LOBIA RASEDAR

Ingredients

1 cup Black eyed peas, or lobia

2 cups onions, chopped finely

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp ginger chopped

2 tbsp garlic chopped

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

2 dry red chili

1 inch cinnamon stick

1 tsp turmeric powder

1-2 tsp chili powder

handful cilantro

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method

Pressure cook peas until soft. Set aside .

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan , add cinnamon stick. When oil becomes hot, add onions and saute on medium heat until medium brown.

In a separate pan , heat remaining oil, add fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and dry chili. Fry spices in oil for a minute and transfer into a food processor along with chopped ginger and garlic. Grind to a coarse paste .

When onions are brown, add tomato, ground paste ,turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Cover and cook until oil begins to ooze from the sides  the mixture. Add the lobia with its water into the pan, Cover and simmer for 10 minutes,.

Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with roits.

SIMPLE MASALA CHICKEN

Ingredients

750 gms Chicken 
2 tsp Pav bhaji masala 
4 medium Onions
10-12 cloves Garlic 
3 Green chillies 
1 inch Ginger 
1 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder 
1 tsp Turmeric powder 
1 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder 
1/2 cup Tomato puree 
1 tsp Cumin powder 
1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder 
1 tsp Cumin seeds 
1- 2 tsp Fresh cream 

2 tbsp Oil 

Salt to taste
Fresh coriander sprigs  for garnishing

Method

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Finely chop onions and add to the pan and sauté till they turn golden.

Grind together garlic, green chillies and ginger with a little water to a coarse paste.
Put chicken pieces in a bowl. Add salt, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder and 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala and mix well. Set aside to marinate.
Add ground paste to the pan, mix well and sauté for a minute. Add tomato puree, mix well and sauté for a minute.
Add remaining pav bhaji masala, remaining red chilli powder, remaining turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and remaining garam masala powder, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add marinated chicken, mix well and cook. Add salt, mix and cook on high heat for a minute. Cover and cook on low heat till the chicken is fully done.
Dry roast cumin seeds till fragrant.
Add cream to the chicken and mix well. Cook for a minute.
Add cream to the chicken and mix well. Cook for a minute.
Serve hot garnished with coriander sprigs and roasted cumin seeds.

KALAKAND

• Ingredients

• 1 cup ricotta cheese 
• 1 cup condensed milk
• Chopped nuts for garnish (optional)

• 
  

Method

Grease a plate or baking tray with butter or ghee and keep ready
Place the ricotta cheese and condensed milk in a pan on medium heat. I recommend using a non-stick pan and a flexible silicon spatula for the job
Mix frequently as the mixture starts to simmer. The cheese will begin to harden and become crumbly
Keep mixing and cooking on medium-low heat and let the mixture bubble
The moisture will start leaving the kalakand mixture and the crumbly texture will increase
Keep mixing occasionally and make sure you scrape down the sides of the pan with the spatula to ensure no bits are burning on the edges
It took me about 14 mins to reach the right consistency. This will depend a lot on the moisture in your ricotta cheese and the temperature you are using to cook the kalakand
Once the texture is crumbly mostly and there's no extra moisture in the mix, remove from heat and transfer the mixture to the greased plate or tray
Flatten with the top of the spatula and let it cool completely

1. Cut into squares and serve
2. Refrigerate the remaining and serve within 2 days for maximum freshness
3. You can garnish with slivered almonds (like I did), or chopped nuts, etc

MILK BARFI

Ingredients

1 cup milk powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
saffron strands, dry fruits or nuts of your choice for garnishing (optional)

Method

Butter a tray or plate and set aside.
Heat butter in a non stick pan on low flame until melt.
Add milk and milk powder and mix thoroughly.
Now mix in the powdered sugar and keep stirring continuously.
Cook till it becomes a lump in the middle and butter starts leaving the sides of the mixture.
Transfer this mixture to the buttered tray or plate and flatten in with the back of a spoon.
Allow it to cool and set. Now cut into desired shape and garnish with the soaked saffron and nuts of your choice. 

Serve at room temperature.

RAVA LADOO

Ingredients

1 cup Rava

3/4 cup Sugar

10 pieces cashews (optional)

10-15 raisin

4 cardamom

1/4 cup ghee

2-3 tbsp milk

Method

Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a kadai and roast the rava in it until nice aroma comes out in a low flame. Keep stirring continuously, make sure the rava does not get burnt.

Cool down the rava and grind the rava to coarse powder, transfer it to a mixing bowl.

Grind the sugar and cardamoms together in the mixer to a fine powder and transfer it to the mixing bowl. 

Mix the rava and sugar powder really well.

Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a kadai and roast the cashew nuts and raisins to golden brown color. Add the cashew nuts and raisins to the rava mixture.

Heat the rest of the ghee in the same kadai and add it to the rava mixture and mix them really well with a ladle.

It will start looking crumbly, add little milk and mix with your hand. When the mixture is still warm make small balls/ladoos.

If the mixture gets dried up sprinkle some more milk or warm ghee to it, mix well and make the ladoos. Arrange the ladoos in a plate and let it cool for some time.

Super delicious Rava Ladoos are ready for neivedhyam or just as a quick sweet.

Notes

Store the rava ladoos in airtight containers it stays fresh for 4 -5 days.
I personally prefer to grind rava to a coarse powder, so that it will not be very sticky when you eat and gentle to your throat. If you want you can make it to fine powder.
If you want to use less amount of ghee, then increase the amount of milk when making the ladoos.
For more shelf life of ladoos, do not add milk. Instead use warm ghee to make the ladoos, which will stay fresh for about 10 days.

CHINESE PAKODA

Ingredients

1 cup chick pea flour or besan
1 cup grated cabbage
1 cup onion finely chopped
1/4 cup green capsicum finely chopped
2 tbsp carrot finely chopped
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
pepper
salt
2 tsp soyasauce
1 tsp chilli sauce

Method

Take a big bowl , mix all the above and keep it for 1 hour .
Take a Kadhai , pour oil make small balls and deep fry .
Yummy Pakodas are ready.

INDIAN SPICY MASALA PORRIDGE

Ingredients

1 cup porridge oats

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 tomato diced

1 small carrot, diced into 1/2 cm

2 broccoli florets , cut into small chunks

1 green chili finely chopped

salt as per taste

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1/4 tsp amchur (optional)

handful coriander leaves, finely chopped

Method

Heat a kadai, add porridge oats and cumin seeds.

Toast on medium heat for 305 minutes, stirring continuously

When you see oats changing color and become darker, add water immediately.

Increase the heat to high and add onions, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, chillies.

Mix well, add salt, and all spices.

Allow porridge to thicken and come to a boil.

Reduce to medium heat and cook until oats and vegetables are cooked.

Sprinkle coriander leaves and remove from heat.

Enjoy your porridge with yogurt and pickle.