Aloo Tikki

Date: 4/17/2010
By Kusum Gosain

Ingredients:

• Potatoes, boiled 4 large
• Moong dal 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil 2 tblsp + to shallow fry
• Cumin powder 1 tsp
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Green chillies, chopped 3
• Amchur/Mango Powder 1 tsp
• Green chutney as required
• Sweet chutney as required
• Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon

Method:

• Grate boiled potatoes and add salt, cumin powder and mix.
• Coarsely grind the moong dal. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add asafoetida and the ground moong dal. Stir and sauté till done/cooked. Add a little more oil if required.
• Add salt, mango powder and green chillies, mix and cook till dry. Set aside to cool.
• Heat oil on a flat pan. Grease your palm; spread a portion of potatoes on it. Place a portion of the moong dal mix in the centre and gather the edges and shape into a tikki (cutlet).
• Place the tikkis on the hot flat pan and fry. When one side is golden turn over and cook the other side till it becomes golden too.
• Serve with chutney.

Can also use this for Stuffing:
½ cup Green Peas, cooked and mashed
¼ tsp Hing/Asafoetida
1 tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder
2-3 Green Chillies
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Make the stuffing same way as Moong Dal stuffing.

Stuffed Okra and Raita

Date: 4/10/2010
By Kartika Kumar

Stuffed Okra (this recipe can also be done with boiled potatoes)

Ingredients:

• okra slit lengthwise
• chopped coriander
• grated coconut
• sesame seeds
• a little sugar
• amchur powder
• turmeric powder
• red chili powder
• coriander powder (optional)
• salt
• lime juice
• a pinch of asafoetida powder
• mustard seeds

Method:

• Mix together the chopped coriander leaves, grated coconut, sesame seeds, sugar, salt, amchur powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and lime juice.
• Stuff each okra with this mixture.
• Put a little oil in a non-stick pan with hing powder (asafoetida) and mustard seeds.
• When the mustard seeds splutter, add the stuffed okra. Stir gently.
• Cover the pan and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Raita:

In a glass or steel bowl, mix together:

• regular whole or skim milk yogurt
• finely chopped onions
• roasted and ground cumin power
• crushed and dried mint powder
• salt
• red chili powder
• sugar
• water soaked raisins

Optional step:
Heat a large spoonful of ghee. Add cumin seeds to the ghee. When the cumin seeds splutter, carefully light the ghee with a match, then add it into the raita. Quickly cover the raita bowl with a steel or metal lid. This adds a smoky flavor to the raita.

Pineapple Sheera

Date: 3/20/2010

By Bhaskarani Jasthi

Delicious sheera with chunks of pineapple
Preparation time: 10 minutes, Cooking time: 10-15 minutes, Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Pineapple, peeled and chopped, 1 small
• Semolina (rava/suji) 1 cup
• Ghee 1 cup
• Saffron (kesar) a pinch
• Sugar 1 cup
• Cashewnuts 5-6
• Almonds 5-6

Method:

• Heat ghee in a pan, add semolina and cook stirring continuously till it turns golden brown.
• Add saffron and mix.
• Add pineapple and further cook for two to three minutes.
• Add two cups of water and mix and cover and cook on medium heat for three minutes.
• Add sugar and mix.
• And keep stirring till all the moisture evaporates and semolina is cooked completely.
• Garnish with cashewnuts and almonds and serve hot.

Matar Pulao with Keera Raita

Date: 3/13/2010
By Mini Jain

Matar Pulao (Rice with Peas)
Ingredients:

• 2 cups Basmati or long grain rice, washed, soaked and drained
  
• 3-4 tablespoons butter OR 3 tablespoons clarified butter, ghee, oil OR half-and-half mixture of oil and ghee
  
• 2 inch stick cinnamon
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
• 2 large cardamoms OR 6 to 8 green cardamoms
  
• 6 cloves
  
• 8 peppercorns
  
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  
• 10 ounces frozen peas or 1 cup of fresh shelled peas
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 4 cups water

Method:

In a large heavy pot, melt the butter or ghee on low. Stir in the spices and saute for 30 seconds. Add the sliced onions. Turn heat to medium and saute until the onions are golden brown.

Add the drained rice and saute for a minute or so with the onions and spices. Raise the heat to medium high. Add the peas, salt and stir.

Add the water and turn the heat to high. Bring to a boil. Cook on high until the water level is reduced to the level of the rice. Stir gently. Reduce heat to the lowest setting. Cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the rice sit for another 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Fluff the rice very gently with a fork before serving.

Cucumber Raita
Ingredients:

• 1 quart yogurt
  
• 2 cups cucumbers, peeled, grated and squeezed
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds, dry roasted and ground
  
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped, for garnish

Method:

Mix the yogurt with the grated cucumbers. Stir in the salt and pepper and garnish with cumin seeds and cilantro.

Note: If you are using tender European cucumbers, you don't need to peel them.

Fruit Cream

Date: 2/27/2010
By Lata Menon

Ingredients:

• Cool whip - 2 cups
• Sour Cream - about 1/2 cup
• Sugar - about 1/2 cup
• Grapes - about 1/4 cup
• Banana - half
• Orange - one
• Pineapple - about 1/4 cup
• Strawberries - about 1/4 cup
• Cherry (optional) for garnish

Method:

• In a bowl take the cool whip. Add sour cream and then sugar. Stir well until the mixture is smooth and uniform
• Dice all the fruits into small pieces.
• Add the fruits to the mixture.
• Mix well so that all the fruits are well coated with the cream.
• Add garnish of your choice.
• This dessert is best served chilled.

You can use any fruit of your choice. If the fruits are of different colors, the dessert will look very attractive. Number of servings : about 4 to 6.

Gatti Pakodilu

Date: 2/20/2010
By Lakshmi Vemulapalli

Ingredients:

• 1 cup besan (gram flour)
• 3 cups rice flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Ajwain
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp butter
• water
• oil for deep frying

Method:

• Heat oil in a wok for deep frying.
• In a mixing bowl add besan, rice flour, salt, and red chili powder.
• Scrunch the ajwain in your palms so that the aroma is released and add it to the mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.
• Add water a little bit at a time and mix well into a dough (it should be of cookie dough consistency)
• Melt the butter and add it to the dough and mix well.
• Fill the pakodi maker with the dough and press it into a circle directly into the hot oil.
• Let it cook for a couple of minutes and then turn it over.
• Cook for another minute or two until the pakodi is golden brown and then take it out onto a plate lined with paper napkin in order to drain the excess oil.
• Refill the pakodi maker and repeat the process until the dough is finished.
• Enjoy!

Lemon Rice with Carrots

Date: 1/30/2010
By Mangala Achar


Ingredients:

• 3 cups Basmati Rice
• 6 cups water
• 3 carrots - cleaned and grated
• 1 medium yellow onion -chopped
• 1" ginger root - chopped
• 3 small green chillis - chopped
• 3-4 tbsp fresh grated coconut
• 1 lime/lemon - sliced in half
• 1/4 cup cashewnuts - toasted
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 3 tbsp oil

Method:

• Cook the rice in 6 cups of water.
• Heat the oil in a pot over high heat.
• Once the oil is hot add the spices - mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal.
• When the mustard seeds splutter, add the ginger, chilli's and onions. Cook till the onions are soft.
• Add cashews and stir.
• Turn off the heat. Leave the pot on the burner.
• Fluff the rice and add to the pot. Stir.
• Add salt, carrots, lime juice, sugar and coconut. Stir.
• Check seasoning and correct to taste. Serve hot.