Rasaswad

  Wash thoroughly and soak 3/4 Chana daal, 1 tbsp udad daal for 5-6 hours. Add about 1/2 cup Poha and let it soak for another 10-15 mins. Drain the water, wash once more and drain the water again. Now blend it smooth (I used pulse mode) without any extra water and 2 tbsp of yoghurt (I mixed the two kinds - sour and plain). Cover and ferment in Instant pot yoghurt mode for 11 hours. Next day, add salt, turmeric, big pinch of hing, ginger green chilli paste, and a couple tablespoons of peanut oil. Mix everything by hand for a few minutes. Add water to make dosa batter consistency. Heat water in a steamer, and grease 2-3 plates. Now add 1/2 packages eno to the batter, a tsp of water and mix in one direction. Add the batter to the plates and steam for 10 mins or so  For locho masala; mix 1/4 tsp each of black salt, chat masala, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, black pepper powder.  Melt a tbsp of salted butter, add one clove of garlic, grated and some locho masala. Spread this butt

 Take some leftover palak paneer - crush paneer coarsely with hands. Add whole wheat flour, salt, oil and a bit of water to form a fairly firm dough. Let it rest. Knead and roll out thick puris. Deep fry and server with achar, etc. It's a complete meal from leftovers. 

 M. Liked this a lot... Wash thick poha in a colander, and let them dry in the colander itself for 10 mins. Add salt, sugar (a bit heavy on the sugar), turmeric and lime juice and lightly fluff with a fork. Boil  some water in a sauce pan. In a tadka pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, hing, half a green chilli and add to the poha (still in the colander). Now, put the colander with the poha on the sauce pan with water, cover and steam for 10 mins. Add a pinch of jeeralu and chat masala (I didn't have jeeravan masala). Poha is ready. Garnish with sev, bhujiya, peanuts, pomegranate seeds, etc. Sevre warm.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PGSlqTP1Sw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuttnylxuXY&t=147s

 Super fast to put together - Slice the bread, drizzle olive oil and toast for a few minutes in the oven. In a chopper, add 1/4 cup black olives, 1/2 cup green olives with pimento, one clove of garlic, and chop. Add a handful of permesan cheese, a handful of melting cheese (I had quatro fromaggio), a tablespoon of butter, and a pich of salt pepper. Bring it together into a paste. Spread generously on the bread slices, and bake again for about 10 mins. Serve warm.  https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/olive_crostini/

 In a small grinder jar, mix about a tbsp salt, 3-4 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp kashmiri Lal mirch, 1/8 tsp citric acid crystals, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp chat masala and grind it all together to make a fine powder.  Slice 1 green chilli and break about 20-25 pieces of curry leaves in half and set aside.  Line a big kathrot (parat) with paper towels. Heat oil in a large kadai. In a big strainer (I used a pasta strainer), move around about 4-5 cups of thick Poha to remove any powdery residue. Using a stainless steel spider, fry all the Poha in batches. Keep sprinkling some of the masala while it’s still warm, and stir gently. Now on a lower heat, fry about 2 cups of raw peanuts till crispy, but not brown. Next, fry about a cup and a half of dalia (roasted Chana dal), followed by a cup of coconut slices and cashews each. Fry half a cup of raisins till they just puff up. Now fry the chillies till crispy and finally the curry leaves. Keep sprinkling the masala after each layer. No

 Peel and grate two sweet potatoes. Add salt, pepper, one egg, some green garlic (since I had it around), about half a cup of plain flour, and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Mix and make waffles. Serve as an afternoon snack with pitted olives (one in each hole, make sure!)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcN_ldZawIQ

 S. Ben special ..  Clean and wipe bhindi, remove tops and bottoms, slit and then cut in half. Deep fry the bhinda on medium high flame. Add some salt while frying. Roast and grind some peeled peanuts. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, dhania jeera powder, chat masala, garam masala. Add some cilantro. Mix the spice mix with the bhinda and serve. 

