RABRIE

Ingredients:

1 litre milk

150-200 gms sugar

a fw strands of saffron

Method:

Heat the milk. Lower the flame and continue to cook, stirring all the time till it is reduced to one fourth its original quantity. Add sugar and stir till it melts. Mix the saffron in lukewarm milk and add to the prepared rabrie. Try serving the Bengali rasogollas with North Indian rabrie.

PANEER KARANJI

Ingredients:

1 cup (120 gms) grated paneer
2 tbsp onion
1/2 tsp ginger/garlic paste
1/2 tsp.white pepper powder
2 tbsp. milk
2 tbsp grated cheese
1 tsp butter (solid)
salt to taste
oil to fry

Method:

Mix refined flour, pure ghee and salt and make a soft dough by adding water. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. Take a frying pan, heat butter and saute finely chopped onions till it changes colour, add ginger garlic paste, grated paneer cheese, milk and white pepper powder and let it simmer for 2 minutes on slow flame till sauce thicken. Remove it from fire and let it cool.Make small marble size round balls of the dough among roll each ball into round disc (like puris). Place each puri on flat surface, place one tbsp of paneer filling on one side and close the other half on it to make half moon puffs. Deep-fry these puffs (kaanji) in oil and serve hot.

RAJMA CURRY

Ingredients:

1 cup rajma 150 gms

50 gms french beans

1 big onion

1 tbsp chilly powder

1 tbsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp.turmeric powder

1 tsp.cumin seed powder

3 tbsp tamarind pulp

5 cups coconut milk (600 ml)

salt to taste

Method:

Cut french beans. Separately boil rajma and french beans in water and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan , add mustard seeds, red chilly and curry leaves and when seeds splutter, add onions, saute it till it changes colour. Add rajma and french beans to it. Add turmeric, chilly, coriander, cumin, and garam masala powder to it. Add coconut milk, tamarind pulp and salt to taste. Cook for five minutes till gravy thickens. (if required, add water) Serve hot with any Indian bread or rice.

Tips:

This dish can also be made by using chick peas(kabuli chana).It tastes equally good.

KOLAMBICHI BHAJI

Ingredients:

150 gms.prawns

2 tbsp.gram flour (besan)

1 tsp.ginger/garlic paste

2 tbsp.finely chopped onions

1/s tsp.turmeric powder

1/2 tsp.chilly powder

1 tsp.garam masala powder

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander laves

1 tbsp lime juice

1/2 cup rice flour,salt to taste and oil to fry

Method:

Marinate prawns with salt, turmeric powder and ginger/garlic paste and lime juice and keep aside for 10 minutes. Mix prawns, onion, chilly and garam masala powder,besan one tbsp of rice flour and coriander leaves by adding required water to make a thick batter. Make six small round balls, flatten it on your palm, roll it in rice flour on both sides and shallow fry it in oil. Serve hot with tomato ketchup or tamarind chutney.

Tips:

Smaller prawns are ideal for KOLAMBICHI BHAJI, since they need to mix well with the batter. In case you fail to get small prawns, you can use large ones, but they need to be chopped into small pieces and mixed well with the batter before shallow frying. This delicious n ideal for a light morning or evening snack, or an ideal starter for a full course meal.

KOLAMBICHI BHAJI

KOLAMBICHI BHAJI

KOLAMBICHI BHAJI

KOLAMBICHI BHAJI

CHICKEN CAFREAL

Ingredients:

400 gms boneless chicken

2 tbsp.chopped onion

4 nos.green chilly

2 cups coriander leaves

1 tsp. ginger/garlic paste

1tsp.turmeric powder

1/2 tsp.cloves

12 no.s pepper corn

12 nos.cinnamon

2 inch stick cumin seeds

1 tsp.cashew nuts

12 nos.tomato puree

4 tbsp.sugar

1 tsp.salt to taste

oil 4 tbsp.

Method:

Cut chicken into small pieces and marinate it with salt,turmeric powder,ginger/garlic paste and keep aside for 15 minutes.Make a fine paste of coriander leaves, chopped onions, green chillies,cloves, pepper corns, cinnamons,cumin seeds,cashewnuts by adding water and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan, saute marinated chicken pieces in it for 2 min., add green masala paste and stock or water and let it simmer on medium flame(10 mins) till chicken is fully done and gavy thickens. Add tomato puree, sugar and salt and let it mix well.Serve hot either plain or with bread.

CALDO VERDE SOUP

Ingredients:

Potato 1 medium

Spinach leaves 12 nos.

Milk 2 cups ( 300 ml)

Water 2 cups (300 ml)

Chopped garlic-2 tbsp.(8 petals)

White pepper powder 1 tsp.

Butter solid - 2 tbsp.

Maggie cube(powdered)-1 no.

Salt to taste

Method:

Boil, peel and grate potato and finely cut spinach leaves and keep aside.Heat butter in a pan and stir.Fry garlic till light brown. Add spinach leaves and saute for a minute. Add grated potato and saute till it changes colour.(2 mts).Add milk, water, Maggie cube, white pepper powder and salt to taste. Let it simmer on medium flame for 2 minutes till it is semi thick and Serve hot.

