ingredients:
3 to 4 - medium potatoes
1 cup - frozen peas
1 cup - tomato sauce or puree
1tsp - each ginger, garlic, chili paste
1 tbsp - coriander powder
½ tsp - haldi
½ tsp - garam masala
1 tsp - red chili powder
1 tbsp - dry mathi leaves
1 tsp - cumin seeds
5 tbs - oil
½ cup - sour cream or yogurt
pinch of hing
salt to taste

Method

1. In a pan, heat oil & fry cumin and hing.
2. Add chili, ginger, garlic paste and fry for one min.
3. Add tomato sauce and fry for 3-4 mins.
4. Add all dry masala except mathi leaves. Fry for 1-2 mins.
5. Now add potatoes and fry for 1 minute.
6. Add peas and 2-cup water.
7. Put a lid on a pan and cook on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
8. Now add sour cream and cook for 2-3 minutes.
9. Add dry mathi leaves and mix well & serve.
10. Serve with puri, paratha or chappathi.

Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:
1 - shredded cabbage
1 cup - chopped red onions
1 cup - chopped tomatoes
2 to 3 - slit green chillies
1 tbs - ground peanuts(roasted)

For Seasoning:
1 tsp - cumin seeds
5 to 6 - curry leaves
1/4 tsp - red chilli powder
2 tsp - lemon juice
1 tsp - oil
salt to taste
coriander leaves/cilantro, finely chopped for garnishing


Method

1. Shred cabbage in a food processor or buy coleslaw packet.
2. Add onions, tomatoes, slit chillies, salt and peanut powder and mix.
3. Heat oil, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and red chilli powder.
4. Pour the oil mixture over the salad mix.
5. Squeeze lemon and salt to taste.
6. Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves.
7. Serve cold.
8. Excellent as a salad or a side dish .

Idli Uppma

Ingredients

Idli -6
Green chili -2
Tomato -1
Onion ( small) 1
gram masala -1tsp
cilantro -hand full
Peanuts – one hand full
Oil, Musturd seeds, urad dhall and curry leafs for tempering


Method


1. Crumble the idlies. ( If you keep in the fridge it will crumble very nicely)
2. In a pan heat oil and pop up mustard seeds add curry leafs and urad dhall.
3. Add the onions, chopped green chili and sauté well Now add the tomatoes fry for 2 to 3 min.
4. Add the peanuts and roast now add the crumbled idlies.
5. you can add gram masala and cilantro.

BESAN BURFI

Ingredient

besan 1 cup
ghee 1/2 cup
Khoya 1/2 cup
sugar 1 1/2 cup
cardamom powder 1 tsp
silver Varakh 2to 3 sheet
Method

Fry besan in ghee till it gets nice smell.
Add khoya to the above mix it well.
Turn Off the gas.
Now make sugar syrup till it becomes like thick.
Then add the besan mix to the sugar syrup.
Stir it until it does not stick to the vessel.
Turn off the gas.
Then pour this mix in a greased plate put silver Varakh on it and cut into diamond shaped pieces.

Dry fruit Chikki

Ingredients:
Crushed Dry Fruits -1 1/4 cups (Badam, Pista, Cashew)
Elaichi Powder - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 cup

Method

1. Heat a non stick pan
2. Put sugar in it. Let it melt until brown in colour.
3. Add crushed dry fruits and elaichi powder.
4. Transfer it immediately to a greased plate.
5. Spread it evenly with greased roller pin.
6. Cut with greased knife (slight impression is enough)
7. Allow this to cool.
8. Break it into pieces. store in airtight box.

Club Sandwich

Ingredients:
6 bread slices
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 onion, chopped slices
2 cheese slices
8 cucumber slices
1 cup shredded carrot
Slat as per taste
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup capsicum, chopped finely
1 tsp garlic paste

Method

Mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, capsicum and garlic paste
Mix it well .
1. Toast the bread slices and butter them
2. Apply the mayonnaise paste on all the bread slices (one side)
3. Layer it with one part of tomato slices and then shredded carrots
4. Cover with one bread slice with mayonnaise part on downside
5. Layer it with one part onion slices and then cucumber slices
6. Top it with cheese slice
7. Finally cover with one bread slices (mayonnaise part downside)
8. Repeat this with other sandwich
9. Serve with ketchup and wafers

Adai (Mix dal Dosa)

Ingredients:
1 cup of Rice
1/2 cup of MoongDal, Urad Dal, Chana Dal, Toor Dal together
2 tsp methi seed
1 medium size Onion
Few Curry leaves
2 green chillies
1 tsp ginger
A pinch of Asafoetida
Coriander leaves
salt

Method



1. Soak the rice over night.


2. Mix all the dals and Methi and soak it overnight separately.


3. Next morning, Grind all of the ingredients (onion, chillies,Ginger, curry leaves) along with a little salt and asafoetida.