 Prep ahead: slice a zucchini, eggplant, quartered mushrooms and some red and yellow peppers, add some olive oil and some salt and roast in the oven until done.  Set instant pot to saute mode. Add olive oil, 1 sliced leek (or onion), some garlic, and saute for a minute or so. Add some sliced mushrooms, and saute. Add about half a cup of Arborio rice and saute for a couple of minutes. Add a few splashes of white balsamic vinegar, And add about 2-3 cups of veg stock/water. Add salt, close the instant pot, and set it on manual, high for 5 mins. Do a quick release once it's done, and stir in the roasted veggies, about 2-3 tbsp of goat cheese, and serve with olive oil and grated permesan.  Recipe inspiration: https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/rogue-ratatouille-risotto/

 Dab dry a block of extra firm tofu..cut into thin fingers. Take about 1/3 cup AP flour, add a pinch of salt, and enough water to make a medium thick batter. Dip the tofu fingers in the batter and coat with panko. Heat oil in a frying pan, and shallow fry the tofu fingers. Server with ketchup mixed with soy sauce (or, if you’re an adventurous toddler like M., you can have it with Shrikhand) https://youtu.be/Kg7yF2Dy6w0

 I included eggs to the original recipe instead of yoghurt, replaced some of the flour with almond flour, added some sugar, and made a double batch to take to work.  Previous night - drain out a large pack of greek yoghurt in the fridge.  Soak, peel and chop about 1/2 cup raw Almonds in a chopper. Soak a big pinch of saffron in a tbsp of milk. Crush a teaspoon of cardamom. Pre heat oven to 350. Line and spray cupcake molds. In a mixer bowl, cream a stick of butter with a quarter cup sugar. Add two eggs, one at a time and mix. Add 3/4 can of condensed milk, and half a cup of oil. Add 1 tsp almond extract and a small splash of vanilla. Mix everything. In another bowl, mix 1 cup AP flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (optional - can use AP instead), and 1/2 cup Almond flour. I really did this since I was running out of flour at home, lol.  2 tsp of baking powder, 1 pinch of salt. Mix dry ingredients to the wet. Add the chopped almonds and half of the soaked saffron. And mix the batter. Add t

Wash, wipe and cut bhindi into large pieces (about two pieces per bhindi). Heat some mustard oil, let it smoke, and then add bhindi and cook till semi-cooked. Add a pinch of salt. Remove bhindi and set aside. Peel and slice some onions, some tomatoes and some raw green mangoes. Also slice some whole cloves of garlic and ghinger. In the same pan, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, a few methi seeds and hing. Add onion, ginger and garlic and saute for a minute or so.  Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, dhania powder and some amchur. Add a tablespoon of yoghurt and let the spices roast. Add tomatoes and mango and cook for a bit (tomatoes shouldn't soften). Add salt, and then add bhindi. add lots of chopped cilantro and serve with rotis.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt-VjvnzM6o&t=85s

 In a blender, add 1/2 cup sugar, 1 pack strawberries (washed and stemmed) (leave a few and slice for garnish), 1 whole cut up mini-watermelon (also leave a few cubes for garnish), juice of one lemon (keep some peel aside for garnish), and blend. Transfer to a pitcher, add the garnish pieces, and serve over ice. 

 Super easy and yummy. Heat a pressure cooker with some water (remove ring and whistle), and put a steel ring on the bottom (can also use a steamer). Grease a small plate (I used dhokla plate) with some oil. Wash and chop cilantro - about 3 cups. Mix 1 cup besan (I used a bit more, since I had a bit more cilantro), 1/4 cup rice flour, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, a pinch of amchoor, roasted cumin seeds powder (I used some homemade chat masala - Ranveer Brar recipe), 3 tbsp sesame seeds, and a tablespoon of oil. Mix everything and massage for a bit. Then add a few splashes to water to make a firmish dough. Note I don't use any soda. Press it into the greased plate, and steam for about 10 minutes, until done. Let cool, cut into pieces, and shallow fry on both sides until crispy. Serve with chutneys and dips of your choice.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYO2e40nbIg