PIQUANT POTATOES IN JACKETS

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 small onion, chopped

1 inch piece ginger, chopped

3-4 gloves garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp.black pepper powder

1 tsp. garlic salt

8 tbsp yogurt

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees C. Wash and prick potatoes with a fork. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190 degrees C. for 40 minutes or till done. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out flesh without spoiling the skin. Skin of the potato is popularly known as the jacket. Heat oil in a pan .Add cumin seeds, onion,ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute.Add scooped potatoes, turmeric powder, coriander powder,black pepper powder, and garlic salt. Cook further on medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.Adjust seasoning. Spoon mixture back into potato jackets and top each with a tablespoonful of yogurt. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

STUFFED ALOO TIKKI

Ingredients:

5 large potatoes, boiled and grated

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 inch piece ginger, chopped

2 tbsp.roasted chana dal powder

salt to taste

1 tsp garam masala powder

3-4 green chillis chopped

For stuffing:

1 cup green peas, boiled and crushed

2 tbsp oil plus to deep fry

A pinch asofoetida

1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

1/2 tsp dry mango powder(amchur) Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai, add cumin seeds. Once they change colour, add ginger, roasted chana dal powder, potatoes, salt, garam masala powder and mix. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and set aside to cool.Keep mixing at intervals. Add chopped green chillis and mix. For stuffing, heat oil in a pan.Add asafoetida, crushed green peas and cook till dry. Add turmeric powder, amchur powder, and salt and mix. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and set aside to cool. Divide the potato mixture into equal portions and stuff each with the green peas mixture.Shape LIKE tikkis. Cool again. Put the tikkis into a zip lock bag and place in the deep freezer.When required, remove and deep fry directly from the deep freezer in medium hot oil till golden brown. Drain and place on absorbent paper. Serve hot.

PRAWN VERMICELLI

Ingredients:

16 medium prawns

salt to taste

1 tbsp garlic paste

1/2 tbsp cumin powder

2 tsp kashmiri red chilli paste

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 egg

oil to deep fry

crushed vermicelli as required

Method:

Shell and de-vein the prawns, keeping the tails in tact. Make a slit on each prawn at one third distance from the head, bring the tail part and slide it into the slit. Take all the prawns in a bowl. Add salt, garlic paste, cumin powder,Kashmiri red chilli paste, honey, lemon juice and mix. Add half an egg and mix. Crush the vermicelli and place in a plate. Roll the marinated prawns in it so that they are well coated. Keep in the refrigerator for about half an hour.Heat sufficient oil in a kadai on a medium heat. Slide the prawns one by one into the hot oil and deep fry till golden brown. Drain and place on an absorbent per. Serve hot.

PAPAD ROLLS

Ingredients

8 papad

200 gms potatoes

1 tsp.red chilli powder

1/2 tsp.turmeric powder

1/2 tsp.chaat masala

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

1/2 tsp.piece ginger, chopped

salt to taste

oil to deep fry

Method:

Boil potatoes, peel and mash.Add red chilli powder, cumin powder,turmeric powder ,chaat masala,coriander leaves , ginger and salt to the mashed potatoes.Mix well.Divide it into 8 equal portions.Place one portion on one side of a papad and apply water on the edges of the papad.Roll the papad and fold the edges inwards. Seal them with water so that the potato mixture does not come out. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry the papad rolls on moderate heat for about a minute. Drain and place on an absorbent paper. Cut into half and serve immediately.

MATAR KI KHEER

Ingredients:

1 cup shelled green peas

1/2 cup ghee

1 1/4 litres milk

1 cup sugar

20-25 pistachio nuts sliced

1 tsp.green cardamom powder

20-25 raisins

Method:

Boil green peas for five minutes. Refresh in cold water and grind to a find paste.Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan, add greenpeas paste and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Keep aside.Boil milk and add it to the cooked green peas paste. Bring it to boil.Cook on low heat for fifteen to twenty minutes or till the milk is reduced to half. Add sugar, green cardamom powder, sliced pistachio nuts and raisins. Cook for about eight to ten minutes on low heat, stirring continuously. Serve chilled.

MOONG BURFI

Ingredients:

250 gms whole moong

250 gms thickened milk

250 gms ghee

500 grams ground sugar

chopped dry fruits

cardamom seeds

Method:

Clean moong and grind into coarse flour. Put ghee in a vessel and fry this flour on low heat.When ghee separates, add thickened milk and fry for five minutes. Take off the fire and add ground sugar,chopped dry fruits and cardamom seeds and set on a plate. After it sets, cut pieces out of it and decorate on a plate.

DUDHI HALWA

Ingredients:

1 medium sized (1/2 Kg) bottle gourd (dudhi)

10 cashewnuts

10 pistachios

3 cups milk

3-4 tbsp pure ghee

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp green cardamom powder

10 raisins

Method:

Peel and wash bottle gourd, scrape out the seeds.Grate it finely.Chop cashewnuts and pistachios.Heat the milk and reduce to around two cups.Heat ghee in a pan, add the grated gourd and saute for five to seven minutes.Add reduced milk and cook, stirring continuously, till all the liquid content has evaporated. Add sugar and green cardamom powder. Mix thoroughly. Serve hot or cold, garnished with cashewnuts, raisins and pistachios.

Chocolate Burfi

Ingredients:

2 cups mawa (khoya)

2 tsps oil

3 tbsp cocoa powder

1/3 cup sugar

Method:

Crumble mawa into fine granules.Grease a tray with oil and keep aside. Cook mawa in a thick bottomed pan, stirring continuously till it is completely melted and has a thick sauce like consistency. Do not colour. Stir in sugar till it is completely dissolved and mawa is cooked.Remove half of this mixture and pour into the greased tray.For spreading the mawa evenly on the tray, hold it from two sides and rap it on a hard surface two or three times.Let it cool.Keep the remaining half on low heat.Add the cocoa powder and mix well. Pour the cocoa mixture over the earlier mixture.Let it cool completely.Cut into pieces.

Carrot Halwa

Ingredients:

1 Kg carrots

200 grams sugar

50 grams ghee

1 litre milk

100 grams khoya

10 grams pistachio

50 grams almonds

50 grams raisins

Method:

Cut and peel the carrots. Grate them properly. Saute the is desi ghee. Now, add milk, khoya and sugar. Cook till the milk is completely observed in it.

Garnish with almonds, pistachio and raisins.