Rasaswad

 Heat a couple of tablespoons of sugar in a pan until caramelized. Add cashews, stir and take out on parchment paper. Cool.  Make some chocolate ganache and cool.  Line a small tin with plastic wrap. Lay some thinly sliced pound cake, add some softened vanilla or chocolate ice cream. Add ganache and cracked cashew brittle. Add more pieces of cake and repeat of the pan is deep enough. Cover and freeze for a couple of hours, unmold and serve.  https://youtube.com/shorts/rLn5RVHHvLg?si=sxO2wRMpTKlar6SZ

 Soak 1 cup Masoor daal for a couple of hours. In a blender jar, add 1/2 onion roughly chopped, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 big carrot chunks, a handful of cilantro, salt, sweet and smoked paprika, garlic powder, a pinch of oregano and pulse. Add the soaked daal and pulse again until the mixture comes together. Add some panko breadcrumbs and refrigerate for a few minutes. Make Pattie’s and shallow fry in a pan. Serve with usual burger fixins.  https://youtu.be/wE7ldSi6CYo?si=FbDA9d-xqLGQ3FfG

 The way mom made it - peel and cut doodhi in large cubes. In a pressure cooker add doodhi, some water and salt and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. Remove and set aside. Heat ghee, add jeera, hing?  and add back doodhi. Add some milk and let it cook until the milk reduces a bit. Add a pinch of sugar and serve with rotis. 

 Heat mustard oil, fry some big pieces of eggplants and set aside. Add a bay leaf, red chilli,  panch phoran and hing. Add medium big pieces of potato and sweet potato. Sauté, cover and let cook for a few minutes. Add raw plantain and pumpkin pieces, stir, cover and cook. Add egg plant, salt and turmeric, stir, cover and cook. Tir occasionally, and cook until done. Add sugar (optional) and garnish with cilantro. 

 Pita - In a mixer bowl, mix 1 cup of warm water, 2 tsp yeast, 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp of oil and 1/2 cup flour, cover and set aside for 10-15 mins. With a mixer hook and mixer on low, add about 1 1/2 cups for AP flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour (roti atta). Make sure the dough is really really soft. Knead with the machine for 3-4 minutes, and use hands with olive oil to coat the dough, cover and set aside for an hour. Take a ball (the dough will be sticky), roll evenly with flour and make semi-thick rotis on a tava. They should puff up well.  Falafal: I used 1/2 cup soaked black eyed peas and 1 can of cooked chickpeas, but ideally should used soaked chickpeas. In a vitamin jar, mix it with 1 onion, 2-3 cloves of garlic, small piece of green chilli, handful each of parsley, dill, and cilantro, a tsp of roasted cumin powder, 1/2 tsp oregano, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup besan. Use the masher to blend everything together. Add some coarse cornmeal and a big pich of baking soda. Mi...

 Lonavala Cooper style. Comes together in about 10- 15 mins. In a pan, heat 3 tbs butter, 1/2 can condensed milk, 1/3 cup coco powder, 3/4 cup coarsely ground walnuts and 1/2 tsp of vanilla. Stir until it all comes together and becomes thick. Cool and garnish with more walnuts. https://strawberryinthedesert.com/lonavla-inspired-chocolate-walnut-fudge/

 Boil pasta as per package instructions. Wash  and soak 1/2 cup red lentils - masoor daal. In a small pressure cooker, heat some olive oil and add 1/4 chopped onion, 1 celery, 1 carrot, 1/2 green pepper and 2 cloves of garlic. Sauté for a few minutes. Add salt, pepper, red chilli flakes, oregano, and a pinch of thyme and marjoram. Add big pieces of mushrooms and the lentils and sauté for another minute. Add half jar of basic tomato basil pasta sauce, about 1/2 cup water and cook on medium for two whistles. Once done, mix the pasta, lentil sauce, the remaining half jar of the tomato sauce and some reserved pasta water. Serve with olive oil and grated permesan.  https://www.kitchentreaty.com/red-lentil-marinara-sauce/