Rasaswad

 M. was super inspired by the pasta episode in Chef's table and had been after me for weeks. So here it is - 3 cups flour + 4 eggs (no salt). Make a relatively firm but pliable dough and let it rest for a 10-15 mins. Pass it through the pasta roller through increasing settings - 1-5 , cut with the fluted roller and pinch to shape into Farfalle. Boil in salted water for a couple minutes and serve with your favorite sauce. Yum! 

Take about quarter cup of plain yogurt (not sour). Add a quarter tsp of ginger garlic chili chutney, 1 tbsp dhania jeera powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp anchor, a pinch of pav bhaji masala, 1/2 tsp kasuri methi, 1/4 tsp dry mint and salt to taste. Crush 2 tbsp Dalia (roasted Chana dal) and add to the yoghurt. Add big pieces of paneer and let it marinate for a few minutes. Cut red onions, colored peppers, a tomato and a zucchini into large dices and set aside. Heat some mustard oil, and add the paneer pieces and let cook on both sides. Take it out and set aside. Meanwhile, add the onions, peppers and zucchini into the marinade. Once the paneer is out, add regular oil, add the onions and pepper and let sauté for a few. Add zucchini and tomatoes. Also add a tbsp of onion tomato masala and 2 tbsp yogurt. Add salt. Crank up the heat and let the liquid from yoghurt cook out. Add the paneer back. Let everything cook for a few minutes and serve. M.’s verdict “it’s new but I like it”. 

 Clean fresh red chillies. Grind it with a bit of ginger and garlic. Heat oil, add the paste and some salt and let it cook down. Add lime juice once it cooks  and store in the fridge/freezer. 

 Roast some peanuts and sesame seeds and crush them coarsely. In a pressure cooker, heat peanut oil, add Mustard Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Clove, Bay leaves, Hing, crushed garlic, turmeric and red chilli powder and chopped tomatoes. Let it Saute. Add Diced Potatoes and eggplants. Saute for a few minutes, add salt, peanut, sesame powder, and water and pressure cook for one whistle. Add dhania jeera powder, garam masala, some tamarind pulp and gud (optional). Add fresh cilantro and serve with Puris/Rotis.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKyaESpEPJg

 M. Is almost five and cooks truly instinctively… she wanted a cool dessert today and she asked me to make this .. the only modification I made was in whipping the cream .. the rest is exactly hers .. blend and strain the blueberries, melt the chocolate and I whipped the cream with some sugar and vanilla. Mixed all three in roughly equal proportion and we got the awesome Abuzulu from the fabled land of Abu .. I have no idea how she came up with this .. but as always, she was very clear about what she wanted and made sure that she got it …  A couple of days ago, she made an apple blue berry salad with shredded lettuce and Dalia for crunch. I made her some honey dressing, but it was a good salad. Entirely her invention. 

 Wash and chop a bunch of methi. Add it to about half a cup of atta, half a cup of AP flour, 2 tbs of sooji and 2 tbs of besan. Can also add some rice flour. Add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, corriander powder and a handful of sesame seeds. Also add about 1 tbsp of oil. Mix everything and add about half a cup of water and make a semi soft dough. Let it rest for about half an hour. Roll, dock and cut into small squares and fry in medium hot oil. Sprinkle some black salt and pepper powder.