Almond Halwa:

Almond halwa or badam ka halwa is basically served in winter season in the breakfast with some sort of namkeen like poha. Also it is being given to mothers who has just delivered.

Ingredients:
20-25 almonds
¾ cup ghee
1 cup wheat flour
2 tsp cardamon powder
1 tbsp sliced almond to garnish
3 cup hot milk or hot water

Method:
1.Soak almonds overnight in the water.
2.Peel almonds and blench in the mixer.
3.Heat the ghee in the non stick pan and add the almond puree.
4.saute till turns pink and is cooked
5.Now add the wheat flour and saute till brown.
6.Add hot milk or hot water as desired and cook till it thickens and ghee separates. Keep stirring continuously.
7.Now add sugar and cardamon powder. Simmer for a while.
8.Garnish with sliced almonds and serve hot with namkeen.

Rajma chawal

Rajma chawal is one of my favourite dish....it is very nutritional and healthy....it tastes good....It is one of the favour from punjab........

Ingredients:
2 cups rajma (red kidney beans)
2 medium onion
2 big tomatoes
1 teaspoon jeera(cumin seeds)
2 teaspoon grated ginger
3 green chilly
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon dhania powder(coriander powder)
1/2 teaspoon haldi powder(turmeric powder)
3 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1 1/2 tea spoon black salt
salt according to taste

Method
1.Soak the rajma in overnight. Drain and discard the water. Keep aside.
2.Take 5 teacups of fresh water and pressure cook rajma for 3-4 whistle.
3.Make a gravy of tomato,onion,green chilly and 1 tablespoon of coriander leaves. Keep aside
4.Heat the oil in a non stick pan. Add the cumin seeds and allow to crackle.
5.Add the gravy and sauté for a few minutes till it separetes from oil . Add the grated ginger and sauté for a few more minutes.
6.Add the cooked rajma, along with turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt.
7.add the black salt and mix well. Simmer for a few minutes
8.garnish with coriander
9.Serve hot with plain rice.

Chaat Masala

Chaat Masala is used in almost every dish be it dahi vada, fruit dish, Pani Puri, bhel puri or dahi puri. You can top up your dish with chaat masala and relish it. There are the basic ingredients which are required to make chaat masala and are available in almost all houses. Easy to make and can be stored for 5-6 months. You can store this in an air tight container.

Ingredients:
1 cup roasted jeera
7-8 Kashmir chilli roasted
1 cup roasted coriander seeds
1 cup aamchoor powder
1 cup salt
3 tablespoons black salt
4 tablespoon kali mirch

Method:
1.Grind finely all the ingredients together in the mixer grinder.
2.Store in the airtight container.
3.use as required

Note: After roasting all the other ingredients except coriander seeds put the gas off and than roast the coriander seeds so they are lightly roasted and does not burn.

Papdi

This papdis are flat and crispy in nature. It is almost used in every chaat like bhel puri, Sev puri, or dahi puri. You can store this in an air tight container for a longer time. Some make Papdi by using only plain flour and some use a mix of plain flour and semolina flour to make it crispier. This is the best dish to welcome the unexpected guest.

Ingredients:
1 cup plain flour
2 table spoon semolina
2 teaspoon Ajwain (optinal)
1/2 tablespoon oil
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:
1.Mix both the flour, salt, Ajwain, oil and add enough water to make stiff dough.
2.Knead well and roll out into a big thin chapatti. Now cut into almost 1 ½ inch of puris.
3.Prick it nicely so while deep frying it does not puff up.
4.Deep fry in hot oil on a medium flame until golden brown.
5.Store in an air tight container.

Papdi Chaat

Papdi chaat is a much known chaat in Delhi and Bangalore with lots of Papdi, curd, potato, chaat masala, green chutney, and imli ki chutney. Tossed together to make a wonderful Papdi chaat. It is a different way of dahi puri we can say.papdi is basically crispy by nature. It is made out of plain flour and a little bit of semolina is added to make it crispier. You can make it in good quantity to welcome your unexpected guest at any time. Papdi can be stored for a long time.

Ingredients:
50-60 Papdi
3 cups imli ki chutney
2 cups green chutney
2 medium potatoes boiled and grated
2 cup whisked curd
2 teaspoon chaat masala
2 teaspoon roasted jeera powder
2 teaspoon red chilli powder
Salt to taste

Method:
1.Take papdis in the bowl, now add imli khajur ki chutney, green chutney and salt and toss well.
2.Now put grated potatoes and curd.
3.Sprinkle chaat masala, jeera powder, and red chilli powder.
4.Garnish with coriander leaves if you want to and serve immediately.