4. The consistency of the batter should be thick enough to thickly coat on a spoon when dipped.


5. Add finely cut Coriander leaves to the mixture.


6. Heat the non-stick tawa well.


7. Pour a spoonful of batter in the centre, spread with the back of the spoon to a thin round.


8. Pour a tsp. of ghee or oil over it.


9. Remove with spatula when crisp.


10. Serve hot with coconut chutney and / or sambar.

Spinach Puffs

Ingredients:
1 - pastry sheet
1 Pack Frozen - spinach
1 cup - crumbled paneer
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp aamchour powder
2 tsp oil
salt to taste


Method

1. Thawed spinach for 1 hour and squeeze the water.
2. In pan heat little oil and add the paneer and stair for 5 min.
3. Keep it aside.
4. Now add the spinach and let the water evaporate and then add the masala.
5. Let it cook for few min.
6. Mix the paneer to the above mixture and let it cool.
7. Spread the pastry sheet carefully and sprinkle some all purpose flower roll it out slowly without tearing it.
8. Cover the sheet with little butter.
9. Now spread the filling evenly and roll the sheet tightly.
10. Now cut it into small circular rolls.
11. Put the rolls on baking sheet.
12. Preheat the oven to 350 degree and place the rolls in the oven for 15 min or till it is done.
13. serve with ketchup or sauce.

Mixed Vegetable Korma

* 1/2 cup green peas
* 10 beans
* 1 carrot
* 2 potatoes
* 1/2 cup lima beans
* 2 tomatoes
* 6 florets cauliflower
* 1 cup coconut milk
* 1/2 cup fresh coconut
* 6 flakes garlic
* 1″ piece ginger
* 6 green chillies
* 1 tsp khus khus
* 1 tbsp cashewnuts
* 2″ cinnamon
* 4 cloves
* 2 tbsp chopped onion

Method:

1.Grind fresh coconut.
2. Grind together the green chillies, ginger and garlic.
3. Chop all the vegetables.
4. Grind the khus khus and the cashew-nuts separately.
5. Heat two tablespoons of oil and fry the cinnamon and the cloves.
6. Fry the onions till they become golden brown.
7. Add vegetables, salt and coconut milk.
8. When vegetables are tender add the ground cashew and khus khus.
9. After five minutes of further cooking, add coriander leaves and fresh coconut .
10. Remove from fire and add one tablespoon of lime juice.

Serve this with lachha parantha or rice.

Makki Ki Roti with Methi and Mooli

* Fresh fenugreek leaves – a small bunch or 1 cup (if fresh fenugreek leaves are not available use two tablespoons of the dried ones instead)
* Grated Radish – 1 cup
* Corn Meal – 2 cups
* Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 1 or 2
* Onion – 1 finely chopped
* Ginger – ½ inch piece finely chopped
* Warm Water
* Salt to taste
* Oil and Ghee as required

Method:

1. Mix all the above ingredients together, gradually adding warm water a tablespoon at a time and gently knead the mixture into a dough. Do not work the dough after the ingredients have formed a lump. Oil your hands and further pat the dough into a round lump.
2. Divide the dough into small balls of one inch diameter.
3. Cover your rolling surface with cling film.
4. Put a round of dough on to it and cover with another piece of cling film.
5. With the pads of your fingers or a rolling pin shape the dough into a round roti.
6. Remove the cling film, overturn the roti on to the palm of your hand and quickly transfer on to a hot griddle.
7. Cook on both sides, using a little ghee.
8. Cook on a low flame so that the roti is cooked through and crisp on the outside.serve with pickle.

Shrikhand with fruits and nuts

Ingredients:

* 1 kg (2 lb) Indian curd ( yogurt) prepared from full fat milk
* 1 tsp ground small green cardamoms
* 1/4 tsp saffron strands
* 2 tbsp milk(warm)
* 3/4 cup sugar (powdered)
* 1/2 cup fresh fruits ( pineapple, apple, chikku, mango), thinly chopped
* few almonds, Cashews and pistachios for garnishing

Method:

Place the curd in a muslin (malmal) cloth, tie a tight knot and hang it for 3-4 hours roughly, until all the water had drained off from the curd. Dip saffron strands in warm milk and keep aside.

Now in a large mixing bowl, mix together strained curd, sugar, saffron milk and ground cardamoms and churn it out using a hand mixer. Add chopped fruits and mix it again using a spoon. Garnish the Shrikhand with almonds, pistachios and cashews and serve it chilled.

Basundi

Ingredients:

* 2 lt milk
* 1 cup of sugar
* 3/4 tsp ground green cardamoms
* 1/4 tsp Saffron leaves (Kesar)
* 1/4 cup chopped almonds
* 1/2 cup chopped cashew nuts
* 1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Method:

Heat a deep pan over medium heat and add all the milk into it.

Bring milk to boil then simmer the heat and add saffron leaves, allow it it cook until quantity of milk reduces to half and some cream chunks starts forming. Add ground cardamoms and sugar and cook for few more minutes until it gets thickened.

Turn off the heat and let it cool. Add chopped nuts. Now, place the Basundi inside refrigerator until chilled . serve chilled.

