Malai Methi Matar

Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 6 to 7

Ingredients:

For paste

• 10 almonds
• 2 tbsp melon seeds
• 4 to 5 garlic cloves
• 3 green chilies
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 5 cloves
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 1/2 tbsp cumin(zeera)
• 3 tbsp khoya(mawa) optional
• 1 onion roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp poppy(khus-khus) seeds

For gravy

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 bunch(around 300 gms) methi(fenugreek) leaves
• 1 cup peas(boiled)
• 1 medium sized potato(boiled and diced)
• a pinch asafoetida(hing)
• 75 ml heavy cream
• 30 ml milk
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fennel(saunf) powder
• 1 tbsp chat masala
• salt as per taste
• 1 tsp kasuri methi powder
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped

Wash the methi leaves with water properly, dry and chop them. Prepare the paste with the paste ingredients and little amount of milk.

Heat the butter and oil in a wok and add the cumin and hing. When it begins to crackle and the paste. Saute it for 2-3 minutes. Then simmer and cook till the paste gives out aroma and the oil separates. This may take around 10 minutes. This may tend to stick to the bottom of the wok so keep stirring and don't let it burn. You may require to add some water while cooking. 

Now add the methi leaves. Mix, cover with lid and cook for another 10 minutes on low flame. Keep stirring every now and then.

Add milk, potatoes and peas. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes. Add cumin powder, fennel powder, sugar and salt. Mix well. Beat the cream and add to the wok.

Garnish with kasuri methi and coriander leaves. Serve hot with roti or parantha or rice. Enjoy!!!

Dal Makhani

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves 7 to 8

Ingredients:

• 1 cup black(mah) dal
• 2 tbsp kidney beans
• 4 cups water
• 1 black cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ginger mince
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 3 green cardamoms
• 3 cloves
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 1 tomato finely chopped
• 1 tsp garlic mince
• 1 tsp ginger mince
• 1 tsp green chilies finely chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• salt as per taste
• red chili powder as per taste
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp ketchup(optional)
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped

Soak the dal along with the kidney beans in water overnight. Pressure cook them along with 1/2 tsp of ginger mince, 1/2 tsp of salt and, black cardamom for 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a wok, add the cumin, green cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon. Fry them for half a minute and add the ginger- garlic paste. Fry for another minute and add the onions. Cook till the onions turn pale and add the turmeric  and coriander powder. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and add the tomato. Cook for a minute and add the green chilies, salt and red chili powder. Cook till the tomatoes are done and oil separates from the tadka. Add a little water if necessary.

Beat the curd and cream smooth and add to the dal. Cook it on slow heat and mash the dal a little bit. Add the tadka to the dal. Add the ketchup. Bring it to a boil and cook for another 2 minutes.

Garnish with butter and coriander leaves. Enjoy!!!

Poha

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups poha
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 1 potato boiled and diced
• 1 capsicum finely chopped
• 1 carrot finely chopped
• 2 tbsp peas boiled
• salt as per taste
• red chili powder as per taste
• 1 tsp rai(mustard seeds)
• 1 tsp zeera(cumin)
• 1 tsp garlic mince
• 1 tsp green chilies finely chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• juice of a lime
• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts(unsalted)
• 2 tbsp coriander chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Wash the poha in a colander properly, drain excess water and keep aside. Heat the oil in a wok. Add cumin and rai seeds. Let them crackle and add the onions. Cook for a minute and add the garlic mince. When the onions turn translucent add the turmeric powder. Mix well and cook for another minute. Add the green chilies, salt and, red chili powder. Stir well and add the carrots. Cook for 3-4 minutes and add the capsicum. Stir well and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on low heat. When the veggies are done add the potatoes and the peas. Add sugar and the poha. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add the peanuts and the lime juice. Mix well, Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with ketchup. Enjoy!!! 

Aloo Chaat Salad

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Serves 7 to 8

Ingredients:

For the salad

• 1 cup white chickpeas boiled or pressure cooked(water drained)
• 2 medium sized potatoes boiled and diced
• 2 onions chopped
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 1 tomato chopped
• 1 cucumber cubed
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 100gm cottage cheese cut in small cubes
• 2tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1tbsp mint leaves torn
• 2tbsp coriander chopped

For the dressing

• 2tbsp tamarind chutney
• 1tbsp lime juice
• 1tsp chat masala
• salt as per taste
• 1/2tsp red chili powder
• 1/2tsp amchur(dried mango powder)
• 1/2tsp castor sugar
• 1/2tsp green chilies finely chopped

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl. Whisk and store in the refrigerator. Mix all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the dressing on the salad and toss it properly. Always pour the dressing right before serving the salad, this prevents it from getting soggy.

Enjoy!!!

Tawa Rice in a jiffy

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked rice
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes finely chopped
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 1tsp ginger-garlic mince
• 1tsp cumin
• 1tsp turmeric powder
• salt as per taste
• red chili powder as per taste
• 4tsp pav bhaji masala
• 2tbsp coriander leaves chopped
• 2tbsp olive oil

Heat the oil in the wok. Add the cumin seeds. Cook for 30 seconds and add the onions. When the onions turn translucent, add the ginger-garlic paste. Cook for another minute and add the turmeric powder. Cook for another two minutes and add the tomatoes. Stir well and add the green chilies. Cook for a minutes and season with salt and red chili powder. Cook till tomatoes are done and then add the rice. Stir well and add the pav bhaji masala. Mix and cook on low heat for another 2-3 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with raita curd. Enjoy!!!

Aloo Tikki

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

For the Tikki

• 5 medium sized potatoes boiled and mashed
• 3 onions chopped finely
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 1/2 cup boiled peas
• 1 capsicum finely chopped
• salt as per taste
• red chili powder as per taste
• 1/2tsp black pepper powder
• 1/2tsp amchur(dried mango powder)
• 1/2tsp  cumin powder
• 1/2tsp dried ginger powder
• 1/2tsp anardana powder
• 2tbsp bread crumbs
• 2tbsp coriander leaves chopped
• 1tbsp corn flour(optional)
• oil to fry

For plating

• 1 cup white chickpeas(white channa) cooked
• 1/2 cup anardana(pomegranate)
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 1 cup imli chutney
• 1tsp salt
• 1/2tsp black pepper
• 1/2tsp red chili powder
• 1/2tsp chat masala powder
• 4 cups curd or yogurt lightly beaten
• 1tbsp cashews roghly crushed
• 2tbsp coriander leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup mint chutney(optional)

Mix all the ingredients for tikki, except corn flour and oil. Divide the mixture into roughly around 13 to 15 golf sized balls. If the mixture is not binding together, you may add more bread crumbs. Shape the balls into any shape of your choice. You may even use biscuit cutter for this purpose. Coat the tikki with cornflour. 

Refrigerate the tikki for 15 minutes. You can either deep fry the tikki or shallow fry them. I shallow fried them. Take them out on a kitchen towel.

For plating, sprinkle onions and chickpeas on the bottom of the serving plate. Place the tikkis on the top and sprinkle anardana and cashews and cover the tikkis with yogurt. Separately, mix salt, peppers and, chat masala. Sprinkle this masala mix on the yogurt. Top it with chutneys and coriander leaves. Enjoy!!!