Note: The reason to serve immediately is because with all chutneys and curd above the papdis. The papdis does not remain crispy for the longer period of time.You can add onion and tomatoes if you wish to.

imli-Khajur ki chutney

It is the sweet and sour chutney used in any and all chaat dishes.This chutney can be stored in the refrigerator for almost a month time. You can also deep fridge this chutney and use as and when required for more than 4 months. But it is always good to make fresh things and even if you want to store it should not be done more than 45 days so that you can have a fresh taste of the chutneys.You can also store green chutney for the same period as imli khajur ki chutney. Also dry garlic chutney can be stored with out refrigerating for more than 90days.

Makes 3 cups.

Ingredients
2 cups dates (khajur),
1/4 cup tamarind (imli),
1 cup jaggery (gur),
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
a pinch asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste
Method
1.Wash the dates and tamarind and place them in a non stick pan.
2.Add the jaggery, and 4 cups of water and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
3.Now add red chilli powder, asafoetida and salt and mix it well.
4.Cool and make a puree by grinding in the mixer grinder.Now strain it.
5.Use as required.

Tip:You can add a little water while straining the chutney if required as it will be strained easily.

Dahi vada

One of the most popular dishes through out India is dahi vada. Dahi vadas can be made in different ways. You can also make stuffed dahi vadas by stuffing dry fruits. Stuffed dahi vadas are very much popular in marwaris.

One of the most popular and the common way is making dahi-vadas by using urad dal. There are people who use moong dal instead of urad dal....some use urad dal and moong dal in equal quantity....Also vadas are served with sweet dahi or plain dahi with some tadka. The best part of this dish is that you can have it any time of the day as a snack or either as a side dish to the main meal.

Makes 24 dahi vadas.
For the vadas
2 cup urad dal,
1/2" piece ginger
3 green chillies
a pinch soda bi-carb(optional)
salt to taste

For serving
6 cups beaten curds
5 tablespoons imli ki chutney
salt to taste
For garnishing
chilli powder
roasted jeera powder

For making the vadas
1.Soak urad dal for 6hrs.
2.Wash and drain the urad dal.
3. Grind together the urad dal, ginger, green chillies and salt in a grinder to a coarse paste.
4. Add the soda bi-carb to the urad dal paste and mix well till the batter is light and fluffy. Add a little water if required.
5. Wet your hands and take 2 tablespoons of the batter on your palm. Deep fry in hot oil on a slow flame till the vadas are golden brown.
6.Drain on absorbent paper if required(As after soaking them in hot water excess oil will come out anyways).

How to proceed
1.Soak the deep fried vadas in water for about 30 minutes.
2.Before serving, squeeze out the excess water.
3.Keep the vadas on a serving dish and top with curd.
4.Garnish with red chilli powder, jeera powder and salt and serve with imli khajur ki chutney.

Custard Apple Milk Shake

This smooth, delicate shake is a great way to cool off during the hot, hot days of late summer.High on calcium, niacin and iron, the custard apple contains approximately 25 seeds per fruit that are difficult to de-seed and are extremely high on calories.Those who want to add calories to there diet they can really enjoy it and those who do not want to add even that extra bit of calories can stay away.

Ingredients:
Pulp of three big custard apples
1 ½ glass milk
3tbsp Almonds, cashew and apricot
1 1/2 tbsp sugar

Method:
1.Grind the pulp, sugar and milk in the mixer
2.garnish with almonds, cashew and apricot
3.serve chilled

Vegetable biryani

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup basmati Rice
1 ½ cup mixed vegetables
1 chopped onion medium
1 tea spoon ginger garlic paste
2 Tbsp cashew, poppy seeds paste
1/2 cup curd
2 Tbsp coriander leaves
1 tbsp mint leaves
¼ cup milk
2 1/2 Tbsp everest biryani masala
1 tbsp melted ghee
1 cup tomato puree

Method:
1.Par boil rice, cool it
2.Take 5 tbsp oil, fry chopped onions till turns golden
3.Add ginger garlic paste, tomato puree and cashew poppy seed paste
4.Add biryani masala and curd cook till oil separates
5.Now add boiled vegetables, coriander leaves and mint leaves
6.Add rice and toss well
7.Pour melted ghee and milk
8.Cook for 10-12 mins on slow flame covering the lid
9.Serve with raita

Gatte ki subzi

A special rajsthani diah which is being relished with bajra roti, lahsun ki chutney, and kersangri ki subzi. A must in every marwari marraige menu. The marraige food is always traditional which includes motichoor ke ladoo,dal baati churma,gatte ki subji,kersangri ki subzi, rice-dal,phulke...... A traditional Marwari food one can find in any rajasthani marraige.