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dalia
1/3 cup sesame seeds (til)
1/2 cup coconut (fresh or dry)
2 tbsp channa daal
2 tbsp urad daal
1 1/2 tbsp methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
2 Red or green chillies
1 tbsp oil
tamarind pulp
1/2 tsp sugar or jaggery
pinch of hing (Asafoetida)

For Seasoning
1 tbsp oil
hing (Asafoetida) - a pinch
cumin seeds
mustard seeds
Red chilli
curry leaves


Method



1. Roast all the ingredients ( except the seasoning ) in the oil in the order of daals, methi, sesame seeds, dalia, chilli, coconut.


2. Remove from fire & gring with the tamarind pulp, sugar & salt.


3. Add water according to the texture you need.


4. Transfer the chutney into serving tray.


5. Add the mustard & cumin seeds to the hot oil & when the mustard seeds pop, add hing, turn off the heat & add red chillies, curry leaves & add this to the chutney.


6.This can be served with Dosa, Idli or masala vada .

Pasta Soup

Ingredients:
1 small onion (finely chopped)
1/2 cup celery (optional)
1/2 cup - broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup - carrot, finely chopped
1 can (15-16 oz.) Italian-style tomatoes
3 cups cooked pasta (any kind )
6 cups water (or vegetable broth)
1 cup cooked red kidney bean
2 tsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp Italian spices
dash of tabasco sauce
lemon juice (if needed)
salt and pepper


Method



1. Heat oil in soup pot. Add onion,carrots, broccoli (and celery) and saute for a few minutes.


2. Add Italian-style tomatoes and saute for a few more minutes.


3. Add water (or vegetable broth) and boil until the onion (and celery) are soft.


4. Add pasta bean and season soup with italian herbs, salt and pepper. Boil for a few more minutes.


5. Add a dash of tabasco sauce to the soup. Add lemon juice, if needed.

Biscuit Cake

Ingredients:
Marie Biscuits - 1 Packet
Butter - 6 tbsp
Castor sugar(finely powdered) - 6 tbsp
Drinking Chocolate powder - 2 tbsp
Coffee dicoction - 1 cup
Nuts & Dryfruits - 1 tbs



Method


Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.

Blend in the chocolate powder.

Dip four biscuits in coffee dicoction.

Place these biscuits on a flat tray.

Spread a little of the butter, sugar, chocolate mixture evenly on these biscuits.

Add another layer of coffee soaked biscuits.

Repeat the process till all the biscuits are over.

Spread a layer of butter, sugar, chocolate mixture on the last layer of biscuits.

Decorate with nuts or dryfruits.

Place the tray in the freezer and freeze for 30 to 45 minutes.

Cut into pieces and serve.

Masoor Dal vada

Ingredients:
1. Masoor Dal (orange colored lentils) : 2 cups
2. 1" piece ginger
3. 2-3 cloves garlic
4. 2 green chillies : chopped fine
5. Quarter cup chopped cilantro
6. Oil to deep fry
7. Salt to taste
8. A pinch of turmeric
9. One small onion chopped fine
10.1 tsp garam masala

Method

1. Soak the dal overnight.


2. Grind it with the green chillies, ginger, garlic, salt and turmeric adding little water from time to time. The paste should not get watery; it should be of the consistency that you can shape them into vadas.


3. Add the chopped cilantro to this coarse paste and also the onions .


4.Shape the paste into small flat vadas and deep fry them. Drain on paper towel.

Serve hot with mint chutney.

Tamarind Rice

Ingredients

1 cup of Thick Tamarind Pulp extracted .
1 cup Rice
Salt-as needed
A small piece of Jaggery
Soak tamarind in warm water for half an hour.Extract pulp, as thick as possible.Keep aside.

For the powder

1 tbsp of dessicated coconut
2 tsps coriander seeds
2 tsps peppercorns
A pinch of hing (asoefetida)
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
6-8 Red chillies
1 tsp of white sesame seeds
1 teaspoons urad dal /black gram dal
1 teaspoon channa dal /bengal gram dal
1 tsp cumin seeds

Dry roast the ingredients for the powder one by one..Powder the roasted ingredients when cool.Set aside.

For Seasoning

5tbsps oil
1 tsp each of mustards,,urad dal and channa dal
1 tbs peanuts
4 red chillies each broken into 3 pieces
A fat pinch of turmeric powder
A sprig of curry leaves


Method

Heat oil and fry the peanuts;keep aside,.In the same oil season using mustard seeds, , urad dal, channa dal, red chillies and curry leaves.

Add the tamarind pulp, jaggery,turmeric powder and salt.Mix well and let it boil.Add the powder and let it simmer for a few minutes mixing well to avoid any lumps.



The oil starts separating and the mixture would have thickened by now giving off a wonderful aroma.

Cool the sauce and store in an airtight container.


Prepare rice in a rice cooker and let it cool down. After the rice has cooled down, add the sauce to this, little by little, and mix with the wooden spoon.check the taste if you need more sauce Now add peanut. Serve with potato chips and curd (yogurt).
Note: The sauce can be stored in refrigerator for 2-3 weeks and used when needed.