Dal Makhani and Rice

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups toor dal, washed and drained

2 tomatoes, medium sized, cut into large pieces

A pinch of turmeric powder

2 tsp coriander leaves, chopped

For seasoning:

1 small onion, chopped

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp dhania powder

4-5 green chillies, chopped

1 sprig curry leaves

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 stick butter

Salt to taste

Method

Boil the dal and tomatoes with a pinch of turmeric powder and 1 cup water till the dal is soft.Add salt to taste. Set aside.In a saucepan, prepare the seasoning by heating the butter.Add the cumin and mustard. When the cumin is slightly fried, add all the other seasoningingredients except the red chilli, turmeric and dhania.Fry till the onion starts turning color.Now add the powders and fry for a minute.Remove from heat and add the boiled dal/tomato to this.Add the chopped coriander leaves.Mix well.Adjust the salt if necessary.Add 1 cup of water.Bring it to a boil and remove.Serve hot with rotis or plain rice.

Aloo Gobi

Ingredients

1 Cabbage chopped finely

6-8 flakes of Garlic

2 Green chillies

2 Tomatoes chopped in small pieces

1-2 Potatoes

Salt accd to taste

2 tbsp Oil

1/2 tsp Jeera

1/2 tsp Turmeric

1/2 tsp Red chilli pwd

Method: Wash and cut the cabbage.grind the garlic and chillies together I normally use the fresh one as it gives a diffrent smell but if you have the paste of garlic and chilli then you can use that too for that you will have to use 2 tbsp of the paste.In a vessel heat the oil and add the garlic and chilli saute for few mins and then add the 2 tomatoes ,saute till oil starts leaving,add the masala and then add the cabbage and potatoes,i normally cut the potatoes in round and thin slices you can cut in the manner you want.

cover with lid and cook on medium flame.No need to add water as it will get cooked in the tomatoes.

serve with Roti or Khichdi

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer
Ingredients
Palak - 1 bunch (judi)

Tomatoes large - 2

Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp

Dhania powder - 1 tsp

Jeera powder - 1 tsp

Onions 1

Green chillies (hot) 3

Paneer 200 gms

salt

oil or butter - 2 tbsp

cream - 1 tbsp for garnishing

Method
1) Boil water in a vessel and turn off the flame, now put the palak leaves in it keep it covered for 10 min or u pressure cook it for 1 whistle without adding water to the palak. When done, blend it with very little water along with green chillies. This is your palak pulp.

2) Boil tomatoes in water on high flame for 10 min. Peel off the skin and chop it. Put that in the blender and blend it. This is your tomato pulp.

3) Heat 2 tbsp oil/butter in a vessel. Put onion chopped when it turns brown add ginger-garlic paste.

4) Add jeera powder, dhania powder, tomato pulp stir well. Now add palak pulp, salt and cover and cook for 7-10 mins. Put off the flame and add paneer pieces and garnish with cream.

5) Serve hot with chapati, naan or paratha.

Note - Tomato pulp should be half of palak pulp i.e. in the ratio 1:2. Chillies are to be ground with palak to give little teekhapan (hotness) otherwise it does not taste so well. If you want you can fry the paneer pieces and then add to the gravy (without frying will also do). If you think the gravy is too thick then add little warm water to it. Don't make it thin or else u loose the taste and charm of it.

Dabeli Pav

For dabeli masala:
1-2 red chillies (you can make it as spicy as you like)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2" stick cinnamon
2 cloves
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
For the filling :
2 medium size potatoes, boiled and mashed
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
2 teaspoons dabeli masala
2 tablespoons peanuts
1 tablespoon oi
lsalt
For assembly:
5-6 ladi-pav/ burger buns
1 onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup sev
garlic chutney (optional) & tamarind date chutney
For garnish:
finely chopped cilantroa
handful of pomegranate seeds (optional)

Roast masala ingredients in a pan for a few minutes taking care not to burn them. Grind to a fine powder.Heat oil in a pan and fry peanuts till they turn light brown. Remove and keep aside. Next add cumin seeds; when they splutter add asafoetida, dabeli masala, potatoes, salt and a little water. Toss in the peanuts and mix everything well. Remove from fire.Slice buns into halves and toast them with a little butter on a griddle. Apply garlic chutney if using on one side, tamarind chutney on the other side of the bun. Place a portion of the potato filling in between.Top with chopped onion, cilantro and sev. Press down, garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve immediately.

Dahi Wada

Ingredients
For the wadas

Udad dal (Black gram dal) 1 cup

Mung dal (Green gram dal) 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Method for Wadas
Soak the two dals for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Grind it to a smooth paste.
Add salt to taste.
Heat oil for deep frying in a kadahi and add spoonfuls of dal batter and fry until the wadas are golden brown.
Drop the hot wads in a bowl of cold water and leave for about 3-4 minutes.
Take each wada out from water, squeeze the water out and set aside.

For the Dahi (yogurt)
Dahi (yogurt) 5 cups(You can use homemade yogurt or low-fat yogurt from the market)

Green chillies, chopped 1 tsp

Ginger grated 1/2 tsp

curry leaves 7-8

Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida pinch

Salt to taste

Sugar 4 tsps (yogurt should taste little sweet)

Method for making dahi
Blend the yogurt with little water until it is smooth.
Add sugar, salt, green chillies and ginger.
Make a tarka (seasoning) of mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves and add to yogurt.
Keep the yogurt in refrigerator until it is chilled.

Serving the wadas
Arrange the squeezed wadas in a deep dish. Pour the yogurt on the wadas such that all the wadas are covered well by the yogurt. Sprinkle red chiili powder, roasted jeera powder and black salt (sanchal).Serve with sweet tamarind(imli) chutney.

Matar Paneer

Matar Paneer
Ingredients
Paneer as required
Peas as required
2 Onions boiled
2 Tomatoes boiled
1/2 tsp Black pepper whole
1 stick laung
2-3 ilaychi
few bay leaves
1 tsp each of Turmeric,Coriander,Redchilly and garam masala pwd
Salt to taste
few clinatro leaves

Method:

Its a simple one Cut paneer into cubes , fry in 1 tsp ghee. Keep aside.Boil onion and then
grind.Boil tomato , peel and grind.Heat oil in a pan , add laung, kali mirchi, badi ilaychi, mustard, and bay leaves.Add onion and cook for a while.Add red chilly pwrd, coriander pwdr, turmeric pwdr, garam masala and salt.fry.Add tomato. Fry.Add Peas and paneer. Cook for sometime.Dress with cilantro and serve.

Malpuva

Ingredients:
100 gms Sugar
3 Eggs
150 gms Maida
50 gms Rawa
Half tea spoon Cardamom Powder
Milk for making paste
Ghee for frying
Malai or Cream
Saffron (kesar) for taste and color

Method:
Mix rawa, maida and milk to make paste
Cover the mixture, and leave it for 6 - 8 hours
Add beaten eggs, sugar, cardamom, saffron and milk to make it a little thick batter
Heat ghee in a pan and pour a large spoon of butter
Fry the malpuva till golden in color and turn it around so that it gets fried on other side.

Serving:
Serve hot with malai or cream