Ingredients
1 cup Gramflour(Besan)
2 tsp Ajwain
1 ½ tsp Red chilly powder
2tbsp dhaniya powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
4 tbsp Oil
1tsp cumin seeds
3tbsp whipped curd
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Take besan,ajwain,red chilly powder, turmeric powder, 2tbsp oil and salt in a bowl and add little water to make a stiff dough.
2. Divide the gatta dough in to 8parts and make long thin gattas and keep aside.
3. Take 3 1/2 cups of water and bring it to boil, now add gattas in to the boiling water and let it cook for 15 mins
4.Once cooked drain the gattas from water and keep the water aside now cut the gattas in 1 inch piece and add dhaniya powder,pinch of salt into it.
5.Heat 2 tbsp oil in the pan and thn add cumin seeds and gattas. You can add gatta water as per the gravy u require
6.Now you can add curd and cook for 10-12 mins
7.Serve hot with phulkas

Chiku and Strawberry Milk Shake

Chiku and strawberry milkshake is a good kick start for those who dont like to have breakfast.

Ingredients:
1 cup chiku pieces
1 cup strawberry pieces
1 glass milk
1 tbsp honey

Method:

1.Blend all the ingredients together and serve chilled

Sangri ki subzi

Ingredients:
1 cup Sangri
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp rai powder
½ tsp haldi powder
1 tbsp mirchi powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp dhania powder
2tsp sugar optional
A Pinch of Hing
Salt to taste

Method:
1.Soak sangri for 8-10 hrs
2.Wash it thoroughly and pressure cook it for 3 whistles
3.wash again after pressure cooking
4.Take the sangri in a bowl and add haldi powder, mirchi powder, dhania powder, salt, and rai powder.
5.Heat oil in the pan now add hing and sangri. Simmer for a while and add 2 tsp sugar and garam masala
6.You can keep this dish in fridge for a weeks time.

Math ke vade ki subzi

Math ke vade ki subzi is made with sour curd and leftover vadas. This is very tasty
as it is spicy a0nd sour. Mostly rajasthani recipes are found to be with lots of oil and spices. And with a very unusual taste. cumin seeds and hing are part of almost every dish.There is a proverb that "what likes the eyes that suits the tongue"

Ingredients:
2 cups math ki daal ke vade
1 cup sour dahi
2tsp dhania powder
1 ½ tsp lal mirchi powder
½ tsp haldi
Salt to taste
1 ½ tbsp oil

Method:
1.Take 2 ½ cups of water in a vessel and add dhania powder, lal mirchi powder, salt and haldi in to it.
2.Take oil in a pan and add jeera
3.Once jeera crackles add the masala water and let it boil
4.Than add whipped curd and vade.
5.Let it boil for 3-4 mins
6.Serve immediately

Math ki dal ke Vade

This dish is specially made in rajasthan...Math ki dal ke vade is usually in a snacks menu. chilke wali math ki dal is quite difficult to find in any groccery store. but you can find a normal math ki dal with out the chilkas in any groccery shop.This vadas can be had with curd, green chutney and sauce. If some vadas are left you can also make delicious sour subzi out of it...this is what my mother-in-law do...and it is yummyyy....firstly lets make some vadas and tha the recipe from the leftover...


Ingredients:
2 cups chilkewali Math ki dal
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp whole dhania
1 tbsp Ginger chilly paste
Salt to taste

Method:
1.Soak the math dal overnight
2.Wash it thoroughly and remove the chilkas of the dal
3.Drain the water from the dal completely
4.Grind the dal without water
5.Add ginger-chilly paste into it
6.Now add whole dhania, and chopped coriander leaves
7.Add salt mix it well.
8.Take a tbsp of bhaji mixture in hand and flatten. you can make it like small tikkis.Deep fry in oil and serve with curd,green chutney or sauce

P.N:Use the bhaji mixture immediately after adding salt.

Palak Paneer

This dish has a very authentic taste in itself. Not only that Palak provides iron and folic acid, also paneer has lots of calcium. And as all say that having leafy vegetables twice a week is a must for people who are weak...as it keeps there haemoglobin level good....also you can have is carrot, beetroot...etc Thats why people say that there should be place for one leafy vegetable in our daily diet.