 Soak about half cup of chana dal for about two hours. Wash and remove vains from a bunch of Aloo leaves. Chop them fine. In a pressure cooker container, Add chana dal and aloo leaves with a bit of water and some salt. Also put a small vati (bowl) with some raw peanuts and some water. Pressure cook for three whistles (along with rice, etc.).  In a pot, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, and add the boiled daal, leaves and peanuts. Add more salt, pinch of haldi, green chilli-ginger paste, jaggery, and tamarind pulp (add more pulp if the aloo leaves are slightly itchy. Boil for a few minutes and serve with rice.  Raita - peel the stems, chop and boil in salted water for a few minutes until they soften. Let cool. Whisk some yoghurt, add salt, a pinch of sugar, the cooled stems and some cilantro. Heat oil, add mustard seeds and hing and add to the raita.  This version is slightly different, but the video is informative:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-csYW06j_A&t=144s

 Bummer I didn’t have this recipe here so far: boil and peel about 4-6 russet potatoes. Coarsely mash them by hand. Lightly roast about 1/3 cup of whole coriander seeds, and coarsely crush them with a rolling pin. Add them to the crushed potatoes. Add a handful of thawed petite peas, a big handful of chopped cilantro, some chopped mint (optional), a tablespoon each of crushed ginger and green chillies (adjust to taste), a tablespoon of lime juice, salt to taste, about a teaspoon each of chat masala, garam masala, anar dana powder (dried pomegranate), fennel seed powder (optional), and dried mango powder. Half a teaspoon of red chilli powder, and a pinch of ajwain. Mix everything together, and set aside. You can now use fresh samosa wrappers (a dough made from all purpose flour, salt, ajwain, oil and water), or use frozen empanada wrappers (Goya brand work well), or cut up strips of spring roll wrappers (TJ brand). You could also use some plain white bread. Stuff and fry samosas and enj

 Masala - 2 tbsp whole dhana, 1 tsp jeera, 1 tsp tal, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 15-20 pepper corn, 1 star anise, 3-4 small cinnamon sticks, 2 cloves, 2 tbsp dry coconut powder. Roast everything and transfer to spice grinder. Add 1 tsp amchur, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black salt, 1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder, 2 tsp sugar. Grind everything together and keep aside.  Peanuts - I use peeled peanuts. Take about a cup of peanuts in a bowl, add 1 tsp oil, and 1 tbsp butter. Heat it in a microwave in 30 second increments for 2 minutes. Add dabeli masala per taste. Heat for another minute or so, and set aside.  Garlic chutney: Grind together 3-4 large cloves of garlic, salt, kashmiri red chilli powder, cumin seeds, lime and water.  Sweet chutney: I used store bought khajoor imli chutney.  Prep: Chope red onion, cilantro and remove seeds from a pomegranate. Mix some nylon sev with some chopped cilantro and take out in a plate.  Stuffing: Boil, peel and mash potatoes. Heat oil, add chopped onion and saute til

 Chop broccoli into small pieces. Add to a bowl, add some water and microwave for a minute till slightly soft. Heat olive oil, add chopped onions, green peppers. Saute for a few minutes. Add broccoli, a pinch of salt and pepper. On a leftover paratha, add some slices of cheddar cheese, Add the mixture, add some more cheese and fold in half. Heat a tawa, add some butter, and roast the quesedilas on both sides until crispy. Cut into wedges and serve. 

 Chop Asparagus in small pieces. Heat oil, add cumin, some diced onion, saute. Add mix masala (onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, spices). Add asparagus and saute for a minute or two. Add water, salt, cover and cook until asparagus is soft. Add a touch of cream, and cook for a few. Serve hot with rotis or parathas. 