Ingredients:
1 medium bunch of spinach
1 big tomato
1 big onion
1 ½ tsp jeera
2 green chilly
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
Salt to taste
75 Gms Panner

Method:

1. Boil spinach and keep aside


2. Grind tomato, onion, jeera and make a paste


3. Wash Panner and squeeze it


4. Cut Panner into small pieces and keep aside


5. Take a Kadai and put 3 tbsp oil


6. Now deep fry the Panner in the oil till pink and keep aside


7. Put the tomato paste in the oil and saute for 5-6 mins


8. rind spinach in the mixer and add in the tomato paste and saute for 4-5 mins OR till oil separates


9. Now add Paneer to it and cook for 6-7 mins on slow flame covering with the lid.

Note:Even without garlic the subzi taste very authentic

Semolina Pizza

I would like to call this dish as a quick dish bcos it can be made in no time...... specially when an unexpected guest turns out. Small pizzas which i am sure kids will also love to brunch. And we can indirectly make them eat vegetables as many of the kids do not like eating vegetables.


Ingredients:
200gms semolina
2 cups of mixed vegetables (cabbage, capsicum, tomato)
1 ½ tbsp ginger chilly paste
1 packet ENO
1 tsp heeng
1 cup sour curd
Salt to taste
Water to make batter thin

Method:

1. Take a vessel put semolina and then add finely chopped cabbage, capsicum and tomato.
2. Now add ginger chilly paste, salt, curd, eno and water to make the batter thin.
3. Pour 3tbsp batter on the nonstick pan or a tawaand make small Pizza serve with tomato sauce or green chutney.
   
   PN: Once the batter is ready make pizzas within 15 mins only.
   

Golden Ring

Ingredients:

1 cup maida
6 medium potatoes
1 cup green peas
1 ½ tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp coriander leaves
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tbsp green chilly paste
1tsp oil for the dough
oil required for deep frying
Salt to taste

Garnish With:
Tomato sauce
Sev
Green chutney

Method:

1. Boil potatoes and green peas and smash it
2. add ginger chilly paste, lemon juice, salt gram masala and mix it well
3. Take maida and make firm dough by adding oil and salt
4. make small balls of the mixture and flatten it and keep aside.
5. make thin rotis out of the dough and cut thin slice of approx 1 inch of those rotis. thn you can cut that slice in two and cover the side of the tikkis by the maida roti
6. deep fry those tikkis
7. While serving garnish with sauce, green chutney and Sev.

Pudine ki chutney

Ingredients:
30-40 mint leaves
20-30 coriander leaves
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp jeera
½ tsp hing
1 ½ tsp sugar
3-4 green chilly
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Grind everything together.
2. Serve after cooling.
3. You can make ice cubes of this chutney and keep in the refrigerator. Use as and when required.

Moong dal kachori

Ingredients:
1 cups maida
3tbs oil
1 1/2 cups moong dal
2tsp red chilly powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1 ½ tsp haldi
1 tbs paste of cinnamon and luvung
1 ½ tsp aniseed powder

For the stuffing:
Method:

1. Soak moong dal in water for 3-4 hrs
2. coarsely grind in the mixi and keep aside
3. Take oil in a pan and put the moong dal mixture and stir constantly till it gets cooked.
   (you get to know that the moong dal is cooked if it does not stick to the pan)
4. Add red chilly powder, salt, sugar, haldi, aniseed powder, cinnamon and luvung paste.
   Saute for 5-6 mins or till the aroma comes.Keep aside.
   
   For atta:
   Take atta add oil into it. Use little water or as required and knead firm dough.
   Apply little water and keep aside for 30 mins by covering with a wet cloth.
   
   For kachoris:
   Make 8 balls of maida dough and make small rounds fill it with 1 ½ tbs of moong dal mixture and fry in il or ghee till pink.
   
   For garnishing:
   1. Take kachori in the plate, put imli ki chutney, pudine ki chutney, curd, chaat masala, sev and serve.

Green chana chaat

Green chana chaat is a absolute filling chaat and very much popular on juhu beach in mumbai. The combination of butter and spices with potatoes, onion and tomatoes make it all the more amazing.Try this out and i am sure u would love it.....

Ingredients:
2 cup green chana
1 small onion
1 small potato
1 small tomato
1 small green chilly
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp red chilly powder
2 tbs chopped coriander leaves
1 ½ ts chaat masala
1tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
3 tbs butter

Method:

1. Soak green chanas overnite.
2. Boil the chanas with a pinch of salt
3. Take 1tbs butter in the pan and add the chana and sauté for a while
4. Add chopped onion, potato, tomato, chaat masala and garam masala.
5. Add remaining butter, salt, and lemon juice
6. Serve in a plate and garnish with coriander leaves.

Garlic chutney 1

Ingredients:
1 cup of peeled garlics
2 tbsp Red chilly powder
salt to taste

Mehtod:

1. Make a fine paste of garlic
2. Add red chilly powder and salt
3. Mix well and fill it in a jar.

Note: This dry garlic chutney can be stored for 90 days time. And can be used for multipurpose dishes. just by adding a little water you can eat it with kababs, vada pav, tikkis etc.

Vada Pav

VADA PAV …..listening to the name my mouth starts watering…....Vada Pav is life for any mumbaikar….an all time favorite snack which u can grab anytime and munch it…even if you are in the local train or walking down the street. Vada pav is not the seasonal thing…one can have vada pav irrespective of season or timing ………In the college canteen while on a break, while roaming with friends, even when out of office or especially when Mumbai local trains are late and waiting for the train vada pav is the best option for all I have seen. Especially with hot and spicy garlic chutney and onions. It’s so tasty that one can’t resist eating.

Basically vada pav is a maharastrian dish. But it is found almost everywhere and people enjoy with leisure…Today I tried making vadapav at home as I am basically from Mumbai. so I MISS vada pav so much here that this time I thought let me use my hands on it as I have seen my mother making it so easily and use to be so delicious ....And as tried out the recipe my mother use to make it turned to be amazingly yummy…………so thought lets share with all who are true fans of vada pav…and those who are not “which I highly doubt” I bet they would love it once they eat VADA PAV.

Ingredients:
8 pavs
3 tbsp garlic chutney
3 cups boiled and mashed potatoes
2 tsp ginger and green chilly paste
1tbsp garlic minced
5-6 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp hing
2 tbsp oil

For covering
1 1/2 cup besan flour
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp oil
salt to taste
a pinch of soda
Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Take oil in apan and add mustard seeds, when they start dancing add hing and curry leaves
2. Now add the gingerand green chilly paste along with minced garlic and saute for a while
3. Add the mashed potatoes and salt and toss well
4. Remove from heat and cool it at room temperature
5. make 6 balls out of the mixture and keep aside

For the covering:

1. Take all the ingredient ina large bowl and make a batter adding water as required
2. Dip the vadas in this batter and coat it well
3. Deep fry this vadas in the hot oil and till golden color

To make vada pav:

1. Slice the pav from between and apply a bit of garlic chutney or as spicy you require, place one vada on it while covering it with the other slice

Note: You can also put 1tbsp of chopped onions in the vada pav as it will make it even more tastier.

Lauki Halwa

Lauki ka halwa is an authentic Indian dish which can be had as a sweet and a dessert Lauki ka halwa is being loved by even those who does not like lauki at all…it is not found in most kitchen as people don’t like it. but even other dishes of lauki turns out to be tasty enough such as lauki kofta curry which is very delicious, even lauki muthiya which is basically found in gujrathi homes, lauki raita which once made no would be able to say that it is lauki raita………Lauki halwa can be served hot and even chilled after keeping in the fridge. At my house it is being had mostly in winter with either kachoris or onion pakoras in the morning breakfast.

Ingredients:
5 cups grated lauki
100 grams khova or mawa
½ ltr milk
2 tbsp ghee
1 ½ cup sugar
2 ½ tsp cardamon powder
4 tbsp dryfruits

Method:
Take ghee in the nonstick pan and add lauki
Simmer lauki for a while and thn add milk.
Let lauki get cooked in the milk completely.
Thn add grated khova and sugar and again simmer for a while.
Now add cardamom powder and dryfruits and cook for a while.
Serve hot or cool as desired.

Delicious taste of Indian food and variety of Indian spices

Indian food has got so much of varieties in it. I f you see the food variations throughout India then you will see four major varieties in Indian food. North Indian Food, South Indian Food, East Indian Food and West Indian Food. Just like we have different castes, languages, traditions so we do we have different food varieties.

We all know that world is crazy about delicious Indian food. People love Indian food for its variety of spices. In fact I can say that, we have so many spices that, other countries don’t even have so many of dishes with them. My name is Chandnee Khandelwal. I am very found of cooking so i keep trying new dishes at home and just thought why not share all those recipes with you all. I will try and post a few recipes on daily basis. So just stop by and check out for the latest recipes. You can also subscribe to my Recipe Feeds.