 This is the mostly uncomplicated version that tasted really well. Wash and chop a bunch of spinach (not baby spinach). Make sure to change water a few times to get rid of any sand. This can be done a day or two in advance. In a large pan, heat some oil. Make small cubes of a pack of paneer (I used Swad). Add them to the pan and let them brown lightly on two three sides. Now, dice a large red onion, lots of garlic cloves (I used Vadilal frozen garlic cloves), and some ginger (I used some frozen paste I had on hand). Remove the paneer pieces and set aside in a plate. In the same pan, add some more oil and ghee, add some cumin and ginger ans garlic. The garlic needs to brown ever so slightly. Then add chopped onion, a pinch of salt,  and let it sauté for a few more minutes. In the meantime, thaw out a pack of frozen mustard leaves (Sarso - I used Vadilal brand) in the microwave. Wash it once to make sure there’s no dirt. Once the onion starts to brown on the edges, add turmeric powder, r

 Use Surti Papdi Lilva for this. I used a pack of frozen lilva. Boil with some salt and water for a couple of whistles. Dry roast some peanuts and sesame seeds. In a blender, blend together green garlic, cilantro, coconut, green chilli, garlic cloves, ginger, peanuts, sesame, turmeric powder and salt. Heat some oil, add ajwain, hing and add the paste. Saute for a few minutes, and add the boiled lilva. Add some Dhania jeera powder and pinch of sugar. Cook for a few more minutes. Serve with rotli, Bajra Rotla or khichdi and kadhi.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVdO3MTgM2Y

Thandai masala: blanch 1/2 cup almonds, peel, wipe and set aside. In a small blender jar (I used the vitamix small one), mix together 2 Tbsp. dried rose petals,  2 Tbsp. fennel seeds, 2 Tbsp. melon seeds, 2 Tbsp. white poppy seeds, 11/2 tsp green cardamom pods, 1/2 tsp black peppercorns, 1/4 tsp saffron threads, 1 1/2" cinnamon stick, small pinch of kosher salt. Grind into a fine powder. Remove into a bowl. Grind 1/2 cup cashews, 1/4 cup pistachios and the 1/2 cup blanched almonds into coarse powder. Mix everything and store in an airtight container.  Cake:  Preheat oven at 350, and spray 9X9 inch square pan with baking spray. Cream together 1 stick of unsalted butter, 3/4 cup sugar. Add 2Tbsp vegetable oil. Add 2 eggs, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp almond extract. Add 13/4 cup AP flour, 11/2 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp kosher salt. Add 1/2 cup whole milk, and mix until batter just comes together. Add 1/4 cup Thandai masala and mix until it mixes w

 My friend P.'s recipe...easy and tasty.  Heat oil, add chopped celery and carrots. Saute. Add peas and corn. Add garam masala, boiled potatoes and salt. Form big burger patties, cover with breadcrumb and shallow fry. On burger buns, apply some sriracha Mayo, put the burger patty, and some cole slaw. 

 Take 1/2 cup Fada (broken wheat) in a pressure cooker container. Wash and add 11/2 cup water  + pinch of salt (optional). In another container, take 1/2 cup toor daal, wash and add 1 cup water. Pressure cook both of these (in separate containers) for 5-6 whistles. Once the pressure releases, use a wooden Ravai to slightly mash both the fada and the daal. Now mix both of them in a pot, along with 1 cup chopped jaggery (you could take slightly less or more according to your taste). Heat just until the jaggery melts. Make sure not to cook too much, otherwise the fada will get hard. Add crushed cardamom, nutmeg, and saffron. Add slivered almonds, pistachios and raisins. Can also add Charoli if available. Serve with a dollop of ghee. 

The cake recipe is followed fairly closely, with two 9 inch pans. Roast 3/4 cup pistachios for 10 mins in a 350 oven. Once slightly cool, blend into a powder. Prepare two 9 inch cake pans. In a mixer, mix two sticks of butter,  12/3 cup sugar, until slightly lighter. Add 2 cups cake flour, 1/2 cup pistachio powder, 1tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt. Then add 5 eggs, followed by 1/2 cup milk mixed with 2 tsp vanilla (note the order of eggs is slightly different, but this method works fine). Bake in 350 oven until done (about 25 or so minutes), and cool. I used store bought apricot preserve. Also made chocolate ganache with about 1 lb semisweet chocolate chips, 11/4 heavy cream, and added a spoon of corn syrup.  For the marzipan: In a clean mixer, add 11/2 cup fine almond flour (not meal), 11/2 cup confectioner's sugar, 1 tsp rose water,  11/2 tsp almond extract and 4-6 tbsp light corn syrup. The dough should barely be coming together. Knead by hand (it should be a tough dough...like